Washington Informer - May 19, 2016

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Metro Safety Plan Pushed Back to VA Program Helps Stroke Address FTA Regulations Page 13 Patients Recover Page 18

VOL. 51, NO. 32 MAY 19 - 25, 2016 OBAMA’S HOWARD SPEECH REDEEMS MOREHOUSE MISSTEP - Page 26

State of Black America: Inequality Remains

Foster Parent of the Year Extends Family Tradition

National Urban League Report Shows Blacks Still Lagging Behind By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer In 1976, then-President Gerald Ford delivered the annual State of the Union Address, virtually ignoring the plight of African-Americans and Latinos. That drove Vernon Jordan, the president of the National Urban League, to commission his own report. Now, 40 years later, the State of Black America is a prominent tool that continues to show just where African-Americans, Latinos and other minorities stand in the United States. National Urban League President Marc H. Morial said it’s clear, much needs to be done. “As we observe the 40th anniversary of the State of Black America,

the similarities in the nation in 2016 and that which then-National Urban League Executive Director Vernon Jordan documented in 1976 are disheartening,” Morial said on Tuesday, May 17, at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. during the unveiling of the 40th annual report titled, “The State of Black America: Locked Out, Education, Jobs & Justice.” “Our nation was struggling to overcome the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Pressure was building to slash social services for the poor, who were demonized and characterized as chislers. Communities were rocked

INEQUALITY Page 11

New Phone App Tracks Scammers Hernandez-Harrison Salvages Draw with Dallas Jr. Page 31 Page 30

She Calls for Empathy Toward Teens

WARD 8 DEBATE FULL STORY ON PAGE 8

5Candidate Trayon White has received the Ward 8 Democrats’ endorsement. See more on the elections on page 8. / Courtesy photo

Phyllis Johnson, Child Family Services Agency Foster Parent of the Year, has been a mother to over 30 kids since answering the call more than 10 years ago. “I worked at the housing authority for years, and I was a liaison between Child and Family Services,” Johnson said. “So I saw the need for (foster parents) on 5Phyllis Wilson serves as a foster parent a regular basis. A friend of mine making a difference in the lives of children. said, ‘Let’s go to an orientation. / Photo by Roy Lewis From then they had me.’” That was in 2005, and now as By Sarafina Wright Foster Parent of the Year, Johnson WI Staff Writer said she could have never imagOne native Washingtonian ined this. “I feel honored. I like what it comes from a long line of selfshows my kids, that if you give less people with a big hearts: Her parents were foster parents, and of yourself and you do it unselfnow her children have joined her ishly that you could possibly get in a journey to help the District’s rewarded in this way,” she said. most vulnerable. FOSTER PARENT Page 5

Democrats Challenge GOP on Voting Rights By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

PUBLIC SAFETY FULL STORY ON PAGE 12

5Sheriff Melvin High (3rd from right) and members of the Prince George's County Police Department being honored during a program, “Celebrating Our Heroes Service,” at City of Praise Family Ministries in Landover, Md. on Sunday, May 15th. / Photo by Patricia Little

The right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy and the foundation upon which all other rights are built, and Democratic Reps like James Clyburn (D-S.C.) aren’t going stand idle and allow others to infringe on those rights. During a press call hosted by the Democratic National Committee and the Virginia Democratic Party, Clyburn said the Voting Rights Act had been the single most important tool to protect the right to vote over the last half-century until Shelby

County vs. Holder opened the door for underhanded schemes that reduced electoral power in communities of color. “We see that clearly in states like North Carolina, where one bad law reversed an entire generation of electoral progress,” said Clyburn, 75. Committee members arranged the call to discuss the restoration of voting rights for those with felony convictions in Virginia and what Democrats said is the Republicans’ campaign of misinformation. In April, Virginia Gov. Terry

VOTING RIGHTS Page 20

Celebrating 51 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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