WINNER OF FIVE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS D.C. AWARDS Prince George's County Spelling Bee Page 16 Vol. 56, No. 22 • March 18 -24, 2021
Boxing Great Marvelous Marvin Hagler Dies at 66 Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
5 Georgetown University Men's Basketball Head Coach Patrick Ewing is now the first person in conference history to be the most outstanding player on a Big East Tournament Championship team as a player and to coach a Big East squad to a conference title. (Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletic)
Ewing, Harris Resurrect Georgetown Back to Prominence Daniel Kucin, Jr. WI Sports Writer Georgetown University Men's Basketball Head Coach Patrick Ewing has faced adversity his entire life. When Ewing's mentor, the late John Thompson, led Georgetown to the NCAA National Championship in 1982, Ewing had to grin and bear the moment of witnessing James Worthy, Michael Jordan and the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate victory. However, true character lies in champions when they are stopped at the door from greatness, figuratively and literally. Ewing was held back multiple times by security guards at Madison
Square Garden during the 2021 Big East Basketball Tournament in the same venue where he played as one of the greatest New York Knick players of all-time. Not only did Ewing power those hurdles, but he also cleared them by winning the National Championship as a player (MVP) in 1984 for the Hoyas only national championship and defeated No. 2 Creighton (73-48) as the head coach on March 13 to win their first conference championship since 2007. The win was a bittersweet experi-
GEORGETOWN Page 32 4 Senior Jahvon Blair provides points and veteran leadership. (Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletics)
Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who ruled the middleweight boxing division in the 1980s and never received the recognition he deserved as an alltime great, has died. He was 66. Hagler’s wife appeared to confirm his death Saturday in a post to the boxer’s Facebook fan club page. “I am sorry to make a very sad announcement,” Kay Hagler wrote. “Today, unfortunately, my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire. Our
family requests that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.” A member of the Boxing Hall of Fame, Hagler, who legally changed his name to Marvelous in 1982, had a career record of 63-2 with 52
HAGLER Page 38
The Gray Family Shares Lessons Learned During COVID Pandemic
Marylanders Look for Stimulus Payments in Their Bank Accounts William J. Ford WI Staff Writer LaRonda Gray and her husband, Tahira, already know how they will allocate the stimulus money they received Tuesday, March 15. “Pay bills first and foremost,” she said. “During COVID-19, our children had a growth spurt. We need to buy them some summer clothes. Now, we’ll be able to update their wardrobes.” Upon LaRonda Gray re-
STIMULUS Page 14
5 The Gray family of Hyattsville from left to right: Omari, 18; Shane, 14; Tahira Gray; Kayla, 8, in the front; Jade, 11; and LaRonda Gray. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
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Cherry Blossom Graders Who Share law Views enforcement.on She said they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among programs Marlow Festival Draws Near Capitol Fencing sense of uniformity in the way wants to the see implemented are
By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer
When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, Congresswoman old daughter told her Elthe father survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families eanor Holmes Norton her of her daughter threatened “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a vic(D-DC) met child, story, her own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assesslife, and therecently life of their with third grade students she knew something had to be push forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further from Out BrentofElementary done. her frustration said about Marlow. training for law enforcement School, a public school in with law enforcement's handling Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's Life Protecto hear ofthe theDistrict, situation, she their decided to who reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counselconcerns about the fenc- cam- “get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. start the Saving Promise Holmes Norton ing around the Capitol 5 Eleanorcase paign. in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiFile Photo/Roy Lewis) complex. “It seems The to be students a vicious(WI cycle person can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must have won't been working that turn myon family end of the day, the book will lookD’Costa at both of the Calhoun, coin. art 5 Dianie andsides Nia Keturah loose,” Marlow writing said. and Marlow their persuasive brainstormed Capitolbegin fencingtoashave a diahelp people needEllington to address bothforthe students We at Duke School thevicArts, created shared heronstory audi- logue about domestic violence. an issue whichwith they the feel strongly. tim and the batterer,” cherry blossom featuring land marks Marlow in D.C. for the ence“I at the my District Heights enjoyed time with these astuteAlso future leaders,” present at Northe event Art wasin Bloom said. Sculptors presented by the 2021 Cherry Domestic Symposium Mildred Muhammad, ex- Festival ton said. “IViolence strongly oppose permanent fencing at the Capitol the Blossom Marlow would11 also like to see(Roy on March in Southeast. oncomplex May 7 and at the DistricttoHeights of John Muhammad, programs continue press for thewife complex to beAllen returned Lewis/The Washingtondesigned Informer) to raise Municipal Center. The making sympo-progress, who as was sentenced to the public. And we’re evidenced by to thesix consec- awareness among children in of the most events of the sium sponsored by which the recommended utive life terms andcelebrated private schools. Sheyear in the recentwas Task Force 1-6 report againstwithout per- paroleOnepublic District is almost here. The National Cherry Blossom Family and Youth Services by a Maryland jury for his role in feels children need to be educatmanent above ground fencing at the complex.” Festival remains on schedule for 2021 and will feature Center of the city of District the Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence. “Many children across the country have been stuck at home both online and in-person events, organizers say. Heights the National Hook2002. Mildred is “We have to stop being paslearningand remotely during the coronavirus pandemic andMuhammad have 3,700 with cherrypoor trees chilline the Tidal Up ofseen Black founder After the Trauma,An estimated sive-aggressive also theWomen. closure of their outdoorthe spaces, whereofthey used basin in D.C. located near the Jefferson Memorial. Marlow has written a book, an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” to run, walk and play before the attack on January 6. I applaud Most count among gifts provided by Japan back in “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. their courage in raising their voices and the work of educators story about four generations of 1912. Now, their blossoms attract over 1.5 million and their children. Marlow has worked to break like Abby Maslin who are finding ways for their students to domestic violence. The book is visitors to D.C. each year. The festival runs March “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, connect to current events and the world around them, despite inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It20-April 11 and highlights the arts, culture and nais and is confident the policies she the many challenges of remote learning,” she said. and those of her grandmother, not an easy thing to come out ture in the Greater Washington Area. Organizers is pushing for will start that WI her mother and her daughter. of,” she said. process.socially-distant events throughout the have planned She said every time she reads Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to area. excerpts from her book, she still people who want to help a“We Congress to hope peopleand willimplore still comethem to Washington but can not believe the words came domestic violence victim must change Marlow said. in large be safe and beingour verylaws,” responsible, not gathering from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go into willDiana not stop untilpresident these policrowds,”“Isaid Mayhew, and CEO of won the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” the National Cherry Blossom Festival. “The National Books” Award. that she may be in “survival Tia Carol Jones on canwhat be reached Park Service is now working that policy will be. D.C.just Mayor Muriel Bowser Universal Health Ser“I was 16-years-old whenand mode”. ataretiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net But, we bringing to you so many virtual ways to see recently announced milestone myvices eye [UHS] first blackened and my another “Before you ingettheto 'I'm going the blossoms. We definitely recommend seeing them of the new hospital at to St.kill Elizabeths in as a verbal lipsdevelopment bled,” Marlow said. you,' itEast started WI from your own living room for sure.” Ward 8Davis-Nickens, by awarding the construction management conElaine presiYou can find a complete list of virtual events here. tract a joint ventureHook-Up between Turner Construction Comdent oftothe National Meanwhile, the National Park Service predicts that pany and MCN Build. of Black Women, said there is no peak bloom, or the best time to see the most blos“We remain to building a health care system consistency in thecommitted way domestic soms, will be April 2-5. WI that meets theare needs of all residents, violence issues dealt with by attacks health dispari-
New Hospital in Ward 8 at St. Elizabeths East to Open in 2024
“
We have to stop being “It is incredibly rewarding to know that our work will propassive-aggressive poorhospital and vide a safe, high quality andwith efficient full-service ambulatory care facility located close to the residents it is inchildren about domestic tended to serve,” said Darien Grant, vice president and general manager, Turner/MCN. Turner’s annual completion of $3 healthcare work MCN’s experience violence.billion I ofplan to combined takewiththese in the District makes this a powerful team prepared to achieve all project goals.” policies to plan Congress and The District’s to develop a new 136-bed hospital at St. Elizabeths East and improve the District-wide system of care opening to two new urgent care centers in Wards 7 and imploreincludes them change our 8 by UHS. Last month, Bowser and UHS announced that Urgent Care Center will open by the end of 2021 at laws.the Ifirstwill not stop until the Maple View Flats development in Ward 8. The facility in Ward 7 is projected to open in 2022. WI these policies are passed.
ties and makes us more resilient for the challenges that lie ahead,” Bowser said. “With this announcement, we are one step closer to transforming our health care system and delivering a state-of-the-art hospital in Ward 8.” UHS will award the multi-million-dollar construction contract for the new $375 million full-service hospital to the team of Turner Construction Company and MCN Build. The team of Turner Construction Company and MCN Build will invest at least 35 percent with local CBEs, meet the District’s First Source Requirements and construct the hospital using a Project Labor Agreement. The design and construction of the new hospital will support approximately 2,000 jobs. The District now moves into the planning and design process which will include robust community engagement. The project remains on schedule with the facilities slated to open in late 2024.
“
SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY
Women the Cycle of wi hotBreak topics Domestic Violence Norton Meets with D.C. Third District’s National
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L.Y. Marlow
AROUND THE REGION
Darrell Green Seeks to Buy Congress Parks Housing Units James Wright WI Staff Writer Former Washington Redskins and National Football League Hall of Famer Darrell Green is expressing interest in owning the Congress Park residential buildings in Ward 8 but some tenants and community leaders have mixed feelings. The Congress Park apartments sit two blocks east of the Congress Heights Metro Station on the Green Line and the St. Elizabeth’s East campus. The red brick one-level and two-story buildings and rowhouse structures have been the targets of complaints about mold, rodents, unstable roofs, trash and litter in the hallways as well as poor security linked to loitering and criminal activity. Green’s interest has stoked residents’ fears of being displaced as District living costs are on the rise. Currently a one-bedroom apartment there rents for $975 per month at the lower end with the typical price at $1,200, according to Apartments.com while the average cost of a similar unit in the District comes out to $2,100 per month according to Zumper.com. In addition, Congress Park’s location close to the Metro Station and the nearby The Shoppes at Park Village which includes one of the three full-service grocery stores east of the Anacostia, has ward residents speculating their neighborhood is the latest target of white newcomers looking for inexpensive housing with easy transit options. Green, who played for the Washington Redskins from 19832002, has been recognized as one of the franchise’s greatest players with his selection to the Pro Bowl seven times, helping the team win two Super Bowls and leading the NFL with 19 consecutive seasons with an interception and most games played by a defensive player, 295. In his post-playing years, his Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation, has held workshops and camps for District youth and his businesses have operated in the city.
“I am definitely interested in this. This is an important
On March 10, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) convened a virtual meeting with Green for Congress Park tenants which developed into a citywide audience of more than 130 people. During the nearly two-hour meeting, Green, through his business Darrell Green Enterprises, made it clear that no deal has been finalized on the Congress Park residences. “The property hasn’t been purchased yet,” Green said. “I am definitely interested in this. This is an important project for me personally and professionally. If I purchase this property, your rent will not go up. If my team is involved, you will not be moved. This is not a gentrification thing.”
GREEN’S INTEREST
The residential community Green has expressed interest in consists of parts I and II and exists two blocks east of the Congress Heights Metro Station on the Green Line. The St. Elizabeth’s East Campus, which includes the Entertainment & Sports Arena, resides in Congress Parks’ immediate area. XThe property has come up for a bid with the previous owner, Southeast Washington Development Associates LP, according to D.C. tax records, giving it up recently. Green said he understands the complaints of Congress Park tenants on maintenance of the facilities. “I grew up in Houston in a housing complex where George Floyd [the Minneapolis Black man murdered by a police officer last year] grew up, too,” Green said. “I know what it is to have to deal with rats, roaches and leaky roofs.” Green said he and his partners, such as Standard Communities, an affordable housing company, are looking to invest $40 million in the Congress Park property. “But we have to really look into what we are purchasing and how to improve the infrastructure,” he said. “There will have to be a lot
project for me personally and professionally. If I purchase this property, your rent will not go up. If my team is involved, you will not be moved. This is not a gentrification thing.” 5 Darrell Green played cornerback with the Washington Redskins from 1983-2002. (Courtesy photo/MainStreet BancShares)
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1934 – Country music singer Charley Pride, one of just three African-Americans ever inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, is born in Sledge, Mississippi. 1941 – Soul music legend Wilson Pickett is born in Prattville, Alabama. 1963 – Famed actress and singer Vanessa L. Williams is born in the Bronx borough of New York City. 1972 – The USS Jesse L. Brown, named for the first African-American naval aviator in the U.S. Navy, is launched.
MARCH 19
1894 – Loretta Mary Aiken, best known as famed comedian Moms Mabley, is born in Brevard, North Carolina.
MARCH 20
1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is published. 1883 – Inventor Jan Matzeliger receives patent for first machine to manufacture an entire shoe. 1916 – Ota Benga, a Congolese man once kept in a human zoo exhibit at the Bronx Zoo in New York City, commits suicide in Lynchburg, Virginia, at 32. 1936 – Legendary Jamaican music producer Lee "Scratch" Perry is born in Kendal, Jamaica. 1948 – Actor James Baskett receives an Honorary Academy Award for his performance as Uncle Remus in Disney's "Song
of the South," becoming the first African-American male actor to win an Academy Award. 1957 – Renowned filmmaker and actor Spike Lee (top) is born in Atlanta.
MARCH 21
1955 – Walter White, an African-American civil rights activist who led the NAACP for almost a quarter-century, dies at 61 of a heart attack in his New York City home. 1960 – Police officers kill 69 and wound 180 during an anti-apartheid demonstration in Sharpesville, South Africa, known as the Sharpesville Massacre. 1965 – In the name of African-American voting rights, 3,200 civil rights demonstrators, led by Martin Luther King Jr., begin the historic march from Selma, Alabama, to the state capitol at Montgomery.
MARCH 22
1943 – Chart-topping singer and jazz guitarist George Benson is born in Pittsburgh.
MARCH 23
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1916 – Political leader and civil rights activist Marcus Garvey arrives in America from Jamaica. 1942 – Walter Rodney, a prominent Guyanese historian, political activist and scholar, is born in British Guiana. 1955 – Hall of Fame basketball player Moses Malone is born in Petersburg, Virginia. 1971 – The Rev. Walter Fauntroy was sworn in as the first delegate from the District of Columbia to the House of Representatives in nearly 100 years. 1985 – Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet, dies in Washington, D.C., of breast cancer at age 60.
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1912 – Civil rights and women's rights activist Dorothy Height (above) is born in Richmond, Virginia. 2002 – Halle Berry becomes the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in "Monster's Ball." WI
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Gospel music icon Kirk Franklin has come under scrutiny after his 33-year-old son released a recording of a heated exchange between the two in which Franklin went on an expletive-filled rant. The Grammy-winning artist has since issued a public apology. What are your thoughts?
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Kirk didn't lose his temper, he's just sick of his son's B.S. and let it be known. He'll need his dad before his dad needs him. It's called respect for thy parents. ADDITION & 4 SEASON SUN ROOM
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People who are OK with the way Kirk spoke to his son [were] beat with extension cords. We have to break this generational curse that condones this type of abuse. Just because he is the parent does not make it OK. You give the respect that you want to receive. We're not canceling Kirk, but he has to take responsibility for his actions.
KYMBERLY WILLIAMS / WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS
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I think Kirk is human. There [is] a range of emotions we experience as parents. He seemed angry. What drove him to that point? His son didn't offer up what he did to provoke such a response. Then to leak it … the son needs to grow up.
MELISSA UPSHAW / LIMA, OHIO
He is human and people have no idea what has gone on prior to that call. … Obviously, there are some deep family wounds. Right or wrong, he lost his cool. It happens to the best of us.
VALENCIA BELL / WASHINGTON, D.C.
He was dealing with a grown, disrespectful, deceitful son who knew exactly what he was doing. Mr. Franklin is human. Just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you are perfect and it certainly doesn't mean you are immune to mistakes. We all have had our moments. Stop judging this man for the way he reacted. We have no right to judge anyone, and before you do, look in the mirror first and evaluate yourself.
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The World According to Dominic
If Black Lives Matter, why is Breonna Taylor Still Awaiting Justice?
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It’s been one year since Breonna Taylor, 26, was fatally shot while asleep in bed during an ineptly executed police raid at her apartment in Louisville on March 13. Her death provided more fuel to other protests across the U.S. in which demonstrators demanded greater police accountability and racial equality. In addition, her senseless murder also revived criticisms of police brutality against Black women – an issue which activists, as well as Breonna’s mother, Tamika Palmer, contend are far too often ignored. For Black women like Breonna, as well as Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd, Tanisha Anderson, Michelle Cusseaux, Natasha McKenna and hundreds of other women and girls, their deaths – either at the hands of police or while in custody – continue to take a backseat to those of Black men’s. So, while their gender and race have left them unprotected from police violence, for Black women, unlike Black men, their stories of injustice continue to be muted within a larger push for police reform. During a recent interview with CNN, Palmer asserted that she’ll never abandon her efforts to see the officers who killed her daughter
5 Breonna Taylor (Anthony Tilghman/ The Washington Informer)
criminally charged. “I'm still out here, I'm still doing what I need to do to get justice for Breonna to make sure that people do right by her,” said Palmer who recently filed internal affairs complaints against six Louisville officers. In the complaint, she alleges that the behavior of four officers was “"unacceptable, intolerable and contributing factors to Breonna's death and the deficient investigation thereafter.” Since Breonna’s murder, Louisville has passed Breonna's Law banning no-knock warrants, fired three of the officers involved in her death and settled an historic $12 million lawsuit with Taylor's family that included an agreement for the city to institute police reforms. But is it enough? Surely, it is. After all, America has embraced a seemingly newfound love for and respect of Black women, particularly in light of the recent election of Kamala Harris – the nation’s first Black, female vice president. In Georgia, Stacy Abrams came within a whisper of becoming the first Black woman elected governor in a greatly contested race. The list goes on. For Krystal Oriadaha, co-founder of PG Change Makers and resident of Maryland, it is not enough.
She, in concert with others who support her organization and its premises, will hold a virtual discussion March 30 on PG Change Makers’ Facebook page. The forum, “When Black Women Speak: Everyone Should Listen,” will include topics like owning our own bodies, our relationship with our mothers, community expectations of women and the role of women in the household. “We really wanted to have this laid-back conversation on the politics of it and what it’s like being a Black woman today and the complexities of that,” Oriadaha said. “We wanted to create that space in honor of the women we’ve lost like Breonna Taylor and the movements that have been built on the backs of Black women.” She says more Black men must join in the struggle for equal justice for women of color. New Carrollton, Md. resident Ashanti Martinez of New Carrollton, an advocate for PG Change Makers since its inception last year, agrees. “Breonna Taylor’s death is a time for us to reflect on how we are showing up for the Black women in our lives – women who support [us], often without condition. It’s a reminder that I need to do more and should always strive to do more for the women who are in my life,” he said. Ironically, three women of color, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, created the now prominent, Black-centered, political will and movement building project #BlackLivesMatter in 2013. Created as a response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman, Black women have rarely benefited from the fanfare, slogans, hashtags and social media hoopla which now surrounds the Black Lives Matter Movement. Similar to systemic racism, the
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AROUND THE REGION D.C., Maryland and Virginia Relax COVID-19 Restrictions Mask Mandates Remain in Effect James Wright WI Staff Writer D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has decided to relax some coronavirus restrictions along with her counterparts, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, despite the ongoing presence of the pandemic in the city due to virus numbers trending in the right direction. On March 15, Bowser announced alterations to Phase Two regulations governing the District’s operations during the pandemic. Bowser said the restrictions change comes as coronavirus metrics improve in the city. “We are loosening some Phase Two activities,” the mayor said. “We haven’t crushed the virus. People are still getting sick and dying of COVID in the city. We are encouraging people to continue practicing social distancing, wearing masks, hand washing and getting vaccinated.” Bowser, Hogan and Northam are keeping mask mandates in place as they loosen restrictions, unlike their counterparts in Texas, Mississippi, Connecticut, Arizona and West Virginia. All three have said as the coronavirus metrics continue to trend in positive directions, more restrictions will be suspended.
THE DISTRICT
Bowser extended the District’s public health emergency to May 20, 2021.At the same time she eased restrictions in key areas. As of March 15, some high school sports can resume under District of Columbia State Athletic Association guidelines with field permits allowed to be issued for sports during the spring season. On March 22, some middle and high school sports will be allowed to resume, playgrounds opened, low-to-moderate contact sports occurring on a casual basis, D.C. Department of Recreation fields limited to 250 people and limited activities in District recreation centers and those are reservation-only. Outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people can take place, and low-to-moderate contact high and
middle school sports can resume next week. Indoor fitness classes can continue with up to 10 people, and outdoor up to 50 people. Gyms can operate at 25 percent capacity or up to 250 people. Alcohol can presently be sold at restaurants until midnight and movie theaters can open up to 25 people or 25 percent. On March 22, restaurants can open for indoor dining at 25 percent of capacity or up to 250 people. Businesses can start applying for live-entertainment waivers, with some live performances and music starting next week. Regarding the District’s schools, students and staff can come together for educational purposes but are advised to practice social distancing while in a school building. Extracurricular activities such as theater and choir are legal but there must be 10 feet of distance between participants. Starting on March 15, professional sports teams such as the Washington Nationals and DC United can submit waivers to play in front of fans. Bowser said the Nationals could possibly have up to 5,000 fans on Opening Day, April 1, and DC United to have “thousands of fans.” Bowser said more activities will open if the metrics continue to go down. The mayor said her administration will continue to monitor the metrics and the city’s vaccination rates until an update on April 5. “There are more things and more things that we can do today, and there will be even more things that we can do…as we get later into the calendar—assuming that our numbers continue to go down,” she said. “There’s hope; there is a reason to be optimistic.”
MARYLAND
Hogan announced on March 9 that he will lift many of the restrictions due to the pandemic in the state as far as indoor capacity of restaurants and businesses and lifting the out-of-state travel advisory while mandating masks be worn by residents to combat the coronavirus. Hogan’s order took effect March 12 at 5 p.m.
The order will continue to impose a capacity limit of 50 percent on places like stadiums and diners will be required to be seated in the manner of social distancing to be served. Capacity limits on places such as retail stores, fitness and indoor recreation facilities such as bowling alleys, wedding venues and conference centers are lifted, also but anti-COVID measures are advised to take place. Most counties in the state have embraced Hogan’s order but Baltimore has not, according to its mayor, Brandon Scott. Scott signed an executive order keeping the city restrictions in place. “Baltimore is not in the clear yet,” Scott said on March 12. “Our country and our world are not in the clear yet. We must stay the course and make responsible decisions on behalf of ourselves and those around us.” Scott’s order restricts capacity at 25 percent at nearly all public places and indoor dining at restaurants and outdoor dining can be expanded to 50 percent capacity.
VIRGINIA
On Feb. 25, Northam announced the lightening of coronavirus restrictions due to positive trending public health metrics. In Virginia, social gatherings outside are capped at 25 people while indoors, 10. Outdoor entertainment venues can operate up to 1,000 people or 30 percent capacity while indoor venues are capped at 30 percent with a maximum of 250. Dining businesses can sell alcohol until midnight and must be closed from midnight to 5 a.m. Northam said on March 12, “This has been a tough year for Virginia, but things are going in the right direction.” “We now have almost 10,000 deaths due to COVID but the cases are going down and the positivity rate is 5.5 percent and we have 916,275 Virginians vaccinated,” the governor said. “We are encouraging everyone to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands. We are within reach of herd immunity and there is light at the end of the tunnel.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
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5 Muriel Bowser is the mayor of the District. (WI File Photo)
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District Will Not Join Growing Anti-Transgender Movement
AROUND THE REGION
Unlike Mississippi, D.C. Athletes Can Compete Based on Selected Gender James Wright WI Staff Writer The District, considered a national leader on pro-LGBTQ issues, has made it clear it will not partake in a national effort to curtail their rights and has embraced such causes as allowing transgender youth to participate in sports in their chosen gender. On March 11, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves (R) signed legislation that would prohibit transgender athletes in public schools and colleges from participating in women’s sports – the first state to do so this year. Reeves’s action, which other states are considering, drew the rebuke of Alphonso David, the president of the District-based Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ civil rights organization in the nation. “These bills are not addressing any real problem and they’re not being requested by constituents,” David said. “Rather, this effort is being driven by national far-right organizations attempting to score political points by sowing fear and hate. What they don’t understand is opposing equality is highly unpopular – even among Trump voters – and states that pass legislation that attacks our community will face severe economic, legal and reputational harm.” “In many cases, these legislative pushed are being prioritized above COVID-19 response and relief. This push comes as equality measures gain not only popular support but legislative momentum on the federal level, with the Biden administration championing equality in executive actions and the Congress considering the Equality Act within the first 100 days of the new administration.” While South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) has indicated her interest in signing an anti-transgender sports bill into law and state legislatures nationwide are considering 73 bills penalizing transgender citizens, four Republican U.S. senators recently questioned Amazon for refusing to sell an anti-transgender book, “When Harry Become Sal-
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5 Clark Ray serves as the director of the D.C. State Athletic Association. (Courtesy photo)
ly: Responding to the Transgender Moment.” The book, written by Ryan T. Anderson, posits LGBTQ individuals as mentally disturbed. the District has a history of being receptive toward the transgender community.
D.C’S LONG-STANDING TRANSGENDER TOLERANCE
The District has a significant history of being receptive toward the transgender community. Legal scholars consider D.C.’s Human Rights Act of 1977 to be one of the strongest of its kind in the country. The law prohibits discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identification minorities in areas such as employment, public access, housing, credit and financial opportunities and health care. As for the rights of youth, Clark Ray, director of the D.C. State Athletic Association, said transgender student-athletes in the District can compete in sports freely without any concern about gender identity. “We allow students to participate in sports under the gender in which they want to identify,” Ray said. His assertions remain in accordance with the May 5, 2020 edition of the DCSAA handbook which allows student-athletes the
right to compete in any sport under their gender preference. But Ray said new issues regarding gender identity may be on the horizon. “There is also the issue of non-gender conformity,” he said. “There is a male athlete at H.D. Woodson who’s interested in volleyball, a traditionally female sport, and football. Young people these days don’t like to be held back by labels.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
As for the rights of youth, Clark Ray, director of the D.C. State Athletic Association, said transgender student-athletes in the District can compete in
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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY New Supply of Vaccines Coming to Prince George’s But More are Still Needed
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
Thanks to an agreement between the state of Maryland and Prince George’s County, at least 2,100 more COVID-19 vaccines will be allocated to the majority Black jurisdiction. But state Sen. Jim Rosapepe, who
resides in Prince George’s and represents a portion of Anne Arundel County, said it will be harder for Blacks, Latinos and others in underserved communities to receive vaccines. His conclusion comes from a recommendation from President Joe Biden for states to make vaccines available to the general public by May 1.
5 Prince George’s County residents at a vaccination clinic March 15 at Kentland Community Center. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
“We’re going from a period of scarcity to a period of abundance and we need a plan to show that,” Rosapepe said from his car March 15 during a weekly briefing with a Senate oversight work group. “We’re only six weeks away. If we don’t get our [expletive] together now, we’re not going to get our [expletive] together later.” Acting Health Secretary Dennis Schrader said officials continue to work on a plan “in preparing for this moment.” He touted how the state admin-
istered nearly two million vaccines in 14 weeks. The figure will increase once additional doses from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson arrive. But distribution among jurisdictions remains a concern. According to state data highlighted Monday, Prince George’s continues to lead the state in confirmed cases at nearly 75,500. However, nearly 13 percent of the county’s population have received at least a first dose of the vaccine. In comparison, How-
First Baptist Church of Glenarden Joins the Fight Against COVID Prince George’s County's Largest Church Opens Vaccination Clinic
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer Lead by example. That’s the message faith leaders are pushing in Prince George’s County to encourage their members and residents to take the COVID-19 vaccine in a juris-
diction that continues to lead the state of Maryland with the most confirmed coronavirus cases. “If you’re a leader and you’re not influencing someone, then you’re going for a long walk by yourself,” said the Rev. Charles Whitaker, pastor of River of Life Church in Temple Hills. “It’s important to
5 Lillie West, a member of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, chats with reporters after she received a vaccine March 16. (Robert Roberts/The Washington Informer)
12 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
know that there are people who are willing to listen to you. To follow your decision-making. It’s a weighty thing but it’s also an important thing. As pastors . . . we have to do our homework because we know our voice matters.” Whitaker and his wife, Cheryl, received a vaccine Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Glenarden. The church in Upper Marlboro will partner with the University of Maryland Capital Region Health to house a community vaccination clinic inside the church’s 63,000-square-foot Family Life Center. The goal will be to provide up to 200 doses per day for the first two weeks from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Starting March 29, it will expand to offer nearly 1,000 doses Monday through Friday. Gov. Larry Hogan, who toured the clinic Tuesday, said “a fairly dramatic increase” from the federal government expects to arrive around that time. “The month of April is going to look a whole lot different than the
month of March,” he said. “We’re going to take it to a whole other level.” Still, the state continues to receive some criticism for vaccine equity. State Health Department data shows nearly 19 percent of Prince George’s residents received either a first or second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. That percentage ranks last in the state among the 23 counties and Baltimore City. A Maryland Equity Task Force led by Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead seeks to increase that percentage with assistance from community organizations and churches hosting clinics such as First Baptist. “Health is what most of our people are challenged with,” said the Rev. John K. Jenkins, Sr., pastor of the church. “The Bible clearly speaks about taking care of your health and take care of your bodies. We’re fulfilling the biblical mandate . . . to help people live
VACCINE Page 42
ard County nearly doubles Prince George’s with one of the highest percentages of people vaccinated with a first dose in the state at 24 percent. The county also doesn’t house a mass vaccination site. In addition to mass vaccination clinics at local churches and hospitals, Prince George’s opened a vaccination clinic Monday at Cedar Heights Community Center in Seat Pleasant. Another opened at Kentland Community Center in Landover. Both were established to replace the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Center in Landover which will be closed through March 28 for maintenance. Meanwhile, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Monday the county will expand into phase 1C of its vaccination roll out – a group of residents which includes those ages 65 to 74, sickle cell disease patients, veterinarians and public transit workers. Residents and those who work in the county must pre-register at https://covid19vaccination.princegeorgescountymd.gov to schedule an appointment. Those in phase 1A and phase 1B who haven’t pre-registered are still encouraged to so using the same link. Those in the second and third phases may also pre-register and will receive a notification to make an appointment. The state classifies the second group as people ages 16 to 64 with severe illnesses, incarcerated individuals in jail and prison and workers in the utility, transportation and infrastructure fields. The third and final phase includes the general public. “Our vaccination rates have increased significantly over the past several weeks,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “I’m encouraging everyone who is in Phase 1C to make sure you’re pre-registered so you can join the growing number of Prince Georgians who are ‘Proud to be Protected’ from COVID-19.” WI @jabariwill
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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
More In-Person Dining and Drinking Now in the Works for Prince George’s
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
Mark Ridley and his wife enjoyed the brewery industry so much they opened a business three and a half years ago to sell some of the most unique beers in the country. Two fan favorites, Ridley said, are Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, a German beer, and Rekorderlig Cider from Sweden. “Those are never coming off the menu,” he said while laughing at The Brass Tap National Harbor. But it hasn’t been all smiles for the Bowie resident. Although Prince George’s County will allow his bar and other establishments to operate up to 50 percent capacity, certain restrictions are still required. Except when drinking and eating, patrons must wear masks and tables must be separated to provide adequate social distancing. Customers cannot stand at the bar. “At one time, we were shut down for two months completely. Then we had to only do carry-out. Then had to do outdoor dining,” Ridley said. “We don’t know what to think as business owners. We are just trying to survive.” Other establishments limited to operating at 50 percent capacity are movie theaters, gyms and hair salons. Private indoor gatherings are limited to 20 people and outdoor get-togethers at 50 people. When people step outside their home, they must still wear masks and adhere to the six feet of social distance at all businesses and on public transportation. “We will take a measured approach to reopening [and] modifying current restrictions on businesses and other establishments,” said County Executive Angela Alsobrooks during a press briefing Thursday, March 11. “These decisions were made based on the science and advice of our public health officials.” Prince George’s guidelines are different from what Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan instituted because the county continues to lead the state with the most confirmed coronavirus cases.
The majority of counties will follow Hogan’s order to relax capacities at churches, bowling alleys and restaurants. Large indoor and outdoor venues including movie theaters, concert venues and Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, will be allowed up to 50 percent capacity. The Orioles announced on social media Friday, March 12 it will begin the season at 25 percent capacity “in order to ensure social distancing and prioritizing the safety of all fans.” The team’s home opener is scheduled for April 8. Hogan stressed a statewide mandate to wear masks and maintain sixfeet of social distancing will continue. Because of that, no establishment will reach 100 percent capacity. In addition, the state of emergency remains in effect. The Republican governor eliminated capacity limits due to a decrease in hospitalizations, the COVID-19 positivity rate below 4 percent and the achievement of 670,000 people fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden wants all states and the District of Columbia to make sure adults are eligible for vaccines by May 1. In Maryland, jurisdictions such as Prince George’s and Montgomery counties and Baltimore City can impose stricter guidelines. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the city will keep its current restrictions such as 25 percent capacity for indoor dining and 50 percent outdoor dining. The city ranks fourth in the state with confirmed coronavirus cases. “Our approach will not change,” he said Friday. “Our nation and our city are still very much in the midst of this pandemic.” Prince George’s neighbor, Montgomery County, ranks second in the state with the most confirmed cases and number one in deaths. Montgomery County Council voted Friday to increase indoor dining capacity from 25 percent to 50 percent starting March 26. Similar to Prince George’s, indoor gatherings increased to 25 people and outdoor gatherings to 50 people. Houses of worship can conduct
services at 50 percent capacity. Council also voted to cut the 10 p.m. time limit for bars and restaurants to serve alcohol. “We are implementing a phased approach to reopening that will allow our community to get our students and teachers back in the classroom safely, expand business opportunities and restore recreational and social activities in a way that doesn't unduly jeopardize public health,” County Executive Marc Elrich and council said in a statement. “County leaders will continue focusing on what works, listening to our public health experts and acting based on the needs of our community because public health is the key to a sustained and robust recovery for all.” As for Ridley in Prince George’s, he’s hoping the capacity increases bring back workers and customers for all businesses.
5 Hopes arise for a return to normal. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
During this time last year, The Brass Tap employed between 35 to 40 people. Now, it’s slightly more than 20. “It is still difficult to keep all the employees. If you don’t have the volume of customers, it’s hard to
keep employees,” Ridley said. “Just like medical workers, people working in the service industry are on the front lines with people coming in every day. Hopefully things will improve.” WI Twitter: @jabariwill
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BUSINESS Minneapolis Settles Wrongful Death Suit with $27 Million to George Floyd Family WI Staff Report Minneapolis’s city council voted unanimously Friday, March 13 to award $27 million to the family of George Floyd in the wrongful-death lawsuit filed over his death last year while in police custody. Family attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci and other co-counsel hailed the agreement as “the largest pre-trial settlement in a civil rights wrongful death case in U.S. history.” It includes $500,000 to enhance the business district in Minneapolis at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd died May 25 during a confrontation with police over an al-
STIMULUS from Page 1 ceiving a text message after her bank had deposited the money into the family’s account., she informed her husband with the good news. “Then, I turned on the music,” she said. “It was exciting but at the same time, I felt exhausted. So, exhaled – a sigh of relaxation for our family as we looked forward to getting things going.” The couple from Hyattsville and their four children will be among the thousands of Prince George’s County residents who have or will receive a stimulus check of $1,400 per person. The family of six received $8,400. The Internal Revenue Service [IRS] anticipates distributing $422 billion to more than 100 million taxpayers. Some people received their money as soon as Friday, March 12, one day after President Joe
14 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
legation that he tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. The legal team praised police reforms adopted by the city after Floyd’s death and pledged support for further reforms. “George Floyd’s horrific death, witnessed by millions of people around the world, unleashed a deep longing and undeniable demand for justice and change,” Crump said in a statement. “That the largest pre-trial settlement in a wrongful death case ever would be for the life of a Black man sends a powerful message that Black lives do matter and police brutality against people of color must end.”
Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law. That’s because some banks authorized the release of the money earlier. The IRS said in a statement checks are scheduled for direct deposit Wednesday, March 17. According to the COVID-19 legislation, the IRS has until the end of the year to disperse all payments. Americans who filed their 2019 or 2020 tax returns, like the Grays, will receive their payments first through direct deposit. Eligibility requirements are based on those who are single with an annual salary up to $80,000 and couples who file jointly at the maximum salary of $160,000. The IRS released a payment tracker Monday on when stimulus payments could be received at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/getmy-payment. “Get My Payment updates once per day, usually over-
5 The family of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck in Minneapolis on May 25, received a $27 million settlement in a wrongful-death lawsuit. (Courtesy photo)
Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest attempt. Video of the incident, captured by onlookers, showed Floyd repeatedly telling the officer that he couldn’t breathe. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was subsequently fired and charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Jury selection in the criminal trial began Monday, March 8. Floyd’s death spurred worldwide protests and unrest over the summer as police reform and racial equality became hot-button issues throughout the U.S. The civil lawsuit, filed in July, charged the city as well as Chauvin
and the other Minneapolis police officers on the scene — Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng — in Floyd’s death. “Our family is grateful for all those who care so deeply about George’s life and our loss, and this agreement is a necessary step for all of us to begin to get some closure,” said Rodney Floyd, brother of George Floyd. “George’s legacy for those who loved him will always be his spirit of optimism that things can get better, and we hope this agreement does just that — that it makes things a little better in Minneapolis and holds up a light for communities around the country.” The city of Minneapolis adopted sweeping police reforms, including comprehensive use-of-force report-
ing, a requirement to keep bodyworn cameras on all the time, a policy for officers to de-escalate nonthreatening encounters with citizens by disengaging or walking away, and recruitment of officers based on a holistic evaluation that favors those who live in the areas they would police and who have social service experience. “We are encouraged both by the progressive police reforms already adopted and the ambitious changes city of Minneapolis leaders still hope to create,” Romanucci said in the statement. “After being identified with George Floyd for tragic reasons, Minneapolis will be remembered for progressive changes that can lead the nation in how to reform and reframe the relationship between police and communities of color.” WI
Eligibility requirements are based on those who are single with an annual salary up to $80,000 and couples who file jointly at the maximum salary of $160,000.
night,” according to the agency website. “Do not call the IRS. Our phone assistors don't have information beyond what's available on IRS.gov.” For those who filed their tax returns on paper, they will receive a check or prepaid debit card. However, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the current and ongoing tax season, delivery of those items could be delayed. “Even though the tax season is in full swing, IRS employees again worked around the clock to quickly deliver help to millions of Americans struggling to cope with this historic pandemic,” said Chuck Rettig, IRS commissioner, in a statement Friday. Although the agency will maintain the traditional deadline for filing taxes which this year is Thursday, April 15, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot announced last week
that state taxpayers will have until July 15 to file without penalties. The change comes due to the pandemic and the state’s RELIEF Act legislation passed by the General Assembly last month that requires changes on state and federal forms. LaRonda Gray said her family of six has endured a slew of stressful moments during the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, her husband had worked at a D.C. law firm for about 15 years as an administrative assistant but was laid off in June 2019. He began contracting work for the U.S. Army in January 2020. Then, almost six months later in May, he was laid off again. Last month, even with a decrease in salary, he returned to work for a contractor with the federal gov-
STIMULUS Page 43
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Standard Companies, based in the District, backed up Green’s claim of tenants keeping staying in their homes. “We don’t plan on tearing down any buildings,” Sislen said. However, Green admitted not knowing about a possible community benefits agreement—a deal between a developer and residents on such extras such as a new playground, neighborhood center, job and scholarship opportunities— and while Sislen understood the concept, he said it hadn’t become a part of the Congress Park discussions as of yet.
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We also need laundromats close by and swings on some of our playgrounds.” The Informer has learned the Congress Park tenants’ association wants to take advantage of the District’s TOPA (Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act) laws to possibly buy the complex themselves, as one of their options. Shekita McBroom, the president of the tenants’ association and the advisory neighborhood commissioner for 8E01, would not comment on the matter. But one of her commission-
er colleagues, Kendall Simmons of 8E04, has reservations about Green purchasing the property. “I have had no conversations with Darrell Green about this and I represent a large part of Congress Park,” Simmons said. “We all want this residential community to become better but he hasn’t said anything about a community benefits agreement or talked about the issues we are concerned about. Until I talk to him, I don’t see how I can support what he wants to do.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
PUBLIC NOTICE
TENANTS’ RESPONSE 5 Congress Park Apartments in Southeast. (Courtesy photo)
HOUSING from Page 5
tenants will not be moved away from the premises but may be moved to another unit. “You won’t have to evacuate,” he said. “We will be your voucher.” Matt Sislen is the managing director of East Coast production for the Standard Communities, an affordable housing division of
of repairs taking place. I want you, the tenants, to be happy to walk into your house and have a place where you are happy to raise your children. This is a huge facility and it is valuable for our city.” Green said during renovations,
Sharon Brown, a tenant of Congress Park, expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of Green buying the complex. “I think it is a wonderful and great idea,” Brown, who has lived in Congress Park since 2001, said. “I think it is good that change is going to come. If he becomes the owner, he can improve the appliances and the floorings in the unit.
Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc. is applying for a Certificate of Need to provide primary healthcare services at our facility located at 3636 Georgia Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20010. A Letter of Intent will be filed with the District of Columbia State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA). For additional information contact the SHPDA at 202.442.5875.
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MARCH 18 - 24, 2021 15
NATIONAL Young Talent on Display at 2021 Prince George’s County Spelling Bee
Sixth-Grader Headed to Florida for National Competitition in Florida Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer After several weeks of confidence-building, perseverance, and resilience-training, nine contestants in the annual Washington Informer -sponsored “Prince George’s County Spelling Bee” showcased their “t-a-l-en-t” for spelling March 12 in a virtual event at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. As showtime began, the history-making contestants -- all of whom are enrolled in county middle schools
or are home schooled in Prince George’s County -- comforted that the event was being presented virtually for the first time, appeared more relaxed participating from their homes, and were required to recite the following pledge: “I am honest to myself. I am fair to my classmates and teachers. On my honor, I will neither offer nor receive any help during this virtual spelling bee.” While supporters reminded them they didn’t have to worry about feeling intimidated by the glare of spotlights
5 Spelling Bee participants and judges. (Courtesy photo)
or a roomful of producers, sponsors, camera operators and others milling around, some of the nervous contenders had quietly taken to memorizing the spelling of certain words. Dave Zahren broke the ice. “No need for capital letters. Whether you win or lose, remember you have been in the shadow of giants. No matter what happens, everyone wins,” Zahren said. First up for the nearly two-hour challenge, was eighth-grader Wenona Majette, who correctly spelled “puzzles.” Next was seventh-grader Elizabeth Curley who breezed through “talent,”
followed by sixth-grader Amor Wilson’s on-point spelling of “Pigsty.” As the competition quickly moved on to rounds two, three and four, the more challenging the competition became. However, after a flurry of successive correct spellings for “ascribe” (by Elizabeth), “brilliant” (Amor), “distinctive” (seventh-grader Xaria German), “enfranchise” (Amor), and “jabberwocky” (eighth-grader Kristin Milburn), the heat turned up, with the field of contestants dwindling down to just four spellers. By the time round five was announced, three spellers remained
Amor Wilson Wins Prince George’s Spelling Bee
Title Won After Fifteen Rounds Curtis Knowles WI Contributing Writer Amor Wilson is the winner of
5Amor Wilson (Courtesy photo)
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the 2021 annual Prince George’s County Spelling Bee. The sixth grader at Bradbury Heights Elementary School battled through 15 rounds before officially taking the title with the word “solenoid.” Last Friday night’s competition was the first virtual spelling bee held by The Washington Informer since becoming the National Scripps Spelling Bee’s local sponsor 39 years ago in D.C. and five years ago in Prince George’s County. COVID-19 caused the cancellation of last year’s spelling bee in Prince George’s County, and the option of holding a virtual spelling bee this year seemed unlikely. Would students be willing to take on another virtual activity beyond classroom time? Amor and the other competitors--fifth through eighth-graders-- proved eager and capable, as they chal-
lenged each other round after round to win the coveted title of Prince George’s County’s Top Speller. Dressed in a white dress shirt and sky-blue bow tie, Amor came to the bee already a winner. He won his school spelling bee in 2018 and hoped success would be his again. The oldest of three children, Amor’s knack for spelling is one of several hobbies that bring him joy, including sports, particularly track and football. He is also a music fan and enjoys drawing and reading in his downtime. Amor, like students across the U.S., said the pandemic made him feel “nervous.” “However, my family, friends, and classmates try to find the positives in this pandemic,” he said. “We are always giving each other words of encouragement.” He used the pandemic to challenge himself, personally.
“One of my goals during the pandemic was to win the spelling bee,” Amor said. The competition was fierce, particularly when the final three participants, Amor, Elizabeth Curly, a seventh grader at Benjamin Tasker Middle School, and Kristin Milburn, an eighth grader at St. Mary of the Mills School went back and forth for nine rounds until it came down to Amor and Elizabeth. Wilson took the victory in the 15th round by spelling the word “solenoid.” He was calm in his final spelling, and shortly afterward, the magnitude of his victory settled onto him. “I was shocked,” replied Amor. “At first, I didn’t think I would make it that far.” “A lot of the words I didn’t even know and had to guess.” “I am an extremely proud
BEE Page 36
having correctly spelled “slovenly,” “duopoly,” and “frisket.” Incorrect spellings included “mogul,” “remedial,” and “utterable.” By round 10, only Elizabeth, Kristin, and Amor remained. In the final rounds, all three contestants misspelled words, giving rise to Elizabeth and Amor as the last two competitors. After a series of back-and-forth between the two that led to the final 15th round, Amor correctly spelled “solenoid.” It was only after competing with himself, that he was declared the winner. “I can finally exhale,” Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes exclaimed after Amor’s win. “Amor, you did so well and we’re very proud of you.” While Vic Samuels from Educational Systems Federal Credit Union said the spelling bee -- which has been sponsored the past six years by the Informer (after its original host The Gazette folded) -- “is a good way to salute and support participating students. Tracye Funn, Washington Gas manager of Corporate Contributions and Supplier Diversity, Washington, D.C., concurred. “Safeway and Safeway Foundation believe that education is the recipe to success. We are proud to support 2021 prince George’s County Spelling Bee presented by The Washington Informer Spelling bee and salute this year’s competitors,” Safeway Foundation public affairs senior manager Beth Goldberg said. She added that “it was an honor to be able to witness the event” and was happy that its coordinators “didn’t allow the COVID pandemic to stop them from proceeding this year.” The 2020 spelling bee was canceled due to the healthcare crisis. Other spellers in this year’s bee included Malachi Jones, Kaylana Padre, Laura Ball and Menelik Diaw. In addition to the prizes Amor will receive from the Informer and other sponsors, in July he heads to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Orlando, Fla. to compete in the nationally televised event for which he will represent Prince George’s County. Sponsors for the event were the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Educational Federal Credit Union, Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education Inc. (FAME), Pepco, Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce, Safeway Foundation, Silver Diner, Washington Nationals and Washington Gas. WI
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NATIONAL Rash of GOP-led Voter Suppression Bills Cast Shadow on America
Critics Say Initiatives Could Take Nation Back to Jim Crow Era Barrington M. Salmon Special to the Informer Despite obstacles which included long lines, faulty voting machines, a shrinking number of polling stations in African-American neighborhoods and frequent purges of voter rolls, Blacks in Georgia overcame the odds with record voter turnout during the 2020 election cycle. The result: Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden, secured highly-needed votes on their way to victory. However, Georgia had been a reliably Republican state with GOP candidates winning eight of the 10 elections between 1980 and 2016. Now, in response to the outcome of the recent elections, Republicans, fueled by unsubstantiated statements made by Donald Trump and other party members that the election had been stolen, have unleashed a deluge of legislation aimed at restricting ballot access. “This is an assault on democracy that has as its motivation the toxic mix of race, power and the sour grapes of losing the election,” said National Urban League President/ CEO Marc Morial. “They’re mad because they lost and because Black people turned out in large numbers. It will be resisted. It makes some of the things that happened during Jim Crow seem like a picnic. It’s undemocratic and un-American.” “It has to be stopped. It has no legitimacy and it isn’t a case of election integrity which is a big, fat lie. They are sowing fear and division which must be resisted. This is nothing new – it’s just voter suppression on steroids. The Voting Rights Act [VRA] stopped much of what was happening in the South,” he said. Morial points to the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision which invalidated key sections of the landmark VRA in the Shelby v. Holder case. In a 5-to-4 decision, the justices nullified Section 5 of the VRA that required states to get permission from the U.S. Department of Justice to enact voting laws before implementing them. Within days of the high court ruling, several states, mostly from the South, passed a series of draco-
nian laws that made it increasingly difficult for Blacks, Latinos, Asians, students and the elderly to cast their ballots. Republican legislators supporting these bills claim that the legislative measures count as efforts to limit voter fraud. However, critics contend that the laws serve as a means of disenfranchising voters, many of whom are more likely to vote Democratic. “At least 253 bills with provisions restricting voting access have been introduced, pre-filed or carried over in 43 states, mostly by Republicans, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School, dwarfing the number of similar bills filed at this point in 2020. The report concludes that these measures serve as a response to a “rash of baseless and racist allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities” promoted by Republicans for months without any evidence. With an all-out push by voting rights activist Stacy Abrams and the organization she founded, Fair Fight Action, along with the New Georgia Project, ProGeorgia State Table, Georgia STANDUP and others groups, total voter turnout jumped by 134 percent, total in-person turnout rose 47 percent and absentee ballots saw an increase of 615 percent. The Biden-Harris ticket won Georgia by more than 11,000 votes. And in a runoff election for two crucial U.S. Senate seats on January 5, both Democratic candidates, the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, pulled off upsets which would give their party a one-vote edge in the Senate. This, and other races, have prompted Republicans to introduce and/or pass 253 bills in 43 states, described by many critics as the harshest voter restriction measures since the Jim Crow era. On March 1 – one day after the 56th anniversary of Bloody Sunday – Georgia Republicans passed House Bill 531 which would impose limits on the number of voter drop-off boxes and shorten the amount of days for early voting. The legislation also calls for the requirement of fewer forms of identification for those who wish to vote by absentee ballot. And for those
who distribute food, water or drinks to voters waiting in line to cast their ballot, they could be charged with a misdemeanor. Erica Savage-Wilson, a former campaign organizer for Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), said she expected the Republicans’ response. “These laws are ensuring that people don't maximize their vote,” said Savage-Wilson, founder and host of Savage Politics and director of outreach for Public Democracy, a political consulting firm. “Election integrity is a push for Jim Crow-era restrictions, white only voting of poll taxes, literacy and other taxes to participate.” She adds that she views the fight for voting rights as a life-or-death but doubts the legislation will become law and hopes that the nation will see a decline in voter suppression tactics before the 2022 midterm elections. Marc Elias, a noted Democratic attorney and founder of the voting rights advocacy group Democracy Docket, made the following prediction in a Salon Magazine article published in February 2021. “We are about to be hit with a tidal wave of voter suppression legislation by Republican legislatures throughout the country,” he said adding that America could see an historic “contraction of voting rights like we have not seen in recent memory.”
5 Stacy Abrams (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)
“Republicans are doing this because they think they can gain an electoral advantage from making it harder for Black, brown and young voters to participate in the process,” he said. “This is the reaction of a party that knows it can't compete for most
the votes. So, it is acclimating itself to minority rule through several tactics. Gerrymandering is one piece of it. But certainly, voter suppression is a big piece of it.” WI @bsalmondc
TWO RIVERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Technology Equipment Two Rivers PCS is soliciting price quotes to acquire 11-inch Chromebooks and Google enterprise management licenses, and android tablets. To request a copy of the RFP, email Gail Williams at procurement@tworiverspcs.org. Proposals are due by April 8, 2021.
DC HOUSING ENTERPRISES (DCHE) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: DCHE 2021-1 NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT (NMTC) ASSET MANAGEMENT AND LOAN SERVICING SERVICES DC Housing Enterprises (DCHE) requires professional New Markets Tax Credit Asset Management and Loan Servicing services. SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning March 15, 2021 on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under “Business” and “Solicitations”. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE April 15, 2021 at 11:00 AM . Email Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist at lwashing@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for additional information.
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Political Parties Call for Unity Amid Tensions in Zulu Royal Family Leaders of political parties in KwaZulu-Natal have called for unity within the Zulu royal family following revelations of tensions between Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and the princes of the royal family in the wake of the passing on Friday, March 12 of King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu, the Sunday Tribune reported on March 14. Prince Buthelezi, in his capacity as Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch nation, late on Saturday evening delivered a blow by blow account of tensions over how the King should be buried. In the astonishing revelation of the families secrets, Buthelezi said some royal household princes wanted him to be sidelined from the process of preparations for the king’s burial and that he had wanted to pull out of the process but was convinced otherwise by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and Police Minister Bheki Cele. Speaking outside KwaKhethomndayo Royal Household, in Nongoma, IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa, leader of the official opposition in KwaZulu-Natal, said that the King’s passing had left the Zulu nation naked and its weakest point as he had been the vanguard of Zulu culture and values. “We pray that God helps the royal family during this difficult time, to make the family of His Majesty united and after the whole situation to emerge as one family to provide leadership in the Zulu Kingdom,” Hlabisa said. DA leader Zwakele Mncwango called for the unity of the royal family and described the sight of Prince Mangosuthu on Saturday laying bare the tensions within the royal family as heartbreaking. “We really wish to appeal to members of the royal family to remain united, to follow in His Majesty’s footsteps because he was a uniter not a person who was always in the middle of divisions,” Mncwango said. “They must live with His Majesty’s spirit, let them unite the Zulu nation. They must unite the province because if they’re divided then it means the entire province and the country at large will be divided. So we appeal to the princes and princesses and the Queens, everyone must come together and be united during this time.” He added that this was a time for grieving and not a time for fighting and it was incumbent upon the royal family to find solutions to their differences as all families have issues but those needed individuals willing to bring everyone together to iron out differences. EFF KZN provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza called for the royal family to be as united as it had been when the King was alive. “We urge this unity to be continued, for the royal household to speak in one voice as it had been the case when King was alive. The King taught us about unity and working in unison and we would like that to continue in the royal household as the King had taught us,” Khoza said. WI
caribbean now Overseas Barbadians Keen to Return and Work in Genetics There is keen interest from some Barbadians living overseas to return to their homeland and assist the country with genomic testing and genetics to detect the presence of new COVID-19 variants and also research into cancer and other diseases, Barbados Today reported. Sen. Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on COVID-19, made this disclosure during a live press conference Saturday evening, March 13. The Minister told viewers that discussions had already started and a Barbadian working in genetics in Canada and other Barbadians have expressed a desire to return and work in the area. Walcott added: “Next week is the Estimates Debate and I believe if you listen, you will hear that there’s been provision made. The Prime Minister is adamant that we will expand this facility, at the Best-dos Santos [Public Health Laboratory] to allow us to do genomic testing. “At this stage obviously for COVID and the variants, if any, but in due course to get into the whole era of genetics as it relates to cancers as it relates to other diseases. It is the plan of the Government to get us into genomic testing and genetic research.” WI
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HEALTH Social Media Favorite Jean ‘Ripped Grandpa’ Titus Makes Nutrition His Top Priority
Titus Unlimited Founder Employs Weight Training, Strict Diet in Pursuit of Black Man’s Fountain of Youth D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor One year into a worldwide health pandemic, millions of Americans continue to hope for the day when we can all return to some semblance of normal – from eating at our favorite restaurants and enjoying live concerts to traveling or working out at the local gym. And while many lament over the changes that have been necessary since COVID-19 impacted our lives, for health advocate and entrepreneur Jean Titus, a changing world hasn’t
20 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
stopped him from making the most out of every single day or opportunity. In fact, Titus, 52, founder and owner of Titus Unlimited and a recent transplant from Silver Spring, Md. to Miami, has continued to improve upon his brand, increase
visitors to his website – well over 100,000 – and remained steadfast in maintaining his daily workout regimen and consulting schedule. The self-identified trainer, nutritionist and Instagram sensation sports a 48-inch chest, 18-inch biceps, limits his caloric intake to 3,400 calories/day and trains for 90 minutes, five days a week – all the while sporting a mound of gray hairs on his face and body. And he has a growing base of others, including but certainly not limited to seasoned Black men like himself, who refuse to accept the notion that life is over when one reaches a certain age – whether that’s 40, 50 or beyond. “Some believe that going to the gym is tough and that after reaching the age of 40, it’s harmful to your body as your muscles begin to disappear,” he said. “But I know better and I have well over a decade during which I’ve developed a method that encourages a lifestyle that promotes longevity and greater self-preservation while shattering the myths associated with growing older.” Titus recalls how his mother’s death in 2002 served as a pivotal period in his life – a seminal moment in time which led him to embark upon a new road and a new way of living, eating, reflecting and ultimately thriving. “For those who want to stay fit ‘forever,’ I advise them to focus on the daily tasks: fall in love with the process, be consistent which is tantamount and to remember that you are your only competition. In other words, make every effort to beat yesterday’s output in order to achieve your goals,” said Titus, often referred to as the ‘Ripped Grandpa.’ “After losing both of my parents to c a n c e r, especially my mother who had been in great health throughout her life, I began to question my own mortality,” he said. “I knew I needed to do something different and
5 Jean Titus in the flesh. (Photo courtesy Titus Unlimited)
realized that I was on a runaway train that would land me in the same situation if I didn’t make changes. I began to educate myself about nutrition and examine my way of living.” “I had been working out, lifting weights for about 30 years and I’d always been an athletic kind of person but I was still about 237 pounds. I was carrying a lot of excess weight. So, I began to clean out my body – to detox.” “Folks say that those pains are part of growing older but I learned that they were really due to our diet – or more appropriately nutrition. That’s what serves as the essential element toward achieving a longer life and a better quality of life. As I began to develop my personal method, which took about 10 years, I eventually made it into a plan and then into a business. That’s how Titus Unlimited was formed. Others wanted to adopt my plan and process and I grew tired of saying the same thing over and over again. It was working for me and I realized that I had come upon something for which a lot of people had been searching.” “Look, I am not a personal trainer,” he said. “I mean, you can find a million videos of folks who say they can teach you the ultimate workout plan. Truthfully, you’re only in the gym for about one or two hours. The time remaining should address your diet and lifestyle. If you eat crap, you’re
going to look like crap. If you’re serious, just as we make time for our jobs and everything else important, you must make time for your health and wellness.” “It’s amazing but American physicians devote about one day in their total medical training to nutrition,” he said. “And that’s what’s killing Americans, young and old – a lack of knowledge about nutrition. Take the problem of obesity. Statistics indicate that in the U.S., the rate is around 43 percent – I say it’s higher.” “The numbers say that Black
TITUS Page 34
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Novavax Vaccine Shown 96 Percent Effective in United Kingdom Trial COVID-19 UPDATE
WI Staff Report
Novavax, Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine was 96 percent effective in preventing cases caused by the original version of the coronavirus in a late-stage trial conducted in the United Kingdom [UK], the company said March 11, moving it a step closer to regulatory approval. The vaccine was also about 86 percent effective in protecting against the more contagious virus variant first discovered and now prevalent in the UK. It was only around 55 percent effective in a separate, smaller trial in South Africa where volunteers were primarily exposed to another newer, more contagious variant that is widely circulating there and spreading around the world. In both trials, the vaccine was 100 percent effective in preventing serious illness and death. Results from the final analysis of the UK trial were largely in line with interim data released in January, which also showed the Novavax shot to be 96 percent effective against the original version of the coronavirus and around 86 percent effective against UK variant. The company expects to use the data to submit for regulatory authorization in various countries. It is not clear when it will seek U.S. authorization or if regulators will require it to complete an ongoing trial in the U.S. New data suggests that COVID-19 vaccines can prevent transmission of the coronavirus, in addition to protecting against symptomatic disease. An absence of clear data on transmission has led health authorities to recommend vaccinated people be careful around unvaccinated people, particularly those at risk for severe COVID-19 infections. “It looks like 90 percent reduction in asymptomatic transmission so that's really good,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
The promising news comes after President Joe Biden announced he was ordering all states, territories and tribes to make all adults eligible to “get in line” for their vaccines by May 1. If Americans “do our part” in the coming weeks, he said, friends and families will be able to join together in small groups in time for the Fourth of July. Also in the news: • The U.S. on Friday reported administering its 100 millionth COVID-19 vaccine as the World Health Organization [WHO] reported 300 million global shots have been given. • The number of people seeking help to quit smoking plummeted 27 percent last year as the public grappled with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report says. • During his primetime address, President Biden denounced violent attacks against Asian Americans, which have risen markedly during the pandemic. “It's wrong, it's un-American and it must stop,” Biden said. • Nearly one-in-five Americans say they lost a relative or close friend to COVID-19, a new poll from The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows. The numbers were considerably higher for Black (30 percent) and Hispanic (29
percent) respondents, yet another example of the pandemic's disproportionate impact on minority groups. • The U.S. is once again reporting less than one COVID-19 death per minute, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. The U.S. also reported less than 400,000 new infections in the week ending March 10, a level not seen since mid-October. • The few remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Oklahoma were to be rescinded March 12 as Gov. Kevin Stitt announced there would be no more limits on public gatherings or indoor sporting events and that a mask mandate in state buildings would be lifted. • One day after the Duke's men’s basketball team exited the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test within the program, University of Virginia also left the tournament after a positive test. The U.S. has over 29.3 million confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 532,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 118.8 million cases and 2.63 million deaths. More than 133 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. and 101 million have been administered, according to the CDC. WI
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EDUCATION Updated Health Guidelines No Longer Restrict Cohort Sizes to One Dozen People Changes Follow Weeks of Advocacy from Charter School Leaders
Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) recently updated COVID-related health guidelines so that District public and public charter schools would no longer be required to limit cohorts to a dozen people, or restrict
the movement of students between classrooms. Mary Shaffner, executive director of DC International School (DCI), said this development couldn’t have come at a better time in her team’s efforts to meet the demands of nearly half of the families seeking a return to campus.
For years, students at DCI had been enrolled in a bevy of courses that placed them along a path to an International Baccalaureate diploma. This arrangement precluded large groups of students from sharing the same daily schedule, much like what the health restrictions once demanded. “Students need to be able to go from chemistry to math to Chinese [and to] whatever [other] class they have. They can’t be cohorted in groups of 11,” Shaffner told The Informer. In advance of its January on-campus reopening, DCI administrators upgraded the central air filtration system and increased the frequency of on-campus COVID testing. DCI’s reopening initially involved priority student populations participating in supervised virtual learning. Over the last four weeks, school leaders have phased in the return of additional students, grouping them by homeroom. Before Bowser’s announcement, Shaffner revealed plans for weeks when teachers would facilitate hybrid instruction to in-class student cohorts and those learning virtually. However, she said such a strategy wouldn’t have sufficed for students
Smithsonian’s Virtual Summer Series to Help Youth Explore, Create, Discover WI Staff Report Looking for something to grab your children’s interest this summer? One option could be Smithsonian Summer Virtual Adventures – a series of week-long learning experiences introducing the world of the Smithsonian to children in kindergarten through eleventh grade. Over 50 live, interactive adventures will be held Monday, June 21 through Friday, Aug. 27. Youth can explore Smithsonian collections and themes during these specially designed sessions – live, facilitated activities with peers take place online along with additional challenges and projects to continue offline. For the youngest adventurers (grades K–1), themes of the Smithsonian will be explored through stories, songs, movement, games, craft, object discovery and virtual museum visits. Focusing on a different theme each week, educators at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center will lead interactive explorations of objects and artworks in the Smithsonian’s collections that spark art
22 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
making and experimentation. Sessions include “Smithsonian ABCs,” “Budding Botanists,” “Fur, Fangs and Footprints,” “Secrets of the Sea,” “Dino Discovery,” “The Art of Recycling,” “Out of this World” and “Art in Motion.” Students (grades 2–5) can take a deep dive into Smithsonian’s collections through weekly offerings that explore a variety of topics including natural sciences, history, art and more. Adventures include virtual visits to museums, hands-on projects, games, collaborative challenges and conversations with experts during two hours of live, online interaction with a team of experienced instructors. Sessions include “Make a Mini-Museum,” “Take to the Skies,” “Gadgets and Gizmos,” “Deep Blue Discovery,” “Digging for Dinos” and “Playing in the Past.” Teens (grades 6–9) can sign up for Smithsonian Masterclasses – weeklong studio courses that help them develop specialized skills, socialize and interact with other teens and learn from professional practitioners. With two hours of daily live online
workshops on photography, drawing, robot design, stop-motion animation, comics and theater set and costume design, teens practice, experiment and collaborate in the development of personal projects inspired by Smithsonian collections. History comes alive in one-week “Soldiers and Dioramas” sessions (grades 6–11) where students find a new dimension – a miniature one – to learning about some of the most important battles in history. Participants make their own terrain boards and leading troops of 1/72-scale soldiers in war games that offer them vivid insights into the military strategies and conflicts that have shaped the world. A diorama kit is included in the cost of the program and mailed to participants. Fees apply and vary for non-members and Smithsonian Associates members. Online registration begins April 7 but members may be eligible for early registration on April 5 and 6. For more information, visit http:// smithsonianassociates.org/camp. WI
had the District maintained the cohort restrictions. “Our parents are on a whole spectrum of who wants to come back and who doesn’t, but we want to provide opportunities for families to come back if they want,” Shaffner said.
FOLLOWING THE TRENDS
Before Bowser’s March 15 announcement, D.C. Health guidelines for school reopenings capped classroom cohort sizes to 12 people, including teachers. Oftentimes, depending on the number of teachers in the class, that means 10 or 11 students would receive instruction. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education, in following D.C. Health, didn’t stray from these limitations. Over the last few weeks, proponents of the guideline updates cited changing public health recommendations, nationally and internationally. Last fall, the World Health Organization set the ideal placement of students at three feet apart, instead of six. Recent updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also have encouraged school districts to implement changes that are consistent with best health practices. Earlier this month, the DC Charter Alliance, an advocacy organization for the local charter sector, released a list of recommended health guideline updates. They included increasing cohort sizes to between 20 and 30 students, allowing for the utilization of larger classrooms, removing requirements for the cleaning of playgrounds after physical activity and lifting outdoor learning restrictions. DC Charter Alliance Executive Director Shannon Hodge said the recommendations, among others revealed on March 8, came out of conversations with charter leaders and an examination of how health guidelines changed in surrounding school districts. “There was a tension between the requests to bring all students back and the public health guidance as of last week,” Hodge told The Informer on Monday. “We’re awaiting the updated guidance to get a better sense of how schools will be able to respond.”
COMPLICATING COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Before phased reopening launched in District public and public char-
5 New guidelines from the World Health Organization could allow more children in the classroom. (WI File Photo)
ter schools, charter leaders were immersed in discussions with the Public Charter School Board, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education, and some D.C. councilmembers about possible hurdles in bringing students back to school buildings. For Dr. Charis Sharp, executive director of the Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School (LAMB PCS), the cohort restrictions either nixed or complicated plans of facilitating aftercare and bilingual instruction. Sharp told The Informer that they also placed a strain on LAMB PCS’ academic resources, custodial staff, and relationship with the community. “Part of what can be frustrating is that those regulations haven’t been consistently and strongly communicated to the public,” said Sharp who recounted the installation of an upgraded state-of-the-art HVAC system at LAMB PCS’ 14th Street campus in Northwest. “Parents at our school and others want to know why we can’t open,” added Sharp. “The answer coming from me only has so much strength. If it came from the city that schools couldn’t open without these things in place, that kind of communication would be helpful.” WI @SamPKCollins
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
EDITORIAL
COVID-19 Anniversary and We’re Still Not Safe
One year ago this week, Americans watched as schools, businesses and churches closed in cities across the U.S. to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a deadly virus yet to be called a pandemic. In a March 5 editorial, we wrote: “While there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in D.C. to date, Mayor Muriel Bowser met with members of her administration, the media and ANC commissioners throughout the city to outline a preparedness plan, just in case an outbreak occurs in the District contributing to a possible pandemic with devastating consequences.” Who would have predicted that one year later, an outbreak with devastating consequences would result in over a half-million Americans dead, and over 1,000 of them in D.C? Mayor Bowser ushered in strict guidelines requiring masks, social distancing, hand washing, and sanitizing among residents who were forbidden to gather even in small groups because there was no place to gather publicly. She maneuvered around a president who believed consuming disinfectant was a way to kill the virus and who contributed to the spread of misinformation. Meanwhile, she juggled public safety concerns for protesters that poured into the District to rally at potential super-spreader events, including rallies for Black Lives Matter, ending gun violence and supporting Trump. StillEven worse, it was a one year later that included a major loss for the mayor, Mayor Bowser lost a beloved family member, of her own, her oldest sister, who died recently from COVID-19. One year later, a vaccine is making its way into the arms of District residents. Despite a flawed vaccine appointment system that city officials are trying to correct, vaccines are readily available in all eight wards. Still, deaths continue from COVID-19, and the virus continues to spread. The pressure is fierce to reopen the city, especially when those around us in Maryland and Virginia are quickly moving back to normal. Still, Bowser is steadfast in keeping District residents safe. We don’t blame her for taking a hardline position and appreciate her for every effort she makes to keep District residents safe. WI
DOMINIC from Page 8 dominating impact of patriarchy in the U.S. has long been as American as apple pie. On one hand, race, gender and class undergird our perceptions of what’s “acceptable” in terms of political or social resistance movements. On the other, as a patriarchal society, men’s stories and experiences – including Black men’s – are privileged and therefore more often central to our attention. This explains why we’re far more familiar with the police-involved murders of George Floyd, Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice then the deaths of Alberta Spruill, Shantel Daviittle, Shelly Frey, Kayla Moore, Kyam Livingston, Miriam Carey or Eleanor Bumpurs. But gender notwithstanding, all of them were killed by police or died while in their custody. U.S. history confirms that nearly 6,500 Blacks were lynched between 1865 and 1964. But while many of these deaths included women and children, we rarely think of women as victims. Is it impossible for our imaginations to perceive of images of Black women’s bodies
“swinging in the southern breeze, strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees,” as jazz diva Billie Holiday asserted in her haunting song of protest, “Strange Fruit?” Perhaps we don’t want to admit that for 400 years, Black women have been the victims of state-sanctioned beatings, rapes and murders. In truth, the inhumane system of white patriarchy which continues to prevail in America causes irreparable harm to both women and men in its codification of masculinity in terms of domination, violence and in men’s relationship with women. This is why the death of George Floyd and other men are headline news while the murders of Breonna Taylor and her sisters remain footnotes on the pages of life. But if America has truly changed and evolved so that it’s now permissible to imagine what America “could be,” we cannot ignore what this nation has always been like for Black women. Only then, will we say the names of Emmett Till as well as women’s like Mary Turner and Eliza Woods – all victims of lynching – within the same breath. Only then will the history of civil rights activism in Montgomery, Ala., include both the
TO THE EDITOR Biden a Beacon in Pandemic
Parents Are Front Line Against Crime
I don't know about anyone else, but I am very grateful to receive a stimulus. I am also glad that I voted for President Biden because he has delivered on the majority of his promises. With the stimulus and vaccines, I believe the country will be back to normal by fall!
I'm convinced after reading "MPD Seeks Causes for Spike in Youth Carjackings" by Sam P.K. Collins that these kids truly don't value their lives, let alone the lives of others. The crimes are all a game to them. After all, who do they have to answer to? In most of these cases, the mom and dad are MIA. When the households start being better, the streets will be better.
Lorine Bivens Arlington, Va.
contributions of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as the sacrifices of Gertrude Perkins. Perkins, a Montgomery resident, sexually assaulted by local white men, formed a Black women’s movement which demanded protection of their “bodily integrity” – long before King’s arrival on the scene. One year ago, we could not escape images of Breonna Taylor’s name or face prominently
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Jacklyn Thompson Washington, D.C. displayed on magazine covers, memes and protest signs as advocates and celebrities worked to ensure that her case didn't lose momentum. But for Breonna, or perhaps more correctly her mother, family and friends, one year ago must seem like ancient history. WI @mcneirdk WI Staff Writer William J. Ford contributed to this commentary.
MARCH 18 - 24, 2021 25
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
Julianne Malveaux
They Don't Want Our Souls at the Polls
The Souls to the Polls movement encourages African American church attendees to get out and vote. The churches that promote this movement cannot, because of their 501-c-3 status, endorse candidates. They can, however, emphasize the gospel of social and economic justice and preach the gospel of civic participation. People heard the message and got to vote in 2020 and, in Georgia, 2021. When Rev. Raphael
Warnock decided to challenge appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler, he galvanized people to support him. So in the past few months, the Georgia legislature has crafted a bill to attack how churches, civic organizations and others get the vote out. The Georgia legislation seems primarily focused on the ways civic organizations got voters to the polls. They want to eliminate drop boxes, restrict voter hours, and even limit absentee voting to the disabled or make requesters prove they are out of town. They have surgically gone into the voter turnout playbook and attacked it
Guest Columnist
step by step. We aren't surprised. Our nation's so-called "law and order" crew have always attempted to suppress the Black vote with absurd conditions for participation. I'll never forget my great-aunt, Annie Mae Randall, learning the Latin passages she needed to translate to qualify to vote. Latin in 1960s Mississippi? The idiots who imposed this requirement perhaps could not read or write English, much less Latin. Proof? My mom's race on her birth certificate is "collard" as in the greens, not "colored" as she was designated. Edu-
cated-deprived white people could only assert their "superiority" by putting Black people in our place. It is not especially startling, then, that not a single House Republican voted for the For the People Act, also known as HR1. It is more confusing that Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson (D) voted against the legislation. He had his reasons, which hold no water with me, but he had his reasons. Thompson was a cosponsor of HR1, but he flipped "in the interests of his constituents." Is he attempting to curry favor with white Mississippi voters, or is this a vote
on principle? Here is the tension. Republicans keep talking about "voter integrity," while Democrats and activists (not always the same thing) highlight voter suppression. The incidence of "voter fraud" is a hundredth of a percentage point, But Republicans refuse to acknowledge their voter suppression acts. Thus there are more than 200 actions in 43 states that will keep people from the polls. They don't want our souls at the polls. However, our voter activity has
MALVEAUX Page 45
R. Dean Foreman
Energy Policies and Potential Impacts on Household Budgets
Most people are concerned when energy costs rise, especially prices at the pump. It's understandable since the average household spent nearly $4,100 on energy in 2019, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey. For more than a decade, expanded U.S. energy production
helped lower energy costs, giving consumers more disposable income to afford other essentials like food, education and healthcare, which rose by 27%, 38% and 75%, respectively, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, with U.S. natural gas and oil production down recently, energy costs have been on the rise. The price of crude oil, historically the biggest factor in the cost of gasoline, has risen nearly 30% year over year (y/y), and consequently
Guest Columnist
gasoline prices were up 14% y/y as of March 8, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electricity and natural gas bills also have increased faster than overall consumer price inflation so far in 2021. Further energy cost increases could result from the Biden administration's decision to halt new federal natural gas and oil leasing, potentially reducing domestic production, as well as other possible actions that could limit drilling or
hydraulic fracturing. These could put upward pressure on energy costs that then could ripple across the broader economy. Yet, energy policy choices could affect far more than just what you pay for a gallon of gasoline or your monthly electricity bill. For example, imagine trying to make ends meet if U.S. energy policies raised the costs of housing and vehicles, in addition to the energy they require. Housing, vehicles and energy represent more
than half of a typical household's expenditures. While spending on energy since 2009 fell 10% to 15% across every income bracket, Americans' non-energy spending on housing, vehicles, maintenance and insurance rose the fastest among those who could least afford increases. Real housing expenditures (excluding energy) by the lowest 40% of U.S. households by income in-
FOREMAN Page 45
Amy Traub
Black Workers at Amazon Warehouse Have the Power to Keep Making History
Many observers were surprised when workers at Amazon's warehouse outside Birmingham, Alabama filed for a union election in October. It's not that workers' dissatisfaction was unexpected; the hardships faced by Amazon's warehouse employees are well-known. The company was slow to provide protective equipment during
26 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
the pandemic; it curtailed its COVID-19 pay bonuses and access to unlimited unpaid time off long before the health crisis was resolved; shifts are long and work schedules are erratic; a failure to invest in climate control means warehouses are often swelteringly hot or viciously cold; and worst of all, the company's algorithmic management system imposes brutal productivity quotas that penalize workers for taking too many minutes on bathroom breaks or
pausing work even briefly. What startled some people was that it was predominantly Black workers in Alabama — an "unlikely place," according to the New York Times — who were standing up, organizing with the Retail Warehouse and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and challenging the power of a $1.7 trillion company. But it shouldn't be a surprise. Just as Black voters in Georgia made history in the 2020 election
by delivering the state to Joe Biden and electing 2 Democratic senators, Black workers in the Alabama warehouse stand to keep making history as they vote on union representation. In this case, what's at stake is not political democracy but the potential for a more democratic economy — a chance for working people to have a collective voice in the decisions that shape their working lives. If the union drive succeeds, managers at one of the
nation's largest and wealthiest companies will have to sit down with workers' representatives and negotiate about the conditions that make their jobs unbearable. Black workers will have shifted a degree of power from Amazon's corporate headquarters into their own hands. Of course, Amazon is not letting go of power easily. The company is notoriously anti-union and has
TRAUB Page 45
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
Marc H. Morial
Majority of Black Americans Want COVID Vaccine, NUL Poll Shows
"They've read all this stuff online, from different news sources, which is confusing. But then they meet me, as someone who has had the shot, and I can give them some real answers." — Armando Mateos of Working Partnerships USA, a Silicon Valley-based community organization working to help dispel misinformation about the pandemic and vaccines A strong majority of Black and
Americans are confident in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and are ready to take it, according to a new poll commissioned by the National Urban League and The Alliance of National Psychological Associations for Racial and Ethnic Equity. These findings run counter to a "blame the victim" media narrative that pins the appalling racial disparity in vaccination rates on Black hesitancy to take the vaccine. Only 14% of Black Americans polled said they "definitely" would not get the vaccine, and 15% said
Guest Columnist
they "probably" would not. Yet the Black share of the vaccinated population is lower than the Black general population in every state that has reported demographic data. According to an analysis by The New York Times, the Black vaccination rate is half the white rate. Access, not hesitancy, is the reason for this disparity, as Rep. Karen Bass, psychologist and professor Cheryl Grills and I discussed in an op-ed recently published in The Washington Post. Among those who are hesitant, however, information is key: Over-
all, more than a fifth of Blacks said they have heard, seen or read something that made them less likely to take the vaccine. Among those who said they definitely or probably would not take the vaccine, 55% had consumed negative information about it. Negative information about the vaccine mostly centered on safety concerns, side effects and skepticism about how quickly the vaccine was developed and approved. This corresponds with recent reporting that Black and Hispanic communities are confronting vaccine conspiracy theories, rumors
and misleading news reports on social media. YouTube revealed this week it has taken down more than 30,000 videos that made misleading or false claims about COVID-19 vaccines over the past six months. Our poll found that concerns about the safety of the vaccine are the primary barrier among Blacks who don't intend to vaccinate. Of that group, nearly 60% agreed that "the vaccine is too new, I want to wait and see how it works for others." More than a third were con-
Gupta has been fighting for equal justice ever since. She led the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division for part of the Obama administration. And for the past few years, she has led the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. But right-wing groups are running a million-dollar-plus ad campaign to smear her. And unprincipled politicians like Ted Cruz are attacking her over her civil rights work in the Obama administration.
Our #HerFightOurFight ad is narrated by Shirley Sherrod, a former government official who lived through a dishonest smear campaign that twisted and distorted her words to try to destroy her career. She sees the same thing happening to Gupta and other brilliant women of color, and she's speaking out. It is important to defend women like Vanita Gupta who are being unfairly attacked. But
West graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and still appears to be a relatively cool dude. But his alma mater just doesn't seem to be sufficiently respectful of him. While the world is his stage, professionally he rotates — like musical chairs — between Harvard University, Princeton University and Union Theological Seminary. Earlier this month, he complained that hidebound Harvard would not offer him tenure, or a permanent teaching assignment — kinda like a civil ser-
vice job for mortals — so he jumped ship again and announced he was rotating back to Union Theological Seminary. For just a moment I wondered why wouldn't he really stick his thumb in their eye and take a position at a historically Black college or university (HBCU), like Howard University in Washington — the Mecca of Black colleges? It turns out he has regularly been a Charter Day
MORIAL Page 46
Ben Jealous
Fight For Women of Color Who Fight for Us
President Joe Biden has nominated extraordinary women of color to high-level jobs in the Biden-Harris administration. Many of them are being attacked and smeared by the far right. That's why People For the American Way has launched the #HerFightOurFight campaign. We cannot let far-right forces silence and smear these trailblaz-
ing women who are eager to advance the progressive values that Americans voted for when we put Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House. Our first ad tells the story of Vanita Gupta, who has been nominated for associate attorney general. Gupta was a young civil rights lawyer in her first job after law school when she heard about a gross injustice in the small town of Tulia, Texas. Almost 40 people — nearly all of them Black
Askia-At-Large
— had been wrongly arrested, convicted by all-white juries, and jailed on bogus drug charges. It was a big percentage of the Black community in that town. It was devastating to the individuals and their families. And they saw little chance of getting justice. But then Gupta, who was working for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, took up their cause. She exposed the injustice and won their freedom. She even got them pardons from a Republican governor.
JEALOUS Page 46
Askia Muhammad
No HBCU Faculty Needs to Hire Cornel West
Dr. Cornel West is a brilliant, loquacious scholar who typifies what it is to be a "public intellectual." That is, a noted specialist in a particular field who has become well-known to the general public for a willingness to comment on current affairs. West is a philosopher whose keen observations help illuminate the racial landscape in this country. He also often
stands out when he himself becomes the subject of the conversation, not just someone sharing his wisdom about the subject at hand. His progressive, Marxist-leaning, Christian witness on world affairs is refreshing. But his judgment was called into question in 2009 when he and journalist Tavis Smiley needlessly got salty with new President Barack Obama. While there were — and are remaining — reasons to criticize Obama, Dr. West fell out because he could not procure a personal favor
from the president, whose election he supported, and because he got the cold shoulder once at a public event. Those are not sufficient reasons for having a beef with any president, because the validity of one's serious critiques thus appear to be petty. Despite the words of caution rumored to have been said by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History Month, and the second person to earn a doctorate from the place — "Harvard has ruined more good Negroes than bad whisky" —
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ASKIA Page 46 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021 27
LIFESTYLE women's history month
Linda Cropp: First Woman to Chair D.C. City Council Lead the District from Control Board to Prosperity
James Wright WI Staff Writer While seven people have served as the chairman of the D.C. Council from the advent of home rule in the District in 1973, only one has been a female: Linda W. Cropp, who played a defining role in helping the District emerge from the 1990s financial crisis and laid the groundwork for the economic revival in the city which occurred before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cropp presided over the council from 1997-2007. Before rising to the top of the city’s legislative body, she served as a Ward 4 member of the D.C. school board (1980-1991) and on the council as a Democratic atlarge member from 1991-1997. While U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) has been credited by political historians as the first Black woman to reign over a legislative body as the speaker of the California General Assembly from 2008-2010, it could be argued Cropp accomplished that
5 Linda W. Cropp served as the chair of the D.C. Council from 1997-2007. (Courtesy photo/Facebook grab)
feat a decade earlier, leading the D.C. Council, a legislature that performs the duties of a municipality, county and state. Cropp said when her colleagues elevated her to the chairmanship of the council in 1997 due to the death of David A. Clarke, the District func-
tioned under a quasi-federal agency called the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility Management Assistance Authority, known informally as the D.C. Control Board. “When I became chairman, our primary goal at that time was to get rid of the control board,” Cropp said. “The people I served with at that time were extremely dedicated to representing their constituents and looking out for their best interests. We were the independently elected representatives of the people. We worked hard while the control board was in power. As a matter of fact, when we submitted budgets to the control board, I don’t think they made any major revisions of what we did. If they did, it was only one percent.” During Cropp’s tenure, the District’s prison--Lorton Reformatory--and the D.C. General Hospital, the only public comprehensive medical facility close to neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River, closed as a result of the city’s need to balances its finances by order of the control board. The control board suspended its activities on Sept. 30, 2001 when the District achieved its fourth consecutive balanced budget. Cropp said during that time, the District had many challenges other jurisdictions didn’t have.
You Ain’t Never Seen the Queen of Soul Like This Biopic About Aretha Franklin Aired by National Geographic Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer Before we began trudging through the pandemic two film projects about Aretha Franklin were announced. One was with multi-award winner Jennifer Hudson and there was “Genius: Aretha Franklin,” a project for National Geographic Television from Imagine Television Studios. Cynthia Erivo, also a multi-award winner and nominee, jumps off the screen as Franklin in “Genius: Aretha.” Imagine has produced several biopics for National Geographic Television. Imagine co-founders and co-executive producers for “Genius: Aretha were Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Suzan Lori-Parks was
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head writer, co-executive producer, and showrunner with overall creative authority for the four-part mini-series. Lori-Parks began working on a musical with Franklin before she died in 2018. A sneak preview of “Genius: Aretha,” episode one showcased some of the featured talent in front of and behind the camera. “I did have a conversation with her, and she wanted me to write a stage musical about her life,” said Lori-Parks about working with Franklin. “I still had her voice in my head. So, when I was brought on to be the showrunner, I said ‘Wow, I’ve got the queen’s voice in my head informing everything.’” Lori-Parks has worked in film since 1966. She was the first African American woman to receive a Pulitzer Prize for drama for her 2001 play “Topdog/Underdog.”
Courtney B. Vance, another multi-award winner, is the indomitable Rev. C.L. Franklin. In this biopic, the relationship between Franklin and her father clearly informed her business and personal outlook. She learned how to conduct business, how to work with musicians, how to handle her relationships with men, but more importantly, how to speak her mind. “Rev. Franklin was able to carve a path for himself and became one of the foremost preachers of the gospel in America,” said Vance in describing the character he portrayed. “Ms. Franklin 5 Jennifer Hudson portrays Aretha Franklin.
ARETHA Page 29
(Photo courtesy National Geographic)
“People must remember D.C. deals with issues as a city, county and state,” she said. “Also, our residents are sicker and poorer. Unlike other cities, we don’t have a suburban area to support us. Philadelphia, for example, has its suburbs in Pennsylvania to support its programs but we don’t. In D.C., we had to pay for our prison and Medicaid program, and other cities didn’t have to do that.” With the control board held off, Cropp said, she worked with her council colleagues and D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams to bring economically viable residents and businesses to the city. “Even as far back as 1991, when I came onto the council, the city was losing its tax base,” she said. “We needed new businesses and people to come into the city to shore up its finances so that we could take care of those who were needy. I remember as a school board member in the 1980s, there were only three restaurants downtown in the immediate area of where we met to conduct our business. Plus, we had large areas of land in the city that weren’t bringing in any revenue for the city. However, because of our work, there were restaurants everywhere in the city before the pandemic set in.” Cropp has received some credit for bringing major league baseball back to the District primarily through the building of Nationals Park in Southeast. “We wanted to bring baseball back into the District but not to be stuck with the entire costs of building the stadium,” she said. “I think in the end we came out with a better deal for the city. A lot of people criticized me for standing by the city so hard back then. However, my critics on the baseball deal didn’t live in the city but the suburbs.” In 2006, Cropp opted to run for mayor instead of seeking reelection to the council. She lost to Adrian Fenty in the Democratic Party primary, and then decided to retire from politics. Cropp said the present majority female D.C. Council “is encouraging” and encourages women, especially African Americans, to pursue a career in politics. “I would like to see more Black female leadership at all levels,” she said. “Even though in D.C. we have a female representing the city in Congress, as the mayor and the majority of the council, we always need more. I encourage young Black women who want to get into politics to move fast and strong.” WI @JamesDCWrighter
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THE COVID-19 VACCINE: A “LIFE OR DEATH” DECISION Ruth T. Perot, Executive Director/CEO, (Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE) Canary Girardeau, RN, PHN, Senior Program Associate, SHIRE
5 Respect. (Photo courtesy National Geographic)
ARETHA from Page 28 refused to give up. That tenacity and will to push forward no matter the obstacle was instilled in her by Rev. Franklin from the time she was a little girl.” Antonique Smith plays Franklin’s mother Barbara Franklin. Franklin deeply loved her mother and was broken-hearted when her mother left the home after dealing with emotional and physical abuse from Rev. Franklin. Patrice Covington portrays Franklin’s sister Erma Franklin, and Rebecca Naomi Jones stars as Franklin’s sister Carolyn Franklin. From childhood, the three sisters were remarkably close. Erma and Carolyn sang background in the studio and on the road. These key actors were introduced during the sneak preview. It is clear this series showcases superb acting talent and outstanding singing voices. There was no dubbing of the featured actors. Smith, Covington, and Jones did impromptu belted out of songs, demonstrating they were no joke. What viewers will capture from “Genius: Aretha” is how the “queen of soul” was influenced by more than gospel and r&b. Artists like Art Tatum, Dinah Washington and Charles Mingus frequented the Franklin home when Lady Soul was a child. She could sing a song and play the piano after hearing a tune only once. She followed her father and became an activist doing whatever she could to support the civil rights movement. The reason Franklin garnered so much respect from inside the music industry and from everyday people was because she gave her all. “She was Black, an American soul sister, mother, musician, church woman, queen of soul. What is genius?” said Lori-Parks in a spoken word piece she composed about Franklin. “Genius is contagious. Genius is outrageous. It lights a spark. It endures. It shifts the paradigm. Genus is the closeness to the spirit. Genius is a connection to things that are larger than yourself and that’s the truth!” “Genius: Aretha” premieres on March 21, 2021 at 9:00 p.m./ET on National Geographic Television over four consecutive nights. Here is the movie trailer. https://youtu.be/qjw3-JMm5Sc WI
In SHIRE’s 23-year history we have never seen health crises like the ones facing the black community today. We all know about the 525,000 deaths across the nation caused by COVID-19. We know that African Americans die at rates two or three times that of whites. These data are explained in several ways. African Americans are on the front lines as essential workers. They cannot socially distance in small apartments. And we are far more likely to have health conditions that make us vulnerable to the disease, made worst by systemic racism. These trends hold for the District of Columbia. As of the first week in March, in Ward 8 there were 193 deaths, while in Ward 3 there were 53. In Ward 7, 162 people died from the virus, compared to 51 in Ward 2. These statistics are alarming enough, but of equally great concern are the vaccination rates in the District. For example, as of March 4, only 1.7 percent of Ward 8 residents had been vaccinated while 6.9 percent of Ward 3 residents had received the vaccine. There are several possible explanations for these huge differences. Ward 3 residents are much more likely to have easy access to computers so they can track where vaccines are available. That is why whites are often seen in black neighborhoods waiting for unclaimed vaccine doses. We also know that African Americans have less flexibility to get to vaccination sites quickly, especially “drive-through” locations. Most important, the supply of vaccines is limited in wards where the need is greatest. Finally, there is strong evidence that many black DC residents are reluctant, resistant, or opposed to taking the vaccine. To understand this reluctance, SHIRE has reached out to community members in four wards. We have discovered that there are pressing questions people are asking about the COVID-19 vaccine. Our conversations with DC residents give testimony that when people do not get answers to their questions from trusted sources, they will accept whatever information is being spread. Here are some questions SHIRE has heard from residents of Wards 7 and 8, and answers SHIRE has given: Question: Are there any black scientists who were involved in developing any of the vaccines? Answer: Yes. Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, an African American woman who is only 35 years old was a lead scientist involved in creating one of the current vaccines. She has been praised for her work at the National Institutes of Health and is highly respected by African American health professionals. All historically black medical schools have been involved in promoting the vaccine, as well as the Black Coalition against COVID-19, the National Medical Association, the Black Nurses Association, and many church leaders in the District.
es of the vaccine have been given, including to SHIRE team members and many we know. We have searched for evidence of deaths directly related to the COVID-19 vaccine. To date, it is believed that no individuals have died from the vaccine. However, most of us know someone who has died from illnesses caused by COVID-19. Question: Does the COVID-19 vaccine contain something that can harm you, like lead, mercury, iron, ammonia, or rat poison? Answer: No. The purpose of the vaccine is to keep you from getting sick and making others sick. Those chemicals are more likely to make you sick. If you have children, they were required to be vaccinated before entering school. Anyone who has ever attended public school has had to be vaccinated against illnesses such as polio, flu, pneumonia, diphtheria, whooping cough, smallpox, tetanus. Question: Will the vaccine give you COVID-19? Answer: No. The vaccine does not contain a live virus. So, you cannot get COVID from the vaccine. Just like your child did not get polio from their polio vaccination, you will not get COVID-19 from a COVID-19 vaccination. What the vaccination will do is start your body to make antibodies to fight COVID in case you are exposed to the virus. When and if you do become exposed to COVID-19, your body has a head start on fighting it. Some people may have reaction to the vaccine. They may have muscle aches, chills, and fever. Usually, it does not last long, and your primary care provider can tell you how to handle that. In conclusion, the coronavirus can lead to death. If you survive, there can be long-term effects on the body. But this does not have to be our future. We have the power to choose a COVID-19 virus-free life for ourselves, our families, and our community.
SHIRE AT A GLANCE Established in 1997, the Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the promotion of health and wellness for all people. SHIRE works to eradicate health disparities and aid vulnerable populations in attaining optimal health. Communities, government agencies, corporations, and foundations look to SHIRE as an effective and trusted resource to identify inequities, propose solutions, and galvanize grassroots groups to address access to health care and quality of care issues among the underserved, particularly communities of color. www.shireinc.org
Question: Will the COVID-19 vaccine harm or kill you? Answer: We know that the current death toll from the virus is 525,000 lives in the United States. So far 76 million dos-
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Guess What? Somebody’s Watching You The Battle Over How Technology Runs Our Lives Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer “Big Brother is Watching You” is a phrase referring to the government's surveillance of people by using listening devices and cameras. We are a society dependent on technology. The watchful eyes of government and corporations has increased many times over. Facial recognition is a type of surveillance covered in the documentary “Coded Bias” that premieres on PBS Monday, March 22, 2021 during the series “Independent Lens.” (Check your local listing.) Producer/director of this documentary is Shalini Kantayya. Kantayya premiered the film at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. “Coded Bias” uncovers disturbing findings from research conducted by Joy Buolamwini, a Ph.D. candidate at the MIT Media Lab. Buolamwini made a startling
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discovery. Facial recognition used in many security systems, does not see dark-skinned faces accurately. Also, this technology does not recognize female faces accurately. At the MIT Media Lab, Buolamwini began to study computer vision technology. The computer vision software that was supposed to detect her face was flawed. “It did not work that well until I put on the white mask,” said Buolamwini as she demonstrated in the film. “When I put on the white mask, detected. When I took off the white mask, not so much.” Perplexed, Buolamwini studied data for face recognition. The data was based on white males, the people in the tech field doing research. Further, what was uncovered time-and-time again, was facial recognition technology made mistakes in critical instances. In China, the U.K. and in many U.S. cities facial recognition cameras
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are used in pedestrian areas and as a form of entry into buildings. This is how the FBI and other law enforcement agencies found those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. The documentary shows examples of how by simply walking down a street a person can be stopped by the police, if your face shows up with a red square around it. That labels you as a “target.” You are deemed suspicious. The “target” designation happens so quickly because information about you is already in a database. “We now have a silver bullet algorithm,” said Cathy O’Neil, an American mathematician and the author of the blog “mathbabe.org. “We have to constantly monitor every process for bias.” Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch in the UK has monitored a trial use of facial recognition technology used by the UK
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5 Facial recognition research from Joy Buolamwini, a Ph.D. candidate at the MIT Media Lab is the subject of the documentary “Coded Bias” produced and directed by Shalini Kantayya. (Photo provided by Independent Lens.)
police. She found that 98 percent of matches were wrong with faces showing as being dangerous or criminal. That means individuals anyone targeted may be in the UK police database, incorrectly. The database is like fingerprints that are on file. Carlo got the interest of Baroness Jenny Jones, a member of the UK Parliament. The two of them confronted the police when a pedestrian was “profiled” by facial recognition and was given a fine. A surprise later revealed in the documentary was Jones, the member of Parliament learned she was in a “dangerous” file. Buolamwini’s research resonates globally, but has gained more traction in the U.S. A Brooklyn highrise landlord filed an application to change its security system from a key fob to facial recognition. The building already has security cameras at the entrance and in the halls. The building is a predominately Black-occupied apartment building. Residents in Brooklyn see the proposed security process is a form of harassment. Buolamwini worked with the residents of the Brooklyn building to lodge a formal complaint. “There is this old song in science fiction that says the future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed,” said Virginia Banks, Ph.D., author of “Automating
Inequality.” “Rich people get the fancy tools first, then it goes last to the poor. But in fact, what I found is the absolute opposite. The most punitive, the most invasive, most surveillance-focused tools that we have go into poor and working communities first.” Artificial intelligence (AI) influences everything we do. It’s what you see through your social media feeds and when researching information through a web browser, Buolamwini formed the Algorithmic Justice League (alj.org) to research and campaign against how algorithms can be harmful. The mostly female group has been working on the human resources profession. Resumes and online application systems are extremely biased. Buolamwini’s research in this area was picked up in a New York Times article showing Amazon’s hiring system overwhelmingly turned down women applicants. The on-camera interviews in the documentary repeatedly told how AI is based on research data formulated by white males. Buolamwini and alj.org are determined to bring forth new research to change the system. “Your view of the world is being governed by artificial intelligence,” said Buolamwini. “Our faces may be the final frontier of privacy.” WI
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Energy Policies and Potential Impacts on Household Budgets R. Dean Foreman, Ph.D. Most people are concerned when energy costs rise, especially prices at the pump. It’s understandable since the average household spent nearly $4,100 on energy in 2019, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey. For more than a decade, expanded U.S. energy production helped lower energy costs, giving consumers more disposable income to afford other essentials like food, education and healthcare, which rose by 27%, 38% and 75%, respectively, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, with U.S. natural gas and oil production down recently, energy costs have been on the rise. The price of crude oil, historically the biggest factor in the cost of gasoline, has risen nearly 30% year over year (y/y), and consequently gasoline prices were up 14% y/y as of March 8, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electricity and natural gas bills also have increased faster than overall consumer price inflation so far in 2021.
Further energy cost increases could result from the Biden administration’s decision to halt new federal natural gas and oil leasing, potentially reducing domestic production, as well as other possible actions that could limit drilling or hydraulic fracturing. These could put upward pressure on energy costs that then could ripple across the broader economy. Yet, energy policy choices could affect far more than just what you pay for a gallon of gasoline or your monthly electricity bill. For example, imagine trying to make ends meet if U.S. energy policies raised the costs of housing and vehicles, in addition to the energy they require. Housing, vehicles and energy represent more than half of a typical household’s expenditures. While spending on energy since 2009 fell 10% to 15% across every income bracket, Americans’ non-energy spending on housing, vehicles, maintenance and insurance rose the fastest among those who could least afford increases. Real housing expenditures (excluding energy) by the lowest 40% of U.S. households by income increased about 10% between 2009 and 2019 – roughly three times the rate among wealthy
households. Over the same period, real household spending on vehicles, insurance and public transit rose 35% among the lowest 20% of households by income, more than twice the rate of wealthier households. These concerns loom over an economy where vehicles and housing have recently become even more expensive for some. Now consider the potential costs of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, which the administration is signaling it wants the nation to transition to and build; the ratcheting up of fuel economy standards, which the auto industry suggested in January would cost more than $1 billion annually; plus incentives and/ or state requirements like California’s which mandate residential solar panels on new construction, estimated to add $8,400 to the cost of a single-family home. Each of these would add up-front costs that disproportionately impact the 60% of
U.S. households earning $53,123 or less in 2019, per BLS. To be clear, the industry supports higher energy efficiency where it is cost effective. However, policies that undermine domestic energy production and blanket regulations that favor certain technologies over others for vehicles or homes could harm consumers. Higher costs for housing, vehicles and energy could ultimately require making sacrifices in the American way of life. Energy policies that could raise these costs should be discussed clearly and in the context of what is affordable to American households.
Dr. R. Dean Foreman is API’s chief economist and an expert in the economics and markets for oil, natural gas and power with more than two decades of industry experience including ExxonMobil, Talisman Energy, Sasol, and Saudi Aramco in forecasting & market analysis, corporate strategic planning, and finance/ risk management. He is known for knowledge of energy markets, applying advanced analytics to assess risk in these markets, and clearly and effectively communicating with management, policy makers and the media.
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The Community Energy Center, a cooperative with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Hispanic Publications Media, will provide information and perspectives on the integral role of the energy sector in daily life for American families in a wide range of communities.
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GEORGETOWN from Page 1
ence for Ewing, who lost his dear friend (Thompson) in August, but also earned a No. 12 seed and an automatic bid into the big dance. Ewing agreed that something bigger was happening on the court, reminiscing on what Thompson built during his 27year tenure leading Georgetown to prominence. "It was ironic that 40 plus years ago, coach Thompson was hired at Georgetown, and it was on this day that he was hired, and today we won the Big East Championship," Ewing said after the game. "They had us ranked last. We started at the bottom, now we're number one." Georgetown hasn't seen the same level of success since Thompson departed. The Hoyas have not made it back to the tournament since 2015, but Ewing looks to be the change in just his fourth year leading the charge during the pandemic, which disrupted all activities, including Ewing battling COVID-19 himself.
FRESHMAN GUARD DOMINATES
Like Thompson was to him, Ewing has transitioned into the role of mentor, bringing up talent like Washington, D.C. native
5 Hoyas celebrate an unexpected win for a Big East championship and a berth in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. (Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletics) 4 Patrick Ewing (John E. DeFreitas/The Washington Informer)
and freshman guard Dante Harris who has set the tone for the Hoyas during this historic run. Harris scored in double-figures with 10 points and did a little bit of everything, accounting for eight rebounds and five assists against Creighton in the final and was named the most outstanding player of the tournament. "He's been doing a great job," said Ewing of his star freshman
guard. "It's great to know that someone is going to be there through thick and thin. He's had some growing pains that he's had to go through, but I think the growing pains that he went through brought him to the point where he is right now. I think that helps us to win." Harris assumed the starting point guard role in his first season and showed maturity and commitment to the team after winning the tournament. "I'm blessed and grateful for it, and I give all praise to God ... I couldn't of done it without him," said Harris about earning MVP honors as his coach did as a former player. "I give it to my teammates, my coaches, the whole Georgetown community ... they
were behind us. Like I said, I give the most valuable player award to the team because I couldn't of done it without them." Now, Ewing will prepare to take on No. 5 Colorado on Saturday in Indianapolis. Harris will have the support of senior leadership from guard Jahvon Blair and the domineering post presence from sophomore center Qudus Wahab, both recently named to the 2021 Big East All-Tournament Team. It will be a true David versus Goliath match, with Colorado (22-8) winning 14 of their conference games and staging a 6-1 run heading into the tournament. Nevertheless, Ewing has coached this group to compete at all costs, and who better to lead them than a man who survived
Like Thompson was to him, Ewing has transitioned into the role of mentor, bringing up talent like Washington, D.C. native and freshman guard Dante Harris who has set the tone for the Hoyas during this historic run. 5 Ewing hoists Big East trophy. (Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletics)
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Covid-19, proved he could win the big game as a player and coach while resurrecting a legendary basketball program from the cellar? "As a coach, I'm here where a lot of people didn't think I had the ability to do [so], and I'm proving them wrong," Ewing said. "Everyone has done their part to get us to this point. I believe in these kids, and I think they believe in me. I told them that we have enough talent to win the Big East, to make it to the NCAA tournament, and once you get to the NCAA tournament, anything can happen." Ewing is now the first person in conference history to be the most outstanding player on a Big East Tournament Championship team as a player and to coach a Big East squad to a conference title. A feat that the man with a towel draped across his shoulder would be proud of indeed. WI danielkucin88
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John Thompson’s Legacy is Stamped All over the 'Team Hoya's' Championship Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer If there were any questions about the will of Patrick Ewing or his Big East champion Georgetown Hoyas, one needed look no further than the Big Fella’s mentor, the late John Thompson Jr., the original “Hoya Destroyer.” “I [will not] say what Coach Thompson would say right now,” Ewing remarked after Georgetown’s 73-48 demolition of Creighton at Madison Square Garden Sunday to win the Big East title and an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. “The fact that people discounted us … even last night I’m watching TV, they’re saying Seton Hall is just gonna wipe us, push us to the floor, and get to the next game,” Ewing continued. “We showed that we have courage, we have fight, we have the Georgetown fight — Hoya Saxa — that means something.” The victory came on the anniversary of Thompson’s hiring 49 years earlier. Thompson, who died last August, led Georgetown to five Big
East titles in the 1980s. Ewing, now the Hoya’s head coach, manned center for three of those titles, including the 1983-84 NCAA Championship. Born on Sept. 2, 1941, in the District, Thompson played center at Archbishop Carroll High School in Northeast. He went on to star at Providence College, leading the school to the 1963 National Invitation Tournament title and its first NCAA tournament appearance. Thompson earned a degree in economics at Providence and then a master’s degree in guidance and counseling at the University of the District of Columbia. The Boston Celtics selected Thompson in the 1964 NBA draft, but the 6-feet-10-inch star retired after playing just two pro seasons behind the great Bill Russell. He coached at St. Anthony’s High School in Northeast and led the team to a 122-28 record before Georgetown called in 1972. Thompson not only became the first African American coach to win an NCAA title, but he also led the Hoyas to 24 consecutive post-season appearances and an
(Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletics)
overall 596-239 record. His players graduated at a 97 percent rate, and 26 made it to the NBA. Thompson earned Coach of the Year honors seven times and was the catalyst behind the legendary NBA careers of Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, and Allen Iverson. The coach, who preached defense, was a strong advocate of education and social justice – notably, he pushed for more oppor-
tunities for students of color. When the NCAA announced it would not allow scholarships to incoming freshmen who failed to meet specific requirements, Thompson protested. He walked off the court in a January 1989 game and refused to coach the next contest because he said the rule was biased against students of color. The NCAA changed course and quickly removed the rule. Thompson was 78 when he died in August 2020.
“He changed the world and helped shape the way we see it. He was a great coach but an even better person, and his legacy is everlasting,” Ewing said recently. Added Mutombo: “He was my mentor, great teacher, hero, and a father figure to so many of us who got the chance to play for him. I learned a lot about the game of basketball, but most importantly, I learned how to be a man in society.” WI @StacyBrownMedia
6 D.C.’s Jamorko Pickett provided senior leadership. (Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletics)
5 Donte Harris, MVP. (Photo courtesy Georgetown Athletics)
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in review Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Contributing Writer WIN-TV’s latest episode showcased Washington Informer (WI) Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes engaging viewers with compelling guests interviews, and hot topics. Curtis Knowles updated WINTV on Maryland COVID hospitalization updates, new developments in state public restrictions per Gov. Larry Hogan’s new orders, vaccinations across the metropolitan area and more. The weekly program opened the first half of the show welcoming Stacy D. Stewart, president and CEO of the March of Dimes, a grassroots organization fighting to rectify issues surrounding public health, and
providing resources and equitable opportunities for expecting mothers, and children. Next, Vice president of marketing at Comcast Cable, James Lavallee introduces Comcast RISE Award (Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment), a program solely focused on providing Black, Indigenous, and minority small business owners with business services made scarce amid the health pandemic. “We’ve looked at the impact, and social unrest of these small business owners across the board. Unfortunately, as you know, Black and Brown people are impacted the most across everything, so small businesses were no different, and we are looking to provide that base in helping people,” said Lavallee.
Lavalle brought Donna Henry, owner of Soup Up, LLC, and Keisha Streeter-Clark of DC Urban Living to also share their successes as selected recipients of Comcast’s RISE Awards benefits. Later, host Rolark Barnes introduces Aja R. Clark from D.C. Public Libraries, and Mocha Ochoa of Mocha Media, to discuss their upcoming publishing, and author events, while WI Staff writer Will Ford additionally sat in with Maryland State Attorney Aiesha Braveboy to discuss Prince George’s County legislation as it relates to police reform. Ford asked the State’s Attorney why people particularly in the Black community, should continue to have faith in law enforcement, and the judicial system.
“We want them to but, I think we have to prove that we will deliver justice,” said Braveboy. “I wanted to be a changemaker and I believe that I have been. We have held officers accountable, I have created a public integrity unit, we have indicted several officers, and we are sending a very strong message that the behaviors of the officers will be regulated, and that we will not be afraid to charge and prosecute officers who violate the rights of others,” said Braveboy. Rolark Barnes closed out with Dr. Valda Crowder as she dived into kidney health, and how local residents have fared this year amid the health emergency before the Media Prince’s newscast, and The Bridge’s weekly segment, “Sounds of the DMV,” this week featuring D.C. rapper, “Ankhle John”. Remember to subscribe, and become
STIMULUS from Page 20 women are the most obese of all Americans at 55 percent. Again, I say the number is higher. But we’re not talking about being overweight. We’re talking about being obese. Seventy percent of Americans are overweight. And with children, that’s because the food they eat is low in nutrients – mostly processed foods.” “Consider that the average male, 18 to 35, actually has a lower level of testosterone than men like me born in the 1970s or 60s. Why? Because their baseline level of nutrition and activity are significantly different from men in their 50s or older. That’s why they’re more likely to suffer from obesity, hormonal imbalances and erectile dysfunction.” Titus, as part of his company’s benefits, offers a series of health supplements which he both developed and now markets as part of his business. But he says there never was and never will be a magic pill. “There’s so much false information out there,” he said. “And there’s more money in keeping people unhealthy. But when social media got a hold of me and the volume became unbelievable, I began to market my self-preservation program. There’s great prof-
34 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
5 Aiesha Braveboy (Courtesy photo)
a member of the Washington Informer family on our digital portal www. washingtoninformer.com! WI it in people remaining sick or in debt in U.S. capitalism. What we don’t learn as youth are nutrition or financial literacy.” “My goal is to help people become and remain healthy. Consider the cancer rates which have increased 10 times since 1980. Instead of a cure, let’s talk about the things we can do to prevent cancer. That’s what folks aren’t talking about – certainly not enough.” Titus also works with a group of Black men known as the Silver Fox Squad and he says it’s been a joy. “Most of the brothers are over 50 and they’re all influencers and businessmen, successful in their own right,” he said. “But like me, they’ve begun to realize they have a lot to give to the world and that they have a lot of things left which they want to do. Collectively, we seek to inspire one another and those committed to keeping the fire burning. And believe me, at 52, I have a lot of life left and I plan to enjoy every day and every moment.” To find out more about Jean Titus or his business and recommendations for healthier living, visit his website, www.titusunlimited. He’s also on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms – all under his business’s name, Titus Unlimited. WI
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LIFESTYLE
wi book review "The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship" By Deborah Willis c.2021, New York University Press $35.00 / higher in Canada 256 pages
By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Put up your fists. Yep, it's come to this: someone's looking for a fight and that's exactly what they're about to get. There will be a winner. It won't be fun: there'll be a loser, and probably some bruises. But at least you'll be able to open those fists and shake hands when it's over – unlike, perhaps, the people inside these two great books... When the Civil War began, says author Deborah Willis, most "...enslaved blacks and servants were united in their opinion – they associated war with emancipation." They hung onto every bit of news about Abraham Lincoln and news from the battlefront, they were eager to know what Lincoln would do next, and in "The Black Civil War Soldier," you'll get to meet some of those people and learn their stories. You'll also get to see them, in portraits and snapshots taken on and off the field, in Black hospitals, homes, and asylums. These are the kinds of pictures that make you want to linger, taking in details of what was obviously someone's best dress, or someone's best and bravest face. Look at the pictures and read personal letters home, diary entries, and thoughts – words, says Willis, of absent loved ones, fear and confusion, frustration on the part of both soldier and commander, "dignity and pride... achievement and self-confidence..." and valor. You'll also learn about the daily lives of a Black soldier during the war, and what happened in the years after war's end. Together, this narrative and the photographs make an astounding book that show an often-little-told human side of the War Between the States. When there's war, of course, you'll see action on the field, but the fight can also go on far behind the lines, as you'll see in "Blood and Germs" by Gail Jarrow. In this very heavily-illustrated book, young readers will get an authentic look at what, other than bullets, bayonets and cannonballs, might've killed a Civil War soldier. These things – gangrene, scurvy, tuberculosis, typhus and other horrible maladies or injuries – are examined and explained in context to the times in which they affected Americans on and off the battlefield; many of those maladies, after all, are rare in today's world and may be unfamiliar to young readers. Through letters and stomach-churning old-time cures, Jarrow also tells of the roles women played in nursing and ministering to the wounded and afflicted, how they stopped blood loss, saved legs and arms, ended pain and kept away disease and death. Older teens and adults, especially those who are history buffs, are the perfect audience for "The Black Civil War Soldier," although later-middle-schoolers shouldn't have any problem reading or understanding the book and may enjoy it. "Blood and Germs" is great for kids ages 10 and up and adults, though parents of particularly sensitive kids should beware that some of the photos can really be quite gruesome. In both cases, the stories inside these books make them great additions to anyone's library, and good things to get your fists around. WI
horoscopes
MAR 18 - 24, 2021
ARIES All you have to do is ask for help and a dozen people will rush to your side. This is a measure of the virtuousness of your friends, but it's also a measure of your popularity. The problem that presents itself midweek isn't the end of the world, but it will take at least a few days to get around. In the meantime, socialize. A casual conversation on Friday will lead to insights. Lucky Numbers: 7, 15, 19 TAURUS Don't think of Monday's power struggle as a power struggle. Think of it as a friendly game of tug-of-war. You and you-know-who simply see things differently; such is the nature of the world. Confide your frustrations to friends in the middle of the week but don't let talking about them get you even more worked up. Lucky Numbers: 9, 11, 13 GEMINI Someone else's worldview really throws a wrench into one of your broader life theories at the start of the week. Suddenly you recognize the value of sharing ideas. You're very susceptible to the influence of others right now, so be sure you're around the right people. Wednesday and Thursday see you dreaming about a career change — perhaps you're ready to do something more creative than what you've been doing — and Friday some real goals begin to take shape. Lucky Numbers: 24, 35, 55 CANCER You're on one planet, your friends are on another — that's how the beginning of the week feels. You'd like to spell out your emotions on a giant electronic marquee for everyone to read. But emotional appeals are not the way to go right now; an intellectual approach will get you a lot farther. Wednesday and Thursday are dreamy, wandering days, but Friday is pure havoc. If at all possible, don't let everyone else's hastiness have too much effect on you. Lucky Numbers: 8, 35, 47 LEO Whatever you have your arms wrapped around at the beginning of the week may be choking to death (figuratively speaking, of course). Let loose your grip and see how the thing does on its own. See if the idea flies. See if the plant grows. Art and creativity figure strongly at the end of the week, and the weekend is full of startling (but wonderful) life lessons. Lucky Numbers: 29, 33, 46 VIRGO For a while there you were obsessed with being right. Now the very idea of rightness is completely boring to you. Monday and Tuesday find you experimenting in all kinds of ways. On Wednesday, just as you're opening your mouth to criticize someone or something, you'll have a sudden change of heart and say something else entirely. On Thursday, the details you thought you had a handle on explode out of your grasp. This would normally drive you crazy, but this week it delights you. Lucky Numbers: 10, 16, 27 LIBRA You wake up on Monday in the middle of a flower. You're happy as a bee. You're delirious. This is what romance does to you. Tuesday is full of beauty and honey, too. But reality sets in on Wednesday, and you have to get back to work. As much as you'd like to sit at your desk and doodle, or spend your time dreaming up new plans for new projects, your current projects are more pressing. Follow-through is essential, especially Thursday. Lucky Numbers: 21, 32, 38 SCORPIO A conflict at home can be avoided with a bit of foresight. Besides, are you really sure you want to repaint the living room, or is this just a proxy for another, bigger change you'd like to make in your life? The way things are versus the way you think they should be in your life. But by Friday, you're barely thinking of your life at all. How solipsistic that would be! Lucky Numbers: 4, 7, 30 SAGITTARIUS The beginning of the week is a great time to get to know a perfect stranger. You are particularly receptive to new input right now. An exciting discovery awaits you on Tuesday. As a matter of fact, discoveries abound all week. On Thursday, someone proposes a metaphor that applies to your life in a truly useful way. Friday and Saturday are dominated by romance and fun. Lucky Numbers: 8, 43, 57 CAPRICORN As much as you're interested in making money, you're more interested in not losing it right now — which is why a get-rich-quick scheme should hold no appeal for you. Artistic inspiration will strike you and you'll spend hours in creative contemplation — a perfectly blissful way to pass an afternoon. Lucky Numbers: 8, 18, 36 AQUARIUS Someone switches on your bulb at the beginning of the week and your glow lights up the room. Act as a force for good in the lives of your friends. Be generous with your love, but don't think about being generous with your pocketbook, as money is probably scarce right now. Toward the end of the week, you're thinking bigger and bigger: Lucky Numbers: 14, 27, 47 PISCES You are a paragon of selflessness at the start of the week. If someone needs to borrow your car for the afternoon, you offer to let them borrow it all week. This is good and virtuous of you, but don't you have errands to run too? In your haste to help others, don't forget to help yourself. On Wednesday or Thursday, treat yourself; at the very least, do something restorative and relaxing. Lucky Numbers: 7, 8, 19
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MARCH 18 - 24, 2021 35
Vegetarianism Could Prevent the Next Pandemic By Charles J. Moreland There is conclusive evidence that humanity's lust for animal flesh plunged all of us into this global nightmare. Yes, COVID-19, as well as SARS, Avian Flu, Swine Flu, HIV, Ebola, and numerous other infectious diseases, all originated from human behavior related to eating the carcasses of slaughtered animals. Adding to the problem, it is possible that as the climate warms and animal habitats expand toward long-uninhabited polar areas and regions of Siberia, birds and other animals could carry ancient or unknown bacteria and viruses.
The flesh of those animals already contains such germs. These could include coronaviruses, smallpox, or other pathogens that have been lying dormant in the ice for tens of thousands of years.
Self-Improvement -- This All-Faith Spiritual Healing Guide is intended to help every individual who is struggling to defeat addiction blossom and go forth into the world as a wise, dedicated, and powerful Angel of Divine Love. Embrace this liberation book. Follow every instruction, allowing The Higher Power to guide and inspire all of your thoughts, words, and deeds. And remember that the wise never eat, drink or consume with passion. They reserve all fervor and zeal for love of the Divine. This is the earthly manifestation of spiritual control over self, the highest expression of Oneness on the material plane. Find comfort in the consciousness of Oneness, and you shall be set free from addiction. You will then be able to give Divine Comfort to others; for comfort lovingly administered by one who has been comforted by God is indeed the comfort of God. www.thewayfromaddiction.com
36 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
Trying to explain all the dangers and risks that come from eating meat to a beef-loving, chicken-licking, swine-swallowing man (or woman, for that matter) is usually a hopeless cause. Recently, a close relative of mine -- who I won't identify because he is a man of the cloth -- scolded me over the phone for telling him that going vegetarian would be better for him and all humankind. "My doctor told me that I need to eat meat," he bellowed. "I'm not like you; my body needs meat," he insisted. My wife was livid when she heard about the conversation. Two years earlier, we had taken the failed vegetarian and his wife (also of the cloth) out to breakfast. We were surprised when they didn't order bacon or sausage. Before either of us could comment, the Reverend proudly declared, "God directed us to stop eating meat." My wife told them how her asthma had vanished after she stopped eating land animals (she eats only seafood now). We all agreed that meat-eating was terrible on all levels, "and unrighteous," the preachers added. But now, it was evident that the Pastor was done with trying to be a vegetarian. "I need to eat meat, and I'm going to eat meat," he barked. I have seen this before. There are quite a few "wanna-be vegetarians" who know deep down inside that no one should eat animal flesh but cannot resist the craving for meat. It is easy to say you are going to stop eating meat. But maintaining a vegetarian diet requires inner strength and unyielding self-control. Scientists who have looked into the subject are almost unanimously in agreement that time is overdue for a paradigm shift from meat consumption to plant-based alternatives. The uncontested evidence on the record demonstrates clearly that meat consumption is an existential threat to humanity. Assertions to the contrary inexplicably ignore the facts. How any clear-thinking individual can say with a straight face that eating meat is healthier than eating vegetables is beyond understanding. The vast majority of humans are not heartless murderers of animals, but caring, empathetic people who have no wish to hurt themselves or their fellow beings. So whatever they would do to protect themselves, the
same they would do to protect others. Summarizing my conversation with the Pastor: I understood why he had reverted. If his only reason for trying to be a vegetarian was for personal health, relapse was inevitable. The willpower to stay with a vegetarian diet requires knowing from deep within that eating animal flesh is wrong on a personal level and bad for humankind. In other words, it's easier to be a vegetarian or vegan if you are doing it for spiritual reasons. Spirituality is the most significant factor that distinguishes humankind from all other life forms. The meaning of spirituality reaches beyond the practice of a specific religion. It includes deep contemplation about the purpose of human existence. So the struggle to give up meat-eating is more likely to succeed if you make it a spiritual quest. Your struggle to give up meat-eating will reveal the conflict between spirit and self so starkly that success will require a profound spiritual awakening. To override your mind's insatiable lust for animal flesh and do what is best for all of humanity, you will need to call on your innate survival instincts to arouse the Spiritual You. Your ability to seek guidance from a power higher than you places you above every other species. Because other living creatures do not appear to have this ability, we consider spirituality the highest capacity of a human being. However, when you routinely dismiss spiritual wisdom and mindlessly go along with your every craving, fear, emotion, or instinct, you are operating at the level of a beast. Hence, spiritual control over the de-
sires of the flesh is necessary to stop eating meat. Ancient and modern religions advised their followers not to eat animal flesh. Vegetarianism is strongly linked with many Dharmic traditions (beliefs) that originated in ancient India. In all these faiths, there are groups actively promoting vegetarianism on religious grounds. In describing lawful and unlawful foods, the Holy Qur'an emphasizes that "He [the Holy Prophet] makes lawful to them the good things of life and he forbids them the bad things." (Qur'an 7.157) Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad orders Hazrat Ali: "Don't make your stomach a graveyard of innocent birds and animals." Genesis 1:29 of the King James Version (KJV) of the bible states: "So God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you." That being said, for the preacher to now insist that meat-eating is healthy, is to say the Bible is a book of lies. He is implying that God was not telling the truth about the best diet for humanity. Adhering to a plant-based diet is obedience to God. One thing that renowned scientists and the great religions of the world can agree on is that each individual person and all of humanity will be better off if we would all stop eating animal flesh. And the current crisis milieu of coronavirus pandemic, climate change, and food insecurity make it clear that there is a worldly price to pay for human consumption of animal flesh: Pandemic!
"There is conclusive evidence that humanity's lust for animal flesh plunged all of us into this global nightmare. Yes, COVID-19, as well as SARS, Avian Flu, Swine Flu, HIV, Ebola, and numerous other infectious diseases all originated from human behavior related to eating the carcasses of slaughtered animals."
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38 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
HAGLER from Page 1 knockouts — many of them of the devastating variety. He turned pro in 1973 and was arguably the most feared fighter in the 160-pound middleweight division. Although the media and fans showered much love on fighters like Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and others, Hagler was largely ignored. Even inside the ring, judges appeared to view Hagler with a skewed eye. That was no more apparent than his bouts with Vito Antuofermo. Despite Hagler brutalizing the then-champion in their first bout at the old Boston Garden in 1979, judges declared the lopsided contest a draw. The decision allowed Antuofermo to retain his WBC and WBA middleweight titles. Antuofermo subsequently lost the titles to Alan Minter, who Hagler destroyed in a September 1980 bout. In the 1981 rematch with Antuofermo, Hagler punished his foe, scoring a fifth-round TKO. Still, Hearns, Leonard and Duran — each welterweights and each who would ultimately move up in weight class to challenge Hagler — were the media darlings and the sport’s favorites. Hagler agreed to a 1983 bout with Duran who was coming off his infamous “No Mas” loss to Leonard. Duran went the distance with Hagler. And while Hagler won the decision, the media still scolded him. “Hey, how about giving me some credit?” Hagler pleaded after beating Duran. “I beat a legend. I thought I did a good job. I have to give myself a pat on the back.” As Ring magazine’s 1983 Fighter of the Year, Hagler had little competition in his division and contenders too afraid to offer up a challenge. Then came the fight that finally earned Hagler the recognition he deserved. Hearns, the tall and powerful puncher from the Motor City, challenged Hagler for the middleweight championship on April 5, 1987. It was billed as “The Fight” but in boxing lore it remains known as “The War.” Although the match lasted only three rounds, it was arguably the most violent fight in boxing history. Hearns and Hagler traded vicious blows, never taking a break. Both fighters bloodied and, after an accidental head-butt that caused
5 Marvin Hagler (Courtesy photo)
Hagler agreed to a 1983 bout with Duran who was coming off his infamous “No Mas” loss to Leonard. Duran went the distance with Hagler. And while Hagler won the decision, the media still scolded him. the ring referee Richard Steele to consider stopping the fight in Hearns’ favor, Hagler unleashed a nonstop flurry to finish his foe. After several more title defenses, Hagler then sought the biggest of paydays and there was just one name that could fulfill that desire for the Brockton, Mass.-based warrior, and to quench his thirst for acceptance as the sport’s premier superstar. That person was Leonard, who had retired in 1982 after suffering a detached retina. Always calculating, Leonard had intently watched and even served as a commentator for HBO during several of Hagler’s bouts. Last year, Leonard told NNPA Newswire that he spotted Hagler’s weakness and wanted to fight him. “I called my business partner, Mike Trainer, and told him I wanted to fight Marvin Hagler, and he asked me had I been drinking,” Leonard reminisced about the time leading up to his April 6, 1987 bout with Hagler.
“When I told my brothers that I wanted to fight Hagler, they couldn’t believe I would even think of it,” Leonard recalled. “They asked, ‘Who would be my tune-up [for Hagler]?’ and I told them, ‘Hagler.’ I fought Kevin Howard before fighting Hagler, and he knocked me down, and people thought Hagler would kill me. Back then, I was on the wrong side of the street, doing cocaine and drinking heavily,” Leonard revealed. “The whole fight was based upon me getting into his head,” said Leonard, sharing his pre-fight strategy for the bout with Hagler. “I wanted to beat him mentally, and we had so many press conferences, and I would say to the media, ‘It’s a shame that you guys don’t see him as a good boxer and not just a slugger.’ He counted on getting his opponent out of his comfort zone by getting into Hagler’s psyche. Hagler was regarded as a brawler with incredible power and the sport’s most dominant slugger. Leonard needed Hagler to believe that he had to prove to the world that he could also box. “Hagler told the press, ‘I may surprise all of you, I may outbox Ray,’” Leonard remembered. It was exactly what he wanted to hear. “I said, ‘I got him!’” Leonard went on to win a 12-round decision over Hagler and claim the world middleweight championship. Hagler, who never fought again after the Leonard loss, was still named the Boxer of the Decade. In retirement, he finally received a measure of acclaim that escaped him during his memorable career. Hagler and his widow, Kay, met in Hagler’s adopted hometown of Milan, Italy. He is also survived by his five children, Charelle, Celeste, James, Marvin Jr. and Gentry. WI
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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT
Hurt People, Hurt Other People!
others then the very thing we have become victimized with will become a part of our life. My family has experienced this firsthand. After my son graduated from We all know someone, perhaps even Morehouse College back in 1998, unbea member of your own family, on a knownst to him, he was dating a young committee, at church, they’re every- lady who had been under the doctor’s where. You find it hard to get along with care. We couldn’t look at her and tell this person. The list can go on and on that she had a problem. She seemed of where these people show up, we find normal to me, however, my family endourselves surrounded by people who ed up having some major issues with this hurt other people. And they do so, be- young woman. She stalked the family, cause of the inescapable pain they have she would hit herself with an orange to endured in their own lives. Most of the make bruises on her body, and then she time, these folks need medical attention would call the police to say my son had that they may be unaware of. We can- hit her. Eventually, this young lady got not look at anyone and know that they the right treatment, went back to colare bipolar or manic. lege, got two master’s degrees and she According to the American Journal is a professor for Montgomery College, of Management Care (AJMC, Oct. working from two campuses. 10, 2005), the most recent survey noted During these difficult times, even that 69 percent of patients with bipolar those of us who are normal will tend to disorder reported an initial misdiagnosis, feel some kind of way, sad, depressed. with more than one-third experiencing a You name it. We all have run the gamut delay of 10 years or greater before receiv- of emotions. Things we’ve been accusing a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. tomed to doing together our entire lives During manic episodes someone are no longer an option, so it stands to may make up a totally different story, reason that those who suffer from mennot based on facts; you’ve heard this over tal illness would fare even worse. the past four years of “alternative facts.” The National Institutes of Health They create another story, altogether dif- website shows how hurt people interpret ferent from what is real, and they stick every word spoken to them through the to that untruth so long that it begins prism of their pain. Because of their to feel real to them. I’m familiar with pain, ordinary words are often misinthese because of someone that crossed terpreted to mean something negative my path in life. The Gospel of St. John towards them. Because of this, they are 20:23 says that we must release the sins extremely sensitive and act out of pain of others if we are going to be released. instead of reality. This means that if we do not forgive Hurt people interpret every action
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
through the prism of their pain. Their emotional pain causes them to suspect wrong motives or evil intent behind other people’s actions towards them. Hurt people often portray themselves as victims and carry a “victim spirit.” Hurt people have a hard time entering into a trusting relationship. Hurt people often carry around a suspicious spirit. Hurt people often alienate others and wonder why no one is there for them. They often continually hurt the ones they love and need the most with their self-destructive behavior. In my research on this topic, I found that hurt people have the emotional maturity of the age they received their (un-dealt with) hurt. For example, if a girl was raped by a man when she was 12 years old, unless she forgives that man and allows Christ to heal her heart and allay her fears, in that particular area of her life (sexuality with a man) her emotional growth will stop. Even when she reaches her later years she may still have the emotional maturity of a 12 year-old. Hurt people are often frustrated and depressed because past pain continually spills over into their present consciousness. In many instances, they may not even be aware of why they are continually frustrated or depressed because they have coped with pain by compartmentalizing it or layering it over with other things over time. In closing, hurt people often erupt with inappropriate emotion because particular words, actions, or circumstances “touch” and “trigger” past wounds. WI
John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.
5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089
1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005
“A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org
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Mount Olivet Lutheran Church
Reverend John W. Davis Pastor
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
(301) 864-6070
Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com
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MARCH 18 - 24, 2021 39
RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor
Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor
9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724
700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849
Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM
Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM 5th Sundays: 9:30 AM 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM
Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”
www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org
Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ
Blessed Word of Life Church
Church of Living Waters
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464 Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org
St. Stephen Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., / Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 / Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30 AM 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
Third Street Church of God
Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors
Reverend William Young IV Pastor
Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor
Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor
4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax
3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)
5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45 AM Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45 AM Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday , 12:30 PM Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 AM
1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax
Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power
Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM
“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org
www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org
Campbell AME Church
“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor 800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703 Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”
Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax
Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org
Isle of Patmos Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661 Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net
St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM
Twelfth Street Christian Church
Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White
Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor
2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org
(Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020
“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org / E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net
Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM
Crusader Baptist Church
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion every Sunday: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 PM Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org / Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com
Turning Hearts Church Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher 421 Alabama Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445 Service and Times Sunday School: 10:15 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11;15 AM Children’s Church: 11:15 AM Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: gr8luv4u2@gmail.com
40 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
Mount Carmel Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor 901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM themcbc.org
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM
RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor 7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471 Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 AM Service 11:00 AM Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.” Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com
Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org
St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon
All Nations Baptist Church Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor 2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591 Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards
Israel Baptist Church
Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor 2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730 Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM “Where Jesus is the King”
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!
623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 / Fax (202) 483-4009
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org
Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith
Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor
Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor
1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288
1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org
5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM
Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"
Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42
New Commandment Baptist Church
Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor
Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor
1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964
8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240
13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM
Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM
Rehoboth Baptist Church
Reverend Peter R. Blue Sr. Pastor
Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor
2001 Brooks Drive District Heights MD. 20744 240.838.7074
621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112
Service and Times Sunday Worship Experience: 10:15am Sunday School: 9:00am Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Noontime Bible Study: Tuesday @ 12:00pm Prayer Meeting/Bible Study: Tuesday @7:00pm Theme: "Building On A Firm Foundation"
Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM
Email: revprbstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org
Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”
“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org
“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”
Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958
Shiloh Baptist Church
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church Dr. Joseph D. Turner / Senior Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 8:00 AM Worship Service: 11:00 AM New Member’s Class: 9:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM Church School: 9:45 AM Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00 PM Saturday Bible Study: 11:00 AM Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00 AM “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”
Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “
4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net
Christ Embassy DC
Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Friday Evening Service: 7:00 PM ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com
Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study
First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Mt. Horeb Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor
Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor
Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor
9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4288
602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595
2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon
www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org
Service and Times First Sunday Worship Service (one service): 10:00 AM Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday Worship service: 7:45 AM and 10:55 AM Sunday Church School/Bible Study: 9:30 AM Thursday Prayer Service: 6:30 PM
All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
Email: sbc@shilohbaptist.org Website: shilohbaptist.org
Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM Noonday Prayer Every Thursday
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor
Email Address: admin@pbc712.org
Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest
Holy Trinity United Baptist Church
Florida Avenue Baptist Church
Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor
Rev. Dr. Jerryl V. Moody Pastor-Elect
Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
St. Matthews Baptist Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church
King Emmanuel Baptist Church
WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “
Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
MARCH 18 - 24, 2021 41
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2021 ADM 000049
2004 ADM 001163
Voyce J. Mack aka Voyce J. Mack, Jr. Decedent
Martha L. Matthews Decedent
Washington Informer
In God We Trust Declaration of Nationality Notice of White Flag Surrender Notice of Reference: 0112358-13 Notice Of Special Appearance: I am that I am: Christian Stephone Chavers ", in full life, in propria persona. sui juris. in solo proprio. Haqdar by natural issue. the beneficiary and heir Of: CHAVERS, CHRISTIAN STEPHONE corp.sole Dba.: CHRISTIAN STEPHONE CHAVERS 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 subscribe, as a: Moorish American. but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent. and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire. Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article Ill Section 2. The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, I United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples l. 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: Christian Stephone Chavers from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: stephone amoorica bey Notice Of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article Ill, as a minister Of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND (HAGUE. IV). ARTICLE: 45. 46. & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846. TITLE Il, 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: Office of Vital Records / Bureau of Vital Statistics / New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, CERTIFICATE NUMBER: 13187125288, " CHAVERS, CHRISTIAN STEPHONE is as a special deposit order conveyed to Amoorica Divine 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: stephone amoorica bey (Copyrights); nom deguerre: Christian Stephone Chavers (copyrights) as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit Of : “Amoorica Divine 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: procurement and appropriation. as well as discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved.
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2021 ADM 000032
2021 ADM 000016
2021 ADM 000100
2021 ADM 000043
2020 ADM 000765
Addie Cooke aka Addie C. Cooke Decedent
Gregory Jerome Janrhett Decedent
Dwight Ackley Gopaul Decedent
Brooks Robert Platt Decedent
George L. Garrow, Jr. Garrow Law Firm, PLLC 300 New Jersey Avenue, NW Suite 900 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney
James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2020 ADM 000728 Julia Williams Decedent Deborah Cason Daniel, Esq. 503 D Street, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Elmore Manuel Williams and Deborah Cason Daniel, whose addresses are 51 Hamilton St., NW, WDC 20011 and 503 D St., NW #200 WDC 20001, respectively, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Julia Williams who died on October 25, 2011 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/4/2021. 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 9/4/2021, 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: 3/4/2021 Elmore Manuel Williams Deborah Cason Daniel Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Aimee D. Griffin 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney
James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Matthew Bonner, whose address is 912 Dryden Court, Silver Spring, MD 20901, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Addie Cooke aka Addie C. Cooke who died on 9/9/2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/11/2021. 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 9/11/2021, 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: 3/11/2021 Matthew Bonner Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
42 MARCH 18 - 24, 2021
Lashunna Briana Grier, whose address is 112A Rhode Island Ct., Frederick, MD 21701, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gregory Jerome Janrhett who died on January 3, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 11, 2021. 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 September 11, 2021, 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: March 11, 2021 Lashunna Briana Grier Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
Kerri M. Castellini, Esq. Price Benowitz LLP 409 Seventh St., NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney
Tabitha R. Brown Law Offices of Tabitha R. Brown 1200 G Street, SE, Suite A Washington, DC 20003 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Terrence J. Mack, whose address is 507 Roosevelt Boulevard, Apt. C617, Falls Church, VA 22044, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Voyce J. Mack aka Voyce J. Mack, Jr. who died on April 3, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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.
Mary Matthews, whose address is 2002 Ridge Place, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Martha L. Matthews who died on March 5, 2004 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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: 3/18/2021
Date of first publication: 3/18/2021
Terrence J. Mack Personal Representative
Mary Matthews Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
Levi D. Baisden Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marcia Baisden, whose address is 5036 10th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017-2844, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Levi D. Baisden who died on June 28, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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: 3/18/2021 Marcia Baisden Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
2021 FEP 000010 April 19, 2020 Date of Death Bernard D. Whitsett Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Dora H. Whitsett whose address is 10207 Green Forest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20903 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Bernard D. Whitsett, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Brevard County, State of Florida, on September 22, 2020. Service of process may be made upon Antonoplos & Associates, Attorneys at Law c/o Valerie Edwards, 1725 DeSales St., NW, Ste. 600, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 78 Underwood Place, NW, Washington, DC 20012. 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: 3/18/2021 Dora H. Whitsett Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
Washington Informer
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ivone Gopaul, whose address is 147 U Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dwight Ackley Gopaul who died on 12/25/2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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: 3/18/2021 Ivone Gopaul Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Carol Beane Platt, whose address is 1468 Chapin Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Brooks Robert Platt who died on September 15, 2020 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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: 3/18/2021 Carol Beane Platt Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
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LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2021 ADM 000037
LEGAL NOTICES Declaration of Nationality In God We Trust Notice of White Flag Surrender
Andre Norman Bender Decedent
Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: “ newton
Nakia Gray, Esq. 800 Maine Ave., SW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20024 Attorney
in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo propio, as:
wilson bey©” formerly known as “Chedrick Adrekis Neal©”, Moorish American National, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ BEY, NEWTON WILSON®©” corp. sole Dba.: “NEWTON WILSON BEY®©”, and “NEAL, CHEDRICK
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
ADREKIS®©” corp.sole Dba.: “CHEDRICK ADREKIS NEAL ®©”, having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal
LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2020 ADM 000665 Charles E. Ware aka Charles Edward Ware Decedent Jennifer C. Concino, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jennifer C. Concino, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #700, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Charles E Ware aka Charles Edward Ware who died on 12/29/2017 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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.
Hazel Bender, whose address is 523 Powell St., Brooklyn, NY 11212, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Andre Norman Bender who died on July 28, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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.
to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the
Date of first publication: 3/18/2021
equitable title, and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in
Date of first publication: 3/18/2021
Hazel Bender Personal Representative
the property, Re: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL VITAL RECORDS STATE FILE
Jennifer C. Concino, Esq. Personal Representative
Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified hereby affirms, declare and proclaim my nationality to be a Moorish American National, but not a citizen of the United States: Notice of White Flag Surrender: as “ hors de combat “, pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and dominion of Earth mentioned at Genesis 1:26-28, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of LAWS AND CUSTOMES OF WAR ON LAND (HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 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
NUMBER : 139-76-034380: “ NEWTON WILSON BEY®©”
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formerly known as “CHERICK ADREKIS NEAL®©”, to be used
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
exclusively for the benefit of : “ BEY MIGUEL TRUST ”, an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. Inter alia enact fuit.
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
All Rights Reserved.
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2021 ADM 000057
2021 ADM 000104
Juanita D. Jackson Decedent
Caroline Washington-Bennett Decedent
James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney
Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Keith L. Jackson, Sr., whose address is 2910 O Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Juanita D. Jackson who died on January 11, 2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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: 3/18/2021 Keith L. Jackson, Sr. Personal Representative
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marcus W. Witowski, whose address is 9102 Kittery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Caroline Washington-Bennett who died on October 14, 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 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/18/2021. 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 9/18/2021, 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: 3/18/2021 Marcus W. Witowski Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
STIMULUS from Page 14
PG VACCINE from Page 12
ernment. During the period of his unemployment, Gray said her husband did not receive unemployment benefits. Meanwhile, the family has accumulated an estimated debt of $10,000. To maintain a semblance of financial stability, they applied for credit cards, loans and received assistance from family members. Additionally, the couple applied for a state energy assistance program in November to help with electric and heating bills. They received a phone call last week requesting more information. While her husband works, Gray stays at home with the children. The three youngest children continue virtual learning in the Prince George’s public schools. Gray homeschools their oldest child, Omari, 18, who has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and asthma. Omari plans to enroll in Prince George’s Community College in the fall, where his mother’s currently a student pursuing early childhood education. LaRonda said her son, who has an interest in the stock market, suggested how the family should use its stimulus payment – as an investment that would gain interest. “That would be great we have to get out of debt first,” she said. “COVID has taught us many lessons. If we had an emergency fund established, we would’ve had money to pay the rent on time and buy the kids the necessities they needed sooner. The stimulus money will definitely help get us back on our feet. In fact, I did the happy dance when President Biden signed off on it [the stimulus plan].” County Councilmember Jolene Ivey (D-District 5) of Cheverly said families like the Grays, who reside in her district, deserve the stimulus payments. “They’re a really strong family who’s doing everything right that they can possible do,” she said. “They’re wonderful parents and you really want them to succeed. It’s not just them but thousands of families just like them in the county and the region who just need extra help.” WI @jabariwill
better. This is something that will help save lives.” Lillie West, a member of First Baptist who lives in neighboring Charles County, couldn’t agree more. West, who plans to volunteer at the clinic, said she’s tried to get a vaccine since Feb. 4 through the Charles County Health Department. But with the church’s assistance, she was finally able to register through their website to schedule an appointment and received her shot in the arm Tuesday. “Nothing to it,” said West, who turned 66 last week, after she received the vaccine. “This was easier [than getting] the flu shot. I’m a girly girl and needles and me do not mix. Now I can relax and know that I am protected in some way.” For more information or to schedule an appointment, go to www. fbcglenarden.org/vaccine or https:// www.umms.org/capital/coronavirus/ get-vaccine. A hotline will be established soon for those with limited or no internet access.WI @jabariwill
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MALVEAUX from Page 26 always been blocked by the conservative forces that want to limit the right to vote. They offer a "reasonable" argument. Many hit the airwaves speaking of "voter integrity" and limiting voting opportunities is "reasonable." These Republicans are exploiting the racist, predatory capitalist origins of this nation. While our founders talked about democracy and one person, one vote, but they excluded those who did not have property from the vote. They excluded women, Black folks and others from the vote. From my perspective, the most enduring
FOREMAN from Page 26 creased about 10% between 2009 and 2019 — roughly three times the rate among wealthy households. Over the same period, real household spending on vehicles, insurance and public transit rose 35% among the lowest 20% of households by income, more than twice the rate of wealthier households. These concerns loom over an economy where vehicles and housing have recently become even more expensive for some. Now consider the potential
TRAUB from Page 26 spared little expense to crush the latest organizing attempt. Workers report being forced to attend intimidating one-on-one anti-union meetings with supervisors and mandatory group meetings every few shifts. Amazon bombarded workers with text messages and even placed anti-union signs in the warehouse's bathroom stalls. Like the politicians who tried to hold on to power by restricting the right to vote, Amazon argued that mail-in ballots should not be allowed, and workers must be required to vote on unionization in person, despite soaring rates of COVID-19. The National Labor Relations Board rejected that argument, and vote-by-mail began for warehouse workers earlier this month. It comes as little surprise that Amazon's anti-union drive is being run by a consultant with ties to some of the same funders who have long bankrolled voter suppression
evidence of elitism is the way the United States Senate has evolved. Initially, the governor or legislative body appointed senators, usually of their race and class. Then, the senatorial formula is intrinsically unequal. Why should population-dense California have the same voice as Vermont, New Hampshire and Montana in Senate votes? This a never meant to be a democracy. It was designed to preserve the interests of capitalist oligarchs. The ruling class has protected their interests by giving senators a six-year term. Their missteps are likely to be forgotten before their term are over. Our former president, who should only be known
as "former," encouraged Republicans in their intransigence. The Capitol insurrection of Jan. 6 was an attempt for the unholy alliance between the wealthy Republican elites and the people they have been able to incite. The Georgia legislation suggests that some don't want our souls at the polls. The Republican opposition to HR1 suggests the same thing. But Black folks have learned Latin, counted jelly beans in a jar, stood in line for hours, and managed oppression. We brought the souls to the polls in 2020, and we will do it again in 2022. Nobody is "sud'in" Republican oppression. WI
costs of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, which the administration is signaling it wants the nation to transition to and build; the ratcheting up of fuel economy standards, which the auto industry suggested in January would cost more than $1 billion annually; plus incentives and/ or state requirements like California's which mandate residential solar panels on new construction, estimated to add $8,400 to the cost of a single-family home. Each of these would add up-front costs that disproportionately impact the 60% of U.S. households earning
$53,123 or less in 2019, per BLS. To be clear, the industry supports higher energy efficiency where it is cost-effective. However, policies that undermine domestic energy production and blanket regulations that favor certain technologies over others for vehicles or homes could harm consumers. Higher costs for housing, vehicles and energy could ultimately require making sacrifices in the American way of life. Energy policies that could raise these costs should be discussed clearly and in the context of what is affordable to American households. WI
tactics and other anti-democratic efforts. As is so often the case, political and economic democracy are deeply intertwined. Political strength contributes to greater economic power. Because Black voters in Georgia organized, registered, turned out, and voted, legislation strengthening workers' rights to join a union and negotiate with their employers now stands a chance of being signed into law. Under the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, reintroduced in Congress this month, workers banding together to form a union would not have to overcome the same obstacles to unionization that Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama are facing. Employers would no longer be able to interfere in workers' union elections: For example, managers would be banned from forcing workers to attend anti-union meetings as Amazon did. Working people would have greater power to support each other through secondary boycotts, and employers
would finally face meaningful penalties for violating workers' rights. If Amazon warehouse workers succeed in gaining union recognition, the PRO Act would facilitate their ability to negotiate a first contract, requiring Amazon to enter binding arbitration if it refuses to negotiate in good faith. "Alabama has a rich history of labor organizing," Resha Swanson of Adelante Alabama Worker Center told The American Prospect. "For generations, Black workers have risked their lives to spearhead worker rights efforts — fighting for their lives in the face of lynching, death threats, job loss, and most of all, white supremacy. Amazon's workers' partnership and unionizing with RWDSU is just an extension of the legacy of worker militancy." This Black History Month (and into March), workers at Amazon's Bessemer, Alabama warehouse have the power to keep making history by voting for their union. WI
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MORIAL from Page 27 cerned "that people of color are being used as test subjects." Our challenge, then, is to employ trusted messengers such as public health professionals, community leaders and friends and neighbors to address those concerns attesting to the vaccine's safety. I was proud to join a group of trusted clergy in my own com-
JEALOUS from Page 27 this campaign is about more than these specific women. It is about all of us. These women are ready to make change happen — the change we voted for. They represent the kind of inclusive multiracial and multiethnic society we are building together — and the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to building one of the most diverse governing teams in our nation's history. I am sad to say it is not surprising that many of Biden's nominees are being attacked by people who see that vision of our future as a threat. It is not sur-
ASKIA from Page 27 speaker at Howard's Rankin Memorial Chapel, commemorating the school's founding in March, 1867. Invariably on those occasions he has been asked about taking a post at The Hilltop and his answer, according to one of the most distinguished and popular professors with whom I'm acquainted there, has always been the same, and easy to understand. Even though a Black university could probably meet his salary requirements, being at a Black school would mean too much work. On one occasion, West explained, that at Harvard or Princeton or one of those spots, he had six (count them, six) graduate assistants — not a likely prospect at an HBCU. That would mean he would have to teach his own classes and grade all his student's assignments. He would be tethered to the campus. Uh-uh. And then there is the internal morale among the loyal Black staff who've kept the lights on at HBCUs all the time West was the darling of the elite schools. Now, never mind that he might be in trouble for taking a stand on an issue that even I might cheer — he claims that Harvard is
munity who received the vaccine publicly in an effort to build trust. These efforts are working. Hairstylist Katrina Randolph is part of the Health In-Reach and Research Initiative (HAIR), a network of barbershops and beauty salons working with the Maryland Center for Health Equity at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.
"At first, 75% of my clients were saying, 'I'm not going to get the vaccination,'" Randolph said. "But as we had these conversations and I told them things that I was being educated about, they began to do research and then they felt more comfortable with the vaccination. Now I hear from 90% of my clients, 'I can't wait to get vaccinated.'" WI
prising that the descendants of the Jim Crow south whose power is threatened by people of color turning out to vote are passing new laws to try to stop us. It is not surprising to see racism and sexism used as political weapons. We know that progress is often met with backlash. Our long march toward justice has sometimes been beaten back temporarily — on the blood-stained Edmund Pettus Bridge, in courtrooms where whiteness trumped justice, in state legislatures where the Constitution's promise of equal justice was repeatedly betrayed, and in the U.S. Senate, where the filibuster was used to delay passage of civil rights laws.
Time and again, we have overcome, often led by courageous Black women and other women of color whose leadership was frequently overlooked and overshadowed. Today, we fight for Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke, a brilliant Black woman nominated to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and other brilliant women who are ready to help President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris fight for a country that comes closer to meeting our ideals of freedom, equality, justice and opportunity for all. #HerFightOurFight. WI
The last time West fell out with Harvard was more than a decade ago when he bumped heads with then-university President Larry Summers, an economist who served as a top-shelf adviser in both the Bill Clinton and Obama administrations. So no, no pity for him at any HBCU.
constantly wrestle with: The White Man has colder ice. The last time West fell out with Harvard was more than a decade ago when he bumped heads with then-university President Larry Summers, an economist who served as a top-shelf adviser in both the Bill Clinton and Obama administrations. So no, no pity for him at any HBCU. I'm acquainted with several prestigious scholars at Howard, Morgan State, Jackson State and some at white schools including Georgetown, American, Houston and Harvard Law, as well as others in the corporate world and I recognize that these tenure and salary and publishing questions are delicate subjects, and that's putting it mildly. I'm also happy that he reports that after intense public outrage over its initial decision to deny him a tenure tract, the school has reconsidered and would like him to remain. But I'm also glad he's kept his pride intact, deciding it's time to move on from Harvard. And finally, I'm glad that neither he nor any HBCU has had to deal with the delicate question of Dr. Cornell West at a Black school. WI
vexed with him because he has spoken out against Israel's apartheid treatment of the Palestinian population under its authority — imagine how Black faculty might feel if he finally turns to a Black school after he's been dumped by a white school. It would look like he believes the canard that many Black institutions
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