The Washington Informer - June 5, 2025

White-Out Controversy Clouds Future of Initiative 83

Local Democrats Demand Increased Oversight, While Ward 8 Special Election Candidates Split on Whether to Fund the Measure

5

A representative from Make All Votes Count DC participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in January 2024 in Southeast, D.C. While nearly three out of four District voters approved Initiative 83— which would implement ranked-choice voting in the District and allow non-party voters to vote in primary elections— there remains the question of whether the D.C. Council will prioritize Initiative 83’s implementation in the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. (WI File Photo)

In RFK Campus Deal, Union Organizers Continue to Demand a Community Benefits Agreement

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced the Washington Commanders’ return to RFK campus, she described it as part of a larger effort to replace the tens of thousands of federal government jobs eliminated by the second Trump administration.

However, as local union organizer Paul Schwalb

RFK Page 38

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Ward 8’s newest council member will enter the John A. Wilson Building later this summer with a bevy of policy and budgetary issues on their plate, including that which concerns a yet-to-be-funded ballot initiative approved by District voters last fall.

As revealed at a recent candidate forum, there’s some agreement that District officials, for the time being, should delay implementation of the ballot measure known as Initiative 83.

For Mike Austin, it’s a matter of understanding its long-term effects and addressing the controversy surrounding the use of white-out on ballot petitions.

“There was some misconception and confusion in how it was agendized and presented to the community, “ Austin, an attorney and former hospital executive, said on the evening of June 2 during a

INITIATIATIVE 83 Page 52

5Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrating the football team’s move back to RFK campus. With development on RFK campus tentatively scheduled for later this year, local labor advocates and unions are engaging in conversation with D.C. Council members and Commanders officials about the yet-to-be-solidified community benefits agreement. (WI File Photo/Abdullah Konte)

State’s Attorney Braveboy Elected

as Next Prince George’s County Executive

Shayla Owens to Represent District 5 on the Council

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer

Prince Georgians voted State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) to serve as the next county executive, after she proved victorious in a crowded Democratic primary in March and Republican candidate Jonathan White, an Air Force veteran in the June 3 general election.

At her victory party at Lanham’s Sobe Lounge, Braveboy heaped appreciation upon her God, her

Page 38

The Rhythm of Pride: Where Black Music and Queer Culture Collide

DMV Music Professionals Spotlight Roots of Black, Queer Representation

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

June not only kicks off the summer months, but celebrations of queer excellence and barrier-breaking musicians who fearlessly shape culture and defy boundaries year-round. From challenging genre stigmas and forging multigenerational connections, to obliterating social norms for marginalized groups, Black and queer culture have historically met at the crossroads of transformation and innovation, and DMV artists like Billy the Goat are determined to carry on that storied responsibility.

Serving Our Community in the DMV

June 5 - 11, 2025

5Mayor Muriel Bowser raised the Pride flag over the Wilson Building to kick-off 2025 World Pride in the District of Columbia. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

5Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy celebrates winning the county executive Democratic primary in March. (WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)

PRIDE Page 52

5Fresh off his performance at D.C. Black Pride’s opening reception (May 23), Southeast-born rapper Billy the Goat is encouraging Black creatives to push self-advocacy and not be afraid to shift the status quo, as he aims to bridge the gap between the respective queer and hip-hop communities. (Courtesy of Billy the Goat)

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From South Fulton to Shreveport: The Blackest Cities in America This Year

For generations, Black-majority cities have been at the heart of political movements, cultural innovation, and economic struggle. In 2025, that tradition continues in places like South Fulton, Jackson, and Detroit— cities where African Americans make up more than 80% of the population. These urban centers have long served as cultural anchors, political strongholds, and economic engines for Black America—despite ongoing challenges and persistent inequality.

Population experts continue to project that the United States will become a minority-white nation by 2045, with racial minorities—including African Americans—driving much of the country’s demographic and economic change. According to recent census data and

other reports, internal migration patterns and shifts in opportunity have further consolidated Black populations in key metropolitan areas.

Leading the list is South Fulton, Georgia, where 93.26% of residents identify as Black. Incorporated less than a decade ago, South Fulton has grown into a political and cultural hub led almost entirely by Black leadership.

Close behind is Jackson, Mississippi, where more than 80% of the population is African American. Once a focal point of the civil rights movement, Jackson remains one of the strongest expressions of Black majority power in any American city. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted.

The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision.

“I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public

safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

“There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.”

Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic.

“Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.”

D.C. Landlord Agrees to $1 Million Settlement in Rent-Inflation Scheme Involving RealPage Software

William C. Smith & Co., Inc. (W.C. Smith), one of the District’s largest landlords, will pay $1.05 million and overhaul its rent-setting practices after D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb accused the company of conspiring with other landlords to inflate apartment rents using software from Real -

Page, Inc.

The settlement is the first to result from the District’s sweeping antitrust lawsuit filed in November 2023 against RealPage and multiple landlords. The lawsuit alleges a wide-ranging scheme in which landlords shared confidential rental data and relied on RealPage’s pricing algorithms to drive up rents across more than 50,000 apartment units in the city. W.C. Smith owns over 9,000 of those units.

“Rents in D.C. are already sky-high, and amidst this housing affordability crisis, many of the District’s top landlords operated as a housing cartel—

Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

5W.C. Smith, one of the District’s largest landlords, will pay $1.05 million and overhaul its rent-setting practices after D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb

AROUND THE REGION

D.C. Area United Way Conducts Annual ALICE Campaign

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Rosie Allen-Herring, the president and CEO of the United Way of National Capital Area (NCA) is passionate about helping families in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area not only survive but thrive.

With all the changes taking place in the political and economic sectors of the District and the federal government, Allen-Herring is more determined than ever to see that the nonprofit’s 2025 key fundraising effort, ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed), is a success so that it can help as many Washington area families as possible.

“We’re kicking off this season of impact with Do More for ALICE, our signature fundraising campaign [running to June 12],” said Allen-Herring. “This year, every gift during the campaign will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact and helping to fund critical programs that provide real, lasting solutions for ALICE households in our region.”

The United Way is conducting its campaign as Washington, D.C. area jurisdictions and federal leaders are working on budgets that threaten to cut services for food access, health care and support for children and families.

The DC Fiscal Policy Institute— a progressive research think tank focusing on budget and tax issues in the District affecting low-and-moderate income residents— has taken D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and the budget passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives as insensitive to the needs of financially ailing Washingtonians.

“Mayor Bowser proposed a fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget and financial plan that abandons residents with the fewest resources to fend for themselves in the coming storm,” the institute’s blog said on May 29. “Her budget takes cash assistance, health care coverage, paid leave benefits, and wages from the District’s workers and most vulnerable residents, while sinking scarce public dollars into spending

that an abundance of research has shown won’t grow anything but the profits of corporations and billionaire sports team owners.”

The blog said the District’s forthcoming recession is being triggered by mass federal layoffs projected to reduce revenues by about $1 billion over the next several years.

“That fact is exacerbated by the serious threat of Congress slashing resources families need— like Medicaid, food assistance, and education funding— to help pay for tax cuts for the wealthy,” the blog said.

ALLEN-HERRING PRESSES THE NEED FOR ALICE SUPPORT

On May 20, the United Way, NCA released “The State of ALICE in the National Capital Area: 2025 Update on Financial Hardship,” a biannual report that stated in 2023, 33% of households in the Washington area continued to live below the ALICE threshold, being unable to afford basic necessities such as housing, childcare, food transportation and health care despite steady jobs.

The report revealed two-thirds of households headed by single females fall below the ALICE threshold, as compared to 19% of families supported by two working parents. Plus, Black and Latino households are nearly twice as likely as white households to experience financial instability.

Allen-Herring said the 2025 ALICE report “underscores the persistent economic strain faced by households across our region.”

“While the proportion of families living below the ALICE threshold has not significantly changed since our last report two years ago— remaining at roughly one-third in the National Capital Area— this stability masks a deeper story,” said Allen-Herring. “These findings reaffirm the need for an even greater investment in solutions that create pathways to financial stability for all, particularly as we live through a time where safety nets and supports are under threat, coupled with federal workforce cuts and contractors who are losing their jobs.”

Donald Hamilton is a middle

school teacher in Prince George’s County and participates in the Financial Empowerment Center at the Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland, which partners with the United Way, NCA. Hamilton is not an ALICE participant even though he could possibly fall within its income requirements.

Nevertheless, Hamilton said he understands the value of the ALICE program.

“I will be honest, things are expensive,” Hamilton, 31, told The Informer. “People need guidance and assistance. I do have friends who have lost their jobs due to federal cuts. People should be realistic about their financial situation and do what needs to be done.” WI

5Rosie Allen-Herring is the president and CEO of the United Way, National Capital Area. (Courtesy Photo)

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JUNE 5

1945 – John Carlos, a Black American track and field athlete best known for raising a black gloved fist alongside Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympics during the American national anthem after winning a bronze medal, is born.

1973 – Doris A. Davis is elected as mayor of Compton, California, making her the first-ever African American woman elected mayor of a metropolitan city.

JUNE 6

1944 – Tommie Smith, an American track and field gold medalist at the 1968 Olympics who raised a black gloved fist with fellow Black American John Carlos, is born.

1966 – James Meredith, the first African American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, is shot in Mississippi by a white man during a civil rights march.

2004 – Phylicia Rashad of “The Cosby Show” fame becomes the first Black actress to win a Tony for a leading dramatic role for her turn as Lena Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun.”

JUNE 7

1943 – Nikki Giovanni, renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator, is born in Knoxville, Tennessee.

1958 – Music legend Prince, who released 39 albums, won seven Grammy Awards, an Oscar and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is born in Minneapolis.

JUNE 8

1953 – The Supreme Court rules that restaurants and bars in Washington, D.C., are required to serve African American customers.

JUNE 9

1845 – Businessman and politician James Napier, who served as Register of the U.S. Treasury under President William Taft, is born.

1934 – Legendary soul singer Jackie Wilson is born in Detroit.

JUNE 10

1895 – Actress Hattie McDaniel, who in 1940 was the first African American to win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in “Gone With the Wind,” is born. 1946 – Famed boxer Jack Johnson, the first African American world heavyweight champion, dies.

JUNE 11

1920 – Hazel Scott, Trinidadian-born jazz and classical pianist/singer who in 1950 became the first woman of color to have her own TV show, is born.

1963 – Vivian Malone and James Hood are the first two African American students to enroll at the all-white University of Alabama, over the objections of segregationist Gov. George Wallace, who stood in a doorway in an attempt to block the two students from enrolling.

1964 – South African anti-apartheid activist and human rights icon Nelson Mandela is convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the government. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and remained jailed until his release in 1990. WI

HATTIE MCDANIEL (TOP LEFT)

PHYLICIA RASHAD (LEFT)

PRINCE (CENTER)

NIKKI GIOVANNI (ABOVE)

AROUND THE REGION

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P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

As fans gear up for the latest Spike Lee joint, “Highest to Lowest,” starring Denzel Washington, we want to know what are your top films from the legendary director and actor of all time.

CAROL PRINGLE / PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

KARLA BROWN / WASHINGTON, D.C

This is tough, but Man on Fire, Training Day, and Malcolm X.

I can’t choose! They’re all my favorite.

NANNETTE WILLIAMSON / CHICAGO, ILL.

Man on Fire, Equalizer, and a tie between Malcolm X and Training Day.

HAWK HAWKINS / WASHINGTON, D.C. Glory, A Soldier’s Story, and Mo Better Blues.

TERRI DIXON / LAS VEGAS, NEV.

Remember the Titans, Man on Fire, Equalizer, Mighty Quinn, John Q, The Great Debaters, and Glory.

Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.

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The Collins Council Report: A Tough Budget Season for Workers, Undocumented Residents— and Even the Council

The Council Makes Its Way to Banning In-School Cell Phone Use; Renaming Ward 3 School in John Thompson, Jr.’s Honor

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

This summer, the D.C. Council has a lot on its plate as they attempt to restore programming, approve construction of a new football stadium, and address polarizing elements of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Act.

That being said, there’s quite a lot to cover in this edition of The Washington Informer’s Collins Council Report. Happy reading!

LOOKING INTO A HIGH-PRESSURE BUDGET SEASON

In the 50 years of District Home Rule, the D.C. Council has broken for summer recess at the same time— in the middle of July at the conclusion of budget deliberations. However, that won’t be the case this year, much to the chagrin of D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D).

While announcing the newly revised budget season schedule, Mendelson lamented how a two-month delay— spurred in part by House Republicans’ passage of a continuing resolution decimating D.C.’s Fiscal Year 2025 coffers— could jeopardize

public engagement on various issues of concern.

“The challenge is that the first hearing was scheduled for last Wednesday [or] Thursday [and] the budget books didn’t come out until Friday, although the budget chapters were available online on Tuesday,” Mendelson said on June 2. “But it’s just really hard for the public to follow. It’s also hard because… what we’re working with now is the third schedule.”

Mendelson said he and his council colleague are also feeling the heat.

“The choices were taken away from us by delivering the budget, too,” he added.

On June 2, Mendelson met with members of the press in Room 502 of the John A. Wilson Building instead of Room 412— which was occupied by D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson’s (I-At-Large) Committee on Health. For at least the next month, rooms in the Wilson Building will be occupied in similar fashion during council committee agency hearings, which will inform a budget proposal that residents, advocates, and everyone else in between will have a chance to comment on during a June 18 Committee of the Whole hearing.

From that point, the council will most likely vote on the Fiscal Year 2025 supplemental, Fiscal Year 2026, and Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support

Act on July 14 and July 28, with the possibility of Mendelson scheduling an additional meeting on July 31.

Given the District’s precarious economic situation, there remains the question of which programs the council will be able to save, and if council members can avoid pitting programs against one another. However, D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) said he thinks that’s possible, going as far as telling The Informer that raising taxes on the top 5% might be a means of accomplishing that goal.

“The argument is often that we shouldn’t explore raising taxes on them, because regionally, we want to be competitive,” Parker said. “Well, our neighbors, Maryland, just raised taxes on capital gains, they raised taxes on the wealthy, and as a result, they have secured a triple bond rating, and they have been able to fund critical programs because they did not see their limited amount of resources as the guiding post.”

IMMIGRANTS AND ADVOCATES RESPOND TO THREATS TO

D.C. SANCTUARY LAW

Each year, the mayor’s budget proposal includes the Budget Support Act,

5D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, pictured speaking in front of the U.S. Capitol with members of the council behind him in March, is lamenting the two-month budget delay, which is affecting the legislative body as a whole. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

REPORT from Page 8

which, according to the D.C. Council Office of the Budget Director, includes “statutory changes needed for the implementation of the budget.”

Some advocates, however, see the bill as a tool for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) to circumvent the legislative process and eliminate laws that she doesn’t favor.

During the last budget season, Bowser attempted to scrap the Schools First in Budgeting Act by such means. This year, she has her sights on the Sanctuary Values Amendment Act– a pandemic-era law through which the District can decline to cooperate with federal immigration officials, except when issued a warrant.

“This will lead us to further criminalization and mass incarceration of Black and brown communities,” Nadia Salazar Sandi said during a Monday morning protest in front of the Wilson Building.

Salazar Sandi, a member of Collective of Migrant Families, counted among those who spoke against Bowser’s proposed elimination of the Sanctuary Values Amendment Act. She said that, if the council follows through with Bowser’s version of the Budget Support Act, then immigrants, especially working-class immigrants, will continue to suffer from raids conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement— otherwise known as ICE.

At times, Salazar Sandi spoke directly to the agency that’s struck fear into immigrant families.

“Safety is ICE out of our neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, out of our workplaces,” Salazar Sandi said. “And simply out of the District.”

On Monday, Bowser sought to clarify her position on the Sanctuary City Amendment Act, telling reporters that the council legislated a practice that former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray had already brought it to fruition through a mayoral order.

“At some point, it was converted into law and in my opinion, misnamed because it has this very broad and sweeping name, but it’s doing something very specific,” Bowser said. “It’s speaking to how we work with the federal government on people who are being held in D.C. Jail. So I think it’s both misnamed and maybe misplaced, and I think it’s a good time to repeal that and work with the council on what we really need our local law to say.”

D.C. Councilmember Brianne Na-

AROUND THE REGION

5There are changes looming for District schools and students, including the Disconnect Amendment Act of 2025, prohibiting the use of smartphones in D.C. public school and public charter school classrooms. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson) thor of the emergency legislation, said that a pause is necessary.

deau (D-Ward 1), a vocal supporter of the Sanctuary Values Amendment, said she expects the council to eliminate a portion of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Act that repeals the legislation.

“If the mayor wants to have a deeper conversation about the law then we can do that in a more formal way,” Nadeau told The Informer. “We need assurance from our government that they’re not sharing personal information with federal authorities. Every District resident wants to know that their personal information is safe whether they’re an immigrant or not.”

SOME D.C. COUNCILMEMBERS:

INITIATIVE 82 DELAY IS NOT A REPEAL

In an 8-4 vote, the D.C. Council approved the Tipped Minimum Wage Increase Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, an emergency measure that delays the July 1 tipped minimum wage increase while the D.C. Council assesses: the impact of minimum tipped wage increase on workers and restaurants and a proposed federal tax on tipped wages.

Those who voted against the emergency were: D.C. Councilmembers Nadeau, Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), and Parker.

Lewis George, citing the increase in employment and recent launch of more than 100 local restaurants, questioned the assertion that business owners haven’t been able to thrive in the post-pandemic era.

“Plenty of restaurants have adjusted,” she said. “Many have incorporated these changes directly into their menus and their pricing. Since 2022, the data tells us that the D.C. restaurant industry is confident that restaurants can be successful in the District and pay a living wage.”

In his remarks, McDuffie, the au-

A SIGN OF WHAT’S TO COME NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

On its first reading, the D.C. Council approved the Board of Trustees Training Amendment Act, which, in the aftermath of Eagle Academy Public Charter School’s sudden closure, mandates newly installed public charter school board members to receive training from the D.C. Public Charter School Board.

“Pausing the July 1st wage increase allows the council to fully consider the data and the impact on our local restaurant industry,” McDuffie said. “As well as to assess the implications of federal tax changes on tipped income and allow the council to engage with stakeholders on either side of this issue. Workers, labor, owners, operators, everybody who cares about the state of our industry, to engage with them to develop a balanced approach that supports both workers and the businesses that employ them in this industry.”

After months of discussion among Ward 3 residents, and a legislative process, the council also approved, on the first reading, the John R. Thompson Jr. High School Designation Act of 2025, which renames McArthur High School in honor of the District native and beloved Georgetown Hoya men’s basketball coach.

“He was a son of the city,” Frumin said. “A really great man who played such a positive role in the lives of a lot of different people and stood up for his athletes at a key point in the NCAA that we should honor.

Another education-related bill

the council approved, on the second reading, was the Disconnect Amendment Act of 2025.

This legislation, formerly known as Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act, prohibits the use of smartphones in D.C. public school and public charter school classrooms. Moments before this vote, Lewis George spoke about a change of heart she said happened after meeting with high school students from Coolidge and Roosevelt, both located in Northwest.

“It was actually the students who said that the benefits to student learning, focus, and well-being, and their well-being really did outweigh the other concerns,” Lewis George said. “They actually think the overall policy will be good for them and their classmates overall, so I just thought it was really great because in the midst of debate, they really had the opportunity to talk about…the way cyberbullying plays out, the ways distractions happen.”

WI

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AROUND THE REGION

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, with members of the District Department of Transportation and the NoMa Business Improvement District, cut the ribbon on the redesigned Mamie “Peanut” Johnson Plaza, formerly known as “Dave Thomas Circle,” on June 2. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

New Jazz Underground trio reading The Washington Informer. (Ja’Mon Jackson/ The Washington Informer)

https://www

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

– Marcus Garvey

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Cuban Embassy’s ‘X100’ Celebrates Roots of Afro-Cuban Solidarity

Honoring Diasporic Unity, Revolutionary History and Cultural Resistance

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

When the Spanish eradicated Cuba’s Taino population and forcefully brought enslaved Africans onto the Caribbean island in the 16th century, the colonizers unknowingly planted seeds of camaraderie and revolution–seeds that sprouted when Malcolm X and Fidel Castro met in Harlem’s Hotel Theresa in 1960.

In commemoration of this famed meeting— which formed a strong connection between Cubans and African Americans— and in celebration of Malcolm X’s centennial, the Embassy of Cuba hosted “X100: Celebrating the Legacy of Resistance” on May 30. The event featured a plethora of speakers, presentations, and musical performances, all of which highlighted the relationship between Cuba and Africa and honored the experiences that unite the African diaspora.

“The history of the African people, the diaspora, we have a common and very painful history. We have an extraordinary history of resilience and enslavement,” Monica Gray, CEO of the YWCA National Capital Area, told The Informer.

The celebration piqued her interest, as she spent a portion of her childhood in Puerto Rico during the 1960s, where she had Cuban neighbors who had fled during Castro’s revolution and wanted to return home.

“This is a great opportunity to connect here in the capital,” she said. “I think the more we connect and the more interconnected we become, with one another as well as our African motherland, the stronger we are as a people.”

The event took approximately five months to plan under the partnership of the Cuban Embassy and Sadiki Educational Safari. This educational organization utilizes domestic and international travel to empower under-resourced youth and expose them to African art, history and culture.

Originally, the celebration was meant to be educational and for an adolescent audience, but its organiz-

ers decided to shift and encompass the entire community in their planning, truly bringing together different cultures, experiences and generations to reflect on the efforts made by ancestors and the work still necessary to achieve true equity and justice for all.

“That connection, and the transfer of people from Africa to Cuba, was significant, so the meeting of the minds to bring people together is always important,” Sadiki board member Karen Daniels told The Informer.

“There [have been] times when freedom was fought for and overcome, which makes it a tremendous effort in exposing and promoting culture.”

CONVERGING FOR A SHARED VISION

The historic meeting between Castro and Malcolm X occurred a little more than a year and a half after the Cuban leader successfully staged a coup against Fulgencio Batista, claiming the former president was a corrupt tyrant, and was appointed as the prime minister of the island.

With the Cuban Revolution, Castro outlawed discrimination and systemic racism against Afro-Cubans.

Soon after, Castro took control of the U.S. businesses that had been established in Cuba during his predecessor’s rule, sparking a hostile rela-

tionship between the two nations.

He traveled to New York in September 1960 for the UN General Assembly and intended to stay at the Shelburne Hotel, but because of the declining relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, Castro and his entourage were refused service if they didn’t pay a $10,000 cash fee. This prompted Malcolm X to invite the prime minister to the Hotel Theresa, a nucleus for Black culture and society in Harlem.

“We have a clear, concise example of the society that Malcolm was trying to build because we have Cuba. We have Africans in Cuba who are part of the Cuban Revolution and who are showing us that the people united can defeat imperialism,” said Rafiki Morris, activist and member of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, during the embassy’s celebration.

As two revolutionary leaders seeking freedom from imperialism and a prosperous, self-determined future for their people, this meeting was a key moment in the fight toward decolonization, especially as Cuba supported various African nations like Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique in their liberation from Portuguese rule.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5 Artist and activist Rafiki Morris speaks of Malcolm X’s lessons and legacy at the Cuban Embassy’s “X100” celebration, urging listeners to unite in the fight for the liberation of all humans facing injustice. He told the audience that as children of Malcolm X, their responsibility lies in building the society the civil rights activist yearned for. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY COUNCIL PASSES $5.8 BILLION BUDGET

The Prince George’s County Council, with a 9-0 vote, officially passed and adopted a $5.8 billion budget for the upcoming year, which will go into effect on July 1 and does not increase property or income taxes.

“I am incredibly proud of this final budget and all that we were able to squeeze into it, despite challenging circumstances,” said Council Chair Edward Burroughs III (D- District 8).

“While we couldn’t say yes to everything, and we had to make difficult compromises that balance short-term needs with long-term sustainability, we worked to protect core services and public safety, support working families, and continue investing in the future. This budget is a reflection of our values and priorities as we shape the future of Prince George’s County, one that is more just and more equitable for all Prince Georgians, in every corner of our county,” he continued.

Some of the budget allocation includes $150,000 toward HIV prevention in the southern section of the county, where infection rates are the highest. In addition first responders received funding, such as: $29 to the Prince George’s County Police Department to support hiring over 100 new recruits; $63 million to the sheriff’s office, including funding for a dedicated mental health specialist; and the Fire and EMS Departments

will receive $314 million, enough to hire 95 new recruits.

The 30-day hiring delay for first responders has also been eliminated.

“When you call 911 and you have a police officer or firefighter who shows up at a respectable time, because we didn’t delay the hiring of police or fire responders,” said Burroughs.

In addition, Prince George’s Community Television (CTV) had their funding restored, after earlier proposals threatened a nearly $700,000 cut that would potentially shutter the public resource.

“Today CTV lives to fight another day,” said CTV anchor Noel James in a recent segment. He thanked the County Council for providing the same funding as prior years, and Council Chair Burroughs III said that direct advocacy helped ensure the funding for CTV.

“The initial budget suggested a $693,000 cut to CTV News, a cut that could have effectively crippled the news station. Funding for CTV is set to remain at $924,600,” said James.

For more information and to view the budget visit pgccouncil.us.

WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S MAINTAINS AAA BOND RATING FROM 2 CREDIT RATINGS AGENCIES

Despite Moody’s Investors Service slightly downgrading Prince George’s to Aa1– consistent with their downgrades for both Maryland the United States as a whole— the county has earned AAA ratings from Standard

& Poors (S&P) Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, the highest possible designation.

Moody’s cited the County’s economic reliance on the federal workforce as a reason for the downgrade. However, Active County Executive Tara Jackson noted the recent AAA ratings showcase Prince George’s true financial strength and health.

“These ratings show that our fiscal house is not only in order, but built for the future. The AAA ratings from Fitch and S&P reaffirm our strong financial management and longstanding commitment to fiscal discipline,” said Jackson.

Similar to the concerns expressed by Treasurer Dereck E. Davis in a recent Board of Public Works meeting, Jackson shared her disappointment with Moody’s downgrade to Aa1, noting the county’s “successful efforts to address the issues that led to their negative outlook.”

“Our ability to meet those challenges demonstrates our agility and sound planning,” Jackson continued. “By maintaining healthy reserves, diversifying revenue, and investing strategically in our communities, we continue to build investor confidence and deliver long-term stability for our residents.”

Prince George’s Director of Finance Stephen McGibbon celebrated the county’s recent ratings and uplifted the work that it has taken to achieve such accolades.

“Credit ratings like these reflect a deep commitment to disciplined budgeting and strategic decision-making,” said McGibbon. “Our team has worked diligently to safeguard the county’s financial

3 County Councilmember

to see an abandoned curbside coffin, one of his strangest constituent calls in decades of public service. The Department of Public Works called this their “weirdest request” yet. (Courtesy Photo)

“To personally respond to a constituent complaint about an abandoned casket has been the most bizarre, unimaginable, and inexplainable reality of my 30 years as a public servant,” Hawkins told The Informer.

health by maintaining strong cash reserves, managing debt responsibly, and aligning our investments with long-term community needs. These ratings validate that approach and position us well for the future.”

WI

COUNCILMEMBER HAWKINS’S CONCERNING CONSTITUENT CALL: ABANDONED CURBSIDE CASKET

At-Large Prince George’s County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins (D) has not only served in public office since 2018, but advised former County Executives Wayne Curry and Rushern Baker among other responsibilities and posts. However, his past experiences didn’t prepare him for an unexpected constituent service call: picking up an unused coffin that was left roadside.

Both Councilmember Hawkins and Department of Public Works

(DPW) staffers were left befuddled to find such an odd object laying beside Bishops Bequest Road in an Upper Marlboro neighborhood.

“To personally respond to a constituent complaint about an abandoned casket has been the most bizarre, unimaginable, and inexplainable reality of my 30 years as a public servant,” Hawkins told The Informer.

Worried that children from a nearby school would see the coffin, Hawkins was quick to respond to the constituent’s concern to remove it.

While DPW officials were surprised to find the coffin and called it the “weirdest” constituent call they’ve ever received, they also pointed out that illegal dumping is no laughing matter and can potentially draw a fine of up to $17,000.

“We’ve picked up a lot over the years—furniture, tires, even toilets. But this? A whole casket,” DPW wrote in an Instagram post. “Illegal dumping isn’t just messy—it’s dangerous, costly, and completely unacceptable.” WI

Calvin Hawkins (pictured left) says he was surprised

Carolina Kitchen Sea and Soul Holds Grand Opening

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

The Vista Gardens area has officially added Carolina Kitchen Sea and Soul, a Black-owned restaurant with DMV roots, to its list of anchor stores including Home Depot, Shoppers, and Chick Fil-A.

Senator Angela Alsobrooks (DMd.), along with a litany of elected officials, business leaders, and media personalities attended the restaurant’s grand opening on May 31, in advance of the planned June 5 public opening.

“Great day, great night, here at the Carolina Kitchen,” franchise owner Lance London told The Informer. “See us at the grand opening, let’s do it!”

Attendees raved about the delicious lump crab meat, oxtails, potato salad, and other available options at the new restaurant, located at 10250 Martin Luther King Jr Hwy Suite 100, Bowie, MD.

Prince George’s Commission for Veterans member Ethel Sligh was present for the opening and impressed by the rollout, the attending crowd, and the restaurant’s cuisine.

“What an amazing evening at the grand opening of a brand new Carolina Kitchen in Bowie. It was an honor to celebrate Lance London and wonderful seeing our U.S. Senator, Angela D. Alsobrooks, in attendance,” she told The Informer. Second half of quote should just be: “The food was delicious and the fellowship was amazing. It was wonderful to see so many proud residents of Prince George’s County and beyond celebrating with Lance.”

In addition to the new Bowie seafood and soul food restaurant, which has an adjoining store called L, London’s Fine Wine and Spirits, there are four new locations planned, including: Laurel, Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro, and Owings Mills.

Sligh shared her joy about the new site and optimism for the future of the franchise.

“I am certain this new location will be well sought after and supported within our community,” Sligh said. WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Join us and celebrate the oldest nationally observed commemoration of ending slavery in the United States! Arts

SATURDAY JUNE 14, 2025 WATKINS REGIONAL PARK 12 NOON - 5 PM FREE EVENT

Food and Shopping Exhibitors and Much MORE!

Learn more at pgparks.com/blackhistory or scan the QR code.

5 Franchise owner Lance London poses in front of his newest restaurant amid the grand opening. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

4 Carolina Kitchen held its grand opening on May 31 and will open a Bowie location on June 5. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

HOWARD UNIVERSITY

WINS $1M

GOLDMAN SACHS COMPETITION

Five students enrolled at Howard University won the Goldman Sachs Fifth Annual Market Competition and secured a $1 million grant for the institution.

Keyla Arrechea, Jordan Atkins, Aaron Harrison, Kadijah Mansaray and Jada Rabun competed in the 20242025 HBCU Possibilities Program, a semester-long, immersive introduction to key financial concepts and their applications in the real world, along with students from 12 other historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs).

“I honestly don’t think it was even a question for us,” Rabun told Howard University’s The Dig. “We knew coming in that we wanted to win.”

The program was part of Goldman Sachs multi-year commitment to strengthen HBCUs and recruit talent from those institutions. The highlight of the program is the case competition, during which teams were asked to propose and defend a business solution to increase revenue for Amer Sports, an international company op-

briefs

erating in 42 countries and generating $5.2 billion during the past fiscal year, based on a merger, acquisition or product launch.

To win, the team made it through two rounds of virtual competition, adjusting after each round to incorporate feedback from judges, and then traveled to New York to present their recommendations in front of Goldman representatives.

“We were all very flexible and adaptable when it came to working with each other and just taking feedback,” Rabun said. “On a team, everyone’s thinking different things, but we can only choose one idea. We were open to each other.”

Atkins emphasized that the group was very dedicated.

“It was mostly on us to figure out how we were going to meet deadlines,” Atkins said. “I think as young adults; we did a really good job of managing ourselves and putting in the work to get the job done.”WI

CITIBANK SETS UP ANACOSTIA BRANCH

Citibank (Citi) set up a branch located on Marion Barry Avenue SE on May 15, hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony with community leaders, non-

profit organization leaders like Shannon Herbert, president and CEO of the Washington Area Community Investment Fund, and Citi executives such as Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason.

The state-of-the-art branch in the heart of Ward 8 offers Citi’s full array of services, with flexible seating and an open-floor concept that encourages the community to engage with the bank through events, educational outreach and other activities.

Karima Woods, the commissioner for the District’s Insurance, Securities and Banking Agency, praised Citi’s newest location.

“I can tell that you are not just opening a branch here,” she said. “You are going to embed yourselves in the community. Thank you for your commitment to Anacostia.”

Scott Kratz, Building Bridges Across the River Senior vice president and 11th Street Bridge Park Director, offered Citi a “huge welcome.”

“Citi helped invest in our East of the River Homebuyers club that to date has seen 167 Ward 8 renters be-

come homeowners, building intergenerational wealth,” Kratz said. “At this location, it is really the epicenter of Anacostia, and we’re so excited to have you here. We can’t wait to see the continued partnership.”

With 33 branches throughout the Washington metropolitan area, following Clarendon and Vienna, Anacostia is the third new branch set up in the regional market this year. One of Citi’s programs is to expand financial literacy, and to that aim, it will partner with FICO to sponsor a “Score a Better Future” credit empowerment program at its Benning branch on June 5.

Additionally, Citi Foundation has granted over $45 million to community organizations working across the Washington area. Ed Patterson, the Central Southeast Region head at Citi, said the reception of his bank has been positive.

3 There is a new Citibank branch in Ward 8 on Marion Barry Avenue SE. (Courtesy Photo/Citibank)

to take place May 30 - June 1.

This year’s showcase will highlight history-defining events in housing, the pride of achieving the American Dream of homeownership, and the future of housing innovation, in accordance with President Donald Trump’s Executive Order celebrating the 250th birthday of America.

The annual public event raises awareness of innovative and affordable housing designs and technologies that have the potential to increase housing supply, reduce barriers to construction, and build for stability while reducing housing expenses for owners and renters.

Interactive exhibits will include full-sized prototype homes and innovative building technologies. In addition to the exhibits, visitors will have the chance to attend expert-led discussions, workshops, and live demonstrations that address defining moments in the history of housing, as well as affordability and resilience in the future of housing. This is a family-friendly event, open to the public.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

SOLICITATION NO.: 77-2025

Comprehensive Environmental Assessment & Reporting Services for DCHA Properties

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires Comprehensive Environmental Assessment & Reporting Services for DCHA Properties

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and can be found on Housing Agency Marketplace at: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

To access files Vendors are required to Register on the Housing Agency marketplace. See the registration link below. https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Thursday, June 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.

Please email Ahmad Munir Totakhil, Contract Specialist at amtotakhil@dchousing.org for additional information.

“We’re thrilled to officially open our doors in the heart of Anacostia and deeply grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received from the community since our soft opening in April,” Patterson said. “This new branch reflects Citi’s continued investment in the Washington, D.C. region—a vibrant market where we’ve proudly had a presence for more than a century. We’re excited to continue expanding access to financial services and building meaningful relationships across the region.”

WI

HUD INNOVATIVE HOUSING SHOWCASE TO OCCUR IN SEPTEMBER

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on May 30 that its Innovative Housing Showcase will take place from Sept. 6-10 at the National Mall.

Previously, the Innovative Housing Showcase was scheduled

More than 5,000 people, including policymakers, housing industry representatives, media, and the public are expected to attend.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner looks forward to the event.

“I am thrilled to welcome back the Innovative Housing Showcase to the National Mall as we commemorate 250 years of American independence,” Turner said. “During this special celebration we will remember through the decades, the American Dream of homeownership ties generations together and is a core part of our nation’s excellence.”

Turner noted that the event is part of the President Salute to America 250 initiative.

“HUD is proud to highlight housing solutions that honor our past while building a strong, bright future for American homeownership,” he said. “I look forward to seeing the talented exhibitors in Washington and presenting what I know will be a remarkable showcase to the American people.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Every week since last summer, Martin Darby makes the trip from his residence in Laurel, Maryland to the District to purchase fish, not from a farmer’s or seafood market, or a carryout but from FishScale, a small Black-owned restaurant located on Florida Avenue NW.

“I am a foodie, and I love to consume delicious food,” Darby, 46, told The Informer. “A friend of mine suggested I try FishScale and I decided to do so. I liked the variety of fish offerings such as mahi-mahi, rockfish, and salmon. But what really got me were the sides, especially the collard greens. Those collard greens rival the ones my grandma makes. As a matter of fact, I took some FishScale collard greens to my grandma in New York and she agreed that they were good.”

Darby is part of the growing customer base that has made FishScale a popular choice for people who like seafood. The restaurant specializes in fish dishes with sides, fish burgers and cheesesteaks with fish as the main filler.

In addition to the collard greens Darby raves about, sides include grilled romaine salad and Japanese sweet potatoes. FishScale is owned and managed by Chef H. Brandon Williams and his sister Kristal Williams is the co-owner and director of operations.

“This is a family-controlled business,” said the Williams sister, 50. “I must give credit to my brother for having the vision to start this. He had a calling for this. Running this business, we utilize the morals and the values instilled by our grandparents. It is important to leave a legacy to other family members and to pass down the wisdom and the business.”

THE STORY OF FISHSCALE

Williams said her brother cooked a fish burger for his mother at a family cookout because the matriarch did not consume meat. He went out and caught wild fish for the meal, which was well received by the family. Then, his mother encouraged him to pursue culinary arts as a career.

The sister said her chef sibling

did an externship at BlackSalt restaurant in the District and graduated from the former L’Academie de Cuisine, located in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The first FishScale was at a farmer’s market by the White House, and after six weeks, he received positive reviews in The Washington Post Food section and the Going Out Guide by Tim Carman.

The location on Florida Avenue NW opened in 2017.

“We knew we were ready to take the next step and open up a sit-down restaurant,” Williams said.

THE

SECRET SAUCE OF FISHSCALE’S SUCCESS

FishScale is a Catch: Family-Owned Business Offers

Healthy, ‘Foodie’ Approved Fare

5The fish burger is the original inspiration behind FishScale, a family-owned restaurant on Florida Avenue NW. (Courtesy Photo/ FishScale, Instagram)

delicious meal that is healthy.

Williams said her goal is to provide FishScale customers with a

“Fish has a lot of benefits,” Williams said. “There are benefits for

BUSINESS

the brain and it can help people fight a bad gut. Having a bad gut has proved to be physically and mentally damaging to people. Fish has also proved to be beneficial for positive mental health. And of course, deliciousness is an added benefit.”

Williams’ assertions are supported by research from The American Heart Association, which recommends at least 2-3 servings of fish per week.

Plus, it is widely known that fish is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which aid the body against such ailments as heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, brain health, diabetes, digestive orders, and autoimmune disease.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMENT PERIOD FOR DCHA’S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 MOVING TO WORK (MTW)

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is providing notice of a Public Hearing and Comment Period to solicit comments on its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Moving to Work (MTW) Annual Plan.

Visit DCHA’s MTW Webpage at https://www.dchousing.org/wordpress/about-us/ dcha-moving-to-work-mtw/ to:

• Download a copy of the proposed FY26 MTW Annual Plan

• Download a summary of the proposed FY26 MTW Annual Plan

You can also request a copy by emailing mtw@dchousing.org or calling 771-240-4377.

The Virtual Public Hearing for the proposed FY26 MTW Annual Plan will take place online at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 12.

To speak during the Virtual Public Hearing, register online at   https://bit.ly/RegisterMTWPublicHearing

To join the live event, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, please visit https://bit.ly/MTWPublicHearing.  This event will also be live streamed on the DCHA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dchousing/.

Comments

Written comments regarding the proposed FY2026 MTW Annual Plan will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. Email your comments to mtw@dchousing.org .

Williams makes it clear that the fish that FishScale serves its customers is fresh and from the wild and not commercially grown.

“The problem with commercial fish is that they are farm raised,” she said. “Farm raised fish exist in unhealthy environments. For example, consider salmon. Farm raised salmon does not have the full color that wild salmon does. Farmers add chemicals to the salmon for skin color. We want to serve our customers’ healthy fish. Health is wealth.”

Williams notes the restaurant’s condiments are housemade and come from organic produce and ingredients.

“Our belief is if you have to eat, let the food taste good and be good for your health and our environment,” she said.

Darby likes the focus on customers’ health and FishScale’s environmental priorities.

“FishScale is the best restaurant in the DMV so far that serves what they serve,” he said.

WI @JamesWrightJr10

PLAN

Alternatively, you can mail comments to: District of Columbia Housing Authority   Office of the Executive Director  Attn: MTW Policy Director  300 7th Street, SW    11th Floor   Washington, DC 20024

Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation

DCHA strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. It is the policy of DCHA that all agency-sponsored public meetings and events are accessible to people with disabilities. DCHA is committed to providing equal access to events for all participants & residents with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, or assistance in participating in a meeting or event due to a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact our ADA/504 Program Office at 202-535-1000 or at ADA504@ dchousing.org with your complete request. Every reasonable effort will be made to meet your request.

If you need a sign language interpreter or foreign language interpretation or translation, please contact our Office of Customer Engagement at 202535-1000 or go to www.dchousing.org/language. Please allow at least 3 business days to make the necessary arrangements.

NATIONAL

Senate Committee Advances Bipartisan Bill to Combat Moving Company Fraud

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has approved the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at curbing fraud in the residential moving industry.

The legislation, championed by D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) and Sen. Tammy Duck-

worth (D-Ill.), passed without amendments and will now move forward in the legislative process.

The bill, co-led by Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) and Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), seeks to empower the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with stronger enforcement tools to protect consumers. Lawmakers say the legislation is designed to address a surge in schemes involving companies that collect upfront

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payments and then hold customers’ belongings hostage unless additional fees are paid.

Many of the fraudulent businesses operate under fake online reviews, only to shut down and reopen under new FMCSA licenses once complaints pile up.

Norton, who introduced the House companion bill in January alongside Ezell, called the committee vote “a significant step in

the right direction for consumer rights.”

“Combating illegitimate shipping companies is like a game of whack-a-mole. As soon as one business is shut down, another pops up,” Norton said. “This bill would protect consumers by clarifying FMCSA’s authority to assess civil penalties for violations of commercial regulations, and crucially, withholding registration

3 The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act is moving forward in the legislative process after the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved the bipartisan effort. District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (pictured) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth have been major champions of the bill. (WI File Photo)

from applicants who fail to verify they are legitimate businesses.”

The legislation has received backing from a range of industry and safety groups, including the Transportation Intermediaries Association, the American Trucking Associations’ Moving & Storage Conference, the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, the National Association of Small Trucking Companies, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the Institute for Safer Trucking, and Road Safe America.

Duckworth added that the bill reflects the need for laws to evolve as scammers develop new methods of exploitation.

“Bad actors are constantly developing new ways to defraud hard working Americans, so it’s critical we keep our laws up to speed,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud this bipartisan bill is now one step closer to helping ensure FMCSA has the tools it needs to shield American consumers from theft. Moving is stressful enough—you shouldn’t also have to worry about whether your movers are trying to steal your money and belongings.” WI

Trump’s Cruel Shutdown of AmeriCorps Targets Poor, Shields Wealthy

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to dismantle AmeriCorps, the country’s premier national service program, delivering a crushing blow to low-income Americans who rely on its community-focused programs.

Final layoffs for the agency’s staff are scheduled for June 24, as the administration eliminates $400 million in grants—nearly half the agency’s funding—and shutters programs that support more than 32,000 service members and volunteers across the country.

The move coincides with sweeping cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance, and other vital social programs. These actions follow a pattern of policy decisions that have enriched Donald Trump, his family, and the nation’s wealthiest while systematically punishing the poor.

The dismantling of AmeriCorps is now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Plaintiffs include Elev8 Baltimore, Red Cloud Indian School, Bur Oak Land Trust, Democracy Maine, the AmeriCorps Employees Union Local 2027, and nearly

two dozen other nonprofit organizations and individuals directly impacted by the closures.

The complaint alleges that the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have violated the Administrative Procedure Act, federal appropriations law, and the U.S. Constitution by unlawfully dismantling a functioning federal agency without obtaining congressional approval or seeking required public input.

“These sweeping actions have forced the early dismissal of par-

CRUEL from Page 16

ticipants, halted ongoing projects, and jeopardized critical support for communities nationwide,” the lawsuit states. “All of this progress now hangs in the balance.”

The cuts have already eliminated funding to 1,031 organizations and halted operations of the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a congressionally mandated AmeriCorps program that assigned young adults to disaster relief, infrastructure, and environmental projects. The administration closed all four regional NCCC campuses, dismissed supervising staff, and expelled corps members—many of whom lost their housing the same day.

“This is heartless, cruel, and counterproductive,” said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. “These young people weren’t just volunteers—they were the backbone of local disaster recovery, food distribution, and support for vulnerable populations. And they were thrown out like trash.”

According to the lawsuit, the administration provided no legal justification, no public notice, and no opportunity for affected groups to respond—steps required by law.

Internal AmeriCorps employees revealed that nearly 85% of staff were placed on administrative leave in April, and most received official layoff notices effective June 24. Many of those employees were locked out of their email systems and barred from returning to their offices.

“Congress appropriated nearly $1 billion for AmeriCorps in fiscal year 2025 and required that no significant changes to the agency occur without formal rulemaking,”

HOT TOPICS from Page 4 illegally colluding to push rents even higher,” Schwalb said. “I commend W.C. Smith for putting an end to its anti-competitive practices and cooperating with my office to reach this agreement. We will continue working to hold RealPage and the remaining landlords accountable.”

RealPage’s software, known as revenue management (RM) technology, relies on non-public, competitively sensitive data to set rents. In the District, about

the suit contends. “Yet the Trump administration has ignored this mandate and acted through unauthorized DOGE Team appointees to execute a politically motivated takedown of the agency.”

DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Plaintiffs also argue that the terminations disproportionately impact rural and underserved communities. Organizations serving Native American students in South Dakota, low-income students in Baltimore, and disconnected youth in Maine lost essential funding with no warning.

Red Cloud Indian School, located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, had relied on AmeriCorps funding for 26 years.

“We had just renewed a $1.3 million grant to continue our Lakota language immersion program,” the school’s leadership said. “Instead, we received a mass email saying the program was over and to cease all activities immediately. This has devastated our staff and students.”

In Baltimore, Elev8 saw its grant terminated days before it was scheduled to ramp up summer tutoring and after-school programming for hundreds of local students. In Buffalo, the Service Collaborative of Western New York lost its funding to provide digital literacy classes and device distribution to public housing residents.

More than 400 organizations connected through the National

60% of units in large multifamily buildings use such pricing software. Critics argue that the system eliminates competition, allowing landlords to act in concert and sidestep market forces.

According to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), W.C. Smith shared confidential rent and occupancy data with RealPage and followed rent recommendations generated by the software, which was built using private information from competing landlords. The company ceased using RealPage’s software in December 2023. WI

College Attainment Network also had their AmeriCorps grants terminated, affecting programs that help tens of thousands of students access higher education.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), who served in Teach for America through AmeriCorps, has led bipartisan efforts in Congress to block the dismantling of the agency.

“This is an unconscionable act. AmeriCorps costs the government pennies to the dollar, and it gives people purpose, work experience, and a chance to help their country,” Houlahan said.

The lawsuit also highlights how the Trump administration’s actions violate the very laws that established AmeriCorps. Congress never gave the executive branch the authority to shut down programs like NCCC, VISTA, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, all of which were targeted for ter-

mination. The cuts were carried out without board approval or public comment, in violation of the Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.

Paul Anderson, a retired Minnesota Supreme Court justice who served in VISTA during the Vietnam War, described his service as life changing.

“I lived in Southeast Washington with a Black woman named Mrs. Kennedy and worked in housing legal aid. That experience

shaped who I am, and it made me a better judge,” Anderson said.

Now 81, Anderson is among the thousands of AmeriCorps alums watching the agency collapse under what the lawsuit describes as an unlawful and politically driven purge.

“Congress created AmeriCorps to serve the poor, the disadvantaged, the vulnerable, and the elderly,” the plaintiffs wrote. “This administration has chosen to turn its back on all of them.”

WI

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5 The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to dismantle AmeriCorps. (Courtesy Photo/The White House)

10 Ways the House Budget Bill Delivers a Direct Blow to Black America

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

As the Senate mulls even more drastic changes to the budget bill passed this month by the House, analysts and civil rights advocates say the measure will disproportionately harm Black Americans.

Behind the headlines of spending cuts and tax relief is the unraveling of protections and resources that Black communities depend on. The bill reduces Medicaid by hundreds of billions, slashes food assistance, eliminates subsidized student loans, and expands tax breaks that benefit the wealthy while sidelining those already at an economic disadvantage.

This budget does more than trim federal spending—it guts the programs that serve as lifelines for millions.

For Black Americans, the damage isn’t theoretical—it’s immediate and measurable. Here’s a breakdown of the 10 most harmful ways this budget affects Black communities:

1. $880 BILLION IN MEDICAID CUTS

Nearly one-third of Black Americans rely on Medicaid. These cuts will limit access to vital care, including maternal health, elder care, and mental health services.

2. $300 BILLION CUT FROM SNAP (FOOD STAMPS)

Black households, already more likely to face food insecurity, will be among the hardest hit as stricter requirements and reduced benefits threaten their access to food assistance.

3. EXPANDED TAX BREAKS FOR THE WEALTHY

The bill raises the SALT deduction cap, benefiting higher-income earners while doing nothing for Black families who remain underrepresented among wealthy taxpayers.

4. ELIMINATION OF SUBSIDIZED FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS

This change makes higher education less affordable for Black students, who already borrow more and face greater financial strain when repaying their loans.

5. REDUCED ACCESS TO PELL GRANTS

Tightened eligibility for Pell Grants will shut the door on college access for many low-income Black students.

6.

CUTS TO PUBLIC HOUSING AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Black families, who make up a large percentage of renters and low-income households, will feel the impact as affordable housing options dwindle.

7.

ATTACK ON DEI AND RACIAL EQUITY FUNDING

The bill eliminates funding tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, erasing support for

Black businesses, community programs, and anti-discrimination work.

8. JOB LOSSES FROM FEDERAL AGENCY CUTS

Black Americans are overrepresented in the public sector. Massive agency cuts threaten thousands of stable, middle-class jobs.

9. REDUCED FUNDING FOR LEGAL AID SERVICES

Legal aid programs that help Black families fight evictions, discrimination, and labor violations face elimination or severe funding drops.

10. SLASHED MENTAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

The budget cuts support for community-based programs that provide trauma care, youth mentoring, and violence prevention in under-resourced Black neighborhoods. WI

Nation’s Largest Black Feminist Gathering Heads to New Orleans

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans June 5-7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis.

Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.”

“This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building

power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk— whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.”

Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda.

She also emphasized the dire need to combat disparities.

“Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how

to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration.

“This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.”

BLACK FEMINISM: ‘A REJECTION OF PATRIARCHY’

The Black feminism fight has been long and hard, with generations of brave freedom fighters such as Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells and Davis, unapologetically working toward change.

FEMINIST Page 19

5 Analysts and civil rights advocates say the recent budget bill the House passed will disproportionately harm Black Americans. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

FEMINIST from Page 18

“Black feminism is an intellectual, artistic, philosophical, and activist practice grounded in Black women’s lived experiences,” according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). “Its scope is broad, making it difficult to define.

Davis, the event’s headliner, has a long reputation of uplifting Black feminism afet not feeling welcomed as a Black woman in the general feminism movement.

“Even when I myself refused to identify with feminism, I realized that it was a certain kind of feminism,” Davis said in 2019 at NMAAHC Oral History Interview. “It was a feminism of those women who weren’t really concerned with equality for all women.”

Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families.

“Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because pa-

triarchy harms them too.”

She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions.

“We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account.

The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs.

When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression.

“If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.” WI

5 More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans June 5-7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States, led by Black Feminist Future. (Courtesy Photo/Black Feminist Future, Facebook)

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African Union Celebrates 62 Years of Pan-African Solidarity Looking Ahead to

a Prosperous, Unified Africa

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

Across the globe during the last week of May, people across the African diaspora celebrate Africa Day, commemorating the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and its successor the African Union (AU), as a testament to the decolonization of the “Mother Continent.”

Africa Day 2025, celebrated on May 25, marked 62 years since 32 African states met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to establish an organization that promoted the continent’s progress and integration into global economic, political, and social spheres, all the while uniting the diaspora. As part of the annual commemoration, members and allies of the global African community congregated in celebration at the AU Representational Mission to the United States on May 30.

“This day is a powerful reminder of the strength we need, and the resilience of the nation and people of Africa,” Harrison Poku-Yeboah, director of operations at the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs, told the crowd during the Friday event. “Their contributions to the world in culture, innovation and leadership continue to inspire, shape and brighten the interconnective future of all.”

This year’s theme for Africa Day was “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” which outlined a potential strategy for those in the diaspora to receive a form of redress from colonization, transatlantic enslavement and apartheid. This theme supports the process of transforming this idea into a concrete Flagship Program of the Union.

The union’s Flagship Programs are part of its Agenda 2063, a plan created during the 50th Africa Day in 2013 with hopes it would lead the continent to the prosperity the AU dreams of by the commemoration’s centennial year. Some programs include the integration of a high-speed train network to connect the continent’s capitals, the establishment of an annual African economic forum, enhanced cyber security and others to ensure efficient development.

Embassy officials at the AU Mission building in Washington expressed the need for a cohesive dias-

5 Ambassadors and embassy officials enjoy a traditional African performance following a discussion on the continent’s development on May 30, as part of commemorations for Africa Day 2025. The event’s main speakers, including H.E. Agostinho Van-Dunem, Ambassador Troy Fitrell, H.E. Serge Mombouli, H.E. Hilda Suka-Mafudze and H.E. Chibamba Favour Kanyama, all applauded the African Union and continent for six decades of growth and perseverance. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

pora to ensure the plan’s success.

“The mission’s symbolic role is… the rekindling and revitalizing of Pan-African unity and solidarity here in Washington D.C.,” said Her Excellency Hilda Suka-Mafudze. “It represents a foundation for a stronger, more resilient and self-determined push to align with Agenda 2063, with aspirations… of Africa as a strong, resilient, influential global player– a partner to which we are all committed.”

STRENGTHENING

AFRICAN IDENTITY IN THE MODERN WORLD

The event also included a reception, allowing attendees to walk around the AU building and explore food and goods from various African nations, including Egypt, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and more.

Victor Ele Ela, a counselor at the Embassy of Equatorial Guinea, appreciated the opportunity the event provides members of the diaspora to acknowledge their similarities and nuances while spending time in fellowship with one another.

“Being away from home, this just gives us an opportunity to connect, to celebrate and to reminisce [about] our culture, our gastronomy,” he told The Informer. “It brings us together and it gives us a sense of identity.”

Nigerian singer Abiodun Koya also attended the Africa Day commemoration, performing the U.S. and AU

national anthems. She is also fond of the authentic celebration of culture and heritage, believing the diaspora’s past, present and future are all stories that must be carried on into the next generation, whether it be through education, community or art.

“There was a bridge built hundreds of years ago, so I think we have a responsibility and a role in this day and age to build a bridge… and connect the motherland with the diaspora,” Koya told The Informer.

Both Ele Ela and Koya actively honor the Pan-Africanism principles of education and cooperation outside of their primary careers.

To help unify the diaspora through education, competition and technology, Ele Ela created a fast-paced trivia game focused on African history, culture and politics named Afrika Na One. He hopes people utilize the platform to remember their roots and remain confident in their African identities and experiences.

Aside from being an operatic vocalist, Koya is also the president of the Los Angeles African Professionals, a coalition that brings together professionals in the diaspora located in Southern California through networking events.

“I would love to see one Africa. I would love to see the potential of Africa come to the surface,” Koya told The Informer. “I would love to see Africa reclaim her glory because Africa is where it all began– it’s the source. Africa is the real deal.” WI

Emergency Preparedness in DC: How to Stay Ready for a Public Health Crisis

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC)

From extreme weather to disease outbreaks, public health emergencies can happen at any time. The District is no stranger to these events, from hurricanes and heatwaves to past public health crises, including COVID-19. But when disaster strikes, preparation can make all the difference — especially for vulnerable populations who often face additional challenges accessing emergency resources.1

PREPARING FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

Whether it’s stocking up on supplies, knowing where to find shelter, or staying informed, you can take steps to prepare for any public health emergency.

• Create an emergency plan. Having a clear plan can reduce stress and confusion in a crisis. Consider making evacuation routes for yourself and your family and discussing options on how to reach each other if cell phone service is not available. Identify safe places to go if you need to leave your home.

• Build an emergency kit. A wellstocked kit can help you stay safe and comfortable during an emergency. Your kit essentials should include nonperishable food and water, flashlights, batteries, phone chargers, a first aid kit, medical records, insurance, and cash. For families with young children, seniors, or those with disabilities, extra supplies such as baby formula, mobility aids, or medical equipment backups are other important items to have on hand.

• Prepare for disease outbreaks. Public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic have shown how fast outbreaks can spread. To stay protected, keep up with routine vaccinations, including flu and

COVID-19 shots. Practice good hygiene, including regular handwashing and sanitizing of surfaces.

RELIABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

Knowing where to get reliable information can prevent issues during a crisis. DC residents can find information and resources from community organizations and emergency preparedness programs designed to support families before, during, and after emergencies.

• Ready.dc.gov provides checklists and templates.

• Alertdc.dc.gov allows you to sign up to receive real-time emergency notifications.

• DC Health and the DC Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management provide updates on disease outbreaks and weather alerts.

• Capital Area Food Bank provides emergency food assistance for those in need.

• DC Department of Human Services offers emergency shelter locations for families experiencing displacement due to disasters.

Emergency preparation isn’t just an individual responsibility, it’s a community effort. Be sure to check in on neighbors, especially older adults, individuals with disabilities, or those without transportation. Share resources and information to help ensure everyone has access to the tools they need to stay safe.

Sources

1. “Vulnerability and Vulnerable Populations,” World Health Organization, Centre for Health Development, https://wkc.who.int/our-work/ health-emergencies/knowledge-hub/community-disaster-risk-management/vulnerability-and-vulnerable-populations.

“Important Milestones: Your Child by Five Years,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

Last reviewed June 6, 2023, https:// web.archive.org/web/20250110234929/ https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/ milestones/milestones-5yr.html

All images are submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia and are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

Preparing for kindergarten with a well-child visit

Starting kindergarten is an exciting milestone for both children and parents. As you prepare your child for this big step, making sure they are healthy and ready to learn is important for their academic success. Well-child visits are key components of that preparation.

Well-child visits, sometimes called HealthCheck visits, allow your child’s provider to check their growth, development, and overall health. These visits help your child’s provider diagnose and treat any potential health issues as early as possible. Your child should have a well-child visit every year around the time of their birthday. By the time children reach age 5,

they should begin to experience significant growth and development. They begin learning how to follow rules or how to take turns when playing with other children. Their language skills begin to develop as they recognize simple rhymes. Cognitively, they should be able to count to the number 10 and recognize some letters when you point to them.2 A well-child visit at this age ensures they are meeting these developmental milestones and growing at a healthy rate.

At well-child visits, you should expect:

•A physical exam

•Growth and development checks

•Hearing and vision screenings

•Appropriate vaccines

•Lab testing (including blood lead levels)

•Mental health and risk behavior checks

•Health education for parents and children

AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can schedule well-child visits for their children at no cost. To find a provider or learn more, call Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720 (TTY 1-800-408-7511) or view our WellChild Care Guide at www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com.

Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. / Find us on Facebook

HEALTH

Owolewa Declares D.C.in an Unofficial State of Health Care Emergency

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The District’s shadow representative to the U.S. Congress made an unofficial state of health care emergency on June 2.

Shadow U.S. Rep. Oye Owolewa (D) made his announcement at the monthly meeting of the Ward 7 Health Alliance Network that took place at the Dorothy Height/Benning Neighborhood Library branch in Northeast.

“Today’s declaration is a step to seek funds in order to protect D.C.’s marginalized communities,” said Owolewa, 35.

What has raised Owolewa ire is the proposed cuts to Medicaid in D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s fiscal year 2026 budget.

Owolewa made his announcement as the D.C. Council considers Bowser’s budget. Amid considerations from the D.C. Council, the mayor proposes cutting 25,000 from Medicaid, known as the health insurance program for indigent individuals that is largely publicly funded.

“Cutting 25,000 low-income D.C. residents off their insurance is disastrous,” he continued. “This will cripple people financially, cause increased displacement and exacerbate current health disparities.”

OWOLEWA WARNS ‘HEALTH CARE MAY BECOME A PRIVILEGE’

The mayor’s proposed cuts are

compounded by the U.S. House of Representatives passing a budget resolution that includes provisions that would lead to $700 billion in cuts to federal Medicaid spending over the next decade. The resolution would also reduce Medicaid enrollment by millions and increase the number of uninsured individuals, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The Bowser administration, facing the prospect that the city’s Medicaid costs will grow, proposed $182 million to temper the increase. Specifics of the Bowser adjustments to the Medicaid program include changes to eligibility, benefits and provider rates include: shifting childless adults and adult caregivers between 138% - 200% of the federal poverty level to a new health plan run by the DC Health Benefits Exchange; long-term care, home and community-based reform; drug rebates for zero pay claims; reforming durable medical equipment; pausing inflationary adjustments for rates; and implementing a targeted efficiency level for managed care organizations.

Owolewa said Bowser’s proposal “brings our city closer to the brink of a health care crisis.”

“This budget suggests that moving forward, health care may become a privilege,” Owolewa, a Ward 8 resident, said. “Roughly 24,000 lower income Washingtonians will be losing their access to

Representatives, says the District is in an unofficial state of health emergency. (WI File

that she foresaw tough decisions being made on the City’s financing of Medicaid.

health care through DC Medicaid. In a few months, Washingtonians aged 21 and up will no longer be able to enroll in the DC Healthcare Alliance.”

Noting that programs such as Medicaid’s Managed Care Organizations and DC Medicaid’s reimbursement rates will be adversely affected by Bowser’s budget, he said residents of marginalized communities will be eliminated from access to medicine, health care facilities and providers.

“With half of Ward 8 residents lacking a primary care provider, a major hospital closing and proposed Medicaid cuts, it’s safe to say that we’re on our way to a health care crisis,” Owolewa said. “Adding to the fact that more working-class people will lose their insurance, DC Medicaid’s budget cut can be viewed as a death sentence.”

HENDERSON SAYS ‘PROPOSED BUDGET OFFERS ALTERNATIVES’

D.C. Council member Christina Henderson (I-At Large), who serves as the chair of the Committee on Health, said in a May 31 e-newsletter to her constituents

Henderson said possible solutions have been considered regarding Medicaid.

“In some cases, the proposed budget offers alternatives—for example, individuals who are currently on Medicaid that earn above 133% of the federal poverty level will have the option to maintain health insurance coverage through a basic health plan offered through the DC health benefit exchange,” said the council member.

Henderson told the Informer that she was not aware of Owolewa’s announcement but understood the thrust of it.

In the District, only the mayor and the president of the United States have the authority to declare an official state of emergency. Owolewa is not an official member of the House. Further, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) represents the city in Congress and has limited voting privileges.

Nevertheless, Olwolewa said it is his duty to protect the interest of District residents as an elected official and a healthcare professional.

“My goal as D.C.’s representative and licensed pharmacist is to ensure DC Medicaid is restored to current levels,” he said, “and ensure health care remains a human right and not a privilege.” WI

3Rep. Oye Owolewa, the District’s shadow member of the U.S. House of

Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

4While she was not aware of Owolewa’s announcement, D.C. Council member Christina Henderson, who also serves as chair of the Committee on Health, said there are possible alternatives to Medicaid cuts. (WI File Photo)

Trump’s Agenda Puts GOP at Odds with Voters on Health Care

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Washintonians and people nationwide rely on financial assistance in order to access health care.

In the nation’s capital, where more than 11,900 residents enrolled in marketplace health insurance plans in 2024, the fight over extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits is hitting home.

Although only 2.7% of the city’s population is uninsured—far below the national rate of 8%— many residents still rely on financial assistance to keep their health coverage. Roughly 22% of D.C. enrollees received advance premium tax credits, now at risk of expiring at the end of the year. Across the country, more than 20 million people rely on ACA marketplace plans, and 93% receive premium tax credit assistance, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Those credits were first expanded under the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021

and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act.

However, Congress is now debating whether to continue the funding and millions face the threat of steep increases in monthly premiums.

“Last week, House Republicans passed a disastrous tax package that puts Medicaid at risk… and raises premiums for folks with ACA coverage,” Rep. Nikki Budzinksi (D-Ill.) wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I’m going to keep fighting against this scheme to make health care LESS accessible and MORE expensive.”

Republican lawmakers are facing mounting pressure—from constituents, health care advocates, and even their own colleagues—to preserve the tax credits. But many remain hesitant, fearing political consequences from former President Donald Trump, who continues to push for a full repeal of the ACA.

Keep Americans Covered (KAC), a coalition of patient advocates, doctors, insurers, and health care providers,

has launched a national seven-figure ad campaign calling on Congress to extend the credits. One of the most striking ads features Jessica, a restaurant manager in Arizona and cancer survivor, who depends on the credits to pay for her 10-year-old daughter’s diabetes care.

“We were living a perfectly normal life, and we suddenly had a child that had a chronic illness,” Jessica says in the ad. “We’re not wealthy. Money can get tight… we need Congress to take action now. It’s vital for us. We need these healthcare tax credits passed today.”

If Congress fails to act, the consequences will be swift and severe.

In Arizona, a family of four earning $64,000 would see a 493% increase in annual premiums—an extra $2,571 out of pocket. In Florida, a 60-yearold couple could pay $19,000 more per year. Nationally, the impact would be felt by small business owners, independent contractors, gig workers, and families with no access to employer-sponsored plans.

A new KAC-backed survey found overwhelming bipartisan support for extending the tax credit, with 72%

5Spaces in Action members at a 2023 rally, advocating for affordable health care for all and encouraging Washingtonians to check on their Medicaid status. Across the country, more than 20 million people rely on Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, and 93% receive premium tax credit assistance. Now, Congress is debating whether to continue offering the tax credit assistance, and millions face the threat of steep increases in monthly premiums.

(WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

of voters in favor—including 63% of Republicans. In battleground districts, 70% of voters say the issue is important to them, and nearly half said they would be less likely to support lawmakers who oppose the extension.

Still, deep divisions remain in Congress. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)

AARP DC Congratulates

Ms. Delores “Dee” Powers

Recipient of the AARP Andrus Award for Community Service

Delores Powers is the recipient of the AARP District of Columbia Andrus Award for Community Service – the organization’s most prestigious and visible volunteer award for community service.

AARP DC is proud to honor Ms. Powers for her volunteer efforts at Model Cities Senior Wellness Center. She was recognized for her endless dedication, vibrant spirit, and unwavering commitment to uplifting others, transforming countless lives.

Do you know a volunteer deserving of the Andrus Award? Nominations for this year’s award will be accepted through October 5, 2025

Learn more at aarp.org/AndrusAward

/aarpdc @aarpdc

has signaled support for a bipartisan solution, citing the need for stability and affordability in health care.

“We should start thinking about a stream of bipartisan bills that we can work on,” Tillis said. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

In Your Community

EARTH OUR

Gov. Wes Moore Signs Legislation to Limit Utility Rates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

While Maryland consumers have seen marked increases to their utility bills in past months, residents are getting some support from the General Assembly and Gov. Wes Moore, who signed multiple bills into law to improve the state’s energy independence and bring relief to consumers.

“I think we need to broaden our view of what clean energy actually is and how it correlates to the needs of our people,” said Moore in a statement.

The Next Generation Energy Act, an omnibus bill, seeks to offer affordable rates to Marylanders, limit the ways that utility companies can spend revenues generated from ratepayers, and aims to increase in-state power generation and battery storage.

“We can be a clean energy state while at the same time focusing on affordability for ratepayers — I don’t think those have to be conflicting ideas,” the governor con-

tinued. “I just think we have to have the right infrastructure to be able to make those individualized things happen.”

While these laws will help limit future increases, some Marylanders will see higher utility bills as soon as this month.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D- District 46) called the package of energy bills the “the most substantive energy affordability package that Maryland has seen in several decades.”

Ferguson cited the closing of older coal and gas-powered facilities has outpaced the creation of new power generation sources in Maryland.

Some environmentalists and conservations are worried this legislation could create a new natural gas plant in Maryland, but amendments and outreach from organizations and concerned citizens helped shape the bill in a more environmentally-conscious direction.

“We’re proud of state lawmakers for not allowing industry lobby-

ists to drag the ‘next generation’ of Maryland energy backwards to dirty, dangerous methane gas,” said Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund Maryland Director Brittany Baker. The CCAN director noted the final iteration of the legislation addressed some of the initial concerns regarding state investment into fossil fuels.

“The bill that just passed is significantly improved from the version first introduced,” she continued. “During this session, legislators revealed the true causes of higher Maryland utility bills –including mismanagement from our regional grid operator, utilities overcharging ratepayers, and uncertainty about new investment in methane gas.”

COST SETTING STATEWIDE: PJM AND BGE

While in-state generation and improved battery storage are improvements that can potentially limit utility prices increases for Marylanders, much of the cost-setting is done by the PJM, the regional power grid that Maryland, D.C., and Virginia share with 11 other states.

Recent studies have shown that PJM’s current pace of developing new power generation could end up raising utility rates by 60% in the next decade, particularly if Maryland remains reliant on energy from other states.

“Electricity customers in the PJM region (which spans all or parts of 13 Mid-Atlantic states and Washington, D.C.) are facing a looming cost crisis stemming from two major issues: worsening barriers to building and connecting new generation resources needed to supply the electric grid, and unprecedented increases in projected electricity demand,” read a report on regional electricity by Synapse Energy. “PJM now faces an inflection point.”

Maryland ratepayers will also see an additional cost as a result of an PJM energy auction held last summer; Maryland consumer advocates have argued that this auction should be rerun to potentially save consumers $90 million in utility payments.

“It occurred because defective

market rules either ignored or allowed market participants to withhold thousands of megawatts of existing capacity, while interconnection delays, a compressed auction forward period, and other entry barriers prevented the participation of new supply capable of disciplining incumbent market power,” read a letter signed by the Maryland Office of the People’s Counsel.

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BG&E) consumers are expected to see monthly rate increases of over $16 beginning in June, a decision that the Maryland People’s Counsel and dozens of legislators are asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to fight.

Public Service Commission (PSC) Chair Frederick H. Hoover said a recent PSC order to limit rate hikes was being done to “mitigate the impacts felt by customers as a result of higher-than-expected energy costs, coupled with potential high usage in the coming months.”

Hugo Cantu, representative of the Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA), noted that higher energy costs also limit options for renters and developers.

“Higher energy costs also have an impact on tenants and affordability. Housing is already costly because we aren’t producing enough housing to keep up with demand. Higher energy costs are another expense that tenants have to factor in when deciding to rent,” he said. WI

5 Governor Wes Moore’s The Next Generation Energy Act, an omnibus bill, seeks to offer affordable rates to Marylanders, limit the ways that utility companies can spend revenues generated from ratepayers, and aims to increase in-state power generation and battery storage. (WI File

Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

Mixed News for Maryland Conservationists: Oyster Populations Up, Blue Crab Numbers Down

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

Conservationists, environmentalists, and seafood lovers alike have both positive and negative news regarding two of Maryland’s most beloved aquatic neighbors. Oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay are increasing, partly due to volunteer efforts, while blue crab populations have dropped to one of the lowest levels recorded in past decades by aquatic researchers.

As the crab population goes down, the oyster population in the bay has been estimated at over 7.5 billion, a significant increase from 2005’s estimated 2.4 billion oysters. Oysters improve water conditions by filtering excess nutrients from the Chesapeake Bay, preventing algae buildup that can remove oxygen from water and endanger fish and crabs.

An oyster sanctuary located near the long-abandoned man made island of Fort Carroll, established before the tragic collapse of the Key Bridge, has had over six million oysters deposited since 2008 and is a continued source of community support to strengthen the bay’s health.

While Chesapeake Bay Foundation boat captain Ben Carver feared that the bridge collapse would disrupt or destroy the artificial oyster sanctuary, the reserve has held strong and over 125,000 new oysters have been planted there this year alone.

“Oyster restoration is one of the Chesapeake Bay’s greatest success stories, and this latest stock assessment proves it. Oyster abundance in restored oyster sanctuaries has increased five-fold, even higher than the increase observed throughout Maryland,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Maryland Executive Director Dr. Allison Colden.

She also expressed optimism for the future of Maryland’s oyster population amid ongoing conservation efforts.

“The strong results should encourage us to maintain, and even accelerate, the momentum for large-scale oyster restoration,” she said.

BLUE CRAB POPULATION DECLINING BUT ‘WE’RE STILL OK’

Recently, Maryland’s blue crab population was estimated at 238 mil-

lion, still higher than 2022’s all-time low estimate of 226 million. While there are no reasons pinpointed for the decline in the blue crab population, experts have largely noted habitat destruction and a rise in invasive predator species can contribute to a decrease in numbers.

“This year’s total estimated abundance is the second lowest in the history of the survey, which has operated since 1990,” read a Maryland Department of Natural Resources survey in late May about the crab population. “The lowest was 226 million crabs in 2022. The juvenile abundance of 103 million in 2025 was a decrease from 138 million last year, and the third lowest abundance on record, after 2021 and 2022.”

With the declining numbers, some environmentalists, conversations and Chesapeake Bay experts are concerned.

“The latest blue crab numbers are extremely distressing. Blue crabs are a staple on our plates, in our water, and in our culture,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore.

Nonetheless, the population has been reported as “stable” by a joint

study between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

“We saw a very high mortality rate among blue crabs this winter, likely due to several cold snaps,” said Mandy Bromilow, blue crab manager at Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “With the results of the stock assessment next year, we hope to have more insight on what could be contributing to the ongoing low juvenile recruitment and what we can do to support the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crabs. Until then, we need to maintain caution in our management approach for blue crabs.”

Despite the challenges, Bromilow is encouraged for the road ahead for Maryland’s famous crustacean.

“We’re still OK,” Bromilow said. “It’s not ideal, but it’s not something where we’re super concerned.”

Moore emphasized the importance of environmental conservation.

“We must protect them in order to ensure their important role in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem,” he said, “and preserve sustainable harvests for the most valuable commercial fishery in the bay.” WI

5 Oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay are increasing, while blue crab levels are decreasing. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

5 Blue crab populations in the Chesapeake Bay have dropped to one of the lowest levels recorded in past decades by aquatic researchers. (Courtesy Photo/Carrie B. Grisham, Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

EDUCATION

Inside the Winner’s Circle at the

100th Scripps National Spelling Bee

Faizan Zaki Returns for the Crown, While Past Spelling

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

As the saying goes, delay is not denial.

Perhaps no one could speak to the validity of that statement more than Faizan Zaki. With his correct spelling of éclaircissement, he recently became the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, realizing a goal that he fell short of achieving one year ago.

“After I got second, I was excited but I was definitely disappointed,” Faizan told The Informer as he reflected on his loss to Bruhat Soma during the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee. “I wanted to go back and do better next year and look where I am now. I think I definitely achieved my goal.”

On the night of May 29, Faizan counted among nine finalists who graced the stage at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. During 10 intense rounds, he and the other finalists gave it their all. At times, the road to victory didn’t appear clear for Faizan, who, during the eighth round, misspelled commelina and triggered a rematch between him, Sarvadnya Kadam, and Sarv Dharavane, two of the other top spellers who had been previously eliminated.

“I was so mentally exhausted and I wanted to get it over with,” Faizan, a seventh grader from Allen, Texas, told The Informer.

occurrence of its kind since 2019. During the second round, which focused on vocabulary, Akshaj suffered defeat when he chose the incorrect definition for imbroglio, defined as an extremely confusing, complicated or embarrassing situation. During the third round, Esha and Oliver were eliminated when they misspelled aromorphosis and aurore respectively.

The final six held their own for the next three rounds, albeit with Savadnya, Harini and Brian nearly facing defeat as they struggled to beat the clock and correctly spell meliponine, septieme, and reseda, respectively. However, Harini’s journey would end during the seventh round when she misspelled tekke. Brian had a similar outcome with his misspelling of kyah, as did Aishwarya when she tripped over Keighley, a word of English origin that’s associated with a town in West Yorkshire, England.

“When [Scripps National Spelling Bee pronouncer] Dr. [Jacques] Bailly gave me commelina, I immediately spelled [the word] then I realized I need[ed] the information. And then I realized I was wrong. So, I had to go through that process again.”

Through it all, Faizan remained focused, and at times excited about the prospect of victory. That attitude, he said, proved essential in the final moments of the bee.

“Luckily, I got another championship word and I got that right,” Faizan said.

A NIGHT OF INTENSE COMPETITION –AND A VICTORY IN A LONG LINE OF VICTORIES

Faizan’s victory happened at the end of a national competition attended by 43 past national spelling bee champions celebrating the E.W. Scripps Company’s 100th national spelling bee.

Spellers who joined Faizan, Sarvadnya and Sarv in the finals were: Esha Marupudi of Chandler, Arizona; Oliver Halkett of Los Angeles; Harini Murali of Edison, New Jersey; Brian Liu of Great Neck, New York, Asiahwarya Kallakuri of Concord, North Carolina; and Akshaj Somisetty of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

The first round of the finals ended with no eliminations—the first

amazing, the bright lights and all of the energy around it. After all that work with my family, it was really special.”

OTHER PAST CHAMPIONS REFLECT ON THE 100TH BEE

In the more than two hours leading up to Faizan’s special moment, audience members like John Capehart saw elements of a competition that, despite its evolution over the last century, still spurs unpredictability.

“The Spelling Bee itself certainly was enjoyable [but] one has to recognize that no matter how much

you prepare, there’s a little luck of the draw in something like this,” said Capehart, a Dallas resident and 1961 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner. “You take anybody and put them on a stage and give them enough words, sooner or later they’re going to miss one.”

Capehart, a retired surgeon, clinched victory as a young speller when he correctly spelled smaragdine, an adjective pertaining to emeralds. Decades later, after tapping back into the competition that strengthened his academic and professional pursuits, he expressed his gratitude to the E.W. Scripps Company for creating similar experiences for young scholars.

During the ninth and 10th rounds, after Faizan’s nearly fatal mistake, Sarv suffered elimination when he misspelled the scientific term eserine. Sarvadnya subsequently tripped over the phonetic construction of Uaupes, a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America.

Those events set the stage for Faizan’s correct spelling of chaldee–and ultimately his victory.

Shortly after being declared the winner, Faizan breathed a sigh of relief and dropped to the floor. Such an expression elicited memories for 1985 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion Balu Natarajan.

“I didn’t fall, but it was with all that effort, you really take a sigh of relief before you do anything else,” said Natarajan, whose winning word was milieu, defined as a person’s social environment. “So it was just

4Faizan Zaki won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 29, 2025 in National Harbor, Maryland. (Craig Hudson/Scripps National Spelling Bee)

“It’s heartening to see something like this,” Capehart said, “that promotes literacy and promotes studying and intellectual pursuits, is this strong and this viable in the current era after 100 years. It shows that it’s an entity that has a well-defined niche even in today’s society.”

BEE from Page 26

For some of the more recent national spelling bee champions, like Zaila Avant-garde, the 100th competition provided an opportunity for historical immersion.

“It’s a really wonderful feeling,” said Avant-garde, 18. “Many of these people that I’m meeting here at the centennial, I had never met before. I only knew them as banners on a wall or names on an archive, but to actually see these people at such a momentous occasion for the bee is really nice.”

Avant-garde said the significance of her pandemic-era victory isn’t lost on her.

“It was definitely kind of a bittersweet moment because it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m the first winner,’ but ‘Oh, I’m the first winner,’”

Avant-garde told The Informer in a somber tone. “But one of my goals when I was studying for the bee was to become the first African-American to win, and I’m really proud that I achieved that.”

LOOKING BACK: A CENTURY OF SUPPORT FOR YOUNG SPELLERS

The first national spelling bee took place on June 17, 1925 in the District, with the support of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

E.W. Scripps Company wouldn’t become a sponsor until 1941. Despite delays caused by World War II and the pandemic, the national spelling bee has become a mainstay in American culture and the U.S.’s largest and longest-running educational promotion.

This year, all 242 spellers received a commemorative medallion marking a crucial milestone in the existence of the national competition.

In this elite group, nearly three out of four spellers were competing in their first Scripps National Spelling Bee, while 53 spellers made their second consecutive appearance.

The elementary and middle-school aged spellers represented all 50 states, with Texas and California accounting for the most spellers. More than a dozen spellers

came from abroad, representing countries such as: Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait, and Nigeria.

The national bee also became a family affair, with Zwe Spacetime, Avante-garde’s younger brother, participating in the competition, as well as Ved Raju, younger brother of 2022 runner-up Vikram Raju, and William Fuller, the younger brother of Edith Fuller, who, at the age of six, became the youngest-ever national spelling bee participant in 2017.

Zwe, a seventh grader and homeschool student, won The Washington Informer Citywide Spelling Bee in March. He and Prince George’s County spelling bee winner Abigail Adegbite represented the home team at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

Abigail suffered defeat during the first round when she misspelled genet, a nocturnal cat-like animal. Her family didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

While he made it for several rounds, Zwe was eliminated when he misspelled the word cocillana,

an herbal medicine derived from a South American tree. Despite not meeting his goal of becoming a spelling bee champion, Zwe said he felt the support of his peers and the adults in the space.

“The lesson I learned was that even if a speller doesn’t win, if he

has something that endears him to people, or he or she does something that nobody… has ever done before in Scripps, people are still gonna congratulate you,” Zwe, 13, told The Informer. WI Read more on washigtoninformer.com.

5 Zwe Spacetime and Abigail Adegbite, both winners of the Washington Informer Spelling Bee in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, congratulate each other at the 2025 SCRIPPS National Spelling Bee held at the National Harbor. Zwe was eliminated in the 10th round and Abigail was eliminated in the preliminaries. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

josh Bell josh Bell josh Bell

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Trump Administration Targets Vulnerable Students Seeking a Fresh Start in Job Corps

Another decision has been made by the Trump administration that has negatively affected the lives of the nation’s most vulnerable: young people. Americans ages 1624 who made the right decision to pursue education and job training instead of falling into the trap of the criminal justice system are now being told to pack up and pick up the pieces.

The Trump administration has ordered the U.S. Department of Labor to close, or what they call “begin a phased pause in operations at contractor-operated” Job Corps centers nationwide. The D.C.-based Potomac Job Corps located at Blue Plains in Southwest is among the 99 centers that will close effective June 30.

In a press release issued by the Department of Labor last week, Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemar cited budget concerns and “the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve” as reasons for the “pause.”

The Job Corps was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson under the Economic Opportunity Act and his War on Poverty. To date, more than two million young people have grown through Job Corps training, with

25,000 students currently receiving support. The two-year residential program offers students – males and females – the opportunity to earn a GED or high school diploma, vocational training in areas of construction, health care, culinary arts, and more.

Upon graduation, students receive assistance in securing employment in fields or careers for which they have been trained.

When the doors close at the Potomac Job Corp, as well as the other centers nationwide, students will pack up their belongings and

be sent home.

For many of them, they will return to an environment from which they and their parents wanted them to escape–where the opportunities were absent, and the criminal justice system awaits them.

Job Corps has been a successful alternative for so many young people who needed greater support, even at taxpayer expense.

This was not a smart decision by the Trump administration for a program that should have been promoted and not “paused.” WI

In a press release issued by the Department of Labor last week, Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemar cited budget concerns and “the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve” as reasons for the “pause.”

Threats and Unsubstantiated Lists are Not the Way to Address the Rights of Sanctuary Cities

If you close your eyes and put your head in the sand, you might think that you’ve entered “the Twilight Zone” and been transported to America, dateline 1950s – a period of intense fear, suspicion, moral panic and mass political persecution known as “the Red Scare.” Or at least, that seems to be the plan as sanctuary cities have been added to the president’s ever-growing list of people, programs and policies that stand in direct opposition to his agenda.

And while the president says he’s merely following the mandate of voters who returned him to the White House, others have their doubts.

One of the first actions Trump took upon regaining power was

to attack sanctuary cities, but there’s no evidence that the move will decrease crime or build safer communities. Then, on April 28, the president signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to identify and publicly highlight jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities. The list identifies just over 500 sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties and states that are allegedly deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens.

Further, while some officials, like D.C. Mayor Bowser, who, with little fanfare, inserted a section in her recent budget requesting a repeal of

a 2020 law that references sanctuary, others, like Baltimore Mayor Scott, said that while Baltimore is “not a sanctuary city,” he makes no apologies for being a “welcoming city” and is ramping up efforts to protect the immigrant community and the money it gets from the federal government. Ultimately, and because sanctuary policies have been found in compliance with federal law, the U.S. Supreme Court will serve as the final arbiter as legal experts believe the president’s actions violate the Constitution’s 10th Amendment. Federal courts have previously ruled that the federal government may not force states and localities to participate in immigration enforcement. But that hasn’t stopped

TO THE EDITOR

I really enjoyed the graduation photo spread. The Black Press is so important because where else can you see scores of Black graduates from every level of education? Congrats to all the grads!

Debra Phine Washington, D.C.

Trump so far.

Who will make the “hit list” next?

With that question, it’s important to speak out against all wrongs and work toward equity for all.

Consider the chilling words of Martin Niemöller, a German Lutheran pastor who spent eight years in a Nazi concentration camp, who warned of the domino effect of coming for specific groups.

“First, they came for the Socialists (Trade Unionists, Jews) but I wasn’t a Socialist (a Trade Unionist, a Jew) and I didn’t speak out,” Niemöller said. “Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak for me.” WI

You know what I would love? I would love a Washington Informer crossword puzzle! They are one of my favorite things to do as they keep the mind sharp. How awesome would it be to have one in the Informer that was for us, by us. Just an idea!

Eulynn Holt Washington, D.C. Federal courts have previously ruled that the federal government may not force states and localities to participate in immigration enforcement. But that hasn’t stopped Trump so far.

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Fight Learning Loss This Summer

When schools let out for summer break, usually between mid-May and mid-June, millions of students will be disengaged from learning and will experience significant learning loss. In math, they may lose as many as three months’ worth of learning, which means when they come back to school in late August or early September, they are back to March in

terms of their knowledge base. Studies suggest students experience the most learning loss in math, but losses in reading acumen are also significant — as many as two months unless students are engaged in supplemental education. Many are enrolled in summer school or other programs, but many of these programs cost, and those from the lowest-income families don’t have access to them. In some families, older children are charged with minding their younger siblings, preventing them from participating in summer programs.

Julianne Malveaux

The attack on the Department of Education (DOE) and this president’s indifference to education affects some of the programs that the DOE has funded in the past. The so-called “Big Beautiful” (let’s just call it the Big Ugly) eliminates after-school and summer learning, such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which serves 1.4 million children. Black students are especially vulnerable to learning loss. They have less access to summer enrichment programs because of cost, transportation issues and availability. According to the Af-

Marc H. Morial

terschool Alliance, 2.3 million Black students would have enrolled in a summer program in 2019, if one were available. That’s pre-COVID data. The need is likely much greater now. Parents can’t depend on government to prevent learning loss. While one in seven students participated in summer enrichment programs last year (2024), there is significant unmet need. Bloomberg Philanthropies has a Summer Boost program that funded efforts in Baltimore, Memphis and Washington, D.C., among other cities. Many school districts will have

summer school programs, as well as recreation centers and programs developed by civic organizations. In Washington, D.C., the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center has an absorbing summer program that includes reading and athletics. In Indiana, summer learning labs provided supplemental activities in English and Language Arts, as well as mathematics. Parents — talk to a teacher, get on the internet and find a program for your child.

Charlie Rangel, the ‘Lion Of Lenox,’ Blazed a Trail With Courage, Conviction and Humor

National Urban League Legislative Policy Conference, a staff member introduced herself as one of his constituents.

Charlie Rangel wasn’t just a congressman — he was a statesman in every sense of the word. His impact stretched far beyond Harlem, far beyond New York — into the very heart of American politics.

— Rev. Michael Faulkner

As then-U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel waited to receive an award at a

May 25 marked five years since the murder of George Floyd. Floyd’s death should never stop being a catalyst for social change. His death illustrates how a typical, nonviolent encounter with law enforcement can go wrong, resulting in another needless death of an innocent person. His death revealed the depth of our commitments to humanity as individuals

“Why, then, you’re the most important person in the world!” Rangel responded.

It was no exaggeration. Throughout his astounding 46 years in the House of Representatives, Rangel advocated fiercely for the diverse communities in his New York City district, including the National Urban League’s new headquarters in Harlem.

The federal Empowerment Zone

project he spearheaded was instrumental in revitalizing urban neighborhoods across the nation. The Low Income Housing Tax Credit legislation he authored financed the majority of affordable housing built over a decade. He also championed the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which created employment opportunities for thousands of young people, veterans and ex-offenders. A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, he blazed a trail as the first Black chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

Such was his commitment to his constituents that he risked reelection to defy his own party when he felt their interests were at risk.

Known as “the Lion of Lenox” — after Harlem’s main thoroughfare — Rangel was the last surviving member of the “elder statesmen” of Harlem known as the Gang of Four, along with David N. Dinkins, the first Black New York City mayor; Manhattan Borough President Percy E. Sutton; and New York state Sen. and Secretary of State Basil A. Paterson.

When Rangel helped found the

Congressional Black Caucus in 1971, there were just 12 members, including such icons as John Conyers. All of them were included on then-President Richard Nixon’s infamous master list of political enemies.

Within 10 years, membership had more than doubled to 26. Today, there are 62 members, including the highest-ranking Democrat, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Rangel’s astounding political career sprang from unlikely beginnings. He

and a nation. For more than nine minutes, while police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the back of Floyd’s neck, Floyd repeatedly cried out, “I can’t breathe,” which became a protest slogan against police brutality. I do not believe any human being, Black, white or brown, should die in police custody under those circumstances. Nor do I think a person’s life should be taken away over a counterfeit $20 bill. Many people who shared that sentiment protested nationally and worldwide in record numbers. As we live in a nation where many

people view situations through a racial lens rather than a lens of humanity and common decency, all citizens have the moral responsibility to resist any form of inhumane treatment at the hands of police officers regardless of the race of the victim or the officer.

The George Floyd protest movement began hours after his murder, when protests in support of police accountability and racial justice started in Minneapolis and then spread quickly nationwide and to more than 2,000 cities and towns in more than 60 countries. Polls estimated that

between 15 million and 26 million people had participated in demonstrations in the United States at some point. In the aftermath of Floyd’s murder, there was a surge in support for DEI initiatives and calls for police reform. Unfortunately, the surge could not be sustained.

Trump was under tremendous pressure to respond during his first term as president. At the time of the protest movement, Trump issued an executive order to reform policing, which included tightened useof-force rules, banned chokeholds,

steered federal dollars toward state and local police that meet certain standards, and encouraged initiatives that better address vulnerable populations’ needs and lessen the burdens that law enforcement face in responding to them. The public pressure placed on Trump made a difference in his actions.

If you take away the pressure and exposure of national and worldwide protests, the true Trump is free to emerge and lead the backlash against

Page 53

David W. Marshall

MALVEAUX

George Floyd’s Death Should Not Be in Vain

MARSHALL

Guest Columnist

Guest Columnist

Guest Columnist

With so many women in this country never having a “snowball’s chance in hell” to participate or lead in many of the advantages most white men have just for being a white man, I will never understand how some women who are placed in positions of authority, knowing they’re there specifically to be used against other women and people of color, still cooperate in trying to hurt them!

Too Many Women Cooperate in Trying to Bring Down Other Women Why D.C. Needs to Focus on the Health of Black Men: A Call

They know most of them aren’t really in charge of anything, except watching the boss’s back. In most cases, they were chosen to prevent criticism of sexism by the males who chose them. So, let’s take a look at Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general. She must know this was her big chance to treat women and people of color fairly — something many in her party don’t do. She wasn’t chosen because she was the most qualified. How could she not know she was chosen to take on cases about and against women so that the one who chose her could be comfortable taking away rights from

Take a moment to think about the men in your life that you hold dear. Once the person comes to mind, ask yourself these questions: Have they experienced any health issues in their lifetime? If so, what kind of care were they able to access based on their socioeconomic status?

If they were not able to receive adequate care, what were the barriers that

women — and not be labeled sexist! Let’s face it. She came out of Florida with some of the worst records of cases about women and people of color. Now, here she is at the top of the chain that has as its priority to “put us in our place.” She knew her job was to get the liberal women, get the Black people, get the poor people, get the immigrants, get anybody who has not shown favoritism to the man who put her in charge of justice! She knows she is not the most qualified person who could have been chosen, so she’s got to be tougher, willing to defend everything her white

Guest Columnists

made it difficult to access it?

June now comes with the expectancy of Men’s Health Month. This nationwide health initiative and the city of Washington have a shared commonality; the health status of men calls for attention. The Health Alliance Network, led by Ward 7 resident and activist Ambrose Lane Jr., advocates for a renewed focus on the health of Black men.

The District of Columbia has approximately 700,000 residents and 46.4% of those residents identify as

Black or African American; though, the city has the largest life expectancy gap between Black and white populations in the United States. A study conducted by Benjamins et al. on mortality in the 30 most populous cities in the U.S., found that the racial disparities in Washington were the highest among all of the cities. Another study by Hashemian et al. found that the overall mortality rate of the white population in D.C. has decreased since the year 2000, while the mortality rate of the Black population in D.C. has increased since 2012.

male boss wants her to do. We never heard Bondi mention New York Attorney General Letitia James. The orange man has had it in for Attorney General James since the time he was convicted in New York. Until then, his modus operandi was throwing a rock and hiding his hand. He blames AG James for his convictions in New York. So, with all the problems in this administration, you’d think Ms. Bondi would be busy going after the real criminals.

Instead, her FBI has officially opened a criminal investigation into James. For

the moment, it’s obvious this is nothing more than the orange man zeroing in on his Tish James Revenge Plans!

Knowing how the orange man operates, let’s not assume anything about this case other than revenge. Those of us who know AG James have faith in her great work and will not jump to conclusions that will prevent her from doing her job.

Keep DA Fani Willis’ case in your prayers, too. That’s a case still out there on behalf of the orange man. The

This has caused the health disparities between the Black and white populations in the city to worsen over the past two decades.

The question at hand is, how did the District get to this point? To understand this multifaceted answer, we need to look at the risk factors that continue to affect the lives of men, specifically Black men within the District of Columbia.

The 51st, a new local news publication, quoted a native Washingtonian and a local health care worker stating, “Black men didn’t just start dying.

to Action

We’ve been dying for decades as a direct result of opioid use disorder.” During the decades of the 1960s and 1970s, D.C. was under the stronghold of a heroin epidemic. The realities of those, specifically Black men, who underwent the use and abuse of heroin are now currently suffering from fentanyl overdose. In 2023, 96% of D.C.’s overdose fatalities were due to fentanyl and the pervasiveness of the opioid in current drugs. Higgins, Grablick, and Pelt, writ-

LANE/GUTHRIE Page 54

When Demagogues Blame the Vulnerable, We All Lose

In hard times, people look for answers. The decimation of American manufacturing starting in the 1990s with trade agreements like NAFTA led to decades of downward economic mobility for working families. That creates ripe conditions for demagogues to come out of the woodwork offering an easy answer for people’s pain. And if history teaches us anything, that answer

is usually someone else to blame. Today’s anti-immigrant movement follows the same dangerous pattern: stoke fear, tell lies and divide working people against each other. We should recognize the humanity of people fleeing poverty, violence or climate chaos, who come here with little more than the hope they will find opportunity and be treated with dignity. Instead we get bombarded with claims that immigrants are taking jobs, draining welfare programs and driving up crime.

Let’s be clear — the data says otherwise.

Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens, according to studies from the Cato Institute and the American Immigration Council. They contribute more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. And far from taking jobs, immigrant labor fills critical shortages in health care, construction, farming and more — keeping our economy going while supporting their families and ours.

The myths persist because the truth is harder to confront. Our economy has failed too many people for too long. Factory towns across the Midwest and

elsewhere are hollowed out. Wages have stagnated. Housing costs have skyrocketed. College debt weighs down the next generation before they can even begin. When real solutions feel out of reach, fear finds a foothold.

But the solution is not scapegoating. The solution is building.

Right now, the green economy is our best shot at economic revival. Spurred on by legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are opening new factories for wind turbines, electric school buses and solar panels. We are building a

power grid for the next century. We are creating careers — not just jobs — that pay well, reduce pollution and lower energy bills.

This transition is already underway. But the budget reconciliation bill just passed by the U.S. House and heading to the Senate attempts to bring it to a grinding halt. Instead of investing in the jobs that will power the global economy, the bill guts clean energy funding. It slashes Medicaid and food assistance for working families to pay

Page 54

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

Ambrose Lane Jr. and Micailah Guthrie WILLIAMS Page 54

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

June is nothing short of a month filled with cultural excellence and bustling nightlife, such as D.C.’s Caribbean Film Fest and WorldPride Parade, followed by the rhythmic sounds of the New Legacy Jazz Band and Afro-Cuban artist Pedrito Martinez.

Plus, dive into some unique histories and educational opportunities. To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar!

THURSDAY, JUNE 5

AI Advantage: Building, Integrating & Scaling AI for Your Business

6 p.m. | Free Maryland Innovation Center, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr, Columbia, MD 21046

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way businesses operate, but where do to start? Join the Howard County Economic Development Authority for “AI-Powered Growth: How to Use Artificial Intelligence to Transform Your Business,” an engaging session designed for business owners at all levels of AI understanding.

Led by Jason Michael Perry, fractional chief AI officer, this event will tackle areas such as: which AI tools and agents can help advance businesses; how AI can improve customer experience and efficiency; as well as the best ways to integrate AI into operations.

Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve!

A History of the Movie Musical:

From ‘The Jazz Singer’ to ‘A Star is Born’ 6:30 p.m. | $25.00 for non-members Virtual Zoom Presentation

As soon as movies could talk, they began to sing and dance, and musicals quickly became among the most popular film genres in America.

Over the next nine decades, the movie musical evolved to embrace every type of performance, from operetta to rock and soul, tap to ballet. Musicals drew on Broadway hits and original creations from composers like Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin.

Join media historian Brian Rose as he traces the history of this uniquely American form and shows more than 30 excerpts spotlighting artists including Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, the Nicholas Brothers, Gene Kelly, and the Beatles.

FRIDAY, JUNE 6

Madams of DC Walking Tour

7 p.m. | $30.00

Federal Triangle, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Washington experienced an unprecedented rise in prostitution during and after the Civil War, a period in which Pennsylvania Avenue became D.C.’s most notorious red-light district.

From the ramshackle “boarding houses” of Murder Bay to the glamorous pleasure houses of Marble Alley, and the rising “female lobbyist,” this tour introduces participants to some of the most notorious women of mid19th Century D.C. – all within sight of the U.S. Capitol.

Culminating at the National Museum of the American Indian, the route starts at the Willard Intercontinental and travels down Pennsylvania Avenue, the main thoroughfare along which D.C.’s red-light district arose.

2025 DC Caribbean FilmFest Opening Night

7 p.m. | $13.00

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

DC Caribbean FilmFest opens with “Panazz: The Story,” featuring a Q&A with filmmaker Barry Bartholomew, plus a post-screening reception

“Panazz: The Story” chronicles the formation, impact and legacy of one of the most influential and genre-defying steel-pan ensembles to emerge from Trinidad and Tobago, coupled with original compositions, steel-pan arrangements from Panazz’s five re-released albums, and emotionally resonant storytelling.

Through intimate interviews, archival performances and breathtaking visuals of the Trinidad and Tobago landscape, this documentary invites audiences to explore how a small Caribbean band defied social expectations and changed the global perception of what steel-pan music and performance could be.

Don’t miss out on a powerful celebration of innovation, resilience and cultural pride.

SATURDAY, JUNE 7

WorldPride DC 2025 Parade

2 - 6 p.m. | Free 14th and T Streets NW to Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Streets NW

The iconic Capital Pride Parade will transform into the iconic WorldPride Parade on Saturday, June 7, marking an emblematic of the historic Pride movement.

Starting in the vibrant Logan Circle neighborhood and winding its way to

Downtown D.C., the parade transforms Pennsylvania Avenue into a colorful corridor of joy, with the iconic U.S. Capitol as a stunning backdrop. Joined by ornate floats, grand marshals, and a vast array of groups representing the LGBTQ+ community, the parade will honor Pride history and acknowledge the evolution of the LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in Washington, D.C.

Plus, continue the celebrations with the free two-day Street Festival + Concert – featuring musical acts and performances from international headliners to some of the top local and regional LGBTQ+ talent.

Pedrito Martinez

8 p.m. | $20 - 25.00 Prince George’s Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20784

Pedrito Martinez is a Cuban percussionist, drummer, singer, songwriter, and composer originally from Havana, Cuba. A consummate master of Afro-Cuban folkloric music and the batá drum, he is also the world’s first call rumbero—playing, singing, and dancing with dozens of Cuban rumba groups.

With the May 30 release of his new album, “Ilusión Óptica,” Martinez is bringing a musical experience full of twists and turns and unexpected stops that resolve into ferocious grooves sure to keep the body moving.

SUNDAY, JUNE 8

The Arlington Triathlon 7:30 a.m. | Based on event category

Washington-Liberty Aquatics Center, 1301 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA 22201

Featuring a pool swim, a closed circuit bike course and a mostly track run, the Arlington Triathlon is a kids-only race intended to encourage children to have fun while participating in physical activities. The swim-bike-run disciplines of triathlon are life-long sports that support a healthy lifestyle from childhood through adulthood. Further, the event serves in memory of Anne Viviani, not only Arlington’s most highly accomplished triathlete, but arguably one of the best in the world, having won multiple national and world titles.

All participants in the triathlon are required to be annual youth members of USA Triathlon. Memberships cost $10, and may be purchased as part of the event’s registration process.

PRJC Presents: The Alan Dale New Legacy Jazz Band 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. | $25.85+ for non-members

Rosensteel Hall, 9707 Rosensteel Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910

The New Legacy Jazz Band has performed for heads of state, congressmen, and embassies – and now, for The Potomac River Jazz Club.

Here’s a swinging afternoon of hot jazz with drummer Alan Dale’s New Legacy Jazz Band belting out New Orleans jazz and swing from the 20’s and 30’s, including a dance floor, free parking, and a cash bar with snacks and beverages available.

Come hear what the talk is all about!

WI

5This year’s Capital Pride Parade (pictured in 2024) is merging with DC WorldPride 2025 to transform Pennsylvania Avenue into a colorful corridor of joy, ornate floats, grand marshals, and vast recognition for the LGBTQ+ community. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

‘Sacred Spaces’ Reimagines African American Heritage With A Year-Round Tribute to Black Culture

In his Solo Exhibit Debut, DMV-Based Artist Tackles Youth Representation, Sustainability, Identity

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

After a year-and-a-half of planning and a push to launch during Black History Month, DMV-based mixed media artist Jabari Jefferson is redefining art history with the premiere of his first solo exhibition, “Sacred Spaces,” an homage to African American heritage with a taste of recreation.

Showcasing sustainable technology, cultural influence, and a large-scale community installation, the latest addition to Maryland’s Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum bridges history and innovation to propose a reimagined take on the breadth and ambiguity of the Black diaspora.

“You can and should take time to learn in school, but also it’s really important to learn from the people around you. Learning from your elders, learning from your peers, sometimes history is not always in books,” said museum exhibit manager, Leslie Rose. “I think Jabari is often encouraging people to chase after information, and when they have this feeling that something is happening, something else is out there.”

“Sacred Spaces” debuts in a crucial time for African American history, as the future of education standards and landmark institutions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, remain in limbo amid legislative efforts to dismantle Black history.

Now on display through Dec. 31, Jefferson applauded the opportunity to merge his passion for Black studies with the love of his craft, offering a counter approach in a moment he deemed most proficient.

“You’re seeing people…taking the reins and writing history as they see fit, and so it’s a wonderful time for all people to be able to take their interpretation of history…and explore it,” he told The Informer, “and save it in their minds and hearts as they see fit.”

SACRED SPACES: A TRIBUTE TO THE DMV

For Jefferson, a native Washing-

tonian, the process of curating the various pieces called for spiritual guidance and inspiration across various sectors— from pop culture references and studied interpretations, to African proverbs and hands-on contributions from local residents.

The three-story exhibit presents a collection of oil paintings, sculptures, and nearly 20-foot public installations, fusing sustainable practices and technologies such as augmented reality and illusive stained glass, which Jefferson attributed to ancestral origins.

By design, much of the exhibition combines a broad take on African American culture with staples of the DMV.

One particular piece touted at the exhibit’s opening, during a “Meet Me in the Gallery” series with Martina Dodd, curator of Collections and Exhibitions, shone a young Harriet Tubman as British actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed the renowned abolitionist in the 2019 biopic “Harriet.”

Jefferson shared his interpretation of Tubman as one of beauty in juxtaposition to her legacy of strength. His intent to color the artifactual piece with a feminine touch centered Erivo as a reflection of Tubman’s youth, surrounded in armor regalia with a “high priest” look as a nod to the freedom fighter’s resilience.

“And just like that, [I’m] rewriting history,” Jefferson said, emphasizing the difference between “making things up” and simply reviving documented truths. “It’s not the [historic figure] that needs to change, it’s the reimagination of that person that may need to be updated and refreshed. And so that’s where I come in.”

A masteract in mixed media, “Sacred Spaces” leverages salvaged materials such as textile, books, clothing, found objects and other artifacts to illustrate luminosity and vitalize the stories of everyday people, objects, and histories – which Dodd and Rose chopped up to an exemplar of “good art.”

“History is alive. [It’s] not something that is only in the past, it’s some-

thing that we’re constantly being influenced by,” Rose told The Informer. “Especially the work that Jabari is addressing…so much of it is understudied, so much of it deserves a continual conversation.”

Similarly, Dodd highlighted the exhibit as a way to challenge notions of identification and provoke a conversation on the power and responsibility of representation.

Sculpted tributes to Maryland natives like Tubman and Benjamin Banneker, revered in his piece as a legend of Washington, honored the trailblazers’ legacies with literal scraps of their home state: derived soil from different parts of Maryland and clothes thrifted

SACRED SPACES Page 34

June 17-22 ONLY!

5 The latest addition to the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, “Sacred Spaces” premieres a masterclass in mixed media, honoring African American heritage with intentionally crafted oil paintings, sculptures, and installations that challenge ideas of cultural identity and social perception. (Jada Ingleton/The Washington Informer)

and gifted locally.

Meanwhile, the community-wide installations of the first floor captured the essence of African American culture evident throughout the DMV and beyond, from monumental influencers in the realms of sports and entertainment, to showcasing Black individuals at several Metro stops in the nation’s capital.

In a post-launch interview with The Informer, Dodd addressed the need to protect cultural institutions as a space where Black stories can thrive with each generation, applauding Jefferson and contemporary artists alike for using art as an intercultural tool for preservation.

“We’re not only the namesakes of these individuals, but we also are collectors of their stories, and these range from artworks made in honor of these people,” said the museum curator. “We want to make sure that we are set up for those who are here after us, that they can add context around what we’re doing. We’re making new history for everyone to interact with.”

PRESERVING BLACK HISTORY THROUGH THE NEXT CLASS OF ‘BORN ARTISTS’

At the Feb. 8 opening, Jefferson spotlighted one of his favorite pieces entitled “Born Artist,” a collaborative effort based on a photograph taken years before of a former student on the cusp of becoming an art prodigy.

The piece first came to life during Jefferson’s previous residency in Bed-Stuy, New York, where he enlisted the help of his then-8-year-old “gallery daughter” to encapsulate a child’s imagination in the body of work, which notably features an art monster, a fox and unicorn. For Jefferson, the muse was the limitless potential of youth creatives.

“I wanted to capture the idea that we live in a renaissance time in which young children, especially in Black communities, get to pursue art with [fewer] obstacles and oppositions because of artists everywhere…proving that you can achieve art and do fantastic things in

it,” he told The Informer. Through field trips, community-based workshops, and a relationship with the Visual Arts department at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Jefferson has created a space for the future molders of history, even opting to showcase student contributions in several of the sacred pieces donning through the year’s end.

Dodd and Jefferson spoke to the symbolism of the Sankofa bird present in one installation, a nod to the potent African proverb of moving forward by looking back.

Being that Sankofas are the only birds that look backwards to fly forward, the symbol was both fitting and reflective of a broader mission to build legacies through the connective stories of Black ancestry. By empowering youth to “continue the work,” Dodd said there is a future where African American history and culture thrives, but it starts with recognizing “today’s present as tomorrow’s archive.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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5 Martina Dodd joins DMV-based mixed media artist and creator of “Sacred Spaces,” Jabari Jefferson in conversation at the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum earlier this year. Jefferson told The Informer this exhibit is especially personal as it’s his first time hosting a project in his home region. (Courtesy Photo/Jabari Jefferson, Instagram)

SACRED

LIFESTYLE

Roots Picnic 2025: A Nourishment of Mind, Body & Soul

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer

On the heels of June’s Black Music Month, an estimated 30,000 people from across the country poured into The Mann at Fairmount Park for a weekend of celebrating Black music, culture, unity and resilience at the Roots Picnic 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 31-June 1.

The event featured world-renowned artists including Maxwell, Glorilla, Latto, Musiq Soulchild, Jeezy, Tems, Miguel, Kaytranada, KUR, Laila!, Lenny Kravitz, Meek Mill, and D.C.’s own Backyard Band.

Although the main focus was music, many advocacy organizations and food vendors engaged with attendees throughout the venue to promote positive resources for those seeking services related to physical, social and mental health.

On the physical health side, Double Dutch group, Philly Girls Jump, entertained attendees while recruiting members to their community.

“[Roots Picnic] sent us an email and I quickly and excitedly responded with an overwhelming yes,” said Tanisha Rinehardt, co-founder of Philly Girls Jump. “Double dutch is part of the culture– just like music is– and we want to empower the vision of joy and build a community.”

Yoga instructor Coach Shay, founder of Inner Sanctuary Well-

ness, said she was enthusiastic about bringing her Wellness Lounge to the music festival, sharing the benefits of being able to engage with attendees at such an occasion.

“I’m here to provide moments of relaxation and decompression for people attending the Roots Picnic,” she told The Informer.

After hours of walking through Fairmount Park, attendees could lay back and relax in the Wellness Lounge, while waiting for their favorite artists to perform on stage.

Coach Shay, a certified Sound Therapist, advocated that maintaining self-care is essential to well-being.

“In a world where we’re told to keep moving, hustle and push,” she said, “we [rarely] take a moment for ourselves and I think it’s really important even at a place like Roots Picnic.”

For local food truck owner Torri Burrell, it was a blessing having her pastry business, K’Tor Etair, attend the picnic and sell her sweets to attendees.

“I’m just here enjoying the environment and I’m grateful for this opportunity,” she told The Informer.

Tone H., a cook from Grayson & Kash Cafe in Philadelphia, echoed those sentiments.

“We’re here today to get more exposure, enjoy the festivities and share some of this good food that we got,” he exclaimed.

5 A welcome sign at Roots Picnic 2025 at The Mann in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ Abraham Alexander

LIFESTYLE

PICNIC from Page 35

RAIN DOESN’T STOP THE BEAUTY OF ‘ROOTS PICNIC ENERGY’

Throughout Saturday’s festivities, rain storms ensued periodically, but that didn’t stop the fun and excitement in the atmosphere.

“[I] can’t wait for those good headliners like Miguel, Maxwell and Musiq Soulchild to come on stage!” said attendee, Shabrea Garvie.

Artists like KUR, an up-andcoming Philadelphia-based rapper,

was in awe of the crowd’s electricity.

“That Roots Picnic energy is crazy,” he said. “[They need to] book me every year so we can turn it out.”

Laila!, a 19-year-old R&B singer was also excited about her debut at the event.

“This is my first time performing at Roots Picnic,” she told The Informer. “I can’t wait. I feel like Philly is going to turn up and it’s going to be lit.”

The daughter of the rapper commonly known as known as Mos Def, or Yasiin Bey, Laila!’s biggest inspiration for getting into music is R&B singer Brandy, and she hopes her performance can impact someone attending like the legendary artist did for her.

“I just hope that they feel inspired and [realize] they can do whatever they want to do,” she said. “I took a risk coming out of high school [to pursue] music and I’m really grateful that I’m able to do what I love.”

‘IT’S ALL LOVE OUT HERE’

of reaching many of the people in their target audience to raise awareness and offer resources.

“We want to erase the stigma, provide easy access to mental health services and provide an opportunity to start conversations that are lacking in the Black community,” said Hans Bernier, a Black Men Heal advocate.

The nonprofit offers eight weeks of counseling and a monthly support group, called King’s Corner, all free of charge and fully virtual. While the organization originated in Philadelphia, it has branched out to 10 states including Texas, Georgia, New York and Florida.

The combination of advocacy groups, delicious food, and live entertainment made Roots Picnic a safe, positive and unifying atmosphere in the heart of Philadelphia.

“Black Mafia Family” actor Da’Vinchi said he enjoyed witnessing everyone spreading “brotherly love.”

“It’s amazing to be part of this, sharing love with [the people of] Philly,” he told The Informer. “It’s all love out here.”

In addition to celebrating music, Roots Picnic offered the ability to discuss serious topics and spread positivity in the city of brotherly love.

During this challenging and divisive time in the nation, attendee Monica Hodnett from Silver Spring, Maryland, emphasized the powerful nature of music and Roots Picnic.

Black Men Heal— a nonprofit created by Black women, advocating for mental health checks and treatment among Black men— attended the festival in hopes

“There is always a message in music. It’s healing, It’s therapeutic and it brings back memories,” she emphasized. “It’s the only thing that brings us all together.” WI

ROOT

5 D.C.’s legendary go-go group, Backyard Band performing at Roots Picnic 2025. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

5 Attendees fill the park grounds to watch Glorilla perform her set at Roots Picnic 2025. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

BLACK MUSIC MONTH

Bassist Stanley Clarke Ignites the Kennedy Center

Brenda C. Siler

WI Contributing Writer

Whether a Stanley Clarke fan for more than 50 years or recently turned on to his infectious sound, fans welcomed the bassist and composer to a sold-out Kennedy Center performance and a standing ovation as soon as he stepped onstage with his” N 4Ever” band on May 31.

“It sounds exactly like Stanley,” said Arlington resident David Loevinger about the opening. “I’ve been a fan since the mid-70s. He looked so relaxed, pleased, comfortable, young, and energized.”

Clarke is a five-time Grammy Award winner and a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master.

He played with other artists, but his rise to fame began when he co-found-

ed Return to Forever, the jazz fusion group, with fellow NEA Jazz Master the late Chick Corea. Their group has been considered one of the most influential jazz fusion groups during the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s.

It was an exciting time in music with the mash-up of traditional jazz merged with rock music.

“I used to get a kick out of the jazz critics that put us down as if we were being dishonest,” said Clarke about reactions to jazz fusion in a NEA Jazz Masters podcast. “In fact, we were the honest ones. We were putting everything out there.”

His solo work and collaborations with the late George Duke elevated Clarke’s profile even more. For over 50 years, he has enjoyed an illustrious career in jazz as a recording artist, performer, composer, conductor, arranger, producer, and film score composer.

His scores include “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” “Poetic Justice,” “The Best Man Holiday,” “Barbershop: The Next Cut,”

and more.

Clarke’s “Band N 4Ever” included keyboardist Cameron Graves, saxophonist Emilio Modeste, violinist Evan Garr, drummer Jeremiah Collier, and guitarist Colin Cook, who graduated from D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

It’s a tight band where arrangements allow for each musician to spotlight their talent.

The process known in jazz as “trading eights,” where musicians hand off to one another for eight bars of music, was heard frequently during the perfor-

mance on May 31, just ahead of June’s Black Music Month kick off.

Clarke played acoustic bass for this concert until the group returned for an encore to perform one of his biggest hits, “School Days,” when Clarke switched to the electric bass.

Unable to hold back their excitement, the audience rushed the stage.

“The Kennedy Center has volume restrictions, and we had to be careful,” said pianist Graves, who convinced Clarke to go for it with “School Days.” “It was such a rock and roll moment.” WI @bcscomm

5 Bassist Stanley Clarke and violinist Evan Garr deliver a sold-out show with the N 4Ever band at the Kennedy Center on May 31. (Brenda C. Siler/The Washington Informer)

5 Saxophonist Emilio Modeste, guitarist Colin Cook, a graduate of D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and band leader and bassist Stanley Clarke, performing at the Kennedy Center on May 31 in the N 4Ever band. (Brenda C. Siler/The Washington Informer)

explained, it remains to be seen how, or whether, the District’s proposed $1 billion investment will yield highwage jobs with benefits for those working in the hotels, restaurants and other areas of commerce throughout the 180 acres of public land.

“They have made no commitment [at] this point to create good jobs there,” said Schwalb, executive secretary treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 25, which represents more than 7,500 non-managerial hospitality workers in the D.C. metropolitan area. “The kind of jobs we’d like to see…are union jobs, either in the concessions, in the parking lot, in the hotels, or in the restaurants. Until we have those commitments, we’re going to be opposing the project.”

Last summer, after months of negotiations with more than 20 hotels and restaurants, members of UNITE HERE Local 25 approved a four-year contract. Provisions include: a morethan-25% wage increase over four years, medical, vision, and dental coverage for workers and their families, an expanded pension package, no combination of job duties, and the guarantee of a positive work environment.

With development on RFK campus tentatively scheduled for later this year, members of UNITE HERE Local 25 and other unions are engaging in conversation with D.C. Council members and Commanders officials about the yet-to-be-solidified community benefits agreement.

As outlined in legislation that Bowser introduced, that community benefits agreement would need to be created in consultation with residents, labor groups and other stakeholders. Schwalb said that creates plenty of opportunity for workers to make their voices heard. UNITE HERE Local 25 members have started doing so, specifically at a town hall that D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) organized.

That’s where, he said, members made clear their intentions this budget season.

“We believe that the developer, the team here— the Commanders— given the amount of money that the city is investing, should produce jobs that have a living wage, that provide health care for workers and their families, and provide a path to retirement,” Schwalb told The Informer. “We think that there are parts of this development that actually could be great for workers in D.C. and great for the economy in D.C., but… I don’t think that the city should be investing in developments

5Legendary Washington Football franchise player Doug Williams remembers his time playing at RFK Stadium when saying farewell to the old site in December 2022. With renovations tentatively set to start later this year, union members and labor advocates are gearing up to participate in budget hearings and make the case for a community benefits agreement that guarantees high wages and benefits for workers at RFK campus. (WI File Photo)

where the likely outcome is poverty-level jobs.”

The Washington Commanders didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

D.C. COUNCIL

WORKS TO FINALIZE RFK STADIUM DEAL WHILE FOCUSING ON 2026 BUDGET, WARD 8 CANDIDATES WEIGH IN

D.C. Councilmember Wendell Felder (D-Ward 7) told The Informer that his office has examined community benefits agreements for other stadiums. He also mentioned ongoing engagement with the Ward 7 residents via surveys, listening sessions, and outreach to Ward 7 advisory neighborhood commissions for the creation of a resolution.

These efforts, Felder said, will culminate in a package he will present to his council colleagues during the budget deliberation process.

“What we’ve heard to date were funds to support educational programs, youth programs, businesses to support small and local businesses, more jobs dedicated to Ward 7 neighbors,” Felder said. “We’re going to try to support the desires of as many neighbors as possible. We think [with] a project [of] this magnitude, there’s a lot of room for additional community benefits.”

As it relates to employment, Felder said he has his eyes on the economic well-being of his constituents.

“As we continue negotiations with the Commanders, as well as the community, I’ve expressed the desire to make sure that we have as many jobs as possible,” Felder told The Informer.

BRAVEBOY from Page 1

supporters, her family, and her sorority sisters. She pledged to fulfill the “promise of Prince George’s County”, and to begin the work of cleaning up Prince George’s County.

“This is the first time in a very long time that we have had a united executive and legislative branch. We are working in lockstep with our school board, our delegates and senators, our Central Committee members— all of us who have been elected to serve, are promising to serve you and not ourselves,” Braveboy said, celebrating her victory. “We will put your hopes, your dreams, your issues first.”

In the preliminary results released at 9:30 p.m. on June 3, Braveboy received 24,710 votes while White received 2,886 votes.

5Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy celebrates winning the county executive special election with Maryland State Sen. C. Anthony Muse at SoBe Restaurant and Lounge in Seabrook, Maryland on June 3. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

“Short-term and permanent jobs on the site for Ward 7 neighbors.”

The D.C. Council is scheduled to finalize the RFK stadium deal— and other aspects of the Fiscal Year 2025 supplemental and Fiscal Year 2026 budgets and the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Act— by late July, which is well after when council members usually break for summer recess. The community benefits agreement process will likely bear similarity to what transpired in deliberations between the D.C. Council, Monumental Sports, and developers during the latter part of last year.

This summer marks another milestone— the election of Ward 8’s newest council member. Whoever takes on that role will likely be able to weigh in on the future of RFK campus, particularly as it relates to jobs.

On Monday night, three of the four Ward 8 D.C. Council special election candidates— Advisory Neighborhood Commission Chairman Salim Adofo (8C), Mike Austin, and Sheila Bunn— explored this topic while attending a candidate forum at Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast.

Austin, a proponent of economic development, ushered the call for well-paying, skills-based jobs.

“I’m not just talking about lowwage concession jobs, I’m not just talking about parking lot jobs. I’m talking about real jobs, transformational jobs,” Austin told an audience of more than 100 Ward 8 residents who attended the forum, moderated by Tom Sherwood of WAMU 88.5. “Ward 8 has to benefit. Ward 7 has to benefit. We have to use local CBEs. We have to make sure they’re putting aside jobs and CBE preferences for Ward 7 and 8 businesses.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Interim County Executive Tara Jackson has been serving since December after U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks was elected to the Senate and resigned from her position leading Prince George’s.

Braveboy is entering office amid serious economic concerns for Prince George’s, including the closing of Six Flags and the Trump Administration’s efforts to fire federal workers and shrink the federal government.

However, despite the shifts the county is navigating, the state’s attorney turned county executive-elect is excited about taking on and overcoming challenges with innovative ideas.

“While some might look at it as assets leaving, I look at it as an opportunity to create something bigger and better,”

Braveboy, who has served as Prince George’s State’s Attorney since 2018, recently told NBC Washington.

The newly elected county executive also expressed support for community policing, tutoring programs, and partnering with local businesses.

“I am confident but not cocky, that we have done what we needed to do to secure a victory,” she said. “I want to unify the county, focus on cleaning up the county, expanding our commercial tax base, and increasing public safety.”

Braveboy won in a contested Democratic primary against former County Executive Rushern Baker, County Councilmembers Calvin Hawkins (D-At-Large) and Jolene Ivey (D-AtLarge), the latter of whom dropped out of the race three weeks before the special primary, State Sen.Alonzo Washington (D- District 22), and several others.

“I called Aisha Braveboy this morning to congratulate her on her victory, and I stand ready to support her in tackling the challenges ahead,” said former Executive Baker in his concession statement in March. He pledged to support her, and continue his service on behalf

of Prince George’s. Hawkins, her county executive race former competitor, also offered kind words and well wishes to the new County Executive.

“Congratulations to Aisha Braveboy on her victory,” the at-large council member said. “I look forward to working alongside her in moving our county forward.”

Activist and former Board of Education Member Belinda Queen cited Braveboy as caring, accessible, and focused on the concerns of her constituents.

“Aisha Braveboy has attended and support more events than most of the leaders. She has done her best to be available and to serve the entire County,” she said.

SHAYLA ADAMSSTAFFORD WINS DISTRICT 5 COUNCIL RACE

In addition to the county executive faceoff was the race to fill the District 5 Prince George’s County Council seat, which became available when Councilmember Ivey won a special election to fill a vacant At-Large position.

Former Board of Education member Shayla Adams-Stafford (D) defeated Cheverly activist Fred Price Jr. (R) to fill the vacancy in District 5, which includes Glenn Dale, Glenarden, and Cheverly. Adams-Stafford received 2,230 votes while Price received 171 votes in the Election Night tallies.

“We are so disconnected in our ability to advocate. We can’t properly push developers to bring the type of development we want to see,” she said in an interview shortly after announcing her campaign in December. “We can’t show up to these meetings in mass because you can barely get an understanding of when they are and I just think that that’s unfortunate.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

In 1980, a search began for an artist to design a special monument to honor the members of the military who died fighting in the Vietnam War. A contest was announced, and artists from coast to coast sent in designs.

Maya Lin’s Unique Memorial Design

A memorial ______________ by a young college student named Maya Lin was chosen. Her design was _________ any other memorial in America. And at first, many people didn’t like it because it looked so _____________.

Maya Lin’s design was two long black granite _________ that formed a V shape. On the shiny and smooth __________ of the wall are the __________ of more than 58,000 soldiers who died or went missing in the Vietnam War.

In the United States, the last Monday in May every year is Memorial Day. It’s a special day for us to remember those who died while serving our nation in the military and keeping us safe.

A Powerful Monument

Vietnam Veterans

and

and each

Read About Maya Lin

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines

By Jeanne Walker Harvey

Learn more about the artist who created the Vietnam War memorial.

Read about her curiosity about light and lines and how that led to her famous, groundbreaking sculpture.

Visit your local library to find this book. Your friendly librarian can help!

With crayons and paper, make rubbings of di erent surfaces around your home. Place the paper over the surface, and use the side of the crayon to make each rubbing.

Find the words by looking up, down, backwards, forwards, sideways and diagonally.

In 1984, a statue called Three Servicemen was added near the wall. The metal statue was designed by Frederick Hart and honors those who fought and returned from the Vietnam War.

The Vietnam Women’s Memorial, added in 1993, is a sculpture of three servicewomen caring for a wounded soldier. Artist Glenna Goodacre said that the soldier in the sculpture is saved by these brave women.

Memory Game

Ask a friend to study a newspaper photo for one minute. Then cover the picture and have your friend write down as many details as they can remember. Switch places, and you try.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

Write about one of your

© 2025 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 41, No. 26

The

Memorial opened in 1982. Visitors to the monument soon realized how powerful

special Maya Lin’s design was,

year about 5 million people

review wi book

“The Juneteenth

Alphabet” By Andrea Underwood Petifer, illustrated By Ana Latese

c.2025, Duopress/Sourcebooks

$14.99 / 40 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Your parents both hate being late.

It’s never bad to be where you’re supposed to be, you know: on time, ready, and eager for whatever’s next. A party, your church service, lunch at Grandma’s house, it’s always best to arrive at the start with a smile. Being prompt is just good manners or, as you’ll see in “The Juneteenth Alphabet” by Andrea Underwood Petifer, pictures by Ana Latese, it could become a much bigger matter.

After the Civil War ended in April 1865, four million formerly enslaved people embraced the end of bondage, but enslaved people in Texas did not. They weren’t informed of emancipation until much later, not until June 19, 1865. On that day, the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, to spread the good news and there was a jubilee.

That was the first Juneteenth.

There are A-B-Cs for that.

A is for album, a homemade book of memories and clippings so that kids in the future can understand their history. B is for Black and for Beautiful. C is for culture and celebration and community, three very important things to remember on Juneteenth, which began in America but is celebrated in many countries.

G is for Galveston, the city where the celebration was born. H is for healing, but also for HBCUs, or historically Black colleges and universities. K is for secrets being kept, and for families that were kept apart during slavery. And L is for laws — the good ones that made Juneteenth possible, and the bad ones, like Jim Crow laws.

O is for Opal Lee, a real person who worked hard to make Juneteenth a national holiday; she is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” R and S are both important parts of the celebration, Red for the food and drink that are traditional at Juneteenth celebrations, and Sounds and Songs that make the holiday great!

As an adult, you can probably think of many, many other representations for letters of the alphabet that are not inside “The Juneteenth Alphabet.” Civil War, notification, enslavement, parade, your list may be long and what’s here is often a stretch. As an adult, you may think that author Andrea Underwood Petifer missed a few points.

And that’s OK because you’re an adult and this book isn’t for you.

Kids who love to celebrate Juneteenth will enjoy the narrative inside this book, and children who are just learning about the holiday will get a nice, rounded education for it here. Petifer’s A-B-Cs include many sidebars meant to launch discussion with older kids, while Ana Latese’s illustrations will keep younger children interested — and if you still notice omissions, there’s room in both word and photo for parents to make additions. What fun!

This is a great book for kids ages three to five, and it gently leads 6- and 7-year-olds to learn more on their own. If your family has Juneteenth plans this summer, you’ll want “The Juneteenth Alphabet.” Find it now, soon, or better late than never.

WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

JUNE 5 - 11, 2025

ARIES Dynamic energy shifts as Mars influences your action sector, bringing breakthrough moments when strategic patience replaces impulsive reactions. Leadership opportunities emerge when collaborative approaches demonstrate strength through inclusion rather than dominance. Creative projects gain momentum midweek when artistic expression channels competitive drive into innovation. Lucky Numbers: 3, 17, 28

TAURUS Material security expands as Venus blesses your abundance sector, bringing prosperity through methodical strategies that build lasting wealth rather than seeking quick returns. Sensory experiences deepen when mindful appreciation replaces habitual consumption. Communication effectiveness grows midweek when written proposals receive careful attention alongside verbal presentations. Lucky Numbers: 8, 14, 31

GEMINI Mental agility reaches new heights as Mercury activates your intellect sector, bringing understanding through synthesizing diverse information streams that reveal unexpected patterns. Social circles expand when curiosity-driven conversations create genuine bonds beyond surface networking. Travel plans crystallize midweek when spontaneous exploration balances with thoughtful preparation. Lucky Numbers: 5, 19, 33

CANCER Emotional wisdom guides practical decisions as lunar influences strengthen your intuition sector, bringing clarity through trusting inner guidance while maintaining logical evaluation. Family relationships deepen when nurturing actions align with genuine care rather than obligation. Professional collaboration thrives midweek when empathetic understanding guides project management. Lucky Numbers: 2, 12, 26

LEO Creative brilliance captures attention as the Sun illuminates your expression sector, bringing recognition through authentic artistry that inspires rather than entertains audiences. Performance confidence grows when individual talents serve larger purposes beyond personal glory. Technological mastery advances midweek when digital tools enhance rather than replace human creativity. Lucky Numbers: 1, 15, 29

VIRGO Service excellence creates lasting impact as Earth energies stabilize your contribution sector, bringing satisfaction through systematic approaches that solve real problems rather than busy work. Analytical skills deepen when complex data receives careful organization before sharing. Health optimization succeeds midweek when personalized wellness routines replace generic programs. Lucky Numbers: 6, 18, 34

LIBRA Harmonic balance achieves elegant solutions as Venus harmonizes your relationship sector, bringing peace through diplomatic negotiations that honor all perspectives while maintaining authentic values. Aesthetic choices gain practical value when beauty considerations integrate with functional requirements. Financial partnerships flourish midweek when shared decision-making processes respect individual contributions equally. Lucky Numbers: 4, 21, 36

SCORPIO Transformative power intensifies as Pluto activates your regeneration sector, bringing renewal through releasing outdated patterns that constrain evolving identity. Professional influence expands when quiet competence demonstrates authority more effectively than forceful displays. Investigative skills yield significant insights midweek when intuitive hunches guide analytical research approaches. Lucky Numbers: 9, 23, 37

SAGITTARIUS Philosophical understanding translates into practical wisdom as Jupiter expands your knowledge sector, bringing enlightenment through experiences that challenge assumptions while building upon educational foundations. Cultural exchange creates opportunities when international connections transcend superficial tourism. Lucky Numbers: 7, 20, 32

CAPRICORN Structural achievement manifests through persistent effort as Saturn supports your ambition sector, bringing advancement through demonstrated reliability that speaks louder than self-promotion. Traditional methods gain effectiveness when selective innovation enhances rather than replaces proven approaches. Administrative systems improve midweek when organizational strategies consider immediate efficiency and long-term scalability. Lucky Numbers: 11, 16, 35

AQUARIUS Revolutionary insights find practical application as Uranus energizes your innovation sector, bringing solutions through unconventional thinking that addresses collective needs while preserving individual expression. Community involvement deepens when diverse viewpoints receive equal consideration in collaborative planning. Lucky Numbers: 10, 22, 38

PISCES Spiritual integration harmonizes daily life as Neptune blesses your transcendence sector, bringing wisdom through contemplative practices that enhance rather than escape from practical responsibilities. Artistic projects achieve emotional depth when technical proficiency supports rather than constrains authentic creative expression. Lucky Numbers: 13, 24, 30

SPORTS

A Fiery Week in D.C. Sports: Commanders Back in Action, Young Mystics Roar, Tiafoe Shines at U.S. Open, And More

tion heats up following a strong recruitment push by General Manager Adam Peters.

left off showing leadership and top tier precision.

It’s a thrilling time for D.C. sports. The Commanders are back in action with organized team activities (OTAs), the Mystics’ young core is turning heads, Hyattsville’s very own Frances Tiafoe is lighting up the U.S. Open, and so much more.

From rising stars to electrifying moments, here’s everything you need to know from the high-energy week in the heart of the nation’s capital.

COMMANDERS

KICKOFF PHASE 3 OF OTAS

The Washington Commanders are bringing a bold flare to their 2025 campaign as they kick start Phase 3 of organized team activities.

Head Coach Dan Quinn is set

With expectations sky-high after last season’s NFC Championship run, every rep counts. While the roster is looking deeper and more talented, some players are already making bold impressions.

“You got the core guys that set the standard, you know we got those guys back, we’re bringing in new people and you know we’re holding them to that standard,” said Daniels.

Several young standouts are rising to the occasion at the start of Phase 3 OTAs, none more impressive than quarterback Jayden Daniels. After a historic rookie campaign, Daniels returned looking more muscular and polished in form.

With a strengthened offensive line and new weapons at his disposal, he

His unwavering commitment to grow has clearly set the tone in Washington as the franchise is building around him for the long haul. Despite early predictions of a sophomore slump, Daniels continued growth indicates otherwise.

Wide receivers Deebo Samuel Jr. and Jaylin Lane are making bold impressions on offense in OTAs. Samuel is looking leaner and more explosive, while Lane showcased his blazing speed and route-running skills against top defenders.

With Terry McLaurin absent in OTAs amid ongoing contract negotiations, both receivers are capitalizing on their opportunities and demonstrating strong potential to contribute early this upcoming season.

On the defensive side, second year cornerback Mike Sainristil has embraced a bigger role showcasing elite instincts and adaptability in and outside of the slot. With Marshon Lattimore’s absence in voluntary workouts, Sainristil has stepped up as a leader in the secondary, and consistently disrupted receivers during OTAs.

Quinn emphasized hard work will lead the team to a successful season.

“We know everything’s not gonna be given to us,” he said. “We’ve got to go out there and earn it each and every day.”

MYSTICS ROAR OUT OF THREE-GAME SLUMP, ROOKIES MAKE HISTORY ALONG THE WAY

The Washington Mystics secured the first ever WNBA Charm City win

four rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while also hitting a major milestone of 3,000 career points in the WNBA.

HYATTVILLE’S VERY OWN FRANCES

TIAFOE

STORMS INTO FOURTH ROUND OF FRENCH OPEN

Frances Tiafoe, Hyattsville’s dynamic tennis superstar is turning heads in Paris.

The No. 15 seed has stormed his way into round four of the French Open, delivering three straight-set victories that signal that he is locked and ready for more.

with a 83-77 victory over the Indiana Fever on May 28 at CFG Bank Arena, breaking out of their three-game slump.

Despite the Fever not having Caitlin Clark due to a left quadriceps injury strain ruling her out for at least two weeks, the Mystics were determined to make a bold statement playing a hardfought game.

Guard Britney Sykes led the charge racking up 21 points, nine rebounds, and her milestone 1,000 career rebound, also coming up clutch on both ends down the stretch.

Shakira Austin added a season-high of 13 points to the team win as well. Rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron continued to shine as they both extend ed their double-digit scoring streaks to six games.

Iriafen’s 16-point, eight-rebound ef fort reinforced her role as a consistent presence within the inside for Washing ton, while Citron chipped in 13 points and seven boards in poised per formance.

A Nigeri an-American, Iriafen also made WNBA history, becoming the first Mystics rookie to record three consecutive double-doubles, joining the ranks of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Satou Sabally in the record books.

While their win against the Indiana Fever set a new testament to the team’s rebuilding era, their 85-63 loss to New York Liberty shaped the team’s perspec tive moving forward.

Tiafoe started as a force to be reckoned with at Roland-Garros, notching a 6–4, 7–5, 6–4 victory over Russia’s Roman Safiullin, following it up with a dominant performance against Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta, cruising to a 6–4, 6–3, 6–1 victory on May 28.

Now he has taken down fellow U.S. opponent and No. 23 seed, Sebastian Korda in a nail-biting match now leading to a storming appearance in the fourth round. Tiafoe defeated Korda 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In the fourth round, he defeated No. 16 seed, Germany’s

The undefeated Liberty (6-0) cruised past the Mystics extending their best start in franchise history.

Sykes led the Mystics with 20 points,

Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer

5 Britney Sykes going for a layup during a WNBA matchup between Washington Mystics and New York Liberty on May 30 at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C. (Jonae Guest/The Washington Informer)

5Jayden Daniels speaking to media after Commanders OTAs on May 28 at Commanders Park in Ashburn, Virginia. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

5Frances Tiafoe, the electrifying tennis star from Hyattsville, Maryland, has stormed into the fourth round of the French Open with back-to-back straight-set victories. (WI File Photo/Abdullah Konte)

CAPTURE the moment

The Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, conducted a free Angel Tree sports camp for youth ages 7 to 17 at First Baptist Church of Glenarden Family Life Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland on May 31.

(Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Former NBA player and University of San Diego standout Brandon Johnson was on hand, along with other coaches and players, to instruct children of incarcerated parents during a free basketball clinic at the May 31 event. Each camper received a pair of Nike basketball shoes, a Wilson basketball, and a swag bag full of goodies — all free of charge.

3Pearline Latham, Quentin Jones,Jr., Malachi Latham and Zyan Latham. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

RELIGION

Union Temple Kicks Off Pride Month by Honoring Bayard Rustin in Hall of History

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer

Kicking off Pride Month, Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast, D.C., unveiled a portrait of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin on June 1, which now hangs in the house of worship’s Hall of History, and features historical Black figures like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Madam C.J. Walker.

While Rustin was critical to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and the key organizer for the famous 1963 March on Washington, as an openly gay man, he was somewhat of an intentionally hidden figure in the fight for equality for many years.

However, with time–decades

after his death in 1987—progress in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights, and the 2023 Netflix film “Rustin,” starring Coleman Domingo, the civil rights leader is slowly starting to receive accolades and widespread recognition for his crucial contributions to the nationwide fight for equity and justice for all.

“We’re excited [during] Pride month to acknowledge and celebrate Bayard Rustin for his impact on civil rights, liberation and movement of empowerment of all of God’s children,” the Rev. Dr. Anika Wilson Brown, lead pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church, told The Informer

As the globe commemorates WorldPride and the District marks the 50th anniversary of local Pride

celebrations, this June is certainly a time for celebration. However, with the Trump administration’s efforts to reverse LGBTQ+ progress, such as the federal mandate only acknowledging people as biologically male or female – an attack on trans rights – many freedom fighters note that this June should also be about action.

Brown’s father, the Rev. Willie

Wilson, felt the event was necessary to lead the way for how he thinks Black churches should open their arms to the queer community.

“This is a very important effort, as we look at the history of the Black church, in terms of how it has not related to those who are gay or queer,” Wilson told The Informer. “[This is a] challenge and

3Kicking off Pride Month, members of

of a

encouragement to all other Black churches, not only in the [Washington D.C.] area but throughout this nation to embrace our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who may be gay or queer.”

Church member Jade Flower Foster stressed the importance of the portrait going up in the hall, beyond Pride.

“This is a tremendous occasion to make sure that all LGBTQIA+ people know that they are loved and accepted, not just by God,” Foster said, “but by the house of God.”

Roneice James, minister at Union Temple, said she felt it was time that Rustin received his flowers from the local community and is proud to see his legacy live on at the church beyond Pride month.

“Today is an amazing, historical day,” she told The Informer. “It’s very important that we showcase Bayard Rustin on our history wall like we do Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and other great African-American historical [figures].” WI

“We’re excited [during] Pride month to acknowledge and celebrate Bayard Rustin for his impact on civil rights, liberation and movement of empowerment of all of God’s children,” the Rev. Dr. Anika Wilson Brown, lead pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church, told The Informer .

Union Temple Baptist Church celebrate the unveiling

photo of BayardRustin, an openly gay civil rights activist, hanging in the Southeast church’s Hall of History on Sunday, June 1. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

5People hold hands as they sing and pray at Union Temple Baptist Church in Washington D.C., in a Sunday service kicking off Pride Month and celebrating the legacy of Bayard Rustin, the openly gay civil rights leader who was critical to orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

On Sunday, June 1, 2025, a dear friend celebrated the seventh anniversary of her church, Bethel Restoration Church in District Heights, Maryland. The praise and worship service kicked off the evening of reflection and blessings with praise dancers, wearing purple, and included adults and young children too! They danced and praised the Lord, some with flags, and they kicked off the celebration in grand style. There was praise and worship singing which continued to usher in the Holy Spirit.

There were video congratulatory messages from nationally known preachers, like Archbishop Alfred Owens, the preacher and singer, Bishop Paul S. Morton Sr., who said “She is one of the chosen ones.” We heard from Bishop Bonnie Hunter, Bishop Greg Davis, Bishop Shawn L. Bell, Jonathan and Phyllis Anderson, father and pastor; Chairwoman Jeanelle Wilkins, chair of the Maryland Black Caucus, the largest in the country; we heard from Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Dr. Jamal L. Bryant, reminding us how the number 7 means completion. Finally, we heard from Bishop Jackie McCullough, Cynthia and Tony Brazelton, all offering Rev. Dr. Zina Pierre and Bethel Restoration Church heartfelt congratulations and asking the Lord to continue blessing this woman of God!

By the time we were ready to hear the guest preacher at the 4 p.m. worship celebration, Bishop Jason Brownlee, senior pastor of Life Changing Christian Center of Fort Washington, Maryland, the entire church was ready to worship. That man of God preached an unforgettable seventh anniversary message. His topic was “Help Is On The Way,” scripture was 1 Samuel 7:1112. He had to take a station break

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Help is on the Way! the religion corner

to let folks run, jump, shout as he slayed them to the floor with the Word, giving hope to all who will proclaim His righteousness! He prophesied and singled folks out. It was a miraculous service.

Bethel Restoration Church moved to this new location in District Heights, Maryland, in February of this year, 2025. The first in-person worship service was held there on Feb. 2, 2025. Worship services are held each Sunday at 10 a.m. for 90 minutes of worship and the Word. They host Friday night Prophetic Encounter Services every month at 7:30 p.m. as well.

Dr. Zina Pierre and her faithful congregation worshiped previously from a hotel room. God is truly good, because Bethel Restoration Church has graduated, they are worshipping in a beautiful church on Marlboro Pike. They have been in temporary spaces for more than six years. God opened this door in December of 2024. Though the church and senior pastor are delighted to be in this lovely, new facility, they are still working to buy their very own building. In the meantime, God is good, and Pastor Zina and her congregation are worshiping and enjoying the Lord until their next change comes!

Dr. Zina said, “I’m also working on launching an Intergenerational Day Center that would house kids and seniors under one roof.” This “Woman of God” is a friend, and God continues to bless her because of her anointing and obedience!

In case you don’t know Dr. Zina,

she has worked her way up through the ranks over the years! Bethel Restoration Church is a spinoff of her national prayer ministry, it was called “The Breaking Room,” which was a virtual prayer and worship group. It also had an annual in-person event called the IGNITE Conference; I know, because she promoted her conference from my radio show, and I have promos to prove it.

I’m not finished telling you about Rev. Dr. Zina Pierre yet! Prior to her IGNITE Conference, Dr. Zina was called to host a television show out of Detroit, Michigan. More about that show next time, but she had nationally known guests, talking about the goodness of the Lord, blessing folks across the nation!

She practices what she preaches. Her bio is one of great political influence, having been appointed to serve as a presidential appointee. Let’s take a look at some of her previous work, plus there is much more to share with you about her religious upbringing.

Zina Pierre, Ph.D., is founding president and CEO of Reyarp Strategies Group, LLC (RSG). Reyarp Strategies provides diversity, equity and inclusion training, professional development, personality assessment facilitation, executive coaching and advocacy services. She is also managing partner of Quora Alkaline Water bottling company with customers including 7-Eleven, Royal Farms Convenience Stores and numerous hotels in the DMV. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

RELIGION

RELIGION

Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 Fax : 202-338-4958

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

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

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

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

Purpose

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rehoboth Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Promised Land Baptist Church

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 000491

Phyllis C. Lewis Decedent

Sharon Legall

1325 G. Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Camille L. Chesley, whose address is 18130 Central Ave., Bowie MD 20716, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Phyllis C. Lewis who died on December 8, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Camille L. Chesley

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000421

Bernard Jerome Hazzard Decedent

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

Brenda Lucas Hazzard, whose address is 2400 S Street SE, Apt. 4, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bernard Jerome Hazzard who died on January 2, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Brenda Lucas Hazzard Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Declaration of Nationality Protocol

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: “Pedro Tyri Winfrey© “, in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ PEDRO TYRI WINFREY©”, corp.sole Dba.: “PEDRO T. WINFREY© “; PEDRO WINFREY, WINFREY, PEDRO T, having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Al Maghreb Al Aqsa, Estados al Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: “Pedro Tyri Winfrey© “, from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: “pedro tyri kelly-orozco” . Notice of White Flag Surrender: as “hors de combat”, pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: Illinois Department of Public Health-Division of Vital Records : STATE FILE NUMBER: 112-1983 6010736, “PEDRO TYRI WINFREY©”, is as a special deposit order, conveyed to “Thrive Regardless Trust©”. All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact, as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal / Creditor: “”, nom deguerre: “Pedro Tyri Winfrey”, as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : “Thrive Regardless Trust©”, an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

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

2025 ADM 482

Annie Pettus Decedent

Peggy A. Miller 5130 7th St. NE Washington, DC 20011

Attorney

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

Patrice A. Pettus, whose address is 512 Sandy Pl., Oxon Hill, MD 20745, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annie Pettus who died on 7/9/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Patrice A. Pettus Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 496

Edwin Britton Decedent

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

Annette Britton and Jean Britton, whose addresses are 1838 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009 / 2211 Ditmas Ave. Apt. 2D, Brooklyn, NY 11226, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Edwin Britton who died on March 27, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Annette Britton Jean Britton Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000475

Evelyn Virginia Cook Decedent

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

Gregory Alan Cook, whose address is 24 Century Street, Stafford, VA 22554, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Evelyn Virginia Cook who died on September 27, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Gregory Alan Cook Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000481

Donna Lee Carter aka Donna L. Carter Decedent

Angela D. Minor, Esq. Minor & Willcox, LLC 9701 Apollo Drive, #7181 Upper Marlboro, MD 20792 Attorney

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

Dionne Hughes Rogers, whose address is 4704 Omaha Street, Capital Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Donna Lee Carter aka Donna L. Carter who died on 11/20/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Dionne Hughes Rogers

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000454

James Henry McLaurin Decedent

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

Charlene Anderson, whose address is 3913 S Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James Henry McLaurin who died on December 13, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Charlene Anderson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Creditors

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

2025 NRT 000016

Lawrence N. Cohn Name of Deceased Settlor

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Lawrence N. Cohn whose address was 326 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 created a revocable trust on June 9, 2023, which remained in existence on the date of death on March 27, 2025, and Rita Jean Cohn, whose address is 326 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, is the currently acting trustee, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Rita Jean Cohn at 326 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20001.

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 11/5/2025 (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), 3/27/2026 (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), 11/5/2025 (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: 5/22/2025

Rita Jean Cohn Signature of Trustee

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000493

Carl Gene Ruffin Decedent

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

Tyrone G. Ruffin, whose address is 3307 Tinkers Branch Way, Fort Washington, Maryland 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carl Gene Ruffin who died on September 9, 2005 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/29/2025. 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 11/29/2025, 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: 5/29/2025

Tyrone G. Ruffin Personal Representative

Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000469

Ruth A. Williams Decedent

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

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

Teri Merele Williams, whose address is 383 Grand Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ruth A. Williams who died on 2/1/2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Teri Merele Williams Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2021 ADM 001378

Dorothy M. Sims aka Dorothy Mae Sims Decedent

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

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

Rodney L. Sims and Stacie D. Sims, whose addresses are 9275 Rollingwood Dr., Pomfret, MD 20675 / 312 Cape Dr., SE, Washington, DC 20019, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Dorothy M. Sims aka Dorothy Mae Sims who died on 6/8/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/29/2025. 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 11/29/2025, 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: 5/29/2025

Rodney L. Sims

Stacie D. Sims Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000172

Selome Gerima aka Selome Gerima Tafere Decedent

Samuel C. Hamilton, Esq. 8601 Georgia Ave #504 Silver Spring, MD 20910

Attorney

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

Alum Taye, whose address is 5058 Gaither Chance Dr., Clarksville, MD 21029, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Selome Gerima aka Selome Gerima Tafere who died on 11/22/22 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Alum Taye Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 499

Frankie Green Decedent

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

Tanya Latrice Green, whose address is 1334 Half Street, SW, Wahington, DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Frankie Green who died on March 12, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/29/2025. 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 11/29/2025, 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: 5/29/2025

Tanya Latrice Green Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000458

Wanda Ware aka Wanda Lee Ware Decedent

Antonoplos & Associates, Attorneys At Law 1725 Desales Street NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

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

Sean Julian Ware, whose address is 151 Q Street NE, Unit #3325, Washington, DC, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wanda Ware aka Wanda Lee Ware who died on April 5, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. 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 11/22/2025, 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: 5/22/2025

Sean Julian Ware Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 492

Gertrude Paulette Strong Decedent

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

Azikiwe Strong, whose address is 624 G Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gertrude Paulette Strong who died on 3/21/2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/29/2025. 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 11/29/2025, 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: 5/29/2025

Azikiwe Strong

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000052

October 23, 2023

Date of Death

M. Kathleen Gordon aka Kathleen Gordon Robinson Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Elden Keith Robinson whose address is 104 Prospect Bay Dr. W, Grasonville, MD 21638 was appointed personal representative of the estate of M. Kathleen Gordon aka Kathleen Gordon Robinson, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Queen Anne’s County, State of Maryland, on April 28, 2025. Service of process may be made upon Andrew T. Richardson, III, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 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 property.

3701 9th Street, NW #4, Washington, DC 20010. 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: 5/29/2025

Elden Keith Robinson

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000037

Johnnie Mae Fripp Dickens Decedent

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

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, #400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Johnnie Mae Fripp Dickens who died on July 27, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/29/2025. 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 11/29/2025, 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: 5/29/2025

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq.

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000035

April 27, 2023

Date of Death

Nickole C. Scott aka Nickole C. Scott-Conerly Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Donn G. Scott aka Donn Scott whose address is 5 Woodstone Drive, Voorhees, NJ 08043 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Nickole C. Scott aka Nickole C. Scott-Conerly, deceased, by the Surrogates Court for Camden County, State of New Jersey, on November 6, 2023.

Service of process may be made upon Aimee D. Griffin 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015 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 property.

3720 35th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015. 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: 5/29/2025

Donn G. Scott

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000537

Andrea M. Stewart Coble Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq 411 10th Street NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

Michael E. Coble, whose address is 406 Emerson Street NW, Washington DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Andrea M. Stewart Coble who died on November 18, 2024 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/5/2025. 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 12/5/2025, 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: 6/5/2025

Michael E. Coble

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000339

Walter Anderson Decedent

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

Sheila Anderson, whose address is 410 Nicholson St., NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Walter Anderson who died on December 20, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/29/2025. 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 11/29/2025, 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: 5/29/2025

Sheila Anderson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 000936

Annette D. Carver Decedent

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

Ronald D. Carver, whose address is 726 Somerset Place, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annette D. Carver who died on December 6, 2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/5/2025. 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 12/5/2025, 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: 6/5/2025

Ronald D. Carver Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

1.Phase 2 Declaration of Nationality Protocol In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender.

Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: “Eric Jevon Kenner Bey”©, formerly known as: “Eric Javon Kenner”©,”&, Eric Jovan Kenner,”© in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ERIC JEVON KENNER BEY”©, &, “ERIC JAVON KENNER”©, &, “ERIC JK BEY”©, &, “ERIC J KENNER”©, &, “ERIC KENNER”©, &, “ERIC BEY”©, “ERIC K BEY”©, & “ ERIC J BEY”© , & “ERIC KENNER BEY” ©, &”ERIC JEVON BEY” ©, & “ ERIC JOVAN KENNER”© having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as an: American Moor, but not a citizen of the United States. declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Al Maghreb Al Aqsa, Estados al Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as an: American Moor. I am that I am: “Eric Jevon Kenner Bey©”, “Eric Javon Kenner” © from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: “eric javon kenner bey”©, “tau dey”©. Notice of White Flag Surrender: as “hors de combat”, pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, sound, voice, names, image, & likeness, in all aforementioned property, including, Re: State Of Louisiana Vital Records Registry, Birth Number: 119-1980-039-00353, “ERIC JAVON KENNER”©, is as a special deposit order, conveyed to “The Kenner Tribe Trust”©. All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact, as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal Creditor: “eric javon kenner bey”©, “tau dey”©, nom deguerre: “Eric Jevon Kenner Bey”©, “Eric Javon Kenner”© as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : “The Kenner Tribe Trust”©, an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent bailee donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000054

December 16, 2011

Date of Death

Carolyn Williams Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

James Thompson, Jr. whose address is 7812 Beechnut Road, Capitol Heights, MD 20743 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Carolyn Williams, deceased, by the Register of Wills for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on 5/8/2025.

Service of process may be made upon Jeffrey Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015 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 property: 4101 21st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018. 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: 6/5/2025

James Thompson, Jr. Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000546

Cherise E. Coleman aka Cherise Coleman Decedent

Law Office of Robert P. Newman

Robert P. Newman, Esq. 801 Wayne Ave., Suite 205 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

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

Troi Coleman, whose address is 715 57th Place NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cherise E. Coleman aka Cherise Coleman who died on 6/18/2013 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/5/2025. 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 12/5/2025, 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: 6/5/2025

Troi Coleman Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 1034

Dianna H. Braxton Decedent

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

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dianna H. Braxton who died on 6/1/2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/5/2025. 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 12/5/2025, 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: 6/5/2025

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000524

Paulette M. Crampton Decedent

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

Patricia A. Wisdom whose address is 3609 Spring Beauty Court, Powder Springs, GA 30127, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Paulette M. Crampton who died on April 20, 2025 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/5/2025. 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 12/5/2025, 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: 6/5/2025

Patricia A. Wisdom Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000526

James Watson Wood Decedent

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

Claudette Avis Wood, whose address is 4244 14th Street NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James Watson Wood who died on March 3, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 12/5/2025. 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 12/5/2025, 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: 6/5/2025

Claudette Avis Wood Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 219

Estate of Wanda Ruggiero aka Wanda Sochanski Ruggiero

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint unsupervised co-personal representatives

Date of first publication: 6/5/2025

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW #400 Washington, DC 20015

Stanley Sochanski

30 Cherry Street Walnutport, PA 18088

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 219

Estate of Wanda Ruggiero aka Wanda Sochanski Ruggiero

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint unsupervised co-personal representatives

Date of first publication: 6/5/2025

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW #400 Washington, DC 20015

Stanley Sochanski 30 Cherry Street Walnutport, PA 18088

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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83 from Page 1

Ward 8 candidate forum at Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast as he cited a recent article by Jonetta Rose Barras calling for a reform to the ballot initiative process.

“And so I think we really need to make sure we have a deep understanding of what the impact really is,” Austin continued. “I will say that I’m not completely sure right now, but given all the issues of fraud and white-out and the petition challenges and the issues that were there, I think there’s a real issue there.”

LOOKING BACK:

BOE AND D.C.

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS MORE THAN A YEAR IN THE MAKING

Last year, on election night, nearly three out of four District voters approved Initiative 83— the two-part ballot measure that, if funded in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, would implement ranked-choice voting in the District and allow non-party voters to vote in primary elections.

There, however, remains the question of whether the D.C. Council will prioritize Initiative 83’s implementation, especially in the aftermath of an administrative order that D.C. Board of Elections (BOE) issued on April 14. The document shows that BOE adopted its general counsel’s recommendation that four members of Make All Votes Count DC be fined $37,500 for their alteration of 125 voter addresses on ballot petitions submitted to the board last year.

Prior to a BOE hearing where the matter was discussed on April 9, those members— Lisa D.T. Rice, Adam Eidinger, Nikolas Schiller, and Kristen Furnish— entered a stipulated agreement obligating them to: circulate a letter to other petition circulators affirming a violation of District law and complete a BOE staff training on petition circulation before circulating future petitions.

For Initiative 83 opponent Dierdre Brown, this outcome couldn’t have come any later.

“The Board of Elections failed District residents by allowing this to move forward when they knew as early as March of 2024 that there was widespread use of white out in the petition process,” Brown, a member of Vote No on Initiative 83, told The Informer. “They also knew before this initiative made it to the ballot in November…with two legal challenges challenging the validity

of this initiative and they allow[ed] it to go forward. They should [have] never been put before the District voters when these…issues were still pending.”

Last spring, Brown led a cadre of Initiative 83 opponents in an attempt to strike down the petitions via BOE and D.C. Court of Appeals.

BOE would ultimately certify and place Initiative 83 on the November 2024 general election ballot, despite a random sampling and statistical analysis of the signatures conducted by the Office of Planning’s Planning and Data Visualization Division confirming that Ward 5 and Ward 8 voter signatures didn’t meet the 5% threshold.

For Brown, there’s also the question of why BOE stopped at rejecting more than 4,800 signatures connected addresses that petition circulators altered.

“When we said ‘Well why didn’t you throw out the rest, because there’s thousands more,’ they said, ‘Oh, we held the pages up to the light and look[ed] through the white out to determine voter intent,” Brown recounted.

Last month, Brown testified before the D.C. Council’s Committee on Executive Administration and Labor with the demand that BOE be held accountable for allowing what, according to its administrative order, went “beyond what the D.C. Official Code § 1- 1001.16 and the Board’s guidance permits.”

By the time that D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At large) conducted the oversight hearing, the Court of Appeals was on its way to dismissing Brown’s case against BOE. Though Brown would later express disappointment in the

PRIDE from Page 1

“And it is that – a responsibility,” said the rapper. “This is about… changing the narrative, shifting the perspectives, and really opening up the conversations to be had about where gay, queer men and women stand in this world, and especially in the entertainment industry.”

Amid the national recognition for both Black Music and Pride in June, Washington, D.C., not only holds the stomping grounds for festivities, but the roots where many Black queer artists and industry leaders fruited their passions as a vessel for something greater.

court decision, she extolled Bonds, and D.C. Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large) and Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3) for introducing the Petition Administration Clarification Amendment Act of 2025.

“I’m glad that the council member herself, McDuffie and Frumin are taking this serious[ly] and are … trying to put in some safeguards that will stop people in the future [from] not only whiting out but doing any alterations to someone’s signature line,” Brown told The Informer. “When voters write their name, they write their address. We all know if you ever circulated petitions before it, a large number of those are going to be incorrect, but a circulator cannot go back later and correct it.”

If approved, the Petition Administration Clarification Amendment Act would amend the Initiative Referendum and Recall Procedures Act of 1979 to: prohibit alteration of signer information when the signer doesn’t request assistance, and require petition circulators to state, on nomination petition affidavits, that they didn’t alter signer information on a petition after the signer completed it.

Bonds told The Informer that her goal centered on clarifying a process that often confuses voters and pressures them into supporting causes they don’t fully understand.

“If you’re on the street and you’re signing, you’re not taking time,” Bonds said on the morning of June 3. “It’s the concept of the title that is more intriguing to you than reading the language. And it’s very difficult on a petition to explain how it would be implemented or the effects it would have.” WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Similarly, vocalist Ari Voxx, affectionately known as D.C.’s dream princess, leverages creativity to challenge cultural stigmas and raise mental health awareness.

A Black, queer woman, Voxx highlights the beauty of music as a catharsis in bouts with identity, trauma, sexuality and other internal struggles, something she’s benefitted from as a creator.

While celebrations commence and energy pours into the city, local queer trailblazers are reflecting on the roots of their craft and how to propel the next class of Black creators with a renewed vision of what the future looks like.

“The mission is to save the world,” Billy the Goat told The Informer, “it just so happens that we’re doing it through the way of the music.”

DMV NATIVES TOUT BLACK MUSIC ROOTS, RECLAIMING GENRES, BRIDGING GAPS IN THE INDUSTRY

Fresh off multiple performances during D.C. Black Pride (May 2326), Billy the Goat considers his musical origins to be as early as 7 years old, recalling core memories of his father playing the congo with Chuck Brown and other local bands – and even starting one himself.

Though his grind didn’t fully skyrocket until post-COVID, the local artist had long recognized music as a calling that he said “would not leave me alone.”

He transformed a keen interest in beats and poetry-turned-songwriting, into a mission to defy societal ideologies, namely in the world of hip-hop.

“That’s the one forbidden area for us. We just have not been openly accepted, we are publicly outcast and humiliated…so it’s like, why would you want to be a part of it?” said the Southeast native.

Simply put, his passion serves at the betterment of others and a time for change.

“It’s my job to bridge that gap between the heterosexual and the homosexual community,” Billy the Goat explained, “and bring all of the creative elements together for the greater good of everyone.”

“In the Black community I grew up in, expressing feelings of depression or anxiety was generally seen as showing weakness. I am weak. And strong, and scared, and brave, and passionate, and apathetic, and humorous, and morose,” she declared. “The more parts of yourself you show to the world, the more reasons people have to love you.”

Voxx considers her music pertinent to her own identity, expression and navigations of self, adding it’s a “double win” should it spark a connection or interest in any listener.

Beyond lyricism, she particularly touted the freedoms of melody, tone and inflection, in alignment with the symbolic presentations and atmospheres of musical compositions.

Further, the frontman of Ari Voxx and The Sad Lads band commended Black artists who “break out the boxes they’re often put in” with genre exploration, noting her own group’s unique sound as a blend of pop, rock, synthy, indie, dreamy, glitchy, “and sometimes pretty damn weird.”

“I think because of my Blackness, many people are inclined to pigeonhole my original music, without even really listening to it first. They see a Black woman who sings, and just assume the music is R&B,” Voxx told The Informer. “The best art is multifaceted, multidimensional, just like people.”

Evidently, these qualities of transcendence exist at the root of Black creation, according to Tiyale Hayes, BET’s executive vice president of Insights and Multiplatform Analytics.

Hayes, who attributes Black music as “integral” in his existence, shared his point-of-no-return as his discovery of Biggie Smalls during his sophomore year at Hampton University, a moment when intercultural exposure illuminated a time of self-discovery and community.

Drawing on his own examples, the Virginian credits the “energy of soul” and presence of life that thrives in Black music as the core of its ability to outrival time, often being borrowed, sampled, or shared to bear new fruit across genres and generations.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5Lisa D.T. Rice at a Board of Elections meeting discussing ranked-choice voting in July 2023. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

MALVEAUX from Page 30

There aren’t enough opportunities for every child who needs one, but parents can put programs together for their young’uns. Young people should be exposed to museums, libraries, theater, concerts and reading opportunities. Can’t afford it? Why not come together with other parents to hire a teen or young adult to work with a group of young people one or two days a week? And why not, parents, read with your children and allow them to read to you? The learning loss has major equity and civil rights implications. Learning loss widens the achievement gap and affects high school graduation rates, college attendance rates and long-term income and wealth.

Another activity Black parents should expose their young people to

MORIAL from Page 30

described himself as “a fatherless high school dropout,” seldom speaking of the abuse he witnessed as a child. “It’s a very painful period,” he once said. “It is too unpleasant to me to open the door to it myself.” His enlistment in the Army at the age of 18 changed the course of his life. He downplayed his heroism during the Korean War, where he earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for leading 40 soldiers from behind enemy lines, despite being wounded.

Using the GI Bill, Rangel graduat-

MARSHALL from Page 30

progressive police reform initiatives. As a result of the backlash, the nation reversed course by taking two steps forward and three steps backward.

Corporate America flip-flopped on its commitments by scaling back or eliminating DEI policies and programs. The division within the Justice Department responsible for enforcing the nation’s federal civil rights laws has seen a mass exodus of more than 100 attorneys, as confirmed by DOJ Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the division.

The resignations come as the department shifts away from policies such as enforcing voting rights laws and taking strict action against unconstitutional policing. The Trump administration moved to cancel agreements to overhaul the police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, both accused of widespread abuses.

Individuals and organizations with

is water safety. There are reasons why many Black people don’t swim, many of them historical. White people closed pools (drained them or cemented them over) to prevent Black people from using pools. And some Black women avoided swimming in deference to their hair. But Beverly Iseghohi, an Atlanta-based triathlete and swimming coach, suggests you might prefer your life to your coif and is passionate about getting more Black people to be aware about water safety and to swim. The data buttresses her concern. Nearly two-thirds of Black children cannot swim, compared to 40% of white children. Black children ages 5-9 were 2.6 times more likely to drown than white children. Those 10-14 were 3.6 times more likely to drown. In pools, Black children were 7.6 times more likely to drown than white children. And Bev-

ed from New York University in 1957, earning a full scholarship to St. John’s University School of Law in 1960. He quickly became involved in civil rights activism and was appointed assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York by U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in 1961. At the National Urban League’s Centennial Conference in 2010, Rangel described his experience marching in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery protests with his signature self-mocking humor:

“I didn’t go down there to march,” he said. “I went down there to get my

political and corporate power who oppose DEI efforts find themselves against the fundamental idea of having a multiracial society based on fairness and respect. This is the statement they are making about their decisions. Therefore, those in opposition are also fundamentally resistant to the methods such as consent decrees and other forms of police reform used to achieve a fair and just multiracial society. Those who are sincere and firm in their support for diversity efforts and for what George Floyd’s death means to police reform will show their commitment to the long-term fight for justice while also remaining unwavering in their resistance to any form of intense backlash.

“[George Floyd] was a realization by many across the country that this open murder was something that was not only appalling but it brought full circle the question of the treatment of Black people, particularly Black males, in this country,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. “But the other side of that story is an unfortu-

erly Iseghohi says there is a connection between swimming and cognition. Perhaps swimming can be an antidote to learning loss.

We must take learning loss seriously, and the entire community must stand in the gap when government education programs drop the ball. Cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention means we will get less data about swimming and drowning. The Big Ugly Bill means fewer supplemental education activities will be funded. But we know how to educate young people. The Children’s Defense Fund’s Freedom Schools have operated for decades in 26 states, including Washington, D.C. They are combating learning loss, and we all have a responsibility to do the same. Find a program or start one. Learning loss has long-term implications for our community. WI

picture took. But I got caught up in it. I thought I’d go a couple of miles and get a cab. I’d never been to Selma before, and I didn’t know. And so it became impossible for me to use my ticket home. And so for five days and 54 miles, I cursed every step of the way until it was over. And I realized that those people that I was marching with did not know it, nor did I, but at that time they were making history.”

He continued to make history for the next 60 years, inspiring a generation of activists and advocates who carry his legacy forward.

WI

nate fatigue in this country.”

Experts say periods of backlash aren’t new. Throughout American history, including after the Civil Rights Movement, the nation has experienced periods of “racial fatigue” or resentment after progress was made toward securing rights for marginalized groups.

As we live in a country where many people view situations through a financial lens of greed rather than a lens of humanity and common decency, the form of resentment may be an economic regret when having to pay a fair wage.

So, the question is, was George Floyd’s death in vain? “Racial fatigue goes both ways when we grow tired of the racist backlash. At some point, there has to be a reset with public outrage resulting in a backlash to the backlash.” At some point in future election cycles, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act should be passed. The Trump administration felt the pressure before; they need to feel it again. WI

AIRLINE CAREERS

WILLIAMS from Page 31 charges against her don’t even come close to the behavior of the orange man’s crimes committed in Georgia in his effort to unlawfully steal an election. Keep in mind the case of Baltimore’s former top lawyer, Marilyn Mosby, who, as part of her job, convicted rogue police officers and had

LANE/GUTHRIE from Page 31

ers for the 51st, highlighted a data analysis conducted by multiple news publications – including the Baltimore Banner, The New York Times, and Big Local News – that reported in 2022, Black men born between the years 1951 and 1970 accounted for 38% of D.C.’s opioid fatalities. However, these men only make up 4% of D.C.’s total population.

These inequities stem from a historical context of structural racism and discriminatory policies within institutions such as employment, housing, education, criminal justice, health care, nutrition, and others that have deeply impacted the health and well-being of Black residents in D.C. In 2022, about 77% to 80% of the total homeless population in D.C. identified as Black or African American, and a significant majority were men (roughly 60% to 65% of single adult men experiencing homelessness identify as Black), according to the D.C. Department of Human Services and The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness. Beginning in the middle of 2021 through 2022, the D.C. Department of Em-

JEALOUS from Page 31 for billions in tax cuts for the top 1%.

The bill does not solve a single problem. It makes every one of them worse.

What is in that disaster of a bill has been well reported: Attacks on Americans who get their health care through Affordable Care Act exchanges ... deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance ... all to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and corporations and Trump’s immigrant deportation (and detention) agenda. The House-passed bill would also repeal most IRA clean energy tax credits and investments and undermine public health by inviting a flood of air and water pollution. The repeal of the clean energy tax credits alone would reportedly increase U.S. household energy costs by $16 billion by 2030, and cost more than 830,000 jobs and $1 trillion in GDP over the next eight years.

The cruelty of it is the point. The pain inflicted on everyday Americans

her life turned upside down with the support of the orange man. Trumpedup charges against her caused her to lose everything she had earned honestly. Her work had become a showcase in the nation for doing the work of a state’s attorney. For that, she has spent the last year in leg irons and unable to practice her profession. Meanwhile,

ployment Services reported that the unemployment rate for Black men in D.C. was approximately 11% to 15%, often two to three times higher than the rate for white men.

Precise incarceration rates can vary by source, but studies and advocacy organizations, such as the Prison Policy Initiative, have estimated that the incarceration rate for Black men in D.C. can be five to seven times higher than for white men, when looking at both jail (pretrial, short sentences) and federal prison (longer sentences).

The life expectancy of Black men can be broken down further by ward – in the predominantly Black Wards 7 and 8, Black men can have a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years less compared to the wealthier wards with a predominantly white population that can exceed 82 to 83 years of age. The frequency of primary care visits can impact these issues.

Nutrition can also be sourced as a problem that exacerbates these health issues, per a literature review about how structural racism can lead to health disparities, which highlighted “that the majority-Black geographic areas of Wards 7 and 8 together had only six full-service grocery stores in

is across the board. It tells struggling Americans: You will not get affordable health care. You will not get relief from rising rent or energy prices. But we will show you someone to blame — and punish them in public.

Scapegoating is about power. It’s about exploiting people’s anxieties and frustrations to gain that power. And it’s about making an example of a group to chill dissent and create a climate of fear. We’re already seeing how this administration is trying to retaliate against those who are calling out and standing up to its dehumanizing immigration sweeps. That is also part of the playbook. Meanwhile, the real drivers of hardship go unaddressed.

Climate change, for example, is already uprooting communities around the world. In El Salvador, climate-fueled droughts forced rural families into overcrowded cities where gangs preyed on their desperation. Many fled north to escape the violence. Some walked

real criminals are pardoned.

Numerous Black women in Florida have faced discrimination without Bondi objecting. Now that she’s in Washington, don’t jump to conclusions about Tish James no matter who does the accusing. We know Bondi’s boss is a convicted criminal — but not AG Tish James. WI

2024 for their population of more than 148,000 people, whereas the majority-white Wards 2 and 3 together had 28 full-service grocery stores for their population of less than 159,000 people.”

As Men’s Health Month has arrived, there needs to be an urgent push for the D.C. Council and Mayor’s local government to address the lives of the Black men, especially those who are older in age, that have been suffering for decades. The Health Alliance Network advocates for opening an Office of Men’s Health at D.C. Health with a budget for research and robust outreach. Ambrose Lane Jr. has stated, “When it comes to the health of the children, the health of the mother is paramount. When it comes to the health of the family and community, the health of the father is paramount.”

Those who have called Washington home for decades deserve to be given the proper services and resources to live healthy lives. This is a call to action for the local D.C. health department to increase their evidence-based programming and outreach for our Black men.

WI

thousands of miles. Along the way, they risked kidnapping, assault, rape and death. Many did not survive the journey.

Imagine how bad things must be to make that trip with your children in tow.

It is also worth remembering that some of the people we just honored on Memorial Day were immigrants. Foreign-born Americans have always served and sacrificed for this country — from the Civil War to Afghanistan. It is but one example that shows creating paths to citizenship and legal status is not giving people a handout. It is giving them a chance to fully belong to the nation — a nation many of them have already helped defend.

We can choose to turn away from politics that prey on fear. And turn toward a future built on shared prosperity, shared responsibility and shared humanity. That’s an America worth fighting for. WI

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