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Winner of more than 20 MDDC Press Association Awards for 2025

Vol 61 No 51

Judge Declares Mistrial in Councilmember Trayon White’s Federal Bribery Trial

Serving Our Community in the DMV

Retrial Possible, but White Eyes Small Business Support, Committee Chair Reinstatement

October 1 - 7, 2026

Sports Page 36

On Citywide Listening Tour, Democratic Mayoral Nominee Janeese Lewis George Provides Platform for Education Discussion

On Her Way to the General Election, Lewis George Touts Mayoral School Control as a Necessary Tool By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Staff Writer

By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Staff Writer Two years, and two electoral victories later, Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember Trayon White has taken his place among the 2% of criminal defendants who come out on top after fighting the federal government in the court of law. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras recently declared a mistrial in a federal bribery trial where White was facing 15 years if convicted. Amid threats of a retrial from U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, the Ward 8 council member has revealed a fall policy agenda that he’ll 5 Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember Trayon White is among the 2% of criminal defendants to come out on top after fighting the federal government in the court most likely be able to give a bit more attention. “Kitchen Savages, Sweet Tooth, [and] a lot of of law. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras recently declared a mistrial in

Throughout September, Ward 4 D.C. council member and Democratic mayoral nominee Janeese Lewis George has conducted listening

sessions in the District’s easternmost parts, where Washingtonians of various races and income levels are demanding a better quality of public education within walking distance of

LISTENING TOUR Page 22

a federal bribery trial where White was facing 15 years if convicted. (Ja’Mon

TRAYON Page 9 Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

5 Students from Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys participate in a listening session, hosted by Ward 4 D.C. council member and Democratic mayoral nominee Janeese Lewis George, on Sept. 1. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

‘The Softest Thing I Ever Growing Food, Growing Leaders: Did Was Survive’ How a Virginia Teen is Fighting Breast Cancer Survivors and Clinicians Reframe the Meaning of Fight Food Insecurity

By Dr. Patrise Holden WI Contributing Writer

5Breast cancer survivor LaTalya Palmer recuperates after her first mastectomy for inflammatory, triple-negative, late-stage breast cancer in May 2018. (Courtesy Photo/LaTalya Palmer)

LaTalya M. Palmer was getting dressed in June 2017 when she found a lump in her breast. Having just had a mammogram the month before, she made a fateful decision: she dismissed it. “I self-diagnosed, thinking it could be a cyst, a reaction to something,” Palmer said. “My mammogram weeks before was normal; I simply never thought it could be cancer.” SURVIVORS Page 20

Stella Hong Recognized as Young Eco-Hero for her HydroHarvest Hydroponic Growing Kits

By Mya Trujillo WI Multimedia Reporter Young people worldwide are becoming environmental innovators by designing sustainable ways to safeguard the planet they will soon lead.

Stella Hong, a senior at James Madison High School, has become one of those changemakers by founding HydroHarvest, an initiative that tackles food insecurity with hydroponic

FOOD INSECURITY Page 17

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STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER

Civil Rights Groups Warn AI Could Become the Next Front in the Fight Against Discrimination For generations, civil rights battles centered on people: employers who refused to hire qualified Black applicants; banks denying mortgages in minority neighborhoods; landlords steering families away from certain communities. Now, civil rights advocates say the next fight may be against algorithms. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly involved in decisions affecting jobs, housing, lending, health care and public benefits, a coalition of consumer advocates and civil rights organizations says the Trump administration is making it harder for states to stop technology from repeating decades of discrimination. “Testing and evaluation of AI systems, including In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

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STAFF Micha Green, Managing Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, WIN-TV Producer Ra-Jah Kelly, Digital Asset Manager Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC Desmond Barnes, WIN Daily Editor Anthony Tilghman, Social Media Strategist ZebraDesigns.net, Graphic Design Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Angie Johnson, Office/Circulation Manager Jada Ingleton, Content Editor REPORTERS Stacy Brown, National Reporter Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr., Political/Education Reporter Brenda Siler, Lifestyle Reporter Ed Hill, Sports Reporter Richard Elliott, Reporter Skylar Nelson, Sports Reporter Mya Trujillo, Multimedia Reporter PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Ja Mon Jackson, Asst. Photo Editor Roy Lewis, Jr. Robert R. Roberts Anthony Tilghman Abdullah Konte Cleveland Nelson FALL INTERNS Jumana Alsaadoon Kree Anderson Isabella Johnson Draia Shelton

4 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

removing bias, make systems more accurate, not less,” said Odette Williamson, director of racial justice advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center. “The FTC’s proposed policy statement creates confusion about how to legally assess bias and discrimination in AI, and it undermines states’ ability to protect consumers from discriminatory AI systems. It should be withdrawn in its entirety.” The warning comes as the administration pursues two separate efforts that critics say could weaken oversight of artificial intelligence. Last week, the National Consumer Law Center filed comments urging the Federal Trade Com-

CIVIL RIGHTS Page 14

MC Lyte Is Taking the Long Way to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Long before anyone imagined hip-hop growing old enough to have a Hall of Fame generation, MC Lyte came roaring out of Brooklyn with a voice that seemed too enormous to belong to a teenager. It was deep, commanding, and instantly identifiable, and nothing about the young woman wielding it was tentative. By the time much of America figured out that women were not going to be supporting characters in hip-hop’s story, Lyte was already writing chapters of her own, turning “Paper Thin” and “Cha Cha Cha” into classics, becoming the first female rapper to release a full-length solo album and beginning a career that would carry her from Brooklyn to Carnegie Hall, television and movie screens, the White House and, finally, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This fall, she is taking the long way there. MC Lyte will spend the weeks before her Nov. 14 induction traveling the country on her “Road to the Hall of Fame Tour,” a 12-market celebration

MC LYTE Page 32 3MC Lyte is part of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class and is set to be officially inducted in a ceremony Nov. 14 in Los Angeles. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

America’s Richest Households Gained $9.6 Million Under Trump. The Bottom Half Gained $1,200 The numbers are so far apart that they describe two very different American economies. Under the current Trump administration, the wealthiest 0.1% gained 8,000 times as much wealth per household as the bottom half of Americans. According to new findings from the Center for American Progress, which used Federal Reserve data, from the end of 2024 through the first quarter of 2026, households in the wealthiest 0.1% gained an average of $9.6 million in inflation-adjusted wealth. For households in the bottom half of the country, the average gain was $1,200. That works out to more than 8,000 times as much wealth flowing to a household at the very top as to one among the roughly 68 million households in the bottom half. “The gains of the past year and a half have been overwhelmingly concentrated among the wealthiest Amer-

icans, while millions of families are still struggling with high levels of debt,” said Cristina Tello-Trillo, chief economist at the Center for American Progress and a co-author of the analysis. Households in the top 1% gained an average of $1.8 million over the same period, the analysis found. The Fed’s Distributional Financial Accounts measure how U.S. household wealth is divided among groups, including the top 1%, the next 9%, the next 40% and the bottom 50%. The accounts track assets and liabilities and have measured household wealth distribution quarterly since 1989. CAP’s analysis found that the people who began this period with the most wealth were also positioned to capture the biggest gains because of what they own.

WEALTH Page 11

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D.C. Attorney General Sues Delta Pearl Owner as Tenants Endure Heat, Rats, Broken Elevators and Unsecured Building By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer A gleaming affordable housing redevelopment celebrated with a ribbon-cutting less than three years ago has deteriorated into a 10-story building. Tenants have endured summer heat without air conditioning, climbed flights of stairs because elevators were shut down, encountered rats and roaches, and walked through stairwells where city inspectors found feces, urine, garbage and debris. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued the owner and manager of Delta Pearl on Tuesday, asking a judge to intervene at the 166-unit apartment building at 1400 Florida Avenue NE and force repairs that the District says have gone undone despite repeated complaints and nearly 200 outstanding housing code violations. “The conditions at Delta Pearl are shocking, as has been ownership’s refusal to promptly address them,” Schwalb said. “This extreme level of disrepair and neglect, and the health risks it poses to tenants, are unacceptable.” The lawsuit names Delta 2 Owner LLC, DP Management LLC, which does business as Faria Management, and developer Buwa Binitie. The District alleges that the defendants failed to keep Delta Pearl safe and habitable and violated D.C. consumer protection and tenant receivership laws. “The conditions at Delta Pearl are serious, and residents deserve safe and properly functioning homes. But the Attorney General’s announcement leaves out a critical part of this story: prolonged court delays and widespread rent delinquency have pushed this affordable housing property into a severe financial crisis,” Delta Pearl said in a statement submitted to The Washington Informer. “Roughly two-thirds of Delta Pearl’s tenants are delinquent on their rent, the property is carrying more than $1,800,000 in unpaid rent and resident balances, and it has lost more than $1 million this year alone.” The allegations describe conditions that go well beyond routine maintenance disputes. According to the complaint, Delta Pearl has 199 unabated property maintenance violations from

the previous 15 months. Of those, 169 were issued in 2026, and 71 were classified as emergency violations requiring correction within one day. The building's air conditioning stopped working July 1 as Washington sweltered through temperatures that reached 102 degrees, according to the lawsuit. Tenants reported temperatures inside their apartments reaching 84 and 94 degrees. The District alleges tenants repeatedly tried to reach management by telephone, email, an online portal and visits to an on-site office, only to find the office empty and their attempts unanswered. When the attorney general's office contacted management, a company official acknowledged that the building's chiller was not functioning and blamed vandalism. Management also cited unpaid rent and said continued operations had become “financially unsustainable,” according to the complaint. But one of the most striking allegations involves what Binitie himself allegedly told the District. On July 30, according to the complaint, Binitie said Delta 2 Owner did not have the resources necessary to correct conditions and that he intended to relocate some tenants, remove people he described as “bad actors” and “in turn shut the building down.” Meanwhile, tenants remained. The building's two elevators repeatedly failed beginning at least in December 2025. The Department of Buildings issued 15 emergency notices involving nonfunctioning elevators between December and August, including six in July alone. For several weeks in June and July, neither elevator worked, according to the lawsuit. Parents carried children up and down stairs while residents with serious medical conditions worried about the physical toll of climbing as many as 10 floors. On July 23, DOB tagged both elevators “unsafe for use.” The complaint includes an Aug. 4 photograph showing the two elevator doors bearing the city's markings. Another photograph, taken in a stairwell, accompanies an inspection notice concerning feces, urine and garbage. The elevators remained unusable when the lawsuit was filed.

AROUND THE REGION

Those stairways became particularly important because tenants had little alternative. Inspectors reported finding feces, urine, trash and debris there. Some residents told investigators they were afraid even to touch the railings because of the conditions. The complaint also describes an infestation that tenants say has invaded everyday life. DOB has issued 10 notices concerning rodent and pest problems since August 2025, all of which remained unresolved when the lawsuit was filed. Inspectors documented insects inside a tenant's dishwasher, rodent burrows outside the building and cabinets apparently chewed by rodents. When OAG investigators arrived June 10, they reported smelling an odor associated with rodents in the lobby and

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5 Tenants are complaining about the conditions at Delta Pearl, a 166-unit apartment building on Florida Avenue NE. (Courtesy Photo)

seeing a dead rat in the parking lot. “Tenants at this 10-story building have been without air conditioning and working elevators since early July and face shocking, dangerous housing conditions,” Schwalb wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We're fighting for accountability and emergency repairs.” The company said nonpayments have led to the challenges at hand. “These circumstances do not excuse the conditions residents are experienc-

ing, but they are essential to understanding how a recently redeveloped affordable housing property reached this point.”

‘Endangering… Families and Seniors’

Tenant Starr Lindsey told investigators she had seen rats, mice, roaches, flies and gnats. According to the complaint, she bought so many exter-

TENANTS Page 8

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1904 – Mary McLeod Bethune opens the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, which eventually became Bethune-Cookman University. 1941 – Singer Chubby Checker of "The Twist" fame is born in Spring Gully, South Carolina. 1949 – WERD, the first radio station owned and programmed by African Americans, is established in Atlanta. 1954 – The Rev. Al Sharpton is born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 1974 – Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson is named manager of the Cleveland Indians, becoming the major leagues' first Black manager.

Oct. 4

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

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

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1917 – Fannie Lou Hamer, voting rights activist and civil rights leader, is born in Montgomery County, Mississippi. 1921 – Joseph Lowery, civil rights leader and longtime president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, is born in Huntsville, Alabama. 1971 – The first legal interracial marriage in North Carolina, between John A. Wilkinson and Lorraine Mary Turner, takes place.

Oct. 7

1897 – Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad is born in Sandersville, Georgia. 1931 – Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid activist and retired Anglican bishop, is born in Klerksdorp, South Africa. 1934 – Amiri Baraka, renowned African American writer, is born in Newark, New Jersey. 1993 – Famed author Toni Morrison wins the Nobel Prize in literature. WI

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mination and odor-control products that she had difficulty calculating what she had spent. Eventually, she adopted a cat to help keep rodents out of her apartment. Another tenant, Tiara Humphrey, told investigators she worried about what the infestation could mean for her two young children. She said she had dealt with roaches since moving into Delta Pearl in January 2025 and that management never sent an exterminator despite being notified. Trash appears throughout the District's account of what went wrong. Bags accumulated in hallways and trash rooms, while garbage backed up inside the building's chute. One tenant said the blockage once reached the seventh floor. DOB issued at least nine garbage-related infractions in July alone. There are also fire and electrical concerns. DOB cited management for malfunctioning fire alarm panels, problems with fire and sprinkler systems and exposed electrical wiring. One tenant reported that her apartment had no working smoke detector and said management failed to repair it after she complained. An emergency violation involving exposed wiring issued in June 2025 remained unresolved when the lawsuit was filed. A fire struck the seventh floor in February. Most apartments on that floor were subsequently boarded up, and photographs included in the lawsuit show plywood covering a doorway months later. The District says required repairs were never completed and de-

5 Attorney General Brian Schwalb says the District is saying the owner and manager of Delta Pearl, asking a judge to intervene at the 166-unit apartment building in Northeast and force repairs that the District says have gone undone. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

scribes the floor as appearing deserted. Security presents another problem. The exterior gate has been broken since at least August 2025, according to the complaint. A February fire disrupted the electrical system that operated key-fob access, and the system was never restored, leaving unrestricted access to residential floors. Inspectors also cited doors that would not lock and stairwell doors missing doorknobs. Tenants reported seeing people who did not live at Delta Pearl sleeping in common areas and occupying vacant apartments. The complaint says an inspector found bedding and furnishings in the package room in July. The allegations grow more serious from there. Tenants reported shootings in the building and parking lot, and Metropolitan Police Department records reviewed by OAG showed at least three incidents involving gunfire on the property or immediately nearby during the previous year. “This severe level of neglect and the refusal to even try to fix critical health and safety risks is unacceptable,” Schwalb wrote on X. “And it is endangering the families and seniors who live at 1400 Florida Ave NE.”

‘What Has Happened.. Defies Reason’

For Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker, the deterioration is particularly difficult to reconcile with what

8 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

stood at the same address only a few years ago. “Just two short years ago, I helped cut the ribbon on 1400 Florida Ave NE and welcomed neighbors into a beautiful space that was funded with tens of millions of dollars in tax credits and public financing,” Parker said. “What has happened since then defies reason.” Parker said his staff spent months taking residents' complaints to District agencies. “There is simply no excuse for the disturbing and rapid decline of this property,” he said. Delta Pearl occupies a building originally constructed in 1979 as affordable senior housing. Delta 2 Owner purchased the property in 2022, and Binitie obtained financing the following year to renovate and redevelop it through Dantes Partners in partnership with Gilbane Development Corporation and Delta Housing Corporation. The renovation was completed in November 2023. Fifty-one percent of the 166 apartments are designated for residents earning below 80% of area median income. The lawsuit describes Delta Pearl as an important source of affordable housing in Ward 5's rapidly developing H Street corridor. The case could have consequences beyond Delta Pearl. The complaint says Binitie owns 15 D.C. properties across Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. All 15 are designated affordable housing and receive various forms of public housing financing or subsidies. Faria manages 12 of them. The District is asking the court for temporary, preliminary and permanent orders compelling compliance with housing law, restitution and damages for tenants and civil penalties. The lawsuit also asks the court to appoint a receiver with authority to develop and oversee a rehabilitation plan and require the defendants to contribute money beyond rents collected at Delta Pearl if necessary to eliminate dangerous conditions. Department of Buildings Director Brian Hanlon said the number of unresolved violations demanded action. “The law is clear,” Hanlon said. “A property owner has the ultimate responsibility for maintaining a safe, secure, and code-compliant property.” Delta Pearl, under Faria Management, said there’s more to the story. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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5 Councilmember Trayon White says he is thankful for those who stood by his side as he faced federal bribery charges. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

TRAYON from Page 1 [other] homegrown minority restaurants have closed recently,” White told The Informer. “It's my job to work to make sure we can open up more stores and businesses so people can walk and shop and go and patronize their business in our community so we can circulate the dollar in our own community.” On the morning of Sept. 28, White once again stood with his supporters, and this time his attorneys, near the corner of 3rd Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW. That’s where he briefly addressed reporters before he and more than a dozen people walked around the corner to pray. Members of that group later prayed with White and saw him off as he hopped in his vehicle and drove away from the city block where he’s spent the better part of two weeks. Earlier that morning, a jury of 12 returned to Courtroom 23 of the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Court Building to announce their deadlocked status for the third time. As announced a day later, the jury decision split 9 to 3, with the majority supporting White’s exoneration. After meeting with the prosecution and defense, and later declaring that White would have his passport returned to him, Contreras expressed his gratitude to jurors. “I thank you for your service,” Contreras told jurors. “Without any prompting, you decided to come in. I commend you for your efforts. You put in a lot of time.”

What’s Ahead for D.C. Councilmember White

On Oct. 22, the prosecution and defense are scheduled to meet once again to determine whether there will be a retrial. For White’s attorneys however, the issue has already been settled. “As far as I'm concerned and the legal team is concerned, Ward 8 has spoken twice now. They want this man to be their representative,” Warren G. Kohlman, the lead attorney on White’s legal team, said about his client. “The jurors spoke today in terms of whether there should be a retrial or not, so we will be filing appropriate motions to do everything we can to get justice, which is to not have another trial.” White and his supporters later made their way to the John A. Wilson Building, where White faces the question of whether D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) will reinstate the committee chairmanship that White lost in the aftermath of his 2024 arrest. While the council chair, as of last week, has yet to make a decision, White said Ward 8’s political standing hangs in the balance. “We have more leverage when we can have a foundation to oversee government agencies and also influence the $20 billion budget to make sure that, since historically we got less, [we get more] in a community that's been underserved and neglected for over three decades,” White told reporters on Sept. 28. “We want the same fairness that everyone else has. I'm

TRAYON Page 11

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Isisara Bey, Darien Wright, Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music and Entertainment Director Latoya Foster, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Kelly Flanigan, and D.C. Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert at the Second Annual 202Creates Con, which brought Washington, D.C.’s creative community together on Sept. 28. Held at the National Geographic Museum of Exploration, the free convention served as the culminating event of 202Creates Month and also marked the 10th anniversary of the 202Creates initiative. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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About 71% of the assets of the wealthiest 0.1% were held in corporate stocks and private businesses during the first quarter of 2026. From the fourth quarter of 2024 through the first quarter of this year, their inflation-adjusted wealth from stocks and private businesses increased by $1.35 trillion, or approximately $9.9 million per household. The bottom half of households hold 47% of their assets in real estate and another 20% in consumer durables, including cars and household appliances. Those nearly 68 million households collectively own only about 5% of the nation’s aggregate assets, according to CAP. The top 10% own about two-thirds. Analysts said that difference is crucial to understanding how a rising stock market can produce enormous gains in national wealth without delivering anything close to equal gains across American households. Federal Reserve figures released in September show just how much money is tied to equities. House-

5 New findings from the Center for American Progress reveal a significant economic gap in the United States, in which the wealthiest 0.1% gained 8,000 times as much wealth per household as the bottom half of Americans. (Courtesy Photo)

hold and nonprofit holdings of corporate equities reached $74 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, up from $55.2 trillion in 2024. Total household and nonprofit assets stood at $217.8 trillion. The Fed’s broader figures are not broken down in the same way as CAP’s household calculations, but they show the enormous role equities

play in American wealth. The CAP also found that households between the 50th and 90th wealth percentiles carried $8.8 trillion in aggregate debt during the first quarter of 2026 after adjusting for inflation, roughly the level they carried during the Great Recession. Households between the 90th and 99th percentiles carried $4.1 trillion, also near Great Recession-era levels. Debt among the bottom half has not returned to its Great Recession peak, according to the analysis, but remains substantially higher than during the early and middle 2000s. “This gap was never about income,” Mary, a social media user, wrote about the wealth disparities in the U.S. on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The bottom half holds wages and cash, which grow in a straight line. The top holds assets that compound and debt they never repay, only borrow against. One side is paid for its time. The other gets paid while it sleeps.” WI Read more on washingtoninformer;com.

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Throughout the entire trial and jury deliberation period, Ward 8 elected official Regina Pixley has been a consistent presence in Courtroom 23. She called her witnessing of the legal process part of her obligation to a man who’s given so much to Ward 8. “Outside of being a council member, he does so much more that he's not paid for,” Pixley, Ward 8 committeewoman for the D.C. Democrats, told The Informer. “He's knocking on doors, talking to mothers. He's going to these deplorable senior homes in Ward 8. He's going up to the grocery store and saying, ‘No, please don't close. Stay open.’ He’s going down Marion Barry Avenue, fighting to keep Black businesses open.” Long before defense attorneys revealed the nature of the coun-

One of Ward 8 Councilmember White’s Most Faithful Speaks

cil member’s relationship with FBI informant Allieu Kamara, Pixley counted among those who knew him to be White’s brotherin-law, and not a businessman as depicted by prosecutors. She said she kept that relationship under wraps through some of the Ward 8 council member’s most difficult moments, including his council expulsion. Pixley, who’s worked with White for a decade, said the council’s adhoc committee, at the time led by then-At-large D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, acted preemptively to remove White. With the legal process behind White, for the time being, Pixley said she’s looking forward to White’s council colleagues taking a different posture toward him. “It's time that they start treating him with the respect [given by] the Ward 8 residents [who] have voted to keep him,” Pixley told The Informer. “Y'all know this man is capable of the work. We're going to keep thanking God, because it could have been a different way. But because God said yes. We're going to get back to work and do what needs to be done for our ward.” WI

not a freshman council member. I've been on the council [for] almost a decade. And so we're going to make sure that we get the same rights and access to resources as everyone else.” In his remarks, White spoke about the perils of the legal system and his portrayal in the media since his 2024 arrest. He also revealed his plans to pursue a law degree again while expressing solidarity with attorney Ben Crump and the family of the late Nolan Wells. Most of the time, however, White thanked those who stood by his side, including Ward 4 D.C. council member and Democratic mayoral nominee Janeese Lewis George, who swore him back into office in early 2025 despite, as he recounted, threats against doing so. At the end of a reflection, in which the Ward 8 council member evoked Christian and Muslim greetings, he issued a warning to District residents, young and old, who continue to come into contact with the legal system. “I'm not gloating because of the acquittal that happened today,”

White said, “but I'm thoughtful and I'm grateful and humbled that I've learned from this not to be here again. So if you're in the streets, get out [of ] the streets. Find something productive, find your purpose, find your gifts.”

TRAYON from Page 9

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Park and Planning Board Announces Autumn Budget Forums

County Council, MNCPPC Continue Legal Battle Over $39 Million By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter The Prince George’s County Park and Planning Board— one of two local governing boards that make up the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission (MNCPPC)— will

12 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

be hosting 2026 Budget Forums this fall to receive comments from constituents and prepare for the upcoming budgetary year. The first meeting will be held on Oct. 6 at the Riverdale Prince George’s County Administration Building Auditorium and the second will be held on Oct. 13 at the Har-

3Prince George’s Stadium is undergoing massive renovations in partnership with the MNCPPC. In preparations for the upcoming budgetary year, the Prince George’s County Park and Planning Board will be hosting 2026 Budget Forums this fall. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

mony Hall Arts Center in Fort Washington. Both meetings start at 7 p.m. The MNCPPC and the Prince George’s County Council have had a turbulent relationship over the past year, particularly concerning the transfer of an estimated

$39 million from the organization to the legislative body after the state budget explicitly banned such transfers. “In Prince George’s County, the Commission receives a percentage of property taxes that are legally designated for parks, recreation, and planning services. The transfer of more than $39 million, by July 1, without submission of receipts or invoices, before any services have been provided, and without proper vetting through the Commission’s procurement process, raises serious concerns about legal authority and our ability to provide the services the residents of Prince George’s County expect from us,” read a June 10 statement from the MNCPPC. At the time, MNCPPC said after “good-faith efforts to resolve” challenges collaboratively, the bi-county government agency sought “court intervention to protect the public trust and ensure these resources are used as intended.” “We remain committed to a lawful resolution that preserves essential services for the Prince George’s County community,” MNCPPC continued. Judge Krystal Alves temporarily blocked this transfer in June, siding with MNCPPC and arguing that the County Council overstepped its authority. Councilmember Jolene Ivey (D-At Large) sharply criticized the transfers and has spoken against

the lack of fiscal accountability. “We have nonprofits that do a great job under very tight budgets and they ask us for some help, and to the extent that we can, we should help them,” Ivey said in an interview with WJLA following the legal ruling. “But just to give a bunch of money to nonprofits because they’re your friends, I don’t think that’s right.” With the case set to resume on Sept. 21, the County Council explained how the funds are generally handled. “The resolution states that the transfer is carried out through the invoices and reimbursement process, which Park and Planning has always used as the longstanding process,” Oriadha said while discussing the legislation. This bill passed by an 8-2 vote on Sept. 16, with Councilmembers Ivey and Sydney Harrison (D-At-Large) opposing, and Councilmember Edward P. Burroughs (D-District 8) absent from the vote.. “If I am questioning the process and how this is happening, then I’m sure residents are wondering the same thing, and that’s fair,” Harrison said in an interview with WJLA. “Trust is a sacred thing. It’s earned over time, but it can be lost very quickly. The actions we take on the Prince George’s County Council must ensure that every tax dollar is spent in a way that produces positive results for residents.” WI

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Bowie Police Department Hosts 20th Anniversary Celebration By Richard Elliott

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

WI Contributing Reporter

The Bowie Police Department (BPD) celebrated its 20th anniversary at its Prince George’s County headquarters on Sept. 19, featuring past and present chiefs speaking in honor of the organization they have built. “We could not have achieved these accomplishments without our community, the true foundation of our agency,” said Chief Dwayne Preston, the first African American chief of the BPD. “Your continued support, trust, and collaboration empower us in our daily responsibilities.” The anniversary included a tour of the police substation, displays of police vehicles, and food giveaways. Darrell Carrington, a longtime Bowie resident who operates the Huntington City Community Development Corporation, plans several community partnerships with the Bowie Police Department every year, including a trunk-or-treat event. “We are proud of the partnership that we have forged with the BPD,” Carrington told The Informer. “They have shown time and time again their commitment and care for the community, in terms of what is best for our citizenry, as we work in partnership to address the issues that Bowie residents have raised to them.” WI

3The Bowie Police Department is celebrating two decades. The celebration at the department headquarters included a tour of the substation and displays of police vehicles. (Courtesy Photo/ Bowie Police Department)

5Bowie Police Department (BPD) Chief Dwayne Preston speaks at BPD’s 20th anniversary celebration on Sept. 19, an event that brought out several Maryland leaders, including Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy (right). (Courtesy Photo/Bowie Police Department)

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OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 13

BUSINESS CIVIL RIGHTS from Page 4 mission to withdraw a proposed policy statement that the organization says discourages companies from testing AI systems for racial and other forms of bias. Days later, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to examine ways to prevent states from enforcing or adopting AI laws that the administration believes interfere with a national approach to artificial intelligence. Together, those actions have intensified a debate that extends well beyond Silicon Valley. The dispute now reaches into questions that have defined civil rights policy for decades: Who gets approved for a mortgage? Who is hired for a job? Who qualifies for housing? Who receives government benefits? Increasingly, advo-

cates say, software—not people— is helping make those decisions. Artificial intelligence already plays a role in screening job applicants, evaluating loan applications, recommending tenants, detecting fraud, assisting insurers and supporting health care decisions. Consumer advocates argue that when those systems are trained on historical data that contain racial or economic disparities, they can reproduce those outcomes unless developers continually test for bias and correct it. “Opaque AI systems need guardrails and oversight to make sure they do not discriminate against people based on race, age, gender, religion, and many other factors,” Williamson said. The National Consumer Law Center argues that the FTC proposal rests on a false premise—that efforts to reduce bias

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5 With artificial intelligence playing a role in screening applicants for housing, health care and jobs, consumer advocates argue that historical data containing racial or economic disparities can reproduce discriminatory outcomes, unless developers continually test for bias and correct it. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

somehow make artificial intelligence less accurate. Instead, the organization says continuous testing is necessary to improve accuracy and comply with existing anti-discrimination laws. It also argues that the commission has failed to show evidence that companies attempting to comply with state civil rights protections are deceiving consumers. “With Congress unwilling to pass legislation protecting people from AI and this administration gutting our consumer protection agencies, states are essential to stop AI from unleashing digital redlining,” Williams continued.

‘States Have a Vital Role in Protecting the Public from… Unknown Risks of AI’

Civil rights organizations have expanded that argument beyond the FTC. In a letter sent to leaders of the House Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and dozens of national organizations urged lawmakers to reject any proposal that would override state AI protections. The groups called for mandatory bias testing,

privacy protections, enforcement authority for federal and state regulators, and preservation of disparate-impact protections under civil rights law. The coalition argued that public concern about AI regulation spans political affiliations. It cited polling showing broad support for requiring companies to demonstrate that AI systems used in employment, lending and housing do not discriminate. The organizations also warned that communities of color could face disproportionate economic consequences as AI reshapes the workforce and automates more occupations. The administration has argued that a patchwork of state AI laws could complicate innovation and create inconsistent regulatory standards nationwide. The executive order specifically identifies California’s AI disclosure requirements and Colorado’s law addressing algorithmic discrimination as examples of state measures federal agencies should examine. Technology companies have likewise argued that complying with dozens of different state AI laws could become increasingly difficult as artificial intelligence expands across industries. Advocates counter that states

have historically acted first when Congress has been slow to respond to emerging risks. “States have a vital role in protecting the public from the myriad of known and unknown risks of AI, which can be used to improperly reject people for credit, jobs, and housing; freeze or steal bank accounts; abuse and share private data; and raise the cost of living through surveillance pricing,” said Lauren Saunders, associate director and director of federal advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center. She said efforts to prevent states from regulating artificial intelligence reverse a long tradition of state consumer protection. “States on a bipartisan basis have been addressing the risks of AI, exercising their role as our first responders and laboratories of democracy, which is critical given Congress’s inability to address the dangers of AI,” Saunders said. “Our Constitution limits the powers of the federal government and preserves the power of the states. The actions that President Trump is directing federal agencies to take to block states from protecting people from current and future AI dangers are reckless, unlawful, and will not stand up to challenge.” WI

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BUSINESS

DC Chamber of Commerce Hosts Annual State of the District

The DC Chamber of Commerce brought together business leaders, policymakers, civic officials and representatives from some of the Washington region’s most influential sports, entertainment, tourism and 5 DC Chamber of Commerce President and hospitality organizations on Sept. 25, for its annual CEO Chinyere Hubbard and D.C. 5Board of Directors Chair Earle 5Necole Parker and Greg Dean “Chico” Horton III, Esq. 5Tonya Vidal Kinlow State of the District & Region Conference at the Johns Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At-Large) Hopkins Bloomberg Center on Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The convening served as a forum for examining the economic forces affecting Washington, D.C., and the broader metropolitan region. The “Experience Economy: Sports, Entertainment, and Hospitality Shaping the Region” panel was particularly focused on the industries that bring people into the city, encourage visitors and residents to spend money locally, and contribute to the continuing 5 The “Experience Economy: Sports, Entertainment, and Hospitality Shaping the Region” panel, featuring: Ben Peters, a reporter for the Washington Business transformation of downtown Washington. Journal; Monica Dixon, president of external affairs and chief administrative officer for Monumental Sports; Robin McClain, chief marketing officer for Destination DC; Shawn Townsend, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington; Thomas Penny, president of Donahue Hospitality; (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) and Andrew VanHorn, head of real estate for the Washington Commanders

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OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 15

NATIONAL Fighting for Her Health, Her Home and Her Day in Court

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

When Ella Lee started writing her own court motions, she took on a challenge that would scare many people, even those with steady incomes, college degrees, and lawyers they can call for help. She tried to learn workers’ compensation law while communicating with the insurance company. She questioned decisions on unemployment benefits and sought to understand her medical records. She dealt with doctors and hospitals, prepared court

documents, and read settlement agreements drafted by lawyers, all while facing tight deadlines and people who often knew the rules better than she did. Lee remembers when her life was considerably different. She earned $25 an hour as a supervisor at Burrell Motor Coach in Baltimore, working weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. She liked her clients, had weekends off, and made enough to sometimes help friends in need. Living alone in Southwest Baltimore, she felt she was in a good place. “I felt good about where I was,” Lee said. “I felt the closest I’ve ever felt to

Jehovah, and I was genuinely happy until they snatched it all away.” Two and a half years later, Lee says she can barely afford her apartment. She has struggled to buy food and pay bills, and after working for DoorDash, she recently found another job. The gap between those two parts of her life is filled with an employer, a workers’ compensation insurer, doctors, hospitals, government agencies, lawyers, judges, and hundreds of pages of records. Lee now believes that some of these people and institutions worked together against her. Her story raises an important question: What happens when a regular worker’s dispute becomes too complex to handle alone, while the other side knows the system far better? For Lee, it began at work. In February 2024, while employed by Burrell, she complained that bleach and other cleaning chemicals being used inside the workplace were affecting her breathing. “I had to take another unscheduled break because of the fumes,” Lee wrote to company owner Eric Burrell. “The new cleaner hired this week is using it constantly.”

5 Ella Lee is in the midst of longtime legal battles after a worker’s dispute became incredibly complex for one person. (Courtesy Photo)

She told Burrell that the enclosed building made it difficult to escape the fumes. “Please hear me, Eric,” Lee wrote. “You know chemicals affect me, but the bleach is entirely too much. It makes it too difficult for me to breathe, and that’s life-threatening.” Burrell did not return multiple messages seeking comments about Lee’s allegations and the company’s handling of her complaints. The records show management was aware Lee was reporting health concerns. In another exchange, a supervisor told her, “We really care about your health,” and asked her to obtain information from her doctor identifying chemicals and cleaning products that affected her.

Racialized Hostility and Harassment

Lee’s case isn’t isolated. National research suggests that for Black women, reporting a dangerous workplace, harassment, or discrimination can carry risks beyond the problem they originally raised. The Center for Law and Social Policy describes a workplace landscape where racialized hostility, sexual harassment, and retaliation intersect with unequal power and economic insecurity. Research published by Harvard Business Review found that Black women are uniquely burdened by the “angry Black woman” stereotype, with expressions of frustration more readily

16 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

interpreted as hostility or aggression, which can damage how colleagues view their competence and leadership potential. “This pervasive stereotype not only characterizes Black women as more hostile, aggressive, overbearing, illogical, ill-tempered, and bitter,” researchers from Harvard Business Review wrote. Federal enforcement data has also pointed to the larger danger of speaking up. Retaliation has been the most frequently alleged basis of discrimination in private-sector charges for more than a decade, accounting for 56.8% of charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in fiscal 2023. For Black women, CLASP argues, those pressures are intensified by their concentration in lower-paid and frontline jobs, where workers may have less economic room to absorb lost hours, discipline, or termination. The result can be a punishing cycle in which a woman who raises an alarm about working conditions finds herself forced to defend not only the complaint but also her credibility, temperament, and ultimately her right to remain on the job. “For Black women, safety has never been guaranteed. It has had to be demanded, defended, and organized for,” noted Lulit Shewan, a policy analyst at the Center for Law and Social Policy. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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EARTH

FOOD INSECURITY from Page 1 growing kits. With this program, Stella was recognized as a 2026 Eco-Hero through nonprofit Action For Nature’s (AFN) International Young Eco-Hero Awards. These annual awards celebrate the environmental feats of children ages 8 to 16 as they make strides in addressing issues like climate change, pollution, wildlife conservation and more. “It’s an incredible honor,” Stella told The Informer. “I was really drawn to that strong sense of community among the awardees, as well as being able to find other passionate youth who are exploring such interesting projects and really making a huge change in their community.” The high school senior learned about the Eco-Hero Awards while she was a council member on Bow Seat’s Future Blue Youth Council, and hoped to use the program as an opportunity to network with similar-minded people around the world. She and the other 23 honorees are advancing AFN’s mission of nurturing young people’s love for the environment in a way that supports them in being changemakers. AFN has been hosting these awards since 2003, and President Beryl Kay is determined to use her personal love for nature to ignite that same passion in the young people she works with through the organization. Kay explained, if up-and-coming generations are deprived of a connection with the outdoors, they will miss one of life’s greatest enjoyments. “We believe youth are the future of this world, and if they’re going to grow up and take care of [it], they need to develop an understanding and a love of nature,” the AFN president told The Informer. “They’re not waiting to grow up; Our Eco-Heroes are taking action right now.”

Planting Seeds of Change

For Stella, taking action meant coming up with a way to create a reliable and accessible source of fresh produce for communities in the Washington

Metropolitan Area through a hydroponics-focused solution. According to the Capital Area Food Bank’s 2026 Hunger Report, 38% of the 4,000 people surveyed in the region face uncertainty about where their next meal will come from, signaling a five-year high. She noticed that after COVID-19, food insecurity greatly affected her community, and programs that once helped mitigate this began to disappear. In late 2024, she took matters into her own hands and created the HydorHarvest grow buckets, wanting to produce a sustainability-focused model. “Not only environmental sustainability with using hydroponics, but also sustainability for families,” Stella told the Informer. “We really want to make them have control over their food source and what foods they’re able to grow.” Hydroponics is a method that uses a water-based nutrient solution instead of soil to grow plants, allowing water recycling and reuse. Through this form of economical water consumption— meaning the minimum amount is used to complete the task of growing without wasting resources— hydroponics typically uses as much as 90% less water than conventional farming methods. This is because the water doesn’t have to be refilled, as the air pocket created when plants soak up water as they grow gives roots ample oxygen. Such techniques allow people to grow inside their homes with minimal maintenance. While also reducing water usage, the grow buckets Stella designed also cut plastic waste, as they are made from recycled, food-grade containers sourced from local restaurants. Each grow kit includes the following: a bucket system where the plants grow; lettuce, basil, cilantro, dill and kale seedlings; clay pellets meant to surround the roots and block sunlight from hitting the water to prevent algae growth; powder fertilizer; and instructions for how to set up and maintain the growing structure. To set up the kit, users must fill the buckets with water up to the marked line, then add a three-quarter teaspoon

of the fertilizer per gallon of water and mix, ensuring the plant’s roots are completely submerged. Once the lid is placed on the buckets, grow kit users are advised to put the seedlings in the provided black pots and place them in the lids. Then, once the system is stored in a well-lit indoor area where it can receive at least six hours of sunlight daily, the plants are ready to grow. “I really loved the idea that there was this model that was low cost to create and low cost to maintain,” Gillian Kimura, a Fairfax County resident and HydroHarvest grow kit user, told The Informer. “I have a bit of a brown thumb, so… it’s exciting to see, especially for those who either haven’t done a lot of gardening in the past or who may not have a lot of time to spend watering and taking care of things.” Kimura was introduced to Stella’s hydroponic system through a workshop at Capital Area Food Bank that she attended with her high schoolaged son. She told The Informer that the kits piqued her son’s interest, as he

FOOD INSECURITY Page 43

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5 Stella Hong poses with her hydroponic grow buckets outside the Food for Others food bank in Northern Virginia. She was inspired to design these growing structures after observing how food insecurity affected her community following COVID-19. (Courtesy Photo/HydroHarvest, Instagram)

OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 17

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A Royal Visit to the Anacostia Art Gallery The Anacostia Art Gallery welcomed Chief Nana Yaw Mosi Boateng II on Sunday, Sept. 13 for a special visit celebrating art, culture, heritage and community. During his visit, hosted by Queen Mother Nana Botwe Adobea II (Juanita Britton), Boateng toured the gallery, viewed works on display and engaged with members of the local arts and cultural community. The gathering provided an opportunity to celebrate the connections between African heritage and the rich cultural traditions of Washington, D.C.’s African American community. The visit also highlighted the importance of cultural exchange and the role of art in preserving history, honoring heritage and connecting generations. Featuring cultural drumming and dancing by the Katinka Group, the visit was a celebration of culture, community and connection in the heart of Anacostia. (Photos by Christopher J. Walls) WI

5 The community greets Chief Nana Yaw Mosi Boateng II and Queen Mother Botwe Adobea II. 3Attendees learn the Ghanaian cultural dance Adowa. 6Residents of Anacostia listen to the history of the Ghanaian Royal family of Chief Nana Yaw Mosi Boateng II.

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5 Lalanya Abner greets Chief Nana Yaw Mosi Boateng II.

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Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Know the Signs, and Break the Silence Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC) Every October, we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month as a time to raise awareness, support survivors, and learn how to take action. Domestic violence affects people of all ages and backgrounds and can happen to anyone, no matter their gender or race. In Washington, DC, alone, 55% of unhoused families and 24% of unhoused single adults reported a history of experiencing domestic violence in 2023, with over half saying it was the main reason they lost stable housing.1 In 2025, domestic violence led to 22% of homicides in the District.2

What is domestic violence?

According to the Office of Violence on Women, domestic violence is any pattern of behavior used by one person to gain power and control over another in a relationship. It can take many forms, including:3 • Physical harm • Emotional or verbal abuse • Controlling behaviors • Sexual abuse • Digital abuse (monitoring messages or social media without consent) Abuse is never the fault of the person experiencing it. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected in their home and relationships.

Staying safe and getting help

If you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic violence, there are steps you can take to stay safe: • Tell someone you trust. Talking to a friend, relative, teacher, or faith leader can help you feel supported and less alone. • Create a safety plan. Identify a safe place to go and what essentials you might need in case you have to leave quickly, such as IDs, keys, medications, or cash. • Keep emergency contacts.

Keep a list of helpful phone numbers, including hotlines and shelters. • Protect your online activity. If you research domestic violence resources online, consider clearing your browser history afterward or using a safe device to search on. • Know your rights. In DC, many services are available at no cost to help survivors find housing, legal aid, emotional support, and more.

Resources in Washington, DC

Several organizations in DC offer immediate and confidential help for those experiencing domestic violence: • DC Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE) offers crisis response, emergency shelter, and court advocacy for survivors in danger. Website: www.dcsafe.org • House of Ruth provides housing and supportive services for women and children who have experienced abuse. Phone: (202) 667-7001 Website: www.houseofruth.org • DC Victim Hotline offers 24/7 access to trained advocates who connect survivors to a range of local resources. Phone: 1-844-4HELPDC (1-844443-5732) Website: www.dcvictim.org Healing begins with support. If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation, please remember that help is available. Community organizations are working every day to provide survivors with the tools, resources, and care they need to find safety and rebuild their lives. Sources 1. “Domestic Violence in the District of Columbia: Research, Data, and Sources,” DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, https://dccadv.org/wp-content/ uploads/2024/10/State-of-DV-inDC-2024-1.pdf 2. “Homicides Are Down in D.C., But Domestic Killings Have Increase,” 51st News, https://51st.news/dc-homicide-domestic-violence-data-budget-cuts/, 3. “What Is Domestic Violence?” Office on Violence Against Women, https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence

Understanding and addressing teen self-harm

Teen self-harm is a growing concern that often signals deeper emotional struggles, such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. Self-harm usually starts in the preteen or early teen years4, and nearly 17% of teenagers engage in self-harm at least once.5 For teens, self-harm can feel like a way to manage overwhelming emotions. For parents, it can be scary and confusing. But healing can begin with open, meaningful conversations and access to the right support. If you or someone you love is strug-

gling with self-harm, there are several resources and behavioral tools available at no cost to support teens and families: • School counselors or trusted adults. Learning to identify stressors and manage emotions can lead to healthy problem-solving skills. • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Open 24/7 for anyone in emotional distress. Call or text 988 at any time for crisis support. • Headspace. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees age 13 and older have access to guided mediations and mindfulness

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exercises. They can chat with an emotional support coach all in the Headspace app. • Emotional support coaching. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees can also chat by live text with a trained behavioral health coach 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Supporting a teenager who is experiencing self-harm can be challenging, but by encouraging open conversations and connecting them with the right tools, families can create a safe space for healing and ongoing support.

4. “Trend Analysis of Self-Harm Behaviors and Stress Management Skills in Adolescents Between 2018, 2022, and 2024: A Comprehensive Ecological Model,” National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12468231/ 5. “Self-injury (Cutting, SelfHarm or Self-Mutilation),” Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/conditions/self-injury-cutting-self-harmor-self-mutilation/ All images are submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia and are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

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HEALTH SURVIVORS from Page 1 By August of that year, the pain had moved into her underarm. It eventually became so severe that she could no longer put her arm down. “I became concerned and then came the fear,” she said. The next several months brought referrals to different specialists without a definitive answer. Finally, one specialist performed a four-point biopsy.

“Lack of knowledge can be fatal; I had never heard of a four-point biopsy,” said Palmer, 51. “Turns out that my cancer was growing in the back of my lump, a place where the two-point biopsy never reached.” The additional findings gave physicians the medical backing to appeal to Palmer’s insurance for a PET scan and MRI. On Oct. 13, 2017, she received a diagnosis of inflammatory, triple-negative, late-stage breast cancer.

3LaTalya Palmer celebrates being cancer free and the completion of her second book, “The Softest Thing I Ever Did Was Survive: Seven Lessons From the Fire,” which will be released on Oct. 10. (Courtesy LaTalya Palmer)

By the time of her diagnosis— in the middle of Breast Cancer

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Awareness Month— the lump had grown so large that life-saving intervention commenced immediately. “Everything moved fast. The oncologist told me at the first appointment that I would lose all my hair and my left breast,” she recalled. “I was terrified; I had four children who needed me, and suddenly we were in a race against time to save my life.”

When Something Changes, Pay Attention

For many breast cancer survivors and advocates, Palmer's experience underscores the importance of recognizing changes in the breast, education, and seeking medical evaluation rather than attempting to determine abnormalities alone. Dr. Chere M. Goode works to empower people with knowledge about breast cancer, self-examination, advocacy, and medical screenings— from repeat mammograms to more advanced tests to detect even subtle changes in health patterns. The wellness specialist of 35 years explained why many women hesitate to take definitive steps at the moment they sense something could be wrong. “The fear of the diagnosis, uncertainty about what comes next, huge concerns of not being able to afford treatment, or becoming a burden to your family, can be so overwhelming that many decide not to investigate abnormal symptoms, even at advanced stages,” said Goode, 52.

Speaking to many of these concerns, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize that regular breast cancer screening can diagnose cancers earlier when they are easier to treat, reducing latestage diagnoses, mortality rates, and even treatment costs. Goode also addressed a cultural barrier that often impedes early diagnoses and preventative care. “Many of us were taught growing up, ‘What goes on in this house stays in this house,’” she said. “We now have to reconsider that way of thinking.” The health advocate stressed that open communication surrounding health and genealogy across family lines is essential. “Knowing which diseases your family line is predisposed to,” Goode emphasized, “is key to often life-saving testing.”

Fighting Cancer Under a New Definition of Strength

In addition to education surrounding testing and treatment, Goode focuses on overall care for breast cancer patients, as the diagnosis not only affects physical health, but can have a domino effect on every facet of life. She offers wellness education that teaches advanced medical planning as part of preventative health care and emphasizes that accepting help should not be viewed as weakness. “The reality is you can’t be in-

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SURVIVORS from Page 20 dependent your whole life. We all need someone to do caregiving at one point or another, so develop a plan well before you need it,” Goode said. “You never know who your village may be, especially in times of serious health conditions. Be strong enough to fight but soft enough to allow others to fight alongside you, and sometimes, in front of you.” For Palmer, involving others was not originally part of her treatment plan. However, surviving cancer required more than enduring chemotherapy, surgery, fatigue, and pain. It required her to reconsider what she had always been taught about strength.

“We are conditioned to prove our worth by being strong. If I am not being strong, I am not being who my mother and grandmother taught me to be,” she said. “There is a badge of honor in being able to hold down everything alone. If you are not doing that, then you fail. And as Black women, we can’t afford to fail.” As a single mother and certified life coach, changing her mindset about independence was one of the hardest challenges she’s ever faced. “Undergoing such aggressive cancer treatment mentally and physically overwhelmed me,” she said. “I quickly came to one realization: I could not raise my children alone during that time.”

After this realization, Palmer did something completely foreign to her. “I admitted that I couldn’t do it alone,” she said, “and then I told what became my village.” Mothers of her sons’ basketball team organized cooking teams and delivered meals to the family on a schedule. The coaches contributed money for groceries, juices, and nonperishable foods. And a mentor stepped in to help Palmer's sons with both their education and the emotional impact of their

mother's illness. Today, Palmer is eight years cancer-free and author of a book based on her journey, “The Softest Thing I Ever Did Was Survive: Seven Lessons From the Fire,” which will be released on Oct. 10. “The softest thing I ever did was survive because we always equate breast cancer with the fight, but there was a time that I had to completely let go of the resistance, of the fear, of feeling like I was failing because I needed help,” said the proud survivor.

HEALTH

Palmer now coaches those with chronic illnesses, utilizing her experience to empower those who are doubtful that they will make it to the other side of a serious diagnosis. “Sometimes the bravest decision that you can make in life is to accept help and go to a soft place,” she told The Informer. “Allowing myself to surrender to the process and trust those who fought beside me was ultimately how my battle with cancer was won.” WI

5 Wellness specialist Dr. Chere M. Goode (left), pictured with Rick Ritter and Dr. Cheryl Wood, believes building a strong village is essential to long-term health planning. (Courtesy Photo/Dr. Chere M. Goode)

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EDUCATION LISTENING TOUR from Page 1 their homes. Ruth LaToison Ifill, a mother of high schoolers who lives in Ward 7’s Fort DuPont, says there’s no time for the next D.C. mayor to waste in actualizing that vision, especially for Ward 7 residents who’ve long demanded a neighborhood dual-language public middle school. “There is one part of me that definitely believes that we need to sit down and have large, in-depth conversations about what it takes to improve our middle schools,” LaToison Ifill told The Informer, “but I think the other thing that you have to consider is there are leaders in other cities who have said, ‘Hey, this is what I expect for my administration to do, and this is the timeline that I'm giv-

ing you to get it done.” On Sept. 3, LaToison Ifill served as an organizer for the Ward 7 leg of Lewis George’s citywide listening tour at East Washington Heights Baptist Church in Southeast. That evening, she took to the pulpit and implored participants in what was one of the most well-attended sessions thus far to make their concerns known. They would later do so during breakout sessions focusing on education, transportation, health care, public safety, and employment. In the education space, participants of all ages made their concerns known about special education, chronic absenteeism, curriculum and workforce development, expanding the presence of D.C. government agencies, and preventing displacement of marginalized residents amid

5Ward 4 D.C. council member and Democratic mayoral nominee Janeese Lewis George participates in an education listening session on Sept. 1. She is prioritizing eastern parts of the District and learning about education concerns as part of her listening tour, which wraps Oct. 1. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

RFK Stadium’s completion. Though she took note of what she called Lewis George’s fervor for change, LaToison Ifill stressed the need for concrete steps and accountability measures to ensure that residents see significant improvements in their children’s educational choices. “[Democratic candidate Lewis George] has made many of her expectations pretty clear,” LaToison Ifill said. “People know that she's coming for improving schools, improving affordability, improving our grocery store situation, so I think that they know that the demand is going to come. For the schools, we need a timeline.”

A Word from Current, Future, and Prospective Elected Officials

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Lewis George’s tour, themed “Building the People’s Government,” will culminate in the development of five areas of focus after Nov. 3, when she’s anticipated to win the general election in a majority-Democratic city. Her travels across the city, and her team’s dissemination of a survey, are taking place in the countdown to the electoral contest where Lewis George is facing independent mayoral candidate Dr. Rhonda Hamilton and D.C. Statehood Green Party candidate Robert L. Gross. By Sept. 11, Lewis George had also conducted listening sessions at: Union Temple Baptist Church in Ward 8; All Souls Church Unitarian in Ward 1; Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ in Ward 4; and Union Wesley AME Zion Church in Ward 5. With more than half of the tour stops under her belt, she identified interagency communication as a

key impediment to quality, equitable education. Mayoral control of schools, Lewis George said, serves as a vital tool in getting all education and child welfare-related agencies on the same page to tackle special education, career and technical education, chronic absenteeism, and out-of-schooltime programming. “We have to use it for the benefit that it was, which was for better coordination, ensuring that we're using our funding to its best ability,” Lewis George told The Informer. “What I heard a lot is a question of structures within education and how we should structure that for real accountability and real measurable outcomes. That's something that our team is going to be considering as far as how we organize agencies and under which mayors we organize certain agencies.” On the night of Sept. 8, Lewis George spoke to the residents of her home ward who filled the pews at Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ. Those at the Ward 4 church who participated in the education breakout session later recounted instances where they saw confusion among agencies about how to address school-level issues. Lewis George said the feedback received that evening built upon what she gathered on the campaign trail. “It's clear in this city that after-school programming, before-school programming, those types of things that those of us who grew up in this city are benefiting from, was key to [addressing] chronic absenteeism,” Lewis George told The Informer. “That's the key to also supporting literacy efforts and math efforts, and just getting more kids active and back in school.” If elected in the general election,

Lewis George will work in a different posture with her soon-to-be former D.C. Council colleagues, including D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, who secured his re-election earlier this year when he ran in the Democratic primary unopposed. The veteran legislator recently affirmed what he called his collegial relationship with Lewis George, identifying as key points of collaboration: child care subsidy pay equity, literacy, teacher retention, and maintenance of a per-pupil funding that suffered a reduction in the financial plan. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with the new mayor and working on a range of issues,” Mendelson told The Informer during a Sept. 20 press briefing, later saying that he’s willing to work through any conflicts that may arise. “I expect that will happen.. You can't put two people in a room without disagreeing. The question is will we be able to work with those disagreements, [and my answer is] we can.” D.C. Councilmember Zachary Park (D-Ward 5), a speaker at the Ward 5 “Building a People’s Government” tour stop, expressed enthusiasm about Lewis George’s priorities and long-term education goals. “I was encouraged during her campaign that she shared an urgency around truancy. That is something that I don't think our government has prioritized enough,” Parker told The Informer. “I was also encouraged to hear her talk about the need for [the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)] to have more independence. That could take many different forms, but I think it is unique that the presumptive mayor would be

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LISTENING TOUR from Page 22 talking about that.” Earlier this year, amid a contentious Democratic mayoral primary and vicious debate about youth curfews, Parker endorsed Lewis George over his Ward 5 D.C. Council predecessor Kenyan McDuffie, who had more of a punitive approach toward curfew breakers. Months later, Parker touts teacher classroom support as an education issue of significance for Lewis George, who he called a friend of organized labor. He also continues to have his eye on D.C. Department of Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), an agency he oversees as chair of the council’s Committee on Youth Affairs. “Right now we don't have a system of rehabilitation. It is a system of secure detention,” Parker told The Informer. “With a new mayor, hopefully we can double down on rehabilitation so that so many of our young people are not using DYRS as a revolving door.” As Ward 5 D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) Representative Robert Henderson prepares to step down, Ward 5 parent and education advocate Dr. Lynn Jennings is running to be his successor. Despite what some consider SBOE’s peripheral role in day-to-day management of District public schools, Jennings called the

5D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) says he's anticipating Democratic mayoral nominee Janeese Lewis George's focus on improving conditions at D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

body a suitable platform to organize Ward 5 parents around educational equity issues. “Really thinking about how we make sure that the resources are getting to the schools that need them and paying attention to that and being very intentional,” Jennings told The Informer. “We have a lot of schools here. They're doing well [but it’s about] pretty much making sure we have neighborhood schools [where] folks can stay [in Ward 5] from elementary all the way to high school. We feel like they really have a real choice in terms of a neighborhood school here.” Jennings, a mother of two middle schoolers and former local school advisory team member with experience as parent-teacher organization president at John Burroughs Elementary School, reflected on her struggles to whet her children’s appetite for athletics and other extracurricular activities at schools within walking distance of their home. On the evening of Sept. 10, she attended Lewis George’s Ward 5 listening tour stop adamant about, as she explained, connecting with the community and figuring out how best to support the Democratic mayoral nominee if they are both elected in Nove If elected to SBOE, Jennings’ priorities include: reducing chronic absenteeism by 50%, scrutiny of education spending, protecting students and schools from ICE and National Guard troops, and better inclusion of Ward 5 parents in decisions about curriculum and after-school programming. She cites her experience as a college professor and public policy professional as icing on the cake for a role that requires grassroots connections. “It's really about how do you build the relationships and figure out what we are trying to achieve,” Jennings told The Informer. “How do we make sure it's done across all schools?” For now, Jennings has her sights on SBOE as a tool to leverage power and organize parents. Even so, she hasn’t abandoned the possibility of asking the future mayor for more. “I’m very much in support of accountability systems because I think that is a civil rights tool,” Jennings said. “I understand why [mayoral control of schools] happened 20-something years ago, but it probably needs to be looked at again and revisited, but that’s not something I believe in right now.” WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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EDITORIAL

Marshall’s Legacy, Jackson’s Hope

56 Years After the First Black Justice Took His Seat, the Promise of Equal Justice Remains Unfulfilled. October 2 marks a defining moment in American history. On that day in 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first Black justice on the United States Supreme Court. President Lyndon B. Johnson's appointment of Marshall was more than a historic milestone. It was a declaration that the American promise of equality must extend to the highest court in the land. Marshall’s distinction was earned through a lifetime of extraordinary service. Born in Baltimore in 1908, he graduated first in his class from Howard University Law School in 1933. As chief counsel for the NAACP, he argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court, winning 29, including the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Before joining the Supreme Court, Marshall served on the U.S. Court of Appeals and became the nation’s first Black solicitor general.

He served on the high court for 24 years, retiring in 1991. His judicial career was defined by a commitment to civil rights, equal protection and the constitutional rights of vulnerable Americans. Marshall’s appointment mattered because representation matters. For generations, Black Americans were excluded from the institutions that interpret the Constitution. His presence on the bench showed that barriers once considered permanent could be broken. Yet his legacy invites difficult reflection. Clarence Thomas, appointed in 1991 to succeed Marshall, became only the second Black justice. Thomas’ conservative judicial philosophy has often put him at odds with civil rights positions associated with Marshall, particularly on affirmative action and voting rights. His rulings and public positions have drawn criticism from those who believe they weaken protections for Black Americans. A justice is not required to share

the views of others of the same race. But the contrast between Marshall’s civil rights legacy and Thomas’ jurisprudence marks an important chapter in the ongoing debate over equality under the law. Hope for Black Americans returned to the Court in 2022 with the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated by President Joe Biden, who became the first Black woman justice. Her historic appointment brings a perspective-long absence from the bench and reminds America that progress, though incomplete, remains possible. On this anniversary, we honor Marshall’s courage and service, recognize the ongoing debate over his successors, and celebrate Jackson’s presence as a reminder that the Supreme Court should reflect the nation it serves. The work of justice remains unfinished. The promise of equal protection under the law demands that we keep moving forward. WI

More D.C. Families are Facing a Crisis, Say It’s Hard to be Patient When the Cupboards are Bare In the days before laptops and tablets, books served as the primary means of teaching children. One way to help children understand the world was through reading nursery rhymes. One in particular comes to mind as Americans struggle to feed their families.

While it serves as a sobering report, the news gets worse as the changes enacted in House Resolution 1 will continue to profoundly impact thousands of people’s federal benefits in the DMV.

Old Mother Hubbard, a humorous poem, focuses on a woman who goes to find a treat for her hungry dog – a bone – only to discover that the cupboard is empty. Old Mother Hubbard had good intentions but unfortunately, was unable to deliver on her promises. Certainly many Americans can all relate. Recently, the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) 2026 Hunger Report revealed that food insecurity in the D.C. metropolitan area (DMV) has reached a five-year high. Thirty-eight percent of households are experiencing food insecurity over the prior year – a rate which exceeds pandemic recovery levels (33%) in 2022. But it’s not just the escalating costs with which we should be most concerned. It’s how people are feeling emotionally and psychologically about the pain they're experiencing. According to those surveyed, an estimated 4,000 people, fewer than half of DMV households expressed high confidence in accessing the

food they needed. “After unprecedented job losses last year and the deepening pressure of high prices for essentials like gas and food, our community has seen food insecurity reach its highest level in five years,” said Radhia Muthiah, president and CEO, CAFB. “This year’s Hunger Report underscores the deteriorating state of food security in our region and the need for decisive action across every sector. With recent policy changes likely to place additional pressures on families in the years ahead, the challenge before us is not only to meet the growing need, but to work together to help more families achieve lasting stability.” While it serves as a sobering report, the news gets worse as the changes enacted in House Resolution 1 will continue to profoundly impact thousands of people’s federal benefits in the DMV. Even a partial loss of benefits stands to significantly impact those who turn to the Supplemental Nu-

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TO THE EDITOR “I found this discussion about immigration policy meaningful because policies can have a very real effect on people’s everyday lives and families. I think it is important to look beyond the political side of immigration and also understand the human experiences behind these policies, especially the uncertainty and challenges people may face.” -Maya Butalid (In reference to the article: “EDITORIAL: When Enforcement Becomes Inhuman.”

“Education, communication, research, and advocacy are key issues for understanding and treating Sickle Cell. This is a great article. More articles are needed to help with awareness and treatments.” -Audrey D. (In reference to the article: “Leaders of the New School"

trition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed their households with 56% of SNAP recipients reporting their financial situation worsened over the past year. Further, as more people turn to the charitable food network for assistance, those organizations will face growing strain to meet the need. Returning to the nursery rhyme, at least Old Mother Hubbard wanted to feed her hungry dog.

In comparison, the person who holds the pursestrings on the cupboard in America, the president, seems to have no intention of fulfilling his promises. Nor do his colleagues in the House or Senate. So what’s a hungry family to do? We hear you Mother Hubbard, but it’s hard to be patient when you’re hungry. Just ask Mother Hubbard’s dog. WI

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Charlene Crowell

Consumers and States Awarded $694 Million After Predatory Auto Lender Settles Lawsuit

An estimated 55,000 consumers will benefit from a $694 million class-action settlement against a predatory auto lender reached by attorneys general in 40 states and the District of Columbia. The settlement announced on Sept. 18 with Credit Acceptance Corporation (CAC), one of the nation’s largest subprime auto lenders, will provide the following financial

relief for affected consumers: • $630 million in debt relief for consumers — $388 million to consumers whose cars have been repossessed; the remaining $246 million for those whose vehicles have not been repossessed and will now keep their autos. • $60 million in restitution to thousands of additional consumers who were misled and lost their cars within months of taking out their loans. • $15.5 million in reimbursement to each state office that comprised the multistate working group, and the National Association of Attorneys General.

Guest Columnist

"CAC preyed on consumers in New York and across the nation with false promises of affordable loans, only to exploit them with outrageous interest rates that ruined their credit and cost them their cars," said New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the multi-state effort. "While their customers struggled to make payments, CAC made millions. By continuing our case to hold CAC accountable, we secured hundreds of millions of dollars in debt relief and restitution for all those who were taken advantage of by their schemes."

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2023, alleged that CAC projected, down to the penny, how much money it could extract from borrowers through loan payments, late fees, repossession and auction, debt collection, and wage garnishment, without considering a consumer's ability to repay their loan, according to James. CAC then offered to split the projected collections with its affiliated dealers. Low-income borrowers with either low credit scores or little credit history were routinely pushed into purchasing vehicles that were worth far less than

their loans. CAC states on its own website: "Approval decisions are typically available in 30 seconds or less, and nearly 80 percent of deals are approved for funding within 24 hours." Further, CAC misstated key terms on loan agreements, including the principal and interest amounts, and did not disclose thousands of dollars in credit charges. Although the average loan carried an annual interest rate of more than 38%, other rates reached over 100%. These predatory debt trap loans soon

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Anthony Tilghman

For Children With IEPs, Your Relationship With the Bus Driver Matters

As the father of a young daughter with autism, I have learned that getting your child to school is not always as simple as putting them on the bus and waiting for them to come home. When your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), you pay attention to things other parents may never have to think about. Who is working with my child to-

day? Does this person understand her needs? What happens if her routine suddenly changes? If something goes wrong and she cannot fully explain it to me, who will be able to tell me what happened? Those questions do not stop at the schoolhouse door. They follow our children onto the school bus. That is why one of the simplest pieces of advice I can give another parent of a child with an IEP is this: Get to know your child's bus driver and attendant. Learn their names. Introduce yourself. Say good morning. Ask how your

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child is doing on the ride. Those few minutes can matter more than we realize. I have seen that firsthand with my daughter. Her bus ride can be long, and her bus attendant noticed how much time she spends traveling to and from school. One day, the attendant bought her a coloring book so she would have something to enjoy during the ride. It may seem like a small gesture, but as a parent, it meant a lot to me. It told me that someone who spends part of every school day with my daughter was paying attention to her, thinking about

her comfort and looking for a simple way to make that long ride a little easier. That is the kind of relationship I am talking about. Bus drivers and attendants are not just transportation staff. For many children, especially children with disabilities, they become familiar adults who are part of the rhythm of the school day. For some children with disabilities, consistency is incredibly important. The same bus, the same driver, the same seat and the same routine can provide a sense of comfort before the school day even begins.

Then one morning, something changes. The bus is late. There is a substitute driver. The route changes. The bus does not arrive when expected. For many families, that is an inconvenience. For some of our children, it can change the entire morning. As parents, we also know that our children may not always come home and tell us exactly what happened during the ride. That makes the adults who interact with them even more important.

fore television, almost every home in America had a radio, and FDR used it to enter every household. His fireside chats (evening radio addresses) were intimate speeches with a conversational tone and encouraging patriotic themes. He never painted a dark picture of America; instead, he urged people to face the future with patience, understanding and faith. His calming manner lifted the public's confidence and their trust in him as president. President Barack Obama's three words, "Yes we can," align with FDR's messages, offering a shared vi-

sion of unity and progress. Obama's vision of unity confronted the nation's legacy of culture wars when he stated, "There is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America." His words mattered because they highlighted a nation long divided politically, culturally and racially. President Abraham Lincoln navigated the same cultural and racial fault lines. In his House Divided speech, Lincoln stated, "A house divided

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David W. Marshall

The Power of Spoken Words

Our words matter. The Bible teaches that words carry the deep power to heal, hurt, build up or destroy. On one side, careless speech can be damaging and destructive. On the other side, words can bring calmness in the midst of chaos. Our words matter, whether we use them as a weapon to attack or a shield to protect. Our words matter because

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they reflect our inner conscience and heart. Former U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney once said, "But my promise before God to apply impartial justice required that I put my personal feelings and political biases aside." At critical moments in our history, citizens expect our leaders to be conscience-driven servants whose inspiring words are consistently matched with inspiring actions. Sen. Romney never became president. But a president's words can shape the nation's identity, change the political landscape, influence global politics and set

the country's moral and legal tone. In times of crisis, presidents rely on speeches to calm a frightened nation, such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt rallying the country after Pearl Harbor or President George W. Bush uniting a grieving public at Ground Zero after 9/11. Roosevelt's famous phrase, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," came during his first inaugural address at the height of the Great Depression. It was meant to counter panic, uncertainty and fear and replace them with public confidence and collective action. Be-

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

The Audacity of Joyce Beatty

Standing up to a bully requires more than slogans, press releases or carefully staged outrage. It requires looking power in the face, refusing intimidation and saying, plainly, no. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty has that courage. The Ohio Democrat and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus is standing virtually alone inside the Kennedy Center's governing structure

against Donald Trump's attempted seizure of a national cultural institution. Trump has installed loyalists, pushed aside dissenters and tried to plaster his name onto a building Congress designated as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Beatty sued. And she won, not once, but twice. She did not merely issue a statement; she used the law, reminding Trump and his enablers that public institutions are not presidential playthings and that a board vote cannot erase an act of Congress. Trump answered with insults and

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who thinks anything touched by government belongs to him. Audacity means boldness, nerve, even temerity. It is neither virtue nor vice until we ask: audacity in the service of what? Trump's is criminal audacity: the brazen nerve to privatize public memory and turn a national memorial into a vanity project. It is audacity in the service of ego, domination and theft. Beatty's is righteous audacity: the moral nerve to confront illegitimate power and refuse to be muted. Accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964,

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared, "I have the audacity to believe," then spoke of food, education, culture, dignity, equality and freedom for people everywhere. That was audacity in the service of justice. That is the tradition Joyce Beatty claims. Coming out of Congressional Black Caucus Week, her example provokes a larger question: What is Black political power for? The CBC was founded in 1971 by 13 members who understood that

marily as a meritocracy of finish lines. Work hard enough, become educated enough, make the correct decisions and eventually you will arrive. There is truth in that, but wealth operates according to another logic: wealth is deeply influenced by where the race begins. An inheritance does not have to arrive as a million-dollar check; sometimes, inheritance is simply the absence of a burden. It is graduating without debt, it is living in a family-owned property while starting a business, it is receiving $30,000 toward a first home, it is hav-

ing parents who can help rather than parents who require help, it is inheriting a duplex with a mortgage nearly paid off, a piece of land purchased decades earlier, shares in a family business, or simply the knowledge of how money works. None of those advantages guarantees success, but they create room for it. We talk about wealth as though its principal benefit is a larger house, a better automobile, better vacations and a more comfortable retirement. But the

threats. During a virtual board meeting, he reportedly called Beatty "destructive," claimed she had "never built anything" and threatened to hold her responsible if the deteriorating building caused a death. That was not an argument. It was intimidation dressed up as authority. Beatty did not fold. She has been pepper-sprayed while protesting police violence and arrested while demanding voting rights. She knows what it means to put her body, not merely her name, behind a principle. Now she is defending a public institution from a president

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Dr. Anthony O. Kellum

The Last Generation to Start from Zero

Perhaps success is becoming the last generation that has to start from zero. I have been thinking about that idea lately because it challenges something deeply embedded in the American definition of achievement. We tend to measure progress by how far a person travels in a single lifetime — the neighborhood they escaped, the degree they earned, the profession they entered, the

income they eventually commanded. For Black Americans especially, there is understandable pride attached to being first: the first in the family to graduate from college, to become a doctor, to own a business, to buy a home, to reach the executive suite. But what happens after the first? That question interests me more than the achievement itself. Because there is another form of success that receives considerably less attention: creating a family in which being first eventually becomes unnecessary. A child who inherits a stable home

Guest Columnist

does not begin where their parents began. A young entrepreneur whose family owns a commercial building approaches risk differently from one whose first obligation is paying rent. A college graduate who leaves school without having to financially rescue the generation before him has choices that another equally talented graduate may not have. A family that owns land, businesses, investments or income-producing property possesses something more consequential than money. They possess a different starting point. We like to imagine America pri-

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Marc H. Morial

America's Reading Crisis Demands More Than Concern. It Demands Action.

New York City's troubling decline in reading scores, despite one of the most ambitious literacy reform efforts in the nation, is a wake-up call for the entire nation. Across the country, reading achievement continues to decline. Nearly 40% of fourth graders read below the basic level, and roughly a third of eighth graders are reading below basic,

the highest share ever recorded. Taken together, these numbers reveal a national literacy crisis that threatens economic opportunity, educational equity and our nation's future competitiveness. Reading is not merely another subject in school. Reading is the foundation upon which all learning rests. A child who struggles to read struggles to learn history, science, mathematics and civics. A young person who cannot effectively read and analyze complex information faces barriers to college completion, workforce success and in-

formed participation in our democracy. That is why the growing literacy crisis is fundamentally an opportunity crisis. Behind every percentage point is a child whose future opportunities hang in the balance. Persistent achievement gaps mean that Black and Latino students continue to bear a disproportionate share of the consequences when reading instruction falls short. If we are serious about economic mobility and educational justice, literacy must be at the center of the conversation. For more than two decades, many schools embraced Balanced Literacy

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approaches that sought to cultivate a love of reading by putting books in students' hands and encouraging independent reading. The approach was well-intentioned, but too often foundational skills instruction, particularly phonics and decoding, suffered. The evidence is increasingly clear that explicit, systematic instruction helps more children become successful readers. States and school districts that are embracing these principles deserve credit for moving in the right direction. But millions of students are already in middle school, high school and even

college struggling to read complicated texts, analyze difficult arguments and complete entire books. What is our plan for them? Too many students arrive in high school lacking the reading stamina necessary to engage deeply with literature, history or complex informational texts. College professors increasingly describe students who struggle with lengthy assignments that previous generations navigated more comfortably.

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LIFESTYLE

3 From Sept. 29 to Oct. 6, the March On! Festival –– conveners of the annual March On Washington Film Festival (pictured in 2022) –– brings panels, screenings and culture to D.C., including a PBS film screening on history and storytelling on Thursday, Oct. 1. (WI File Photo)

Washington Informer Weekend Checklist WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV! By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor Say hello to October with a series of events, brought to you by the Washington Informer Calendar. The month kicks off with honors for breast cancer awareness, plus explorations of D.C. culture and storytelling through artificial intelligence. If that’s not enough, Schoolboy Q closes the weekend with 10 years of his album “Blank Face LP,” right in the DMV. Don’t miss out on the latest happenings!

Thursday, Oct. 1

Bringing History to Life: AI and Documentary Storytelling 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.| Free with paid options 25 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 100, Washington, D.C., 20001 The March On! Festival is back until Oct. 6, and this Thursday comes with a special screening of

PBS's Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War. The innovative film combines rigorous historical scholarship, original artwork, and artificial intelligence (AI) to illuminate overlooked stories from America’s founding. With no existing visual records of many of the people featured in the documentary, the filmmakers used AI to thoughtfully animate original artwork grounded in historical research. The result offers a compelling example of how new technology can help creatives bring history to life without replacing the artists, historians, and storytellers who shaped it. Following the screening, Michon Boston of the Boston Group will lead a panel discussion featuring: The Honorable Dr. Sesha Joi Moon, co-founder of The JXN Project; Stacey L. Holman, the film’s director; Roy L. Austin, Jr., inaugural director of the Howard Law Artificial Intelligence Initiative; and Traci Biswese, vice president and associate general counsel for the National Security &

Emerging Technologies.

Friday, Oct. 2

Glory 7 p.m. | $10.00 Miracle Theatre, 535 8th St SE, Washington, D.C., 20003 Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is offered command of the United States’ first all-African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. With junior officer Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), Shaw puts together a strong and proud unit, including the escaped formerly enslaved leading man Trip (Denzel Washington) and the wise gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman). At first limited to menial manual tasks, the regiment fights to be placed in the heat of battle. Catch the historic film at Miracle Theatre on Oct. 2. Step Afrika!'s The Fruits of Our Labor 8 p.m. | $57.00+ Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024 In commemoration of America's 250th anniversary, Step Afrika! premieres “The Fruits of Our Labor,” a powerful new production exploring rhythm, resilience, and the unfinished story of the American experience. Blending stepping, percussion, and striking visual imagery, this visceral new piece examines what it means to believe in a nation 3 Blending stepping, percussion, and striking visual imagery, Step Afrika!’s “The Fruits of Our Labor” explores rhythm, resilience, and the unfinished story of the American experience. (WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)

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still in the making. The explosive movement –– created in collaboration with artists Jakari Sherman, Conrad R. Kelly, and Vusi Mdoyi, plus a bold palette of red, white, and blue –– asks the nation: What have the people inherited, and what are they still fighting to become?

local food & merch vendors, the Home Rule Record Fair, live art, youth activities, community organizations, sponsor activations, and more.

Sunday, Oct. 4

Saturday, Oct. 3

‘From Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ Tour 4 p.m. | $28.00+ The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Ln, North Bethesda, MD 20852

Come on down to the Hard Rock Cafe for a Pinktober Brunch supporting the fight against breast cancer. Enjoy a delicious brunch, live entertainment, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, as a portion of proceeds will benefit the local Hard Rock Cafe’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Team. Bring friends, family, and the community to celebrate strength, hope, and survivorship while raising funds for an important cause.

Get ready for an evening of side-splitting laughter as improv duo Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood take the stage for a onenight-only live show, The ‘From Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ Tour. Armed with lightning-fast wit, Mochrie and Sherwood transform audience suggestions into an unpredictable night of comedy. Fans can expect many of the hilarious games they know and love from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and a few lucky audience members are invited on stage to join the fun. No script? No problem! Every show is a unique, improv experience filled with outrageous, unexpected twists and nonstop laughs. If you’ve seen them before, you’ve never seen this show!

Pinktober Brunch: Rocking for a Cure 11 a.m. | $75.60 Hard Rock Cafe Washington DC, 999 E Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20463

Home Rule Festival 2026 Noon | Free Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, Washington, D.C., 20002 The 2026 Home Rule Music Festival returns to Alethia Tanner Park, celebrating five years of the music, culture, and community that make D.C. special. This year’s lineup features: UCB, Angel Bat Dawid, Crush Funk, Foots X Coles, Joantz with Special Berriez, Youth Showcase featuring Next Generation Crank and Soul of SEED DJ RBI. And there’s much more happening throughout the day, including

SCHOOLBOY Q 10 Years of Blank Face LP 8 p.m. | $52.00+ The Fillmore Silver Spring, 8656 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Schoolboy Q is marking a 10city run for a 10th anniversary, and it’s coming to the DMV. Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) rapper Schoolboy Q is celebrating a decade of his 2016 record “Blank Face LP” with an anniversary tour that kicks off in Atlanta at the top of the month, before detouring to an electric show in Maryland on Oct. 4. WI

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Live Boldly –October 2026 Message from Department of Aging and Community Living DIRECTOR CHARON P.W. HINES

Dear Seniors, Fall is officially here! The temperatures are getting cooler, the leaves are beginning to change, and we are settling into a new season across the District. As we welcome all that autumn brings, it is also a wonderful time to reflect on how we closed out September, celebrating, connecting, and helping District seniors continue to live safely and boldly in the communities they call home. We ended last month by recognizing Falls Prevention Awareness Month. In partnership with Home Care Partners, Trinity Washington University, The George Washington University, and Howard University, District seniors participated

in two days of Falls Prevention Awareness activities focused on helping older adults stay safe, healthy, and independent. More than 600 participants received screenings for balance, strength, vision, blood pressure, and medication management. Seniors also participated in educational sessions on fall recovery, prevention strategies, and other important topics. Programs like these give older adults practical tools and resources to help them remain active and continue aging in place in the homes and communities they know and love. Thank you to all who attended and helped make this event possible. September also gave us the opportunity to celebrate some of our city's most treasured residents during Mayor Bowser's 40th Annual Centenarian Salute. This year's celebration honored more than 50 District centenarians ages 100 and older, alongside their families and loved ones. We were especially honored to recognize Ms. Evangeline Paredes, the District's oldest resident at 110 years old. Our centenarians remind us of the strength, wisdom, resilience, and rich history that make Washington, DC such a special place to call home. As we move into October, I also want to remind everyone of the importance of staying informed and prepared. October 3rd is World Romance Scam Prevention Day, and this year's campaign centers on the theme “See. Hear. Understand.” The campaign encourages us to look beyond what happened to a victim and recognize how scammers

deliberately build trust, manipulate emotions, and exploit their targets. Scams can happen to anyone, and there should be no shame in asking for help. Take time to talk with your family, friends, and neighbors about the warning signs of fraud. For more information about romance scams, visit advocatingforu.com. If you believe you or a loved one may be experiencing financial exploitation, abuse, neglect, or another form of harm, please contact DACL's Adult Protective Services 24

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hours a day, seven days a week at 202-541-3950. As we enjoy the cooler weather and beauty of the season, let us continue looking out for ourselves and one another. Stay connected, stay informed, and most importantly, continue to Live Boldly. In service, Charon P.W. Hines Director DC Department of Aging and Community Living

As we enjoy the cooler weather and beauty of the season, let us continue looking out for ourselves and one another. Stay connected, stay informed, and most importantly, continue to Live Boldly.

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LIFESTYLE

Black Women Lead On and Off the Stage in Co-Production of August Wilson’s ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ Show Honors Legacies of Playwright and Mother of Blues

By D. Kevin McNeir WI Contributing Writer While the “Mother of Blues,” never got a chance to fully receive her flowers due to racism and sexism of the early 20th century, Black women are leading the charge on and off stage in the regional co-production of August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (1982), taking over the Round House Theatre stage in Bethesda, Maryland Sept. 9-Oct. 11. Round House Theatre, which marks its 50th anniversary in the 20262027 season, is co-producing Wilson’s soul-stirring drama along with Olney Theatre Center, under the direction of Helen Hayes Award-winner Lili-Anne Browne, who previously directed another the arts venues’ co-production of “FELA!” in 2023. Brown joins a small but powerful

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cadre of women to direct works by the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, whose production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” premiered on Broadway in 1984 to widespread critical acclaim. “I never thought I’d be granted access but now that I have, I’m doing what I have always done,” Brown told The Washington Informer. “That means reading and re-reading the play, working long hours with the dramaturg, conferring with the set designer, and doing additional research as needed.” The director has been a lifelong hard worker. “I excelled in math and science in high school and my parents expected me to go into law or medicine,” said Brown, recalling how she began to experience burnout as she approached her senior year. “A summer camp at

Northwestern changed my life forever. I wanted to have fun and so instead of engineering, I enrolled in a program for actors, ‘A Day in the Life of a Theater Cherub.’” While camp was a way to clear her mind from the stress she was encountering in her academic pursuits, she realized theatre was just another grind, requiring effort and dedication. “It challenged me in ways I did not expect – it was hard work. It was challenging and I soon realized that I had a lot to learn,” she said. “But I loved it. I still love it.” Now, Brown has had a successful career in theatre, dedicated to not only revealing truths and entertaining, but honoring the stories and legacies of artists who have paved the way for her own work— as seen in her direction of “Fela!” and the upcoming production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

5 After directing the Round House Theatre and Olney Theatre Center co-production of “Fela!” in 2023, Lili-Anne Brown is excited to return as the director for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” running Sept. 9-Oct. 11. (Courtesy Photo/Lili-Anne Brown)

“There’s a well-worn phrase in Black culture: ‘they want our rhythm, but not our blues.’ ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ is an elegant exploration of this sentiment,” Brown said in a statement when the show was first announced. “Wilson’s writing is musical,

deeply human and painfully relevant. It asks us to interrogate who gets valued, who gets to profit, and what is lost when dreams are repeatedly deferred.” The award-winning director has intentionally gathered a cast and crew of artists to bring Wilson’s work to audiences across the Greater Washington region. In selecting her cast, Brown sought out several local DMV actors with deep ties to the local regional theater community, including Ro Boddie (Toledo), Craig Wallace (Cutler), Chris Genebach (Sturdyvant), and Kanysha Williams (Dussie Mae), a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and George Mason University. Audiences should also look out for Yao Dogbe, who follows in the footsteps of actors like Charles S. Dutton, who starred as Levee in the original 1984 Broadway production, and Chadwick Boseman, who dominated the screen in the same role for the 2020 Netflix adaptation. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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Resources for Buying a Home in D.C. “Being a homeowner means taking financial responsibility by creating an investment into myself and future financial planning,” said Kelsi, a first-time homebuyer that used DC Open Doors (DCOD) to purchase her D.C. home. DCOD offers qualified buyers home purchase loans, down payment + closing cost assistance, and below-market interest rates for first trust mortgages. DC4ME provides D.C. government/government instrumentality employees a first trust mortgage at a reduced interest rate. HomeAdvantage DC makes homeownership more accessible by offering eligible buyers belowmarket mortgage financing with flexible assistance options. I, KELS NER W OMEO

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MC LYTE from Page 4 that begins Oct. 11 in Brooklyn and is designed to put the music, memories and stories of her nearly four-decade career in the same room with the people who helped keep them alive. “It’s a testament to a career that I’ve worked almost four decades in now,” Lyte said after learning she had been selected for the Rock Hall’s 2026 class. Those decades began when Lana Michele Moorer was a Brooklyn kid writing rhymes at 12, years before rap could offer anything resembling a dependable career and years before a teenage girl could look at the top of the hip-hop charts and see women staring back at her. Lyte recorded “I Cram to Understand U (Sam)” when she was 17, telling the story of a relationship poisoned by drug addiction with a maturity that belied her age. In 1988, “Lyte as a Rock” made her the first female rapper to release a full-length solo album and introduced listeners beyond New York to an MC who didn’t sound interested in waiting for the men in the room to decide whether she was good enough. “Paper Thin” erased whatever question remained. Over a spare beat built to give the rhymes room to breathe, Lyte delivered one of hip-hop’s great dismissals of a cheating man with the composure of somebody reading him his last rites. She didn’t have to shout, exaggerate, or decorate the insult. The voice did the work. “When you say you love me, it doesn’t matter,” she rapped. “It goes into my head as just chit-chat.” It was funny, cold, and devastating, and Lyte was only getting started. “Eyes on This” followed in 1989, bringing “Cha Cha Cha,” a record that placed her lyrical ability squarely against anyone who wanted the competition. “Poor Georgie” showed another side of her, with Lyte spinning a tragic story about a charming, reckless man over a track that borrowed from the Supremes. By 1993, “Ruffneck” had gone gold, making Lyte the first female solo rapper to earn a gold single, and the song helped make her the first solo female rapper nominated for a Grammy. Now, Lyte is among a class of artists set for induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 14. She’s in the Early Influence category alongside: Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah and Gram Parsons.

5 MC Lyte’s “Road to Hall of Fame Tour” celebrates her nearly four-decaded career in entertainment. (WI File Photo)

“Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music’s highest honor,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year’s ceremony– it’s going to be an unforgettable night.”

A Hip-Hop Barrier Breaker

The list of firsts kept growing because women in hip-hop still had so many places they'd never been allowed to go. Lyte became the first rap artist to perform at Carnegie Hall. In 2006, she became the first solo female rapper honored by VH1’s Hip Hop Honors. She later became the first woman to perform hip-hop at the White House, taking the music into the home of the president of the United States during Barack Obama’s administration. By then, an industry that once treated female rappers as though there were room for only one or two at a time had been forced to reckon with generations of them. Queen Latifah had become an entertainment powerhouse. Lauryn Hill made an album that remains part of the American musical canon. Missy Elliott built a visual and musical universe nobody else could duplicate. Lil’ Kim changed the vocabulary of female sexuality in rap. Eve carried

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MC LYTE from Page 32 Philadelphia onto the national stage. Nicki Minaj became one of the biggest rappers in the world, followed by another explosion of women who no longer had to explain why they were there before they could begin competing. Lyte’s place near the beginning of that lineage is why her Rock Hall recognition carries considerably more than ceremonial value. She didn’t invent women in hiphop. Sha-Rock, Roxanne Shanté, the Sequence, Salt-N-Pepa, and other women were essential to the culture’s earliest years, and any history that pretends women arrived after hip-hop was established is simply wrong. Lyte helped establish how much territory a solo female MC could claim while remaining unmistakably herself. She could make a battle record and a love record without sounding like a costume either. She could be hard without manufacturing hardness and vulnerable without surrendering control of the song. She could share a record with men without sounding as though somebody had graciously given her 16 bars. Her voice alone made anonymity impossible. And when rap changed, Lyte changed with it without spending the

next 30 years trying to impersonate her younger self. Audiences heard that voice far beyond rap records. It became the sound introducing some of entertainment’s biggest nights, including the BET Awards, Grammys, Emmys, and NAACP Image Awards, as well as the NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show. Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nike, and other major companies used it in national campaigns. Hollywood found her as well. Lyte accumulated acting credits in “S.W.A.T.,” “Power,” and “Queen of the South,” along with films including “Girls Trip,” the Sundance-winning “Patti Cake$,” and Justin Simien’s “Bad Hair.” She eventually moved behind the camera, creating, directing, writing, executive producing, and starring in “Partners in Rhyme” and serving as an executive producer on Netflix’s “Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop.” She made her directorial debut with the short film “Break Up in Love,” directed music videos and television, and built Sunni Gyrl Inc. into a management and production company whose roster has included Scarface, Lil Mama, DJs, comedians, and other entertainers. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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The Step Afrika! Company in the world premiere of The Fruits of Our Labor. Photos by Teresa Castracane.

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34 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

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wi book review "The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic" By Malcolm Gladwell c.2026, Little, Brown $34 304 pages Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Lately, you're almost afraid to check the news. You can't bear to see footage of another mass shooting. You can't stand to read about another young man losing his health, limbs or his life. It's all too much, and you feel helpless. So read "The American Way of Killing" by Malcolm Gladwell. Maybe we're looking at gun control the wrong way. Abdullah Pratt had always had "a passion for science." He grew up in a Black community, went to museums, attended college and medical school, and he works where he was raised, in Chicago. Recently, Gladwell asked him how many of the people he knew growing up have died of gun violence. "It'd probably be like in the 30s, 40s," Pratt said, including his brother and at least 14 other close friends. The stats, says Gladwell, don't show the whole picture about gun violence because we're looking at things all wrong and we're having "dishonest" conversations. First of all, he believes, we should remember that "robbery and homicide are not siblings." We should not lump all gun crimes into a category that includes gun deaths. Before we talk about public safety, we need to specifically define it. We must know exactly what is, and what is not, in gun control bills that Congress passes or doesn't. "Assault-rifle bans are gun control theater," Gladwell says, "they pretend to be something they are not." As for the Second Amendment, we have to look at the era in which it was written and grammar used to understand what it means. And when it comes to reporting, we must ask the police to separate the level and degree of gun violence in their official reports. Was someone killed, or did the victim survive? Without that information, it's easy for medical professionals' expertise to save a life, but which hides the facts and makes "it easier for Americans to live with their gun violence." Is there any American left who doesn't have an opinion one way or another about gun ownership or control? Probably not – which is why "The American Way of Killing" is essential reading today, now. The one thing you need to know before you start is this: author Malcolm Gladwell's work here is calm, considerate, and balanced. You may notice nuances, but this book isn't overtly pro-gun control, nor does Gladwell seem against it. Instead, he methodically shows readers the mistakes we make in our thought-processes, how we misunderstand laws, and where collective thinking can be more effective in an overall argument. In many ways, the two sides, pro- and anti-, aren't as divergent as we might think we are, especially when presented with commonsensical, important and shocking statistics that could flip your understanding of the facts. "The American Way of Killing" may not change minds, but it may loosen them considerably. It's a book for both sides, and for anyone who wants to save lives. Gun violence, as Gladwell shows, isn't new news, but our attitudes and our work to end it might start here. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE OCT. 1 - 7, 2026

ARIES October opens with a question about direction rather than speed. You may realize that one goal has been occupying your attention because you started it. Give yourself permission to reconsider. A new responsibility could initially feel like an interruption, but it may put you closer to new opportunities. Lucky Numbers: 17, 38, 64 TAURUS The beginning of the month puts emphasis on value — what deserves your money, your time, and your patience. A purchase or commitment may look different once you consider the cost. You could also receive an offer that sounds modest but has hidden potential. A familiar person may reveal an unexpected ambition, changing the way you see a long-standing relationship. Leave some room in your weekend for doing absolutely nothing productive. Lucky Numbers: 8, 29, 71 GEMINI October gives you plenty to think about, but the most useful idea may arrive when you aren't actively searching for one. An unusual question, overheard remark, or piece of information connects two subjects that you had kept separate. Your attention could also shift toward learning something simply because it interests you. That freedom suits you now. A social gathering near week's end may be more revealing than entertaining. Lucky Numbers: 15, 42, 68 CANCER This week asks you to distinguish between protecting your peace and avoiding something uncomfortable. The difference may become obvious when a conversation you've postponed finally happens. You don't need to resolve everything in one sitting. Elsewhere, your home becomes a source of renewed energy, whether that means changing a room or cooking something elaborate. A family story may also surface that changes your view of someone you thought you understood. Lucky Numbers: 11, 34, 56 LEO Your public and private selves may want different things this week. One part of you is ready to be seen, while another would rather work quietly until the result is undeniable. A professional conversation could benefit from showing more of the personality you usually keep private. Lucky Numbers: 3, 27, 63 VIRGO The start of October favors subtraction. Remove one unnecessary obligation, one recurring distraction, or one expectation that was never really yours, and notice what becomes possible afterward. A project may improve once you stop trying to perfect its least important part. Someone with a very different working style could offer a useful lesson, although you may initially resist it. Toward the weekend, your attention turns to a practical matter involving time or money. Lucky Numbers: 19, 32, 47 LIBRA A question of balance becomes more literal this week as you divide your attention among work, relationships, and your own interests. One area has been getting the leftovers, and you know which one. Correcting that imbalance may disappoint someone briefly, but it will also make your commitments more honest. Around midweek, an aesthetic choice — clothing, furniture, food, or even a change of scenery — has an unexpectedly strong effect on your mood. Lucky Numbers: 6, 25, 60 SCORPIO October begins with information arriving before you're ready to use it. Someone may tell you something in confidence, or you may discover a detail that changes your understanding of an old situation. Resist the urge to act immediately. Observation is more valuable than reaction this week. You could also become unusually interested in an unfamiliar subject, especially one involving history, technology, or human behavior. Lucky Numbers: 13, 41, 70 SAGITTARIUS Your attention is pulled toward what lies beyond the familiar this week. A destination, class, project, or person from outside your usual circle may suddenly become more interesting. Don't wait until you have every detail worked out before exploring it. The first step can be informational rather than dramatic. Lucky Numbers: 9, 36, 55 CAPRICORN The first week of October has a practical tone, but it isn't all about work. You may become aware of a long-term goal that needs a different timetable than the one you've been using. Adjusting the schedule is not abandoning the goal. A conversation about finances, responsibilities, or shared plans could also become more productive once everyone stops trying to win the argument. . Lucky Numbers: 4, 22, 59 AQUARIUS This week may remind you that originality isn't always about inventing something new. Sometimes it means combining familiar things in a way nobody around you has tried. An idea you've dismissed as impractical deserves another look, particularly if you can test it cheaply. Your friendships may also shift slightly as you spend more time with people who share an interest.. Lucky Numbers: 16, 31, 73 PISCES The new month brings a stronger desire for meaning behind the things you do. A routine that once felt harmless may suddenly seem empty, while a small creative or personal ritual takes on unexpected importance. Pay attention to that contrast. Someone may ask for advice this week, but the experience could reveal something about a decision of your own. Lucky Numbers: 7, 45, 62

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OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 35

SPORTS

3Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles celebrates an interception with his teammates in Washington’s 33-31 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Sept. 28. (Abdullah Konte/ The Washington Informer)

Commanders Pull Off 33-31 Upset Over Seahawks in Rainy Home Opener By Skylar Nelson and Abdullah Konte WI Contributing Writer and WI Photographer The Washington Commanders returned to Northwest Stadium on Sunday for a rainy home opener against the reigning Super Bowl champions, Seattle Seahawks. Despite entering week three shorthanded, Washington delivered a complete performance, defeating Seattle 33-31 to earn its first victory of the season, while handing the Seahawks their first loss. “That’s gonna feel for a while, I think. It was unbelievable,” said Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota. “I’m thrilled. We have an unbelievable group of guys...The more that adversity hits, the more that the circumstances kind of pin us against the wall, these guys find a way. I’m grateful to be a part of it. I’m grateful to have the coaching staff that we have, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.” Throughout the week, the Commanders emphasized a “next man up” mentality: the idea that players must be prepared to step into larger roles and make an impact when their number is called. That mindset was on full display on Sunday as Washington entered the matchup without several key starters, including quarterback Jayden Daniels, linebacker Frankie Luvu, guard Sam Cosmi and tight end Chig Okonkwo. With several regular contributors sidelined, Washington turned to its depth, and the backups responded when their opportunities came. “I think everybody prepares like they’re going to play,” said linebacker Kain Medrano. “And that’s the nice thing about this team. No matter

36 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

what, you have 53 guys that can go out there and ball. You know, injuries happen. Obviously, we wish the best, but I just think that the team and the defense believing in me helped me just keep going.” Mariota delivered a steady performance, completing 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Mariota connected with wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Treylon Burks, as well as running back Rachaad White, for touchdown scores. The Commanders’ defense also provided a decisive moment late in the game when linebacker Medrano intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown, putting the

3Wide receiver Antonio Williams gets pushed out of bounds after making a play in Washington’s 33-31victory. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

finishing touches on Washington’s 33-31 victory. “[It’s]really just being in the right place at the right time,” Medrano said of the game technique. “We had a defense on, I’m just trying to find space to go get the quarterback in [and] just kind of happened to run right underneath the checkdown route… [to], honestly, score. That was what I was thinking: ‘close

game, gotta have a way to get some momentum back.’ I think that’s what did it..” The win moves Washington to a 1-2 record on the season and prevented the team from opening the year with a three-game losing streak. Now, the Commanders turn their attention overseas, asWashington travels to London to face the Indianapolis Colts in week 4 on Sunday, Oct.

4 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET. “I think I like the work that we’ve had,” said Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn. “There’s so many things to clean up and build upon, and we certainly plan on doing that. Another home game, but home game that you have to fly seven hours away. We’re very excited to go play and compete again.” WI

3Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane evades a Seahawks defender in Sunday’s faceoff against Seattle at Northwest Stadium. (Abdullah Konte/ The Washington Informer)

5Linebacker Kain Medrano (No. 56) turns an interception into a Commanders touchdown in Washington’s 3331 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Sept. 28. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

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CAPTURE the moment

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) celebrated its 10th anniversary from Sept. 24–27. Formally known as "The Reunion," the multi-day celebration was guided by the theme, "Welcome Home: Our Legacy Continues," marking a decade since the museum first opened its doors on the National Mall on Sept. 24, 2016. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 37

RELIGION

3Balloons representing the 210th anniversary of the Methodist Church during the Dr. Thornell Page Community Day.

6 Cheryl Gould, fashion designer and owner of Cheryl Gould Collections, dons bespoke, one-of-a-kind statement pieces on Sept. 26, showcasing handmade purses made from upcycled cigar boxes.

As part of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church’s 210th anniversary, the historic Georgetown landmark held the Dr. Thornell Page Community on Saturday, Sept. 26, featuring live music, local vendors, and historic cemetery tours. Founded on October 16, 1816, by both free and enslaved people, Mt. Zion holds the distinction of being the oldest African American congregation in the nation's capital. (Cleveland Nelson/The Washington Informer)

3Longtime church member Pam Carter-Coleman with Mt. Zion lead pastor, the Rev. Selena Johnson, and youth leader Epiphany Fields.

5The Rev. Selena Johnson shows the historical plaque designating Mt. Zion United Methodist Church as part of the National Register of Historic Places.

Faith Leaders and Advocates Gather at Religious Freedom Conference

The Religious Freedom Conference, held on Sept. 19, brought together religious freedom advocates, human rights voices, and other community leaders at the University of the District of Columbia to discuss the present challenges facing people of faith and those whose religious expression or beliefs have placed them at risk. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5Founder and CEO of the International Religious Freedom Secretariat and founding/managing co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, Greg Mitchell, delivering his keynote speech. 6Islamic community leader, Imam Michael Abdul Hakim, contributing his perspective on the media, civic and faith communities.

5Community leaders and advocates gather for a day of faith-led discussions and calls to action at the Religious Freedom Conference.

38 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

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the religion corner

RELIGION

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

The Newly Renovated African American Civil War Museum Reopens Its Doors

This week, the District of Columbia experienced a historic awakening as a monumental chapter of our history took center stage with the newly renovated African American Civil War Museum officially celebrating its long-awaited grand opening. After years of careful planning, transformation and anticipation, the doors swung wide open Wednesday at 10 a.m. at its permanent home, located at 1925 Vermont Avenue NW. Following its grand reopening, the African American Civil War Museum celebrated a massive leap forward at the historic Grimke School. While Mayor Muriel Bowser championed securing the city-owned site, Executive Founding Director Dr. Frank Smith and his board independently raised additional funds to finalize crucial features. These upgrades include a new courtyard serving as a separate entrance, elevator access and a prominent new Lincoln statue by the main entrance. To celebrate this milestone, the community was treated to the powerful sounds of faith and freedom. Under the talented leadership of Solomon Sparrow, minister of music, and the spiritual guidance of interim Pastor Rev. Michael C. Miller, the renowned Vermont Avenue Baptist Church Choir and the soulful Vermont Avenue Baptist Jazz Quartet filled the air with uplifting, soulful music to usher in the morning's festivities. The historic Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, originally founded as the Fifth Baptist Church in 1866 by freedmen, is located at 1630 Vermont Avenue NW in the vibrant Logan Circle and U Street corridor neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. Vermont Avenue Baptist Church is only a few steps away from the museum and has served as its official church from the

day the museum was unveiled. On behalf of the museum staff and board, they welcomed Ward 1 D.C. Council member Brianne K. Nadeau, alongside other notable city officials who marked this momentous occasion. The public was warmly invited to join hands and hearts with us. Our spiritual message for the celebration was brought forth by our special guest minister, the Rev. Eugene Lowe, pastor of Goodwill Baptist Church on Kalorama Road NW, Washington, D.C., who grounded our hearts in the true meaning of remembrance, sacrifice and spiritual liberation. Tours of the stunning new museum space commenced immediately following the program, allowing the public to walk through the rich, triumphant history of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). Dr. Frank Smith, along with the entirety of the museum's staff and board members, was present to greet the community and celebrate this historic victory. This state-of-the-art facility stands directly across from the historic African American Civil War Memorial Wall of Honor, which proudly bears the names of 209,145 Black soldiers and their officers who fought so bravely for freedom and union. As we look across the street from the new museum, our hearts are filled with pride as we admire the majestic Spirit of Freedom Monument. This sacred monument was first unveiled to the world on July 18, 1998, in front of an emotional, energetic crowd that gathered from all corners of the globe. The breathtaking 9-foot bronze masterpiece was sculpted by the brilliant artist Ed Hamilton. The memorial's timeless plaza design was envisioned by the pioneering late master architect Paul Devroux, along with his talented partners led by Ed Dunson and Barbara Laurie. The monument was a massive labor of love — a project 10 years in the making. It remains a deeply personal milestone for me as well, as yours truly

served proudly as the project director, working hand-in-hand with Dr. Frank Smith, the visionary founder and director, while collaborating closely with the D.C. City Council member then representing Ward 1 to bring this dream to life. The African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C., was officially recognized by Guinness World Records on Feb. 1, 2024, for having the "Most Names on a War Memorial," featuring 209,145 names of Black soldiers and their white officers. Each year, it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world who come to honor their ancestors and learn more about this true story of the historic Black soldiers who fought during the American Civil War. Inside the beautiful, newly expanded 16,000-square-foot facility, visitors are treated to a powerful, immersive journey through history. The crown jewel of the reopening is the captivating headline exhibit, "From Slavery to the White House: The USCT Heritage of First Lady Michelle Obama." Through rare documents and photographs, this exhibit beautifully traces her family's lineage back to her formerly enslaved ancestors, Jerry Sutton/Suter and Caesar Cohen, who rose up to fight as freedom fighters in the USCT. Guests can also explore the permanent "Glorious March to Liberty" display, which utilizes historic weaponry, period uniforms and interactive multimedia touch screens to detail how our ancestors helped transform the United States of America from a slaveocracy to a true democracy. Complete with a state-of-the-art genealogy lab, the museum empowers families to search the archives and directly connect with the names of their own heroic ancestors. Come out, bring your families and witness history come alive in the heart of Washington, D.C. We look forward to seeing you there! WI

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OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 39

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church 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”

Blessed Word

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Joel R. Limerick Pastor

Rev. Dr. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849

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

Service and Times In Person Worship: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. Streaming: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org Prayer & Study: Wednesday @ 12 Noon and 7:00 P.M.

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

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

Reverend William Young IV 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)

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 www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

Church of Living Waters

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

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

www.livingwatersmd.org

St. Stephen Baptist Church Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. / Senior Pastor 5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301.899.8885 – Fax 301.899.2555 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship 8:00 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Tuesday: 7:00 PM – Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: 12:30 PM – Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00 PM – Evening Bible Study Baptism - 3rd Sunday – Communion 4th Sunday Free Food Giveaway – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm “We are One in the Spirit” www.ssbcmd.org | secretary@ssbcmd.org

Campbell AME Church

Rev. Dr. T. Ashby Banister, III Senior Pastor

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

Rev. Terrance M. McKinley Senior Pastor

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

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

Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 7: 00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM themcbc.org

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

All Nations Baptist Church

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness - Senior Pastor Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland Assistant & Youth Pastor

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

40 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

12801 Old Fort Road • Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Office (301) 292.6323 • FAX (301) 292.2164 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:15 am Sunday Church School 11:00 am Youth Sunday every 4th Sunday Prayer Call @ Noon every Tuesday & Thursday 978.990.5166 code: 6166047# Virtual Bible Study Wednesday Facebook & Zoom 7:00 pm “A Growing Church for a Coming Christ” www.adamsinspirationalamec.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

Emmanuel Baptist Church Rev. Christopher L. Nichols Pastor 2409 Ainger Place SE Washington, DC 20020 / Office: (202) 678-0884 “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven! Service and Times Sunday: Worship Service – 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM 3rd Sunday: Unity Service – 11:00 AM (Only One Service) Sunday School: 10:00 AM Monday: Unity Bible Study – 5:00 PM Call-In Number: (646) 749-3112/ Access Code: 971155757 Tuesday: Prayer Service – 6:00 PM & Family Bible Study – 7:00 PM Call-In Number: (872) 240-3212/Access Code: 164695965 Wednesday: Noonday Worship – 12:00 PM Thursday: Adult Bible Study – 7:00 PM Call-In Number: (646) 749-3112/Access Code: 843069541 Friday: Impact Focus (Online) – 7:30 PM Saturday: Children's Church (Online) – 6:00 PM Website: www.ebcwdc.org

Third Street Church of God Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

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

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

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

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

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

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” www.mtzbcdc.org

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 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

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor 4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184 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

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

Shiloh Church of God 7th Day Elder Jonathan M. Carson Senior Pastor

5701 Eastern Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782 Phone: 301 559-5262 Service and Times Sabbath Worship @ 1:00 pm in-person/FB/Zoom Tuesday - Prayer@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Wednesday - Bible Study@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Friday - Sabbath School@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Web: shiloh7thday.org Email: shiloh7thdaycomm@gmail.com "A culturally diverse church of edification, deliverance and transformation"

Place your church ad here! Contact Ron Burke rburke@washingtoninformer.com

A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

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RELIGION Zion Baptist Church

Israel Baptist Church Rev. Lance Aubert Senior Pastor

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

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288 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 Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

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

Rehoboth Baptist Church

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

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor 5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

“Where God is Praised, Christ is Obeyed, and People are Loved”

New Commandment Baptist Church Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

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

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

The Reverend Canon Michele Hagans Priest

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

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958 Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist

www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Promised Land Baptist Church

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

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

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

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 9:30 AM Sunday School: 8:15 AM Bible Study: Wednesdays at Noon Baptism: 4th Sunday 9:30 AM

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

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

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

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

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

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

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

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

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

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday

Service and Times Adult Sunday School: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Youth/Young Adult Sunday School 12:00 PM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM

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

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

"Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ." Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

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

Join us for our live broadcast every Friday at Noon!

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Denise Rolark Barnes - Publisher of The Washington Informer WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 41

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

2026 ADM 000850

2026 ADM 000884

2026 FEP 000121

2026 ADM 000947

2026 ADM 000932

Jason D. McNair aka Jason McNair Decedent

Olando V. Bostic Decedent

February 19, 2025 Date of Death

Jacqueline Powell Bailey Decedent

Karliss Renita McDonald-Smaw Decedent

Julius P. Terrell 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington DC 20004 Attorney

Alfred Phillip Whitmore Sr. Name of Decedent

Lawrence B. Manley 2026 32nd Street, SE Washington, DC 20020 Attorney

Lynee C. Murchison, Esq. Adams Law Office, LLC 4201 Mitchellville Road, Suite 500 Bowie MD 20716 Attorney

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

Alfred Phillip Whitmore Jr whose address is 6910 Victoria Drive, Unit G, Alexandria, VA 22310 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Alfred Phillip Whitmore Sr., deceased, by the Register of Wills Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on April 14, 2025. Service of process may be made upon Jennifer Yvette Penn, 1400 Trinidad Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20002 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property. 4809 8th Street, NE, Washington DC 20017. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Cynthia D. McNair, whose address is 6321 N. Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jason D. McNair aka Jason McNair who died on 8/17/2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/17/2027. 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 3/17/2027, 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: 9/17/2026 Cynthia D. McNair Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Wasani Lynch, whose address is 3501 Minnesota Ave., SE, Apt 3, Washington DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Olando V. Bostic who died on 11/9/2023 without a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/17/2027. 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 3/17/2027, 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.

Alfred Phillip Whitmore Jr. Personal Representative

Wasani Lynch Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Maish Imani Smaw Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2026 ADM 000944

2026 ADM 000927

Lula Mae Smith Decedent

John H. Jones, Jr. Decedent

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

Ernest D. Smith, whose address is 15192 Lancashire Drive, Woodbridge, Virginia 22191, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lula Mae Smith who died on January 2, 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., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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.

Diane P. Jones, whose address is 4211 Illinois Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John H. Jones, Jr who died on 5/14/2016 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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.

TRUE TEST COPY

John F. Whitehead, III aka John Frederick Whitehead Decedent

Roslyn Hagler aka Roslyn S. Hagler Decedent

David A. Lucas, Esq. 200-A Monroe Street, Suite 110 Rockville, MD 20850 Attorney

Cory Larkin 1717 K Street NW, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Karen Anne Duchin, whose address is 8645 Banyan Way, Tamarac, FL 33321, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Roslyn Hagler aka Roslyn S. Hagler who died on 12/21/2025 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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: 9/24/2026 Karen Anne Duchin Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

42 OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026

Maish Imani Smaw, whose address is 1920 Q Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Karliss Renita McDonald-Smaw who died on October 12, 2025 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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.

Jacqueline Jackson Personal Representative

2026 ADM 000816

Perry J. Toney Personal Representative

Jacqueline Jackson, whose address is 2570 SE 31st Street, Gainesville, FL 32641, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jacqueline Powell Bailey who died on July 11, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

Date of first publication: 9/24/2026

2026 ADM 000912

Date of first publication: 9/24/2026

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

Date of first publication: 9/24/2026

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

Perry J. Toney, whose address is 729 6th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John F. Whitehead, III aka John Frederick Whitehead who died on June 7, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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: 9/17/2026

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

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

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Washington Informer

William M Alston SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2026 ADM 000923 William M. Alston Decedent Darrel S. Parker, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Vetoria S. Alston, whose address is 4602 24th Avenue, Mount Rainer, MD 20712, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William M. Alston who died on 2/8/2026 with a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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: 9/24/2026

Date of first publication: 9/24/2026 Ernest D. Smith Personal Representative

Vetoria S. Alston Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 9/24/2026 Diane P. Jones Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens 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

2025 ADM 001365

2026 ADM 001027

2026 ADM 000959

Shirley M. Phillips Decedent

Estate of Vivian C. Lee

Mamie Ruth Reese Decedent

Darrel S. Parker 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #440 Washington DC 20015 Attorney

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Peggy A. Miller, Esq. 5130 7th Street, NE Washington, DC 20011 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Darrel S. Parker, whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #440, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley M. Phillips who died on 1/16/2025 without a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/24/2027. 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 3/24/2027, 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: 9/24/2026

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Paula Evans Esq. c/o Joyce Nick 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 a supervised personal representative Date of first publication: 10/1/2026 Paula Evans Esq. Julius P. Terrell 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 400 Washington DC 20004 Petitioner/Attorney: TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Darrel S. Parker Personal Representative

Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Valda Charlene Reese, whose address is 1014 Sigsbee PL., NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mamie Ruth Reese who died on May 20, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 4/1/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 10/1/2026 Valda Charlene Reese Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2026 ADM 000933

2026 ADM 000953

2026 ADM 000938

Bernice Marie Lee Decedent

Evelene Ellis aka Evelyn Patrick Ellis Decedent

Robert Lee Stewart Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Marcus Eugene Lee, whose address is 3332 Croffut Place, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bernice Marie Lee who died on 11/13/2020 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 4/1/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

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

FOOD INSECURITY from Page 17

had recently learned about victory gardens, which were used during World War II. Families were encouraged to plant produce in their backyards and vacant lots to tackle food system disruptions. Since COVID-19, these gardens, which rely on compost and regenerative agriculture, have made a comeback nationwide. “The next generation is really our future,” Kimura said, “so having them have an opportunity to experience the food system and understand the nuances of why and how this impacts them– both from the nutrition side as well as the environmental sustainability side– is important.” Stella turned to hydroponics after interning at the George Mason President’s Park Hydroponic Greenhouse, where she was inspired by how much food the greenhouse could produce in a small space. This inspiration and direct involvement with the growing method soon became an initiative to help local communities and their environment. Since its inception, HydroHarvest has reached more than 1,000 youth through training sessions and

LEGAL NOTICES SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2025 ADM 001365 Shirley M. Phillips Decedent Darrel S. Parker 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #440 Washington DC 20015 Attorney

Deirdre J. Payne, whose address is 8 Fordham Hill Oval, Apt. 16F, Bronx, NY 10468, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Evelene Ellis aka Evelyn Patrick Ellis who died on 9/29/2019 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 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 4/1/2027, 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.

Derrick L. Tobias, whose address is 1340 Barnaby Terrace SE, Washington DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Robert Lee Stewart who died on March 30, 2021 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 4/1/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 10/1/2026

Marcus Eugene Lee Personal Representative

Deirdre J. Payne Personal Representative

Derrick L. Tobias Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Date of first publication: 10/1/2026

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Darrel S. Parker Personal Representative

Washington Informer

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Darrel S. Parker, whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #440, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley M. Phillips who died on January 16, 2025 without a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 4/1/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 4/1/2027, 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.

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

workshops, distributed more than 200 grow kits, and donated more than 1,100 pounds of produce. Stella is fond of the initiative’s gardening workshop series, as she believes young people have extraordinary potential to shape how the world views the environment and how humans treat it, and that hands-on experiences like these are crucial to unlocking that capability. “Increasing the opportunity [for] all different types of youth to have access to these green spaces and hands-on experience with the environment is really important, not only for increasing access to different types of food and nutrition,” the HydroHarvest founder started, “but also [for] tackling the climate crisis and really empowering a future generation of leaders.” Organizations like AFN and programs like the Young Eco-Hero Awards give young people the resources and support they need to take environmental action and see the sky as their limit when designing solutions to the effects of climate change. “Our award… validates what they’re doing and shows them that what they’re doing has real value,” Kay told The Informer. “I hope to see that more and more people understand the natural world… and that they take efforts to protect it, and that they understand how precious it is, and how dependent we are upon it.” The inspiration from efforts that AFN nurtures has a trickle-down effect, as the inventions, businesses, and initiatives that come from the young minds honored as Eco-Heroes go on to educate and motivate all kinds of people from different generations in their communities and abroad. Stella’s HydroHarvest grow kits have done exactly that, and strive to continue to do so, opening people like Kimura’s eyes to the necessity of a multi-pronged approach when it comes to protecting the environment and strengthening local food systems. “When we’re talking about food insecurity, I like to think about it as nutrition security and making sure that it’s not just calories, but food that actually meets people’s needs,” Kimura told The Informer. “If we can help the food systems focus on more local procurement as well as production, I think that will go a long way to help build sustainable food systems here in the DMV.” WI

OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2026 43

CL ASSIFIED

Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the following classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it s illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. 800 numbers may or may not reach Canada.

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CROWELL from Page 26 defaulted within 12 or 18 months. "Credit Acceptance Corporation set car buyers up to fail by making loans it knew they would never be able to afford, and by allowing dealers to inflate the cost of financing agreements with hidden add-ons. As a result, the company profited, even while customers lost their cars and continued to struggle with debt," said District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb. Other state officials had similar reactions to the settlement. "Credit Acceptance Corporation

TILGHMAN from Page 26 A bus driver may notice that your child suddenly does not want to get on the bus. An attendant may notice that your child seems upset at the same point along the route every day. They may notice a change in behavior, a problem with another student or simply that something seems different. That information can be valuable to a parent. But relationships work both ways. Parents can also help transportation staff understand our children. You do not have to share every detail of your child's disability or educational record. But appropriate information about communication, behavior, safety or transitions can help the adults responsible for transporting your child better understand how to support them. And when a transportation problem occurs, you are no longer starting the conversation with a complete stranger. That does not mean parents should

MARSHALL from Page 26 against itself cannot stand." In doing so, he warned that the United States could not permanently endure being a nation consisting of half slave and half free states. It became one of the defining summaries of the cultural crisis before the Civil War. In a moment of executive accountability, Lincoln also used the five powerful words written by his predecessor, President Thomas Jefferson. Before Jefferson became the third president of the United States, he was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. It was written as a formal explanation of why the American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. It became a point-by-point list of grievances and injustices against King George III and the British government. When Jefferson wrote "all men are created equal" as part of the Declaration of Independence, he

closed its eyes to deceptive origination practices and made predatory, high-cost auto loans that were likely to result in repossession and leave consumers trapped in a cycle of debt," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Consumers eligible for restitution will be notified by a claims administrator. Consumers with questions about the settlement can call CAC's customer service number at 800-634-1506. The settlement also provides additional terms that will free affected consumers from many of the other financial harms inflicted, while other stipulations carry long-term, consum-

er-friendly reforms. In the short term, CAC must contact and clearly inform consumers of any products they purchased and offer them a process to cancel those products while keeping their vehicles. It must also notify all affected consumers that their car loan accounts have been closed, no further payments are owed, any lien held has been released, and the certificate of title has been sent. Credit bureaus will also be notified of these actions. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

be responsible for fixing school transportation. We shouldn't. School systems remain responsible for providing required transportation services, including services identified in a student's IEP. When buses are repeatedly late, accommodations are not being followed or transportation problems interfere with a child's education, parents should document those concerns and raise them with the appropriate school and transportation officials. Building a relationship with a driver should complement accountability, not replace it. That distinction is important. As a father navigating special education, I have learned that advocacy is not only about what happens during an IEP meeting. Advocacy happens in the hallway. It happens at pickup. It happens through an email to a teacher. And sometimes it happens at the bus stop at 7 o'clock in the morning. Our children's educational experi-

ence begins before they enter the classroom and continues after they leave it. Think about the person behind the wheel. For some children, their bus driver is the first school employee they see every morning and the last one they see every afternoon. That person is part of your child's school experience. So tomorrow morning, if you haven't already, introduce yourself. Learn the driver's name. Let them learn your child's name — and, when appropriate, a little about what helps your child succeed. It won't prevent every late bus, substitute driver or transportation problem. But if there is one thing I continue to learn as both a father and an advocate, it is that relationships matter. And when it comes to children with IEPs, one more adult who knows, understands and cares about your child can make a difference. WI

did so as a man who was socially oppressed and suffering. "All men are created equal" turned the Declaration of Independence from a list of grievances into a profound commitment to preserving human dignity. Those five powerful words made the Declaration of Independence into a social justice document. Jefferson's message of justice became timeless. Despite one man being king (King George III) and the other a subject of the king (Thomas Jefferson), in God's eyes both men are created equal and have basic rights as human beings. Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address, used "all men are created equal" as he tied it to the abolition of slavery. Women’s rights advocates used "all men and women are created equal" when fighting to get women the right to vote. Dr. Martin Luther King used "all men are created equal" in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which demanded equal rights

for Blacks. As an enslaver, Jefferson was selective in his fight for human dignity. His fight for freedom from British oppression did not result in freedom for Blacks suffering from the oppression of slavery. While diversity, equity and inclusion were delayed, future generations picked them up. Again, words backed by action matter, and a future president took the baton of DEI and ran with it ... even when it meant putting aside personal feelings and political biases. When President Lyndon Johnson spoke the words, "We shall overcome," he used the civil rights movement anthem in his 1965 address to Congress urging voting rights legislation after violence in Selma, Alabama. In doing so, the phrase tied the presidency directly to the mass movement for racial justice. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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the ballroom lights go dark. Will voting rights be defended and predatory redistricting challenged? Will Black unemployment, Black maternal mortality and the racial wealth gap be treated as emergencies rather than perennial panel topics? Will elected officials confront authoritarianism when it is risky? Joyce Beatty has answered with her actions. Her fight is about more than a building. Cultural institutions tell us whose history is honored and whose names endure. Trump's desire to rename the Kennedy Center is part of his effort to rewrite history, punish dissent and place himself at the center of every American story. He does not simply want power. He wants tribute. Beatty refuses to pay it. Black women have often supplied the labor and backbone of American democracy while others received the credit. They organize voters, steady institutions, defend the Constitution and are told to lower their voices. Beatty's voice was literally muted during a Kennedy Center meeting. She found another microphone: the federal courts.

Resistance is not always a march. Sometimes it is a lawsuit, a vote or a refusal to consent. Sometimes it is one woman in a hostile room saying, "You may have the votes, but you do not have the law." Courage deserves to be named. We saw it in Barbara Lee, standing alone against the sweeping 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and warning against a blank check for endless war. We saw it in Barbara Jordan, a freshman on the House Judiciary Committee, making the Constitution thunder during Watergate. We see it in Maxine Waters, using her financial leadership to confront predatory lending, discriminatory finance and attacks on consumers. And we see it now in Joyce Beatty. The CBC has long called itself the conscience of the Congress. Conscience is not a ceremonial title. It is a duty. At a moment when too many people accommodate the outrageous, normalize the abnormal and calculate the cost of speaking, Beatty has chosen to fight. Her righteous audacity is not simply that she challenged a president. She refused to let public memory become private vanity. WI

KELLUM from Page 27

be solved by Friday. The Federal Reserve's most recent comprehensive Survey of Consumer Finances found that the typical White family held roughly six times the wealth of the typical Black family in 2022. There was encouraging movement beneath that number: Black ownership of homes, stocks and businesses increased, but the underlying disparity remained enormous.

There is another number that helps explain why these gaps can be so stubborn. Federal Reserve research found that nearly 30% of White families had received an inheritance or substantial gift, compared with about 10% of Black families, and among families receiving an inheritance, White families tended to receive larger amounts. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

MORIAL from Page 27

struction beginning in early childhood settings and extending throughout elementary school. We need to strengthen early intervention so that struggling readers receive support before learning gaps become entrenched. We must carefully examine the quality and effectiveness of programs serving our youngest learners, including Head Start and other early childhood initiatives. At the same time, we need a national commitment to literacy recovery for older students. Districts and states should be developing evidence-based strategies that help adolescents strengthen comprehension, vocabulary, knowledge-building and engagement with complex texts. Students who fell behind during the pandemic and those who continue to struggle deserve intensive support, not lowered expectations. We should also have serious conversations about the role of technology in children's lives. Restricting unnecessary

screen exposure, particularly in the early grades, should be part of a broader effort to rebuild reading habits and attention spans that support learning. More concerning than the decline in reading scores is the absence of a clear, large-scale strategy to address the growing crisis. Every year that a struggling reader falls further behind increases the likelihood that they will face lifelong educational and economic disadvantages. The recent reading results from New York City are a warning. The national NAEP results are an even louder one. Together, they tell us that incremental change is not enough. We know more about how children learn to read than ever before. We know that literacy is the gateway to opportunity. What remains to be seen is whether we have the collective will to act with the urgency this moment demands. Our children cannot afford for us to wait. WI

representation without collective action was insufficient. They boycotted President Richard Nixon's State of the Union address and demanded a meeting about Black America. They were not invited to power's table because the powerful developed good manners. They organized, insisted and disrupted. Today the CBC is larger and more institutionally powerful than its founders could have imagined. Black members hold seniority, key committee positions and party leadership. Hakeem Jeffries could become the first Black speaker of the House. But proximity to power is not power, and titles are not transformation. CBC Week brings urgent policy debates about voting rights, economic justice, health, education and Black political power. It gathers ambitious young people, seasoned public servants, advocates and entrepreneurs, along with more receptions than any human can reasonably attend. Yet we must not confuse access with action or networking with movement-building. The measure of the gathering comes after

deeper value of wealth is optionality. Wealth gives people the ability to make decisions based on opportunity rather than immediate necessity. A person with assets can sometimes afford to wait; they can turn down the wrong job; they can survive a business failure; they can relocate for an opportunity; they can help a child with a down payment; they can think in decades because not every decision has to

To be clear, Balanced Literacy alone cannot explain these trends. Increased screen time, constant digital distractions, shortened attention spans and the dominance of algorithm-driven content all influence students' reading habits and learning experiences. Yet recognizing these factors cannot become an excuse for inaction. Instead, it should compel us to think more broadly about literacy. The challenge before us is not simply helping children sound out words. It is helping them develop the capacity to wrestle with complex ideas, sustain attention, evaluate evidence and build knowledge through reading. It is helping them become informed citizens and lifelong learners. And that requires a comprehensive, systemic strategy. We need high-quality literacy in-

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