The Washington Informer - October 2, 2025

Federal Government Shutdown Leaves D.C. Residents on Edge

‘Can We Manage Through that Period of Time?’

By Sam P.K. Collins and Stacy M. Brown WI Staff Writers

Despite what some on both sides of the aisle might consider their best efforts, Democrats and Republicans couldn’t avoid the first federal government shutdown in seven years, and the third to take place under President Donald J. Trump.

In the days leading up to that fateful moment, Erica Williams expressed concern about what would become of D.C. residents who depend on federal programs. Williams told The Informer that, at this juncture, it’s only a question of how long it will take before them, and the local government

SHUTDOWN Page 11

5 D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, pictured at a March press conference about the continuing resolution that froze $1.1 billion in local funds, aims to induce private sector growth, and lessen the District’s economic reliance on federal government employment. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

Set to the backdrop of a now official government shutdown, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) 54th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) – held Sept. 2428 – brought a roaring nation to the heart of Washington united in a plea for democracy and civil rights.

Guided by the theme: “Made for This Moment: Power, Policy, Progress,” the conference mobilized legislators, community officials, influencers, celebrities and concerned constituents with the beginnings of what many likened to a continued legacy of civic resistance.

“From education, to health care, to [affording] everyday costs that are mounting on their family…this is not just the agenda of Black Americans, it’s the agenda of America,” Rep. Cory Booker (D-NJ.) told The Informer, after convening a panel on Sept. 24. “This is a time, as [the late Georgia Rep. John Lewis] said, for all of us to think how we can cause ‘good trouble.’ At a

With D.C. in Congress’ Shadow, Mayor Bowser Promotes ‘Growth Agenda’

Bowser Presses Senate Democrats to Stop Anti-D.C. Bills, While Other Black Mayors Reflect on Trump Administration Infringement

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

As a government shutdown looms large, and several laidoff federal government employees remain jobless, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser once again is reminded about the futility of depending on the federal government as an engine of economic mobility.

Bowser emphasized the District’s unique challenges while speaking before an audience of congresspeople,

OPC Launches Summit on Water Rights, Access

Residents, Agencies Discuss

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

Water is necessary to sustain all forms of life on Earth, and on Sept. 29, people flocked to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for the Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) Water Services Division’s (WSD) inaugural community Water Summit, to discuss the most abundant and vital resource on the planet.

The summit, intended to inform community members and leaders about affordability programs and water conservation efforts, featured panel discussions and breakout rooms curated for consumers with questions and concerns regarding water quality and accessibility in the District.

Residents from all four quadrants were given the platform to ask questions and hold various water and energy agencies accountable, while also shedding light on the issues they face in

5 Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Chair Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell at the CBCF Annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards on Sept, 27 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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Commanders Fall To Falcons 34-27, A Look Ahead At Stouting Matchup Against 3-1 Chargers

5 Washington Commanders Josh Johnson and Marcus Mariota walk on the field ahead of the Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, Sept. 28. The Commanders lost to the Falcons 34-27 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Abdullah

Konte/The Washington Informer)

The Washington Commanders now hold a 2-2 record after playing the Atlanta Falcons in a 34-27 defeat on Sunday, Sept. 28, and, despite the loss, are preparing to head to Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Oct. 5, to play the Los Angeles Rams.

“What I do know is that this is a resilient team,” said Head Coach Dan Quinn. “We’ll grow from [Sunday’s game] and we have to, but [there’s] lots for us to correct and get right and before we take it out on the road to head to L.A.”

With starting quarterback Jayden Daniels sidelined due to injury, quarterback Marcus Mariota made his second straight start, recording 16-of-27 for 156 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Considering Daniels, wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown, and tight end John Bates, are sidelined and running back Austin Ekeler is out for the season, some offensive struggles were expected.

COMMANDERS Page 34

D.C. Anacostia, Howard University Area Starbucks Shutter

District Starbucks locations in Southeast’s Anacostia neighborhood and Northwest, D.C. near Howard University are among the several in the city that are scheduled to close by the end of the week.

“We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to close this Starbucks location by the end of this week,” read signs posted on the windows, according to NBC4 Washington. “We know this may be hard to hear – because this isn’t just any store. It’s your coffeehouse, a place woven into your daily rhythm, where memories were made, and where meaningful connections with our partners grew over the years.”

The Seattle, Washington-based company announced the closing of locations throughout the country in a Sept. 25 news blog posted by the Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol as a part of a reorganization plan.

“Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations,” Niccol said. “This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers. Our coffee-

houses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult.”

The Anacostia location, on Martin Luther King Jr., Avenue SE, was the first Starbucks to be located east of the Anacostia River. The Howard University area location was a product of Magic Johnson, a former NBA Hall of Famer and entrepreneur in 2002.

Johnson sold his shares of Starbucks stock in 2010 and has no active relationship with the company.

Niccol went on to say “Partners in coffeehouses scheduled to close will be notified this week.

“We’re working hard to offer transfers to nearby locations where possible and will move quickly to help partners understand what opportunities might be available to them,” he said. “For those we can’t immediately place, we’re focused on partner care including comprehensive severance packages. We also hope to welcome many of these partners back to Starbucks in the future as new coffeehouses open and the number of partners in each location grows.” WI

Remembering Assata Shakur: Love, Sacrifice, Commitment

The death of Assata Shakur has left a deep void on those who saw her as more than a revolutionary. Despite Shakur’s struggles and sacrifices, many are uplifting the mother and as a symbol of liberation.

On Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known morning news show, journalist and commentator Thandisizwe Chimurenga spoke about Shakur’s Sept. 25 death and her legacy, which she hopes will continue to inspire freedom fighters.

“My heart literally skipped a beat,” Chimurenga said. “I have known Assata’s daughter and husband for over 30 years. I immediately called to see if it was true. I was so saddened when he said that it was true.”

Born JoAnne Byron and once known as JoAnne Chesimard, Shakur became a leading member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. She was targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO

program, convicted under disputed circumstances in 1977, and sentenced to life in prison. In 1979, she escaped and was granted asylum in Cuba, where she remained until her death.

“I purposefully refrained from going into journalism mode,” Chimurenga said. “The only question I asked was had she been ill.’ He said, ‘yes, she had been ill.’ My heart was broken for them because losing a parent, losing your mother, you are never prepared for that. And I was heartbroken for me, being, as Assata says, an African woman in America, that she was no longer physically here with us.”

For Chimurenga, Shakur’s exile carried both sorrow and triumph.

“I liked knowing that she was physically walking around free in Cuba, away from the clutches of the U.S. government,” Chimurenga said. “I was abso-

SHAKUR Page 17

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

STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER; SKYLAR NELSON,WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER; JAMES WRIGHT, WI STAFF WRITER

AROUND THE REGION

Homeownership Costs Hit Record Highs, Census Bureau Reports

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The financial strain of owning or renting a home in the United States reached historic levels in 2024, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Nationwide, the bureau’s American Community Survey found that the median monthly owner costs for households with a mortgage climbed to $2,035 in 2024, up from $1,960 the year before after adjusting for inflation.

“One way we measure housing affordability is based on how much households spend on selected costs such as mortgage payments, insurance, taxes, utilities, and various fees,” said Jacob Fabina, a Census Bureau economist. “In 2024, the median percentage of income householders with a mortgage spent on these costs was 21.4%, which points to an increased burden on homeowners.”

Homeownership

Costs Rising Faster Than Incomes

The Census Bureau reported that monthly owner costs increased by 3.8% from 2023 to 2024, a larger jump than the previous year’s 3.0% rise. The increase was fueled largely by mortgage payments and insurance premiums.

The financial squeeze was even sharper for people who purchased homes in 2024. According to the Washington Post, households that moved last year faced a median mortgage payment of $2,225 per month, the highest in decades. That figure is well above the national median mortgage payment of $1,521, and 20% higher than the typical payment for households that bought just three years earlier.

Meanwhile, homeowners in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia faced the steepest monthly costs in the nation, with medians ranging from $2,755 in Massachusetts to $3,181 in the District.

“Homes are completely unaf-

fordable right now,” social media user Michael Datson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Building materials are being tariffed to hell and layoffs are accelerating.”

Free and Clear Ownership Grows

While mortgage burdens increased, more households managed to own their homes outright.

About 900,000 more homes were owned “free and clear” in 2024 compared with the year before, bringing the total to nearly 35 million. Vermont and New Mexico saw two of the largest percentage gains in fully paid-off homes.

Still, high additional fees add to the financial stress for many. Nearly a quarter of U.S. homeowners paid homeowners association or condo fees in 2024, at a national median of $135 per month.

Those costs were particularly widespread in Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, where nearly half of homeowners paid such fees.

“If they [were] working on affordable housing, rent, HOA, condo fees maybe there would not be so many homeless,” Memphis resident Sandra P. wrote on X. “Loan rates are through the roof and Americans get fleeced out of their money through multiple taxes, fees, insurance etc. This country is too expensive for the average person!”

Renters Struggle Too

Renters were not spared from the affordability crunch.

The Census Bureau reported that median gross rent—including utilities—increased 2.7%, reaching $1,487 in 2024.

The burden of rent remained heavy, with households spending a median of 31% of their income on rent.

Real Estate experts noted that renter costs rose even faster when inflation was considered, growing by 4.1% to a median of $1,307.

Income Gains Fall Behind Costs

Even as some states recorded modest increases in median

household income, inflation neutralized much of that progress.

The Census Bureau reported that 29 states experienced inflation-adjusted income gains in 2024, but in many cases, those increases were not enough to offset escalating housing expenses.

“The cost of homes, high mortgage rates, increasing insurance costs, increasing HOA fees—all of that is just producing a serious affordability pinch that’s keeping people out of the housing market, and keeping the homeownership rate stagnant,” said Joel Berner, a senior economist at Realtor.com.“It’s just kind of becoming more and more difficult for people to save up for buying a home.” WI

3 With the financial strain of owning or renting a home in the United States reaching historic levels in 2024, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, District residents face some of the steepest monthly costs in the nation, with the median $3,181. (WI

File

Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

AROUND THE REGION

facts

Oct. 2

1800 – Nat Turner, the leader of a major slave rebellion, is born in Southampton County, Virginia.

1935 – Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., the first African American astronaut, is born in Chicago.

1937 – Famed lawyer Johnnie Cochran is born in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1967 – Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first African American Supreme Court justice.

2005 – August Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, dies of cancer at 60 in Seattle.

Oct. 3

1904 – Mary McLeod Bethune opens the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, which eventually became Bethune-Cookman University.

1941 – Singer Chubby Checker of “The Twist” fame is born in Spring Gully, South Carolina.

1949 – WERD, the first radio station owned and programmed by African Americans, is established in Atlanta.

1954 – The Rev. Al Sharpton is born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

1974 – Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson is named manager of the Cleveland Indians, becoming the major leagues’ first Black manager.

Oct. 4

1943 – Social activist H. Rap Brown is born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Oct. 5

1992 – Soul singer Eddie Kendricks, one of the founding members of the Temptations, dies of lung cancer in Birmingham, Alabama.

Oct. 6

1921 – Joseph Lowery, civil rights leader and longtime president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, is born in Huntsville, Alabama.

1971 – The first legal interracial marriage in North Carolina, between John A. Wilkinson and Lorraine Mary Turner, takes place.

Oct. 7

1897 – Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad is born in Sandersville, Georgia.

1931 – Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid activist and retired Anglican bishop, is born in Klerksdorp, South Africa.

1934 – Amiri Baraka, renowned African American writer, is born in Newark, New Jersey.

1993 – Famed author Toni Morrison wins the Nobel Prize in literature.

Oct. 8

1893 – Early 20th century jazz musician and composer Clarence Williams is born in Plaquemine, Louisiana.

1941 – The Rev. Jesse Jackson, famed civil rights leader, is born in Greenville, South Carolina.

1992 – Sir Derek Walcott, Saint Lucian poet and playwright, wins the Nobel Prize in literature.

2004 – Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist, becomes the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. WI

1917 – Fannie Lou Hamer, voting rights activist and civil rights leader, is born in Montgomery County, Mississippi. Johnnie Cochran

August Wilson (left)

Chubby Checker (center) Toni Morrison (right)

P INT

BY KEITH GOLDEN JR.

What role do you think the government should play in regulating free

speech in the media?

MAYOR MICHAEL BOOKER / HIGHLAND HILLS, CLEVELAND, OHI.

“I don’t think the government has a role in that. I think that freedom of speech is something that we have as a birth right meaning that no man should ever control what another man says. If you’re not offending, and even if you are offending, it’s your right to say how you feel. And a person can either accept it or not accept it and move on.”

DERRELL SIMPSON / WASHINGTON, D.C.

“I think the government should play an extremely limited role in regulating free speech when it comes to the media. When we look at the three branches of government, we know we have the executive branch, the judicial branch and the legislative branch. But then most people often count the media as the fourth branch of government. And I think it provides an equitable check and balance for our government system. I think it’s very much needed and necessary.”

DONNA COPELAND

TEXAS, OWNER OF NEVAEH’S BATH AND BEAUTY.

“I don’t think the government should have any role because it’s free speech. We should be able to share our thoughts and how we feel freely in a free world. So I don’t believe the Government should be penalizing us and taking our free speech. So free speech is ours to have.”

ANDREW NICHOLS / NEW YORK, OWNER OF ANDREW NICHOLS ART

“ I don’t think we should depend on the government but if I had to give my opinion on what the government should do, I think they need to take each case seriously; not depending on who it’s coming from, but [if]what the person is saying has validity.

CARYLEE CARRINGTON / NORTHERN VIRGINIA

“Taking books out and trying to limit the speech of media [and] comedians, it’s something that we shouldn’t be trying to do because it takes away the fundamentals of what we, as a country, were founded on. I want my children to be able to express themselves and have free speech, to be able to find out their history and read books that feature them so they can feel seen in the books that they read. And if we are limiting free speech, we are limiting ideas, we are eliminating creativity, we are eliminating the fundamentals of what we were founded on. Our children deserve better than that.”

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

AROUND THE REGION

In the District, the Shutdown Breaks More Than Paychecks

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the federal government closed its doors, leaving the city that depends on its rhythm to stumble.

“Once again, we’re in a federal government shutdown. The District of Columbia has already felt enough pain,” said D.C. At-large Councilmember Robert White (D), in a video promoting his congressional campaign. “Thousands of families have lost jobs, throwing their families into chaos. Now more people are losing jobs, don’t know if they’re going to get them back, don’t know if they’re going to get back pay.”

The numbers tell one story.

Nearly 750,000 federal workers are now furloughed, their wages deferred and many’s dignity shaken.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the daily loss in compensation alone is close to $400 million.

But beyond statistics, there are faces like the cafeteria worker at a federal building, the park ranger watching visitors wander roads now stripped of services, the teacher who fears the absence of federal aid for her students.

For residents of the District, life is not yet fully undone. The trash is still collected, schools remain open, the Metro hums along, and D.C. agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles continue to function.

But the fragility of this arrangement

threatens to choke that lifeline. Tourism, too, suffers.

The National Mall remains open in its broad expanse, but behind locked doors and shuttered gates, the museums and monuments that tell America’s story sit in silence.

At Harpers Ferry, the Washington Monument, and countless sites across the nation, the promise of memory and history is interrupted. Parks can lean on visitor fees for bare services like trash removal, but there is no replacing the workers who give life to the nation’s landmarks.

“People can’t go into restaurants because they don’t have enough money. Tourists can’t go into D.C. because we have armed military personnel roaming our streets,” White said. “This administration is devastating our city’s economy and our regional economy.”

is apparent.

“D.C. has already been screwed by federal layoffs and with the feds swarming, people have been really negatively affected,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “A shutdown in the wake of all this is going to be really destructive towards the stability of D.C. residents.”

Federal employees residing in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Arlington, Virginia, and Southeast, D.C.’s Anacostia, and around the metropolitan area wake to the realization that their labor has been deemed unnecessary, their pay suspended, and their future hostage to political brinkmanship.

The Trump administration has not hidden its intentions. Officials have been told to prepare not just for furloughs, but for mass layoffs, an ominous warning that extends far beyond a temporary stoppage.

Shops and restaurants downtown, already weakened by years of remote work and the heavy presence of federal law enforcement in the city’s core, now brace for further loss.

“If workers stop coming, the hit is immediate,” one small business owner in Penn Quarter remarked, his voice carrying the fatigue of pandemic recovery and inflation battles.

The city thrives on movement, on commuters buying lunch, on tourists filling hotels. A prolonged shutdown

The damage is uneven, cruel in its distribution.

At the Education Department, nearly 90% of employees are furloughed. At Commerce, more than 80%. At the Department of Labor, three-quarters. Even the State Department, tasked with representing America abroad, has sent home two-thirds of its staff.

The consequence is silence.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has suspended its reports, including the September jobs numbers that should have been released Friday. The nation is left without a pulse, blind to its own condition.

Homeland Security, by contrast, has furloughed just 5% of its staff, though even there, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have been crippled.

“It is going to make it very difficult for CISA to respond to any incidents, and it will bring most other work to a halt,” former White House cybersecurity adviser Michael Daniel told reporters, warning of rising threats from abroad.

History is a reminder of how long such closures can last. In 2018, a partial shutdown stretched on for 34 days, the longest in American history. For many in D.C., that memory lingers.

“Luckily, I have some savings, but I don’t know how long that luck will last,” a now furloughed and uncertain federal worker remarked. WI

5 With the government shutdown, the National Mall remains open in its broad expanse, but behind locked doors and shuttered gates, the museums and monuments that tell America’s story sit in silence. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

Trump’s Tax Policies Let District Billionaires Pay Less Than Working Residents

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Washington, D.C., is home to some of the richest people in America, and under President Donald Trump’s tax agenda, they continue to pay a lower share of their income in taxes than most working residents of the city.

A new National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study shows that the nation’s 400 wealthiest households paid an average effective tax rate of just 24% between 2018 and 2020—compared with 30% for the overall population and 45% for top wage earners. That steep drop from earlier years stems from Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which slashed the federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and opened new loopholes for the ultra-wealthy.

Now in his second term, Trump is pushing further measures that exempt billionaires from paying their fair share while shifting the burden onto ordinary Americans.

The effects are especially stark in D.C., where the Forbes 400 list has remained dotted with local billionaires.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post and a Kalorama estate, sits at the top with a fortune of $161 billion.

“Between 2006–2018, Jeff Bezos’s wealth grew by $127 billion. His

federal income tax bill? $1.4 billion total. That’s about 1% effective tax rate,” Kashu founder J. Grey Friend wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Meanwhile, the average worker pays 20–30%.”

Others with deep local ties include candy heiress Jacqueline Mars and her relatives, worth nearly $39 billion, and Carlyle Group co-founders David Rubenstein, Daniel D’Aniello, and William Conway Jr., each worth billions and firmly anchored in Washington’s business and civic life.

Despite their vast holdings, the NBER study shows billionaires in the capital and across the country exploit structural gaps in the tax code. Corporations they control distribute little in dividends, passthrough firms report paper losses despite strong profits, and estate taxes barely touch their wealth. For the richest households, taxable income amounts to only about one-third of their actual economic income, which drastically cuts their IRS bills.

Between 2010 and 2017, billionaires paid about 30% of their income in taxes—roughly the same as average Americans. But once Trump’s tax law took effect, their rate dropped to 24%, and by 2018–2020 they were paying only 1.3%of their wealth annually in taxes.

“Ultra-high-net-worth individuals appear less taxed than the average American,” NBER authors noted. WI

AROUND THE REGION

Resources for Buying a Home in D.C.

KELSI, D C HOMEOWNER

5 The nation’s capital is home to some of the richest people in America, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, pictured here with his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Under President Donald Trump’s tax agenda, billionaires like Bezos continue to pay a lower share of their income in taxes than most working residents of the city. (Courtesy Photo/ Instagram)

AROUND THE REGION

Washington Informer (WI) team members Ja’Mon Jackson, Shevry Lassiter, Ra-Jah Kelly, Desmond Barnes, and Denise Rolark-Barnes, WI publisher, represent the publication at the 54th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) opening day on Sept. 24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C. From Sept. 24-28, thousands gathered at the convention center and events around the area, in celebration of this year’s CBCF ALC, with the theme “Made for this Moment: Power, Policy and Progress.” (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Aldis Hodge, star of the Prime Video series “Cross,” checks out The Washington Informer while at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference on Sept. 26. (Ra-Jah Kelly/The Washington Informer)

Desmond Tutu

from Page 1

for that matter, feel the burn of an inoperable federal government.

“Can we manage through that period of time without having to pull back on what services people have available to them?” Williams, executive director of the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI), questioned. “Whether that’s Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or our WIC program or other kinds of programs that are out there across a whole range of areas. Whether it’s workforce development or childcare, you name it.”

For 20 years, DCFPI has advocated for the creation of policy that prioritizes racial equity and justice for Black and brown D.C. residents. Throughout much of the second Trump presidency, organizers have been critical of federal imposition on local affairs. They have also railed against local and federal policy decisions, including that involving the summer reconciliation bill that gutted social safety net programs and spurred what’s estimated to be $197 million in future tax cuts for the wealthiest D.C. residents.

Amid all the conversation about a federal government shutdown, William said she’s also fearful of what would become of an already fragmented federal government workforce. According to Trump, several workers, many of them living in the D.C. metropolitan area, could be laid off in the event of a shutdown.

“We’ve already obviously sustained pretty massive federal layoffs that are already having an impact on our economy with the downgrade in our revenue over the next several years and the project[ion] that we’re heading into a local recession,” Williams told The Informer. “So additional federal layoffs are going to be really damaging for us, potentially, and that’s going to have additional downward pressure on our economy and on our revenue at a time when we’re already feeling a lot of pressure.”

Looking Back: A Contentious Battle on the Hill

In the days and hours leading up to Oct. 1 -- the beginning of the 2026 fiscal year— congressional Democrats and Republicans were still at an impasse about how to shape the budget needed to keep the federal government open.

Discussions stalled when Senate Democrats demanded an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax

credits and reversal of Medicaid cuts that included in a stopgap measure proposed by Senate Republicans.

“Leader Schumer and I have made clear we are ready, willing and able to sit down and with anyone, anytime, any place to fund the government and to address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Speaker Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said shortly before the Senate vote.

GOP leaders have since responded, asking that health care spending discussions take place in the new fiscal year. Republicans also called Democrats’ demands an overture to an anti-Trump base and, more specifically, undocumented migrants.

Jeffries has since rebuffed that notion, citing that undocumented migrants don’t qualify for health care coverage.

With a shutdown on the horizon, other congressional members, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), continued to rally around federal workers and Americans with pre-existing conditions, both of whom he said stand to suffer on Wednesday without a budget in place that reflects their needs.

“If we don’t defuse that bomb, people are going to see their health care premiums go up in the Affordable Care Act exchanges,” Van Hollen said during the Monday night press conference. “Four million Americans will lose health care altogether. Notices will start to go out in October – next week. And so, we want to keep the government open, but we want guardrails and safeguards, and we want to make sure we turn off this ticking time bomb.”

Van Hollen, who recounted recently speaking with people with pre-existing conditions whose clinical trials were disrupted after Trump-induced cuts, said that the president is adamant

AROUND THE REGION

about consolidating power at the expense of federal government workers and marginalized people.

“They have been shutting down the parts of the government that they don’t like and beefing up the parts of the government that they want to focus on,” Van Hollen said. “So this has been going on since day one. Now, here we are, and Donald Trump is asking for a blank check from all of us to continue with this lawless activity. And this is a moment for members of Congress to say, ‘No – a lawless president does not get a blank check.’”

A Region in Trouble as Mayor Bowser Weighs in on Federal Budget Debacle

The loss of federal jobs has been compounded by declining tourism and a weakened university pipeline, leaving the District searching for a new identity.

“Our biggest strength is our workforce — a highly educated, highly skilled, motivated, mission-focused workforce,” Rep. James Walkinshaw (D) of Virginia recently said. “Any time one of those folks leaves to go somewhere else, that is a loss for our region.”

Walkinshaw has described hearing from workers in Northern Virginia every day about layoffs, foreclosures, and the painful decision to leave the region after years of service.

Rosie Allen-Herring, president and chief executive of United Way of the National Capital Area, said nonprofits across the region are struggling to keep up as requests for food, housing support, and healthcare assistance pour in.

Meanwhile, Clark Mercer, executive director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and other regional leaders are launching a digital “one-stop shop” to help displaced workers find opportunities and navigate support services.

According to Brookings, the region’s unemployment rate has risen more than eight times faster than the national average since January. Private-sector job growth has flatlined, and more homes are for sale across the District and surrounding suburbs.

Credit scores reportedly are dropping more quickly than in other metro areas, signaling deepening financial strain. Economists warn that a prolonged shutdown layered on top of these cuts could set off a regional recession.WI

Read more on washingtoninformercom.

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Maryland Leaders Speak Out

During the 2025 CBCF Annual Legislative Conference

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

From panels, to engaging with attendees around the exhibit hall, and speaking at the star-studded Phoenix Awards Dinner, political leaders from Prince George’s County and across Maryland used this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), Sept. 24-28, to speak out against oppressive policies and fight

for justice and equity.

“It’s all hands on deck. We’re fighting back against what the Trump administration is doing. We’ve got enough talent to make it a strong fight and we’ve got to put it all out there today,” Maryland Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey told The Informer on the first day of the conference. “Donald Trump is destroying the country basically and the African American community in particular. We’ve got to make sure we’re doing everything

we can to defend ourselves, fight for democracy, and for our community.”

With the looming threat of a government shutdown, Marylanders already rallying from federal furloughs, and the cuts to programs affecting programs and residents, local leaders used the conference’s national stage to spotlight statewide achievements, challenges and fights.

“At a time when we are watching the president attempting to gerrymander Black leaders out of office, I want to be very clear - while these other states are determining whether or not they have their maps, so will Maryland,” said Gov. Wes Moore, who spoke at the Phoenix Awards, an event that also featured: Vice President Kamala Harris; Maryland Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, co-chair of this year’s conference; and a performance by the legendary band The Roots.

Under the 2025 CBCF ALC theme “Made for This Moment: Power, Policy and Progress,” Moore offered a warning to those not fighting against injustice.

“History is not going to remember this administration well,” he told the crowd in his address. “But also, to those that are sitting down and doing nothing, to those that are capitulating - history will remember you worse.”

Prince George’s Shines with Panels, Special Events

While many CBCF week events happened in D.C., Prince George’s County Executive hosted her annual affair as part of the conference at the The Theater in MGM National Harbor on Sept. 23. In her seventh CBCF gala and first as county executive, she

emphasized the importance of highlighting the power of Prince George’s during the national celebration.

“This is a county where we elevate. We have to recognize we were not first; there was a strong foundation built here by many of you in this room,” she said to great applause during her event Prince George’s County CBC: A Signature Reception. “Here in Prince George’s County, everyone can and will win.”

As people around the nation navigate social and economic instability, Marylanders are grappling with the loss of tens of thousands of federal jobs, and Prince Georgians, in particular, feel the sting.

“Federal jobs and contracts are more than paychecks. They are lifelines for families and pathways to economic mobility for Black communities,” said Prince George’s County Councilmember Wala Blegay (D-District 6), in a press release. “As these opportunities are stripped away, we must fight back to protect our progress and secure a stronger future.”

Throughout the conference, Blegay worked to raise awareness about how certain national policies negatively affect Prince Georgians. She served on a Sept. 24 panel entitled “Losing Ground: Federal Workforce Cuts & the Future of Black Enterprise,” hosted at Capitol Square in Southeast, D.C.

Other panelists included: Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormmick (DFl.), Jamar Brown, Color of Change CBCF Page 13

5Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 54th Annual Legislative Conference 2025 Phoenix Awards on Sept. 27 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

CBCF from Page 12

executive director, and Ottis Johnson, national vice president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) District 14, and Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes moderated the discussion.

“We’re not alone, having felt the attack of the layoffs. There have even been layoffs in the private sector,” said Blegay to begin the panel. “In Prince George’s County, we are hit hard. We have had a record number of job losses.”

Rep. Ivey spent much of his time during the conference throughout the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, where he participated in panels, spoke with attendees, and encouraged others to join in work to improve the lives of African Americans and equity overall.

“This panel hosted by the American Kidney Fund is emblematic of the kinds of important topics important to the Black community. Kidney disease and new research on APOL1 gene variants require further funding to safeguard our community’s health,” said Ivey, a survivor of kidney cancer, during a Sept. 26 panel. “I was lucky. I had good health insurance. My kidney cancer was found early and the medical facilities near me are world class. Good health starts with good science and the CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) strives to keep this important research at the forefront,” he said in an interview.”

Ivey also hosted a Friday session on

President Trump’s militarization of policing in Washington D.C. and beyond, featuring Greg Jackson, former White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention deputy director.

“Comprehensive programs that work in coordination with social services, intervention efforts and violence prevention: that wins,” Ivey said in an interview following the panel. “It polls better than ‘lock ‘em up.’

Reflecting on the conference, County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins (D) thanked CBC leaders who have mentored him and inspired his work, including former Maryland Reps. Al Wynn and Donna Edwards, and Attorney General Anthony Brown (D), who served in Congress from 2017-2023.

Considering the conference theme, “Made for This Moment: Power, Policy, and Progress,” Hawkins encouraged elected leaders to remain focused.

“The United States is once again at a crossroads,” Hawkins told The Informer.“At a time when the president is openly promoting racism, expanding injustice, and supporting inequality through his rhetoric and actions, I imagine that the spirit of the late activist Ossie Davis is calling out from his grave to the CBC not to become complacent, but continue to serve as the conscience of the U.S. Congress and remain steadfast, more than ever, in developing a well-defined strategy and a purposeful plan for a better America for all.”

WI

5Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks speaks during the 2025 Phoenix Awards , as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 54th Annual Legislative Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C. on Sept. 27. Alsobrooks served as co-chair of this year’s conference alongside Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

BUSINESS

Crypto, Entrepreneurship Dominate ALC Business Sessions

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

People flocked to the 54th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) from Sept. 2428 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C., to not only talk policy but business.

From forums, to panels, and the vendors in the exhibit hall, there was much at the ALC uplifting Black businesses, and highlighting two popular topics: cryptocurrency and entrepreneurship.

“We are here to demystify a lot of this,” said Kevin Harris, the owner of Crypto.com, who participated

in the panel “Beyond the Bank: Digital Assets in Black America” on Sept. 24. “There is a lot of interest in cryptocurrency in the Black community. We are here to educate you on how to respond and engage with the Black community on this digital currency.”

Harris is a proponent of cryptocurrency, a digital currency in which transactions are verified and records maintained by a decentralized system using cryptography rather than by a centralized authority. An Ariel Investments and Charles Schwab survey in 2022 revealed that 25% of Black people owned cryptocurrency, compared to 15% of white Americans.

Many speakers emphasized entre-

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preneurship as a means of economic mobility for the Black community, promoting passing on generational wealth and financial independence.

John Hope Bryant, founder, chair and CEO of Operation HOPE, told a brain trust at the “Closing the Wealth Gap Working Group” on Sept. 26 that a controversial figure in the Black community may be a model for business.

“Drug dealers understand the gamut of business,” Bryant said to some who raised their eyebrows. “As a gang leader, they are a frustrated

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hall at Black Caucus

union organizer. They understand marketing, distribution, finance, organizational structure, and legal issues.”

While he noted drug dealers and gangs are a misguided example of entrepreneurship, Bryant said they are an example of “I can’t go get a job so I will create one.”

Cryptocurrency Steps into Black Financial Conversations

Cleve Mesidor, a former congressional staffer who serves as the executive director of the Blockchain Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting cryptocurrency, joined Harris at the “Beyond the Bank Forum.”

Mesidor said Black people are not strangers to cryptocurrency.

“I think if you would talk to a number of your relatives and friends, you will find out they are engaged in crypto,” she said.

Mesidor said it was time for Black people to look aside the normal financing system for their needs, and cryptocurrency can do that.

“Traditional financing consists of borrowing, lending and trading,” she said. “What cryptocurrency does is streamlines the process for people. To get your money, you have fewer intermediaries to deal with.”

Mesidor is an advocate for stablecoins, a cryptocurrency backed by U.S. dollars. She said stablecoin has been in the planning stages in the finance industry for quite some time.

“The U.S. has looked at the digital dollar for a long time,” Mesidor said.

Stablecoins are the pathway to

the future.”

Harris said stablecoins are good “because you get paid (as a vendor) immediately instead of waiting 3-4 days for payment.” However, he said it is not good enough for Black people to be consumers of cryptocurrency.

“We want to be owners in this space,” he said. “This is the time for Blacks to get involved and not be left behind, like it has been with other industries in the past.”

Celebrating Entrepreneurship at the Annual Legislative Conference

Many people came to the annual conference with heavy concerns on their mind due to the Trump administration laying off federal workers and some of the largest corporations backing away from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Bryant said the best strategy for Black Americans is not to become despondent and consider entrepreneurship.

Marshawn Wolley, CEO of Black Onyx Management, a management consulting firm in Indianapolis, Indiana, emphasized that a good understanding of the underwriting process of getting a loan is key.

“I tell my clients to build business credit and keep it separate from your personal credit,” he said. “If you want to open a business, find a problem and solve it. Make sure your business matters, such as taxes, organizational structures are solid and taken care of.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

5 Several

exhibit

Foundation Annual Legislative Conference, which uplifted

File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

Legal Entities Launch DC Resource Bridge

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The Legal Aid DC, in partnership with the DC Bar Foundation, announced the official launch of the DC Resource Bridge, a onestop service that makes it easier for District residents to access free or low-cost civil legal help.

Built in collaboration with a wide network of legal service providers, the DC Resource Bridge is designed to make access to justice simpler, fairer, and more effective.

With a single phone call to 202-933-HELP (4357) District residents no longer must make dozens of calls or guess where to turn for legal help. The DC Resource Bridge streamlines the process by connecting people directly to the organization best able to serve them, cutting

through barriers and confusion.

At launch, the DC Resource Bridge will help residents resolve urgent civil legal issues in family law matters, problems with public benefits, consumer debt and foreclosure, and cases in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

In the coming months, DC Resource Bridge will expand to provide referrals in additional areas of law.

“Too many of our neighbors have faced overwhelming barriers to justice simply because the legal system is hard to navigate,” said Kirra Jarratt, CEO of the DC Bar Foundation. “The DC Resource Bridge is the result of years of collaboration across the legal services community. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that every resident can find the help they need.”

The DC Resource Bridge was designed and developed by the DC Bar Foundation with input from District residents, legal services providers, community partners, and local government. Legal Aid DC will host and manage the DC Resource Bridge, working closely with more than 50 partner organizations to ensure it remains a trusted, effective resource for the community.

Vikram Swaruup, the executive director of Legal Aid DC, enthusiastically backs the collaboration.

“Legal Aid is proud to launch the DC Resource Bridge, so people can get connected to the help they need without going from organization to organization,” he said. “This is an important step toward closing the access to justice gap in the District.”

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5 Kirra Jarratt is the CEO of the DC Bar Foundation, which launched the DC Resource Bridge in partnership with Legal Aid DC. (Courtesy Photo/DC Bar Foundation)

NATIONAL

Ben Crump Pledges $50K to the Black Press, Challenges Others to Follow His Lead

By Stacy M. Brown Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Conrad Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., pulsed with history and urgency as the Black Press of America gathered for its Annual National Leadership Awards and Reception.

The evening honored House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries,

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke, and Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr. Cummings, who now serves on the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee, put the night into sharp focus.

“Democrats need to spend money now with the Black Press,” Cummings told “Let It Be Known,” the Black Press morning

news show, on the red carpet. “The Black Press has always been that vehicle in our community that we’ve all needed and that has always been the trusted voice. With

what’s happening in Washington and what they are trying to do to our community and our history, everyone should be supporting the Black Press of America.”

For decades, the Black Press has stood as the trusted voice for African Americans, telling stories ignored or distorted elsewhere. It carried the mutilated image of Emmett Till when white newspapers looked away. It published the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words when others labeled him a troublemaker. It guided families through Jim Crow’s terror and chronicled the triumphs and tragedies of migration, struggle, and resilience.

Despite its contributions to the U.S. historically and today, the Black Press, two years before its 200th anniversary, is fighting for its life.

Attorney Ben Crump, known as “Black America’s Attorney General,” took the stage, with a plan to uplift the Black Press in a major way.

“I wanted to come and publicly demonstrate my appreciation to the Black Press because right now in America, like we’ve never seen before in our lifetime, they have declared war on Black literature, Black history, Black culture, Black media, Black science, Black health, Black communities, everything Black in every corner of this American society today,” Crump said. And so, they’ve declared war

on the First Amendment. I mean, they’re attacking our narratives.”

In a room filled with African American leaders, including Derick Johnson, national president of the NAACP, and Leon Russell, chair of the Board, Crump emphasized the importance of the Black Press in the fight for justice.

“So now more than ever, we have to make sure that we have institutions that are disseminating information to our people, being the clarion call for us to be able to be ready to stand up for our children and our communities, to be ready to speak up for our children and communities, and to be ready to fight for our children in the community,” he said. “And nobody carries the Black narrative and the Black information to Black communities more passionately than the Black Press.”

Despite the Trump administration’s policies affecting Black people nationwide and the federal cuts to diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), Crump told the crowd that there is no need to rely on the president to support the African American communities.

“This attack on DEI and everything— they’re cutting funding to all our institutions. And it isn’t right, but part of me says that’s okay,” he said. “We don’t need them to save us. We are going to save ourselves. We are all we need.”

5 Attorney Ben Crump, known as “Black America’s Attorney General” is pledging $50,000 to support the Black Press of America. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

SHAKUR from Page 4

lutely saddened that I had never taken myself down to Cuba and tried to find her and interview her as a journalist. But at the same time, I was rejoicing in the fact that for close to 50 years, she remained free of the United States criminal injustice system.”

Shakur Emphasizes ‘Fight for Our Freedom’ Shakur’s words shaped generations of activists.

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom,” she famously stated. “We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

Her declaration served as an

CRUMP from Page 16

He also offered a major call to action.

“Everybody’s got to give a little more when they can. If you’ve been blessed, you’ve got to pass the blessings on. You just can’t keep it to yourself,” Crump told the packed ballroom. “Because, like Dr. King said, we all got a role to play. The Black lawyers got a role to play. The Black doctors got a role to play. The Black bankers got a role to play. The Black insurance agents, Black funeral homes.”

The attorney emphasized that fighting for equity does not always mean taking to the streets to protest.

“I understand everybody can’t be on the front line with the NAACP and Black Lives Matter, and us, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a role to play when you get a seat at the table,” he said.“When you are inside the room and you have got a voice, you got a role to play. And so, you can’t be afraid to speak truth to power.”

empowering chant during protests in Ferguson and throughout the Black Lives Matter movement.

“She was our warrior queen mother, our sister comrade, our mama,” Chimurenga said. “She fought for us. She sacrificed for us. And her autobiography, infused with poetry, showed us the beauty of a woman the state called a terrorist. She was a beautiful soul who often said we must be weapons of mass construction, creating more beauty in the world because the people running it are destroying it.”

Reactions to her passing showed the divide in the nation.

“Assata Shakur joins the ancestors a free woman. She did not

Crump Pledges $50K to Black Press

After exhorting the crowd, the attorney ended his address with a surprise announcement.

Crump pledged $50,000 to the Black Press, structured at $10,000 a year for five years.

“And so I want to present this donation to the Black Press for $50,000,” Crump said. “Because right now we’ve got to support our own.”

But he was not content with his own gift. He planted a seed encouraging others to dare to water it.

With the bicentennial of the Black Press approaching, supporters are being urged to step forward through sponsorships, advertising, and partnerships to ensure that this trusted source for the Black community remains alive, with an official GoFundMe page for donations.

“That’s why I’m making this donation to the Black Press,” Crump declared, his words cutting with urgency. “Because right now the Black Press is needed more than ever before.” WI

die bound by the carceral system and she did not pass away living in a land that never respected or accepted her. Assata taught us that liberation can not be bargained for, it must be taken,” social media user Tanisha Long wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Rest Free, Assata.”

However, some people were not as complimentary about Shakur’s legacy, such as FBI Director Kash Patel.

“Joanne Chesimard didn’t ‘fight for justice.’ She murdered New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in cold blood, then fled to Cuba to escape accountability. The FBI never stopped calling her what she was: a terrorist,” Patel wrote on X. “Mourning her is spitting on the badge and the blood of every

cop who gave their life in service.”

For Chimurenga, such responses working to tarnish Shakur’s honor is not much of a surprise.

“America is a white supremacist nation,” Chimurenga said. “It was not founded for us. We were brought here to enrich other people. If we did not believe it before, everything Trump is doing right now is in perfect lockstep with white supremacist principles. And that is how he was able to be reelected twice.”

Chimurenga said Shakur’s memory will always remain tied to her devotion to her people.

“Love. Love of Black people. Sacrifice, commitment, and beauty,” she remarked. “That is who she was.”

WI

5 Many people are mourning the death of Assata Shakur, a mother, power and revolutionary often uplifted as a symbol of liberation. (Courtesy Photo/FBI)

n Brochures

n Business Cards

n Banners

n Canvas Bags

n Color Copies

n Contracts & Vouchers

n Church Fans

n Fax & Scan

n Posters & Signs

n Tithe Envelopes

n Tickets & Flyers n T-Shirts n Mugs & Glassware

n Notary

National Museum of African Art Fosters Global Understanding Across Generations

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

For more than 60 years, the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) has served its visitors as a means to champion communication, collaboration and understanding between cultures, and remains a hub for connection across and beyond the diaspora, working to preserve Africa’s history and accurately represent the continent.

“I work in an institution that represents Africa, and I think that’s a very unique and privileged position,”Gathoni Kamau, NMAfA’s acting head of visitor experience and engagement, told The Informer. “It’s important to share the heritage, not just with descendants of Africa, but with everybody, just to appreciate the richness of all cultures.”

NMAfa keeps African culture alive outside the continent through consistent programming that educates attendees about different customs through various forms of art. Annual events, such as Teaching Africa Day, which occurred for a 10th year in a row on Sept. 13, were established to increase visitors’ appreciation of Africa and its diaspora through education, artistic showcases and various performances.

Kamau is a Kenyan artist and a graduate from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in sculpture, and always knew she would be an artist from a young age. From the very beginning, she has been focused on providing educational experiences with Teaching Africa Day through different workshops and booths highlighting various forms of African art— from paintings, literature, sculptures and even digital experiences.

The day of cultural immersion originally included programming featuring service providers and educators focusing on students from kindergarten through high school by offering engaging activities pertaining to the event’s different theme each year, teaching attendees about the museum’s collection.

In recent years, Teaching Africa Day organizers have been trying to add more service providers to offer mul-

tifaceted enrichment, expanding its target audience to also include college students to broaden the experience.

“My dream would be to see it start with monthly engagement with schools on the continent or nationwide throughout the year, [so] then it culminates in this big Teaching Africa Day,” Kamau told The Informer.

Art, Dance and Technology in Unity

The event’s 10th anniversary was curated under the theme, “Dancing the Message: African Dance as a Language of the Continent and the Diaspora,” featuring a parade of flags, performances from different dance groups, a marketplace, painting, crafts and more.

Mark Balden, whose two daughters were performing with educational organization Kuumba Kids, is adamant about exposing younger generations to Africa and all the nuances of its numerous cultures.

He considers NMAfA as a sacred resource and sees the continent’s art as something that carries profound purpose, as it has and will continue to connect younger generations to their ancestors and the entire African diaspora.

Balden was exposed to all kinds of African art as a child, from carvings to

paintings to metalwork, and is doing the same for his children.

“It was just part of the fabric of life that I grew up with, and it is the inheritance that we bequeathed to our children,” Balden told The Informer. “I’m going to make sure they experience their generational wealth in artwork.”

Even though the event’s main program was centered around dance, attendees were exposed to African culture in a plethora of ways, including a booth where they could play around with Udeesa Systemics and Technology– a platform offering technology that creates immersive, interactive and accessible educational content through its use of XR (Extended Reality).

Udeesa’s CEO, Asante Aseidu, founded the company to create a bridge between culture, skill-building and economic participation. The 10th Teaching Africa Day marked the fifth year Aseidu and his team were involved with the event.

“Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions of the global economy, with enormous opportunities emerging as the continent matures,” Aseidu told The Informer. “That’s why days like Teaching Africa Day matter. They show us what’s missing in classrooms and what becomes possible when we tell fuller stories.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5Osagyefo Dance Company performs at the tenth annual Teaching Africa Day. The group showcases traditional Ghanaian dance and is committed to championing community building through African arts and education. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Know the Signs, and Break the Silence

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC)

Every October, we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month as a time to raise awareness, support survivors, and learn how to take action. Domestic violence affects people of all ages and backgrounds and can happen to anyone, no matter their gender or race.

In Washington, DC, alone, 55% of unhoused families and 24% of unhoused single adults reported a history of experiencing domestic violence in 2023, with over half saying it was the main reason they lost stable housing.1 Domestic violence also leads to nearly 1,300 deaths and 2 million injuries each year among women in the United States.2

What is domestic violence?

According to the Office of Violence on Women, domestic violence is any pattern of behavior used by one person to gain power and control over another in a relationship. It can take many forms, including:3

• Physical harm

• Emotional or verbal abuse

• Controlling behaviors

• Sexual abuse

• Digital abuse (monitoring messages or social media without consent)

Abuse is never the fault of the person experiencing it. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected in their home and relationships.

Staying safe and getting help

If you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic violence, there are steps you can take to stay safe:

• Tell someone you trust. Talking to a friend, relative, teacher, or faith leader can help you feel supported and less alone.

• Create a safety plan. Identify a

safe place to go and what essentials you might need in case you have to leave quickly, such as IDs, keys, medications, or cash.

• Keep emergency contacts. Keep a list of helpful phone numbers, including hotlines and shelters.

• Protect your online activity. If you research domestic violence resources online, consider clearing your browser history afterward or using a safe device to search on.

• Know your rights. In DC, many services are available at no cost to help survivors find housing, legal aid, emotional support, and more.

Resources in Washington, DC

Several organizations in DC offer immediate and confidential help for those experiencing domestic violence:

• DC Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE) offers crisis response, emergency shelter, and court advocacy for survivors in danger. Website: www.dcsafe.org

• House of Ruth provides housing and supportive services for women and children who have experienced abuse. Phone: (202) 667-7001

Website: www.houseofruth.org

• DC Victim Hotline offers 24/7 access to trained advocates who connect survivors to a range of local resources.

Phone: 1-844-4HELPDC (1-844443-5732)

Website: www.dcvictim.org

Healing begins with support. If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation, please remember that help is available. Community organizations are working every day to provide survivors with the tools, resources, and care they need to find safety and rebuild their lives.

Sources

1. “Domestic Violence in the District of Columbia: Research, Data, and Sources,” DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, March 2024, https://dccadv.org/wp-content/ uploads/2024/10/State-of-DV-inDC-2024-1.pdf, accessed August 11, 2025.

2. Debra Houry et al., “Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health Symptoms in African American Female ED Patients,” Am J Emerg Med., Vol. 24, No. 4, July 2006, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/ PMC1617212/, accessed August 11, 2025.

3. “What Is Domestic Violence?” Office on Violence Against Women, January 22, 2025, https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence, accessed August 11, 2025.

4. “Self-Injury/Cutting,” Mayo Clinic, November 21, 2024, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350950, accessed August 11, 2025.

5. Tori DeAngelis, “Who Self-Injures?” Monitor on Psychology, Vol 46, No. 7, July/August 2015, https://www. apa.org/monitor/2015/07-08/who-selfinjures, accessed August 11, 2025.

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

Understanding and addressing teen self-harm

Teen self-harm is a growing concern that often signals deeper emotional struggles, such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. Self-harm usually starts in the preteen or early teen years4, and nearly 17% of teenagers engage in self-harm at least once.5

For teens, self-harm can feel like a way to manage overwhelming emotions. For parents, it can be scary and confusing. But healing can begin with open, meaningful conversations and access to the right support.

If you or someone you love is struggling with self-harm, there are several resources and behavioral tools available at no cost to support teens and families: •School counselors or trusted adults. Learning to identify stressors and manage emotions can lead to healthy problem-solving skills.

•988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Open 24/7 for anyone in emotional distress. Call or text 988 at any time for crisis support.

•Headspace. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees age 13 and older have access to guided mediations and mindfulness exercises. They can chat with an emotional support coach all in the Headspace app.

•Emotional support coaching. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can also chat by live text with a trained behavioral health coach 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Supporting a teenager who is experiencing self-harm can be challenging, but by encouraging open conversations and connecting them with the right tools, families can create a safe space for healing and ongoing support.

HEALTH

Local AKA Chapter Nonprofit Hosts Health & Wellness Fair, Race

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Since its founding in 1908 at Howard University, good health care of African Americans has been one of the central tenets of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and the Xi Omega chapter, the oldest alumni chapter in the District, has built on the charge of the founders.

The latest project by Xi Omega, in concert with its nonprofit community arm, the Pearl & Ivy Foun-

dation, is the Health and Wellness Fair, which happens annually. The fair took place at Paul Public Charter School in Northwest on Sept. 27 as a precursor to the annual Norma E. Boyd 5K Race, which occurred the following day at East Potomac Park at Hains Point in Southwest.

“The Xi Omega chapter and the Pearl & Ivy Foundation both contribute to scholarships and higher education,” said Raven L. Hill, who serves as the president of the chapter and the foundation. “The race is a

tribute to Norma E. Boyd, a founder of AKA and a charter member of Xi Omega.”

Both events were inspired by data from the D.C. Department of Health, which has consistently shown throughout the years that African American District residents face significant health disparities, including: higher rates of chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and asthma as opposed to their white neighbors. The gap in numbers is often associated with limited access to health care and living in medically underserved neighborhoods with few healthy food options such as full-service grocery stores.

These ailments are compounded by the city’s history of structural racism, high living costs and the dearth of key community health services in predominantly Black neighborhoods, resulting in shorter life spans than white District residents.

Dr. C. Anneta Amo, the former director of the Office of Health Equity for DC Health said external factors drive the struggling health of Black Washingtonians.

“Health inequities are neither natural nor inevitable,” Amo said. “Opportunities for health are driven by a broad spectrum of societal, structural and institutional laws, practices and policies.”

Promoting Overall Wellness, Fundraising, Transforming Lives

There was light rain outside of Paul on Sept. 27 and several people, many dressed in the Alpha Kappa Alpha colors pink and green, walked into the gym for the Health and Wellness Fair.

Tables were spaced through the gym, with different organizations possessing literature and having experts and organizational leaders on hand to explain their mission.

Courtney Phillip, chair of the Pearl & Ivy Foundation who oversaw the event and walked around the gym talking with the vendors and the people attending the fair, emphasized the purpose of the events.

“We are raising money for scholarships for students in D.C.,” said Phillip regarding the race. “We are focusing not only on the health of women but everybody’s health. Here at the Health and Wellness Fair, we have vendors such as Truist, who focus on things like financial literacy, and mental health and physical therapy. DC Central Kitchen offers participants healthy meals.

In another room at Paul, Willana Parker taught a Vira Sangha Yoga class. Students sat on mats and listened to Parker instruct them on ex-

“We are raising money for scholarships for students in D.C.,” said Phillip regarding the race. “We are focusing not only on the health of women but everybody’s health. “

ercise techniques while they take on soft music.

Upstairs from Parker’s yoga session, Nicole Hawkins led a Sound Bath Studio with 16 people.Her students sat in Indian style on mats in a quiet room in a state of meditation with small white candles lit. Hawkins, a Sound Bath therapist of five years, said she notices the hectic life people lead in the Washington area and said her exercises offer tools to calm them.

“I help people relax, release and reset,” Hawkins, who was happy to participate in this year’s fair, told The Informer. “I love doing this. It makes me feel good and transformed.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

5Attendees participate in a yoga session during the Pearl & Ivy Foundation Health and Wellness Fair at Paul Public Charter School in Northwest, D.C. on Sept. 27. (Courtesy Photo)

EDUCATION

UDC Rises in HBCU National Rankings

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) has once again risen in the national rankings of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), earning the No. 18 spot on the U.S. News & World Report 2026 list, up from No. 23 last year, according to a university news release.

UDC also ranked No. 8 among public HBCUs, reflecting continued momentum for the District’s only public university and the nation’s only exclusively urban landgrant institution.

“This ranking reflects the hard work and commitment of our entire Firebird family,” said UDC President Maurice D. Edington. “We are delivering on the promise of providing a high-quality, affordable education that prepares students not just for jobs, but for lifelong leadership. As we kick off the year-long celebration of our 175th anniversary, UDC continues to soar, by advancing economic mobility, fueling research and innovation and shaping the future of the

“We are delivering on the promise of providing a high-quality, affordable education that prepares students not just for jobs, but for lifelong leadership.”

District.”

The ranking caps a year of growth and achievement for UDC in the areas of:

• New Academic Offerings:

UDC introduced an AI and robotics concentration in the School of Business and Public Administration, opened a Cybersecurity Tech Hub at its Congress Heights campus in Southeast, launched a degree program in Community Health Sciences and announced the development of a new paramedic certification and degree program with D.C. Fire & EMS.

• National Recognition: The David A. Clarke School of Law was ranked No. 19 in the nation for clinical training and No. 2 for producing graduates who go into public interest law by U.S. News & World Report. The law school also earned top scores from the Princeton Review and National Jurist for its diversity, faculty excellence and public service leadership.

• Research and Innovation: UDC received the new Research College & University (RCU) designation in the 2025 Carnegie Classification, and its fifth annual Research Week drew record participation, with nearly 200 presentations representing all six colleges and schools.

• Investments in Student Experience: UDC opened its new stateof-the-art library and a new athletic field at the Van Ness campus in Northwest and launched a fully updated and redesigned university website to better serve the community.

• Honors and Awards: UDC was reaccredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and celebrated national honors for faculty and staff, including: the Technology All-Star Award to Fatma Elshobokshy, Andrea Doctor’s induction into the Academy of Associate Degree Nursing;

and Vice President for Research

Victor McCrary’s recognition by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

UDC Chief Academic Officer April Massey said the recognition

shows the strength of the programs the institution offers.

“We are extraordinarily proud of the progress we’ve made and even more excited about what lies ahead,” Massey said. “As we contin-

ue to enhance and expand our academic offerings, we are preparing our students with the knowledge and skills to lead in a rapidly changing world.” WI @JamesWrightJr10

5The University of the District of Columbia is continuing to rise in national rankings among historically Black colleges and universities. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

EARTH OUR

Washington Gas Ordered to Contain Ongoing Pollution of Anacostia River

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

For decades after Washington Gas shuttered its East Station plant along the Anacostia River, the toxic remnants of its operations have continued to poison the waterway. Oil sheens still float on the surface, and chemicals bubble up from the contaminated riverbed, threatening the health of communities that live, work, and recreate along its banks.

The District’s Department of Energy and Environment and the Office of the Attorney General said it uncovered evidence that hazardous pollutants from the site are still actively migrating into the river. Investigators documented oil sheens on a near-daily basis since 2021 and observed chemical vapors bubbling from the sediment on more than 100 days during that period.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb said a settlement has been

reached with Washington Gas, whom he stated has agreed to contain hazardous pollution actively seeping into the Anacostia River at the former site of the company’s East Station, a gas plant that operated on the banks of the river for nearly 100 years.

Schwalb said the agreement will

finally force Washington Gas to take immediate steps to contain the pollution.

“For generations, widespread pollution of the Anacostia River has deprived District residents of the use and enjoyment of the river and threatened the health and safety of communities living along its banks,” Schwalb stated. “Washington Gas has failed to stop dangerous chemicals from continuing to degrade the river, and now it must take action to stop further pollution while the larger environmental investigation and remediation process continues.”

Washington Gas, now a subsidiary of Alta Gas Ltd., ran East Station from the 1880s until the mid-1980s. According to the complaint, its process of manufacturing natural gas from coal and oil produced dangerous byproducts, including polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, benzene, and toxic metals. The contamination has lingered in the soil and seeped into the Anacostia for generations, leaving a toxic legacy just steps from what is now Nationals Park.

Schwalb said the company must now install a containment boom on the river’s surface by late the end of this year or early next year, and by 2027 place reactive mats on the riverbed and build a permeable barrier along the shoreline to neutralize and block the release of pollutants. It is also required to provide monthly monitoring reports to the District, with steep daily penalties imposed if the company fails to comply.

3 After reaching a settlement, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb says Washington Gas must now contain hazardous pollution actively seeping into the Anacostia River at the former site of the company’s East Station, a gas plant that operated on the banks of the river for nearly 100 years. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

The filing, which seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief, cited the company’s failure to halt hazardous discharges despite obligations under a 2012 federal consent decree.

Pollution from East Station has forced swimming bans, fish consumption warnings, and the loss of a public resource that should be safe for all residents. The District maintains that only full remediation of the site will achieve its goal of making the Anacostia River swimmable and fishable once again.

“Within 30 days of the settlement, Washington Gas must submit a plan for placement of the barrier, and the barrier must be installed within 60 days of receiving approval and necessary permits and permission for installation from two adjacent boat clubs, the Eastern Power Boat Club and District Yacht Club,” the settlement noted. “The boom is expected to be installed in late 2025 or early 2026.”

District leaders such as Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 2) emphasized the importance of the OAG working to stop the toxic remnants from continuing to seep into the river.

“Widespread pollution of the Anacostia River threatens the health of the communities living along its banks [and] prevents residents from enjoying its benefits,” Nadeau wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Thank you, AG Schwalb, for taking this important step to protect our waterways [and] improve quality of life in our city.” WI

their communities.

“This year’s summit arrives at a pivotal moment,” said OPC Executive Director Sandra Mattavous-Frye. “As we close out the fiscal year and prepare for new application windows for vital utility discount, incentive and conservation programs, it is more important than ever to ensure that consumers are informed and supported.”

According to the Earth Information Center, although water covers the majority of the planet’s surface, only 1% of the Earth’s water is accessible for use, whether it be for consumption, agriculture, electricity and other operations.

Despite this lack of water, population growth, development and agricultural practices have led to an increase in water demand. The World Economic Forum’s Centre for Nature and Climate reported that between 1900 and 2024, annual water use worldwide grew by 3,500 billion cubic meters, and global water demand is expected to increase by 400 billion cubic meters annually.

Since D.C. relies on the Potomac River for approximately 78% of the metropolitan area’s water, consumers could become incredibly vulnerable in the face of potential climate-change-related pollution or drought.

“Water is often overlooked, which to me, is a living tragedy,” Mattavous-Frye said to the summit’s audience. “Water is life-sustaining, seasonless, timeless and affects all aspects of our lives, yet too often we take it for granted.”

Protecting D.C.’s Water Requires Funding, Collaboration

Attendees were able to participate in a breakout session with representatives from government agencies, environmental organizations and advocacy groups to discuss water conservation and sustainability efforts taking place throughout the city.

Speakers from D.C. Water, the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the Center for Water Security and Cooperation, Nature Forward and the Sierra Club presented the work their respective affiliations are doing to safeguard D.C.’s water supply while answering questions and addressing concerns from the audience.

One of the representatives from DOEE was Arielle Conti, who heads the Riversmart branch of the agency’s Watershed Protection sector. This

branch focuses on fostering environmental stewardship across communities by promoting green stormwater infrastructure installations across the District. Initiatives like this are necessary due to the fact that stormwater runoff flows into and can pollute the city’s water supply.

“Envision a D.C. where you’re able to jump into the Potomac and Anacostia [rivers] and go for a swim in the summertime, where you’re able to go onto a boat, catch… and eat those fish from the Anacostia,” Conti said. “My department is helping to create that vision of the future here in D.C.”

Ward 5 resident and president of the Woodridge Civic Association, Jeremiah Montague Jr., commends the work Conti’s department has done in his community. The Riversmart programs have helped protect the Hickey Run watershed, which covers 1,100 acres and has a one-mile-long stream.

While Montague Jr. appreciates the work the Watershed Protection sector has done, he lives in an area with a high water table, meaning the groundwater’s elevation is close to the surface, causing increased moisture, which could pose problems for roadways and underground infrastructure. Without proper stormwater runoff mitigation tactics and solutions that are sustainable in the long term, areas like these are more prone to flooding during rainy weather.

“I think that the stormwater management program, if it had more money, there are some stormwater mitigation things they could put in place,” Montague Jr. told The Informer. “They’re just constrained by available funds.”

The city’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget will bring deep cuts to the DOEE, meaning many of the agency’s critical water conservation and protection efforts will be cut. Green infrastructure, like rain gardens and bioswales, helps soak up excess stormwater, protecting the city from flooding and reducing the amount of pollution entering its waterways. With the FY26 budget, funds to maintain this kind of infrastructure will be eliminated.

In light of these cuts, residents can use their power to help agencies like DOEE protect D.C.’s water supply, since making strides toward a greener future requires collaboration across the government, communities and organizations. Residents can request RiverSmart Homes to plant a tree– one of the District’s best storm management tools– on their property.

“I would love to see more collabo-

EDUCATION

5Government agency representatives, environmental organizers and advocates speak on a panel about water conservation at the first OPC Water Summit. Branch chief of the Riversmart branch of the DOEE’s Watershed Protection, Arielle Conti, informs attendees of her department’s efforts to keep D.C.’s waterways clean. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

ration between volunteer organizations and more official bodies because their budgets are going to be cut continually, so we need to get creative,” said Ward 5 resident and agroecologist Eva Christensen, who attended the summit to become more locally involved in environmental efforts.

Residents Call for Renewed Focus on Green Education

Education is also a big factor when it comes to spreading environmental awareness and mobilizing toward longterm sustainability efforts. Montague Jr. feels like educational resources similar to those that were pushed when he was younger aren’t as widespread as they once were.

“I think we’re too easy to move on when one thing doesn’t work with a generation, we just pass it on and say, ‘We’ll fix it in the next,’ leaving a whole lot of people in a lurch behind,” Montague Jr. told The Informer.

Christensen shares the same sentiment. She hopes leaders make the effort to bring widespread environmental programming to schools to inspire younger generations to influence their families toward being more sustainable.

When she was in the fourth grade, growing up in Exeter, New Hampshire, Christensen’s school hosted a months-long contest to see which grade could collect the most recyclable litter from the streets and woods in exchange for a barbecue celebration. The contest also raised funds to build an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts and changing rooms in the community. WI

Read more on washingtoninformercom.

Fri, Oct 10

South African a cappella inspires joy

Thu, Oct 9

Rich vocals in an intimate, acoustic performance

A Cruel Irony: The Human Cost of Cutting Obamacare Subsidies

Citizens Likely to Feel the Sting After Congressional Midterms

Congressional Republicans are once again targeting the Affordable Care Act, this time by proposing deep cuts to the subsidies that make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans. In Washington, D.C., where health disparities already run deep, the consequences would be devastating.

For many residents, including seniors who rely on Obamacare subsidies to cover medical visits and prescription drugs, such cuts could force them to choose between paying for health care and paying the rent.

The stakes go far beyond the nation’s capital.

Across the country, millions of families rely on these subsidies to access basic care. If Congress cuts or eliminates them, health care premiums will rise sharply, making coverage unaffordable for working parents, retirees, and young adults just starting.

Seniors—many on fixed incomes—would face severe financial hardship, forcing some to skip

necessary treatments or lifesaving medications.

And here’s the cynical twist: the cuts are designed so their full impact won’t be felt until after next year’s midterm elections, an intentional move to protect lawmakers from immediate voter backlash.

Local health advocates are raising the alarm.

“This is about real lives, not partisan games,” said Angela Carter, a D.C. nurse who helps low-income residents navigate the health exchange. “If these subsidies disappear, my patients will suffer.”

Ward 7 resident James Thornton, a retired bus driver, is worried about what this could mean for his ability to purchase a critical prescription.

“I worked my whole life,” he said. “Without this help, I can’t afford my blood pressure medicine. They’re playing politics with my health.”

This would be a cruel irony for the wealthiest nation in the world: taking away health care not only from Democrats who opposed

Donald Trump but also from many of his strongest supporters. By following billionaire Trump’s wishes, Republican lawmakers are betraying their own constituents—hurting the very people who elected them.

Cutting Obamacare subsidies isn’t just poor policy; it’s a moral failure that will haunt this nation for generations. WI

For many residents, including seniors who rely on Obamacare subsidies to cover medical visits and prescription drugs, such cuts could force them to choose between paying for health care and paying the rent.

Remembering the Importance of the Black Press and Kitchen Table Conversations

One of the themes that dominated the reflections and comments of speakers during the recent Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), held for five days at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, was the significance of Black narratives.

But it wasn’t just acknowledging our tales of victory achieved despite the hurdles, or examples of courage and persistence that were shared, but the need to pass on these stories to the next generation.

During the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Leadership Awards, several speakers, including noted attorney and civil rights activist Benjamin Crump and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), talked about how the Black Press has been instrumental in their lives since their youth.

Both men noted how the news

was received in their homes and then transmitted to others in their respective communities because of stories printed by the Black Press.

In other words, they were informed and ultimately prepared for the future because of truths they learned at the kitchen table.

How many Black families still have intergenerational table talks, which were commonplace in the past? Many families today eat on the run, communicate via text, and rarely have a standard time for dinner when everyone sits at the table and shares what they encountered throughout the day.

Maybe that’s one tradition that African Americans would be wise to resurrect.

For those in Detroit, Black narratives are told in the Michigan Chronicle. In Atlanta, it’s through the Atlanta Voice. In New York City, it’s the Amsterdam News. And in the nation’s capital, it’s The Washington Informer.

The Black Press needs support to continue finding rarely told stories of triumph to share and remain the voice of the Black community. Part of that support comes from sharing local news read in Black Press publications with your village, and talking about the stories on the streets and at home.

With so much misinformation and “fake news,” the Black Press is a reliable source for real stories that are important to preserving African American narratives and furthering Black communities. Further, the kitchen table is the place to return to for some real talk.

With diversity, equity and inclusion efforts eliminated federally, resulting in a domino effect for private business, it’s important to share, uplift and preserve African American narratives— from reading Black Press articles, to speaking to family during dinner, and engaging with the community. WI

TO THE EDITOR

“Thank you for writing such an impactful article. As a caregiver, I find that this relates to my warrior as well as myself. The need for mental health, holistic approaches and hope can affect the whole family.” (In reference to the article: The Battle Unseen: How Mental Health Care, Holistic Medicine, and Hope Could Change Sickle Cell Disease”)

-Queena Griffith

“Ben Crump’s pledge is inspiring. It is a powerful reminder of how vital the Black Press is and how important it is for others to step up in support.” (In reference to the article: “ Ben Crump Pledges $50K to the Black Press, Challenges Others to Follow His Lead”) - Abdessamed Gtumsila

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

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Rep. Oye Owolewa

314 Million Reasons Why More Police Can’t Be the Only Answer

Washington, DC doesn’t need a more bloated police budget. What we need is justice, community care, and leaders willing to invest in people—not profits.

As someone who has spent years fighting for DC statehood and against federal control of our city, I cannot stay silent while more than $300 million is poured into police

recruitment. Families are struggling with skyrocketing rents, underfunded schools, and inefficient public transit. The crisis isn’t merely police staffing; it’s decades of disenfranchisement and neglect.

DC’s RFK stadium deal is also part of this story: public land handed to billionaires while residents overwhelmingly vote for affordable housing and basic services. More than half of DC voters say not another empty luxury development, gentrification accelerator, or traffic-clogged “innovation zone.”

Over 80,000 DC residents lack stable housing, yet our leaders rush to subsidize the NFL. We deserve neighborhoods that serve us, not playgrounds for the wealthy.

Mayor Bowser and DC Council’s plan to pour $314 million more into policing, in the midst of cuts to DC Medicaid and Healthcare Alliance, is a step backward. The Metropolitan Police Department’s $600 million FY25-26 operating budget already dwarfs investments in housing and violence prevention. In addition, crime is down year over year in DC

Ben Jealous

in every metric and not even in the top ten violent cities in the US. This is a clear message to the people of DC directly. There’s not enough respect for this city or the sovereignty that Washingtonians deserve. Studies increasingly show, policing alone doesn’t solve crime: DC already has one of the highest concentrations of police forces in the world, but our schools lack basic classroom supplies, tech-services, and food security. Imagine if those millions made college free at UDC, or restored Medicaid for every DC family.

When Presidents Can’t Take a Joke, Democracy Suffers

A Midwestern schoolteacher once told her class that a sense of humor is a sign of intelligence.

“Look around the classroom,” she said. “The smartest kids always get the joke right away. The others might struggle.”

I’ve never confirmed that theory with a doctor. But I believe it. Humor takes quick thinking. It takes

perspective. It takes freedom. That’s why it matters when our presidents can laugh at themselves. For generations, they have. Reagan turned questions about his age into a punchline. Obama roasted himself at the Correspondents’ Dinner. Even George W. Bush, the butt of endless late-night jokes, learned to grin and roll with it.

That humility has always set us apart from the monarchy we broke away from. Kings demand silence. Presidents in a free nation are sup-

posed to be able to laugh along with the people.

Donald Trump doesn’t get that. He can’t take a joke — and worse, he tries to punish the people who make them. First Stephen Colbert. Now Jimmy Kimmel. Using the power of the presidency to go after comedians isn’t just petty. It’s dangerous.

Authoritarians hate humor because humor exposes them. Stalin, Mussolini — every strongman fears the comic more than

When Housing Rights Fall, Equality Slips Away

whistleblower Paul Osadebe

of justice in housing.

the critic. A joke spreads fast. A sharp one can cut through a wall of propaganda. That’s why free countries protect comedians. They keep leaders honest by refusing to let them take themselves too seriously.

We forget: America was born on satire. Franklin drew cartoons mocking the British crown. Revolutionaries cracked jokes as easily as they fired muskets. Laughter was proof that no king could control the American spirit.

Due to us lacking Statehood, Washingtonians are forced to watch leaders in other cities stand up to Trump’s blatant threats while our own mayor is forced to abide by Trump and his cronies. It’s time to the rest of us to reject militarization, uplift our schools, our youth, our elders, and former federal workers

We can do better. Let’s invest where it counts. Let’s lead the nation by example, and make the “District of Courage” the capital of community-centered justice. WI

But when presidents can’t laugh at themselves, citizens stop laughing too. And when citizens stop laughing, they stop questioning. That silence is the first step toward submission.

This isn’t about whether you watch Jimmy Kimmel or Stephen Colbert. It’s about whether you want to live in a country where the president decides which jokes are allowed. Today it’s late-night

“Every way that someone could come to us and get help for free and see that someone is speaking with the voice of the American people and with the government, all of that is being dismantled... when people lose that, they’re losing something fundamental to the American dream, to the economy, to their lives. And it has a real, concrete impact.” — HUD

The Trump administration’s latest assault on fair housing protections is more than a technical rollback. It is a deliberate step backward in the long fight for racial equity and opportunity. By stripping resources from HUD’s fair housing division, slowing investigations, and easing the burden on cities and landlords, this administration is sending a clear signal: the federal government will no longer stand firmly on the side

For generations, housing has been the foundation of the American dream. A home is more than shelter. It is the anchor of stability, the pathway to generational wealth, and the entry point to better schools, safer neighborhoods, and economic mobility. When these protections are weakened, those doors close — and too often, they close hardest on Black families.

We know where this road leads. Housing segregation in America

was not an accident. It was the result of deliberate government policy: redlining maps that marked Black neighborhoods as too risky for investment, racially restrictive covenants that excluded Black families from buying homes, highways that cut through thriving communities, and lending practices that preyed on rather than protected those locked out of mainstream credit. These were not unintended consequences; they were purposeful choices that created a geography of inequality still visible today.

The consequences endure. Black homeownership rates lag far behind those of white families. Schools remain segregated by neighborhood. Wealth gaps widen with every generation denied the chance to own a home in a stable, appreciating community. The protections of the Fair Housing Act were designed to interrupt this cycle. When those protections are gutted, the old patterns threaten to reemerge.

The stakes today are clear. Weak-

Marc H. Morial

JEALOUS

Columnist

Columnist

Guest Columnist

America Rejects Trump’s Crown

A Quinnipiac Poll told us twothirds of Americans look back and say they weren’t taught enough about the struggles and triumphs of Black Americans in school. Along came Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump, who declared that as long as they’re in charge, students aren’t going to learn about those struggles and triumphs.

DeSantis has defied Florida’s teachers’ efforts to bring Black History books to school and removed them from the libraries! Trump piggybacked on what he did. He’s decided to shut down anything that includes Black facts and is now threatening to send someone rifling through the African American Museum in Washington, D.C., to see if they can find anything not pleasing to him!

Pete Hegseth’s Department of War took down Jackie Robinson’s picture, and he saw that it’s not just

Last month marked National Voter Registration Day and Democrats sure could use the help. Between 2020 and 2024, Democrats lost 2.1 million registered voters while Republicans gained 2.4 million across the 30 states that track party registration. That’s a net swing of 4.5 million voters — adding to Democrats bleeding as more Americans already have negative

We must ask ourselves, “Why did so many people ignore the warnings during the last election?”

As we witness the criminal prosecution of one of Trump’s political opponents, former FBI Director James Comey, the demise of the fundamental values of democracy is no longer a threat but is occurring in real time. As the Demo-

Black people who consider Jackie an American hero, but so do a lot of others. They put it back in place. To show how far Trump has sunk, he decided to remove President Barack Obama’s handsome photograph from the White House and placed his own ugly photo there!

Trump is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute his political opponents. Why did he feel the need to say that at the memorial service for the late Charlie Kirk after Erika Kirk delivered a heartwarming message about her spouse?

Guest

She referred to the man who murdered her husband and said she forgave him because the answer “is not hate.” “The answer is love,” she said. Even we hard-core progressives Trump hates so much applauded her — but not the so-called leader of the free world, Trump, who went on to show Erika he didn’t agree with her by saying he hates his opponents and delivering a hate-filled political speech. He said, “I can’t stand my opponents. I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them.”

Trump claims to support free speech, but one must assume he means he supports it for himself because he says a lot of vulgar, untrue and offensive stuff about others. He uses vulgarity frequently all day when young children are still awake.

After all the hate-filled rhetoric from Trump about Jimmy Kimmel, the comedian was invited back to his show because Trump’s attempt to silence him backfired. The same

Why Democrats Need a Year-Round Voter Engagement Strategy

impressions about our brand. Democrats’ approval ratings have dropped below 35% among white men, Hispanic men, and working-class voters across the board. The party’s advantage among Black adults has shrunk to its smallest margin since 1999, while Donald Trump nearly doubled his support among Black voters and drew even with Democrats among Hispanic voters in 2024.

These numbers hold strong implications for the Democratic Party’s ability to win national elections. In the

battleground state of Pennsylvania our voter registration lead has collapsed from over 500,000 to just 53,000 today. Similar trends exist across several other key battlegrounds needed to recapture Congress and the White House.

Like our brand, the key infrastructure Democrats need to win is crumbling.

Democrats have made fatal assumptions about voter loyalty among key groups. For too long, we assumed working-class white, Black and Brown voters would always be there. We

stopped meaningfully organizing these communities. Our engagement is relatively tepid, simply investing resources late in the game just before an election. Voters are right to ask where have we been?

To win again, Democrats must re-engage the working class from the ground up 365 days a year. Democrats need permanent staff conducting monthly drives at community centers, churches, barbershops, and college campuses — not just during campaign season.

We need year-round organizing

that connects our policies with the daily struggles working-class voters are experiencing. Registering voters without educating them about Democratic policies is political malpractice. We have to remember that politics is relational and not every objective can be achieved through a splashy advertising campaign alone. Democrats need consistent presence supporting local causes and community events that build trust over time across communities.

cratic nominee for president, former Vice President Kamala Harris warned us about her rival, Donald Trump, as he spoke about “the enemy from within.”

Harris said, “You heard his words, coming from him. He’s talking about the enemy within... he’s talking about that he considers anyone that doesn’t support him, or who will not bend to his will, an enemy of our country.” As Harris’ words become reality, does the truth change the minds of those who were not listening? Are people

starting to care now that the retribution campaign is underway, and that New York Attorney General Letitia James could face a similar fate?

While former FBI Director James Comey is maintaining his innocence, he has been indicted on two criminal counts — one count of making false statements and another for obstruction of justice. Ironically, Comey played a significant role in the political landscape that enabled President Trump to obtain the White House.

The indictment comes days after President Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue his perceived enemies more aggressively.

The Eastern District of Virginia sought the indictment nearly a week after Trump forced Erik Siebert, the former U.S. attorney of the district, out of his post and replaced him with Lindsey Halligan, one of the president’s former personal attorneys who has no prosecutorial experience. In other words, a seasoned prosecutor was removed

and replaced with an unqualified “yes person” who was placed in a high-powered position to carry out Trump’s wrongful bidding. The public is witnessing another moral failure in presidential leadership, but are voters paying attention? Halligan brought the charges just five days before a Sept. 30 legal deadline, which is when the statute of limitations of the alleged crimes was due to expire. The administration is becoming increasingly

David W. Marshall

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel

Columnists

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Keith Golden Jr. WI Intern

From a percussion performance, to Oktoberfest and “Breezy Bowl,” below are a handful of the many events hap-

pening in the DMV this weekend. Further, to learn about more fun events, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

Happy October, everyone! This fall, keep your outlook vibrant and

remember, there’s always something happening in the DMV to keep your spirit— and social life— lit.

Thursday, Oct. 2

Greg Holloway @ Mr Henry’s Restaurant

7 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $20

Mr Henry’s Restaurant, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. 20003

Percussionist Greg Holloway has toured with artists such as Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, performed with Mary Wilson, Freda Payne, Aretha Franklin, Gregory Hines, and Eddie Gomez, and is now hitting the stage at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant for an electrifying performance

A retired U.S. Air Force Band percussionist, former principal timpanist for Anchorage Symphony, an American University professor, and retired director of percussion at Flint Hill School, Holloway continues to be active performing and in percussion education in the Washington metropolitan region.

Holloway is celebrated for his sensitive approach without compromising energy, coupled with reliable integrity that led to performing with the internationally acclaimed and regional musical artists, magicians and more.

Ready,

Set, Game!

at Glencarlyn Library

3 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Free Glencarlyn Branch Library, 300 South Kensington Street Arlington, Virginia, 22204

Calling all gamers a communal gaming experience at the library!

It’s the ultimate showdown where participants can challenge friends, discover new games, and showcase Nintendo Switch skills.

Registration is recommended as seating is first-come, first-served, and registered guests will receive event updates. Attendees may be asked to alternate playtime to ensure everyone

3 Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump” is part of Betsy Johnson’s “Basquiat x Banksy” at the Hirshorn Museum in Southwest, D.C. (Courtesy Photo/Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden)

gets to play.

For more information, contact 703228-6548.

Friday, Oct. 3

Food and Farm FridaysFree vegetables for you! Noon - 2 p.m. | Free THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. 20020

THEARC Farmers harvest vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers from their network of farms in Southeast, D.C. and bring them to the community to enjoy for free every Friday! This event includes thousands of pounds of fresh produce donated by Capital Area Food Bank, D.C. Central Kitchen giving out prepared meals, and monthly treats such as cooking demonstrations, free local business products, hiring fairs, and more, all with the goal of making the quality of life better for Ward 8 residents.

Curator’s Tour: “Basquiat x Banksy” Noon - 1 p.m. | Free Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue at Seventh Street SW, Washington D.C. 20024

Hirshhorn curator Betsy Johnson will walk visitors through the exhibition “Basquiat × Banksy,” which highlights two major paintings, one by Jean-Michel Basquiat (b. Brooklyn, New York, 1960–1988) and the other by Banksy (anonymous; b. near Bristol, England).

Placed in dialogue, Basquiat’s “Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump” (1982) and Banksy’s response, “Banksquiat. Boy and Dog in Stop and Search” (2018), reveal throughlines among street art, contemporary art, and the popular imagination.

LIFESTYLE

TO DO from Page 28

Saturday, Oct. 4

Kota The Friend: No Rap

On Sunday US Tour

8:30 p.m. | $33.14+

The Howard Theatre, 620 T Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001

Independent hip-hop star Kota the Friend hits the road for his “No Rap on Sunday” tour, bringing the heartfelt and intimate vibe of his latest album to life.

This tour is a communal experience built on connection and community.

Inspired by the idea of carving out intentional time for real-life interactions, the tour features pop-up events and meet-and-greet opportunities designed to foster genuine conversations and connections between fans and creatives.

Oktoberfest @ The Wharf

2 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Free The Wharf, 760 Maine Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20024

It’s that time of year—put on your dirndl or lederhosen, grab your Dachshund and join Passport BMW, MINI of Alexandria, District Vet and more at the free Oktoberfest at The Wharf festivities on Saturday, Oct. 4.

There are several events, such as the 13th Annual Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash hosted by Tommy McFly from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., where the speediest Dachshunds in D.C. race for fame and fortune on the District Pier race track to benefit Rural Dog Rescue.

Attendees can catch all the action on the jumbotron screen while partying with DJ Oktoberfest and enjoying ice cold Sam Adams Oktoberfest beer.

Then, from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. is Polka on the Pier. Hosted on Transit Pier,

guests will learn the traditional German dance style of polka from professionals and show off their moves with a DJ. Participants are encouraged to wear dirndl or lederhosen and Oktoberfest gear, as an award will go to the best dressed polka dancer.

Sunday, Oct. 5

Chris Brown - Breezy Bowl XX 2025 World Tour

7 p.m. | $339+ Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003

Chris Brown is bringing the Breezy Bowl XX World Tour to Nationals Park, marking one of the biggest R&B performances of the fall in Washington.

The Grammy-winning singer, known for hits such as “Run It!” (2005) and “Under the Influence” (2019), is expected to draw a packed crowd with a setlist that spans his two-decade career.

The Breezy Bowl tour, which has made stops at major stadiums across the country, highlights Brown’s enduring influence in R&B and pop music while showcasing new choreography and stage production.

For many fans in the District, the concert offers a rare chance to see a full-scale stadium show from one of the most commercially successful artists of his generation.

ALX Jazz Fest Pop Up @Oldtown

North Farmers Market

Noon - 2 p.m. | Free Montgomery Park, 901 N Royal Street Alexandria, VA 22314

Come out for a pop-up concert in Montgomery Park Featuring free art activations, live jazz, and spoken word artists celebrating America’s original art form. WI

5 The Dachshund Dash is one of the signature Oktober Fest events, happening this Saturday at The Wharf in Southwest, D.C. (Courtesy Photo/Oktoberfest)

40th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards Emphasize Power of Uplifting Local

Artists

Unity and Celebrations in the Name of Art

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer

The 40th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards presented by Mayor Muriel Bowser, united artists, cultural leaders, and community members at the National Theatre in Washington D.C. on Thursday, Sept. 25 for an evening that not only celebrated creative excellence, but highlighted the vital role of the arts in the nation’s capital.

The evening was hosted by Tommy McFly of NBC4 Washington and featured performances by Grammy-nominated recording artist Eric Roberson, the Washington Ballet, Black Alley, and many more performers.

Crush Funk Brass Band, who performed early in the night, looked forward to energizing the crowd during the awards show.

“We’re just looking to have a good time and bring the good street sounds of D.C. into the theater,” the band told The Informer ahead of their performance.

The awards empowered Washingtonians, as District residents across all eight wards voted for their favorite creatives across 13 nomination categories, and winners were announced during the Thursday evening ceremony.

As all the nominees are listed for voters, Rahsaan Bernard, win-

ner of the Mayor’s Art Award for Excellence as a Community Arts Philanthropist, said the event puts a spotlight on those contributing to the District’s arts community.

“This is an incredible opportunity and platform for the creative economy here in D.C. to showcase its best and brightest,” Bernard said.

‘We Must Lift One Another’: Community Rallies Around Creative Economy

Celebrating four decades of honoring local creatives, many people present for the awards show stressed the importance of uplifting District arts and artists.

“As a community, we must celebrate one another, we must lift one another, and we must shine the spotlight on others,” said attendee Jennifer Gelencia. “I’m blessed to be here with all the celebrants.”

Marketing and media specialist Airen Washington, a D.C. native, highlighted the contributions of local artists to District life and culture.

“This event is important because it’s an opportunity to admire all the creatives, artists and the people who work year-round to put D.C.

5Performers Crush Funk Brass Band pose at the 40th Annual Mayor’s Art Awards at the National Theatre in Northwest, D.C. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

from Page 30

on,” she told The Informer, “when it comes to music, art, fashion, cinematography, culture, building, everything you can think of.”

Radio personality Doug Foster praised Bowser for continuing the legacy of the Mayor’s Arts Awards, started by the late Marion Barry, affectionately called D.C.’s “Mayor for Life.”

“Muriel Bowser has done a wonderful job on getting people out to enjoy the arts every year,” he said of the current mayor, who has also promoted the arts through programming like 202Creates.

For Foster, it is critical young Washingtonians are exposed to the arts and have opportunities like the Mayors Arts Awards to showcase their skills.

“We need to make certain that our youth get a chance to display their talents,” he continued.

Artist and D.C. native Chinedu Osuchukwu said it was important to uplift those excelling in the local creative community, beyond their contributions to entertainment.

“I’m here to celebrate the arts,” he told The Informer. “It’s important for D.C. because there’s so many people here [whose] history we need to preserve.”

A Milestone Celebration, Arts Bring Unity During Difficult Times

The 40th anniversary of the Mayor’s Arts Awards coincided with another milestone for Derrick Rutledge, winner of the Mayor’s Art Award for Excellence in Fashion and Beauty.

“I [couldn’t] be any happier, especially since this happens to be the 40th year of me doing make-

up,” he said, “so this really means a lot to me.”

A celebrity makeup artist, Rutledge had many supporters surrounding him for the important occasion, including comedian and actress Kym Whitley.

“l’m here to support him,” she told The Informer. “I’m very proud of him.”

As the District rallies from the Trump administration’s federal officers and braces themselves due to the threat of a government shutdown, the awards not only celebrated D.C. arts, but united celebrities like Whitley, with local artists, business leaders, politicians and Washingtonians in the name of creativity.

“I came because I support the arts,” said attendee Carla Reed. “[They’re] essential to the community.”

The Mayor’s Arts Awards came as the District area wraps 202Creates Month, a time that the Bowser administration has set aside to recognize the artistic achievements of D.C. residents while showcasing the District as “the capital of creativity” — a place where artists can prosper.

Beyond September’s celebrations— such as the awards, 202Creates Month and Art All Night—- attendee Aria M., who spoke on the condition of not disclosing her last name, emphasized the arts as a healing balm that brings the community together.

“Arts and humanities are so important in D.C. because it keeps our communities inclusive,” she said, “and it really represents our soul here.”

For more information and to view a full list of this year’s winners, visit mayor.dc.gov.

WI

LIFESTYLE

5Honorees wait in line to take photos on the red carpet at the 40th Annual Mayor’s Art Awards presented by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

3Kym Whitley (left) and Mayors Art Awards winner and celebrity makeup artist Derrick Rutledge (right) discuss his win and four-decade career. (Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

review wi book

“107 Days”

By Kamala Harris

c.2025, Simon & Schuster

$30

305 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Five minutes is all it takes to make a simple PB&J sandwich. You can watch an episode of your favorite crime drama in an hour. In 24 hours’ time, your heart will beat 100,000 times to pump roughly 2,000 gallons of blood through your body. You can take a vacation in a week, set or release a new habit in three, learn a new task in a month, but in the new book “107 Days” by Kamala Harris, it takes real time to make history.

When she learned that she would ultimately be the Democratic nominee for the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris was relaxing at home with her great-nieces and a jigsaw puzzle. The phone rang; it was her “boss,” Joe Biden, calling to tell her that he was halting the reelection race he’d been running for months, and was throwing his support to her.

And thus begins this open, sometimes controversial, straightforward political memoir.

In that pragmatic way you’ve come to expect from Harris, she says that she immediately made a few demands. She believed that timing and verbiage were key on any announcement that the Biden camp made, and she says she absolutely insisted that it be done right.

What she was about to embark upon wouldn’t be easy. She understood that it would be “the shortest campaign in modern presidential history” in a country torn by political division almost immediately after the election that made her vice president. Oh-so-carefully but adamantly, she insists that she was loyal to Biden throughout, though she knew acknowledges trouble spots if he was tired or overstressed.

And so, she and her staff instantly began planning. The choosing of her VP offers readers a fascinating look inside the road to today’s White House (or, at least part of it) — and in this, Harris explains why she didn’t make certain choices.

There’s a lot of frustration inside this book — at Biden and his staff for occasional lack of support and recognition, at oppositional politics, at foreign governments, media, and at herself. The grievances are sometimes seething, allowing readers to conclude that the unsurprising stress of campaigning, nonstop travel, and sleepless nights while continuing to do vice presidential duties affected Harris, as it would anyone. She says her “campaign was fresh, alive, vibrating with energy. It seemed like anything was possible,” though her descriptions of the rigor of campaigning can suggest otherwise.

“This is not a genteel profession,” she says. “You must be ready to brawl.”

In light of that avowal, you may be surprised to know that there’s not an overly excessive amount of opposition-bashing here. Yes, there’s some, but Harris mostly takes Michelle Obama’s “go high” stance.

Says Harris, “I do know that I tried.”

Overall, throughout “107 Days,” Harris shows little reticence in her stories — she is blunt, she pulls no punches, and she may leave a lot of peeved people behind. Still, if you voted blue nearly a year ago, or if you’re concerned about politics today, it’s time for this book. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

0CT. 2 - 8, 2025

ARIES Creative momentum accelerates professional visibility as Mars energizes your expression sector, bringing recognition through bold presentations showcasing innovative solutions to persistent industry challenges while establishing thought leadership credentials. Competitive advantage strengthens when athletic discipline translates into strategic business execution demonstrating measurable performance improvements. Lucky Numbers: 11, 28, 54

TAURUS Resource consolidation creates financial momentum as Venus enriches your value sector, bringing prosperity through careful assessment of existing assets revealing unexpected appreciation opportunities within established holdings. Career advancement accelerates when reliable expertise attracts premium compensation reflecting specialized knowledge contributions. Lucky Numbers: 6, 33, 45

GEMINI Personal reinvention enhances professional identity as Mercury illuminates your renewal sector, bringing transformation through strategic rebranding aligning authentic capabilities with evolving market demands while maintaining consistent core messaging. Lucky Numbers: 15, 27, 41

CANCER Behind-the-scenes preparation yields substantial results as lunar energy activates your planning sector, bringing advancement through thoughtful strategy development identifying optimal timing for major professional initiatives while avoiding premature exposure. Intuitive research deepens when emotional intelligence uncovers organizational undercurrents requiring diplomatic navigation. Lucky Numbers: 12, 23, 48

LEO Community leadership establishes influential networks as solar power radiates through your alliance sector, bringing success through inspirational vision mobilizing collective action toward ambitious shared objectives while honoring individual contributions. Social platform development accelerates when authentic engagement transforms professional connections into lasting partnerships. Lucky Numbers: 19, 36, 52

VIRGO Professional mastery commands industry respect as earth energy perfects your achievement sector, bringing recognition through meticulous execution demonstrating superior competence establishing authoritative expertise. Career advancement opportunities materialize when analytical problem-solving delivers innovative solutions to complex operational challenges. Lucky Numbers: 21, 38, 56

LIBRA Philosophical expansion broadens professional perspective as Venus balances your wisdom sector, bringing growth through cultural exploration revealing universal principles applicable across diverse business contexts while maintaining diplomatic sensitivity. Lucky Numbers: 9, 30, 44

SCORPIO Transformative partnerships unlock hidden potential as Pluto intensifies your depth sector, bringing breakthroughs through strategic alliances pooling complementary resources generating exponential returns exceeding independent capabilities. Investment opportunities materialize when investigative research identifies undervalued assets positioned for significant appreciation. Lucky Numbers: 4, 17, 59

SAGITTARIUS Relationship dynamics drive professional development as Jupiter broadens your partnership sector, bringing success through collaborative ventures combining diverse expertise creating innovative service offerings addressing unmet market needs. Contract negotiations advance when optimistic vision balances realistic implementation planning establishing achievable milestone frameworks. Lucky Numbers: 14, 31, 47

CAPRICORN Operational excellence enhances workplace reputation as Saturn fortifies your efficiency sector, bringing advancement through systematic improvements demonstrating quantifiable productivity gains justifying increased organizational responsibility. Health routines optimize when disciplined practices build sustainable wellness foundations supporting demanding professional schedules. Lucky Numbers: 8, 26, 43

AQUARIUS Creative expression generates professional opportunity as Uranus revolutionizes your innovation sector, bringing recognition through unconventional approaches challenging established paradigms while demonstrating practical value propositions. Entertainment ventures flourish when original content captures audience imagination building engaged follower communities. Lucky Numbers: 13, 29, 50

PISCES Domestic foundations support career ambitions as Neptune refines your security sector, bringing stability through nurturing environments creating sustainable work-life integration enabling focused professional dedication. Real estate opportunities emerge when intuitive assessment identifies properties offering exceptional value appreciation potential. Lucky Numbers: 5, 22, 58

SPORTS

COMMANDERS from Page 4

However, it was defense that proved to be the bigger concern. Washington surrendered 435 total yards, struggling to contain Atlanta’s second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who carved them up for 313 yards and two scores on an efficient 20-of-26 passing.

“[Penix] put a ball in on that fourth and 13th last year, up the seam against us that shouldn’t have got in there and the coverage that we were in— but he got it in there,” Defensive Coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said ahead of Sunday’s game on Sept. 25. “And so, he’s just a talented strong-armed guy.”

Post-game, Quinn weighed in on some of the defensive challenges, such as missed tackles, saying that is something he and the team will work to address in practices and step up this season.

“In each practice and each day you

can, you can work on [tackles] hard. It doesn’t have to be something that you have to take to the ground, but you do have to get your angles, your tracking correct,” the coach said. “We were not pleased with our tackling performance and… there is plenty you can do to work on that.”

The Commanders have experienced an uneven start to the season, while some of the struggles fall within their control many do not.

A wave of injuries on both sides significantly reduced Washington’s chances for errors, forcing backups to step on key roles and testing the team’s depth early on.

Despite the frustration, there is still a lot of football to play. The Commanders still have a chance to find their footing and reach the standard that they have set for themselves in the offseason.

However, the road ahead doesn’t

get much easier for Washington. Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers marks their last 1 p.m. kickoff time until Week 14, with a thrilling upcoming stretch ahead.

Washington is set to face the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks all before December and each team is looking to break the team’s standards of an NFC Championship appearance that was reached last season.

On the brighter side, help could

soon be on the way with Daniels inching closer to a return, and guard Sam Cosmi eligible for activation. Meanwhile, recent additions such as Preston Smith and Darnell Savage should become more integrated into the defensive system.

With key players returning and a thrilling season to continue, it’s far from time to panic. The Commanders remain focused on getting back on track.

“It’s really a mindset, it’s a way, and

if you go into it in that way, you have a way better chance of going forward,” said Quinn. “I love the fight for the team, but fighting to stay in it is different than fighting to finish the play. And so I want to make sure our attitude— our mindset— is absolutely bold and aggressive.”

The Commanders are set to hit the road for a second week in a row to face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1pm. WI

5 Washington Commanders defense looking to stop Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, as he is on his way to score a touchdown on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

CAPTURE the moment

People gathered for the 54th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) Sept. 24-28, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, with related events around the D.C. area. This year’s CBCF ALC theme was “Made for This Moment: Power, Policy, and Progress,” holding panels, workshops, performances and programming with the goal of addressing issues affecting African Americans and working to uplift Black communities nationwide.

(Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

RELIGION

Day of Healing Prayer Breakfast Bridges Black Faith and Freedom

ALC Tradition Returns to Uplift a Legacy of Resilience in Black America

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

During a multiday stretch to tackle despotism with directives, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) 54th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) Day of Healing on Saturday, Sept. 27 united global faith leaders, policymakers, and citizens with a divine plan to drive change.

A longtime ALC tradition formerly known as the Prayer Breakfast, the Day of Healing, inspired by this year’s theme “Made for this Moment: Power, Policy and Progress,” served as a demonstration of spiritual strength and faith resistance.

With powerful speakers such as the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley and performances from Anthony Brown & group therAPy, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C., transformed into a place to worship God and organize at once.

“Each year, this breakfast is an opportunity for us…to come together and heal our nation’s deep wounds,” said CBCF Chair Rep. Terri Sewell (Ala.-D). “Our people have been fighting to redeem the soul of America since its very inception, and it is our faith that has guided us every step of the way.”

With hundreds donning their Sunday best a day early, song, prayer, and spiritual rejoice set the tone for a celebration echoing the deep roots of faith in American liberation.

The day of reflection grounded the ALC with a parallel to faith activism of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement – when Black churches

stood as a beacon for strategy, mobilization and organization amid civic unrest.

The Rev. Thomas Bowen, former White House senior advisor for faith engagement, told The Informer the annual tradition he still calls “the Prayer Breakfast” serves an uncanny foundation.

“When we look at the “traditional civil rights movement,” there wasn’t a national event like a prayer breakfast that they looked forward to, but there were other meetings at local churches and…mass meetings, and things like that took place that helped energize,” said Bowen, “and the prayer breakfast for CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) is one.”

Saturday, no one seemed worried about separation of church and state, as Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chair of the CBC; Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D), who served as this year’s honorary co-chair with Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co.); and CBCF President Nicole Austin-Hillery sat on the dais affirming the purpose and power of African American leadership.

District faith leaders Dr. Talib Shareef, president and Imam of the historic Masjid Muhammad— also known as the Nation’s Mosque— Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and the Rev. Moyer McCoy also took the stage with an interfaith call for solidarity.

Energized after the Day of Healing and calling this year’s ALC “very well done,” Dr. Elsie L. Scott, former CBCF president and CEO shared her insights on the importance of keeping the church and

community connected, particularly with events like the beloved prayer breakfast.

“I think a lot of us go to church on Sundays to sort of get that [community] reinforcement, and to connect with…the church family – and they keep you prayed up,” Scott told The Informer, adding her key takeaways from the event. “We’re not alone, we’re all in this together, and we’re going to have to stay prayed up in order to live through these trying times.”

Keynote Sermon Denounces The Resampled ‘Song of Supremacy’

Drawing on the hip-hop-perfected act of music sampling, Wesley, senior pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, took guests through the sociocultural blends of music and racial injustice.

In both cases, he identified a segment of society “ignorant to the fact that what they’re hearing today was recorded yesterday.”

“They cannot recognize the sad sound of the song of supremacy. They don’t recognize the contaminated chorus of colonization,” the keynote speaker preached. “And if you are not here, if you never hear truth, and if you’re ignorant of history, you may find yourself singing the song, not knowing it’s a sample of supremacy.”

As he recounts, the song was recorded at the shores with the capture and enslavement of Africans, wiped out with the genocide of Indigenous tribes, and resampled in the background of the Civil War,

Jim Crow era, and other historic records of racial violence.

Today, Wesley said, the song of supremacy sounds like a new hit featuring bans on books, threats to historically Black institutions and education, attacks on constitutional liberties and federal health protections, and “a distorted theology that masquerades itself as Christianity,” among others.

“In the bridge of the song… under the pretense of “lowering crime,” you send the National Guard into blue cities with Black mayors ignoring that mass shooters come from red states. In the hook of the song, you dismantle DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) by enforcing a false narrative of supremacy that suggests your white average is better than my Black excellence,” said Wesley, as the room erupted with cheers and applause.

The guest preacher drove what Bowen called “a masterful sermon” home by likening biblical references in the book of Jeremiah to the looming despair felt among today’s marginalized communities.

At the root of the delivery was the importance of “another soundtrack:” knowing and trusting in God, inspired by Jeremiah 29:11.

“In exile, God has a plan. In Babylon, God has a plan,” Wesley declared. “Underneath Nebuchadnezzar, God has a plan.”

That’s why, to make sense of modern catastrophes, Bowen’s advice is to read the word of God, “and you have to read with the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.”

“That was one of the masterful things in the sermon…it drew

parallels to what we see today,” said Bowen, a minister of social justice at Shiloh Baptist Church in Northwest, D.C. “Our churches are vehicles for organizing [and] for educating, and we have to utilize it better. We cannot afford to not be politically active these days. ”

Event Attendees On the Future of Church and Community

Following a morning of spiritual guidance, and days of informing Black power, policy and progress, Austin-Hillery cast her sights on ALC attendees leaving with “the energy and strength” to do transformative work, “in Washington and all across the country.”

As the CBCF president reiterated the ALC’s mission, Congressional Reps. Clarke and Alsobrooks emphasized how the CBC forges policy with an ancestral foundation of spiritual guidance and a trusted belief system.

“Who in all of America has learned more about fighting oppression and dignity and every day mistreatment, and have been more successful at overcoming obstacles than we, Black people?” Clarke said in her remarks. “With our faith, we can amplify our voices, we will continue to stand against injustice, and…this Day of Healing…reminds us of why we are made for this moment.”

With eyes on the next generation, Bowen and 23-year-old Irvin “Pax” Fordham, a communications specialist and former CBCF intern, agree Black people and faith leaders have the tools to drive the

5 Anthony Brown & group therAPY perform at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 54th Annual Legislative Conference Day of Healing at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, Sept. 27. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

One thing that gets on my nerves is folks going to use the bathroom, then they come right out without washing their hands. No, you’re not scornful of your own body parts, it’s you. But you are not living on this earth alone. Everybody’s private parts have germs that should not be carried around, touching doorknobs, going into your kitchen, opening refrigerator doors and kitchen cabinets. You mean to tell me you did all of that without washing your hands?

Let’s take a look at how bad this situation is when someone around you does this. The Word of God reminds us that cleanliness is both a physical and spiritual practice. Washing our hands is not simply about hygiene; it is an outward sign of inward purity, a reminder that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:1920). Just as we are called to purify our hearts before the Lord, so too should we keep our hands clean, for “clean hands and a pure heart” are required to stand in the holy place (Psalm 24:3-4).

Here are moments when washing our hands carries both health and spiritual meaning:

Before breaking bread: Jesus gave thanks before meals (Matthew 14:19). Washing our hands before, during and after preparing food is an act of reverence, ensuring that what we serve is offered in both purity and thanksgiving.

When caring for the vulnerable:

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Washing Your Hands: A Sacred Duty the religion corner

Scripture calls us to protect and honor the weak: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). When changing a child’s diaper or assisting someone in need, handwashing is part of safeguarding the dignity of those entrusted to our care.

When tending the sick or wounded: Jesus touched the leper and healed him (Mark 1:40-42).

We too are called to minister with compassion. Washing before and after caring for the sick honors God’s gift of life and prevents harm, fulfilling the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

When among God’s creatures: “The righteous care for the needs of their animals” (Proverbs 12:10). Yet after handling animals, their food or waste, we show wisdom by cleansing our hands, remembering that God set humankind as stewards over creation (Genesis 1:26).

When casting out refuse: Even the ordinary tasks of taking out trash or cleaning up are acts of service. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Washing hands afterward is a way of completing that labor with integrity and gratitude.

When hands bear the mark of labor: The priests in the Old Testament washed before entering the Tabernacle to minister (Exo-

dus 30:18-21). Likewise, when our hands are dirty from work, we cleanse them before lifting them in prayer, remembering James 4:8: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts.”

Handwashing, then, is not just a matter of health — it is a spiritual discipline. With every wash, we recall the cleansing of baptism (1 Peter 3:21), and with every rinse, the mercy of God that renews us. Let us keep our hands clean and our hearts pure, so that in all we do, we may glorify the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31).

In conclusion, fall weather is already upon us, with winter only a few months away. Let me remind you how handwashing is especially important during cooler weather to combat viruses like COVID-19, which has raised its ugly head again. People I personally know are suffering from COVID-19, plus colds and flu that spread more easily when people are indoors and in close proximity. Cold air also dries out mucous membranes, making the body more vulnerable to infection, while prolonged indoor exposure can decrease vitamin D levels, which weakens the immune system. Frequent, proper handwashing with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer, effectively removes germs and prevents the spread of these illnesses. WI

modern movement, but it’ll take some changes within multiple institutions.

One point Bowen raised is readapting measurements of a person’s faith, such as how often one goes to church or how many people resonate with religious identities. Another solution Fordham posed involves the Black Church establishing better connections with young people, whom he admits are less likely to trust institutions.

“I don’t think it’s really just a religion thing, I think it’s that we don’t like labels,” Fordham continued. “A lot of times, what gets us feeling like we can trust something, after all these scandals and corporations that have made us walk away, is seeing…these people, these institutions, are giving back to the community.”

Still buzzing from his on-stage testimonial during the prayer breakfast, Fordham noted he sees a drive in American youth looking for churches to “display more con-

sistency and service to the world” outside the pulpit. Additionally, he recommended people of seniority improving on passing the baton to young innovators.

Meanwhile, Bowen encouraged political groups to reach into the church now, “and not just use them as a Get Out the Vote mechanism…two weeks before election.” He further implored faith communities to gain a renewed focus on social justice while continuing to “preach the gospel” against supremacist ideals like white Christian nationalism.

In his final remarks, the keynote speaker charged Saturday’s attendees with a cultural reference to the card game Spades that doubled as a call to worship, for a people facing challenges and “a nation that has strayed away from the Lord.”

“When you’ve been dealt a bad hand, you don’t quit if you know you got a good partner,” Wesley said. “We’ve been dealt a bad hand, but I thank God that we’ve got a good partner who is able to bring us through.” WI

“A brilliant debut play about three gifted young Black footballers on a gentrifying London estate.”

Time Out London

WRAP UP from Page 1

time…when so many things are going wrong, we have to make a difference.”

Throughout the ALC – or as many have coined it, “CBC Week” – the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C., set the stage to amplify the power of Black networks and organization, while strengthening a collective call for equity throughout the diaspora.

Highly anticipated signature events such as the Day of Healing Prayer Breakfast, and later culminating, Phoenix Awards Dinner on Sept. 27 honored the strength of ancestral values of faith, courage and storytelling in challenging systems of oppression.

In addition to speeches from CBCF leaders, the Phoenix Awards also featured bold remarks from former Vice President Kamala Harris and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

Congress, as she implored the policymakers to recognize the power within their own leadership, and remind “the people” of theirs.

“You are the leaders who are up for the fight. You are leaders who have courage,” the former vice president continued. “You are the leaders who will speak truth…who know that at a time such as this, it demands one thing for sure: we must fight fire with fire.”

“I’m not interested in talking about how powerful the president is, or how powerful he thinks he is. I’m interested in talking about how powerful we are,” Moore declared. “I’m interested in talking about how the Congressional Black Caucus was built for this moment, because the Congressional Black Caucus was built in moments like these.”

From keynote addresses at events, to informational panels merging culture with policy, the days of programming tackled inequities and communal concerns with candid, actionable solutions, discussing: health care and criminal justice, environmentalism, immigration and occupation, mid-decade redistricting, the purge on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and how to navigate attacks on constitutional liberties.

“This is a defining moment for Black America,” said Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), chair of the CBC, at Day of Healing. “To secure our democracy, we have to put on the mantle of our power. We have to mobilize our communities and overcome the challenges that threaten our freedom.”

Among the array of marching orders and solutions explored, two rang high in popularity – building coalitions and increasing civic engagement, particularly in the realm of voting.

During her remarks at the Phoenix’s Awards, Harris didn’t shy away from boosting either solution.

“A time such as this demands that we win the midterms and enforce checks and balances on this unchecked, incompetent, unhinged President,” Harris said on the evening of Sept. 27.

She directly addressed the 61 members of the CBC, the largest caucus in

In The New Age ‘Don Crow,’ Voting Rights Are on the Ballot

A longtime ALC attendee, Dr. Catherine Rowell, District 1 Councilmember of South Fulton, Georgia, put this year’s theme into practice as she spent the days ahead of ALC on Capitol Hill.

Rowell, who served as the city’s first Mayor Pro Tem, says unreleased funding on her Fiscal Year 26 earmarked projects has stalled efforts to implement major infrastructure improvements, adding to a list of challenges that stem from the Trump administration’s cuts to federal jobs, agencies and funding distributions that affect municipal governments.

“And of course, that’s the detail of it – the inter-connectedness of all levels of government,” Rowell told The Informer. “Unfortunately, many of these cuts have been wholesale, not looking at the detail about how they’re affecting communities in a very real way.”

With the government shutdown that’s now in effect, Rowell adds the future of congressional spending – and thus, her ability to afford stormwater repairs and safe road initiatives in her city – is even in a more uncertain state than before the shutdown officially began on Oct. 1.

For the councilwoman, this adds to the importance of voters learning the nuances of government functions, and more importantly, recognizing how votership can directly impact inner cities.

“When we hear about federal shutdowns or freeze in the budget, [constituents] don’t understand that some of the projects that we fund in a local community come through the federal appropriations process,” she explained. “This stuff is very real.”

Rowell was in attendance for a Sept. 25 “Braintrust” that featured civil rights lawyer Maya Wiley and Montana Congressional Rep. Wesley Bell (D). Much of the discussion centered around the role of the judiciary branch in what some panelists called a Republican-led ploy to “neutralize minority voting power” through mid-decade redistricting.

“If partisan mapmakers can redraw districts whenever it suits them, then we are sliding backwards as a nation,” Bell said, speaking ahead of the panel. “Backwards to a time when Black voices were systemically locked out, backwards to a time when democracy was a name only.”

With key states like Texas, Louisiana, and Florida among the few already implicated, the process criticized as political gerrymandering also risks wiping out at least 10 members – though some panelists argued twothirds–of the CBC, which holds the title of the largest Black Caucus in congressional history.

Wiley also emphasized that, on Oct. 15, SCOTUS is set to hear arguments on a Louisiana redistricting case with potential to create ripple effects across the nation, as well as limit the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“This isn’t about one map or one election,” Bell added, “it’s about the future of this country and who it belongs to.”

Faith and social justice leader Bishop William Barber, founder of Repairers of the Breach, spoke in a separate panel about a need for processes that put people before politics. WI

Read more on washingtoninformercom.

5 Members of the Congressional Black Caucus gather on stage at the Phoenix Awards on Sept. 27 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C., as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 54th Annual Legislative Conference. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Historic

Church Promised

Baptist Church

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000945

Xavier Douglas Decedent

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

Angel Douglas, whose address is 1676 Maryland Ave NE, #360, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Xavier Douglas who died on 11/12/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/25/2026. 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 3/25/2026, 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: 9/25/2025

Angel Douglas Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 000911

Cecilia Keller Denslow aka Ana Cecilia Keller Vargas aka Cecilia Ana Keller aka Cecilia Vargas Decedent

Graner S. Ghevarghese 600 14th Street, NW, Fifth Floor Washington, DC 20005

Attorney

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

Bruce Edward Denslow, whose address is 3700 North Capitol Street, NW, Scott Room #2081, Washington, DC 20011, respectively, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cecilia Keller Denslow aka Ana Cecilia Keller Vargas aka Cecilia Ava Keller aka Cecilia Vargas who died on 12/27/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/18/2026. 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 3/18/2026, 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: 9/18/2025

Bruce Edward Denslow Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 00994

Estate of Paul F. Wood aka Paul Frederick Wood

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Tycia Haight for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

Admit to probate the will dated April 11, 2013 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise Appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 9/18/2025

Augusto Macedo 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000111

5/15/2012

Date of Death

Kimberly Jeter aka Kimberly Marie Vereen Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Aaron Jeter aka Aaron Emmanuel Jeter whose address is 8859 Bennington Blvd., Lorton VA 22079 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Kimberly Jeter aka Kimberly Marie Vereen, deceased, by the Fairfax Circuit Court for Fairfax County, State of Virginia, on 8/13/2025. Service of process may be made upon Arthur Banks 1777 Lyman Place NE, Washington, DC 20002 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 1779 Lyman Place NE, Washington, DC 20002. 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: 9/18/2025

Aaron Jeter aka Aaron Emmanuel Jeter Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000916

Ann L. Quinn aka Ann L. R. Quinn aka Ann Lees R. Quinn Decedent

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

Peter G. Quinn & Heather Quinn, whose addresses are 5240 Ridge Ct., Fairfax, VA 22032 & 1217 McKinley St., Annapolis MD 21403, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Ann L. Quinn aka Ann L. R. Quinn aka Ann Lees R. Quinn who died on 1/23/2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/18/2026. 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 3/18/2026, 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: 9/18/2025

Peter G. Quinn Heather Quinn Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000658

Florice T. Roper aka Florice Tillman Roper Decedent

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

Denise K. Roper & Charice F. Roper-Williams, whose addresses are 6532 7th Street. NW, Washington, DC 20012 & 1624 Portal Drive NW, Washington, DC 20012, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Florice T. Roper aka Florice Tillman Roper who died on 3/11/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/18/2026. 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 3/18/2026, 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: 9/18/2025

Denise K. Roper

Charice F. Roper-Williams Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Copyright Notice for Publication

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

2025 ADM 000948

Sherelene P. Thomas aka Sherelene Powell Thomas Decedent

Stephanie L. Royal, Esq. The Royal Legal Group, PLLC Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Gina Thomas Mitchell, whose address is 6 East Weald Ave., Bear, Delaware 19701, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sherelene P. Thomas aka Sherelene Powell Thomas who died on 11/7/2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/18/2026. 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 3/18/2026, 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: 9/18/2025

Gina Thomas Mitchell Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000953

Ruth Dorsey Decedent

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

Evangeline Brown, whose address is 911 47th Place, NE Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ruth Dorsey who died on 3/25/2019 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/18/2026. 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 3/18/2026, 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: 9/18/2025

Evangeline Brown Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001026

Estate of Beatrice Brown

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Ciji Simmons and Kelvin Christian for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

Admit to probate the will dated March 9, 2021 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 9/25/2025

Ciji Simmons Kelvin Christian

413 Prairie Court

Upper Marlboro, MD 20774

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000925

Wallace Andrew Cash, Sr. Decedent

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

Lynnette K. M. Jeffers, whose address is 3012 M Place SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wallace Andrew Cash, Sr. who died on 2/27/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/25/2026. 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 3/25/2026, 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: 9/25/2025

Lynnette K. M. Jeffers Personal Representative

TRUE

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000929

Otis Price Decedent

Mahsa Alaeian

Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049

Attorney

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

Dorothy V. Price, whose address is 70 I Street, SE, Unit 429, Washington, DC 20003, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Otis Price who died on 2/20/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/25/2026. 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 3/25/2026, 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: 9/25/2025

Dorothy V. Price Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 000943

Ariene Hammond Decedent

Tamara Jones, Esq. The Legal Courthouse, PLLC 6218 Georgia Ave., Suite 1-682 NW Washington, DC 20011 Attorney

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

Bernard Ward, whose address is 7727 Chatfield Lane, Ellicott, MD 21043, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ariene Hammond who died on March 5, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/25/2026. 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 3/25/2026, 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: 9/25/2025

Bernard Ward Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 846

Derrick Thompson Decedent

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

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Derrick Thompson who died on July 7, 2023 without a Will. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/25/2026. 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 3/25/2026, 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: 9/25/2025

J. Anthony Concino III, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 000947

Davetrina Gadson Decedent

Julie A. Simantiras, Esq. The Geller Law Group 4000 Legato Road, Suite 1100, PMB 6084 Fairfax, Virginia 22033 Attorney

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

Jovonna R. McNeal, whose address is 3920 Old Trail Road, Martinez GA 30907, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Davetrina Gadson who died on January 11, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/25/2026. 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 3/25/2026, 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: 9/25/2025

Jovonna R. McNeal Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Copyright Notice for Publication

Copyright Notice: All rights reserved regarding common-law copyright of trade-names/trade-marks, not excluding any and all derivatives and variations in spelling of any of said names, Jaron N. Dandridge ©; JARON N. DANDRIDGE ©; Jaron Dandridge ©; JARON DANDRIDGE ©; Jaron Neal Dandridge ©; JARON NEAL DANDRIDGE ©; Jaron N. Dandridge Sr. ©; JARON N. DANDRIDGE SR. ©; Jaron Dandridge Sr. ©; JARON DANDRIDGE SR. ©, Jaron Neal Dandridge Sr. ©; JARON NEAL DANDRIDGE SR. ©; Mr. Jaron N. Dandridge ©; MR. JARON N. DANDRIDGE ©; Mr. Jaron Dandridge ©; MR. JARON DANDRIDGE ©; Mr. Jaron Neal Dandridge ©; MR. JARON NEAL DANDRIDGE ©; Mr. Jaron N. Dandridge Sr. ©; MR. JARON N. DANDRIDGE SR. ©; Mr. Jaron Dandridge Sr. ©; MR. JARON DANDRIDGE SR. ©, Mr. Jaron Neal Dandridge Sr. ©; MR. JARON NEAL DANDRIDGE SR. © and Kennecia Dandridge ©; KENNECIA DANDRIDGE ©; Kennecia M. Dandridge ©; KENNECIA M. DANDRIDGE ©; Kennecia Mekeba Dandridge ©; KENNECIA MEKEBA DANDRIDGE ©; Kennecia M Dandridge ©; KENNECIA M DANDRIDGE ©; Kennecia M. Easley ©; KENNECIA M. EASLEY ©; Kennecia Mekeba Easley ©; KENNECIA MEKEBA EASLEY ©; Kennecia Easley ©; KENNECIA EASLEY ©; Kennecia M Easley ©; KENNECIA M EASLEY ©; Mrs. Kennecia Dandridge ©; MRS. KENNECIA DANDRIDGE ©; Mrs. Kennecia M. Dandridge ©; MRS.KENNECIA M. DANDRIDGE ©; Mrs. Kennecia Mekeba Dandridge ©; MRS. KENNECIA MEKEBA DANDRIDGE ©; Mrs. Kennecia M Dandridge ©; MRS. KENNECIA M DANDRIDGE ©; Mrs. Kennecia M. Easley ©; MRS. KENNECIA M. EASLEY ©; Mrs. Kennecia Mekeba Easley ©; MRS. KENNECIA MEKEBA EASLEY ©; Mrs. Kennecia Easley ©; MRS. KENNECIA EASLEY ©; Mrs. Kennecia M Easley ©; MRS. KENNECIA M EASLEY ©; Ms. Kennecia Dandridge ©; MS. KENNECIA DANDRIDGE ©; Ms. Kennecia M. Dandridge ©; MS. KENNECIA M. DANDRIDGE ©; Ms. Kennecia Mekeba Dandridge ©; MS. KENNECIA MEKEBA DANDRIDGE ©; Ms. Kennecia M Dandridge ©; MS. KENNECIA M DANDRIDGE ©; Ms. Kennecia M. Easley ©; MS. KENNECIA M. EASLEY ©; Ms. Kennecia Mekeba Easley ©; MS. KENNECIA MEKEBA EASLEY ©; Ms. Kennecia Easley ©; MS. KENNECIA EASLEY ©; Ms. Kennecia M Easley ©; MS. KENNECIA M EASLEY ©; and Christy Curry ©; CHRISTY CURRY ©; Christy Ann Curry ©; Christy A. Curry ©;  Ms. Christy Curry ©; Ms. CHRISTY CURRY ©; Miss. CHRISTY CURRY ©; Miss. Christy Curry ©; Christy A. Curry ©; CHRISTY A. CURRY ©; MS. CHRISTY A. CURRY ©; Ms. Christy A. Curry ©; Miss. Christy A. Curry ©; Miss. CHRISTY A. CURRY ©; Christy Ann Curry ©; Ms. Christy Ann Curry ©; Miss Christy Ann Curry ©; CHRISTY ANN CURRY ©; Ms. CHRISTY ANN CURRY ©; Miss. CHRISTY ANN CURRY ©; MS. CHRISTY ANN CURRY ©; Christie Curry ©; Christie Currie ©; Christy Currie ©; Christy A. Currie ©; Christy Ann Currie ©; Christie A. Curry ©; Christie Ann Curry ©; Ms. Christy Currie ©; Miss. Christy Currie ©; CHRISTIE CURRY ©; CHRISTIE CURRIE ©; MS. CHRISTIE CURRY ©; MS. CHRISTIE CURRIE ©; Miss. CHRISTIE A. CURRIE ©; MISS. CHRISTIE Ann CURRIE ©; MS. CHRISTIE ANN CURRIE ©; MISS Christie A. Currie ©; Miss. Christie Ann Currie ©; Chrissy Curry ©; CHRISSY CURRY©; Chrissy A. Currie ©; Chrissy Ann Curry ©; Chrissy Ann Currie ©; CHRISSY CURRIE ©; CHRISSY ANN CURRIE ©; CHISTIE ANN CURRIE ©; Christie Ann Curry ©; CHRISTY Ann CURRY ©; MS. Chrissy Ann Curry © ; Miss. CHRISSIE A. CURRY ©; christy curry ©; christy A. curry ©; Christy curry ©; Christy Ann curry ©; chrissy curry ©; chrissie currie ©; Khristy Curry ©; Kristy Curry ©; Kristie Curry ©; Kristy A. Curry ©; Khristie Currie ©; Kristie Ann Currie ©; KRISTY CURRY ©; KHRISTY CURRY ©; KRISTIE A. CURRY ©; KHRISTIE A. CURRIE ©; KRISTY Ann CURRIE ©; C. Curry ©; C. A. Curry ©; c. curry ©; c.a. curry ©; curry,christy ©; curry, a. c.  ©; Curry, Christy ©; Ms. Curry, A. Christy ©; Ms. Curry, Christy ©; Ms. Curry A. Christy ©; Ms. Curry©, respectively-Common Law Copyright © 1973, 1985, and 1990, respectively, by Jaron N. Dandridge ©, Kennecia M. Dandridge © and Christy Ann Curry©.

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Copyright Notice for Publication

Copyright Notice: All rights reserved regarding common-law copyright of trade-names/trade-marks, not excluding any and all derivatives and variations in spelling of any of said names Krystal Tibbs ©; KRYSTAL TIBBS ©; Krystal V. Tibbs ©; KRYSTAL V. TIBBS ©; Krystal Veronica Tibbs ©; KRYSTAL VERONICA TIBBS ©; K. Veronica Tibbs ©; K. VERONICA TIBBS ©; K. Tibbs ©; K. TIBBS ©; K.V. Tibbs ©; K.V. TIBBS ©; K.V.T. ©; K.T. ©; k.v.t ©; k.t. ©; Tibbs, Krystal ©; TIBBS, KRYSTAL ©; Tibbs, Krystal V. TIBBS, KRYSTAL V. ©; Tibbs, Krystal Veronica ©; TIBBS, KRYSTAL VERONICA ©; Tibbs, K.T ©; TIBBS, K.T. ©; Tibbs, K. Veronica ©; TIBBS, K. VERONICA ©; Ms. Krystal Tibbs ©; MS. KRYSTAL TIBBS ©; Ms. Krystal V. Tibbs ©; KRYSTAL V. TIBBS ©; Ms. Krystal Veronica Tibbs ©; MS. KRYSTAL VERONICA TIBBS ©; Ms. K. Tibbs ©; MS. K. TIBBS ©; Ms. K. Veronica Tibbs ©; MS. K. VERONICA TIBBS ©; Ms. K.V. Tibbs ©; MS. K.V. TIBBS ©; Ms. K.T. ©; MS. K.V.T. ©; ms. k.v.t. ©; ms. k.t. ©; Ms. Tibbs, Krystal ©; MS. TIBBS, KRYSTAL ©; Ms. Tibbs, Krystal V. ©; MS. TIBBS, KRYSTAL V. ©; Ms. Tibbs, K. ©; MS. TIBBS, K. ©; Ms. Tibbs, Krystal Veronica ©; MS. TIBBS, KRYSTAL VERONICA ©; Ms. Tibbs, K.V. ©; MS. TIBBS, K.V. ©; Ms. Tibbs, K. Veronica ©; MS. TIBBS, K. VERONICA ©; and Anthony M. OBrien Jr. ©; Anthony Mathew OBrien Jr. ©; Anthony Matthew OBrien Jr ©; Anthony M. O’Brien Jr. ©; Anthony Mathew O’Brien Jr. ©; Anthony Matthew O’Brien Jr. ©; Anthony M. Obrien Jr. ©; Anthony Mathew Obrien Jr. ©; Anthony Matthew Obrien Jr. ©; Anthony M. O’Brien Jr. ©; Anthony Mathew O’Brien Jr. ©; Anthony Matthew O’Brien Jr. ©; ANTHONY M. OBRIEN JR. ©; ANTHONY MATHEW OBRIEN JR. ©; ANTHONY MATTHEW OBRIEN JR ©; ANTHONY M. O’BRIEN JR. ©; ANTHONY MATHEW O’BRIEN JR. ©;ANTHONY MATTHEW O’BRIEN JR. ©;ANTHONY M. OBRIEN JR. ©; ANTHONY MATHEW OBRIEN JR. ©; ANTHONY MATTHEW OBRIEN JR. ©;ANTHONY M. O’BRIEN JR. ©;ANTHONY MATHEW O’BRIEN JR. ©; Anthony O Brien ©; anthony o brien ©; O BRIEN, ANTHONY ©; o brien, Anthony ©; O Brien, Anthony ©; ANTHONY M. OBRIEN ©; anthony m. obrien ©; Anthony M. Obrien ©; and MR. FRANK FOSTER SMITH JR© FRANK FOSTER SMITH JR© MR. FRANK FOSTER SMITH© FRANK FOSTER SMITH© MR. FRANK F SMITH© FRANK F SMITH© MR. FRANK SMITH© FRANK SMITH© Mr. Frank Foster Smith Jr© Frank Foster Smith Jr© Mr. Frank Foster Smith© Frank Foster Smith© Mr. Frank F Smith© Frank F Smith© Mr. Frank Smith© Frank Smith© SMITH, FRANK FOSTER© SMITH, SMITH, FRANK FOSTER MR.© Smith, Frank Foster Mr.© Smith, Frank F ©. Respectively- Common Law Copyright © 1973, 1985, and 1990, respectively, by Krystal V. Tibbs ©, Anthony M. O’Brien ©, Frank Foster Smith Jr.©.

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Copyright Notice for Publication

Copyright Notice: All rights reserved regarding common-law copyright of trade-names/trade-marks, not excluding any and all derivatives and variations in spelling of any  of said names, Michelle Bland ©; MICHELLE BLAND ©; Michelle R. Bland ©; MICHELLE R. BLAND©; Michelle Renee’ Bland ©; MICHELLE RENEE’ BLAND ©; M. Renee’ Bland ©; M. RENEE’ BLAND ©; M. Bland©; M. BLAND©; M. R. Bland©; M. R. BLAND ©; M. R. B. ©; M. B. ©; and Devren D. Carrington ©;names Devren Derrell Carrington ©; Devren D. Carrington ©; Devren D Carrington ©; Devren Carrington ©; Derrell Carrington ©; Derrell Devren Carrington ©; Derrell D. Carrington ©; Derrell D Carrington ©; D. Derrell Carrington ©; D Derrell Carrington ©; D. Devren Carrington ©; D Devren Carrington ©; D. D. Carrington ©; D D Carrington ©; D. Carrington ©; D Carrington ©; D. D. C. ©; D.D.C. ©; D D C ©; D.C. ©; DC; Carrington, D. Devren ©; Carrington, D Devren ©; Carrington, D. D. ©; Carrington, D D. ©; Carrington, D ©; DEVREN DERRELL CARRINGTON ©; DEVREN D. CARRINGTON ©; DEVREN D CARRINGTON ©; DEVREN CARRINGTON

©; D. DEVREN CARRINGTON ©; D DEVREN CARRINGTON ©; D. D. CARRINGTON ©; D D CARRINGTON ©; D. CARRINGTON ©; D CARRINGTON ©; D.D.C. ©; D D C ©; D.C. ©; DC ©; CARRINGTON, DEVREN DERRELL ©; CARRINGTON, DEVREN D. ©; CARRINGTON, DEVREN D ©; CARRINGTON, DEVREN ©; CARRINGTON, DERRELL DEVREN ©; CARRINGTON, DERRELL D. ©; CARRINGTON, DERRELL D ©; CARRINGTON, DERRELL ©; CARRINGTON, D. DERRELL ©; CARRINGTON, D DERRELL ©; CARRINGTON, D. DEVREN ©; CARRINGTON, D DEVREN ©; CARRINGTON, D. D. ©; and Charles Foster©; CHARLES FOSTER©; Charles E. Foster©; CHARLES E. FOSTER©; Charles Eddy Foster©; CHARLES EDDY FOSTER©; Charles Eddy Foster, Jr.©; CHARLES EDDY FOSTER JR.©; C. Foster©; C. FOSTER©; C. E. Foster©; C. E. FOSTER©; C. E. Foster, Jr.©; C. E. FOSTER, JR.©; C.E.F.©; C.F.©; c.e.f.©; c.f.©; C.E.F.JR.©; c.e.f.jr.©; C.F.JR.©; c.f.jr.©; Foster, Charles©; FOSTER, CHARLES©; Foster, Charles E.©; FOSTER, CHARLES E.©; Foster, C.©; FOSTER, C.©; Foster, Charles Eddy©; FOSTER, CHARLES EDDY©; Foster, C. E.©; FOSTER, C. E.©; Foster, C. Eddy©; FOSTER, C. Eddy©; Foster, Jr., C .Eddy©; FOSTER, JR., C. EDDY©; Mr. Charles Foster©; MR. CHARLES FOSTER©; Mr. Charles E. Foster©; MR. CHARLES E. FOSTER©; ©; Mr. Charles Eddy Foster©; MR. CHARLES EDDY FOSTER©; Mr. Charles Eddy Foster, Jr.©; MR. CHARLES EDDY FOSTER JR.©; Mr. C. Foster; MR. C. FOSTER©; Mr. C. E. Foster©; MR. C. E. FOSTER©; Mr. C. E. Foster, Jr.©; MR. C. E. FOSTER, JR.©; MR.C.E.F.©; MR. C.F.©; Mr. c.e.f.©; MR. c.f.©; MR. C.E.F.JR.©; Mr. c.e.f.jr.©; MR. C.F.JR.©; Mr. c.f.jr.©; Mr. Foster, Charles©; MR. FOSTER, CHARLES©; Mr. Foster, Charles E.©; MR. FOSTER, CHARLES E.©; Mr. Foster, C.©; MR. FOSTER, C.©; Mr. Foster, Charles Eddy©; MR. FOSTER, CHARLES EDDY©; Mr. Foster, C. E.©; MR. FOSTER, C. E.©; Mr. Foster, C. Eddy©; MR. FOSTER, C. EDDY©; Mr. Foster, Jr., C. Eddy©; MR. FOSTER, JR., C. EDDY©;respectively Common Law Copyright © 1973, 1985, and 1990, respectively, by Michelle R. Bland ©, Devren D. Carrington ©, and Charles E. Foster ©.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners in red ink, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 863

Gladys R. Garrett Decedent

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

Gregory Garrett, whose address is 2005 Fairlawn Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gladys R. Garrett who died on 4/8/2008 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/2/2026. 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 4/2/2026, 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: 10/2/2025

Gregory Garrett

Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 0001048

Estate of Tornora Michelle Carroll

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Beverly Henderson for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives.

Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 10/2/2025

Beverly Henderson 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20008

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000875

Bernadette White Decedent

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

Chantay White-Taylor and Patricia Plummer, whose addresses are 6604 Fannin Farm Way, Arlington, TX 76001 & 615 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20002, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Bernadette White who died on 4/10/2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/2/2026. 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 4/2/2026, 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: 10/2/2025

Chantay White-Taylor Patricia Plummer Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Copyright Notice for Publication

Copyright Notice: All rights reserved regarding common-law

copyright of trade-names/trade-marks, not excluding any and all derivatives and variations in spelling of any of said names Janine Bellamy ©; JANINE BELLAMY ©; Janine R. Bellamy ©; JANINE R. BELLAMY ©; Janine Renee Bellamy ©; JANINE RENEE BELLAMY ©; J. Renee Bellamy ©; J. RENEE BELLAMY ©; J. Bellamy ©; J. BELLAMY ©; J.R. Bellamy ©; J.R. BELLAMY ©; J.R.B. ©; J.B. ©; Bellamy, Janine ©; ELLAMY, JANINE ©; Bellamy, Janine R. ©; BELLAMY, JANINE R. ©; Bellamy, J. ©; BELLAMY, J. ©; Bellamy, Janine Renee ©; BELLAMY, JANINE RENEE ©; Bellamy, J. R. ©; BELLAMY, J. R. ©; Bellamy, J. Renee ©; BELLAMY, J. RENEE ©; Phillip Harris IV ©; PHILLIP HARRIS IV ©; P. Harris IV ©; P. HARRIS IV ©; P.H. IV ©; P. Harris ©; P. HARRIS ©; Phil Harris IV ©; PHIL HARRIS IV ©; Phil Harris ©; PHIL HARRIS ©; Harris IV, Phillip ©; HARRIS IV, Phillip ©; Harris IV, Phil ©; HARRIS IV, PHIL ©; Harris, Phillip ©; HARRIS, PHILLIP ©; Harris, Phil ©; HARRIS,PHIL ©; Harris IV, P. ©; HARRIS IV, P. ©; Harris P. ©; HARRIS, P. ©; Jon Christopher Paul ©; JON CHRISTOPHER PAUL ©; JON C. PAUL ©; Jon C. Paul ©; J. Paul ©; J. PAUL ©; John Paul ©; JOHN PAUL ©; Jon Paul ©; JON PAUL ©; JON C PAUL ©; Jon C Paul ©; J. Paul ©; J. PAUL ©; John Paul ©; JOHN PAUL ©; JOHN CHRISTOPHER PAUL ©; John Christopher Paul©; j.c. paul ©; J.C. Paul ©; J. CHRISTOPHER PAUL ©; J. Christopher Paul ©; :Jon-Christopher: Paul ©; :JON-CHRISTOPHER: PAUL ©; :John-Christopher: Paul ©; :JOHN-CHRISTOPHER: PAUL ©; jon paul ©; jon christopher paul©, respectively-Common Law Copyright © 1973, 1985, and 1990, respectively, by Janine R. Bellamy ©, Phillip Harris, IV©, and Jon C. Paul ©.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners in red ink, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000915

Ronnie Francis aka Ronnie Lee Francis

Decedent

Stephanie L. Royal, Esq. The Royal Legal Group, LLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 440 Washington DC 20015 Attorney

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

Rosemary Francis, whose address is 10294 Commons Crossing, Jonesboro, GA 30238, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ronnie Francis aka Ronnie Lee Francis who died on 7/15/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/2/2026. 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 4/2/2026, 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: 10/2/2025

Rosemary Francis Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

DECLARATION OF EXPRESS TRUST Est. August 29, 2025 10:56

AM Schedule A: Trustee Minutes 5-1969

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Other Property Exchange – Non-Real Estate Assets Literary Minutes of Meeting of DONUM EX DEUS

(An Irrevocable Express Trust Organization)

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

COME THIS DAY, on the 25th of October, 1969 in the Julian Period of (2440006), under the Leo, sign (2º 11’) Sun, at Greenwood, in the County of Greenwood, in South Carolina, Latitude 34º12’N, Longitude 80º10’W, one of the several territories of South Carolina, Shirley Ann Woolridge (mother and “birthing person”) gave birth to a single female, known as Pamela Meshell Seigler, a South Carolinian National at approximately 18:49 UT, precisely at Greenwood, South Carolina. It is hereby declared by Shirley Ann Woolridge (mother) a South Carolinian National but not a citizen of the District of Columbia and by Luther Seigler (father) a South Carolinian National but not a citizen of the District of Columbia, give testament to the witness of the birth of Pamela Meshell Seigler, a South Carolinian National and has no connection to the after birth of born-alive person, for any claims of salvaging under Pope Boniface VIII, any Papal Bulls of Birth Certificate exist within the County of Greenwood Certification of Vital Records or with the Republic of South Carolina-Recorder/County Clerk. This Birth Announcement and its property is held in Donum Ex Deus Express Trust and shall stand as true with any City, Town, Borough, County, State municipality or United States Department of State.

We, the undersigned, declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.

Signed/Mark: Shirley Ann Woolridge Executed: September 1, 2025

Signed/Mark: Luther Seigler: September 1, 2025

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000115

March 17, 2025

Date of Death

Willie Aubrey Jackson Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Raymond L. Slaughter whose address is 2818 Sherman Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20018 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Willie Aubrey Jackson, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Caroline County, State of Virginia, on April 11, 2025.

Service of process may be made upon Joseph Goins at 4101 Illinois Avenue, NW, 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 property.

2810 Sherman Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001.

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: 10/2/2025

Raymond L. Slaughter Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

AGENDA from Page 1

congressional staffers, corporate executives and others who recently attended the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) 54th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC).

“If this government shuts down, people right here are gonna be more impacted than any place else, because they may or may not get paid, and they may or may not get their jobs back,” Bowser told lawyer and activist Angela Rye on the evening of Sept. 26, during a mayoral Friday fireside chat sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center. “So the big concern I have for that resident…was how do we shift our economy away from the federal government, attract good-paying jobs, and keep D.C. residents working?”

Earlier this year, soon after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut 40,000 federal government jobs, the D.C. Office of the Chief Financial Officer announced declining revenue projections for the next four fiscal years.

The revelation compelled conversation about D.C.’s economic future, and a Bowser budget proposal that drew the ire of restaurant workers, and health care, housing and food security advocates.

Days before her ALC appearance, Bowser hinted at the release of a legislative package to fulfill her economic agenda for D.C. during her remarks before the D.C. Chamber of Commerce. On Monday, she was scheduled to preview legislation related to what’s been dubbed the Growth Agenda— but the event was cancelled.

According to administration officials, the Growth Agenda aims to support citywide growth, streamline development processes, and enhance the District’s position as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. Even with all that, Bowser pointed out that the District is still in a precarious state that leaves it vulnerable to Trump and congressional Republicans.

“We are the embodiment of taxation without representation,” Bowser told Rye last Friday. “I would call it an accident, but it’s a travesty of our democracy, and it has to be righted.”

Bowser Calls on Senate Democrats, While Baltimore Mayor Scott Sets the Record Straight

Rye’s fireside chat with Bowser on Sept. 26 kicked off an ALC session themed “Local Strength, National Promise: The Power of Black Mayors.”

AGENDA Page 45

JEALOUS from Page 26

hosts. Tomorrow it could be a cartoonist, a college kid, or you for what you post online.

The strength of America isn’t that our leaders are above mock-

MORIAL from Page 26

ening fair housing enforcement means that a Black family can be turned away from a rental unit with little recourse. It means lenders can use coded criteria to exclude entire communities. It means cities can avoid taking meaningful action to dismantle segregation. And it means another generation of children grows up confined by the ZIP code into which they are born.

Black history in America is inseparable from the struggle for fair housing. From battles against redlining and contract lending to

It also took place just days after House Republicans, with the support of House Democrats, advanced bills encroaching on District home rule. If approved by the Senate, and signed by President Donald J. Trump, the legislation in question would allow for, among other things: the prosecution of 14 year olds as adults in the District, presidential control of D.C. judicial appointments, and the cessation of early prison release policies.

“We have to make sure that all Democrats in the Senate band together to fight that,” Bowser said. “Not only for D.C., but it would become a model for a national peace and crime relationship. So we need the Democrats to hold together.”

In the House, 31 Democrats voted in approval of legislation limiting the District’s control over its sentencing laws, and the adult prosecution of 14 year olds. More than two dozen Democrats also joined Republicans in the approval of a bill that allows for police’s vehicular pursuits of suspects, perhaps like what led to the police-involved death of Karon Hylton-Brown in 2020.

“All Democrats didn’t hold together in the House,” Bowser told Rye on the afternoon of Sept. 26. “They didn’t, and that doesn’t necessarily surprise me when we’re talking about a national crime fight, and we’re talking about a battle for the House. So I think we all have to be strategic to make sure that we in cities, us in our city, are giving our national Dem-

ery. It’s that they can survive it. A president who can’t take a joke can’t take criticism. And a president who can’t take criticism can’t be trusted with freedom.

That Midwestern schoolteacher was right: humor is a sign of in-

fights for public housing reform, housing has always been at the heart of the civil rights movement. To roll back these protections now is not just a policy shift, it is an erasure of that struggle and a denial of the lessons learned at great cost. We cannot allow complacency in the face of such deliberate erosion. Fair housing is not a luxury or a partisan issue. It is a civil right, and it is a test of whether America intends to honor its own principles. This means restoring strong enforcement, demanding accountability from local governments, investing in affordable housing, and

ocrats what they need to fight for us.”

Currently, there are 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats in the Senate. That means Republicans, voting on one accord, would need at least seven Democratic votes to pass legislation in that chamber of Congress.

With an ongoing budget battle, and government shutdown on the horizon, it’s unlikely that Senate Democratic leadership will immediately mull over the recently approved public safety legislation.

Neither Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) office nor that of Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) immediately responded to a request for comment.

A spokesperson in the Executive Office of the Mayor declined to share details about Bowser’s engagement with “partners on the Hill,” including Senate Democrats.

During the CBCF mayoral fireside chat, Bowser drew distinctions between D.C. and other U.S. cities, as it relates to the District’s ability to rebuff federal intrusion. She went on to designate civic engagement and statehood as viable options for protecting residents of the nation’s capital.

“I think that we all have to be focused on the midterms and turning out,” Bowser said as she spoke to the out-of-towners in the audience. “And for all of you who have voting members of Congress, it’s especially important. And when we get to the other side of this, and the Democrats get in control, we need to make D.C. the 51st state.”

Earlier in the month, before Trump’s

telligence. But more than that, it’s a sign of liberty. And if we want to keep our democracy strong, we better insist on leaders who can laugh — even, and especially, at themselves.

WI

challenging discriminatory practices in all their forms.

The Trump administration may seek to undo decades of progress, but history reminds us that progress is never given; it is fought for and defended. The right to live free from discrimination, to raise a family in safety, and to build wealth through homeownership is fundamental to the American promise. We will not go back to a time when those rights were denied.

Fair housing is racial justice. Fair housing is economic justice. And fair housing is democracy itself.

WI

evocation of D.C. Home Rule Act’s Section 740 expired on Sept. 10, Bowser crafted a mayoral order dictating the nature of the District’s cooperation with the federal government on public safety matters. As Bowser fights off congressional meddling, Trump continues to directly shape local policy, most recently by signing an executive order calling for prosecutors to seek the death penalty in D.C.-based violent crimes.

More broadly, Trump has also expressed a desire to send federal troops and agents to Baltimore, Chicago, and recently Memphis and Portland. While Bowser struck a collegial tone with the president during D.C.’s federalization period, other mayors, perhaps unencumbered by direct control by the executive and legislative branches of the federal government, have been more critical of the president.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) issued an executive order that stands against federal control of the local police department and directs city agencies to protect Chicago residents’ constitutional rights.

In the aftermath of Trump’s incendiary comments about Charm City, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) told PBS that the president’s statement doesn’t acknowledge Baltimore’s progress in violence prevention nor does it represent an effort toward collaboration. Weeks later, he touted a gun violence reduction strategy that targets illegal gun manufacturers and prioritizes Baltimoreans on the margins. WI Read more on washingtoninformercom.

Get

AGENDA from Page 44

WILLIAMS from Page 27

is true for New York’s Attorney General Letitia James, California’s Sen. Adam Schiff, former FBI Director James Comey and his daughter, and others Trump calls enemies. Why this venom at a memorial service! Trump’s authoritarian overreach didn’t work on Kimmel or the others, and the backlash was furious.

Now we need all these good people who fought for free speech to stand up for mail-in voters’ rights, innocent immigrants’ rights, women’s rights, Palestinian rights and reparations for Black people whose ancestors were enslaved.

HARRIS/MCDANIEL from Page 27

And Democrats must make digital organizing and texting a permanent fixture, particularly in reaching young working-class voters.

Regular town halls and listening sessions must happen year-round to maintain coalitions, not just when Democrats need votes.

The bottom line is that 4.5 million voters didn’t swing away from Democrats overnight. This resulted from years of Democratic neglect while Republicans methodically engaged in voter manipulation and intimidation to lock in a governing majority.

Trump’s attacks on the democratic process and integrity of our elections are well documented. He’s pressuring red states to redraw congressional

MARSHALL

from Page 27

bold in its attacks against political opponents and the concept of free speech.

The recent suspension of Jimmy Kimmel after his comments made during his show in response to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk shows how suppressing prominent figures sends a warning to ordinary citizens and activists. After right-wing websites and TV shows publicized Kimmel’s comments, the Trumpaligned FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called it “the sickest conduct possible” and suggested that the FCC could move to revoke ABC affiliate licenses. ABC’s announcement was made after media giant Nexstar Media Group announced it would preempt Kimmel’s show indefinitely on all of its stations over his remarks. Widespread criticism of the Kimmel suspension led to people canceling their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions. In his re-

MAGA people need to apologize to universities whose funds were cut, to South Koreans for sending workers back home, to women for taking away our rights in health care, for disrespecting so many brilliant Black women, and the list goes on and on.

It is my prayer that soon the brilliant trio of Supreme Court justices — Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson — will be able to convince the rest of the Supreme Court that our Constitution does not call for kings to govern America, and Trump should not be treated as one.

I speak often with these young

maps before the 2026 midterms to ensure a GOP majority before a single vote has been cast.

When Republicans control redistricting, they eliminate competitive districts. When they suppress civic engagement through intimidation, they reduce Democratic turnout. All of this adds up to the working class losing more and more ground and Democrats falling farther behind.

The only counter to systematic voter suppression is systematic voter engagement — infrastructure that works 365 days a year.

Republicans are playing the long game while Democrats play election to election. The GOP is investing in permanent infrastructure while Democrats rely on temporary and transactional mobilization. Republicans are

turn to the late-night stage, Kimmel stated that “anti-American” efforts to curtail free speech in the United States will not temper his criticism of the president. These assaults on free speech and politically motivated prosecutions are signs that the true enemy from within continues to be exposed. Letitia James is not the enemy from within. The true enemy was exposed with his 34 felony counts as a candidate for president. Liz Cheney is not the enemy from within. The House Jan. 6 Select Committee exposed the true enemy. Joe Biden is not the enemy from within. Two House impeachments exposed the true enemy. Kamala Harris is not the enemy from within. The true enemy was exposed when he executed Project 2025 as president. Barack Obama is not the true enemy. The true enemy was exposed when he chose not to place his hand on the Bible during his swearing-in as president.

National Guard members Trump sent to Washington, D.C., to take over our city. Many are embarrassed when we explain the statistics showing some of their areas have greater crime than D.C. They ask us to call their senators to let them know. The men and women I’ve met are friendly and would prefer to be in their own states working to make improvements there. As the mayor of Memphis said, if the federal government sent his city funds to make improvements, they could do it themselves. Trump prefers spending more tax dollars sending people away from their states to others to satisfy his ego! WI

building sustained relationships while Democrats send texts every two years asking for votes.

Democrats are treating voters as numbers instead of building genuine relationships. The path forward requires admitting the old model failed and committing to year-round organizing — showing up consistently, investing communities, and earning trust through sustained presence must be central to how Democrats regain relevancy in the lives of working-class voters.

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport, and neither is voter engagement. Democrats must stop analyzing our problems with working-class voters and start acting to bring those voters back into the fold block by block and one registration at a time. WI

With this increasingly authoritarian government, the Black community must not be silent or divided. There is too much at stake. Black pastors and others in the faith community are speaking out. Our voices cannot be suppressed when we defend the oppressed, the poor, the immigrant, and the fatherless. Our voices cannot be silenced when we speak truth to power, when we hold those accountable who misuse the power of their elected or appointed position. Our voices cannot be silenced when we need to expose the whitewashing of the Black experience. The affront on free speech is a threat to everybody. What happened to Jimmy Kimmel and James Comey can happen to anybody. As Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut posted on X, “Time for leaders — political leaders, business leaders, civic leaders — to pick a side: democracy or autocracy.” WI