The Washington Informer - May 23, 2025 by The Washington Informer

Five Years After George Floyd’s Murder, Activists Respond to Current State of Affairs

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Five years after Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd on camera, activists on the ground are preparing for the possibility that President Donald J. Trump will pardon the convicted former law enforcement official.

For Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, the current state of affairs speaks to the work that must continue, especially since, as she pointed out, corporations, politicians, and even some activists appear to have capitulated to the second Trump administration.

“Chauvin would still have his state sentence, but this is further evidence of us going backwards as a society in the aftermath of George Floyd getting killed,”

Malcolm X’s 100th Birthday: A Time

for Reflection and Recalibration

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

People across the African diaspora recently commemorated Malcolm X’s 100th birth anniversary with a bevy of events, panel discussions and presentations that allowed for exploration of the freedom fighter’s life and what it means in the ongoing fight for Pan-African self-determination.

For D.C. resident and unabashed revolutionary Kwasi Seitu, May 19 marks the beginning of a new movement against the drugs, alcohol and illicit activity that’s taken over a federal park located at the intersection of Malcolm

MALCOLM X Page 24

GEORGE FLOYD Page 24

5The Proverbs Band sets up before performing for a centennial celebration for Malcolm X on May 19, what would have been his 100th

The group performed near a banner donning Malcolm X’s image, that of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and three adinkra symbols representing God, unity, and Sankofa. (Sam P.K. Collins/The Washington Informer)

D.C.Black

Pride:

‘It’s

Than Just A

Party’ Attendees, Event Organizers Tout Message of Resilience, Freedom As Heart of 2025 Celebration

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

In the heart of the nation’s capital, Memorial Day weekend extends far beyond cookouts and family kickbacks due in no small part to DC Black Pride (DCBP), an annual convening rooted in extravaganza, queer excellence and cultural celebration for LGBTQ+ members across the Black diaspora.

With the kickoff set for May 23 at the

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

While the typical Memorial Day weekend may consist of beach trips and cookouts, and relaxation, the true purpose of the holiday— inspired by celebrations hosted by freed African Americans— is to remember and honor the sacrifice and service of members of the U.S. Armed forces.

For Marquette Milton, a staffer at the African American Civil War Museum and Memorial in Northwest Washington, D.C. and an owner of a

Capitol Hilton Hotel in Northwest, the fun-filled weekend promises a free, all access pass to the culture and catalyst of the Black Pride Movement, featuring star-studded events, informative programs and workshops, and an unwavering proclamation in the wake of an anti-LGBTQ+ Trump administration.

“The country shifted. We saw the policies and the attacks that our community was facing, so very quickly, we said we

BLACK PRIDE Page 46

tour company, combining celebration with commemoration is what Memorial Day is all about.

“I think people should do both,” Milton, 33, said to The Informer. “During the Memorial Day weekend, they can pay respect to

3DC Black Pride returns to Downtown Washington for its 34th annual Memorial Day weekend celebration, kicking off May 23 at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Northwest, D.C. (Courtesy of the Center for Black Equity)

said Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and founder of Racial Justice Network, a Minneapolis-based multiracial grassroots organization

5Activists protesting the murder of George Floyd, police brutality, and other racial and systemic injustices. (WI File Photo/Micha Green)

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Diddy Trial: Consent, Power, and Public Judgment

Cassie Ventura’s graphic and emotional testimony in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs has ignited headlines, debate, and controversy.

As prosecutors build their case against the hip-hop mogul, accusing him of running a criminal enterprise that exploited women, attorney and media executive Faye McCray laid out why the legal stakes are far greater than a story of a toxic relationship.

“This is not a domestic violence case—this is a sex trafficking and racketeering case,” McCray said during an appearance on Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known. “And we have to be clear about that. Cassie is not the one on trial.”

McCray explained that the prosecution’s strategy centers on proving that Combs used power, coercion, and manipulation—not just physical force—to control women. The defense, however, focuses on messages and behav-

iors they claim show the relationship was consensual. McCray warned against oversimplifying the issue of consent.

“Sometimes we think of yes or no,” she said. “But we’re not thinking of the imbalance of power and what it looks like to manipulate someone psychologically.”

Ventura’s testimony included descriptions of abuse, sexual coercion, and even returning to Combs after an alleged 2018 rape. For some watching, that raised questions about credibility. However, McCray rejected the idea that a victim must be perfect to be believed.

“There are no perfect victims,” she said. “We expect a straight line, but real life and trauma aren’t like that. Especially when we’re talking about someone as powerful and beloved as Sean Combs.”

Race Tensions Flare in WNBA After Reese-Clark Incident

5The WNBA is launching an investigation into what they call “hateful fan comments” directed at Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese following an altercation with second-year Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark at Saturday’s game. (Courtesy Photo)

The WNBA has launched an investigation into what it called “hateful fan comments” directed at Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese during Saturday’s game against the Indiana Fever.

The May 17 game reignited long-simmering racial tensions surrounding Reese and Fever second-year player Caitlin Clark.

The two players, who entered the league together last year after a

fiery college rivalry, have become emblematic of a racial divide that continues to shape how fans, media, and the public perceive Black and white women athletes. Reese, who is Black, has often been vilified for her outspoken confidence and physical play. Clark, who is white, has largely been celebrated, even while displaying similar traits on the court.

“They both are excellent competitors,” former Georgetown Hoya and ESPN broadcaster Monica McNutt said. “But if it had been the other way around [Reese shoving Clark], you could imagine how this conversation would go.”

In the third quarter of Indiana’s 93-58 win, tensions boiled over when Clark slapped at the ball after Reese secured an offensive rebound and had a clear path to the basket.

Reese fell to the floor and quickly got up to confront

Trump Targets Beyoncé, Oprah, Springsteen in New DOJ Threat

President Donald Trump’s latest tirade marks a new chapter in what critics call one of modern history’s angriest and most vengeful post-election victory laps. Despite reclaiming the White House, Trump and his inner circle continue to lash out, not at rivals in government, but at celebrities who backed his 2024 opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris.

In a series of overnight social media posts filled with capital letters and accusations, Trump called for a federal investigation into pop and cultural icons Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen, and Bono, because they supported Harris during the campaign.

Trump baselessly accused them of being “illegally compensated” under the guise of performance or production contracts, calling the endorsements “a desperate effort to artificially build up her sparse crowds.”

“Candidates aren’t allowed to pay for ENDORSEMENTS,” Trump wrote. “This was a very expensive and desperate effort… IT’S NOT LEGAL!”

Springsteen was already in Trump’s crosshairs after criticizing the administration during a concert in England, calling it “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous.”

Trump fired back by attacking the New Jersey rock legend’s appearance, labeling him a “dried out prune of a rocker” who should “KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.”

Springsteen didn’t stay silent. During his next performance, he fired back.

“Donald Trump is an unfit president who persecutes people for exercising free speech,” the “Born in the U.S.A.” singer insisted.

That response only fueled Trump’s fury. In another outburst, the president accused Springsteen—along with Knowles Carter, Winfrey, and Bono—of violating campaign finance laws.

The Harris campaign, which raised over $1 billion, has disclosed payments to Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment ($165,000) and Oprah’s Harpo Productions ($1 million).

District Sues Former Nonprofit Executive Over $1.2 Million in Unauthorized Bonuses

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against Kenneth Brewer Sr., the former executive director of the H Street Community Development Corporation (HSCDC), alleging he misappropriated more than $1.25 million in nonprofit funds through unauthorized bonus payments and self-dealing.

The complaint, filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, outlines a years-long scheme in which Brewer, who led the nonprofit and its for-profit subsidiary, H Street Investment Corporation (HSIC), allegedly bypassed board oversight and diverted money meant to support affordable housing and economic development in the H Street Corridor.

According to the complaint, HSCDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to revitalize the H Street neighborhood through housing, advocacy, and investments. Brewer was hired in 2010 as executive director of HSCDC and HSIC, a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary.

The nonprofit’s bylaws and Brewer’s contract required that his compensation, including bonuses, be approved by the HSCDC board following a review process conducted by an outside law firm.

While Brewer followed this process from 2011 to 2016, the District alleges that he abandoned these protocols beginning in 2017. Instead, he sought approval only from HSIC’s board—bypassing HSCDC’s required oversight— and awarded himself bonuses far exceeding previous years. Between 2017 and 2022, Brewer received a total of $1,255,000 in bonuses from HSIC funds, the lawsuit claims.

To fund these bonuses, the complaint asserts that Brewer directed the sale of HSCDC-owned properties and transferred the proceeds to HSIC, then to his personal accounts—without notifying the HSCDC board or obtaining court approval, as required under D.C. law for charitable asset transfers.

“Without informing the HSCDC board, the HSIC board authorized lucrative bonuses to Brewer year after year,” said Attorney General Brian Schwalb in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Among the alleged transactions, Brewer authorized $200,000 of a $250,000 bonus in 2019 to be paid using funds from the sale of 721 H Street NW, and in 2018, he instructed staff to transfer bonus funds following the sale of properties at 808–812 13th Street NE. Email evidence included in the complaint shows Brewer directly instructing HSCDC’s comptroller to move the money.

“Violating his duty to act in good faith and the best interests of HSCDC,” Schwalb said, “Brewer kept HSCDC’s board in the dark about the bonuses authorized by HSIC.”

In April 2023, HSCDC’s board learned of a $350,000 bonus authorized by HSIC in October 2022 and voted the following month to rescind it. Brewer retired from HSCDC and HSIC on June 30, 2023, but has not returned the unauthorized compensation.

The District argues Brewer violated several provisions of the Nonprofit Corporation Act, including fiduciary duties, restrictions on diverting charitable assets, and the common law principles of unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty.

“As a direct and proximate cause of Brewer’s misappropriation of HSCDC’s nonprofit funds… HSCDC has suffered damages of at least $1,255,000,” the complaint states.

The Office of the Attorney General, led by Brian L. Schwalb, said it is seeking a court-ordered accounting of HSCDC’s finances, the imposition of a constructive trust over the diverted funds, and other equitable relief.

Attorneys Martine C. Wilson and Cara J. Spencer represent the District in the case.

Schwalb’s office said the lawsuit is part of ongoing efforts to ensure nonprofit leaders use charitable assets for their intended public purposes.

“It would be unjust for Brewer to retain” these funds, the complaint concludes.

While the attorney general is now cracking down on the case, some people question how Brewer was able to get away with the alleged actions for so long.

“This is good work by AG Brian Schwalb’s team of prosecutors but who else is wondering how many years Kenneth Brewer has been stealing from the District,” social media user and columnist Vincent Morris wrote on X. “His LinkedIn says he’s been CEO of H Street Community Development Corp for 38 years? Where was DC Council oversight?” WI

5Attorney General Brian Schwalb says the District of Columbia is suing Kenneth Brewer Sr., former executive director of the H Street Community Development Corporation, alleging he misappropriated more than $1.25 million in nonprofit funds through unauthorized bonus payments and self-dealing. (WI File

Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

AROUND THE REGION

MAY 22

MAY 22 - 28, 2025

PATTI LABELLE (LEFT)

PAM GRIER (CENTER)

BILL “BOJANGLES”

ROBINSON (ABOVE)

Robinson is born in Richmond, Virginia.

1863 – The War Department establishes the Bureau of Colored Troops and begins to aggressively recruit blacks for the Civil War. The black troops would play a major role in turning the tide of battle against the rebellious Southern slave states.

1966 – Entertainer Bill Cosby becomes the first African-American to receive an Emmy for Best Actor in a dramatic series for his role in the 1960s television series “I Spy.”

MAY 23

1921 – “Shuffle Along,” the first of a succession of widely popular black musicals performed for white audiences, opens at the 63rd Street Theatre in New York City becoming the first African-American Broadway musical. The musical comedy combined the talents of the legendary team of Euboea Blake and Noble Sizzle

MAY 24

1854 – Anthony Burns, one of the most celebrated fugitive slaves in American history, is captured by deputy U.S. marshals in Boston.

1944 – Legendary singer Patti LaBelle is born Patricia Louise Holte in Philadelphia.

MAY 25

1878 – World-renowned dancer Bill “Bojangles”

MAY 26

1799 – Famous black Russian writer Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, known as the “father of Russian Literature,” is born in Moscow.

1949 – Pam Grier, one of the premier black actresses and top sex symbols of the 1970s, is born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

MAY 27

1958 – Ernest Green graduates from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, becoming the first black to do so. Green was a member of the “Little Rock Nine,” the group of black students who first integrated the high school with the aid of federal troops.

MAY 28

2010 – The book “The Unspoken Alliance: Israel’s Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa” is released, revealing that Israel aided the racist regime of South Africa and supported providing chemical and nuclear weapons to them for possible use against the country’s majority black population. The documents were discovered by American scholar Sasha Polakow-Suransky.

AROUND THE REGION

view

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

One hundred years ago, Malcolm X was born on May 19. In honor of his centennial, what are your thoughts?

DEBRA SPENCE / ST. LOUIS, MO.

JUDITH BAKER / AUGUSTA, GA.

The ultimate respect for Malcolm X for his ultimate sacrifice.

Happy birthday, my brother, you taught my generation a great deal, and I thank you for it.

NAYA ADAMS / NEW YORK, N.Y.

MICHAEL A. THOMAS, / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Happy Heavenly birthday, Malcolm X.

Continue to rest well in paradise.

You really did a lot for the Black community, Malcolm. Happy birthday, hero!

TERENCE M / HOUSTON, TEXAS

I read the Autobiography of Malcolm X for the first time in 1990. It changed my life for the better in many ways. Alhamdulillah!

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.

AROUND THE REGION

Senators Demand House GOP Release D.C.’s Frozen $1 Billion

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Two months after the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill to allow Washington, D.C., to access more than $1 billion of its locally raised funds, frustration continues to mount as House Republicans delay a vote that could restore the city’s full operating budget.

U.S. Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland were joined by Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia in calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican leadership to act. The bill, authored by Van Hollen and Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, was designed to fix what many lawmakers have described as a drafting error in the March stopgap funding package.

“The District of Columbia should be able to spend its own revenue without Congress getting in the way,” said Van Hollen. “Yet by freezing over $1 billion of D.C.’s own funds through their sham funding bill in March, House Republicans are holding the District hostage – threatening the operations of local law enforcement, fire departments, schools, and more. This is all pain for D.C. residents and no gain for federal taxpayers who aren’t saving a single cent as a result of this pointless

provision.”

Alsobrooks noted the impact on local workers, many of whom live in Maryland.

“I worked with my fellow DMV Senators to pass a bipartisan solution to the $1.1 billion budget cuts in the disastrous CR. It has been waiting on the House’s vote for two months,” Alsobrooks stated. “At a time when our neighbor D.C. is experiencing economic hardship and hundreds of civil servants, many of whom are Marylanders, are losing their jobs in the District, we need to make sure this budget fix gets passed.”

The legislative fix would restore D.C.’s authority to spend local tax revenue through the end of the fiscal year. It had been standard language in prior appropriations packages but was left out of the March bill, which averted a government shutdown.

“It’s been two months since the Senate passed, with bipartisan support, a simple fix that allows the District of Columbia the ability to make its own funding decisions, yet the House still refuses to act,” Warner said. “Each day that this legislation stalls, we are leaving D.C. in the lurch, threatening the District’s schools, public safety, and emergency response operations.”

Kaine added that the Republican House leadership’s decision to stall a bipartisan bill—which even President Trump supports—to al-

low D.C. to spend its own money is ridiculous and wrong.

“Law enforcement officers’ salaries and the quality of D.C.’s public schools and transportation have hung in the balance for months because of the House’s failure to act,” Kaine charged. “It’s time for Speaker Johnson to do his job and bring this bill up for a vote like he promised.”

Despite bipartisan support in both chambers and a public endorsement from Trump, House GOP leaders have not scheduled the bill for a vote. Some members of the Republican conference, including the far-right House Freedom Caucus, have pushed for conditions such as reversing D.C.’s local law that allows noncitizens to vote in municipal elections.

House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris of Maryland defended the funding freeze.

“D.C. is complaining because they’re having their spending frozen,” Harris told reporters. “Come on, the average American thinks the governments are pretty wasteful, and I think they’d applaud a freezing spending.”

However, Johnson told reporters on May 5 that he had spoken to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and assured her the House would act swiftly.

“We’re not delaying this for some political purpose or any intentionality,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of schedule.” WI

5Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks… of Maryland are calling for House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican leadership to act on a bill that would restore’s D.C.’s full operating budget. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

AROUND THE REGION

Hundreds Gather at Washington National Cathedral for Barrier-Breaking Leader Alexis Herman

Ex-President Bill Clinton Delivers a Tribute

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

While the day might have been overcast with a touch of dampness in the air, there was nothing but warmth at the celebration of life for Alexis M. Herman—the first African American to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor—at the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest, D.C. on May 14.

“I had the pleasure of knowing Alexis for 40 years as both the executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party and as a longtime member of the Democratic National Committee,” Everett B. Ward told The Informer minutes before Herman’s memorial started. “Alexis was strategic in her thinking and constantly mentoring people to become political leaders. She always stressed service before anything. She was a great mentor, and she will be missed.”

Ward, a former president of St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina, was among the hundreds of people, including former President Bill Clinton, who filled the Cathedral to memorialize Herman in light of her death on April 25.

Clinton, 78, said Herman was critical to his successful run for president in 1992.

“Throughout her career,” the former president said, “Alexis worked on empowering other women and strengthening families.”

Donna Brazile, a former chair of the Democratic National Committee and a television political commentator, summed up Herman’s life and many contributions during her 77 years on earth.

“The life and legacy of Alexis Herman is one who climbed stairs and helped others climb stairs, too,” said Brazile.

HERMAN: A BARRIER BREAKER, ‘A BUILDER OF BRIDGES’

A Mobile, Alabama native, Herman was a barrier breaker.

At the age of 29, she became the youngest person to lead the U.S. Labor Department’s Women’s Division for President Jimmy Carter. Two decades

later, in 1997, she made history as the first African American to lead the U.S. Labor Department.

Further, Herman was a force with the National Council of Negro Women and was mentored by its late chair and president emeritus Dr. Dorothy Height.

Herman also played a key role in the groundbreaking presidential campaigns of the Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988. Jackson’s sentiments were articulated by his son, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Illinois).

“She was a builder of bridges,” said Congressman Jackson, 59. “She laid down tracks not of steel but of freedom. She walked by her dear friend and my father, Reverend Jesse Jackson, as he lifted high a dream that many thought impossible—that an African American could aspire to be the president of this land. Children of slaves and those of slaveholders might move together toward a more perfect union.

Alexis Herman helped hammer the nails and tie the rails.”

Clinton said Herman talked about an issue early during his presidency that has become important presently: the Family Leave Medical Act, which was signed into law in February 1993 and allows employees to take time off—sometimes paid—to take care of personal responsibilities regarding a loved one. Herman was the assistant to the president and director of White House Public Engagement when Clinton signed the bill.

“I found a memo that she wrote,” he said. “It recommended that the first thing we do was to push the passage of the Family Leave Medical Act.”

The former president also emphasized that Herman was not afraid to speak her mind when the situation called for it.

“Anyone who knows Alexis,” he said, “knows she wasn’t about to run away from anything.”

‘A STANDING OVATION TO GOD FOR GIVING LIFE TO ALEXIS’

The eulogy was delivered by the Rev. Leah D. Daughtry, who considered Herman a mentor and was proud of the late secretary as a fellow mem-

ber of Delta Sigma Theta.

“I am asking everyone to give a standing ovation to God for giving life to Alexis,” said Daughtry. “The transition of Alexis is very emotional, but I have unshakeable faith. That is what I am holding on to.”

Daughtry recalled meeting Herman in 1988 during the second Jackson presidential campaign.

She spoke of her pride in joining Herman at the Labor Department and how the secretary helped her manage Democratic conventions and other events for the party through the years.

“We walked many roads together,” Daughtry said. “She was my mother, my sister. She was my confidant.”

Among those attending the twohour ceremony were former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton, National Urban League President Marc Morial, former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala,

former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, and former HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge.

Kitty Chaney, a life member of the National Council of Negro Women and a fan of Herman’s also attended the ceremony and was moved by the program.

“All of those years, Alexis encouraged us,” said Chaney, a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland. “She said as we progress, we should always do it with a sweet spirit. I will miss Alexis.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

With generous support from

5Former President Bill Clinton sings a hymn along with his wife, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala at the memorial of ex-Labor Secretary Alexis Herman. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

Friends, family and several local changemakers, including Nee Nee Taylor, Monica Ray, and Yvette Lewis (far right) attended the 80th birthday celebration for D.C.’s former First Lady Cora Masters Barry (second from right) on May 17 at the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center. The celebration, called “Cora’s Roast, Toast & Boast,” honored 80 years of life with “Purpose, Courage and Fortitude.” (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Ciarra Bishop reads The Washington Informer newspaper. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

https://www

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.”

– Langston Hughes

In the Shadow of the Trump Administration, D.C. Continues to Help Returning Citizens

By Sam P.K. Collins and James Wright WI Staff Writers

Ed Martin may no longer be serving as D.C.’s top federal prosecutor, but, if he has his way, then his successor, Jeanine Pirro, will take his prosecution of undocumented immigrants and alleged violent offenders to the next level.

In his final remarks as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Martin blasted D.C. officials for, as he described it, standing in opposition to President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to “beautify” the nation’s capital.

“The president was gracious recently to remind people we reduced crime 25% in the president’s first 100 Days—but it was not easy. It took attention and resources— law enforcement and our prosecutors had to focus on getting bad actors off the streets,” Martin said during a May 13 press conference at the Patrick Henry building in Northwest.

Not long after Martin made his comments, Pirro carried out her first criminal indictments and sentencing as the new interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. As reported by The D.C. Examiner, she announced: the sentencing of two men to seven years imprisonment for a daytime drive-by shooting near a D.C. public school; and the indictment of a young man alleged to have assaulted an elder before a Nationals game last summer.

For Martin, such outcomes could happen with the cooperation of elected officials in D.C.

“Congress gave the District of Columbia Home Rule, but with that comes the responsibility to the city’s residents, businesses and workers—and a responsibility to the rest of the country to cherish our nation’s capital,” Martin said as he lambasted the courts for, as he described it, releasing “too many bad guys.” “When our justice system thinks justice is a revolving door when bad actors like the ones with guns and Fentanyl get back on the streets, we have a problem.”

A REVOLVING DOOR

THAT MANY RETURNING CITIZENS ARE TRYING TO AVOID

As the Trump administration wields its power to federalize the prosecution of D.C.-based gun crimes, there are 67,000 D.C. residents— nearly 10% of the city’s population— who are living a life of physical freedom after similar experiences in the D.C. courts and federal prison system.

According to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, anywhere between an additional 2,000 and 2,500 District residents are making a similar return to society this year.

As D.C. Policy Center concluded in 2018, a significant portion of returning citizens will come home in need of credentials beyond a GED.

Despite the District’s reputation as one of the better jurisdictions for returning citizens, statistics indicate that fewer than half of returning citizens are employed or are known as participants in second chance hiring. That’s why the D.C. government, over the last few years, have made investments to help returning citizens make a smooth transition to society, while equipped with the knowledge

AROUND THE REGION

and confidence needed to overcome the stigma of a criminal record.

For instance, the Congress Heights Community Training & Development Corporation (CHCTDC) helps returning citizens gain and sharpen the skills needed for industry-specific careers in the D.C. metropolitan area. As one of 10 institutions supported by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) as an integrated education and training provider, CHCTDC exclusively serves returning citizens, 70% of whom experienced gains in math and reading, according to data compiled by OSSE.

For some students like Terrance Moore, CHCTDC provides an opportunity to change the tide.

“I know if I put in the effort, I can better myself [with] trying to get employment,” said Moore, a 43-yearold Ward 8 resident who will soon enter his third year as a free man. “Nothing’s just going to fall in your lap [but] if you apply yourself and you do, results will come. It might not be as quick as you want, but you will see your progression.”

Earlier this month, Moore familiarized himself with the latest word processing software under the direction of Stephanie Foo, CHCTDC data manager and instructor.

The experience, Moore said, is helping him grow in more ways than one.

“This class gives you a sense of peace,” he told The Informer. “Honestly. It’s a place where you can relax. At the same time, you’re learning.”

At a time when, according to GWBCC President Aisha Bond, 55 out 100 D.C.-based jobs are vacant, it’s imperative for local employers to embrace the returning citizen population as an employee base.

“Job seekers with criminal records are a skilled, motivated, and often-overlooked talent pool that stand ready and willing to fill these workforce gaps,” Bond said. “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.” WI

5 At a time when, according to GWBCC President Aisha Bond (pictured), 55 out 100 D.C.-based jobs are vacant, experts note it’s imperative for local employers to embrace the returning citizen population as an employee base. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY COUNCIL REALLOCATES LOCAL NONPROFIT FUNDING

In a tense Prince George’s County Council meeting, Council Chair Edward Burroughs III (D- District 8) announced the reallocation of nonprofit grant funding awarded last year.

Fifty-two nonprofits lost funding while 11 nonprofits, including the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (EDC), received new allotments. During the May 13 hearing, Burroughs alleged polit-

ical favoritism in the awarding of nonprofit grants last October.

“Three council members got nearly 70% of the entire fund for their priorities,” Burroughs said during the meeting while displaying a chart showing grant distribution. “This is about fairness. The groups that operate in Cheverly or Laurel are no more important than the groups in Fort Washington or Oxon Hill.”

Burroughs noted that Councilmember Wala Blegay (D- District 6) had no grants awarded to her district.

At-Large Councilmember Jolene Ivey (D), who formerly represented District 5 (which encompasses Cheverly) and previously served as the council chair, defended the prior grant allocation. She said that she prioritized

organizations that served countywide constituencies rather than smaller, district-based nonprofits.

“The organizations I prioritized were those like the Capital Area Food Bank that serve all nine districts and are needed by people all over the county. I prioritized Food and Friends, which was left out the prior year, who deliver meals to sick people across the entire county,” she said in an interview with The Informer.

Councilmembers generally request nonprofit grants based in their respective districts.

“I supported the American Red Cross and Promise Place, a homeless shelter for youth. Unfortunately these groups had their grants rescinded. It’s going to hurt the whole county. “

She also criticized the decision to rescind the prior allocations, as many organizations had already set expectations for the upcoming year.

“They were just waiting to be approved and have their money come,” said Ivey in an interview with WTOP. She introduced a motion to reallocate the prior funding, but was not seconded so

it did not advance. “They’d already planned for the money.” WI

GOV. MOORE VETOES REPARATIONS STUDY, BLACK CAUCUS MEMBERS PROMISE TO OVERRIDE

DECISION IN 2026

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) vetoed a bill authorizing a 24-member volunteer commission to study reparations for the descendants of the formerly enslaved, alongside 22 other bills passed by the General Assembly.

Moore, the only Black governor in any state and the first Black person to lead Maryland, has argued that legislators need to focus “on the work itself,” and cited financial and administrative hurdles in commissioning another study.

“While such bills can be a first step to addressing complex issues and allow the signaling of support for an issue, the practice has become so commonplace that it

are

announcing the legislative body would be reallocating nonprofit grant funding that was awarded last year.

is now a significant fiscal and staff burden on state government,” read Moore’s May 16 veto letter.

This study would have cost $54,500 this year and been conducted by Bowie State University researchers and state employees.

Several members of the General Assembly were surprised and taken aback by the veto, including Del. Stephanie Smith (D- District 45) and state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D- District 26), with multiple legislators speaking in favor of a veto override.

“I’m very disappointed that something like this–that Black communities across the country have been asking for — is turned down in our state,” said Muse.

The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland distributed a strong rebuke to the veto via email and social media.

“At a time when the White House and Congress are actively targeting Black communities, dismantling diversity initiatives, and using harmful coded language, Governor Moore had a chance to show the country and the world

3County Council Chair

Edward Burroughs III is working to ensure nonprofit organizations across Prince George’s

funded after

(WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

5The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland plans to override Gov. Wes Moore’s decision to veto a bill to fund a study on reparations. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Maryland Audit Uncovers Widespread Mislabeling of Deaths

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

A blistering state audit has found that Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) misclassified dozens of deaths in police custody—many of which independent experts unanimously deemed homicides.

The review, ordered after former OCME Chief Dr. David Fowler testified in defense of George Floyd’s killer, revealed that during Fowler’s 17-year tenure, the office frequently downplayed police involvement and used discredited medical theories to avoid ruling deaths as homicides.

Of 87 in-custody deaths reviewed from 2003 to 2019, independent forensic pathologists found that 48 should have been classified as homicides. The OCME, under Fowler, had labeled only 12 that way.

In 36 of those cases, the office labeled deaths as accidents, natural causes, or undetermined—even when all three outside reviewers agreed they were homicides.

“This audit confirms what many feared—that Maryland’s death investigations during that time were compromised by systemic bias and flawed procedures,” said Attorney General Anthony Brown. “These findings

LOCAL UPDATES from Page 12

that here in Maryland we boldly and courageously recognize our painful history and the urgent need to address it,” the legislators wrote in the statement. “Instead, the state’s first Black governor chose to block this historic legislation that would have moved the state toward directly repairing the harm of enslavement.”

The statement noted that the study passed with a veto-proof majority and was intended to bring together impacted residents alongside state leaders and experts to make policy recommendations.

“While unilateral executive actions and piecemeal legislation addressing disparities can con-

demand urgent accountability.”

The report comes after a national backlash over Fowler’s testimony in the 2021 trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Fowler claimed that Floyd’s death was “undetermined,” not a homicide. The jury rejected that conclusion, convicting Chauvin of murder. In the aftermath, over 450 medical professionals signed a letter calling for a full investigation into Fowler’s record.

“This moment demands truth. The findings in this audit make clear that too many families were denied that truth,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement accompanying the report.

The audit found that the OCME often relied on the widely discredited theory of “excited delirium” to explain in-custody deaths—using the term in nearly half the cases reviewed.

The phrase has been denounced by the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and numerous human rights groups, who warn that it’s disproportionately applied to Black victims and used to shield law enforcement from scrutiny.

In cases where “excited delirium” was listed as the cause, OCME almost always labeled the manner of death as “undetermined.” Indepen-

tribute to progress, they cannot substitute meaningful, sustained, and comprehensive efforts commissioned in this bill to address reparations and repair,” the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland wrote. “We owe this bill to those who endured forced labor and all Black Marylanders impacted by enslavement, discrimination, and its long-term harm.”

Invoking the memories’ of famous, celebrated and formerly enslaved Marylanders, the Legislative Black Caucus emphasized the timeliness of a reparations study, particularly at a challenging time in the nation in the fight for equity and justice.

“We are elected leaders in the state that enslaved renowned ab-

dent reviewers found that over half of those deaths were homicides.

The audit also raised concerns about systemic racial bias. Black people comprised over 70% of the decedents in the reviewed cases. OCME was significantly less likely to rule those deaths as homicides compared to similar cases involving white decedents.

Experts said the office repeatedly failed to acknowledge restraint— particularly prone positioning and police pressure on the neck and back—as a contributing factor.

In many cases, OCME’s findings violated the “but-for” standard, which requires classifying a death as a homicide if it would not have happened but for another person’s actions, regardless of intent.

“This is not just about medical errors—it’s about denying families justice and hiding the role of police in preventable deaths,” said Dr. Alfredo Walker, co-chair of the audit’s design team.

The report calls for an end to the use of “excited delirium,” reforms to classification standards, better documentation and transparency, and the inclusion of mental health professionals in crisis responses.

“We can’t change what happened,” Moore stated, “but we can make sure it never happens again.”

olitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, and we convene in a State House that is less than a mile from the Annapolis City Dock — one of the nation’s earliest and most high-traffic ports of enslavement,” the caucus continued. “As federal efforts to erase our history and attack the most vulnerable continue, Marylanders need decisive, courageous action at the state level.”

Longtime civil rights activist and law professor Dr. Larry Gibson penned an op-ed for the Baltimore Banner, urging Moore to veto the study and instead focus on policy immediately.

“I urge Gov. Wes Moore to veto this legislation as redundant, distracting, an excuse for delay, and

too little, too late,” read his letter.

Gibson has spent decades building Black political power, particularly in Baltimore City.

“We do not need another two years of ‘study.’ With a Black governor, a Black attorney general, and a progressive legislature in place, what we need is action: bold, targeted action,” Gibson continued, offering a call to action. “Another study with a minuscule budget would just kick the can down the road. State government should, instead, immediately embark on serious reparatory actions in housing, health, education, minority business, criminal justice, and other areas. We should act with Dr. King’s ‘fierce urgency of now.’ WI

5Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown says the Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) misclassifying dozens of deaths in police custody was related to systemic bias and flawed procedures. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

FORMER MARYLAND

U.S. ATTORNEY JOINS

D.C. LAW FIRM

Erek L. Barron, the former United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, has joined Mintz as a member in the firm’s White-Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice.

He will also lead Mintz’s Crisis Management and Strategic Response team, and his practice will include complex civil, criminal, and regulatory matters. He will work in the District office and in Maryland.

“Erek is a highly respected lawyer with an impressive background both in public service and private practice,” said Bob Bodian, Mintz managing member. “His extensive experience in high-stakes litigation, investigations, and corporate matters—combined with his various high-level positions in government—will bring immediate value to our clients across a broad range of industries.”

As the U.S. Attorney from 2021 to 2025, Barron led one of the nation’s most active federal prosecutors’ offices, managing a staff of approximately 100 attorneys and 75 administrative and support professionals, overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States.

briefs

In that role, he led significant matters involving white collar crime, cybercrime, national security, and civil enforcement.

Before his appointment as U.S. attorney, Barron was a litigation partner at a national law firm, representing clients in complex civil and criminal cases, internal investigations, and appellate litigation.

Earlier in his career, he served as a state and federal prosecutor, counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and as a member of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team focused on the Department of Justice.

Barron is a former Maryland state legislator and a leader in the legal community, including president-elect of the Maryland State Bar Association and leadership roles with the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, Maryland Legal Aid Bureau, and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender.

He earned a bachelor’s from the University of Maryland, a juris doctorate from George Washington University School, and a master of laws in International Law and National Security from Georgetown University Law Center.

“Mintz is known for its litigation prowess, multidisciplinary expertise, and elite client service, which makes it the ideal platform for my return to private practice,” said

TWO RIVERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

SCHOOL UNIFORMS

Two Rivers PCS is seeking a vendor to provide school uniforms. To request a copy of the RFP, email Tameka Faison at procurement@tworiverspcs.org. Proposals are due by May 30, 2025. Phone: (202) 249–3072

Barron. “I look forward to working alongside an extraordinary group of talented, dedicated, and experienced professionals and applying my experience to help our clients successfully navigate high-stakes disputes and protect their reputations.” WI

MAJORITY OF AMERICANS FAVOR PERSONAL FINANCE EDUCATION: POLL

A strong majority of Americans believe high schools should require personal finance education, according to new polling from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).

The nationwide survey found 83% of U.S. adults say their state should mandate a semester- or year-long personal finance course as a high school graduation requirement. Additionally, 82% of those who attended high school wish they had been required to complete such a course.

These findings align with similar NEFE polling conducted three years ago, as state legislatures nationwide continue to debate bills on financial education requirements.

“For several years, NEFE has examined the demand, need and benefits of requiring financial education in high schools from multiple perspectives,” said Billy Hensley, president and CEO of NEFE. “Hearing from people who missed

6 American Express sponsors programs for small restaurants. (Courtesy Photo/ American Express)

APPLICATIONS

out on this education has helped spark action that is paving the way toward meaningful change.”

The poll, conducted with SurveyUSA, revealed 61% of respondents said their high school did not offer a personal finance class. Among those whose schools offered such courses as electives but did not take them, 79% now wish the courses had been mandatory.

Respondents varied widely on which financial topics they considered most important, with no single area selected by more than 65%. Spending and budgeting topped the list at 65%, with 79% of retirees choosing this option.

The survey also found Americans are more likely to seek financial advice from family members (45%) than from financial professionals (27%). Other findings showed 91% of high school graduates earning $100,000 or more wished they had been required to take a personal finance course, while 14% of respondents reported owning cryptocurrency.

Age disparities were evident, with 44% of 18-to-34-year-olds reporting their schools lacked personal finance classes, compared to 77% of those 65 and older.

“We should commend states that have passed K-12 financial education requirements for their vision and effort, but passing legislation is just the start,” Hensley said. “The real challenge lies in implementing and overcoming the many barriers to effective and inclusive delivery.” WI

AVAILABLE FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS SMALL BUSINESS EATERY PROGRAM

Applications are now open to small restaurant owners who qualify for one of American Express’ signature grant programs for the dining industry: Backing Historic Small Restaurants and Backing International Small Restaurants. The 2025 “Backing Small” program grants will provide $3.95 million in funding and other resources to help small and independent restaurants around the world preserve their history and legacy, while celebrating their cuisines and supporting local economies.

Applications for both programs open today; they close on May 30 for “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” and on June 30 for “Backing International Small Restaurants.”

American Express officials say backing eateries is a company priority.

“American Express is proud to back local champions who strengthen their communities, and that includes many small and independent restaurants,” said Madge Thomas, head of corporate sustainability and president, American Express Foundation. “Food brings people together and builds community. We aim to offer restaurants the support they need to expand, innovate, update their spaces, and improve operations, so they continue to grow and bring vitality to neighborhoods across the U.S and around the world.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

3 Erek L. Barron, the former U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, has joined the Mintz law firm. (Courtesy Photo/Maryland State Archives)

Black-Owned Businesses Face New Threats

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Black-owned businesses have experienced historic growth in recent years, but that progress is now under threat.

A sharp decline in small business optimism, coupled with sweeping anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) executive orders from the Trump administration, is creating new hurdles—particularly for African American entrepreneurs who remain vastly underrepresented in the U.S. economy.

According to Pew Research Center, the number of U.S. firms with majority Black ownership surged from 124,004 in 2017 to 194,585 in 2022. Revenues also soared by 66%, reaching $211.8 billion. Yet Black-owned businesses still accounted for just 3% of all classifiable firms and only 1% of gross revenues that year, despite Black Americans making up 14% of the population.

More than one in five Black adults say owning a business is essential to their definition of financial success, and most of those who own businesses depend on them as their primary income source. The vast majority—71%—have fewer than 10 employees, and they are disproportionately concentrated in sectors like health care and social assistance (26%), professional and technical services (14%), and transportation (9%).

However, as the Pew report

shows gains, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) paints a far more troubling picture of the broader small business climate.

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped to 95.8 in April, marking the second month in a row below its 51-year average. Small business owners reported declining expectations for real sales, fewer capital investment plans, and significant difficulties finding qualified labor. Only 18% of owners said they plan to make capital outlays in the next six months—down from previous months and the lowest level since April 2020.

The policy environment compounds the problem for Blackowned firms.

In January, President Donald Trump signed executive orders EO 14151 and EO 14173, effectively dismantling many federal DE initiatives.

These orders direct agency heads to align all federal programs—including contracts and grants— with so-called “merit-based opportunity,” opening the door to deprioritizing race-conscious support programs.

Kelly Loeffler issued a memo in February announcing her intent to reduce the 8(a) contracting goal from 15% to the statutory minimum of 5%, citing alleged disadvantages to veteran-owned businesses. The administration is also expected to cease auditing compliance with subcontracting goals for minority-owned firms, which could severely impact opportunities for small and large companies that depend on federal contracts.

These moves are especially worrisome for Black business owners, who are already navigating disproportionate barriers to access to capital and markets. While Whiteowned businesses make up 84% of all classifiable firms and account for 92% of total revenue, Blackowned businesses remain a small sliver despite their rapid growth. With small business optimism waning and federal support shifting away from equity initiatives, many Black entrepreneurs now face a chilling reality: a promising rise in business creation and growth may be undermined by policy changes designed to erase the very programs that helped level the playing field.

“Uncertainty continues to be a major impediment for small business owners,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said, noting that labor shortages, declining sales expectations, and inflation remain pressing concerns.

5A sharp decline in small business optimism, coupled with sweeping anti-diversity, equity and inclusion executive orders from the Trump administration, is creating new hurdles—particularly for African American entrepreneurs. (WI File Photo/ Ja’Mon Jackson)

NATIONAL

Supreme Court Ends ‘Moment-ofThreat’ Doctrine, Paving Way for Greater Police Accountability

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected a judicial doctrine that for years shielded law enforcement officers from civil liability in police shooting cases by allowing courts to assess force based only on the final moments before an officer pulled the trigger.

In Barnes v. Felix, the high court struck down the Fifth Circuit’s “moment-of-threat” rule, which had been used to justify the 2016 killing of Ashtian Barnes, a Black man shot during a traffic stop outside Houston.

Officer Roberto Felix fired two shots into Barnes’ moving car after stepping onto the doorsill. The lower courts determined that only the two seconds before the shooting—when Felix was holding onto the vehicle—mattered in deciding whether the use of deadly force was reasonable.

The Supreme Court disagreed. Writing for the unanimous Court,

Justice Elena Kagan made clear that determining whether an officer’s use of force is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment requires an analysis of the totality of the circumstances, including all events leading up to the shooting.

“A court deciding a use-of-force case cannot review the totality of the circumstances if it has put on chronological blinders,” the Court ruled.

The victim’s mother, Janice Barnes, brought the case under Section 1983, alleging that Felix violated her son’s constitutional rights. The ruling sends the case back to the lower courts for reconsideration under the broader standard set by the Supreme Court.

According to the Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC), the Court’s ruling solidifies that police do not have special constitutional status and should be held to the same accountability standards.

“The moment-of-threat rule is entirely unsupported by the Constitution’s text and history,” said

from civil liability in police shooting cases by allowing courts to assess force based only on the final moments before an officer pulled the trigger. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

Nargis Aslami, a fellow at CAC. Chief Counsel Brianne Gorod added: “The Court took a small but important step toward greater accountability for police officers who violate the Fourth Amendment by inflicting unnecessary violence during their encounters with the public.”

The ruling comes as data continue to show disproportionate police encounters and violence against Black Americans. A NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet revealed that a Black person is five times more likely than a white person to be stopped without just cause. Black men are twice as likely to be stopped as Black women. Meanwhile, 65% of Black adults say they have felt targeted because

of their race.

Each year, between 900 and 1,100 people are shot and killed by police in the United States. Since 2005, at least 98 non-federal law enforcement officers have been arrested for fatal on-duty shootings. Still, only 35 have been convicted—and just three have been convicted of murder with the convictions upheld.

Recent data from the Prison Policy Initiative show that while white residents are most likely to initiate contact with police—for reasons like reporting crimes or seeking help—Black, Hispanic, and Asian individuals are more likely to be on the receiving end of police-initiated contact, including street stops, traffic stops, and arrests.

Traffic stops, which remain the most common form of police-initiated contact, are also among the most lethal.

According to Mapping Police Violence, over 100 police killings occurred during traffic stops in 2023. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 62% of Black people whose most recent police contact in 2022 was initiated by officers were drivers in traffic stops. That compares to 56% to 59% among other racial groups.

Black drivers were searched or arrested at a rate of 9%—more than double that of white drivers and significantly higher than Hispanic or Asian drivers.

“The Supreme Court’s decision in Barnes v. Felix is crucial not only for police accountability but also for broader constitutional protections,” the North Star Law Group wrote in a post. “If the Court upholds the ‘moment of threat’ standard, it could make it even harder to hold officers accountable for excessive force. However, if it reinforces the ‘totality of circumstances’ standard or adopts a hybrid approach, it could create a fairer system that protects both civilians and responsible police officers.” WI

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a judicial doctrine that for years shielded law enforcement officers

Work, Without Reward: The Reality for Black Women on the Job

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Black-owned businesses have experienced historic growth in recent years, but that progress is now under threat.

However, as the Pew report shows gains, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) paints a far more troubling picture of the broader small business climate.

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped to 95.8 in

April, marking the second month in a row below its 51-year average. Small business owners reported declining expectations for real sales, fewer capital investment plans, and significant difficulties finding qualified labor. Only 18% of owners said they plan to make capital outlays in the next six months—down from previous months and the lowest level since April 2020.

The policy environment compounds the problem for Black-owned firms.

In January, President Donald Trump signed executive orders EO 14151 and EO 14173, effectively dismantling many federal DE initiatives.

These orders direct agency heads to align all federal programs—including contracts and grants—with so-called “merit-based opportunity,” opening the door to deprioritizing race-conscious support programs.

While the administration cannot eliminate statutory set-aside programs like the SBA’s 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business designation without congressional approval, it is already moving to gut enforcement and reducing goals. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler issued a memo in February announcing her intent to reduce the 8(a) contracting goal from 15% to the statutory minimum of 5%, citing alleged disadvantages to veteran-owned businesses. The administration is also expected to cease auditing compliance with subcontracting goals for minority-owned firms, which could severely impact opportunities for small and large companies that depend on federal contracts.

These moves are especially worrisome for Black business owners, who

are already navigating disproportionate barriers to access to capital and markets. While White-owned businesses make up 84% of all classifiable firms and account for 92% of total revenue, Black-owned businesses remain a small sliver despite their rapid growth.

With small business optimism waning and federal support shifting away from equity initiatives, many Black entrepreneurs now face a chilling reality: a promising rise in business creation and growth may be undermined by policy changes designed to erase the very programs that helped

level the playing field. “Uncertainty continues to be a major impediment for small business owners,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said, noting that labor shortages, declining sales expectations, and inflation remain pressing concerns. WI

5 A woman at a summit learning about job opportunities with Employ Prince George’s. Black women remain the backbone of the U.S. labor force, while working more, earning less and bearing burden across nearly every sector. (WI File

Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

Americans Feel Less Free Under Trump’s Authoritarian Rule—And the World Is Slipping with Them

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

As Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, his swift embrace of authoritarian tactics has shaken the foundations of American democracy—and fueled a growing sentiment that the United States is no longer the land of the free. Across the country, citizens report feeling less free than they have in decades. But this sense of lost liberty isn’t confined to American borders.

In his first months back in power, Trump has already moved to eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs from the federal workforce, target civil servants he deems disloyal, and overhaul independent agencies. He’s floated plans to prosecute political opponents, crackdown on journalists, and override existing constitutional protections. His threats to dismantle the First Amendment and seize control of the Department of Justice and federal law enforcement agencies have prompted comparisons to dictatorial regimes.

“The erosion of rights is no longer subtle,” said Dr. Cheryl Wallace, a constitutional law professor who lives in Northwest, D.C. “It’s deliberate, and it’s dangerous.”

The effects of this political climate are measurable.

A new Gallup survey found that only 72% of Americans were satisfied with their personal freedom in 2024— a sharp drop from the 83% average between 2007 and 2021. American women, in particular, feel the brunt of the decline in freedom. Just 66% of women say they are satisfied with their freedom, compared to 77% of men, marking the largest gender gap Gallup has ever recorded. The drop in women’s satisfaction is closely tied to the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, a ruling that has since allowed state-level abortion bans to proliferate.

Globally, the trends are equally disturbing. Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2025 report reveals that 2024 marked the 19th consecutive year of declining global freedom. Sixty countries experienced a deterioration in political rights and civil liberties, and only 34 showed any improvement. In dozens of countries—from Russia to Tunisia to Venezuela—governments have cracked down on dissent, ma-

nipulated elections, and criminalized opposition.

Freedom House warned that the world is facing a “crisis of democracy,” with many elected leaders now actively working to dismantle the very institutions that brought them to power.

Trump’s return to the presidency is identified as a significant inflection point.

The Freedom House report warns that democratically elected leaders, including Trump, are increasingly using their positions to erode institutional checks, target opponents, and suppress independent media. The report cautions that Trump’s actions will have “global reverberations,” as autocrats abroad point to the U.S. example to justify their own authoritarian behavior.

“They say they’re draining the swamp, but all I see are good people losing jobs just for doing their work with integrity,” Latrell Malone, a 29-year-old IT Specialist from Northeast, D.C., told The Informer.

The Fraser Institute’s Human Freedom Index 2024 offers further evidence of worldwide decline. Between 2019 and 2022, 87.4% of the world’s population experienced a reduction in freedom. While there was a modest uptick in 2022, levels remain far below pre-pandemic norms. The United States now ranks 17th globally in overall freedom—tied with the United Kingdom and trailing behind countries such as Switzerland, Finland, and Estonia.

The Index highlights the real-world consequences of declining freedom. Countries in the top 25% of the freedom index tend to enjoy higher incomes, cleaner environments, better health outcomes, lower levels of poverty, and greater life satisfaction. Those

in the bottom quartile—now home to 43% of the global population—face greater corruption, violence, censorship, and repression.

Beyond state actors, threats to freedom are increasingly coming from non-state sources. Armed militias, gangs, and terrorist networks are destabilizing entire regions, from Sudan and Myanmar to Haiti and Mexico. These groups, often enabled or tolerated by authoritarian regimes, have undermined the rule of law, compromised elections, and displaced millions.

However, while democratic institutions are under assault, some countries have resisted or even reversed authoritarian trends. Senegal, Botswana, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka all made democratic gains in 2024, buoyed by mass protests, competitive elections, or the collapse of autocratic regimes. Still, these nations are exceptions in a world trending backward.

Freedom House warns that only “sustained and coordinated action” can halt the erosion of global freedom. The report calls on democratic governments, civil society, and ordinary citizens to defend democracy at home, support human rights abroad, and build durable institutions capable of withstanding political pressure.

Now, under Trump’s leadership, many are questioning whether the United States can still claim to be the land of the free—and how much further freedom might fall before the world pushes back.

“We fought hard for a voice in this city and country, and now it feels like we’re being silenced all over again,” said Southeast, D.C., community organizer Yvette Briggs. “This doesn’t feel like freedom.”

5 Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2025 report reveals that 2024 marked the 19th consecutive year of declining global freedom. Sixty countries experienced a deterioration in political rights and civil liberties, and only 34 showed any improvement. (Courtesy Photo)

Submitted by Atlantic Union Bank

FIVE STEPS TO SUCCESS

ASSEMBLE YOUR TEAM

When buying a home, it’s important to find the right professionals to help make your dream a reality. Spend some time and do your research before committing to a real estate agent. It’s more than personalities (although that’s important too); it’s really about expertise and specialization. Be skeptical of anyone who says that they can do it all, because no one truly can. Instead, ask around and get some recommendations for agents who sell in your desired area. Local neighborhood knowledge is key and can help give you an important advantage.

What Every First-Time Homebuyer Should Know

insurance, property taxes and homeowners’ association fees.

• Credit rating and current debt and their impact on the homebuying process.

• Long-term financial goals and how they correlate with your homebuying budget.

• Financial reserves so that you can still manage mortgage payments if your employment status changes.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES AND PREAPPROVAL

There are a variety of different programs and tax benefits available to first-time homebuyers. Sit down with an experienced lender to review your options and determine a mortgage solution that meets your needs.

BE PATIENT

Ideally, every home sale would close on time and without issue. Unfortunately, any number of issues can pop up, delaying the process. It’s another reason why having an experienced mortgage professional on your team is so critical. They understand the process better than most and, if issues do arise, their experience and expertise can help resolve them quickly.

The other team member to spend some time getting to know is your lender. The right mortgage professional isn’t just there to make sure you sign papers on time, but also, they are key to ensuring the entire process runs smoothly and that you aren’t surprised by any of the financial aspects of buying a home. Before meeting with your lender, it’s important to understand your budget and what your responsibilities will be. You can start this process by using a Mortgage Calculator to provide an estimation before meeting with a lender.

UNDERSTAND YOUR BUDGET

A mortgage professional will help you navigate all the financial aspects of buying a new home, including budget. Together, you will create a draft budget and talk through several items to be considered, including:

• Contributions to a down payment, including any down payment assistance for which you might be eligible.

• Obligations for associated expenditures such as upfront costs,

It’s also important to be preapproved for a home loan. Having a preapproval in place means that you have provided written evidence of income, expenses, assets, liabilities and credit, and the lender has verified that information. Since most of the paperwork has been completed, it tells the seller that the closing process is likely to go quickly and without problems. It also shows that you are serious about your commitment to buying the home. As a potential buyer, getting preapproved will give you a better chance of having your offer accepted as you can provide the seller with a financing commitment from Atlantic Union Bank.

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

In a competitive housing market, some prospective homebuyers may consider waiving appraisals or inspections to make their offers more attractive. Home appraisals provide an accurate measure of a property’s value and help ensure you’re not paying more than a home is worth. At Atlantic Union Bank, we require appraisals on every loan application unless the borrower and the property qualify for a waiver, which is rare. Inspections, the examination of the condition and safety of a potential new home, are also a very important part of the home buying process and waiving them can be risky.

Buying your first home is an exciting experience and at first may be intimidating. What’s critical is doing your homework and putting together a team of professionals who are responsive, experienced and

know the area. To learn more about how our experts at Atlantic Union Bank can help make your dream of owning a home a reality, please visit our Mortgage Page. Atlantic Union Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS# 551889 This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. All loans, credit and collateral are

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HEALTH

Biden Faces Aggressive Cancer Battle

By Stacy M. Brown and Micha Green WI Senior Writer and WI Managing Editor

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday.

The statement said Biden’s diagnosis was characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), indicating a high-grade cancer with bone metastasis. Physicians noted that while the disease is advanced, it is hormone-sensitive, which allows for treatment options that can help manage the cancer.

Biden, 82, had undergone further medical evaluation after a small nodule was discovered on his prostate. His office said he and his family are currently reviewing treatment plans

with his doctors.

On Monday morning, after receiving an outpouring of support from former and current leaders, as well as from many people around the nation and world, Biden released a statement and smiling selfie with former First Lady Jill Biden and their cat.

“Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in broken places,” Biden wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Thanking you for lifting us up with love and support.”

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common forms of cancer among men, second only to skin cancer, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 13 out of every 100 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, with age

being the primary risk factor.

Cancer specialists say that despite the seriousness of Biden’s diagnosis, advancements in prostate cancer treatment have led to improved outcomes, even for those with advanced disease.

“There are a number of highly effective treatments available,” said Dr. Tanya Dorff, an oncologist at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. “Even with aggressive or late-stage prostate cancer, patients can often live many years with good quality of life.”

PROSTATE CANCER DISPARITIES IN THE

BLACK COMMUNITY

Biden’s diagnosis comes at a time when attention is increasingly focused on racial disparities in prostate cancer outcomes.

According to ZERO Prostate Cancer, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting patients and families, Black men in the United States are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than twice as likely to die from it compared to white men.

One in six Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime—compared to one in eight men overall. They are also more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease.

While no single explanation exists for these disparities, research has shown that systemic inequities contribute to poorer outcomes. Black men are less likely to be offered PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests

during routine screenings and, when diagnosed, less likely to receive timely or effective treatment.

A recent study reported by ZERO Prostate Cancer revealed that Black men with early-stage prostate cancer are significantly less likely to receive any form of treatment compared to white men.

Socioeconomic factors also play a role. Racial inequality in the United States continues to affect access to care, insurance coverage, and overall health outcomes, particularly for Black and African American communities.

While the former president and his doctors continue to explore treatment options, Biden’s diagnosis has cast a new spotlight on addressing both men’s health and the racial disparities that remain embedded in cancer care.

“Too many Black men are dying from a disease that can be detected early and treated,” ZERO Prostate Cancer officials posted on its website. “We must ensure that awareness, access, and action reach every community.”

LEADERS SEND BIDEN WELL WISHES

Biden, who dropped out of last year’s presidential race, tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, and concluded his term in January, is the oldest person to have served as president.

His predecessor turned successor, President Donald Trump, assumed office at age 78 in January.

While some voters and critics, including Trump, voiced concern about Biden’s health as he originally vied for the presidency last year, many people are sending the former president well wishes.

“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

Former President Barack Obama also sent thoughts of healing to his former vice president.

“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatment for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace,” Obama wrote on X. “We pray for a fast and full recovery.”

Having worked closely with him as vice president, Harris also issued a statement about Biden’s diagnosis, emphasizing his strength despite challenges.

“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time,” she wrote on X, with a picture of him proudly putting his arm around her shoulder. “Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.” WI

Former President Joe Biden is battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. (WI File Photo/Earl Gibson)

Cannabis and Care: Howard University Groundbreaking Study Explores Marijuana in Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease

New Research Challenges Deep Rooted Stigma Around Medical Marijuana in Chronic Illness Care

By Dr. Patrise Holden Contributing Writer

As opioid restrictions tighten and the need for chronic pain treatment increases, a new wave of research is turning to a centuries-old plant for solutions.

At Howard University’s Department of Pediatrics and Child Health in Washington, DC, researchers, working in collaboration with the Rana Pediatric Fund, are investigating the role of medical marijuana in the lives of young people living with sickle cell disease (SCD).

The study, “Perceived Effects of Cannabis Use Amongst Adolescents and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease,” seeks to uncover why many young patients are turning to cannabis and how it’s affecting their pain, sleep quality, and emotional well-being.

“We started seeing more teens with sickle cell disease using cannabis,” said Patricia Houston, MS, one of the study’s coordinators. “We started questioning why? Were they finding that it brought relief for pain, sleep, or mood?”

While marijuana’s medical use remains controversial, the Howard study reflects a growing openness among clinicians and patients alike to explore its therapeutic potential, especially for underserved populations.

For patients with chronic illnesses, like those with sickle cell disease, the need for therapeutic alternatives for pain management is especially important.

“Opioids have been the standard of care for decades for pain management. The goal is to find something that addresses the underlying condition,” Houston continued.

NEW PATHWAYS TO TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that transforms red blood cells into a sickle shape, obstructing blood flow and oxygen transport.

This condition can lead to intense pain episodes, referred to as vaso-occlusive crises, as well as fatigue, mobility issues, and organ damage.

The disease is chronic, lifelong, and for some, can lead to early death.

The Howard study surveyed young people ages 14 to 30 over a five-year period, first in person and then online to preserve anonymity. Participants shared whether they used cannabis, how often, and for what purposes— pain management, improved sleep, mood regulation, or other symptoms.

For patients living with SCD, it’s not just about symptom relief, it’s about dignity and autonomy. With larger patient populations seeking holistic treatment alternatives, natural remedies, such as cannabis, have gained interest and appeal.

“We see patients from childhood through age 25,” said Joanne Adelberg, a genetic counselor on the study. “Part of our job is helping families create a roadmap—school support plans, specialist referrals, and conversations about what’s working for them day-today. More and more, that conversation has included cannabis.”

MEDICAL MARIJUANA TREATMENT, PRAISED AND STIGMATIZED

National conversations surrounding both the medicinal and financial benefits of medical marijuana are igniting conversations that may redefine patient care for those with chronic illnesses such as sickle cell disease.

Visionary behind the study, Dr. Sohail Rana, pediatric hematologist at Howard University Hospital, stated, “Most individuals with sickle cell disease are desperate for relief of their pain. They frequently turn to marijuana.”

Simona Wright-James, noted cannabis advocate, views studies like those spearheaded by Dr. Rana as a tool of empowerment for those who, too, are desperate to find relief from chronic ailments.

“In my personal life, marijuana gave me relief from chronic PMS symptoms that prescription pain medications couldn’t alleviate,” she said. “It allowed me to feel like myself again. With cannabis, I didn’t feel dulled, underwater, or without my Simona identity. My symptoms also dramatically improved.”

Researchers and advocates like Wright-James agree that educational outreach remains critical to understanding the long-term benefits of marijuana use as treatment for chronic illness.

“There’s work to do—not just policy, but mindset,” said Wright-James. “For our elders, for skeptical healthcare workers. We have to reframe cannabis not as a street drug but as a legitimate, sometimes essential, medicine.”

REIMAGINING TREATMENT: THE FUTURE OF MARIJUANA AND SICKLE CELL DISEASE CARE

While the Howard University research team is still analyzing data and preparing to publish an abstract on initial survey results, one thing is clear: more research is urgently needed.

“Unfortunately, not enough is known about the risks and benefits of marijuana in sickle cell disease,” advised Dr. Rana.

Howard University researchers envision future surveys comparing modes of cannabis use, edibles vs. smoking, teas vs. topicals, and integrating broader demographic data to better reflect community needs and attitudes regarding medicinal marijuana.

“Our families have been managing this pain for far too long; they deserve alternative treatment modalities that, even if only temporarily, assist with pain and anxiety,” said Adelberg. “With this survey, we are now starting to ask the right questions.”

For Wright-James, those questions

5Increased demand for holistic therapeutic options as treatment of chronic illness has encouraged clinicians to research the use of medical marijuana in conjunction with or as a substitute for opioids. (Courtesy Photo/American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

are part of a larger reckoning.

“If the government now sees the value of this plant,” she said, “then the communities who suffered most from its criminalization should share in both its healing and its economic benefits.”

She emphasized the power of cannabis use for healing.

“Medical marijuana empowers people with chronic illnesses to reclaim their bodies while remaining in a clear

mindset that reflects their true identity during treatment,” Wright-James emphasized. “That’s a radical kind of healing. That’s liberation.”

The author of this article has genotype SS, the most aggressive form of sickle cell disease. She lectures and advocates nationally for inclusion of mental health support and holistic and alternative medicine as treatment for those with chronic illnesses.

PUBLIC NOTICE –IS THIS VEHCLE YOURS?

Date of posting May 22, 2025

There is a 2015 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi (VIN#1C6RR7GT4GS199775), that has been repaired and standing at SA Auto Repair since December 23rd, 2024. If this is your vehicle, please claim it by providing proof of ownership and you will have to pay for the repair that was done, as well as storage, and bill fees. Please reach out to us within 2 weeks of this posting, otherwise the car will be auctioned. Call 202-320-5030 for additional information or claim details.

EARTH OUR

‘A

Love

Letter to the DMV’: MGM Conservatory Showcases Local Landmarks, Native Flora

MGM National Harbor Visitors

Can Take a Walk Through the DMV’s Ecosystem

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

To take a break from the dinging slot machines, bright lights and bustling environment inside the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino, D.C. residents Tiung Do and John Nguyen sat down in the building’s conservatory. Unbeknownst to them, they were surrounded by 2,000 living plants.

“At first I thought this was all artificial,” Do told The Informer. “This is just a wonderful place to hang out.”

The conservatory’s current display contains three different pods dedicated to D.C., Maryland and

Virginia, featuring replicas of some of the area’s most cherished landmarks surrounded by almost entirely locally-sourced foliage. A 40-foot-tall model of the Washington Monument, a 20-foot replica of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse and MGM’s 30-foottall version of the Cape Henry Lighthouse serve as a tribute to the Washington Metropolitan area and a celebration of its native flora and fauna.

In just 15,000 square feet, and after six months of planning, the building’s horticulture and engineering teams have depicted the essence of each featured region, offering visitors a chance to take

a breath and soak in Mother Nature’s beauty.

“It is a love letter to the DMV. We’re really proud to be a part of this community… it’s such a beautiful piece of the country,” MGM National Harbor Director of Communications Bernadette Guastini told The Informer. “We have guests that come from all over the world, but especially from Maryland, Virginia [and] D.C., so we just wanted this to be an homage to the community where we’re located.”

ROOTED IN BEAUTY, GROWN WITH PURPOSE

One of the District’s most recognizable sites, the city’s tallest structure— aside from radio towers— and once the world’s tallest building after its completion in 1884, the Washington Monument was replicated at MGM alongside a faux cherry blossom tree, two symbols that remain synonymous with D.C. and its history.

Both lighthouse models are nods to the area’s rich maritime history, with the Chesapeake Bay once being the most fruitful estuary in the country. The model of the Thomas

Point Shoal Lighthouse, the last screwpile lighthouse in Maryland, is accompanied by 10 Black-eyed Susans and a sculpture of a Maryland blue crab, the state’s official flower and crustacean, respectively.

Meanwhile, a replica of the Virginia Cape Henry Lighthouse, the first successful federal construction project in the U.S., features a light keeper’s cottage with a working chimney and a sculpture of the state’s signature bright red cardinal, flying over the beacon.

“[The display] really just makes you stop and think about everything we’re surrounded by, how beautiful it is and how important it is to really be a good steward of the environment,” Guastini said.

Beyond paying homage to the DMV, MGM National Harbor’s horticulture and engineering teams use the conservatory to champion environmental consciousness and sustainable practices, living up to its Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Through the use of a 700,000-gallon cistern, rainwater is collected and reused to irrigate 100% of the planting necessary for the display.

“The funds from the plant sale are then donated to the MGM Resorts Foundation, a workplace-giving program that supports the local communities where MGM employees and guests live and work,” the MGM National Harbor communications team wrote to The Informer.

Aside from recycling water, repurposing plants and serving as a beautiful celebration of the ecosystem that makes up the Washington Metropolitan Area, this particular display at the conservatory can also bring awareness to different environmental issues in the area, a factor Nguyen appreciates.

“I feel good when they have decorations like that [especially] when I see kids around here,” he told The Informer. “This gets the environment in their mind if they don’t go outside much, so it’s great to have something green inside a

OUR EARTH Page 23

Another way the team behind the exhibit encourages sustainability is by hosting plant sales to MGM employees when a display is ready to be taken down. Being one of three annual floral showcases erected in the building, thousands of plants are constantly in need of reuse or relocation.

5 The Conservatory’s homage to the DMV is one of three rotating exhibits displayed at MGM National Harbor each year and includes the Maryland blue crab (pictured above), which thrives in the saline levels of the Chesapeake Bay. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

5 The MGM Conservatory, built in approximately five to six days with a staff of 50, will be on display until Nov. 16. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

OUR EARTH

EARTH from Page 22

theatre performance.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS building like this.”

The floral exhibit can lead one to learn about the mission to increase the District’s tree canopy cover from 35 to 40% by 2032, pique a guest’s interest regarding the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, where the dock has repeatedly been submerged since 2023 due to heavy storms and increasing water levels.

Regardless of the many possible outcomes for personal impact on MGM’s visitors, the conservatory urges those who experience it to take a moment from the building’s buzzing atmosphere to stop and smell the flowers–whether visiting to gamble, eat, drink or attend a

Stephanie Johnson and Tiffany Trammell did just that after enjoying Sunday brunch at MGM’s Osteria Costa. Johnson said the display was an instant reminder of the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens atrium in Las Vegas.

For Trammell, the exhibit is a means to heighten environmental awareness and encourage r people to be mindful of future generations when experiencing the area’s flora and fauna.

“We can’t sustain without the environment. It’s our future,”

Tramell told The Informer. “If we don’t take care of the environment now, we won’t have it for our kids and grandkids.” WI

May 22, 2025

Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria 101 Xenia Street SW, Suite 102 Washington DC 20032

202-800-0632/703-836-1021

On or about May 22, 2025, Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of the Healthy Homes Production Grant Program (HHP) funds under 501 and Section 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. §§ 1701z-1 and 1701z-2), and funding is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021(Public Law 116-260, approved December 27, 2020) for the following multi-year program/project: Healthy Homes Production Grant, for the purpose of providing healthy home repairs to low-income homeowners in DC and the City of Alexandria, VA. Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria is requesting the release of $2,000,000.00 in HUD assistance.

The proposed hazard control activities to be funded under this/these program(s) is/are categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act requirements, but subject to compliance with some of the environmental laws and authorities listed at § 58.5 of 24 CFR Part 58. In accordance with §58.15, a tiered review process has been structured, whereby some environmental laws and authorities have been reviewed and studied for the intended target area(s) listed above. Other applicable environmental laws and authorities will be complied with, when individual projects are ripe for review. Specifically, the target area(s) has/have been studied and compliance with the following laws and authorities has been achieved in this Tier 1 review: Airport Hazards, Air Quality, Coastal Barriers Resources, Coastal Zone Management, Sole Source Aquifers, Endangered Species, Explosive and Flammable Hazards, Farmlands Protections, Floodplain Management, Noise Abatement, Wetlands, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and Environmental Justice. Site-specific environmental reviews will include compliance with the following environmental laws and authorities for proposed projects funded under the program listed above: Flood Insurance, Historic Preservation, Contamination/Toxics. Should individual aggregate projects exceed the threshold for categorical exclusion detailed at §58.35(a), an Environmental Assessment will be completed and a separate Finding of No Significant Impact and Request for Release of Funds published. Copies of the compliance documentation worksheets are available at the address below.

An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project and more fully describes the tiered review process cited above, is on file at 101 Xenia Street SW, Suite 102, Washington DC 20032, kd@ rebuildingtogetherdca.org and may be examined or copied weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria, info@ rebuildingtogetherdca.org. All comments received by June 2, 2025 will be considered by Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria prior to authorizing submission of a Request for Release of Funds and Environmental Certification to HUD.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria certifies to HUD that Katharine Dixon in her official capacity as CEO of Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria’s certification for a period of fifteen days following either the anticipated submission date (cited above) or HUD’s actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if the objections are on one of the following bases: (a) that the Certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria; (b) Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, see 58.76), and shall be addressed to HUD and sent to the email address as follows: Karen M. Griego, Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, Program Environmental Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development LeadRegulations@HUD.GOV Potential objectors shall contact HUD directly to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Katharine Dixon CEO

Rebuilding

Together DC Alexandria

5 A replica of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary on Aug. 9 with a call to action against the threat of rising sea levels to the structure’s integrity. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

centered on racial and socioeconomic unity. “We cannot be silent in the midst of what’s happening. We have to figure out our own ways of fighting against oppression and holding our current elected officials accountable for their jobs and not acting helpless. If they’re helpless, what’s the point of their jobs?”

Levy Armstrong, a well-known activist in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul), said she first learned about Floyd’s death on Memorial Day of 2020 when a comrade tagged her and others on a Facebook post about the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) “kill[ing] someone by crushing their throat.”

As Levy Armstrong recounted, she soon after called then MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo who confirmed Floyd’s death, albeit as a result of a medical emergency that occured while in police custody. However, smartphone footage captured by then-teenage bystander Darnella Frazier showed Chauvin placing his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds as Floyd pleaded for his life and, at one point, called out for his mother.

The next day, Arradondo, who received the footage from Levy Armstrong, announced the firing of Chauvin, along with Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane during a press conference. Months later, after millions of people took to the streets of Minneapolis-St. Paul and other U.S. cities during several days of civil unrest, the four former officers received federal and state-level indictments that would ultimately lead to their conviction.

These outcomes, Levy Armstrong told The Informer, didn’t occur out of thin air, but through a combination of the several factors, including the pandemic and what she called the barbarity of Chauvin’s actions. “People saw Darnella Frazier’s video [of] eight or nine minutes of a defenseless Black man begging for his life,” Levy Armstrong said. “It wasn’t the typical way we see police kill someone. Everyone being home means we had a captive audience. People became so outraged and it was so undeniable that there was no way this was justified.”

In years past, Levy Armstrong, whose organizing experience includes stints as Minnesota NAACP chapter president and spokesperson for the Minneapolis chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement, has responded to police brutality with an 18-day protest in front of MPD headquarters.

Shortly after Floyd’s death, she

counted among more than 3,000 people who converged on Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota as an act of civil disobedience. Following the release of a scathing report by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, the city of Minneapolis, MPD, and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) solidified a consent decree earlier this year that’s intended to help MPD prevent excessive force, stop racially discriminatory policing practices, and improve officers’ interactions with youth.

It remains to be seen, however, whether the second Trump administration, which started less than three weeks after the formation of the consent decree, will conduct oversight of police reforms as outlined in the document.

“It took so long for the city and DOJ to reach an agreement that by the end of the year, as they submitted the decree, we raised concerns that there was a great likelihood it would never happen,” Levy Armstrong said. “That appears to be the case now under the Trump administration, the federal judge doesn’t intend to sign that decree.”

That’s why, in the midst of a nationwide boycott that’s decimated Target’s profits, Levy Armstrong insists that organizers take extreme measures to counter the rollback in reforms that have taken place since Trump’s return to the Oval Office.

“The long-term strategy should be focused on how we as a people harness our political party,” Levy Armstrong said. “The Republican Party is not an option so how long are we going to be in limbo when it comes to our community’s interests not being front and center?”

Levy also advocated for a greater embrace of the Second Amendment.

“The Trump administration is essentially opening the door for police

MALCOLM X from Page 1

X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenues in Southeast.

“We want to reclaim this corner,” Seitu told The Informer as he spoke about Shepherd Parkway and the surrounding businesses. “We want the Popeyes gone. We want a bank there. We want the Koreans to say bye-bye and take the liquor store with you and your nasty little carry out. These things represent the very things that Malcolm and Martin stood against for us.”

Throughout much of the day on May 19, Seitu and several other elders occupied Shepherd Parkway— a landmark they renamed Malcolm X - Dr. King Unity Park.

officers to engage in brutality,” she said. “Given the rhetoric and attacks against Black people, it may be time for us to arm ourselves.”

COMING SOON:

A VIGIL FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING

At the time of his death, George Floyd was 46.

Originally from Fayettsville, North Carolina and then Houston, Floyd moved to the Minneapolis area in 2014 and set roots in the suburb of St. Louis Park. He often shopped at Cup Foods convenience store in the Powderhorn Park section of Minneapolis. That’s where, on May 25, 2020, a store clerk called MPD, alleging Floyd’s use of a counterfeit $20 bill to purchase cigarettes.

That call led to Floyd’s deadly encounter with Chauvin, and a global movement that led to, among other things, the passage of police reform measures in the nation’s capital and the creation of “Black Lives Matter Plaza” just feet from the White House. Amid an uptick in youth crime, the D.C. Council would later approve legislation softening some police accountability measures.

Earlier this year, the Bowser administration, under the scrutiny of the Trump administration, upped the ante by removing all vestiges of Black Lives Matter Plaza, including the world-famous street mural that artist and D.C. native Keyonna Jones painted.

Though he expressed empathy for the loss of a prominent landmark, Kymone Freeman, an activist and one-time candidate for D.C. delegate, called Black Lives Matter Plaza one of several empty gestures intended to lull an awakened people to sleep. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Breathologist Ayo Handy-Kendi kicked off the day-long gathering with a spiritual cleanse of the park. Other portions of the program included remarks by Senghor Baye of Universal Negro Improvement Association - African Communities League RC2020 and a musical number by Ka’Ba Soul Singer.

By the early afternoon, as revelers, from the community and other parts of the District, converged on the park to hear Proverbs Reggae Band, Seitu made his rounds along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, speaking to passersby while standing near a banner donning Malcolm X’s image, that of King and three adinkra symbols representing God, unity, and Sankofa (meaning return and get it).

Those five images, Seitu said, represent the fulfillment of a vision where Black people are no longer exploited by forces benefitting from the destruction of majority-Black communities locally and nationwide.

“We got to do better than this,” Seitu said. “And I’m not mad at [other people], I’m mad at us for accepting this, going along with it and disrespecting our own space. We have a problem as a people. When it’s about us, we don’t care. When it’s not about us, we all up in it. Something [is] wrong with us.”

A DEAR FRIEND AND COMRADE HONORS MALCOLM X ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY

Malcolm X, born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, embarked on a journey similar to the legions of Black men and women who’ve come to admire and emulate him well after his death.

After his father’s death at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, his mother’s bout with mental illness, and his subsequent entry into the foster care system, Malcolm X dropped out of

school and succumbed to the allure of the streets.

During a seven-year prison stint, Malcolm X became a Muslim and joined the Nation of Islam (NOI), a Black separatist movement that heralded the Honorable Elijah Muhammad as a messenger of Allah. In his role as an NOI minister, Malcolm X oversaw the launch of nearly four dozen mosques across the U.S. He also compelled untold numbers of Black men and women to adopt healthy lifestyles and abstain from the vices crippling Black communities.

Though his embrace of Black Nationalism countered King’s message of integration, Malcolm X would become more collaborative with civil rights figures after his break from NOI, and his evolution as a Pan-Africanist. During the final months of his life, he travelled around the world and continued to work on behalf of Black people while under FBI, CIA and U.S. State Department surveillance. At the time of his 1965 assasination, Malcolm X, then 39, was in the midst of efforts to bring the U.S. before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights for its alleged inability and unwillingness to protect Black people. Months prior, upon his return from Ghana, he announced the establishment of the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU), an entity intended to organize people of African descent in the Western Hemisphere similarly to how newly independent African nations coalesced around what was then the Organization of African Unity. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5A. Peter Bailey, a veteran journalist and founding member of the Organization of Afro-American Unity, speaking at a centennial celebration held in honor of Malcolm X’s 100th birth anniversary on May 19 at Howard University’s Blackburn Center. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

GEORGE

5A poster hanging downtown in June 2020 as people took to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. (WI File Photo/Micha Green)

EDUCATION

Union Leader Calls FAMU Hire a ‘Political Strategy to Control Black Minds’

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

For Fedrick C. Ingram, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, the hiring of Marva Johnson by Florida A&M University (FAMU) is a calculated political strategy to control Black institutions and influence how future generations think.

“They are trying to change the mindset, get into the brain trust of young people to try and change history, to try and change a cultural mindset,” Ingram asserted. “And we can’t allow that to happen because what they’re trying to do is eradicate history, have revisionist history so that these young people will promote something different in the future.”

Representing 1.8 million educators and professionals, Ingram didn’t hold back in criticizing the FAMU board of trustees for se-

lecting Johnson as the institution’s 13th president — a longtime ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis — despite widespread protests, concerns about her qualifications, and growing backlash from students and alums.

“I think we all need to be concerned about the politics that is being inserted directly into not only our K-12 classroom, but our colleges and university systems, and now specifically to our HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities),” he said.

Timothy L. Beard, FAMU interim president, noted that many people were surprised by the university board tapping Johnson, but said their choice “reflects a vision for ‘navigating a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.’”

“[The vision] values innovation, adaptability, and strategic partnerships to position FAMU for longterm success,” according to Beard’s

May 19 statement.

However, Ingram noted Johnson is far underqualified for the job.

“Marva Johnson’s only track record in education has been to be the state board chair of the education board,” Ingram said. “And she was appointed to that board by Governor DeSantis. And previous to that, she was appointed to a number of boards by former Governor Rick Scott, who is also an ultra-conservative and has done our colleges and universities and K-12 schools in Florida no justice.”

He explained that Johnson “has never been a teacher, has never been an instructor, has never been an adjunct instructor, has never been a professor, has never served on higher education administrations.”

The American Federation of Teachers secretary-treasurer also said he did not appreciate the way Johnson’s appointment came to be.

“To have her at the very last minute be inserted into a flagship university like Florida A&M University — a school that we all hold dear and is a public institution — to have her inserted even in the process and then have the board of trustees carry the water for this governor is, again, it’s troubling,” Ingram said.

He pointed to her silence during moments of statewide controversy as further disqualification, including sitting silently and nearby as DeSantis incredulously claimed that slavery was good for the enslaved.

Ingram said this isn’t about a single hire — it’s about gaining control over institutions that have historically developed Black leadership.

“They’re not trying to simply run schools — they’re trying to run our minds,” he said. “They want to control institutions that shape how Black students see the world and see themselves. If we al-

low something like this to happen at a flagship school like Florida A&M University, then we have a bigger, broader problem. It’s the same thing that’s happening at Harvard University. It’s the same thing that’s happening at Columbia University.”

With thousands already signing a petition calling on the board to reverse Johnson’s appointment, Ingram said now is not the time to let up.

“Let me tell you what we’re up against,” he said. “We’re up against a state that has been riddled by President [Donald] Trump and Governor DeSantis in the same state. I’m letting the alumni know, the community know, and those people who care about this HBCU to keep a watchful eye and keep a loud voice going, because that is the only way you’re going to make change.”

As a leader with the American Federation of Teachers, Ingram noted the great responsibility Johnson possesses, expressing concern about how the DeSantis ally will move forward as the institution’s leader.

“The question is not what the alumni will do,” Ingram concluded. “The question is, what is Marva Johnson going to do for FAMU when the pressure comes down from the governor’s office or from the President of the United States to say, do this and carry our water? Will she resist, or will she give in and give up on one of our treasures?”

3Fedrick C. Ingram, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, says the hiring of Marva Johnson by Florida A&M University (FAMU) is a calculated political strategy to control Black institutions and influence how future generations think. (Courtesy Photos)

Prince George’s County Education Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

MARYLAND LOSES LESS EDUCATION FUNDING THAN FEARED, STILL

FACING DEVASTATING $232 MILLION SCHOOL CUTS

While original reports indicated that Maryland schools would lose over $410 million in funding, that amount has been cut to roughly $232 million as some expenditures have been made reimbursable.

Despite the reimbursements bringing a slight relief to the state’s financial picture, Maryland State Board of Education leaders, including President Joshua Michael and Vice President Monica Goldson, who formerly served as the CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools, noted these cuts would require the immediate end to some ongoing programs.

“That could mean salaries for 2,000 teachers next year. It could mean 12,000 students in our pre-K program. We will have to come up with this money,” said

Michael. “These are real dollars.”

Several lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (DMd.) and U.S. Rep Glenn Ivey (DMd.) and Steny Hoyer (D- Md.) sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon requesting for the funds to be reallocated to Maryland schools.

“Earlier this year, Secretary McMahon testified that the president wants to ‘return education to the states where it belongs.’ We believe that approving Maryland’s application for late liquidation of relief funds would do just that. We appreciate your offer to conduct a thorough review of the ESSER funds rescinded from Maryland and look forward to reaching a resolution in the best interest of the more than 860,000 students in our state who are depending on these Congressionally appropriated funds,” said the lawmakers.

The lawmakers argued the sudden cuts were leading to confusion and imperiled efforts to keep students safe.

“We stand ready to partner with the Department,” the legislators wrote, “in ensuring the disbursement of this key funding to Maryland.” WI

MARYLAND

SCHOOLS

LAUNCH

TRANSFER INITIATIVE TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY

COLLEGE STUDENTS

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program are coordinating efforts and resources among 25 public and state-aided educational institutions in Maryland for a new program that works to boost educational and career opportunities for community college students.

The Maryland Transfer Intensive Program will include activating a statewide Presidential Steering Committee on Transfer Student Success, data reporting recommendations, and supporting college leaders and teams in improving transfer practices.

“Maryland is proud to be one of the nation’s leading states when it comes to higher education attainment, and this transfer initiative solidifies our commitment to becoming number one,” said MHEC Secretary Dr. Sanjay Rai in a statement.

He emphasized the power of collaboration in improving educational outcomes.

“By bringing together 25 institutions with a shared focus on

transfer student success,” he said, “we are strengthening our workforce, meeting employer talent needs, and empowering thousands of Marylanders to reach their full potential.”

According to MHEC studies, more than half of Maryland community college students are in transfer programs, while roughly 23% of those students transfer to a four-year institution within six years. Less than half of the students who transfer to a four-year institution graduate within three years.

Prince George’s Community College President Felicia D. Wil-

liams, co-chair of MHEC’s Presidential Steering Committee on Transfer Student Success, emphasized the educational possibilities that could be expanded by this collaborative effort.

“Community college students in Maryland have tremendous potential. By uniting under one statewide strategy, we will ensure that students from diverse backgrounds and experiences have the support they need to thrive at the four-year level and earn the degrees that allow them to stay and work in good jobs right here in Maryland,” said Dr. Williams.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY, PCS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Armed Security Services

Community College Preparatory Academy is seeking proposals from individuals or companies to provide Armed Security Services for the 2025-2026 school year.

To request a full copy of the RFP, please email accounting@ccprep-academy.org

Bids that do not address all areas as outlined in the RFP or bids received past the deadline will not be considered.

Send proposal by 12:00 pm, June 15, 2025, via email to accounting@ccprep-academy.org

For additional information, please contact: Larry Palmer

Community College Preparatory Academy, PCS 1801 U Street SE, Washington, DC 20020

Larry.Palmer@ccprep-academy.org

5Several lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, are requesting Education Secretary Linda McMahon reallocate funds to Maryland schools. (WI File Photo)

5Students at Prince George’s Community College’s May 2024 commencement. The Maryland Higher Education Commission and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program are coordinating efforts for a new program that works to boost educational and career opportunities for community college students.(WI File Photo)

Lawrence Di Rita President, Bank of America Greater Washington D.C.

May: A Month of Celebrating Women and Men in the Military

Ever since Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999, people around the nation have used the observance to honor those who have formerly and are currently serving in the military.

While the end of May’s Memorial Day holiday remembers the sacrifices and services of those who died serving in the armed forces, the entire month marks several other military anniversaries and events, including Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Armed Forces Day.

“Each of these days has a distinct and well-deserved focus. But they all share in common real human stories of sacrifice and service,” said Admiral Mike Mullen, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007-2011, in a May 2011 address. “Through these personal stories, we can hear the testimonies of those – present and past – who have given so much of themselves, including those who have given all.

Military Appreciation Month plays a vital role in promoting awareness and understanding of

the challenges faced by the military community year-round. It provides a platform for education and dialogue about the experiences of service members, veterans, and their families.

During Military Appreciation Month, Americans can honor veterans by recognizing their service and sacrifices through meaningful gestures, such as attending local ceremonies, volunteering with veterans’ organizations, or simply expressing gratitude in person or through letters.

Supporting veteran-owned businesses, donating to charities that assist former service members, and educating younger generations about the importance of military service are also meaningful ways to show appreciation.

These actions foster more profound national respect and ensure that veterans’ contributions are remembered, celebrated, and supported throughout the year.

Not just in May, but yearround, The Washington Informer thanks all Americans

who have served in the military, and, with profound gratitude, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Further, May and Memorial Day weekend serves as a reminder for all Americans to tap into their bravery and work toward freedom, equity, and justice for all.

“The Americans who rest beneath these beautiful hills, and in sacred ground across our country and around the world, they are why our nation endures. Each simple stone marker, arranged in perfect military precision, signifies the cost of our blessings. It is a debt we can never fully repay, but it is a debt we will never stop trying to fully repay,” said former President Barack Obama in an address at Arlington National Cemetery. “By remaining a nation worthy of their sacrifice. By living our own lives the way the fallen lived theirs— a testament that “Greater love has no other than this, than to lay down your life for your friends.” WI

Five Years Later: Breathing Life into George Floyd’s Legacy

Five years after the reckless murder of George Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer, Black America continues to reckon with the nation’s enduring denial of racial injustice and inequality.

Thanks to the bravery of a teenage bystander who recorded Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly 10 minutes, the world witnessed the horrific murder that ultimately led to Chauvin’s conviction.

Some might hesitate to compare Floyd’s death to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ or the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—acts of violence few witnessed in real time but that sparked global reverberations. Yet Floyd’s murder, viewed worldwide, similarly ignited an outcry that momentarily disrupted discriminatory systems and

inspired people to confront their own complicity in racism.

His death unified millions, gave voice to the voiceless, and opened long-shut doors to economic resources and opportunities for Black-owned institutions.

Floyd’s final plea—“I can’t breathe”—echoed the long-standing pain of Black America. That cry, amplified through protests and policies, could no longer be ignored.

But five years later—and even in the last five months—Black America’s voice is again being silenced. The knee is back.

Still, as Dr. King reminded us in his final speech, “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope,” Black America still dares to dream. Further, hope, through

adversity, endures.

Let us not forget George Floyd’s legacy. Let us breathe life into our families, our communities, and this nation with a force that sustains lasting, positive change. WI

TO THE EDITOR

I’m undone that the Trump Administration has removed the trailblazing Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, from her post. We all see what this is, and it is a shame! Just my opinion.

Jennifer Adams Washington, D.C.

What a beautiful issue filled with fantastic photos and great stories! As always, I appreciate what you all do for our community, showing us in a positive light.

Brenda Laney Washington, D.C.

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

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

Topsy-Turvy Toxic Policy — Oppressed South Africans?

Critical thinking has taken a leave of absence. Reality is unreal. History is inverted, so the villains become the victims, and the victims the villains. Shakespeare captured it in “Macbeth” when the witches say, “fair is foul, and foul is fair.” Sounds like the policies that emanate from this 47th president.

I could write treatises about the illegality and illegitimacies of this pres-

ident’s policies, and many of them — the arrest of Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka; the precipitous firing of Library of Congress leader Carla Hayden, just the latest, but so many breaches of decency and protocol. This president does not care about decency, nor about protocol. And clearly, with his amusing executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” he neither cares about truth or history. It is the executive order – not a law, not enforceable, but simple rhetoric that has both sparked lawsuits and caused museum executives to return historic

items to their donors.

I never thought anyone would make me long for former President George W. Bush. We used to joke about how little he must have read, when we spied him reading the upside down comic book after September 11. But whatever he read, he had enough sense to help establish the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He had enough sense to increase U.S. assistance to Africa through HIV global funding, economic development assistance through the African Growth and Development Act and other legislation.

He had enough sense to meet with 35 African heads of state, including, in 2001, South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki. I wonder, today, what the two presidents talked about when they met. I am certain they did not talk about the way Afrikaners who colonized South Africa and exploited its Black natives were “oppressed.”

Our current president does not value history, though. He makes it up as he goes along, and he has an unfortunate coterie of power hungry sycophants who know better but muffle themselves for fear of being exiled from their

Keys of the Constitution: Checks and Balances Are Supposed to Protect Us All

Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises”

Note use of derogatory language and slurs in this editorial - “n - - - - ” “f

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Two ways: gradually and then suddenly.” “What brought it on?” Bill asked. “Friends,” said Mike. “I had a lot of friends. False friends.” — Ernest

In many corners of the world, America is seen and respected as the greatest nation in the world. That level of respect doesn’t come only from being a nuclear or military power. Nor does it only come from its high political standing on the world stage. The respect, particularly in isolated parts of the world, comes from its commitment and concern for helping and improv-

The United States Constitution is a very interesting and powerful document. There have been some very harsh critiques of the Constitution and many of them are well deserved. However, in the context of governing, it is a brilliantly designed and well-written document. The Constitution created an indirect democratic republic. It allows citizens to vote for representatives who are supposed to make decisions, policies and laws

based upon the interests of those they represent. The framers of the Constitution created three coequal branches of government: the legislative (lawmaking), executive (law enforcing) and judiciary (law interpreting) – a unique structure of government known as the separation of powers. Each branch is constitutionally obligated to operate as an independent element within its own delineated sphere of power. Even though the branches are co-equal, the legislative branch is considered the most important.

It is the first of the three listed and is considered to be the branch of government that is closest to “We the People.”

The other unique element of this constitutional structure is called checks and balances. James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 51, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Like overlapping or concentric circles, the individual branches of government are granted specific powers. They are designed to check the powers of the other branches, preventing no one

David W. Marshall

ing the welfare of easily forgotten and ignored people.

It comes from its work in alleviating the suffering of those facing food and water shortages, malnutrition, lack of disease detection and treatment resources, and lack of vital public health services. It comes from its humanitarian work to maintain human dignity by ensuring that people have access to basic needs while being treated with respect. America is respected worldwide as a compassionate nation because of the lives saved each year. It is this compassion as a nation that

makes America great.

For years, according to PBS News reporting, the United States Agency for International Development was the backbone of the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, helping nongovernment organizations provide food, shelter and health care to millions of people. Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall assistance worldwide. Programs serving children were devastated. Globally, 50% of the therapeutic foods for treating malnutrition in

children were funded by USAID, and 40% of the supplies were produced in the United States, according to Shawn Baker, chief program officer at Helen Keller International and former chief nutritionist at USAID. Baker noted that the consequence could be 1 million children not receiving treatment for severe malnutrition. As a result, this could lead to 163,500 additional deaths per year. For Helen Keller International, its programs in Bangladesh, Nepal and Nigeria have all been terminated. How can America be so compassionate on one side and

lying leader. So White South Africans, the oppressive Afrikaners who exploited Black labor for generations (hello, Mississippi), are now feeling “discriminated against” because the new South African constitution allows people to take back some of the land that was stolen from them.

Inversive thinking. Down is up and up is down. A president who says he wants to eliminate “fraud, waste and abuse” sent a plane to pick up “oppressed” South African land barons,

branch from accumulating excessive power over the others.

This structure was a great idea in theory and has worked fairly well for approximately the first 220 of the past 237 years since the Constitution was ratified. For the sake of this analysis, I will use Republicans’ reaction to the election of former President Barack Obama as the beginning of the slow failure of America’s representative democracy.

then so cruel on the other?

This high level of cruelty is not new. It gets contained at times, but now it is unleashed relentlessly thanks to the rise in political power of the MAGA base and its elected lawmakers. Therefore, we must see them for who they are. MAGA’s base today is mostly rural white men and women who are a modern-day extension of the Confederacy and Jim Crow philosophy. Philosophically, they are aligned with the same individuals who committed

Wilmer Leon

The Heritage Foundation is the True Public Enemy

Guest Columnist

Guest Columnist

George Floyd Five Years Later: Was It

Policing for Safe Communities, June 16, 2020

“All Americans are entitled to live with the confidence that the law enforcement officers and agencies in their communities will live up to our Nation’s founding ideals and will protect the rights of all persons. Particularly in African-American communities, we must redouble our efforts as a Nation to swiftly address instances of misconduct.”

— Presidential Executive Order on Safe

None of us can forget the moment we saw the murder of George Floyd unfolding before our very eyes.

The sight of a white officer’s knee squeezing the life from a helpless Black man in handcuffs as he begged for mercy shocked the nation — a nation that had already seen police kill at least 17 other unarmed Black people just five months into the year.

I know what I felt at the time, and I’m sure you know how you felt. But

Does He Know the Laws?

served him, not the people, allowing him to disobey with impunity.

a Moment or a

let me share the immediate reaction of someone else:

“It should never happen, should never be allowed to happen, a thing like that. I understand the hurt. I understand the pain. The family of George is entitled to justice, and the people of Minnesota are entitled to live in safety ... Americans will honor the memory of George and the Floyd family ... It’s a horrible, horrible situation.”

Those were the words of President Donald Trump.

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, President Trump issued an

Movement?

executive order to reform policing. It included a directive to create a publicly searchable database of substantiated misconduct and excessive force claims against federal police officers. It tightened use-of-force rules, banned chokeholds and encouraged law enforcement to better address the needs of vulnerable populations.

Five years later, with Trump once again in the Oval Office, that commitment to accountability not only has dried up, but reversed itself with a vengeance. Last month he issued an executive order to “unleash” violent police,

and his supporters are urging him to pardon George Floyd’s murderer.

At this critical moment, the nation must ask itself the essential question: Did we seize the moment to build a lasting movement, or did we squander the chance for transformative change?

The National Urban League’s new report, “George Floyd Five Years Later: Was It A Moment, Or A Movement?” examines the ways in which government, institutions, advocates and the business community mobilized in the

I’ve come to wonder: Is it a requirement — or even a basic expectation — for someone running for public office in the United States to know what the laws of that position actually require? Ever since the orange man began operating our government with seemingly no knowledge of the laws — or worse, no interest in following them — those working for the would-be king have

Now, he’s wasting taxpayer dollars investigating former FBI Director James Comey over an Instagram post with the numbers 8647. Yes, an Instagram post. He’s throwing resources at trying to prove criminal intent based on that?

Meanwhile, he’s calling Comey a “dirty cop,” while Comey once accurately compared the orange man to a mafia boss. You decide which label fits which man better. Frankly, if the orange man were a cop, both terms might apply. The way he governs, it wouldn’t be a

stretch. Sadly, I believe the wrong person is being interviewed by the Secret Service.

His latest tax bill failed in the Budget Committee. No worries — the committee says they’ll try again on Sunday. That gives the orange man just enough time to return from his latest mischief-making trip in the Middle East. Then he’ll do what he does best: twist arms and bully his GOP dissenters. It seems some of those GOP hardliners are waking up to the fact that everything he’s pushing on the budget isn’t working. Or maybe — just maybe — they

realize an election is coming, and their constituents won’t support budget cuts that hurt them.

Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana claims the objective is to extend tax cuts. Beyond that, I doubt many people can understand what he’s saying. I’m from Louisiana, and I still can’t figure out how he got elected to such an important position. A lot of what he says makes no sense. I often wonder if using his teeth might help us understand him better!

Meanwhile, the orange man is once again violating court orders and disre-

Cutting Energy Star Hurts Americans — And Helps No One But Polluters

“Look for the Energy Star.” Most Americans know that is excellent advice to anyone appliance shopping. That little blue label saves American consumers roughly $40 billion a year in energy costs every year.

With the program’s modest price tag — less than 1% of the EPA’s total spending — Americans save a whopping $1,250 for every single dollar

spent on Energy Star. And Americans know that little blue symbol means less wasted energy and cleaner air. It helps families stretch their paychecks and do right by the planet at the same time.

Since the Energy Star public-private partnership began in 1992, it has helped save American households and businesses more than $500 billion on energy costs. It has reduced more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (roughly the equivalent of annual pollution from 933 million cars). And it has done so while

empowering consumers with better information — not by taking anything away. What that looks like at the local level is homes and businesses in a large city like Chicago saving $116.6 million a year in energy costs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 539,500 metric tons.

Now, Donald Trump wants to get rid of it. Virtually no one thinks that would be wise.

In March, a large group of manufacturers and industry associations joined a letter calling on Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zel-

din to keep the popular EPA program. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and others said, “eliminating [Energy Star] will not serve the American people,” and they pointed out that because of consumers’ high awareness of the program — to the tune of 90% brand awareness — the results if it is eliminated would be “decreased features, functionality, performance, or increased costs” of appliances.

Energy Star certified homes typically save around $450 per year on

garding our laws — this time by trying to deport immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act. What he’s doing has been called a horrific abuse of presidential power. Why would he care? He keeps breaking laws and getting away with it. He thrives on doing the wrong thing. Judges keep letting him slide. And when it comes to human rights, he clearly couldn’t care less. Ask his own family. His niece and nephew have warned us again and again about who he really is. They’ve lived it.

WILLIAMS Page 54

energy bills. In 2020 alone, the program’s emissions reductions amounted to more than 5% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. That year, the program’s energy savings also improved health outcomes for communities by preventing 210,000 tons each of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollutants, and 20,000 tons of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The public health benefits from those reductions in air pollution were estimated to be as high as $17 billion!

JEALOUS Page 54

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

Marc H. Morial

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend, from cartoon revivals and art tours, to historical recounts of the struggle for educational justice in Black America.

Plus, wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month with practical strategies to support Black men facing trauma.

To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar!

THURSDAY, MAY 22

Resilient Roots: Strategies for Healing Trauma in Black Men

10 a.m. - Noon | $45.00 Howard University, 2400 6th St NW, Washington, D.C., 20059

With a focus on empowerment, healing, and strength-based techniques, this Resilient Roots program offers actionable methods to build trust, deepen therapeutic connections, and enhance support in clinical practice.

Training provides social work professionals with practical tools to support Black men facing trauma through a culturally grounded approach, while participants will examine the effects of racial trauma, systemic barriers, and societal pressures on mental health and well-being.

Meanwhile, the workshop highlights strategies for fostering resilience, strengthening coping skills, and applying interventions that reflect the lived experiences of Black men.

The Battle for the Black Mind

7 p.m. | Free Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20008

“The Battle for the Black Mind,” written by NAACP Image Award-winning author Karida L. Brown, is an explosive historical account of the struggle for educational justice in America.

Drawing on more than a decade of archival research, personal reflection, and keen sociological insight, this book traces a century of segregated schooling, examining how early efforts to control Black minds through education systems has laid the foundation for the systemic inequities we still live with today.

From the founding of early historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), to the rise of the Black freedom struggle, “The Battle for the Black Mind” weaves together the stories of pioneering Black leaders and the institutions they built to educate future generations.

Brown will be in conversation with Dr. David J. Johns, the chief executive officer and executive director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC).

This event is first come, first served seating.

FRIDAY, MAY 23

Tours | The Art of Women Noon - 1 p.m. | Free National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Join the National Museum of Asian Art for a docent-led tour highlighting women’s untold sto-

Washington Informer)

ries in the art world, where their contributions have frequently been overshadowed. Discover the importance of women artists, subjects, patrons, and collectors who’ve shaped history.

Celebrate women’s creativity and resilience by exploring captivating narratives that include inspirational subjects, ruling monarchs, and revered figures of divinity.

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits Vol. II 12:30 p.m. | $8.00, Free for children 12 and under AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

A pioneer in the field of animation, Max Fleischer pushed the boundaries of surreal, rubber-hose artistry and developed groundbreaking techniques such as the Rotoscope, the Stereoptical Process and early synchronized sound animation.

Now, thanks to the magic of digital restoration, participants can embark on an unforgettable journey through animation history from the legendary Fleischer Studios, featuring iconic characters like Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, Popeye, Superman and more — all brought back to life in stunning 4K restorations presented on the big screen!

SATURDAY, MAY 24

Heart of the City Championship Fight Nights

2 p.m. - 7 p.m. | $35.00+

The Old Autozone, 1207 H St NE, Washington, D.C., 20002

Heart of the City Candles is proud to partner with 2 Fly Boxing Club to present the Heart of the City Championship Fight Night, an electrifying amateur boxing match to raise funds for D.C. youth boxers on their journey to the 2025 Junior Olympics.

This event, sanctioned by USA Boxing, will provide local athletes with the opportunity to showcase their skills, engage with the community, and gain the financial support needed to compete at the national level.

Feel the Pulse: Field Day Experience

3 p.m. | Free before 6 pm Arlington Beer Garden, 3217 10th St N, Arlington, VA 22201

Enjoy Happy Hour 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. with $8 Mimosas and $10 Rum Punch, and transcend to the days of what summer used to feel like before the realities of today.

It’s a backyard jam with an eclectic music policy, food trucks, games, and more; we have the best DJs for afrobeats, soca, amapiano, hip-hop, R&B, reggae, dancehall, and more.

Where music, sunlight, and

good energy come together in one unforgettable outdoor space!

SUNDAY, MAY 25

Putt Across America

10 a.m. | $25.00+

The Wharf, 600 Water St SW, Washington, D.C., 20024

From tee to shining tee...Putt Across America is an immersive mini golf experience for all ages. Guests will putt their way through 18 larger-than-life holes, traveling from New York to Seattle, Hollywood to Hawaii, and more, including plummeting over Niagara Falls, partying down Bourbon Street, and winning the jackpot on the Las Vegas Strip.

Putt Across America blends a playful design with entertaining statethemed trivia and engaging fun facts as players drive through the course.

Carnival at the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company

5 p.m. | TBD

Odenton Volunteer Fire Company, 1425 Annapolis Rd, Odenton, MD 21113

Set your calendar and enjoy the last day of the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company‘s annual carnival, an annual tradition promising thrilling rides, tasty treats, games, and fun for the whole family!

This year’s event will also feature a Memorial Day ceremony by the Honor Guard. Don’t miss out on a day of unforgettable fun! WI

5Heart of the City Candles is partnering with 2 Fly Boxing Club to present the Heart of the City Championship Fight Night on May 24, an electrifying amateur boxing match to raise funds for D.C. youth boxers on their journey to the 2025 Junior Olympics. (Demarco Rush/The

from Page 4

McCray said the defense is leaning into that public perception.

“They’ve admitted he was abusive,” she said, “but they’re asking: ‘Does that rise to the level of sex trafficking and racketeering?’”

She noted that the prosecution appears to be laying groundwork to show a larger system of exploitation. “

“We’re only scratching the surface of what could be a much bigger enterprise,” McCray explained, adding that more charges against others could come depending on the outcome of this case.

McCray also addressed the makeup of the jury—12 highly educated individuals, including biochemists and scientists.

“It raises the bar,” she said. “This jury isn’t going to be easily swayed by headlines or emotion. They’re going to want the details, the logic, the facts.”

THE WEIGHT OF CASSIE’S TESTIMONY: A PREGNANT VENTU-

TAKES THE STAND

The highly publicized relationship between Ventura and Combs, including the widely spread video showing him violently attacking her, is back in the public light now that the ex-girlfriend has taken the stand.

“Cassie is so strong,” one social me-

Both companies confirmed the funds covered staff and production costs, not personal payments.

Oprah addressed the issue directly.

“I did not receive any personal fee,” she wrote online. “However, the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.”

Knowles Carter’s mother, Tina Knowles, also publicly defended her daughter, calling the rumors “fake news” and stating unequivocally:

“She did not receive a penny.”

Still, Trump appears determined to weaponize the Department of Justice against entertainers who oppose him.

“At 1:34 a.m., Trump called for DOJ to investigate Kamala Harris, Beyoncé, Springsteen, Oprah, and others for crimes,” said Ron Filipkowski, editor of MeidasTouch.com.

“Then he made another deranged post about it at 9:11 AM.”

dia user wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), speaking of the singer, who is now married to Alex Fine and a mom of two with a third on the way.

“Being eight months pregnant testifying on the stand against her abuser of 10 years is not as easy [as] some people think.”

Ventura’s honesty about cheating, drug use, and returning to Combs— details the defense is expected to use against her—could benefit the prosecution, McCray said, because they were introduced with transparency.

“If the prosecution had hidden those things, the defense would’ve used that against them. But they didn’t,” she noted. “They’re showing the full complexity of her experience.”

She also explained that Ventura’s $20 million civil settlement with Combs doesn’t prevent her testimony.

“Two different cases,” McCray said. “She settled a civil suit, but criminal charges are a different matter. The charges are serious enough that she couldn’t be barred from testifying, even if he wanted to.”

Some have questioned whether Ventura’s testimony—while heavily pregnant and emotionally exposed— is helping or harming her.

“It’s retraumatizing,” McCray said. “There’s no doubt. But there may also be catharsis in seeing someone who harmed you be held accountable.”

Still, McCray said, Ventura is opening herself up to brutal judgment. “This is why so many victims stay silent.”

Critics say the president’s obsession with silencing his critics has become more than a personality trait—it’s a strategy.

“Trump isn’t threatening Beyoncé, Springsteen, Bono, and Oprah because he expects them to be charged with anything,” said Navy veteran Jared Ryan Sears. “He is threatening them to intimidate others from speaking up or supporting his opposition. That is because Trump fears your voice; he fears the power of the people.”

Fox News contributor and host Jessica Tarlov explained Trump’s early morning social media posts as a distraction.

“Donald Trump spent the night ranting about investigating Beyoncé so that you would forget that House Republicans just moved a bill forward that would cut Medicaid,” Tarlov said. “Don’t let them get away with it.”

Asked whether Combs might testify, McCray said it would be risky but powerful.

“He’s a celebrity. He’s charming. If anyone can sell himself, it’s him,” she noted. “But it’s a gamble.”

And while many are fixated on the salacious details—so-called “freakoffs,” escort services, and private humiliations—McCray cautioned that these allegations expose deeper questions about power in the entertainment industry.

“We’ve heard for decades about how shady the music business can be,” she said. “But now we’re being forced to look at who’s been protected—and at whose expense.”

McCray said the most important takeaway may be what happens next in the court of public opinion.

“Viewers shape culture. How we talk about this, what we post, what we laugh at—it matters,” she said. “Survivors are watching. People in our lives who are quietly suffering are watching. And how we talk about them may decide if they ever speak.”

June 17-22 ONLY!

5 Cassie Ventura’s graphic and emotional testimony in the federal sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs (pictured) is igniting headlines, debate, and controversy. (WI File Photo)

HOT TOPICS from Page 4

Helen Hayes Honors Barrier-Breaking Actor, D.C. Native Robert Hooks

Actor Talks Artivism, Career, Offers Call to Action

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

For actor and native Washingtonian Robert Hooks, the arts have not only been a form of entertainment, but activism.

Inspired by artists of the Harlem Renaissance, legendary artivist (artist and activist) Paul Robeson, and civil rights icon the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Hooks—the 2025 Helen Hayes Tribute awardee— has dedicated his career to effecting change through theatre, television, film and great vision.

“I was tremendously thrilled when Martin Luther King… came to see me in a play off Broadway called ‘The Blacks.’ And this is during the Civil Rights Movement, when the leaders would come into New York to raise money for their work down south,” he told The Informer, adding that he, King, and his wife Coretta Scott King went to dinner afterwards.

That dinner at the Arcadia in New York turned out to be more than an average post-theatre debrief, it was a life-changing moment.

“I was kind of nervous, needless to say… and I said, ‘I don’t know what my feelings are like, Martin, because we’re up here on stage doing theater and things, and you’re down south, walking and protesting and demonstrating and things like that,’” Hooks told The Informer. “[King] said, ‘Hold on…. What we saw tonight, what you all are doing on the stage is just as important, because it’s for the community. It’s to influence and to keep the community aware of Black stories and Black characters.’”

King’s words ignited an everlasting flame of artivism for Hooks.

“He encouraged me to keep doing what we were doing,” Hooks, 88, said, “and that was just all the inspiration I needed.”

Hooks, a groundbreaking artist

and founder of New York’s Negro Ensmeble Company and DC Black Repertory Company, has spent his entire career working to expose African Americans to the power of theatre in the District and nationwide.

“Robert Hooks is the touchstone for Black theatre in D.C.,” said Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, founder of the Helen Hayes Awards, in a statement.

From beginning Group Theatre Workshop with young neighborhood kids in New York City who were interested in dabbling into acting, to his efforts to make theatre more accessible, all the while starring in roles across stage, television and film, Hooks has unapologetically pushed for equity, justice and a better nation and world throughout his celebrated career.

Even when starting DC Black Repertory at the old site of The Last Colony, a former movie theatre located in Northwest, D.C. on Georgia Avenue and Farragut Street, he turned down the opportunity to hold performances in some of the city’s most premier locations. For the native Washingtonian, bringing the arts to the Black community as a form of empowerment has always been the major goal.

“An old movie house, and we made it something special for the

Black community,” Hooks declared. “And I remember Zelda Fichhandler offering me a space at the Arena Stage down in Southwest, and at the time, Sammy Davis Jr. had one of the theaters over in downtown Washington, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted our location to be in the community, and I think all of that served to help.”

BARRIER-BREAKING

ARTIVIST: FROM THE STAGE, TO THE SET, TO THE STREETS

As Hooks’ celebrity continued to rise, so did the momentum in the fight for civil rights.

While he didn’t get to chat with King personally at the 1963 March on Washington, he was proudly present, and worked to use his career to fight for justice. By the time King was killed in April 1968, Hooks had already started Negro Ensemble Company in New York and become the first Black man to star in a television drama with “N.Y.P.D.”

Despite being famous and working in New York City, Hooks got a call from famed WOL radio host Petey Green asking him to come home after the news of King’s assassination broke.

HOOKS Page 36

Hooks told The Informer: “[King] said, ‘Hold on…. What we saw tonight, what you all are doing on the stage is just as important, because it’s for the community. It’s to influence and to keep the community aware of Black stories and Black characters.’”

5 Actor Robert Hooks, founder of the DC Black Repertory, is the 2025 Helen Hayes Tribute awardee. (Courtesy Photo/Robert Hooks, Instagram)

We’re proud to support the people, businesses and neighborhoods of Greater D.C. for over 50 years. Together, we’re helping create a stronger, more inclusive economy for generations to come.

LIFESTYLE

HOOKS from Page 34

“There were riots all over the country. There are 100 plus riots all over the country… and I got a call from Petey, because people were in the streets. They were burning the city down,” said Hooks.

Green then passed the phone to then Mayor-Commissioner Walter Washington, who became the first African American mayor of a major city in 1975, and D.C.’s first popularly elected mayor since 1871.

“He said, ‘Mr. Hooks, they’re burning your city to the ground. Could you just come and walk the streets with us?’ Well, the next day, I got my ‘N.Y.P.D.’ producers to just write around me. I got on the train and I went down to Washington, and I did not believe my eyes,” he told The Informer. “And yes, I walked the streets. I even walked in my old neighborhood, and did see some of my old friends, and we just tried to get people to go back and just get off the streets.”

Going back home after the 1968 riots was another turning point for the artist.

“I was just tremendously emotional about the experience of going there and doing that,” Hooks said. “And then the next morning, I had to go back to New York to work, and as I’m on the train, I’m thinking, ‘What can I do to heal my city?’”

He realized how successful Negro Ensemble Company had been in New York City and wanted to bring that theatrical fervor to District communities.

“Black folks that had never been to the theater in their lives became regular patrons of our plays, and I saw how the Negro

“I was just so moved with being able to go back and do something important to heal this riot-torn city of mine that I love dearly, and that was the reasonI came back to D.C., and the rest is history.”

Ensemble Company experience brought people together— folks that had never seen a play, but then folks that had seen plays, this all happened in the St Mark’s Playhouse under one roof,” he explained. “And I said, something like that can happen in Washington, D.C.”

Hooks asked his co-founders to take some time off to bring a Black theatre company to the nation’s capital. Soon DC Black Repertory Company was born.

“I was just so moved with being able to go back and do something important to heal this riot-torn city of mine that I love dearly,” he said, “and that was the reason I came back to D.C., and the rest is history.”

SIGNIFICANCE OF HELEN HAYES AWARD

Held at The Anthem on The Wharf on May 19, the 41st Helen Hayes Awards will celebrate the work of more than 200 theatre-makers, the District’s robust and diverse theatre industry, and the thought-provoking, inspiring and unifying nature of the arts.

its doors to all races,” Nelson Schwartz, founder of the annual awards, emphasized. “Bobby’s dream has taken root and lives on in our vibrant and diverse theatre community.”

As the 2025 Helen Hayes Tribute awardee, Hooks is not only humbled to be recognized for his contributions in the arts, but to come back home. The entire moment will be full circle for the octogenarian.

“I’m truly honored and thrilled that they’ve given me this award. Helen Hayes is one of my favorite people.... She’s one of the greats,” Hooks said. “I’m pleased to be able to be there and accept it and it’s just thrilling because it’s all happening in my hometown.”

For Hooks, who now lives in Los Angeles, returning to D.C. will also be a moment to take in how the city has changed, such as checking out the awards venue, located in a neighborhood that he used to frequent.

Particularly in this era of division in the nation, Helen Hayes— one of Theatre Washington’s core programs— honors how theatre brings people together and can promote peace and positive progress.

“The arts bring us together; they are a vehicle for shared experience, understanding and empathy, and the evening recognizes D.C. theatre’s impact on our community,” said Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, which collaborates with local organizations to support the awards and other District professional theatre efforts.

“Now, more than ever, we need to celebrate theatre-makers and acknowledge diverse voices and contributions.”

As a career-long artivist and founder of DC Black Repertory, Hooks’ decades of work is closely aligned with the mission of the Helen Hayes Awards.

“With the DC Black Repertory Theatre, he created the beginnings of a Black community of theatre artists, musicians, designers and educators and opened

“When I was a kid, I used to go to the wharf, and we used to go get baskets of crabs and bring them back, and we’d go back and eat crabs,” he told The Informer. “We spent weekends at the wharf, but it’s not the wharf that I used to know.”

HOOKS OFFERS CALL TO ACTION

At 88, Hooks is happy with all he’s accomplished in his long career, including an NAACP Image Award and this recent Helen Hayes honor.

Now, he’s looking to the next generation of theatre-makers to take the charge in using the arts to effect change.

“I’ve done what I’ve done,” he told The Informer. “I won’t be starting any theatre companies, that’s for sure.“

While he’s not interested in creating or running a new theatre, he does look to other artists to one day help one of his major goals become a reality.

”My dream is to see, in every major city in the United States, a Black theatre,” he said. WI

Native Washingtonian and actor Robert Hooks is the 2025 Helen Hayes Tribute awardee. (Courtesy Photo/ Robert Hooks, Instagram)

It’s fun to play in water, whether at a pool, beach, lake, river or water park, but it is important to know your limits and stay safe. Remember, drowning can occur in less than two minutes.

Swimming Pool Safety Rules

Put a check mark next to the rules that make swimming in a pool safer. Cross out rules that do not make pools safer.

Never go in the water alone. Always be sure an adult who can swim is watching you.

Do not depend on in atable toys or water wings to keep your head above water.

Dive only from a diving board, not the side of the pool.

Don’t crawl or walk on a pool cover.

Stay in the shallow end of the pool if you are not a strong swimmer.

ANSWER: Did you check them all? Great job!

National Safe Boating Week is in May. If you’re going to be enjoying boating, be sure to check out the great info and activities at safeboatingcampaign.com

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

Find these things hiding in this picture: a banana, a house, a crayon, a sh, a surfboard and a dinosaur

After nding the hidden pictures, sort each object by the number of syllables.

Look through the newspaper to find: A photo that shows a pool, lake or ocean. Something that helps you stay cool in the summer. Something that floats in the water.

Water Journal

Clip and collect articles about creeks, rivers, lakes and all kinds of water. Make lists of people, agencies and places that appear in the articles. What are the main topics of discussion or issues about water in your newspaper?

Link: History/Social Science: Understanding environmental issues in the local community.

review wi book

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

MAY 22 - 28, 2025

c.2025, Amistad

$19.99

288 page

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Mom never had to worry.

After she reminded you to look out for your siblings, she didn’t have to tell you again. From then on, you had one another’s backs, you were a team that nobody messed with. And all these years later, today, you still watch out for them because, in your house and in “Blair Underwood Presents Sins of Survivors,” by Joe McClean, family comes first.

Every now and then, Benjamin Carter woke up, remembering.

He was a youngster when white men killed his father in a way that still caused the nightmares. It’d been decades since then, decades since his oldest brother, Jasper, took charge and moved Benjamin, their sister, and their half-brother away from Alabama to the safety of Ohio, then to Detroit. Decades, but the memories never went away.

Still, Benjamin and Jasper had done well for themselves. It was 1937, the Detroit suburb of Black Bottom was mostly thriving despite hard times, and the Carter brothers were important men in the areas of business, industry and entertainment.

As long as they paid the bribes required to the police force and to the other powerful organized crime groups that ruled the Black Bottom section of Detroit, there’d be no trouble. As long as Benjamin’s sons and Jasper’s children could keep the family businesses running smoothly, everything was good.

Still, there was trouble. Tensions were heating up between the automakers and the unions, and Benjamin’s connections with corrupt politicians were complicated by racism and grift from outside forces. His son, the one who ran the Carter brother’s most profitable business, a night club, was involved with a Russian prostitute at a brothel run by a woman who Benjamin didn’t want to admit was his cousin. His youngest son was a dreamer. His daughter was fast becoming invested in women’s rights. And it was possible that his half-brother, Lance, a man Benjamin hated, might not be on the Carter brother’s side …

Starting about 30 pages in, “Sins of Survivors” is rough. There are way too many characters in it — some come and go on a page and never return — and there are large chunks of book in which you may not completely know what’s going on. It’s a struggle.

That doesn’t mean that it’s a total waste of your time, though.

As the screenwriter-director that he is, author Joe McClean offers an action-packed story that’s based in part on real history, with touches of crime and corruption that will appeal to readers of 1930s-type noir fiction or fans of the Francis Ford Coppola trilogy. The side stories in which the Carter brothers’ children partake is a nice touch, too, because plot threads like those don’t often appear in gangster novels.

But do those good things overshadow the roughness? That’ll be determined by your need for clarity, because it’s not always here in this novel. “Blair Underwood Presents Sins of Survivors” isn’t all bad but it’s not a “Tennyson Hardwick” novel, if that’s what you want. Keep that in mind before you look out for it. WI

ARIES Collaborative projects gain unexpected momentum as Venus energizes your partnership sector, bringing innovative solutions when combining diverse perspectives with decisive action. Financial clarity emerges through systematic review when emotional attachments to outdated strategies are released. Lucky Numbers: 9, 18, 32

TAURUS Career advancements materialize as Jupiter expands your professional sector, bringing recognition through consistent quality that gradually transforms reputation rather than through dramatic gestures. Communication flows improve when technological tools align with natural thought processes. Lucky Numbers: 6, 15, 27

GEMINI Intellectual expansion accelerates as Mercury activates your knowledge sector, bringing breakthroughs when seemingly contradictory concepts reveal complementary truths upon deeper examination. Transportation efficiencies improve when routes adapt to energy levels rather than rigid schedules. Creative writing flows midweek when analytical filters temporarily suspend during initial drafts. Lucky Numbers: 3, 21, 33

CANCER Emotional intelligence creates practical advantages as the Moon illuminates your intuition sector, bringing solutions to logistical challenges when subtle feelings receive equal attention to obvious facts. Home organization projects succeed when sentimental attachments balance with functional needs. Family communications deepen midweek when storytelling replaces advice-giving. Lucky Numbers: 4, 17, 29

LEO Social connections create unexpected opportunities as the Sun energizes your community sector, bringing collaborative projects that transform casual conversations into structured initiatives. Artistic expressions gain depth when technical precision balances with emotional authenticity. Leadership approaches evolve midweek when delegation recognizes hidden talents within your team. Lucky Numbers: 1, 13, 31

VIRGO Domestic transformations support career goals as Saturn stabilizes your home sector, bringing productive routines through environmental adjustments that align physical spaces with professional objectives. Communication clarity improves when messages receive thoughtful structuring before delivery. Lucky Numbers: 5, 19, 36

LIBRA Communication breakthroughs resolve ongoing misunderstandings as Mercury enhances your expression sector, bringing connection through carefully chosen words that honor both facts and feelings. Aesthetic choices gain practical functionality when beauty and utility receive equal consideration. Lucky Numbers: 7, 22, 34

SCORPIO Resource management creates financial stability as Venus graces your abundance sector, bringing prosperity through recognizing value in overlooked assets rather than pursuing new acquisitions. Professional influence expands when quiet competence replaces forceful assertions. Lucky Numbers: 8, 20, 38

SAGITTARIUS Personal reinvention accelerates as Jupiter expands your identity sector, bringing confidence to embrace aspects of yourself previously unexplored or expressed. Travel experiences yield greater benefits when cultural immersion replaces tourist consumption. Relationship communications clarify midweek when listening receives greater emphasis than explaining. Lucky Numbers: 12, 24, 30

CAPRICORN Intuitive insights solve practical problems as Neptune harmonizes your subconscious sector, bringing solutions that emerge from meditative states when analytical approaches reach their limits. Professional negotiations succeed when patience allows optimal timing to reveal itself. Digital organization creates efficiency midweek when complex systems are simplified through intuitive categorization. Lucky Numbers: 2, 16, 28

AQUARIUS Community initiatives gain meaningful traction as Uranus activates your social sector, bringing collective progress through innovative approaches that transform theoretical models into practical applications. Remote collaboration tools yield unexpected benefits when technological limitations inspire creative workarounds. Lucky Numbers: 11, 23, 35

PISCES Career evolution aligns with authentic purpose as Pluto transforms your professional sector, bringing opportunities that honor your need to contribute meaningfully while receiving appropriate recognition. Creative projects thrive when emotional depth balances with structural clarity. Family relationships deepen midweek when ancestral patterns are recognized without being replicated. Lucky Numbers: 10, 25, 37

“Blair Underwood Presents Sins of Survivors” by Joe McClean

SPORTS

Heart of the City Championship Fight Night Aims to Highlight Local Boxing Talent

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer

This weekend, boxers from along the east coast will meet up in the ring for the Heart of the City Championship Fight Night, a USA Boxing-sanctioned amateur showcase taking place on Saturday, May 24 at the vacated AutoZone building on H Street NE.

The event, featuring 20 boxers, is sponsored by Heart of the City Candles and Build Our City DC,

Clark before Fever star Aliyah Boston intervened. Officials reviewed the play, upgraded Clark’s foul to a flagrant 1, and issued technical fouls to both Reese and Boston.

As boos rang out from the largely non-African-American crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Reese was targeted more aggressively—particularly during her free throws.

in partnership with 2 Fly Boxing Gym, and will also include a live DJ, concession stands and merchandise booths.

“This [event] that we’re doing is to raise funds for a couple of our fighters to attend the junior olympics in Las Vegas,” said Shadeed Ali, head coach at 2 Fly Boxing Gym.

More than a fundraiser, the event also seeks to highlight local boxing talent and showcase what can happen with an empty building and a lot of ingenuity.

The WNBA said it is investigating “allegations of hateful fan comments” directed at her during the game.

“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society,” the league said in a statement. “We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.”

Reese declined to speak to the

“This is bigger than boxing,” said Henry “Discombobulating” Jones, Hall of Fame boxing announcer.

media after the game and had no comment Sunday through a representative.

The confrontation—and the crowd’s reaction—quickly spilled into online discourse, with some defending Reese, while others amplified attacks.

Chicago Sky CEO and president Adam Fox fully supported Reese and welcomed the WNBA’s investigation.

“It’s about creating lanes of opportunity and hope for D.C.’s youth— and breathing new life into H Street

“We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players,” Fox said. “And we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players.”

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, who is married to a white woman, drew fire for a post accusing Reese of creating a hostile environment.

“Angel Reese said she is the villain, refused to answer questions about Caitlin Clark, and has celebrated flagrant fouls on Caitlin Clark,” Griffin said. “I’m not helping create anything. Angel Reese has fed into this with her actions. She needs to do better.”

Former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant fired back at Griffin.

“Both girls are good in their own right,” Bryant asserted. “Caitlin Clark is better than Angel Reese, but saying she hates her is wild. You are helping create a negative narrative around Angel Reese… and I don’t respect it, respectfully. You know this is tied into race.. and the way you’re playing it is wild. We gotta do better.”

by transforming a vacant space into a celebration of possibility.”

PREPARING FOR THE FIGHT NIGHT

The coaches have put the fighters through intense training to prepare for the showcase.

“We’re going to push,” said Trevon Wells, an assistant coach with 2 Fly Boxing. “We’re going to outwork the opponent.”

For Christopher Hart, a boxer competing in the fight night, it’s been a great deal of hard work leading up to the competition, but there have also been some major positives.

“[Training is] very hard,” he told The Informer, “but I still love it because I get to workout everyday with my friends.”

As many local boxers are preparing for Saturday’s matches, their hope is to defeat the competition, particularly those athletes coming from outside of the DMV.

“This is a hometown fight right here, I know it’s a man coming trying to beat me,” said boxer Delmar Jeter. “I’m not about to let you come into my gym and beat me… that’s never going to happen.”

For tickets and more information, visit washingtoninformerevents.com.

5The Heart of the City Championship Fight Night Press Conference took place on Tuesday, May 20 outside of Ben’s Chili Bowl in Washington, D.C. The upcoming amateur boxing match on Saturday will help to raise funds for D.C. youth boxers on their journey to the 2025 Junior Olympics. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

WNBA from Page 4

CAPTURE the moment

Anacostia Riverfest Brings Out Thousands in the Name of Art, Music and Family Fun

By Ja’Mon Jackson WI Staff Photographer

With live musical performances, historical exhibitions, and a curated marketplace, the 11th annual Anacostia River Festival on May 17 served as a tribute to the African Diaspora. As people flocked to Anacostia Park to celebrate the theme, “Sankofa on the River: Bridging Legacies,” the many cultures that shape the Black experience in Washington, D.C. were honored and uplifted, courtesy of event organizer 11th Street Bridge Park.

Children interacting with wildlife thanks to Earth Conservation Corps, a non-profit, youth development

5A father and daughter participating in the Think B4U Move Chess Challenge.

511th Street Bridge Park Deputy Director Jessica G. Smith Lennan.

5Go-Go Band TOB Experience performing during the Anacostia River Festival.

3D.C. resident Elijah (right) posing with his younger brother and mother.

3A young lady dancing and enjoying the sounds of TOB.

RELIGION

Black Women, Harnessing the Power of Prayer

How The Rev. Clarinda Burston White Grew Leads a Gathering of Women Using Prayer

By Rev. Dorothy 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).

Growing up a P.K. — preacher’s kid — Clarinda Burston White’s father, the Rev. Claverton Burston, pastor of Mt. Hattin Baptist Church in Baltimore, taught her the value of prayer at an early age. She relied on those lessons one day when she was around 8, and her mom refused to drive her to her nearby school.

“I was one of her lazy children. I didn’t want to walk,” recalled White, now a pastor herself. “I tried everything.”

But her mother would not budge. So young Clarinda stormed from the house, charged across the street without looking, and a car hit her, knocking her to the pavement.

Dazed and likely in shock, she

gathered herself, rushed to her parents’ bedroom, fell to her knees — and prayed.

“That was just a reaction that I had,” says White, pastor of Miracle Church of Baltimore. “My head was bleeding, but I prayed. That’s what I did, because that’s what I was taught: that when something happens, you pray.”

”I still have the scar on my forehead,” she says. “It’s a reminder that we should always pray,”

That notion is at the heart of “What Happens When Women Pray,” an annual international conference set for May 16 at DreamLife Worship Center in Randallstown, Maryland. Now in its 10th year, the conference draws attendees from as far away as Kenya to humble themselves and kneel together, physically or virtually.

”The whole thing is praying together, calling on God for the same thing at the same time with the same intent and purpose,” White says. “It makes all the difference in the world.”

It’s the latest step for White, who began her journey in ministry as a youth pastor in her father’s church. She then developed Stop the Madness — a citywide church-based organization intended to confront the violence that was rampant in Baltimore in the 1990s and early 2000s. Young people from churches around the city would come together, learn, laugh, worship and pray.

The program became a model for youth violence prevention programs in other cities.

Since then, White has authored two books, “Speak Life,” and “Power Packed Prayers: For Everyday,” and is a leader in the travel business. She has been a pastor for years, but prayer has maintained its place of priority in her heart.

Word in Black caught up with White just ahead of the conference to talk about her life, her career and the origins of the “What Happens When Women Pray” gathering. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity

Word In Black (WIB): I know you’ve been a lifelong intercessor, but how did this particular prayer ministry get started?

Clarinda Burston White (CBW): I was getting a lot of calls from different women, about different subjects, issues, abuse. Some of them were drug addicted. Some were having financial problems, marriage problems. And I felt that

needs of women. Last year we prayed for women who were incarcerated and away from their children.

This year we’re praying because there’s a lot that’s happening in the environment, in the atmosphere, so we’re praying for peace, personal peace. We also want to pray for peace in our nation, and pray for peace in the world.

We also have altar workers to assist with those who are ready to surrender their lives in the Lord and accept salvation. Clarifying their declaration and offering them information on area churches is their work during the prayer night.

women were really strongly in need of prayer. So the idea came to come together and pray together because there’s power and unity in prayer.

The first was at Garden of Prayer Baptist Church in May of 2015. And I realized that prayer is one of the great things women have in common. We pray for our children. We pray for our finances. We pray, but there’s power when you can unite with other women.

I didn’t realize until that night that this was something women in our city really needed and appreciated. So here we are 10 years later. We started with about 150 women and have 500 already registered for this year.

WIB: Is there any type of preparation for the actual prayer time?

CBW: For the thirty days preceding the conference, leaders, workers, registrants and volunteers are asked to fast in whatever way they’re led; and to pray the specific themes that will also serve as points of prayer when they gather.

You know, some of us are diabetics and can’t do total fasts, so we ask people to fast in whatever way God leads them.

WIB: So what does the actual night look like?

CBW: We start off with praise and worship, to set the atmosphere. We have five intercessors who pray on assigned topics. And those prayers are based upon the

We also have licensed therapists, we call them clinical intercessors, in prayer lines because sometimes we have people talking about committing suicide or being stuck in physically abusive relationships. At that point they need prayer, but they also need some type of clinical counseling.

WIB: I know there are many prayer victories. Can you share one or two?

CBW: We have testimony after testimony of how God worked mightily in their lives. I think something special happens when we pray in unity and the anointing is able to flow and we are able to really lay our issues right there on the altar without worrying about our makeup and hair and all of this, but just believing God for the same thing at the same time. It’s powerful.

My husband and I were married in 2021 and, after a threemonth honeymoon, he had a massive stroke. We were definitely shocked, but it also made us more determined to live the life of our dreams.

Our miracle began when during the second meeting of “What Happens When Men Pray,” the men gathered around him, so much that the crowd hid him with their numbers. The next day, we received the call; the kidney we had been waiting for, one we hadn’t expected for a long time because of his rare blood type, was waiting for us in Pittsburgh. It was a person to person donation which is also really rare.

He’s been steadily improving since that day and his doctors say he’s operating as if he were 30 years old.

5Clarinda Burston White grew up leaning on prayer, especially in moments of crisis. She’s now leading a gathering of women using prayer to change the world, and themselves. (Courtesy Photo)

This Memorial Day holiday, I’m feeling “some kind of way” with all of the books being removed, lesson plans being deleted about the plight of Black Americans, in an attempt to erase our Black history! Books are being banned, bank accounts frozen, existing museums being asked to remove Black history items from their walls. For example, an exhibit on the Black Power movement at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., was flagged for review on April 4, 2025. President Trump has said he will be reviewing Smithsonian exhibits for bias against American history.

One of my sorors, an adjunct professor, reminded us, “We still have plenty of history in the libraries of America. We just have to pick up more books and read!” Let’s keep reminding our children to read for themselves. They say, “reading is fundamental.” There is a lot of competition with cellphones and social media, but see that your children read books about our history. Since I was appointed as project director for the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation Inc., I choose to remind the public to remember the 209,145 Black soldiers including their white officers, these were the men who fought as part of the Union Army of the American Civil War.

For many years, Dr. Frank Smith has been my guest on “The Lyndia Grant Show” (Spirit 1340 WYCB, a Radio One station), talking about the history of the project and how the Spirit of Freedom Memorial is celebrated each year on the Sunday before the Memorial Day holiday. He shared with listeners how hundreds of Black motorcycle riders called Rolling Thunder show up for a short ceremony.

He said, “They come from across the nation, and the African American Civil War Memorial at Vermont Avenue and U Street NW, Washington, D.C.,

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Memorial Day Reflection: The USCT Legacy Lives On the religion corner

is an annual stop for Black motorcycle riders, and they have been coming now for more than 10 years. This year, the date of the Rolling Thunder celebration is Sunday, May 25, 2025, beginning at 10 a.m. The public is invited to attend.”

Dr. Smith announced on my show several times that Rolling Thunder also gives a donation to the African American Civil War Memorial each year as well. In fact, this year, on July 18, 2025, this monument will celebrate its 27th anniversary.

Unveiled on a hot, clear day, back on July 18, 1998, with a crowd of more than 30,000 visitors from around the world who came to see the unveiling ceremony of the Civil War Memorial, erected for the United States Colored Troops. Descendant families attended, each wearing T-shirts with pride, bearing the name and regiment of the soldier who fought in the war which saved the Union, from their particular family. Media spoke with many families and wrote stories in newspapers across the country about the plight of various soldiers. In fact, the granddaughter and great-grandson of Frederick Douglass, along with other family members were here for the unveiling. His name is Kevin Douglass-Greene.

Appointed by D.C. Councilman Frank Smith to serve as project director, the unveiling celebration was planned under my leadership, having worked with more than 200 volunteers. Media coordination was part of my job, until the end, when the unveiling date approached, we hired a full-time press

coordinator, my dear friend and colleague, Lavonia Perryman Fairfax.

The press came from far and near! On unveiling day, every major network had a TV camera, and they were parked around this memorial. Our architect Paul Devrouax (now deceased) was on a major news station during the morning news. Dr. Frank Smith, our founder was on another channel, Rev. Reginald Green, board secretary was on, and our board chair, Beverly Perry, at the time was senior vice president of PEPCO, was on the morning news too.

I will never forget, when the local Fox morning news show called to have a representative appear, I contacted Dr. Smith to ask him who he wanted to go to do the interview. He said, “Lyndia, you got all of our key players on various news channels, you will have to go — you’re the project director.” So, I did a television interview as well!

For those of you who are not familiar with the history of the American Civil War, and how the U.S. Colored Troops officially became members of the Union Army, here is what happened. The United States War Department issued General Order 143 on May 22, 1863, which authorized the establishment of the U.S. Colored Troops. The order also established a bureau in the Adjutant General’s Office to record matters relating to the organization of the troops.

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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need to make a statement that we are here, we are free…We’re not going to go into the closet,” said Kenya “Garçon” Hutton, president and CEO of the Center for Black Equity.

As the organizer and producer of DC Black Pride, the Center for Black Equity lauded that statement in this year’s theme, “Black Pride is Freedom.”

“This is our right to live free, live openly, live unapologetically,” Hutton told The Informer. “The way things are going, they’re trying to take away our freedom… our rights, and we’re not going to let that happen.”

The 34th Annual DC Black Pride event is just as pertinent as its fruition in 1991, when native Washingtonians Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland and Ernest Hopkins gathered a crowd of approximately 800 to Banneker Field to restore a Memorial Day tradition where Black queer stories could be championed and celebrated.

Coupled with the goal to raise awareness for the growing HIV/ AIDS epidemic, the celebration that was once coined the Black Gay and Lesbian Pride Event has since flourished into a globally recognized sanctuary for queer culture–even serving as a blueprint for many of the more than 50 Black pride celebrations that currently exist throughout the world.

Now, three decades later, and under the guise of rescinded protections for gender identity, sexual orientation, and LGBTQ+ education, more than 500,000 individuals gather annually in continuance of the Black Pride Movement.

“[DC Black Pride] is a way to celebrate who I am with no fear, no discrimination. It feels like a safe space,” said Olivier Pierre, a six-time attendee who lives in South Florida. “The fun is there… but if people take the time to actually look into what’s going on during the whole weekend, it’s not just a party, it’s more than that.”

DC BLACK PRIDE CHAMPIONS THE REALITIES OF THE ‘BLACK QUEER EXPERIENCE’

DC Black Pride 2025, held from May 23-26, features a pleth-

ora of opportunities to celebrate the chronicles of queer representation, while championing its realities for communities of color.

In addition to mixing and mingling, a slew of workshops tackle prevalent topics emulating a vision for growth and prosperity within Black and Brown queer communities. Among the weekend’s hot topics include mental health awareness, identity affirmation, guidance on parenting a queer child, as well as healthcare services that extend beyond HIV/ AIDS prevention.

“It’s important [to reinforce] that to…our generation to come, letting them know and letting them have that self-worth, that self-emphasis, to continue fighting,” Hutton explained.

5D.C. visual artist and photographer Marvin Bowser during an Art Talk/Art Walk at the Mount Vernon Triangle on Feb. 15. Bowser will be hosting two panels on Saturday, May 24, as part of the 34th Annual DC Black Pride. (Courtesy of Marvin Bowser)

Some events are driven in a mission of empowerment, including this year’s “What is Your Queer Black Hair Story?”, a reimagined take on a Black Hair showcase curated in October 2023 by D.C. visual artist Marvin Bowser of Marvin Bowser Photography.

After seeing a positive impact from the original concept, Bowser, a queer photographer based in Southeast, recognized an opportunity to offer a “warm hug” to a community that’s particularly leveraged culture and self-identity as a means of liberation.

While the program will continue to center testimonies about having Afrocentric hair in an Eurocentric society, it will also be prefaced with a screening of behind-the-scenes footage from its 2023 muse, as well as clips from previous panels on hair styling and the effects of Black hair on physical and mental health.

“The hair, the clothing…it’s our culture, right? And it’s an expression. Taking the time…to say, ‘I’m beautiful, I’m enough,’” Bowser told The Informer. “This is my love letter to Black people and Black culture. People will not [leave] in the same state they were in when they walked in the room.”

An additional DCBP contribu-

MEMORIAL DAY from Page 1

those who lost their lives in service to the country and celebrate them.”

Known as the unofficial launch of the summer season, Memorial Day is a great opportunity for camaraderie, but Milton noted the importance of also uplifting African Americans’ historic contributions to the annual Monday holiday—this year on May 26— in the 19th century after the Civil War.

“Learning about the past can be a part of our future as Blacks,” said Milton, who serves as a Civil War soldier reenactor. “We are Americans too. We built this nation, and we saved this nation.”

THE BLACK ORIGIN OF MEMORIAL DAY

On May 1, 1865, the freed people of Charleston, South Carolina gathered at a racetrack to decorate the graves of 257 Union prisoners of war who had been buried unceremoniously by the Confederate Army in retreat, according to the National Park Service.

Those soldiers helped transform the South from a slavocracy to a democracy.”

Three years post-Civil War, in 1868, Memorial Day was formalized by Union General John A. Logan in his General Order No. 11, with the annual floral decoration of the graves as the highlight..

In the decades that followed, Memorial Day evolved. To promote a spirit of reconciliation between the north and south in 1868, President William McKinley opened the national cemeteries to Confederate soldiers, according to the National Park Service. Later, Americans from all sections of the country who fought together in the Spanish American War and World War I, created the momentum for Memorial Day to become a day of celebration to honor all American who were killed in the line of duty.

tion of Bowser’s includes a panel discussion on his 2018 documentary about the creation of DC Black Pride.

The program, entitled “Do We Need Black Pride?,” strives to empower individuals with the stories of Black queer leadership that defied the status quo in D.C., a nod to the ideals that birthed the Black Pride Movement he considers himself a beneficiary of.

“Particularly in Washington… one of the gayest cities in the country…you get lulled into complacency because you think that everything everybody worked for all these years is permanent. And that was true until it wasn’t,” Bowser pointed out. “So, it’s important that people know the history of what happened, how hard it was. We certainly don’t want to go back there.”

A PUSH FOR BLACK PRIDE BEYOND THE NATION’S CAPITAL

For Pierre, who’s originally from Haiti, the diversity touted throughout the weekend is as gratifying as it is instrumental to

The crowd, made up mainly of African Americans, watched the men of the 35th and 104th United States Colored Troops, along with the men of the noted 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, perform drills before listening to speeches addressing the meaning of the Civil War, the longest and bloodiest war Americans have ever engaged in.

When the observances were done, the crowd proceeded to lay flowers on the graves of the men out of respect for their service to the Union.

“Those ceremonies became known as Decoration Day,” said Frank Smith, the executive director of the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation and Museum. “Similar ceremonies took place later in places such as South Georgia and Mississippi. They laid flowers on graves of Black and white Union soldiers in the South. They were soldiers for our freedom.

Nevertheless, the Black contribution to the development of Memorial Day was not ignored, even during the racial segregation that persisted in the late 19th to mid 20th century.

According to the National Park Service website, M.C. Maxfield touted the contributions of African American soldiers in a June 3, 1911 edition of The Washington Bee, a Black-owned newspaper.

“The Constitution that governs us was sustained by the sword and bayonet,” said Maxfield, speaking at a 1911 District Memorial Day ceremony. “The Black soldier played an important part, and as an evidence of their valor, look at the yonder graves.”

D.C. CELEBRATES MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBERING THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES Smith, 82, said the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum

MEMORIAL DAY Page 47 BLACK PRIDE Page 47

5Frank Smith (speaking), executive director of the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation and Museum, and Marquette Milton, a soldier reenactor, at the African American Civil War Memorial in May 2022. The African American Civil War Museum honors those Black soldiers who fought for the Union during the Civil War. (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

MEMORIAL DAY from Page 46

will host a Memorial Day commemoration on the May 26 holiday.

“There will be a wreath-laying ceremony,” he said. “We used to get a contingent of Black men on motorcycles– known as the Buffalo Thunder, in remembrance of the Buffalo Soldiers who fought for the United States Army on the American frontier in the 1800s –to come by the Sunday before Memorial Day, but I don’t know about this year. We would also get presidential recognition, but this year we shall see.”

Smith said the actual museum, located east of the memorial on Vermont Avenue NW, will not re-open to the public until the fall due to some construction issues.

Another popular site for those interested in honoring African Americans who died in war is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Northwest. The memorial includes the Three Servicemen statue, a bronze sculpture created by Frederick Hart depicting a group of soldiers and featuring one African American— the first representation of a Black person on the National Mall.

The Department of Defense has re-

the experience, making D.C. the prime destination to champion Black pride.

“When you go, you meet people from all over the world. [D.C] finds a way to bring the Black, gay community together, [and] it’s not just Memorial Weekend,” he said.

Hutton told The Informer programs such as the post-weekend Black Pride Leadership Center will gather global pride leaders to celebrate and circulate a shared spirit of unity and resilience. Similarly, the new additions continuing the Black Pride momentum are the Black Queer Film Festival on May 27-29, and the Community Conversation Summit reserved for June 4-6, both to be hosted free of charge at Howard University.

Meanwhile, highly anticipated pre-events such as the Unity Ball and Black Pride Pageant, each slated for May 22, set the tone for DCBP’s broad outreach, which includes hosting diverse musical performances and celebrity appearances – actress Eva Marcille, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” fan-favorite Kerri Colby, and renowned media moguls and LGBTQ+ advocates Monroe Alise and TS Madison –at the opening reception.

“Sometimes it takes someone from the community connect-

ported that 7,243 African Americans died during the Vietnam War that occurred on a large scale from 1965 to 1973.

Essentially, 12.4% of all casualties in Vietnam were Black even though they were only 10% of those enlisted.

Black soldiers fighting in Vietnam did so while the Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968) took place in the U.S., a fact noted by many in the service.

“We are fighting over here against the Viet Cong and at home against discrimination,” said Captain Clifford Alexander Jr. in the May 26, 1967 edition of Time Magazine. “Together we can win in both places.”

Milton said Memorial Day is special for African Americans because “we have always been willing to fight for our country even when we aren’t treated right.”

“The first casualty of the American Revolutionary War was a Black man,” emphasized Milton, speaking of Crispus Attucks, who died in 1770. “We were the ones who helped America win the Battle of New Orleans and we helped the Union win the Civil War. We are Americans too.”

ing with a CEO or celebrity in a room…to really be able to see how those people that have louder horns, louder microphones can really echo the messages of those of us that are in the community underground–to really start making a difference,” Hutton explained.

Hutton and Pierre share the hope that attendees will leave with something greater than souvenirs and Instagram-worthy selfies; but a reminder of all that can be accomplished when one’s loud, proud and driven to effect change.

“If you’re looking at history, the impact that not just the Black community, the Black queer community, has had on this country and the world, it’s important that we navigate and make sure we have these spaces,” Hutton told The Informer.

As Black queer culture dons excellence this weekend, despite continued threats of oppression, the beloved DC Black Pride event reflects a simple, but profound truth: with the right coalition and plan of action, nothing is impossible.

“We need to stop having silos, stop letting costs separate people, stop having people on podiums and top stages and have them in rooms where we can really sit down together and talk to each other,” he continued. “We’re really trying to set that stage for that to happen.” WI

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BLACK PRIDE from Page 46

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000419

Beatrice Matthews Marshall Decedent

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

Theresa M. Grant and Kenneth S. Marshall, whose addresses are 2110 Waterleaf Way, Mitchellville, MD 20721/ 4409 16th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Beatrice Matthews Marshall who died on September 23, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Theresa M. Grant

Kenneth S. Marshall

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 000354

Paul Travers Sturm Decedent

Julie A. Simantiras, Esq.

Attorney for Petitioner

The Geller Law Group, LLC

4000 Legato Road, Suite 1100 Fairfax, Virginia 22033

Attorney

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

Steven Ross Sturm, whose address is Avenue des Bouleaux 56 1950 Kraainem, International Order Belgium, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Paul Travers Sturm who died on October 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Steven Ross Sturm Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000043

June 26, 2024

Date of Death

Cha-Kil Chung Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Yeon-Ok Chung whose address is 5314 Rosemallow Cir., Centreville, VA 20120 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Cha-Kil Chung, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Fairfax County, State of Virginia, on 9/25/2024. Service of process may be made upon Sharon Legall 1325 G Street, NW Suite 500, Washington DC 20005 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Date of first publication: 5/8/2025

Yeon-Ok Chung Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000041

September 29, 2023

Date of Death

Edna M. Johnson Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Evans T. Johnson whose address is 715 Crittenden Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Edna M. Johnson, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland, on January 22, 2024.

Service of process may be made upon Aimee D. Griffin, Esq., Life and Legacy Counselors 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 715 Crittenden Street NW, Washington, DC 20011. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Date of first publication: May 8, 2025

Evans T. Johnson

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000415

David Clark

Decedent

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015

Attorney

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

Elizabeth Clark Harris, whose address is 3705 S Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of David Clark who died on January 27, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Elizabeth Clark Harris 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 000361

Edward Samuel Johnson Sr. Decedent

Sharon Legall 1325 G Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Tracy Johnson, whose address is 4205 Offut Drive, Suitland MD 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Edward Samuel Johnson Sr. who died on June 14, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Tracy Johnson 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 000417

David Norman April Decedent

Gretchyn G. Meinken, Esq, 616 N Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Attorney

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

Maria Carmen Trujillo Pinero, whose address is C/ Concepcion Arenal 9-4 Izsa, Gijon, Asturias 33202, Spain, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of David Norman April who died on December 10, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Maria Carmen Trujillo Pinero 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 000433

Florence Stoddard Decedent

Robert Clayton Cooper, Esq. Cooper & Crickman, PLLC 6856 Eastern Ave., NW, Suite 350 Washington, DC 20012 Attorney

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

Anthony Stoddard & Demetria Ball, whose addresses are 6030 Sargent Rd. #3201, Hyattsville MD 20782 & 1341 1st St., SW, Washington DC 20024, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Florence Stoddard who died on December 26, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Anthony Stoddard Demetria Ball 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 310

Denise Richardson 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

Denora Galtney, whose address is 9506 Snaffle Court, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Denise Richardson who died on December 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Denora Galtney

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 000088

Fred Astaire Holmes, Jr. Decedent

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

Carolyn L. Holmes, whose address is 4207 Eastern Avenue Apt. 2, Mt. Rainier, MD 20712-1405, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Fred Astaire Holmes, Jr. who died on October 11, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Carolyn L. Holmes 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 000583

Ineal M. Shird Decedent

Brian L. Kass, Personal Representative 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 434 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney

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

Brian L. Kass, whose address is 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 434, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ineal M. Shird who died on January 26, 2008 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Brian L. Kass 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 000378

Russell Mamone aka Russell Bruce Mamone Decedent

William H. Henry, Esq. 216 North Adams Street Rockville, MD 20850 Attorney

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

Angelo Mamone, whose address is 11790 Thomas Spring Road, Monrovia, MD 21770, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Russell Mamone aka Russell Bruce Mamone who died on June 15, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Angelo Mamone

Personal Representative

of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000413

Jewel Joyner

Decedent

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

Trina Joyner, whose address is 4123 4th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jewel Joyner who died on 2/13/2025 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Trina Joyner

Personal Representative

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 000410

Payton Delk Decedent

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

Pauline Delk, whose address is 405 N Street NW #201, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Payton Delk who died on March 10, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Pauline Delk 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 000367

Linda T. Davis aka Linda Taylor Davis Decedent

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

Mary Davis Farivari, whose address is 7000 Loch Lomond Dr., Bethesda, MD 20817, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Linda T. Davis aka Linda Taylor Davis who died on 2/14/2025 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Mary Davis Farivari

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000471

Estate of Yusuf Muhajir aka Yusuf Zinduo Muhajir

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by June Melinda G. Hyman request 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 January 26, 2025 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 5/8/2025

June Melinda G. Hyman 10401 Motor City Drive #423 Bethesda, MD 20817

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 000426

Lonnie D. Salmond Decedent

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

Faye Salmond, whose address is 8004 Neville Place, Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lonnie D. Salmond who died on 10/26/2024 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Faye Salmond 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 000997

Estate of Daisy M. Rhodes

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Melvin A. Rhodes 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 October 8, 1983 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 Melvin A. Rhodes an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 5/8/2025

Tina Smith Nelson, Esq. Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 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 FEP 000042

December 5, 2024

Date of Death

Penelope Jean Thornton Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Tamara Andersen Hase whose address is 126 North 82nd Street, Seattle, Washington 98103 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Penelope Jean Thornton, deceased, by the Superior Court for King County, State of Washington, on 1/30/2025.

Service of process may be made upon Sharon Legall 1325 G Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

Date of first publication: 5/8/2025

Tamara Andersen Hase

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000411

Colleen Eva Guion Decedent

Yvonne Davis Smooth, Esq. 2501 Northampton Street, NW Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Lindsay M. Guion, whose address is 1204 Longfellow Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Colleen Eva Guion who died on October 26, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Lindsay M. Guion

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 000422

Khadijah J. Campbell Decedent

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

Trisha Campbell, whose address is 4945 Just Street NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Khadijah J. Campbell who died on December 8, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Trisha Campbell 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 000441

Edna Lewis 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

Cassandra E. Lewis-Harris, whose address is 3103 Alabama Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Edna Lewis who died on 10/27/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Cassandra E. Lewis-Harris 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 000365

Veronica Roberts Decedent

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

Clive Roberts, whose address is 5041 12th Street NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Veronica Roberts who died on March 16, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Clive Roberts 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 000364

Elizabeth C. Ross aka Elizabeth Comstock Ross Decedent

Julie A. Simantiras, Esq. The Geller Law Group 4000 Legato Road, Suite 1100, PMB 6064 Fairfax, VA 22033 Attorney

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

Lisa Anne Finnican and Eleanor Marie Ross, whose addresses are 10907 Knights Bridge Court, Reston, VA 20190 and 10306 Cromwell Court, Ellicott City, MD 21042 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Elizabeth C. Ross aka Elizabeth Comstock Ross who died on 11/5/2023 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Lisa Anne Finnican

Eleanor Marie Ross

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 000389

Claudia Anyaso Decedent

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

Lawrence Anyaso, whose address is 5919 Lebanon Lane Elkridge, MD 21075, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Claudia Anyaso who died on 12/29/2024 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Lawrence Anyaso 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 001551

H. Fairfield Butt, IV aka Holt Fairfield Butt IV Decedent

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

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of H. Fairfield Butt, IV aka Holt Fairfield Butt IV who died on 11/11/2023 with 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: May 15, 2025

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000362

Lutricia Ann Holt Decedent

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

Michael Alfirio Presentado and Crevante Antonio Holt, whose addresses are 6132 Brandyhall Ct., Fort Washington, MD 20744 and 403 Secluded Post Cir., Apt C, Glen Bernie, MD 21061, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Lutricia Ann Holt who died on 7/4/2008 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Michael Alfirio Presentado Crevante Antonio Holt

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 1256

Junius Warren Scott Decedent

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

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Junius Warren Scott who died on May 1, 2023 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000360

Debra McDowell Decedent

Sharon Legall 1325 G Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Donna McDowell, whose address is 2510 Bellefield Ct, Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Debra McDowell who died on July 24, 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 11/8/2025. 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 11/8/2025, 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: 5/8/2025

Donna McDowell 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 000450

Lillie M. Ruffin Askew Decedent

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

Marjorie R. Kornegay, whose address is 10511 Water Point Way, Mitchellville, MD 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lillie M. Ruffin Askew who died on November 10, 2017 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Marjorie R. Kornegay 10511 Water Point Way Mitchellville, MD 20721

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 000170

Mary G. Brown aka Mary Gertrude Brown Decedent

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

Juanita V. Smith, whose address is 2219 16th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary G. Brown aka Mary Gertrude Brown who died on 12/4/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Juanita V. Smith Personal Representative

Stevens

of Wills

Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000456

Ricky McClann Willis aka Ricky M. Willis Decedent

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

Rita Althea Willis-James aka Rita Willis James, whose address is 301 Anacostia Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20019-1402, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ricky McClann Willis aka Ricky M. Willis who died on 4/13/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Rita Althea Willis-James aka Rita Willis James Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

E-SERVED Washington Circuit Court 5/9/2025 11:22 AM System SystemEnvelope:21138280

CIRCUIT COURT FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND 24 Summit Avenue, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21740

To: MELVIN KEY, JR. UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKOWN DC 20001

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

2025 ADM 000443

Susie Bennafield aka Sue Bennafield Decedent

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

Damon K. Bennafield, whose address is 790 Highland Oaks Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30331, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Susie Bennafield aka Sue Bennafield who died on December 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 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Damon K. Bennafield

790 Highland Oaks Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30331

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Declaration of Nationality Protocol

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender.

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

2024 ADM 000824

Wanda Anne Pumphrey Decedent

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

Kevin Judd, Esq., whose address is 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 900-South Building, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wanda Anne Pumphrey who died on 3/22/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 5/15/2025

Kevin Judd, Esq.

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000453

Angela Theresa Parker Decedent

Patrick M. Klemz, Esq. 1100 Wayne Ave., Suite 825 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

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

Rhonda Derricott whose address is 13200 Bristlecone Way, Germantown MD 20874, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Angela Theresa Parker who died on May 30, 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 11/15/2025. 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 11/15/2025, 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: 8/15/2025

Rhonda Derricott 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

E-FILED; Washington Circuit Court

Docket: 5/9/2025 11:22 AM; Submission: 5/9/2025 11:22 AM Envelope: 21138280

Civil/Family/Juvenile: 301-790-4972 Criminal: 301-790-7941 General: 301-733-8660 Assignment: 240-313-2540 Maryland Relay Service: 711

Case Number: C-21-FM-25-000679 Other Reference Number(s): SUNDAY FOSSETT, ET AL. VS. MELVIN KEY, JR., ET AL.

Date: 5/9/2025

NOTICE – ALTERNATE SERVICE (MD Rules 2-121, 2-122)

Sunday And Gary Fossett, the above named plaintiff defendant, has filed a (select one): petition complaint motion titled for custody asking the court to grant requested relief.

The Circuit Court for Washington County may grant that relief unless Melvin Key Jr., above named plaintiff defendant can show reason why the court should not grant the relief. Melvin Key Jr. must file a response to the petition/complaint/motion on or before June 13th 2025.

If Melvin Key Jr. fails to respond within the time allowed, the court may enter a judgment by default or grant the relief sought, as long as a copy of this Notice is (select one): posted by the sheriff at the courthouse door or on a bulletin board within its immediate vicinity on or before May 14th, 2025. Check with the Clerk of Court about posting procedures published in a newspaper in this city/county at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks on or before May 16th 2025. Check with the Clerk of Court about publication procedures. You must pay a newspaper invoice before the paper will publish the notice other Giving the notice to the Defendant of the object and substance of this Complaint for Custody

After the time period in the judge’s order has passed, you may ask the court for a default judgment or to move forward with your case.

Kevin R. Tucker Clerk of

the Circuit Court

Notice of Special Appearance : am that am: “Pedro Tyri Winfrey© “, in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ PEDRO TYRI WINFREY©”, corp.sole Dba.: “PEDRO T. WINFREY© “; PEDRO WINFREY, WINFREY, PEDRO T, having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Al Maghreb Al Aqsa, Estados al Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: “Pedro Tyri Winfrey© “, from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: “pedro tyri kelly-orozco” Notice of White Flag Surrender: as “hors de combat”, pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: Illinois Department of Public Health-Division of Vital Records : STATE FILE NUMBER: 112-1983 6010736, “PEDRO TYRI WINFREY©”, is as a special deposit order, conveyed to “Thrive Regardless Trust©”. All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact, as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal Creditor: “”, nom deguerre: “Pedro Tyri Winfrey”, as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : “Thrive Regardless Trust©”, an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

2025 ADM 482

Annie Pettus Decedent

Peggy A. Miller 5130 7th St. NE Washington, DC 20011 Attorney

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

Patrice A. Pettus, whose address is 512 Sandy Pl., Oxon Hill, MD 20745, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annie Pettus who died on 7/9/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Patrice A. Pettus

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

2025 ADM 000481

Donna Lee Carter aka Donna L. Carter

Decedent

Angela D. Minor, Esq. Minor & Willcox, LLC 9701 Apollo Drive, #7181 Upper Marlboro, MD 20792

Attorney

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

Dionne Hughes Rogers, whose address is 4704 Omaha Street, Capital Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Donna Lee Carter aka Donna L. Carter who died on 11/20/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Dionne Hughes Rogers Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000491

Phyllis C. Lewis Decedent

Sharon Legall

1325 G. Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Camille L. Chesley, whose address is 18130 Central Ave., Bowie MD 20716, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Phyllis C. Lewis who died on December 8, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Camille L. Chesley

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

2025 NRT 000016

Lawrence N. Cohn

Name of Deceased Settlor

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Lawrence N. Cohn whose address was 326 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 created a revocable trust on June 9, 2023, which remained in existence on the date of death on March 27, 2025, and Rita Jean Cohn, whose address is 326 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, is the currently acting trustee, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Rita Jean Cohn at 326 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20001.

The Trust is subject to claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors, costs of administration of the settlor’s estate, the expense of the deceased settlor’s funeral and disposal of remains, and statutory allowances to a surviving spouse and children to the extent the deceased settlor’s residuary probate estate is inadequate to satisfy those claims, costs, expenses, and allowances.

Claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors are barred as against the Trustee and the trust property unless presented to the Trustee at the address provided herein on or before 11/5/2025 (6 month after the date of the first publication of this notice.) An action to contest the validity of this trust must be commenced by the earliest of (1), 3/27/2026 (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), 11/5/2025 (6 months from the date of first publication of this notice) or (3) Ninety days after the Trustee sends the person a copy of the trust instrument and a notice informing the person of the trust’s existence, of the Trustee’s name and address, and of the time allowed for commencing a proceeding.

The Trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the trust before the expiration of the time within which an action must be commenced unless the Trustee knows of a pending judicial proceeding contesting the validity of the trust or the Trustee has received notice from a potential contestant who thereafter commences a judicial proceeding within sixty days after notification.

This Notice must be mailed postmarked within 15 days of its first publication to each heir and qualified beneficiary of the trust and any other person who would be an interested person within the meaning of D.C. Code 20-101(d).

Date of First Publication: 5/22/2025

Rita Jean Cohn

Signature of Trustee

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000421

Bernard Jerome Hazzard Decedent

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

Brenda Lucas Hazzard, whose address is 2400 S Street SE, Apt. 4, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bernard Jerome Hazzard who died on January 2, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Brenda Lucas Hazzard

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

2025 NRT 000016

Lawrence N. Cohn

Name of Deceased Settlor

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Date of First Publication: 5/22/2025

Rita Jean Cohn Signature of Trustee

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 496

Edwin Britton Decedent

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

Annette Britton and Jean Britton, whose addresses are 1838 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009 / 2211 Ditmas Ave. Apt. 2D, Brooklyn, NY 11226, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Edwin Britton who died on March 27, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Annette Britton

Jean Britton

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000469

Ruth A. Williams Decedent

Joan M. Wilbon 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Teri Merele Williams, whose address is 383 Grand Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ruth A. Williams who died on 2/1/2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Teri Merele Williams Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000475

Evelyn Virginia Cook Decedent

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

Gregory Alan Cook, whose address is 24 Century Street, Stafford, VA 22554, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Evelyn Virginia Cook who died on September 27, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Gregory Alan Cook Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000172

Selome Gerima aka Selome Gerima Tafere Decedent

Samuel C. Hamilton, Esq. 8601 Georgia Ave #504 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

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

Alum Taye, whose address is 5058 Gaither Chance Dr., Clarksville, MD 21029, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Selome Gerima aka Selome Gerima Tafere who died on 11/22/22 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Alum Taye Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000454

James Henry McLaurin Decedent

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

Charlene Anderson, whose address is 3913 S Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James Henry McLaurin who died on December 13, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Charlene Anderson

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

PUBLICATION NOTICE

Estate of Cecil R. Hall Notice to Creditors

Pennsylvania law requires the personal representative, Gayle Carley, to advertise the estate to “Request all persons having claims against the Estate of Cecil R. Hall to make known the same to Gayle Carley, and all persons indebted to Cecil R. Hall to make payment to Gayle Carley, 4031 South Dakota Ave NE, Washington DC, 20018, without delay.” (20 Pa. C.S.A. § 3162.)

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

2025 ADM 000458

Wanda Ware aka Wanda Lee Ware Decedent

Antonoplos & Associates, Attorneys At Law 1725 Desales Street NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

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

Sean Julian Ware, whose address is 151 Q Street NE, Unit #3325, Washington, DC, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wanda Ware aka Wanda Lee Ware who died on April 5, 2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/22/2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11/22/2025, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 5/22/2025

Sean Julian Ware Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

MALVEAUX from Page 30

grant them refugee status, and offer them resettlement assistance (fraud, waste and abuse) here in the United States. Our president has prioritized White South Africans, perhaps because his purchased co-president is from that country. Of the approximately resettlers, how many are his relatives or friends? And since he is so flush with cash, will he reimburse our government for his costly attempt to impose racial hierarchy in foreign policy?

Does our elected president and his purchased co-president Musk hope to resettle the entire Afrikaner population to the United States, providing them with monetary assistance to compensate them for “discrimination?” Sounds like fraud, waste and abuse, along with

LEON from Page 30

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While over 1.8 million people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to witness American history in the making, as then-Sen. Barack Obama was sworn in as the first Black president, senior members of the Republican leadership were meeting at the Caucus Room restaurant

a warped form of affirmative action to me. But Executive Order 14151 — “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” — eliminated that, along with Executive Order 14173 — “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit Based Opportunity.” — seems to preserve preference for white people, especially exploitive Afrikaners who were only able to accumulate property in South Africa by aggressively wiping out the lives of Black South Africans.

Topsy-turvy toxic policy that reinforces our president’s anti-Blackness as well as his ignorance of history.

It is a slap in the face of the heralded South African President Nelson Mandela, as well as an attack of generations of anti-apartheid activists, including Randall Robinson, Mary Frances Ber-

only a few blocks away. The purpose of the meeting was to plan the resistance to President Obama and the Democrats by agreeing to “challenge them on every single bill and challenge them on every single campaign.” Their reaction to the election of the first Black president, in a nutshell, was to become obstructionists. They chose to neither work collegially nor in the best interest of the American people. Democracy fails in the same man-

MARSHALL from Page 30 and elderly. While the MAGA base and its elected leaders believe that God has sent President Donald Trump to make America great again, it is The Heritage Foundation that is the real power behind the cruelty.

unimaginable horrors associated with Black massacres during the Reconstruction period. MAGA believers are aligned with people who tried to preserve slavery by way of secession and the Civil War. They are the individuals who committed the cruelty and brutality associated with the forced displacement of thousands of Native Americans as part of the Trail of Tears. They align with the inhumane lynchings, beatings and murders during the civil rights era. In their view, the basic ideas that inspired the fight for freedom and our nation’s founding are wrong: All men are not created equal and should not have equal rights under the law.

The cruelty is fueled by a deep-seated resentment by the MAGA base, who have a growing fear of losing power once the nation becomes a minority-majority nation. To many of them, white men with wealth should dominate all people of color, all economic classes and women. To varying degrees, many of them hold disdain for non-white immigrants, the poor, people with disabilities, the elderly and LGBTQ people. This is true even when many within the MAGA base are poor, women, disabled

ry, Ron Dellums, Dr. Dorothy Height, Harry Belafonte and others. While Black Republicans were not notable activists, many played quiet roles in our nation’s (contested) opposition to apartheid. So Gen. Colin Powell helped implement parts of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act (1986) after it was passed over by President Reagan’s veto. But Black Republicans, especially at the local level, were reluctant to challenge their president for fear of political consequences (sound familiar?).

We can expect more topsy-turvy toxic policy from this administration, where down is up, up is down, victims are villains and villains are victims. The peculiar distortion of South Africa’s history is especially egregious, but not unexpected. What’s next? WI

The Heritage Foundation, one of the most powerful conservative think tanks in the United States, has wielded immense influence over public policy for decades. The three MAGA Supreme Court justices (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett) were on The Heritage Foundation’s list of potential nominees. The Heritage Foundation has built its legacy on advancing policies that frame and uphold a rigid vision of American identity meant to roll back progressive gains from Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and civil rights protection under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act.

It is an identity that often excludes immigrants, communities of color and low-income people. Its advocacy for harsh immigration enforcement, the dismantling of affirmative action, the elimination of social safety nets and “law and order” policing policies have translated into real suffering for millions of people. These policies are not

ner as going bankrupt; it happens gradually, then suddenly.

The Republicans decided to ignore the mandate delivered by the American people, for what they saw as the very limited interest of the power of the Republican party. At the time, some may have viewed this as “politics as usual,” but I believe it was the beginning of the gradual decline of American democracy. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

hypothetical; they separate families, open the door to a new wave of racial discrimination and, due to the cuts to USAID, will result in the loss of life — all of this at the hands of the pro-life and pro-family MAGA base.

As authors of Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation thrives in the shadows by cloaking its agenda in the patriotic language of “freedom” and constitutional values.” Beneath its public facade, it promotes policies designed to preserve white supremacy and corporate power. The threat to revoke birthright citizenship, effectively rendering American-born children of immigrants nationless, is a throwback to the darkest chapters of world history, where Nazi Germany passed a decree that denationalized German Jews, thereby stripping them of their property and later their lives. We should consistently make the connection that it is not only Trump behind the authoritarian and cruel agenda we currently live in but decades of work by the Heritage Foundation. Every politician who aligns with The Heritage Foundation’s agenda should be exposed and called out for the loss of lives and the suffering they have allowed.

AIRLINE CAREERS

MORIAL from Page 31

five years since George Floyd’s death to advance policing reform and racial justice.

It also traces the rise of political and cultural backlash that has challenged, and in some cases reversed, that progress.

During the first year after the murder, corporations pledged more than $66 billion to racial justice. These commitments included increased funding for minority-owned businesses, supplier diversity programs and DEI initiatives. S&P 100 companies grew their U.S. workforce by more than 323,000 in 2021 — and 94% of their new hires were people of color.

But in the backlash that followed, DEI job postings declined 44% from 2022 to 2023. Major companies like Google and Meta cut DEI programs supporting Black talent.

Anti-DEI rhetoric gained traction,

WILLIAMS from Page 31

Since the orange man became president, the U.S. credit rating was cut by Moody’s because of rising government debt. What a surprise! These are the same people slashing aid for the poor while increasing spending for the president’s rich friends. They’re shutting down programs that serve struggling families. That’s the DOGE way — serve the orange man, not the people. He’s also targeting immigrants with

JEALOUS from Page 31

Further, the estimated annual market value of Energy Star product sales is more than $100 billion. And of domestic energy efficiency jobs, about 35% are in the manufacturing and installation of Energy Star products. As of 2020, that was more than 790,000 American jobs.

In his latest attack on common sense, Trump is trying to eliminate one of the federal government’s most successful, least controversial and most popular consumer protection tools.

Ending Energy Star is not a serious policy move. It is performative politics at its worst. It is “virtue signaling” to fossil fuel extremists from a man desperate to please his donors while punishing regular people for choosing clean, affordable options.

Targeting the program as part of some sort of ideological deregulation agenda doesn’t even make sense because it is not a regulation. It does not force anybody to buy or produce anything. It is simply a voluntary, science-based labeling system. It helps consumers compare appliances and

and anti-equality activists like Edward Blum mounted successful challenges to racial equity programs.

Federal policies followed a similar trajectory. President Joe Biden issued an executive order immediately upon taking office, directing all agencies to create racial equity plans. The administration partnered with the National Urban League and other civil rights groups to not only to develop specific policies to address racial inequities, but to ensure fairness in initiatives like American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act.

Under Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice convicted more than 180 police officers for civil rights violations and investigated 12 police departments and launched prison abuse investigations.

President Biden issued an executive

alleged gang ties — like those he claims are part of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang — without evidence or due process. In one outrageous case, the administration deported a makeup artist to a violent prison in El Salvador simply because their tattoos were mistaken for gang symbols. Innocent lives are being upended to serve his hateful, fear-based agenda.

Recently, a judge ruled that the administration must provide hearings to

other products based on their energy efficiency. It helps Americans cut down their energy bills. And it helps reduce pollution that hurts our lungs and heats our planet.

That is why Americans across the political spectrum support it. It is an example of our government doing something simple, effective and bipartisan. At least, it used to be.

Donald Trump’s push to dismantle this program is a perfect example of how MAGA hard-liners have turned their backs on the very people they claim to represent. This is not about freedom or choice. It is about controlling the market to benefit fossil fuel interests. It is about keeping consumers in the dark. And it is about making sure families have fewer tools to protect themselves from rising costs.

Ask yourself: why, in the middle of what Trump and his allies keep calling an “energy emergency,” would you go out of your way to kill a program that helps people save so much money on energy? The only people who benefit are the fossil fuel executives who profit when homes and appliances waste more of it.

order to track police misconduct, ban chokeholds and strengthen de-escalation training.

The second Trump administration eliminated all DEI initiatives across the federal government on Day One. It rescinded Biden-era executive orders, including those advancing voter registration and equitable Census outreach. It froze all open DOJ civil rights investigations.

It is of the utmost urgency that we rise to defend not only the progress made in the years immediately after George Floyd’s murder, but of the past 60 years.

The National Urban League met the moment in 2020 by establishing a new division, Equitable Justice and Strategic Initiatives, to advocate for a fair justice system and equal access to participation in democracy and civic processes. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

any migrant accused before deportation. The judge even noted that literal Nazis once had more rights to challenge deportation than some immigrants do in the U.S. today. That should shake every American to the core. This is a five-alarm fire we cannot ignore. Even Bruce Springsteen called the orange man treasonous. Judging by his actions, I’d say the Boss had good reason — and it sure sounds criminal to me. WI

When people waste energy because they unknowingly buy inefficient products, the fossil fuel industry makes more money.

That is the whole ballgame. It is a rigged system that leaves working Americans with higher bills while big polluters cash in. The Energy Star label helps consumers break that cycle.

Cutting Energy Star would be a betrayal of the millions of Americans who are already struggling to afford groceries, gas and electricity. It would hurt seniors trying to stay warm in winter. It would hurt young families buying their first refrigerator. It would hurt renters in cities and homeowners in rural towns alike. No one benefits — except the lobbyists and the oil barons.

Energy Star gives every American the chance to choose better, smarter options. Scrapping it to score cheap points with the same special interests that are holding our country back defies common sense.

Americans deserve leaders who will fight to keep our bills low, our homes efficient and our future sustainable. WI

WHERE THE MONEY GOES.

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