43 minute read
Lifestyle
Yoga Instructor Launches Virtual Sessions for Black Educators
By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins
Although school has been in session for less than two weeks, teachers across the county have spent nearly a month preparing lesson plans, learning new communication mediums and familiarizing themselves with processes that, at times, could prove more stressful than any they’ve previously experienced.
In response to concerns among teachers about clocking additional hours and the long-term health effects of sitting in front of a screen for extensive periods of time, a local yoga instructor has launched a weekly, virtual gathering. The sessions target Black educators, providing assistance in the practice of stress-relieving movements and mind-enhancing techniques which can be employed prior to the start of each work week.
“I remember being a teacher. You dreaded Sundays with Mondays coming up and that was just being in the classroom,” said Ajeenah Abdul-Watts, co-owner of “Twist and Turns Body Fitness” in Northwest and a native Washingtonian with nearly a decade of experience as a yoga instructor.
Last Sunday evening, Watts, a former elementary school teacher, discussed meditation techniques with nearly two dozen Black teachers from the District and other cities before guiding the group through a yoga flow. The hour-long virtual session counted as the first of several scheduled to take place throughout the school year, regardless of whether school buildings reopen.
“I want to help people find some relief by getting ready for work and [the sessions] will include a slow yoga meditation and affirmations they can use for the week,” Watts said.
“We’re focusing on relieving stress on the back, shoulders and hands. So far, we have 20 educators and a Facebook group. I created it so throughout the weeks and months, I can add short meditations they can use,” she added.
“Yoga and Meditation for Black
5 Ajeenah Abdul-Watts, co-owner and instructor at ‘Twist and Turns Body Fitness’ in Northwest, recently launched ‘Yoga and Meditation for Black Educators’ – an hour-long virtual session that takes place on Sunday evenings. (Photo courtesy Ajeenah Abdul-Watts)
Educators” comes at a time when Blacks are increasingly embracing physical and mental wellness while society grapples with a bevy of polarizing issues including policing, education and electoral politics. In the District, questions about whether schools would reopen have incited dialogue about the stresses related to teaching.
Earlier this summer, after the Washington Teachers’ Union organized around the safe reopening of schools, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) reneged on an initial attempt to fully open schools, or at least provide a spectrum of options for families.
In July, when she delayed her announcement about the fall term, Bowser told reporters that her decision would primarily focus on staffing capacity.
Shortly after Bowser announced at least one term of virtual learning, schools went into action for a smooth launch. As the spring semester has shown, teachers, in addition to students and parents, have had to make significant adjustments in the transition to a wholly virtual learning environment.
Qualitative data collected by Education Week shortly after the implementation of virtual learning models earlier this year showed that teachers struggled to transfer their lessons to digital platforms, respond to an influx of emails and phone calls and in some cases, meet the academic and emotional needs of their own biological children. Other situations that induced stress involved students who didn’t show up for virtual learning.
In recent weeks, resources in the D.C. Public Schools’ central office, the D.C. Public Charter School Board and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education have been tailored to meet teachers’ needs while the school year remains totally virtual.
As told to The Informer by one teacher, there’s been less emphasis on the timely submission of homework while students, teachers and parents continue efforts to make an unprecedented adjustment.
For Watts however, a wellness regimen – an affordable one at that – would best help in delaying feelings of stress and anxiety likely to surface while facilitating the virtual learning experience.
She said providing yoga and meditation for Black educators serves as a means of giving back to the community and passing on the tools that first helped her two decades ago.
“I saw different posts about how hard it was for teachers. You have Wi-Fi connections messing up and parents complaining, and I really felt empathy for them,” she said. “I know it can be stressful for everyone – not to mention the educators who are also parents. I was home and thought that it was time to put this in place.”
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16 th Annual DC JAZZFEST
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 – MONDAY, SEPT. 28
5 Angie Gates, Director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) (WI File Photo)
Bowser Presents D.C.’s Fifth Annual ‘202CreatesMonth’
Celebration Includes Interactive Virtual Programming and Mayor’s Arts Awards
WI Staff Report
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced the celebration of the fifth annual 202Creates Month to honor and showcase the District’s diverse, vibrant and creative community. The D.C. Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment (OCTFME) and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) will spearhead the month-long celebration. 202Creates Month, which began with a virtual kickoff on Sept. 2 with performances that can be viewed on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the 202Creates website, will conclude with the 35th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards on Sept. 30.
“From Go-Go, to street art, to theater, we know that [the District] has always been – and will always be – a leader in the arts,” Bowser said. “This year, more than ever, we are proud to highlight and celebrate the artists and change makers who bring so much joy to our city, who represent the culture of D.C. and who – through the good, the bad and the unprecedented times – keep D.C. creative.” 202Creates represents a citywide effort, launched by the mayor in 2016 to amplify, celebrate and highlight the District’s creative economy. The month-long campaign will showcase and engage the District’s entrepreneurial and creative community through an array of virtual performances and events. These events will include two expert masterclasses, an industry leader fireside chat, an intensive week-long podcast lab and artist showcases and performances.
“Creativity and innovation are the backbone of a world class city,” said OCTFME Director Angie M. Gates. “Our creative economy fuels jobs and opportunity. It is so important to support our makers, creators and entrepreneurs. Throughout 202Creates Month we celebrate, amplify and highlight our D.C. Creatives.”
For the first time, the celebration will close with the 35th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards. This year’s award show will be a virtual telecast on Wed., Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m. The program will be shown on OCTFME’s DCN Network, streamed on DC Radio and be available as a premier event on OCTFME’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
Live Instagram engagements will also be featured throughout the show.
For more information and to vote DANILO PEREZ • MARC CARY FRÉDÉRIC YONNET • MATTHEW WHITAKER BABY ROSE • MAIMOUNA YOUSSEF DADO MORONI • BEN WILLIAMS NASAR ABADEY TRIO • CHRISTIE DASHIELL ALLYN JOHNSON AND SONIC SANCTUARY CECILY • ¡FIASCO! • GIVETON GELIN THE CHUCK BROWN BAND • HERB SCOTT JACK KILBY & THE FRONT LINE ALLISON AU • H E A R T O F T H E G H O S T HEIDI MARTIN • DCJAZZPRIX FINALS
The 2020 #DCJazzFest will be streaming live from our Nation’s Capital, watch on:
GATHER by
https://bit.ly/2020DCJazzFest
The DC Jazz Festival®, a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization, and its 2020 programs are made possible, in part, with major grants from the Government of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, Mayor; the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; and with awards from the National Endowment for the Arts; the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; and, in part, by major grants from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Galena-Yorktown Foundation, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, Gillon Family Charitable Fund, Venable Foundation, The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation, and The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation. ©2020 DC Jazz Festival. All rights reserved.
for your favorite creative, go to dcmayorsartsawards.com.
Key virtual events during “202Creates Month” include:
Sept. 9 - Digital Strategies to Grow Your Reach, noon
Sept. 10 - Content is King: Tips for Creating Powerful Scripts and Interviews, noon
Sept. 11 - Getting to the Money: Monetizing Your Podcast, noon
Two virtual masterclasses and one virtual fireside chat will feature topics that promise to be among the most viewed presentations of the month.
The topics include: “TV, Film, P0141 5.96x7 and Production in a Virtual World,” Sept. 10, 2 p.m.; “What Next for the Music Industry, Sept. 17, 2 p.m.; and “Innovation, Economy and COVID-19,” Sept. 24, 2 p.m.
For more information and a full schedule of events, visit 202Creates. com. WI
Nation’s Only Black to Lead Major U.S. Symphonic Chorus Heading to D.C.
The Washington Chorus Names Dr. Eugene Rogers as Artistic Director for 2020-2021 Season
By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir
As the two-time Grammy Award-winning choral ensemble, The Washington Chorus [TWC], prepares to observe its 60th anniversary this fall, the 2020-2021 season brings further reason for music lovers to celebrate.
Dr. Eugene Rogers, a leading conductor and pedagogue throughout the U.S. and abroad, recently assumed the helm as the fifth artistic director for TWC.
Rogers, a two-time Emmy Award winner, a 2017 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient and a 2015 Grammy Award nominee, has become accustomed to the role of trailblazer, not so much because of his new role with TWC which makes him the only Black to lead a major U.S. symphonic chorus. Rather, he accepted the challenges and responsibility of being “the first” even earlier in life when he became the only African American to earn a Ph.D. in conducting from the University of Michigan.
The upbeat singer-turned-conductor says despite pervasive racism which has long-defined classical music and the industry, he realized years ago that remaining focused on his goals and improving his skills at every opportunity were the best ways to prove his mettle.
“I fell into conducting after taking my first class and knew at that moment that I wanted to pursue it as my field of studies and as a potential career, giving little thought to people’s assumptions of how a conductor should look,” said Rogers, a
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native of Halifax County, Virginia.
“When I began graduate school, I realized I was the only Black in the choral, orchestral or wind programs. Upon receiving my doctorate in conducting, again, I was the only Black candidate. At that point, I thought my success would be best achieved if I only showed certain parts of myself. But that would be a very heavy burden. So, I became convinced that the best thing to do was to take what I needed. What mattered most was making sure I was good at my craft.”
“However, even after having conducted choirs around the world and despite the prestigious titles I had earned and been awarded, some of my closer white colleagues reminded me that none of it would ever be enough to change how some people perceived me – as a Black first and then as a conductor.”
“That was a hard lesson to learn because on a subconscious level, I wanted to prove that I was good enough – that I was a good as anyone else. But I had to accept the reality that because I’m Black, I may never be good enough for some. With that understanding, I stopped worrying about what others thought. I didn’t have time to care anymore. I just kept working hard, improving my abilities and doing the kinds of work that gave me pleasure and further empowered me,” he said.
Rogers’ ability to ignore that which he could not change would pave the way for opportunities and pathways that he could have never imagined. And the programming he has developed for TWC this season will reflect his willingness to push the envelope in ways he’s certain will improve the chorus while also resonating with audiences.
“Opposition has become normal for me but so have encouragement and praise,” he said. “I cannot hide
ROGERS Page 42
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5 Eugene Rogers (Courtesy Eugene Rogers)
LEARNING from Page 26
dependent study. Teachers have also been encouraged to maintain various modes of communication including texting, email and social media while making themselves available during unconventional hours that better suit families’ schedules.
Meanwhile, Johnson’s three children, James, Asahai and Khalil, count among the thousands of youth who are increasingly familiarizing themselves with Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams and other virtual learning platforms this academic year. In preparation for this undertaking, the D.C. government allocated $17 million – a combination of local and COVID-19 stimulus funds – toward the purchase of laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots. Officials in the D.C. Public Schools central office have also set up a website and hotline to assist parents.
James, a 10th grader at a local charter school, said he has relied on relationships with his teachers and his growing embrace of computers as an academic resource to help him make the transition to virtual learning. Though there’s less opportunity for in-person interactions with classmates, he’s been able to keep in contact with friends through other means.
Last spring, after a few setbacks in the beginning of his high school career, James regained his footing while learning virtually and has since developed a strategy for success that requires greater focus. And while he works next to his younger siblings, the demands of his schoolwork often prevent James from actively watching them and providing his mother with some relief.
“At first, I was rushing to go back into school but as we started the process I thought it was okay to stay at home,” said James, a student at KIPP DC Somerset College Preparatory, as he explains his daily routine of waking and freshening up, eating a light breakfast and logging on to his virtual learning platform.
“Some negative parts about distance learning are being late to class and teachers not being able to repeat what they said,” he continued. “It’s been good keeping up with the lessons. It’s easier to learn in person but I can handle this.”
Earlier this summer, before fall academic plans coalesced, District teachers expressed concerns about the health risks of physically engaging students in closed spaces during a pandemic.
On the other hand, the Trump Administration embarked on a crusade to corral students, teachers and school personnel into buildings through threats of funding cuts and more recently with the declaration that teachers are classified as essential workers.
Parents concurrently facing the demands of home and work in the age of COVID-19 held a bit of a nuanced view on the matter.
A Gallup survey released at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year showed that more than half of parents wanted in-person learning in the fall. While parents have increasingly embraced virtual learning amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, more than one-third of respondents who
5 Angel Johnson, 33, helps her two elementary school aged sons, Asahai and Khalil, with schoolwork during their virtual learning class work. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer) participated in another survey last month said they preferred a combination of in-person and virtual learning.
Regardless of the circumstances, Johnson said, continuity in her childrens’ education is key – so much so that she will go to any means to ensure that they receive it.
“I pray every day that we continue to be the way we are because some children aren’t even getting the proper education and nutrition,” Johnson said.
“I wish there was a better way. It’s risky getting the kids back in school but they need small groups or something. A lot of people are switching over to homeschooling. I thought about it but it’s a lot as a single mother,” she said.
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Study: Steroids Help Critically-ill COVID-19 Patients
By Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer
In a new study, medical experts found that a 28-day regimen of corticosteroids, or steroids, lowered mortality among critically ill COVID-19 patients compared to usual care or placebo treatment.
The World Health Organization Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies [REACT] Working Group says the results of the study came from meta-analysis of seven randomized clinical trials that included 1,703 critically ill patients, of which 647 died.
“The efforts of the clinical trial groups for the launch and conduct of high-quality trials in the midst of a pandemic should be acknowledged as an important accomplishment,” Drs. Hallie Prescott and Todd Rice wrote in a JAMA medical journal editorial.
“The agreement among the trialists to share unpublished data with WHO is an example of how science can advance and is critical.”
The doctors wrote steroids are inexpensive, readily available, and based on the new data are associated with reduced mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19. The side effects of this anti-inflammatory drug include possible weight gain, blurred vision, onset or worsening of diabetes and irritability.
At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March, however, guidance regarding steroids were mixed and to some degree remains controversial.
Dr. Anthony Gordon of Imperial College London called the result “a huge step forward,” according to the Associated Press. He added, “as impressive as these results are, it’s not a cure.”
Journal authors say while the trials produced positive results, the study does have limitations.
“The trials only recruited adults, and the effect of corticosteroids on children remains unclear. Similarly, the trials were mainly conducted in high-income settings,” they wrote. “One trial reported mortality at 21 days and one trial reported mortality at 30 days after randomization, potentially leading to inconsistency between trial results.”
The study found in conclusion that the administration of systemic steroids was associated with lower 28-day allcause mortality for patients.
The World Health Organization [WHO] says steroids have received worldwide attention as a potentially effective treatment for COVID-19 and has been added to a model list of essential medicines, readily available globally at a low cost.
As of Sept. 5, there have been over 26 million cases of COVID-19 globally resulting in over 800,000 deaths.
In the U.S., six million cases have been identified with over 188,000 deaths due to the disease.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought fear and a sea of change to the world,” Drs. Prescott and Rice wrote. “These studies provide evidence and some hope that an effective, inexpensive, and safe treatment has been identified.”
“Despite the widespread morbidity and mortality, and societal disruption caused by this pandemic, the work and collaboration of these networks provide hope for advancing science and humanity through this pandemic and beyond.” WI
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5 (Courtesy photo)
LIFESTYLE
Jacob Blake Speaks Out for First Time in Twitter Video Post
WI Report
In a video posted over the weekend to Twitter by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Kenosha, Wis. man who was shot seven times in the back by a police officer, is
5 Blake, who had an outstanding arrest warrant when he was shot, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman in May and waived his right to a preliminary hearing./Photo/Screenshot: Ben Crump (Twitter) seen speaking out for the first time since the shooting from his hospital bed.
“Your life, and not only just your life, your legs, something you need to move around and forward in life, can be taken from you like this,” said Blake, adding that for him, “every 24 hours it’s pain, nothing but pain. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to sleep, it hurts to move from side-to-side, it hurts to eat.”
He refrained from speaking about details surrounding the shooting or any criminal charges he might face.
However, in urging Black people to stick together, Blake, reportedly the father of six children, said “make some money, make everything easier for our people out there, man, because there’s so much time that’s been wasted.”
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5 Bruce Williamson (Courtesy photo)
Former Temptations Singer Bruce Williamson, 49, Dies from COVID-19 Complications
WI Report
Bruce Williamson, a former lead singer with The Temptations R&B group has died at age 49 from COVID-19.
Bruce, who joined the band in 2007, died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday night, after a reported battle with the dreaded disease, according to TMZ.
The Temptations, known for iconic hits such as “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and “Just My Imagination,” have been performing under various changing line-ups since the 1960s.
As a member of The Temptations, Bruce, a Compton, Calif., native, sang on studio albums like “Still Here” and “Back To Front,” as well as performing on various tours all over the world, alongside founding member Otis Williams.
Paying tribute, his son wrote: “There’s no words in the world that can express how I feel right now,” Williamson’s son, Bruce, wrote on Facebook. “I love you Daddy thank you for being awesome thank you for being loving thank you for being Who You Are I pray to God and we will meet again. “I love you Daddy R.I.H KING WILLIAMSON.” WI
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LIFESTYLE
Step Afrika! to Premiere ‘Stono’ Virtually, September 9
By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir
Even in the midst of a global pandemic, D.C.’s own professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, Step Afrika!, continues to find creative ways to provide some of the best entertainment available for fans in the Greater Washington Area. The dance company, founded and led by C. Brian Williams, will premiere its new show, “Stono,” on Wed., Sept. 9 on Facebook and YouTube at 8 p.m. The show serves as a tribute to the Sept. 9, 1739 march of enslaved Africans in South Carolina along the Stono River. While their efforts to gain their freedom would ultimately fail, the incident bears historical significance as one of the earliest collective actions for human rights in the U.S. A discussion will follow the performance moderated by WUSA anchor Lesli Foster with scholars from Yale and Columbia who will compare the rebellion to issues that still plague today’s society.
To register for the free event, visit www.stepafrika.org.
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THRIVE from Page 5
“Our families are really afraid of the lack of education that they can provide their own children at home,” Reeder said, noting that with so many of the jobs they have secured are in the hospitality industry and in positions that are essential jobs leaving little time to supervise virtual learning for elementary and secondary school students.
“So now they are forced to have the oldest child who may be a teenager, home to provide support to that sibling for education,” Reeder said.
Partnering THRIVE East of The River organizations pride themselves on the empowering aspect of the program, giving recipients full leverage on how their funds will be allocated for their families, providing a push that gives residents a hand up, and not a hand out.
“A really important part of the project is that we trust our families to make their own decisions,” said Kratz. “These families know how to spend their money; they know how to budget. They know how to go, and we trust these families to
stretch that dollar as far as it can been a core value of the project from the beginning.”
Although financial counseling is not required, Reeder heavily encourages participating families to have at least one session with
FSFSC’s financial literacy coach. The executive director works to ensure they are providing their families with options on how to manage money.
Andrea Richardson, a Ward 8 resident and participant of the THRIVE East of The River Program, was introduced to the initiative the program by her Arc of DC case manager. Arc of DC targets people with intellectual and development disabilities achieve full participation in their communities.
“It (COVID) put me in a disarray as far as my routine, and my consistency in how I was able to maintain my life. Being a part of this program has given me a rooting in being encouraged again, and to keep going forward in this time of crisis,” Richardson said.
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LIFESTYLE
African-American Suffragist Claimed Four Names and One Primary Purpose
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia
This is part of an ongoing Washington Informer series about the Women’s Suffrage Movement and an initiative that includes Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes that will use the lens of history, the fabric of art and culture and the venue of the public square to shine a light into dark places, equipping all with a compass to chart the way forward. The initiative lives in the institutional home of the Washington Informer Charities.
Do you know her? If not, perhaps you should.
Naomi Bowman Talbert Anderson was born March 1, 1843, in Michigan City, Ind.
Gaining attention due to her poetic talent, she received an invitation to attend a previously all-white school to complete her education.
Anderson, whose mother died when the young poet was just 17, married at the age of 20 and moved to Chicago. Her advocacy was immediate.
Anderson became a crucial player in the suffrage movement that advocated for equal rights for all people. She used her poetry to express the experience of being a Black woman and worked beside white suffragists in a campaign that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
In quoting Bonnie Schaaf, the president of the Michigan City Commission for Women and vice president of the League of Women Voters of LaPorte County in Indiana, writer William Halliar recently proclaimed that Michigan City had rediscovered one of its true heroines in the struggle for women’s right to vote and in the eradication of racial oppression.
The March 2020 proclamation by Halliar, titled “Rediscovering a Local Hero,” honored Anderson.
He noted that her “extended last name is derived from the fact that she survived several husbands which attests to her fortitude.”
He continued, quoting Schaaf. :“Anderson was known throughout the United States for her eloquence, moral force and life of activism, gaining a reputation for giving fiery controversial speeches. And she did this fighting for dual oppression for being both Black and female.”
Anderson would eventually move to Ohio and join the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, writing articles describing the demoralizing effects of alcohol abuse on people of color.
“She was especially concerned with the lack of education – a root cause of the problem,” Halliar wrote.
Following her husband’s death in 1881, Anderson worked as a hairdresser while continuing to write editorials and op-eds for various newspapers.
In an “Emancipation Day” address, Anderson expressed her faith, her view of history and her hope for the future.
“Woman has a power within herself, and the great God that reigns above, who furnished Abraham Lincoln with the knowledge to write the Emancipation Proclamation whereby four million Blacks were set free. That God, our God, is with and for us and will hear the
5 Naomi Bowman Talbert Anderson. (Photo courtesy National Archives/Public Domain) call of woman and our rights will be granted and she shall be permitted to vote.”
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POLITICS from Page 1
the independent at-large council seat while the sixth, Martin Miguel Fernandez, wants to represent Ward 2 on the District’s legislative body.
The Latino candidates, whether citywide or for a ward, face an electorate where their ethnic population won’t be dominant. Census data indicates 11.3 percent of the District’s population consists of Latinos, people of Central and South American origin as of July 2018. Nearly a quarter of District Latinos, 24.4 percent, are of Salvadorian descent, followed by in measurable numbers Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Cuban, Colombian and Guatemalan. In the District, Latinos live largely in the Northwest quadrant in Ward 4, with a 21 percent population and Ward 1, 20 percent and have a strong presence in neighborhoods such as Ward 1’s Adams Morgan, Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights and Ward 4’s Petworth and Mid-16th Street. In the overwhelming majority Black Wards 7 and 8 located east of the Anacostia River, Latinos make up three percent in both.
Despite the low percentage of residents, a few Latinos have been elected as advisory neighborhood commissioners since the advent of Home Rule in 1973, however few have been elected to other positions. Frank Shaffer-Corona, a Latino, won election on the D.C. School Board as an at-large member in 1978 and served until 1982, according to the D.C. Board of Elections. In 2004, Victor Reinoso won the District 2 seat on the D.C. School Board representing Wards 3 and 4. In 2014, voters elected Garcia as the shadow U.S. representative and he won re-election in 2016 and 2018.
In 2006, Garcia and a few other Democratic political activists founded the D.C. Latino Caucus in order to articulate issues of concern to Brown elected leaders in the city.
“The D.C. Latino Caucus has hosted candidate forums and issue endorsements through the years as a means to empower our community,” Garcia said. “We also have two seats on the D.C. Democratic State Committee and through those seats we make sure our voices are heard.”
Charles Wilson, the chairman of the D.C. Democratic State Committee, said the D.C. Latino Caucus has a strong voice in the party.
“We have become dependent on their efforts regarding outreach and we support what they do,” Wilson said.
Garcia said he realizes five Latino candidates running for the at-large council seat could create a troublesome logjam for Brown voters, possibly dividing the vote and diluting Brown voter strength.
“We may need to consolidate as the Nov. 3 general election date gets closer,” he said. “Those Latino candidates who don’t have a chance should coalesce behind someone who does.”
Garcia said Latinos have issues that block their political potency. He said even though 11 percent of the city’s population consists of Latinos, immigration status means 40 percent of that population aren’t eligible to vote. Garcia said ideas in the past to have council representation, such as a proposed Latino ward 10 years ago consisting of neighborhoods in Wards 1 and 4 wouldn’t work presently because Latinos live are all over the city, “not just in the two Northwest wards.”
Fernandez said there should be at least one Latino on the D.C. Council, based on the legislative chamber having 13 members at a time when the Latino share of the city’s population exceeds 10 percent.
“We are not represented as a group on the Council,” he said. “Ward 1 and Ward 4 have a heavy number of Latinos but my ward is 12 percent Latino. I am the only candidate in my race whose website and campaign literature are in Spanish and English. I feel an affinity for my community but identity isn’t everything to me. I am not a gimmick. I want people to know I have the back of Latinos and the community now and on the council. Plus, as someone who was raised in D.C. and understands its history, I know about the unique relationship between Blacks and Latinos in this city and how we can work together to get things done for our peoples.”
Howard University political scientist Michael Fauntroy said Latinos are a growing force in the city and those non-Latinos tied to the past must change.
“People in D.C. have to understand that the Black-White
By James Wright
WI Staff Writer @JamesDCWrighter
While Latinos have struggled to get elected to the D.C. Council, they have had much better luck in the suburbs.
The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has an estimated 800,000 Latinos residing not only in the District but Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in
Maryland and Alexandria and Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia. While few Latinos serve on town and small city councils, several have managed to county-level and major city governing board seats.
In Montgomery County, two members of the county council are Latinos. Nancy Navarro represents District Four encompassing Wheaton, Md., up to the
Howard County line along Georgia Avenue and in Sandy Spring,
Laytonville, Glenmont, Etchison,
Aspen Hill and Kensington. Navarro won a special election to the council in 2009 and was re-elected in 2010, 2014 and 2018.
In 2018, Montgomery County voters elected Gabe Albornoz to paradigm has disappeared,” Fauntroy said. “We are living in a multi-racial city and a multi-racial country. It is no longer just Black or White and people need to adjust to that.”
Fauntroy said the Latinos should engage with other groups such as Asians and the LGBTQ community to achieve their goals instead of relying on Afri
leaders in the city.
a council at-large position. Montgomery County’s Latino population consists of 19.9 percent, about the same percentage as its African American residents; both groups have two representatives on the council.
In Prince George’s County, one Latino sits on the county council, Deni L. Taveras. Taveras, of Dominican descent, represents District Two that includes areas such as Hyattsville, Adelphi, North Brentwood, Chillum, Langley Park and Mount Rainier. Prince George’s County has a 14.9 %population with strong Latino presence in Langley Park and Hyattsville. In Northern Virginia, Canek Aguirre became the first Latino elected to the Alexandria City Council in 2018. Alexandria consists of 16 percent Latino. Arlington County elected its first Brown member of the board of supervisors, Kate Cristol, in 2015. She chaired the body in 2018.
In Prince William County, Yesli Vega serves as the Coles District Supervisor on the board of supervisors. Vega won election to the position in November 2019. A Republican and the first Latina on the board, Vega has received can Americans exclusively.
“When Black people used to run for office in this city, it was always taken for granted that Latino support would follow,” he said. “That is not the case anymore, Black politicians will have to earn the votes of Latinos and Latinos must learn to bargain with Blacks or anyone else
Latinos Surge in Elected Office in Suburbs Despite Absence in D.C. Seats
to get what they want.” WI
5 Deni L. Taveras represents District 2 on the Prince George’s County Council.
national attention for being in a commercial talking about the education she obtained at American Military University.
WI
ROGERS from Page 34
my skin color or my sexuality so I just hold up my head and walk through the doors. Washington Chorus was an easy decision because its leaders have a desire which mirrors my own – to bring greater diversity to the stage and audience as well as within its group of dedicated financial supporters. TWC’s vision of moving forward into unexplored terrains was a perfect match of what and who I am.”
Rogers exudes excitement when discussing the new season and some of the special features he has planned like the Mahogany Series which will showcase the chorus performing music from genres rarely undertaken by American symphonic choirs.
“We’re fortunate to be in D.C. in an area where Black and Latinx communities co-exist with white communities,” he said. “Diversity isn’t foreign to the DMV but with a predominantly-white chorus and donor base, it cannot be truly achieved if we don’t allow for more musical experiences, allowed to develop organically and include jazz, Black opera, Latinx and old Renaissance composers all the way to the present day. We’ll be featuring a new cantata written by a Black composer, which will be premiered as a film, using music from the spirituals to Bach with a storyline based on the COVID-19 pandemic. We begin filming around the District in a few weeks and I’m very excited.”
“Naturally, there’ll be one concert that will serve as our annual commitment to taking all of those cultures and then displaying all the diversity and its colors. But it won’t be held during Black History Month as is normally the case.”
“And in the tradition of TWC, we will present out candlelight Christmas concert – five or six perfor
mances with three digital premieres, a core choir of about 10 singers and me at Strathmore.”
“Yes, we’ve had to re-pivot because of coronavirus. Still, as I cannot predict the future, I’ve made it a point to not look too far ahead. However, the virtual rehearsals and programming, which are now the only way we can proceed, should not be considered anything more than temporary.”
“There’s no way to replace what we know live art does to humankind and for the human experience. But I believe in time, things will return to the way it was when live audiences and performers fed off of one another’s energy. Perhaps it will be refashioned in slightly different ways but I’m hopeful, it will happen,” Rogers said.
For more information about the season or TWC, visit thewashingtonchorus.org.
WI
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The Washington Chorus 2020-21 Season Chronology Dr. Eugene Rogers, artistic director, in his debut season with The Washington Chorus
VIRTUAL OPEN SINGS Co-presented by Berkshire Choral International and The Washington Chorus Friday, October 30 Friday, December 11 Digital program; online only
TWC 60TH BIRTHDAY BASH Saturday, October 3, Time TBA Digital program; online only
“CANTATA FOR A MORE HOPEFUL TOMORROW” Saturday, November 14, 7:30 p.m. Digital program; online only
TWC CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS: LIVE AT THE MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE Friday, December 18, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 19, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, December 20, 3 p.m. Digital programs; online only
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wi book review
horoscopes
SEPT 10 - 16, 2020
“A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America’s First All-Black High School Rowing Team” By Arshay Cooper c.2020, Flatiron Books $27.99 / $37.99 Canada 229 pages
By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer
Either, or.
The choice is yours: do you pick one thing, or take the other? Stay where you are, or reach for better? This or that, any way, you always have to decide: do you take either, or... as in “A Most Beautiful Thing” by Arshay Cooper, do you take the oar?
Growing on Chicago’s West Side, Arshay Cooper was used to seeing blood on the sidewalk. Gunshots were like lullabies and he hated it. His father was long gone, his mother was then too addicted to care for her children, and he “had a funeral” for her in his heart. Later, once his mother was clean and he started attending high school at Manley Career Academy, he became firm in his belief that his future was not on the streets. He knew gang-banging wasn’t for him, so he mostly stayed home and watched Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and A Different World on TV, absorbing their lessons and wishing his life was more like that of the characters.
And then he saw a boat.
It wasn’t just any boat, though: it was long and sleek, and Cooper quickly learned that it was used in a sport he’d never heard of. The white female coach said team members would be taught all they needed to know; the white man who’d put the program together said that there’d never been an all-Black high school rowing team, and he promised that anybody who stuck with the program would succeed in life. Though Cooper’s schoolmates talked smack about it, and in part because of a girl, Cooper and his best friend signed up for “crew.”
And everything clicked into place.
Rowing required discipline. It was exhausting, emotionally and physically. There were sacrifices. But when on the water, rowing, he says, “I don’t hear gunshots or ambulance sirens. I don’t see gang signs and I don’t have fear... I feel powerful.”
Here’s all you need to know: “A Most Beautiful Thing” lives up to its name.
It doesn’t start out that way, though: in laying the ground for his tale, author Arshay Cooper writes about the realities of growing up in a Chicago neighborhood that he hints could have been any-inner-city-where, any-inner-city-time. This gives the story its muscle and allows readers to better picture the scenes and the struggles he and his young teammates withstood. You’ll be happy to know that there isn’t a shred of boasting or false pride in that.
Once you’re that far into the book, then, you may notice that Cooper masterly makes you feel a part of the team. At that point, just go ahead, take their losses to heart. Be proud of the changes they’ve made. Think about the grace on race that Cooper offers. Grin like a fool at the triumphs and laugh at their nonconformity.
It’s perfectly okay to get teary-eyed at the epilogue, really.
This is the feel-goodest of feel-good books, and you should have it now. Reading “A Most Beautiful Thing” will leave you feeling merrily, merrily, merrily. WI ARIES Today it’s very easy to get into an argument over money. It’s a good idea today to step back and recognize that not everyone handles money the same way. This energy is a fast-moving aspect and will clear in a day or so. Today, avoid a hotheaded impulse to bring angry words into the house. Lucky Numbers: 10, 23, 34
TAURUS For a couple of days, you may not feel as centered or balanced as usual. You may feel unprepared for a presentation, or that you are behind in some work. But Taurus, you can find a burst of energy to get things done when you need to. You may want to go hiking, run a marathon, or get started with some weight training. Lucky Numbers: 7, 12, 23
GEMINI Plans can go awry because of a miscommunication, or someone shows up at the wrong time. And after the challenges of yesterday, you may be tempted to feel more irritated than usual. But this is a good time to pivot to your usual great sense of humor. Lucky Numbers: 3, 30, 37
CANCER Over the next few weeks, you may have the desire to return to something you were doing before. This could be getting an old job back or resuming your previous duties after filling in for someone else. If you are thinking of moving on to another job, the universe is giving you a last chance to decide if you’re sure. Lucky Numbers: 10, 19, 44
LEO Today, you may be negotiating for a loan, raising your credit card limits, or laying out a budget. Numbers seem to dance around and it’s hard to pin people down to a specific rate or credit terms. Today, you’ll need patience if you want to finish the deal, otherwise put it aside until next week. Lucky Numbers: 19, 25, 26
VIRGO Today, you may catch someone in a lie. But before you fly off the handle, make sure to consider the reason the person was not telling the truth. Focus on investigation rather than judgment. Now the truth is revealed and everything you suspected was correct. There may be explanations — and perhaps even apologies. It’s best to laugh together and let bygones be bygones. Lucky Numbers: 33, 43, 48
LIBRA This is a good day to look at your investments. When you add things up you may find that you want to make a change, especially as the moon passes by Uranus, the planet of change. You may make a radical financial decision like doing a “no buy” month just to see if you can. Lucky Numbers: 4, 20, 21
SCORPIO Someone close to you has a very different idea of how to move forward on a project. Your sense is leaning the other way. But this is difficult to resolve with today’s aspect. If possible, wait until next week to make a decision. Lucky Numbers: 22, 28, 49
SAGITTARIUS Sometimes you can have a cavalier attitude about how you take care of yourself. But for the next few days, treat yourself with loving kindness. Give your body healthy food, water and sunshine. Nurture yourself and your body will thank you. Lucky Numbers: 7, 15, 45
CAPRICORN If you were considering moving, now things may be at a standstill. The real estate deal may be delayed and require further negotiations. If you were just thinking about changing residences, it’s time to start decluttering for a move in a few months. If you’ve recently moved, this is a good time to fully unpack every last box. Lucky Numbers: 18, 27, 52
AQUARIUS The events of yesterday may inspire you toward paying more attention to your finances and budget. With Neptune traveling for so long through your house of money, you have the ability to harmonize your personal energy with the energy of wealth. It starts with you paying attention to the money coming in and the money going out. Lucky Numbers: 5, 10, 26
PISCES Mars, the planet of action, will stay in your house of money for the rest of the year. This gives you enormous opportunities for creating additional income sources either through a side business, investments, or through changing jobs. This won’t happen overnight, so today just consider the possibilities. Lucky Numbers: 15, 23, 55
