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VOL. 54, NO. 37 • JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

Schools Out for the Summer; Educating Youth Continues Year Round

House Committee Holds Hearing on Reparations By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia A House Judiciary subcommittee held a hearing last week on slavery reparations, a topic which hasn’t been discussed by lawmakers for at least a decade. The hearing, held June 19 by the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, focused on House Resolution 40, proposes to establish a commission to study the consequences and impacts of slavery and reparations to African Americans. Sponsored by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, H.R. 40 would create a commission of 13 members who would compile a report of findings and recommendations on the issue and send it to Congress. “The real issue is whether and how this nation can come to grips with the legacy of slavery that still infects current society,” Jackson Lee said when discussing the legislation earlier this year. “While we have focused on the social effects of slavery and segregation, its continuing economic implications remain largely ignored by mainstream analysis. These economic issues are the root cause of many critical issues in the African-American community today, such as education, healthcare and crim-

REPARATIONS Page 40

HEAT WAVE TAKES OVER GREATER DC REGION

WI Bridge Center Section

Norton Remains at Forefront in Securing Vital Resources for Black Dads

Teens Most Impacted by Lack of Positive Roadmaps and Role Models to Follow 5 The staff at Roots Activity Learning Center in Northwest keep infants cool in a small portable pool. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer) The iconic Motown vocal group Martha and the Vandellas cashed in with “Heat Wave” in 1963 with their song that described a brother “burning with desire” and “going insane” in ways akin to how one feels when the thermometers hover near the 100s. Similarly, the heat has arrived in the Greater Washington Area and will remain for the rest of the week and weekend. Temperatures will average in the 90s, even reaching the 100s before isolated thunderstorms cool things down on Saturday or Sunday. The elderly, children, pets and the sick face the greatest risk of succumbing to heat stroke, cramps or exhaustion. Stay safe by staying in air conditioned buildings, home preferably, or places like libraries, malls or shopping centers that have air conditioning. Also, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, avoid strenuous activities, never leave animals or children in vehicles, wear light clothing and be sure to check on family members and neighbors.

Advocates for Reparations Organize, Agitate on Capitol Hill

By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir African-American fathers, teens and adults alike, particularly those unmarried and bereft of positive examples of fatherhood, have long borne the brunt of undue criticism for their inability and failure to adequately support, guide and serve as

CAUCUS Page 32

Juneteenth Congressional Hearing Preceded DC Forum, 30th Annual Reparations Convention in Detroit By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins A high-profile congressional subcommittee hearing on reparations revealed, above all else, that opponents of H.R. 40 haven’t been able to accept empirical evidence proving the devastatingly long-term economic effects of chattel slavery and race-based legislation on the collective well-being of those who descended from enslaved Africans. On Juneteenth, as the hearing touted as “H.R. 40 and the Path

to Restorative Justice,” entered its third hour, Julianne Malveaux, a well-regarded economist and one of more than a half-dozen witnesses testifying before the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, admonished the elected officials who focused more on her fellow panelists’ apprehensions about reparations and anecdotes of individual success more than figures she and Ta-Nehisi Coates, another public witness, brought to the table.

AGITATE Page 50

5 Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), joined co-hosts (l-r) Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Danny K. Davis (D-IL) for the Congressional Black Caucus Black Men and Boys hearing at the U.S. Capitol Thursday, June 20 drew supporters hearing testimony on “Black Fatherhood: Understanding the Effect of Fathers Who Care.” (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

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On June 30, 1917 Grammy-winning singer/actress Lena Horne is born in Brooklyn, New York Black Facts / Page 6

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Women the Cycle of wi hotBreak topics Domestic Violence Sibley Hospital Town Maryland Tests New

COMPILED BY PENELOPE BLACKWELL, WI INTERN AND D. KEVIN MCNEIR, WI EDITOR

law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said. Health Hall to Showcase Technology through had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow Residence Digital License Plates sense of uniformity Innovators in the way wants in 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, a community-focused initiative old daughter told her the father survivors are treated. Ward Infinity, more rights for victim's families of Sibley Memorial Hospital, will host Town of her daughter threatened her “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of aavicHallpain on June 27 to showcase innovation life, and the life of their child, story, her own personal to tim, a domestic violence assess-programs developed byunit this coupled year’s cohort of Comshe knew something had to be push forward,” Davis-Nickens ment with further Innovators in Residence. Four done. Out of her frustration said about Marlow. munity Healthtraining for law enforcement with law enforcement's handling teams of innovators have workedLife to find soluDavis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's ProtecEmail comments to: of the situation, she decided to who reads Marlow'stions healthtion issues facing Wards 7counseland 8 in booktowill Act and mandatory rburke@ start the Saving Promise cam- “get it.” She said she the“puts District the and ingwill for present batterers.their solutions and paign. case in such a way, engage the average in a community discussion tran“If we are ever goingastothey eradiwashingtoninformer.com “It seems to be a vicious cycle person can get it.” She said at the prototyping cate domestic violence,implementawe must sition from to project thatAs won't turnstate my onfamily of the day, thetion. Specifically, book will lookthey at both sides oftheir the work coin. on the first the eastendcoast, Marywill discuss loose,” MarlowVehicle said. Administration Marlow help [MVA] people begin have a areas dia- ofWe need to address both in thethe vic-two land’s Motor has tocritical need among residents shared her astory withpilot the program audi- logue about domesticwards violence. timfood andaccess, the batterer,” Marlow launched two-year that tests digital including housing and health ence at plate the technology District Heights Also present event was said. license for the future. Reviver, theat theliteracy. Domestic Violence Symposiumis working Mildredwith Muhammad, thetown ex- hall Marlow would alsoR.I.S.E. like to see digital display manufacturer, the The takes place at the Cenon May Department 7 at the District wife of Allen Muhammad, programs designed to raise state’s of Heights Transportation to John put out ter in Southeast and begins at 6:30 p.m. Municipal Center. The sympowho the “Rplate” for residents. According towas the sentenced vehicle to six consec- awareness among children in sium was sponsored by the utive life terms administration, Reviver initially “reached out” be- without parole public and private schools. She Family and Youth Services by a Maryland jury for his role in feels children need to be educatcause they were aware that the state always seeks to Center of the city of District the Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence. “innovate with new technology.” Heights and the National Hook- 2002. Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop being pasThe plates will replace current metal plates with Up of Black Women. the founder of After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilelectronic displays that will have the capability to Marlow has written a book, an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” update automatically and will discontinue the need “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a survivors of domestic Daniel violence Pantaleo, Marlow said. for a about manualfour sticker in the upper corner of the story generations of left and their children. who is white, mayMarlow have has worked to break car’s windshield. officials plates will domestic violence.MVA The book is said the “I lived in fear for six years. Six days the cycle lost vacation but of abuse in her family, also provide information, like Amber inspired by her“real-time own experiences, years in fear is a longEric time.Garner, It is aand is confident the policies she Black and those other of safety as well as signal when ve- to come out and her alerts, grandmother, not an easya thing is pushing for will start that man, lost his life. Alhiclemother is reported her and stolen.” her daughter. of,” she said. process. most five years have are now tested on Muhammad 20 She“The said digital every plates time she reads beingMildred “I plan to take these policies to passed said since Garner, MVA fleet vehicles and two Maryland TransportaIn Memoriam excerpts from her book, she still people who want 43, to help a Congress died from a fatal and implore them to Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. tionnot Authority vehicles,” WAMU reported. While can believe the words came domestic violence victim must chokehold change our laws,” Marlow said. Wilhelmina J. Rolark and illegal Maryland is the fourth state to partner with Revivfrom her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go intoofficer “I will by NYPD Pan-not stop until these poliThe Washington Informer Newspaper er to the test 2007 the plates, they are not authorized legally won National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are taleo for selling an passed.” THE WASHINGTON INFORMER for use.Award. California, Michigan and Arizona, howevInPUBLISHER Memoriam Books” that she may be in “survival Tia NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is untaxed cigarette onCarol Jones can be reached Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Denise RolarkSr. Barnes er,“Iare allowing motorists legally use the wasalready just 16-years-old when to mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net published weekly on each Thursday. Staten Island. Pantaleo Wilhelmina J. Rolark electronic my eye firstplates. blackened and my Periodicals postage paid at Washing“Before you get to 'I'm going recently underwent a STAFF ton, THE D.C.WASHINGTON and additional mailing ofINFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published lips bled,” Marlow said. to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI fices.weekly News on andThursday. advertising deadline postage trial to determine the D. Kevin Editor Periodicals paid atMcNeir, Washington, D.C. and additional Elaine Davis-Nickens, presiis Monday to News publication. Anmailing prior offices. and advertising Monday prior to publication. Rondeadline Burke,isAdvertising/ Marketing Director necessary consequencdent of the National Hook-Up nouncements must be received two two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The Announcements must be received Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor es he could face over his of Black Women, said there is no weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POST Barnes, MASTER:IV, Send changePhoto of addressLafayette Assistant Editor crime. But the presiding judge will have a 90-day periby es The Washington Informer. consistency in the way domestic to The Washington Informer,All3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, John E. De Freitas, Sports Photo Editor rightsD.C. reserved. od before determining Pantaleo’s future with the force. 20032.POSTMASTER: No part of thisSend publication may be reproduced without written permisviolence issues are dealt with by change addresses to TheThe WashDorothy Rowley, Online Editorthe return of sionoffrom the publisher. Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee A Staten Island grand jury did not indict Pantaleo ington Informer, 3117 Martin rates Luther ZebraDesigns.net, Design & will Layout photographs. Subscription are $30 per year, two years $45. Papers be received back in December 2014 after Garner’s death was “ruled King,notJr.more Ave.,than S.E.a Washington, D.C. week after publication.Mable Make checks payable to: Neville, Bookkeeper 20032. No part of this publication may a homicide resulting from a fatal cascade of events,” Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist be reproduced without written permisTHE WASHINGTON INFORMER according to the city’s medical examiner. Initially, Tatiana Moten, Social Media Specialist sion from the3117 publisher. The Informer Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. • Washington, D.C. 20032 NYPD argued that it could not pursue disciplinary Angie Johnson, Circulation Newspaper cannot guarantee the return Phone: 202 561-4100 • Fax: 202 574-3785 action against the officer until a federal investigation of photographs. Subscription rates are E-mail: news@washingtoninformer.com $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will was completed. But in 2018, the NYPD’s Civilian REPORTERS www.washingtoninformer.com be received not more than a week after Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Complaint Review Board stated that “Pantaleo would publication. Make checks payable to: Timothy Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s receive an administrative trial” this year. The NYPD PUBLISHER County THE WASHINGTON INFORMER Denise Rolark Writer), Barnes Jacqueline Fuller, Hamil oversaw the disciplinary that began in New York on 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Harris, D. Kevin McNeir, Dorothy Rowley, May 13. Pantaleo has denied wrongdoing and his lawSTAFF REPORTERS Washington, D.C. 20032 Sarafina Wright, Brooke N. Garner Managing Brenda Editor Siler, Tia C. Jones, Ed Laiscell,James Wright yer argues that he did not apply a chokehold over the Phone: 202 561-4100 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DCarla Peay Assistant Managing PHOTOGRAPHERS Editor Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, course of the trial. Fax: 202 574-3785 DC) addressed the community and press on FriRon Burke Advertising and Marketing Mary Wells, Joseph Young John E. DeFreitas, Shevry Lassiter, news@washingtoninformer.com “He died from [being] morbidly obese,” said Stuart Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper day, June 21 at the ribbon cutting for the new www.washingtoninformer.com Roy Lewis,PHOTOGRAPHERS Jr., Anthony Tilghman, Brigette LaNita Wrenn Administration London, defense attorney for Pantaleo according an Department of Homeland Security [DHS] headJohn E. De Freitas Sports White Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, interview with The Washington Post’s Wesley Lowery. quarters opening at St. Elizabeths in Ward 8. NorVictor Holt Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, “He was a ticking time bomb that resisted arrest. If he Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic Design Joanne Jackson, Roy Lewis, Robert ton’s work in Congress enabled the creation of the INTERNS: Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt was put in a bear hug, it would have been the same new DHS headquarters in Southeast. Tedarius Abrams, Penelope Blackwell, outcome.” L.Y. Marlow Additionally, her efforts have been instrumental Olivia Boyd, Elae Hill, Sharon Washington CIRCULATION As Pantaleo’s disciplinary hearing decision lingers Paul Trantham in making other land owned or controlled by the with the NYPD commissioner, a federal investigation federal government available to the District, esseninto Garner’s death continues with no updates. But the tial to revitalizing neighborhoods in the District Department of Justice must announce if it will pursue including the Wharf, the Capitol Riverfront and any charges against Pantaleo by July 2019. NoMa. 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com

Five-year Anniversary Approaches in Eric Garner’s Death

“

Norton Speaks at DHS Headquarters Ribbon Cutting

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.

“

4 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

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AROUND THE REGION Businesses Get Advice from Prince George’s Bureaucrats By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Business owners in Prince George’s County’s Seventh Council District recently received critical information on how to obtain county contracts and expand their bottom line. The Suitland Action Team, led by longtime civic leader Elsie Jacobs, convened a meeting on June 19 at the Windsor Crossing Apartment Complex in Suitland to discuss how Black businesses in the county can get more government contracts. Jacobs didn’t mince words about the purpose of the meeting. “I want more contracts for people who look like me in the county,” she said. “I want to see this happen now.” Prince George’s County Council members Rodney Streeter (D-District 7) and Mel Franklin (D-At Large) attended the meeting while Calvin Hawkins (D-At Large) sent an aide, Christopher Stevenson, to take notes. Maryland Del. Darryl Barnes (D-District 25), Maryland state Sen. Melody Griffith (D-District 25) also attended the meeting and former Councilwoman Camille Exum (D-District 7) popped in to hear what her former constituents had to say. District 7 lies in the western part of Prince George’s County and much of its borders the District. In addition to Suitland, District 7 encompasses areas such as Seat Pleasant, Capitol Heights, Temple Hills, Hillcrest Heights, Marlow Heights and portions of Forestville and Oxon Hill. The Urban Institute published a report, “Racial Inequities in Prince George’s County 2011 2015,” that said District 7 has the largest percentage of Blacks in the county at 90 percen, with only three percent White. Such statistics have activists like Jacobs suspicious that the county government, no matter what administration and the county executive, doesn’t prioritize District 7, particularly in the area of economic development. Fallon White, one of the Black business owners at the meeting, cited several examples of how she “played by the rules” and did what she needed to in

order to be in a position to get more contracts, only to be outbid and, in some cases, ignored. “That is not fair to me,” White said. “I pay my taxes, I do what I am supposed and I’m not getting treated right.” Franklin said he understood some of the difficulties in getting county contracts but offered an explanation. “Black businesses in the county need to get organized,” he said. “If you want a response from government, it is better when you come to us [government officials] in numbers.” In the second portion of the meeting, Miranda Jackson, who serves as the county’s minority business enterprise compliance officer, gave the entrepreneurs a bit of advice. “First of all, when you go out to promote your business, remember that person’s name and maintain contact,” Jackson said. “You never know when that contact may help you get business. Second, get on as many county databases as you can. Some counties in Maryland have one central database but we don’t have that in Prince George’s County. Also, make sure that I know your name and what you do because I deal with contractors constantly.” David Fisher, who works as a supplier diversity manager at Hensel Phelps, said getting certified as a business enterprise remains the best way to be considered for county contracts. “Get certified, go to industry meetings and build individual relationships with contractors and government officials,” Fisher said. Fisher told White that “this game ain’t fair” and the good ol’ boy networks exist. “You should go into this like it is a game,” he said. “When you go to a business function, give people your cards and follow up the conversation. It’s all about being engaged and take the time to build relationships.” Fisher also encouraged entrepreneurs to get bonded if necessary. “Hensel Phelps mandates that any transaction over $50,000 requires a bond,” he said. Mary Battle, who works as a business analyst for the county’s Supplier Development and Diversity Office, urged the business owners to seek county certifications because “contracts

can be gotten in Prince George’s County.” “Any project over $500,000 is required to have a subcontractor at the level of 40 percent,” Battle said. James Stewart Smith of the financial institution, FSC First, urged the business owners to emphasize to bankers “what you do well and not say that you are a woman-owned, minority-owned business. Who cares?” He said good personal credit helps when asking for a business loan, as does patience with the loan process, noting that it could take 30 to 45 days. “Be sure you have finances in order before you come to us or a bank,” he said. “I have money to lend. WI

5 Prince George’s County Councilman Mel Franklin (D-At-Large) of Upper Marlboro. (WI file photo)

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black facts JUNE 27

1872 – Paul Laurence Dunbar, famed American poet, novelist and playwright of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is born in Dayton, Ohio. 1890 – Canadian boxer George Dixon beats Nunc Wallace and is recognized as world bantamweight champion, the first Black world boxing champion in any weight class. 1939 – African American inventor Frederick Jones is issued patent for ticket-dispensing machine. 1991 – Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on the court, announces his retirement. 2007 – Jamaican-born pilot Barrington Irving lands at the Opa-Locka Airport in Miami after 95 days of travel, becoming the first Black person — and the youngest person ever at the time — to fly around the world solo.

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astronaut training program. He was killed during a training flight on Dec. 8, 1967.

JULY 1

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.

JULY 2

1908 – Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to ever serve on the Supreme Court, is born in Baltimore. 1925 – Medgar Evers, civil rights activist, is born JUNE 28 in Decatur, Mississippi. 1864 – Malcolm X announces the formation of 1943 – Tuskegee Airman Charles Hall becomes the Organization of Afro-American Unity, six weeks the first African American pilot to shoot down an after returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca. enemy aircraft in World War II. 1971 – Supreme Court overturns draft evasion 1964 – The Civil Rights Act, which prohibited conviction of boxing great Muhammad Ali. discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin, is signed into law.

JUNE 29

1941 – Political activist Stokely Carmichael, also known as Kwame Ture, a key figure in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, is born in Scott Trinidad and Tobago. U.S. series African JUNE 30 premieres. 1847 – Dred Scott, (below) a slave in 1956 – Missouri, loses a lawsuit for the freedom show host Monof his family in the St. Louis Circuit born in Baltimore. Court. Scott unsuccessfully argued that his

JULY 3

1950 – “The Hazel Show,” the first network television to be hosted by an American woman, Television talk tel Williams is WI

temporary residence in a free territory should have made him a free man.

1917 – Grammy-winning singer/actress Lena Horne 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 is born in Brooklyn, New York. 1967 – Maj. Robert H. Lawrence Jr. is chosen as the first African American for NASA’s

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AROUND THE REGION

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BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

Notable individuals such as writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, economist Julianne Malveaux and actor Danny Glover recently testified before Congress in favor of a bill calling for slavery reparations. What are your thoughts?

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I think [the bill] at least opens the dialogue/ conversation of the merits of reparations. One singular problem, in my honest opinion, has to do with Americans — Black and white — confusing, assuming reparations as some form of cash payments. Cash payments to who? How much, and how much is enough? No one knows. That genie can’t be put back in the bottle.

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This is a distraction and nothing but political theater. I’ve never heard of a thief that steals from someone and gives them a cut. They have the law on their side and all of those elected politicians know that. They took an oath to protect defend and uphold the law. But keep thinking that you will get something. All of y’all should download the [Declaration of Independence] and the original Bill of Rights, then you’ll understand what you’re up against.

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I am requesting we African descendants of chattel slavery be unified in reparations. Those who have benefited from our ancestors’ free labor enjoy the inheritance of generational wealth. It’s simple: don’t allow generations of oppression [result in] us in being our own oppressors.

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I don’t how you can be Black and against reparations.

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After nearly 400 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in which our African ancestors were savagely ripped out of their homeland, brutally enslaved and forcibly made to build up this and other countries, and after 100-plus years of Jim Crow, and 50-plus years since the civil rights movement in the United States, we have not yet addressed the torturous, pain and suffering inflicted upon our ancestors, and the continuing victimization by laws and policies enacted by the government to disadvantage, punish and instill dysfunction in the Black race. In this lifetime, we must — for our ancestors, our children and for future generations — demand full equality, justice and retribution.

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AROUND THE REGION The World According to Dominic BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR / WI EDITOR / @DKEVINMCNEIR

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I recently had a heart-to-heart conversation with my youngest offspring – my 25-year-old manchild Jared who wanted to know more about his biological grandfather, my father, who died when I was 25 – years before I married and began to raise a family. As our chat occurred just a few days before Father’s Day, I decided to share my dad’s favorite saying: “You Eat the Elephant One Bite at a Time.” My father was born and raised on a farm in rural Alabama and never had the kinds of options that I have been provided especially in regards to educational opportunities or economic sustenance. In fact, he often described himself as a simple country man. But I saw him in a far different light. He was like Superman to me, leaping hurdles at a single bound . . . and all that. No matter what challenges I faced, he always encouraged me and told me that I could and would overcome the hurdles before me, as long as I remembered that no matter how large or overwhelming the problem, it could be tackled as long as I “ate the elephant one bite at a time.” I’ve never forgotten those

words of wisdom and consider their validity often when situations arise that seem all but impossible for me to resolve. We know how large an elephant can be and as a Black man in America, I have been confronted with many challenges that appeared impossible to overcome. Then, I remind myself of my Daddy’s words – how we can reduce the size of the elephant and therefore make it something we can conquer simply by taking things one step at a time – chewing away at the mountain one bite after another until it’s little more than a molehill. Amazingly and before you know it, the elephant that loomed so large above you has been reduced to a minute hindrance. I was fortunate to have a father who was always present in my life, who taught me the essentials of manhood and who, most important, made me feel like I was safe because he was always there, just a stone’s throw away. Some tell me that I was

lucky or blessed to grow up in a two-parent home that was full of love and support. I suppose they’re right. Still, I can remember other men (and women) who during my formative years also served as surrogate mothers and fathers, teaching by example the best ways to confront and overcome the obstacles that I’d inevitably encounter as a young Black boy in a country that had little use for me and even fewer expectations for our futures. So, I shared my father’s mantra with my son so he could understand I and why he should never allow ourselves to become distracted by the enormity of the struggle or the complexity of the situation. Rather, we need only do our best, utilize the full scope of our abilities and remember that even elephants can be easily and efficiently consumed, as long as we do so “one bite at a time.” What elephant stands in your way? And what are you going to do about it? WI

My father was born and raised on a farm in rural Alabama and never had the kinds of options that I have been provided especially in regards to educational opportunities or economic sustenance.

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Evans Scrutiny Intensifies Amid Raid, Ethics Scandal The longest-serving member of the D.C. Council may face harsh reprimands for recent actions involving his service in the legislature and on the board of the Metro transit agency. On June 21, the FBI raided the Georgetown home of Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) one day after he stepped down as chairman of the board of the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA), or Metro. Evans, who has been on the council since 1991, stayed close to his house while the agents searched and took materials in boxes to their vehicles. Neither Evans nor his attorney Mark Tuohey have commented on the raid. Evans stepped down as the District’s representative on the Metro board after strong evidence emerged from a 20-page memo that he committed ethical transgressions such as not disclosing his consulting and personal relationship as a board member and failing to recuse himself on issues before the body that he had personal and professional connections to. Metro’s ethics committee hired a law firm, Schulte Roth & Zabel, to look into Evans’ actions and the results of the memo reached the public even though it had been marked confidential. Evans already has gotten the attention of a federal grand jury into whether he used relationships with clients and used his position on the council to solicit business for his legal and consulting work. As a result, the council reprimanded Evans for his using his office for personal gain on March 19 but allowed him to stay on the Metro board and remain chairman of the powerful Committee on Finance & Revenue. Councilwoman Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) has called for a council investigation of Evans, with fellow Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) going a step further. “The memo and investigation released via WMATA make it clear that Council member Jack Evans took advantage of the public’s trust for his personal gain,” Allen said. “He also betrayed the council’s trust in appointing him to this role — and has done damage to this body and the District

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866-771-1642 5 D.C. Councilman Jack Evans (WI file photo)

of Columbia. It was the right decision for him to step down from the board. “When the council voted to reprimand Evans this year, we did so understanding new evidence of misconduct could come to light based on pending investigations,” he said. “With what has been revealed by WMATA’s internal ethics investigation, I believe Evans should be censured and removed from all committees, including as chair of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, until we have a resolution to any federal investigation.” Allen pointed out that Evans served on the WMATA board as a council appointee. The Evans matter put Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) into action. “I share the disappointment of all my colleagues that Council member Jack Evans used his position on the WMATA board to violate WMATA’s code of ethics,” Mendelson said. “He took the right action in stepping down from his position on the board. Mendelson said he will appoint an ad hoc committee to conduct its own investigation and would remove Evans as chairman of the council’s Committee on Finance and Revenue upon the full Council’s approval. “It is imperative that public officials maintain high ethical standards,” he said. “Public trust is critical. At the same time, it is delicate and precious. We must now work to regain it.” Councilman Robert White (D-At Large) agreed with Mendelson. “These actions, I hope, will be-

gin to repair the damage done to the public trust,” White said. Another council member, Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7), spoke Friday at the Ward 7 Democrats meeting at the Dorothy I. Height Benning Branch of the D.C. Public Library, but didn’t address the Evans matter and declined comment after the meeting. While Evans’ colleagues want to strip him of the finance and revenue chairmanship, the D.C. Republican Party wants him to leave the council altogether. “It’s time for Mr. Evans to do the right thing and step aside from his position on the D.C. Council,” said Jose Cunningham, the D.C. GOP chairman. “While he may be one of the few — or only — council members who is remotely pro-business, bad ethics and illegal behaviors are not what we look for in our elected officials.” In recent months, Evans indicated that he will seek reelection to his Ward 2 seat in 2020. Presently, he will face four opponents and an effort to recall him in his ward. John Fanning, an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Ward 2 who faced Evans in the 2000 election, tweeted Friday: “Due to the controversies surrounding Jack Evans, I fear the interests of Ward 2 residents are going unmet.” “Stories of how Evans might have misused both his council office and his position on WMATA are disturbing,” Fanning said. “Jack should step down from the council to attend to those concerns.” WI

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AROUND THE REGION

Sankofa’s Tax Abatement Bill on Track to Pass

Council Explores Protections for More Legacy Businesses By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins D.C. Council’s Committee on Business and Economic Development recently fast-tracked legislation that would provide property tax relief to Sankofa Video Books & Cafe, placing it before the entire council Tuesday for what many supporters anticipate will be its final approval. While committee members heralded the Mypheduh Films DBA Sankofa Video and Books Real Property Tax Exemption Act as an example of highly organized civic engagement that produced a positive outcome, Council member Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5) raised the question of how to expand similar protections for other local legacy businesses. “While [Sankofa Video Books & Cafe] may get support, there are a lot of other businesses that don’t have that sort of support system, or

resources to do what Sankofa continues to do,” McDuffie said on June 19 during the Business and Economic Development Committee’s markup of the Sankofa tax abatement bill. “There are other businesses that give flavor to various neighborhoods that wouldn’t approach a council member for a tax abatement,” McDuffie said. “This committee is looking to identify broader relief for people affected. It’s a serious problem and I appreciate how the supporters have elevated this issue.” If the tax abatement bill passes, Sankofa has a decade of property tax relief for its Georgia Avenue property. Council member Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), whose constituency includes the well-regarded bookstore, introduced the legislation in January after owners Haile and Shirikiana Aina Gerima learned that they would have to pay $30,000 for the year. Without the tax abatement bill, that amount

would increase $3,000 by October. On June 3, hundreds of people packed Room 500 of the Wilson Building during a public roundtable on the Sankofa tax abatement bill. In the weeks following, committee members received 2,000 written testimonies from community members, in part compelling a vote of approval from all committee members, except Council member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3). This happened despite D.C. Chief Financial Officer Jim DeWitt’s objection, as outlined in a June letter to council Chair Phil Mendelson (D). In the more than two decades since the Gerimas opened Sankofa Video Books & Cafe, named after their highly acclaimed film of the same name, more than 100 District-based businesses, a number of which had Black owners, shuttered because of rising operational costs in a gentrifying city. Within that same period, D.C.’s Black population fell by 30 percentage points, inciting anger and anxiety about

5 The storefront of the popular bookstore specializing in items for the African-American community, Sanfoka. (WI File Photo)

where Black people stand in future plans for what was once known as Chocolate City. In May, Council member Trayon White (D-Ward 8), a business and economic development committee member, introduced a tax exemption bill for Players Lounge on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast. During Wednesday’s meeting, Council members Jack

Evans (D-Ward 2) and Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7) alluded to their efforts to help businesses by writing legislation that lowered the property tax burden by 20 cents per $100. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) also spoke about conversations he had with bookstore owners in his jurisdiction, and re-

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Bladensburg Community Relieved after Supreme Court Saves Peace Cross By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Bladensburg, Maryland, Mayor Takisha James recalled when she heard the Supreme Court arguments earlier this year regarding whether a 40-foot World War I memorial can remain on public land — a yearslong dispute finally settled Thursday, June 20 when the court ruled the monument can stay. “I can’t tell you how relieved the community is,” James said. “When I think about it, I am still in shock. This was quite an ordeal.” The court ruled 7-2 that the memorial, known as the Peace Cross, doesn’t violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and that allowing a monument with religious meaning on public grounds doesn’t violate the Constitution on the separation between church and state.

The landmark structure, located on a grassy median at the intersection of Annapolis Road and Baltimore Avenue, honors 49 veterans from Prince George’s County. Similar memorials are built nearby to honor veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars. County Councilwoman Jolene Ivey (D-District 5) of Cheverly said work can now begin to refurbish the granite structure built in 1925. “What was going to happen to the Peace Cross has been nagging at us for quite a long time and it is such a relief to have it behind us,” she said. “It needs some repairs. We will find a way to get it done.” The lawsuit was filed in federal court in 2012 when some residents and the American Humanist Association of Northwest, a group that includes atheists and agnostics, argued the cross should be moved to private property or changed to a nonreligious symbol.

5 A Veterans Day program takes place November 2016 at the Bladensburg World War I Memorial, commonly known as the Peace Cross, in Bladensburg, Maryland. (Shevry Lassister/The Washington Informer)

The U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of the association in 2015, agreeing that the cross violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit organization based in Orlando, Florida, filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on behalf of the American Legion and Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission. The American Legion, residents and businesses helped pay to build the memorial. The commission, a bi-county agency that preserves and upkeeps parks and other land in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, has maintained the Peace Cross site since 1961. The Supreme Court reversed the appeals court decision Thursday,

June 20. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who wrote the majority opinion, said the Peace Cross and other such memorials are foremost symbols of American soldiers’ service. “It reminds the people of Bladensburg and surrounding areas of the deeds of their predecessors and of the sacrifices they made in a war fought in the name of democracy,” Alito wrote. “As long as it is retained in its original place and form, it speaks as well of the community that erected the monument nearly a century ago and has maintained it ever since. The memorial represents what the relatives, friends, and neighbors of the fallen soldiers felt at the time and how they chose to express their sentiments.” The other justices who ruled in favor are Chief Justice John G.

Prince George’s to Hold Hearing on Summer School Fees By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

5 A judge ordered a preliminary hearing for July 18 to discuss summer school fees charged by Prince George’s County Public Schools. (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)

12 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

A preliminary hearing set for next month in Prince George’s County Circuit Court could determine whether the county’s public school system can continue to charge summer school fees to low-income families. In the meantime, eight parents who filed a suit reached an agreement last week with the school system to forego summer school fees, which are $125 for each half-credit course and $225 for a full-credit course. “We believe that no student should pay for required courses in

summer school when the courses are free during the regular school year, anyway,” said Deborah Jeon, legal director of the ACLU of Maryland. “We question the legal grounds because the [state] Constitution requires public school education be free.” The complaint specifies two 12th-grade students who need the summer school credits to graduate from high school. Another student needs a summer school credit in order to advance to the ninth grade. The agreement also permits students who qualify for free and reduced-priced meals to join the

SCHOOL FEES Page 49

Roberts Jr. and Stephen G. Breyer, Elena Kagan, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas. Justices Thomas and Gorsuch wrote they would’ve thrown out the lawsuit by the cross challengers. Gorsuch said people have the right to take offense to anything, but shouldn’t always be able to take legal action. “In a large and diverse country, offense can be easily found,” Gorsuch wrote. “Really, most every governmental action probably offends somebody.” Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissented, with Ginsburgh contending that keeping the Peace Cross on public land “elevates Christianity over other faiths and religion over nonreligion.” “Soldiers of all faiths are united by their love of country, but they are not united by the cross,” she wrote. “To non-Christians … the state’s choice to display the cross on public buildings or spaces conveys a message of exclusion: It tells them they are outsiders, not full members of the political community.” The Humanist Association agreed. “In the face of [the court decision], we must all pursue new avenues to bolster the First Amendment,” association Executive Director Roy Speckhardt said in a statement. “Our legislative efforts will be redoubled as the American Humanist Association works to strengthen the wall of separation between church state, brick by brick. In the interim, our legal team will do what it can to narrow the breadth of this decision in courtrooms across the country.” WI

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Advisory Group Looks to Submit Education Funding Formulas by September By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill ANNAPOLIS — Earlier this year, WalletHub ranked Maryland as the second-most educated state in the nation, but the state’s report card rests in the middle of the pack. “We have very good schools in our state. We have very good teachers in our state, but we don’t have enough of them,” said William E. “Brit” Kirwan, former chancellor of the University System of Maryland. “Teaching isn’t a career anymore. It’s a revolving door.” Kirwan, who chairs the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, held the first meeting Thursday, June 20 for a subgroup of the commission that will propose new funding formulas. State lawmakers wanted a funding formula completed before this year’s General Assembly ended on how to disperse $3.8 billion over a 10-year period. However, lawmakers approved $255 million in this year’s budget based on Kirwan recommendations to increase teacher salaries, resources for special needs students and college and career readiness standards. Gov. Larry Hogan, who allowed the measure to pass without his signature, allocated $725 million

through 2022 with an additional $130 million if lawmakers pass legislation next year on how to pay for additional programming. The 13-member group, formally named The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Funding Formula Workgroup, met Thursday largely to put together a preliminary schedule to hold meetings throughout the summer. One of the group’s main functions will be to determine how to divide billions of dollars between the state and 24 jurisdictions based on enrollment, equity and wealth. Those three topics are scheduled to be discussed July 16. However, larger jurisdictions such as Montgomery, Prince George’s and Baltimore counties could be asked to chip in more money. Smaller school systems may continue to depend on state money. Another topic of discussion for the group is the geographic cost of education index, which allows for school districts to receive greater compensation where education costs are higher. Kirwan said the commission didn’t focus on that calculation. Other funding matters the group will address: • Whether to include pre-kindergarten students in full-time equivalent counts. • Whether to require local gov-

ernments to pay shares based on a formula that deals with special education, English learners and low-income status. • Whether to include ongoing school maintenance costs. The group plans to hold a public hearing Sept. 19, one week before it proposes to make final recommendations. The commission, also named after Kirwan, are slated to turn over its full list of recommendations to lawmakers by Dec. 1 that could be presented as proposed policies in next year’s General Assembly. “It’s a tall order and the issues are complicated,” Kirwan said. “We are going to have a very tight agenda.” Kimberly Humphrey, legislative counsel for the ACLU of Maryland, hopes there’s more than just one public hearing. She said other groups are working with the orga-

5 The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Funding Formula Workgroup holds its first meeting in Annapolis on June 20. (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)

nization to ensure equitable funding for all students. “We hope to see more public comment and public involvement,”

she said. “This is such a quick timeline. We want to make sure we get everybody’s voice amplified.” WI

Service Held for Prince George’s Woman after Mysterious Death in Dominican Republic By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Minutes after family and friends celebrated the life of Cynthia Ann Day at a memorial service Monday, the family attorney said there remains unanswered questions in the deaths of both her and fiancé Nathaniel Holmes. According to officials in the Dominican Republic, the couple died May 30 while vacationing in the country. “It’s a mystery and we’re going to resolve the mystery,” said attorney Steven Bullock outside First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro. “We plan on waiting for the toxicology reports, the results of the autopsy and from there we’ll be able to make some determination as to exactly what happened and try to resolve this situation.”

Day, 50, and Holmes, 63, are among the 10 people who died this year in the Caribbean country — eight of whom were American. However, a spokesman for the foreign ministry told CBS News the tourists’ deaths are the results of isolated incidents. Preliminary autopsy reports of at least five tourists show they died of natural causes such as fluid buildup in the lungs and respiratory failure. “More than six million visited [the country] and most of them North Americans,” the spokesman, Cesar Duvernay, said Friday. “So we don’t think it’s a good representation. The country is very safe and the best thing they can do is just to lay out the numbers and the facts.” The FBI will conduct an investigation of the deaths of all the tour-

SERVICE Page 48

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 13

BUSINESS Shoppers Food to Close its DC Region Locations By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer The Shoppers Food & Pharmacy in Hyattsville, Maryland, is closing and several thousand employees face an uncertain future as union leaders charge that the new owner of the area’s fifth-largest grocery chain will close more

stores across the area. “It’s sad,” a man said Friday as he pulled into the Shoppers in Hyattsville that closed at 7 p.m. because most of the shelves were empty. When asked what he planned to do, the man said, “I will find another store.” For months, Shoppers’ parent

company, United Natural Food’s Inc., has talked about getting out of the retail grocery business to focus on wholesale distribution. In March, UNFI CEO Steve Spinner told Washington Business Journal his company planned to sell the 36 area stores within months. “We’re making great progress on divesting our retail assets,” Spinner reportedly said on a March 6 earnings call. “I’d say that we’re well down the path on selling Shoppers and I’m confident we’ll get that done in the coming months.” Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy and other local leaders want to talk Shoppers parent company in a county where residents in many communities live in what the government designates as a “food desert,” because of shortages of fresh fruit and vegetables. While Giant Foods is purchasing some stores in the area from Montgomery County to Virgin-

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5 Signs indicate final days for popular Shoppers Food (Courtesy photo)

ia, leaders of the local chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union went on the offensive this week by staging protests across Prince George’s County. “We don’t know when and we don’t know how, but one thing seems clear: thanks to a decision by the corporate office of Shoppers’ parent company, it’s only a matter of time before all Shoppers stores are sold or closed,” union leaders said in a statement. “For more than 40 years, Shoppers has provided good union jobs with fair wages and health and retirement benefits, as well as affordable, fresh food in many lower-income communities that would otherwise be food deserts,” the statement said. “Now thousands of union jobs are at risk and entire communities could be left without access to fresh food. Just because some far-off corporate office decides to leave the retail business doesn’t mean our community can be cast aside and forgotten.” Across greater Washington and Baltimore, there are 12 locations in Prince George’s County, 10

in Northern Virginia, three in Montgomery County and 13 in Baltimore. In their statement, the union leaders said that even though store associates are the backbone of the Shoppers stores they have been left to wonder what the future will hold. “Our repeated requests for information have been met with silence from the company,” the leaders said. Shoppers employees scheduled to stage a week of rallies June 2428 to call on Shoppers to “preserve access to fresh food and quality jobs in our communities.” However, employees at the New Carrollton location said Saturday protests had been called off. “It’s over,” said one clerk who has been working at the store for three years. “If I knew that this was going to happen, I would not have taken the job.” As for fighting to keep the store open, another clerk said, “There is nothing that we can do. I hear that Safeway and Giant are hiring and Giant is taking over several stores.” WI

SANKOFA from Page 11

idea and find a way to create some protections for legacy Black businesses,” Gerima told audience members during the June 21 roundtable, which also featured Stacie Lee Banks of Lee’s Flower and Card Shop on U Street and local realtor Ryan Butler. “If we have the ear of the city, let’s figure out a way to say that there are certain things we need in place to protect businesses and make that the reason that D.C. is on the map,” she said. “It’s a city that protects its businesses. We’re a Black government mostly, and we have a history of Black institutions and intellectuals. Let’s put our minds together and do better.” WI

cently materialized $5,000 tax relief for small businesses. Even with such overtures, some business owners like the Gerimas have struggled to make a profit. On several occasions, Shirkiana Gerima said her increasing tax burden has taken funds away from major renovation projects. During a small business roundtable on Friday night, she thanked her local officials for yielding to the public outcry but acknowledged the need for widely distributed reliefs for other businesses that have long accentuated D.C culture. “Let’s stick to the abatement

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Debtor’s Prison for the Poor Today’s Reality in America By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia Being poor is challenging enough, but some states such as Maryland and Missouri have continued to punish those of lesser means. In Maryland, courts have issued more than 1,800 orders for arrest in debt cases and 39 residents spent one to 14 days in prison in debt cases, according to the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, a statewide organization that advances and protects the interests of consumers through education, advocacy and training programs. A federal class-action suit claims thousands of people in Missouri were jailed because they couldn’t pay off fines — a debtor’s prison-like conundrum for the poor. Pro Publica reported that four years after the suit was filed, the plaintiffs are still waiting, and wondering if the deck is stacked against them. The report detailed the plight of Tonya DeBerry, who in January 2014 was driving through an unin-

corporated area of St. Louis County, Missouri, when a police officer pulled her over for having expired license plates. “After discovering that DeBerry, 51, had several outstanding traffic tickets from three jurisdictions, the officer handcuffed her and took her to jail,” Pro Publica reported. “To be released, she was told, she would have to pay hundreds of dollars in fines she owed the county, according to her account in a federal lawsuit and — even after her family came up with the money, DeBerry wasn’t released from custody.” Because she owed fines and fees to the cities of Ferguson and Jennings, she remained jailed and her attorney likened it to “being held for ransom.” Despite a centuries-old Supreme Court ruling that outlawed the practice, debtor’s prison remains very much alive in America, experts said. “The crisis that is going on in Missouri is taking place all around the country — it is a rising issue amongst people who cannot afford to pay court fees and, or fines,” said attorney Dameka L. Davis of the Davis

Legal Center in Hollywood, Fla. “I believe the more appropriate action is to implement programs and services that are free or offer a person to do community service in lieu of paying fines or fees,” Davis said. “Our system is perpetuating a money-based system, which in turn systematically affects minorities and people of color.” Matt C. Pinsker, an adjunct professor of homeland security and criminal justice in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the problem runs deeper than in Missouri. “The American people would be horrified if they knew of just how many laws still exist which send poor people to prison over their inability to pay fines, court costs, and related expenses,” Pinsker said. “It is a tragedy and absurdity that we will essentially have debtors’ prisons here in the United States of America. In DeBerry’s case, Pro Publica reported that after the Michael Brown killing, “the city slowly stopped jailing people for not being able to pay fines as the news media showed the

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5 A landmark sign of an old debtor’s prison in Virginia. (Courtesy of Clyde Fitch Report)

victims were primarily black and the Justice Department made clear that what Ferguson had been doing was wrong.” Still, the lawsuit remains unre-

solved with the city seeking dismissal. In 2018, the American Civil Liberties Union in 2018 detailed more

BUSINESS Page 48

JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 15

NATIONAL Democratic Debate Could Show Which Candidates are Courting Black Vote By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke will occupy center stage Wednesday while former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have earned a similar place Thursday as many of the 24 candidates seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination debate over two days in Miami. The positions are determined by current poll numbers and there’s

wide belief that candidates occupying the center generally receive more airtime. On the first night, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey will be next to Warren, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota will be next to O’Rourke, according to CNN. “On the second night, which is more heavily weighted with candidates who are polling better nationally and in the early-primary states, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg will be standing next to Biden, while Sen. Kamala Harris of California is next to Sanders,” CNN reported.

The lineup for both nights are as follows:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 Bill de Blasio Tim Ryan Julian Castro Cory Booker Elizabeth Warren Beto O’Rourke Amy Klobuchar Tulsi Gabbard Jay Inslee John Delaney

5 Democratic hopefuls Cory Booker and Kamala Harris are among the candidates engaging in debates in Miami on June 26 and June 27. (Courtesy of Black Press USA)

THURSDAY, JUNE 27 Marianne Williamson John Hickenlooper Andrew Yang Pete Buttigieg Joe Biden Bernie Sanders Kamala Harris Kirsten Gillibrand Michael Bennet Eric Swalwell

To qualify, candidates had to meet one of two different minimums at least two weeks prior – either receiving campaign contributions from at least 65,000 different individuals or achieving 1 percent in three separate polls from news

and polling organizations approved by the Democratic National Committee. Every major newspaper and news organization in the country has touted the importance of the Black vote for the crucial 2020 presidential election. With many of the candidates openly courting the Black vote and identifying reparations for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the debates could further flush out their respective platforms. Sanders, who lost the Democratic nomination to Hilary Clinton in 2016, has cited the Black vote as crucial. In a campaign memo earlier this year, Sanders’ team noted the 86-14 percent margin he lost the

Black vote to Clinton in the state of South Carolina. “We thought we could do respectably in South Carolina, and we got decimated,” Sanders said. “This is our revolution,” said Sanders, who will speak during the NNPA Convention at The Westin Cincinnati Hotel on June 28. In a poll commissioned by The Black Economic Alliance and conducted by Hart Research and Brossard Research, Sanders currently trails front-runner Biden among Black voters. The poll, which measured how enthusiastic Black voters are about the Democratic presidential can-

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didates, showed that 76 percent of respondents said they were most enthusiastic about Biden, while 64 percent said they were most enthusiastic about Sanders, who finished ahead of Harris (53 percent) and Booker (43 percent). African Americans surveyed said affordable health care, college and the creation of more jobs with good benefits were most important. “The path to economic security is rocky for families in America but

that path is even rockier for Black families who have stared down decades of government sponsored discrimination and institutional racism,” Warren said in an email. “This campaign is about making our government and our economy work for everyone and Black Americans will be on the frontlines of that conversation. The Black Press of America and its journalists are an integral part of how we make our democracy work,” Warren said. O’Rourke’s campaign said it’s

important for him to engage the Black community. “Beto believes we cannot just pay lip service to the problems faced by communities and towns often forgotten or written off, but that we must also listen to their ideas and welcome them to be a part of the solution,” his campaign said in a statement. “That’s how he served in Congress and it’s how he has been running his campaign — making sure no person, no group, no constituency is taken for granted.” WI off

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5 Previous fireworks displays light up the D.C. sky over the Lincoln Memorial. (John Sonderman/Destinations DC)

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Trump’s Independence Day Threatens Traditional Fourth Fete in District By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia President Donald Trump has officially turned this year’s July 4 celebration into a personal pulpit that threatens to take the air out of the annual “A Capitol Fourth” concert and fireworks District residents and visitors have grown accustomed to for nearly four decades. Trump’s “Salute to America,” promises to involve an hourlong, self-aggrandizing takeover of the holiday that includes a speech by the president at the Lincoln Memorial. The event will also include a large gathering of veterans, music and military demonstrations and flyovers. The Capitol Fourth, which for 39 years has been broadcast on PBS, is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. with what organizers said is “an all-star salute to the best in American entertainment.” John Stamos is scheduled to host performances on the West Lawn of the Capitol building that will include “Sesame Street” characters, Vanessa Williams, Lindsey Stirling and Carole King. A fireworks display will follow. Reportedly, the celebrations start 11:45 a.m. with a parade. Bands, military units, fife and drum corps and more groups will march down the familiar parade route on Constitution Avenue between 7th-17th Streets NW. For Trump’s event, planners said the gates will open at 3:30 p.m. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she’s concerned about the amount of se-

curity and law enforcement needed for both events, particularly the president’s program. “If we have to put more police to cover his movements, more police for the fireworks and an additional location for police where the fireworks are going to get set off, that puts a strain on us,” Bowser said in a recent interview. “We won’t allow it to impact neighborhood safety. So, the chief will have to think about if he needs additional resources.” Destination DC, which serves as the lead organization to manage and market the nation’s capital with an emphasis on the arts, cultural and historical communities, has again published a list of various locations to take in Independence Day celebrations. Among the locations recommended are across the Potomac River. “Check out the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the nearby Netherlands Carillon in Virginia,” Destination DC officials said. They noted that “with the mesmerizing Marine Corps War Memorial statue as the backdrop, the fireworks take on even greater meaning.” There are also lots of options for family-friendly fireworks cruises on one of the sightseeing boats that voyage along the Potomac River including the Potomac Riverboat Company, Entertainment Cruises, Embark, and several other waterfront tour operators to find. Destination DC compiled a list of

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 17

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Nigerian President Urged to Divide Country into ‘Eight Regional Structures’ Olisa Agbakoba, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and human rights activist, has told President Muhammadu Buhari to divide the country into eight regional structures. Agbakoba, one of the greatest heroes of democracy in Nigeria, noted that there are so many unclear issues in the country about how its citizens want to organize themselves and how they want to live together, the Lagos-based Daily Post reported. The senior lawyer told reporters that insecurity and other serious issues facing the country can’t be “fully arrested” if the central government remains as strong as it is now. “This is because community policing or state policing is a tactical tool to deal with the problem, but the strategic tool is the bigger question of the national question,” he said. “There are so many unclear issues in Nigeria about how we want to organize ourselves, how we want to live together, this is what some people have called the restructuring question, some call it the national question, but I call it devolution of powers question.” Agbakoba noted that whatever “it’s called that is the central issue that needs resolution so that even if you use tactical tools like community policing, but the bigger issue remains then I don’t know if we can resolve it.” “What Nigeria needs is space, there are diverse ethnicities and they are living in such close proximity that one ethnic community is in the face of the other with counter-cultures, counter-religious beliefs and that is not healthy. Even in America in spite of all their advanced democracy, they take care of diversities,” he said. “So, I think if I were to advise the president, for instance, the first thing to do is create space, … identify the ethnic regionalities, create eight big blocs, even though we have six to make it eight. “And then I will give them the power to do things at their own local level,” he said. “It’s called the principle of subsidiarity; let them work at their own local level. Subsidiarity is where people engage themselves at the local level such that you find in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England. WI

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caribbean now Trinidadian Prime Minister Accuses U.S. of Hypocrisy on Migrant Policy Trinidadian and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley slammed the U.S. State Department for T&T’s ranking in their 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report, which placed the country at Tier 2. Rowley, speaking Friday at the opening ceremony for the last leg of phase one of the Chaguanas Traffic Alleviation Project, accused the U.S. of hypocrisy, given their own struggles with migrants. “If I was marking their paper, what would I give them? They have the same problem that we have,” he said. “Thousands of migrants rushing your border wanting to come into your country because they see greener grass on your side than on their side. That is the number-one political issue in America. “Their own people are telling you that those people, some of them are treated like dogs and cattle, children are dying at the border,” Rowley said. “Some of them are in cages. A hundred people in a

room that was made for 10.” He said the U.S. is no better off despite having a larger military and treasury: “How have they handled their situation better than ours?” Rowley explained that Trinidad and Tobago maintained an open border with Venezuela up until Monday, allowing the migrants to come into the country for up to 90 days before returning to their country. A new visa policy went into effect but the details have not yet been made public. The prime minister drew reference to the recently completed two-week registration of the Venezuelan migrants saying that we have treated them in the best way possible. “A little Caribbean nation like Trinidad and Tobago, we have 15,000 Venezuelans authorized now to be within our borders and we treat them like human beings within Trinidad and Tobago,” he said. WI

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 19

HEALTH HU Hospital Holds Annual Forum on Sickle Cell Disease By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer The Towers Auditorium at Howard University Hospital was packed recently for the sixth annual World Sickle Cell Awareness Symposium, as researchers talked about advancements in the race to cure a disease that disproportionately affects people of color. Citing the Bureau of Health Statistics, researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine said in 2013 that while sickle cell disease affects between 90,000100,000 Americans annually, the majority of those are African American. In the 1970s the average life expectancy for someone with sickle cell was less than 20 years of age. By the early 1990s, the median

life expectancy for those with the most severe form of the disease, was 42 years of age for men and 48 years of age for women. Today there are additional research pockets of promise “We are really on the cusp and I just want something to happen. They have been saying that we are on the cusp since I was born,” said Elise Holgate, 33, a District resident with sickle cell disease who attended the conference. Dr. James Taylor, director of the HU Center for Sickle Cell Disease, told The Washington Informer, “This is an important meeting because one of the barriers is connecting the researchers with the patients. They have no idea what these patients are going through.” Angela Mason, communi-

5 Panelists share their views during a discussion about sickle cell disease to promote greater awareness. (WI Photo)

ty outreach coordinator for the HU Center, said the theme for this year’s event was “Cure Sickle Now: Patient Engagement Symposium.” “We focused more on the patients this year to make them aware of what is available to them and to be more inclusive,” Mason said. Seated front and center were two rows of students who were part of the Howard’s Health

Journalism workshops for high schoolers, sponsored by the Dow Jones News Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. During the conference, a student asked about the mental aspects of the disease, with one of the panelists replying it takes a wrenching toll on those suffering that includes people suffering with chronic pain. Holgate said most people have no idea what she has

gone through. “They say, ‘you only have sickle cell,’ or ‘you look good,’ but I have done many trials,” she said. “The trial for hydroxyuria was so hard that I lost my hair. “It is extremely important to know what is going on behind the scenes between the government and private industry,” Holgate said. “The thing that has helped the most is Papuan juice. I have been extremely fortunate.” WI

Meharry Medical College Accepts Juul’s Sponsorship By Olivia Boyd WI Intern

Meharry Medical College, a 143-year-old historically Black institution in Tennessee, announced that it received its second-largest grant ever from e-cigarette company Juul Labs. The $7.5 million grant received much backlash from African American health experts and activists due to Black people in the United States having a higher death rate from tobacco-related illnesses like cancer or stroke, than any other ethnic and racial groups. The money will be used to start a center to study public health issues that affect African Americans. Research into the health effects of tobacco products was the first order of study for the new center, including studies about newer nicotine delivery systems such as vaping devices.

20 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

The announcement caused concern among Black public health leaders, who remember tobacco industries targeting Black communities with menthol cigarettes, a process that seems to be mimicked now through the amount of support Juul has provided the community. Juul, which is now partially owned by tobacco industry giants Altria, hired numerous leaders with close ties to the Black community as consultants and lobbyists over the past year, including Benjamin Jealous, former head of the NAACP. Juul contributed to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade group for African-American community newspapers. In an interview with the New York Times, LaTroya Hester, spokeswoman for the National African American Tobacco

Prevention Network (NAATPN), said, “Juul doesn’t have African Americans’ best interest in mind. The truth is that Juul is a tobacco product, not much unlike its demon predecessors.” However, Meharry officials have stressed that they were the ones to approach Juul and the college’s president, James E.K. Hildreth Sr., has stated to the Times that he was confident that the new center’s work would be free of Juul’s influence. The college has not received any explicit instructions or conditions for the grant, or any research conducted with the money from Juul. “We have historically found ourselves occupying the last seat at the table when research is conducted on emerging public health issues that profoundly affect minority communities,” Hildreth wrote in a letter to the Meharry community. “We have paid a price for being shut out.” WI

5 Meharry Medical’s “welcome mat.” (Photo courtesy/Meharry Medical College

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District Residents and Lawmakers Prioritize Maternal Health Care

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By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins Amid hospital closures and significantly high rates of pregnancy-related deaths in the District, the community-based birth workers known as doulas have increasingly appealed to Black expectant mothers. Though doula work has become increasingly popular, some people in the field said medical institutions have some way to go in supporting doulas as they guide Black expectant mothers along the birthing process, including pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. “[Doula work] takes a lot of stress off of doctors because they wouldn’t have to be as hands-on in the earlier stages of labor, [but] there are some in some hospitals who are not as friendly or welcoming to doulas,” said Muneera Fontaine, a doula of 11 years who practices in the District and currently manages four clients. “I’ve definitely seen things where a doctor did something to a client without their consent. Those situations have become a bit harder to navigate as a doula.” Fontaine and other doulas have some support in the Wilson Building. If legislation introduced by Council member Robert White (D-At large) passes, expectant mothers in Wards 5, 7 and 8 would have greater access to doulas, also known as perinatal workers, living in their communities. The bill, touted as the Perinatal Health Worker Training Access Act, would fund perinatal worker training programs. A growing body of evidence suggests that continuous support from doulas can increase birth weight and cause a reduction in cesarean sections. Researchers have also cited cost savings in Medicaid disbursements. Such amenities could benefit Black expectant mothers in the District. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 36.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 births in the District, compared to the national rate of 20.7. Nationally, Black women, regardless of social status or education level, are more than three times likelier to die from pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts.

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5 Councilmember Robert White (D-At Large) (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

Key causes of maternal mortality include postpartum hemorrhaging, high blood pressure, infection and pulmonary embolism. Public figures such as Serena Williams have brought this issue to the forefront, telling their stories of near-death childbirth experiences and stressing the need for support for expectant mothers with limited means. Since the 2017 closure of maternity wards at United Medical Center and Providence Hospital, expectant mothers in affected communities, many of whom are of African descent with limited means, have had to travel long distances to meet their health care needs. During its existence, UMC’s maternity ward garnered a reputation as one of the least safe facilities for pregnant women, accumulating reports of improper patient care — including not telling an HIV-positive patient the risks of vaginal birth. In April, the D.C. Council confirmed members of a maternal mortality review committee. This group under the chief medical examiner would be charged with determining the causes of,

and making policy recommendations to address, maternal deaths during pregnancy and up to a year after childbirth. Earlier this month, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) formed the Mayor’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformation, which would compile recommendations about how to improve the District’s health care system in its entirety. Some city residents, including Council member Robert White, a husband and father of two, have a personal stake in the passage of the Perinatal Health Worker Training Access Act. “Months ago when I was reading articles about outrageously high maternal mortality rates for Black women in D.C., my wife was pregnant with our second daughter,” White said. “The statistics scared me to my core. Hours after she gave birth, I started working on this bill with my staff from the hospital. Excellent care is available, just not to everyone. We can mitigate this disparity with high-quality, culturally responsive support to women throughout pregnancy and after birth.” WI

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HEALTH Join the growing movement of descendants of slaves arguing/declaring for their rightful reparations Join the Reparations Study Group for important lobbying and educational sessions The next Session Will Occur on Thursday July 11, 2019 from 7pm – 8:30pm On Capitol Hill at 403 7th Street, Southeast, Washington D.C. 20003 • Learn How to make Reparations (HR 40) a legislative reality particularly among Black Lawmakers • Learn how to effectively educate and empower yourself and your community • Gain Insights on networking and collaborating with like-minded activists - Gain insight on making government work for you from: - Legislative experts - Community activists

Mark your calendar to come and bring friends and family to this meeting at a convenient Capitol Hill location @ 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Steps from Eastern Market Subway and bus Stop Call (202) 547-4125 for RSVP and inquires

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Stay Informed! www.washingtoninformer.com 22 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

5 Filmmaking-duo develop landmark documentary with the stories of those families who have faced the challenges of Alzheimer’s. (Courtesy photo/WIKIIMAGE)

The AARP sponsored documentary filmmakers, Zach Jordan and Peter Schankowitz, to embark on a cross-country road trip this month to document stories of Alzheimer’s patients. Titled “My Alzheimer’s Road Trip,” the venture goes from Los Angeles to Philadelphia and will include eight stops in U.S. cities, where they will interview and conduct a video library for those affected by the brain disease. Jordan, who is also affected by the disease, said in an interview with the AARP Bulletin, “people will have this giant resource in front of them that they can tap into, and the more stories that

JULY 4 from Page 17

prime rooftop locations to watch the fireworks, including POV Rooftop Lounge and Terrace at the W Hotel and the Sky Bar at the Beacon Hotel. (Make sure to check with the restaurants for details and ticket information.) D.C. restaurants that have spectacular views of the fireworks from the ground level include Sequoia, Nick’s Riverside Grill and Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place on the Georgetown waterfront or Café du Parc in downtown. “Rent some wheels from Bike and Roll, Capital Bikeshare or at

we collect, the more powerful the library becomes.” “The first step for us was to be able to tell my story,” Jordan said. “Once that foundation was laid, then we could really get to work on doing the most fulfilling part of this; interviewing all these different types of people, sitting down with them, and giving them a voice.” The filmmakers connected with AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), a repository of information on maintaining cognitive health, and member of the GCBH’s governance committee, geriatric physician Jason Karlawish, will help find applications for their work. “Think of [the] story as the missing link of data,” Jordan said.

Kalawish first asks families to describe a typical day for the patient, which lays down the foundation of their individual stories and provides an understanding of that individual’s life and care. The filmmakers hope that brain health will be a topic discussed by the next presidential candidates. By illustrating these journeys across America, they aim to provide diverse perspectives and voices for the disease. “It’s really important for us, especially for the caregiver and patient stories, to give them a platform to be able to show that the family experience in Austin and Phoenix is very different than the family experiences that are happening in Johnson City, Tenn., or Louisville, Ky.,” Jordan said. WI

the Columbia Island Marina on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, near the Pentagon and then ride up the Mount Vernon Trail to find a spot to stop and enjoy the fireworks show. Yes, this amazing view is from the trail,” Destination DC officials wrote. For those not able to travel into the District can view fireworks in Maryland. The city of Bowie will host an early Independence Day celebration Tuesday, July 2 at Prince George’s Stadium. A free concert featuring the Fabulous Hubcaps begins at 7:30 p.m. with a fireworks display at 9:15

p.m. The parking lot will open at 5 p.m. and stadium doors an hour later at 6 p.m. Bowie will be home to more fireworks on the Fourth at Baysox Stadium where the Bowie Baysox will face the Harrisburg Senators in minor league baseball. The game starts at 6:35 p.m. with fireworks immediately afterward. The city of Laurel will host its 41st annual Independence Day celebration on July 6. The all-day event at Granville Gude Park begins at 11 a.m. features a parade, car show and, of course, fireworks at 9:15 p.m. WI

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Chill out or turn up with Xfinity this Black Music Month. Celebrate a New Era of sound and discover what moves you with Xfinity. Easily find your favorite hit music, movies, shows and music videos on Black Film & TV on Xfinity On Demand. Plus, access Pandora to experience your favorite stations right on your TV with Xfinity X1. From jazz to hip-hop and everything in between, jam to your favorite genre. Xfinity makes Black Music Month simple, easy, awesome.

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Restrictions apply. Requires Xfinity TV and On Demand. ©2019 Comcast. All rights reserved. SHOWTIME is a registered trademark of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS company. You must be a subscriber of SHOWTIME to get SHOWTIME On Demand and to watch SHOWTIME programs online. Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men ©Endeavor Content and Mass Appeal. All rights reserved. HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. HBO® subscription required. FOX™ and © 2019 Fox and its related entities. All Rights Reserved. BEAT SHAZAM™ © 2019 Fox Broadcasting Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Grooves for your every mood

EDUCATION Richard Wright GalaTouts Educational Prowess

4 Michael Eric Dyson and his wife Marcia with Marco Clark, founder and CEO of the Richard Wright Public Charter School during the schoolâ€™s 5thannual awards program and gala held at the University of the District of Columbia in Northwest on Saturday, June 22. (Roy Lewis/ The Washington Informer)

5 (L-R) Gregory K. Adams Sr., recipient of the Muhammad Ali award; Andre Perry, recipient of the Richard Wright award; Marco Clark, founder and CEO of the Richard Wright Public Charter School; Madelyne Woods, recipient of the Angela Davis award; and Rev. Gerald Folsom, recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr award during The Richard Wright Gala held at the University of the District of Columbia in Northwest on Saturday, June 22. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

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EDUCATION Y O U R

P L A C E

F O R

AMERICA’S PASTIME 5 Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden talks with author Eric Klinenberg, about his latest book “Palaces For The People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life,” at the 2019 American Librarian Association’s annual conference on Saturday, June 22 in Northwest. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

Nation’s American Library Association Conference Draws Thousands to District WI Staff Report No other event in the world offers a better opportunity to learn about current issues and trends in library and information science and technology than the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition. Throughout the conference which took place last weekend, attendees participated in events, heard inspiring speakers and learned from thought leaders and colleagues at more than 500 programs and in-depth sessions. Topics covered included digital content, innovation, the library of the future, transformation, emerging trends, best practices, community engagement, leadership and more. The conference also provided the chance to visit more than 800 vendors in the world’s largest library-focused exhibit hall, each highlighting new services, technologies, books and products. Among the highlights was a oneon-one, Saturday, June 22, between Carla Hayden and Eric Klinenberg.

Klinenberg, Professor of Sociology at New York University and the author of “Palaces of the People” spoke on the unique role that libraries provide to the community. Hayden, sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress in September 2016, serves as the first woman and the first African American to lead the national library. She was nominated to the position by President Barack Obama in February 2016 and her nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in July 2016. In 1995, she became the first African American to receive Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year Award in recognition of her outreach services at the Pratt Library, which included an after-school center for Baltimore teens offering homework assistance and college and career counseling. She earned a bachelor of arts from Roosevelt University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago. WI

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 25

Installation of 7 trash traps that have removed more than 70,000 lbs of trash & debris from District waterways

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More than 3,000 trees planted & over 29,000 linear feet of stream restoration projects

Installation of more than 2,300 rain barrels to capture stormwater

More than 7,500 people experiencing the Anacostia River through educational boat tours

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EDITORIAL

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Now that School’s Out for the Summer, Who’s Watching the Kids? Schools are finally closed for the summer, much to the delight of those children fortunate enough to be free from summer school requirements and the like. They have now turned their attention to things like swimming, skateboarding, texting, surfing the net and sleeping in late. But given the academic deficiencies which continue to plague and hamper far too many children of color, Black youth specifically as iterated by the ominous “achievement gap,” parents can ill-afford to allow their children to take a time out from learning during the summer months. Instead, we must be diligent in helping them to further stretch their minds and advance their intellectual abilities or skills to greater heights. A national advertisement campaign popular in the 70s asked the question, ‘Do you know where your children are?’ The ad actually spoke to the importance of keeping children safe, knowing where they were at all times and with whom they were playing. Sadly, many parents are so consumed with their own stuff that they have little time to be the kinds of parents that every child deserves. Summer time is a great opportunity to youth to run, skip, jump and have fun. But it’s also a time when we should take our children to the library, expose them to museums, let them learn new skills through their participation in neighborhood camps, day programs or vacation Bible study schools. White families tend to better understand and take advantage of utilizing these next several months for the betterment of their children by exposing them to educational opportunities or situations that teach them how to better resolve conflicts while also introducing them to those who are far different from them. Our children did not ask to be born. They have never put overwhelming requests in our laps. All children ever want is to feel loved and safe. They just want a chance to dream with the possibility that their dreams can actually come true. So, don’t use the summer to let your children watch Netflix or play video games on their cell phones from sun up to sun down. Arm them with the tools they’ll need when school doors re-open in the fall. WI

Councilmember Evans’ Unfortunate Stain on Decades of Service

Later this year, in December, the City will mark the 46th anniversary of the D.C. Home Rule Act which granted District residents the right to vote for a mayor, 13 members to the D.C. City Council and advisory neighborhood commissioners, all of whom would oversee a municipality with local governing powers previously held by Congress. It was a long, hard-fought battle – one that Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans knows well. Elected in 1991, he’s the longest, continuously serving member of the D.C. Council and only the second member to represent Ward 2 – a seat previously held by the late John H. Wilson for whom the Wilson Building is named. Evans, who frequently speaks of his longevity on the council with jocularity, has achieved a tenure of invaluable merit as newcomers to both the council and District win seats and initiate policies that his institutional knowledge has often shaped. He has been elected to the Council seven times and has witnessed the trials and tribulations of his colleagues who have endured investigations, reprimands, censorship, criminal convictions and time spent in jail including the late Mayor Marion S. Barry, former Chairman Kwame Brown, Michael Brown (D-At-Large), the late Jim Graham (R-Ward 1), Harry Thomas, Jr. (D-Ward 5) and former Mayor Vincent Gray. But today, Evans finds himself in the spotlight, enveloped in a scandal related to ethics violations and conflicts of interest. There’s been ongoing scuttlebutt about Evans and ethics violations for years but voters expressed angst because the spotlight always hovered on someone else. Now that he has resigned as chair of the Metro Board of Directors and with his home being raided last week by the FBI, Evan’s colleagues on the council have vowed to launch an ethics investigation of their own and soon strip him of his chairmanship of the Finance Committee. On social media, comments conclude “It’s about time.” The good news is the council has stood firm, allowing zero tolerance for improper actions initiated by its members. They have acted swiftly because they believe D.C. voters expect nothing less. Still, with nearly 30 years of service to the District, it’s sad to see Evans go out like this. WI

TO THE EDITOR No Lip Service for Reparations

Birth Control Isn’t Always the Answer

I’m glad the conversation of reparations is coming back up. However, I am suspicious. The reason being is it seems like white folks are willing to listen a little more than usual. Those of us entrenched in our community know that we’ve been pushing for this with no media coverage or fanfare. I could be being pessimistic, but I wonder if this is another case of appeasement for the moment or another false promise. See 40 acres and a mule. Terri Gray Washington, D.C.

I’m not surprised injectable birth control raises the risk of HIV for Black women. I mean, what doesn’t affect us worse than every other group of women? I, for one, never used birth control nor do I recommend it. There are so many women who have used birth control and have horror stories for days. The human body is naturally intelligent. Say no to manmade chemicals like birth control. Figure out when you’re ovulating, know your body. Women have built-in birth control. Shelley Muldrow Frederick, Md.

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Readers' Mailbox

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

JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 27

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Julianne Malveaux

Tone-Deaf Congress Wants Military Pork

The F-35 stealth fighter aircraft is one expensive plane. It costs $135 million to produce a single aircraft, but Congress is prepared to authorize spending for 90 more planes, a dozen more than the Pentagon has requested. Why? Lobbyists for Lockheed Martin, the company that produces these aircraft, have exercised their fine art of persuasion to convince the House Armed Services Committee that these aircraft are needed for our national “defense.” Wouldn’t

you think the Pentagon has a better idea of what they “need” than lobbyists? Or are the profits of this corporation more important than the fiscal prudence that so many in Washington crow about when looking at education, Social Security, health care or programs that address human needs? There is much to object to about the “Defense” budget, as defense spending absorbs more than half of all of spending from our budget. But spending on the F-35 aircraft is especially egregious. More than a trillion dollars will be spent on this aircraft, a trillion. Enough to eliminate all student debt, or fully endow the nation’s historically Black

colleges and universities (HBCUs) with money left over! What do we get from this trillion? We get an aircraft with supply chain problems that the General Accounting Office has described as “falling short of warfighter requirements.” They say the aircraft, “cannot perform as many missions or fly as often as required,” partly because of a “shortage in spare parts and limited repair capability”. So Lockheed Martin is producing this $135 million aircraft, more than two thousand, to be exact, without producing the requisite spare parts or developing the appropriate repair capabilities. Bloomberg News described the F-35 program as “the world’s cost-

Guest Columnist

liest weapons program.” Its entire history has been fraught with both cost and efficiency problems. Why, then, are lobbyist pushing Congress to order more of these planes, more, even than the Pentagon wants? Follow the money. It’s all about the profits. While the House Armed Services Committee is planning to waste billions of dollars on these costly and flawed F-35 planes, poor people around the country gathered in Washington to hear from Rev. William Barber, and Rev. Liz Theoharis about the Moral Budget. Believe me, there is no room for F-35 fighter planes in the Moral Budget. Instead, the

poor People’s Campaign increased spending on human needs, like heath care, education, and that ohso-basic need: food! It might have been impactful for members of the House Armed Services Committee to spend a few moments with the Poor People’s Congress, the thousand or so people who crowded into Trinity Hall at Trinity Washington University to demand equity in education, affordable health care, and more. The Poor People’s Moral Budget has the theme, “Everybody Has the Right to Live.” The budget would cut $350 billion in military

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By Bill Fletcher Jr.

Plastics are Strangling the Planet

On my morning walk, I pass a tree every day that has a long plastic bag stuck in the branches. I keep wondering whether my neighbor realizes that the bag is strangling the tree. I am not exaggerating. The plastic is not simply sitting on the branches but is cutting off air to the tree. Over time, that branch could die. Think about that the next time you are driving and see plastic bags flying around

landing on bushes and trees. This is not a neutral issue. I thought, again, about this matter of plastics when I read a fascinating piece in the Guardian concerning the global glut of plastics and the role of the USA in the proliferation of plastic material. It is not just that we, in the USA, are producing an abundance of plastic material. It is that we are shipping the waste overseas to the global South for, alleged, recycling or, in other cases, for simply dumping. A global version of “not in my backyard.” You have probably heard about

islands of plastic (and other garbage) inhabiting our oceans. The impact of this is the dying off of entire segments of oceans. In addition, many countries in the global North, including but not limited to the USA, look at the countries of the global South as a massive garbage dump. What we use and use up, we then send to the global South to be disposed of. A recent global conference on plastics was stymied by the Trump administration which wished to take little to no responsibility for the proliferation of plastics and blamed the current glut on Asian

Guest Columnist

countries. What was so disingenuous about this is the historical role of the USA in promoting the use of plastics and paying no attention to disposal. Instead, the Trump administration acted as if there was no dirt on its shoes, or perhaps, no plastic sticking to its shoes(?), and that the blame lay elsewhere. It is critical to highlight this issue to remind ourselves that the environmental challenges facing the planet are not solely about climate change, as critical as that happens to be. There is environmental catastrophe unfolding, much of which is playing out in our oceans.

In this context, the notion of “America first,” in addition to having been a slogan of pre-WWII U.S. fascists, is the slogan of idiots. The USA does not exist on planet Earth by itself. The planetary crisis in plastics is one that no one nation-state can resolve alone. There must be a collective pact, and this necessitates a shift in the attitude of an arrogant U.S. administration. This, of course, will only happen through a combination of mass pressure and the electoral removal of those who think that one can “make America great again” while watching planet Earth die. WI

By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

Thank You, MaryLee Allen

MaryLee Allen was a brilliant, passionate, persevering, caring servant leader — not a self-serving leader — committed to helping build a world fit for children. When the Children’s Defense Fund was brand-new, I was searching for smart, passionate people to help with our earliest work. One of the very first ones I found was

28 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

MaryLee. Immediately after graduating from Marquette University with her degree in sociology MaryLee had come to Washington, D.C. to join the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, where she prepared research for lawsuits on school desegregation and discrimination in employment and jury selection and received a special commendation for her work on Alabama school desegregation efforts. Since then she’d continued working as a policy and law researcher, and she joined us

to work on CDF’s first-ever policy report, Children Out of School in America. Soon after that she went on to earn her master’s degree in social work from Catholic University but as soon as her graduate studies were done I called again, asking her to work with CDF for just a month while she waited to hear about her next job. Forty-two years later, she was still here. As anyone familiar with CDF’s work knows, for more than four decades MaryLee’s heart, soul and political and policy expertise have

been behind some of the most enduring and successful efforts to help America’s children and families. MaryLee Allen, CDF’s longest-serving staff member and the anchor of our policy work, passed away peacefully at home on June 13, a few short weeks after a diagnosis of advanced stage cancer. The entire CDF family and child advocacy community are sending all of our love and prayers to her son, Sean, her sister, Barbara, and the rest of her family. We are also celebrating her extraordinary legacy and impact

and saying, “thank you.” Along with late CDF Director of Research Paul Smith, MaryLee was the co-creator of CDF as we know it. She will live on and on through the millions of children whose lives she touched and improved, especially some of our most vulnerable ones in the child welfare system. She also lives on in all the young (and not-so-young) current and former CDF staff who she trained by her example, in her meticulous work

EDELMAN Page 49

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

Mobilizing the Poor People’s Campaign

Last week in Washington, the powers that be heard from a vital new democratic force in this country. For three days, the Poor People’s Campaign brought poor and low-wage Americans to the nation’s capital to call for a moral renewal in this nation. They questioned many of those who are seeking the Democratic nomination for president. Congressional hearings showcased

their Poor People’s Moral Budget. Their actions should be above the fold of every newspaper in America; they should lead the news shows and fill the talk shows. A movement for common sense and social justice is building, putting every politician on notice: lead or get out of the way, a new moral majority is building and demanding change. As the co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign, the Rev. Dr. William Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, write in their forward, this movement is not partisan. It

Guest Columnist

calls not for liberal or conservative reforms, but for a moral renewal. It is not a deep-pocket lobby. It is mobilizing the 144 million Americans who are poor or one crisis away from poverty into a “new and unsettling force” to “revive the heart of democracy in America.” This movement launched on Mother’s Day in May 2018. In 40 days, it triggered 200 actions across many states with 5,000 nonviolent demonstrators committing civil disobedience, and millions following the protests online. Forty states now

have coordinating committees build a coalition of poor people and people of faith and conscience across lines of race, religion, region and other lines of division. They are morally outraged that the richest nation in the world would in a “willful act of policy violence” condemn 140 million — more than 40 percent of the population — to live in poverty or near poverty. This includes 39 million children, 60 percent — 26 million — of African Americans, 64 percent — 38 million — of Latinos, more than one-third

— 66 million — of white Americans. These realities — and the extreme inequality that scars this society — predate the Trump administration, but now Trump is fanning increasing policy violence against the poor. In response, the Poor People’s Campaign is doing deep organizing and power building among the poor, turning them from victims to subject actors in history. This week, the campaign releases

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By James A. Washington

Free at Last. Claim It.

This week, allow me to talk about freedom. The freedom I’m talking about is the freedom afforded you when you come to Christ. There is something quite liberating when you know or realize that you’ve been, as they say, “set free.” Have you ever thought about what that really means? The word “release” comes to my mind. Others claim relief. However, you want to characterize it, I think the revelation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior removes the burdens and barriers

we, as human beings, place upon ourselves. That’s why I believe when people come to Christ, they are overcome by a fresh perspective on life — an enlightened one, particularly when they look back over their own lives. In a real sense, addictions are cured, feelings are healed, guilt is removed and insecurities conquered, just to name a few, when Christ enters the picture. One of the biggest things that happens when Christ enters your life is that your fears are conquered. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we all have fears. I know I do (or did).

Guest Columnist

It can be the fear of being alone, or of being ostracized, or humiliated, of being found out, not accepted or, yes, even the fear of dying. The knowledge of Christ in all of these situations cancels those fears. That’s what I believe people mean when they say “set free.” That’s how I’ve come to understand real joy. In the context of the spiritual awareness of being blood bought and saved, I have been set free from fear, anger, greed, selfishness and even personal selfdoubt. These things have hopefully been replaced with integrity, strength of character, honesty, hope, truth, the promise of life

everlasting and — yes, above all — love. One of the hardest things to understand in this life, and then to do, is to love yourself. God even commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Without Christ in your life, I believe that concept of self-love can be distorted and, in some cases, perverted. Love with humility is an awesome thing. When love is set free within you, life takes on a whole new meaning. You no longer have to live in the shadows of pretense. Rather, you and I exist in the light of truth. I can be who I really am. I can strive to be who God made

me to be and not what the world tries to make me. You can then show the world real you and not what you think the world needs to see. I am who God made. If that’s good enough for God, then it surely is good enough for me and anyone who thinks they want to deal with me. I’m free and it’s wonderful. Freedom is my gift from God, paid for by Jesus Christ His one and only Son. As such what you see of me is what you get, and I’m thrilled about it. You should be too. May God bless and keep you always. WI

By Derrick Johnson

Juneteenth Marks Continuing Fight for Freedom

On June 19, 1865, Texan slaves found out they were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, two and a half years after it was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Since then, annual celebrations of the emancipation have been referred to as Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and honoring African American freedom and liberation. As we have for years, we celebrate Juneteenth through food,

prayer and festivities honoring a rich tradition that continues to promote education and self-improvement. We’ve seen this holiday take root within communities and organizations throughout the country, taking on a national and even global presence with a mission to promote African American culture and respect for all cultures. But as we continue to cultivate knowledge and appreciation of our history and reflect upon the monumental challenges that our ancestors faced in fighting for freedom from bondage, we must also consider the ways in which

the Black community continues to be under the threat of hate, xenophobia, and bigotry. The NAACP stands at a significant moment in time when racial subordination and racial hierarchy is being reinforced at the highest level of leadership in this country. The recent accounts of domestic terrorism at black churches, images of Blackface populating the airwaves, the increase in hate crimes, and Black lives senselessly taken at the hands of over policing and brutality, shows that we are living in a world that often devalues us as people who have the right to live

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freely. However, what we saw during the historic wave of grassroots activism that swept across the country during the 2018 midterms — with women and people of color leading the way — was an overwhelming rebuke of these heinous acts, and a show of support for an America with a bold, forward-looking and inclusive vision. As the nation’s foremost civil rights organization, the NAACP has been a leader in the struggle to improve the lives of Black people in America. However, the historic importance and impend-

ing impact of the 2018 midterm elections, have propelled us to bring our activist roots to the forefront. Many diverse groups, including NAACP units throughout the country, are rising up to advocate for policies that ensure that we empower communities of color to make our voices heard and implement effective strategies to address the growing impact of the rise of white nationalism and emboldened racial rhetoric. As we celebrate Black liberation, let us continue to unite and fight together to confront the challenges we face today. WI

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LIFESTYLE Car Designer Andre Hudson Gives Peek at Tomorrow’s Self-Driving Vehicles By Jeff Fortson NNPA Newswire Contributor Unless you’ve been asleep at the wheel, no pun intended, both electric and self-driving vehicles are in the pipeline. This next phase of passenger transportation, one of the most significant changes the industry has experienced since the shift from horses and buggies to gasoline engine vehicles, remains

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right around the corner. Since the 60s and the airing of the cartoon The Jetsons, we’ve been hearing about fully autonomous, flying vehicles and today we’re closer than we have ever been. While infrastructure will have to be put in place to accommodate how we commute, car designers around the globe are working vigorously behind the scene to reimagine the experience of traveling

5 Global car designer Andre Hudson, who spent the first half of his career working for both General Motors and Hyundai, recently led a team of designers and sculptors, while working at the Italy-based Icona Design, re-imagining the next wave of vehicles. (Courtesy photo/NNPA Newswire)

in a vehicle, since the traditional means of sitting behind the steering wheel will no longer be in play. In order to give us a peek into the future, we caught up

with one of the foremost forward-thinkers and creative spirits in the field of design. Global car designer Andre Hudson, who spent the first half of his career working for both General Motors and Hyundai, recently led a team of designers and sculptors, while working at the Italy-based Icona Design, re-imagining the next wave of vehicles. Hudson is a diamond in the rough in the field of auto design. In today’s world, one has a better chance of meeting a NBA or NFL player, as opposed to a car designer, and more specifically, a Black car designer. Globally, there are only 30 Black car designers. Hudson, who is known for adding curves and sex appeal to the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, played a key role with the stylish, hot-selling four-door sedan, generating so much cash for the Korean automaker, it gave them enough confidence to develop the Genesis luxury brand. The Korean brand’s luxury flagship sedan, the G90, was also heavily influenced by the design genius. While serving as the design director of Icona’s only U.S. studio, Hudson worked in collaboration with their studios in Germany, China and Italy, creating a fully autonomous vehicle that would finally give the world a realistic glimpse on the auto show circuit of what’s to come. The all-new, bubble-shaped Nucleus, which kind of reminds one of a fly-

ing saucer, made its international global debut, during the spring of 2018, at the Geneva International Auto Show, and its only U.S. appearance, at last November’s L. A. Auto Show. “While the Nucleus was a global project for Icona Design, the U. S. studio led the project with all of the concept sketch development, which consisted of concept ideation and clay model development for the exterior,” Hudson said. “Inspiration came from many places but most directly the idea that we wanted to make a larger mono-volume vehicle (essentially a van) into the most beautiful and sensual shape that we could.” “The interior of the Nucleus was meant to surprise you as you stepped inside and took a seat. It was to be the most non-automotive feeling space one could imagine. We really wanted it to feel as though you were truly in a modern lounge or a hotel suite. Pictures really do not do the space justice. You have to sit in it and take in all the lines, the light and the ambiance.” “Finally, the Nucleus was really designed around three occupants as space is luxury.” Hudson is the host of SiriusXM’s only multicultural automotive radio show which features one-on-one conversations with influencers like him and can be heard weekly on Channel 141, Fridays at 12 p.m. EST. For more information, visit JeffCars. com. WI

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LIFESTYLE

This is War — With a Delicate Blush By Eve M. Ferguson WI Contributing Writer

It seems that every summer there is a new competition involving the imbibing of adult beverages, but four years ago, Roofers’ Union and its downstairs component, Jug & Table, declared war. A kinder, gentler war of pinkness. War of the Rosés, where wines are pitted against each other by popular demand, was born from the new interest in the pink, blush wine that comes from nearly every wine-producing locale in the world. The winner ends up on the summer menu featured prominently, but the losers never disappear. On a hot day in June that yielded to tropical downpours, putting a damper on the roof portion of the evening contest, guests enjoyed selections of rosés from around the world handpicked by new Wine Director Chas Jefferson. This year pitted four European wines against each other. Austria offered up a robust, deep pink Loimer-Niederösterreich Zweigelt against France with a classic Château Platon Bordeaux Rosé Cabernet Franc for the event. France did, after all, put the name to the wine. Spain’s Armas de Guerrero-Bierzo Mencía took on the Italy-born Fontaleoni Toscana Sangiovese, also falling into the hearty and bold category, that is, for a pink wine. “Instead of the pink wines like White Zinfandel, rosés are now very light,” Jefferson said as he poured rounds at the bar of Jug & Table. “I like to think I was personally responsible for men drinking rosés. “ Rosé is made by treating red grapes like white wine,” he

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said. “Hours on the skins, days of fermentation make them very light now. But sweet rosés like Lambrusco are not really on the market anymore. “People are starting to understand that it’s not just a color,” he added. “You can find character all over.” With the growing popularity of summer drinks like frozeé, where the wine is whipped into a Slurpee-like texture, the restaurant decided to hold the annual event to welcome in summer with a refreshing, non-conflictual competition. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate summer,” said general manager David Delaplaine, who opened the triplex eatery after the closing of its sister restaurant, Ripple. “What wine is better for summer? We certainly have fun putting the countries up. Each year it is a different competition — Old World vs. New World — we wouldn’t put up all New World.” T he wine is still struggling to win over converts. Daisy, who was visiting from the United Kingdom wasn’t having rosé, despite the deep discounts for the event. “ I’m not a fan of rosé,” she admitted. “Whenever I have rosé I wish it was a white wine.” Menu items like Jug & Table’s Rosé burrata with watermelon and mint were available to pair with a bottle or to nibble on throughout the evening. A compelling grilled flatbread with mozzarella and nectarines was a summery light twist on food accompaniments to the refreshing wine. Maybe, if enough people vote for them, these nibbles will last through the summer, with a view from the top of the roof.

5 Local wineries showcase their high-quality products to fans’ delight. (Courtesy photo)

Roofers Union and Jug & Table are located at 2446 18th St NW in Adams Morgan. The eatery also hosts live music in its rustic downstairs, and the

roof boasts one of the best views in the city. Other offerings are craft beers like Black Currant Blonde, a Hibiscus Margarita and “Anti-Oxidant”

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LIFESTYLE

Creators Come Together in D.C. for Annual Fine Arts Show By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

5 Stellar examples of Black-themed art work were featured at the Harlem Arts Festival on the campus of Howard University. (Hamil Harris/The Washington Informer)

The grounds of Howard University were a sprawling canvas of inspired expression and talent this month as artists from across the country converged on D.C. for the 10th annual Harlem Fine Arts Show. The three-day event on Father’s Day weekend was a celebration of the African Diaspora that brought together contemporary artists with the growing class of collectors. The idea for the event is to showcase cultural ideas and raise awareness through the creations through international, national and local artists. “As the largest traveling African Diasporic art show in the United States, HFAS continues to shape the future of diversity and inclusion in the fine arts world,” said show founder Dion Clarke. “We are the only show dedicated to displaying artists and galleries who show the breadth and diversity of global Black experiences.” Hundreds of pieces on display lived up to Clarke’s promise that the event would be thought-provoking. “It was an honor to collaborate with the Harlem Fine Arts Show,” said Ellen Jefferson, a member of Howard University’s greater D.C. alumni chapter, which hosted the event.

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Standing in front of some of her paintings, area artist Vega Ensinga Terrell said, “I am really excited to be part of the Harlem Fine Arts’ Washington, D.C., show because it is a collection of some of the most incredible artists in the country and I am really happy to represent some of the local artists.” The art show, first held in February 2010 in New York City, has attracted more than 100,000 collectors, art enthusiasts, educators, students and professionals over the years to locations nationwide, including Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, Atlanta, Chicago and New York. The D.C. show had more than 30 galleries, including a salute to African Americans in Technology (AAIT), a family day and one titled “The Healing Power of Art.” The event featured the second annual Salute to African Americans in Medicine, in which nine physicians from the D.C. region were honored at the campus’s Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library. Fathers also were in the spotlight, as men from across the area were honored. National artists featured at the event included Andrew Nichols of St. Albans, New York; Buchi Upjohn of Georgia; Corinthia Peoples of California; Frank Frazier of Dallas; Kevin Williams of Chicago; LaShun Beal of Houston; Louise Cutler of Fort Collins, Colorado; Thomas Lockhart of Denver and Water Kolours of Memphis, Tennessee. “It is important to be in a show like this be-

CAUCUS from Page 1 an integral force and vocal presence in the lives of their children. But despite today’s prevailing winds ushering in a preponderance of negative assertions and assumptions about “absentee Black fathers,” a bastion of unheralded leaders from within the African-American community remain intent on securing greater resources, programs and more mentors for fathers who love their children but lack the skills needed to more adroitly navigate the unfamiliar terrain of fatherhood. And to update the public on noteworthy initiatives that have yielded positive results for fledgling African-American fathers, Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Danny K. Davis (D-IL), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys [CCBMB], recently hosted a hearing on fatherhood, “Understanding the Effect of Fathers Who Care,” on the Hill during which speakers emphasized the significant role of fathers and shared methods they’ve employed to better equip themselves or other Black dads. “The impact of having a positive role model in a young man’s life cannot

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be underestimated,” said Norton who, along with Davis, launched the Caucus on Black Men and Boys in 2013 before replicating the program at the local level to benefit fathers from within the District of Columbia. “Fatherhood and role modeling are a critical part of anchoring and teaching our young men how to live, work and thrive in society and who need guidance across the board – from education to relationships to staying away from and out of the criminal justice system. We can no longer ignore the fact that there’s something problematic facing Black teenaged boys as they attempt to crossover into manhood.” Davis, a father, grandfather, mentor to scores of Black fathers in his hometown of Chicago and co– sponsor of the landmark Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act of 2015, echoed Norton’s views. “Father engagement does not depend on living in the same house as one’s child, with many non-residential fathers being actively-involved with their children and supportive of their children’s mothers,” Davis said.

CAUCUS Page 33

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HARLEM from Page 32 cause it brings together all types of people from the diaspora,” said Ross Brown, an artist from Richmond, Virginia, who took part in the exhibition on June 16. “In most galleries, there is somewhat of an elitist aspect, but during an event like this, you are talking to people from all sorts of backgrounds.” On Father’s Day, Shondale Gray, coordinator of the fathers tribute, and Rev. Mark Wade presented awards to 14 fathers, including Bishop Joel Peebles,

LIFESTYLE

pastor of City of Praise; George Lambert, president and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League; Tony Register, Donald Thigpen, Rev. Dean Nelson, Gregory Boykin, Tim Robinson, Willie Hines and Lawrence Branch. “This was a special ceremony to recognize men who have and still are making a significant difference in their communities and spheres of influence,” said Gray, whose husband, gospel artist Kevin LeVar, also was among the honorees. WI

5 An artist displays the fruit of his labors. (Hamil Harris/The Washington Informer)

5 Award-winning photographer, Oggi Ogburn. (Hamil Harris/The Washington Informer)

CAUCUS from Page 32 “However, low-income and teenage fathers experience multiple challenges to contributing financially and emotionally to their children due to limited education and job skills, unstable employment opportunities, child support enforcement policies, incarceration and strained relationships with their children’s mothers.” “We’re eager to learn more about what work is being done with Black fathers in the community and that’s why we have invited four experts to testify today. We established the CCBMB to increase the focus on boys and young African-American men who too often are exposed to gun violence and gangs and who drop out of school more often than girls. Engaging in hearings and events like this assist us in addressing the concerns of Black men and boys and their development,” said Davis whose commitment to Black youth cannot be disputed given the tragedy he’s faced within his own family. In November 2016, his grandson Javon Wilson, 15, was shot to death at his home during a dispute with two other teens in an argument over gym shoes and clothing. Davis

not only delivered the eulogy at his grandson’s funeral but later reached out to the youth, also a teen, who killed Javon. And while Davis admits he initially had trouble finding the appropriate final words to deliver, he has remained steadfast in filling the gap for Black youth, encouraging those who have little hope or few expectations for a positive future. Speakers for the hearing included: Roland Martin, journalist and host/managing editor of #RolandMartinUnfiltered; Haki Nkrumah, founder, Young Fathers of Central Florida; David A. Harris, CEO, Urban Strategies Council; and Joseph T. Jones, founder/CEO, Center for Urban Families. Martin, who does not have biological children of his own, has raised six nieces with his wife. He said he has always sought to exemplify the loving relationship that exists with his spouse so that his nieces can see an example of Black love at its best. “We’re in a world today in which fathers are treated as an option,” Martin said. “But in truth, fathers matter. What we do matters. Just consider most news reports by main-

CAUCUS Page 42

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LIFESTYLE Toni Morrison, Miles Davis Docs Shine at AFI Film Festival By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

5 Author Toni Morrison and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, director and co-producer of “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” (Courtesy of AFI DOCS Film Festival)

34 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

How do you choose between 72 films from 17 countries, including six world premieres, when looking at the schedule for the annual AFI DOCS Film Festival? The annual event took place in the D.C. area June 19-23. The 17th edition of the festival was a unique opportunity for audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders to engage and connect through film. Reviewed in this article are the documentaries about author Toni Morrison and musician Miles Davis: “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” I, like many fans of Toni Morrison, find her books can be difficult to read. This documentary explains Morrison’s path to the written word is thoughtful and curious in a way that I have heard painters and photographers speak about their art.

Through the lens of director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, the AFI DOCS the audience could feel Morrison speaking directly to us, individually. Morrison’s look, her pronouncements and tone comes through the screen as if she is really saying only to you, “I know you’re not that dumb, listen to me,” in a motherly, professorial manner. Greenfield-Sanders, known primarily as a still photographer, met Morrison in 1981. He was the photographer behind the HBO documentary and photography exhibit, “The Black List.” “There is always a perfect time for a film,” Greenfield-Sanders said. “If I’m going to do a film on Toni, it had to be now. She is a very private person who does not do things like this.” Like most adult behaviors, I contend those behaviors are rooted in the way one was raised. Morrison learned the power of words in her early childhood when her mother saw Morrison and her sister wrote out the F-word from something they saw posted in their hometown. Morrison did not know what the word meant, but her mother’s reaction was a teachable moment. From being a part of Muhammad Ali’s press tour to winning the Nobel Prize for Literature to now, “The Pieces I Am” shows that Morrison makes an impact by being straightforward and unafraid. The documentary includes accolades from Oprah Winfrey, writer and critic Hilton Als and authors Angela Davis, Fran Lebowitz and Walter Mosley. All give examples of Morrison not being afraid to respond to those who have criticized her ongoing themes about African American and female experiences. What else is she to write about? Readers have navigated through these themes in some Morrison’s many critically acclaimed works, including novels “The Bluest Eye,” “Sula” “Song of Solomon,” and “Beloved.” This is a moving, enlightening documentary that must be seen. Sonia Sanchez, also in the documentary, says it best about how to handle Morrison’s books: “You read one, you cry, then you gotta laugh.” “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” will be released on June 28 in several cities including in the D.C. area at the Landmark E Street Cinema and the Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema. To view the movie trailer, go to http://bit.ly/MorrisonDoc. “Miles David: The Birth of the Cool” If you want to categorize Miles

Davis as only a jazz musician, this documentary will change your mind. His world of music, painting and fashion are fully explored in Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool,” directed and co-produced by Stanley Nelson, the award-winning director and producer behind the 2018 HBCU documentary’s “Tell Them We are Rising.” Nelson takes you into Davis’s world of being intelligent, talented, self-absorbed and abusive. In the film, the words of Davis are through the voice of actor Carl Lumby. The roots of his abusive behaviors conveyed in this film by his female companions and his management team and fellow musicians were revealed in the volatile relationship between his parents, including the fight when his mother wanted him to learn to play the violin, but his dad wanted him to play the trumpet. Throughout the film we hear from Frances Taylor, the dancer and Davis’ first wife. She told of how they were the “it” couple. Her career was cut short because Davis wanted Taylor to devote all of her time to him. Taylor’s involvement with this documentary is critical and sad as she died last year before the film’s first screening at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. “Francis’ story serves as a composite for Davis’s relationship with women,” London said. “We had to tell every aspect of his life.” A childhood friend interviewed for the documentary told of how Davis was considered weird. One thing Davis liked to do was to be outside alone to listen to the sounds of birds and other outdoor goings on. What the audience of the documentary realizes that is that Davis heard everything and could roll those sounds into his compositions. From the beginnings of his career performing with Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker to the last years of performing with Prince and with Quincy Jones at Montreux Jazz Festival, viewers are taken onto Davis’ creative process. According to admirers, Davis was ahead of the curve. Writer and critic Greg Tate credits Davis creating a template for hip-hop. Then there was that period when Davis stopped playing from 1969-1975 following a severe car accident. “Him not playing was like not having water,” says his son Erin Davis. Davis died in 1991. “Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool” is another must see film. It will be air on the PBS series “American Masters” in early 2020. To view the movie trailer, go to http://bit.ly/DavisDoc. WI

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LIFESTYLE Lawmaker Seeks to Outlaw Prisoner Gerrymandering By James Wright WI Staff Writer

5 Lacy Clay represents Missouri’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. (WI file photo)

Almost a decade ago, Rep. Lacy Clay expressed concern about those who are housed in federal penal institutions not be counted as a part of the 2010 census in their hometown and states but instead where they are incarcerated. Clay has raised that concern again as the Trump administration said it will continue that practice for the 2020 Census. “I am appalled that the Census Bureau is proposing to repeat the same misguided mistake regarding prisoner gerrymandering as it did back in 2010,” Clay said. “As I argued then, prisoners do not magically appear from thin air. … They have hometowns. And more than 75 percent of incarcerated persons will eventually return to the communities where they resided before sentencing. Fairness and accuracy

dictate that they should be enumerated as residents of their home communities.” The practice, known as prison gerrymandering, hurt people of color the most, Clay said. “A repeated failure to reverse the prisoner gerrymandering rule would also be racially discriminatory, depriving minority communities of accurate census counts which would result in reduced political representation and chronic underfunding for critical programs and projects,” he said. State legislators use census data to redraw district lines for congressional districts and themselves. Federal policymakers and bureaucrats use census data to determine how much money goes to states and municipalities for a wide range of projects and social service uses. Business owners and developers use census data to measure whether a business or economic development

project should be expanded or shuttered. Clay has said publicly that prison gerrymandering has become a tool of people who don’t want people of color, particularly Blacks and Latinos, to have their share of resources. To remedy this, Clay has introduced the Correct the Census Count Act of 2019, which would allow prisoner gerrymandering and make sure that federal prisoners who are incarcerated outside of their home state will be counted appropriately. The bill has four co-sponsors, including D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D). “I support this bill because in the District we don’t have a federal prison,” Norton said. “Our inmates are all over the country because of the compromise we made in the 1990s to keep the city from becoming insolvent. In 2010, we heard about incarcerated District residents who didn’t want to be counted in the states they were in but they wanted to be counted as residents of the District. “Clay’s bill will go a long way in making sure D.C. residents are counted, no matter what their status is and where they are housed,” she said. The bill also has the support of Democratic Reps. Mark Veasay

(Texas), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Mark Pocan (Wis.). The states of New York, Delaware, California, Washington and Maryland have laws against prisoner gerrymandering, according to the Prison Gerrymandering Project of the Prison Policy Initiative. The Federal Bureau of Prisons estimates that there are 8,000 prisoners housed in 90 facilities nationwide. Villareal Johnson, an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Ward 7, spoke recently about prisoner gerrymandering at a Ward 7 Democrats meeting. “Council member Robert White has introduced a bill in the D.C. Council that would allow felons incarcerated in other areas voting rights as D.C. residents,” Johnson said. “That should extend to the census. D.C. felons should be counted as being with the District and not where they are incarcerated.” Johnson said he knows about Clay’s legislation and supports it. “It has been estimated that every person counted in the census is worth $4,500 in federal assistance,” he said. “That money goes to the municipalities and the states. In the District, we could possibly get millions if D.C. felons are counted with the city and not where they are.” WI

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LIFESTYLE

wi book review “In West Mills” by De’Shawn Charles Winslow c.2019, Bloomsbury $26 ($35 Canada 263 pages

By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer The burden on your shoulders is heavy. Your whole body sags with the weight of things you know but can’t tell, and each new whisper adds to the pack. Secrets you carry are more than you can bear sometimes, which is why you need to share them — but in the new book “In West Mills” by De’Shawn Charles Winslow, there’s virtue in hushing up. Azalea “Knot” Centre was in the process of throwing her man, Pratt, out of the house for the last time. Or maybe she wasn’t because, although she hated having him underfoot, scolding her for evenings spent at Miss Goldie’s bar, she also loved Pratt. It was true that Knot drank a lot. Even Otis Lee Loving, Knot’s best friend down the road, told her so. Otis Lee and his wife, Pep, worried about Knot. When Knot woke up one day and realized that she was pregnant, they worried even more. Seems that was what Otis Lee did best: worry. After he found a nearby family to take Knot’s daughter and raise her, Otis Lee and Pep warned Knot not to sleep around anymore but pretty soon, Knot’s belly grew big again. She mourned for months about her first girl-child, who was named Fran, and when Otis Lee found another family for the second girl, Knot mourned again. Otis Lee knew he’d have done the same thing, much as he loved his own son, Breezy. And time passed in West Mills. Knot’s girls were raised almost right beneath her nose and Otis Lee and Pep kept her secret. There was no use telling those girls about who’d given them birth, just like there was no reason to tell Otis Lee the secret about his family that Knot had heard from another friend. There was just no sense in hurting Otis Lee with that information. But in a little North Carolina town like West Mills, secrets have a way of escaping. Sometimes, they’re slippery little things. And sometimes, they’re let go in anger and revenge … “In West Mills” is one of those novels that makes you want to pause. It’s slow, that’s it. It takes place over decades, as its two main characters grow, for better or worse, and age together and apart. At first, you might even think that it’ll never get to the point — although it seems that is the point. Yes, this novel works its way through slowly, but you’d be hardpressed to find a tale that depicts friendship any better. Author De’Shawn Charles Winslow puts truth in this novel, in the form of frustration and exasperation real friends have between them, even though they love one another fiercely. He does that without ruining the story with too much silly drama, and there’s your slow-down factor. In the end, though, that offers a languid, hazy feeling, somewhat like walking barefoot down a dusty Carolina road on a summer’s day. It makes you want to linger. In the end, that makes “In West Mills” a book that’s no burden to enjoy. WI

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horoscopes

JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

ARIES On June 21, the sun entered Cancer, continuing a process of you feeling more comfortable. You’re being asked to sink into what and who brings you a sense of belonging. When the new moon and total solar eclipse align in early July, you’ll be ready to leave the past behind and live more deeply in the present as you create a new future. Lucky Numbers: 9, 18, 22 TAURUS The month ends on a surprising note with unexpected information coming in. Hopefully, it’s sinking in how much depth there is to a situation and you. Clear your perceptions. Opportunity is knocking as you enter July. Invite it in. Lucky Numbers: 5, 8, 43 GEMINI Acknowledge your feelings and the patterns you don’t wish to repeat. Be open to receive. You can deepen connections that bring you joy, give back equally, and truly appreciate and care for you. You’re letting go of old aspirations by the end of the month, realizing you’re the source of your wealth. You have everything you “need” emotionally and financially. Go beyond the surface, dive deep, and discover the treasures within you. Lucky Numbers: 8, 16, 23 CANCER Pay attention to your health and avoid burning the candle at both ends. You have a lot to learn, but take things a day at a time and have faith that the path will be revealed. As you end the month, take time for self-reflection. Release baggage and aspirations you’ve outgrown and liberate yourself. By the time of the total solar eclipse and new moon in your sign in early July, you’ll be ready for a rebirth. Lucky Numbers: 20, 22, 44 LEO Trust your most loving, optimistic vision — something that feels right in your heart and soul. It will mean cutting ties with what no longer works, but trust that the changes you make are opening you to a greater flow of grace and abundance. On June 21, the sun entered Cancer, drawing you inward to rest, retreat, and reflect as you prepare for the sun in your sign next month. In early July, a total solar eclipse and new moon in this area of your life suggest you’re entering a profound period of soul searching. Move in awareness. Lucky Numbers: 2, 17, 39 VIRGO Your social circle and horizons are widening and your aspirations are evolving. Release the dead weight and you can be free to explore options that are more closely aligned with your present goals. Reflect on a soul mission as you near the Cancer total eclipse early next month. There will be twists and turns, but keep your perspective, trust your intuition, and follow the light within. Lucky Numbers: 28, 30, 35 LIBRA Avoid premature judgment. Listen, keep an open mind and clear perspective, and be grateful. You’re learning what you need to know, which will allow you to make wise choices. As you move through the end of the month, clarify important personal and professional goals. Unfolding unexpected changes are clearing the path for a fresh start next month. Get ready to make a splash. Lucky Numbers: 23, 31, 52 SCORPIO Avoid power struggles. You’re free, and there is no wrong choice. Have faith in your most optimistic vision, and rise above darker perceptions. This is a chance for some reevaluation, allowing you to invest in commitments that align with your values and long-term goals. As the month ends, unexpected developments are pushing you further along your journey to the top. Above all, have faith in yourself as you step into the light. Lucky Numbers: 7, 9, 13 SAGITTARIUS Consciously release old baggage, habits, and attachments that drain you as you move through the end of the month. This is a process of deep cleansing. Avoid clinging and ease a transition. Early next month, the total solar eclipse and new moon in Cancer bring a chance for resurrection and a fresh start, allowing you to feel more secure in your commitments — emotionally, financially, and sexually. Lucky Numbers: 1, 10, 15 CAPRICORN There’s a lot you don’t know, but acknowledge a soul mission. Take things a day at a time. Trust your intuition and you’ll learn what you need to know. As you end the month, stay in the present and consciously release subconscious patterns. By early next month, you’ll be ready for a fresh, new start, allowing you to deepen your important connections. Lucky Numbers: 16, 24, 29 AQUARIUS Your dreams are evolving, but you have the power to create and build a new life in alignment with who you are today. Start with a process of elimination — release emotional baggage and whatever drains you. Then as the total solar eclipse and new moon align in Cancer, you’ll be ready to make a fresh start, nurturing what you care about. Lucky Numbers: 19, 24, 40 PISCES Dive deeper into your heart, consciously release emotional baggage, and seek help if you’re healing from sexual trauma. Let go of superficial ideas of what love and romance look like and you could taste something real and delicious. As the total solar eclipse aligns next month, you’ll be ready to dive in and create an external life that mirrors your inner truth. Lucky Numbers: 25, 29, 38

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Celebrating Academic Achievement

5 Trayon White, Ward 8 Councilmember, Markus Batchelor, Ward 8 State Board of Education representative, Karen Williams, Ward 7 State Board of Education representative, encouraged the scholars to remain focused and diligent in their studies. Georgetown University class of 2019 graduate, Rashema Melson gave a warm and moving keynote. She shared a story of how she and her family experienced homelessness while a student at Anacostia. She closed by telling the graduates that the struggles are real. However, all things are possible if you never give up. ( top and top right) wThe William O. Lockridge Community Foundation honored 14 Wards 7 and 8 high school graduates with scholarships ranging from $1,000- $5,000 at its 2019 Scholarship Awards Ceremony. “Our future looks bright,” stated Wanda Lockridge, founder and chairwoman. “Do not be afraid to interact and learn from those who do not look, sound or act like you. Know and understand that the road ahead of you may not be easy, but it is one that you are equipped to navigate, so fully embrace it,” continued Lockridge. (Photos courtesy Wanda Lockridge)

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 39

REPARATIONS from Page 1 inal justice policy, including policing practices.” Former Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan had for decades attempted to introduce legislation on reparations, but was unsuccessful. Acclaimed journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates and actor Danny Glover also testified at the hearing and shared their beliefs that reparations — once promised in the form of 40 acres and a mule — are long overdue. The issue has become a recurring theme for Democrats ahead of the 2020 presidential election with candidates such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Cory Booker and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro each saying they favor reparations. However, not everyone is on board with H.R. 40. “Slavery ended more than 150 years ago,” said Donna Jackson of Project 21, a group of Black conservatives opposed to the legislation. “It doesn’t make sense to force people who didn’t own slaves to pay people who never were slaves and this reparations hearing is just another way to sow division and animos-

ity among the races. “Like Confederate statues, pandering to the Black community with promises of free money is a big political diversion,” Jackson said. “The best reparations for slavery is freedom — especially a free-market economy.” However, Jackson Lee and others maintain that reparations should be dispensed. “While we have focused on the social effects of slavery and segregation, its continuing economic implications remain largely ignored by mainstream analysis,” Jackson Lee said. “These economic issues are the root cause of many critical issues in the African-American community today, such as education, health care and criminal justice policy, including policing practices.” Warren said the world currently is comprised of a system where if the average white family has $100, the average Black family would have only about $5. “I support the bill in the House,” Warren said, adding that she welcomes a panel of experts to study and talk about different ways in which “we can as a nation do what’s right and begin to heal.” WI

5 WI Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes (l-r) and NNPA President/CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis join Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) at a press conference where they advocate for reparations. (WI photo)

Where 2020 Democratic Hopefuls Stand on Reparations By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia

The issue of reparations continues to dominate discussion during the 400th anniversary of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the most vicious and evil oppression in American history. After America promised — and never delivered — 40 acres and a mule as reparations, the country instead turned to oppressive and dehumanizing laws such as Jim Crow and leaders introduced tactics such as lynching, denying voting rights and dastardly usurping any civil rights owed African Americans. With the 2020 election campaign in full swing, several Democratic candidates have weighed in on the topic of reparations:

NEW JERSEY SEN. CORY BOOKER:

Booker recently introduced a bill called the Commission To Study and Develop Reparation Proposals For African Americans Act. He has also advocated for baby bonds, which would offer all newborns $1,000, and then add up to $2,000 annually for children in low-income households until they’re 18.

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG

“I haven’t seen a proposal for a cash transfer that people would be able to come together around and view as fair,” Buttigieg said in March, according to NewsOne. “But I absolutely believe that we need to have some kind of accounting for the persistent racial inequities today there by design because of part and present racism.”

40 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

JULIAN CASTRO:

The former secretary of Housing and Urban Development is perhaps the most vocal proponent for reparations among all presidential candidates, according to NewsOne. “I’ve long believed that our country will never truly heal until we address the original sin of slavery,” he told the audience at the National Action Network convention.

NEW YORK SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND:

At the National Action Network Convention, Gillibrand said the reparations conversation is “long overdue,” NBC News reporter Ali Vitali tweeted. “She adds here that she supports the bill that would establish a commission to study the issue,” Vitali reported. California Sen. Kamala Harris: NewsOne reported that Harris “has been somewhat cagey when it comes to reparations, but did say she would sign the bill to explore the topic if she became president.” Still, there was some uncertainty after she told NPR in March that reparations “means different things to different people.”

BETO O’ROURKE:

NewsOne said the former Texas congressman recently reversed his position on reparations, telling the crowd at the National Action Network Convention that he would support Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s proposed H.R. 40 bill to study and develop reparation proposals for African-Americans. Just weeks earlier, O’Rourke said he wasn’t in favor of “traditional reparations for African-Americans for the legacy of slavery,” according to The Associated Press.

VERMONT SEN. BERNIE SANDERS:

Sanders used the National Action Network Convention to offer his support for H.R. 40 legislation for reparations, as well. His stance was a departure from previous speeches that caused confusion about where he stood on the issue, NewsOne reported. When asked about reparations during a town hall event on CNN in late February, Sanders said, “It depends on what the word means.”

MASSACHUSETTS SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN:

Warren has emerged from her own race-based scrutiny to become one of the most vocal champions of reparations for American descendants of slavery, according to NewsOne. While Warren hasn’t called for direct monetary payments, she did say that “it’s time to start the national, full-blown conversation about reparations in this country.”

JOE BIDEN:

The former vice president’s current stance on reparations as it relates to next year’s election was unclear. However, he said in 1975 in no uncertain terms that he was totally against the idea. “I don’t feel responsible for the sins of my father and grandfather,” Biden said at the time. “I feel responsible for what the situation is today, for the sins of my own generation. And I’ll be damned if I feel responsible to pay for what happened 300 years ago.” WI

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SPORTS Brigade Stops Valor in DMV Showdown

5 Baltimore Brigade wide receiver Maurice Morgan is tackled by Washington Valor wide receiver Dezmon Epps during Baltimore’s 42-35 win at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Thursday, June 20. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)

5 Baltimore Brigade defensive back Robert Hayes looks on as Washington Valor quarterback Arvell Nelson scores a touchdown during Baltimore’s 42-35 win at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Thursday, June 20. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)

Braves Edge Nats in 10th

5 Washington Redskins great Charles Mann, one of the 10 newest members of the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame, is greeted during a ceremony prior to Washington Nationals’ game against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park in D.C. on Sunday, June 23. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer) 4 Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies attempts to turn a double play after Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner is forced out during the Braves’ 4-3 win at Nationals Park in D.C. on Sunday, June 23. (John E. De Freitas/ The Washington Informer)

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 41

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stream media that show a Black ball player signing a major contract or winning a championship who hugs and thanks his mother but says nothing about his father, thus reinforcing the notion of the single Black mother and the absent Black father. I realized as my nieces came to live with us, that I had to watch the words I used and be aware of my actions around them. I had to be intentional.” Nkrumah, who moved from New York City to Orlando in 2006, recalled when other Black men didn’t believe he could establish a mentoring program for Black teens in Florida. “I knew if I could grab brothers from Brooklyn and the Bronx, I could certainly get boys from Pine Hills and Paramore,” he said. “I fo-

cus on younger fathers because of the disproportionate number of infant mortality among Black babies, many of whom were the offspring of fathers 24 or younger.” “Most male programs are unwilling to include younger boys, those 14, 15 or 16, because they can’t vote and don’t pay child support so, as some politicians conclude, ‘what’s the point?’ It’s not glamorous but it’s needed and it must be approached in a holistic manner so that the entire family benefits. Some young men don’t even know how to say ‘I love you’ to their children. We’ve got to show them how to express genuine love and that begins by being genuine in our relationships with them.” Val Demings (D-FL), the first woman to serve as chief of police in Orlando (Nkrumah’s district), also attended the hearing and said she has

long been committed to investing in the lives of young boys and girls. “I was the youngest of seven children and my father was a janitor but he might as well have been the president of the United States,” she said. “My mother taught us the loving side, how to love Jesus and how to respect our elders. But when the boogie man came, only my daddy could make me feel safe.” “Haki has done a stellar job in persuading an impressive contingency of men in the Orlando area to serve as mentors to young boys. And they, like other surrogate dads, provide that guidance that children sorely need. But as a mother with three sons, I realized long ago that while I could help them grasp some of life’s essential skills and lessons, only their father could teach them how to be men.” WI

TIMELINE FOR BARRY FARM

IN EARLY 1868, the fed-

eral Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands purchased 375 acres from the heirs of Washington merchant James Barry for the purpose of establishing a model community for Blacks. BY 1871, the community had a school, a Baptist church and purchased a lot for a Methodist church. Prominent residents of Barry Farm included civil rights leader Frederick Douglass’ sons, Charles, Lewis and Frederick Jr., as well as John Moss, the first Black judicial in the District of Columbia, Garnet Wilkerson, assistant superintendent for Black schools in the District, Georgiana Simpson, the first Black woman to receive a doctorate, Emily Edmondson of the famous Pearl incident in 1848 and Solomon Brown, the Smithsonian Institution’s lone Black professional employee who also served in the D.C. House of Delegates. FROM 1895-1918, D.C.’s first Black-owned amusement park maintained operations on what is now Barry Farm’s playground.

IN NOVEMBER 1942,

families started coming to Barry Farm Dwellings as tenants of public housing. The Barry Farm Dwellings public housing space eventually had 442 units of permanent housing for low-income Black residents. IN 1950, Barry Farm residents initiate Bolling vs. Sharpe, a companion case to the Brown vs. Board of Education case that outlawed racial segregation in public schools. Bolling came about when Barry Farm residents couldn’t enroll their

children in the then-newly built John Philip Sousa Junior High School based on their race. The Supreme Court ruled in Bolling that Black exclusion from Sousa violated the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, noting that the District lacked statehood and thereby couldn’t fall under the 14th Amendment like the Brown decision. In September 1954, Sousa opened its doors to all races. IN THE 1960S, Barry Farm Dwellings began to show signs of decay, with rodent infestation, leaky faucets and broken-down housing units. The advocacy of Lillian Wright and Etta Horn, who would found the National Welfare Rights Organization, would start an ad hoc group called the Band of Angels and push for the District government to repair and improve living conditions at Barry Farm Dwellings. The Band of Angels and other residents also demanded better police protection. IN 1967, actress Eartha Kitt testifies on behalf of Barry Farm Dwellings residents at a hearing of the House of Representatives’ education subcommittee. IN 1975, the Barry Farm Community Basketball League, now known as the Goodman

League named after Barry Farm activist George Goodman, began operations. The league presently features leading pro and street basketball players such as NBA star Kevin Durant. IN 1980, a group of Barry Farm Dwelling youngsters made a name for themselves creating music out of soda bottles, tin cans and picnic benches. The group eventually became known as The Junkyard Band and performs gigs not only throughout the city but nationally also. IN 2013, the District government announced plans to demolish most of the housing at Barry Farm Dwelling and put in mixed-used, higher density community consisting of 1,600 units for sale. Empower DC, a progressive activist organization, helps tenants form the Barry Farm Tenant and Allies Association to make sure that original Barry Farm Dwelling tenants aren’t evicted from their homes and are able to stay at the renovated complex. 2019, many families have been relocated and the demolition of Barry Farm Dwellings begins. Empower DC and the Barry Farm Tenant and Allies Association launch effort to have Barry Farm declared a historic site by the District government. WI

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Dousing the Flames of the Diabetes Epidemic, Pt. 5 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. — Hosea 4:6 In sharing with you, the readers, the story of my family’s struggle with Type 2 diabetes, it is my prayer that each reader will benefit. Let me conclude this series with words I heard during an interview from a medical doctor from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, during his C-SPAN interview, took the following question from a caller: “My mother had triggered diabetes. I don’t recall what type it was. I have a brother and sister that are 10 years older than I am. They both take insulin shots and have had difficulties with this disease. Here I am so far in my life, I’ve been disease-free of sugar diabetes. This genetic makeup — if they have the gene and I don’t, I would like to know why I succeeded in life without becoming a victim of that.” Dr. Griffin Rodgers answered by saying, “Our genetic makeup says a lot about what we are likely to become. You may or may not have the same risk because we have two parents and you inMt. Zion Baptist Church Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold”

herit half of your genes from one parent and half from the other. It could be that, that susceptibility gene, you may have been lucky to not inherit. A lot has to do with our environment, how much we are exposed to, what we eat. “As it turns out, in Type 2 diabetes, our environment begins even earlier,” Rodgers said. “For studies we have funded, both in our NIH Phoenix branch and other sites nationally, determines that our environment begins in utero. A mother who develops Type 2 diabetes or who has diabetes during pregnancy, the infant born to that mother when they have diabetes is more likely to develop diabetes later on in life than an infant born to that same mother who was not affected with just a small diabetes, known as gestational diabetes. There is something in our environment we are trying to understand. That’s another factor to be considered. Of course, if it runs in your family, that does put you at higher risk. It sounds like you’re doing the right thing and you are being checked periodically to determine whether you have any signs of it. A good prescription, however, is exercise and maintaining your weight at a level that your doctor approves.” I wanted to share this with very significant question and answer that I took the time to

transcribe for you, as I conclude this important column on how we must battle the diabetes epidemic. The research of millions of people who have this now, and those millions who don’t even know that they have it, is a problem we must face, head on! It is not our fault, when it is in our genes; some are born with that, according to Dr. Rogers. Read his answer again and again so you will understand. This shows more why early detection is important. Type 2 diabetes did run in my mother’s family, but it wasn’t discussed. They didn’t understand what they needed to know and share. With me sharing with my family and you the thousands of readers, I have taken the bull by the horns to teach as many as will hear, the way to save yourselves. This story will be told for the rest of my life. Dr. Griffin said a good prescription is: 1. Get checked early and regularly for Type 2 diabetes. 2. Learn how to eat properly when you discover you are a candidate. 3. Exercise and lose weight! When you follow this simple 1-2-3 plan, you will save yourselves and your loved ones from experiencing a life filled with pain, unnecessary suffering and regrets! WI

(301) 864-6070

www.jmlaw.net

(301) 864-6070

jmccollum@jmlaw.net

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr. 1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005 Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

www.mtzbcdc.org

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JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 43

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

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

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

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

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

Blessed Word of Life Church

Church of Living Waters

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

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

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

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

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 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”

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

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

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

St. Stephen Baptist 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

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

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

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

www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

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

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

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

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

“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

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

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

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: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 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

44 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

themcbc.org

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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

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

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

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

Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 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 Sunday Worship Service: 10:15 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church Shall; Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, and Exalt Our Savior. (Acts 2:41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 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

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Israel Baptist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

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

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 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

“Where Jesus is the King”

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

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

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Damion M. Briggs 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

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington 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 Service: 10:15 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting / Bible Study: Tuesday at 7 PM Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church with an Emphasis on “Evangelism and Discipleship”

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: pastorstmbc@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

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

“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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church 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

Christ Embassy DC

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 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

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

Peace Baptist Church

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

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

“The Loving Church of the living lord “

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

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

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

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. Reginald M. Green Interim Pastor

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

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM

Emmanuel Baptist Church

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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 27 - JULY 3, 2019 45

LEGAL NOTICES

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

Administration No. 2019 ADM 586

Administration No. 2019 ADM 557

Estate of Myrtleann Witherspoon

Lisa Whitfield Decedent

Joseph James Morton Decedent

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. Probate Law DC 1308 Ninth Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney

Valerie J. Edwards 1725 DeSales Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration Number 2019 ADM 615

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by James Weldon King for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

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

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2019 FEP 000054 January 12, 2012 Date of Death

Joan C. Catanoso

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

Michi Whitfield, whose address is 1707 8th Street, NW, Apt 302, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lisa Whitfield who died on February 13, 2017 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/13/2019. 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 12/13/2019, 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.

Joseph M. Morton, II, whose address is 9404 Dogwood Park Street, Capital Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joseph James Morton who died on January 4, 2010 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/13/2019. 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 12/13/2019, 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: 6/13/2019

Date of first publication:

Michi Whitfield Personal Representative

Joseph M Morton, II Personal Representative

Marjorie Catanoso

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

Foreign No. 2019 FEP 000052

Tammy L. Landon aka Tammy Lee Landon aka Tammy Lee Jacobson-Landon Name of Deceased Settlor

Order Carol Anne Harwell who is alleged to have custody of the will dated November 25, 2000 to deliver it to the Court Date of first publication: 6/13/2019 Johnny M. Howard 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 402 Washington, DC 20036 Petitioner/Attorney: TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Marjorie Catanoso, whose address is 24 11th Road,

Marshfield, MA 02050 was appointed personal repre-

sentative of the estate of Joan C. Catanoso, deceased, by the Probate & Family Court for Plymouth County, State of Massachusetts, on June 11, 2012.

Service of process may be made upon Peter Fenn,

3347 Tenneyson Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015

whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

The decedent owned District of Columbia personal

property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of

Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW,

Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

6/13/2019

Personal Representative

February 12, 2018 Date of Death Laura P. Walker aka Laura Walker Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS William James Walker, whose address is 1216 Washington Drive, Stafford, VA 22554, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Laura P. Walker aka Laura Walker, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Cambria County, State of Pennsylvania, on March 2, 2018. Service of process may be made upon Valerie J. Edwards, Esq. at 1725 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 1301 20th Street, NW, #311, Washington, DC 20036. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: 6/13/2019 William James Walker Personal Representative Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Trust No. 2019 NRT 22

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST Tammy L. Landon aka Tammy Kee Landon aka Tammy Lee Jacobson-Landon, whose address was 2201 N Street, NW, Apt. 215, Washington, DC 20037 created a revocable trust on December 1, 2014, which remained in existence on the date of death on February 21, 2019, and Trustee Stephanie Ann Jacobson-Landon, whose address is 2201 N Street, NW, Apt. 215, Washington, DC 20037, is the currently acting trustee, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to the following: Stephanie Ann Jacobson-Landon at 2201 N Street, NW, Apt. 215, Washington, DC 20037. The Trust is subject to claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors, costs of administration of the settlor’s estate, the expense of the deceased settlor’s funeral and disposal of remains, and statutory allowances to a surviving spouse and children to the extent the deceased settlor’s residuary probate estate is inadequate to satisfy those claims, costs, expenses, and allowances. Claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors are barred as against the Trustee and the trust property unless presented to the Trustee at the address provided herein on or before 12/20/2019 (6 month after the date of the first publication of this notice.) An action to contest the validity of this trust must be commenced by the earliest of (1), 2/21/2020 (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), 12/20/2019 ( 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice) or (3) Ninety days after the Trustee sends the person a copy of the trust instrument and a notice informing the person of the trust’s existence, of the Trustee’s name and address, and of the time allowed for commencing a proceeding. The Trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the trust before the expiration of the time within which an action must be commenced unless the Trustee knows of a pending judicial proceeding contesting the validity of the trust or the Trustee has received notice from a potential contestant who thereafter commences a judicial proceeding within sixty days after notification. This Notice must be mailed postmarked within 15 days of its first publication to each heir and qualified beneficiary of the trust and any other person who would be an interested person within the meaning of D.C. Code 20-101(d). Date of First Publication: 6/20/2019 Stephanie Ann Jacobson-Landon Signature of Trustee TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

46 JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019

Anne Meister

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2019 ADM 559 Willie R. McDuffie Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Phyllis McDuffie, whose address is 1219 Emerson St. NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Willie R. McDuffie who died on November 1, 2011 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 12/20/2019. 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 12/20/2019, 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: 6/20/2019 Phyllis McDuffie Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000471

Administration No. 2019 ADM 562

Administration No. 2019 ADM 627

Harris L. Wofford Decedent

Tammy L. Landon aka Tammy Lee Landon aka Tammy Lee Jacobson-Landon Decedent

Anthony Naylor Decedent

Jane C. Bergner, Esq. 1776 K Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Daniel B. Wofford, David G. Wofford, Susanne L. Wofford and Matthew Charlton, whose addresses are 61 S. Marion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, 1913 Morrison St., NW, WDC, 20015, 37 Washington St. W, apt 17A, New York, NY 10011, and 9555 26th St., NW, WDC 20037, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Harris L. Wofford who died on January 21, 2019 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/20/2019. 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 12/20/2019, 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.

Valerie J. Edwards 1725 DeSales Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Stephanie Ann Jacobson-Landon, whose address is 2201 N Street, NW, Apt 215, Washington, DC 20037, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Tammy L. Landon aka Tammy Lee Landon aka Tammy Lee Jacobson-Landon who died on February 21, 2019 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/20/2019. 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 12/20/2019, 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: 6/20/2019

Daniel B. Wofford, David G. Wofford, Susanne L. Wofford and Matthew Charlton Personal Representatives

Stephanie Ann Jacobson-Landon Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS De Maris Lowery, whose address is 601 L St., Unit 2001, SE, Washington, DC 20003, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anthony Naylor who died on April 13, 2019 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 12/27/2019. 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 12/27/2019, 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: 6/27/2019 De Maris Lowery Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2019 FEP 63 November 9, 2008 Date of Death Chester V. McKenzie Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Francis X. Borgerding, Jr., whose address is 408 Washington, Ave., #600, Towson, MD 21204 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Chester V. McKenzie, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on July 2, 2015. Service of process may be made upon Edward J. Cordone, 7325 Georgia Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 1841 T Place, SE, Washington, DC 20020. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: 6/27/2019 Francis X. Borgerding, Jr. Personal Representative

LEGAL NOTICES

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

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000623

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000593

Ivy Brooks Decedent Tina Smith Nelson Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20019 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marcellene Britt, whose address is 5037 Blaine Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ivy Brooks who died on February 8, 1983 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/27/2019. 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 12/27/2019, 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: 6/27/2019 Marcellene Britt Personal Representative

James H. McRae Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Deborah A. Brown, whose address is 4404 Kane Place, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James H. McRae who died on 2/15/2019 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/27/2019. 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 12/27/2019, 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: 6/27/2019 Deborah A. Brown Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000624

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000416

John Francis Wilkinson IV Decedent

Anne Lee Malone Decedent

Tina Smith Nelson 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney

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

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Leatha Wilkinson, whose address is 5224 Ames St., NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Francis Wilkinson IV who died on October 24, 2011 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/27/2019. 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 12/27/2019, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Kim B. Panchana, whose address is 517 Denham Arch, Chesapeake VA, 23322, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anne Lee Malone who died on January 31, 2019 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 12/27/2019. 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 12/27/2019, 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: 6/27/2019

Leatha Wilkinson Personal Representative

Kim B. Panchana Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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BUSINESS from Page 15 than 1,000 cases in 26 states in which judges, acting on the request of a collection company, issued warrants for people they claimed owed money for “ordinary debts, such as student loans, medical expenses, unpaid rent and utility bills.” The ACLU said it’s a system that breeds coercion and abuse. “With little government oversight, debt collectors, backed by arrest warrants and wielding bounced check demand letters, can frighten people into paying money that may not even be owed,” the report said. Few tools are as coercive or as effective as the threat of incarceration, the authors wrote. For example, a 75-year-old woman subsisting on $800 monthly Social Security checks went without her medications in order to pay the fees she believed were required to avoid jail time for bouncing a check. And as one lawyer in Texas, who has sought arrests of student loan borrowers who are in arrears, said, “It’s easier to settle when the debtor is under arrest,” the report’s authors found. The people who are jailed or threatened with jail often are the most vulnerable Americans living paycheck to paycheck, one emergency away from financial catastrophe, the report said. Many were struggling to recover after the loss of a job, mounting medical bills, the death of a family member, a divorce, or an illness. “They included retirees or people

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with disabilities who are unable to work. Some were subsisting solely on Social Security, unemployment insurance, disability benefits, or veterans’ benefits — income that is legally protected from outstanding debt judgments,” the report’s authors wrote. WI

SERVICE from Page 13 ists who died while at the resorts of Punta Canta and La Romana. Day and Holmes stayed at Punta Canta. In regard to Day, a Dominican health official said Wednesday on Fox News that she died “from the shock of seeing the person beside her dead,” a claim vehemently discounted by her family’s lawyers. “That’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s ludicrous to even make that type of statement,” Bullock said while standing beside fellow attorney Nick Szokoly, who’s also representing the family and a Pennsylvania resident who died in the country. “The family was actually hurt by that. We do not appreciate it, but we’re going to wait. We’re going to get the facts. Once we get the facts, then we’ll share all those facts with everyone.” In the meantime, family and friends celebrate Day, also known as Cyndi, who graduated from Oxon Hill High School and later attended George Washington University in northwest D.C. to study in the medical profession. She maintained her career in the health care industry as a patient service specialist with Unity Health Care at Parkside Health Center in Northeast. Nicole Fowler, a supervisor for Unity Health Care, said Day “will always be remembered as a Parkside warrior.” The Rev. Jonathan Queen, youth pastor at First Baptist, said Day showed love for everyone, especially for her only child, Jeremiah Yusuf Williams. Day ensured those who cared for her son received a list of directions. “When I met Jeremiah, he was a 6-foot teenager,” said Queen, who gave the eulogy. “[Day] made sure my wife and I had those instructions.” Day’s aunt, Diane Williams, summarized her life in a poem: “Cyndi is at peace now resting in the hands of God. Her memories will last a lifetime, deep within our hearts. So try to understand and know that God didn’t promise days without pain, or sunshine without rain. Laughter without sorrow, or happiness for tomorrow. But God did promise strength for the day and life for the way. The comfort for your tears and his everlasting love throughout your years.” WI

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MALVEAUX from Page 27

$100 for each course. Baltimore County public schools charge $150 for half-credit courses and $275 for one credit, according to the school system’s website. The fee for a one-credit course increases to $425 for non-county residents. According to the Baltimore City public school website, it’s $75 for students in the city, $500 for those who attend a charter school and $700 for students who reside outside the city. At least three area jurisdictions don’t charge for summer school. “It’s unfortunate that they have decided to use Prince George’s County Public Schools as a test,” Goldson said. “We will make sure we respond to their call and we will provide the evidence to show that the decisions that we’ve made are accurate.” WI

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complainants to have their summer school fees waived. During the July 18 hearing, the judge may possibly review whether the school system can charge the fees for all students. Summer school registration for day classes ends June 29, with classes scheduled to start July 8. Evening classes began June 24. The ACLU, Howard University School of Law Civil Rights Clinic and D.C.-based Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll are supporting the case. Last year, the ACLU and Howard clinic joined four county parents who challenged the school board over the summer school tuition, then $455. The school board voted this year to decrease the fees to the current amounts. One day after a judge signed the

agreement on June 17, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced that interim schools CEO Monica Goldson would permanently assume the role. Goldson, supported by various school, county and state officials at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo, responded to a reporter’s question regarding the summer school case. She also said more than a dozen other school systems charge summer school tuition. In neighboring Montgomery County, it’s $300 for one credit and free for those who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. In another neighboring jurisdiction, Anne Arundel County, middle and high school students are charged the same $300 fee. Families on public assistance would pay

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known for her unfailing kindness, calm steadfastness, grace and her attention to other people’s needs. She never failed to ask about a child’s graduation or a sick parent. Her enduring example was in encouraging and reminding all of us always to keep moving forward. In the words of one of her favorite signoffs: Go! Go! Go! Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about MaryLee Allen’s life is that it exemplifies how one person can make a difference and leave the world better than they found it in profound and enduring ways. Millions of children and families have benefitted from this one woman’s passion to make change and create an equal opportunity for every child to succeed in America. Their futures are brighter because MaryLee Allen lived. Following her example, all of us will strive every day to be as effective, as careful and as committed to the most vulnerable children as MaryLee was. Her spirit, servant leadership, work ethic and unwavering commitment to ensuring a chance for every child to fulfill their God-given potential through the highest quality work will live on and on. We will miss her beyond measure, but we will honor her by carrying on as she taught us. Thank you, MaryLee. WI

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and publications and in her mentoring and outreach to the other child welfare and child advocacy networks she nurtured. She taught us that children do not come in pieces. She was a forger of laws, regulations and practices that will continue to endure as beacons of hope and protection for generations to come and guide those seeking to serve the most vulnerable families and children and families in our nation. For that very first CDF report one of the colleagues MaryLee worked alongside was a young lawyer named Hillary Rodham — later first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Together they knocked on doors to gather data on why school-age children were at home and not in school. Children Out of School in America became a major catalyst for the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA) and was the first of many major policy victories MaryLee helped achieve. For most of her professional life MaryLee took a lead role in shaping CDF’s advocacy for children’s welfare, health and safety, and from IDEA to the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act to the recent landmark Family First Prevention

Services Act, it is not an exaggeration to say every federal child welfare law enacted in the past four decades has been influenced by MaryLee and her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children. Just as important to her as the work itself was building the next generation of advocates and leaders and bringing new voices to the table to broaden the perspectives and impact of our collective work to improve outcomes for children. MaryLee was a strong believer that major policy reforms couldn’t be accomplished without a groundswell of support and advocacy from different stakeholders and partners at the national, state and local levels. She drafted, edited and consulted, she testified before Congress more times than anyone can count, and colleagues inside and outside of CDF depended on her wise counsel for their policy decisions and campaigns. But beyond all of her expertise, we depended on her leadership as a person. She was the consummate servant leader; as one of her policy team members put it, “she showed her leadership by helping others learn to lead.” Her former interns, staff and colleagues have gone on to lead organizations at the state and national levels and are just one more way her fingerprints are left on our nation’s work for children. She was

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House Armed Services Committee. Rev. William Barber testified before the House Budget Committee on June 19, 2019, calling for an end to police violence against poor people and urged Congress to embrace its moral budget. By continuing profligate spending on F35 fighter planes, and funding more planes than even the Pentagon wants, Congress is engaging in policy violence against all Americans, but especially the 140 million who are poor! WI

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spending, while increasing taxes on the wealthy, corporations, and Wall Street. It represents a paradigm shift from our nation’s current focus on militarism to a focus on human needs. Our nations hawks, and our President, believe that profligate military spending makes our world safer, which is nonsense! Indeed, the possibility of military action against Iran (and the deployment of a thousand

more troops to the Middle East in late June), suggests that militarism makes the world dangerous, not safer. In any case in this militaristic climate, the move to order more F35s than even the President wants is nothing more than a profit-serving move to benefit Lockheed Martin, the corporation that can’t even produce enough spare parts for the planes it has already produced! The Poor People’s Congress operated in stark contrast to the

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JACKSON from Page 29 their Poor People’s Moral Budget. It details authoritatively that the cost of our current inequality, the cost of mass poverty is far greater than what it would cost to invest in people, put them to work at a living wage and guarantee basic economic and political rights. It costs society big time to not provide health care or quality education or clean water and air, to suppress voting rights and to keep wages low. The moral budget is detailed and authoritatively sourced. The numbers are clear, as is the conclusion. As the document concludes, “We have been investing in killing people; we most now invest in life. We have been investing in systemic racism and voter suppression; we must now

AGITATE from Page 1 “People talk about racism as if they’re individuals. They’re individuals who are buttressed by the federal government,” Malveaux said to the committee members in response to what she described as her fellow panelists’ lukewarm approach to reparations. “You can’t fix poverty or inequality unless you deal with racism,” she continued. “It’s about dealing with reparations. I don’t care about a personal check. How about we fully fund our HBCUs? Once upon a time, we had more than 100 Black-owned banks, [but] pernicious legislation helped people lose them. We have to deal with fact. Let’s not forget that race is central to anything we do around economic justice. I’m gratified but frustrated by the tone that some of this has taken, because it has taken us from the economic undertones.” Other panelists on June 19 included veteran actor and activist Danny Glover, the Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton, former NFL player Burgess Owens, conservative African-American columnist Coleman Hughes and white documentary filmmaker Katrina Browne. The hearing preceded several days of activities centered on securing reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans. On the afternoon of Juneteenth, people gathered at Metropolitan AME Church in Northwest for a forum hosted by the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) and American Civil Liberties Union featuring Malveaux, Glover, attorney Nkechi Taifa, Patricia Newton, Ron Daniels of Institute of the Black World 21st Century, and others. Days later, reparations advocates converged on the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History in Detroit

invest in expanding democracy. We have been investing in punishing the poor; we must now invest in the welfare of all. We have been investing in the wealthy and corporations; we must now invest in the people who build this country.” This is not a time for incremental change, but for fundamental transformation of our priorities and our direction. The budget details large reforms — from automatic voter registration, a living wage, health care for all, quality education from pre-K through college, investment in clean energy and modern infrastructure. It details how these and other reforms can be easily afforded by fair taxes on the wealthy and corporations and by ending our effort to police the world. The Poor People’s Campaign picks

up the unfinished work of Dr. Martin Luther King. It realizes that ending the policy of violence on the poor at home cannot be achieved without challenging the costly endless wars and constant arms buildup that only make us less secure. It understands that change will come not from the top down, not from our corrupted big money politics, but from the poor, the worker, people of conscience coming together to revive our democracy and to change our course. In these troubled times, the promise of this new force is powerful. Across the country, working and poor people are beginning to move. If this movement can continue to grow, it will transform our politics. And it is the only force that can. WI

for the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA)’s annual conference, themed “400 Years of Terror: A Debt Still Owed.” Given recent developments in the 30-year fight to pass H.R. 40, the recent meetings, as reparations scholar and NCOBRA convention participant Ray Winbush stated on The AllEyesOnDC Show at Sankofa Video Books & Cafe last month, would focus on how best to build on past organizing efforts and further pressure elected officials, particularly the more than 20 Democratic presidential candidates, to usher the passage of laws that would allow descendants of Africans to collectively flourish. H.R. 40, first introduced by then-Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) in 1989, and reintroduced every year after until Conyer’s retirement from public office in 2017, called for the study of reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans. The version of H.R. 40 championed by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) charges a commission with identifying the public and private sectors’ role in perpetuating structural inequality and crafting policy solutions to address those issues. Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), who also testified on Juneteenth, recently introduced accompanying legislation on the Senate side. Both bills, if passed and signed into law, would go beyond a 2009 Senate resolution apologizing for slavery and subsequent racial segregation, what many described as a mere symbolic gesture. In years past, opponents of reparations have argued that with chattel slavery long abolished, descendants of Africans in the United States had ample opportunity to advance themselves. Scholarship by Coates, Randall Robinson, and others cited laws passed during the Reconstruction

Era and long after that allowed politicians and mavens of industry to keep Black people out of an American economic system via land grabs, relegation to low-paying jobs and resource-starved communities, exclusion from banking systems, and domestic terrorism, various forms of which persist to this day. NAARC’s 10-Point Plan, as mentioned by Malveaux on Juneteenth, demands redress for those manufactured inequities, including the transfer of public land to what’s called the National Reparations Trust Authority, funds for cooperative enterprises and the strengthening of Blackowned medical facilities and networks, construction of affordable housing and preservation of Black monuments, support for educational institutions and communication vehicles, and a revision of the 13th Amendment, a tool used to spur mass incarceration of Black men and women. Attorney Taifa, founding member of NCOBRA, framed reparations as a necessity for a nation that hasn’t atoned for its injustices against Black people who built it under horrendous circumstances without compensation. “Reparations is a well-established principle of international law that the United States is very much aware of, and has in fact paid out. It means the act or process of repairing or restoring. It’s payment for injury, redress for wrong done,” she told audience members on June 19 at Metropolitan AME. “Reparations are due from the U.S. government because it hasn’t taken responsibility for its role in the enslavement and post-slavery segregation for millions. It has never attempted reparations for the extortion of labor for several generations, deprivation of freedom, and terrorism throughout the centuries.” WI

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