The Washington Informer - May 1, 2025

Bowser, Harris, Goodell Announce Commanders’ Return to RFK Campus

Council Approval Needed, Questions about Community Benefits, Spending of Public Dollars

deal that brings the Commanders back to RFK campus. (Abdullah J. Konte/The Washington Informer)

D.C. Citywide Baby Shower Seeks to Strengthen Maternal Health Outcomes Across Wards 7 and 8

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

On the heels of Black Maternal Health Week, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, in partnership with the Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the DOES Office of Paid Family Leave (OPFL), held the fifth annual DC Citywide Baby Shower on Saturday, April 26 at Capital Turnaround

BABY SHOWER Page 22

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

If D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and The Washington Commanders have their way, the Commanders will make their return to RFK campus by the fall of 2030, thanks to a deal that places much of the financial burden on the Commanders for the construction of a new football stadium. As the D.C. Council prepares to deliberate on the RFK campus development deal, there remains the question of how the Commanders will consult residents, labor groups and other stakeholders in the compilation of a community benefits plan centered on supplemental education

COMMANDERS Page 38

5Washingtonians engage with workers at the DOES Office of Paid Family Leave 5th Annual DC Citywide Baby Shower on April 26, hosted at Capital Turnaround in Southeast. The baby shower offered community members an opportunity to access resources, learn essential skills, and explore parenthood in the District. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

First Cohort of HU Mini-Med Students Receive White Coats

Howard University College of Medicine, Tubman Elementary School Collaboration Exposes Students to Medical Careers

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

For nearly a year, Dr. Angel Byrd accompanied a Howard University College of Medicine (HUCM) colleague and several medical students on monthly treks to Harriet Tubman Elementary School, where they exposed young people to careers in the

medical field during after-school hours. The eight-month academic journey, known as HUCM’s Mini-Med Program, recently culminated in a graduation ceremony at Tubman Elementary, where 21 students received white coats as a testament to all they learned under the tutelage

MINI-MED Page 26

Parents, Advocates, Child Development Centers Respond

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Throughout much of the time his toddler has been in daycare, William Perryman has covered more than half of the monthly costs with a District-funded subsidy.

However, in the midst of a Congressional budget battle and current budget deliberations clouded by a projected $1 billion revenue loss, Perryman said he can’t help but worry about what

would become of the early child care subsidy– and his son’s academic future.

“Daycare is important,” said Perryman, a father of two who lives in Northwest. “My son’s 2 years old, [so] he needs to be able to

TD Jakes Stepping Back Page 44

5D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Commanders owner Josh Harris recently joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in announcing a

3Howard University Dean of the College of Medicine Dr. Andrea Hayes Dixon presents white coats and certificates to student graduates of the Howard University College of Medicine’s Mini Med Program.

(Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

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STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER

Jeffries and Booker Lead Daylong Capitol Sit-In Against GOP Budget Cuts

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) concluded a 12-hour sit-in Sunday evening on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, rallying Americans to oppose deep cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and vital safety net programs proposed by President Donald Trump and Republican leaders.

The demonstration began at sunrise, with Jeffries and Booker live streaming a conversation across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube, urging Americans to speak out against what they called a “cruel” and “reckless” budget.

Over the course of the day, they were joined by faith leaders, activists, union leaders, experts, and lawmakers, many

of whom warned about the real-world impact of the proposed cuts.

“Budgets are more than just numbers in a spreadsheet— they are moral documents,” Booker said. “They reveal what we value, who we protect, and what we stand for. Republicans in Congress are proposing cuts that will take food from children, health care from the sick, and dignity from those already struggling. It’s wrong. To stop it, we all must say so—clearly, courageously, and together.”

Jeffries warned that the proposed cuts would devastate seniors, families, and vulnerable communities.

“Republicans are crashing the economy in real time,” he said. “Now, they want to jam a reckless budget down the throats of the American people that will end Medicaid as we know it, destroy Social Security, and rip food from the mouths of children, seniors and veterans. As Democrats, we’re going to continue to stand on the side of the American people and we will not rest until we bury this reckless Republican budget in the ground.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Diddy’s Drug Defense Revealed as Judge Allows Graphic Cassie Video

Sean “Diddy” Combs is preparing to argue that heavy drug and alcohol use left him mentally incapable of forming criminal intent, a defense that prosecutors are moving swiftly to block ahead of his looming federal trial.

Media Take Out, the entertainment blog that focuses primarily on African Americans in the entertainment industry, reported that Diddy’s legal team plans to call a Columbia University professor to testify about the music mogul’s alleged impaired mental state during the time of the alleged offenses.

Prosecutors have filed motions opposing the testimony, calling it improper and irrelevant. They argue that Diddy’s defense failed to provide proper notice under the law and noted that the professor never personally evaluated him,

meaning any testimony would rely on general expertise rather than clinical observation.

According to newly filed documents, Diddy’s attorneys hope to argue that substance abuse impaired his ability to control his actions. Prosecutors counter that whether Diddy was “lucid” during the alleged incidents does not excuse or diminish his legal responsibility.

“Diddy’s legal team claiming that he didn’t have the mental capacity to commit the alleged crime is WILD! Talk about grasping for straws,” South African social media user Good Hair Diaries wrote. “He needs to join one of the religious [organizations] in jail and change his life.”

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Financial Strain, Isolation Define Gen Z Outlook

A new national survey from the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School finds young Americans facing financial uncertainty, deteriorating mental health, and a growing lack of trust in institutions.

The 50th edition of the Harvard Youth Poll offers a comprehensive look at the attitudes of Americans aged 18 to 29—particularly young Black individuals—who feel increasingly left out of national conversations and underserved by political leadership.

“Amid financial hardship and a devastating crisis of community, young Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the world as they struggle to find their place in it,” said Jordan Schwartz, student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project. “This generation doesn’t expect politics to solve their problems, but as young Americans continue to lose faith in government institutions, the need for politicians to listen to and learn from young people has never been greater.”

Conducted March 14–25, the poll surveyed 2,096 respondents across the country.

More than four in 10 say they are “barely getting by” financially.

Young Black Americans continue to face deep financial stress, with 45% reporting hardship. Many express concern about limited opportunities, stagnant wages, and the rising cost of education and housing. Among those struggling, 51% believe President Donald Trump’s policies will worsen their personal finances in the coming years.

Approval ratings among young Americans continue to decline. President Trump’s approval stands at 31%, virtually unchanged from earlier years. Approval of Democrats in Congress has dropped to 23%, down from 42% in 2017. Congressional Republicans remain essentially unchanged at 29%. Among young Black Americans, Trump’s approval has risen to 16%—up from just 6% in 2017—but a strong majority still disapprove.WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

5House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Cory Booker during a 12hour sit-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Sunday, a rallying cry for Americans to oppose deep cuts to Medicaid. (Courtesy Photo/Cory Booker, Instagram)

AROUND THE REGION

Pearl and Ivy Educational Foundation Empowers Youth with 15th Annual Pink Hat Tea

Event Emphasizes Importance of Support, Celebrating Black Culture

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

With attendees donning stunning ensembles, head-turning hats and a spirit of service, more than 500 guests gathered at the Westin Downtown DC on April 27 for the 15th annual Pink Hat Tea Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon hosted by Pearl and Ivy Educational Foundation, Inc. (PIEF), a community partner of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Xi Omega Chapter..

Featuring 12 vendors from around the DMV area selling their wares, a luncheon with delectable high tea desserts, a fashion show with Black designers, and surprise performances, this year’s sold-out extravaganza, themed “Crowns and Couture,” was more than a moment to raise funds.

It was a celebration of Black fashion, music, scholarship, entrepreneurship, and resilience, all in the name of empowering the next generation of change makers.

At a time where there have been federal mandates to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and revoke federal funding for teaching parts of African American history, the event raised funds while celebrating the beauty, strength and boldness of Black culture.

“First, the money that’s raised is going to scholarships, which we know is very much needed, especially at this time in our country,” said Brenda Cadette, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) and founder of BExclusive Boutique, who was vending at the event. “It also helps me solidify and build my connection with my communities and helps me to build my future with my business and being an entrepreneur, which I know is needed right now.”

At a divisive time for the nation and world, Cadette emphasized the mutual benefits of participating in the event: “Bottom line we’re supporting each other.”

The entrepreneur knows all too well the importance of supporting others. Recently, Cadette, who started her business about 15 years ago, began to get serious about BExclusive after losing her job in the federal government,

a challenge many Americans are facing as a result of the current Trump administration’s mandates and decisions made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the direction of Elon Musk.

“I have learned most of all that I need to trust the Lord, and I need to trust myself and the guidance that he gives me. And I also need to trust my community because so far, although it’s been fairly recent, it has been such a blessing ” she said.

SUPPORTING SCHOLARS, CELEBRATING BLACK CULTURE

As people like Cadette engaged with guests outside the Westin’s ballroom, the luncheon, event hosts — encouraged attendees to support PIEF’s more than 35-year mission of supporting students from the District in their post-secondary educational goals.

“These scholars have made a lot of strides and they’re achieving their dreams because of your support,” Moody told the crowd.

In a video played during the luncheon, past scholarship recipients, including Andrew Ratcliff emphasized the importance of the funding.

“This scholarship means a lot… and the whole AKA organization,” said Ratcliff. “My mother’s an AKA herself. When I heard about this scholarship, I knew I wanted to apply [and I’m proud they recognized] my abilities.”

As much as the event worked to raise funds, it also offered education, upliftment and entertainment.

The multi-scene fashion show featured Black designers, including celebrated hat maker the Rev. Georgette Morgan-Thomas of American Hats LLC, and showcased various aspects of Black culture— from the church, to military service, and the step shows seen across college campuses performed by members of historically Black Greek-letter organizations, often called the Divine Nine.

“So we know that fashion is the way we live, driven by trends, art, world influences, family dynamics, church, music, and more,” said Jen-

nifer Thomas, an award-winning journalist and Howard University professor, who served as the fashion show commentator. “These influences have shaped our culture, our style, and attitude.”

As the 15th annual Pink Hat Tea concluded, Xi Omega and PIEF President Raven Hill underscored the importance of the event, emphasizing hopes to continue hosting the event “15 times, 15 times, 15 years from now,” and beyond.

“Thank you for all your generosity supporting our scholars–students right here in the District of Columbia, who are not only exemplary,” she said, “but deserving of a college education.” WI

5Models participate in the fashion show part of Pearl and Ivy Educational Foundation, Inc.’s 15th annual Pink Hat Tea Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon at the Westin Downtown DC on April 27, themed “Crowns and Couture.” (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)

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TRAVEL + MAKE BIG MONEY!!!

black facts

MAY 1

MAY 1 - 7, 2025

1867 – Howard University opens its doors to the first students.

1939 – Max Robinson, the first African American broadcast network news anchor in the United States, is born in Richmond, Virginia.

1946 – Emma Clarissa Clement, an African American theological educator, becomes the first Black woman to be named National Mother of the Year.

1950 – Gwendolyn Brooks wins the Pulitzer Prize for “Annie Allen,” a book of poetry, making her the first African American to receive the award.

MAY 2

1762 – James Durham, also known as James Derham, the first African American to formally practice medicine in the United States, is born in Philadelphia.

1844 – Elijah McCoy, an inventor and engineer best known for his 57 U.S. patents, most having to do with the lubrication of steam engines, is born in Ontario, Canada.

1920 – The Negro National League, the first financially successful all-Black baseball league, holds its first game.

MAY 3

1921 – Hall of Fame boxer Sugar Ray Robinson is born in Detroit.

1933 – Music legend James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul,” is born in Barnwell, South Carolina.

1948 – In the landmark Shelley vs. Kraemer case, the Supreme Court rules that courts cannot enforce racial covenants on real estate.

MAY 4

1884 – Civil rights pioneer Ida B. Wells refuses to give up her seat on a Tennessee train, sparking her fight for equal rights.

1961 – The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) stages its first “freedom ride” to challenge racial segregation throughout the Deep South.

MAY 5

1865 – Community activist, author and pastor Adam Clayton Powell Sr. is born in Franklin County, Virginia.

1905 – Robert S. Abbott begins publishing The Chicago Defender, the city’s first Black newspaper.

1988 – Eugene Marino is installed as Archbishop of Atlanta, becoming the first African American archbishop in American history.

MAY 6

1787 – Prince Hall founds the first Black Masonic lodge, African Lodge No. 459 of Boston.

1812 – Physician, writer and Black nationalist Martin Delany, one of the first three Black people admitted to Harvard Medical School, is born in Charles Town, Virginia, which is present-day Charles Town, West Virginia.

1931 – Hall of Fame baseball player Willie Mays is born in Westfield, Alabama.

1960 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Civil Rights Act of 1960, establishing federal inspection of local voter registration polls and penalties for obstructing voter registration.

1991 – The Smithsonian board of regents unanimously approve the establishment of the National Museum of African American History and Culture

MAY 7

1878 – Inventor Joseph Winters receives a patent for a wagon-mounted fire escape ladder.

1943 – The SS George Washington Carver launches at the Richmond Shipyard No. 1 in California.

AROUND THE REGION

view

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

“Sinners,” the newest film from director Ryan Coogler, grossed $61 million worldwide during its opening weekend and has received critical acclaim. What are your thoughts on the film?

DAVID UPSHER / NORFOLK, VA.

KEESHA EPPS / WASHINGTON, D.C.

The movie was 100/10, including the mid and end-credits scenes.

Job well done, and I highly recommend everyone see it. I’m going to see it again!

H. MCGEE / WASHINGTON, D.C.. I loved it!

NAKIA HARRIS / SUITLAND, MD.

Such a good movie! I caught the early-day release, and the movie theater was full and good vibes!

CYNTHIA JOHNSON / DETROIT, MICH.

This was a good scary movie. The movie was a tribute to Ryan’s Uncle James and the blues. A lot of double meanings in the blues if you listen closely. Be sure to watch scenes after the credits, like Black Panther.

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

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J.C. Lofton Fits Clothes to His Clients’ Desire

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

There is a perception that many Washingtonians like to dress up and “look good” even though they may lack sufficient economic means to justify wearing name brand clothes and shoes.

That is a perception that Julius “Eddie” Lofton (JC), a legacy tailor/ owner of JC Lofton Tailors located on the U Street NW corridor, understands well. When thinking about it, he giggles and shakes his head.

“I think when you come from nothing, you want to look like you have something,” said Lofton, 65. “Having nice clothes often makes people feel rich. We Blacks try to impress others. We try to act like we have more than what we have.”

Lofton has operated his business for decades, sewing and hemming clothes on people whether they are members of the U.S. Congress or the high school student getting ready for the prom.

“I have been coming to Eddie for more than a decade,” said Philip Rucker, senior vice president for editorial and news for CNN. “Eddie makes me look my very best. I trust the work that he does, and it is perfect.”

LOFTON’S TAILORING FAMILY LEGACY

Lofton’s grandfather is Josephus C. Lofton, the proprietor of Lofton Custom Tailoring and a prominent

District entrepreneur who set up his business in 1939.

When he started the business, the District was racially segregated and Black people could purchase but not try on clothes at such establishments as Garfinkel’s and Woodward & Lothrop based in downtown D.C. Josephus Lofton’s talents were so highly regarded that he managed to get a contract from the federal government teaching veterans and people with disabilities how to tailor, a rarity for a Black business during the pre-Civil Rights movement era due to rampant racial discrimination.

JC Lofton and a cousin, Cheryl A. Lofton, who was honored as a legacy business during The Washington Informer’s 60th anniversary celebration on March 28, take pride in continuing in the family tailoring business.

“I am so honored to be part of a business that has lasted three generations,” Cheryl Lofton, 67, told The Informer. “I am happy the business is still going. It’s not just me and Eddie, I have a brother who has a tailoring business in Atlanta so we are keeping it going. Plus, just because Eddie and I don’t work together doesn’t mean there is tension between us. He has referred clients to me and I have referred clients to him. We try to serve everyone we can in this area.”

LOFTON KEEPS ON GOING

Lofton supervises a staff of eight people who are constantly working on clothes for their clients. People from all walks of life climb the stairwell to get to the shop.

On his wall are photos of some of his most noted clients including: the late former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, the late journalist Carole Simpson, and renowned entertainers and athletes such as Barry Manilow, NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and local boxing champion Sharmba Mitchell.

“One night I got a call from someone saying that a prominent person needed to have emergency tailoring services at National Harbor,” said Lofton. “I told that person I would come but that would be an extra charge. They agreed. I got to the MGM and saw layers and layers of security and wondered ‘who could this be?’ I finally was presented to Barry Manilow [who] needed his clothes fixed due to an accident. I served him and everything turned out fine.”

While business has been profitable throughout the years for Lofton, he experienced a rough patch when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in 2020. Many activities were cancelled, and Lofton’s business was adversely affected.

He applied for financial assistance through a local program, LISC DC in partnership with Wells Fargo and received a $10,000 grant. Lofton said he was pleased to receive the money, and it helped financially.

Ramon Jackson, the executive director of LISC DC, said her organization was glad to help.

“We were thrilled to partner with Wells Fargo to inject money into small businesses that constitute what we call a community’s fabric,” Jackson said. “And no one knows more about fabric, literally, than a legacy tailor with an 80-year legacy on D.C.’s historic U Street. We worked in collaboration with local partners, like the Anacostia Business Improvement District, who helped identify local businesses who needed the money and would put it to work.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

5 J.C. “Eddie” Lofton runs JC Lofton Tailors, a legacy business located in Northwest D.C. (Courtesy Photo/JC Lofton)

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Federal Rental Assistance Program Nears Collapse, Leaving D.C. Families in Jeopardy

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

A critical federal housing program created to support more than 60,000 individuals and families escaping homelessness, domestic violence, and human trafficking is rapidly running out of funding, and local officials in the District of Columbia say the impact could be immediate and severe.

The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, launched in 2021 under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, was backed by $5 billion and aimed to provide long-term housing stability to some of the country’s most vulnerable residents. But ballooning rent costs have depleted funds faster than anticipated.

According to recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the program’s funding is expected to be exhausted by the end of 2025.

In a letter sent last month, HUD warned public housing agencies across the country to: “Manage your EHV program with the expectation that no additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming.”

The program’s future now rests with Congress, where a divided political climate and Republican-led spending cuts leave little hope for a financial rescue.

“Trump defunded the Emergency Housing Voucher program, which helps families in shelters, domestic violence survivors, and disabled people in times of need,” U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D) of New York wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Again Trump is chopping vital programs that thousands in NY rely on in order to make room for tax cuts for billionaires.”

THE DISTRICT FEELS THE VOUCHER FUNDING STING

The crisis hits particularly close to home in the District of Columbia.

D.C.’s Housing Authority (DCHA) administers roughly 20,000 housing vouchers, a lifeline in one of the country’s most expensive rental markets.

After a slow start, the city made visible strides: All 2,400 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) vouchers funded in fiscal year 2022 were distributed by April 2023, and another 500 began rolling out shortly after.

However, a complex combination of administrative hurdles— including challenges reaching residents who had previously been matched with vouchers—meant that more than 900 vouchers remained undistributed as of mid2023.

The issue worsened last September.

Despite the D.C. Council’s decision to fund hundreds of new vouchers—going against Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposal to issue none in a lean budget year—city officials now say that money doesn’t exist.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) revealed that DHS informed him the vouchers were never actually funded, citing a budgeting error.

“That doesn’t make sense to me,” Mendelson said during a press briefing, reflecting the confusion and growing concern among lawmakers and advocates.

DHS RESPONDS: ‘THIS ISN’T A SITUATION OF PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO HELP FAMILIES’

DHS Director Laura Zeilinger responded by accusing the council of miscalculating.

She pointed to a roughly $8 million reallocation from DCHA’s budget, intended to be used for new vouchers.

According to Zeilinger, that money is already needed for individuals who are in line and awaiting housing, meaning it cannot be repurposed for new assistance.

“This isn’t a situation of people not wanting to help families,” Zeilinger said. “It’s a mistake. And we need to figure out what that means and what we can do with the resources we have.

The reality is you can’t spend the same dollar twice.”

Her September 11, 2024 letter states the city can fund just 38 new PSH vouchers in fiscal 2025.

Another 126 Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP) vouchers— without accompanying support services—will be made available, and DCHA will provide 1,300 federal Housing Choice Vouchers to eligible families exiting rapid rehousing.

The fallout from this budget confusion could undermine D.C.’s broader effort to transition vulnerable residents into stable housing, especially as federal aid dries up.

For families who have already endured homelessness or abuse, the prospect of losing access to permanent housing is devastating.

“There’s real damage when these vouchers don’t materialize,” said one advocate. “This isn’t just a paperwork error. It could mean the difference between a home and the street.” WI

5Hands off demonstrations held last month protesting cuts to funding for housing programs. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

CAPTURE THE MOMENt

Governor Wes Moore announced a new partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to Unlock $100 million in federal investments in Maryland’s Quantum. The governor was joined at the University of Maryland Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) by University of Maryland President Darryl Pines, DARPA Program Manager for the Microsystems Technology Office Joe Altepeter, and ARLIS Executive Director John Beieler for the announcement. (Courtesy Photo/Office of the State of Maryland Governor) Who’s Reading the

Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro, co-founders of Dine Diaspora and the Black Women in Food (BWIF) Summit, read the latest news in The Washington Informer. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

National Leaders Remember Alexis Herman a True

‘Trailblazer’

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

As the first Black U.S. Secretary of Labor, Alexis Margaret Herman, who died on April 25 at the age of 77, is being remembered for her barrier-breaking work and service to the nation and world.

“Secretary Herman personified history,” said National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) President and CEO Shavon Arline-Bradley. “Appointed by President Bill Clinton, she was the first African American to serve as Secretary of Labor. A longstanding member of NCNW and affiliate organization Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Secretary Herman also served as an influential leader in the Democrat Party.”

Arline-Bradley summed up Herman’s life as someone dedicated to working toward equity, justice and uplifting society.

“She devoted decades of her life to the empowerment of Black women nationwide, committing to intergenerational leadership, economic empowerment, and organizational development,” the NCNW president continued. “She was a master strategist and understood that having a strategic plan was essential to achieve one’s goals. Secretary Herman was a pioneer in corporate governance, paving the way for many Black women to serve on corporate boards.”

THE LIFE OF ALEXIS M. HERMAN

As the first Black labor secretary, Herman, born on July 16, 1947, in Mobile, Alabama, came a long way from the racially segregated city to a trusted Cabinet-level leader.

She attended a parochial school, Heart of Mary High School, to get a better sense of diversity than the segregated public schools could offer, and received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Xavier University in New Orleans in 1969.

After college, she worked professional jobs in Mobile, Alabama, Pascagoula, Mississippi, and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as for New York-based consulting firm RTP.

While working for RTP, she met

tenure at the department from 1997-2001.

“At the Department of Labor, she fought to raise wages, ensure safe workplaces and open doors for those who had been shut out of opportunity for generations,” they said in a statement. “Herman was instrumental in the expansion and enforcement of global child labor protections, raised the minimum wage for workers across the country and skillfully mediated negotiations between the Teamsters and United Parcel Service to resolve the nation’s largest strike in two decades.”

After the Clinton administration, Herman continued to work in Democratic politics and joined corporate boards such as Coca-Cola and Toyota. Throughout her life, she has received more than 20 honorary degrees from various academic institutions.

Susan Rice, former ambassador to the United Nations, remembered Herman as “a giant and cherished friend.”

Ray Marshall, who would become labor secretary under President Jimmy Carter. In 1977, with Marshall’s blessing, Carter appointed Herman director of the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau at the age of 29, the youngest ever.

After the Carter administration concluded in 1981, Herman founded her own consulting firm, A.M. Herman & Associates. Additionally, she stayed active in Democratic politics–managing convention operations for the presidential campaigns of the Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988, serving as the chief of staff for Democratic Party Committee Chairman Ronald Brown, and again as vice chair of the 1992 Democratic National Convention.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Herman as the director of White House Office of Public Liaison, where she coordinated the administration’s relationship with interest groups. When Clinton was re-elected in 1996, Clinton appointed her as labor secretary.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond talked about Herman’s

“She was a powerful yet graceful leader, a visionary, a sister to sisters and one of the kindest people I’ve known,” Rice wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I will miss her mightily and send condolences to her family.”

HERMAN PRAISED AS A TRAILBLAZER, LEADER

Clinton noted Herman’s efforts in 2006 to lead the (George H. W.) Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, raising money for the victims of the 2005 hurricanes that devastated New Orleans, and in 2010, when she joined the board of the Clinton-(George W.) Bush Haiti Fund to solicit funds for the ailing Caribbean country after a deadly earthquake.

“She was instrumental in both efforts, which raised and disbursed millions of dollars and provided much-needed relief,” said Clinton. “In every effort, she lifted people with her unfailing optimism and energy. We’ll miss her very much.”

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures

HERMAN Page 50

5 After her death on April 25, Alexis M. Herman, the first Black U.S. Labor Secretary, is being remembered for her barrier-breaking life and service. (WI File Photo)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

AIMEE OLIVO APPOINTED TO PRINCE GEORGE’S BOARD OF EDUCATION

Aimee Olivo has been appointed to the Prince George’s County Board of Education to fill the District 5 seat that became vacant following Shayla Adams-Stafford’s resignation in order

to run for the County Council.

The Board of Education has a requirement to resign in order to file for a different office.

Interim Prince George’s County Executive Tara Jackson supported Olivo for the appointment in February, and Olvio was one of 27 applicants for the position.

“She brings a proven track record of inclusive leadership — including meaningful relationships within our county’s Latino community and a commitment to ensuring every fam-

ily feels seen, heard and valued,” said Jackson in a social media statement shortly after the appointment.

Olivo, who formerly served as chief of staff for then-councilmember Danielle Glaros, is currently the executive director of the local nonprofit Art Works Now. In addition Olivo was also appointed by former Governor

3Aimee Olivo, executive director of Art Works Now, is the new representative for District 5 on the Prince George’s County Board of Education, after applying and being appointed post Shayla Adams-Stafford’s resignation in order to run for the County Council. (Courtesy Photo/Art Works Now)

what she knows is possible for all residents in the county in pursuit of education,” said Proctor. “She understands the roles and responsibilities of the boards and the government standards that ensures that she listens to her constituents.” WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S RESIDENTS RALLY TO SAVE COMMUNITY TELEVISION

Martin O’Malley to Prince George’s Community College’s Board of Trustees in 2010, where she served until 2022.

“I am confident that Mrs. Olivo will bring a thoughtful and student-centered voice to the board, and I look forward to her contributions as we continue working to strengthen our public school system and expand opportunity for every child in Prince George’s County,” Jackson continued.

District 9 Board Member Lolita Walker and longtime county resident and advocate LaVonn Reedy Thomas congratulated Olivo on her appointment.

“Congrats again and I look forward to working with you,” said Walker. “You bring a wealth of experience that will only add to the diversity of thoughts and perspective on the board.”

Thomas, who has been a frequent voice in front of the Board of Education and County Council, said: “Congratulations, Aimee!!! Grateful for your dedication to serve,” in a social media post.

While they are happy to see Olivo in this new role, Adams-Stafford and Central American Solidarity Association lead organizer Viviana Lozano insisted the Board of Education needs even more Latino representation to meet the needs of the Prince George’s County Public Schools student population, which is roughly 40% Latino.

Former Delegate Susie Proctor spoke in favor of Olivo during her hearing and cited her collaborative abilities while they both served on the Prince George’s Community College’s (PGCC) Board of Trustees.

“Aimee holds the banner high for

A tightened county budget has imperiled Prince George’s Community Television (CTV), a longstanding independent media source that has operated since 1989.

The broadcasting company operates two public access channels and if these cuts are enacted, CTV will cease to exist, at least temporarily.

“The proposed budget, presented to the county council, calls for the closing of CTV in the upcoming fiscal year,” said Sandra F. Peaches, executive director of CTV in a video message. “For more than 30 years, Prince George’s Community Television has been your independent voice in the community, providing essential news related to County news, events, people, and services.”

Peaches encouraged supporters to contact their respective Prince George’s County Council members and request that CTV funding be allocated in the next budget.

“CTV needs your help: the county’s proposed budget is about to silence your voice,” she said.

County residents held a rally at Largo’s Wayne K. Curry Administration Building to voice their concerns about ending CTV.

“I want to uplift public television,” said Laurel advocate Martin Mitchell, who attended the Largo rally, ran a show on CTV during 2017 and 2018, and has been a regular contributor in recent years.

Mitchell noted the importance of CTV as an archive of local news.

“CTV is a foundational institution of Black media, local media, and Prince George’s history,” Mitchell continued. “It helps to mold and shape new media talent, and also serves as a hub for guidance and leadership for seasoned media voices.” WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

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and

Local Black-Owned McDonald’s

Running Strong After 33 Years

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

Mother and daughter duo Mary Hopkins-Navies and Imani Ford own and operate seven McDonald’s locations in Prince George’s County. With Hopkins-Navies having served as a franchise operator for nearly 34 years locally, the mother is elated to pass on the family entrepreneurial tradition, and the two are extremely proud to provide a service to their longtime neighbors.

“Supporting Black owned businesses is an investment in the community. We help to strengthen the local economy, create jobs, and keep local dollars in the community,” said Ford. “This also sets an example for the next generation to show that dreams are achievable.”

Decades ago, Hopkins-Navies was deeply inspired when Washington Informer founder Dr. Calvin Rolark was able to assist a neighbor in need.

“Dr. Calvin Rolark was able to provide a young woman with a scholarship after her mother stated her disappointment in her daughter not having received one,” said Hopkins-Navies. “This has inspired me to this very day, and has shown me the power of an entrepreneurial spirit.”

To this day, Hopkins-Navies and Ford are intentional about giving back.

“We have an investment in our employees and our community,” Ford told The Informer. “This shows in how we support local schools and nonprofit, community outreach events.”

While some local restaurants have scaled back their family friendly options in the pursuit of lower spending, Hopkins-Navies and Ford are doubling down on their dedication to community space. They host a game night of pinochle every Thursday and Friday at one of their locations, providing beverages, quality customer service, and a convenient meeting space for those who attend.

“We are planning a Bingo night, a Karaoke night, and a game night, with dates upcoming. We want to create a welcoming space for local families to connect,” Ford said. “We’ve even created small local libraries, just a small way to promote literacy and a welcoming environment. We understand the unique needs and values of our neighborhood all while upholding the gold standard that McDonalds is known for.” WI

Mary Hopkins-Navies, co-owner

operator of seven McDonald’s locations in Prince George’s County, has donated to various community causes and institutions, including granting $25,000 to Bowie State University last year. (Courtesy Photo)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

MARKEY, BOOKER

INTRODUCE NEW START ACT OF 2025

U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Small Business Committee, and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) announced on April 25 the introduction of the New Start Act of 2025. This legislation would establish a five-year pilot program within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide annual grants of $100,000 to $500,000 to organizations to support entrepreneurial development training for individuals who are currently or formerly incarcerated.

The legislation was introduced in April, during Second Chance Month, which recognizes the important role of individuals, communities, and agencies across the country in supporting the safe and successful reentry of people returning home or returning to their communities from jails and prisons each year.

“Individuals who are currently or formerly incarcerated deserve to be able to participate fully in society and not be locked out of the labor market,” said Markey. “This legislation would help decrease barriers to entry for these individuals who either wish to become an entre preneur or must strike out on their own

briefs

due to labor market discrimination, by providing economic stability, opportunity, and investment through the Small Business Administration.”

“Starting a small business can be transformational for formerly incarcerated people and can be a pathway to overcome the barriers in an economy that is not built for them, through higher quality jobs, increased wages, and meaningful job experience,” said Booker. “The New Start Act is legislation that invests in the futures of currently and formerly incarcerated people by providing training and resources to those want to become entrepreneurs and start their own business. Everyone deserves a second chance, and this bill allows individuals exiting prison to shape a new future for themselves, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and break the cycle of recidivism.”

Ron Busby Sr., the president and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers Inc., said he embraces the legislation as it addresses major disparities and offers hope.

“Nearly one-fifth of Black men in America will face incarceration at some point in their lives,” said Busby. “That’s not just a statistic — it’s a call to action. The New Start Act answers that call by investing in entrepreneurial training for those who -

cerated, helping ensure that when they return home, they return with purpose. By empowering returning citizens to become business owners and job creators, we not only reduce recidivism — we build stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger economy. USBC proudly supports this effort to make reentry about opportunity, not just survival.”

The legislation is also endorsed by: National Urban League, Brennan Center for Justice, the Center for Entrepreneurial Opportunity, America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC), The REACH Initiative, Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope, United Men of Color.

Natalie Cofield, president and CEO of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, emphasized the bill “is timely legislation that will catalyze critical support for justice-impacted individuals by providing resources and training to help them pursue entrepreneurship as a means to economic reintegration and self-sufficiency.”

“We commend the committee for championing this important issue and urge swift passage of the New Start Act of 2025,” she said. “Together, we can unlock the power of entrepreneurship to restore dignity, reduce recidivism, and foster economic mobility for returning citizens.”

THE 2025 SELECTUSA INVESTMENT SUMMIT AT NATIONAL HARBOR

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) are among the first wave of global business leaders and U.S. governors who are scheduled to participate in the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit that will take place from May 11-14 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The SelectUSA Investment Summit is a platform for new announcements by foreign investors detailing their expansion plans in the U.S. and economic development organizations (EDOs) spotlighting new investments in their local area.

Last year’s SelectUSA Investment Summit brought together more than 5,000 participants, including EDOs representing the 56 U.S. states and territories and the District, more than 2,500 business investors and delegates from over 90 international markets, and industry experts who provided insights and advice on how to successfully invest in the United States.

The SelectUSA Investment Summit has directly helped generate more than $135 billion in new U.S.

investment projects, supporting over 105,000 jobs across the United States and its territories. The summit will occur as data shows the U.S. was ranked the top destination for foreign direct investment for the 13th consecutive year, according to Kearney’s Global Business Policy Council’s 2025 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index.

Executive leadership from global businesses will participate as main stage speakers, including Ashley Magargee, CEO of Genentech and Jose Munoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company.

Other governors scheduled to attend include Democrat of Pennsylvania Josh Stein and Republican of Iowa Kim Reynolds.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the summit will play a role in jumpstarting the country’s economy.

“President Trump’s America First Investment Policy is revitalizing our economy and making the United States of America the most attractive destination for foreign direct investment,” said Lutnick. “SelectUSA is an integral part of our administration’s efforts to increase foreign investments across the country. We look forward to hosting the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit at the Gaylord Convention Center beginning on May 11.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5 U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (pictured) and Edward J. Markey recently announced the New Start Act of 2025, a bill to provide training to individuals who are currently or formerly incarcerated. (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

5 Natalie Cofield is the president and CEO of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, which is supporting the New Start Act of 2025. (Courtesy Photo/ Association for Enterprise Opportunity)

Elmina: A Taste of Ghana in D.C.

Celebrity Chef Eric Adjepong Brings

Ghanaian Flavors to 14th Street NW

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

With the District’s global reach, the DMV restaurant scene has long had an international flare, and Eric Adjepong, a celebrated chef, has expanded upon it by bringing the bold and tasty flavors of Ghana to the nation’s capital.

Earlier this year, Adjepong – a television personality and guest on food competition shows such as Top Chef: Kentucky and several Food Network productions – decided to take an entrepreneurial leap by opening Elmina on 2208 14th Street NW.

“I have been looking for a location for two years and my broker told me about this space that was going to be vacant,” Adjepong told The Informer. “The occupant was

moving their business to DuPont Circle, so I decided to look at it and I liked it. The potential of the space for my restaurant seemed good and I like my neighbors. Everything has worked out.”

Adjepong, a native of the Bronx in New York City and a first generation Ghanian-American, has started his eatery as the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) released a survey on March 18 stating that 2 out of 5 casual dining restaurants are likely to close this year, citing a combination of rising costs, federal workforce cuts and declining traffic (people not visiting the city).

The chef and entrepreneur, who holds a degree in culinary arts and nutrition from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode

Island and a master’s in international public health nutrition from the University of Westminster in London, England, is aware of the survey but has a strategy to counter it.

“Elmina customers will be treated to a first-class experience,” Adjepong, 37, said. “The dishes will be prepared well, and the service will be professional and courteous. We want our customers to come back and to tell their friends about their experience here.”

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Customers can partake in the tasting menu, chop bar, brunch, and cocktails. The five-course meal, known as the tasting menu, consists of: a choice of salad, appetizers like fufu and short rib, large meats such as Jollof duck pot, Fante Fante fish and desserts, including Malva pudding cake.

The chop bar features oysters, octopus, plantain chips, beef, and pork belly.

Those who want brunch can

choose such offerings as steak and eggs, eggs benedict, vegetable omelet, shrimp & grits and sides like pork or chicken sausage.

Elmina, which has a bar at the front of the establishment, also features craft cocktails for guests to enjoy.

Kelly Wilborn, who lives in Northeast, heard about Elmina from a friend and decided to visit on April 26 during brunch. Having ordered steak and eggs and sparkling water, she told The Informer she enjoyed the experience.

“The food here is good because it is cooked and I can tell it was made with care,” said Wilborn, 32. “The atmosphere here is nice and kind of classy. I will definitely be back.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

4 Eric Adjepong is the chef and owner of Elmina, a Ghanaian restaurant on 14th Street NW in the District. (WI File Photo/Micha Green)

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2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner Celebrates Journalism and Free Speech

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

This year, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner looked much different. Without the presence of the President of the United States, an accomplished comedian, or the traditional crowd of politicians and celebrities, the evening, instead, became a nationally televised celebration of free speech.

The black-tie event was also a

recognition of the benefit of diversity, a tribute to trailblazing journalists, and a major shout-out and acknowledgement to Black Press USA’s Washington Bureau Chief and White House Senior Correspondent, April Ryan.

The event, which Washington Informer Managing Editor Micha Green and a contingent of journalists from the Black Press of America attended, took place under the shadow of a second Trump administration that has launched fresh at-

tacks on press freedom, barring the Associated Press from the presidential pool and moving to shut down the Voice of America broadcaster.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly branded the media “the enemy of the people,” stayed away from the dinner, just as he did during his first term. Political figures, including Republican former House Speaker Paul Ryan and Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore attended.

In a typical year, the president attends to congratulate journalists, deliver a lighthearted speech, and endure jokes at their expense. With Trump absent, the night focused squarely on the critical role of the press.

“We journalists are a lot of things. We are competitive and pushy. We are impatient, and sometimes we think we know everything,” said WHCA President Eugene Daniels. “What we are not is the opposition. What we are not is the enemy of people. What we are not is the enemy of the state.”

WHCA CELEBRATES DIVERSITY

The dinner also honored the contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with students recognized during the evening for achievements in journalism and public service.

The event made clear the asso-

ciation’s continuing commitment to diversity without overtly stating it. In addition, Daniels, the first openly gay person of color and the second Black president of the WHCA, officially passed the baton to CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang, who will become the first woman of color to lead the organization.

A highlight of the evening was the tribute to Ryan, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior White House Correspondent for Black Press USA, who received recognition as the longest-serving African American White House correspondent in history.

Daniels chose to salute Ryan’s groundbreaking career during the presentation of an award named for Alice Dunnigan and Ethel Payne—the first Black women to serve in the White House press corps.

“Many of us are here because they kicked down some doors for us, including Black Press USA’s April Ryan,” Daniels declared.

“This year, April has officially become the longest-serving African American White House correspondent in history. April— Ms. Dunnigan and Ms. Payne would have been so proud of you, and so are we.”

Ryan shared her gratitude.

“It’s an honor to be the longest serving Black White House correspondent in history with Black

3 Hampton University journalism student Morgan Norris poses at the dais after the 2025 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 26, held at the Washington Hilton in Northwest, D.C. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)

Press USA, the company that started everything with pioneers like Harry McAlpin, Ethel Payne, and Alice Dunnigan,” Ryan said after the moment, which was a complete surprise. “We’ve done groundbreaking work in the past, and we’re forging a new path to keep that legacy of groundbreaking work that informs the public, particularly Black Americans who still have the highest negatives in almost any category in America.”

Journalists from The Associated Press (AP) also received loud applause, as the news organization continues to fight the Trump administration’s efforts to limit its access to the White House. The dispute stems from the AP’s use of the term “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting, which drew the ire of the White House. Trump demanded that the territory be called “Gulf of America.”

Daniels voiced strong support not only for AP and Voice of America, another outlet repeatedly criticized by Trump.

He reminded the audience that reporters are “human” and dedicated to delivering the truth.

“Our job is not to align with any political party or agenda,” he declared. “Our mission is to serve the American people with integrity and commitment, knowing that our work is essential to preserving the strength and resilience of our democracy.” WI

Black Power Rising: Target Faces Renewed Boycott

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Calling for continued economic action and community solidarity, the Rev. Dr. Jamal H. Bryant launched the second phase of the national boycott against retail giant Target this week at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta. Surrounded by civil rights leaders, economists, educators, and activists, Bryant declared the Black community’s power to hold corporations accountable for broken promises.

“They said they were going to invest in Black communities. They said it — not us,” Bryant told the packed sanctuary. “Now they want to break those promises quietly. That ends tonight.”

The town hall marked the conclusion of Bryant’s 40-day Lenten season “Target fast,” which started officially on March 5, Ash Wednesday, after Target pulled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments. Among those was a public pledge to spend $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025—a pledge Bryant said was made voluntarily in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.

“No company would dare do to the Jewish or Asian communities what they’ve done to us,” Bryant said. “They think they can get away with it. But not this time.”

The evening featured voices from national movements, including civil rights icons and National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., who reinforced the need for sustained consciousness and collective media engagement.

“On the front page of all of our papers this week will be the announcement that the boycott continues all over the United States,” said Chavis. “I would hope that everyone would subscribe to a Black newspaper, a Black-owned newspaper, subscribe to an economic development program — because the consciousness that we need has to be constantly fed.”

Other speakers included Tamika Mallory, Dr. David Johns, Dr. Rashad Richey, educator Dr. Karri Bryant, and U.S. Black Chambers President Ron Busby. Each speaker echoed Bryant’s demand that economic protests be paired with re-

5 Even after the completion of the 40-day Target Lenten fast, the Rev. Dr. Jamal H. Bryant and other social justice leaders are encouraging a continued boycott of the retail giant. (Courtesy Photo/YouTube)

investment in Black businesses and communities.

“We are the moral consciousness of this country,” Bryant said. “When we move, the whole nation moves.”

Sixteen-year-old William Moore Jr., captured the crowd with a challenge to reach younger generations through social media and direct engagement.

“If we want to grow this movement, we have to push this narrative in a way that connects,” he said.

Johns stressed reclaiming cultural identity and resisting systems designed to keep communities uninformed and divided.

“We don’t need validation from corporations. We need to teach our children who they are and support each other with love,” he said.

Busby directed attendees to platforms like ByBlack.us, a digital directory of over 150,000 Black-owned businesses.

Bryant closed by urging the audience to register at targetfast.org, which will soon be renamed to reflect the expanding boycott movement.

“They played on our sympathies in 2020. But now we know better,” Bryant said. “And now, we move.” WI

Congressional Gold Medal Awarded to Black WWII Postal Battalion Long Denied Recognition

By Stacy M. Brown and Ashleigh Fields WI Senior Writer and WI Contributing Writer

Seventy-nine years after their unprecedented service in World War II, the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the only all-Black Women’s Army Corps unit to serve overseas during the war — have finally received one of the nation’s highest honors: the Congressional Gold Medal.

This honor, bestowed on April 29, comes two years after then-President Joe Biden signed a proclamation clearing the way for the award.

“These heroes deserve their dues,” Rep. Gwen Moore (D) of Wisconsin said. “And I am so glad their story is being told.”

Formed in 1944 as pressure grew to include Black women in overseas military operations, the 6888th was tasked with solving a massive wartime mail crisis.

More than 7 million U.S. troops, Red Cross workers, and government personnel stationed in Europe were relying on mail to stay connected with loved ones back

home. However, by early 1945, the Army estimated a backlog of roughly 17 million pieces of undelivered mail—some dating back years.

The Army’s solution was a newly created battalion of about 850 Black women led by Maj. Charity Adams, who would later become the highest-ranking Black woman in the Army during the war. The unit deployed to England in February 1945 and immediately went to work in Birmingham, sorting an estimated 65,000 pieces of mail per shift around the clock, using a system of locator cards to track service members and their units.

“They expected we were gonna be there about two or three months trying to get it straightened out,” recalled retired Maj. Fannie Griffin McClendon, one of only two surviving members. “Well, I think in about a month, month and a half, we had it all straightened out and going in the right direction.”

By the time they finished the job in half the projected time, they had cleared the backlog and restored morale to soldiers desperate for word from home.

The women then deployed to

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Rouen, France, and later to Paris, where they continued their mission while also investigating widespread mail theft and dealing with racism, sexism, and the trauma of burying fellow soldiers killed in a tragic vehicle accident — funerals they paid for themselves when the War Department refused.

“They were lifelines. They surrounded the soldiers. They reminded our brave heroes of all they were fighting for, it was actually waiting back at home,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said of the group in his remarks during the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony on April 29. “Morale reports during the war underscore just how important mail was to the soldiers’ spirit, so much so that the phrase ‘No mail, low morale’ became widespread.”

FINALLY RECEIVING JUST DUE

Despite their success and high praise from fellow service members, the women of the 6888th returned to a country still unwilling to properly acknowledge their service. They received standard medals issued to most who served, but no special commendation. That began to change in the 1980s as their story slowly resurfaced through reunions, books, museum exhibits, and documentaries.

A monument was erected in their honor in 2018 at Fort Leavenworth, and they received the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 2019.

In 2022, Congress voted unanimously — 422-0 — to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the unit. Biden signed the bipartisan bill the following year.

“That really shows how long this recognition took,” said Kim Guise, senior curator at the National WWII Museum. “It is really important to recognize the accomplishments of these women and what they went through to serve their country in war time.”

The medal is a posthumous tribute for most of the battalion’s 855 members, as only two are still alive today, including McClendon, who later joined the Air Force after military integration and became the first woman to command an all-male Strategic Air Command squadron.

In addition to the medal and previous honors, their story is now part of popular culture. Netflix has a feature film titled “The Six Triple Eight,” directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington.

“They kept hollering about wanting us to go overseas,” McClendon said. “So I guess they found something for us to do: take care of the mail. And there was an awful lot of mail.”

“It’s overwhelming,” she added. “It’s something I never even thought about.”

Edna W. Cummings, a retired United States Army colonel, led the effort to have the women recognized by the legislature. She advocated for their recognition after learning

“These heroes deserve their dues,” Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin said. “And I am so glad their story is being told.”

about their hardships overseas.

“They worked in austere, rodent-infested, cold warehouses with windows blacked out to prevent Nazi detection,” Cummings said of the group of women who served overseas.

While some women were killed by enemy weapons, the Six Triple Eight never veered from their goal, motivating Cummings and others to fight for their Congressional honor.

“Fortunately, the Senate Bill passed by unanimous consent during the 116th Congress,” Cummings said. “This passage gives advocates momentum to work harder to bestow this overdue recognition to these trailblazers.”

WI

The women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the only all-Black Women’s Army Corps unit to serve overseas during the war — are now Congressional Gold Medal recipients. (Courtesy Photo)

More Federal Grants Yanked from Black History Sites

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The Trump administration has escalated its efforts to erase Black history from public institutions, targeting museums, libraries, and digital archives that have long preserved the truth of America’s past.

Further, President Donald Trump’s executive orders have dismantled federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts while specifically attacking the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Now, Trump is cutting off funding to Louisiana’s Whitney Plantation, the only plantation museum in the country solely dedicated to telling the story of slavery and honoring the lives of enslaved people.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funds cultural and historical institutions nationwide and recently terminated two grants awarded to the Whitney Plantation.

One of the grants—already received—supported general programming. The other, worth nearly $55,000, was intended to fund an exhibit on resistance to slavery, an effort three years in the making that was set to open in 2026. Without the funding, the project may never be completed.

The cuts followed a March executive order by Trump directing

IMLS to “eliminate all non-statutorily required activities and functions.”

The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) placed most of the agency’s employees on administrative leave, which has been responsible for sweeping cuts across the federal government.

In a letter to grantees, IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling wrote that the Whitney grant “no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS program.”

Museums and libraries across the country now face uncertainty over promised IMLS support. The Whitney, along with its partners at the University of New Orleans and the research project Freedom on the Move, has until May 12 to appeal the termination.’

At the same time, federal web pages featuring Harriet Tubman, Native American code talkers, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers and other notable Black and Indigenous figures were either deleted or stripped of key historical content. Following public outcry, some of the pages were restored— but many fear the damage has already been done.

In a letter to Vice President J.D. Vance, Democrats on the House Administration Committee, which oversees the Smithsonian Institution, condemned the administra-

tion’s actions.

“This flagrant attempt to erase Black history is unacceptable and must be stopped,” wrote Reps. Joseph Morelle of New York, Terri Sewell of Alabama, and Norma Torres of California. “The attempt to paper over elements of American history is both cowardly and unpatriotic.”

The museum, one of the most visited in the country, recently experienced a leadership change.

Kevin Young, a poet and scholar of African American history, stepped down as director in early April after a leave of absence. Shanita Beckett, previously head of operations, is serving as interim director.

Meanwhile, when the Whitney Plantation opened in 2014, it stood as a rare counter to the sanitized version of history often presented at plantation sites. Located on a former sugar, indigo, and rice plantation that operated from 1752

to 1975, the site preserves over a dozen historic structures, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Unlike other plantations used for weddings or tourist events, the Whitney has focused exclusively on the truths of slavery.

Rep. Terri Sewell didn’t mince words: “We cannot let this revisionist agenda take hold. Black history is American history — and we will fight to preserve it.” WI

5 The Trump administration is cutting off funding to Louisiana’s Whitney Plantation, the only plantation museum in the country solely dedicated to telling the story of slavery and honoring the lives of enslaved people. (Courtesy Photo)

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South Africa Appoints New U.S. Envoy After Trump Expulsion, False Land Seizure Claims

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to the United States, aiming to repair a diplomatic relationship ruptured under Donald Trump’s administration.

The appointment follows the abrupt expulsion of South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, a veteran anti-apartheid activist, who was declared “persona non grata” by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rasool had offered measured remarks during a webinar on the Trump administration’s hostility toward diversity programs, which right-wing media falsely portrayed as race-baiting.

Relations between America and South Africa have worsened since Trump returned to office. Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order cutting U.S. aid to South Africa, accusing the Black-led government of mistreating its white minority and criticizing its foreign policy. In a social media post, Trump warned that the United States should not participate in the Group of 20 summit scheduled for November in Johannesburg, writing, “Is this where we want to be for the G20? I don’t think so!”

Trump repeated a false claim that South Africa was allowing the seizure of white-owned farms and the killing of white farmers, mirroring discredited apartheid-era propaganda. In reality, the South African government’s land reform initiatives seek to correct generations of theft under colonial and apartheid rule, not to carry out retribution against white farmers.

Rasool, who once endured imprisonment for fighting apartheid, called out the political motivations behind Trump’s rhetoric.

“The supremacist assault on incumbency, we see it in the domestic politics of the U.S.A., the MAGA movement, the Make America Great Again movement, as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the U.S.A.,” Rasool said before his expulsion.

Adding to the tensions, tech billionaire Elon Musk, who spent his childhood in apartheid South Africa,

5 Former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas is now a special envoy to the United States after his appointment from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, a move aiming to repair a diplomatic relationship ruptured under Donald Trump’s administration. (Courtesy Photo/Facebook)

amplified similar false claims. The director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accused the South African government of blocking his Starlink company from operating because he is not Black, a baseless charge that played into farright narratives.

Musk’s comments misrepresent South Africa’s governance and mirror Trump’s strategy of stoking racial division globally.

“I think Elon Musk that you could be African but you’re not African,” said author Joshua Maponga in an interview. “You don’t have the slightest sympathy, love, passion, [or] even basic understanding of fundamental issues such as land dispossession and colonization. For [Musk] to stand up and ill-advise the president of America on the land issues of South Africa to such an extent where you allow the president to grave international relations mistake of lying to the world that there are atrocities happening in South Africa and the abuse of white farmers, whatnot [is terrible]. Who can send him a clip?”

IGNORING RACISM IN THE UNITED STATES, ELEVATING WHITE VICTIMHOOD IN SOUTH AFRICA

While Trump and Musk rally around the fictional plight of white South Africans, they have remained si-

lent on the real and well-documented history of Black land dispossession in the United States.

Over the past century, Black Americans have lost more than 90% of their farmland—approximately 16 million acres—due to discriminatory government policies, racist violence, and systemic financial exclusion.

Historical examples, such as the 1944 killing of the Rev. Isaac Simmons in Mississippi and the 1949 murder of Black farmer Luke McElroy in Alabama, reveal a pattern of brutal land theft.

A report from the American Bar Association estimates that the economic loss from Black land dispossession totals about $326 billion, an amount that would rank among the world’s largest national economies.

Despite this vast and verified injustice, Trump and Musk have chosen to elevate a debunked narrative about white victimhood in South Africa, ignoring the ongoing struggle for Black land rights at home.

Attorney and journalist Seth Abramson recently dismantled Musk’s public image, noting how Musk’s success depended heavily on interventions by the Obama administration, particularly after early failures with SpaceX.

“As an Elon Musk biographer, I would peg his IQ as between 100 and 110,” Abramson stated.

“There’s zero evidence in his biography of anything higher,” he added, while concluding that Musk “has zero personal intellectual achievements.”

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The Benefits of Doula Care During Maternal Health Month

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC)

For many expectant mothers, having the right support throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period can make a positive impact on their health and well-being. Doulas play an important role in providing this support, offering personalized care for expecting moms that improves birth outcomes and enhances the overall experience of pregnancy and childbirth.

As we recognize Maternal Health Month, it’s important to highlight solutions that empower women and improve health outcomes.

WHAT IS A DOULA?

A doula is a trained professional who supports pregnant women before, during, and after childbirth. Doulas do not provide health care services or deliver babies. Instead, they provide physical and emotional support, ensuring that mothers feel comfortable and informed throughout their birthing journey.1

There are different types of doulas, but two common types focus on support during and after birth:

• Birth doulas: Prepare mothers for childbirth, supporting them before and after delivery.1 Doulas offer continuous encouragement, pain management techniques, and reassurance, helping mothers feel more in control of their birth experience.

• Postpartum doulas: Provide support after childbirth, helping mothers to adjust in breastfeeding, infant feeding, light household duties, meal preparation, and more.2 They can help identify signs of postpartum depression, ensuring that mothers receive the mental health support they may need.

HOW DO DOULAS SUPPORT EXPECTING MOTHERS

Doulas help expectant mothers feel prepared and confident as they approach childbirth. They offer education on pregnancy changes, labor expectations, and birth planning. Research shows that doula care improves maternal and infant health by enhancing the quality and accessibil-

ity of care.3

Doula-supported births are associated with several benefits that can make the birthing experience pleasant for mother and baby, such as:1

• Shorter labor times

• Decreased likelihood of cesarean sections

• Increased breastfeeding success

• Increased vaginal births

ACCESSING DOULA SERVICES

In recent years, the United States has taken steps to make doula services more accessible, particularly for families with low incomes and mothers who face higher risks of birth complications. Programs like Mamatoto Village and Community of Hope in the District of Columbia offer doula services tailored to low-income communities. These programs are developed to improve birth outcomes, reduce maternal mortality rates, and ensure that all mothers receive the care and support they deserve.

Eligible individuals can also receive doula support at no cost under DC Medicaid. To access this service, contact your Medicaid-managed care plan (MCP) to receive a list of approved doulas. The DC Department of Health also offers resources to connect expectant parents with trained doulas covered by Medicaid.

If you’re considering a doula for the birth of your baby, take some time to think about what kind of support you need. Do you want hands-on physical help during labor? Do you need emotional support or help with a birth plan? Research local doula networks or ask your healthcare provider for recommendations.

Sources

1. “Doula,” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23075-doula.

2. “Postpartum Doula,” American Pregnancy Association, https://americanpregnancy.org/ healthy-pregnancy/planning/postpartum-doula/.

Nan Strauss, JD, et al., “Overdue: Medicaid and Private Insurance Coverage

of Doula Care to Strengthen Maternal and Infant Health,” The Journal of Perinatal Education, Vol. 25, No. 3, Summer 2016, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6265610/pdf/sgrjpe_25_3_ A3.pdf

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

Supporting Mothers and Maternity Care at AmeriHealth Caritas DC

May is Maternal Health Month, a time to spotlight the importance of quality care and support for expectant mothers. In the United States, maternal health disparities have been an ongoing issue, particularly for Black women and women of color, who face higher risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

AmeriHealth Caritas DC is commit-

ted to helping enrollees access maternal care resources designed for expectant mothers. Pregnant AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can sign up for the Bright Start® program. Bright Start connects enrollees with essential pregnancy support, including finding a doctor or midwife, making appointments, and getting the necessary baby supplies. Enrollees can earn rewards through

the Healthy Rewards Program by attending prenatal and postnatal appointments.

For more information or assistance signing up for these health programs, call Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720 or 1-800-4087511. You can also visit our Maternal Care Center at www.amerihealthcaritasdc.com.

HEALTH

in Southeast, D.C.

As many people in D.C. and the nation grapple with financial uncertainty due to government furloughs, higher tariffs, and economic disparities, the free fair offered giveaways, activities, and educational sessions, to raise community awareness about local resources available to empower parents and families across the District.

“We make certain that we bring our actual benefit education team here, so that individuals know that maternity leave benefits are available to D.C. workers,” Monnikka Madison, deputy director of the Bureau of Economic Stability and Benefits at DOES, told the Informer. “We want to get to communities like Ward 8, where we see the utilization rate is a little lower than other communities.”

The local event presented a bevy of free gifts and fun games, along with instructive sessions for expectant parents including financial workshops with M&T Bank, prenatal yoga, baby CPR training with D.C. Fire and

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department, an introduction to baby American Sign Language (ASL) workshop, and more.

Those residing east of the Anacostia River have long endured the consequences of living amid a health care desert, lacking full-service medical facilities and quality maternal care. While the opening of the new Cedar Hill in Ward 7, has brought hope to an area whose residents have long faced disparities, events such as the Citywide Baby Shower, further Bowser and DOES’ mission of to address inequities.

According to a report released by the National Center for Health Statistics, published on Feb. 5, in Washington, D.C., the maternal health crisis is severe, with Black birthing people making up 90% of all birth-related deaths in recent years, according to a city-supported review committee.

Further, Wards 7 and 8, which have the city’s highest concentration of Black residents, accounted for 70% of all pregnancy-associated deaths.

Madison emphasized DOES’ dedi-

(Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

cation to bringing resources to Wards 7 and 8 as a means to dissolve the wall of paperwork and other barriers that often block families from accessing the care they need.

“This is the fifth year that we’ve had this event, and each year it gets larger and larger. Each year we’ve been able to determine more of a need, and in this particular climate that we’re currently in, we want to ensure that we have access to those resources needed for families within our communities,” Madison said.

LOCAL FAMILIES SEEK RESOURCES: ‘THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO DO BETTER FOR SOUTHEAST RESIDENTS’

Expecting mothers like Dora Palmer, 38, felt compelled to attend the event after notification from her obstetrician gynecologist, encouraging her and her partner to familiarize themselves with the resources offered.

Residing in Ward 8, Palmer has access to reliable transportation - a convenience she emphasized many of her neighboring families do not have the luxury of when in need of medical services.

“[This event] is helpful for new moms, but I’m coming from the Congress Heights side of Ward 8,” Palmer told The Informer. “If you don’t drive or if you’re not familiar with how to get here [through public transportation], you’ll have a hard time.”

Similarly, Makayla Phillips, 23, is also preparing for the birth of her first baby in July. She said that the event introduced her to a number of critical resources provided in the District, recalling the most impactful being the Far Southeast Family Collaborative.

Despite sentiments that “the District needs to do better for Southeast residents,” she said the Citywide Baby Shower was a meaningful event for her and her family.

As she lamented that many D.C. families need access to helpful tools in order to thrive, her brother Rondo Phillips chimed in, adding “It’s terrible.”

“They need to start doing more for Ward 8 residents,” he said. “They don’t look out for Ward 8, they only look out for other wards.”

BUILDING NEWFOUND TRUST IN AN OFTEN FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY

While many are working toward health equity across Wards 7 and 8, local events like the DC Citywide Baby Shower are critical to connecting families with health care services that maintain trusted relationships with the residents they serve.

Despite the opening of the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health, the Phillips family says that the community needs time to see solid improvement and support in health care services before they can feel comfortable to rely on their services.

“I’m having my baby at MedStar.

[Cedar Hill] is a new experience, and I don’t know anybody who’s been there,” the soon-to-be-mom said.

Palmer shared a similar perspective as Phillips, noting she normally seeks health care outside of her neighborhood.

“Greater Southeast Community (more recently known as United Medical Center) is basically in my backyard. I’m 38 years old, and I visited it the one time that I went to that hospital, which was when I had a seizure,” Palmer told The Informer. “But I always bypass that area because the care over there, or the lack thereof, is not great.”

While she hopes it does well for residents, Palmer emphasized she was reticent about trying out Cedar Hill.

“Just because [a hospital] is state-ofthe-art doesn’t necessarily mean anything. You’re not changing anything different by just changing the name,” she said. “You also have to consider that it’s [off of] MLK Avenue, which has a different kind of vibe. I hope that the hospital does well, but I will never visit it. I want better care. I want better treatment.”

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESS INEQUITIES EAST OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER

Several prominent District organizations were in attendance, engaging community members with various programs and resources aimed to bol-

BABY SHOWERS Page 23

5Expecting parents and families explore the various tables of information at the community resource fair during the fifth annual DC Citywide Baby Shower on April 26.

BABY SHOWERS from Page 22

ster health outcomes for families, including those residing in some of the most underserved parts of the city.

Health advocates like Edward Hardy, community engagement coordinator at Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, underscored the need for consistent availability of programs, along with easy accessibility for families in need.

He identified childcare and transportation as significant challenges for parents raising children east of the Anacostia River.

“Parents have to get to work,” said Hardy. “They have got to get their kids to school, and sometimes public transportation is not the best situation.”

Similarly, Daryle Morgan, program manager at A Wider Circle, a local organization present in the Highlands neighborhood of Ward 8, works to address the root causes of poverty across the District, providing numerous programs including free mental health services, recovery groups, food pantries, and more.

While working with Ward 8 families, Morgan attributes some of the area’s most prevalent health challenges to food insecurity, employment, and housing insecurity.

He emphasized the scarcity of housing support for males in the District as a major barrier for men and fathers alike, often preventing their ability to maintain custodial rights to their children.

“The hardest thing in this town right now is to house a single man [that is] without a disability,” Morgan explained. “Personally, I think it is expected that a man can get up and go get it himself without the assistance, so they often get knocked down.”

Working to fill the health gaps and

trust among Ward 7 and 8 residents, Mary’s Center, which provides primary health care and wrap-around services, is offering both onsite and outpatient health and family care east of the Anacostia River.

During the event, Mary’s Center’s Magali Ceballos discussed the tools that the District health clinic has for residents in need of close and easy access to health care services, such as the “Home Visiting Program,” which connects families to resources and support workers, including doulas and nurses, without requiring mothers and families to leave their residences.

“[Our] programs focus on child development, parent-child attachment, and father-child attachment, ensuring parents have the tools and support they need,” Ceballos told the Informer. “These programs are really intended for [providing] one-on-one care. People are literally letting us into not just their house, but their lives, and so we want to make sure that we have that trust and that they jive with their family support worker and are getting what they need out of the program.”

Ceballos shared that the program, now in its third year, is offered free of charge to District residents and funded by various sources, emphasizing the importance of advocacy to sustain these vital services.

“We know that there’s so many systemic issues with the health care system. So, when you may have a provider that doesn’t have enough time, resources, or, quite frankly, the want to reassure someone that everything’s okay, you have this registered nurse who is able to talk you through what’s going on, escalate as needed, and address as needed,” Ceballos said.

“It makes a world of a difference in outcomes.”

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5Denesia of Yoga District leading a group of participants during the Prenatal Yoga session. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

EARTH OUR

Sunscreen Essential for People of Color: Misconceptions About Melanin, Skin Cancer, and the Dangers of UV Exposure

Dr. Patrise Holden Contributing Writer

Contrary to popular myths, Black people are not immune to the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and should do all they can to protect their skin year-round.

Health experts emphasize that individuals with darker skin tones remain vulnerable to sun-related health risks, including skin cancer, premature aging, and even suppression of the immune system.

“The belief that Black skin is immune to skin cancer is not only false but dangerous,” Shontay Lundy, founder of Black Girl Sunscreen, emphatically stated.

Skin cancer is the most preva-

lent cancer in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

“While skin cancer is less common in darker skin tones, studies show that Black individuals are more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages,” Lundy explained. “This delay in diagnosis often leads to poorer outcomes. Regular sunscreen use and early detection are vital for prevention.”

Although there are benefits of the sun for mental and physical health, Black Girl Sunscreen has made it their mission to educate people of color about protecting themselves from the harmful effects of UV rays, including: sunburn, skin cancer, aging, and a

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decreased functioning of the immune system.

“The UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface is mostly UVA and some UVB. Almost half the daytime total of the more harmful UVB radiation is received between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” Lundy said. “Even on a cloudy day, you can be sunburned by UVB radiation.”

HEIGHTENED RISK FROM UV RAYS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR

Vulnerable populations, such as children, seniors, and individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities, face heightened risks of overexposure to harmful UV rays.

The CDC highlights that “less than half of older adults protect their skin from the sun when outside for an hour or more,” which may raise their risk of getting skin cancer. Furthermore, according to the CDC, “more than 1 in 10 older adults had been sunburned in the past year, and sunburn was nearly twice as high among sun-sensitive older adults.”

Determined to educate about UV exposure and skin cancer, raise awareness, and help people, Lundy created Black Girl

Sunscreen in 2016.

“Our community matters, and when it comes to melanoma, Black people have a lower survival rate due to late diagnosis compared to other races,” she said. “ Decreasing the risk of melanoma is just as important as decreasing the number of people who die from it. Wearing sunscreen is essential.”

Dr. Yolanda Holmes, a board-certified dermatologist and surgeon based in Washington, D.C., works to combat misconceptions through health care and education.

“I think the perception that [Black people] don’t need sunscreen is because we have a very low incidence of skin cancer,” Holmes told The Informer. “It’s not impossible, and a lot of the cancers that we develop are in non sun-exposed areas, but because of that, they can be very advanced when they’re detected,”

Like Lundy, Holmes encourages sunscreen use to combat against aging and promote overall wellness.

“Not only does the sun cause fine lines and wrinkles on our skin, it also causes dark spots,” said Holmes, “and it makes us look older than we are if our skin is exposed to the sun and not protected.”

HISTORY OF RACISM AND COLORISM BOLSTERS MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SUNSCREEN, ENJOYING SUN INSPIRES

LUNDY’S

VISION

Racism and colorism has long influenced how people of color view themselves and their relationship with the sun.

A commonly echoed sentiment within communities of color is that the sun is for getting darker, a sentiment steeped in a complicated history of preferential treatment for those of lighter skin.

“Darker skin has historically not been perceived as beautiful, so sunscreen psychologically, for many, taps into long-rooted fears about complexion issues,” Lundy told The Informer. “Sunscreen was always geared and marketed towards lighter skin, as a result, most people of color don’t understand the value of sunscreen. The misconception is that sunscreen prevents you from getting darker, but if I’m not going into direct sun, why do I need to use it?”

While these misconceptions SUNSCREEN Page 25

3 People of color, especially vulnerable populations such as children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, should utilize sunscreen all year round. (Courtesy Photo/ Black Girl Sunscreen)

SUNSCREEN from Page 24

have led to generations of people of color treating sun-based activities as something to be avoided rather than celebrated, Lundy was just the opposite.

Originally from upstate New York, Lundy moved to Miami after graduate school and spent significant time outside: at the beach, roller skating on the boardwalk, walking around in the Florida breeze.

Later, after moving to Los Angeles, her love for the outdoors only grew. Participating in outside yoga, hiking, and being present in nature became critical to her peace of mind and mental health.

“Embracing outdoor life became a source of healing for me,”Lundy said. “I became a woman of the sun.”

Still, sunscreen didn’t become part of the routine.

“Even during times in the sun, I still failed to wear sunscreen. During an era of Black girl magic, I just embraced it.”

Eventually, frustrated by failed internet searches for sunscreen specifically formulated for darker skin tones and determined to protect people of color from the dangers of UV exposure, Lundy founded Black Girl Sunscreen nine years ago.

“We were left out of the conversation surrounding sun protection for decades,” Lundy explained, “so we don’t even know what the benefits are.”

SUN PROTECTION PROMOTES HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Education for children and adults is crucial to change the narrative about sunscreen and promote all around skin health and wellness, Lundy told The Informer.

“We’ve been taught the sun is associated with tanning, not skincare,” the Black Girl Sunscreen founder said. “We were also taught ‘Black don’t crack,’ but what if we knew that sunscreen prevents fine lines and can make you look younger?”

Black Girl Sunscreen recommends the following tips on incorporating sun protection into one’s daily routine:

• Use sun protection factor (SPF) 30 or higher.

• Ensure sunscreen reads “blocks UVA and UVB” or “broad spectrum” on the label.

• Apply sunscreen to create a thick layer on the skin at least 20 minutes before you are put in the sun. nscreen made for brown s kin tones can be applied generously and will still blend in with no white residue or ashy film left on the skin.

• Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, including ears, scalp, lips, neck, tops of

feet, and backs of hands. Wear clear or colored sungloss with SPF 50, as lips also need to be protected.

• Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours.

• Reapply sunscreen each time you get out of water or sweat heavily.

• If you are also using insect repellent, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

• Throw away containers of sunscreen after 1–2 years. Follow the expiration dates on the bottom of containers.

Lundy encourages people of color to recognize that protection from even indirect sun exposure is necessary.

“As soon as you step outside, you are exposed to the sun. You can get sunburned from simply driving in the car,” she said. “Sitting at your computer with the blinds open, there’s still sun exposure.”

She also implores the use of technology as a protective tool.

“On our smartphones, we all have a weather app. If you scroll down, there’s a daily UV index. It tells you if the UV index is high, medium, or if people are advised to stay indoors, and during which time of the day,” said Lundy. “Use your smartphone as a tool to protect against sun damage.”

Considering the benefits of outdoor activities on her own mental and physical health, Lundy wants all people of color to tap into the pros of embracing the sun, but she emphasizes the importance of doing so responsibly.

“Black Girl Sunscreen wants Black and brown people to stop being afraid of the sun,” Lundy said, “and live their lives free and protected.”

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3 Melanated populations can combat the risk of skin cancer and ultraviolet (UV) radiation with simple changes such as applying sunscreen, wearing widebrimmed hats, and sunglasses for eye protection. (Courtesy Photo/Black Girl Sunscreen)

OUR EARTH

5 Sunscreen with SPF 30 specifically formulated for melanin complexions helps people of color fully and responsibly embrace sun based activities.

(Courtesy Photo/Black Girl Sunscreen)

EDUCATION

MINI-MED from Page 1

of Byrd, Dr. Mark Burke and dozens of Howard University medical students.

Byrd, an HUCM associate professor of dermatology, said she got just as much out of the experience.

“I was there with one of the students [and] we really just had a bonding moment where both of our hair was curly and we [explored] the curly aspect of hair, then the biology of hair,” she recounted. “It was a moment where they saw themselves in me and I saw the promise in them. It was a very gratifying moment and one that I will probably forever remember.”

Last year, when Byrd joined a team that included Burke and five HU medical students, Burke had already been conducting programming at Tubman Elementary School, located near the U Street corridor, for four years.

In preparation for what would formally become the Mini-Med program, the septet designed a curriculum, prepared presentations, gathered medical supplies, and recruited nearly two dozen HU medical students who would serve as mentors to program participants. While on their short reprieve from postgraduate work, these medical students helped fourth, fifth and sixth graders navigate concepts, including: first aid, orthopedics, cardiothoracic systems, gastroenterology, dermatology, respiratory, dental, and skeletal muscle.

Toward the end of each hourlong lesson, students completed an activity they took home to parents.

For Byrd, HUCM’s Mini-Med Program proved to be an ideal commitment for those yearning to connect with the D.C. community.

“We’re always thinking [about] our day to day [that] we just can’t make time for something else,” Byrd said. “But I knew how important this was… It was truly an

effort. We were able to all get in there and put it to work to really be there for the students.”

A CEREMONY TO ALWAYS REMEMBER

On April 24, students, teachers, staff members, and parents converged on the auditorium of Tubman Elementary to watch 21 third, fourth and fifth graders take part in a white coat ceremony. That afternoon, the small group recited the Hippocratic Oath and received white coats, similar to their medical school mentors and others who transitioned from non-clinical to clinical coursework.

For some Tubman Elementary students, like Samir Tomlin, the occasion proved an opportune time to think about his future.

“We’re here today to celebrate my classmates and me for learning about how the body works and how to live a healthy lifestyle,” Samir said during the ceremony before introducing D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee. “Maybe one day some of us will become healthcare professionals so we can keep our friends and families happy and healthy.”

Other speakers on April 24 included: Tubman Elementary principal Amanda Delabar; HUCM Dean Andrea Hayes-Dixon; and Mini-Med Program leader and HUCM student Akila Islam.

In her remarks, Delabar evoked her school’s namesake, telling students they have the “strength, patience and passion” to change the world.

“Our students, who are getting their white coats today, are those changemakers!” Delabar said on April 24. “Since October, I have been so proud to see them cultivate an interest in science and anatomy in this amazing partnership with the Howard University College of Medicine. I know we’re excited to see these students recognized for their hard work, excitement, and commitment to keep-

ing themselves and those around them healthy.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While there was a steady increase in the Black medical student population from 2017 to 2024, data released earlier this year shows a decline of Black students matriculating to medical schools within the same period.

That decline became a bit more pronounced in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action.

The District, however, has seen an influx of Black and Latino firstyear medical students, particularly at HUCM, which has garnered a reputation as a major incubator for Black doctors. This comes at a time when some people, like Burke, are getting an intimate understanding of how diversity in the medical profession changes youth’s perception of what’s possible.

“I would have the students draw a picture of what they thought a scientist would look like,” Burke recounted to The Informer. “I still have those original pictures that the kids drew four years ago. Before [the program], the scientists look white with spiky hair like me, and afterwards there’s this one picture of [a] girl with dreadlocks, with a t-shirt on.”

Burke, a professor of physiology and biophysics at HUCM, confirmed the launch of another Mini-Med Program cohort in the

coming months. He credited his colleagues and the medical students who served as mentors as the engine for further formalizing what started as an endeavor in organic community engagement.

“What I really loved about this year and how we expanded it… was that it was sustained engagement,” Burke said. “It was a true team effort, going out there once a month. It took a lot of thought… from the student’s point of view [for] faculty to[ask] what we need to do to put this thing together.”

Second-year medical student Caitlin Coyne said she wanted to be intentional with her students as they navigate material that, to some, may seem complex, or even boring. “Sometimes, I don’t know if they’re going to understand what we’re trying to tell them, but they do,” Coyne told The Informer.

“We get kind of nervous about… how we were going to present or explain something…but you just talk to them, like a person, obviously, and they get what you’re saying. They’ll ask questions, [and] they’re not scared to tell us if they don’t understand something.”

The students’ enthusiasm, Coyne said, sparked hope that young people can pursue careers that interest them, rather than succumb to limitations placed on them by geography or a narrow frame of reference.

“They’re more excited to try new things, even if they’re not familiar with it,” Coyne said. “I hope…in

the future, they want to try anything and they enjoy learning and that it’s never like a waste of time to try something new, even if it is scary.”

Islam, a second-year medical student hailing from Northern Virginia, told The Informer that her interaction with the elementary schoolers helped her explore various ways she could help those coming behind her.

“If I didn’t go into medicine, I think I really would go into teaching,” Islam said. “There’s so much value in teaching younger students. You see the world differently and in many ways, it became more helpful for our future just because of how engaged and caring these students were.”

In speaking about her academic journey, Islam acknowledged the community of people who supported her throughout her life, telling The Informer that she wanted to play a similar role for the youth who received their minimed white coats.

“Hopefully 10 years from now when they’re looking back at these pictures, just thinking back, they know that there’s people that believe in them,” Islam said. “And it doesn’t really matter if they’re going into healthcare or if they’re going into science even. I just want them to know that Howard and the surrounding community believe in them.”

WI @SamPKCollins

5Harriet Tubman Elementary School students, who completed Howard University College of Medicine’s Mini-Med Program, don the white coats they received and recite the Hippocratic Oath during a ceremony at the Northwest school on the afternoon of April 24. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Blackfolkways.com Launch Celebrates Legacy of Black Storytelling

Historic Howard University Event Marks New Chapter in Cultural Resilience

By Dr. Patrise Holden Contributing Writer

In a powerful tribute to the enduring strength of Black storytelling, more than 60 attendees gathered on April 23 at Howard University’s Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library in Northwest, D.C to celebrate the official launch of Blackfolkways.com. A historic collaboration between Howard University and Georgetown University, the central mission of Black Folkways is to elevate African American narratives through digitization and embracing cultural traditions.

As African American studies programs across the country face erasure in schools and institutions like the Smithsonian due to federal mandates, this partnership between Georgetown and Howard stands as an inspiring counterforce to cultural erosion.

The website, themed “Black Folkways: A Celebration of Food, Storytelling, and Resilience,” embraces intergenerational Black cultural storytelling and emphasizes the power of oral histories, passed-down recipes, and shared life experiences.

“Storytelling holds us together and reminds us who we are as a people,” said website launch attendee Stene M. Johnson.

Designed to amplify Black storytelling through an evolving archive of audio, video, and visual stories, the website offers a vital digital home for voices often left unheard.

The new website spans the cultural landscapes of the Bahamas, Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and Washington, D.C.

Mia Massimino, director of creative projects at Georgetown University’s Racial Justice Institute, emphasized the importance of the website.

“Resilience is survival, but resilience is also joy. Not just getting through the hard times, but how we uplift people.”

Responsible for website creation and digitizing histories, Massimino continued, “Through this project, we gained respect for how Black people thrive and survive in community. In

A PROUD COLLABORATION FOR HEALTH, CULTURE, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS

The partnership between Howard and Georgetown Universities symbolizes a critical bridge across both health and culture.

times like these, people need to be reminded to share joy with each other. Storytelling is a beautiful way of sharing both joy and resilience.”

PRESERVING

MEMORY THROUGH FOOD, STORYTELLING, AND RESILIENCE

Dr. Anita Gonzalez, professor of Performing Arts and African American Studies at Georgetown and co-founder of its Racial Justice Institute, expressed deep appreciation for the stories highlighted at the launch of the website.

“This event honors intergenerational storytellers who gave of themselves and their stories through participation in this project. Giving of one’s story is not without cost. It isn’t free. It costs life experience, emotion, culture, and resilience,” Gonzalez said.” We want to lead the example in research that gives as much back to the participants as it receives. Thus, honoring all involved with a celebration of food and storytelling was of critical importance to us.”

During the event, participants were invited to record their own oral histories on-site, an opportunity cherished by the many seniors present, including Akua Kouyate-Tate.

“We often forget how important our stories are for those after us,” said Kouyate-Tate, 68, a sixth-generation Washingtonian.

She noted how the power of live storytelling is especially pertinent to the preservation of family legacies, not just for current generations but those to come.

“My daughter and I conducted an oral history project on six generations living in a D.C. community,” Kouyate-Tate related. “Through the process of interviewing that community, my daughter was enriched by learning more about her own grandmother, who had a tremendous impact on that very community.”

Alisa Byers, chief of staff at Georgetown’s Center for Medical Humanities and Health Justice, emphasized the event’s transformative mission.

“Medical humanities can change lives,” Byers said. “Medical humanities focuses on habits, patterns, and learned behaviors that shed light on mental health, body functions, and even disease. We are able to learn critical information that can transform disease and ultimately save lives through health patterns, habits, and disease details, which are all revealed through storytelling.”

Lauded as a “celebration of food, storytelling, and resilience,” the event was especially meaningful to Jeslyn Miller, a Howard alumna and event vendor who considered it a full circle moment for her and her business, which is approaching its 10th anniversary.

“The theme of resilience resonates throughout my life,” said Miller, founder of Unique and Lovely Empowering Apparel & Accessories. “I have taken a lot of personal losses that made me angry and momentarily give up. Ultimately, I chose to rebuild to uplift not only myself, but others through my business and my personal story.”

The launch of Blackfolkways.com

is not merely about preserving stories; it is about reclaiming space, fostering connection, and affirming that Black cultural resilience continues to flourish despite the tides that may threaten to erase it.

“Food and unity bring people together,” Johnson, 73, declared. “It is our culture and legacy to preserve our stories for future generations.”

WI

5Alisa P. Byers hails the collaborative launch of Blackfolkways.com as essential to the legacy of Black storytelling, and says the discovery of health patterns is critical to disease research woven within the oral histories. (Dr. Patrise Holden/The Washington Informer)

Don’t get stuck with a small slice of bandwidth

Verizon and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet customers have to share their connection with everyone in their area, leading to slower speeds during peak hours. Switch to Xfinity for internet you won’t have to share.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is Under Siege

President Trump Takes Aim to Eliminate His Misguided Perception of Wokeism

The Trump administration is planning a purge of Black history artifacts housed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) and is returning them to their rightful owners.

A Black history artifact reportedly considered for removal includes the original Greensboro Woolworth’s lunch counter, where, on February 1, 1960, four Black students from North Carolina A&T University refused to leave after being denied service. This action inspired a wave of sit-ins throughout the South, marking a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

It is important to note that President Donald Trump does not possess explicit legal authority to directly remove artifacts from the NMAAHC, which opened in September 2016, as it is a Smithsonian Institution and is not under his direct control.

Yet, in an executive order issued on March 27, the president said: “Over the last decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted effort to rewrite our nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.”

In an interview with USA Today after signing the order, the president pushed back on current institutions like NMAAHC, which hosted 1.6 million visitors in 2024.

“Museums in our nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn,” he said, “not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history.”

Vice President J.D. Vance, a Smithsonian Board of Regents member, is responsible for implementing this order.

Despite the current president’s concerns about NMAAHC, the purpose of the institution is for unity, not division.

“We should not be surprised that not all the healing is done,” former President Barack Obama said at the opening of the museum almost nine years ago. “Hopefully, this museum can help us talk to each other. And more importantly, to listen to each other.”

Each of us must work to prevent any unauthorized removal of artifacts from– or the attempted dismantling of— the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Community advocacy, public

pressure, and media attention can help expose and block such attempts.

Additionally, museum leadership should collaborate with civil rights organizations to safeguard the integrity of these historical collections.

We cannot allow an administration that denies the value of diversity, equity, inclusion and Black history to erase years of progress, and programming, efforts and institutions like NMAAHC, which work to highlight and preserve important African American narratives.

WI

It’s the Economy, Social Challenges, not Poll Numbers, that Worry Americans the Most In Trump’s First 100 Days, America is Far from Great Again

Ever since Donald Trump successfully engineered his return to the White House last November, Americans have anxiously waited for him to make good on his promise to “Make America Great Again” (MAGA).

Those MAGA supporters who voted for him came from a diverse group of voters: older citizens, white Americans, Latinos and Black men – all of whom fell under Trump’s “spell.”

Now, as the president hits the 100-day mark of his second term— after dismantling diver -

sity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming, raising tariffs, dismantling department and furloughing thousands of federal employees—new polls indicate that he has a lot to do if he’s going to resurrect the economy and justify reducing the size of the federal government – two linchpins in his so-called “mandate” from the voters.

Some Americans may now be suffering from “buyer’s remorse” – that is, voting for Trump over his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris. However, the president didn’t just win in November,

but pulled members of the GOP on his coattails, with the Republicans taking control of both the House and the Senate. But has he kept his promises? Not the ones that matter the most.

approval rating is at 41% –the lowest for any newly elected president at 100 days, dating back at least to Dwight Eisenhower.

Polls have little meaning when ordinary Americans must contend with how to pay their rent, how to afford surging prices at the grocery store, how to pay back student loans, and

TO THE EDITOR

The Bridge is a super cool publication. The photos and the stories are always dope, and I feel like more people should be talking about it!

Karrine Jones Washington, D.C.

how to absorb rising prices for utilities.

Voters may have given the president the greenlight to tackle the challenge of immigration as he sees fit. Voters may have even said it’s okay to change America’s decades-old stance on foreign diplomacy to bring manufacturing plants back from overseas to the U.S., but not at the cost of a potential recession. They didn’t vote for Trump at the cost of more Americans going hungry or homeless, or both.

Moreover, in just 100 days,

I had no idea there was a rideshare company marketing to children who were operating without proper licenses. I’m thankful the D.C. Attorney General shut it down and imposed penalties. It’s not a matter of the company owners having ill intent but of public trust and safety.

Laura Adams Washington, D.C.

the biggest losers, so far, appear to be Black and Brown people –people who can least afford to “wait.”

It’s important for politicians and American citizens, alike–particularly those who voted for Trump– to hold him accountable.

America is not getting better, but her citizens are certainly uncertain–with many suffering under an administration that is eliminating what makes a nation truly great– such as diversity and a strong economy.

WI

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

A Legacy of Young Changemakers

Last month marked a Civil Rights Movement anniversary: the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in April 1960. People often forget that children and young people were major frontline soldiers in the Civil Rights Movement. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges in New Orleans, the Little Rock Nine at Central High School in Arkansas,

and other Black students desegregated schools across the South–often standing up to howling mobs. Many, including Bridges (who later became a Children’s Defense Fund colleague), continue to write books and speak at schools and college campuses across the country sharing their experiences with young people, helping students today understand that none of this is ancient history in our country’s story.

After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was jailed in Birmingham in April 1963, young people responded with

Marian Wright Edelman

the Birmingham Children’s Crusade in May. More than 1,000 students walked out from local schools to march, withstanding fire hoses and police dogs to challenge Bull Connor’s brutal rule and topple segregation in that city. College-aged young people coordinated voter registration drives, participated in Freedom Rides testing segregation laws on interstate buses, conducted voter education and Freedom Schools during 1964’s Freedom Summer in Mississippi and more. They faced pervasive risks of arrest, injury or death. My generation was

blessed beyond measure to be in the right places at the right times to experience and help bring transforming change to the South and to America, and SNCC was one conduit.

The path to its founding began two months before that, in February 1960, when four Black freshmen at North Carolina A&T State University — Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and David Richmond — sat in at the whites-only lunch counter in the Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth’s store. That was

just the spark I, and many other Black youths, were waiting for that galvanized us to stand up against the segregation that daily assaulted our dignity and lives with similar actions.

Julianne Malveaux

Pope Francis was a Humble Man of the People and an Advocate for Black America

the very end. He was of the people, and he wanted to reach them, touch them. Now he is gone.

His Holiness Pope Francis made his transition on the morning after Easter Sunday, after he delivered an Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, and after he toured St. Peter’s Square in his popemobile. His doctors had advised him to take two months of convalescence, but this pope, this man of the people, wanted to be with them until

Muhammad Ali’s famous “ropea-dope” strategy — allowing his opponent to exhaust themselves while conserving energy, then striking with precision when they were depleted — wasn’t surrender but calculated patience.

Today, Black America is employing its own version of a rope-a-dope in response to the current political

The world will miss this humble pope, a man who eschewed pomp and pageantry, instead embracing piety and populism. As a cardinal in Argentina, he rode the subway rather than a limo. As pope, he opted for more modest accommodations than the papal palace and dined with Vatican employees. He used the word “gay” — no other pope had — and insisted that homosexual brothers and sisters had a place in the church,

and in heaven. He did not go so far as to embrace gay marriage, but his modest step in the right direction caused resistance among other church leaders.

This pope was an advocate for social and economic justice, frequently addressing the economic gap between developed nations and those still developing. He embraced the concept of climate justice, releasing an encyclical on climate change. He wrote, “Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years.”

The encyclical (papal letter) was issued in 2015 and called for urgent action to combat climate change, protect the environment and promote sustainable development. Leaders, said the pope, must hear “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” Pope Francis was a spokesperson for the least and the left out, visiting prisons wherever he went, and washing the feet of prisoners to emphasize mutual humanity. He was an advocate for immigrants, stating in 2024 that those who knowingly and intentionally harm

climate. Black people are resolved in this moment. While many in America seem shocked by what this administration is doing, we have always understood the fragility of democracy – how constitutional rights have been perpetually framed to us as rewards rather than rights. We’ve grown familiar with watching higher courts strip away civil rights protections. Though today’s assault is more aggressive, we’ve experienced aspects of this rollback of rights in each generation.

The misconception that Black

communities are inactive fundamentally misunderstands our sophisticated resistance strategies. Protesting must be strategic. Timing, context and preparation matter. From Montgomery’s carpool systems to Selma’s tactical planning, preparation has always been the foundation of sustainable resistance. Protest is only one tool in our resistance fight. When we are under attack, we must use every form of power we have — economic, electoral, political, communicative and protest — to build our resistance

movement in ways that can neither be ignored nor defeated.

Right now, we are doing work that centers our needs. We are moving with purpose, organizing internally and fortifying our communities.

Black people aren’t inactive; we are being strategic. We understand when to speak, when to act and when withdrawal itself becomes power.

Make no mistake: Resistance is happening across multiple fronts.

The Target boycott, led by Dr. Jamal Bryant, has demonstrated our col-

immigrants are creating a “grave sin.” He called for a “global governance based on justice, fraternity and solidarity.”

While countries around the world, the United States among them, are closing borders and instituting harsh measures against migrants, Pope Francis advocated for their rights. Pope Francis was also a strong proponent of DEI. He appointed 163 cardinals since he assumed his papacy in 2013, diversifying the College

lective economic power with a 43% drop in quarterly profits. Our $1.4 trillion in spending power represents a formidable force when strategically directed.

Black legal organizations are filing strategic lawsuits challenging voter suppression. Media platforms like the Black Star Network, Black Press USA, “Contraband Camp” and “Native Land Pod” are taking messages directly to Black audiences. The Black church, historically a cor-

At first there was no mechanism in place to connect us all. But the visionary Ella Baker, who was working with Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), organized a meeting in April of that year at her alma mater – Shaw University BROWN Page 53

LaTosha Brown

MALVEAUX

EDELMAN Page 53

Guest Columnist

Guest Columnist

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, hereby reiterates our profound disgust and unwavering opposition to the continued disrespect shown toward Black America by Target Corporation.

Two months ago, the NNPA launched a National Selective Buying and Public Education Campaign in re-

Guest Columnists

Target National Selective Buying Campaign Continues

sponse to Target’s blatant retreat from its stated commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This campaign is not simply about economic protest, it’s about justice, dignity and the unyielding demand for respect.

As far back as October 2024, we sent a formal letter to Target CEO Brian Cornell detailing the company’s persistent refusal to invest in

Black-owned newspapers and media outlets. That letter was met with silence. Silence, in the face of truth, is complicity. By ignoring our appeal, Mr. Cornell and Target have made clear that they do not value the voices, institutions or the economic power of Black America.

Let us be clear: We will not shop where we are disrespected. Our dollars will not finance our own marginalization. The Black Press has, for more than 198 years, amplified the stories and struggles of our communities when others would not; We continue

Does This Man Know Right from Wrong?

Donald Trump has been in office for what has already seemed like a lifetime and it’s hard to believe it’s only been three months of his horror show. We never know what to expect from him as the days go by, but we who are members of the melanated world know that since the word means having non-white skin, we are

not the ones for which any good is meant – no matter what good we do and no matter how good we are in what we do. But as Tina Turner always said, we just “keep on rolling!”

I was looking at the NFL draft a few nights ago, and we saw so many young Black men selected in the first round. I was so proud of all of them. The first person to get the congratulatory hug was the players’ moms! I loved it! There is just something special about our people succeeding when they’ve

grown up with so much against them! I don’t mean just in sports, but in science, in education, in medicine, in the military — no matter where there is an opportunity. And they aren’t just DEI hires as the orange man and his crew falsely claim! Often white people get preferential treatment with far less talent. They rarely learn the meaning of being cheated out of something they deserve. Non-white people so often succeed through hard work and nearly always after racist treatment!

to “plead our own cause.” Yet, in 2025, major corporations like Target continue to bypass us in favor of performative gestures and hollow statements.

We therefore announce the continuation and intensification of the target-TARGET national selective buying campaign. We call upon all freedom-loving people from across all segments of society who believe in economic justice, media equity and corporate accountability to join us.

To those companies who do embrace the inclusion of their diverse consumer base, we say this: Stand

with us not just in words, but in deeds. Show your commitment by investing in our communities, supporting our businesses and partnering with Blackowned media companies that have long carried the mantle of truth, justice and advocacy.

This is not just about advertising. This is about visibility. This is about representation. This is about the moral obligation of “good corporate citizenship” by honoring its promises not with press releases, but with action.

The time for silence is over. The time for selective buying is now. WI

Others may not have learned this, but most of us in the Black community already know the orange man will come up with something to do as much damage as he can to us, but nothing good. One would think no melanated person would still be expecting something good to happen that is in our best interest. We’ve already seen enough to the contrary to know the truth.

If you think orange man has good intentions for us, you would be seriously misled — so I just

can’t explain how the few who meet the definition are still sitting around trying to convince us how great he is and that all the turmoil he has already created is somehow benefitting us! If there is but one lesson we must learn, it is that we must begin to help ourselves!

One of the ways to do that is to listen to Black spokespersons like the Rev. Jamal Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church of Geor-

Second Chance Hiring is a Win for D.C.’s Black Businesses — Learn How to Get Started

them are seeking the same thing: opportunity.

But too often, what they find instead are closed doors.

Every year, thousands of people return home from prison to Washington, D.C., or are released from our local jail, eager to get jobs, reconnect with their communities and rebuild their lives.

A disproportionate number of them are Black — a reflection of the longstanding racial disparities in our justice system. And all of

Many businesses in the D.C. area continue to use outdated hiring practices that bar people with criminal records from entering their workforce — even for years-old offenses or violations that have nothing to do with the roles they’re seeking. The consequences of these policies can be serious: research shows that individuals who don’t secure a job

within the first two months of reentry are about twice as likely to end up back in the system. It’s a cycle that hurts D.C. families — especially Black families — and our local economy.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. At the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce, where our mission is to support Black entrepreneurship and economic development, we’ve seen that when companies make even a few simple changes to embrace workers with criminal

records, they don’t just help these candidates turn their lives around. They gain loyal, capable employees. They invest in the safety and prosperity of our city. And critically, they expand opportunity for Black workers and communities in the D.C. area who’ve been disproportionately burdened by the lasting economic consequences of justice system involvement.

This practice of intentionally recruiting, hiring and advancing workers with criminal records has a name: Second Chance Hiring.

And this April — celebrated nationally as Second Chance Month — is the perfect time for D.C. businesses to get involved.

Our city is facing a stubborn labor shortage. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are only 45 available workers for every 100 open jobs in D.C. — and Maryland and Virginia aren’t faring much better. In other words, our businesses need talent, and they need it urgently.

BOND Page 54

Aisha Bond

Guest Columnist

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and Bobby R. Henry Sr.

WILLIAMS Page 54

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Tait Manning WI Intern

With April showers in the rearview, it’s time to spring for May flowers!

From an art exhibition honoring Mental Health Awareness Month, to the kickoff of D.C.’s Latin Restaurant Week, check out a handful of the many local events happening this weekend.

Plus, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar to stay up-to-date and keep your spirit –and social life – lit.

THURSDAY, MAY 1

Board Game Night

6 p.m. - 10 p.m. | Free Labyrinth Games & Puzzles, 645 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, D.C., 20003

Labyrinth Games and Puzzles welcomes anyone and everyone to try a

new game or play a modern classic (think Catan, Splendor, Ticket to Ride, etc.). With over 800 games in the library, this event is a great way to learn something new and meet other folks with similar gaming interests.

If attendees need help learning a game, staff will be available to help, as well as a number of regular gamers who are always ready and willing to lend a hand.

Pretty Girls Love RnB

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Free Shanklin Hall, 2325 18th Street NW Washington, D.C., 20009

Calling all R&B girlies (and guys) – and this time featuring a live music performance.

Shanklin Hall’s “Pretty Girls Love RnB” series returns, a night dedicated to celebrating different eras of R&B. Attendees may end up texting that ex they haven’t spoken to in months, accepting a drink from the guy across

the bar, or crying in the arms of their girlfriends.

Regardless, one thing’s for sure: They’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable night.

Sounds will be provided by King Kumo and Hage.

FRIDAY, MAY 2

Gallery B Presents Black Art Today’s Turning Tides

Noon - 5 p.m. | Free Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 20814

Gallery B is excited to announce their May exhibition: “Turning Tides: Action, Resilience, and the Mental Landscapes of Black and Brown Voices.”

Presented by the Black Art Today Foundation, this compelling exhibition aligns with the theme of Mental Health Awareness Month 2025, “Turn Awareness into Action,” and offers a vital platform for Black and brown artists to explore and express their lived experiences surrounding mental well-being.

Forever, Always:

The Black Love Exhibit

8 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Free Wayne A. I. Frederick Undergraduate Library, 500 Howard Place, NW, Washington, D.C., 20059

The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC) at Howard University announces the opening of its latest exhibition, “Forever, Always: The Black Love Exhibit.”

This innovative multi-thematic museum display celebrates the diverse expressions and experiences of Black love through a carefully curated collection of archival materials from MSRC’s prestigious collections.

3

The exhibit features original artwork by Howard University students, a curated Black Love playlist, and an engaging collection of oral histories documenting love stories from the community.

Visitors are invited to participate in an interactive component, making the exhibition a truly immersive experience.

Latin Restaurant Week

9 p.m. | Free DMV Area, Washington, D.C.

During Latin Restaurant Week (May 2 - 16), participating restaurants, food trucks and culinary businesses offer mouth-watering specials for guests to enjoy.

From delectable prix fixe menus to super sweet deals, it’s a great opportunity for visitors and locals to try an old favorite or discover a new gem.

Get ready to dig into the diversity of Latin American cuisine in the DMV area bite by bite! “¡Buen Provecho!”

SATURDAY, MAY 3

Poetry and Resistance: Exploring the Poetry of Audre Lorde

4 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. | Free Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20902

Explore the poetry of Audre Lorde within the historical context she wrote.

Lorde was a self-described “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” and dedicated her life and talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism and homophobia as a poet, scholar and civil rights activist.

This event will be followed by prompts of the day, which will be available for attendees who would like to write. There will also be time for

Photo)

sharing poems and exchanging feedback among participants.

Creative Calm: Yoga and Creativity Experience

6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. | $55.20 Girls Who Paint Gallery, 10419 Fawcett Street, Kensington, MD, 20895

Embrace the season of renewal this May with a grounded mind and a surge of creative energy.

This immersive 2.5-hour experience offers a harmonious blend of gentle yoga, mindfulness practices, expressive journaling and therapeutic art—all designed to help participants release tension, cultivate inner calm and awaken a creative spirit.

Engage in an invitation to move inward and start the year with clarity, calm and creativity!

SUNDAY, MAY 4

Film & Talk: “Earth, I Thank You: The Garden and Legacy of Anne Spencer” 4:30 p.m. | Free National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20560

Join the Garden Conservancy in its premiere of “Earth, I Thank You: The Garden and Legacy of Anne Spencer.”

The 35-minute film explores the historic sanctuary of Harlem Renaissance poet, civil rights advocate and gardener Anne Spencer, and celebrates the cultural and historical significance of the Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Featuring a screening and panel discussion, this event, located at a historic site, offers a glimpse into the life of one of the most influential figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Spring 2025 People’s Market

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Free People’s Book, 7014-A Westmoreland Avenue, Takoma Park, MD, 20912 People’s Book is hosting their third-ever seasonal craft market, taking place just outside the storefront, rain or shine!

Come check out over a dozen local vendors, ranging from visual art to crafts, to food. Conveniently timed a week before Mother’s Day, this is the perfect place to get a last-minute, oneof-a-kind gift. WI

The “Pretty Girls Love RnB” party series (pictured in February) rreturns to Shanklin Hall on May 1, celebrating different eras of R&B with sounds from two local DJs. (Courtesy

5Join Wheaton Library on Saturday, May 3, to explore and celebrate the life and legacy of poet Audre Lorde. Attendees will learn about the political advocacy in Lorde’s writing and have the opportunity to write poems of their own. (Courtesy Photo)

Howard University Surprises Nick Cannon With Bison Choice Humanitarian Award

By Skylar Nelson WI Intern

In a celebration of creativity, leadership and the positive impact of Howard University students, comedian and alumnus Nick Cannon received a surprise Humanitarian Award at the Bison Choice Awards on April 14.

The celebrtaory evening, part of the university’s annual “Made in the Mecca” Springfest, honors the vitality of students and alumni who remain dedicated to uplifting the future of African American leadership and innovation, including roots in the historically Black institution nestled in Northwest, D.C.

“I’m not good with surprises, but I know if I got back on campus…whatever [Howard] needed me for, I was gonna be there,” said Cannon as he accepted the award in Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium.

The Bison Choice Awards is an annual ceremony that showcases students’ achievements and music, while celebrating culture, influence, pride, and community impact. As a standout event of the institution’s highly anticipated Springfest tradition – a week dedicated to school spirit, season greetings, and academic and cultural recognition – the celebration reflects the rich and diverse experiences that shape the community of Howard University.

Jada White, this year’s Miss Cathy Hughes School of Communications, shared her insights on how important Springfest is to the Bison community.

“Springfest is definitely like our homecoming for the spring,” said White. “[The Bison Choice Awards are] really important to kick everything off— [getting] the

and advocacy of underrepresented communities at the annual Bison Choice Awards ceremony, held in Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium on April 14. (Skylar Nelson/ The Washington Informer)

student body dialed up and involved.”

The award presentation at this year’s event celebrated Cannon’s commitment to serving and empowering marginalized communities through mentorship, entertainment, community outreach, and education.

“To actually receive an award for something I try to do daily and quietly is humbling,” said Cannon, “so thank you.”

Cannon graduated fromHoward University in 2020 with a bachelor of science in Criminology/Administration of Justice and a minor in African Studies. Beyond earning the “H-U, You Know!” badge of honor, the entertainer has always played a pivotal role in uplifting and supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), including clearing the loans and debt of several HBCU students in 2021.

In a full circle moment, Christian Kornegay (also known as “CDK on the Mic”), a graduate of

North Carolina A&T University whose tuition Cannon paid off, presented the honoree with the surprise humanitarian award on April 14.

“You don’t only inspire,” Kornegay said. “You mentor, you uplift, and you remind us, when we stop being afraid to die, we start living.”

INSPIRING OTHERS THROUGH SERVICE

Attendees like Damaris Moore, the 86th Miss Howard University, considered the moment one of inspiration for the other aspiring change makers in the room.

“It was really cool just to see him here and still heavily involved in the betterment of students trying to follow in his footsteps,” Moore told The Informer. “I think it was a great representation for students to see.”

Cannon also emphasized the importance of students giving back.

“Hopefully this is just another example on how to pay it forward, and when you guys make all of your millions and billions, you can reach back and give to others because that’s what we’re here to do as a community,” he said.

With Kornegay’s heartfelt pre-

sentation, and Cannon’s emphasis on community and humanitarianism, the moment not only embodied the importance of giving back to HBCUs but also to the Black community as a whole.

“I’m true to the HBCU spirit forever,” Cannon lauded. “And as we know here at Howard, it’s all about truth and service.”

As a Howard University freshman, celebrating his first Springfest, Gabe Jones shared insights on his experience.

“It was honestly incredibly exciting to see Nick Cannon here tonight,” said Jones, who also won Videographer of the Year at the

award ceremony. “I’m a pretty big fan. One of my favorite movies is ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing,’ so you know it was really cool to see [Cannon].”

White, a broadcast journalism major wrapping her junior year, emphasized it is always special when alumni return to the university— “whether famous or not.”

“I think a lot of us have to understand that we really can be somebody someday,” she told The Informer. “It’s very fundamental to show that the Howard University Bison, we’re all about serving with excellence–with truth and service.”

WI

ENDS MAY 4th ENDS MAY 4th

4 Nick Cannon accepts the Bison Choice Humanitarian Award for his dedication to mentorship, community outreach,

MelaninCon Returns to DC—Brilliant, Bold, and in Need of Us

By Brigette Squire WI Contributing Writer

Despite the Trump administration eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming and their threats to revoke federal funding from teaching parts of African American history, the annual MelaninCon celebration of African American history, the annual MelaninCon celebration from April 24-26 celebrated Black excellence, creativity, and community power.

The annual conference brings together entrepreneurs, professionals, and artists for a multi-day experience rooted in leadership, innovation, and joy. From curated networking events to the highly anticipated “A Celebration of Us” gala, MelaninCon sets the stage for unity and upliftment — even in the face of adversity.

“The theme is unity for a lasting change,” MelaninCon founder Donovan Woodberry told The Informer at thee April 24 kickoff at The Gathering Spot in Northwest, D.C. “With everything that’s going on with the administration and with everything going on within the community and worldwide it’s important that we dig back into our community and uplift each other.”

From panels and workshops, to celebratory events throughout the

District, MelaninCon not only offers a safe space to convene among other Black professionals, but also share ideas and create plans of action to navigate social and political challenges.

“From the conference you get real speakers who are in the top of their field to give you action steps and action items so you can accurately be able to fight all the oppression that we have to deal with at this current time,” said Woodberry, who also founded The Posh Standard.

One of this year’s standout additions is an expanded health and wellness track, including insights from medical professionals and wellness leaders in the Black community.

“Based on looking at the agenda, this is what I’m into,” said Dr. Mary Roach, a licensed pharmacist and CEO of a faith-based nonprofit serving Ward 8 called the JJ Center. “I’m into the business and wellness aspects of the conference.”

Roach explained her work at JJ Center and hopes to take lessons from the conference back into the.

”In my organization we feed the community, do health education with one-on-one and group counseling to use food as your medicine. Eating beets, for example, to dilate the blood vessels to prevent heart attacks,” said Roach, noting she hopes to take the

lessons learned from MelaninCon to expand her nonprofit. “Especially the population who has diabetes — it is very devastating. We help them navigate the system for themselves or we go with them. We’ve had major success with cancer patients.”

Highlighting and networking with people like Roach is what MelaninCon is all about— showcasing the changemakers throughout the District and country, working to make Black communities stronger locally, nationally and worldwide.

The “A Celebration of Us” Gala at Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage in Northwest on April 26, which featured awards, fashion, and fun, was more than a celebratory event. It stands as a declaration that Black excellence is not a trend–it’s a movement, and it’s worth investing in.

“The gala is to celebrate local leaders in our community,” said Wooderry. “Everyone deserves a pat on the back at some point.”

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

THROUGH UNITY

While the annual MelaninCon has been a highly anticipated convening in the District for Black professionals nationwide, this year was particularly trying for the event’s founder.

SATURDAY, MAY 17TH 2025 1:00 - 5:00 pm

“What is so different this year is the adversity. With the first one everything that I wanted to happen happened kind of smoothly,” Woodberry said. “But this year’s everything was an obstacle.”

Due to political tensions and a sudden withdrawal of major funding, the MelaninCon team had to navigate unexpected staffing challenges and secure new venues at the last minute. Still, Woodberry and the team refused to cancel, noting the mission and reasoning behind the event is too important.

“Twenty five days ago the sponsor who was paying for our venue pulled out and said they were trying to stay in compliance with Trump’s executive orders. That was the money for the venue,” Woodberry told The Informer. “These past two weeks were about finding venues to switch and to accurately report that to the peo-

ple who were coming out and already bought their tickets.”

The MelaninCon team thanks the community— volunteers, sponsors and more— for helping the event come to fruition despite this year’s particular challenges. While community help allowed the team to host the event, angel investors are still welcome — and needed — to help finish what has already begun.

Woodberry encourages African Americans to understand the importance of unity to overcome the obstacles of today.

“We take community for granted; we take being Black for granted. It’s a privilege. It’s a gift,” he said. “I put my all into that experience and I got what I needed out of it. God is good all the time.”

To support, volunteer, or donate to MelaninCon, email info@celebrationofus.org or visit celebrationofus. org. WI

5Donovan Woodberry, founder of MelaninCon and The Posh Standard, poses at the MelaninCon kickoff celebration at The Gathering Spot on April 24. (Brigette Squire/ The Washington Informer)

Spring Cleaning Offers Opportunity to Purge, Live Clutter Free

Eastland Gardens Civic Association Hosts Neighborhood Yard

Sale Saturday in Ward 7 to Support Clutter-free Homes

By Zerline Hughes Spruill WI Staffwriter

Springtime is for pollinators, blooming flowers, colorful wardrobes and tidying up. But for some households, a light touch of spring cleaning may seem more like a long-term, junk-hauling expedition.

From prized possessions and heirlooms, to broken kitchen appliances and clothes in a closet that still have a price tag, U.S. residents seem to be challenged with being overburdened with personal belongings.

According to National Geographic, 1 in 40 people in the U.S. has a hoarding disorder. In fact, people ages 60 to 73 years old are most impacted by the disorder.

5Eastland Gardens Civic Association rallies neighbors for a community-wide yard Saturday sale to unload unwanted items to keep clutter down. (Courtesy Photo/Eastland Gardens Civic Association)

“Those who do not believe they have a problem with hoarding may not experience distress, but those living with or near them probably do,” co-author of “Hoarding: What Everyone Needs to Know” Gail Steketee told National Geographic.

Recurring spring and summer yard sales help households from holding on to no longer useful items and keep families from storing too much in a home. That’s what the Eastland Gardens Civic Association is counting on, at least. The 90-year-old community organization in Ward 7 is hosting a neighborhood-wide yard sale Saturday where at least 11 homeowners will participate. It will have another on August 2.

“We’re having the yard sale to not clutter ourselves and keep things clean and organized and easy to see what we have,” said Philip Chou, an Eastland Gardens resident participating in Saturday’s community yard sale.

Chou explained how things build up over time.

“Kids grow up fast and things need to be gotten rid of, in addition to other things we’ve collected over time,” he said. “I thought, ‘well, we have a number of good things that hopefully people would be interested in having, so maybe we’ll make somebody’s day with a good deal on something.’”

Platforms like Nextdoor, community listservs, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace can be helpful in promoting yard sales to help clear out items stored in homes, garages and sheds. Additionally, there are

websites and digital communities like FreeCycle and BuyNothing, that encourage exchanging or giving away items to save the environment by straying away from buying new items that eventually end up in landfills.

Despite the resources that exist to purge, sell and give away personal items, it can be hard for some to let go of items easily. People have an attachment to their things for many reasons, according to a self-proclaimed afrominimalist,” Christine Platt and author of “The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less.”

“Coupled with the generational trauma of systematic oppression that impacted our communities, Black Americans have a lot to reflect on when it comes to understanding how our childhoods impacted our spending habits,” Platt wrote in the 2003 book. “It is important for people of the African diaspora and other marginalized communities to understand they may find the letting-go process especially challenging.”

In her book, she says while people own things that may seem to take up more space than value, the items in our home may, in fact, have cultural or familial significance.

Chou, who has lived in Eastland Gardens for 14 years, can relate. He said his parents kept much of the items they purchased from when they immigrated to the U.S. making it challenging when it was time to help them move.

“I will say my parents kept so much stuff because they were very poor growing up,” he told The Informer. “Everything they got, they said, ‘I paid good money for this and want to hold on to it.’”

Through “The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less,” Platt emphasizes the importance of letting go as a part of overall healing.

“Living with less is about more than just having a tidy home,” writes Platt. “Living with less is not only liberating. Less is liberation. It is a lifestyle attainable for those willing to pursue it.”

LIFESTYLE

Gathering of Black Women Ready to Take On the Food Industry

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer @bcscomm

More than 400 women from across the D.C. area, nation, Africa, and the Caribbean gathered at Eaton Hotel in Northwest, D.C. April 25-26 for the third annual Black Women in Food Summit (BWIF), sharing ideas about careers in the food industry, under the theme “Limitless: Claiming Space for Abundance.”

The third annual summit, started by Dine Diaspora co-founders Nina Oduro and Maame Boakye, served as an inspiring weekend celebrating food, culture, business and the greatness of womanhood.

“The food system is expansive. When we think about how people consume and experience food, we are looking at it from the ground to the table and beyond,” said Oduro before the summit began.

Oduro and Boakye, two Ghanaian-born businesswomen, com-

bined their food sensibilities and business acumen when creating their vision for the summit. Their hope is to inspire attendees to continue breaking barriers, pushing boundaries and making changes in the food industry.

“We are catalyzers,” Boakye added. “We need to have a space to nurture ourselves, to connect, and to be inspired.”

FOOD AND CONVERSATION IN ABUNDANCE

On the first day of the Black Women in Food Summit, attendees flooded the Marketplace, where entrepreneurs showcased food for sampling and offered their expertise for up-and-coming explorers of the food trade.

Visitors experienced flavors that are deeply rooted in the African Diaspora, including: spices from Africa, fruits and seafood from the Caribbean, or a down-home blend

of dishes common in African American families passed down from the elders.

In addition to the food, the main attraction of the Marketplace was its role as a learning environment, where visitors asked vendors about how they started their businesses.

The first vendor, upon entering the Marketplace, was “Shuga x Ice,” serving an ice cream delicacy created by Ndidiamaka Agu. She has figured out a way to infuse ingredients from her Nigerian heritage into an ice cream. Her refreshing cold treat can be found at her counter in downtown Silver Spring at the Solaire Social, a food hall.

Agu engaged visitors with fullsize scoops of a light-textured ice cream. Some of the flavors were: Gbas Gbos, a milk chocolate ice cream with a kick of African peppers; Nebedaye, a dairy-free treat made with moringa ice cream, coconut Shugat cream, and tigernut milk; and Vitmo, a red grape and raspberry ice cream that was not too sweet.

“As a Nigerian-American growing up in New York, I saw a lot of the cultural foods as I grew up with,” said Agu. “I wanted to bridge the gap between the U.S. and Africa to create a new journey.”

An aisle over in the Marketplace was Yes, Ma!, a company that produces small-batch Guyanese-in-

spired sauces and jellies. They are produced by a woman-owned family farm in Alderton, Washington, outside of Seattle.

Adfia Bristol was staffing the vendor table for her products, which honor her grandmother and great-grandmother. It was Bristol’s mother and aunt who encouraged her to attend the summit as a firsttime vendor.

“We decided to come to the East Coast to check it out and also visit with family we haven’t seen for a few years,” said Bristol. “Here at the summit, we wanted people to try what we’ve been tasting for many years.”

EARLY ENTREPRENEURS RECEIVE BOOST, LONGTIME BUSINESS OWNERS WEIGH IN ON IMPORTANCE OF SUMMIT

Dawn Kelly and her daughter Jade, who attended last week’s summit, own The Nourish Spot.

“As representatives of The Nourish Spot, Jade and I want to engage with other individuals in the food and hospitality business,” said Kelly. “I came to this summit in its first year. I was so impressed with what these young ladies were doing.”

During the summit, five women came ready to try their luck at the Black Women in Food Pitch Competition. The prize money would be a big boost to an entrepreneur’s dream of growing their business. Competitors were vying for a first prize of $10,000 and a second prize of $5,000. Three judges— Chisom A’Marie with the New Voices Fund, Crystal Nwokorie with Constantia Ventures, and Kristina Sicard with JP Morgan Chase— heard pitches from each competitor about their start-up process, initial finance investment, current sales, projected sales, marketing tactics, and how they would use the prize money to grow their business.

Savannah Campbell won first prize for her product, Caribe & Co., an assortment of Caribbean-inspired, nonalcoholic syrups suitable for use in beverages and cooking. The second-place winner was Alexandria “Lexx” Mills for her non-alcoholic drink product, Stursi. The drink is marketed as tasting comparable to high-end spirits. Thanks to the New Voice Fund, Campbell and Mills will receive guidance to grow their businesses and exposure through several events in which the fund participates.

Throughout the summit and pitch competition, Kelly is inspired

5Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro, co-founders of Dine Diaspora and co-creators of Black Women in Food Summit (April 25-26), open the event at Eaton Hotel in Northwest, D.C. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

5Sisters Duntan and Timothyna Duncan from Hackensack, New Jersey, chat with vendor Ndidiamaka Agu, owner of Shuga x Ice in downtown Silver Spring, at the Black Women in Food Summit last week. The Duncan family owns an African restaurant in New Jersey. (Brenda C. Siler/The Washington Informer)

‘Sinners’ Hits Home With Deep Dive into Black Roots, Spirituality, and the Quest for Liberation

Local Residents Highlight Takeaways, DMV Representation, Dynamic Coogler-Jordan Duo

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

When it comes to the search for freedom in African American history, Ryan Coogler’s latest film transcends cinema to say: today is not unlike the realities of Black America during Jim Crow.

Set in 1930s Mississippi, “Sinners” presents an introspective analysis into the ideals of music, faith and identity as a means for liberation – coupled with cultural innuendos, blood-thirsty vampires, and double the Michael B. Jordan.

With the religious division and push to diminish Black history seen today, the two-hour film delineates the power of ancestral ties that have shaped generations of culture throughout the diaspora and beyond – from the origins of the blues and Christian practices, to the depths of African spirituals and folklore.

According to Kwesi Hargrove, a senior film student at Morgan State University, a moment of deliverance was felt by simply watching the cinematic masterpiece unfold last Tuesday.

“This is the first movie I’ve seen where it was, like they kept saying in the movie…for us, by us,” Hargrove told The Informer. “The quality of the film and the level of the acting, that in itself just showed the film industry that Black people can do anything.”

“Sinners” hit theaters across the nation on April 18, which was also Good Friday, and is already well on its way to reaching the $200 million mark in box office sales. According to reports, the cinematic project brought in $45 million this past weekend, a mere 6% drop from its opening weekend record of $48 million.

Since its debut, the critically acclaimed film has earned numerous endorsements from social media users, film critics, and household names, including Lebron James, Spike Lee and Tom Cruise.

Meanwhile Maryland film fanatics like Hargrove, who has seen the film twice already, and Montgomery County resident Celine Corbie are also encouraging others to take a bite

out of the vampire slasher.

After attending an April 25 show at AMC Wheaton Mall 9, Corbie rated the thriller a 9 out of 10, adding that it was “definitely worth the hype” seen across social media.

As a fan of Coogler’s work – which includes other powerhouse productions with Jordan, such as Fruitvale Station (2013), Creed (2015), and Black Panther (2018) – Aminah Cole of Fort Washington, commended the directorial vision and thorough research that brought the film to life.

She said she considers the box office hit a “tasteful” exploration of not only cinematic art, but the deep-rooted staples of the African diaspora.

“We’re continuing to evolve, and we’re seeing more and more of our stories being told,” Cole said after a showing in Silver Spring on April 27. “Since we were in the cotton fields, to now having corporate jobs and these high positions, music, faith, everything that represents Black people overall is a good thing.”

‘SINNERS’ OFFERS D.C. PRIDE

While the film is set in the Mississippi Delta, there’s some D.C. pride throughout “Sinners.”

Cole, a marketing specialist, gave a nod to the breadth of talent on screen, touting her own DMV roots as she spoke fondly of Washingtonian Jayme Lawson, who plays Pearline, love interest to breakout star Miles Caton’s character, Sammy (affectionately known as “Preacher Boy”).

“[The] DMV represents…in Broadway, we represent in movies, singing, from politics on the hill all the way down to being an actor,” Cole lauded. “We continue to show up and show out. [Lawson] did an amazing job.”

An alumni of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) in Northwest, D.C., Lawson has always proved she’s had what it takes to go far.

“From the moment she walked into Duke Ellington’s School of the Arts, she was a professional, and we knew from day one that she was going

to have an extraordinary future,” Ken Johnson, chair of DESA’s Theatre Department, told The Informer.

Johnson emphasized Lawson’s ability to bring important roles to the screen, from one of Lawson’s major breakout roles as Bella Reál in “The Batman” (2022), to her portrayal as a young Michelle Obama in “The First Lady” (2022) and Betty Shabazz in the National Geographic and Hulu television series “Genius” (2024).

“She’s been given these huge assignments as an actress, and she keeps knocking them out of the park. She’s just an extraordinary young woman,” Johnson said of the 27-year-old Lawson.

HIGHLIGHTING THE BREADTH OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE, BELIEF SYSTEMS

In addition to Lawson’s performance–and admittedly, the sight of Jordan playing twins–Cole said another thing she appreciated about the film was Coogler’s intent to do Black history justice, especially as it pertained to the oppressive Jim Crow South.

“Sinners” navigates the return of twin brothers Smoke and Stack as they kickstart a juke joint in their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, after several years away.

With the mythological elements

of fantasy and horror, plus strong supporting characters like Delta Slim (played by Delroy Lindo), Mary (played by Hailee Steinfield), and Wunmi Mosaku’s portrayal of Annie, the story revolves around an internal yearn for freedom through music and spirituality that’s rooted in the Mississippi Delta.

Further, the cinema highlighted the presence of Chinese immigrants and Indigenous groups that existed in the South during that time, while honing in on rampant themes that have shaped diasporic connection.

“The message I got from that is, even though we’re so far away from our ancestral home, we’re that same people, no matter what we’re going through,” Hargrove shared. “The idea of spirituality and music connecting the past, present and future, that’s so prevalent in different forms of African spirituality and churches.”

Other highly regarded aspects of

the film include the theatrical musical moments, ambiance of Black beauty in lighting and coloring, and ability to push the boundaries of filmmaking with intention and originality.

Hargrove commended Coogler’s approach to telling a Black story that didn’t center demoralizing trauma, nor force an understanding of the Black experience for non-Black viewers. In fact, the film major said he hopes to see more creatives shift from pandering to society and focus on “letting talent speak for itself.”

With “Sinners” anticipating a third week in hot topics, many show no qualms that the movie will only see further success, and happily share their own stamp of approval for all to see.

“That movie was just beautiful, it was just beautiful to look at,” Hargrove said. “I encourage people to go see it. Go see that movie twice, [and] in 70mm IMAX.”

WI

5Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton star in “Sinners,” a vampire slasher set in 1932 Delta Mississippi that explores the ancestral ties of music, spirituality and liberation in African Americans. (Courtesy Photo/Sinners, Instagram)

and enrichment resources for District youth and returning citizens.

Bowser, not speaking too specifically about that process, said that, as it currently stands, the District’s arrangement with the Commanders already benefits District residents.

“Because of this catalytic anchor investment by the Commanders, [we will be able to deliver] between 5,000 and 6,000 units of housing,” Bowser told The Informer. “We will be able to deliver more hotels. More than 16,000 jobs will be created, and more than $20 billion in tax revenue.”

On Monday, Bowser joined Commanders owner Josh Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the ballroom of the National Press Club in Northwest where the trio formally announced what Bowser called a deal that’s a decade in the making.

The deal— amounting to $3.6 billion— includes a $2.7 billion investment from the Commanders that will go toward the construction of a new stadium, along with entertainment stadium riverfront districts anchored by housing, retail and restaurants.

The District’s initial contribution of $850 million will fund the construction of housing and recreation

in Kingman Park, a sportsplex at the Fields at RFK, and a 30-acre stretch of riverfront community commons along the Anacostia River Trail. An additional $202 million will fund the construction of roadways and utilities infrastructure, and a WMATA capacity study.

This brings the District’s contribution to more than $1 billion over six fiscal years.

Out of the initial $850 million that the Bowser administration has pledged, more than half— $500 million— will come from funds generated by the existing sports facilities fee, while EventsDC will commit $181 million for parking. By 2032, the other $175 million, generated by stadium activity, will be reinvested into parking.

As outlined in a term sheet obtained by The Informer, the community benefits plan, to be created prior to the council’s approval of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget and associated legislation, will further determine how the revitalized RFK campus will support schools and nonprofits in providing educational support and encouraging youth access to District-based sports facilities.

“We have laid out some pretty pre-

SPRING YARD SALE

PENN BRANCH NEIGHBORHOOD

Date:  Saturday, May 3rd - 9am – 2pm  3617 Texas Ave. SE WDC 20020

liminary ideas with the team about other ways that the community will want to be involved in the site,” Bowser said on Monday. “I know I’ve had some preliminary conversations with members of the council, and the team has had preliminary conversations with members of the council, and I expect those ideas will be fleshed out during the council process.”

CHARTING THE PATH TO SEVEN COUNCIL VOTES

According to a timeline presented by the Bowser administration, the D.C. council would need to approve Bowser’s deal with the Commanders by the summer— a feat that requires seven council votes.

On Monday, D.C. Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large), Anita Bonds (D-At large), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) and Wendell Felder (D-Ward 7) joined the several dozens of government personnel, community members and football fans who filled the ballroom of the National Press Club in celebration of the Commanders’ return to the District.

Felder, whose jurisdiction includes RFK campus, stands as a vocal supporter of the redevelopment, as does McDuffie, who introduced legislation earlier this year to designate D.C. as the nation’s sports capital.

In a statement, Felder, in his first year as a council member, spoke about what was at stake for his constituents.

“The redevelopment has the potential to bring new jobs, affordable housing, business opportunities, and recreational space that Ward 7 residents deserve,” Felder said. “It will breathe new life into an area that has been waiting too long for real development and meaningful economic growth.”

annually, Allen remains adamant that the executive is inflating RFK’s future usage.

“If passed as is, taxpayers will be on the hook for over $1 billion for a stadium, surrounded by parking garages, that would sit unused 335 days a year,” Allen said in a statement. “In stark financial terms, at a time when the District is facing a recession and tens of thousands of workers are losing their jobs, this proposal is asking D.C. residents to pay more than $4 million for each and every home game for the next 30 years, a proposal that doesn’t even include funding for a sorely needed Metro station expansion to give people alternatives to driving.”

up when I was briefed on April 16,” Mendelson said. “Indeed, other than that one briefing – which was for me, not the council – there has been no collaboration with the council,” Mendelson continued, pivoting to the current situation at hand. “The mayor needs to focus on getting us a final budget – she’s on track to miss that deadline by over seven weeks! And adopting a budget, with mayor-proposed cuts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, should be our highest priority.”

Meanwhile, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) count among those on the council who’ve expressed apprehension about the use of public dollars to fund stadium construction.

Allen, a longtime critic of a new football stadium, circulated a statement marking Monday as the first day of a council debate about how to “reimagine” one of the District’s largest plots of unused land. Despite Bowser and the Commanders’ assertion that the new stadium would, in addition to Commanders home games, host more than 10 concerts and more than 100 private events

Earlier this year, Mendelson cited Metropolitan Police Department headquarters and District public school buildings as capital projects more deserving of attention. By Monday, when, according to a staffer, he hadn’t yet received the term sheet outlining the specifics of the football stadium deal, he continued to espouse the need for fiscal management and transparency.

“The cost to the District will be nearly $1 billion— and that does not include investments in Metro and the surrounding parkland site,” Mendelson said in a statement. “I continue to be concerned with investing any public money into a stadium while we have constrained budgets and revenues, and unmet needs.”

Mendelson questioned the mayor’s fervor for collaboration, especially at a time when the District faces projected revenue loss and the likelihood of local government furloughs and building closures.

“We were not consulted about this negotiation; it was not even brought

KINGMAN PARK RESIDENTS SHARE OPPOSING VIEWS ON STADIUM DEAL

Kingman Park resident Andria Thomas shared sentiments similar to Mendelson, telling The Informer that Bowser’s assertion about sports and entertainment spurring economic development doesn’t quell her anxiety about the District’s current economic situation.

“My take isn’t about the Commanders specifically, it’s about how we should be questioning all D.C . budget decisions,” said Thomas, a 15-year District resident and atlarge committeewoman for the D.C. Democratic Party.

Even with the pending creation of a community benefits plan, Thomas, a mother of D.C. public school students, pondered the degree to which residents living beyond the confines of the 180-acre space would reap the benefits of an $850 million public investment.

“I would be actively supportive if the team and its billionaire owner

5District Mayor Muriel Bowser and Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris with D.C. Council members during a press conference announcing the return of the team to RFK Stadium in Southeast. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

Teacher

Teachers Care

Teachers work hard. They also make learning fun, listen when students are having problems and sometimes even take care of scraped knees and elbows.

What does your teacher do for you and your classmates?

Board Boo-Boos

Students

2025 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 41 No. 22

LIFESTYLE

review wi book

Mother’s Day Books for Kids by Various Authors

c.2024, 2025, various publishers

$12.99-$18.99

Various page counts

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Every day, your Mom or Grandma does nice things for you. She fixes your lunch and dinner, makes sure your clothes are clean and that you have a safe place to sleep. Whose cookies are best? Mom’s! Who hugs better? Grandma does (but Mom’s a close second!) They love you a lot, you know, so why not share one of these great books about moms, grandmas, and kids for Mother’s Day this year …

The littlest readers – those who are 1 to 3 years old – will love a readaloud with “My Mama Bear and Me” by Sophie Beer (Dial, $12.99). Polar bears live in the snow. Grizzly bears live in the mountains. But Mama Bear lives in your house and she’s the best kind of bear. Be sure to grrrrrowl when reading this book for maximum giggles. Bonus: this is a board book, so it’s sturdier, and meant for little kids.

Even kids who hate baths or hair-washing day will love to see “Wash Day Love” by Tanisia Moore and Raissa Figueroa (Scholastic Press, $18.99) and “Wash Day with Mama” by Monica Mikai (Crown, $18.99). Yes, there are two new books on this subject and both books tell the story of taking care of Black hair, from the special wash to the even more special styling afterward. There are subtle differences between them, though; one is more humorous; the other, more celebratory. For kids ages four to eight, either or both of them will make them proud of the hair they’ve got and the mamas who help make that hair look its best.

You’ve heard the song. Maybe you’ve even sang along, so now read “A Thousand Years” by singer-songwriter Christina Perri, illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz (Viking, $18.99) Based on the famous and heart-touching tune, this book shows the love between mother and child as the little girl grows in both body and bravery. If you love the song, you’ll be happy to know that the book is just as beautiful, and perfect for kids ages 4 to 6. Hint: play the song often and this book will become a favorite.

And for the little chatterbox who also loves the outdoors, “A Cup of Quiet” by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson (Bloomsbury, $18.99) is a great book to read out loud. Sometimes, things get too noisy for Grandma, and she asks for a cup of quiet. For her granddaughter, that’s the silliest thing ever because you can’t put quiet in a cup. Or can you? This book is perfect for the 5- to 8-year-old child who likes to garden, especially when the time is spent with Grandma.

And if these mama-and-grandma-themed books aren’t exactly what you want, if you want more like them, or if you need something good for an older child or teen, be sure to head to your local bookstore or library. You’ll find lots of books there, and people who’ll help you find the exactly right one for your young reader. Then grab what you need. It’ll be a nice thing.

horoscopes

ARIES Domestic transformations create unexpected harmony as the North Node activates your home sector, bringing resolution to family tensions through surprising conversations. Professional collaborations with international connections offer promising pathways when you embrace unfamiliar cultural perspectives. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 23

TAURUS Verbal diplomacy opens previously locked doors as Mercury graces your communication sector, bringing breakthrough agreements in stalled negotiations. Educational pursuits focusing on historical subjects reveal surprising relevance to current career challenges. Digital platforms offer unexpected income streams midweek when authentic content connects with specialized audiences seeking your expertise. Urban explorations introduce architectural inspiration that influences home design choices. Lucky Numbers: 7, 19, 30

GEMINI Financial reorganization creates liberating clarity as Venus illuminates your resource sector, bringing satisfaction through simplified systems that prioritize value alignment over accumulation. Leadership opportunities emerge within volunteer contexts where explaining complex ideas proves unexpectedly valuable. Lucky Numbers: 9, 14, 26

CANCER Personal reinvention accelerates as Mars energizes your identity sector, bringing confidence to pursue directions previously considered too ambitious. Photography projects capture emotional truths when technical precision meets intuitive timing. Marketing initiatives gain traction midweek when authentic vulnerability connects more powerfully than polished perfection. Lucky Numbers: 3, 15, 28

LEO Spiritual insights emerge through practical service as Jupiter activates your compassion sector, bringing meaning to routine assistance others might consider mundane. Technological skills advance when teaching others solidifies your understanding through necessary simplification. Healthcare decisions yield optimal outcomes midweek when balancing traditional wisdom with emerging research. Lucky Numbers: 2, 11, 31

VIRGO Social expansions transform your community standing as Saturn restructures your network sector, bringing leadership opportunities through coordination of group resources. Language studies progress rapidly when practical application immediately follows theoretical understanding. Lucky Numbers: 6, 18, 33

LIBRA Career evolutions align with authentic values as the waxing Moon illuminates your professional sector, bringing opportunities that honor your need for meaningful impact Public speaking engagements highlight your ability to present controversial topics with balanced consideration. Transportation solutions emerge midweek when flexible thinking transforms into efficiency improvements. Lucky Numbers: 8, 21, 37

SCORPIO Educational pursuits open unexpected career paths as the Sun crosses your learning sector, bringing connections through subject matter seemingly unrelated to professional goals. Investment strategies benefit from historical pattern recognition rather than reactive responses to current fluctuations. Physical training breakthroughs happen midweek when focusing on coordination and flexibility Lucky Numbers: 4, 16, 29

SAGITTARIUS Collaborative finances strengthen through transparent communication as Mercury enhances your shared resource sector, bringing resolution to complex agreements through simplification. Artistic expressions gain distinctive character when incorporating techniques from outside your primary medium. Lucky Numbers: 10, 25, 35

CAPRICORN Relationship dynamics benefit from playful experimentation as Venus softens your partnership sector, bringing deeper connections through activities that temporarily suspend practical considerations. Journaling practices yield psychological insights when stream-of-consciousness writing bypasses internal censorship. Financial documentation systems improve midweek when digital organization replaces physical storage with secured cloud-based solutions. Lucky Numbers: 1, 20, 34

AQUARIUS Health routines transform through rhythmic integration as Neptune harmonizes your well-being sector, bringing improvements through approaches that honor natural cycles rather than imposing rigid schedules. Remote work arrangements yield productivity breakthroughs when environmental adjustments optimize focus during peak cognitive periods. Lucky Numbers: 12, 22, 39

PISCES Creative expression finds commercial success as Mercury aligns with your artistic sector, bringing financial rewards for work that maintains integrity while meeting marketplace demands. Parenting approaches yield positive behavioral shifts when consistent boundaries combine with genuine curiosity about underlying needs. Professional presentations gain influential advocates midweek when statistical evidence supports intuitive conclusions. Lucky Numbers: 13, 27, 40

SPORTS

COMMANDERS from Page 38

were directly investing in D.C Maybe they want to build us some new playing fields and sponsor the athletic departments needs of D.C. Public Schools to help build up the next generation of athletes,” Thomas said. “I know they are always looking for more equipment and uniforms [at my children’s schools]. Any dollars we give to NFL teams are dollars we aren’t spending on our kids.”

In recent years, the Bowser administration has engaged community members about the development of a stadium on RFK campus. Such was the case in the fall of 2023 when, during deliberations on Capitol Hill about legislation to transfer the land to the District, Bowser met with Kingman Park residents at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church in Northeast.

Earlier this year, during an event at Eastern High School that Felder’s office and EventsDC coordinated, Ward 7 residents weighed in on the future of RFK campus. A Bowser administration spokesperson recently confirmed that the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development subsequently conducted stakeholder meetings with future gatherings to take place.

Whenever Bowser administration officials publicly engage District residents again about the development of a new football stadium, they will most likely find those opposed to the Commanders’ return.

In the weeks leading up to Bowser’s announcement, a group known as “Homes, Not Stadiums” circulated a petition for a ballot measure that, if approved by D.C. voters, changes the zoning on RFK campus to prevent the construction of a football stadium.

Members of No Billionaire’s Playground have also been relentless in their criticism of the deal, releasing a statement on Monday calling for a grocery store and more than twice the amount of housing promised in Bowser’s plan.

While No Billionaire’s Playground

expressed doubt about the Commanders’ regard for Kingman Park residents, at least one D.C. resident said he supports the Commanders’ return to RFK Campus and all it represents for longtime Washingtonians.

“They only moved in the neighborhood about 10 years ago, so they don’t know the spirit and the comradery,” longtime Kingman Park resident Cosby Washington told The Informer about his neighbors. “They just don’t remember.”

Washington, 75, recounted his childhood as a Washington football fan who witnessed a franchise at the height of its success during the 1980s and 1990s. “That team uplifted D.C., especially [when they won] the Super Bowls,” he said about what, at times, became an exclusive fan experience. “My mother had to wait 10 years before she got a ticket, and then she had to wait until her first husband died [before she got] his tickets.”

After the Commanders moved to what’s now known as Northwest Stadium, in Landover, Maryland in 1996, Washington frequented RFK campus with his children, who, as he recalled, rode their bikes on the grounds.

For Washington, the Commanders’ return to RFK campus could serve District residents well— if Bowser and the Commanders hold up their end of the bargain.

“Mayor Bowser promised certain things… not to take away the fields, not to remove any of the houses in our neighborhood,” said Washington, a lifelong D.C. resident who has lived in Kingman Park for more than 30 years. “I want to [see] an investment that… really embraces young people. Young people need to learn….how to be industrious and be on time. This is where it starts.”

HARRIS AND GOODELL WEIGH IN

Since the turn of the century, NFL franchises have invested more than $32 billion in stadiums. Goodell, NFL commissioner of more than two decades, alluded to at least eight more

projects underway, including RFK campus, that’s estimated to cost a total $220 billion.

Goodell, a longtime Washington franchise fan, commended D.C.’s football team for its recent success, including an appearance in the NFC championship against the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year.

With RFK campus heralded as a possible site for future Super Bowls, Goodell congratulated Bowser, Harris and the D.C. community he said stands to experience significant gains.

“Here in the District, there will be billions of dollars invested in this area and economic activity that lifts up the city and generates jobs throughout the region,” Goodell said on Monday.

“The NFL has a long history of investing in stadium projects along with the home team, but all 31 teams will contribute along with Josh and his partners. This is an important project that the league recognizes, and we will be there to support.”

The Washington Football franchise moved to the D.C. metropolitan area in 1936 from Boston. During the earlier half of the 20th century, the team won two NFL championships.

Under the leadership of owner Jack Kent Cooke and Joe Gibbs as coach, Washington’s football team won three Super Bowls throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

By the time the Commanders moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland, the team that everyone in the D.C. metropolitan area knew and loved had its best years behind it. For more than 30 years, the Commanders couldn’t get anywhere close to a Super Bowl. Jayden Daniels’ ascent as

“Mayor Bowser promised certain things… not to take away the fields, not to remove any of the houses in our neighborhood,” said Washington, a lifelong D.C. resident who has lived in Kingman Park for more than 30 years. “I want to [see] an investment that… really embraces young people. “

a star quarterback last season came after the franchise’s pandemic-era name change and Harris’ purchase of the team from Dan Snyder.

On Monday, those who converged on the ballroom of the National Press Club to witness this historic moment included: D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), former D.C. first lady Cora Masters Barry; former D.C. Councilmember Yvette Alexander; D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee; Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah; Events DC President and Chief Executive Officer Angie Gates; Federal City Council CEO and Executive Director Anthony Williams; Gibbs

and current Commanders coach Dan Quinn; and former Washington Commanders quarterback Doug Williams.

Harris, a D.C. metropolitan area native and childhood Commanders fan, acknowledged Williams and other football legends in the space as he reflected on his upbringing as a football aficionado.

“I grew up watching the greats, whether it be Sonny Jurgensen, Billy Kilmer, Joe Theismann, Mark Rypien, the Hogs, Joe Gibbs, Art Monk and three Super Bowls,” Harris said. “That was the Washington that I remember. On Sundays, everything stopped. Everyone was glued to their TV or in the stadium and we’ve already seen a reawakening of that spirit, but we want to bring it back.”

Harris, reflecting the two-year journey he took with Bowser to achieve the stadium deal, said he wanted to build a “championship caliber” team, improve the fan experience, and leave a mark on the community.

“This project is about so much more than building a stadium,” Harris said. “It’s about a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a catalyst for long-term, transformational economic growth here in D.C. That means thousands of new jobs, billions of new tax revenue, thousands of new homes, partnerships with local businesses and the creation of about 90 acres of mixed-use development for our community.

“And you know what? The city of Washington and the DMV deserve it.”

WI @SamPKCollins

5The Washington Commanders playing at Northwest Stadium in Landover last September. (Abdullah J. Konte/The Washington Informer)

CAPTURE the moment

In celebration of participating in the annual Washingtonlink Informer Charities Citywide and Prince George’s County Spelling Bees, as part of the Scripps National competition, student participants and their families were treated to a day at Nationals Park on Saturday, April 26. In addition to viewing the game from great seats and enjoying the amenities at the Southeast, D.C. stadium, students were honored for their bravery in participating in the spelling bees.

(Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

5Nora Baker, Bianca Curry, Abigail Adegbite, Jean Pierre, Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, and Spelling Bee Coordinator Jason B. Moore. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

5Washington Informer Charities Spelling Bee participants and organizers pose at Nationals Park on April 26, during a celebratory day that honored their hard work and scholarship.

6Prince George’s County Spelling Bee 2025 winner Abigail Adegbite alongside her father at the Washington Nationals game. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

5Spelling bee participants engage with some of the leadership at Nationals Park.

4Students taking in the game from one of the many flatscreens at Nats Park.

RELIGION

Bishop T.D. Jakes Will Never Stop Preaching, But He’s Stepping Back

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word in Black

This article was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation’s leading Black news publishers (of which the Informer is a member).

It’s the end of an era — and a new beginning. Bishop Thomas Dexter “T.D.” Jakes’ April 27 announcement to his congregation at The Potter’s House in Dallas wasn’t totally unexpected. He is “stepping back” from the ministry as his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts

and her husband Touré Roberts become the senior pastors.

Jakes said in a statement that this is not a retirement.

“This elevation is not a departure but a rebirth. I will never stop preaching and will continue to minister. This moment isn’t an ending, it’s an expansion,” he said.

Jakes said instead they are multiplying impact.

“Leadership is not static. It is dynamic. It demands the courage to evolve.”

He’s in his 50th year in the public spotlight and said he sees other areas that need his

attention and energy.

“I recognize the urgent need to address more challenges of our time, particularly the looming threat of a disappearing middle class, social unrest, and closing opportunity gaps. This pivotal moment calls me to focus on a legacy of economic empowerment, serving as a bridge between communi-

ty, culture, and corporate alliances to help position our nation for a stronger future,” he announced.

He will remain as chairman of the board and spiritual overseer of the church’s ministry.

Jakes’ announcement was not unexpected in light of the massive heart attack he experienced in November 2024, as he ministered in front of the nation. Calling himself a miracle, in late March, he explained on the Today Show that he had a massive heart attack.

“I had none of the usual symptoms; my mind, I was in a quiet, peaceful, serene, white enveloped space,” he explained. “I was on my way out, and it was a privilege to stand on the other side and get a glimpse.”

The same day, he underwent heart surgery while he was completely awake.

He returned to ministry about four weeks later.

MOVING FORWARD WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE PAST

Touré Roberts is the founder of ONE/A Potter’s House Church, and Sarah Roberts is the founder of Woman Evolve. Together, they represent leadership that encompasses generations and moves forward with the strength of the past.

“We are committed to building a ministry that carries the heart of Bishop Jakes into a future that is both faithful and forward-thinking,” Touré Roberts said in a press release.

Sarah Roberts added, “This is not just a call to serve. It’s a mandate to lead with compassion, clarity, and courage.” WI

Sarah Roberts added, “This is not just a call to serve. It’s a mandate to lead with compassion, clarity, and courage.”

5Bishop T.D. Jakes is stepping back from ministry at The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, though he plans to continue preaching and expanding his ministry to other areas that need his attention and energy. (Courtesy File Photo)

5With the announcement of her father T.D. Jakes stepping down, Sarah Jakes Roberts and her husband Touré Roberts are taking on the roles as senior pastors of The Potter’s House in Dallas. (Courtesy Photo/YouTube Screenshot)

In my tribute to Jorge Mario Bergoglio, aka Pope Francis, who recently died leaving behind a legacy of remarkable humility and modest means, I’d like to share some background worth noting with the world. This week, I felt compelled to interrupt my three-part Mother’s Day series to honor his memory (more on that subject next week).

You won’t believe this: Pope Francis died leaving only $100. Yes, $100 — less than 90 euros. He had no house and no bank account. Pope Francis had no investments in his name. And yet he was the head of the Catholic Church, a position that could have paid him around 340,000 euros a year. But he refused the money each and every year since his installation in 2013, which equaled more than $55 million in salary alone. Why?

Because he was a Jesuit, and Jesuits take a vow of poverty. Rather than live in the Vatican’s luxurious apartments like his predecessors, he chose to settle in the Casa Santa Marta, a simple, modest residence. No gilding. This pope did not want or have personal servants. All he had was a bed, desk and his faith. He wore his old, worn black shoes, refusing the traditional red loafers. His shoes felt comfortable, and it really did not matter to him.

He traveled in a small Ford Focus, while other religious leaders drove

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

My Tribute to Pope Francis the religion corner

in limousines. He ate with Vatican employees, not in a private dining room. He dressed simply, with no special adornment, just his white vestment and an iron cross. Invisible wealth. Some cling to their possessions, their properties, their image, but Pope Francis chose to own nothing in order to give away everything in his possession.

When he passed away, he had no millions, no complex wills. All he had was $100, from what I have read, and he had a powerful message: “It’s not what you own that matters. It’s who you are. What you do for others.”

The world is shocked but inspired by a man of this day and time giving of himself in such a manner. In an era where wealth often becomes the ultimate goal, Pope Francis leaves an eternal mark without ever seeking to enrich himself. He left no material fortune. He left a moral fortune. Let’s hope he left a lesson in humility. Will you decide that you cannot take it with you and want to give what you can to help others? Pope Francis had a vision of service, not a vision of luxury. He was a pope of heart, who proved that to live simply is to reign differently. And you? What will you leave behind? Money? Things? Or real inspiration?

The life of Pope Francis was such a blessing! Though I can’t imagine giving that much, his story makes me feel good about my giving heart. I’ve noticed that each time the Lord has

blessed me with substantive opportunities, rather than keep as much as I could, I have always found ways to share those funds with others and paid it out in consulting fees to staff — never thinking about keeping large amounts for myself.

Another great title for this article could be the title of the Clark Sisters song “Is My Living in Vain.” If you’re the smartest one in your group, you need a new group to hang around. Choose people you can learn from. Don’t try to always be the smartest person in your group. Get in there with them, watch what they do, watch what they say, and watch how they spend and invest their money! WI

You won’t believe this: Pope Francis died leaving only $100. Yes, $100 — less than 90 euros. He had no house and no bank account. Pope Francis had no investments in his name

RELIGION

RELIGION

Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 Fax : 202-338-4958

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

Purpose “ The Rev. E.

All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rehoboth Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Promised Land Baptist Church

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 302

Agnes M. Mims aka Agnes Margaret Mims Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #400 Washington, DC 20015

Attorney

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

James Thompson, Jr., whose address is 5602 Dover Street, Churchton, MD 20733, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Agnes M. Mims aka Agnes Margaret Mims who died on 1/29/2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

James Thompson, Jr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000334

James Hailes, Jr. Decedent

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

Larry Hailes, whose address is 530 Cedar St. NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James Hailes, Jr. who died on January 15, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Larry Hailes

530 Cedar St., NW Washington, DC 20012

Personal Representative TRUE

Nicole

of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 1574

Beatrice Dial Phillips aka Beatrice D. Phillips aka Beatrice Dial aka Beatrice Denny Dial aka Beatrice Hellena Denny aka Beatrice Helena Denny Decedent

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

Paula L. Bowie, whose address is 8065 Norwich Court, Port Tobacco, MD 20677, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Beatrice Dial Phillips aka Beatrice D. Phillips aka Beatrice Dial aka Beatrice Denny Dial aka Beatrice Hellena Denny aka Beatrice Helena Denny who died on October 22, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Paula L. Bowie 8065 Norwich Court, Port Tobacco, MD 20677 Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2024 ADM 001218

Newton Antonio Gregorio Decedent

Joey N. Ofori, Esq. 11215-B Lockwood Drive Silver Spring, MD 20901 Attorney

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

Marc Gregorio, whose address is 9204 Glenarden Parkway, Glenarden MD 20706, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Newton Antonio Gregorio who died on June 9, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Marc Gregorio Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000319

Denise Chatman

Decedent

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

Janice C. Waynes, whose address is 11803 Lusbys Lane Brandywine, MD 20613, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Denise Chatman who died on February 12, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Janice C. Waynes

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000336

Pauline J. Coley aka Pauline Jackson Coley Decedent

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

Arnitta Jayne Coley, whose address is 725 24th St., NW, Apt 501, Washington, DC 20037, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Pauline J. Coley aka Pauline Jackson Coley who died on January 7, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Arnitta Jayne Coley

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 320

George Brookins Decedent

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

Gary Brookins, whose address is 8828 Cottongrass Street, Waldorf, MD 20603, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of George Brookins who died on September 21, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Gary Brookins Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 001267

Virginia L. Moore aka Virginia Leigh Moore Decedent

Graner S. Ghevarghese 600 14th Street NW, Fifth Floor Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

William Ray Moore, whose address is 114 Donna Place, Cary, NC 27513, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Virginia L. Moore aka Virginia Leigh Moore who died on 1/19/2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

William Ray Moore Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000385

Estate of Harry L. Dishman

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

Admit to probate the Will dated 10/20/2005 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Pamela Dishman Owens 10300 Fox Dale Ct. Mitchellville, MD 20721

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000322

Ozell E. Wooden, Sr. aka Ozell Elliot Wooden Decedent

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

Debra Wooden, whose address is 3215 10th Pl., SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ozell E. Wooden, Sr. aka Ozell Elliot Wooden who died on 11/29/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Debra Wooden Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000318

Constance G. Banner Decedent

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

Miguel D. Tarver, whose address is 15113 Joppa Pl., Bowie Maryland 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Constance G. Banner who died on 3/2/2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/17/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/17/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/17/2025

Miguel D. Tarver

Personal Representative TRUE

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000342

Alphonse Hill Decedent

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

Jeweline Hill, whose address is 3266 Aberfoyle Place NE, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alphonse Hill who died on October 17, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/24/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/24/2025

Jeweline Hill 3266 Aberfoyle Place NW Washington, DC 20015

Personal Representative

TRUE

Nicole

Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000392

Shane M. Westphalen aka Shane Marty Westphalen aka Shane Marty Mitchell Westphalen Decedent

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

Tara P. Young, whose address is 24315 Campbellton Rd, San Antonio, TX 78264, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shane M. Westphalen aka Shane Marty Westphalen aka Shane Marty Mitchell Westphalen who died on December 22, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/24/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/24/2025

Tara P. Young 24315 Campbellton Rd. San Antonio, TX 78264 Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000425

Khalil Dingle-Steward Decedent

Lynee C. Murchison, Esq. Adams Law Office, LLC 4201 Northview Drive, Suite 401 Bowie, MD 20716 Attorney

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

Marietta Kristine Dingle, whose address is 7111 Hawthorne Street, Landover, MD 20785, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Khalil Dingle-Steward who died on April 22, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Marietta Kristine Dingle Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000335

Vanalstyne Bowe

Decedent

Matthew F. Shannon, Esq. 1420 N Street, NW, Suite 203 Washington, DC 20005

Attorney

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

William Willis and Adrienne Poteat, whose addresses are 484 Charter Oak Dr., Newport News, VA 23608 & 4622 Sergeant Rd, NE Washington, DC 20017, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Vanalstyne Bowe who died on 12/16/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/24/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/24/2025

William Willis Adrienne Poteat Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000406

Hope Davis Tankersley Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW #400 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Lizabeth Tankersley, whose address is 2841 29th Place NW, Washington DC. 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Hope Davis Tankersley who died on March 19, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Lizabeth Tankersley Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2023 ADM 000331

Zella Moore Decedent

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

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Zella Moore who died on 11/5/2020 without a Will. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/24/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/24/2025

J. Anthony Concino II, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 000401 Margaret Barclift Decedent

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

Zena Weathers, whose address is 2236 Prince of Wales Court, Bowie MD, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Margaret Barclift who died on March 15, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Zena Weathers Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2022 ADM 0001423

John Tisdale aka John L. Tisdale Decedent

Lisa M. Nentwig, Esquire Dilworth Paxson LLP 1650 Market Street, Suite 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Attorney

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

Tamara Tisdale Gutrick, whose address is 7903 General Maxwell Drive, Brandywine MD 20613, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Tisdale aka John L. Tisdale who died on January 27, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/24/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/24/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/24/2025

Tamara Tisdale Gutrick Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000407

Kinfe Kassa Decedent

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

Shewaye T. Haile, whose address is 5401 1st Street NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Kinfe Kassa who died on March 24, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Shewaye T. Haile

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000408

Robert M. Williams, Jr. Decedent

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

Robert M. Williams, Sr., whose address is 310 12th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Robert M. Williams, Jr. who died on 1/17/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/01/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/01/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Robert M. Williams, Sr. Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000358

Toy Ellen Banks Hicks aka Toy Banks Decedent

Sharon Legall

1325 G Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005

Attorney

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

Alison L. Merricks, whose address is 153 Valley Street, #129, South Orange, NJ 07079, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Toy Ellen Banks Hicks aka Toy Banks who died on 11/19/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Alison L. Merricks Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000363

Juana Huertas Decedent

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

John Huertas, whose address is 6726 14 Pl. NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Juana Huertas who died on October 19, 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., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

John Huertas Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000357

Edward Jackson Decedent

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

Arkile Jackson, whose address is 11698 South Laurel Drive, Apt 2B, Laurel Maryland 20708, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Edward Jackson who died on March 17, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Arkile Jackson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 381

Craig Andrew Roberts Decedent

Sarah Benjamin Hamelburg Law, LLC

7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1350

Bethesda, MD 20814 Attorney

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

Shannon Willhite, whose address is 18 Williamsburg Estates Drive, St. Louis, MO 63131, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Craig Andrew Roberts who died on February 15, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/1/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/1/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/1/2025

Shannon Willhite Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

FOOD from Page 36

by watching attendees work toward growing their businesses.

With locations in Jamaica, Queens and Brooklyn, New York, The Nourish Spot is described as a neighborhood juice and smoothie bar, but it is so much more.

Like many entrepreneurs, Kelly worked in large organizations after graduating from Howard University. Her corporate communications path led her to AARP and Prudential. Then the pivot occurred, where Kelly desired to claim something more.

She started The Nourish Spot as a meal delivery service in the local community. All the while, Kelly was taking advantage of training opportunities and business connections explicitly designed for small businesses.

Kelly came to the summit with major news to exemplify the level of success that BWIF desires for summit attendees to achieve. For the fourth consecutive year, The Nourish Spot has been a concession

in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, taking place from Aug. 25 to Sept. 7 in New York.

“We are the only Black-owned business from Southeast Jamaica, Queens at the U.S. Open,” said Kelly.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Though the BWIF Summit ended with a “Dine-A-Round” on Saturday evening, it is not really over. Conference organizers Oduro and Boakye are developing additional ways for attendees to stay connected and inspired through Dine Diaspora.

“All Summit attendees get first access to the new online community platform called ‘The Circle’ that will enable continued connections through events, resources, and discussions beyond the in-person summit experience,” said Oduro. “We expect this platform to be launched to the public later this year.”

Keep up with Dine Diaspora programming by visiting dinediaspora. com.

WI

HERMAN from Page 11 that few people could.”

(D-Ala.), who represents Mobile in the Congress, bemoaned the death of Herman saying he consulted with her on occasions when he needed advice and direction.

‘When I decided to join President Obama’s campaign, I called Alexis Herman, because she had worked on several presidential campaigns,” said Figures, 39. “When seeking out opportunities in the White House, I called Alexis Herman, because she had worked in the White House multiple times. And when considering a run for Congress, I again called Alexis Herman. Not because I had known her my entire life but because she could advise on levels

U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican predecessor, praised Herman “as a leader in business, government and her community, she was a trailblazer who dedicated her life to strengthening America’s workforce and creating better lives for hardworking families.”

Former President Joe Biden also celebrated Herman’s life and work.

“Alexis Herman was an extraordinary trailblazer who broke through persistent barriers and redefined what is possible for so many,” Biden wrote on X. “Importantly, she worked to make sure those doors stayed open for those who followed her.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

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socialize, to learn these social skills, to interact with children his age and intellectual level.”

In 2016, when Perryman’s first son entered daycare, he paid nearly $400 per week at a time when, as he recalled to The Informer, no early child care subsidies were available to District parents. At the time, his wife had been pursuing her education while Perryman, the sole breadwinner, made a living as a bartender.

Nearly one decade, and several hundreds of inflationary dollars, later, Perrryman continues to mull alternatives to daycare should he lose his subsidy, and ability to pay for his son’s preschool education.

“My son’s extremely bright,” Perryman said. “I’m not sure that my wife and I, in our limited time…are going to be able to fill that need. So it’d be a huge loss.”

The long-term effects, Perryman said, would most likely haunt his son for years to come.

“It would actually slow down his intellectual and personal development,” he told The Informer.

Earlier this year, Senators Susan Collins (D-Maine) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Virginia) successfully shepherded the District of Columbia Local Funds Act through the Senate, which protected the elimination of $1.1 billion from D.C.’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget. By Tuesday morning, members of the House had already returned from a two-week recess, still, without

indication that Republican leadership would bring the Local Funds Act of 2025 to the House floor.

With that continuing resolution budget already approved and currently in effect, the District will have to start shutting down facilities and programs, as indicated in a message D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) sent to congressional leaders. She also issued a mayoral order to initiate a hiring and spending freeze that would likely snowball into furloughs and D.C. facility closures.

With congressional action on the District of Columbia Local Funds Act being the only way of averting this situation, Perryman said he has a message for leaders on the Hill who’ve casted District residents as wasteful spenders.

“What they don’t see is the people that are using [these funds] to help them get ahead,” Perryman told The Informer. “There’s people that need this in order to move forward. I look at these debates and hear this kind of rhetoric [but] I’m living example that this is not always the case that somebody might be… milking the system.

That designation, Perryman said, belongs to another group.

“I mean, the worst milkers,” he told The Informer, “are the big businessmen.”

MAYOR BOWSER FOCUSES ON FISCAL YEAR 2026

With the Fiscal Year 2025 budget in a state of limbo, Bowser is releasing

a couple pieces of her Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal– a document that’s dependent on Fiscal Year 2025 expenditures.

While Bowser continues to herald sports and entertainment as the District’s quintessential driver of economic activity, she’s also identified education as a worthy investment during these precarious times.

Her administration recently announced the full funding of child care subsidies, along with the District’s Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program (PKEEP) and Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

Pending council approval, the D.C. Child Care Subsidy Program will receive an allocation of $86 million in Fiscal Year 2026, while $19.5 million in local funds will go toward PKEEP, a program that provides preschool options outside of public and public charter schools for more than 1,000 District children.

Bowser also allocated $70 million toward the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, which helps early childhood education centers across the District offer competitive wages and healthcare.

Another education budget item that she announced last week concerns the Bancroft Elementary School community, which will receive new pre-kindergarten classrooms through the $23 million renovation of former D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) headquarters on 16th Street in Northwest.

Such investments, Bowser told The Informer, will help the District build upon its post-pandemic success.

“With our population growth last year, we’re the fastest growing district of all states and of all cities [in the nation],” Bowser said. “We also saw our school population rebound faster than other school districts in the region and around the nation. And also, we had outcome improvements, you know, in how our children were performing. So all of those things are important.”

The mayor went on to point out that District parents need as many cost-saving measures as they juggle responsibilities to home and family.

“We know when families are experiencing costs, increases in other parts of their lives, we try in the city to make sure we have quality programs and services,” Bowser said. “And schools [are] top on the list.”

A QUESTION OF HOW TO SUSTAIN SORELY NEEDED SUBSIDIES

In the days leading up to Bowser’s announcement, a coalition that in-

cluded early child care educators, program directors, business owners and parents, rallying with Under 3 DC, visited the John A. Wilson Building. There, the group lobbied D.C. council members to preserve the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and D.C. Child Care Subsidy in the emergency Fiscal Year 2025 budget that Bowser and the local legislative body would have to pass if the continuing resolution remains intact.

Soon after Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2026 announcement, the director of that coalition, Martine Sadarangani Gordon, expressed gratitude.

“Under 3 DC is pleased Mayor Bowser and members of her administration heard our coalition of parents, educators, child care business owners, pediatricians, and community members about the need for accessible and affordable child care, and will maintain current funding in her FY26 budget proposal during what we know will be a tough budget year,” Sadarangani Gordon said.

Even amid the good news, Sadarangani Gordon focused on the budget crisis that’s currently unfolding, demanding that the Bowser administration maintains its commitment to District families.

“We hope to see consistent funding through this current fiscal year,” Sadarangani Gordon said. “It is imperative that funding for early childhood programs like the Pay Equity Fund and Child Care Subsidies are reliable so that no families are left behind during what is a very stressful, uncertain financial time for many.”

Last week, Bowser didn’t speak much about Fiscal Year 2025 budget deliberations, only to say that she’s not letting the congressional impasse stop her.

“What we’re talking about is the FY26 budget,” the mayor said. “And no matter what happens in FY25, we’re going to have an FY26 balanced budget, and it will include these investments.”

Since the launch of the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has distributed more than $177 million to increase the pay of 3,600 early childhood educators and support the retention of 365 child development centers.

The D.C. Child Care Subsidy enrollment currently stands at nearly 7,000 District children, in part because of the Bowser administration’s increase of eligibility from 250% to 300% of the federal poverty line.

In recent years, the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund has found a champion in D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At large), chair of the council’s Committee on Health.

During the last budget season, amid tensions about the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and other programs, Bowser warned Henderson and other council members about what she called a program that could become financially unsustainable over time.

As last week’s announcement rolled out, Bowser administration officials confirmed that they’re still eying longterm costs of the child care and early childhood education subsidies, especially as they respond to $1 billion in projected revenue loss with a new economic development plan.

Henderson wasn’t immediately available for comment.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5While organizations like Under 3 DC fight to save early child care funding, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration plans to fully fund child care subsidies in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. (Courtesy Photo/Under 3 DC, X)

5Bridget Hall, executive director of Big Mama’s Children’s Center in Southwest, D.C, considers Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2026 childcare plans a “game changer” for her business and local families across the District. (Courtesy Photo/ Under 3 DC, X)

EDELMAN from Page 30

in Raleigh, North Carolina – to bring student activists together. I was a senior at Spelman College in Atlanta at the time, and took my first ever plane ride that Easter weekend on a plane chartered by SCLC to join about 200 other college students for the April 15 convening where SNCC was founded.

From the beginning Ella Baker insisted that students find their own voice and form our own organization instead of becoming the youth

MALVEAUX from Page 30 of Cardinals by including members from countries that had never been represented, including cardinals from Mongolia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and Cote d’Ivoire. This diverse set of cardinals will choose the next pope. Will they embrace the Pope Francis approach to inclusion, advocacy and equity, or will they revert to the narrow white approach to the papacy, with the majority of leaders being European?

African Americans have a distinct, if not large, presence in the Catholic church. Just 6% of us are Catholic. But the Catholic church has had an impact on Black Americans, especially in its role in education. Often Catholic schools were not as harshly segregated as public schools, and in

BROWN from Page 30

nerstone of resistance movements, continues to serve as both a sanctuary and a strategic headquarters for movement-building.

We are organizing rallies across the country through the State of the People Tour, using every tool at our disposal, including becoming ungovernable — but we determine the timeline. We continue to protest on our terms, in ways that feed and inspire our communities.

This is a moment where Black people expect white people who claim to want to save this country to do exactly that. Many of us have been on that mission for years; we have now turned our attention to saving ourselves.

Like the fictional character in “Black Panther,” who transformed blows into power, we are taking the betrayal of America and the capitulation of our allies as a vehicle that affirms a truth we’ve always known: Ain’t nobody coming to save us. We will save ourselves.

arm of SCLC or an established civil rights group. She became a trusted SNCC adviser and mentor. She and some of the other adults who became colleagues with young people in SNCC and nurtured us were some of the most extraordinary people in the Civil Rights Movement. At the same time, the student activism energized the larger movement. Many of the student leaders from that time continued to build on the passion and commitment unleashed as teenagers and 20-year-olds and dedicated their entire adult lives to

some cases schools that focused on Black students were much better equipped than other schools.

For example, my mom, Proteone Marie Alexandria Malveaux, attended Our Mother of Sorrows High School in Biloxi, Mississippi. The school was administered by the Josephite Fathers, a religious order dedicated to serving African American Catholics. The nuns who staffed the school were the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, an order dedicated to serving Native American and African American communities. Partly because of her experience at Our Mother of Sorrows, Mom was a devout Catholic. She was impatient with my criticism of the Catholic Church as colonizing oppressors, encouraging me to “find the good” in the church, despite its many flaws.

But there will come a time when we will pour into the streets in protest. We will not allow this regime to come for us while we sit dormant or paralyzed by fear. That is not our legacy. In this moment that feels quiet, we are taking careful note of those throwing us under the bus. They will all have to come Black around.

Like Ali against the ropes, we’re fighting back strategically. We’re actively studying patterns, identifying vulnerabilities and preparing for our moment to strike. The appearance of disadvantages is part of the strategy itself.

The absence of visible protest isn’t surrender; it’s the disciplined patience of a community that has outlasted every attempt to destroy it. Sometimes, the most powerful resistance happens beyond the spotlight, where tomorrow’s decisive action is being methodically prepared today.

Black people will survive. Our existence predates America, predates colonization, predates the very concept of whiteness itself. Black women are the original mothers of humani-

advocacy and service. While SNCC lasted only six years, SNCC alumni carried on, following up on the ideals we believed in and doing our part to make a better world for the next generations.

That legacy still matters today. All of the children and young people who were part of the Civil Rights Movement are a reminder, as Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools scholars know, that you are never too young to make a difference in your nation and world.

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Pope Francis was radically different from the colonizing popes who encouraged European powers to “civilize” Africans. In many instances, instead, Pope Francis denounced racism and discrimination, and expressed solidarity with the murdered George Floyd, the slaughtered congregants at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, and many others. In many ways, Pope Francis was an anti-Trump, embracing immigration, climate change, DEI and economic justice. In making a decision, the cardinals will decide whether to move forward with a dynamic Pope Francis agenda, or whether they will move backward to the exclusionary values of the past. Black America had an advocate in Pope Francis. Will we have another in the next pope? WI

ty. We have weathered the Middle Passage, survived slavery, outsmarted Jim Crow, endured mass incarceration and continued to thrive despite systems designed for our destruction. Our survival has never been accidental – it has always been forged through strategic organizing and the fierce determination to build our own power. We don’t just endure; we transform our pain into purpose and our resistance into renaissance.

Black people will survive. But will America? That is the real question that hangs in the balance. Our opponents mistake our strategic patience for weakness — exactly as Ali’s opponents once did. And like them, they’ll discover their error only when it’s too late. Because we are the writers of our own story. And we’re not done yet.

Many of us are focusing on the nation that exists beyond the white gaze, beyond the nation state, to a Black nation -- a nation of people who throughout history have proven that when we work together, we win. WI

Get FAA approved

AIRLINE CAREERS

WILLIAMS from Page 31

gia, as he leads the selective buying campaign away from those insisting upon following in the footsteps of the orange man. We must begin to shop where we are appreciated — and it’s not at Target!

Among the destructive things the orange man has already done are the following:

• Alienated our allies throughout the world.

• Started the tariffs argument without knowing how tariffs work.

• Identified so closely with Russia’s President Putin that we no longer can tell the difference between the two.

• Thrown the Palestinian and Ukrainian people to the wolves.

• Allowed Elon Musk to take over everything to do with money. He’s selling Elon’s cars on the

BOND

from Page 31

Job seekers with criminal records are a skilled, motivated and often-overlooked talent pool that stand ready and willing to fill these workforce gaps. Research consistently shows that second-chance employees perform just as well — if not better — than their peers without past contact with the justice system. They’re also more likely to stay in their jobs longer, reducing turnover costs for companies willing to hire them.

There’s never been more support in place to help D.C. businesses succeed in Second Chance Hiring. From federal and local protections that help limit companies’ liability risks, to financial incentives like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and grants from

White House lawn, selling his MAGA hats from the Oval Office, and charging friends to hold the Easter Egg Hunt where I didn’t see the faces of melanated children this year. Maybe some were invited, but I haven’t met one who was invited!

• Threatened Harvard by cutting funds and threatened Costco that treats us fairly.

• Pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

• Attempted to eliminate birthright citizenship and has wrongly arrested, jailed and thrown innocent people out of the country.

• Sided with billionaires over everyday Americans.

• Signed executive orders to hurt marginalized groups.

• Had the nerve to classify former Vice President Kamala Harris as low IQ while she ran circles

the D.C. Mayor’s Office, the tools are there to make Second Chance Hiring a success. You can learn more from our partners at the D.C. Second Chance Hiring Alliance (SCHA) in their new publication, “The Workforce Solution: D.C. Employer’s FAQ for Second Chance Hiring.”

Still, we at the Chamber know that adopting new hiring practices can feel daunting. That’s why we joined forces with SCHA and international nonprofit Responsible Business Initiative for Justice this Second Chance Month to host a unique, employer-focused event: “Talent Beyond Barriers: A Business Exchange on Second Chance Hiring.”

This gathering on April 29 was designed to offer D.C. businesses practical resources, peer network-

around him in the 2024 election.

• Had the nerve to classify Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett as a lowlife and low IQ. She has rightly challenged him to take an IQ test to settle the matter! She added, as for the lowlife part, he obviously meant to place his own name there!

• Shut down the Dept. of Education; closed USAID; fired thousands of hard working Americans without cause.

• Used vulgar parts of his body to be kissed, while describing what world leaders are doing to meet with him about tariffs.

Many are wondering how somebody like this man could even be eligible to visit the White House with his record and who certainly has no business living there on your tax dollar and mine.

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ing, and coaching on how to start including workers with criminal records into their talent pipelines. For those who wondered how Second Chance Hiring could work for their business, it was a chance to learn — and connect with the people who can help get started.

At the Chamber, we believe in a D.C. economy that works for everyone — one where talent is recognized, potential is nurtured and opportunity is inclusive by design. By collectively opening our doors to workers with criminal records this Second Chance Month, we can strengthen our businesses, uplift our communities and move our city forward.

Bond is president and CEO of the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce. WI