VOL. 54, NO. 47 • SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
It’s National Sickle Cell Awareness Month – Get Tested
17M Voters Purged Nationwide Between 2016 and 2018: Analysis
Texas Eases Gun Laws Take Effect One Day after Latest Mass Shooting
As Death Toll Rises, was Outcome Inevitable or Ironic Twist of Fate?
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia
By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir A host of new firearm laws went into effect in the Lone Star State just hours after a 36-year-old white male went on a shooting rampage Saturday, Aug. 31, killing seven and injuring 22 more. And while Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed sadness during a news conference on Sunday, announcing the formation of a statewide task force, he also defended the new legislation enacted “for the purpose of making our community safer.” Those laws, passed in June near the end of the 2019 legislative session, further loosen gun restrictions in a state that has had four of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in U.S. modern history. Praised by the Nation Rifle Association [NRA] as legislation which “protects [citizens’] Second Amendment rights, the new laws include the following: school districts cannot prohibit licensed gun owners from storing a firearm or ammunition in a locked vehicle on a school parking lot, provided they are not in plain view; allow some foster homes to store firearms and ammunition for personal protection in a safe and secure place; ban homeowners or
SHOOTINGS Page 44
Capture the Moment Page 36
5 D.C. residents Simon Williams (l) and sons Alexander (12) and Sebastion (8) select books for kids at the 19th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival held Sat., Aug. 31 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. Thousands of reading enthusiasts including children children purchased books and stood in long lines to hear presentations from over 50 authors, poets, and experts in various fields including Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Henry Louis Gates, to name a few. (D.R. Barnes/The Washington Informer)
A Brennan Center analysis has found that at least 17 million voters were purged nationwide between 2016 and 2018, similar to the numbers discovered between 2014 and 2016. Using data released by the federal Election Assistance Commission, the Brennan Center found that counties with a history of voter discrimination have continued purging people
VOTER Page 44
PARCC Discussions Pivot to Chronic Absenteeism By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins In the days leading up to and following D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee’s announcement about the most recent gains on the PARCC assessment, some teachers and administrators east of the Anacostia River mulled over their instructional strategies and how best to address the circumstances that hinder student achievement.
In some Ward 7 and 8 schools, conversations have focused on homelessness and the connection between student absenteeism and low PARCC growth. A Southeast middle school teacher who requested anonymity said he and his colleagues went above and beyond to address attendance concerns, often at the cost of the limited time they had to teach important material. “I had the most improved math data out of all the grades but that’s because of the work I had to do,
PARCC Page 38
5 At least 17 million voters were purged nationwide between 2016 and 2018. (Courtesy of ACLU)
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COMPILED BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR, WI EDITOR AND WILLIAM J. FORD, WI STAFF WRITER
Justice from D.C. U.S. Attorney on She law enforcement. said they Symposium threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow 3 Prince Hate Crimes sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are
By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer
County When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violence victims and stricter restraining orderGeorge’s policies, State’s Attorney old daughter told her the father survivors are treated. more rights for victim'sAisha families Braveof her daughter threatened her “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf boy. of a(Photo viclife, and the life of their child, story, her own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assessby Anthony she knew something had to be push forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further Tilghman/The done. Out of her frustration said about Marlow. training for law enforcement Washington with law enforcement's handling Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's LifeInformer) Protecof the situation, she decided to who reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counselstart the Saving Promise cam- “get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. paign. Prince George’s“IfCounty State’s Attorney Aisha case in such a way, the average we are ever going to eradi“It seems to be a vicious cycle person can get it.” She Braveboy will host “State ofviolence, Justice” we symposium said at the cate adomestic must that won't turn my family end of the day, theTuesday, Sept. 10 Hotel book will lookat atThe both sidesand of the the Universicoin. loose,” Marlow said. Marlow help people begin totyhave a dia- We of Maryland in need College Park. Braveboy’s office to address both the vicshared her story with the audi- logue about domesticdubs violence. and first the time batterer,” Marlow the outingtim as the an elected state’s ence at the District Heights present event was attorney in the said. county will host such a symposium Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Also Norton (D- at the Domestic Violence Symposium Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow alsojustice like toreform. see to speak to residents aboutwould criminal DC) recently released a letter sent to U.S. Attoron 7 atDistrict the District Heights Jessie wife of Allen Muhammad, programs designed to on raise Braveboy, elected last year, plans to focus priorneyMay for the of Columbia LiuJohn again Municipal The sympowho was toities six consecawareness children in anand initiatives of the among office. She recently requesting Center. information on prosecutions forsentenced hate sium was sponsored by the utive life terms without parole public and private schools. She nounced her office will lead a youth justice reform crimes. A previous request for information had Family and Youth Services by a Maryland jury for hiswith role in feels from children toschool be educatplan resources the need public system, gone unanswered despite reports that the DisCenter of the city of District the Beltway Snipersheriff’s attacks in ed about domestic violence. office and nonprofit organizations. After trict leads the nation in reported hate crimes per Heights and the National Hook- 2002. Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop being pasher remarks, a panel will engage the community on capita. Norton has hosted multiple community Up of Black Women. the founder of After athe Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilvariety of topics. meetings to hear from the District’s LGBTQ Marlow has written a book, an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” “My top priority has always been to keep our community, which prompted original letter “Color Me Butterfly,” which is aher survivors of domestic violence safe;Marlow said. community I am committed to an administrato the U.S. Attorney Liu. story about four generations of and their children. Marlow hasand worked to break tion of justice in a firm, fair transparent manIn her letter, Norton writes: “I am concerned domestic violence. The book is “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, ner,” Braveboy said in a statement. about the low prosecution rates by your office inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she For more information and to register for the free compared to those of other cities. notI would and those of her grandmother, an easylike thing to come out is pushing for will start that event, go to https://bit.ly/2ZDh55M. an explanation thedaughter. very high declination rate her mother andforher of,” she said. process. for hate crime prosecutions by your office and She said every time she reads Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to whetherfrom theseherdeclination decisions excerpts book, she still peoplestemmed who want to help a Congress and implore them to fromnot a lack of resources from other causes.” can believe the wordsorcame domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said. from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poliwon the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” Books” Award. that she may be in “survival Tia Carol Jones can be reached “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net my eye first blackened and my “Before you get to 'I'm going lips bled,” Marlow said. to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI Elaine Davis-Nickens, president of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, said there is no consistency in the way domestic violence issues are dealt with by
Prince George’s Fair Begins Thursday
“
We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these Metro’s summer-long project for six Blue and Yelpolicies to south Congress and low line stations of Ronald Reagan National The Prince George’s County Fair will take place Airport station in Northern Virginia are scheduled Sept. 5-8 in Upper Marlboro. Labeled asimplore Maryto open Monday,to Sept.change 9. The stations,our Braddock them land’s oldest fair since 1842, the fair nearly didn’t Road, King Street, Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, take place due to inadequate funds. But County Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield, received laws. I will not stop until Executive Angela Alsobrooks authorized $25,000 platform upgrades, improved information displays, on Aug. 15 for the fair to go on as scheduled at cleaning and painting, enhanced PA system equipthe Show Place Arena. Some of the fair schedulethese policies are passed. ment, new bus shelters and new ceiling panels.
includes livestock and crafts, various exhibitors, carnival rides and of course, the beautiful baby contest. Fair organizers also need volunteers to set Paul Trantham up and monitor displays, care for livestock, answer phones in the office and other duties. For more information on hours and prices, go to http://www.countyfair.org/ 4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com INTERNS: Penelope Blackwell, CIRCULATION Olivia Boyd
4 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
Metro Set to Open Blue, Yellow Line Stations
“
SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY
Women the Cycle of wi hotBreak topics Domestic Violence Norton Demands Answers Braveboy to Host State of
“I think [it] will be a lot different than what they Marlow experienced when they were thereL.Y. before,” Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said Aug 23 on the Kojo Nnamdi show. “But more importantly, at the end of the day, I think we offer a very reliable service that is a great alternative to a lot of other alternatives they have, particularly traveling by car.”
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM
AROUND THE REGION
Councilman Blasts 7-Eleven for Selling Expired Food By James Wright WI Staff Writer The slogan “Oh thank heaven for 7-Eleven” means nothing to D.C. Council member Trayon White, who recently blasted the convenience store’s Ward 8 locations for selling expired food to his constituents. On Aug. 27, White (D) first visited the 7-Eleven store off of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SW in the Bellevue neighborhood and saw several outdated food items. The council member then went to the 7-Eleven on Good Hope Road SE and observed instances of expired food items, also. “it’s just out of control that [for] residents [who] already have a lot of health disparities living in Ward 8, that we are allowing someone to give out old food,” White told WTTG-TV (Channel 5). White said he visited a 7-Eleven in Tysons Corner, Va., and didn’t see any expired food items. The D.C. Department of Health’s Food Safety and Hygiene Inspection Services Division performs inspections at food establishments throughout the city using regulations found in the D.C. Food Code. A department spokeswoman told The Informer on Aug. 30 that a sanitarian investigated the Bellevue 7-Eleven on Aug. 27 at 1:15 p.m. “There were several violations cited during that investigation including the following: improper storage of food and food contact items, improper hair restraints for food handlers, improper storage of wiping cloths,
unclean shelves/cabinets/drawers, unclean floors, and storage of unused food equipment in the establishment,” the spokeswoman said. “A notice was given and a follow-up inspection will be performed.” The spokeswoman noted the inspection report “does not indicate any foods that were observed to be offered for sale that were expired.” She did not mention the Good Hope Road store in any communications with The Informer. On Aug. 30, The Informer conducted a field investigation into Ward 8’s 7-Elevens and a store in Ward 3. The Informer visited the Bellevue store and, aside from a single 7-Eleven breakfast burrito dated Aug. 28, none of the food items had expired. However, at the Good Hope Road store, two Halfpops Curiously Crunchy Popcorn had dates of March 21, 2019, and July 10, 2019, with both labeled “Best By,” meaning they should be consumed by that time. By comparison, the 7-Eleven on Connecticut Avenue NW in Ward 3’s Cleveland Park neighborhood had no expired items after a thorough examination by The Informer. The spokeswoman said food manufacturers provide dating to help consumers and retailers decide when food is of best quality. She added that except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not required by federal law. “The D.C. Health Department does require that foods which are prepared on-site at a retail restaurant are used and discarded within seven days,” she said. WI
5 Ward 8 Council member Trayon White, (D) is asking city officials to investigate after repeated complaints from
his constituents that 7-Eleven stores in Ward 8 are selling expired food. (Courtesy photo/Fox5DC)
The slogan “Oh thank heaven for 7-Eleven” means nothing to D.C.
Council member Trayon White, who recently blasted the convenience
store’s Ward 8 locations for selling expired food to his constituents.
WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 5
AROUND THE REGION
black facts
SEPT 5 - 11, 2019 SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB
defend his newly purchased home in a white neighborhood against a mob trying to force him out. He and his family and friends were ultimately acquitted of murder by an all-white jury in what came to be known as the Sweet Trials. 1934 – Renowned African American poet Sonia Sanchez is born in Birmingham, Alabama. 1941 – Soul music legend Otis Redding is born in Dawson, Georgia. 1968 – Arthur Ashe wins the first U.S. Open of the open era, becoming the first Black man to win the title.
SEPT. 5
1947 – Rock musician Buddy Miles (above), a former bandmate of Jimi Hendrix, is born in Omaha, Nebraska. 1959 – “Our Nig: Sketches from the Life of a Free Black” by Harriet Wilson, widely considered the first novel written by a Black woman, is published. 1960 – Leopold Sedar Senghor is elected as the first-ever president of Senegal.
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1988 – Lee Roy Young becomes the first Black member of the Texas Ranger Division.
SEPT. 7
1930 – Legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins is born in New York City. 1986 – Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-apartheid activist Desmond Tutu becomes the first Black Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa.
SEPT. 10
1961 – Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first president, returns from exile to lead the country 1976 – Mordecai Johnson, the first Black president of Howard University, dies in Washington, D.C.
SEPT. 11
1942 – Singer and actress Lola Falana is born in Camden, New Jersey. 1970 – Actress and Howard University alumna Taraji P. Henson, best known for the hit TV show “Empire,” is born in Washington, D.C. 1977 – “Roots,” the television miniseries based on Alex Haley’s 1976 novel, wins nine awards at the 19th annual Emmys. 1987 – Reggae great Peter Tosh is murdered in Kingston, Jamaica, during a home invasion. WI
SEPT. 8
1957 – Tennis great Althea Gibson becomes the first African American to win the U.S. National Champion-
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ships, now known as the U.S. Open. 1986 – “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (above) debuts nationwide, making its namesake host the first Black woman with a nationally syndicated talk show.
SEPT. 9
1925 – Ossian Sweet, a Black Detroit physician, and a handful of armed family and friends
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AROUND THE REGION
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Joe Biden, former vice president and front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, says he will preferably select a woman or a person of color as his running mate. What are your thoughts?
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Democrats, get to the polls and vote, no matter who becomes the nominee! What we have now is partly because of 5.4 million registered Democrats did not vote in the 2016 election! Each and every one of our votes matter. We depend on each other. No matter what, vote hate and the Klan out of the White House. Show up and show out!
CUE BLACK / WASHINGTON, D.C.
Why would you do that, Joe? Is it because the best candidates that you see out there in the field right now are Black or female? Or is it just to appease what you think society wants to see? Don’t pander.
DYAMOND NIKKI / WASHINGTON, D.C.
If the DNC chooses to ignore the previous warnings from 2016 about putting up a corporate/lobbyist-owned candidate, they won’t win 2020. This is the last warning to the DNC. No to Biden, Harris, Booker and Beto. There are independent voters the DNC must win over and that won’t happen with a status quo candidate. There are Republicans that are looking for a way out and moderation isn’t going to do.
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MICHELLE MILLER / ROSVILLE, GEORGIA
Please, no Joe Biden. If he chooses Stacey Abrams, I will be alert because Stacey said only those who work deserve protection. I have had times when I could not work. In a society that commodities us, are those who don’t work not valuable? Do politicians view its citizens as disposable? I want to know.
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Sorry Joe, your head is not in the right place to be president.
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AROUND THE REGION The World According to Dominic BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR / WI EDITOR / @DKEVINMCNEIR
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There’s something to be said about “the good old days.” I look back on them and smile, more often than not. Of course, unless we’ve perfected the art of “selective memory,” we realize that to look back over the course of our lives also requires us to revisit moments of sorrow. It’s drawing close to two decades since life as we knew it changed forever in the fall of 2001. I was a beat reporter in Chicago starting the day as usual with coffee, donuts and engaging in chatter with my colleagues. It was deadline day so we had much to day. Suddenly, our fax machine began to beep loudly, spitting out tomes of press releases about strange goings on in New York City. As we gathered around the fax machine, our editor began reading directives from nation security officials advising us how to interpret and share the news with our readers. The United States was under attack. Watching the Twin Towers burn, crumble and disintegrate on that Tuesday morning, Sept. 11, as well as seeing further destruction inflicted upon the Pentagon in Arlington, was a surreal
Watching the Twin Towers burn, crumble and disintegrate on that Tuesday morning, Sept. 11, as well as seeing further destruction inflicted upon the Pentagon in Arlington, was a surreal experience. experience. There’s no need to revisit the terror we all felt. As for me, it’s still just as real and raw as it was then. I was a recently-divorced father and my two children who lived with their mother in Detroit, were just 11 and seven years old. The editor decided to send a team from our suburban offices to downtown Chicago – I was dispatched as the reporter accompanied by a young photographer. As we boarded the train, I immediately noticed that we were the only two passengers. On the flip side, those trains heading away from the City were packed and the riders were clearly afraid. I was doing my job but I was not eager to become a hero
or a martyr. But on we went to the skyscrapers that blanketed the Windy City. As there was so much we still did not know I feared that airplanes of death might also be headed our way that would soon traverse the skies of Chicago as they already had in New York and Arlington. However, my fear for my own life quickly subsided – I wanted to know where my children were, where my former wife, who worked for the federal government in a Detroit was, and if they were all safe. Cell phones were inoperable. Confusion and panic took hold of the American people. Yes, it was a 20th century form of Armageddon. Years later, as we now review the news which has since become history, while I have few concerns about attacks from foreign interlopers, I am very worried about today’s almost daily forms of American-based and bred terrorism: mass shootings, drive-by attacks, anthrax scares and white supremacist-led insurrections. Nearly 20 years ago, in the “good old days,” our greatest fears came from crazed minds and groups from abroad. Today, the threat which poses the greatest danger to our lives comes from within. We have become our own and worst enemies. We are no longer the “united” states of America. As Baldwin once predicted, it’s the “fire next time” that we should fear most of all. WI
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Richard Campbell Challenges Trayon White for Council Seat
AROUND THE REGION
Ward 8 Needs Better Representation, He Says By James Wright WI Staff Writer Ward 8 resident Richard Campbell will run against D.C. Councilman Trayon White in the 2020 Democratic primary, saying that he has a lot of personal respect for White but thinks he will be a better legislator for the ward. “I think the ward needs a strong person to represent it,” Campbell, 60, said. “I would be the best person because I am a people person. I don’t want to speak negatively about anyone but I don’t see the council member we have in the community very much. “I saw Trayon White once and that was late at night where there was a fire at an apartment building in Congress Heights,” he said. “I spoke to him and he spoke back but just kept walking with his head down.” Campbell also talked about getting a robocall from White’s office about a meeting set to take place at the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School on the latest developments regarding the Frederick Douglass Bridge. When he arrived at the meeting, he noticed White’s absence. “He was the one who called the meeting and he didn’t even show up,” Campbell said. “He had one of his staff people there though.” The Democratic Party primary will take place on June 2, 2020, with the general election on Nov. 3, 2020. Campbell is the only publicly declared challenger to White thus far. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Mike Austin, who represents single-member District 8C01 and chairs the 8C commission, has been rumored as a White challenger but has yet to reveal his intentions publicly. Council candidacy petitions will be available on Jan. 10 and are due at the D.C. Board of Elections office on March 4 at 5 p.m. With the ward council race, only 250 signatures from eligible voters are needed to get on the primary ballot. Campbell retired from the D.C. Department of Employment Services in 2013. During
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5 Richard Campbell will run for the Ward 8 seat on the D.C. Council. (Courtesy photo)
his tenure at the department, he served as a union shop steward and president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1000. He attended Ward 8 schools and graduated from Ballou Senior High School in 1977. Campbell said if elected to the council, he will work to bring back vocational education in the District’s school system. He wants to work on how the District’s road system can better accommodate the various modes of transportation such as scooters, bikes, mopeds and ATVs. Campbell wants more money to go to the police department to fight crime and more officers on foot patrols. There should be more recreation centers, Campbell said, because young people can stay out of trouble if they are in them instead of out in the streets. To honor Barry, Campbell would rename Alabama Avenue SE for him instead of Good
Hope Road SE, the choice for Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), White and Barry’s widow, Cora Masters Barry. “Barry lived in Ward 7 and Ward 8 and Alabama Avenue is in both of those wards,” he said. “I will work with the council member from Ward 7 on this, if elected.” Campbell said he thinks that the late Washington Informer Publisher Calvin Rolark and former Ward 8 D.C. Councilwoman Wilhelmina Rolark should be honored with a street or building in the ward. D.C. Democratic State Committee Chairman Charles Wilson, who lives in Anacostia, said he knows the political players in Ward 8, but doesn’t know Campbell. “I haven’t heard of him,” he said. “He will have a tough time beating Council member White because [White] has a lot of support in the ward.” WI
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AROUND THE REGION CAPTURE THE MOMENT
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Roosevelt High School Principal Justin Ralston, Mayor Muriel Bowser (center), Terry Goings, Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd, Paul Blackman, and DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee cut the ribbon on the modernized Roosevelt High School Field in Northwest on Friday, August 30. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
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“The dream of America as the great melting pot has not been realized for the Negro; because of his skin color he never even made it into the pot.” – Thurgood Marshall - 1978
Editor’s Note: Integration began in the District and Baltimore public schools, Sept. 7, 1954. If you were part of that new class of students, we’d like to hear from you. Contact me at mcneirdk@washingtoninformer.com THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM
AROUND THE REGION
Lincoln Temple Church: New Mission at Old Site
Shaw Community Center is Lead Anchor By James Wright WI Staff Writer The shuttered Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ Building has been given a new life as the Shaw Community Center, which ministers to young people in a gentrifying neighborhood. The church that at one time had singers such as Jessye Norman, Marian Anderson and Roberta Flack and orators like former Georgia state Sen. and NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond and the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright have spoken from its pulpit has a more subdued mission now. The Shaw Community Center (SCC) has taken full residence of the facility and the work of changing lives for the better has continued. “We have been here since 2012,” said Sudi West, executive director of the Shaw Community. “When the church closed last September, we didn’t close. When we found out that the church was going to close for good, we asked the governing board whether we could still rent the space. The board said yes and we have been fulfilling our mission here since.” The SCC’s roots started at Lincoln Temple as a part of its outreach program to the Shaw community in the 1960s and it formalized in 1991. The program changed locations in 1991 to the Lincoln Westmoreland site on 7th Street, N.W. where the Channing E. Phillips Homes presently sits. The SCC offers programs for young residents in the areas of technology, arts education, financial and academic literacy, vocational training and workforce development. The programs serve hundreds who live in the Shaw neighborhood, recognized by public policy professionals and city planners as a gentrified neigh-
borhood. “We offer programs that respond to a rapidly changing neighborhood,” West said. The SCC’s well-known “After School Program 2019” focuses on helping students with their homework from school and developing their academic potential. The Summer Camp program includes a Real News component where students talk and write about current events. For example, students recently went to the Broccoli City Bar near the Shaw-Howard University Metro Station to interview with the owners and staff. They wrote and posted stories about their experiences on social media. The Real News program included a visit to The Washington Informer this summer. The SCC has an active scholarship program for college-bound students and seasonal programs such as digital media literacy training, a Christmas party, Thanksgiving baskets and college prep for high school students. While the Lincoln Temple congregation has left, it has been replaced with other faith groups, West said. “While the Shaw Community Center is the anchor of the Lincoln Temple Building, we have two other sub-anchors,” he said. “One is a Hispanic church and the other Eritrean. Those congregations are a reflection of the neighborhood around Lincoln Temple.” The Lincoln Temple Building has been deemed a historic site by the District government, so the building would be very difficult to tear down. West said he remains aware of developers wanting the spot to use for commercial purposes but that won’t happen. “We are here to stay and to serve the community,” he said. WI
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5 The historic Lincoln Temple UCC sits in a gentrifying area. (James Wright/ The Washington Informer)
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 11
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Residents Air Education Concerns at ‘Coffee and Conversation’ Event By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Special education and government services, building new schools and changing overall school culture were some of the topics Prince George’s County residents told officials they want improved. Dozens of people packed a Starbucks in Clinton to express concerns and ask questions at a “coffee and conversation” discussion hosted by Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson and county Councilman Sydney Harrison. “I need you to help,” Goldson said. “I’m not looking for a onetime photo-op. I need my kids to see someone who will be in their lives.”
Goldson pleaded for those to help judge science fair contests, businesses provide school supplies and read to students. Some parents are active in their children’s education and serve on PTAs such as Anisha Lewis, a PTA president at Oxon Hill Middle School, where her daughter receives special education services. However, Lewis said some staff at the school became rude after she questioned her daughter’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) and believed “I wouldn’t understand the data.” Lewis works as an executive director for the American Evaluation Association in Northwest, which helps conduct research and assess data for various organizations. “I’m now public enemy number one at the school, but I
5 Prince George’s County Councilman Sydney Harrison holds a microphone for a woman as she asks a question during an Aug. 29 discussion forum on education at Starbucks in Clinton. (Brigette White/The Washington Informer)
let them know I’m not going anywhere because I challenge things,” she said. “Them telling me I wouldn’t understand the data when I’m a professional researcher and evaluator doesn’t sit well with me.” Goldson called what happened with Lewis “unacceptable” and obtained her information. Reginald Butler of Clinton said the county needs to build more new schools, especially in the southern part of the jurisdiction. “I’ve been here since ‘73 and my kids are adults. Nothing has changed since then,” he said. “When you come to [a new] school, you feel better.” Not all the talk focused on education. Destini Harris of Upper Marlboro summarized the county should research how surrounding
jurisdictions are able to provide better schools because of impact fees. Harris specifically mentioned County Councilman Derrick Davis (D-District 6) of Upper Marlboro, who was also in attendance, because he co-sponsored legislation to provide exemptions for certain projects in order to bring in more county revenue. Harris and other residents in the Westphalia neighborhood hired an attorney to challenge a proposed merchandise logistics center in Davis’ district. The applicant, which possibly would have built an Amazon warehouse, withdrew the proposal Aug. 23. “If we see that year after year after year it’s the same problems, then what are we going to do differently?” said Harris, who received an ovation after she spoke. “We will never come up in Prince
George’s County if we don’t do things differently.” Davis responded and explained for several minutes how each jurisdiction has different funding formulas and hard to compare them with Prince George’s. In addition, he said, the state of Maryland provides the “lion’s share” of the budget that comes to the county. “We are the second-largest jurisdiction in the state of Maryland, but our property values aren’t as high as at least 15 other jurisdictions,” he said. “When you multiply that reality, you come up with the best resources to do all of the things that we’ve been trying to do. … We have to incentive to raise revenue because everyone who wants to do something can do it anywhere they want to do it in this region.” WI
6 Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson (second from right) speaks during an Aug. 29 discussion forum on education hosted by Goldson and county Councilman Sydney Harrison at Starbucks in Clinton. (Brigette White/The Washington Informer)
5 Anish Lewis talks about special education during a “Coffee and Conversation” discussion on education hosted by Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson and county Councilman Sydney Harrison at a Starbucks in Clinton on Aug. 29. (Brigette White/The Washington Informer)
12 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
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PGCPS BRIEFS
Compiled by Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer
BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS
PGCPS began the 2019-20 school year on Sept. 3 with a new leader and a $53 million investment in student success. On the first day of classes, schools CEO Monica Goldson visited five schools to highlight priorities under The Blueprint for PGCPS, a historic investment in teaching and learning. “I am excited about the possibilities this school year brings to improve our students’ experience in every classroom and every school,” said Goldson, who was appointed by Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in June to a full term as CEO after serving a year in the interim role. “We are helping students before they walk through our schoolhouse doors by expanding social and emotional supports.” Overall, the blueprint is an investment in high-quality education across PGCPS.
SCHOOL YEAR TIPS
School Calendar Prepare for the school year and plan ahead by reviewing PGCPS’ 2019-20 calendar. Parents and students can view, download and sync the new calendar to their personal calendar.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY programs tuition payments. Meal and tuition payments can be made online or through the mobile app for iPhone or Android.
BUS ROUTE INFORMATION
Information on student bus routes is available through the online Bus Stop Finder on the Prince George’s County Public Schools website (www.pgcps. org) or the SchoolMax Parent Portal. Route information will not be issued to parents/guardians by mail. Parents/guardians may use the Bus Stop Finder for details on locations, pickup and dropoff times. Bus stop/route assignments are based on current student addresses provided by each school. For additional assistance, call 301-952-6570.
STAY CONNECTED
PGCPS provides news and updates on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn during the school year. Parents and students can also hear directly from schools CEO Monica Goldson on Twitter @ drmonicaceo. Regular PGCPS information is also shared via email and text alerts, the weekly Engage PGCPS newsletter and on the school system’s “Inside PGCPS” blog.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHTS
Accokeek Academy Grades K to 5: Sept. 11 (6 p.m.-8 p.m.) Grades 6 to 8: Sept. 12 (6
5 On the first day of classes on Tuesday, Sept. 3, Schools CEO Dr. Monica Goldson visited several schools to highlight priorities under “The Blueprint for PGCPS.” (Washington Informer File Photo)
p.m.-8 p.m.) Accokeek Academy Grades K to 5: Sept. 11 (6 p.m.- 8 p.m.) Grades 6 to 8: Sept. 12 (6 p.m.- 8 p.m.) Capitol Heights Elementary Grades 3 to 5: Sept. 19 (6 p.m.8 p.m.) Grades pre-K to 2: Sept. 26 (6 p.m.-8 p.m.) Clinton Grove Elementary, all grades: Sept. 19 (5:15 p.m.7:15 p.m.) Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High, all grades: Sept. 19 (6 p.m.8:15 p.m.) Frederick Douglass High, all grades: Sept. 11 (6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.) WI
4 Information on student bus routes is available through the online “Bus Stop Finder” on the PGCPS website. (PGCPS photo)
SchoolMax In the PGCPS SchoolMax family portal interested parties can view student schedules, keep up with grades and report cards, see bus route info and more. Got Lunch? MySchoolBucks is an online payment service through which parents can securely pay for meals and monitor student cafeteria purchases. This is also the portal for “Before and After School Extended Learning” WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 13
BUSINESS HSC Health Care System to be Integrated into Children’s National
Improved Care Coordination Will Benefit Patients with Complex Care Needs It’s official! Regulators have officially approved an agreement between two highly-regarded organizations acknowledged as among the nation’s best in providing care for children living with some of the most complex medical challenges one could imagine.
And the prognosis for those children, and their families, promises to bring greater hope, optimism and improved quality of life for all involved. “We are excited to have the HSC team join the Children’s National family,” said Kurt Newman, M.D., president and CEO of Children’s National.
5 Children’s National Health System and HSC Health Care System signed a letter of intent to form a partnership to coordinate care for children and young adults in Washington, DC. (Courtesy photo/modernhealthcare.com)
“Together, our experience represents 285 years of experience caring for children with the most complex medical needs. We know that integrating our services will help meet the
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changing needs of patients and their families and create a seamless care experience,” Newman said. The two organizations have a long history of collaboration. HSC is a health system serving children with complex health conditions; many of whom receive rehabilitative therapy from HSC into adulthood. Children’s National, ranked sixth nationally among children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, provides inpatient and outpatient specialty care to many patients who also receive services from HSC. “The patients and families we serve routinely navigate a complex system with a multitude of specialists and services required for their care. Together, we know we can make it easier for them to access care,” said Nathaniel Beers, M.D., president and CEO of The HSC Health Care System. “Ultimately, our goal is to improve the quality of life for our patients and their families,” Beers added. Medical advances have significantly increased life expectancy for children with complex medical needs, leading to an increased demand for specialized care as well as innovations to address the longer-term needs of these children. The importance of delivering highly coordinated care to children with complex medical needs
gained national attention when the bipartisan ACE Kids Act was signed into law this spring. Children’s National collaborated with HSC in a national pilot program that provided the foundation for this legislation. The organizations will now move forward together with the deployment of a five-year integration plan. Children’s National, based in Washington, D.C., has served the nation’s children since 1870. It is the nation’s No. 6 pediatric hospital and, for the third straight year, is ranked No. 1 in newborn care, as well as ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, Children’s National is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels. The HSC Health Care System is a 135-year-old non-profit health care organization committed to serving individuals with complex health care needs and eliminating barriers to services. HSC is a unique and comprehensive system of care in the Washington, DC area with a mission to changing lives through expert, family-centered medical care, care coordination, and empowerment through advocacy and education. WI
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*The STAR Home Equity Loan is available to Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland residents who have property located in a low- to moderate-income census tract and/or have an income below 80% of the area median income as identified by the U.S. Census Bureau. Loan amounts range from $2,500 to $9,999. Visit a branch to apply.
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BUSINESS
5 Every household is required to fill out the 2020 census form and return it to the Census Bureau. If the form is not returned by the due date, a census taker will visit in person to collect the data. (Courtesy photo)
Anacostia Council to Aid Census Count in Ward 8
By James Wright WI Staff Writer
For years, Ward 8 residents have been undercounted during the decennial census but the Anacostia Coordinating Council has determined that 2020 will be different. “Ward 8 counts,” Phillip Pannell, executive director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC), said at the council’s monthly meeting on Aug. 27 at Martha’s Table in Southeast. “We have received a $$75,000 grant from the city for outreach in Ward 8 and we will be visiting community groups and organizations throughout the ward to talk about the importance of the census.” Every person living in the U.S. as of April 1, 2020 will be counted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Constitution requires that a count of all people living in the country takes place every 10 years, and that has been done since 1790. The federal government considers the District as a state for the purposes of the census. The census determines how $675 billion are spent across the country as well as representation in the U.S. House. In the District, $3 billion comes from the federal government through programs such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and housing vouchers. While the District has a fixed delegate representing it in the U.S. Congress in the House, census data helps the D.C. Council redraw ward and advisory neighborhood commission boundaries. In mid-March 2020, the Census Bureau will mail out an invitation for each household in the country to participate in the count. The census will be based on residential addresses and allows for one submission per household. Melissa Bird, executive director of
District 2020, the city government’s effort for a full and complete count, spoke at the ACC meeting about the census and elaborated on what defines a household. “Every person living in a residence will be counted,” Bird said. “There will be one person who fills out the form for the household. Living in a household could be a family, renters or roomers. The purpose is to count everyone who lives at the residence from the age of 5 and up.” In a first, people can fill out their census forms online — though the news wasn’t exactly met with enthusiasm at the meeting. Bird addressed the residents’ concern, saying people can respond to the census by telephone or by requesting a hard copy via mail. She said a census enumerator will stop by residences if a form hasn’t been completed by the beginning of May. “We are fully aware that 22 percent of District residents do not have a personal internet subscription,” she said. Bird said no citizenship question will be on the census form. She said D.C. residents who are incarcerated in other states are counted in those states in the census. Bird said the ACC will work with the support of the Bowser administration to count every Ward 8 resident, realizing that many are low-income African Americans, seniors and children younger than 5. She presented a colorful map of the District divided in wards, with dark blue areas indicating low response to the census in the 30-42.2 percent range and those in beige showing 8.3-15.9 percent high response. Much of Ward 8 lies in the dark blue and Bird said the ACC will try to change that. “That is why we are in the ramp up phase right now,” Bird said. “The ACC know best how to share the importance of the census to the community.” WI
Application Period Now Open: Pepco Customers Can Receive Cash Grants to Help Pay Energy Bills In the 2018 LIHEAP program year, Pepco connected customers with $11.5 million in energy assistance WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 28, 2019) – Pepco customers can now apply for energy bill assistance through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland can receive more than $1,000 in grant support toward their energy bill by applying through their local program. “We are committed to providing our valued customers with affordable energy service,” said Donna Cooper, Pepco region president. “Each year, LIHEAP provides a very important resource for customers that need financial support. Our teams work extremely hard and collaboratively with local community organizations and governmental agencies to make sure our customers are aware of this vital funding. We are taking the important step to remind our customers to apply as early as possible to ensure they receive the assistance they need.” Grant eligibility differs by state and is based on a customer’s annual household income and size. A customer’s annual household income cannot exceed 175 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. Homeowners, renters, roomers, and subsidized housing tenants may be eligible. Customers do not have to be behind on their bills to receive a grant. Maryland’s maximum income eligibility requirements are as follows: • $21,858 - One-person household • $29,593 - Two-person household • $37,328 - Three-person household • $45,063 - Four-person household Washington, D.C.’s maximum income eligibility requirements are as follows: • $30,918 - One-person household • $40,431 - Two-person household • $49,944 - Three-person household • $59,457 - Four-person household In Maryland, customers can apply for LIHEAP energy assistance through the Department of Human Services website, by visiting a Local Administering Agency, or by calling the Office of Home Energy Programs at 800332-6347. Customers in the District of Columbia can apply for LIHEAP energy assistance through the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), by visiting one of DOEE’s Energy Centers, or by calling 311. In the 2018 program year, Pepco’s customer advocate team connected nearly 19,000 customers with more than $11,500,000 million in LIHEAP assistance. In addition to LIHEAP, Pepco provides customers several ways to save money and manage energy costs. My Account provides a web-based interactive tool, giving customers a detailed analysis of personal electric use and offers helpful ways to save. Customers can visit pepco.com to learn more about available energy assistance programs and tips to save money and energy. Pepco works with customers who may have difficulty paying their energy bill. Through payment options such as flexible payment arrangements that offer individually tailored payment installment plans or budget billing. This program averages payments over a 12-month period to help customers manage their monthly electricity costs. Customers who may be struggling to make a payment should contact Pepco as soon as possible at 202833-7500. To learn more, readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Pepco’s online news room. Find additional information about Pepco by visiting pepco.com. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/pepcoconnect and on Twitter at twitter.com/pepcoconnect. Our mobile app is available at pepco.com/mobileapp.
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 15
NATIONAL Texas Suffragist Christia Adair a Civil Rights Champion 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 De-
16 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
nise 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.
Christia Adair — say her name. “Christia Adair fought for the right for both women and African Americans. As a member of the NAACP, she worked to desegregate buses, dressing rooms, libraries, and hospitals,” said Texas Democratic Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson. “100 years ago, Texas ratified the 19th Amendment, but African American women suffragists like Christia Adair were still turned away at the polls,” NPR’s Houston reporter Jen Rice wrote on Twitter. Born in Victoria, Texas, on Oct. 22, 1893, Adair, who was born Christia Daniels, attended Samuel Huston College. She graduated in 1915 and went on to teach in the Edna Public Schools before marrying Elbert Adair in 1918. The couple later moved to Kingsville, Texas, where Adair helped to spearhead a women’s movement that included fighting against illegal gambling and organizing a petition drive for women’s suffrage. Despite Adair registering to vote, she was denied the opportunity to cast a ballot. “The white women were going to vote,” Adair said in a 1977 oral history interview with the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College. “And we dressed up and went to vote, and when we got down there, well, we couldn’t vote. They gave us all different kinds of excuses why. So finally one woman, a Mrs. Simmons, said, ‘Are you saying that we can’t vote because we’re Negroes?’ And he said, ‘Yes, Negroes don’t vote in primary in Texas.’ So that just hurt our hearts real bad.” In 1943, Elbert Adair died, leaving his wife a widow. The couple did not have children. After her husband’s death, Adair continued her activism. She joined the Houston chapter of the NAACP and she went on to serve as secretary for the civil rights organization. Adair enjoyed a reputation as a fighter who would protect NAACP and other civil rights workers at all cost. She went head-to-head with Houston police who were trying to disrupt the local NAACP by attempting to force Adair to provide names and records of members. According to the organization Women in Texas History, Adair was the executive secretary of the NAACP when the organization brought a lawsuit to end the White Primary in Houston. The basic idea of the White Primary was to explicitly prohib-
5 Christia Adair (Courtesy of Texas State Historical Association)
it non-whites —African Americans primarily, but also Mexican Americans in south Texas — from joining the Democratic Party or participating in its the primary elections, according to research posted online by the University of Texas. Because the Democratic Party dominated the political systems of all the Southern states after Reconstruction, its state and local primary elections usually determined which candidate would ultimately win office in the general election. Thus, any voters excluded from the Democratic primary were effectively excluded from exercising any meaningful electoral choice. When the Texas Legislature passed a law in 1923 explicitly barring African Americans from participating in the Democratic Party primary, it fired the opening salvo in a two-decade legal and political struggle whose outcome hinged on whether a party could or should be regarded as a private entity with the right to establish its own internal rules. The 1923 law was overturned as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in Nixon v. Herndon (1927) for violating the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The decision addressed only the facts of the case before it, which concerned state law not the policies of individual political parties. In response the Texas Legislature passed a new law al-
lowing the executive committee of each state party to decide who could vote in its own primary, according to the University of Texas research. Known as Smith v. Allwright, the 1944 case was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court by Thurgood Marshall, who won. While the victory failed to prevent other attempts to disenfranchise African Americans, it did end the White Primary in Texas which was a major step toward securing equal voting rights, historians said. This and similar victories made Adair the subject of bomb threats and other violence, according to Women in Texas History. Adair also helped desegregate the Houston Public Library, airport, veterans’ hospital, city buses and department store dressing rooms. Her work helped blacks to serve on juries and be hired for county jobs. In 1966, she was one of the first two Blacks elected to the state Democratic committee, but the party refused to seat her delegation. She was honored with a county park and community center named after her in Houston. The center includes a mural about Adair, who in 1984 was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Adair remained active in community affairs until her death at the age of 96 in 1989. WI
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NATIONAL How to Be an Anti-Racist, According to Educator Ibram X. Kendi By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia Ibram X. Kendi admittedly once trivialized racism. The American University professor placed some of the blame for race relations in America on blacks. In a speech delivered in 2000, while he was still in high school, Kendi suggested African Americans were too busy blaming their lot in life on racism life instead of being more proactive. Today, the National Book Award-winning author is delivering a new take on racism in America through his latest work, “How to Be an Antiracist” (320 pages; One World Publishing). Kendi says that many Americans are smitten with the thought that they can somehow avoid being labeled as a racist only by a passive attempt at treating others as equals. “When a person says that they are colorblind, to me, that means they are blind to racism, and they’re blind to differences,” Kendi told NBC News. “People who
say they don’t see race is not seeing the diversity of humanity, whether that diversity is about skin color, or hair texture, or culture.” In “How to Be an Antiracist,” Kendi explains that his concept reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America. Instead of working with the policies and system in place, Kendi asks his readers to think about what an anti-racist society might look like. He questions how all can play an active role in building it. Kendi weaves together a combination of ethics, history, law, and science — including the story of what he said is his awakening to anti-racism. A New York Times reviewer wrote: “What do you do after you have written [Kendi’s previous book] ‘Stamped From the Beginning,’ an award-winning history of racist ideas?… If you’re Ibram X. Kendi, you craft another stunner of a book… What emerges from these insights is the most courageous book to date on the problem of
race in the Western mind, a confessional of self-examination that may, in fact, be our best chance to free ourselves from our national nightmare.” Publishers Weekly reviewers wrote: “A boldly articulated, historically informed explanation of what exactly racist ideas and thinking are… [Kendi’s] prose is thoughtful, sincere, and polished. This powerful book will spark many conversations.” Kirkus Reviews said: “A combination of memoir and extension of [Kendi’s] towering Stamped from the Beginning… Never wavering… Kendi methodically examines racism through numerous lenses: power, biology, ethnicity, body, culture, and so forth… This unsparing honesty helps readers, both white and people of color, navigate this difficult intellectual territory… Essential.” Born in New York in 1982, Kendi’s parents were student activists and Christians inspired by
Black liberation theology. He attended Florida A&M University, where he majored in journalism and freelanced for several Florida newspapers, and later, he interned at USA Today Sports Weekly, The Mobile [Ala.] Register and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 2004, Kendi graduated from Florida A&M with a degree in African American Studies. At 27 years old, he earned his doctoral degree in African American Studies from Temple University in 2010. A year earlier, Kendi took a job as an assistant professor of African American history at the State University of New York at Oneonta. He became a full professor at 34 years old. According to his biography, Kendi has been visiting professor at Brown University, a 2013 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow, and postdoctoral fellow at the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis. He has also resided at The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress as the American His-
torical Association’s 2010-2011 J. Franklin Jameson Fellow in American History. In the summer of 2011, Kendi lived in Chicago as a short-term fellow in African American Studies through the Black Metropolis Research Consortium. He has received research fellowships, grants, and visiting appointments from a variety of other universities, foundations, professional associations, and libraries, including the Lyndon B. Johnson Library & Museum, University of Chicago, Wayne State University, Emory University, Duke University, Princeton University, UCLA, Washington University, Wake Forest University, and the historical societies of Kentucky and Southern California. In his new book, Kenzi noted that “racial inequity is a problem of bad policy, not bad people.” He says, “denial is the heartbeat of racism” and “being an anti-racist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism and regular self-examination.” The book is available on Amazon.com and other outlets. WI
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Hurricane Dorian Devastates Two Major Islands of Bahamas By Oswald T. Brown WI Contributing Writer Residents of Grand Bahama and Abaco, two major islands in the Northern Bahamas, continue to struggle to restore some degree of normalcy to their lives after Hurricane Dorian wrought devastation and destruction earlier this week. The Category 5 hurricane, in a fashion never experienced by the normally-tranquil series of islands, hovered for several days over The Bahamas before moving toward the U.S. As a native of The Bahamas, it was extremely painful for me to watch reports on television and social media as Dorian, after causing catastrophic damage to Abaco,
released its fury in Grand Bahama as it moved at a snail’s pace, blowing off roofs and causing extensive life-threatening flooding. My pain was intensified by the fact the I lived in Freeport for 12 years prior to returning to the District in 2013 as the Press, Cultural Affairs and Information Manager at The Bahamas Embassy, Moreover, I am very familiar with Abaco because when I was editor of the Freeport News, we published an Abaco edition that required me to visit Abaco at least twice a week. One resident of Grand Bahama, environmentalist Gail Woon, who sought refuge in a Seventh Day Adventist Church, described Dorian’s assault on Grand Bahama as a “nightmare,” noting that she
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and “scores of others at the church faced the unthinkable as a portion of the roof at the shelter flew off,” according to a report in the Nassau Guardian. “I was shocked when the roof fell in,” she told The Nassau Guardian. “There were more people upstairs and someone had opened the window without permission from the manager. The corner of the building’s roof just popped right off.” At a press conference on Monday, Sept. 2, Prime Minister Huber A. Minnis confirmed that five people had died as Dorian moved through North Abaco but speculation remains that the number of deaths will be higher after subsequent flooding recedes. The U.S. Coast Guard initiated airlifting people in need of urgent medical care out of Abaco Monday. In a statement, officials from the US Embassy in Nassau said the U.S. Coast Guard has already launched search and rescue operations in Abaco according to The Tribune, one of Nassau’s major daily newspapers. “The U.S. Coast Guard’s mission to the Bahamas is assisting victims of Hurricane Dorian in Abaco, in the Bahamas,” the statement said. “U.S. Coast Guard helicopters are evacuating injured persons from the Marsh Harbour clinic to Nassau for urgent care. On Monday afternoon, these helicopters have airlifted 12
5 Dorian slammed the Bahamas as one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded. (Courtesy photo/thegrio.com)
persons out of Abaco.” The statement noted that the U.S. government is “also working with Bahamian counterparts to begin coordinating broader relief efforts.” “The U.S. government will be providing overflight support to collect imagery of critical infrastructure to provide to the Bahamian government to assist in its response efforts,” the statement said. “Relief agencies will move quickly to assess the affected areas for humanitarian.” Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar expressed concerned that although the dangerous storm “would have largely affected Grand Bahama and Abaco, visitors unfamiliar with The
Bahamas’ geography will believe the entire country was devastated,” according to The Tribune. This, he said, is likely to affect projections, creating “enormous” concerns for the tourism industry. He also lamented that more than 20,000 cruise ship passengers who were expected to arrive in Nassau have been directed elsewhere due to the storm. In related news, states of emergency have been declared in the U.S., including Florida, Virginia and North and South Carolina with deadly flooding and surges of waters from the hurricane expected to cause significant damage and death for residents who live along the Eastern seaboard. WI
The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) Bid Opportunity The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting bids from qualified contractors to provide Water Chillers and Installation Services for the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Interested parties can view a copy of the Invitation for Bid (IFB) by accessing the Event DC’s E-procurement website at www.wcsapex.com and opening APEX BID #19-S-131-593 Key Dates IFB Questions Due Date: 05:00 PM EST, September 19 ,2019 IFB Response Due Date: 03:00 PM EST, September 30, 2019
The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) Bid Opportunity The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide Employee Wellness Program for the Human Resources Department. Interested parties can view a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) by accessing the Event DC’s E-procurement website at www.wcsapex.com and opening APEX BID #19-S-020-576. Key Date RFP Questions Due Date: 5:00 PM EST Monday, September 16, 2019 RFP Response Due Date: 3:00 PM EST Monday, September 30, 2019
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INTERNATIONAL
africa now
COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN
South Africa Looks to Gas for Power
5 Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe
As South Africa scrambles to stabilize and diversify its energy resources while continuing to be heavily reliant on an ailing Eskom and its coal, which is causing devastating pollution, the country is now strongly looking at liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil as alternatives. Industry experts say heavy coal consumption and unreliable power generation make natural gas an attractive solution to diversify its power generation base. Next month, South Africa will host the three-day Africa Oil and Power Exhibition conference in Cape Town. Representatives from many African countries and about 1,000 global leaders in the petroleum and power industry will attend. Themed “Make Energy Work,” the conference will discuss the future of natural gas on the continent. The conference embraces the entire African value chain, from upstream oil and gas operators, service providers, finance, and energy infrastructure to power generation, transmission and distribution. South Africa is one of the focus countries as it readily presents petroleum and power opportunities, and has been identified as an influential market. Various countries will present their projects with the hope of getting funding deals signed and sealed. Next year, Transnet is putting out a tender for the development of an LNG import terminal in Richards Bay, and the World Bank, through its International Finance Corporation, has already committed $2 million (R30.6 million) to fund the project. WI
caribbean now Guyana Seeks $3.5B Loan for New Water Filter System
5 Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, GWI’s Managing Director
Works are in the pipeline for the approval of a more than $3.5 billion loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) for the purchase of a new and improved water filter system. Dr. Richard Van West-Charles (left), GWI’s managing director, told the Department of Public Information that the decision to replace the filter system came after thorough researching and testing, the Guyana Chronicle reported. “Where there is high iron and hydrosulphide, those filters will clean the water and all of the water produced will be in total compliance with the World Health Organization [WHO] standards,” Van WestCharles said. “We are all compliant with respect to microbiology with the exception if there are breakages in the distribution system.” He said that the terms of reference are presently being prepared and part of the loan will also look at the feasibility of using water from the Hope Canal, located on the East Coast of Demerara with the aim to provide more water availability for the population on the coast. “Our aim at GWI is to erase the consumption of unhealthy water and boost supply. With these filters, persons will not have reason to complain about rust, their clothes or tiles been stained when using the water for domestic purposes,” he said. The initiative is also in keeping with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #6 which ensures access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, investment in suitable infrastructure, sanitation, facilities and hygiene at every level. WI
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HEALTH Rep. Underwood to Speak at Maternal Summit By James Wright WI Staff Writer @Jamesdcwrighter Rep. Lauren Underwood, a freshman Democrat from Illinois and a registered nurse, will serve as a speaker for the second annual National Maternal & Infant Health Summit on Sept. 10 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest. “Rep. Underwood has emerged on Capitol Hill as a leader in this field,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). Underwood holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and two master’s degrees
from Johns Hopkins University. She served in the Obama administration as a senior adviser in the Department of Health and Human Services. In the House, Underwood serves on the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions for the Committee on Education and Labor. She also serves on the Black Maternal Health Caucus. Bowser, who will serve as the primary host for the summit, said more than 1,000 people are expected to attend the all-day event. “The summit is an opportunity for elected officials, health officials and D.C. residents to explore strategies to improve perinatal health
and address racial disparities in birth outcomes,” the mayor said. According to the 2018 DC Perinatal Health and Infant Mortality Report, about half of Black women and more than one in three Hispanic women are not entering prenatal care until their second or third trimester or not receiving care at all. According to America’s Health Ranking’s 2018 analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, about 36 women die for every 100,000 live births in the District, compared to 20.7 such deaths nationally. This data treats the District as a state and only four states have worse rates. Bowser said the summit will consist of a panel discussion, a luncheon and workshops focused on successes from around the country that could serve as best practices. She said while the conference will be national in scope, local issues such as lack of access to obstetrics and gynecologists in the east end of the city will also be discussed. “We will address places where people can get access to obstetricians and gynecologists,” Bowser said, acknowledging that Ward 8 residents don’t have immediate access to that field of medicine because the city government shuttered that unit at the United Med-
5 D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (WI photo)
ical Center in 2017. “There are other places in the city for those services.” Bowser said her administration learned from last year’s summit and has instituted changes. “We heard from feedback from last year’s participants and they wanted the chance to interact with each other,” she said. “We have also added workshops on food and food policy and tips on how moth-
ers can eat healthy while pregnant. We have added a panel on dads and how can they contribute to healthy moms and babies. “We will have an expo of sorts where Aetna, a primary sponsor, will offer information about minigrants that are available and other government agencies and nonprofits will showcase their programs, too,” Bowser said. WI
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Bowser Releases Annual HIV, STD, Hepatitis and TB Statistics Report: Continued Improvements Seen in Health Outcomes of Residents Living with HIV
WI Staff Report Mayor Muriel Bowser recently released the District’s HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration annual report and highlighted DC’s progress toward ending the HIV epidemic in the District. The report from DC Health shows there was continued improvement in the health outcomes of people living with HIV and a slight decrease in the number of new HIV diagnoses in 2018. “By working hand in hand with our community partners, we have been able to not only prevent new cases, but also more quickly deliver treatment to residents who are diagnosed with HIV,” Bowser said. “This year’s report once again provides a roadmap for how we can continue working together to increase access to services and move closer to reaching the goals laid out in the 90/90/90/50 plan.” The key HIV data in this year’s report include: • The number of newly diagnosed HIV cases in the District decreased to 360 cases in 2018 (from 368 in 2017); overall,
there has been a 73 percent decline from 1,374 cases in 2007 • There were no babies born with HIV in 2018 • 12,322 current residents of Washington, DC, or 1.8 percent of the population, are living with HIV; Black and Latino residents with HIV exceeded 1 percent of their respective populations, with Black residents disproportionately impacted at 2.7 percent • There were 9,007 cases of chlamydia, 4,249 cases of gonorrhea, and 282 cases of primary and secondary syphilis reported • There were 1,515 people with newly reported hepatitis C in 2018 • For the first time, more than half of people living with HIV in DC are older than 50-years-old • The number of new HIV diagnoses among young people ages 20-24 remained level for the past three years; young people ages 13-24 represent 20 percent of new HIV diagnoses • Sexual contact is the leading mode of transmission reported among newly diagnosed and identified HIV cases DC Health tracks the District’s
efforts to improve the care continuum for people living with HIV to sustain their health from diagnosis to linkage and retention in care. The care continuum measures people linked to care, engaged in treatment, and achieving viral load suppression. Among people newly diagnosed with HIV, 57 percent were linked to medical care within seven days of diagnosis, and 84 percent within 30 days. The report confirms people getting on treatment quicker as the more than two-thirds achieved viral suppression within six months. Also, DC is close to reaching one of the Mayor’s goals with 85% of persons on treatment having attained viral suppression. DC Health is launching a new online directory called LinkU to help people find a full range of services offered by medical and community providers, including health, sexual health, food/nutrition, housing, transportation, financial assistance, education, and employment in the metropolitan area. LinkU will also help people make appointments at the locations. Residents can visit LinkUDMV.org, which launched Sept. 1. WI
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EDUCATION Back to school
5 Brianna Banks, whose cellphone battery died as she tried to capture her son Charles Rogers’ first day of kindergarten at Oxon Hill Elementary School, didn’t let the moment slip by as he exited the school. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer) 3 Brooke 6, a second grader at Oxon Hill Elementary School tells her dad, Dominique Jones, all about her first day when he picks her up from school. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
Homeownership is important. We’re here to help first-time homebuyers navigate the mortgage process and make buying a home affordable, even if you have:
5 Students at Oxon Hill Elementary School board buses after completing the first day of school. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer 3 A lifetime of some friendships begin on the first day of school. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
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DCPS
BRIEFS Compiled by Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer
DCPS BLOCK PARTY
Free food and fun activities for all ages — including a moon bounce, mini-golf course, parkour course and student performances — will be featured Saturday, Sept. 14 at the DCPS’ Back to School Block Party. The celebration to welcome students, parents, teachers, school administration, and community members will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Northwest. The block party is designed to engage the D.C. community in a fun and welcoming environment
EDUCATION while providing information and multiple resources from local partner organizations and District government agencies, such as health and wellness, food access and college and career readiness. Contact Jerry Ilar, DCPS coordinator of public events and engagement, at jerry.ilar@dc.gov or 202-744-0423 to register, for questions about the event or to participate as a partner or volunteer.
MAYOR WELCOMES STUDENTS
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently celebrated the beginning of the 2019-20 school year at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the fully modernized Maury Elementary School in Ward 6. Prior to kickoff events, Bowser led a “Slow Down” campaign at Lincoln Park, where she was joined by residents and administration officials in reminding motorists to slow down and use caution while school is in session. “Every new school year is exciting because each school year brings new opportunities to make each day count,” Bowser
said. “This year, we are proud and excited to once again be welcoming students and families across D.C. back to new and modernized buildings, but we are also proud of the new programs we are rolling out. From our early college academies to our Connected Schools, we are finding and funding new ways to support our families and set our young people up for success, both inside and outside the classroom.” Bowser also announced new initiatives to strengthen “Safe Passage” efforts in the new school year. The project engages businesses, government, and faithbased organizations to serve as places of safety and support along corridors frequently used by students to get to and from school.
NEW SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS
DCPS launched two new programs this school year aimed at preparing students for college and their future careers. Bard High School Early College DC in Ward 7 opened its doors to students and will provide them the opportunity to earn college credit and an asso-
5 The DCPS Back to School Block Party on Sept. 14 will welcome students, parents, teachers, school administration and community members. (WI file photo)
ciate degree from Bard College, while earning their high school diploma. In Ward 4, Coolidge High School launched the “Early College Academy,” where students will gain valuable experience enrolled in college-level courses while earning their high school diploma, as well as earning up to an associate degree from Trinity Washington University.
‘MY BROTHER’S KEEPER’ SUMMIT
The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships
and the Mayor’s Office on Fathers, Men and Boys presents “My Brother’s Keeper Summit and Volunteer Fair” from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sept. 5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest. This year’s gathering shares new and existing efforts being made by the Bowser administration, legislators, business leaders, the philanthropic community and nonprofits to propel young men of color along their path to full achievement. WI
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 23
Four Ways to Improve Your Emotional Health Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia
Taking care of your physical health is important. So is taking care of your mental well-being. Your mental well-being, or emotional wellness, helps you handle life’s stresses and bounce back during difficult times. Here are four ways you can improve your emotional health: n Practice being mindful. Mindfulness, or “being present,” means giving your full attention to what you are doing and tuning in to what’s going on inside and around you. It’s putting your energy and focus on the moment. • Being mindful can improve your outlook. It can calm your mind and body. • Being mindful takes practice, but each time it gets easier. Here’s how to start: Notice your thoughts and actions. Pay attention to how something feels in your hand or against your body. Tune in to the sights, smells, and sounds around you. As thoughts and worries enter your mind, notice them but return your focus to the present. • Take care of your body
• Exercise regularly to help improve your mood and lower stress • Eat nutritious meals and drink plenty of water • Get enough sleep: experts recommend seven to eight hours of sleep each night, though each person has their own sleep needs. When you get enough sleep, you can think more clearly and have quicker reflexes.
tice and shut down the self-criticism. Remember to focus on the positive and be grateful, which have been shown to lower stress. If you’re worried about your mental health, talk to someone right away. A mental health professional can give you support, particularly if you feel unable to cope, have suicidal thoughts, or use drugs or alcohol to cope.
n Laugh. Laughter can help with anxiety and improve your mood. • Laughter stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and releases endorphins that can help fight stress and even pain • It helps you connect with others
Sources: “Emotional Wellness Toolkit,” National Institutes of Health, accessed June 22, 2018, www.nih.gov/ health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit. “Stress management,” Mayo Clinic, accessed June 28, 2018, www. mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/ stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368 and www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/ stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456. All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model
n Nurture a healthy work-life balance • Set realistic goals and honor work-life boundaries. Balance in life is an important part of wellness. Focus on priorities and set reasonable standards for yourself and others. Take breaks. Even 10 minutes of “personal time” at work can lighten your outlook. Try taking a walk, calling a friend, or sitting quietly, eyes closed, focusing on your breathing. • Treat yourself and others with kindness and respect. No-
TALK ABOUT IT
You may want to talk to your primary care provider about mental health and well-being during your and your family’s yearly wellness visits. Make sure children know they can talk to their providers about their mental health, too.
#BESTME CORNER EMOTIONAL WELLNESS GOALS
To improve your mental well-being, try setting mental wellness health goals. You might aim for one each season, or one every month. Set a goal that will help you reach a more positive and relaxed state of mind. Here are some examples: • • • • • • • •
Read for 15 minutes before bed Meditate for five to 10 minutes each morning Write in a journal for five to 10 minutes. Don’t worry about how it sounds. Just let it flow. Decide to focus on the positive. When negative thoughts come up, redirect and focus on what’s good about the situation. Set a timer for 10 minutes and play anything your kids want to play at least until the timer goes off — the sillier, the better Watch a funny movie or TV show, or listen to a comedy album. Go to a comedy club. Spend extra time with friends who make you laugh Get out into nature
Find us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc • Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC
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I got a gift card for getting my annual physical. You can too. You can get a $25 gift card if you: • Are an AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia member • Are 12 – 21 years old • Get an annual physical exam
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AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, at no cost, are available to you. Call 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 or 1-800-570-1190). Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 o 1-800-570-1190). Amharic: ማሳሰቢያ፡ አማርኛ መናገር የሚችሉ ከሆነ፣ ከከፍያ ነጻ የሆነ የቋንቋ ድጋፍ አገልግሎት ይቀርብልዎታል፡፡ በስልክ ቁጥር 1-800-408-7511 (TTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 ወይም 1-800-570-1190) ይደውሉ. 1-800-408-7511 اﺗﺼﻞ ﺑﺮﻗﻢ.ﺎن ﻓﺈن ﺧﺪﻣﺎت اﳌﺴﺎﻋﺪة اﻟﻠﻐﻮﻳﺔ ﺗﺘﻮاﻓﺮ ﻟﻚ ﺑﺎ، إذا ﻛﻨﺖ ﺗﺘﺤﺪث اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ: ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇﺔ: Arabic .(1-800-570-1190 أوTTY/TDD: 202-216-9885 )رﻗﻢ ﻫﺎﺗﻒ اﻟﺼﻢ واﻟﺒﻜﻢ
24 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
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EDITORIAL
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
Have We Fallen So Low as to Disrespect the Dead? Earlier this year, Tyler Perry, in what he said would be his final film featuring his highly-popular and hilarious alter ego, Madea, poked fun at the quirks, outbursts, rituals and often nonsensical situations that occur during the traditional Black family homegoing service. As he’s done in previous movies starring the gun-toting grandmother-figure Madea, in “A Madea Family Funeral, he forced us to both laugh at ourselves and to use our “third eye” to deconstruct and reconsider those attitudes, beliefs that tend to shape and define our lives. In one scene, as the mourners are leaving the church, they’re forced to scatter for safety after gunmen unload their weapons aimed at one or more of those descending the church stairs. That’s in the world of make-believe – or is it? In October 2018, six were shot by unidentified men in a fast-moving car in Chicago while leaving a Baptist church on the Southside just after the funeral for a slain local rapper had ended. Witnesses would later say, “Bullets were flying everyplace.” The rapper, “Dookski Tha Man” had been killed earlier that month in a drive-by shooting. Last weekend in the District, the funeral for Southeast resident Eric Boyd, 34, the mood was celebratory in the storefront church that Boyd had attended. He’d been gunned down weeks before while savoring the enchanting nightlife found along the U Street corridor. Then, gunfire struck again – this time between one car of funeral-goers shooting at another just blocks away. The bullets would find their mark causing the death of a 24-year-old man. He’d been at the funeral for his friend. The lines of fact and fiction seem to have blurred as scenes from a Tyler Perry movie can now be equally claimed to be episodes from our own lives. But there’s nothing here to make us laugh. Once upon a time, we could not have imagined gunfire and attempted murders to go on during a Black family funeral. Those kinds of things happened in the worlds of “others.” Tragically, it seems we have assimilated and taken up equally evil and criminal mentalities and habits. Have we fallen so low as to disrespect the dead? It seems we have. WI
TO THE EDITOR
Solutions Needed to Address D.C.’s Maternal Health Crisis D.C. has a severe problem when it comes to maternal health. It leads the nation with the highest rate of women who die of pregnancy-related causes, and while infant mortality rates are decreasing, the numbers remain considerably high in Ward 8 where access to prenatal care and delivery services are nearly non-existent. The urgency of the problem prompted Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen to author a bill last year to establish the D.C. Maternal Mortality Review Committee to study the problem of maternal and infant mortality, collect data, determine the causes and recommend policies to end what is described as a “maternal health crisis.” According to America’s Health Ranking’s 2018 analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, about 36 women die for every 100,000 live births in the District, compared to 20.7 such deaths nationally. This data treats the District as a state, and only four states have worse rates. Additionally, according to the 2018 D.C. Perinatal Health and Infant Mortality Report, about half of Black women and more than one-in-three Hispanic women are not entering prenatal care until their second or third trimester if they receive call at all. To make matters worse, in August 2017, United Medical Center (UMC), the only hospital located east of the Anacostia River, where a disproportionately high number of poor Black women and girls reside, was ordered by the D.C. Department of Health to suspend services at its obstetrics unit for 90 days. Soon after, the UMC Board voted not to reopen the unit, leaving Wards 7 and 8 mothers with having to choose places elsewhere and farther away to receive prenatal care and to deliver their babies. To this day, the unit remains closed. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who last year adopted an infant baby girl, is laser-focused on the maternal health problems that beset her largest constituency – women. Next week, she will host the National Maternal and Infant Health Summit at the Washington Convention Center, focusing on best infant and maternal health practices. Participants plan to also develop a national agenda that addresses the disproportionally high rates of maternal mortality experienced by people of color in Washington, DC, and across the nation. Bowser’s efforts to improve maternal and infant health are commendable. She is attempting to put women in touch with every available resource in the District to ensure healthy maternal outcomes. But she is clear. Everyone has a role to play. With the uptick in youth homicides and suicides, a greater need for information and services continues beyond birth. WI
Welcome Back, Students! I am wishing all students a happy, happy, blessed and prosperous school year! I know that the District has its challenges with education and educating our children, but there are many bright, positive spots as well. I appreciate the coverage. Lisa Gendet Washington, D.C.
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Never Forget I've had the pleasure of visiting the site of the first Africans in Virginia and taking a tour of the area and it was nice to see you guys cover it. I am grateful for all of the attention and all of the work being done to commemorate not the first Africans in this part of the world, but the first enslaved. We must remember our history and wear it proudly. We have nothing to be ashamed about! Jenette Banks Arlington, Va.
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The Washington Informer welcomes letters to the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to: lsaxton@washingtoninformer. com or send to: 3117 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20032. Please note that we are unable to publish letters that do not include a full name, address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you.
SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 25
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
By Julianne Malveaux
Please Bring School Supplies
The event promised to be one of those last-gasp of summer events that would raise a little money for a good cause. The young woman who called to tell me about it promised that I’d meet interesting people, enjoy excellent wines and that the cost of attending was modest. “We aren’t charging anything this year, “ she said rather breezily. “But please bring school supplies.” Her call wasn’t the first call that I’ve had asking for school supplies. And whether we are educators, par-
ents of now-adult children, or others, we understand how important it is for young people to approach a new year with “new stuff.” They should have pristine notebooks for the new subject matter. A supply of pens, folders, markers, pencils and more. Some schools actually provide parents with a list of necessary supplies. The lists may include as many as 30 items and cost as much as $300. Low-income parents can’t even begin to meet the set of needs teachers’ detail, not to mention the things their children clamor for. Please bring school supplies. That plea speaks to the economic disparity that exists in our country and to the many ways that individuals rush to
Guest Columnist
help, if not close the gap. According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute (I serve on the Board), the teacher spends at least $450 per year in school supplies. The overwhelming number of them won’t be reimbursed. They pay for some things that school districts should pay for, and they pay for items to support their pupils. Teachers who work in high-poverty areas spend about $100 a year more than those who spend in lower-poverty districts. But they all contribute, and even with their spending, people are asked to “bring school supplies.” Most of us have the heart to help young students, especially those whose families are struggling, es-
pecially those who may not have a new notebook but for charity. But we have to connect the heart to serve to activism that ensures that no child is inadequately supplied when she returns to school this fall. As commendable as the please for school supplies, they must be accompanied by please for structural shifts. Why is education the most easily cut item in our federal, state or local budget? Why are we so satisfied that a plea for donated school supplies will be met? And why are we more confident in well-meaning charity than with an economic structure that would serve every child well? Teachers are among the least well-compensated, but the hardest
working contributors to our society. They earn at least 21 percent less than folks who are similarly qualified as they are, mainly because the public does not value teachers as much as we once did. Last year teachers in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, North Carolina, Kentucky and Colorado went on strike, and also garnered national publicity for their plight. Cover stories included accounts of teachers who were working additional jobs to make ends meet. And too many states report teacher shortages because the occupation, with low pay and big hassles, isn’t as attractive as it once was.
MALVEAUX Page 45
By Rabbi Gerry Serota
Healers of the Breach
Recent events of the day are causing many of us to feel overwhelmed at by what’s going on in our country. The drumbeat of violence and hatred against our neighbors, our friends, perhaps even against our own community, shakes us to our core. Certain public figures work very hard to divide this country into “us” and “them,” creating a daily struggle to cling to the positive values of compassion and civility that we need to thrive as a nation. For every dehu-
manizing action against a stranger or someone we view as different, many of us begin to wonder: “What has happened to the belief in basic American principles?” At the local level, we are not immune to the rise in hate and mistrust. As a recent article in The Washington Post points out, “the number of hate crimes in the District rose sharply in 2018, nearly doubling the total attributed to bias in the city just two years earlier, according to city statistics.” Over the past three years, our region has seen houses of worship and religious centers desecrated, symbols of hate written on the walls of schools and other public buildings and an
Guest Columnists
overall increase in fear and tension. Yet, all major world religions are united in teaching the importance of welcoming and showing hospitality to strangers — acting kindly toward those who are not native to your community is considered an act of righteousness. For example: Hindus view everything as permeated by God’s presence, so hospitality becomes an act of worship…(from Taitiriya Upanishad 1.11.2) Let a person never turn away a stranger from his house, that is the rule. Therefore a man should, by all means, gain much food, for good people say to the stranger: ‘There is enough food for you.” In Baha’i Tra-
dition (selections from the writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha), amongst His Teachings is this that love and good faith must so dominate the human heart that men will regard the stranger as a familiar friend, the malefactor as one of their own, the alien even as a loved one, the enemy as a companion dear. All three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, speak in parallel terms how strangers should be treated. The Hebrew Bible commands justice and love for strangers, including giving them food and clothing. Leviticus 19:34 The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were
aliens in the land of Egypt: How can we use these values shared across our faith traditions as an antidote to the alarming trends in our society? The Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington (IFC), suggests we can, in the words of the biblical Prophet Isaiah, become “healers of the breach” and leaders of those who would “release the bonds of the oppressed.” As members of diverse communities, we can also speak and act passionately with one voice, declaring our region as a “no hate zone.” We can stand together against those who
SEROTA Page 45
By George Lambert Jr.
The Importance of the 2020 Census Cannot be Overstated
Next year, the U.S. Census Bureau will send out a phalanx of workers across the country to knock on people’s doors. Census takers will ask residents questions to determine the number of individuals living in each household, whether it’s an apartment, house or mobile home. They will ask people’s race, their occupations and related questions.
26 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
This process, which takes place every 10 years, attempts to count every person who lives in the United States. The result will determine how the federal government divvies up about $690 billion that will pay for 132 programs. The census determines where federal taxpayer money goes, who gets it and the amounts states receive. The money filters to the states and on to local levels to our counties, towns and villages. The importance of the census cannot be understated. But there are a number of obsta-
cles on several levels that make it difficult for people to relate the census to their daily lives. Sojourners magazine, a Christian social justice publication that focuses on faith, politics and culture, recently published a story by Adam Taylor, “Who is Most At Risk When the Census is Politicized.” Taylor put in very succinct terms the vital importance of everyone being counted: “.We should be alarmed and equally committed when one person is miscounted or disregarded in our society. Our democracy loses its integrity
and legitimacy when people and communities are made invisible and further marginalized by undercounting in the census.” The author makes clear that 2020 is of paramount importance because it is both an election year and a census year. Under the Constitution, the population count is used to determine the number seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and how many electoral votes each of the 50 states will have for the subsequent decade. Census population numbers also are used to draw the lines
of congressional districts and are also used to draw state and local voting districts. Which is why politicians from both parties are jostling for ascendency and dirty tricks is, alas, the order of the day. In addition to providing the basis for fair voting representation, Taylor said, census data plays a key role in the implementation and enforcement of the nation’s civil rights laws and influences the allocation of the almost $700 billion in feder-
LAMBERT Page 45
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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist
By Charlene Crowell
House Members Rebuke Delay of Payday Loan Rule
Anyone who struggles with the rising costs of living knows all too well how hard it is to try stretching dollars when there’s more month than money in the household. Predatory lending, like payday and car-title loans, worsen financial stress with triple-digit interest rates that deepen the debt owed with each renewal. The irony is that many payday
loan borrowers who needed just a few hundred dollars wind up owing thousands. And any loan whose accrued interest exceeds the principal borrowed, is truly predatory. In recent days, more than 100 members of Congress stood in support of consumer protections against these debt trap loans. The effort, led by House Financial Services Chairwoman and California Rep. Maxine Waters, called upon the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to do two things: stop delaying the current rule from
Guest Columnist
taking effect, and preserve the existing rule’s requirement that lenders only make loans to consumers whom could afford repayment. The Aug. 23 letter to CFPB minced no words. “Experts have noted that payday loans often target communities of color, military service members, and seniors, charging billions of dollars a year in unaffordable loans to borrowers with an average annual income of $25,000 to $30,000,” wrote the members, “The Consumer Bureau’s pro-
posal represents a betrayal of its statutory purpose and objectives to put consumers, rather than lenders, first,” continued the Members. “Moreover, the Bureau has offered no new evidence and no rational basis to remove the ability to repay provisions. We think you should immediately rescind the harmful proposal to roll back the 2017 payday rule.” These direct rebukes were reactions to CFPB’s 15-month delay of a long-awaited consumer-friendly rule that was scheduled to take ef-
fect on August 19. In today’s contentious Washington, getting strong support for any pro-consumer issue seems particularly difficult. Even so, the August letter to CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger included Representatives from 31 states, including those with some of the highest annual percentage rates found across the country. For example, the typical payday loan in California comes with 460% interest and the larg-
CROWELL Page 46
By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
Violent White Supremacists Threaten Basic Civil Rights — and Our Lives
Every right we have fought for and won since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his monumental “I Have a Dream” speech 56 years ago this Wednesday is under unrelenting attack and in grave peril — from the right to drink fresh water and breathe clear air, to the right of workers to organize for better wages and safer conditions to the right to vote without interference from “enemies foreign and domestic” to the rights of women, children, the LGBTQ community and immigrants.
But it’s not just our rights that are in danger. It is our very lives. After the horrendous mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, by a white supremacist — who drove more than 600 miles to the city with the explicit purpose of slaughtering Latinos in response to the mythical “invasion” President Donald Trump and the right ranted about — new attention has been paid to the growing violence of white supremacists. In the few weeks since El Paso, six white supremacists have been arrested for plotting violent attacks. The Anti-Defamation League reports that white extremists killed
Askia-At-Large
50 people last year — people of all races. Some compare the threat posed by white supremacists here at home to the terrorist threat posed by ISIS or al-Qaida. What too often is overlooked, as MSNBC commentator Chris Hayes noted in his show recently, is that white terrorist violence has been part of the American experience from the beginning. Hayes notes that the first real terrorist cells in the U.S. arose after the Civil War as a response by white southerners to the freeing of slaves. When slaves became free men, the power of the white establishment in the South was threatened. The reaction was violent — with
community leaders joining to create terrorist cells — most of which became known as the Ku Klux Klan. To preserve white dominance, the Klan launched a wave of terror against blacks and their white allies across the South, including lynching, murder, abduction and rape. Hayes cites the 2,000 murders in the state of Kansas in the leadup to the 1868 election, designed to terrorize potential Black voters, with the explicit aim of sustaining white power. When Ulysses S. Grant became president, Congress passed legislation in 1870 — the Enforcement Acts — that empowered the federal
government to respond to the wave of terror. For the first time, the newly created Department of Justice began prosecuting the Klan in federal courts, backed by federal troops on the ground in the South. They made great progress against the Klan until a political compromise that led to the withdrawal of federal troops and the reassertion of “states’ rights.” That opened the floodgates to a wave of terrorist attacks launched by the Klan and others against Blacks that enforced apartheid across the south.
JACKSON Page 46
By Askia Muhammad
About That Epstein Suicide ‘Conspiracy’
I confess. I have been bamboozled in the past, but not this time. This Jeffrey Epstein murder is a slam dunk. I am convinced Epstein was murdered by multiple other persons. The authorities insist he murdered himself — the definition of “suicide.” I don’t buy it. I’m no conspiracy theorist. I realize that such entities as the “Boule” and the “Illuminati” have existed for centuries. But I’m not convinced, however, that at this
very hour, operatives of said Boule and Illuminati are scheming in super-secret councils to control all our thoughts and actions, and that any resistance is futile. I accept that Dude actually walked on the Moon, and not on a Hollywood movie set in 1969. I’m in no way a conspiracy theorist. But this Jeffrey Epstein tip is an open-and-shut case. He did not act alone to kill himself. The Gotham City medical examiner ruled Epstein’s death a suicide and it seems everyone who is anyone has drank the coroner’s Kool-Aid. Despite all of the mysterious contradictions, reporters
say emphatically Epstein “committed suicide” in his cell, not that he was, let’s say, “found dead” in his cell, even more accurate than suicide. There is a cartoon which appeared in the Muhammad Speaks newspaper in the early 1970s. It featured an inmate, in a cell, pleading with a priest. “You got to save me, pastor,” the man pleads. “There’s a rumor I’m going to commit suicide tonight.” The end of Epstein’s life, and the rumors, clearly imitated that art, in my opinion. You see, there had to be plenty of rumors inside Manhattan’s
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Metropolitan Correctional Center and around a big fish like Epstein. So what happened? This guy was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He was a mark for every convict in the general population, a pimp who procured young debutantes for the sexual delight of rich and powerful men, presidents and princes. Come on. A smooth operator like Epstein should have had some guards he was paying extra to look out for him, right? Cons would demand that he deposit money on a commissary fund or they promised him he’d get shanked. Epstein was a big,
big, big fish with political connections. For him to be unattended for hours, during which time he secretly committed suicide, is laughable. Ha! He reportedly tied a sheet around his neck and a bunk bed, and then “kneeled” with such force that he broke his own neck in several places and was asphyxiated. Right! If you’ll buy that far-fetched scenario, I’ll sell you a bargain, a deed to some Arizona beachfront property for just pennies on the dollar. So, hear me out. The fact is that
ASKIA Page 46 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 27
LIFESTYLE Kwame Edwards: Diasporic Filmmaker with Local Sentiments By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins
Kwame Edwards says his journey as an award-winning filmmaker took off long before the trip to China that would birth the popular "Black in China" film series. In the years leading up to that experience, he studied Hype Williams' groundbreaking videography while grappling with the question of how best to financially support himself. Up until undergraduate graduation, a lucrative law career seemed the most sensible route. However, as time went on and the condi-
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tions that Edwards and other District residents faced weighed more heavily on his conscious, putting those stories on the silver screen would ultimately serve as the more fulfilling option. "[As a child,] I didn't understand the intersections of class and race, but I understood that my parents had less because they had jobs that didn't net much," said Edwards, founder of KMATiKC Media, LLC, a film company focused on highlighting stories of the African Diaspora. He's currently in the research phase of a documentary about people of African descent living in English-speaking
5 Kwame Edwards (left) with producer Marcus Long outside of WEACT Radio for a screening of “68.” (Anthony
Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
countries. In July, the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment named Edwards filmmaker of the month, an honor he said speaks to his level of community support he receives, including that from elders that poured their all into him and those who don't fully understand his decision to embark on a career path of intrinsic value. "Society puts more of an em-
phasis on the income of positions — for example, lawyers," Edwards said. "I initially pursued law because it was a field where I saw as a way to earn a well-paying salary. Once I decided I did not want to actually practice as a lawyer, I still thought that people would pay me more just because I had earned a [Juris Doctor] degree while working as a sports agent. "I needed certain life experiences, like living abroad, to show me that I can't chase money," he said. "It works for some people but that's not what's going to keep me going every day." Edwards' most recent feature-length documentary, "68," signifies a continuation of his work highlighting aspects of the Black experience. He said the film title alludes to the approximate square mileage of the nation's capital, and the metaphorical box that Black D.C. residents of different backgrounds find themselves in while navigating a former Chocolate City. The April premiere of "68" at Busboys and Poets in Anacostia and an August screening at nearby We Act Radio brought together audiences that watched as various generations of Black people recounted their experiences and weighed in on the District's racial and class-based divisions. Edwards said the film issues a call to action for D.C.'s Black residents to regain control of their communities. "If you live here as a Black person, you experience things differently, and it starts from your interactions at the local market, post office, or with various establishments in your community," Edwards said. "My film is about how we receive disparate treatment that translates into a myriad of unfortunate circumstances."
A study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition found that the District had the highest intensity of gentrification out of any U.S. city within a 13-year span. Since 2000, tens of thousands of Black Washingtonians moved into the outskirts of the city and other places under financial duress as swaths of affluent white people took their places. Nationwide, more than 100,000 Black and Latino people experienced displacement, the study said. Meanwhile, Edwards, a professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and American University, forged his path as a diasporic storyteller with the production of the "Black in China" series, which followed 88 Black Americans living in the People's Republic of China. Another project, "Black in Doha," chronicled a similar experience for Black people living in Doha, Qatar. With "68" came the opportunity to juxtapose D.C.'s reputation as the center of the free world with the harsh realities of a dwindling population. Production for the film took nearly two years, due mostly to what Edwards' business partner Marcus Long described as Edwards' passion for the subject matter and close attention to detail. "Things don't fall to the wayside with Kwame — '68' was at the forefront of every conversation," said Long, a video journalist and Edwards' colleague of six years. "It wasn't just the shooting schedule, but figuring out where to go with it and selecting the order things would go in," Long said. "We debated and had correspondence about the simplest things. You have to have a level of meticulousness and care about your work for it to look good." WI
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LIFESTYLE
Alpha Kappa Alpha DC Chapter Walks for Better Health and Wellness Progam WI Staff Report Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Rho Mu Omega Chapter celebrated the culmination of a health and wellness program: “8,000 Steps DC - #8KSTEPSDC Community Walking Group,” Saturday, Aug. 31, at Anacostia Park in Southeast. With just eight participants, Rho Mu Omega kicked off 18 consecutive Saturdays of walks on May 4, 2019. Since then, more than 90 sorority and community members have walked primarily along the scenic Anacostia River but also trekked through Rock Creek Park, the U.S. National Arboretum, and Howard University. “The goal of the walking group is to move the community to improve their health and wellness, reduce risk of heart disease, and to have fun with AKA members at the same time,” said Rho Mu Omega Chapter President Holli Townsend. #8KSTEPSDC follows the lead of Dr. Glenda Glover, the International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha. She challenged members to routinely include 8,000 steps in their wellness activities. Under its International Program, Alpha Kappa Alpha is raising awareness of critical health issues impacting African-American women, including heart health, nutrition, breast cancer, and care for caregivers. At last count, the Community Walking Group was close to reaching 8 million steps and hopes to achieve that goal on Saturday. WI
5 The Rho Mu Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. (AKA), celebrated the completion of
18 consecutive Saturdays of walks at Anacostia Park on Saturday, Aug. 31. The group started walking May 4, 2019 with a goal to improve health and wellness in the community and reduce the risk of heart disease. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
Don’t get caught in the dark. Switch to LED bulbs now. Small changes make a big difference for your wallet and the planet. Swap out your light bulbs for cost-effective, long-lasting ENERGY STAR® LEDs and you won’t get caught in the dark.
Visit maketheswitchdc.com to find discounted bulbs near you.
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 29
LIFESTYLE JOIN THE FIGHT FOR ALZHEIMER’S FIRST SURVIVOR.
At the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, people carry flowers representing their connection to Alzheimer’s — a disease that currently has no cure. But what if one day there was a white flower for Alzheimer’s first survivor? What if there were millions of them? Help make that beautiful day happen by joining us for the world’s largest fundraiser to fight the disease.
Register today at alz.org/walk. The Nat ional Mall Oct ober 12 | 8:00 am Addit ional Walks available. Find one near you at alz.or g/ walk or call 703.359.4440.
2019 NATIONAL PRESENTING SPONSOR
Ben & Jerry’s unveiled its newest flavor in Southeast near the Big Chair on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The flavor, Justice ReMix’d was created in partnership with the Advancement Project National Office to highlight racism and criminal justice reform. Ben & Jerry’s hope is to bring an end to structural racism. The new flavor features cinnamon and chocolate ice creams, gobs of cinnamon bun dough, and spice fudge brownies. (1) A Ward 8 resident was one of the first to try to the new ice cream during an ice cream social during the unveiling. (2) Afrah Ali (left) and Jeralyn Cave (right) associates of the Advancement Project National Office handed out free Justice ReMix’d t-shirts during the ice cream social. The new flavor will be available at Scoop Shops throughout the DC area. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
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30 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
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LIFESTYLE
Local Theaters Deliver Diverse Casting and Subjects
Ghanaian Play to Open at Round House Theatre During DC Theatre Week By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer
DC Theatre Week, from Sept. 10-29, is designed to connect the theater community with theater lovers throughout the metropolitan area and beyond. It will launch the 2019-20 theater season in Washington area. The week is organized by Theatre Washington with support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. This year, DC Theatre Week will showcase a diverse range of offerings with productions about race, disabilities, gender and LGBTQ topics. Productions will include musicals, dramas, comedies, theater for young audiences and more. All tickets will be priced at $15 and $35. Leading up to DC Theatre Week was the third annual “Broadway in Color: Celebrating Diverse Voices in Theater.” Held in August at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., area theater companies gave sneakpeek snippets of upcoming productions that recognized the range of diverse talent and themes from the local theater community. Many people may remember that the Tony Award-winning play “The Great White Hope” about boxer Jack Johnson, his struggle with acceptance and his interracial relationship with a White woman, had its pre-Broadway premiere at D.C.’s Arena Stage. That production, starring James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander, was also made into a movie. During DC Theatre Week, the critically acclaimed off-Broadway comedy “School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play” will premiere at the newly renovated Round House Theatre in Bethesda. The play was so successful in New York that it took a while to get the rights to produce it locally. “The minute it became available, I knew I wanted it and that I wanted to direct it,” said Nicole A. Watson, “School Girls” director and Round House associate artistic director. “We thought it would be a great way to focus on the work we are doing.” At a recent Round House Theatre community day, visitors were treated to the play’s backstory. The theater was packed with longtime Round House funders, fans and others who were interested in knowing more about D.C.’s theater community. Round House was clear that
“School Girls” is not an African version of the movie and Broadway production “Mean Girls.” That production was written and produced by actress, comedian, writer, producer and playwright Tina Fey, known for television shows ‘Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock.” “School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play” is based on true accounts about the all-girls boarding schools in Ghana and was written by Jocelyn Bioh, a Ghanaian-American writer, playwright and actor. She learned about life in those schools from hearing stories shared by relatives and friends. The play focuses on the Miss Ghana pageant. Like most countries, young ladies start in competition pageants at a very early age. The school’s pretty and popular girl, Paulina, longs to be the next Miss Ghana. She did not count on Ericka, who arrives from America with Western sensibilities, to threaten her dreams. The comedy explores how mean girls are created and cured, particularly the friendships, self-reflection and doubt every teenage girl goes through, regardless of where they were raised. “It’s about ‘teenagedom’ and traversing relationships, which is often complicated,” Watson told the Round House Theatre audience on the community day event. When asked by an audience member how the play might be received, Round House artistic director Ryan Rilette shared this thought. “I think it’s far more likely that there will be people who come to this play, specifically Whites, who may say, ‘This does not feel like it’s Africa,’” said Rilette to an affirming, laughing audience. “To those people, I would say, that’s a ‘you’ issue.” “School Girls” also marks a number of firsts for Round House Theatre. “It’s the first time we will have an all-female, Black-identifying cast onstage and an all-female creative team,” Watson said. “The future is female!” Learn more about all the productions and tickets for DC Theatre Week at http://theatreweek. org/theatre-week-2019. “School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play” will run from Sept. 18Oct. 13. To learn more about the Round House Theatre 2019-20 season, go to roundhousetheatre.org.. WI
5 Moriamo Temidayo Akibu Gifty and Debora Crabbe, cast members in Round House Theatre production of
“School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play,” take part in a rehearsal. (Kaley Etzkorn/Round House Theatre)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 | 7PM - 12AM MINNESOTA AVENUE NE
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LIFESTYLE Maxwell Coming to Kennedy Center this Month
New Affordable Housing Opportunity in the Navy Yard, Washington D.C.
We are proud to introduce Estate apartments offering 52 brand new studio, one-and two-bedroom apartments for qualified low-income households at The Yards in Washington, D.C.’s Navy Yard. Waitlist is now open. First move-ins January 2020. Income and program restrictions apply. Admission standards include economic criteria. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Housing Choice vouchers are accepted. Equal Housing Opportunity Provider. Applications may be picked up September 3, 2019 through December 2, 2020 from 9:00am to 6:00pm, Monday - Friday at 1212 4th Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 or by calling (202) 479-2734. Affordable Housing Program – Rents* Apartment Type Studio One-Bedroom Two-Bedroom
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By Eve M. Ferguson WI Contributing Writer Due to overwhelming demand, a fourth show has been added to the series of performances by Maxwell, who will perform with
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the National Symphony Orchestra from Sept. 18-21 at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall. This rare set of performances marks the first time the sensitive soul singer has performed with a live orchestra, and will include members of his longtime band in new arrangements of his iconic songs that continue to inspire since his debut album in 1996. “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite,” released in 1996, yielded his first hits “Til the Cops Come Knockin’” and “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder).” A third single, “Sumthin’ Sumthin’,” firmly affixed the artist in the pantheon of neo-soul singers, a genre that also includes Erykah Badu, D’Angelo and other artists who emerged around that time with a sound that combined old-school R&B sensibilities with updated beats and instrumentation. The multi-Grammy Award winner has transfixed music lovers with a style that is both upbeat and sensual for more than two decades with songs such as “Pretty Wings” and “Lake by the Ocean.” Maxwell will release the final installment of his “black-
summers’NIGHT” trilogy later this year. Born Gerald Maxwell Rivera on May 23, 1973, to a Haitian mother and Puerto Rican father in New York City’s Brooklyn borough, he first began composing music at age 17. As a fan of what was referred to as “jheri curl soul,” the trademark sound of many early 1980s R&B acts such as the S.O.S. Band, Maxwell began to teach himself to play a variety of instruments. His first was a low-cost Casio keyboard given to him by a friend. The series of concerts will surely be memorable additions to the popular Renée Fleming VOICES program, and indicative of the new direction of the National Symphony Orchestra, which has had a number of performances fronted by pop music icons such as Jennifer Hudson. Voices in Motion, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts’ show choir, will open the concerts with a jazz set, shining a spotlight on the D.C. arts high school’s students. For more information and tickets, go to kennedycenter.org. WI
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LIFESTYLE
‘Fabulation’ Opens Mosaic’s Fifth Season By Eve M. Ferguson WI Contributing Writer
atre. “Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine” plays through Sept. 22 with several post-show discussions planned. Mosaic will host a series of post-show discussions exploring resonant themes present in both works with a diverse set of panelists. These free post-show discussions, beginning immediately after the performance, include cast talkbacks on Sept. 12 and Sept. 19, and will cover topics such as “Moving On Up: The Black Middle Class” (Sept. 8, following the matinee), “Abandonment(s): Upward (and Downward) Mobility and Finding a Path Home” (Sept. 14, following the matinee), and “Self-Fashioning and/or Alter Egos” (Sept. 7, following the matinee). Performance times are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, go to mosaictheater.org/fabulation. WI
5 Felicia Curry stars as Undine in the Mosaic Theater’s production of Lynn Nottage’s “Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine,” now playing through Sept. 22.
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What happens when you hit rock bottom, yet somehow continue on a downward spiral? That is the premise of the opening play for Mosaic Theater’s fifth season, Lynn Nottage’s “Fabulation or The Re-Education of Undine,” now playing at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, home of the now-seasoned theater company headed up by Ari Roth. This satirical look at the consequences of upward mobility, at the expense of one’s roots, is both a cautionary tale and a wry observation of the pitfalls that can ensue a meteoric ascent into the elite. Caution: it might all come crashing down unexpectedly. Undine, played by Felicia Curry (making her debut with Mosaic in this production), is a hot PR executive with her own firm and high-end clients. Married to Hervê (played by Carlos Saldaña), a Casanova-type from Argentina, Undine has it all. That is until her husband absconds with every dime she has in the world. Just like that, she is relegated to living with her parents in the projects of Brooklyn, a place that she thought she had long left behind, at the expense of severing her ties with her family for 14 years. We watch as Undine, using a direct address to the audience at times, rues her downward slide made complicated by an unintended pregnancy. Murphy’s law then sets in, as a series of unfortunate incidents takes her lower and lower into the pits of bankruptcy, criminality and dependency on social services. Her parents, played by the amazing Roz White (who also plays a few more characters flawlessly) and William T. Newman Jr. as her father (also playing multiple roles, including a Harvard-educated Yoruba priest), are unmoving in their love and forgiveness for their daughter. But her grandmother, played by Aakhu TuahNera Freeman, whose heroin addiction lands Undine in jail, is less forgiving, pointing out how soulless her granddaughter has become. Calling on a variety of myths, including the Germanic connotation of the name “Undine,” which refers to a mythological woman who loses her soul until she marries a mortal and gives birth, the play makes a number of historical and cultural references. Near the beginning of her downfall, Undine consults the Yoruba
priest, who instructs her to make a sacrifice to the orisha Elegba, the trickster of the Yoruba deities, of $1,000 and a bottle of Mt. Gay premium rum. The scene elicits laughs, but firmly roots the rest of the play into an African and African diaspora cultural atmosphere, highlighted by the cast wearing white garments and playing a variety of hand-held percussive instruments at intervals throughout the two-act play. Directed by Eric Ruffin, a graduate of Howard University and director of the multiple Helen Hayes award-winning “Black Nativity,” this play that diverges from playwright Nottage’s usually gritty realism, is driven by the underlying musical interludes that at one time become an African American ring shout, and at others, a traditional African ceremony heralding the change that is coming upon the protagonist. Without giving away the ending, Undine is reeducated and reintroduced, in a self-deprecating dialogue with her new suitor, Guy (also played by Saldaña) and in the end, transforms from a self-serving bitchy woman-in-charge to a self-reflective woman who returns to her origins. “Fabulation,” is a funny, yet morally didactic play that expands Nottage’s oeuvre and makes plain that she is a force to be reckoned with in the theater world. The winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama for her previous works “Ruined” (2009) and “Sweat” (2017), she is only the second African American to achieve that honor and the first woman of any race to be awarded twice. “Lynn Nottage is one of the most esteemed playwrights of our time,” said Mosaic Founding Artistic Director Ari Roth, referencing the playwright’s body of work — “Ruined,” Sweat,” “Crumbs From the Table of Joy,” among others — over the past three decades. “It promises to be another banner year for Lynn Nottage, as it was last season when Signature Theatre in New York made her the center of their season, producing several works including ‘Fabulation’, revealing the comedy’s timeliness as a Reverse Gentrification journey along with its caustic critique of mad money materialism,” Roth said. This winter, one of Nottage’s first breakout plays, “Intimate Apparel,” gets transformed into an opera at the Metropolitan Opera in co-production with Lincoln Center The-
SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 33
LIFESTYLE 5 Kingman Boys and Girls Executive Director, (left) Aron C. Webster (on the left) and Ward 5 City Councilman Kenyan McDuffie hold proclamations from the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, from Ward 5 and from the Mayor's Office in honor of the organization's 50th Anniversary (photo courtesy of Milton Williams)
34 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
Washington DC's Kingman Boys and Girls Club Marks 50th Anniversary By Edward Hill Special to The Informer
To provide services and dedication to any community is a notable accomplishment in and of itself. But to do it for 50 years is nothing short of remarkable. The Kingman Boys and Girls Club of Washington, DC has done just that by providing educational support, counseling and sports and recreation and enrichment to thousands of young people.
So it was only fitting that KBGC celebrated its contributions and longevity last month, featuring an awards banquet at Martin’s Crosswinds on Friday, Aug. 16, a Family Fun Day at Garrison Elementary on Saturday, Aug. 17 and a cabaret on Saturday night to cap it all off. “The two-day celebration was outstanding,” said KBGC Executive Director Aaron C Webster. “We were able to cover all bases. The awards banquet honored our staff, athletes, supporters, our board and the many volunteers. Then on Saturday, the Fun Day at Garrison gave a lot of the former members and the children a chance to have some fun with all the activities we had. And we capped it all off with the cabaret and again, there were people there who had not seen each other in years.” The KBGC is located in northwest Washington on Kingman Place, tucked tightly in between 13th and 14th and P and Q streets. It officially started in 1969 following the riots by Richard Peters as a means to address the needs and provide an outlet for the community following the riots. It featured an after school program, a summer enrichment program and an athletic component that included various sports and cheerleading. During that period, KGBC has produced numerous outstanding community leaders, educators, authors, school administrators, entrepreneurs, professional athletes and politicians. Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5 councilman and keynote speaker for the awards banquet, talked about how his experience at KBGC shaped his future. “When I look back at my past, I can reflect on being a part of the Kingman Boys and Girls Club,” McDuffie said. “The things that I learned from people like Mr. Aaron Webster and Ed Hill, went a long way to giving me the foundation to succeed. We had a motto that we used when we played basketball there, where we said ‘Patience, Discipline, Teamwork, D.C. Pride’ in our huddles, and that became an integral part of how I have been able to operate in my career. “When you see how Mr. Webster went about making sure that everyone was taken care of and keeping this program strong and viable, it is rare,” he said. “I am just grateful to have been a part of this success story. I will always be a member of the Kingman family.”
During the awards banquet, many former and current members and staff were honored for their contributions. Darryl Webster, who grew up as a member of KBGC and was a standout basketball player at Coolidge High School and George Washington University, credits the organization with putting him on the right track. “It was a known fact that I was a bit of a knucklehead during my early years,” he said. “I wanted to do things my way and was not really focused on academics. But my uncle, Aaron Webster put me on the right track, stressing hard work and dedication in academics and how it would pay off for me. He also had a way of getting my attention when I was out of line. I owe it all to the Kingman experience.” Webster is a successful social worker in the District with young people and his children have benefited. His oldest daughter, Tiffany, has a degree from Quinnipiac and is a real estate agent; his son, Christian, is a graduate of Harvard and an assistant men’s basketball coach at Virginia Tech; and his youngest daughter, Taylor, is a senior student-athlete at Georgetown Visitation. The Hall of Fame inductees included several former All-Met or Parade All-America selections, including former NBA star Steve Francis and former NFL player Donald Wilson. Perhaps one of the more moving confessions came from Hall inductee Julius “Big Reds” Holt, who echoed the sentiments of many who have been influenced by the Kingman experience. “I am so grateful and thankful to Mr. Aaron Webster and Kingman for helping shape my life,” said Holt, a Cardozo graduate who went on to have an outstanding college career in football at the University of Arizona. “Kingman was a safe haven for me. During the summers, I was the first to come down to the club and the last to leave. “During the school year, I rushed to the after-school program because, there, people provided academic support that I needed, but more importantly there was a love and nurturing that helped you during that challenging part of your young life,” said Holt, the director of a youth program in Arizona that serves over 3,500 young people in a similar capacity as Kingman. “I am forever grateful to Kingman and what it has done for me.” WI
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LIFESTYLE
wi book review “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Beyond the Bizarre!” c.2019. Ripley Publishing $28.95 ($34.95 Canada) 256 pages
horoscopes
SEPT 5 - 11, 2019
ARIES Your intimate relationship with someone you care for doesn't work out the way you expect. Be optimistic and patient, otherwise you will ruin it entirely. Try to combine the useful with the pleasant. Lucky Numbers: 7, 14, 18 TAURUS You are having embarrassing questions about your financial situation. Don't leave anything for later, take charge and don't be afraid of learning the truth. Knowing a disturbing truth is better than living in uncertainty. Lucky Numbers: 6, 16, 21 GEMINI Someone you love will be sorely missed unless you try to locate him/her. You have a hard time living with this separation. Try as hard as it takes to find that person, and expect a lot of joy from having done so. Lucky Numbers: 9, 23, 29 CANCER Determination and courage are your watchwords and the reward for your commitment will follow readily. You feel capable of major accomplishments to bring you closer to your goals. Enthusiasm is pushing you forward. You relish in the intense joy of a job well done. Lucky Numbers: 4, 8, 15
By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer You hate to admit it. The truth is, though, you got bored a few times this past summer. Not a lot, and not on purpose, but there were times when you found yourself with nothing to do. The good news is that there are two good newses: one, school is back in session now. And two, you can find the new book “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Beyond the Bizarre!” So you spent a little time this summer on your bike and that was cool, but you can’t do that all the time, right? So why not grab this “Ripley’s” book and read about the bike graveyard in China, or the first bike you could ride on land or water? Or learn about what it would take to ride a five-ton tank bike, or a 135-year-old tricycle. You might have worked on your video game skills in the past few weeks, so the time is now to read about the woman who “married” a Tetris game and the collector who owns some 2,000 items associated with Zelda. Or maybe you’d like to read about the 13-year-old who’s a professional gamer, or the Sea of Thieves human cannonball. Doing crafts is always a great way to spend a summer, and “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Beyond the Bizarre!” is a good way to read about them. Find out about the “tree” made of tractors, or the 28-foot-tall robot that shoots sponge balls. Learn about digital portraits, colorful temples, butter sculptures and elaborate crochet costumes. If you spent time with pets and wildlife while you were off, good for you! You’ll love reading about the eel-and-seal friendship and the monster mosquito found in China. Find out about crocodile teeth, shark teeth, beaver teeth and a lion with a bad toothache. And then there are the things you saw this summer that were unique, unusual, or plain old weird. Read about more: bog bodies, paper made of “poo,” a squirrel that paints pictures, dances that scare ghosts, money made from rocks, strange jewelry, cold cities, hot games and an island for women only. How totally bizarre is that? Remember how delicious it was when you knew something nobody else knew? You’re never too old to enjoy when that happens; with “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Beyond the Bizarre,” your child will know that glee. Starting this book with the basics, young readers will learn about Robert Ripley and the artwork that launched a 100-year fascination. From there, kids are treated to some old classics — things you may’ve read when you were their age — sprinkled between new jaw-droppers and OMGs that are written without sensationalism. That real-life aspect makes this book fun for your child, like taking an around-the-globe trip filled with photographs, fascinating, funny, scary stories, and locales that will open their eyes to the world. Middle-school kids will enjoy this book, as will high-schoolers who like reading about oddities, strangeness, and the ghoulish. You’ll love “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Beyond the Bizarre,” too. It’s OK, admit it. WI
LEO You won’t reach a perfect agreement but perseverance will reconcile you. A short-lived brawl will be settled by a completely unexpected event. Keep your guards up, your attitude is being discretely watched. Lucky Numbers: 3, 10, 15 VIRGO Time seems to have slowed to a crawl, but be patient no matter what because a crucial event could completely mess up your agenda and your appointments. Your good mood will do the rest. Lucky Numbers: 1, 17, 48 LIBRA You learn of a project that you like very much, and you do everything to join into this difficult enterprise. You put up a good performance for your part. You come to enjoy the immense satisfaction of a well-accomplished task. Lucky Numbers: 11, 20, 34 SCORPIO You rid yourself of a situation you have been in before. Your reference points are reappearing one by one and competence helps you thoroughly analyze the task at hand. You act with ease and determination. Lucky Numbers: 2, 23, 36 SAGITTARIUS You think too anxiously of the personal opinion of someone you admire. Your relationship with this person will improve because your feelings for them will remain strong. You easily deal with the situation. Lucky Numbers: 12, 28, 40 CAPRICORN People speak somewhat grudgingly of you and you do everything it takes to make them forget about you. Praise and compliments are not on the menu, but your feelings are not hurt. You smartly avoid brutal mockery. Lucky Numbers: 20, 35, 43 AQUARIUS This is a long period of peace and relaxation. You avoid misunderstandings and your pride won’t be hurt although someone close to you is spreading the gossip. You smoothly avoid people’s meddling. Lucky Numbers: 3, 18, 25 PISCES Your personal opinion on a subject of great interest could deal a shock to your entourage. Tone down your passions and reconsider your obstinacy to avoid a lurking conflict. Your peace-making talent will bring the incident to a fortunate conclusion. Lucky Numbers: 4, 14, 17
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 35
CAPTURE the moment
MC HAMMER PERFORMS
MC Hammer’s performance at the Entertainment and Sports Arena on Saturday, Aug. 23 featured hip hop and rap music artists Sir Mix-a-Lot, Tone Loc, DJ Kool and Kid n Play in what was billed as a House Party. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
CIRCLE OF PRAISE
The Kankouran West African Dance Company celebrated its 36th annual Circle of Praise on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the George Washington University Lisner Auditorium in Northwest. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
202CREATES KICK-OFF
Muriel Bowser kicked off the 202Creates events at the start of a month-long campaign celebrating DC’s artists throughout all eight Wards at the Eaton Hotel in Northwest on Thursday, Aug. 29. (Robert Roberts/The Washington Informer)
36 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
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SPORTS For more photos, visit www.washingtoninformer.com
Dunbar Blows Out McKinley Tech 6 A Dunbar Crimson Tide player protects the ball from an approaching McKinley Tech Trainers defender during Dunbar’s 44-6 road win in D.C. on Friday, Aug. 30. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)
5 A McKinley Tech Trainers defender attempts to tackle a Dunbar Crimson Tide player during Dunbar’s 44-6 road win in D.C. on Friday, Aug. 30. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)
Friendship Blanks Wilson
5 Friendship Collegiate Knights quarterback Dyson Smith breaks a tackle by Woodrow Wilson Tigers defensive end Hassan Forbes to score a touchdown during the Knights’ 25-0 win at Tiger Stadium in D.C. on Saturday, Aug. 31. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer) 3 Friendship Collegiate Knights wide receiver Jamaal Banks is tackled by Woodrow Wilson Tigers cornerback Jamari Cunningham during the Knights’ 25-0 win at Tiger Stadium in D.C. on Saturday, Aug. 31. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)Freitas/The Washington Informer)
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 37
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38 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
like walking students to the bus stop, holding after-school tutorials for students who missed, and contacting parents regarding attendance,” the middle school teacher said. During professional development this summer, he and other teachers discussed possible changes to the math curriculum and instruction, and barriers teachers face. “I still don’t have my students” where he would like them to be academically, he said. “All my students made growth, but the ones with attendance concerns made small growth. Even though my students didn’t go backwards, they could have done better.” In August 2018, OSSE counted more than 5,000 homeless children enrolled in a District school. Since then, the number of people experiencing homelessness in the District has increased by 5.5 percent while percentages for families dropped by 10 percentage points. However, not even housing assistance could prevent a cumbersome school commute, as staff members at the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project found out in a survey completed by homeless families living in the Holiday Inn and Quality Inn along New York Avenue. More than likely, children from those families counted among the thousands of young people who took PARCC, also known as Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career, toward the end of the most recent academic year.
PARCC measures students’ preparedness for college and career opportunities on a five-point scale, with four out of five points demonstrating college readiness. To the chagrin of parents and teachers, less than a third of D.C. students received that designation on the math and English portions of PARCC. In Wards 7 and 8, That happened to be the case for less than 25 percent. While the proportion of all District students meeting academic standards in English and math rose by 4.9 and 1.9 percentage points respectively, as Bowser and Ferebee announced, young people enrolled in Ward 8 schools experienced slightly lower growth of 3.2 and 1.6 percentage points. In Ward 7 schools, progress on the math portion of the PARCC dropped by less than a percentage point.
CALCULATING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM
At least 89 percent of students in any grade level in the D.C. public and public charter school systems made it to school during PARCC testing. However, some schools fought harder than others for their students to consistently attend class in the months leading up to the big test. Data from the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) showed that 39 out of nearly 120 D.C. public schools had a chronic absentee rate higher than the citywide average of 21 percent as of October. Sixteen schools, seven
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of which serve Ward 7 and 8 students, had chronic absence rates of more than 50 percent. About that time, charter school leaders testified before the D.C. Council about chronic absenteeism, telling them that daunting, time-consuming trips across the city complicate parents’ efforts to get their children to school on time. These issues persisted late into the school year, affecting east-of-the-river public and public charter school students. By April, the District’s overall year-to-date chronic absentee rate rose to 26 percent. More than 45 schools, including Eastern Senior High School in Northeast, and Kramer Middle School and Malcolm X Elementary School in Southeast, had rates surpassing that.
MOVING FORWARD WITH SOLUTIONS
Bowser’s fiscal year 2020 budget included $20 million to help homeless families transition to permanent housing. DCPS’ central office has also attempted to address the lack of housing and supports through its Connected Schools model that creates resource hubs within schools for students and families. With the launch of a CarpooltoSchool app, families will also be able to coordinate different modes of travel to and from school. On Aug. 26, a week after the release of PARCC results, Mayor Bowser and Chancellor Ferebee welcomed more than 49,000 DCPS students back to their academic dwellings, some of which had undergone modernization. The first day of school also marked the launch of Bard High School Early College DC in Southeast, Coolidge High School’s early college academy, and Ida B. Wells Middle School in Northwest. ebee, these improvements aligned with a commitment to expand opportunity and provide students and families in D.C. with proximate, quality educational options. In regard to the most recent PARCC scores, the chancellor noted the need for improvements. While he didn’t provide a desired benchmark, he acknowledged that many teachers shared a similar sentiment. “We have more work to do and you can feel that in the schools. Staff is working really hard with the end in mind: students are prepared for college and career,” Ferebee told The Informer. “We want to continue to put those opportunities in front of students and continue to build progress and identify different strategies.” WI
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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT
Broken and Fixed
Recently, I read a post on Facebook written by my sister-in-law, who is a principal at a Catholic school in Los Angeles. She was in Dollar Tree and there was a mother and two kids behind her in the long line. One of the children was a big kid, the other was a toddler. The bigger one had a pack of glow sticks and the baby was screaming for them, so the mom opened the pack and gave him one, which stopped his tears. He walked around with it smiling, but then the bigger boy took it and the baby started screaming again. Just as the mom was about to fuss at the older child, he bent the glow stick and handed it back to the baby. As they walked outside, the baby noticed that the stick was now glowing and his brother said, “I had to break it so you could get the full effect from it.” I almost ran because l could hear God saying to me, “I had to break you to show you why I created you. You had to go through it so you could fulfill your purpose.” That little baby was happy just swinging that “unbroken” glow stick around in the air because he did not understand what a glow stick was supposed to do: glow. Mt. Zion Baptist Church Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold”
Many people will be content not trying to do anything. Just “being” is sufficient for them. However, there are some of us chosen by God — we have to be “broken.” We have to get sick. We have to lose a job. We go through divorce. We have to bury our parents, spouse, best friend or child because, in those moments of desperation, God is breaking us but when the breaking is done, we will be able to see the reason for which we were created. Today, I would say that it was
I almost ran because l could hear God saying to me, “I had to break you to show you why I created you. You had to go through it so you could fulfill your purpose.” my broken past that caused me to be who I am today, one of God’s chosen vessels, writing my column for you each week, and
sacrificing my time to prepare my radio show, sharing valuable information for the community. It is not easy to get a worthwhile column ready every week, year after year, but because of my brokenness, they just keep right on coming, and I am very thankful to be one of God’s chosen vessels. God called Jeremiah in an incident, presented to us right at the beginning of his book. The word of the Lord came to him, saying, “I appointed you as a prophet to all the nations,” to which Jeremiah replies, “Sovereign Lord, I said I do not know how to speak. I am only a child.” But the Lord said to him, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.” It does not matter what we may have experienced in our lives, even when it seems we were broken. Many times, we are actually broken, but just know that it is that brokenness which humbles us. We are then right where the Heavenly Father needs us. We can help others because we have been there, and we came out better for it. Never allow hard times to cause you to take your life, or cause you to want to stop living. There are indeed better days ahead, you, God chose you for such a time as this. The best is yet to come! WI
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Mount Olivet Lutheran Church
John F. Johnson Reverend Dr. 1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005 Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com
www.mtzbcdc.org
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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 39
RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church
Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor
Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 Fax: 301-499-8724
Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”
700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849 Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM 5th Sundays: 9:30 AM 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org
Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ
Blessed Word of Life Church
Church of Living Waters
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., Pastor
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor
Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor
Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor
2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org
800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703
4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study 10:30 AM 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment
1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661
Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org
St. Stephen Baptist Church
Third Street Church of God
Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors
Rev. Dr. Alice Greene Interim Pastor
Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor
Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor
4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax
3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax)
1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office 202-638-1803 fax
Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM
Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power
5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45 AM Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45 AM Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday , 12:30 PM Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 AM
www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org
“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org
Campbell AME Church Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020
www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org
Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax
Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org emailus@gmchc.org
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net
St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM
Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor (Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion every Sunday: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 PM Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com
Mount Carmel Baptist Church
Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher
Service and Times Sunday School: 10:15 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11;15 AM Children’s Church: 11:15 AM Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: gr8luv4u2@gmail.com
“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”
E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org “God is Love”
Isle of Patmos Baptist Church
Twelfth Street Christian Church
Turning Hearts Church
421 Alabama Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445
“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net
Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM
Crusader Baptist Church
901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM
40 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church
All Nations Baptist Church
King Emmanuel Baptist Church
Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor
Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor
Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor
7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471
2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591
2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730
Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 AM Service 11:00 AM Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.” Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com
Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org
St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon
Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards
Israel Baptist Church
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor
2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office • (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!
623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 Fax (202) 483-4009
4504 Gault Place, N.E. Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org
“Where Jesus is the King”
Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith
Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor
Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor
1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288
1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org
5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM
Mount Moriah Baptist Church
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"
Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42
New Commandment Baptist Church
Eastern Community Baptist Church
Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor
Damion M. Briggs Pastor
1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964
8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240
13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM
Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM
Rehoboth Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor
Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor
2001 Brooks Drive District Heights, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074
621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:15 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting / Bible Study: Tuesday at 7 PM Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church with an Emphasis on “Evangelism and Discipleship”
Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM
Email: pastorstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org
Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”
“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org
Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor
“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”
Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958
Shiloh Baptist Church
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
Christ Embassy DC
Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 8:00 AM Worship Service: 11:00 AM New Member’s Class: 9:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM Church School: 9:45 AM Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00 PM Saturday Bible Study: 11:00 AM Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00 AM
Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Friday Evening Service: 7:00 PM ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com
“Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”
Peace Baptist Church
Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM
Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study
“The Loving Church of the living lord “
First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Mt. Horeb Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor
Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor
Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor
9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4288
602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595
2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon
www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org
Service and Times First Sunday Worship Service (one service): 10:00 AM Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday Worship service: 7:45 AM and 10:55 AM Sunday Church School/Bible Study: 9:30 AM Thursday Prayer Service: 6:30 PM
All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
Email: sbc@shilohbaptist.org Website: shilohbaptist.org
Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist
Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM Noonday Prayer Every Thursday
Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net
Email Address: admin@pbc712.org
Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest
Holy Trinity United Baptist Church
Florida Avenue Baptist Church
Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor
Rev. Reginald M. Green Interim Pastor
Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
St. Matthews Baptist Church
Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM
Emmanuel Baptist Church
WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
Service and Times Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “
Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 41
LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2019 ADM 000588 Linda R. Cunningham Decedent Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. 1308 Ninth Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Linda R. Wright, whose address is 1835 Otis Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Linda R. Cunningham who died on March 1, 2017 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/22/2020. 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 2/22/2020, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/22/2019 Linda R. Wright Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2018 ADM 1327
2019 ADM 000820
2019 ADM 000473
Elmer Douglass Ellis Decedent
2019 FEP 000101
Eric Willie Smith Decedent
Michael H. Weaver aka Michael Henry Weaver Decedent
James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Elmer Douglass Ellis, Jr., whose address is 4901 16th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Elmer Douglass Ellis who died on April 1, 2017 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/22/2020. 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 2/22/2020, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/22/2019 Elmer Douglass Ellis, Jr. Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer
Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. The Griffin Firm PLLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Eric L. Smith, whose address is 4607 Bridle Ridge Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Eric Willie Smith who died on May 24, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/22/2020. 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 2/22/2020, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/22/2019 Eric L. Smith Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2019 ADM 000833
2019 ADM 865
2019 ADM 846
Walter C. Gantt Decedent
Estate of Elmer Ellsworth Brockman aka Elmer E. Brockman
Ethiopia Abraha Decedent
Tina Smith Nelson 601 E. Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
Phyllis C. Gantt, whose address is 1034 Buchanan Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Walter C. Gantt who died on August 6, 2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/22/2020. 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 2/22/2020, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/22/2019 Phyllis C. Gantt Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer
42 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
LEGAL NOTICES
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Washington Informer
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
LEGAL NOTICES
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Wyatt Condominiums, c/o Geoffrey Griffith 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: 8/22/2019 Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Petitioner/Attorney: TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Yared Ghebreyohannes, whose address is 4927 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ethiopia Abraha who died on November 6, 2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/29/2020. 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 2/29/2020, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/29/2019 Yared Ghebreyohannes Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Tamzin T. Harding aka Tawney Harding, whose address is 4500 Newark Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Michael H. Weaver aka Michael Henry Weaver who died on April 3, 2019 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/5/2020. 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 3/5/2020, 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: 9/5/2019 Tamzin T. Harding Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY
June 21, 2019 Date of Death Marilyn B. Thompson Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Tennyson I. Thompson, Sr. whose address is 4309 Broken Arrow Ct., Clinton, MD 20735 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Marilyn B. Thompson, deceased, by the Register of Wills Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on July 22, 2019. Service of process may be made upon Carol Lightfoot Walker, 1329 Missouri Ave., 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 estate. 2914 12th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20012. 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: 9/5/2019 Tennyson I Thompson, Sr. Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Acting Register of Wills
Nicole Stevens Acting Register of Wills
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2019 FEP 000100 June 16, 2019 Date of Death
2019 ADM 000015 Lillian M. Thomas aka Lillian Thomas Decedent
Luther Kennedy, Jr. Name of Decedent
Robert L. Bell, Esq. 245 Farragut Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Smylia L. Kennedy, whose address is 2655 Birney Pl., SE, Apt #102, Washington DC, 20020 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Luther Kennedy, Jr., deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on July 19, 2019. Service of process may be made upon Smylia L. Kennedy, 2655 Birney Pl., SE, Apt #102, Washington, DC 20020 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate. 2628 4th St., 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: 9/5/2019 Smylia L. Kennedy Personal Representative
Bradley A. Thomas, whose address is 107 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lillian M. Thomas aka Lillian Thomas who died on October 17, 2018 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/5/2020. 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 3/5/2020, 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: 9/5/2019 Bradley A. Thomas Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Acting Register of Wills
Nicole Stevens Acting Register of Wills
Washington Informer
Washington Informer
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM
LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2019 ADM 877 Delores G. Campbell aka Delores Glenn Campbell Decedent Janet W. Blassingame, Esq. 1413 K Street, NW Suite 1500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Derrick Campbell, whose address is 1669 Rosedale Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Delores G. Campbell aka Delores Glenn Campbell who died on July 6, 2019 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before March 5, 2020. 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 March 5, 2020, 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: 9/5/2019 Derrick Campbell Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Acting Register of Wills Washington Informer
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18+ SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019 43
SHOOTINGS from Page 1 landlords of rental property from prohibiting residents from lawfully possessing, carrying, transporting or storing a firearm or ammunition in the property; prohibit residents from being charged with a crime for carrying a handgun while evacuating from a state or local disaster area; and clarify the possession of firearms at churches, synagogues or other places of worship, allowing licensed handgun owners [outlined in Senate Bill 535] to legally carry their weapons in places of worship – coming nearly two years after a gunman killed 26 at a Texas church in Sutherland Springs. State Senator Donna Campbell, co-sponsor of Senate Bill 535, defended the recent legislation. “We have learned many times over that there is no such thing as a gun free zone,” she said in a written statement. “Those with evil intentions will violate the law and carry out their heinous acts no matter what. It makes no sense to disarm the good guys and leave law-abiding citizens defenseless where violent offenders break the law to do great harm.” In opposition to the sweeping changes, Kris Brown, president of Brady, a gun violence prevention advocacy group, pointed to the failure of Texans to learn from the past. “Many states took the opportunity in the last two years to learn lessons from the tragedies in Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, Parkland and the everyday gun violence that plagues our citizens, and enacted new laws to protect public safety through expanded background checks and extreme risk laws,” Brown said. “Texas lawmakers, instead, doubled down on an NRA-led agenda to encourage guns everywhere, no matter the risks and costs to safety.” Despite the side on which one may stand, with the nation still reeling from two mass shootings which took place in early August, both at the hands of lone gunmen, resulting in the murders of 22 at an El Paso Walmart and nine in Dayton, the debate over gun safety legislation will assuredly be at the top of the agenda when Congress reconvenes on Sept. 9. Shortly after the El Paso and Dayton shootings, both President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested their openness to gun safety laws including more restrictive background checks, and a Senate debate, respectively – views on which the two Republicans quickly retreated as the shootings became yesterday’s news. Trump, on Sunday, praised police and emergency workers in West Texas where the most recent murders occurred while calling the gunman a “very sick person,” adding, “it could
44 SEPTEMBER 5 - 11, 2019
have been worse.” However, he remained vague about legislation that’s being developed in the wake of August’s several mass shootings that have rocked the nation to its core – defiant in his unwillingness to reveal any detailed information about the proposed series of bills now allegedly under consideration. “This really hasn’t changed anything,” Trump said after disembarking from Marine One on his return to the White House. “We’re looking at a lot of different bills . . . If you look at the last four or five years . . . even six or seven years – for the most part, as strong as you make your background checks, they would not have stopped any of it. So, it’s a big problem. It’s a mental problem.” For the moment, Democrats and Republicans still appear to be far from reaching consensus – with the GOP, including Trump, still unwilling, or unable to go against the gun-lobbying behemoth, the NRA.
GUNMAN’S SHOOTING SPREE ENDS IN DEATH
Police shot and killed Texas citizen Seth A. Ator in the parking lot of a movie theater in Odessa after Ator, who had been stopped by state troopers following a minor traffic violation on Saturday, evaded arrest by firing several shots at the officers,
VOTER from Page 1 from the rolls at high rates. “This phenomenon began after the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, a decision that severely weakened the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” the report’s authors wrote. “Before the Shelby County decision, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act required jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to submit proposed changes in voting procedures to the Department of Justice or a federal court for approval, a process known as ‘preclearance.’” The Brennan Center first identified this troubling voter purge trend in a major report released in July 2018. As the nation heads toward the all-important 2020 election cycle, many said they’re concerned with voter purging and the ever-present threat of voter disenfranchisement. “Automatic voter registration is a great way to be sure that every eligible American is registered to vote,” said Dr. Margaret Groarke, an associate professor of political science at Manhattan College in New York. “Whether this prevents voter suppression
injuring one. He then took off in his vehicle with an assault-style rifle, armed and clearly dangerous. Before being captured, he indiscriminately shot at motorists and law enforcement along a 15-mile stretch of land covering the towns of Odessa and Midland – even hijacking a U.S. Postal Service van and killing its driver – as he continued to shoot and kill at those unfortunate enough to stand in his way or be in his line of fire. Those dead, ranging in age from 15 to 57, include Mary Granados, 29, the driver of the postal van. Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke indicated during a press conference on Sunday that efforts continue to surmise a motivation for the shooter’s rampage. But with more than 15 crime scenes to cover, he said collecting evidence and determining what may have set Ator off may be difficult, it not impossible to deduce or confirm. The gunman, whom Gerke says appears to have acted alone, had just been fired from his trucking job and had a criminal record after being arrested in 2001 near Waco following charges of criminal trespass and evading arrest. He did not have any active arrest warrants, however. Among the Democratic candidates for president, Beto O’Rourke has emerged as the most vocal in his promise to make gun reform his primary campaign item, lashing out is complicated by the fact that there are many ways that people suppress the vote. Key strategies today are over-inclusive voter purges, strict voter ID laws, and making threats that people with unpaid fines or warrants shouldn’t come near the polls. “Automatic voter registration might counteract the effect of purges, but will do nothing to stop other strategies,” Groarke said. The Brennan Center report follows a Center for American Progress analysis that examined how conservative lawmakers are suppressing the votes of people of color, young people and those with disabilities. From discriminatory voter ID laws in places such as North Dakota, South Carolina and Michigan to failures to provide early polling places in a majority-black neighborhood in Texas and the freezing of more than 50,000 voter registrations in Georgia, voter suppression is rampant in 2018, according to the CAP report. “Voter suppression is widespread again this year, and these efforts from conservative lawmakers largely target people of color, young people, and people with disabilities,” Connor
5 Police officers assess the damage from recent mass shootings in Texas. (Courtesy photo)
with the “F” word in an interview last weekend with MSNBC host Joy Reid and calling on Americans to vote and fight for gun control during his reaction to the Odessa mass shooting. “That’s how we . . . put the lives of our fellow Americans above the NRA,” he said. A nonprofit that tracks gun violence in the U.S., the Gun Violence Archive, reports there have been 283 mass shootings in 2019, defined as
those in which four or more people were killed or injured, excluding the perpetrators. In August alone, 53 people died in mass shootings in the U.S. Based on the definition of mass killing as employed by the Justice Department in which at least three people die, there have been five mass killings involving firearms since the Dayton massacre last month. The incident in West Texas becomes the sixth. WI
Maxwell, a research associate for Race and Ethnicity Policy at the CAP, said in a news release. “Despite these efforts, there are many steps people can take to ensure their vote counts on Election Day.” Voting is a fundamental right for all U.S. citizens, “so we encourage everyone to double-check their voter registration; determine ahead of time whether you need to bring certain materials to the polls; and take advantage of the many voter assistance hotlines if you run into problems,” said Danielle Root, a voting rights manager at the CAP. In its report, the Brennan Center noted why voter purges could prove problematic. “If a voter moves from Georgia to New York, they are no longer eligible to cast a ballot in the Peach State. As such, they should be removed from Georgia’s voter rolls,” the authors wrote. “Similarly, voters who have passed away should be removed from the rolls. Reasonable vote list maintenance ensures voter rolls remain up to date. Problems arise when states remove voters who are still eligible to vote. “States rely on faulty data that
purport to show that a voter has moved to another state,” the report said. “Frequently, these data get people mixed up. In big states like California and Texas, multiple individuals can have the same name and date of birth, making it hard to be sure that the right voter is being purged when perfect data are unavailable. “Troublingly, minority voters are more likely to share names than white voters, potentially exposing them to a greater risk of being purged and voters often don’t realize they’ve been purged until they try to cast a ballot on Election Day — after it’s already too late.” The Brennan Center’s report authors said that as the 2020 election cycle heats up, election administrators must be transparent about how they decide which names to remove from the rolls. They must be diligent in their efforts to avoid erroneously purging voters, the authors said. “And they should push for reforms like automatic voter registration and election day registration which keep voters’ registration records up to date,” the authors wrote. WI
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campus, neighborhoods with significant clusters of immigrants, renters, residents who are less educated and who have low incomes and people living in nursing homes. We realize that we have a lot of work to do in advance of the census. Our mantra during this census period is, “Be the Count That Matters.” We’ll be working closely with stakeholders, civic and social organizations, businesses and others to ensure that the census is an unqualified success. We plan to partner with groups that work specifically with African Americans because we understand that we need to leverage the census so that our communities and neighborhoods can claim their tax dollars and that money essential to building and sustaining our neighborhoods isn’t diverted elsewhere. We have two steering committees of young advisors and seniors and we’re pulling together a number of joint events with members of both groups. If there is an undercount, if African Americans are not counted properly, their respective communities could potentially miss out on billions of dollars, and if the numbers of our most vulnerable groups are underestimated, that could lead to the loss of money needed to fund specific programs — the social safety net — that could lift up individuals and improve their lives. We want to ensure that everyone in the African American community is counted. That way we can ensure that the federal dollars — our tax dollars that are due to us — come to us so that we can strengthen, maintain and sustain our communities, build schools, hospitals, clinics and all the essentials that make life worth living. WI
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al government resources that goes to states, localities and families every year, including federal funding for health care, education, housing, food and income security, rural access to broadband, and other vital services. The census also guides businesses and companies’ private-sector investment decisions on where to invest in job creation, new facilities and marketing. It is worth repeating how critical the census is since it determines representation as well as the allocation of political power in the country. The census could be compared to a camera which captures a snapshot, a demographic rendering of our country. The count is the basis for determining how many representatives in the House and Senate will be able to be elected in each state, how congressional districts are drawn and who does them, all based on the number of residents counted and the number of members of the Electoral College. All too often though, African Americans are undercounted, which translates into disparities in the numbers of schools, hospitals, service providers and the level of healthcare that’s available to Black women, men and children. Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) is working extremely hard to ensure that communities are no longer vulnerable because they are traditionally under-resourced. Unfortunately, the undercounts that have occurred in past elections are intentional. These undercounts enable state and national lawmakers to dilute the power of Black and brown Americans and allows them to redraw districts to favor white constituents. We say to African American and Latino communities to stand up and
be counted, step out of the shadows and take control of this aspect of your lives. About a year out from when the census gets into gear, there’s growing concern that African Americans will again be undercounted and ultimately underserved. Census and other experts note that historically, there is a disparity between the number of whites and racial and ethnic minorities. The census usually misses large numbers of racial and ethnic minorities and poor people. However, the 2000 and 2010 censuses had a national undercount of less than two percent, because of what they characterized as the Census Bureau’s dedication, illustrated by staff walking into neighborhoods and knocking on the doors of the estimated 100 million U.S. residents who did not mail back their forms. The Census Bureau was able to do what it did because Congress gave it the money it needed to do the job. GWUL’s goal is to ensure that every single person in Black neighborhoods across the country is counted. It won’t be easy because as I mentioned earlier, there are a number of barriers to success. For example, those living in areas dominated by people of color have traditionally been disenfranchised in terms of access to housing, good schools, an elevated quality of life. In addition, those seeking to maximize the count will have to overcome barriers such as apathy, deep distrust of government, fear of deportation in blended immigrant households and, again, a misunderstanding of how the census affects their lives. Usually, certain groups of people fall into the difficult to count category. This includes college students living on
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grounds feel welcomed, respected, and appreciated for their shared values and for their diverse beliefs and practices. Many of us were once strangers within our communities, even within our families and our current circle of friends. If for one day, we can start by welcoming each other rather than pushing each other away, we will be one step closer to our aspiration of demonstrating human solidarity instead of rejecting those of other faiths and ethnicities, of choosing love over fear. WI
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wish to tear us apart and show our common humanity by supporting religious diversity and inclusion. Finally, we can show up at public demonstrations of these values, such as our 14th annual Unity Walk Sept. 8 in northwest D.C. On that day, hundreds of people of all faiths and backgrounds will embrace the stranger — literally and figuratively — by helping those in need, through music
and celebration, by visiting houses of worship, and via asking questions and having conversations. This celebration, and these actions, will help us become familiar with traditions and practices far different from our own. One day of unity does not change the other 364 days of the year in which mistrust and suspicion may overwhelm us. But when we respond to one another by strengthening bonds among strangers, we create a society in which people of all religious back-
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front door, which was overflowing with donations from others. There were notebooks, pads, pens and markers. There were gift cards and lunchboxes, and more. The table was overflowing with community generosity. Why can’t we be as generous in pursuing a public policy that provides an equal and quality education for all of our students, and economic equality for their parents? Please bring pencils and school supplies and a passion for justice! WI
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Collecting school supplies will help some students, but I think it makes teaching challenging and less attractive. While teachers may enjoy the support of the community with donated school supplies, what does this support mean in terms of relationships and realistic pay? Who wants to be associated with an occupation so marginally regarded that supporters have to panhandle for the tools of their trade?
On the one hand, then, I applaud Courtney Jones, the elementary school teacher from Tyler, Texas, who launched a #clearthelists campaign to encourage people to help teacher pay for school supplies. On the other hand, I’d be much more enthusiastic about an #educationfirst campaign that urged legislators to prioritize education in budgets. It’s nice to send school supplies. I bought a bag of notebooks and pens and dropped them in the box at the
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est number of state signatories also came from California: 15. Although no other state’s signatories were that numerous, the clear expression of genuine consumer protection against this heinous predatory loan in other areas with rates near or exceeding 400% is noteworthy: Texas (661%), Wisconsin (574%), Missouri (462%), and Illinois (404%). Yet a closer examination of the signatories reveals that despite sizeable support expressed in the letter, there are still 435 officials in the House of Representatives. The recent letter represents about 23% of the entire House. That small percentage signals that many more Members of Congress need to make clear that they stand on the side of the people — and not with payday lenders’ 400% interest rates. Across the country, communities of color are where payday and car-title loan stores are the most
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White terrorism goes hand in hand with slavery. White slave owners were in constant fear of slave revolts and on constant guard against slaves running away to seek their freedom. Slave patrol militias — made up of volunteers from the leading slave-owning families of the South — were created to police the plantations, to track down runaway slaves and to put down any insurrection. Again, violence — from whipping to murder — was employed routinely by the slave patrols. The Second Amendment — the right of people to join militias and bear arms — was added to the Constitution in large part to pro-
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prevalent. Among Congressional Black Caucus members serving in the House, 58% added their names and support to this important letter. New research on the nation’s wealth gap by McKinsey & Company found that 65% of Black America lives in one of 16 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Among these 16 states, only Arkansas, Georgia, and North Carolina have enacted 36% or less payday loan rate caps. The remaining 13 states have typical triple-digit payday loan interest rates that range from a low of 304% in Florida to a high of 521% in Mississippi. Multiple CBC members also represent districts in these states. Speaking at a House Financial Services subcommittee hearing held on April 30, Diane Standaert, an EVP and Director of State Poli-
cy with the Center for Responsible Lending testified of the rippling reasons that payday loans need regulation. “Allowing the 2017 rule to go into effect as planned is the bare minimum that the CFPB should do,” said Standaert. “It is absurd that we should even have to make such a straightforward request of an agency whose charge is to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, and abusive financial practices.” Rev. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, senior pastor of Dallas’s Friendship West Baptist Church, also testified at the April hearing. “Payday predators hijack the hopes of the vulnerable and re-victimize them by baiting them into a debt trap. … It is reprehensible that there may be a plan to open the way for old bank payday loans to re-enter the marketplace, as well as predatory high-cost bank installment loans,” Rev. Dr. Haynes said. Amen, reverend! WI
tect the right of slave owners to sustain the slave patrol militias. In 1788, when Virginia met to consider ratification of the Constitution, slave owners attacked the Constitution for giving the federal government the right to organize militias. At the time, slaves outnumbered the white population in much of eastern Virginia. James Madison wrote the Second Amendment largely to protect the rights of slave owners to enforce the reign of terror against slaves in the South. It had nothing to do with the right of individuals to bear arms, because Blacks — free or enslaved — were prohibited from owning and bearing arms across the South. Today when demagogues like
Trump fan the fears of an “invasion” of Latinos and Blacks that he believes will erode white dominance, white supremacist violence is once more on the rise. As Hayes argues, when the federal government acts to condemn and to prosecute this domestic terrorism, it can largely stamp it out. But when it fans the flames or turns its back or leaves it to the states that terrorism can easily get out of control. Today, America is still wrestling with how and whether it will grow out of its racial divides. By fanning the flames of those divides, Trump is dangerously choosing to feed an increasingly violent white supremacist reaction. WI
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appeared? On top of all that, Epstein is alleged to have attempted suicide while in custody. But just days later, those same authorities who told the world he had eventually succeeded in his quest took him OFF suicide watch, days before the murder! How conspiratorial is that? One thing seems certain to me about this ongoing mystery. It is that each new revelation about the death of Jeffrey Epstein from this day forward will only solidify the evidence that he did not commit suicide in his jail cell Aug. 10, 2019 — at least not alone. Now, let’s get back to that deed for certain beachfront property in Arizona which I will make available for sale — inbox me. WI
the detention center guards who were to check on Epstein every 30 minutes inexplicably did not check on him for several hours. It was during that period, when the death occurred. Was there a “rumor” on the cellblock that the guards should maybe take an extra-long lunch break together at that same time? The fact is that the surveillance camera footage of Epstein’s cell during that same period was compromised and is not viewable. A coincidence? A conspired coincidence maybe? There is doubtless, ample footage before his arrest of Epstein and his various “clients,” at his various estates and penthouses. But the footage of his death dis-
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