The Washington Informer - May 31 2018 by The Washington Informer

VOL. 53, NO. 33 • MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

The Summer Season Has Arrived – Enjoy it Safely

Don’t miss the WI Bridge Center Section

Barry Summer Job Program Among Nation’s Best

Norton Bill Expedites D.C. Judge Confirmations

WI Staff Report

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) announced Tuesday she will introduce legislation to allow local D.C. court nominees to be seated after a 30day congressional review period unless a resolution of disapproval is enacted during that period. Norton said she plans to introduce the bill once Congress returns from its Memorial Day recess. Currently, nominees cannot be seated without affirmative Senate approval. The congressional review process for nominees would be the same one used for legisla-

JUDGES Page 17

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

district Residents make a splash 5 The District of Columbia kicks-off the opening of pools for the unofficial start of summer at Randle Recreation Center in Southeast on Friday, May 25 with Deputy Mayor Courtney Snowden, officials from the Department of Parks and Recreation, and a few area children making a splash. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter

Summer isn’t just a season of daily walks on the beach or picnics at the park, but for some people, especially young adults, the warmer months are a time to gain extra spending power or work experience. But whether you need or want a summer job, where you look for one will matter almost as much as what you do, according to the District-based personal finance website, WalletHub which took an in-depth look at 2018’s Best Places for Summer Jobs.

JOBS Page 32

Bowser Under Fire as Water Bills Rise By Tatyana Hopkins WI Staff Writer

DEMANDING TO BE HEARD: VOICES OF DC BLACK PRIDE

Jonathan Light, left, speaks to the audience at the “Using Black Political Power To End HIV,” part of this year’s DC Black Pride celebration, May 24 at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Northwest, sponsored by DC Black Pride, Impulse DC and the Human Rights Campaign. Also included in the photo: (L-R) the Rev. Karon Sadler, TV actor from the hit show ‘Star’ Lawrence ‘Miss Lawrence’ Washington and CNN political commentator Keith Boykin. Their conversation centered on ways to more effectively use Black political power as a vehicle for change and how members and allies of the LGBTQ community can collectively raise their voices in the goal of bringing more attention to the need to end HIV and include it among essential voting issues in this year’s midterm elections. /Photo by Demetrious Kinney

Weeks after religious leaders stormed a D.C. Council hearing to protest the effect of growing water bill fees on places of worship, they learned relief may not be coming to them anytime soon. Criticism is mounting of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed plan to provide relief for the city’s growing water bills that are the result of a federal mandate to clean up the city’s rivers and the fees used to support the cleanup. During a council hearing Tuesday, Jenny Reed, the mayor’s budget director, revealed details about Bowser’s proposed water bill hardship program to aid low- and mod-

erate-income residents, nonprofit organizations and cemeteries that showed that a majority of the fund will be dedicated to residents. According to Reed, the city hopes D.C. Water will match its $6 million investment into a fund from which $9 million will be used to help residents experiencing water bill hardship while $2 million would be used to assist nonprofits and $500,000 would be used to help cemeteries in the city cope with mounting water bills. Pastor George C. Gilbert of Holy Trinity United Baptist Church in Northeast said the church’s water bill averages about $1,100. “The monies that we have to spend could be better used to help

WATER Page 33

Celebrating 53 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area

Now Published by Dr. Charles Vincent

Her Legacy Continues.

In memory of Mickey Thompson Vincent, Founder and Publisher.

Dr. Charles & “Mickey” Vincent

Memorial Day 2018 In Honor of Glynn ThoseVincent Who receiving his Doctor of Juris Prudence Have Fallen Degree to Make, and Keep Us Free...

GW Law class of ‘18: L-R Justin Arentsen, Alain Christin-Rigaud, Patrick Valencia

Howard University in World War l

Florence Nightingale (1820-1920) Founder of Modern Battlefield Nursing

America Military Women who Died in the Vietnam War

Social Sightings - THE MAGAZINE Subscribe www.SocialSightings.com Kendra Handy/Editor Dr. Charles Vincent/Photographer Brian Young/Graphic Designer l

2 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

(Courtesy of the African- American Civil War Museum)

Social Sightings-The Column is published in the Hill Rag, DC Mid-City, East of the River Journals, The Washington Informer Newspaper and in the Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlingnton, Loudoun Woman Magazines

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

Around the Region.................. 4-11 PG County................................12-13 Business.................................... 14-15 National.....................................16-17 International..................................18 Health ......................................20-21

PAGE

Education ...............................22-23 WI Bridge .........................Center

PAGE

OpEd........................................25-27 Lifestyle.................................. 28-34 Capture the Moment................35 Sports..............................................36 Religion....................................37-39

PAGE

FROM ACCESS TO

SUCCESS

At the University of Baltimore, it’s easier than ever to transfer, find a program and get your degree on your terms. When you’re ready to take the next step in your education, you’ll find affordable, flexible transfer programs at UB designed to help you succeed.

Find the program for you at http://www.ubalt.edu/TWashInform.

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 3 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

around the region

W I HBreak O T the T OCycle P I C Sof Women Domestic Violence

SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY

COMPILED BY WI EDITOR D. KEVIN MCNEIR AND WI STAFF WRITER WILLIAM FORD

By Tia Carol Jones

law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are domestic victims and restraining order policies, Dana violence Vickers Shelley, (left) a stricter Morgan State University professor survivors are treated. more rights for victim's and consultant, will become the executive director of thefamilies American “She'sLiberties using herUnion own personal to intervene on behalf of a the vic-first Civil of Maryland. Shelley also becomes story, own personal painorganization to tim, a headquartered domestic violence assessBlackherwoman to lead the in Baltimore. push forward,” mentretired unit coupled She will replaceDavis-Nickens Susan Goering who this yearwith afterfurther 33 years. said about Marlow. trainingShelley for law enforcement “We are proud to welcome Dana Vickers as the new executive Davis-Nickens said of anyone agencies, a Child's Protecdirector of the ACLU Maryland at a time of bothLife rampant rights who reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counselviolations and a great opportunity to create deep and lasting change,” “get it.” She said she “puts the president, for batterers. Coleman Bazelon, ACLUs board ing said in a statement. “Dacase in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradina’s strong experience in civil rights leadership, combined with her person can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must political savvy, will fuel the ACLUs growth as an organization that end of the day, the book will look at both sides of the coin. makes a real impact for freedom justice in Maryland.” help people begin to have a dia- and We need to address both the vicShelley will officially begin her first logue about domestic violence. tim day and June the 11. batterer,” Marlow

Dana Vickers Shelley to Lead Maryland ACLU

www.washingtoninformer.com

WI Staff Writer

Visit our updated Web site and give us your comments for a chance to win a gift from The Washington Informer Email comments to: rburke@ washingtoninformer.com

When L.Y. Marlow's 23-yearold daughter told her the father of her daughter threatened her life, and the life of their child, she knew something had to be done. Out of her frustration with law enforcement's handling of the situation, she decided to start the Saving Promise campaign. “It seems to be a vicious cycle that won't turn my family loose,” Marlow said. Marlow shared her story with the audience at the District Heights Also present at the event was said. Domestic Violence Symposium Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow would also like to see on May 7 at the District Heights wife of John Allen Muhammad, programs designed to raise Municipal Center. The sympo- who was sentenced to six consec- awareness among children in sium was sponsored by the utive life terms without parole public and private schools. She The Maryland BlackServices Mayors will its fifth Family and Youth by ahost Maryland juryannual for his role in feels children need to be educatCenter of the of District scholarship galacity Friday, June 1 at the the Beltway GreenbeltSniper Marriott attacks in ed about domestic violence. Heights and thethe National Hotel. Since group Hookfirst began2002. honoring highMuhammad school Mildred is “We have to stop being pasUp of BlackinWomen. students 2014, about 25 have the received founder ofscholarship After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilMarlowCommunity has writtenand a book, organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” awards. businessanleaders and other sup“Color Butterfly,” which is a for survivors domestic portersMe also receive recognition workingofwith the ac-violence Marlow said. story about four generations of that andrepresent their children. Marlow has worked to break tive 16-member municipalities more than domestic violence.inThe book is “I lived in fearorganizafor six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, 15,000 residents Prince George’s County. The inspired by her own years in Mayors fear is aAssocialong time. It is and is confident the policies she tion’s affiliated withexperiences, the African American and of her grandmother, not an easy nationwide. thing to come out is pushing for will start that tion,those the only group to represent Black mayors herFor mother and her daughter. of,”goshe process. more information on the gala, to said. www.marylandShe said every time she reads Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to blackmayors.org. excerpts from her book, she still people who want to help a Congress and implore them to can not believe the words came domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said. from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poliwon the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” Books” Award. that Metro’s she mayAccessibility be in “survival Tia Carol Jones cannew be reached Advisory Committee seeks members “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net to provide guidance on topics that affect senior citizens and people my eye first blackened and my “Before you get toThe 'I'mcommittee going with disabilities. helps advise the agency’s board of lips bled,” Marlow said. to directors kill you,' itforstarted as a verbal WIride Metrobus, Metrorail and those passengers who Elaine Davis-Nickens, presiMetroAccess. Three people needed to join the 20-member body dent of the National Hook-Up include: one from Montgomery County, Maryland; one from of Black Women, said there is no Alexandria, Virginia; and one at-large member who resides in a consistency in the way domestic Northern Virginia jurisdiction from the cities of Alexandria, Fairviolence issues are dealt with by fax and Fall Church and Arlington and Fairfax counties. Those chosen will serve voluntarily and be appointed to serve two-year terms. Apply online no later than Monday, June 4, 5 p.m. at https:// bit.ly/2xk2qnb. For more information call 202-962-1101.

Maryland Black Mayors to Host Annual Scholarship Gala

The Washington Informer Newspaper THE WASHINGTON INFORMER InPUBLISHER Memoriam NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Denise RolarkSr. Barnes published weekly on each Thursday. Wilhelmina J. Rolark Periodicals postage paid at Washington, THE D.C.WASHINGTON and additional mailing ofSTAFF INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published fices.weekly News on andThursday. advertising deadline postage Periodicals paid atMcNeir, Washington, D.C. and additional D. Kevin Editor is Monday to News publication. Anmailing prior offices. and advertising Monday prior to publication. Rondeadline Burke,isAdvertising/ Marketing Director nouncements must be received two two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The Announcements must be received Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POST MASTER: Send change of addressBarnes, Assistant Photo Editor by es The Washington Informer. to The Washington Informer,All3117Lafayette Martin Luther King, IV, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, rightsD.C. reserved. John E.be De Freitas, Sports Editor 20032.POSTMASTER: No part of thisSend publication may reproduced withoutPhoto written permischange addresses to TheThe Washsionoffrom the publisher. Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee Dorothy Rowley, Online Editorthe return of ington Informer, 3117 Martin rates Luther photographs. Subscription are $30 per year, two years $45. Papers be received ZebraDesigns.net, Design & will Layout King,notJr.more Ave.,than S.E.a Washington, D.C. week after publication. Make checks payable to: Mable Neville, Bookkeeper 20032. No part of this publication may Dr. Charles Vincent, Social Sightings columnist be reproduced without written permisTHE WASHINGTON INFORMER sion from the3117 publisher. The Informer Social Media Martin Luther King, Jr.Tatiana Ave., S.E.Moten, • Washington, D.C. Specialist 20032 Newspaper cannot guarantee the return Phone: 202 561-4100 202 574-3785 Angie• Fax: Johnson, Circulation of photographs. Subscription rates are E-mail: news@washingtoninformer.com $45 per year, two years $60. Papers will www.washingtoninformer.com REPORTERS be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, PUBLISHER Cox, Will Ford (Prince George’s Timothy THE WASHINGTON INFORMER Denise Rolark Barnes County Writer), Eve M. Ferguson, Jonathan 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E STAFF REPORTERS Fuller, Hamil Harris, Franklin, Jacqueline Washington, D.C. 20032 Brooke N. Garner Managing Editor Tia C. Jones, Laiscell, Tatyana Hopkins, D. Ed Kevin McNeir, Dorothy Phone: 202 561-4100 Carla Peay Assistant Managing Editor Odell B. Ruffin, Larry Saxton, Fax: 202 574-3785 Rowley, Brenda Siler,Joseph Sarafina Wright (General Ron Burke Advertising and Marketing Mary Wells, Young news@washingtoninformer.com Assignment Writer) Mable Whittaker Bookkeeper www.washingtoninformer.com LaNita Wrenn Administration PHOTOGRAPHERS John E. De Freitas Sports Editor Lafayette Barnes, IV, PHOTOGRAPHERS Victor Holt Photo Editor John E. De Freitas, Maurice Fitzgerald, Zebra Designs, Inc. Layout & Graphic John DesignE. DeFreitas, Joanne Jackson, RoyLassiter, Lewis, Robert Shevry Ken Harris /www.scsworks.com Webmaster Ridley, Victor Holt

Roy Lewis, Demetrious Kinney, Daniel Kucin,

Metro Needs Volunteers for Seniors Citizens Programming

“

We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these Prince George’s Group to Honor Ulysses Currie policies to Congress and The Prince George’s County Education Coalition will host a luncheon June 16 at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenimplore them to change our belt to honor longtime state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-District 25) (right). Currie, 80, has been a lawmaker in AnI will not stop until napolis for more than 30 years with 23 of laws. them in the Senate. He says he will retire and not seek reelection this year. Those who plan to attend the Currie celebration had policies are passed. these to pay in advance by Friday, May 25.

Meanwhile, Delegate Angela Angel (D-District 25) of Upper Marlboro, former delegate Melony Griffith and Paul Trantham novice Jonathan Edward Rosero have filed to fill Currie’s seat. Because all of the candidates are Democrats, the winner could run unopposed in the November general election. 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com Jr., Mark Mahonny, CIRCULATION Lateef Mangum

4 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

“

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

L.Y. Marlow

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

D.C.’s Secret Society: A Band for the Grown Folks By Timothy Cox WI Contributing Writer In the music industry there are various types of bands from all genres. Secret Society [SS] band of greater Washington, DC is a rare-find. And it’s probably best to classify them as a classic hiphop band. And Mark Neal, a life-long Washingtonian, is a consistent supporter of the group. When it comes to performing “hip-hop” music of the mid1980s thru early 2000s,” Secret Society is unmatched, not only in the DMV, but nationally. Their only close competitor would be The Roots, the Philly-based hiphop band making nightly network appearances on the Jimmy Kimmel (NBC) talk show. During a recent live appearance at the Half Note Lounge in Bowie, a capacity audience screamed their approvals for the SS crew. Neal, at 54, said he really likes Secret Society. “I’m a musician with my own bands, so I can see what they bring to the table,” said the Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate. As a younger Baby Boomer, he’s part of a demographic that SS bandleader/tenor saxophonist Bryan Mills specifically targeted when he formed the group back in 2009. “I noticed there were lots of jazz, funk and go-go bands here in the DMV, but none that really targeted mature audiences that likes to chill, but still want to dance and have fun - listening to the music of their youth,” he said. In this case, Mills, 45, wanted personnel flexible enough to perform old-skool ‘70s funk ‘n soul, smooth jazz in addition to the funky hip-hop tunes of the 1980s and ‘90s. “I grew up on hip-hop,” said Mills, a Silver Spring native who boasts a music degree from Howard University. During the week when not on the bandstand, he teaches elementary students the basics of vocal music. The seven-member band features a varied compilation of musical talents and skills including drummer Duane Thomas, a percussionist with back-beats founded in DC Go-Go rhythms. You’ll find Thomas in praise-mode on Sunday mornings at First Baptist

Church of Glen Arden (Maryland). Bassist David Dyson has a formal background from Berklee College of Music, where his Boston ties landed him a touring gig with New Kids On The Block. Guitarist Robbie McDonald, also of Silver Spring, has a funk background and tours with jazz violinist Chelsey Greene. Keyboardist Patrick Cooper is virtuoso on the 88s and mimics jazz greats like Bob James and the late Joe Sample. He hails from Portland. Vocalists Michael Madison and Taryne Warren help ice the band’s cake, each with unique vocal styles. DC-native Madison can deliver smooth Luther Vandross ballads, followed with some funky Bobby Brown, then seal the deal with hip-hop signatures of Notorious B.I.G. or Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest. Blessed with a lovely smile to complement her feminine stage presence, Warren effectively covers Roberta Flack, Lauryn Hill or Mary J. Blige to the rhythmic hip-hop poetry of Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Salt ‘n Pepa. The Albany, NY songstress possesses a natural beauty that captivates her fans. Credit tenor saxophonist/bandleader Bryan Mills for his visionary leadership. Having trained in jazz at Clark Atlanta University and Howard University, Mills’ early training occurred under the tutelage of legendary Go-Go creator, Chuck Brown, and the Marcus Johnson Project. Meanwhile, Mills’ collegiate study as a jazz-performance major is apparent in his playing. His (John) Coltrane-flavored solos are embedded in many of the band’s funkiest vamps. “It’s a joy for all of us to unite and play music. We love performing for our fans, and we enjoy each other. It’s a blessing,” he said. Mills also credits Half Note ownership and management for providing what’s arguably the premier live-music room in the Greater Washington Area. For more information about Secret Society Band and Half Note Lounge access the following websites: www.secretsocietylive. com, or 202-746-2480; www. halftnotelounge.com, or 301809-6683. WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

AROUND THE REGION DEMOCRATIC

PRIMARY

JUNE 19

MURIEL BOWSER IS FIGHTING TO GIVE ALL WASHINGTONIANS

A FAIR SHOT.

M U R I E L B OWS E R .CO M /TEAMMURIELDC @ M U R I E L B OWS E R Paid for by Reelect Muriel Bowser Our Mayor, PO Box 90668, Washington, DC 20090. Jodi Ovca, Treasurer.

CAPITOL ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, INC. DC DRIVING/WALKING TOURS APP

TOUR 1

Overview of American History Tour

TOUR 2

Capitol Hill/ Pennsylvania Avenue Tour

TOUR 3

National Monuments & Memorials Tour

TOUR 4

White House Promenade Tour

TOUR DC ON YOUR OWN SCHEDULE FOR $4.99! Enjoy interesting driving and walking tours using the Washington, DC Driving/Walking Tours App. The GPS tour guide app automatically plays the tour site audio as you drive or walk past the tour site using your smart phone. The 4 tours include over 60 tour site audio and videos that can be played during the tour or at home. DOWNLOAD IN THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 5 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

AROUND THE REGION

WEEK OF MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 MAY 31

1921 – The Tulsa Riots begin in Oklahoma. Whites go on a violent rampage lasting several days. When the rioting was over, an estimated 21 Whites and 60 Blacks were dead. In addition, as many as 15,000 Blacks were left homeless as hundreds of homes and businesses were burned to the ground. The area bearing the brunt of the destruction was known as “Black Wall Street” because of its large number of African-American-owned businesses.

JUNE 1

FULL-SERVICE SIGN & ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS Professional VISUAL BRANDING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS to help grow your business

...because image matters Call Today! 301-273-3462

Stacey Brown “Chief Image Builder”

stacey@signarama-silverspring.com

8930 Brookville Rd Silver Spring, MD 20910 signarama-silverspring.com MBE/DBE Certified | Woman-Owned Business

For a FREE brochure call:

1-844-887-1831

Your Family Deserves The

BEST

Technology... Value... TV!...

Upgrade to the Hopper® 3 Smart HD DVR

• Watch and record 16 shows at once • Get built-in Netflix and YouTube • Watch TV on your mobile devices Hopper upgrade fee $5./mo.

Add High Speed Internet

14.95

$ America’s Top 120 190 Channels

CALL TODAY Save 20%!

1-855-402-3370

/mo.

Subject to availability. Restrictions apply. Internet not provided by DISH and will be billed separately.

Offer ends 7/11/18. Savings with 2 year price guarantee with AT120 starting at $59.99 compared to everyday price. All offers require credit qualification, 2 year commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers. Hopper, Hopper w/ Sling or Hopper 3 $5/mo. more. Upfront fees may apply based on credit qualification. Fees apply for additional TVs: Hopper $15/mo., Joey $5/mo., Super Joey $10/mo. All new customers are subject to a one-time, nonrefundable processing fee.

6 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

tave range, Williams sang backup for Stevie Wonder and recorded a string of successful duets with Johnny Mathis before her breakout pop hit, “Let’s Hear it for the Boy.” 2008 – Barack Obama clinches the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first Black candidate to lead a major party into a campaign for the White House.

JUNE 4

1961 – Soul crooner El DeBarge, who became a star with his siblings in the early 1980s before enjoying a successful solo career, is born. 1972 – Angela Davis, famed civil rights activist and Black Panther Party affiliate, is acquitted by an all-White jury in San Jose, California, of conspiracy charges stemming from a 1970 courtroom shootout.

1864 – Solomon George Washington Dill, a poor White Southern man who supported an end to slavery and Black demands for social justice, is murdered by angry Whites for giving what some Whites considered an “incendiary speech” to a group of South Carolina Blacks. JUNE 5 1973 – Detroit’s WGPR receives a license to become 1945 – John Carlos, a Black American track and the nation’s first Black-owned television station. field athlete best known for raising a black gloved fist alongside Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympics during JUNE 2 1875 – James Augustine Healy is consecrated as Bish- the American national anthem after winning a bronze medal, is born. op of Portland, becoming the first African-American 1973 – Doris A. Davis is elected as mayor of Compton, consecrated a Catholic bishop. California, making her the first-ever African-American 1951 – Kenneth Chenault, CEO and chairman of American Express, is born in Mineola, New York. He is woman elected mayor of a metropolitan city. the third Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company. 1989 – Freddie Adu, soccer player and former member of D.C. United, is born in Tema, Ghana. In January 2004, he became the youngest American ever to sign a professional sports contract after be was selected by the United in the Major League Soccer draft.

JUNE 3

but I’m never alone. I have Life Alert.®

Source: Black America Web

1906 – Josephine Baker, the world-renowned American-born French singer, dancer and actress, is born. In 1934, Baker became the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture (“Zotuou”). She also became an avowed civil rights activist, speaking out against the racism and segregation she faced as a performer in the United States. 1942 – Curtis Mayfield, famed singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer, is born. Rising to prominence as a member of the Impressions, Mayfield penned the R&B group’s politically charged “People Get Ready” at the height of the civil rights movement before going on to a successful solo career. He is perhaps best known for creating the soundtrack for the seminal blaxploitation film “Superfly.” 1949 – Wesley A. Brown becomes the first African-American graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. 1950 – Deniece Williams, Grammy-winning R&B and gospel music star, is born. Known for her four-oc-

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

JUNE 6

1944 – Tommie Smith, an American track and field gold medalist at the 1968 Olympics who raised a black gloved fist with fellow black American John Carlos, is born. 1966 – James Meredith, the first African-American student admitted to the segregated University of Mississippi, is shot in Mississippi by a White man during a civil rights march. 2004 – Phylicia Rashad of “The Cosby Show” fame becomes the first Black actress to win a Tony for a leading dramatic role for her turn as Lena Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun.” WI

ANGELA DAVIS

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

VIEW P INT By Sarafina Wright

Stacey Abrams, Georgia’s Democratic nominee for governor, made history by becoming the first Black woman to win a U.S. gubernatorial primary. What are your thoughts?

KIMBERLY DAVIS / ATLANTA, GEORGIA

I was glad to go and vote for her and Janice Laws. Black women in Georgia are ready for change. #RideTheBlueWave

ANNIE MARIE ATACHIE / MANASSAS, VIRGINIA

Vote blue, go blue! Women rock! Let’s vote all the racist white men out and hold Democrats responsible to make the world safe again.

ANCIL GATHERS JR. / ROOSEVELT, NEW YORK

Don’t make the mistake of dwelling on just Black women. She’s going to need every woman of good will of every color. I know this for sure. So stop the celebrations about things that doesn’t mean that much. It’s time to get to know other people of good will and color. That means every color. Because you are going to need them.

AROUND THE REGION

Quality Assurance Home Improvement Company, Inc. Quality Assurance Home Improvement Company, Inc, based in Fort Washington, MD is a well-established family-owned and operated company in the Washington Metropolitan area. Since opening our doors in 2003, we’ve provided the full range of home improvement services while treating every customer like they were a part of our family. The team at Quality Assurance Home Improvement are proud of their craftmanship and work extremely hard to stand by our name by consistently delivering the highest “QUALITY” work on each home improvement project. The company has seen steady growth over the years and continues to take on a wide range of projects from kitchens, bathrooms, basements, sunrooms, to large two-story room additions. At Quality Assurance Home Improvement, irrespective of the project size, we ensure that all projects receive the same level of customer services and we take pride in our customer-focused reputation of providing extraordinary customer services. Other companies may offer similar services, but our services are the best, and come with a personal touch. Quality Assurance Home Improvement has provided services to countless happy customers over the years by going above and beyond customer’s expectations. If you want quality workmanship call the experts at Quality Assurance Home Improvement Company, Inc. We are Licensed, Bonded, and Insured. We are also licensed through the Environment Protection Agency. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) determined that Quality Assurance Home Improvement meets BBB accreditation standards, and has ranked the company with an A+ rating for the past 15 years straight. We also have an outstanding rating with Angie’s List. If you want to learn more about our customer satisfaction please visit us at http:// www.fortwashingtonhomecontractors.com/. If you want a great customer experience on your next home improvement project call Jeffrey Watson, CEO, Quality Assurance Home Improvement at 301-248-3325 for a free estimate today.

UNIV

ta Aw and f “Th param Th a shu derso Grayd East offici Du Alpha aged ident of a n of Co “As AUSG of us those and ‘if th no p Frede “W flect muni in th hate, not b It’s racial Amer Pro after last y ican of ha while An repor left o obsce board Re fied a respo dent.

INSTALLERS PROFESSIONAL the BBB A+ Rating From ! 13 Years Straight 15

TALLIE ROSE / MANCHESTER, GEORGIA

I voted for her and plan to vote for her again in November. Excited to make history with Stacey Abrams!

4-SEASON SUNROOM WITH BRICK FOUNDATION

2-STORY ROOM ADDITION

4-SEASON SUNROOM WITH GLASS KNEE WALL

Quality Assurance

JODI RISPER / BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA

Home Improvement Inc.

I find it amazing how Stacey Abrams won in a landslide in her primary, more people know who she is compared to her Republican counterpart and people still question [whether] can she win. The national media coverage is about how the wave of women is coming. Yet a Black woman wins and the first thought is doubt about her viability in the general election. It seems viability has only become an issue for people of color who are running. WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

OFFICE: 301-248-3325 “WE STAND BY OUR NAME”

2500

Lead Paint Removal Certified

up to off Sunrooms & Additions

The first 10 custom who purc hase a su ers nr this seas on will re oom ceive free AC and heat ing unit and a sh ingl FREE ES e roof. TIMATE

15% off ANY SERVICE

Purchase Today and Receive FREE cable outlet And FREE A/C & Heating Unit

For Senior Citizens Extra 5% Off

With this coupon. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY AT: WWW.FORTWASHINGTONHOMECONTRACTORS.COM

24 MAY 4 - 10, 2017

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Remodel your kitchen today and receive and extra 5% discount.

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 7 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

5 Ta Gover

AROUND THE REGION

By D. Kevin McNeir / WI Editor/@dkevinmcneir

The World According to Dominic

“Wisdom from Dick Gregory: Let Anger Go to Live a Healthier, Longer Life”

(301) 864-6070

EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC ADA, Age Discrimination, Benefits, Civil Rights, COBRA, Contracts, Deaf Law, Defamation, Disability Law, Discipline, Discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, FOIA, Family Responsibility, Harassment, HIPPA, OSHA, National Origin Discrimination, Non-Compete, Race Discrimination, Rehabilitation Act, Retaliation, Severance Agreements, Sexual Harassment, Torts, Whistleblowing, Wage-and-Hour, Wrongful Discharge SERVING MARYLAND, DC, & NORTH CAROLINA

www.jmlaw.net

(301) 864-6070

jmccollum@jmlaw.net

During my fascinating career as a journalist for the Black press, now spanning more than two decades with hopefully, by God’s grace, many years still to come, I have had several opportunities to sit at the feet of one of the most profound brothers I’ve ever know: Dick Gregory. Brother Dick, a man who rarely minced his words, had a way of surprising his listeners with stories intended to help them improve the quality of their lives, thereby also extending their years of life. One lesson that has remained etched in my mind – in fact, one that I’ve often shared with my friends and family, focused on the detrimental impact of holding onto disappointment and anger – emotions that carry toxins which are extremely harmful to the body. In short, when asked about the key to his longevity and good health which stretched well into the winter of his life, he replied that he never allows disappointment, whether as it relates to his own shortcomings or the actions of others, or anger, to consume him – to take residence in his mind and color his daily thoughts. His rationale was that anger, as well

as other related feelings, dump toxins into the body that compromise our health and therefore shorten our lives. One way I’ve tried to make it easier to understand is by using one of my favorite childhood computer games, Pac Man – you know, the little fellow who moves about devouring everything in its path. That’s the power that unbridled anger has on our minds, bodies and souls. Brother Dick insisted that we take the high road, focusing on those people, places and things that make us smile, bringing joy, peace and tranquility to our spirits. I’m sure we all know people who seem more comfortable with holding onto anger, no matter how big or small the reason, instead of forgiving themselves or others, and letting it go. Ironically, at least from what I’ve experienced, most folks realize that they ought to cast anger to the winds but find they just can’t or don’t want to. It’s tantamount to the tale about the dog who sat on his master’s porch, seemingly unable to move to another spot, instead hellbent on remaining in pain, steadfast, while a single nail protruding above the wood continues to inflict pain on the dog’s tender behind. Some of us mirror the actions of that dog, reliving old experiences that caused us pain, anger or disappointment, day after day, week after week, year after year – more content to stay within the throes of more familiar injurious things, unwilling or unable to take a leap into the unknown where a more positive future often exists – ours for the taking and embracing.

So, when others chose to celebrate their anger by shouting, cursing, throwing items – even presuming to invade my personal space – I have no alternative but to remove myself, or them, from the heated environs of conflict. Because as Brother Dick concluded, the anger of others, as its intensity increases and when aimed in our direction, negatively impacts our health as well. We begin to “see red,” our blood pressure rises, we begin to think and act irrationally and we destroy the mantra of peace that previously surrounded us. Some of you may recall that episode from one of my favorite TV shows that aired during the 80s, “A Different World,” in which Debbie Allen portrayed a psychologist and advised Whitley Gilbert to “relax, relate, release.” It may not be as easy to do as one would like, but if you value life and good health, you’d be wise to follow the advice of Brother Dick Gregory and stop allowing the world, your community, your friends, even your own family, to push and pull at you in ways that provoke you to anger. You see, in the end, they will probably move on without batting an eye, quickly and conveniently forgetting all that was said and done. Meanwhile, you’ll remain stuck in a maelstrom where the debilitating effects of anger and disappointment swirl around you like a hurricane that keeps you from ever finding solid ground. Live long, live healthier, live with a purpose and a brighter future. Live without anger. Live! WI

IDEAS WANTED

Apps • Beauty • Electronics • Housewares • Medical Pets • Tools • Lawn and Garden • Toys and more!

Call 844-260-4135 for our FREE Idea Starter Guide. 100% Confidential • Davison charges fees for services

8 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Local Mom Celebrates National Foster Care Month By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer With May designated as National Foster Care Month, a Maryland resident has shared her experience in helping to raise nearly two dozen foster children with the help and guidance of the Woodbourne Center, which is located on the former estate of the Enoch Pratt and A.S. Abell Families in Baltimore. The center opened more than 200 years ago with a focus on treating children with psychiatric and behavioral problems and later expanded its programming to include foster care treatment. “I became a foster parent in 2008 when my daughter went away to college and my husband was traveling and I needed someone to cook and care for,” said Yvette Hawkins, a local mother who has helped raise 20 children — mostly girls. “I called the Woodbourne Center and I took their classes and it was so rewarding.” She said the center takes seriously its teaching and nurturing foster parents, so much so that it’s like earning a high school or college degree all over again. “When you take on so many kids and they may be with you for maybe two years, but you’re constantly caring for them even when they’ve aged out of the program,” Hawkins said. “The thing you have to remember is that they didn’t have the resources when you got them, and you are their primary resource when they leave, and they become family, so you continue to help.” Hawkins said it’s important to understand the various dynamics involved.

She said many of the individuals have experienced trauma, even sexual abuse, and their feelings cannot be ignored. “When I introduce my kids to my family, I say, ‘this is my godchild,’ and that puts everyone at ease and because you can’t reveal certain things because of HIPPA laws, it makes it easier and it gives the child the sense that they are family,” said Hawkins, who last year authored the book, “Encased in Ice: Pain and Plaudits of Foster Care Parenting.” The book offers a myriad of foster parenting strategies and skills to effectively execute and nurture broken, abandoned and mistreated young women, Hawkins said, noting that officials at the Woodbourne Center have used it along with other guides when discussing foster care with potential parents. She said the book validates foster parents and the importance of a stable support system for foster children. “Initially, I didn’t expect it to be this involved,” Hawkins said. “After a year or two, you start telling people that these are your kids. We have grandchildren now so it’s just not one turkey for Thanksgiving anymore, it’s two.” Hawkins said the biggest challenge she’s faced — and probably most other foster parents — is the reunification of the foster child with his or her biological mother. “Listen, everybody loves their mother regardless of what she may have done,” Hawkins said. “You find yourself trying to put 6 Yvette Hawkins helped raise 20 foster children and has now written a book. /Courtesy photo

AROUND THE REGION them on one path and then you find the biological mother pulling them toward another path and we can see what that outcome would be, but your hands are tied at that point. “You just pray that what you have instilled in them in such a short period of time will stick.

And, you just have to let them know that you’ll be there for them no matter what,” she said. Hawkins said many times foster parents find the child ultimately becoming subjects of the criminal justice system, a hurtful experience. “You just don’t have a lot of

time to work with them,” she said. “But Woodbourne is awesome. The way they train you on this and there’s really no book on how to raise a child, but Woodbourne is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” WI

Vote in the Tuesday, June 19, 2018 Primary Election Polls will be open from 7am to 8pm. During the Primary, only Democratic, Republican, DC Statehood Green, and Libertarian voters may vote on the candidates. However, every registered voter, including unaffiliated and minor party affiliated voters, may vote on the Initiative Measure that will appear on the ballot.

Contests on the Ballot: • Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives • Mayor of the District of Columbia • Chairman of the Council • At-large Member of the Council • Ward Member of the Council for Wards 1, 3, 5 and 6

• Attorney General of the District of Columbia • United States Senator • United States Representative • National and Local Party Committee Members • Initiative Measure No. 77, the “District of Columbia Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2017”*

* All voters, regardless of party affiliation status, will be asked to vote “YES” to approve or “NO” to reject the Initiative Measure in the Primary. For the complete text of the Initiative Measure, please visit our website at www.dcboe.org

Want to Vote Early?

Early Voting will start at One Judiciary Square on June 4, and at ward-based Early Voting Centers on June 8. Early Voting Centers are open daily (including weekends) through June 15, 2018 from 8:30am until 7pm.

Early Voting Centers Monday, June 4 — Friday, June 15 • Ward 2: One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW (Paper & Touchscreen Ballots) Friday, June 8 — Friday, June 15 (Touchscreen Ballots only) • Ward 1: Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street NW • Ward 3: Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue NW • Ward 4: Takoma Community Center, 300 Van Buren Street NW • Ward 5: Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue NE • Ward 6: Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th Street NE • Ward 6: King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N Street SW • Ward 7: Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 49th Street NE • Ward 8: Malcolm X Opportunity Center, 1351 Alabama Avenue SE

Need More Information?

For more information on the upcoming election, on voter registration, to confirm your registration information, or to find your polling place, please visit www.dcboe.org or call (202) 727-2525.

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 9 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

AROUND THE REGION CAPTURE THE MOMENT

Denise Rolark Barnes Independent Beauty Consultant www.marykay/drolark-barnes.com 202-236-8831

5Cameroon Ambassador Henri Etoundi Essomba, left and sitting, and NNPA President Benjamin Chavis, center and standing, pose for a photo with Arikana Chihombori Quao, right and standing, and two others at the Africa Day Dinner on May 24 at the Marriott Wardman Hotel in Northwest. /Photo by Roy Lewis

net

Who’s Reading the Informer? Kyle Jones, a recent graduate of Bowie State University, reads the Washington Informer after his commencement ceremony. /Photo by Brigette White

n upper and lowercase, flush left as indicated on artwork at these point sizes: Consultant name in 11-point Helvetica Neue Bold; Independent 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; Web site or e-mail address in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; phone number in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light. t Beauty Consultant: Only Company-approved Web sites obtained through the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site program may be utilized.

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Denied Beneﬁts? Unable To Work? Fighting For Your

We Can Help!

Helping 1000’s Get The Beneﬁts They Deserve

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS For Over 35 Years!

Do You Qualify For Disability Beneﬁts? Call For A FREE Evaluation

Assisting With: - Initial Applications - Denied Claims - Hearings

We Simplify The Process & Strive For Quick Claim Approval.*

(855) 549-3119 Bill Gordon & Associates, a nationwide practice, represents clients before the Social Security Administration. Member of the TX & NM Bar Associations. Mail: 1420 NW St Washington D.C. Office: Broward County, FL. Services may be provided by associated attorneys licensed in other states. * The process for determining each applicant’s disability benefits varies greatly, and can take upwards of two years.

10 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

“I never learned hate at home, or shame. I had to go to school for that.” – Dick Gregory, “Nigger” (1964)

(Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

AROUND THE REGION

D.C. Fights Congressional Riders in Spending Bill By Tatyana Hopkins WI Staff Writer Federal funding has been secured in the House D.C. Appropriations bills for the popular tuition aid program that helps thousands of D.C. residents attend college. Despite being eliminated in the president’s proposed budget, congressional negotiations have protected the funding for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG). Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton reported that she has helped preserve $30 million in the 2019 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, which is still in markup in a House subcommittee. Norton said she expects to secure $40 million in funding for DCTAG in the final bill as she has done in previous years when congressional tensions threatened funding for the program. “With our students in colleges across the nation, protecting DCTAG funding is always my first priority, and I fully expected to get the full $40 million in the

“With our students in colleges across the nation, protecting DCTAG funding is always my first priority, and I fully expected to get the full $40 million in the final spending bill.” Eleanor Holmes Norton Congresswoman final spending bill,” Norton said in a statement. In the past, Congress has attacked funding for DCTAG, however, $40 million has been appropriated to the program for the past three fiscal years. Norton said showing other House members the success and value of the program to D.C. families and students has been key to preserving the program’s funding. But the same bill also contains five budget riders, or amendments, included in the current

year’s appropriations bill to prevent full implementation of local D.C. laws. The current bill has stipulations that prohibit and prevent the District government from implementing its legalized medical suicide assistance, funding abortions for low-income residents, protecting employees discriminated against based on their reproductive choices and commercializing the city’s marijuana industry. “Although Republicans are

getting started early this year on attacking D.C.’s local laws, we got our home-rule coalition started even earlier in helping to stake out our defense,” Norton said. “We expect to have the same success we had last year, working with the Senate, to remove most of these undemocratic riders.” Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and a coalition of over a dozen organizations rallied last month to fight the riders and tell the federal government to keep their hands off D.C. laws. “We want Congress to keep their hands off the things that matter to our residents,” Bowser said. “Congress cannot interfere in locally approved laws in D.C.” The bill also includes a provision to exempt the District from a shutdown and $5 million to combat HIV/AIDS. Norton said she is also working to restore $14 million for the D.C. Water to continue its work to control flooding in the city and clean up the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and Rock Creek. WI

5 D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton said she expects to secure $40 million in funding for DCTAG in the final bill. /Photo courtesy of the U.S. House of Representatives

dctag has money for college Parents, we make it easier to pay for college. If you’re a DC resident, have a son or daughter 26 or younger with a high school diploma or GED and meet a few other requirements, the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) can help by providing up to $10,000 a year to participating colleges and universities, nationwide. The deadline is June 30th and you can apply using any mobile device or computer. For more information, call (202) 727-2824, go to osse.dc.gov or visit 1050 First Street, NE, 5th floor, Washington, DC, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 11 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Edwards Campaign Raises Plenty, But Alsobrooks Still Ahead By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill The coffers have filled up for former Rep. Donna Edwards with more than $300,000 raised for her bid for Prince George’s County executive, according to her campaign. In a statement, the 59-yearold staunch progressive said the amount raised includes a $180,000 loan to herself “signaling that she is all in on a campaign built and fueled by grassroots people power.” According to Edwards’ report, her campaign has about $240,884 cash on hand. The contributions include $5,000 from the state education association Fund for Children and Public Education PAC, $2,500 from ZIP Mailing Services of Landover and $200 from The Happy Factory of Capitol Heights. Her campaign filed the report Saturday, May 26, four days after the May 22 deadline. According to the Maryland State Board of Elections, a candidate could pay $20 per day for late filings. The board meets Thursday, May 31 in Annapolis to approve late waiver fee requests from various campaigns.

Meanwhile, a super PAC known as “We are Prince George’s” has spent $660,000 on behalf of Edwards with signs, polling and campaign literature that accuses her opponent, State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks, conspiring to “pay-to-play” politics. The majority of the money comes from two unions, Unite Here Local 25 of Northwest and LiUNA! (Laborers’ International Union of North America) of Reston, Virginia. Progressive Maryland, a leading grass-roots advocacy group, issued a call for Alsobrooks to not accept contributions from developers and its attorneys and lobbyists. “If Angela Alsobrooks is concerned about voters learning the truth about who’s funding her campaign, then we believe she would have less to worry about if she simply stops taking money from these special interest groups,” Larry Stafford, executive director for Progressive, said in a statement Thursday, May 24. “Instead, Alsobrooks has decided to attack the public education efforts of groups that represent thousands of ordinary, working-class Prince Georgians.” The organization requests Alsobrooks respond in three days and then return money her cam-

“I am very proud of the diverse support our campaign has generated and I want to thank everyone who continues to show their faith in me.” Angela Alsobrooks

12 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

5Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks. /WI File photo by Lateef Mangum

paign received by May 30. In a brief interview, Stafford said it nothing transpires, then the organization will continue its appeal for Alsobrooks to not take money from developers. Alsobrooks denounced the pay-to-play mailers as lies, declaring “we are the grass-roots campaign.” Campaign finance reports show between Jan. 11 and May 15, the campaign raised about $300,000 with nearly $850,000 cash on hand. During this four-month cycle, the campaign attributes more than 1,200 contributions that raised the total to over 4,600. Some of the contributions included: $6,000 from International Association of Firefighters of Northwest; $1,500 from Grainger Browning, senior pastor at Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington; and $750 from J.B. Jenkins Funeral Home of Hyattsville. “I am very proud of the diverse support our campaign has generated and I want to thank everyone who continues to show their faith in me,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve you and I know that the best is yet to come.” The other candidates filed campaign reports, which are significantly lower than Alsobrooks. State Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-District 26) of Accokeek raised about $45,250. His campaign filed the report May 23, several hours after the midnight May 22 deadline. Paul Monteiro, a former official with the Obama administra-

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

5Former Rep. Donna Edwards. /WI File photo by William J. Ford

tion, raised $27,810 with $5,180 cash on hand. Air Force veteran Billy Bridges received a loan of $2,160 with slightly less than $400 cash on hand. Jerry Mathis, the lone Republican in the race, raised $600 with $1,500 cash on hand. He also issued a $5,000 loan to himself. Tommie Thompson, president of Bazilio Cobb Associates with offices in Northwest and Lanham, raised $2,110 between Feb. 27 and April 10. He has slightly more than $2,000 cash on hand, according to a finance report

filed April 17. On the same day, Michael Kennedy filed a document to ensure he wouldn’t receive contributions or make expenditures of no more than $1,000. Former lieutenant governor Samuel Bogley II and Lewis B. Johnson also filed and signed paperwork to conduct similar actions in the race. Because the county is heavily Democratic, the winner of the June 26 primary would likely win the November general election. WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Progressive Maryland Endorses Ramirez for Prince George’s State’s Attorney By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Progressive Maryland, a grass-roots advocacy group, announced it will back state Sen. Victor Ramirez in his bid for Prince George’s County state’s attorney. Though the Silver Springbased statewide nonprofit organization has made a slew of endorsements this election year, it ranks the position of as one of its most important, coming to the decision after months of meetings, questionnaires, reading campaign literature and candidates’ forums. “[Ramirez] embodied everything in our platform that what we wanted to do,” Seanniece Bamiro, lead organizer for Progressive Maryland in Prince George’s, said Thursday across the street from the county courthouse in Upper Marlboro. “He has remained consistent in not wanting to over prosecute and just throw people in jail just because it’s the thing to do.” Ramirez (D-District 47) of Cheverly, who also has been endorsed by former State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey, called Pro-

gressive Maryland’s support “a badge of honor.” “To know I have a true, grass-roots organization that cares about working families and the issues that affect the everyday person … support me means a lot,” said Ramirez, who mentioned he’s handled more than 500 cases with his own law office in Hyattsville. “It takes experience. It’s not just a political position. How can you lead 100 assistant state’s attorneys and 100 staff members if you’ve never done the job? In any other [profession], it would be malpractice.” Bamiro said the Ramirez platform is in line with several of the organization’s proposals, including increased police accountability, full transparency from the state’s attorney’s office and ending the war on drugs. Ramirez’ campaign literature indicates he will focus on issues such as: • Ending the illegal use of stop-and-frisk tactics that target communities of color. • Protecting all residents regardless of immigration status. • Prioritizing prosecution

Seat Pleasant Making ‘Smart Moves’ WI Staff Report Seat Pleasant, Md., a “Smart City of Excellence,” is harnessing the power of technology to cultivate sustainable urban development and invigorate its economy. As a “Smart City,” Seat Pleasant helps city agencies prepare for problems, plan for growth, and coordinate and manage response efforts. “This is the dawn of a new day,” said Mayor Eugene Grant. “And what the 21st century demands is a new type of city, a city that must use internet-connected devices and sensors to gather and analyze information. This including decision-making, improving infrastructure, efficiency, convenience and the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.”

This year, city officials unveiled a “Natural Language Question and Answer ChatBot” designed to listen and understand residents’ questions, regardless of how they are asked. Based on IBM Watson technology, the Chatbot provides correct answers in real time on a wide range of topics, including city services (trash collection and snow removal), contact information for each city department, event information, and city-sponsored programs such as the Smart Home Buy program. Seat Pleasant has emerged as the nation’s first and only authentic small Smart City, implementing technological solutions aimed at empowering citizens and improving operational efficiency. WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

of violent crime and reject war on drugs strategies. Ramirez has two opponents in the June 26 primary: Mike Lyles, director of the county’s Human Relations Commission and adjunct professor at the University of Maryland University College, and former state Delegate Aisha Braveboy. Because Ramirez, Braveboy and Lyles are the only candidates currently on the Democratic ballot, the winner could run unopposed in the general election. The position isn’t term-limited, but current State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks decided to vacate the seat to run for county executive. Progressive Maryland has endorsed former Rep. Donna Edwards in that race. Meanwhile, Braveboy has received several endorsements from prominent officials such as Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland), Sheriff Melvin High and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 89. Qiana Johnson, a mass liberation fellow with Progressive Maryland, said Braveboy didn’t receive an endorsement partly due to her support from the police union. “That was a real turnoff,” said Johnson, a returning citizen released in August. “Even though the cops will charge you, the state’s attorney makes a decision whether to pursue a case. The prosecutors have the responsibility to act with integrity. You don’t have to dig very deep with [Ramirez] to see what he stands for.” WI

5 State Sen. Victor Ramirez talks about part of his vision for Prince George’s County state’s attorney Mary 24 in Upper Marlboro after he received an endorsement from Progressive Maryland. /Photo by William J. Ford

Nia 2X RADIO — (The Voice of the People)

Hear The Best In Pod Cast RADIO keeping Black History Alive 4 EVER

Ida B.Wells Barnett

(A profanity free station) @ blackonblackunity.com then click Radio Information .

Truth is the language of ALLAH (God)

Small Business Bid Opportunity Renew Bird House at the National Zoo Bid Date 6/11/2018 @ 10AM Encouraging Small Business, HBCI/MI’s, SDVOSB,VOSB, HUBZone, WBE and Veteran owned Contact Michelle Evans: mevans@consigli.con

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 13 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

BUSINESS How Do We Get Out of This Hole We’re In? By William Reed If it’s to be, it’s up to you and me. — Calvin Rolark, Black newspaper publisher, social activist How “empowered” are today’s generation’s Black Americans? Barack Obama’s election to the highest political office in the land in 2008 was a proud moment for Blacks. It represented another advance in the slow but steady progress Blacks have made in gaining a greater foot-

hold in political leadership. Political representation is good, but it’s not the essence of real power in America. Political representation is the activity of making citizens’ voices, opinions, and perspectives “present” in public policy making processes. While Blacks revel in their political “empowerment” think we should be aware of the false promise of Black political representation Record numbers of African Americans hold elective

APPLY TODAY!

5 Power in Numbers. /Courtesy photo

office, but the policy preferences of Black voters remain unlikely to be enacted. Many Blacks view political representation as a potential catalyst for increased racial equality. According to a Pew Research Center survey, roughly four in 10 Black adults (38 percent) say that working to get more Black people elected to office would be a very effective tactic to help achieve equality. Whites are less likely to view this as an effective way to bring about increased racial equality (24 percent). Blacks expect their shortcomings in commerce and wealth to be equalized by their ballot power. Black families earn just $57.30 for every $100 in income

earned by whites. For every $100 in White family wealth, Black families hold just $5.04. Instead of building cliques toward collective capitalism, Blacks prefer to participate in partisan politics. Wealth — the measure of an individual’s or families financial net worth — provides all sorts of opportunities. Wealth is the most complete measure of a family’s future economic well-being. After all, families rely on their wealth to pay their bills if their regular income disappears. Unfortunately for many African Americans’ socialist mindsets, wealth in America is unequal by race. Blacks need pay as much attention to GNP figures as they

Our best deal on Internet ever!

12 UP TO

Plans from $30/mo

Mbps

855.641.5140 IV Support Holdings

Applications for FY19 arts and humanities project-based grants for individuals and organizations are currently available online For more information on grant programs, including technical assistance workshops for applicants, contact us at www.dcarts.dc.gov | 202-724-5613 and learn more about how our grant programs can help support your great ideas

Minimum 24-month service term. Service plan is subject to data transmission limits measured on a monthly basis. Equipment lease fee is $9.99/mo. and taxes apply. Speeds are “up to,” are not guaranteed and will vary. Service is not available in all areas. Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time. Viasat is a registered service mark of Viasat, Inc.

Gary a.Martin

Learn how to get a

attorney at Law

Galaxy S8 FREE!

1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 (202) 508-1042

Ask an associate for details.

877-701-0378 SMARTPHONE BOGO: Limited Time Offer. Select locations. Must buy each iPhone 8 64 GB ($699.99) on 0% APR AT&T Next (30 mos. at $23.34/mo.) or AT&T Next Every Year (24 mos. at $29.17/mo.) with eligible service. Tax on full retail price of both due at sale. After all credits, get iPhone 8 64GB for free. Max credit may be applied towards other eligible iPhone 8/8 Plus models priced up to $950, which will be discounted but not free. iPhone X is not eligible. Req’d Wireless: Eligible postpaid wireless voice & data svc on both devices (min. $65/mo. for new svc with autopay and paperless bill discount. Pay $75/mo. until discount starts w/in 2 bills. Existing customers can add to elig. current plans If you cancel wireless svc on one, will owe that device balance of up to $950. Activation Fee: up to $45/each. Return: Return w/in 14 days. Restocking fee up to $45 each may apply. Add’l BOGO terms for customers w/consumer acct & Subscriber Paid User acct: Purchased device must be on Subscriber Paid User acct & free/discounted device must be on the consumer acct. Billing addresses for Subscriber Paid User & consumer accts must match. Req’s elig. postpaid wireless voice & data svc on both devices. Combined min. elig wireless svc is $73.50/mo. ($28.50/mo. on Subscriber Paid User acct + $45/mo. on consumer acct after autopay & paperless bill discount. Pay $83.50/mo. until discount starts on consumer acct w/in 2 bills.) Bill Credits: Applied in equal amounts to device over entire agmt term & will not exceed $700. Both wireless lines must be on same acct, be active & in good standing for 30 days to qualify. To get all credits, free wireless line must remain active, with eligible service, and on agmt for entire term. If you cancel service, upgrade or pay up/off agmt early your credits may cease. Limits: May not be combinable w/other offers, discounts or credits. Purchase, financing & other limits & restr’s apply. Participation in this offer may make your wireless account ineligible for select other offers (including select bill credit offers) for a 12 month period. See store or att.com/iphone8offer for offer details. GEN. WIRELESS SVC: Subj. to Wireless Customer Agmt (att.com/wca). Credit approval required. Svcs not for resale. Deposit: May apply. Limits: Purch. & line limits apply. Prices may vary by location. Taxes, fees, monthly, other charges, usage, speed, coverage & other restr's apply per line. See att.com/additionalcharges for details on fees & charges. Promotions, terms & restr’s subject to change & may be modified or terminated at any time without notice. AT&T service is subject to AT&T network management policies. See att.com/broadbandinfo for details. IV Technologies Inc. NRO PD T 0118 5327 E

14 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

do those on ballots. Blacks should be more cognizant to sport people and issues that represent their views. If we are to be relevant in America, Blacks need to be about creating businesses and evolving business mindsets. While other ethnic groups gravitate toward American commerce, Africans place hopes for upward mobility on the largess of the public sector and elective office. Data from the past 50 years reveal the upward yet uneven trajectory of Black political leadership in. In 1965, there were only six members of the House of Representatives were Black. By 2015, there were 49 Black House members but little change in attention to Black issues and projects. The future of Black political representation in Congress is grim, and Blacks ought to mobilize to salvage what they can of racial districting. If Blacks are to gain equality in America, it’s up to you and me becoming politically and economically relevant through power politics and astute capitalism. Wi

Your Personal Attorney for: • Personal Injury • Workers Compensation • Equal Employment Law garyamartin.law@gmail.com

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

BUSINESS

County Council OKs Fiscal 2019 Budget By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer Prince George’s County Council smoothly went through the budget process Thursday, May 24, approving a nearly $4.1 billion spending plan that marks the county’s largest budget ever with no tax increase. The fiscal year 2019 budget provides additional money for education and public safety. “We celebrate the county’s growth for sound and fiscal management,” said Council Chairwoman Dannielle Glaros (D-District 3) of Riverdale Park. “We can be proud of the achievement we made together. This has been one of our smoothest [budget processes].” It’s an election year and three council members — Andrea Harrison, Mary Lehman and Obie Patterson — will serve their final months on the board because of term limits. “Prince George’s County is extremely well-respected across the country. I want you go out and tell that story,” said Harrison (D-District 5) of Springdale, who seeks one of three seats for state delegate in District 24. “Even though I will not sit in this seat, I will continue to lobby for Prince George’s County.” As for the budget, it provides more than $2 billion for edu-

cation, a nearly 4 percent increase from the current budget. The education earmarks include funds for expanding pre-kindergarten programs, construction projects at Suitland High School and the replacement of William Wirt Middle School. There’s also money for a program to hire academic counselors for high school students who need remedial help after graduation to prepare for college. Other parts of the budget include public safety at $754 million, an almost 7 percent increase from this fiscal year, to add 125 more police officers, a new fire station in Oxon Hill and two new positions in the sheriff department to support the domestic violence unit. After voters approved in 2016 to expand the County Council from nine members to 11 with the addition of two at-large seats, it could cost more than $2 million to pay for council members’ salaries, staff, furniture and supplies. Council members Karen Toles (D-District 7) of Suitland and Mel Franklin (D-District 9) of Upper Marlboro are pursuing those two seats due to term limits on their current district seats. “I don’t necessarily plan on it to be my last occasion dealing with the council budget,” Franklin said at the county

5 Prince George’s County Council approved a nearly $4.1 billion budget for fiscal 2019 — the largest-ever budget without a tax increase — during a May 24 council meeting. /Photo by William J. Ford

administration building in Upper Marlboro. “We ‘re all team Prince George’s County. We all believe this is an extraordinary place.” In terms of revenue, MGM National Harbor casino resort anticipates generating nearly $34 million in taxes and game revenues from the casino, 300room hotel, restaurants and other businesses. The budget estimates more than $2 billion in general fund revenues with the highest coming from property taxes at $914 million, a nearly 8 percent increase from this current year. While Glaros read a 10-page statement to thank her council colleagues, county employees and residents, she also praised County Executive and gubernatorial hopeful Rushern L. Baker III, who presented his final budget in March to the council. “With immense pride, we congratulate [Baker] — a visionary leader and a strong partner,” she said. “My colleagues and I on this council appreciate the manner with which you have worked together with us

to move Prince George’s County forward.” Baker issued a statement Thursday after council adopted the budget. “The investments in the approved FY2019 budget will continue the dramatic trans-

formation of Prince George’s County in the upcoming fiscal year,” he said. “I appreciate their commitment and dedication to their budget review process over the past two months.” The budget goes into effect July 1. WI

Spotlight Leisel L. Taylor is the Team Leader of the Multi-Award Winning Real Estate Team, "Taylor Made". This Team is committed and dedicated to serving their clients and providing the highest level of customer satisfaction to everyone requiring real estate services. Leisel has made several featured guest appearances on radio and television to include HGTV's House Hunters, Fox 5DC, DIY Network and WBB Talk. Leisel is focused on being recognized as an expert in her industry and staying abreast of real estate

featuring

Leisel L. Taylor

market trends at all times to ensure that she can provide the best solutions possible to her clients.

Business(es): Taylor MADE Home Solutions Expertise: Real estate | Radio | TV Personality Social Media: LeiselTaylor@kw.com Websites: www.TaylormadeteamDMV.com

Tune In To "WBBTalk" | Weekdays at 9 am | 96.3 FM - HD4 | www.DCRadio.gov

IS IT A HIKE,

DC HOUSING AUTHORITY PUBLIC HEARING AND PUBLIC COMMENT NOTICE

OR A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY?

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED 2019 MOVING TO WORK (MTW) PLAN

WVtourism.com

78696_WV_Hiker_Press Association_BW Ad_MDDC_4.25x4 • 4/27/18

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is providing notice of a Public Hearing and comment period to solicit comments on the agency’s proposed 2019 Moving to Work (MTW) Plan. MTW is a HUD program that allows select public housing authorities to design and implement innovative programs and policies with the intent to: 1) reduce costs and improve efficiencies; 2) encourage residents to obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient; and 3) increase housing choices for low-income families. The Public Hearing will take place on Monday, June 25, 2018 at 6:00 PM at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE in the 2nd floor Board Room. Written comments will be accepted thru Monday, June 25, 2018 via email at MTW@ dchousing.org or by mail sent to Kimberley Cole, Director of Planning, DCHA, 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20002. To request a copy of the plan, please call (202) 435-3389; send an email to MTW@dchousing.org; or download the plan from the DCHA website at www.dchousing.org/mtw2.

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 15 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

NATIONAL Federal Prison Reform Creates Surprising Ties, but Divides Even More By Tatyana Hopkins WI Staff Writer The rate of incarceration in the United States is one of the highest in the world. Yet the emergence of lawmakers calling for prison reform has swiftly made sweeping changes in several states, and in a relatively short period of time has led the federal government to rethink its stance on prison reform following the swell of the nation’s prison population the 1980s and the toughon-crime legislation passed under

Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Roughly 2.2 million Americans are in prisons, at an estimated cost of $80 billion a year. American prisoners make up the largest portion of the world’s prison population, with its prisoners making up 20 percent of the global group. While both Republican and Democratic legislators agree that reform is necessary for the nation’s prison system, two competing bills on the matter make the future of reform unclear.

5 Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. /Photo courtesy of CQ Roll Call

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed one of the most substantial prison reform efforts in almost 10 years. The Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed, Safely Transitioning Every Person (FIRST STEP) Act passed with a 360-59 bipartisan vote. The bill focuses on rehabili-

B es t M u si c F es ti v

12:00pm - 8:00pm

a l

* Gangstagrass * Cris Jacobs * * American Songster Revue * featuring Dom Flemons, Guy Davis, Amythyst Kiah, and Kamara Thomas Plus over 2 dozen incredible musical acts!

DC FOOD TRUCKS KIDS ZONE CRAFT BEER & COCKTAILS

16 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

GREAT CAUSE

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

tating people who are already in prison by incentivizing them to participate in rehabilitation programs with the possibility of earlier release. It authorizes $50 million annually for five years to develop new programs including educational opportunities, vocational training and mental health counseling. The law would allow nonviolent offenders who earn “good-time credits” to serve the final days of their sentences in halfway houses or home confinement. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Doug Collins (RGa.), and has gained the support of President Donald Trump. Terri A. Sewell (D-Ala.) supported the bill alongside Jeffries, a fellow member of the Congressional Black Caucus. “This is not a perfect bill, and I strongly believe that Congress must take action to end the epidemic of mass incarceration that has made the United States the world’s biggest jailer,” Sewell said. “But the FIRST STEP Act begins our work to fix the criminal justice system with bipartisan reforms that will have a real-life impact for families across the country.” The bill would also require the Federal Bureau of Prisons to place inmates no more than 500 driving miles from home unless it is for a security designation or if bed space limits or programming and health care needs prevent it. It would also extend the number of good-time credits earned each year. But the bill must next pass through the Senate, where it is likely to be more strongly opposed.

Democratic Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Reps. John Lewis (Ga.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) wrote a letter alongside several civil rights groups strongly opposing the bill, charging that it does not go far enough and condemning the legislation as “a step backwards.” “These fundamental concerns are not simply that the FIRST STEP Act does not ‘go far enough,’ but instead that the recidivism reduction plan that is the core of the bill could actually worsen the situation in our federal prisons by creating discriminatory non-evidence-based policies,” the letter read. “We urge our colleagues in the House to reject this bill and join us in pushing for the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act.” Others who oppose the bill include Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who believes the bill goes too far. A second, more ambitious reform proposal, the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, pursues “front-end” reforms aimed to lighten prison overpopulation through sentencing reform. The proposal would reduce mandatory-minimum sentences, restore judges’ discretion regarding sentencing and end the “three strikes” rule. The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act also has bipartisan support, co-sponsored by Sens. Durbin and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). In 2016, then senator and present-day Attorney General Jeff Sessions blocked the measure from reaching the floor. WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

NATIONAL JUDGES from Page 1 tion passed by the D.C. Council. The Norton bill is prompted by the unique requirement that judges for the local D.C. courts be confirmed by the Senate, where nominees for the federal courts understandably get the primary focus and priority. During a May 22 Senate confirmation hearing for a nominee to the D.C. Superior Court, Norton raised the urgency facing the District’s criminal and civil justice systems, as the D.C. courts have raised serious concerns due to longstanding vacancies. “Pending statehood, when D.C. would have full control over the appointment of its local judges, Republicans may not be willing to give up complete control over D.C. judges,” Norton said. “However, the current process is badly broken and doing harm to the administration of justice. The Senate is understandably more focused on nominees for the federal courts and federal agencies than nominees for local D.C. courts. “Whether under Democratic or Republican control of the Senate, we regularly face vacancy crises, which harm the operations of the civil and criminal justice system in the District,” she said. “Congress created the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission, currently headed by a federal district court judge, to recommend candidates, and Congress should

generally defer to its judgment.” Currently, there are 10 vacancies out of 62 authorized judges on the D.C. Superior Court and two vacancies out of 9 authorized judges on the D.C. Court of Appeals. In the current Congress, only one judge has been confirmed. Both pre- and post-home rule, the District has never had control over the nomination and approval process of local D.C. judges. Norton’s bill would not alter the role of the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission or the president in the nomination process. Under the Home Rule Act, the Commission recommends to the president a list of three persons for each vacancy on the Superior Court and Court of Appeals. The president must nominate a candidate recommended by the Commission within 60 days to the Senate for advice and consent. If the President fails to nominate such a person within 60 days, the Commission must nominate a recommended person directly to the Senate for advice and consent. The Senate has no obligation to provide its advice and consent. Under Norton’s bill, once a name has been transmitted to Congress, the nomination will be deemed approved unless a resolution of disapproval is enacted into law during a 30-day legislative review period. WI

#DCJAZZFEST

Take Metrobus and Metrorail to the...

JUNE 8 – 17, 2018 TICKETS ON SALE NOW

D C JA Z Z F E S T.O RG

6/7

6/12

6/7

6/14

6/10

6/11

6/9

6/8

6/13

DC JAZZFEST AT JUNE 7–14 | 1350 OKIE STREET NE Thursday | June 7

Frédéric Yonnet w/special guest Maimouna Youssef, the Washington Renaissance Orchestra Octet Patricia Barber Trio Pharoah Sanders (two shows) The Bad Plus Tia Fuller The Baylor Project Homage To A Master: Keter Betts feat. Ben Williams Raul Midón

PLATINUM SPONSORS

The Washington Post is the official media sponsor of DC JazzFest at The Wharf GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

MEDIA SPONSOR

PepsiCo is the official drink sponsor of DC JazzFest at The Wharf The DC Jazz Festival®, a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization, and its programs are made possible, in part, with major grants from the Government of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, Mayor; with awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment; and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development; and, in part, by major funding from the Anne and Ronald Abramson Family Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Gillon Family Charitable Fund, Wells Fargo Foundation, The NEA Foundation, Venable Foundation, The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, The Reva & David Logan Foundation, John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. ©2018 DC Jazz Festival. All rights reserved.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS?

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EVEN MORE INFO ON OUR COMMUNITY! WWW. WASHINGTON INFORMER.COM WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 17 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

INTERNATIONAL

AFRICA/CARIBBEAN NOW Africa Free Trade Pact Will Promote Growth and Opportunity By D.R. Barnes WI Contributing Writer

Traditional Help Buttons

At Home In the Car On a Walk On Vacation At the Park Shopping

A Help Button Should Go Where You Go! To be truly independent your personal emergency device needs to work on the go.

Order Now & Receive a FREE Lockbox!

1-800-681-0667

Service availability and access/coverage on the AT&T network is not available everywhere and at all times. Current GPS location may not always be available in every situation.

View

Sports Photos by John De Freitas

at:

 18 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

Miniature flags representing Africa’s 54 nations and the U.S. decorated a table top in the reception area of the Marriott Wardman Park hotel in Northwest, where nearly 200 guests attending the annual Africa Day Gala gathered to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African States, now known as the African Union. The Wednesday, May 24 event 5 African ambassadors and members of the African diplomatic corps highlighted the historic signing of pose for a group photo on the steps of the Marriott Wardman Park hotel the African Continent Free Trade ballroom in Northwest before joining guests at the Africa Day Gala on Agreement (AfCFTA) last March in May 24. /Photo by Roy Lewis Rwanda. Leaders of 44 African nations set the stage for creating a single trade market for goods and services in Africa, and a removal of tariffs, import quotas and other barriers to trade on the continent. Once ratified, AfCFTA will allow goods and services to flow freely between signatory African countries. The Africa Day theme — “Creating One African Market: Opportunities and Challenges” — drew attention to the fact that AfCFTA is considered the largest free trade agreement since the creation of the World Trade Organization. Ambassadors and members of the African Diplomatic Corp based in Washington, D.C., who were joined by State Department officials, along with representatives from the D.C. Office of African Affairs, all reiterated the fact that Africa, which represents home to the fastest-growing economies in the world, is “open for business.” Co-chaired this year by E’Toundi Essomba, ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon, and Lydie Flore Magba, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the Central African Republic, both extended a “warm welcome” to the many guests and thanked their business partners and supporters for contributing towards the promotion of Africa in the U.S. “This occasion was planned as both a framework for continuing the exchange from our meetings this morning and also as a moment of relaxation and conviviality. It is planned to show the beauty and richness of the continent,” Essomba said. And following that, along with other speakers, the evening included menu, of African-influenced food, along with entertainment by Burundi and Cameroonian dancer, and comedy from Kenyan native Anna Mwalago. Mamadou Samba, director of the Mayor’s Office of African Affairs, acknowledged the African diplomats as D.C. residents that are served by the District as the entry point to opportunities and services. “I assure you, we remain committed and passionate [about] making sure we support the African community,” Samba said. “No matter which country you come from, no matter how long you’ve been here, you can call this city home.” Stephanie Sullivan, deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of State Bureau of African Affairs, affirmed the United States’ “long history of bipartisan support for Africa.” “We will continue to work to advance our common goals and mission including promoting good governance and spurring trade and investments,” Sullivan said. “Continued growth,” she warned, “will depend on good governance, prevention of corruption, maintaining rule of law, respect for human rights; and assurance that Africa’s youth, who represent 70 percent of the population that are under 25 years old, must be included in the growth in Africa.” She said the U.S. applauds the African Free Trade Agreement because it lays the groundwork for greater competitiveness and growth. “It’s a major milestone and represents a significant opportunity for Africa and the U.S. which could boost Africa’s GPA by 50 percent and farming by 60 percent,” Sullivan said. “Investments in energy, communications and transportation in African are also needed to ensure success.” Ambassador Arikana Chihombori Quao, representative of the African Union to the U.S., read a lengthy letter from Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki, the new chairperson of the African Union Commission, in which he spoke of the AU’s ability to survive despite challenges both in Africa and from African colonialists. Most importantly, he urged, the AU has strived to find African solutions to African problems. He concluded that “as a united front of Africa’s children, Africa must reclaim is rightful place on the world stage.” WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 19 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

HEALTH D.C. on ‘Cusp’ of Gold Standard for Health

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The District has again earned a citation as one of America’s healthiest cities. A newly-released 2018 CityHealth report, which evaluates various policies that support and improve health and quality of life in 40 U.S. cities, awarded the nation’s capital a silver medal. More obvious policies, including access to healthy foods and safe streets, factored into the ratings, as did the District’s efforts in affordable housing and early childhood education, according

to the report. “So many factors influence whether or not you have a good chance of being healthy and living a thriving life,” Shelley Hearne, president of CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, told WTOP. D.C. earned its highest marks in policies surrounding alcohol sales control (which Hearne said helps curb domestic abuse and violent crime rates), age restrictions for tobacco use and healthy food options available in public places. The city’s pedestrian- and

5 Bicyclists continue to increase in numbers in the District. /Courtesy of DCbikeride.org.

bike-friendly roads also received notice, WTOP reported. That said, the report highlights some areas where there’s room for improvement, including policies supporting the city’s universal pre-K program, especially in

charter schools. “An issue like high-quality, universal pre-K is actually one of the biggest contributors to how well a child can do as an adult,” Hearne said, adding that quality pre-K programs have been shown to result in higher graduation rates. According to data on the City Health Dashboard, the District’s on-time graduation rates (73.2 percent) fall below the average of 500 of the nation’s cities (83.4 percent). Hearne said with a high school diploma, “a child will end up being a stronger wage-earner which is a huge factor in whether or not you’re going to be healthy down the road.” Tightening policies around food safety and restaurant inspection ratings could push D.C. into “gold” status in the future, according to the WTOP report. Cities such as New York and Los Angeles require restaurants to post the grades they receive from their inspections. However, D.C. does not. “It’s not only a right-to-know, but it actually has been shown to reduce foodborne illnesses,” Hearne said about the public postings. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], restau-

rants remain the most commonly reported places where foods that caused illnesses tend to be prepared. And a 2003 study published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics found that posting restaurant inspections in L.A. decreased the number of foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations and increased restaurant inspection scores. The CDC also reported that infected restaurant workers often serve as the cause of norovirus outbreaks. This segues into another policy area assessed in the CityHealth report: earned sick leave. Hearne said the good news is, D.C. has an earned sick leave policy, but “it doesn’t quite meet the gold standard out there.” “And it’s really important for a city’s health because, as you can imagine, maybe in restaurants the person serving or making your food doesn’t actually have sick leave. And that’s the last place that you want someone who’s not well coming in, who’s handling your food, not taking a day off. So, it’s really about not just improving individual health, but this is such a key element for ensuring the community’s health,” Hearne added. “D.C. is right on the cusp,” Hearne said. WI

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS? WWW.WASHINGTON INFORMER.COM 307442_6_x_6.5.indd 1

20 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

5/24/18 8:47 AM

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

District Honors Those Lost to Smoking

HEALTH

By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer When the D.C. Council unanimously approved its 2019 budget on Tuesday, May 29, including a $2 per pack increase to the District’s cigarette tax, residents Brandon Hughes and Debra Wells immediately thought of family members who lost their fights to tobacco addiction. “Unfortunately, cancer and tobacco-related diseases have had a huge impact on my entire family,” Hughes, a Ward 1 resident, said following the vote, the Cancer Action Network reported. “My dad was able to kick his tobacco addiction after 30 years. But that wasn’t before watching his father and both his in-laws die from lung cancer and other smoking-related illnesses. Smoking was ubiquitous among my grandparent’s generation and its impact on families has been devastating.” Wells said her entire nuclear family battled with nicotine addiction. “My parents grew up smoking and it was heartbreaking to see them, as well as my brothers and sisters, addicted to cigarettes,” the Ward 2 said. “Both my parents died from smoking-related diseases as well as my grandfather and my younger brother. It was so difficult to watch them suffer the physical pain and the emotional torture when they tried to quit.” Hughes is the lead volunteer ambassador in the District for the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network (CAN) and Wells is an American Heart Association (AHA) “You’re the Cure” advocate. Both are active members of the Raise It For Health DC Coalition, which includes CAN, AHA, the American Lung Association, Breathe DC, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, DC Fiscal Policy Institute and March of Dimes. Over the past several months, Hughes and Wells joined forces with dozens of other volunteers to talk with every D.C. Council member about the importance of increasing the District’s cigarette tax to help people quit, with both testifying at council committee hearings. “When we talked to Council members and their staff, most of them were sympathetic to the issues we were raising,” Hughes

5 Bar /Photo courtesy of Pinterest

said. “Nobody wants to see the next generation addicted to tobacco products the way previous generations were. And I think the budget vote really proved that the D.C. Council recognizes that the time has come to take a stand against a product that leads to lifelong addictions and death.” The $2 increase to the District’s cigarette tax is estimated to lower youth smoking by 20.6 percent and will keep about 2,400 kids from becoming adults who smoke, according to CAN. Additionally, about 5,300 adults who currently smoke are expected to quit and 2,000 premature deaths are estimated to be prevented. The District also is expected to see about $5.36 million in new annual revenue because of this measure. In 2016, the council passed

the Electronic Cigarette Parity Amendment Act, which added e-cigarettes to the District’s existing smoke-free law. They also raised the age of sale of tobacco products in the District to 21 and prohibited the use of all tobacco products — including smokeless tobacco — at sports venues in the District, including Nationals Park. “How often do you have the chance to save a life?” Wells said. “I’m proud of the D.C. Council for passing this increase to the cigarette tax and investing in cessation, but also because they have worked together over the past several years to implement a number of tobacco control measures that are making a difference in the health of their constituents.” WI

“When we talked to Council members and their staff, most of them were sympathetic to the issues we were raising.”

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Brandon Hughes

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 21 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

EDUCATION Black Leaders Suggest Policies to Help Students Succeed By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Failures by K-12 school systems to prepare Black students for college are compounded by inadequate college admissions policies and support programs, according to a new report from the northwest D.C.-based Black leadership network Project 21. Such action could make Black students’ completion of a college education a difficult prospect, Project 21 researchers said. The organization has rolled out new recommendations that call for a “Better Deal for Black America,” such as tying federal student financial aid eligibility to minimum graduation rates as a means of incentivizing colleges to provide Black students with the support they need to succeed. The organization also recommends, as a means of making college more affordable, setting tuition maximums for colleges to be eligible for federal financial aid. Colleges are admitting Black students who are sometimes unprepared for rigorous college environments, Project 21 Co-Chairman

Stacy Washington said in a news release. Blacks are sometimes accepted with lower SAT and ACT scores, fewer AP course credits and lower high school GPAs than their counterparts, Washington said. The situation is worsened by colleges that do not provide Black students with individualized support to overcome the deficiencies of their K-12 educations, she said. This failure is reflected in the statistics for six-year graduation rates. Just 38 percent of Blacks complete their four-year college degree programs within six years. By comparison, 62 percent of whites, 63.2 percent of Asians and 45.8 percent of Hispanics receive their degrees within six years, Project 21 officials said. “Statistics show that too many families send their kids off to college but never get to attend a graduation ceremony despite investing tens of thousands of dollars. The six-year graduation rate for Black students is just 38 percent and that’s abysmal,” said Washington, a nationally syndicated talk radio host whose oldest child enters college this fall. “Colleges and universities receiv-

5Black leaders say college students are compounded by inadequate admissions policies and program support. /Photo courtesy HBCU Buzz

5Stacy Washington of Project 21. /Photo courtesy of Project 21

ing federal aid dollars should be held accountable for their graduation rates and their return on investment,” Washington said. Project 21 has outlined steps to require minimum graduation rate standards in order for a school to be eligible for federal student financial aid. A requirement like this would go a long way toward students and taxpayers getting what they pay for in a secondary education, Washington added. She noted that half of Black college students report accumulating more than $25,000 in college debt after four years in college. That compares to just 34 percent of whites who accumulate such debt. It’s estimated that every dollar of financial aid raises the “sticker price” of tuition by between 55 and 65 cents, which has led Project 21 to propose a reform of tuition inflation. “Black students are paying more and getting less these days. We need colleges and universities to appreciate their Black student bodies throughout a full collegiate career, and not just for admissions statistics,” said Project 21 mem-

ties if they agree to meet set six-year graduation rate standards. Additionally, Project 21 suggests preventing tuition inflation by limiting the overall amount of grants and loans a student can receive and by limiting the tuition of schools may charge in order to be eligible to receive federal financial aid programs. They also want to prohibit federal funding to any school encouraging race-based campus segregation such as separate housing, student centers, recreational facilities and graduations. “Along with schools needing to reform the way they nurture Black students to succeed, they also need to mind the nature of the campus to prevent polarized race relations,” said Project 21 member Demetrius Minor. “Too many administrators are embracing radical practices like Blacks-only housing and Blacks-only graduation ceremonies that are really sanctioned segregation. This is totally against the colorblind principles advocated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, and the federal government has a duty to do what it can to stop it.” WI

ber Jerome Danner. “Colleges take chances on Black students who may initially need more help in keeping up with the curriculum. The combination of linking federal financial aid eligibility to graduation rates and keeping tuition manageable puts the priority not just on admitting students, but also retaining them. This not only helps them succeed, but also protects them from the depression and debt related to being forced to drop out.” There are four specific Project 21 proposals in their blueprint to give Black college students a better deal, promoting their success rather than setting them up to fail, Washington said. Included is the requirement that schools receiving federal financial aid to meet minimum six-year graduation rate standards of 60 percent for the general student population and an initial 15 percent lower rate for minority students to be phased out over time. They’ve also recommended reprogramming existing federal funding to provide additional resources to improve the infrastructure of historically Black colleges and universi-

New Life Wellness Center featuring

Colon Hydrotherapy & Aqua Chi Detox System Where Have You Been? It’s Time for Your HEALING &

202.544.9595

426 8th St. SE – 2nd Floor WDC 20003 www.newlifewellnesscenter.com Email: carmelvoice@aol.com

Hours: 7am – 7pm M - F / 7am – 12pm SAT. Walk Ins Welcome

SPECIAL $59 OFFER – CALL FOR DETAILS

22 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

DCPS

BRIEFS

EDUCATION would collect wood for the fire. “Then we spent the rest of the day doing different group activities. It has become a tradition to play a game of hide-and-seek on every camping trip. ... I love the camping trips — it reminds me that there is so much to do outdoors.”

Next year, Cheraine will follow her passion as she studies biology at Winston-Salem State University to prepare herself to become a veterinarian. Cheraine’s favorite classes have been anatomy and physiology because they provided her an opportunity to learn about how the body

works, information that will be valuable in her future career. Cheraine has been involved in community service through the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) and has an internship at the Herb Block Foundation four days a week after school. Thinking back on her time at

Ballou, Cheraine said that the school has provided her with the resources she needs to make a post-secondary plan. “They have a lot of resources to help the students and make sure that everyone is on track because they want to see us be successful,” Cheraine said. WI

OSSE ADDRESSES ELLINGTON FRAUD Compiled by Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer

COMMUNITY ‘CONNECTIONS’

Members of “Connections,” Thurgood Marshall Academy’s club for LGBT students and allies, recently volunteered at Casa Ruby, a homeless shelter and social services organization for the area’s LGBT population. Students also toured the facility, met with staff and clients, and learned about HIV/STD prevention in the LGBT community.

TMA CAMPING TRIP

Each year students in Thurgood Marshall Academy’s Wilderness Club escape the city to spend two nights at a nearby state park. Senior Kamaree Ward shared his experiences from this year’s camping trip: “I’ve been a member of the Wilderness Club since the 10th grade. We take lots of hiking trips throughout the year to prepare for the big camping trip in May. This year 10 students and two advisors traveled to Smallwood State Park in Charles County, Md., about a 45-minute drive from D.C. “The camping trip lasted two days, but it took a lot of planning as a group. We decided what food to bring and what games we would play. We arrived at the park on Saturday morning, and our first task was to pitch our group tents, then assign chores, for example, who

OSSE has issued the following statement regarding administration process for Duke Ellington School of the Arts’ families identified as non-residents: “Following the investigation of residency verification at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education referred 164 cases of suspected residency fraud to the Office of Attorney General for further investigation into potential civil claims, in accordance with District law. OSSE’s investigation included a review and investigation of enrollment forms, student files maintained by the school, and publicly available electronic records. “OSSE is notifying Ellington families, in writing via regular and certified mail at their address on record, of their right to administrative review. “These families will have 10 days from the receipt of the letter to choose one of the two options: 1) contest the findings through an administrative review before the Office of Administrative Hearings; or 2) accept the finding of non-residency and make payment arrangements for the non-resident tuition owed for the 2017-18 school year.”

CHERAINE PUGH GOES TO COLLEGE

Cheraine Pugh, a graduating senior at Ballou Senior High School, has always loved working with animals.

5 Members of ‘Connections’. /Photo courtesy of DCPS

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 23 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

We’re all about the quickness. Speed, that’s what Xfinity brings to you. Even when it looks like we’re chilling, we’re still on-the-go. Streaming the most free TV shows and movies on the go. And, having the fastest Internet and best in-home WiFi experience from Xfinity makes downloading them simpler than ever. Also, when you get Xfinity Internet, you can get up to five lines included with Xfinity Mobile—so you can save. No need to slow down when you have Xfinity. Simple. Easy. Awesome.

AMAZING NEW PACKAGE

Get Started With TV | Internet | Voice

99 a mo.

FOR 2 FULL YEARS WITH A 2-YEAR AGREEMENT

More Speed. Better Entertainment. Bigger Value.

Best In-Home WiFi Experience

Equipment, taxes and fees extra, and subject to change. See below for details.

Call 1-800-xfinity, visit your local Xfinity Store or xfinity.com

Offer ends 6/3/18. New residential customers only. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Limited to Standard Triple Play with Performance Pro 150 Mbps Internet and Xfinity Voice Unlimited services. Early termination fee applies if all Xfinity services (other than Xfinity Mobile) are cancelled during the agreement term. Equipment, taxes and fees, including Broadcast TV fee (up to $8.00/mo.) and Regional Sports Fee (up to $6.75/mo.) extra and subject to change during and after agreement term. After term agreement, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular rates apply. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. Internet: Best ISP based on download speeds measured by over 111 million tests taken by consumers at Speedtest by Ookla. Actual speeds vary. Voice: $29.95 activation fee applies. If there is a power outage or network issue, calling, including calls to 911, may be unavailable. Xfinity Mobile: Requires post-pay subscription to Xfinity Internet service. New Xfinity Internet customers limited to 2 lines pending activation of Internet service. NPA214651-0001 DIV18-2-AA-$79TP-A4

24 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 126187_NPA214651-0001 Quickness ad A4 9.5x12.375.indd

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM 5/1/18

5:11 PM

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL A People’s Campaign to End Gun Violence Ward 8 is exceptional. Despite the negative image portrayed in the media and the endless references of poverty and crime, the southeasternmost end of the city is a village with activists who strive to create a vibrant, livable community, particularly for its longtime residents and especially its youth. Thus, it was no surprise, but still a site for sore eyes, to see several hundred Ward 8 residents, activists and supporters answer the call to attend a community meeting on Memorial Day to discuss and recommend solutions to end the increased violence and homicides that have overtaken the community. It was the horrendous recent murder of a 15-year old Ballou High School student, followed by the murder of a respected businessman, husband, father, and son Alex Mosby last Friday that sparked the outrage. And then, the double murder of a respected football coach and his wife that followed, inspired many folks to come together due feeling a sense of urgency. Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White put out the call, not only because he is emotionally worn out over these murders, but also as he said he’s simply overwhelmed by the number of funerals he’s attended of young black male victims of gun violence this year alone: four homicides of students at Ballou; victims at Anacostia; and the stabbing death of a student at Thurgood Marshall Academy. “It is on us to protect our community,” White said to those at the gathering. “We can no longer depend on MPD to make sure our village is safe.” The crowd shouted, “Amen” and “You got that right!” White said he needs the community to understand that it is not only the government’s role to do something to end the violence as his now familiar phrase permeated the air with the crowd responding, “Do Something!” following his command, “Don’t just stand there.” Joined by his pastor, Community of Hope AME Church Rev. Tony Lee, White reiterated his popular pastor’s recent Sunday morning sermon theme: “What we need we have right here.” By the end of the meeting, residents had offered solutions and cited resources to address the social needs of the residents of Ward 8 and the city, at large, which has also seen a spike in homicides. There’s undeniable widespread disappointment with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser who many feel stands with developers who, with her approval, continue to build unaffordable apartments, condos, sports facilities and dog parks despite the greater need for jobs, affordable housing and after-school programs. Residents are aware of a need for self-reliance in overcoming the deep-seeded neglect experienced in this part of the city that has gone on for decades. They agree that while change will not take place overnight, they’re committed to working overnight and all day to bring a difference to their community. We invite everyone to pay attention, and when able, to lend a hand to support the good things soon to come. We are encouraged and hopeful that a change is coming to Ward 8 – a positive change due to the collective effort of the people of Ward 8. WI

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS? Visit our website for up-to-the-minute news about our community! WWW.WASHINGTON INFORMER.COM WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

TO THE EDITOR Stacey Abrams a Beacon for Black Women I must admit I had no idea who Stacey Abrams was, but when I read this week’s issue of The Informer and saw her on the cover, I soon found out. How marvelous was it for me to see a Black woman making history at such a young age. I read in the story that this isn’t her first time making history and that had me further intrigued with the work she’s doing down in Georgia. I will make it my duty to keep up with national politics more and the Black candidates who are making strides. Tessa Alan Washington, D.C.

Black Lives Matter in D.C. I noticed a printing issue in this week’s paper but I don’t want to harp on that because you all do a supreme job every week with keeping the Black community in D.C. up on what’s happening around us. There were a few stories that stood out to me. I didn’t know that there was a native Washingtonian campaign happening that included no Black people. What a shame! And the Washingtonian should be ashamed of themselves! How can you exclude the people who gives this city all of its culture, heart and soul? I am, however, grateful that there was an immediate response led by good people like the brother Tony Lewis Jr. What a time. James Leake Washington, D.C.

Readers' Mailbox

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

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 25 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Julianne Malveaux

Stacey Abrams Standing on Strong Shoulders I am among the millions who are ecstatic that Stacey Abrams won the Democratic nomination for governor in Georgia. She didn’t just win, she rocked, clobbering opponent Stacey Evans by over 50 percentage points — Abrams had 76 percent of the 533,450 votes cast in the Democratic primary. Of course, Abrams very graciously congratulated Evans on her effort during her victory speech last week. Still, it is clear that the work Abrams

put into bringing new votes to the polls paid off. Now, Abrams and her supporters will have to roll up their sleeves and bring even more new voters to the polls — two Republicans will vie for the Republican nomination in a runoff, and there were 70,000 more Republican voters in the primary than Democratic voters. If this turns partisan-ugly — and it is likely to — the challenge for Stacey Abrams will be to connect with those voters who rarely vote in midterm elections. She already has a head start. Her

Guest Columnist

New Georgia Project is credited with increasing voter turnout and registering as many as 200,000 new voters. While the estimates vary (with some saying that the numbers are not as robust as Abrams reports, the fact is that the New Georgia Project is effective, but must be even more so if Abrams is to prevail. She’ll need dollars and soldiers, but she has amassed an impressive amount of support from women’s candidates’ groups such as Emerge America and political action committees such as the African-American-focused Higher Heights and the pro-choice woman-focused EMILY’s list.

In addition, Melanie Campbell, CEO of the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation and the Black Women’s Roundtable, has partnered with Black women organizations in Georgia on its project — “Unity ‘18 Power of the Sister Vote.” The women she worked with, including Essence Editor Emerita Susan Taylor and the esteemed Judge Glenda Hatchett, did outreach to more than 50,000 households through social media. On Election Day, the Unity ‘18 effort provided rides and reached out to voters through phone banks and canvassing, encouraging them to get

out and vote. The work will have to continue through November if Stacey Abrams is to win that governorship. Just a day before Abrams claimed her Democratic nomination, the civil rights lawyer Dovey Roundtree made her transition at the age of 104. Roundtree, like Abrams, was a Spelman College graduate. Abrams attended Yale Law School, while Roundtree matriculated at Howard on the GI Bill after serving in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WACS).

MALVEAUX Page 45

By Raynard Jackson

Calling the Cops on Black Hollywood

White folks calling the police on innocent Black people has been in the news a lot lately. You had a White student named Sarah Braasch at Yale University calling the police on a fellow Black student, Lolade Siyonbola, who she didn’t know and had fallen asleep in the study lounge; you had a group of Blacks who rented an Airbnb in California only to have a White

neighbor call the police on them, because she didn’t recognize them and — get this — they “didn’t wave” to her. Those were her actual words. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. As my boy Solomon once told me in Proverbs 4:7: “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore, get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.” In this column, I want to have a conversation that is going to make some of you, my loyal readers, quite

Guest Columnist

uncomfortable. While the issues revolving around race are very complicated, complex and multidimensional, I am only going to focus on one side of the equation. The side of equation that is in our total control. The one issue that Blacks are in total control of is the images that “we” create, publish and distribute to the public; this includes, radio, TV, newspapers and social media. A few years ago, I addressed this issue in one of my columns. This conversation created a storm of

controversy, but more importantly it sparked a necessary conversation within the Black community. So, again, I will ask the same question: What have Black folks done that causes police to totally undervalue our lives and causes others to feel threatened by our mere presence and immediately feel the need to call the police? We have shows on television like “Empire,” “Insecure” and “The Quad” that showcase Blacks in some of the most negative roles possible.

I hear Blacks calling each other n-----s in public spaces, then have the gall to get upset when a White person uses the same word. We glorify the thug life in our music, scantily-clad Black women have become the standard in music videos and we even permit some our pastors to advocate for the gay lifestyle from the pulpit. Really? Again, let me be perfectly clear: none of these things justify the police abusing their authority or a

JACKSON Page 45

By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

Trump’s Embarrassing Actions on North Korea Open a Door for Citizen Diplomacy

President Donald Trump torpedoed the summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a letter he dictated that was virtually incoherent. The question now is whether the shoddy, impulsive, neck-snapping reversals of the White House will spark a new round of threats and a new crisis, or whether the opening that had seemed so promising can be continued in other ways. Trump astounded the established diplomatic corps when he suddenly announced that he would meet with the North Kore-

26 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

an leader in a summit. I defended Trump against the punditry, arguing that it is always better to talk than to issue threats, to find areas of common ground rather than prepare targets for attack. The summit, Trump said, would seek to get North Korea to give up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for a lifting of economic sanctions and, presumably, security guarantees. North Korea made a series of gestures designed to build confidence. It released three American prisoners, which Trump called a “beautiful gesture” in his letter calling off the summit. It pledged that it would halt nuclear and missile tests. On the very day Trump pulled

the plug on the summit, North Korea invited foreign journalists to witness the blowing up of its nuclear weapons testing site. Yet from the beginning, the exchange seemed unreal. Trump claimed that the North Korean leader had agreed to complete denuclearization. Most experts believed that North Korea might agree to staged levels of arms control, but that it would never give up its nuclear weapons — seen as vital to its survival — totally. Yet even as Trump was minting a coin to celebrate the “historic” summit and beginning a campaign to get the Nobel Peace Prize, his bellicose advisers were

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

detonating land mines. National security adviser John Bolton, who had advocated attacking North Korea, suggested that the U.S. would follow the “Libyan model” with North Korea. Bolton argued that he meant the agreement whereby Muammar Gaddafi gave over all of his nuclear materials (Libya did not have a nuclear weapons arsenal) without any incentives. But Bolton is no one’s fool. He knew that what happened next was Gaddafi faced internal upheaval, the U.S. and European allies intervened for “humanitarian reasons,” bombing Libya, and Gaddafi ended up being captured and murdered.

Not surprisingly, the North Koreans were angered by the notion that this “model” would be applied to them. They cancelled a preparatory meeting in protest. Then Vice President Mike Pence announced that if the North Koreans didn’t make a deal with the U.S., Kim could meet the same fate as Gaddafi. That prompted North Korean officials to call him a “political dummy.” Saying that they would not “beg the U.S. for dialogue,” Choe Son Hui, the vice foreign minister, unleashed hot rhetoric of her own, asking whether the U.S. “will meet us at a meeting

JACKSON Page 45

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnists

By Elizabeth Primas

School Choice Not the Right Choice for All Students

When the best educators in America traveled to Washington, D.C., for a series of events celebrating innovation in the classroom and to share best practices in K-12 education, they let officials at the Department of Education and the White House know exactly how they felt about the Trump administration’s current push for school choice pro-

grams. According to edchoice.org, school choice programs allow, “public education funds to follow students to the schools or services that best fit their needs — whether that’s to a public school, private school, charter school, home school.” In April 2018, the Department of Education (ED) hosted the “Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s Drum Major Legacy: Innovative Pathways to Success” celebration; the event was sponsored

Guest Columnists

by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans in collaboration with the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The Education Department’s MLK Legacy event honored individuals who perform extraordinary acts of service in their communities, specifically those individuals who support high-quality education for children of color. Many of the awardees work with parents or community groups that provide

primary care for children; some even provide educational support services outside of the traditional public school model. School choice became a hot topic during the event, as several attendees were visibly disgruntled at the mention of the controversial approach. The Trump administration has proposed to decrease funding to authorized investments for public schools while increasing funding opportunities for school choice programs and private

school vouchers. Ninety percent of children in America attend public schools. Increased funding to school choice programs, while reducing funding to public schools is a strategy that leaves behind our most vulnerable students. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has repeatedly said that she’s committed to upholding the intentions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the

PRIMASPage 46

By Ramona Edelin

Don’t Lose Sight of D.C.’s Charter School Success

As controversy continues to swirl around public education in the District of Columbia, with much misunderstanding and misinformation as well as genuine problems, District parents, guardians, and taxpayers might be forgiven for wondering what is going on in the District’s public schools lately. The news has been unrelentingly negative. From the scandal about inflated

graduation rates and attendance data to the untimely resignation of the schools chancellor, the public has not been encouraged by media reports. But while D.C. Public Schools re-examines and reforms its practices under new leadership, District residents should remember that the other half of D.C.’s public schools — which educates 48 percent of all District public school students — is flourishing with verified success. D.C.’s charter schools are taxpayer-funded, tuition-free

Askia-At-Large

public schools that operate independently from DCPS, the traditional school system, and are held accountable by the city’s independent charter board and the choice of families to enroll their children in them. District public charter schools have brought a diverse set of strong educational programs to our communities for nearly a quarter of a century, with participation steadily rising to nearly half of all District students, with another 11,000 on waitlists hoping for a chance to join

them. The confidence shown by this rising enrollment is based on many factors, but one is the high, on-time graduation rate of 74 percent — within four years. This compares to estimates of a meager 40 to 50 percent graduation rate before charters schools were allowed to operate. Charter schools’ gains in graduation rates have been shared by students throughout the city: the on-time rate for African-American and economically disadvantaged charter students is almost identical to charters’ av-

erage rate. Unlike the traditional public schools, the graduation rates of charters are guaranteed to be accurate — for years, the District’s charter board has audited the transcript of every graduating student, an important safeguard against fraud and self-serving grade inflation. This is one of the benefits of having results externally audited, a move the city-run school system is now considering. But higher graduation rates

EDLIN Page 46

By Askia Muhammad

Rest in Peace, NFL

I still possess a Wheaties box featuring game MVP Doug Williams and his Washington teammates after their 1987 Super Bowl XXII victory. I still have a football signed by placekicker Mark Moseley. I was a sincere football fan. But then in 1992 — the 500th anniversary year of the catastrophic European invasion of North America, led by Christopher Columbus — Native Americans protested at every home game of the Washington

NFL franchise because its nickname is a dictionary-defined racial slur. The Washington team won the Super Bowl that year. That was the last great year for the squad. Since then, the battle over the name has winded its way through the courts with the Supreme Court ruling last year that using disgusting, racial epithets for a team name was “free speech,” protected by the Constitution, and therefore can remain. After that, I sealed my contempt for the team, its owner and its fans, and lost interest in the sport overall. Then Colin Kaepernick

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

stepped on the stage and took a knee to protest the wicked treatment inflicted on innocent Black folks by vicious White cops, enforcing the rule of a wicked White society. Donald J. Trump was elected president, and he was able to flip that script, protesting the protests and turning the sycophantic NFL team owners into plantation bosses demanding gleeful obedience and loyalty from the Black players, the way slave masters expected their human property to be docile, content and happy with their circumstances. Trump referred to the mostly Black (70 percent of the NFL

rosters) players as “sons of b----s” and even questioning whether they should remain in this country. That’s enough for me. Last season, I never watched an entire regular season or playoff game. There had been calls for a Black boycott of the NFL over the unforgivable treatment accorded to Kaepernick, but it didn’t really materialize. This year there is more boycott talk. The threat to the NFL is that each year, going forward, instead of gaining new and younger fans, the league is losing some of its older and most loyal fan base, Black folks and, in addition, with more and more concerns

about safety, causing more and more parents to keep more and more children from playing football, each year the game is losing precious “market share” — that is, the percentage of viewers enjoying the NFL “brand” each week. The NFL owners, a coterie of 32 super-rich White dudes, don’t get it. They think their loyal Black TV viewers (the network TV revenue is split between all the teams, guaranteeing huge profits, even to the worst performers) will stick with them forever, no matter how badly they

ASKIA Page 46

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 27 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE Step Afrika!’s ‘The Migration’ Returns to DC Features Artistry of Jacob Lawrence after Successful Broadway Run WI Staff Report Step Afrika! brings its incredible 2017-2018 season to a close with nine performances of The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence in the District at the Hartke Theatre, Catholic University of America in Northeast, June 8-17 A beat for every brushstroke, Step Afrika! brings to life Jacob Lawrence’s The Migration Series, the landmark collection of

paintings about one of the largest demographic transformations in U.S. history. Fusing body percussion, stepping, and contemporary dance with live gospel, jazz and blues music, Step Afrika! tells the uniquely American story of African Americans who moved from the rural south to the urban north in the 1900s. Used as inspiration and backdrop, 20 of the 60 panels by renowned American artist Jacob Lawrence are projected on stage

during Step Afrika!’s production of The Migration. Lawrence’s bold, colorful artworks literally set the stage for African American stepping, West African dance, South African gumboot and percussive traditions of patting juba, hambone, and ring shouts. All elements seamlessly come together to create a rich narrative of music, history and movement. Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. It now ranks as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the U.S. The Company blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically Afri-

DANCE PLACE PRESENTS THE 31ST ANNUAL

2018

May 29 June 3 THRU

Celebrate the dance, music and culture of the African Diaspora Featuring Griot Mama Sylvia Soumah, Artistic Director of Coyaba Dance Theater

• Mainstage Performances

Usuthu Arts Production (from South Africa) Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble (from NYC) African Heritage Dancers & Drummers Ezibu Muntu African Dance and Cultural Foundation Farafina Kan KanKouran West African Dance Company Sankofa Dance Theater Soul in Motion Players Urban Virtuosos

• Master Classes • Free Outdoor Shows • African Marketplace

28 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

3225 8TH ST NE WASHINGTON, DC 20017 2 BLOCKS FROM THE BROOKLAND-CUA METRO 202.269.1600 danceplace.org danceplace danceplacedc

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

can-American fraternities and sororities, African traditional dance and influences from a variety of other dance and art forms. Performances, much more than dance shows, integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. The Company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through a 50-city tour of colleges and theatres and performs globally as the District’s sole Cultural Ambassador. Step Afrika! is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive. WI

A beat for every

brushstroke, Step Afri-

ka! brings to life Jacob

Lawrence’s The Migration Series, the landmark col-

lection of paintings about one of the largest demographic transformations in U.S. history.

About Jacob Lawrence and The Migration Series

Jacob Lawrence (September 7, 1917 - June 9, 2000) was celebrated for his work portraying African American life and the African American experience. Lawrence’s works are in the permanent collections at Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, The Phillips Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Reynolda House Museum of Art, among others. At the age of 22, he received a grant to create 60 panels that comprised of what he initially called The Migration Of the Negro. Upon its completion, Jacob Lawrence’s new work quickly gained recognition. It was featured in Fortune Magazine and eventually purchased by The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC and the Museum of Modern Art in New York—making history as the first work created by an African American to be purchased by these institutions. Learn more about The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence by visiting Step Afrika!’s website: http://www.stepafrika.org/performances/the-migration/ Look for our interview with Jakari Sherman, the artistic director of Step Afrika! in next week’s edition.

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LIFESTYLE

Bishop Jason Nelson Releases ‘The Answer’ on RCA Inspiration By Eunice Moseley The Pulse of Entertainment “When I first started writing I was just writing. What came out of it was organic,” Bishop Jason Nelson said about his newly-released album “The Answer” on RCA Inspiration, home of Kirk Franklin, Michelle Williams and Marvin Sapp. “I was just writing good music that was relevant to my walk, to the producer’s walk and discovered ‘The Answer’ is what we should be talking about.” Nelson’s fifth album, “The Answer,” was recorded live at his church The Tabernacle at Greater Bethlehem Temple in Randallstown, Md. Released on May 18, the album was led by the first single titled “Forever” co-written by his wife Tonya Nelson. “I can’t thank anyone but God for putting that in my wife’s head,” Nelson said about the concept for the song. His wife Tonya came into a room, where Jason and his music partner worked, singing a hook she made up. Nelson said that he and his music partner both looked at each other and instantly knew it was a song. “Once it was written she wanted credit,” Jason laughed. When asked if he gave his wife the songwriting credit she asked for he answered, “Of course!” He noted that his wife wouldn’t call herself a singer but that she “can sing.” Bishop Nelson’s last album, “Jesus Revealed,” debuted at number one on the Billboard “Gospel Albums Chart” and its single “I Am” remained at

number one for 20 weeks. His first album titled, “I Shall Live,” debuted in 2005. Since then his career as a songwriter has led him to work with and write songs for label mate Marvin Sapp and Donald Lawrence. For the last 11 years, Nelson has served as the head pastor of his father’s church, The Tabernacle at Greater Bethlehem Temple. At one point in his life Bishop Nelson did not want to follow in his father’s footsteps to be a pastor, but that’s exactly what he did in 2007 when his father retired. “It’s just about me being open to instruction,” Bishop Nelson said about the big turn-around that led to him accepting the call to lead his father’s church. “I was open. It just didn’t happen overnight though. I really wasn’t having it, but he turned it around. I’ve been 15 years active in the ministry. What we are called to do is not always easy.” Serving as pastor at The Tabernacle hasn’t been an easy road for Nelson whose career was deep into music by the time his father retired. “It takes effort, time, intuition . . . trusting in God,” he said. “The Answer” offers 14 songs with featured vocalists Dove Award nominee Jonathan Nelson [Bishop Jason Nelson’s brother], Maranda Curtis and Naomi Raine. You can learn more about Bishop Jason Nelson, his church, or his new project “The Answer” by logging onto his website at www.JNelsonOnline.com. WI

“I was just writing good music that

was relevant to

my walk, to the

producer’s walk and

discovered ‘The Answer’ is what we should be talking about.”

5 Bishop Jason Nelson /Photo Courtesy of Bishop Jason Nelson

DENTAL Insurance Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

A less expensive way to help get the dental care you deserve If you’re over 50, you can get coverage for about

$1 a day*

Keep your own dentist! NO networks to worry about NO annual or lifetime cap on the cash benefits

No wait for preventive care and no deductibles – you could get a checkup tomorrow Coverage for over 350 procedures including cleanings, exams, fillings, crowns…even dentures

you can receive

FREE Information Kit

1-877-308-2834

www.dental50plus.com/cadnet *Individual plan. Product not available in MN, MT, NH, RI, VT, WA. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150(GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN) 6096C MB16-NM001Gc

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS?

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.WASHINGTON INFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 29 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE

Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival to Benefit Disadvantaged Youth Celebrate the Year of the Anacostia River on June 9th By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer

5 Gangstagrass will perform live at the Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, June 9. /Photo courtesy of Brokelyn.

Nestled between the banks of the historic Anacostia River, one of D.C.’s premier benefit music festivals will return to Kingman and Heritage Islands Park in Northeast for the 9th year to join the District in celebrating the Year of the Anacostia on Saturday, June 9. The Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival has a long history of representing musical talent that hail from all wards of the city, surrounding regions, backgrounds, cultures, genders, old and young and this year will be no exception. With their most diverse lineup yet, including a majority of bands fronted by either a woman and/or a person of color, the performances will highlight the complex roots of bluegrass, folk and Americana. Headlining the day will be Gangstagrass, Cris Jacobs and a showcase of The American Songster Revue featuring Dom Flemons, Guy Davis, Amythyst Kiah and more. The lineup will also feature Dori Freeman, Crys Matthews, The Gina Clowes Project, Babeo Baggins, Wild Common, The Dirty Grass Players, The High and Wides, Letitia VanSant and The Fly Birds. Also on the ticket are Elena & Los Fulanos, Bearcat Wildcat, Moose Jaw, The Gin Rickys, Boaty Otis, Under the Oak, The

Sunrise Review, Rock Creek Revival, David James, FunSho, The Wildmans, Jahnel Daliya, Cramer, Reed Appleseed, NEFFY, The Iris Bell Jonny Grave and Odetta Hartman. The festival will sell local food from well-known food trucks, craft beer from Sierra Nevada and Atlas Brew Works and cocktails from Tito’s Vodka, with fun for all ages including various outdoor activities, a kids’ zone with Baba Ras D and Soolah Hoops and more. In partnership with the DPW and DOEE, the event serves as the premier zero-waste festival in the District and has successfully reduced landfill waste by over 80 percent through composting, recycling, limiting the use of paper products and encouraging the use of low-emission transportation. The Festival serves as a benefit for Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region, an organization that has worked to inspire and educate disadvantaged youth and young adults in the D.C. region for over 15 years through hands-on education and job training. The Foundation operates Kingman Island for use as a public recreation space, nature preserve and “living classroom” for hands-on environmental education programs for underserved area schools. To learn more and for ticket information visit www.kingmanislandbluegrass.info. WI

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS?

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EVEN MORE INFO ON OUR COMMUNITY! WWW.WASHINGTON INFORMER.COM 30 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LIFESTYLE

Jazz in the ‘Hoods Returns to a Block Near You Events DC Presents the Festival from June 8 -17

WI Staff Report Spotlighting the District as a vibrant cultural capital, Jazz in the ‘Hoods will bring jazz to all four quadrants and eight wards of the nation’s capital with performances at more than 20 plus neighborhood venues. The DC Jazz Festival [DCJF] announced the schedule for Jazz in the ‘Hoods Presented by Events DC kicking off on June 8 through 17. “DC’s rich and diverse music history takes center stage each year at the DC JazzFest presented by Events DC and we are proud to continue our partnership in this regional and cultural celebration,” Gregory A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC said.

“In its 9th year, residents and visitors alike can experience some of the best jazz music in all corners of our city,” he said. “Our continued involvement with the DC Jazz Festival is just another example of driving economic activity through local programming and delivering cultural enrichment for this vibrant city we call home.” Events DC asserts that Jazz in the ‘Hoods represents an exciting partnership with DC clubs, restaurants, hotels, museums, parks, campuses and more in celebration of jazz in the nation’s capital. For the 9th straight year, Jazz in the ‘Hoods will include the CapitalBop Jazz Loft Series. One of the festival’s signature partnerships, CapitalBop,

presents vibrant, intriguingly edgy, original expressions by cutting-edge musicians in alternative venues, as well as DC-based musicians grounded in the jazz tradition and beyond. There will be a variety of free and ticketed performances in more than 20 plus neighborhoods, including Adams Morgan, Anacostia, Capitol Hill,

Chinatown, Downtown, Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Capitol Riverfront, Mount Pleasant, Kenilworth and Eastland Gardens, the H Street Corridor, Southeast, Southwest, Takoma Park, Trinidad, Ivy City, the U Street Corridor and Van Ness. Jazz in the ‘Hoods is predicted to attract thousands of music enthusiasts this year as it does annually. The East River Jazz Series, re-

turning for its 7th year, will offer free and affordably-priced jazz performances and programs to thousands of residents East of the Anacostia River. The series presents music in neighborhoods not otherwise offered live jazz performances and many of them are free. For a full list of artist, venues, dates and performances visit www. washingtoninformer.com. WI

5 Jazz swingers. /Photo courtesy of Events DC.

Meet sexy friends who really get your vibe...

Try FREE: 800-603-6297 18+

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 31 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE JOBS from Page 1 Scottsdale, Arizona, ranked as the top place to get a summer job, followed by Orlando, Florida; Columbia, Maryland; Denver and Portland, Maine. Miami; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Atlanta; Salt Lake City; and Rapid City, South Dakota, rounded out the top 10. The District placed 36th out of the 182 cities surveyed. When Marion Barry founded the summer youth employment program in his first term as the District’s mayor in 1979, he envisioned a program that would support youths transitioning from school to a career, Unique Morris-Hughes, interim director of the D.C. Department of Employment Services, wrote in an editorial earlier this month. Thirty-nine years later, Barry’s vision has thrived, and the summer youth employment program has evolved into something more than just a way for young Washingtonians to earn summer pay Morris-Hughes said. Officially named the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program, the initiative serves as an entry point for participants into the private sector and federal and local government

agencies. The program also incorporates training in financial literacy and professional development. Through a partnership with JabaTalks, a D.C.-based tech firm, program participants can use their mobile devices to prep for job interviews and connect with potential employers via an online platform. Along with expanding the program to include young adults up to age 24, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser launched the Mayor’s Opportunity Scholarship, which allows 25 summer youth employment program participants ages 18 to 24 to earn a scholarship to pursue postsecondary education, occupational training or military service, Morris-Hughes said. “Summer employment programs have become critical pipelines to engage the nation’s youths and put them on a path for career longevity or further education,” Morris-Hughes said. “The District long ago recognized the importance of investing in youth employment and preserving education funding.” According to figures from the mayor’s office, nearly 11,500 young people participated in MBSYEP in 2017, working more than 1.3 million total hours. The program is set to begin on Monday, June 25 and end on Fri-

5Mayor Muriel Bowser with participants in the Marion Barry Summer Youth Program. /Photo Courtesy of Content.gov.

day, Aug. 3. MBSYEP is locally-funded and provides District youth with high-quality work experiences. This year, the program will mark its 39th anniversary and the second year since the D.C. Council permanently expanded the program to include youth up to age 24, allowing young adults access into the workforce that resulted in $1.8 million in wages earned by age 22-24 program youth, according to a city news release. “As the District’s signature pro-

gram, we are always looking to empower and educate our youth on career opportunities through MBSYEP,” said Courtney R. Snowden, deputy mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity. “As someone who has gone through the program, I know the value and impact MBSYEP has on our youth. I am proud to see the program evolve into a solid foundation that prepares young Washingtonians for the workforce as local employers guide and motivate our youth to career longevity.” Morris-Hughes said the summer youth employment program is especially important for young residents in Wards 7 and 8, where the unemployment rates, although declining, are still the highest in the city.

The bigger the investment, the greater D.C.’s economy grows as summer youth employment programs and postsecondary education prepare youths for competitive and in-demand jobs in industries such as information technology, health care and infrastructure, she said. “In 2016, nearly 50 percent of summer youth employment program participants secured employment by Dec. 31. Many of the participants we surveyed found the program to be a rewarding experience,” Morris-Hughes said. For the full WalletHub survey on the best places for summer jobs, go to https://wallethub. com/edu/best-places-for-summerjobs/21137. WI

Ultimate Hawaii

Tour with Pearl Harbor Experience

Saveupto $

900

per couple

Departs weekly year-round 13 days from TM

1,799*

Promo code N7017

1-844-227-0751

*Prices are per person based on double occupancy plus $299 taxes & fees. Single supplement and seasonal surcharges may apply. Add-on airfare available. Offers apply to new bookings only, made by 7/31/18. Other terms and conditions may apply. Ask your Travel Consultant for details.

32 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LIFESTYLE us with our ministries to assist the poor and the needy,” Gilbert said. Though calls for broad relief have been made, the administration stands behind its decision to target its efforts. “The administration believes that targeted relief for low and moderate income residential ratepayers and nonprofits that demonstrate a hardship is a more beneficial policy,” Reed said. The District’s water bills have increased since 2009, at the close of a federal lawsuit that mandated the local authorities to stop raw sewage from flowing into area rivers. A $2.7 billion underground tunnel system lay as the solution for compliance with the federal mandate to clean up the city’s rivers, but also the cause of the implementation of the growing Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (CRIAC), which has grown dramatically over the years. Reed said in 2009 the average family in D.C. paid $15 annually for the fee; now, the same families pay about $300 per year in CRIAC fees as well as other growing fees on the standard water bill. The Bowser administration has called for D.C. Water to match their investment in a hardship fund, freeze rate increases for at least three years and develop strategies to mitigate future rate increases. But officials said is it not that easy. Henderson Brown, D.C. Water’s interim general manager, said he spent time in March and April traveling to various parts of the city to meet with residents about their growing water bills. “After we explained the factors related to the consent decree that established the schedule of the Clean Rivers project, we believe customers came away with an understanding, more clearly, of why their bills have increased,” he said. Brown said the tunnel project would cost $636 million over the next five years, and without additional funding sources, the company would have no choice but to raise bill rates. “Many of [the customers] believed, as I do, that other funding sources are needed beyond our ratepayers to pay for clean rivers since residents, visitors and others all benefit from the project,” he said. Former D.C. Water Board member Alan Roth said if the city paid its fair share of the increasing clean-river fees, relief could be offered to all District residents and businesses rather than a select few. “The right way is to amend the law so that the Districts pay the approximate $41 million attributable

“Many of [the customers] believed, as I do, that other funding sources are needed beyond our ratepayers to pay for clean rivers since residents, visitors and others all benefit from the project.”

In 1931 nine African American teenagers were ripped off a train and falsely accused

Henderson Brown D.C. Water’s Interim General Manager in the coming year to its own impervious services,” Roth said. He said if the government paid the same fees to account for the cleanup of the stormwater runoff created by public roads, sidewalks and alleys, every other water bill payer could see a 30 to 38 percent reduction in their CRIAC fees.

“Respectfully, I submit that creating a new bureaucracy to pick winners and losers with an inadequate pool of money, and starting a food fight among churches, cemeteries, schools and low-income residents for their share of the pie is the wrong way to solve this problem,” Roth said. WI

the

scottsboro boys

Photo of Nickolas Vaughan by Christopher Mueller

WATER from Page 1

The stunning musical based on their true story Now through July 1 Free parking | 16 area restaurants

5Graylan Hagler, senior pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Northeast, leads a group of ministers demanding action on rising water bills. /Photo courtesy of @ABC7SamFord

Back by Popular Demand! Helen Hayes Award Winner

for Outstanding New Original Play

STAY WOKE, STILL WOKE

THI

ATU R

CHILDREN OF THE GOSPEL CHOIR

DAY !

Michele Fowlin, artistic director

SAT, JUN 2, 4pm LISNER AUDITORIUM 25th Birthday Concert! Our COTG explores local and global citizenship through traditional American spirituals, South African hymns, and gospel and Broadway favorites. Special thanks: Reginald Van Lee; Tom Gallagher/Turnaround, Inc.; Van Auken Private Foundation; Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mars Incorporated; Beech Street Foundation/Mr. Jeffrey Bauman and Ms. Linda Fienberg; the Dan Cameron Family Foundation, Inc.

WashingtonPerformingArts.org • (202) 785-9727

THRU JUNE 3, 2018

By TEARRANCE ARVELLE CHISHOLM Directed by SERGE SEIDEN Associate director VAUGHN RYAN MIDDER Tickets available at MosaicTheater.Org | 202-3969-7993 ext. 2 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H St. N.E., Wash., D.C. 20002

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS? VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.WASHINGTON INFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 33 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LIFESTYLE

wi A book review

Horoscopes

ARIES The full moon at the start of the week could encourage you to drop what you’re doing and go off on an adventure. If you’ve been pining for something different, this influence could inspire you to take action. Even a short break or a few hours in new surroundings can leave you feeling refreshed. Lucky Numbers: 4, 28, 29

“Dead on Arrival”

by Kiki Swinson c.2018, Kensington Dafina $26 ($28.95 Canada) 288 pages

TAURUS Feelings could bubble to the surface this week, and you could reflect on experiences or issues that you may not have thought about for a while. This could be due to Tuesday’s full moon in a more intense sector of your chart. It is encouraging you to process through such emotions and gradually let them go. It may not happen overnight, but given enough time, you can feel great relief. Lucky Numbers: 14, 18, 25 GEMINI You will be in your element with the sun in your sign, followed by inquisitive Mercury on Tuesday. The coming days and weeks can provide an opportunity to discuss issues that are important to you, especially if you’ve never talked about them before. These influences can be very life-affirming. Lucky Numbers: 8, 11, 55

Dead on Arrival You want that. And that, and that, and that. And some of those things over there because that’s human nature, especially if we want something we can’t have. So what would you do to get what you want? Would you, as in the new novel “Dead on Arrival” by Kiki Swinson, do something illegal? There was always another poker game. Reece Spencer hated to miss any of them, but he had to be careful: he owed several grand for gambling and he was afraid his wife, Dawn, would find out. She’d already gone to her parents for money to keep the lights on and now she was demanding 800 bucks for fertility treatments. If it weren’t for his job at the Norfolk International Terminal piers and a little petty theft now and then, Reece knew he’d be in big trouble. But no, his supervisor, Ed, looked the other way while Reece and his buddies swiped the occasional big-screen TV from international containers and sold the goods elsewhere. Ed knew how much his boys needed the dough, so he asked Reece and his friends if they wanted in on a big job. Reece was all ears. Fifteen-thousand dollars. That was the payoff. All they had to do was to move a couple of shipping containers to a different spot on the pier, but it had to be done quick and quiet without being seen. There were people inside those containers. Reece knew that human trafficking could mean prison time. But Ed swore there was no way to get caught, and Reece believed him — even if Dawn didn’t. She loved the cash, hated the idea, but bills needed to be paid and she wanted a baby, so when the first job went smoothly and Ed’s contact wanted to hire them again, Reece was ready for more. On the second job, everything fell apart: three people escaped from a container and one died. The feds found the body and more, and then someone started killing Reece’s friends. And someone else was watching his house … At first, it seems that “Dead on Arrival” is awfully ho-hum predictable. There’s drama here, squabbling, greed, profanity, nosy family, the usual near-pornographic sex-scene, and yawn. Same old kind of novel, right? Nope. Keep reading, because author Kiki Swinson squeezes her plot until it squeezes the breath out of you with twists and turns that are all too possible but will chill you like a horror novel. And here’s the thing: Swinson doesn’t overwrite this tale, and she doesn’t give readers everything. We aren’t allowed that full story; instead, we get just enough information, we’re left to fill in the blanks, and they aren’t pretty. This leads to an ending (don’t cheat!) that will make you scream (don’t cheat!) and throw the book against the wall — twice. Pick it back up, though, because this is a novel to share with someone, just so you can talk about it. If you’re in need of a vacation read this summer, think “Dead on Arrival.” Yeah. You want that. WI

34 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

CANCER The sun in Gemini and a more secluded sector of your chart is joined by Mercury on Tuesday, which could connect you to your heart’s desires. The coming weeks could also make you aware of issues and experiences that may have held you back in the past. This can be your chance to process through them and gradually let them go. Lucky Numbers: 6, 30, 34 LEO Tuesday’s full moon in your leisure and romance sector can be an opportunity to let go and really enjoy yourself. With a long-term focus on your sector of work and service, you have likely experienced a lot of pressure over recent months. This full moon can act like a valve that allows you to let off steam. Lucky Numbers: 20, 30, 41 VIRGO Tuesday’s full moon in your domestic sector could bring a family drama out into the open. If a key issue has been swept under the carpet, this lunar phase could open things up for discussion. However, it might be just as well to take a sensitive approach to such matters. Being too open and honest could make things even more difficult. Lucky Numbers: 14, 16, 32 LIBRA Be mindful of your conversation, especially on Tuesday, the time of the full moon in your sector of communication. Because it’s in the very open and honest sign of Sagittarius, you might be tempted to tell it like it is, but would this be wise? It might be better to be as diplomatic and thoughtful as possible. The outcome will likely be better if you can do this. Lucky Numbers: 3, 27, 30 SCORPIO You might be tempted to go shopping online or at the mall, but the full moon in your money zone at the start of the week could encourage you to splurge. You could easily get carried away and spend far more than you intend to. If you can set a dollar limit, do so. Otherwise, keep the receipts and paperwork in case you need to return some items. Lucky Numbers: 20, 21, 44 SAGITTARIUS Tuesday brings a full moon in your sign, which could make you feel larger than life. Feelings may be very much on surface, and it might be easier to express them than keep them in. Nevertheless, this lunar phase could encourage you to be extremely honest, and this is what could affect more sensitive types. If you need to discuss anything important, try to do so as gently and carefully as possible. Lucky Numbers: 18, 32, 33 CAPRICORN Your dreams could be very vivid in the early part of the week, thanks to the full moon in Sagittarius and a spiritual sector of your chart on Tuesday. It might be worth writing them down because they could hold valuable guidance for you. Lucky Numbers: 8, 17, 23 AQUARIUS Tuesday’s full moon in your social sector could make social events quite boisterous. If you’re attending a party or other occasion, things could get very lively. If you love dancing and socializing, you should have a really good time. Indeed, this could be a much-needed opportunity to let off some steam. Lucky Numbers: 9, 20, 31 PISCES You could be in the spotlight with a full moon in Sagittarius and a more prominent sector of your chart on Tuesday. This could be an opportunity to discuss something important in public and make your feelings known. Once others understand how you truly feel, it could make quite a difference in an awkward situation. Lucky Numbers: 26, 33, 38

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

CAPTURE THE MOMENT

5We are wishing all the best to the Washington Informer Charities spelling bee winners who are competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill this week. So far only one speller has been eliminated. 3Kayden Wilkins 10, a 5th grade student at Melwood Elementary School and winner of the 2018 Prince George’s County spelling bee was eliminated in the first round of the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the National Harbor when he missed spelling the word holomorphosis.. /Photos by Shevry Lassiter

FINAL REST FOR BLACK CIVIL WAR VETS

Private Jackson H. Pride of C Company 45th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania is one of over 5,000 African-American Civil War veterans and civilians buried in the historic section 27 at Arlington National Cemetery. Visitors paid their respects to these and other veterans on Monday, May 28 during America’s observance of Memorial Day. /Photo by Michael A. McCoy)

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 35 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

SPORTS Divas Down Passion 5 Pittsburgh Passion quarterback Ebony Montgomery attempts to break a tackle by D.C. Divas linebacker Cherre Marshall during the Divas’ 21-13 win at Prince George’s Sports Complex in Landover on May 26. /Photo by John E. De Freitas 3 D.C. Divas wide receiver Kentrina Wilson is tackled by Pittsburgh Passion defensive back Ashey DiCicco during the Divas’ 21-13 win at Prince George’s Sports Complex in Landover on May 26. /Photo by John E. De Freitas (Far Left) D.C. Divas running back Shelly Freeman attempts to shed Pittsburgh Passion defensive back Ashey DiCicco during the Divas’ 21-13 win at Prince George’s Sports Complex in Landover on May, 26. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

Mystics Drop Lynx at Home 4 Washington Mystics forward Tianna Hawkins attempts a layup beyond the outstretched arms of a Minnesota Lynx defender during the Mystics’ 90-78 win at Capital One Arena in Northwest on May 27. /Photo by John E. De Freitas (Far Right) Washington Mystics guard Elena Delle Donne drives past Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson during the Mystics’ 90-78 win at Capital One Arena in Northwest on May 27. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

36 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION Entrepreneur, 39, Killed in Southeast Homicide Under Investigation By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer Alexander Mosby, a native Washingtonian and co-owner of District Culture clothing store, was fatally shot in Southeast on Saturday, May 26. He was 39. Authorities found Mosby at the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE suffering from a gunshot wound, WTTG-TV (Channel 5) reported. Mosby grew up in Savannah Terrace with three close friends who would later go on to be his business partners, reported Capital Community News, an outlet that focuses on happenings east of the Anacostia River. A few years ago Mosby shared his excitement with Capital Community News for their group effort to open District Culture on Martin

Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast. “Growing up in D.C., we were influenced by the creative flair and entrepreneurial spirit of these brands and businesses,” Mosby said of stores such as Madness Shop on Georgia Avenue and All Daz outlet on Benning Road. “We want the store to be the canvas in which people look to when they’re seeking to paint their own style and fashion.” The entrepreneurial endeavor wasn’t a planned business move by Mosby, but after some conversations among the friends, they decided to open their own store by pooling their collective expertise, resources and connections. Mosby surveyed and scouted locations on the main streets of Southeast. He then contacted Anthony McDuffie, a representative at

5 Alexander Mosby holds his month-old daughter Gabby in front of his District Culture store in Southeast. /Photo courtesy of East Bank DC

Anacostia River Realty whose office is next door, and began working on a lease. “We have to stay vibrant and evolve with the times,” Mosby said of the direction of his store. “The city is changing but there’s a culture here that’s strong. Part of that is fashion and entertainment and you’ll find that at District Culture.” Mosby is survived by his wife and two daughters. Officials say they are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information which leads to an arrest and conviction in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. WI

“We want the store to be the canvas in which people look to when they’re seeking to paint their own style and fashion.”

Alexander Mosby

First D.C.-Based African American of the Bahá’í Faith Memorialized By Jacqueline Fuller WI Religion Writer On May 19, the Bahá’í community honored Pocahontas Pope, the first African-American member of their religion in Washington, D.C., with an official marker for her grave in National Harmony Memorial Park in Hyattsville, Maryland.

The recent efforts from the D.C. area Bahá’í community made it possible to locate Pope’s grave. In 1960, her grave location was one of 37,000 that moved from Columbian Harmony Cemetery to National Harmony Memorial Park. Unfortunately, the original markers were not retained. Her history with their faith motivated them to research

5 Bill Collins and Donna Denize with the memorial marker /Photo courtesy of Deeba Yavrom

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

the location where she was buried and had a grave plaque made to honor her memory. Pope was born Pocahontas Kay in 1864 in Halifax County, North Carolina. In 1884, she married John W. Pope, a faith leader, school teacher and elected commissioner in Rich Square, NC. As North Carolina implemented Jim Crow laws that made public life and elected positions dangerous for Black people, the Popes moved to Washington, D.C., in 1898. She was a community leader, seamstress and public servant who focused on advancing education of Black students. In addition, Pope and her husband were officers of the Second Baptist Church’s Baptist Lyceum where she spoke on race relations. The Bahá’í faith was founded in the mid-19th century by Bahá’u’lláh in Iran then expanded to different areas of the Middle East. It teaches the founders of the

world’s major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrian) are manifestations of God, who each brought a message suited for the people to receive during the time it was revealed and the unity of all people. He was banished from Iran and followers of the faith still face persecution. After his death in 1892, his son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, became leader of the religion. Today, it is estimated that the international Bahá’í community has more than 5 million adherents worldwide who are referred to as Bahá’ís. Pope’s reason to join the Bahá’í faith varies. It was a combination of the teaching of the oneness of humanity, the equality of all races, and the willingness of members to reach out to her to get involved in their community and the practice of the principle of freedom from prejudice. She was also honored as the “source of light” by ‘Ab-

du’l-Bahá. The Popes had Bahá’í meetings at their home in northwest D.C. An average of 20 to 40 people attended and the majority were people of color. This was rare during her time due to segregation. Their inner circle included prominent African Americans that joined the faith, such as Coralie Franklin Cook, Howard University educator and suffragist, Harriet Gibbs Marshall, founder of the Washington Conservatory of Music, and philosopher, writer and educator Alain LeRoy Locke, known as the “dean” of the Harlem Renaissance. The Bahá’í community in D.C. has a legacy of working to build racial unity. In 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, spoke about interracial harmony at Howard University’s Rankin Chapel which was one of the city’s the earliest racially integrated gatherings. WI

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 37 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

RELIGION

Royal Wedding Bishop Curry Leads Protest March to White House

Your Family Deserves The

BEST

Technology... Value... TV!...

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

Upgrade to the Hopper® 3 Smart HD DVR

• Watch and record 16 shows at once • Get built-in Netflix and YouTube • Watch TV on your mobile devices Hopper upgrade fee $5./mo.

Add High Speed Internet

14.95

$ America’s Top 120 190 Channels

CALL TODAY Save 20%!

1-855-402-3370

/mo.

Subject to availability. Restrictions apply. Internet not provided by DISH and will be billed separately.

MOLD, MOLD, MILDEW & WATER LEAKAGE IN YOUR BASEMENT CAUSES HEALTH AND FOUNDATION DAMAGE.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM? WE WILL GIVE YOU A FREE EVALUATION, ESTIMATE & A FAIR PRICE.

CALL (800) 420-7783 FOR 20% OFF!!!

CALL NOW AND RECEIVE 20% DISCOUNT WITH YOUR FREE ESTIMATE OVER THOUSANDS OF BASEMENTS REPAIRED IN THIS AREA.

Expert Software Development Higher Quality Than In-House Lower Cost Than In-House Faster Than In-House

Ask us how! TOLL FREE USA/CANADA

Experience the Difference

1-888-859-4853 itbgn.com/projects

IN TROUBLE WITH THE IRS? If you owe the IRS or state $10,000, $15,000 or more call us for a FREE, no obligation consultation.

Our FREE Consultation will help you:

þ þ þ

Resolve your past due tax problems End Wage Garnishment Stop IRS Tax Levies

We know your rights and are here to protect you. Our team of highly qualified tax attorneys deal with the IRS for you.

Five days after the royal wedding made him an internationally known figure, Bishop Michael Curry led a group of hundreds in a march through D.C. to the White House, calling for President Trump to abandon what they said are divisive rhetoric and policies. Holding lit candles, about 2,000 participants walked from the National City Christian Church to Lafayette Square, where they prayed in front of the White House and challenged an administration they charge has put the nation in a moral crisis. “We came together, liberal and conservative and everything in the middle,” Curry said during the May 24 event. “What binds us together is Jesus Christ and his way, his teaching and his life.” Curry was thrust into the international spotlight for the May 19 royal wedding of Prince Harry and biracial American actress Meghan Markle. Curry had never met the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but they chose the him and the Bible verse that he used for his sermon during the wedding because two years ago he became the 27th presiding bishop and first American to lead the Episcopal Church in the U.S., the sister body to the Church of England. Before Thursday’s march, Curry told the packed sanctuary at National City, “this is not a protest march, this is a procession of Christian people.” Rev. William H. Lamar IV, pastor of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, also stressed the importance of the event. “We are here tonight because our faith demands that we stand in confrontation of injustice that is sweeping the nation, injustice against the immigrants, the poor, the incarcerat-

ed and doesn’t mind using the most vile and racist terms to dehumanize God’s people to unite,” Lamar said. “You see there are Bllack people here, White people here, gay people here, straight people, Christian people and people of no faith. We will not stop until justice is a reality in the United States of America.” Barbara Williams Skinner, a former faith adviser to President Obama, was one of the organizers of the rally and silent march that drew several thousand people to the gates of the White House while Trump was inside. During the vigil she offered a special prayer to change hearts going forward. “My prayer at the gate was, “Lord, please touch the hearts of our leaders in the Congress and the White House that they have compassion and mercy for all God’s children,” Skinner told The Afro. “We are fighting racism at every level because it demeans the divine imprint. Our battle is not against Trump, but to address the needs of all Americans whose jobs are not coming back. This is a message of love.” Skinner said that elders of the new movement are planning a series of organizational meetings to build bridges with a new generation of clergy of many races and backgrounds to forge a common agenda. While the elders spoke inside the church at Thomas Circle, the steps leading into the historic sanctuary became a diverse quilt of many: Black and White, old and young. “How many believe that both the soul of the nation and the integrity of our faith is really at stake?” said Jim Wallace, founder and president of Sojourners. “People of faith want to respond and not just react — I find that deeply encouraging and very hopeful.” The sanctuary, foyer and steps of National City were filled as Cur-

5Bishop Michael Curry /Photo courtesy of Facebook

ry spoke to a standing-room-only crowd, preaching about the redemptive power of love. “As elders, we view bringing the Reclaiming Jesus declaration to the public square as a tangible example of how to live out that way of love,” Curry said. “We are Christian leaders bearing moral witness to the teachings of our faith in the public square. As citizens, we want our government to reflect our values. As a bishop, I believe we should follow the teachings of Jesus, who taught us to love God and love our neighbor. Rev. Leslie Copeland Tunes, director of Ecumenical Advocacy Days, a progressive group of ministers, said the event has been needed for a long time. “We are reclaiming Jesus from those who have hijacked and distorted the gospel and for us to proclaim that it is a liberating gospel,” Copeland-Tunes said. “Jesus loves the poor and cares for the poor and we are not going to stand for policies that discriminate against people.” WI

We have successfully represented thousands of cases with the IRS.

Call now for your free consultation

844-634-7215

Are You Still Paying Too Much For Your Medications? You can save up to 97% when you fill your prescriptions with our Canadian and International prescription service.

Their Price

CrestorTM

914.18

Typical US Brand Price

for 40mg x 100

Our Price

Rosuvastatin* $

148

Generic equivalent of CrestorTM Generic price for for 40mg x 100

Get An Extra $15 Off & Free Shipping On Your 1st Order!

Call the number below and save an additional $15 plus get free shipping on your first prescription order with Canada Drug Center. Expires December 31, 2017. Offer is valid for prescription orders only and can not be used in conjunction with any other offers. Valid for new customers only. One time use per household. Use code 15FREE to receive this special offer.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS? VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EVEN MORE INFOORMATION ON OUR COMMUNITY! WWW. WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Toll free: 855-541-5141

Please note that we do not carry controlled substances and a valid prescription is required for all prescription medication orders. Use of these services is subject to the Terms of Use and accompanying policies at www.canadadrugcenter.com.

38 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION THE RELIGION CORNER

Stop Looking for Occasions to Be Offended! with Lyndia Grant Each person must be responsible for himself. — Galatians 6:5 As we continue our series on forgiveness this week, we take a look at Wayne Dyer’s 11th principle, which simply says “Stop Looking for Occasions to Be Offended.” When you live at or below ordinary levels of awareness, you spend a great deal of time and energy finding opportunities to be offended. A news report, a rude stranger, someone cursing, a sneeze, a mother leaving a homeless shelter for the day, a black cloud — just about anything will do if you’re looking for an occasion to be offended. Become a person who refuses to be offended by anyone, anything or any set of circumstances. If you have enough faith in your own beliefs, you’ll find that it’s impossible to be offended by the beliefs and conduct of others. Not being offended is a way of saying, “I have control over how I’m going to feel, and I choose to feel peaceful regardless of what I observe going on. When you feel offended, you’re practicing judgment. You judge someone else to be stupid, insensitive, rude, arrogant, inconsiderate or foolish, and then you find yourself upset and offended by their conduct. What you may not realize is that when you judge another person, you do not define them. You Mt. Zion Baptist Church Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold”

define yourself as someone who needs to judge others. Let us use an example. Years ago, I wrote a column about a 17-yearold valedictorian, Chelesa Fearce, who stood before her Georgia high school graduating class to give her speech, in which she talked about overcoming homelessness and fighting to “get the future that you want.” According to an ABC News report, Fearce, a senior at Charles Drew High School in Riverdale, Ga., spent most of her high school career living in shelters, the occasional hotel, short-term rented apartments and sometimes the family car — when the family had one — with her mother and three siblings. She did not get offended by her circumstances, she just fought like someone drowning! She kept swimming! Take a look at a bit of her story. “I would just pray,” Fearce told ABC News. “My mom would always find a way out of it. I would just tell myself, ‘tomorrow it will not be like this, so take your time, do what you have to do now so that you get the future that you want tomorrow.’” It didn’t matter where Fearce lived; she always found a way to study. She recalled using a cellphone light in shelters to get her homework done. “I’m so happy that I got through all of this and that I finally have gotten to this point,” she said. “All the studying I’ve done … you don’t know! It was crazy. I was studying science, math, everything. I’m very proud to come this far.” Broken home, father walked away

from his family, left them homeless — yet none of that really mattered. It wasn’t about what anyone said or thought of her — it was, in fact, what Chelesa Fearce thought of herself that mattered. She could have been like the mice in “Who Moved My Cheese,” always crying about what has happened to her, not making any progress, spending time trying to figure out what happened or why it happened to her. In fact, when Chelesa was a guest on “The Lyndia Grant Show,” she, her mother and her sister shared about how they stayed focused. Though no fault of her own, she found herself in this condition, with others thinking the worst of her. She could just as easily run away from home and hit the streets to make money as a hooker, but look at how Chelesa Fearce turned out instead. It did not matter what anyone thought or said, this young lady had what she needed within! WI Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958 Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

(301) 864-6070

www.jmlaw.net

(301) 864-6070

jmccollum@jmlaw.net

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

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

www.mtzbcdc.org

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 39 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

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

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

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

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Church of Living Waters

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

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

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

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

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30am 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00am Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30pm Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00am “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment

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

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

Crusader Baptist Church

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

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

Drs. Dennis W. & Christine Y. Wiley Pastors

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555

1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office 202-638-1803 fax

610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00am Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30pm

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30pm (dinner @ 5:30pm) Sunday School: 9:00am – Hour of Power

Blessed Word of Life Church

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

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

Campbell AME Church

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 am Sunday Church School: 8:45 am Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 pm Thursday: 7: pm “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: faithdefender@verizon.net

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

Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00am Worship Service: 10:00am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45pm Thur. Bible Study: 7:15pm

(Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 am Communion every Sunday: 11:00 am Sunday School: 10:00 am Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 pm Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com

Mount Carmel Baptist Church Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor

Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher

Service and Times Sunday School 8 – 9 AM Worship Service 9 – 11 AM Tuesday Night Bible Study 6:30 – 8:00 PM Wednesday Daytime Bible Study 11 AM – 12:30 PM

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”

St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us...

Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor

Turning Hearts Church

4275 4th Street, S.E. Washington, DC 20034 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445

“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 am

Sunday Worship Service: 8 AM and 10:45am Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45am; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45am; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6am & 6:30pm Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org emailus@gmchc.org

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday Church School: 9:20 a.m. Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

Twelfth Street Christian Church

Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org

Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Church School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45am Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 pm Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30am

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10am

40 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

themcbc.org

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

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

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

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

Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Service 11:00 a.m. Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.” Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com

Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:15AM Sunday School: 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church Shall; Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, and Exalt Our Savior. (Acts 2:41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 9:15 a.m. Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 pm Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

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

Israel Baptist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

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

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00am & 10:45am Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30pm Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00pm www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

“Where Jesus is the King”

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Sunday School: 8:30 A.M. Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10: am Holy Communion: First Sunday 10: am Sunday School: 9: am Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30pm Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Eastern Community Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 P.M Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 P.M Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 P.M. Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

New Commandment Baptist Church

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 am and 10:45 am Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 am & 10:45 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 pm Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 pm Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 pm

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

Rehoboth Baptist Church

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

Salem Baptist Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor

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

St. Matthews Baptist Church

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

Emmanuel Baptist Church

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 a.m. Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 a.m. Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 p.m. Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 p.m. Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church Rev. Joan E. Buchanan Executive Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 7:30am Worship Service: 11:00am New Member’s Class: 9:45am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00am Church School: 9:45am Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00pm Saturday Bible Study: 11:00am Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00am

Service and Times 9:30AM. Sunday Church School 11:00 Am. Sunday Worship Service The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Wednesday 7:00pm Prayer & Praise Services 7:30pm. Bible Study Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries 10:30am A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Christ Embassy DC

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Friday Evening Service: 7:00 P.M. ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com

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

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class 8:00 am Sunday School 9:00 am Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:00 am Wednesday Service 12:00 pm

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 A.M. Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 A.M. Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 P.M. Prayer Service Bible Study

“The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Shiloh Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

Worshiping Location Knights of Columbus - 1633 Tucker Road Fort Washington, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074

621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112

917 N St. NW - Washington, DC 20001 (202) 232-4294

9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4288

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10 am Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 am 1st Sunday Baptism: 10: am 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10 am Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 pm Prayer Meeting: 7:45 pm

Service and Times Sunday Morning Prayer Service: 8:00 a.m. Sunday Church School: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: 10:40 a.m. Third Sunday Baptismal & Holy Communion:10:30 a.m. Tuesday Church At Study Prayer & Praise: 6:30 p.m.

Service and Times First Sunday Worship Service (one service): 10:00 a.m. Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday Worship service: 7:45 a.m. and 10:55 a.m. Sunday Church School/Bible Study: 9:30 a.m. Thursday Prayer Service: 6:30 p.m.

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 a.m. Sunday School: 9:00 a.m. Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m. Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 12 Noon

Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”

The Church Where GOD Is Working.... And We Are Working With GOD

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 am Sunday School: 9:00 am Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer / Bible Study: 6:15 pm - 7:20 pm (Tuesday) Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church” Matthew 6:33 and Mathew 28:18-20, KJV Email: stmatthewsbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

Email: sbc@shilohbaptist.org Website: shilohbaptist.org

Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 a.m. Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30 a.m. Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 p.m. Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 41 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

LEGAL NOTICES

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

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

Administration No. 2017 ADM 001342

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000457

Administration No. 2018 ADM 486

Esther N. Miranda Decedent

Inez M. Logan Decedent

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000067

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000068

Lois L. Cooper Decedent

August 6, 2007 Date of Death

September 2, 2007 Date of Death

Christopher T. Neiberger Name of Decedent

Delmar White Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Eric Neiberger, whose address is 951 NW 50th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32605 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Christopher T. Neiberger, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Alachua County, State of Florida, on March 20, 2018. Service of process may be made upon Joshua Branson 1615 M Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. Decedent has cause of action in DC. 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.

Michele R. White, whose address is 4256 Southmoor Park, Lexington, KY 405141816 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Delmar White, deceased, by the District Court for Fayette County, State of Kentucky, on March 23, 2018. Service of process may be made upon Joshua Branson, 1615 M Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. Decedent has cause of action in D.C. 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: 5/17/2018

Eric Neiberger Personal Representative

Michele R. White Personal Representative

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Craig A. Butler, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Diana Miranda, whose address is 809 Tewkesbury Place, NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Esther N. Miranda who died on November 17, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/17/2018. 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 11/17/2018, 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: 5/17/2018 Diana Miranda Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Vallaria A. McGowan, whose address is 1802 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lois L. Cooper who died on March 8, 2018 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/17/2018. 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 11/17/2018, 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: 5/17/2018

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000066 June 27, 2005 Date of Death Deborah Dawn Klecker Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Gregory L. Klecker, whose address is 19638 Sunshine Way, Bend, OR 97702 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Deborah Dawn Klecker, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Deschutes County, State of Oregon, on February 8, 2018. Service of process may be made upon Joshua Branson 1615 M Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. Decedent has cause of action in D.C. 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.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Sharon M. Logan and Anthony D. Logan, whose addresses are 310 Etna Dr. Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 & 2405 Foster Place, Temple Hills, MD 20748, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Inez M. Logan who died on August 26, 2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/17/2018. 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 11/17/2018, 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: 5/17/2018

Vallaria A. McGowan Personal Representative

Sharon M. Logan Anthony D. Logan Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

Nakia V. Gray, Esq. 9701 Apollo Dr., Suite 100 Largo, MD 20774 Attorney

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

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

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

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000481

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000070

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000516

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000258

Shelia Jean Butler Decedent

April 27, 1999 Date of Death

Josephine Patterson Samuels Decedent

Mary Lois Winford Decedent

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

Gladys Edghill Name of Decedent

Angela D. Minor, Esq. 9801 Apollo Drive, #7181 Upper, Marlboro, MD 20792 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jerome Butler, whose address is 801 R Street, NW #102, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shelia Jean Butler who died on March 10, 2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/17/2018. 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 11/17/2018, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Theodore Edghill, whose address is 375 Madison St., Brooklyn, NY 11221, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Gladys Edghill, deceased, by the Surrogate Court for Kings County, State of New York, on 10/22/99. Service of process may be made upon Gail Edghill, 217 Oglethorpe St., NE, Washington, DC 20011 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate: 217 Oglethorpe St., NE, 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: 5/24/2018

Date of first publication: 5/17/2018

Theodore Edghill Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 5/17/2018

Jerome Butler Personal Representative

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Gregory L. Klecker Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Deborah Patterson, whose address is 5548 Heather Hill Drive, Chesterfield, VA 23234, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Josephine Paterson Samuels who died on October 9, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/24/2018. 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 11/24/2018, 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.

Diann Winford, whose address is 3126 Banneker Dr., NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary Lois Winford who died on January 27, 2018 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/24/2018. 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 11/24/2018, 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: 5/24/2018

Date of first publication: 5/24/2018

Diann Winford Personal Representative

Deborah Patterson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

42 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

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

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

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

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000076

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000539

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000545

Foreign No. 2018 FEP 000013 February 23, 2017 Date of Death Micheline C. Courard aka Micheline Charpenet Courard Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Daniel D. Smith, whose address is 161 Fort Evans Road, NE, Suite 345, Leesburg, VA 20176 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Micheline C. Courard aka Micheline Charpenet Courard, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Fairfax County, State of Virginia. Service of process may be made upon Thierry J. Liverman, 3210 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. 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: 5/24/2018 Daniel D. Smith Personal Representative

1/4/2018 Date of Death

Nemat Hassanzadah Decedent

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

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

Catherine Louise Singleton, whose address is 5 Harmony Lane, Apt. 23, Lewiston, ME 04240 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Vincent LaPaul Singleton, deceased, by the Probate Court for Androscoggin County, State of Maine, on 2/13/2018. Service of process may be made upon Marilyn Singleton, 707 Crittenden Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate: 5102 9th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, 1/7 interest 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.

Amir Hassanzadah, whose address is 6101 16th St. NW, Apt 908, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Nemat Hassanzadah who died on April 30, 2017 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/30/2018. 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 11/30/2018, 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: 5/31/2018

Date of first publication: 5/31/18

Catherine Louise Singleton Personal Representative

Amir Hassanzadah Personal Representative

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY

Mendora Mason Decedent Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. 1308 Ninth Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Joseph D. Mason, whose address is 5321 4th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mendora Mason who died on March 25, 2018 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/30/2018. 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 11/30/2018, 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: 5/31/2018 Joseph D. Mason Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000515

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000560

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000173

Administration No. 2018 ADM 000517

Mark Epstein aka Mark S. Epstein Decedent

Emory F. Acker, Jr. Decedent

David Vyorst Decedent

Beatrice Reeves Decedent

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 910 17th Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

Jonathan S. Vyorst, whose address is 75 West End Avenue, Apartment C22J, New York, NY 10023, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of David Vyorst who died on December 5, 2017 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/30/2018. 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 11/30/2018, 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.

Gloria Milhouse and Francenia Strong, whose addresses are 7205 Webster Turn, Ft. Washington, MD 20744 and 2602 Fairlawn St., Temple Hills MD 20748, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Beatrice Reeves who died on January 13, 2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/30/2018. 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 11/30/2018, 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.

Edward G. Varrone 910 17th Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Spencer Levy, whose address is 1600 South Eads Street, Apt. 929-S, Arlington, VA 22202, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mark Epstein aka Mark S. Epstein who died on April 8, 2018 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/30/2018. 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 11/30/2018, 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: 5/31/2018 Spencer Levy Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Bernice Acker, whose address is 3728 Wells Avenue, Mt. Rainer, MD 20712, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Emory F. Acker, Jr. who died on October 12, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/30/2018. 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 11/30/2018, 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: 5/31/2018 Bernice Acker Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 5/31/2018 Jonathan S. Vyorst Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

CL ASSIFIEDS Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the following classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it s illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. 800 numbers may or may not reach Canada. MEDIABIDS MISCELLANEOUS SAVE 67% PLUS 4 FREE BURGERS The Favorite Feast - ONLY $49.99. ORDER Today 1-888-318-1190 Use Code 48643VFW or www.OmahaSteaks.com/ ffmb93 Do you know your Testosterone Levels? Call 888-692-5146 and ask about our test kits and get a FREE Trial of Progene All-Natural Testosterone Supplement Diabetes/Cholesterol/Weight Loss Bergamonte, a Natural Product for Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and weight. Physician recommended, backed by Human Clinical Studies with amazing results. Call today and save 15 percent off your first bottle! 866-640-5982 ATTENTION DIABETICS with Medicare. Get a FREE talking meter and diabetic testing supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 888-421-1874 READERS & MUSIC LOVERS. 100 Greatest Novels (audio books) ONLY $99.00 (plus s h.) Includes MP3 Player & Accessories. BONUS: 50 Classical Music Works & Money Back Guarantee. Call Today! 1-866-680-1822

Date of first publication: 5/31/2018 Gloria Milhouse Francenia Strong Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 43 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

CL ASSIFIEDS Any laptop repaired just $79. Macs too. REALLY! FREE Fedex shipping! $69 extra for screen or motherboard replacement. CALL Authorized Laptop Repair Specialists 1-866-437-6184 Ever Consider a Reverse Mortgage? At least 62 years old? Stay in your home & Increase cash flow! Safe & Effective! Call Now for your FREE DVD! Call Now 888-420-4716 READERS & MUSIC LOVERS. 100 Greatest Novels (audio books) ONLY $99.00 (plus s h.) Includes MP3 Player & Accessories. BONUS: 50 Classical Music Works & Money Back Guarantee. Call Today! 1-866-680-1822 Personalized holiday gifts for Everyone on your list! Save 20 percent off qualifying products from Personal Creations! To redeem this offer, visit www. PersonalCreations.com/Beauty or Call 1-888-732-0679 Diabetes/Cholesterol/Weight Loss Natural Product for Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and weight. Physician recommended, backed by Human Clinical Studies with fast acting results within 30 days. Call to hear about our special offer 866-640-5982 ATTENTION DIABETICS with Medicare. Get a FREE Talking Meter and diabetic testing supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 888-421-1874 SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. You WIN or Pay Us Nothing. Contact Disability Group, Inc. Today! BBB Accredited. Call For Your FREE Book & Consultation. 888-649-5110 Attention Joint & Muscle Pain Sufferers: Clinically proven all-natural supplement helps reduce pain and enhance mobility. Call 888-760-5952 to try Hydraflexin RISK-FREE for 90 days. HEAT YOUR HOME FOR 5¢ AN HOUR! Portable infrared iHeater heats 1000 sq. ft. Slashes your heating bills by 50%. FREE Shipping too! Use claim code 6239 WAS $499 NOW $279 Call 1-866-784-5182 CADNET AUTOS WANTED CAPITAL CLASSIC CARS Buying All European & Classic Cars. ANY Condition. ANY Location. Porsche, Mercedes, Jaguar & More! Top Dollar PAID. CapitalClassicCars.com 1-571282-5153, steve@capitalclassiccars. com CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/Models 2002-2018! Any Condition. Running or Not. Top $$$ Paid! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-985-1806 FINANCIAL IRS TAX DEBTS?$10k+? Tired of the calls? We can Help! $500 free consultation! We can STOP the garnishments! FREE Consultation Call Today 1-855-823-4189 MISCELLANEOUS Make a Connection. Real People, Flirty Chat. Meet singles right now! Call LiveLinks. Try it FREE. Call NOW: 1-888-909-9905 18+. GENERIC VIAGRA and CIALIS! 100 Pills $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-889-5515 Call Empire TodayÂ® to schedule a FREE in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring. Call Today! 1-800-508-2824 HughesNet Satellite Internet - 25mbps starting at $49.99/mo! FAST download speeds. WiFi built in! FREE Standard Installation for lease customers! Limited Time, Call 1-800-610-4790 Cross Country Moving, Long distance Moving Company, out of state move $799 Long Distance Movers. Get Free quote on your Long distance move 1-800-511-2181 COMPUTER & HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAM! Train at home to become a Help Desk or Hospitality Professional! Call CTI for details about ONLINE Training! 1-833-7664511 AskCTI.com Were you an INDUSTRIAL TRADESMAN (machinist/boilermaker/pipefitter etc) and recently diagnosed with LUNG CANCER? You may be entitled to a SIGNIFICANT CASH AWARD. Risk free consultation! 877-781-1769 Lung Cancer? And Age 60+? You And Your Family May Be Entitled To Signif-

44 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

CL ASSIFIEDS

icant Cash Award. Call 866-428-1639 for Information. No Risk. No Money Out Of Pocket. Spectrum Triple Play! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-855-652-9304 Earthlink High Speed Internet. As Low As $14.95/month (for the first 3 months.) Reliable High Speed Fiber Optic Technology. Stream Videos, Music and More! Call Earthlink Today 1-855-520-7938 DIRECTV SELECT PACKAGE! Over 150 Channels, ONLY $35/month (for 12 mos.) Order Now! Get a $100 AT&T Visa Rewards Gift Card (some restrictions apply) CALL 1- 855-781-1565 DISH TV $59.99 For 190 Channels $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-855-837-9146 A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1-844-722-7993 RV’s 2017 TRAVEL trailer. Recreation by design. 39 feet, excellent condition, like new, all upgrades, must sell $29,000. Call 571-839-4793. WANTED TO BUY Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201 MID ATLANTIC COMMUNITY PAPERS ASSOCIATION CLASSIFIED NETWORK (MACNET) ANNOUNCEMENTS Playmates or Soulmates you’ll find them on MegaMates. Gay or Straight call in. START CHATTING TODAY. Always FREE to Listen & Reply to ads. 800-982-8665 Were you an INDUSTRIAL or CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with LUNG CANCER? You and your family may be entitled to a SIGNIFICANT CASH AWARD. Call 1-844-522-0818 for your risk-free consultation. AUTOS WANTED CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/ Models 2002-2018! Any Condition. Running or Not. Competitive Offer! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-368-1016 BUSINESS TO BUSINESS SIZZLING SUMMER SPECIAL! ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS in over 3 Million homes in the Mid-Atlantic States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington, DC in publications like this one and many more. Visit macnetonline.com or call 800-450-6631 for more details. FOR SALE BUILDING MATERIALS Metal Roofing & Siding for houses, barns, sheds. Close outs, returns, seconds, overruns, etc. Starting at $.33 SQ FT SlateRoadSupply.com 717-445-5222 HEALTH/MEDICAL VIAGRA & CIALIS! 60 pills for $99. 100 pills for $150 FREE shipping. Money back guaranteed! 1-800-503-7846 HOME SERVICES Dealing with water damage requires immediate action. Local professionals that respond immediately. Nationwide and 24/7. No mold calls. Call today! 1-800-730-9790 LOTS & ACREAGE ABUTS STATE LAND! 20 acres $44,900 Beaver pond. Cooperstown Lake Region, 3 hrs NY City! 21 tracts avail in all. 5 to 50 acres. June 2nd & 3rd.Terms. 888-495-8733 NewYorkLandandLakes.com FARM ESTATE SALE! 10 acres $26,900 Cooperstown Lake Region, 3 hrs NY City! 21 tracts avail in all. 5 to 50 acres. June 2nd & 3rd. Terms. 888-4317214 NewYorkLandandLakes.com HARDWOOD FOREST! 50 acres $89,900 Abuts State Land, brook. Cooperstown Lake Region, 3 hrs NY City! 21 tracts avail in all. 5 to 50 acres. June 2nd & 3rd. Terms. 888-816-2354 NewYorkLandandLakes.com WOODED GETAWAY! 5 acres - $19,900 Cooperstown Lake Region, 3 hrs NY City! 21 tracts avail in all. 5 to 50 acres. June 2nd & 3rd. Terms. 888-738-6994

NewYorkLandandLakes.com MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE Dish Network-Satellite Television Services. Now Over 190 channels for ONLY $49.99/mo! HBO-FREE for one year, FREE Installation, FREE Streaming, FREE HD. Add Internet for $14.95 a month. 1-800-219-1271 IRS TAX DEBTS?10k+? Tired of the calls? We can HELP! $500 free consultation! We can STOP the garnishments! FREE Consultation Call Today 1-855900-5594

CL ASSIFIEDS

CL ASSIFIEDS & seated showers. Call for a free inhome consultation: 888-912-4745

VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 100 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol

A PLACE FOR MOM has helped over a million families find senior living. Our trusted, local advisors help find solutions to your unique needs at no cost to you. Call 855-741-7459

OXYGEN - Anytime. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. The All-New Inogen One G4 is only 2.8 pounds! FAA approved! FREE info kit: 844-558-7482

LIVING WITH KNEE OR BACK PAIN? Medicare recipients that suffer with pain may qualify for a low or no cost knee or back brace. Call 844-308-4307

VIAGRA/CIALIS 100MG/CIALIS 20mg, 52 Pills. Call Today, we can save you cash! Call Now 800-375-3305

WANTED AMERICAN & FOREIGN CARS $$ PAYING CASH $$ For Classic & Collector Cars 717-577-8206

VIAGRA & CIALIS! 60 pills for $99. 100 pills for $150 FREE shipping. NO prescriptions needed. Money back guaranteed! 1-888-278-6168 Se habla español

MARYLAND STATEWIDE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING NETWORK

MISCELLANEOUS DIATOMACEOUS EARTH-FOOD GRADE 100% OMRI Listed-Meets Organic Use Standards. BUY ONLINE ONLY: homedepot.com

AUTOMOBILE DONATIONS DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS, RV’S. LUTHERAN MISSION SOCIETY. Your donation helps local families with food, clothing, shelter, counseling. Tax deductible. MVA License #W1044. 410636-0123 or www.LutheranMissionSociety.org BUSINESS SERVICES Bulk advertising at its best: advertise in over 70 newspapers and reach millions of readers with ONE call. Broaden your reach and get results for pennies per reader. Call Wanda at 410-212-0616 or email wsmith@mddcpress.com. Place a business card ad in the Regional Small Display 2x2/2x4 Advertising Network – Let MDDC help you grow your business! Call TODAY at 410-2120616 to increase your customer base and get results. EDUCATION/CAREER TRAINING AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING-Get FAA certification to fix planes. Financial Aid if qualified. Approved for military benefits. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-823-6729. HELP WANTED EARN $500 A DAY: Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Wants Insurance Agents* Leads, No Cold Calls*Commissions Paid Daily*Agency Training*Life Insurance Required. Call 1-888-713-6020 REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Delaware New Move-In Ready Homes! Low Taxes! Close to Beaches, Gated, Olympic pool. New Homes from low $100’s. No HOA Fees. Brochures Available 1-866-629-0770 or www. coolbranch.com. SERVICES-MISCELLANEOUS Increase your customer base and get great results by placing your ads in the MDDC – Classified Advertising network! Call today 410-212-0616 Ask for Multi-Media Specialist -Wanda & watch your results grow.

Lung Cancer? And Age 60+? You And Your Family May Be Entitled To Significant Cash Award. Call 877-551-0908 for Information. No Risk. No Money Out Of Pocket. KILL BED BUGS & THEIR EGGS! Harris Bed Bug Killers/KIT Complete Treatment System Hardware Stores, The Home Depot, homedepot.com INVENTORS - FREE INFORMATION PACKAGE Have your product idea developed affordably by the Research & Development pros and presented to manufacturers. Call 1-888-501-0236 for a Free Idea Starter Guide. Submit your idea for a free consultation. BATHROOM RENOVATIONS. EASY, ONE DAY updates! We specialize in safe bathing. Grab bars, no slip flooring

AUTOMOTIVE Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! 2002 and Newer! Any Condition. Running or Not. Competitive Offer! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-416-2330. EDUCATION / CAREER TRAINING AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial Aid for qualified students Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888686-1704 EMPLOYMENT AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial Aid for qualified students Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888686-1704 FINANCIAL Over $10K in debt? Be debt free in 2448 months. Pay nothing to enroll. Call National Debt Relief at 866-243-0510. HEALTH/MEDICAL Generic VIAGRA 100mg Generic CIALIS 20mg. 80 for $99 GREAT DEAL!!!! FAST FREE SHIPPING! 100% money back GUARANTEE! CALL NOW 888-6699343. Se habla espanol.

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

CASH FOR CARS: We Buy Any Condition Vehicle, 2002 and Newer. Nationwide Free Pick Up! Call Now: 1-800-864-5960. DISH TV $59.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply 1-800-718-1593 NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your own book. FREE author submission kit! Limited offer! Why wait? Call now: 866-951-7214 SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure? CALL Homeowner’s Relief Line now for Help! 855-794-7358 SUPPORT our service members, veterans and their families in their time of need. For more information visit the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse.org

Donate A Boat or Car Today!

“2-Night Free Vacation!”

800 - 700 - BOAT (2628)

w w w.boatangel.com

sponsored by boat angel outreach centers

STOP CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN

CUT YOUR CELL BILL IN

WANTED TO BUY OR TRADE FREON R12 WANTED: CERTIFIED BUYER will PAY CA$H FOR R12 cylinders or cases of cans (312) 291-9169; www.refrigerantfinders.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING NETWORK, INC. (NANI)

Make a Connection. Real People, Flirty Chat. Meet singles right now! Call LiveLinks. Try it FREE. Call NOW: Call 1-877-737-9447 18+

First Month

FREE

HALF!

Call: 1-855-839-1499 Visit: www.getpuretalkusa.com/P1012

Use Offer Code:

P1012 © 2018 Pure Talk Holdings, LLC all rights reserved. Pure TalkUSA, Pure TalkUSA logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of Pure TalkUSA Intellectual Property and/or Pure TalkUSA afﬁliated companies. Go to www.puretalkusa. com to see the complete details.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH WI NEWS? VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EVEN MORE INFO ON OUR COMMUNITY! WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MALVEAUX from Page 26

when citizen diplomacy might step in. Ministers and citizen delegations should seek to go to North Korea. We should explore whether exchange programs can be established to help open up the closed kingdom. We should see if citizen delegations could explore what the North Koreans would see as a sensible set of negotiations. North Korea’s leader clearly is looking for a way to get out from under sanctions and to open up better relations with the world. Trump’s demand for complete and instant disarmament was never very realistic. But we needn’t return to the brink of war and the exchange of threats. It is time to build not on the failure of the summit, but on the halting successes of the efforts to get North Korea to stop testing, to stop threatening and to begin opening up. WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

■ Media Training ■ Image Branding ■ On-Camera Coaching Doris McMillon President

om ennis.c

room or encounter us at a nuclear-to-nuclear showdown.” That rhetoric led Trump to cancel the meeting. It is hard to conclude anything but that Bolton and Pence were working to sabotage the meeting that Trump was trumpeting. Trump’s letter reflects the administration’s confused approach. Trump states he appreciates “your time, patience and effort” in relation to the summit. He says there was a “wonderful dialogue” building between him and the North Korean leader, and the only “dialogue that matters.” He thanks Kim for releasing the hostages. And suggests that if Kim just would “call me or write,” the summit might be back on. Trump also says he is pulling the plug because of “the tremendous anger and open hos-

tility displayed in your most recent statement.” He scorns their nuclear capabilities, reminding them that “ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used.” Trump’s action leaves all embarrassed. Trump suggests that the Chinese were behind Kim’s harsher line. The South Korean president said he didn’t know what to make of the president’s action. The danger is, of course, that the angry rhetoric and impulsive actions will lead to insults, threats and rising war fears and tensions. To forestall that, it is vital for U.S. allies to act, to support the South Korean president’s opening to the North, and to encourage the North Koreans to continue their pledge to end missile and nuclear weapons testing. From the U.S., this is a time

■ Executive Presentation Coaching

d w.sade

JACKSON from Page 26

have nothing to do with promoting thug life, homosexuality or slavery? There is so much more to Black history and culture than the foolishness that we see in the media. How many of you know that the wealthiest man to have ever lived was Mansa Musa I of Mali (West Africa)? He was the first king of Timbuktu and had an estimated worth of $400 billion (adjusted for inflation). He controlled half of the world’s supply of salt and gold deposits at the time. Just imagine, 30 years of putting images like Mansa Musa out to the public. Or how about people like Dave Steward in St. Louis. He is chairman of World Wide Technology, the largest minority businessman in the U.S., doing out over $10 billion a year in IT. So let’s stop blaming White folks and the police for believing we are who we say we are. WI

Let us help you develop the communication skills to compete and win!

nis/ww

White person automatically feeling threatened with our mere presence, but I do understand. Most of the images shown about Blacks in the media are negative. Why? Because the media makes lots of money off of portraying Blacks in such a negative light. Let me clarify: liberal, White media makes lots of money off this negative portrayal of Blacks. Put yourself in the shoes of a White person riding public transportation that sees a train full of Black teenagers with their pants hanging half way down their butts, calling each other n-----s, and constantly grabbing their crotches. Or the police pulling up to a crowded park and hearing loud rap music being played talking about “f--- the police” or “b---- this” or “b--- that.” We have almost 30 years of neg-

ative images about Blacks throughout every media platform available and now you want to act surprised that people have these negative perceptions about us? Come on, man. Let’s be real. Don’t tell me you are a hoe and then act surprised when I treat you like one. Don’t introduce me to your best friend by saying, “this is my b---- Jennifer” and then get mad when I call her a “b----.” Maybe Whites believe in the old adage that says, “when a person shows you who they are, you better believe them.” So, what I am saying to Black folk is pull up your damn pants, stop calling each other n-----s in public and private, stop calling each other b-----s and hoes and thinking these are terms of endearment, because they are not. To my folks who are in powerful positions in Hollywood, can we do some movies and TV shows that

You Can Say It Like A Pro!

De n : Sade

JACKSON from Page 26

way for her. Six months ago people were saying that Abrams “couldn’t” win the primary, and before I met her, I had doubts myself. But one cannot help but be swayed by her earnestness, her passion and her insistence that every vote counts, and every voice must be heard. It’s going to take more than earnestness and passion to win the Georgia governorship. It’s going to take votes, lots of them. Still, women like Dovey Roundtree persisted against all odds, women like Dorothy Height persisted against all odds. If Stacey Abrams walks in their footsteps and gets at least 100,000 new voters registered and to the polls (to counter the 70,000 Republican advantage in primary votes), we’ll be celebrating sweet victory, standing on the shoulders of the ancestors, in November. WI

Photo

After graduation from Spelman, and before her military service, Dovey Roundtree worked as a research assistant for Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder and first president of the National Council of Negro Women. I first learned of Roundtree, indeed, in a conversation with Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, the longest-serving NCNW president. Always supportive of NCNW, Roundtree was even more supportive of her many clients, so much so that she once said she worked for “eggs and collard greens,” because when her poor, Black clients couldn’t pay legal fees, she and law partner Julius Robertson accepted whatever people could pay. Dovey Roundtree had a big foot-

print. When she started practicing law in Washington in the 1950s, there were few Black women lawyers in practice, but she mentored many young lawyers, including Harvard law professor Charles Ogletree. She was one of the first women to be ordained an AME minister, and worked as a minister at Allen Chapel AME Church in southeast Washington. Mayor Marion Barry considered her a trusted adviser. And, according to The Washington Post, the American Bar Association honored her in 2000 for advancing female lawyers in the profession. Stacey Abrams may or may not know about Dovey Roundtree, but she surely stands on her shoulders, and on the shoulders of Dorothy Height and Barbara Jordan and the many other women who paved a

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

301.292.9141/FAX 301.292.9142/Mobile 703.819.0920 doris@mcmilloncommunications.com/www.mcmilloncommunications.com

BE DEBT FREE in 24–48 months!

If you owe more than $10,000 in credit card or other debt, see how we can help. Call today:

1-888-318-8155 ACCREDITED BUSINESS ®

AIRLINE CAREERS Get FAA approved maintenance training at campuses coast to coast. Job placement assistance. Financial Aid for qualifying students. Military friendly. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance

800-481-7894

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 45 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Lutheran Mission Society

Alan Amrhine, Communications Director Lutheran Mission Society

“MDDC has connected donors with the LMS Vehicle Donation Program for over six years! Great exposure, cost effective, and Wanda is so helpful.”

Attention: VIAGRA & CIALIS Users There’s a More Affordable & Effective Alternative to U.S. Pharmacy High Prices! For discreet home delivery, CALL NOW!

800-995-1351

50 Pill Special:

Only $99 Plus Free Shipping!

Pick a state! , any state MDDC Press works with fellow press associations across the country to give you the best possible buys on advertising wherever you need it. We take care of scheduling and placement at no extra cost to you, and you save time and money. Call Wanda Smith at ext. 6 today.

1-855-721-6332 www.mddcpress.com

You will discover Arts and Entertainment, Social Tidbits, Religion, Sports, People’s Viewpoints, Letters to the Editor, Classified Ads and more! And best of all… No crime, no dirty gossip, just positive news and information each week, which is why… The Washington Informer is all about you! Name....................................................................................................... Address................................................................................................... City, State, Zip......................................................................................... Phone number (daytime)......................................................................... Yes! I want to subscribe for: 2years/$60.00

Method of payment: Check Enclosed

Visa/MasterCard

Credit card number.................................................................................. Signature........................................................................................

46 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

are only one measure of the hard work and smart thinking that charters invest in their students, as evidenced by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as The Nation’s Report Card. Administered nationally, without the stakes involved in citywide standardized tests and conducted among randomly selected groups of students, the latest figures show charter scores are up since the previous tests two years ago in three of four core subject measures. This increase is more than any state in the nation. In fact, over the past decade, overall growth in test scores has been greater than any other state, and it has been achieved with a higher share of economically disadvantaged students and lower city funding per student than the traditional system. Charters have been especially effective in the District’s most vulnerable and underserved

ASKIA from Page 27

Each week you’ll get news from The District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia.

1 year/$45.00

education law signed by President Barack Obama. However, the prioritization of school choice programs in the proposed fiscal 2019 budget contradicts one of the original intentions of the law: to promote equity and increase access to high-quality education for all students. Furthermore, prioritization of school choice isolates homeless children, migrant children, youth in foster care and children from military

EDLIN from Page 27

Operators Available 24/7!

Press Service 2000 Capital Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401

PRIMAS from Page 27

behave. So now the players have been warned: no more on-field, kneeling protests during the playing of the national anthem before the games. I’ll read about what happens next season because once again, I will not be watching. One thing I don’t understand, however: where are the White players of conscience on this subject? In other sports, including mostly White volleyball, some White players took a knee in solidarity with the protests begun by Kaepernick. And going back in sports history, even the days when baseball was a White man’s game, players have in unison and individually taken a knee to protest one injustice or another. You mean to tell me that White football players are not aware of rampant police brutality and mistreatment of Black

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

families. In fact, ESSA requires that school districts report student outcomes for these groups for the very first time. The 2018 Teacher of the Year awardees echoed similar concerns during their annual White House visit in April. The top teachers in the country reported that they did not approve of funding private schools at the expense of their most vulnerable, at-risk students. Every child should be entitled to high-quality education in the

United States of America. Every neighborhood school should be equipped to provide high-quality courses and curriculum. Every student should have highly-qualified teachers and a menu of extra-curricular activities to choose from. Until the administration prioritizes the equitable improvement of all schools, their verbal commitment to uphold the original intent of ESSA is just another “alternative fact.” Learn more about the Every Student Succeeds Act at nnpa.org/essa. WI

neighborhoods. Charter students in Wards 7 and 8 are twice as likely to meet state standards for college and career-readiness as their peers in the traditional system. No less importantly, these improvements in school quality have been accomplished while curricula have been enriched and pre- and after-school options multiplied. School quality has also risen because charters have made significant progress in reducing suspensions and expulsions while adopting more contemporary methods of ensuring school discipline, all without adversely impacting student instruction. Of course, much more progress is needed, specifically to ensure that all D.C. students currently on waitlists can find a place at a charter school and that the city government fund D.C. public school students fairly. This simply means enforcing D.C. law, which requires equal funding for every D.C. public school student, charter or tra-

ditional, who is enrolled at the same grade or special education level. The District government also needs to do a better job of ensuring that charter school facilities are a priority when it comes to the disposal of surplus public school buildings and that the allowance charters receive to help finance schoolhouse expenditures increases in line with real estate costs. D.C.’s school system and the mayor to which it is accountable must work together to rebuild trust and ensure that families can have confidence in the integrity of the data produced by the traditional system. Part of this process should include learning how charters have produced strong improvements in student performance while being audited and held accountable. Whatever next steps the schools system, mayor and city council members take, the District’s charter reform is continuing to deliver for D.C.’s students. WI

folks in the streets daily? If they see it, does their silence signal they approve, and that their black teammates are not really “like family” as the teams all like to profess, because some black players are certainly distressed. Tim Tebow, the overtly evangelical White quarterback drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2010 and nicknamed “The Mile High Messiah,” took a knee back in the early part of this decade to protest the practice of abortion. There were no recriminations or league-wide policies after those incidents. There is an unsavory corruption that encompasses all athletics. Look at the rampant sexual abuse of young female gymnasts by medical staff. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing was happening in swimming, lacrosse or wherever anxious, vulnerable young girls and boys are left in the hands of corrupt “owners”

and managers and officials. And then there are the team cheerleaders, some of whom recently complained about being “pimped out” by team managers for the entertainment of wealthy team supporters. Bribery is rampant in the selection of major “amateur” sports competition sites. It’s a corrupt industry, whose major attraction for me is that it’s live, unscripted and usually determined by athletic prowess demonstrated on the field, while the game (competition) is taking place. But no more. So I (and I suspect tens of thousands of other Black folks angry about the “optics” of this “kneeling problem” facing the NFL) won’t be watching the games in 2018, and as other Black folks join the boycott, the sport will fade from its Sunday supremacy. Me, I’m saying: “Bye-bye to the late, great NFL.” wi

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

14th AnniVErsAry & AwArds CElEbrAtion thursday July 26, 2018 at 6PM Join us in a celebration of community members and outstanding educators who are making major contributions to help FAME keep music and academic excellence in the lives of our youth. Awardees to be Announced. NewtoN white MaNsioN 2708 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721

Visit www.FAMEmusic.org or Call 301-805-5358 for sponsorship and additional information. www.FaMeMusic.org WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018 47 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

CHEVROLET AND NNPA JOIN TOGETHER TO OFFER HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS A $15K FELLOWSHIP! The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) is excited to partner with the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox to present Discover the Unexpected (DTU) â€“ an amazing journalism fellowship. Selected DTU Fellows from Historically Black Colleges and Universities earn a $10,000 scholarship, $5,000 stipend and an exciting summer road trip in the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Join our DTU Fellows on this multi-city journey as they discover unsung heroes and share stories from African-American communities that will surprise and inspire. DTU is back and better than ever! Are you ready to ride? #ChevyEquinox, #Chevy, #NNPA

#DTU2018

48 MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2018

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER