Local Leaders Continue to Organize Against ICE and Other Federal Agents
A Fight for ‘Every Single Right That We Have’
By Kree Anderson WI Intern
With rising tensions between community members and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in areas across the United States, D.C. justice leaders are working to protect vulnerable communities from ICE and federal agent presence in the District.
The federal government launched “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota on Dec. 1, where ICE agents have targeted the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and neighboring regions. Over the course of two 5 Party for Socialism and Liberation DC Members at the organization’s “No ICE Headquarters” Ward 8 Town Hall on Feb. 4. (Kree Anderson/The Washington Informer)
ICE Page 9
CBCF Celebrates 50 Years of Molding the Nation’s Future More
than
Longevity,
‘A Declaration of Purpose’
5 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) President Nicole Austin-Hillery speaks during the 54th CBCF Annual Legislative Conference in September 2025. As CBCF celebrates 50 years of driving equity and policy innovation, the nonpartisan, nonprofit is taking a nod from its roots of resilience. (WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)
By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor
In a year of recognition for African American leadership and innovation, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF)’s 50th anniversary celebration is a nod to the institute advancing equity, leadership, and public policy nationwide.
The momentous occasion, themed: “Roots. Ready. Rising.,” honors the transformative resilience of visionaries who built a lifeline for Black political influence, all the while asserting the organization as the keepers of the nation’s future.
“For 50 years, CBCF has helped CBCF Page 30
Faith Leaders Emphasize
By Micha Green and Hamil Harris WI Managing Editor and WI Contributing Writer
As people flock to stores for cards, candy, flowers and treats this Valentine’s Day season, faith leaders are emphasizing the importance of spreading love, not only during this time, but year round.
“Love is vital in society,” Pastor Ylawnda Peebles of City of Praise Ministries in Landover, Maryland, told The Informer. “It is equivalent to blood in our bodies, we cannot live without facing division and uncertainty. Love has the power to heal, unite and remind us that we are all connected.”
Pearl B.
Settles: Ward 7’s Queen
of
‘The
Hill’ Community Elder Leader Karen Settles Recounts Lessons from Her Late Mother
By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Local Politics & Education Writer
This year marks four decades since the death of Pearl B. Settles, a Ward 7 civic leader and youth advocate who, at the height of her tenure as a grassroots leader, fostered a community that was clean and free of crime.
These days, Settles’ legacy continues through her children, one of whom is Karen Settles.
“Mama was very close to [former D.C. Mayor] Marion Barry,” said Settles, a former SETTLES Page 14
5 Friends, community members, D.C. Housing Authority officials and elected officials join the Settles family in the unveiling of Pearl B. Settles Way on the 200 block of 37th Place SE in May 2025. (Courtesy Photo/Facebook and Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr./The Washington Informer)
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Trump Sparks Firestorm with Racist Obamas Video, Removes Post After Backlash from Allies and Critics
President Donald Trump quietly removed a racist video from his social media account Friday after fierce condemnation from across the political spectrum, following his overnight repost of a clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.
“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from The Lion King,” the White House said earlier Friday through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
5 People across politics, media, sports, and music are celebrating Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show, which was delivered solely in Spanish and centered on cultural imagery, visual storytelling, and themes of identity. (Courtesy Photo)
The roughly one-minute video centered on false claims of election fraud from the 2020 presidential race before abruptly cutting to the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto cartoon apes, accompanied by the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (1961) by The Tokens. The imagery, long associated with racist dehumanization of Black people, circulated for hours before being removed shortly before noon.
The post appeared during Black History Month, intensifying the backlash. Barack Obama remains the nation’s first Black president, and both he and Michelle Obama are among the most admired public figures in modern American history.
Page 5
Bad Bunny Turns Halftime into Cultural Power
Bad Bunny turned the Super Bowl LX halftime show into one of the most discussed cultural moments of the year as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
In solely Spanish, the Puerto Rican artist delivered an engaging performance centered on cultural imagery, visual storytelling, and themes of identity that drew praise across politics, media, sports, and music, and criticism from President Donald Trump.
“Bad Bunny understood the assignment,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) wrote as reaction spread across social media during the broadcast.
The 13-minute set moved through scenes
tied to Puerto Rican history and everyday life, including sugarcane fields, domino games, neighborhood salons, and a wedding ceremony that was later confirmed as real. The performance also placed the Caribbean and Latin America at the center of the stage, with flags and callouts extending beyond the continental United States.
New York Magazine noted on X that Bad Bunny shouted out countries across the Americas during the performance, reframing “God Bless America” as inclusive of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sports broadcaster Elle Duncan focused on
BUNNY Page 8
Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves Uncovers New Joy in Retirement
After 31 years of wowing audiences with her powerful performances, District native Denyce Graves retired from New York’s Metropolitan Opera on Jan. 24, in the role of Maria in Gershwin’s celebrated “Porgy and Bess,” an intentional farewell selection for the multi-Emmy and Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano.
“The first real professional contact I received was in 1985 at the Tulsa Opera for 'Porgy and Bess,’ so this last performance brought it full circle,” said Graves, a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Northwest, D.C.
Graves has not only performed with the Metropolitan Opera, but as a member of the U.S. Department of State U.S. Global Music Ambassadors with other musical artists, including jazz legend Herbie Hancock, rapper Chuck D, and country singers Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, and Jelly Roll.
Having spent 46 years on stage, the opera singer said she will stay busy leading The Denyce Graves Foundation, based in D.C. The vision for her foun-
Page 34
Only Black Governor Left Off White House Dinner Guest List
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) was quietly cut from a high-profile National Governors Association dinner at the White House, and organizers still will not say why.
“This week, I learned that I was uninvited to this year’s National Governors Association dinner, a decades-long annual tradition meant to bring governors from both parties together,” Moore wrote on social media, calling the move “another example of blatant disrespect.”
The unexplained disinvite landed just hours after Re-
publican President Donald Trump posted a racist video on Truth Social depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. The video sparked swift backlash before it was removed. Moore, like the Obamas, is Black, and he is currently serving as vice chair of the National Governors Association.
The dinner is traditionally organized as part of the NGA’s annual winter meeting, with coordination between the as-
MOORE Page 16
In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark
C. SILER, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
GRAVES
BAD
BACKLASH
Report Says D.C. Attorney General Secured Nearly $907 Million for District in 2025
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb released the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) 2025 Impact Report on Thursday, detailing a year of litigation, enforcement, and legal defense that produced $906.8 million in savings and benefits for the District, a return of more than four times the office’s annual budget.
“2025 marked the 10-year anniversary of the District and District residents having an elected, independent Attorney General fighting for them and their interests,” Schwalb said. “A strong, independent OAG, accountable directly to the people, has never been more critical as our office serves as the last line of defense against unprecedented attacks on our rights, safety, and ability to govern ourselves.”
When Schwalb was elected in 2022, former D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, the first person elected as the District’s OAG, expressed con-
BACKLASH from Page 4
“This post goes beyond a dog whistle,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said. “It is blatant racism, relying on imagery that has long been used to demean and dehumanize Black people. The words our leaders choose matter. The images they invoke matter.”
The NAACP said the video was “a stark reminder of how Trump and his followers truly view people” and warned it would not be forgotten.
Even Republicans moved to distance themselves. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) called the video “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its immediate removal.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said the post was “wrong and incredibly offensive” and should be deleted with an apology.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan said he hoped Trump did not realize how the video ended and urged its immediate deletion.
Trump’s post revived memories of his rise in politics through birther conspiracies questioning Obama’s citizenship, a campaign widely condemned as racist.
fidence in his successor.
“Brian is a talented and highly regarded lawyer who will fight for D.C. values,” Racine said in a November 2022 statement.
Three years into his tenure, Schwalb said his office has been working hard to support District residents.
“We are using the law to fight for all Washingtonians,” he continued, “and to advance the public interest, and our results speak for themselves.”
The report revealed that OAG avoided $311.6 million in civil litigation liability, preserved $300.6 million in federal funding through court action, and protected $131.1 million in tax revenue for the District. An additional $47.5 million came from recoveries, settlements, and penalties for violations of District law, with significant sums directed to tenants, workers, consumers, and victims of civil rights abuses.
Public safety efforts figured prominently in the accounting. OAG reported contributing to a 29% reduction in violent crime, a 52% drop in
“You know they’re in hiding right now,” said hip-hop legend Luther Campbell. “People like us who call out racism always get hit with ‘Why does it always have to be about race when it comes to you?’ That question is the tell.”
Attorney and political commentator Bakari Sellers challenged Trump supporters to publicly defend the imagery.
A three-time Trump voter said the video was “an embarrassment to our country,” calling the president “pathetic” and apologizing for having supported him.
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell said the moment reflected years of political enabling rather than an isolated incident.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a sweeping rebuke, calling on Republican leaders to act.
“President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, compassionate and patriotic Americans. They represent the best of this country,” Jeffries said. “Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder. Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry.” WI
traffic deaths, and a 43% decline in opioid fatalities during 2025. Within its prosecutorial authority, the office handled most violent juvenile crime cases and pursued dangerous drivers under the STEER Act.
The report details $45.4 million secured for tenants through rent refunds, credits, and penalties, including a $41 million housing conditions judgment in Ward 8 and major antitrust action against landlords accused of inflating rents.
Worker protection actions returned $7.7 million in unpaid wages and penalties, including a $5 million settlement with the National Women’s Soccer League and $3.95 million recovered from Amazon over delivery driver tips.
As the District’s chief legal officer, OAG defended more than 900 cases with a 98% win rate and preserved hundreds of millions in federal funding for transportation, education, public safety, and disaster preparedness.
“We will continue fighting to ensure all D.C. workers receive the wages and benefits they earn and that all
law-abiding businesses can compete on a level playing field,” Schwalb said. WI
DEADLINES
5 District Attorney General Brian L. Schawalb says his office was able to secure $906.8 million in savings and benefits for the District. (WI File Photo)
AROUND THE REGION
Feb. 12
FEB. 12 - 18, 2026
istry of the Library of Congress.
1909 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is founded after race riots in Springfield, Illinois.
1926 – Historian Carter G. Woodson founds Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.
1983 – Famed pianist Eubie Blake dies in Brooklyn, New York, at 96.
Feb. 13
1920 – Baseball player Andrew "Rube" Foster founds the Negro National League.
1923 – The New York Renaissance, an all-Black professional basketball team, is founded.
1970 – Joseph L. Searles III becomes the first Black floor member and floor broker in the New York Stock Exchange.
Feb. 14
1867 – Morehouse College is founded in Georgia. 1946 – Actor, singer and dancer Gregory Hines is born in New York City.
1965 – The New York home of civil rights activist Malcolm X is firebombed with him and his family inside.
Feb. 15
1965 – Famed singer Nat King Cole dies in Santa Moni ca, California, of lung cancer at 45.
1968 – Henry Lewis becomes the first Black to head a major U.S. symphony orchestra when he takes over the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
Feb. 16
1857 – Frederick Douglass is elected president of Freed man's Savings and Trust Company.
1923 – Blues singer Bessie Smith records her first single, "Down Hearted Blues," which was later included in the inaugural National Recording Reg
1972 – Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first player in NBA history to score 30,000 points.
Feb. 17
1891 – Black inventor A.C. Richardson patents an improved butter churn.
1936 – Pro football great and civil rights advocate Jim Brown is born in St. Simons, Georgia.
1942 – Political activist and Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton is born in Monroe, Louisiana.
1963 – Basketball legend Michael Jordan is born in New York's Brooklyn borough.
1982 – Influential jazz pianist Thelonious Monk dies of a stroke in Englewood, New Jersey, at 64.
Feb. 18
1931 – Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison is born in Lorain, Ohio.
1965 – West African nation Gambia declares its independence from the United Kingdom.
1965 – Civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson is shot by an Alabama state trooper during a peaceful voting rights march rally in Marion, dying eight days later.
2006 – Speed skater Shani
Shani Davis
Malcolm X (left) Toni Morrison (center) Gregory Hines (right)
AROUND THE REGION view P INT
BY RICHARD ELLIOTT
How do you spread love this Valentine’s season and beyond?
ROB SULIVAN / SOUTHEAST D.C.
“[I’m going to] spread it by just putting out positive energy. I’m gonna push the energy out there regardless if I get it back. Just keep that positive outlook. There’s someone out there looking for love.”
ZAIDA HOUSTON / CLINTON MARYLAND
“I spread love through small gestures, thoughtful checkins and intentional planning. I don't believe Valentines Day, or even the month of February, is the only time to express love. To me, love is shown in how you consistently show up and the intention behind your actions. "
ANDREA WHITFIELD / SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (NOT PICTURED)
“By spending time with my family and friends. Being around the people you love and loves you.”
JOHN BROWN
NORTHWEST, D.C. (NOT PICTURED)
“Taking time to show my wife how much she means to me. We’ve been married for a while and I wouldn’t be here without her so, just letting her know that she matters to me.”
Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.
AROUND THE REGION
D.C. Named One of the Best Places to Visit in February by Yahoo Travel
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
February settles over Washington, D.C. with a certain quiet authority. The crowds thin, air is sharp, and monuments stand just a little taller against the winter sky. It is a season when the city reveals itself without performance or pretense—when visitors can walk the National Mall unhurried, step inside world-class museums without lines, and experience the capital as it truly is.
A new Yahoo Travel report reveals Washington as one of the six best places in the United States to visit in February—and it is only the beginning.
“Washington, D.C. in winter invites reflection,” the researchers noted. “Without crowds or congestion, the city’s museums, monuments, and history feel more personal and more accessible.”
In winter, the city’s greatest strengths come forward.
People can witness the grandeur of monuments honoring the likes of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Abraham Lincoln.
The Smithsonian museums remain free and open, offering warmth, history, and perspective. Among them, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) stands as one of the most powerful expe-
riences in the country— its exhibitions trace centuries of resilience, creativity, and struggle that continue to shape the nation.
“When I lived in D.C.,” social media user Jenni Button wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “snow days were my favorite days to go out and about exploring museums that were still open.”
February’s slower pace allows visitors the time such a space demands: to read, to reflect, to understand. Combined with lower
the structure of the show.
“It was so smart for Bad Bunny to have so much storytelling through visual aids, knowing just pacing a stage would not resonate as well to non-Spanish speakers,” Duncan posed. “Thematically the performance was universal, and he set a high bar for production value moving forward.”
Journalist Mariana Atencio described the moment as affirming rather than confrontational.
“The Super Bowl halftime show didn’t feel like a protest. It felt like a homecoming,” Atencio wrote.
Benito chose something far more powerful: a celebration of Latino identity as it actually lives and breathes in the United States, and in America.”
hotel rates and fewer tourists, Washington becomes not just a destination, but an invitation.
Whether standing beneath the winter sky on the National Mall, reflecting inside NMAAHC, the season rewards those willing to travel when others wait.
“February gives travelers something that’s increasingly rare: space,” Yahoo Travel noted. “Cities breathe differently, and visitors get a truer sense of place without the noise of peak season.” WI
Trump criticized the performance publicly, calling it “one of the worst” halftime shows. That assessment drew a quick and sharp rebuke from news personality Piers Morgan.
“Couldn’t disagree more, Mr President,” Morgan argued. “I absolutely loved Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Amazing theatre and choreography, great energy, superbly confident performance, and a very welcome unifying message. Oh, and Spanish is first language for more than 50 million Americans.”
Ricky Martin, who joined Bad Bunny during the show, praised the artist in an open letter published ahead of the Super Bowl. WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
5 The sun shines on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. in February 2023. A new Yahoo Travel report reveals Washington as one of the six best places in the United States to visit in February. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
BAD BUNNY from Page 4
months, ICE activities have included numerous arrests and the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. The developing situation in Minneapolis has prompted many District community leaders to reflect and strategize.
“[We know] that every community is different and we're seeing some similar strategies or approaches that the Trump administration has done in D.C. happening in other spaces, but again, escalating,” said Samantha Paige, founder of Black Swan Academy.
Paige, with greater civilian mobilization as one of her primary goals, is committed to organizing more campaigns, protests, rallies, boycotts and other solidarity initiatives. She said the District already has experience rallying against the administration's interference, particularly after the Aug. 11 – Sept. 10, 2025 federal officers surge.
“D.C. was one of the cities that got hit first, so, in many ways, we are trying to be in solidarity with folks like Minneapolis, with Chicago and others,” she said, “by creating spaces and engaging in conversations about tactics, about lessons learned, about things to look out for.”
As local advocates supported the recent nationwide shutdown in response to Minneapolis events, many feel further determined to reduce the authority of ICE and allied federal agents within the District.
“One of our biggest priorities is breaking the ties between the federal agents that have been terrorizing community members, and our local [Metropolitan Police Department]
As local advocates supported the recent nationwide shutdown in response to Minneapolis events, many feel further determined to reduce the authority of ICE and allied federal agents within the District.
(MPD),” said Keya Chatterjee, executive director of Free DC.
Over the past few months, Chatterjee and other leaders have criticized MPD for, what they call, collaborating with federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), ICE, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
To combat this collusion of federal forces, Chatterjee and other community representatives will participate in the D.C. Council’s Feb. 25 Judiciary Public Safety Oversight Hearing, where advocates will offer testimonies and calls to action.
AROUND THE REGION
“The council really needs to see and hear and feel how extreme this has gotten,” Chatterjee said. “[White house officials and Donald Trump are] going after every single right that we have.”
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Weighs in on the Fight Against ICE
For months, Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D) has been speaking on the mishandlings conducted by ICE and federal agents throughout the District, including how residents continue to “report arrests, intimidation, and surveillance that disproportionately target communities of color.”
“The horrific violence we have seen in Minneapolis is a stark warning and should enrage every one of us,” she told The Informer in a statement. “It underscores why D.C. must do everything possible to protect our immigrant communities and all residents from unchecked federal enforcement that puts lives at risk.”
George, a D.C. mayoral candidate, proposed the Safe Community Places and Policing Amendment Act of 2025 on Dec. 15, outlining the illegality of local law enforcement participating in immigration enforcement affairs without a court order or judicial warrant.
Introduced alongside Councilmembers Brianne Nadeau, Robert White, Charles Allen, and Zachary Parker, the legislation would additionally prevent critical service sites, including shelters and schools, from
ICE Page 11
AROUND THE REGION
CAPTURE
THE MOMENt
Faith, labor, and community leaders rally in front of the D.C. Office of Government Affairs to deliver a letter condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Feb. 11. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)
Michele Cober, Melanie Campbell and Ebony Baylor read The Washington Informer. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)
- the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The Drum Major Instinct” (1968) “Keep
being subject to federal immigration enforcement measures without the legal exception.
“At a moment when community trust is already fragile, it is essential that District resources are not used to facilitate federal enforcement actions that terrorize communities,” George said, “and make us less safe.”
The ‘Power’ of Grassroots Efforts: Partnerships, Teach-Ins, and More
DC Latino Caucus, an organization dedicated to protecting, serving and advocating for the political representation of the Latino community, is implementing a more support-oriented approach to address the ICE situation.
“Our group is not trying to create a new wheel. We’re supporting a lot of efforts done by leading groups already like Families not Feds DC, Free DC, partnering with them in attending protests [and rallies],” said Vanessa Lopez, the organization’s president.
Kai Conway, an organizer for DC Alliance Against Racial & Political Repression (DCAARPR), said that events in Minneapolis have not shifted but rather increased the organization’s endeavors to achieve its main goal of community control of the police and overall public safety.
These efforts consist of numerous teach-ins, including one that recently covered federal cooperation with ICE, along with calls to
4 Ward 4
Councilmember and mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George is among the local leaders challenging ICE operations in the District, including co-introducing the Safe Community Places and Policing Amendment Act of 2025. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
action in future oversight hearings.
“The teach-ins are partially educational material for the community on what’s going on right now, and also how we aim to serve and help and fight back,” Conway said.
Moreover, Conway asserts that every community can be affected by ICE, regardless of race and ethnicity, referencing Good and Pretti as examples.
“The reason that they're targeting people, the reason that they're killing people is because they serve Trump,” he told The Informer. “They serve this regime that aims to push people out of their communities, to push people further into poverty.”
Another organization, the Party for Socialism and Liberation DC (PSLDC), has also been organizing anti-ICE initiatives, including raising awareness about and criticizing immigration enforcement’s goal to, allegedly, establish a new headquarters in Southeast D.C.
PSLDC member Cam White says the party is also involved in another effort to expose collaboration with ICE at the local level in areas outside the District Waterfront, emphasizing the significant impact of grassroots-led, nationwide shutdowns in demanding change.
“We feel,” White told The Informer, “there's probably no more powerful tool that the people have right now than the general strike, which has the power to really defeat this oppressive Trump agenda that we're dealing with.” WI
AROUND THE REGION
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce Talks Goals for Local Businesses
By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter
Touting growth, new programming and a Business and Economic Summit on Feb. 13, the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce is preparing for a strong strong 2026 as they work to bolster local businesses through innovative opportunities, partnerships and advocacy.
Alexander Austin, president and CEO of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, is focused on advocating for the businesses the organization represents during this legislative session.
“We want to make sure we have balanced legislation at multiple levels
that are fair for the business community and positive for the community as a whole. We promote access to capital, including alternative capital. When capital dries up, our businesses suffer,” Austin told The Informer. “We are talking with equity firms and individual investors who have liquidity and interest in communities of color to invest.”
He noted that federal measures and changes, such as with the Small Business Administration, particularly affect Prince George’s County residents.
“We are focused on fair and transparent procurement. Recent changes to the SBA’s 8a program will have more impact on our area than other parts of the country,” he continued.
“We are creating goals and activities and actions to ensure that the business community is moving forward and supporting the broader community as well.”
Having served in his role since 2022, some of the highlights of Austin’s leadership have been the Equity in Procurement, a six-month business development and training program, and supporting nearly 300 enterprises with a Verizon small business grant.
“We reached out to over 100 companies who wanted to work with the program and we have around 30 members in both our first and second cohort. We are proud that some members of our first cohort have already secured their first contracts,” he said.
The chamber president also emphasized the importance of corporate partnerships in achieving organizational goals.
“I want to shout out CareFirst, the
first corporation to support it financially and to provide assets to move us forward. Companies like Turner Whiting and Pepco, I’m so proud of,” he said. “We are excited to see what ecosystem we can build and to have our organizations partner with the chamber to reach their goals.”
During the chamber's 2025 Excellence in Business Awards Gala, held at the MGM National Harbor, Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy emphasized the importance of working with the organization to support local businesses.
“We want it to be known that doors are open to business in Prince George’s County,” Braveboy told The Informer, touting the chamber’s collaborative work and mission.
Empowering Businesses Through ‘Collective Work’
For Austin, leading the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce is about empowering business owners.
“The chamber is the number one advocate and supporter to grow business in the region,” he told The Informer. “When you talk legislation that can impact businesses, we are a voice to advocate.”
Celebrating his third anniversary as chamber president in early December, the organization touted Austin as a dedicated leader who offers “steadfast support” to members and the county’s broader business community, particularly through “strategic partnerships” and “creating space for collaboration and growth.”
“Over the past year, Alex’s lead-
Page 13
5 Alexander Austin, president and CEO of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, with entertainer and event host Anthony Anderson during the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards Gala in October 2025. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
GOALS from Page 12
ership has continued to move the chamber forward—connecting Prince George’s County businesses to opportunity, resources, and one another,” the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce wrote in a statement.
“This milestone reflects not only strong leadership, but the collective work of our members, board, partners, and staff.”
Jeimy Flournoy, owner of Salon 809, is one of the proud members of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce who feels uplifted by the organization’s work, programming and community efforts. During the association’s annual gala in October 2025, the chamber honored Flournoy’s salon as an emerging business.
“Being recognized by the chamber has been incredibly meaningful for us, especially as the first hair-only business to receive this level of recognition,” she said. “It provided validation that we are on the right path and affirmed the work we’ve been committed to in our industry and community.”
Austin touts the benefits of chamber membership to both new and existing businesses across the entire metropolitan region, not just in Prince George’s.
“Our membership has grown over the past years. New programming that grants access to sustainable funding and sustainable business,” said Austin. “We need that ongoing growth to keep a viable county.”
As the chamber plans the upcoming Business and Economic Summit on Feb. 13 at 4400 Forbes Boulevard
in Lanham, Maryland, Austin also emphasized the organization’s multiple efforts to support local businesses.
“We also bring education and resources to the table. One of the most important things we focus on, is staying focused on what is important to each business. We tailor those specific needs to what you say you need, not what we think you need.”
With Salon 809, which opened in 2015, flourishing today, Flournoy thanked the organization for expanding her entrepreneurial horizons.
“Our chamber membership has been invaluable. Through access to resources, educational opportunities, and increased exposure, we’ve been able to grow with greater confidence and clarity,” Flournoy told The Informer. “The chamber has created opportunities for learning, connection and visibility that have supported both our business development and our long-term vision.”
During the 2024 State of the Chamber breakfast, Braveboy spoke highly of both the Chamber and Austin’s tenure as CEO.
"I appreciate President Austin's work and the continued growth of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce,” Braveboy said. “Congressman Steny Hoyer's remarks around the changes that are happening at the federal level helped to highlight the importance of the Chamber and the need to have a strong and vibrant local business community.”
For more information or to register for the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce Business and Economic Summit on Feb. 13 visit eventbrite.com. WI
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
5 Alexander Austin, Jeimy Flournoy, Amber Perry of Pepco and actor Anthony Anderson at the October 2025 Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards at MGM National Harbor. During the gala, Flournoy, owner of Salon 809, received the Emerging Business of the Year award, presented in sponsorship with Pepco. (Courtesy Photo/Mel Franklin)
BUSINESS
Maryland Reports $1 Billion Decline in Net Position as Economic Headwinds Grow
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
Maryland closed fiscal year 2025 with slower economic growth, mounting losses in the federal workforce, and increasing strain on state finances, according to the state’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the year ended June 30.
The report provides a detailed accounting of revenues, spending, debt, and economic conditions as Maryland confronts budget stress tied to federal downsizing, inflation, and uneven job creation.
“Every year, the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report provides us with a moment of reflection,” Comptroller Brooke
E. Lierman wrote in the report’s transmittal letter, pointing to the state’s efforts to battle changing economic conditions while modernizing government operations and maintaining long-term fiscal balance.
The report shows Maryland’s total net position declined by $1 billion during fiscal year 2025, largely driven by higher expenses and accounting changes related to compensated absences. Governmental activities posted $59.8 billion in expenses against $56.8 billion in revenues, while business-type activities recorded a net increase. Combined revenues reached $64.4 billion as total program costs rose to $65.2 billion.
Maryland’s labor market is also
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a significant concern. The state lost about 6,200 payroll jobs through September 2025, with federal employment accounting for the largest share of the decline. Roughly 14,600 federal jobs were eliminated from Maryland payrolls since January, roughly 9% of the state’s federal workforce. The report notes that the figures did not yet capture deferred resignations that took effect later in the year.
. Maryland again received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, the 44th consecutive
year the state has earned national recognition.
Looking ahead, the report frames fiscal year 2026 as a test of fiscal discipline. A projected $2.95 billion shortfall is being addressed through spending controls, tax policy adjustments, and efforts to preserve an 8% Rainy Day Fund reserve totaling $2.05 billion.
“Together, we will continue to build a Maryland that is fiscally sound, economically vibrant, and committed to providing opportunities for all,” Lierman wrote.
Despite the deficit, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said his pro-
posed budget for fiscal year 2027 shows economic progress for the state.
“Through this budget proposal, our administration is choosing to protect our people, focus on driving down costs for working families, and strengthen our state’s economic competitiveness— all without raising taxes or fees,” he said in a Jan. 21 statement. Marylanders are counting on us to deliver results, and this budget marks the next chapter in building a safer, more affordable, and more competitive Maryland.”
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5 The Maryland State House. The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report reveals Maryland closed fiscal year 2025 with slower economic growth, mounting losses in the federal workforce, and increasing strain on state finances. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)
from Page 1
advisory neighborhood commissioner and longtime resident of the Stoddert Terrace public housing community, where she lived with her late mother and 10 siblings.
5 Several people gather on the 200 block of 37th Place SE for the May 2025 unveiling of Pearl B. Settles Way. (Courtesy Photo/D.C. Housing Authority, Facebook)
In the late 1960s, the Settles family moved to Stoddert Terrace, taking on a migration pattern similar to other Black families in the District whose communities underwent “urban renewal.” Before setting roots in the community known as “The Hill,” the Settles family lived in Northeast’s Parkside neighborhood, and before then, James Creek in Southwest.
Settles, who’s also the grandmother of D.C. rapper Noah “No Savage” Settles, was a young adult when she saw her mother come into her own as a leader of “The Hill.” She told The Informer that Barry, affectionately called D.C.'s “mayor for life,” often relied on her for insight into community affairs.
“He walked around here several times because of her,” Settles said about Barry’s visits to “The Hill.” “He would sit down at everybody's table and he called my mother the Silver Stallion. He always told her that she put him in mind of his mother.”
Last May, friends, community members, D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) officials and elected officials joined the Settles family in the unveiling of Pearl B. Settles Way. Months prior to that, the D.C. Council approved legislation that thenWard 7 D.C. Councilmember Vincent C. Gray introduced to ceremoniously name the 200 block of 37th Place SE in honor of the late Settles.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7F, on which the late Settles served, also unanimously approved a resolution in support of ceremonial street naming.
The late Settles, a lifelong Washingtonian and mother of 11, lived her later years at the Stoddert Terrace public housing community. Until her 1986 death, she served in numerous roles, including: a resident council member; commissioner of what was then Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7F01; and DCHA board member. Settles also garnered a reputation as a provider of affordable daycare and food, and a coordinator of community workshops and vacation Bible school.
As her daughter recounted, the late Settles also gave young people employment opportunities during the late 1970s and early 1980s, when a portion of them couldn’t enter what’s now known as the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program.
“What happened was [that] my mother…would have 10 children that could apply between the ages of 9 and 13 for a job,” Settles told The Informer. “Their application was their report card and how they felt about having a summer job.”
Settles said that, as intended, the youth who clinched a job with her mother often went on field trips and completed projects that expanded their notion about what life could offer.
“They had to interview the security guard, somebody behind desks, whoever was working in these respective places,” Settles told The Informer. “They went to the zoo, they went to the U.S. Capitol. They went to all these places where they could interview and ask people what their job was like and how
SETTLES Page 29
We Have Come This Far by Faith
By Aimee D. Griffin, Esq.
Black History Month is not simply a commemoration of where we have been, it is a sacred pause that calls us to confront where we are and to decide, with clarity and courage, where we are going.
The theme “We Have Come This Far by Faith” is not poetic nostalgia. It is a declaration forged through struggle— and a reminder that faith has always been our response when progress is threatened and power shifts in ways that endanger our communities.
Today, that faith is being tested again.
Across the country, Black and Brown communities are experiencing a renewed assault on hard-won gains.
Policies and rhetoric emerging from the current administration and its allies have made clear that equity, inclusion, and access are once again being reframed as excess rather than justice.
We see it in:
• The dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that opened doors long closed to us
• Attacks on voting rights that disproportionately silence Black voices
• Rollbacks of fair housing and consumer protections
• Efforts to erase or minimize Black history in schools and public discourse
• Economic policies that widen wealth gaps while calling inequality “personal responsibility”
None of this is new.
What is new is the expectation that we accept it quietly.
But history tells us that progress has never been preserved by silence, it has been sustained by faith paired with action.
Faith was never passive. Faith carried our ancestors through enslavement, segregation, redlining, and exclusion from capital and opportunity. Faith built institutions when the law refused to protect us. Faith allowed Black families to create stability in systems designed for their failure.
But faith was never passive endurance.
Faith was strategy.
Faith was community.
Faith was preparation for what freedom could become.
And in this moment, when legal, economic, and social protections feel increasingly fragile—we are again being called to transform faith into foresight.
In times like these, legacy-building becomes an act of resistance.
When policies threaten our security, we secure ourselves.
When systems fail to protect our families, we protect them intentionally.
When history is under attack, we document our lives, our values, and our ownership.
Estate planning, business succession, land preservation, and intergenerational wealth transfer are not merely financial exercises, they are civil rights tools.
Every plan that keeps a home in the family.
Every business is structured to outlive its founder.
Every set of instructions that prevents courts or the state from deciding our family’s future.
This is how we push back—not just with protest, but with preparation.
Our ancestors fought to gain rights.
This generation must fight to preserve them.
That requires moving beyond survival and into stewardship.
Stewardship demands that we ask difficult but necessary questions:
• If protections are rolled back, have I protected my family privately?
• If access is limited, have I created structure?
• If opportunity narrows, have I left clarity or confusion behind?
Failing to plan does not punish the system, it burdens our loved ones. And faith calls us to do better than that.
Black History Month reminds us that history bends because people refuse to let it break them.
This moment is no different.
We are being challenged not only to remember our past, but to defend our future. To ensure that what we have built cannot be undone by policy shifts, court decisions, or political winds.
We have come this far by faith—but faith now requires intention, documentation, and decisive action.
Because legacy is not what we leave behind when power is stripped away.
Legacy is what we put in place before it ever can be.
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NATIONAL
Trump Tax Law Shifts Billions to the Wealthy While Black Families Pay More
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
President Donald Trump’s new tax law is now in force, and as the 2026 filing season begins, economists say the damage is not theoretical. It is already written into the tax code.
The legislation locks in and expands Trump’s 2017 overhaul while layering on new provisions that funnel wealth upward, raise taxes on millions of low-income Americans, and deepen racial inequities that have defined the U.S. economy for generations.
“This massive tax-and-spending package does more to transfer wealth upward than any other single piece of legislation in decades while penalizing lower-income Americans and cutting
public benefits,” the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) said in its analysis of the law.
According to ITEP, the poorest 40% of Americans will pay more in taxes under the new law, while the middle fifth receives only marginal relief. The richest 1% , however, will take home more benefits than the bottom 80% combined in 2026.
“Prior to Trump 2.0, the richest 1% escaped paying an estimated $163 billion per year in taxes owed. Now Trump policies have destroyed IRS capability to audit private equity. He is working to make it even easier for his Mar-A-Lago cronies to avoid paying tax,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “When the richest few and large
3 Some economists note President Donald Trump’s new tax law raises taxes on millions of low-income Americans and deepens racial inequities that have defined the U.S. economy for generations. (WI File Photo) corporations are not required to pay their fair share, ordinary Americans are left shouldering a larger percentage of the tax burden.”
The racial divide is stark. High-income households are disproportionately white, while Black and Latino families are far more likely to be concentrated in income groups that lose ground.
At the center of the imbalance is the expanded pass-through business deduction, increased from 20% to 23%. Treasury Department data show that nearly all of the $1 trillion in tax cuts generated by this provision over the next decade will flow to the top 1 percent. Hispanic taxpayers, who account for 15% of the population, receive about 5% of the benefit. Black taxpayers, 11% of the population, receive roughly 2%.
The law also sharply weakens the estate tax by permanently raising the exemption to $15 million for individuals and $30 million for married couples, indexed to inflation. Economists say the change all but eliminates the tax for ultra-wealthy families while locking in racial disparities tied to inherited wealth. White families are about three times as likely as Black families to receive an inheritance, and the median inheritance for white families is roughly 25% higher.
Supporters of the law point to larger tax refunds expected this year as proof that working Americans are benefit-
ing. The Tax Foundation estimates individual income taxes were reduced by $129 billion for 2025, with as much as $100 billion likely to be paid out through higher refunds during the 2026 filing season. Average refunds could rise by several hundred dollars, and in some cases close to $1,000.
But analysts say those refunds are largely the result of delayed withholding adjustments, not sustained gains in wages or financial security. Many low-income filers, particularly those with a bit or no tax liability, receive little to nothing. ITEP said provisions marketed as help for working families continue to bypass the poorest households, many of them Black.
The child tax credit was raised to $2,200 per child, yet it remains only partially refundable and far below its 2021 level. Millions of very low-income families are still excluded. Census data show that nearly one in five Black and American Indian people lived below the poverty line in 2024,
MOORE from Page 4
sociation and the White House. The NGA is currently led by interim CEO Brandon Tatum, who said the decision to exclude individual governors came from the administration, not the organization.
“The bipartisan White House governors meeting is an important tradition, and we are disappointed in the administration’s decision to make it a partisan occasion this year,” Tatum said in a statement. “To disinvite individual governors to the White House sessions undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration.”
Moore is the nation’s only sitting Black governor and only the third
placing them among those least likely to see any benefit.
The law offsets tax cuts at the top by reducing funding for health care, food assistance, and other programs relied upon by working families. Economists warn that the long-term costs will fall heaviest on younger Americans. Millennials and Gen Z, the most racially diverse generations in U.S. history, will inherit higher deficits and fewer public resources.
The Internal Revenue Service begins accepting 2025 returns on Jan. 26 and expects to process roughly 164 million filings this year. New deductions for overtime, tips, auto loan interest, and seniors are now available, though many phase out well before reaching higher income levels. Analysts note that administrative readiness does not change who ultimately wins and loses under the law.
ITEP said Congress had options that would have protected working families without deepening inequality, including limiting tax extensions to households earning under $400,000 and restoring the expanded child tax credit. That approach would have delivered larger tax cuts to the bottom 60 percent of Americans at a fraction of the cost.
“This law harms the economic wellbeing of poor and working families of all races, especially people of color,” ITEP said. “The new tax and spending law doesn’t meet the basic test of fairness, and it falls tremendously short.”
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Black governor ever elected. He said the exclusion carries weight even if no explanation has been offered.
“As the nation’s only Black governor, I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight, whether that was the intent or not,” Moore wrote.
White House officials defended the guest list, saying attendance at presidential events is discretionary.
“Many Democrats were invited to dinner at the White House, and others were not,” a White House official said. “These are White House events, and the President reserves the right to invite whomever he wants.” WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
HEALTH
Heart Awareness Month and the Fight for Equity in Cardiac Care
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
With Black History Month and the overarching theme during February, some may forget the second month of the year is also American Heart Month.
“I urge the people of the United States to give heed to the nationwide problem of the heart and blood-vessel diseases, and to support the programs required to bring about its solution,” said former President Lyndon B. Johnson in his proclamation for the first American Heart Month in February 1964.
As the nation commemorates Black history and celebrates Valentine’s Day, many in the medical community are urging renewed attention to a crisis that continues to claim African American lives at higher rates, even as overall cardiovascular deaths decline nationwide.
Dr. Anthony Fletcher, the 20th president of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) and an interventional cardiologist at CHI St. Vincent Cardiology and Medicine Clinic in Little Rock, Arkansas, said it is time to confront persistent disparities that remain embedded in the health care system.
“Every month should be Heart Month, and every month should be Black History Month,” Fletcher, who was installed as president of the ABC during the organization’s spring 2024 membership meeting in Atlanta, told The Informer. “This is an opportunity to focus, to pause for a moment, and to think about the significance of both.”
Founded in 1974, ABC has a global membership exceeding 2,000 health professionals and advocates committed to improving cardiovascular outcomes in minority communities.
While advances in cardiovascular
care have driven down death rates over time, Fletcher said recent trends are concerning. He pointed to an upswing in cardiovascular deaths that many clinicians associate with rising diabetes and obesity rates.
“Despite the improvements, there is still a gap in deaths among people of African American descent in this country,” he said. “The numbers are coming down, but Black people still die at higher percentages compared to our white counterparts.”
Hypertension remains one of the most pressing threats, and Fletcher noted that high blood pressure often develops earlier in Black Americans, sometimes beginning in the late teens, and tends to be more severe. “It puts us at higher risk for congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and stroke,” he said. “Heart failure overall is rampant in the African American community.”
A graduate of Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio, Fletcher also extended caution about transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, known as ATTR-CM, a genetic condition that disproportionately affects Black Americans and is frequently overlooked.
“It gets missed, even by doctors,” Fletcher said. “But ATTR is just one of many cardiovascular illnesses that disproportionately affect African Americans.”
Raising Awareness, Improving Access to Treatment
Beyond individual risk factors, Fletcher said geography plays a decisive role in furthering disparities. He described what clinicians call cardiology deserts, areas with limited or no access to cardiologists.
“There are at least three million
African Americans who live in areas where they have access to no cardiologists whatsoever,” Fletcher stated. “Another 16 million live in places where access is limited.”
To confront those barriers, the ABC launched its Cardiovascular Desert Initiative, a campaign started about five months ago and sponsored in part by Amgen. The pilot focuses on Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, with host cities including Atlanta, Jackson, New Orleans, and Little Rock.
The initiative focuses on communities, beginning with LDL-C cholesterol screenings and education around modifiable risk factors, and on providers, offering education on national guidelines, consultation access, and direct relationships with cardiologists.
“We want providers to be able to pick up the phone and call a cardiologist when a patient is not responding to treatment,” he said.
Fletcher added that progress is visible, pointing to a growing number of Black cardiologists and improved enrollment of Black Americans in clinical trials. Still, he said more work remains.
“We still have a gap,” Fletcher demanded. “We just need to work harder, enhance the workforce, and improve educational opportunities for early detection and early treatment.”
The decorated physician noted the call to action must remain clear and sustained.
“The first step is awareness,” Fletcher said. “We have risk factors that can be modified, hypertension, cholesterol, weight, activity levels, smoking. People need screening programs, early physicals, and to know their numbers, blood pressure, weight, sugar, cholesterol.”
He emphasized key ways to pre-
3 A woman gets her blood pressure checked at a community event. As the nation honors American Heart Month, many in the medical community are urging renewed attention to cardiovascular disease, a crisis that continues to claim African American lives at higher rates.
vent later challenges.
“Access matters. Education matters. Funding matters, so people can be screened and have access to the medications they need. Know your numbers,” Fletcher told The Informer. “Know your blood pressure, your weight, your sugar, your cholesterol.” WI
(WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)
INTERNATIONAL
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Printers
Zona Maco: Navigating the Imprint of Blackness in Latin America
By Andrew S. Jacobson WI Contributing Writer
n Booklets
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While the aisles of Zona Maco demonstrate a sophisticated engagement with European modernism and Latin American abstraction, Black and Afro-Mexican narratives remain largely peripheral at the Mexico City art fair.
“I know there’s an Afro-Mexican history,” said Jeffrey Swinton, a Walker Art Center trustee traveling with the U.S.-based museum group, standing near the fair’s entrance at Centro Citibanamex. “But we haven’t seen it yet. I’m guessing we won’t see it here.”
At Zona Maco, Blackness is present but not foregrounded. It appears episodically, often mediated through international galleries rather than local institutions, and framed less as a regional dialogue than as a global import.
However, beyond the pristine booths, polished abstraction, and the low hum of commerce conducted in murmurs happening at the annual fair, there are people like Sean Kelly— founder of the eponymous gallery in New York— working to highlight Black artists in the Mexico City market and beyond.
Sean Kelly Gallery has steadily introduced African American artists to the annual art fair, not as a trend-driven gesture, but as part of a sustained international program.
“We’ve been coming to Zona Maco for about 10 years,” Kelly said, gesturing toward his booth. “We’ve gradually been building up that market for the artists here.”
This year’s presentation included works by Anthony Akinbola and Kehinde Wiley — artists whose practices are rooted in diaspora, materiality, and transnational identity.
“The market down here is becoming more familiar with the artists and more educated about what their practice is,” he added. “That consistency really matters.”
That emphasis on continuity resonates strongly with Natalie Kates-Ferri, founder of Kates-Ferri Projects, a New York gallery now in its third year at Zona Maco. For her, the fair represents an alternative ecosystem — one that resists speculation and
5 In this painting,
stages a domestic tableau where intimacy, power, and historical
rewards depth.
intersect, rendered through flattened perspective and deliberate, psychologically charged color. (Courtesy Photo/Andrew Jacobson) noted, naturally prioritize their own artists.
“Coming from New York City, it’s refreshing,” she said. “We’re meeting collectors from Central and South America who are really interested in learning who they’re collecting and why they’re collecting.”
Unlike the fast-moving, hype-driven market that dominates many U.S. fairs, she has encountered few flippers in Mexico City.
“In three years, I’ve not encountered speculators,” she said. “We’re selling to generational collectors — kids or grandkids of collections that started 80 years ago.”
Those collectors, she explained, are drawn to work that feels temporally elastic — art that could have been made in the 1930s or the 1950s as easily as today. That sensibility helps explain the fair’s enduring affinity for geometric abstraction and conceptualism.
“These works live well across generations,” Kates-Ferri said. “They’re not trendy. They’re building a lineage.”
Pushing Toward More Black Representation
Kelly is pragmatic about regional preferences. Latin American fairs, he
“If you’re in Germany, you sell German artists more easily,” he said. “That’s just how markets work.” Still, he has seen growing traction for Black artists over time — not through spectacle, but through repetition and trust.
“That’s just how markets work.” But, he added, what matters is persistence. “The market down here is becoming more familiar with the artists and more educated about what their practice is. That only happens if you keep coming back.”
At this year’s fair, the Colombian artist Magola Moreno, offered a quieter, counterpoint about representation. Moreno is not herself of African diasporic heritage, but her work is deeply shaped by geography and proximity. She lives and works in a remote enclave in northern Colombia, where Black and Brown communities form the social and cultural majority.
The result is a world populated almost entirely by Black and Brown subjects — figures rendered with intimacy rather than declaration and presence as opposed to explanation. WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
Magola Moreno
memory quietly
AI Revolution: Disruption Today, Growth Tomorrow for Greater Washington’s Workforce
By Joyce Ward, Managing Director, Investments and Advice at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Greater Washington
Sponsored by JPMorganChase
AI is not just a buzzword. It is a force that is already reshaping the city’s economic landscape. Much of the national conversation has centered on job disruption, and it is a valid concern. Earlier this year, several leading technology companies announced significant job cuts as they increased investment in AI capabilities.
These dynamics raise the question: If AI can perform more tasks at lower cost, what does that mean for employment, consumer demand and the broader economy?
Recent analysis from Jacob Manoukian, J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s U.S. Head of Investment Strategy, provides important context.
In his piece “Jobs in the AI Revolution: Disruption Today, Growth Tomorrow,” Manoukian argues that while AI will displace certain tasks, the broader pattern will likely mirror past technological shifts. Throughout history, from the steam engine to electricity to the mainframe
computer, innovation has initially displaced workers, but ultimately expanded industries, created new roles and delivered powerful waves of productivity growth. His piece highlights that early adoption tends to create the impression of destruction, while the full economic cycle typically produces reinvention, new demand and broader opportunity.
Our 2026 Global Investment Outlook echoes this theme. The AI investment boom already accounts for roughly 1% of U.S. GDP, and historical comparisons suggest that could double. AI is driving down the marginal cost of cognition, much as past technologies lowered the costs of transportation, power and information processing. When those costs fell, demand surged, new industries emerged and productivity growth accelerated.
What Greater Washington Can Expect
In cities across the U.S., the impact of AI is already visible across key sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, financial services, energy and education. Hospitals and research centers are pioneering new diagnostic tools and supporting better clinical decisions. On the factory floor, smart automation is being adopted to improve efficiency, enhance precision and streamline production processes in industries like
pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food manufacturing.
Financial institutions across the country are also exploring AI-driven ways to simplify operations and manage risk more effectively, while energy companies are leveraging data and machine-learning models to help optimize output and improve reliability. At the same time, leading universities are driving much of this innovation, helping to connect research, industry and talent.
Early research suggests that many of these AI applications focus on augmentation rather than full automation, supporting workers in their roles instead of replacing them entirely. Humans still retain an advantage in areas such as common sense, emotional intelligence, dexterity and adaptive learning, which remain difficult for AI to replicate.
The Road Ahead
Historically, technological breakthroughs have reduced costs, expanded demand and driven long periods of productivity growth. AI is beginning to replicate this pattern by lowering the cost of expertise and enabling companies to accomplish more with fewer resources. As organizations reinvest AI-driven efficiencies into new capabilities, Greater Washington could see growth in new types of roles, businesses and services that do not yet exist today.
For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described on this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully
consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third
Community Conversation Explores Pros and Cons of AI
While AI Provides Groundbreaking Technology Systems, more Regulations on Usage and Data Center Construction Could Safeguard Vulnerable Communities.
By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer
In an increasingly digital world, artificial intelligence (AI) has been integrated into everything from health care to education, and thus organizations are working to discuss how it affects access, opportunity, and the environment.
The Washington Informer hosted a virtual panel Jan. 14, moderated by the CEO of Black Meta Agency, Howard Jean, focusing on ethical practices and the benefits of AI. The
afternoon conversation featured leaders, innovators and advocates, including: Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, managing editor of Word In Black; Marlon Avery, vice president of applied AI at JP Morgan; Taylor Frazier McCollum, an activist with the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) who has led the public opposition against the proposed Landover data center; Eric Brown Jr., a senior solutions engineer working with generative AI at Microsoft; and Sydney Goitia-Dora, the editor-in-chief at Howard University’s newspaper The Hilltop.
OLYMPICS Page 18
“I think that as a community, it’s important to be able to hold two truths,” Brown Jr. said during the conversation. “This is definitely a tool that can change generations, but at the same time, if not intentional about it, it can widen the gaps that already exist.”
The term “artificial intelligence” was coined by John McCarthy in 1955 when proposing a workshop exploring the potential development of machines that could mimic human intelligence. While advancements were made throughout the years in the medical, robotics and automotive sectors, such technology as AI assistants became more mainstream in the
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2010s, especially after Apple launched Siri with the iPhone 4S in 2011.
As the tool became more normalized in day-to-day operations, text-to-image technologies erupted, catalyzing the boom in generative AI systems, specifically large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Sora. These systems are trained on enormous datasets and designed to understand and generate human-like text. Because training LLMs requires thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs), they consume a vast amount of energy.
Although AI is capable of driving positive change in science, economics, entertainment and more, such extensive innovation necessitates the construction of hyperscale data centers, which guzzle resources and come with concerning environmental implications if not properly regulated or thoroughly studied.
“Studies haven't been done for the long-term impacts of data centers being in our communities, so it's [teetering] on how you ethically expand AI,” Frazier McCollum said. “I just think we need to wait for all sides of the coin. I think we can't just say, ‘let's go forward with these hyperscale data centers because it's gonna make us trillions of dollars.’”
AI’s High Energy Demand
According to Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index Report, generative AI garnered $33.9 billion in private investments worldwide, increasing by 18.7% from 2023 to 2024. The Brookings Institution reported that in 2023, data centers consumed approximately 4.4% of the United States’ elec-
tricity, and AI is expected to account for nearly 21% of the world’s energy usage by 2030.
Energy production and consumption are directly correlated to driving climate change, as they are responsible for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, and AI systems were potentially responsible for 32.6 to 79.7 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2025, according to research published in December 2025.
Such a high demand for resources, which in turn increases utility bills, has caused people to be wary of AI and the data centers that come with it.
“It’s consistently a split of people wanting to learn it and integrate it, and you have people who are… standoffish with everything,” Avery said.
He continued to refer to these systems as the treadmill for the AI-centric workforce that he predicts the world will soon live and work in. He stated that the beautiful side of a treadmill, and in turn artificial intelligence, is that it allows a user to adjust their speed and pace themselves when using it.
While consumers can use AI at the speed and complexity of their choosing, able to control the momentum, experts note systems developers or those in charge of approving and constructing the data centers they require should also pace themselves when doing so, taking into account all the implications such technology brings to society and the planet.
“AI on its own is not going to close the equity gap,” Brown Jr. said. “It really takes intentional design, and without that intentional design in people, human intelligence being able to
OUR EARTH Page 21
5Leaders, innovators and advocates participate in a virtual panel about artificial intelligence, hosted by The Washington Informer on Jan. 14. (WI File Photo)
advocate, AI can scale inequities that already exist.”
Ensuring Responsible AI Usage and Data Center Development
Since July 2024, when the company xAI installed a data center in South Memphis, cases of asthma and respiratory illness have increased due to excessive pollution.
Boxtown, where the structure is located, was also once home to the Allen Fossil Plant, which left behind large quantities of toxic coal ash after its demolition in 2018 and continued contributing to the region’s vulnerable air quality.
If data centers are continuously built in vulnerable communities without regulations safeguarding the environment, the consequences could be detrimental to people’s health. According to a review of LLMs’ energy demand, one search on ChatGPT requires 25 times more energy than a Google search, and if every Google search used generative AI, the annual electricity consumption would equal that of Ireland’s.
“I think there's ways that we can use it and to make our jobs easier, but also, if I know that this could potentially kill my people because the data centers are being put in Black communities or close by, do I really need to use this to write an email to somebody?” Courquet-Lesaulnier said during the discussion. “Whatever it is, we have to remember that people have to be involved.”
Goitia-Dora believes that if people are thoroughly educated on how to ethically use AI, then there’s a benefit in taking advantage of it as a tool. She was once skeptical of using it, but after accepting that artificial intelligence is unavoidable in this day and age, she became determined to learn more to try and understand how to use it responsibly.
The student journalist believes that people’s reliance on AI to think critically for them is one of the most dangerous aspects of the technology, and would like certifications or tests to be put in place that determine whether or not a person can access artificial intelligence systems.
“I think there's ways that we can use it and to make our jobs easier, but also, if I know that this could potentially kill my people because the data centers are being put in Black communities or close by, do I really need to use this to write an email to somebody?”
Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier Managing Editor Word In Black
“So it is kind of an individual choice, but as a community, we need to be doing our part in terms of educating people, researching people who
WI OUR EARTH from Page 20
are at the forefront of AI so that no one is left in the dark,” Goitia-Dora said. “I think just ignoring it and saying this is something bad isn't going to be the solution.”
A handful of leaders across the nation believe that more extensive research looking into the impacts of AI and data centers is crucial before moving forward with development.
Legislation has passed in states like California, Maryland and New Jersey requiring the execution of studies analyzing data centers’ impacts on energy costs, the environment and the economy. Access to such information will potentially help foster more responsible AI usage and data center developments.
Frazier McCollum intends to continue the fight alongside other residents in Prince George’s County against the proposed Landover data center, pushing for equitable and effective development throughout the region.
“We only have one planet,” she told The Informer, “so we really have to cherish what we have.”
EDUCATION
UDC at 175: A Legacy Celebrated, a Mission Renewed
‘D.C.’s
Public University’ Honors Milestone with Scholarship Gala, Academic Growth
By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor
At the heart of a city too often reduced to politics and monuments, a 175-year legacy continues to redefine the standards of equity and inclusion–– and the University of the District of Colombia (UDC) has no plans to change that.
Anchored in a year-round agenda and more than a century of impact, the historically Black institution often hailed as “D.C.’s public university” is marking the milestone the same way it started in 1851: advancing access to education and economic wealth in Washington and beyond.
“We're trying to raise our banner as not only a regional campus focused on public education, but a national model for how that public education manifests itself to support the needs of a community,” said UDC Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer Dr. Richard Lucas. “It began with six young ladies on 19th Street here in D.C., as the Miner Normal School, and it set forth precedent, I believe, for public education of people of color across the country.”
What started as a safe space to train young Black women to be educators has since blossomed into a multicurricular hub designed to meet innovation with prosperity.
In the second year of its 20242029 strategic plan, “Delivering on the Promise,” UDC has centered initiatives that boost student enrollment and institutional suc-
cess while furthering a foundation to foster workforce development around the region.
The vision, adds President Dr. Maurice D. Edington, is more than sustaining the legacy of the institution, but in a sense, a love letter to the community it has faithfully served since 1851.
“From talking to graduates and other long-standing city residents…UDC has always been a beacon, a pathway for access and opportunity,” Edington recently told The Informer. “Our vision for the future…is really being more of a hub, a driver for economic mobility, workforce innovation, and pathways for [Washingtonians] to achieve the American dream.”
By 2029, and certainly well into the next 100-some years.
Most efforts to elevate the UDC Firebirds will focus on career readiness and academic programming, particularly with a focus on building the skills to meet industry objectives and support business and technological innovation.
“We're connected with this notion of: how do you provide teaching, education, and service around things that will ensure that [UDC] has a talent pipeline, and bring resources into urban settings?” Lucas told The Informer. “But then sustainability matters.”
That’s where The Legacy Gala comes in, a signature event of the Founders Day 2026 Celebration, set to transform the Fairmont Hotel in Georgetown on Friday, Feb. 20.
“We're excited about that, and
believe that through our partners and telling our story…this thing is going to be big and it's going to be well attended,” said the senior executive. “It's going to be a launch pad for telling the university's history of 175 years of impact on education, public service and the community – from now into the future.”
Honoring 175 Years of the ‘Heart of the District’
More than a celebration of Firebird lineage, The Legacy Gala serves as a fundraiser to accelerate opportunities for a myriad of disciplines.
Initially founded as the Miner Normal School, the public landgrant – and second-oldest historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the nation – celebrates a history of inclusivity that includes merging Federal City College, Washington Technical Institute, and the District of Columbia Teachers College to form UDC.
Now, with more than 80 disciplines and the No. 18 spot in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report HBCU rankings, the occasion sets the backdrop to build on that foundation.
“The gala will celebrate our founding, our legacy institutions, but then also celebrate where we're going,” said Lucas, co-chair of The Legacy Gala Committee, alongside UDC First Lady Tonya Edington. Across an anticipated hundreds of attendees, including keynote
EDUCATION Page 23
5University of the District of Columbia (UDC) President Maurice Edinton speaks at the institution’s spring 2025 commencement. Known as “D.C.’s public university,” UDC is marking 175 years of working to advance access to education in the nation’s capital.
(WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
EDUCATION from Page 22
speaker D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Feb. 20 kicks off a yearlong campaign to raise $1 million in scholarship support, building on a broader goal to generate $5 million annually by the end of 2029.
While supporting academic programming and mission awareness, the gala offers a deeper connection to what Dr. Teri Little-Berry considers the “heart of the District.” District.”
“The unique makeup of the institution positions us to think outside of the box in terms of how we help our students, service our students, and educate them,” said Little-Berry, the university’s chief student development and success officer. “We're right on the verge of celebrating our 175th anniversary, and so [this is] an opportunity.”
Despite UDC175 technically launching in December, the university president highlighted November’s homecoming as a testament to the value of communal and alumni connections, essentially setting the tone of Firebird pride for the commemorations to come this year.
“Once you get reconnected to your institution, that pride grows, and then you want to remain connected in other ways,” he told The Informer, nodding to the importance of uplifting HBCUs. “Every single day, we're doing good work
to change our lives, impact our lives and communities. To be national models, we have to continue to do a good job at our core mission, and then we have to tell our story – communicate the good work that we're doing, articulate the impact.”
While dishing on gala details, Lucas also shared that there will be awards handed out to honor community partners who continuously pour into the UDC community.
Other anniversary year initiatives include the Feb. 19 Founders Day Celebration, in honor of UDC founder Myrtilla Miner's birthday; alumni reunions; campuswide educational seminars highlighting the school’s historic evolution and union; and plans around the university’s commencement ceremony in the spring – all aimed at honoring the continuum of “the District’s DNA.”
“We're really just getting started with implementing many of our plans, and I think there's a lot of wonderful opportunities in front of us,” Edington told The Informer. “[175 years from now], I want [people] to think that UDC is an anchor institution for the District––it provides access to student achievement, it meets the…workforce needs, and it provides an impactful service to the region that it serves. It’s [going to be] a beacon of pride for everyone in the city.” WI
Giant Shoppers Have A Way To Show Their Love For O Museum In February
February is a month dedicated to love and affection and this February, shoppers at 163 Giant Food stores have an easy way to show their love for O Museum in the Mansion. Giant Food has selected O Museum in the Mansion to receive a $1 donation each time a shopper purchases a $2.75 reusable Community Bag. The Giant Community Bags are available at store registers and on the reusable bag rack.
“We believe creativity thrives where community flourishes —
and Giant Food is a true champion of that spirit,” said H.H. Leonards, founder of O Museum in the Mansion. “Their support helps us continue inspiring the next generation through discovery, imagination, and personal exploration. It’s a partnership rooted in shared values — and we’re deeply grateful.”
For 45 years, the O Street Museum at 2020 O Street N.W. in Washington, D.C., has been “the epicenter of the next generation.”
Visitors embark on an exciting
self-guided adventure through secret doors and hidden passages. Each visit promises access to at least 60 legendary rooms and 32 concealed passages, which change daily. In total, the museum has 112 rooms and nearly 90 secret doors! Discovering three secret doors makes you an above-average sleuth. It's your challenge to find and conquer!
Visitors walk in the footsteps of presidents and freedom fighters. No maps or hints — just your sleuthing skills!
5Graduates participate in the procession as part of the spring 2025 commencement at the University of the District of Columbia in May. The university is celebrating 175 years through December 2026. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
It’s Time for the President to be Presidential
Stop the Racist Retweets and Tackle Real Problems Facing All Americans
The behavior Americans and the world are witnessing from President Donald Trump isn’t just unbecoming of a leader. It’s unpresidential and, quite frankly, childish.
In recent weeks, instead of addressing the serious economic and social challenges confronting the nation, the Republican president has resorted to stunts that read more like the grievances of a sore competitor than the priorities of the commander in chief.
Trump recently reposted on Truth Social an image portraying former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes in yet another vile, offensive display of racism.
As the first Black U.S. president, Trump has long targeted Obama with racist attacks about his citizenship and more, even before the businessman turned politician succeeded him in the White House for his first term in 2017.
Even Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, a close Trump ally and the Senate’s lone Black Republican, reacted with disbelief, writing on X, “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist
thing I’ve seen come out of this White House.”
The post, which has since been taken down, was, unfortunately, not “fake.”
Regardless of political disagreement, amplifying content that evokes dehumanizing imagery is beneath the office of the presidency. Presidents should elevate public discourse, not fuel division with imagery and rhetoric that have a long history of harm.
Equally troubling is his threat to withhold federal funding unless New York’s Penn Station and Dulles Airport are renamed after himself. Airports and transit hubs are vital infrastructure serving millions — not trophy pedestals for personal vanity. Most recently, Trump’s decision to add his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — America’s living memorial to an assassinated president — smacks of self-aggrandizement rather than national service.
America is grappling with inflation, surging grocery prices, labor shortages, and a cost-of-living squeeze felt in households across the country. Families are cutting back on essentials,
students are struggling with debt, and workers want economic opportunity, not symbolic battles over names on buildings.
These are the issues that he campaigned on in 2024. Yet today, having been reelected on these very same costof-living issues for many Americans— including members of his base— he mocks affordability. For example, in a speech last December in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, Trump said he believed the term “affordability was a hoax perpetuated by Democrats.”
The presidency demands a focus on unity, welfare, and pragmatic problem-solving. History will remember leaders for how they helped their nation through times of hardship — not for how many structures bear their name. If Trump truly wants to serve all Americans, he should pivot away from provocations and petty political theater and instead use the power of his office to address the real issues that affect everyday lives.
It’s time for the president to be presidential, for all Americans, not just his supporters.
WI
With Journalism Under Attack, It’s Important to Support the Black Press
As the news broke on Wednesday, Feb. 4, that The Washington Post had laid off one-third of its staff, those who care about journalism and local news coverage expressed shock and dismay.
Smaller layoffs had already impacted Washington Post staff members after its current owner, Jeff Bezos, bought the publication in 2013, ushering in a new era of digital investment for the newspaper.
During the 2024 presidential election, after former President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Bezos faced significant criticism, a loss in subscribers, and several resignations, after he reversed a drafted endorsement for the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris –the first time since 1988 that the paper did not make a presidential endorsement.
With no more sports or books section, and truncated local cover-
Still ‘Pleading Our Own Cause’
age, the Post will focus on politics, national affairs, national security (both in D.C. and abroad), and “forces shaping the future,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
The massive layoffs at the Post came just days after independent journalist Georgia Fort and nationally renowned reporter Don Lemon were arrested for their coverage of a January protest in Minneapolis– a move many call an attack on the First Amendment.
While the void in coverage from a mainstay like the Washington Post and the threats to freedom of the press are blows to journalism, it is yet another reminder about the importance of supporting the Black Press. Born from a place of resistance and empowerment, the Black Press, for nearly 199 years, has worked to uplift African American communities through storytelling.
When John Russworm and
Samuel Cornish began publishing Freedom’s Journal in 1827, they had a clear mission.
“We wish to plead our own cause,” the publishers wrote. “Too long have others spoken for us.”
People who read, subscribe to or advertise in African American-owned and operated newspapers, can count on locally based stories that inform Black communities and highlight success stories often overlooked or ignored by mainstream publications.
In addition, the Black Press plays a crucial role in providing an independent voice and often nuanced perspective that stands on the side of civil rights, equity, justice, and freedom for all.
Today, more than 200 publications, including The Washington Informer, are members of the Black Press, also known as the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and are continuing
TO THE EDITOR
“I just read this inspiring celebration of Black History Month’s centennial in the DMV, and as a writer who cherishes growth, curiosity, and the power of story to shape our world, I’m deeply moved by how beautifully you honor the resilience, leadership, and rich cultural legacy that has shaped this region and our wider history.
- Matt (In reference to the article:
“Celebrating 100 Years of Black History in the DMV.”)
“Reading this powerful piece on preserving rights in Black communities stirred my heart and imagination, as it beautifully reframes faith, preparation, and intentional legacy as vital tools in safeguarding progress not only remembering the courage of ancestors who forged freedom through adversity, but inspiring us to teach, plan, and act so that equity, opportunity, and dignity don’t slip through the cracks of shifting policies and uncertain times. The message reminds me that growth isn’t passive, that every thoughtful choice we make today can nurture resilience and possibility for future generations, and that imagination paired with action is how we ensure what we value most not only survives, but thrives.”
-Jamie (In reference to the article:
“We have come this far by faith.”)
the work Russworm and Cornish began nearly two centuries ago.
Although it’s a tough moment for journalism, the Black Press knows about hard times, still publishing despite the horrors of slavery, Jim Crow, and continued racism to this day.
At a time when fundamental Constitutional rights are under attack and leaders work to di-
minish the value of journalism, it’s important to champion all the storytellers working to uncover truths— including members of the Black Press.
This Black History Month and beyond, remember the incredible value of the Black Press, and support the publications across the country, still “pleading [their own] cause.” WI
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
Guest Columnist
Dr. Barbara Reynolds
When a President Turns Dehumanization Into Policy
dition in this country. It is the deliberate dehumanization of Black people to justify harm, exclusion and control.
Why monkeys?
There are moments in American history when cruelty is not accidental — it is strategic.
Recent reports that the president circulated or endorsed a video depicting former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, followed by a refusal to apologize or disavow the imagery, belong to a long and poisonous tra-
Because in America, likening Black people to animals has never been random. It has been a tool. Enslavers used it to argue Africans were less than human. Scientists distorted it into "race science." Politicians weaponized it to excuse chains, whips, lynch mobs, Jim Crow and voter suppression. When you deny someone's humanity, you can deny their
Guest Columnist
rights — and eventually their lives.
This is not isolated behavior. This is pattern.
The same political figure launched his national career by pushing the birther lie — that Barack Obama was not a U.S. citizen, not legitimate, not truly American. Since then, we have heard immigrants from African nations dismissed as coming from "s---holes," Somalis described as "garbage" and Black-led initiatives branded as "tainted" under the attack on diversity, equity and inclusion — programs that were never about
favoritism, but about access long denied.
Words matter. Images matter more.
Psychologists will tell you that repeated dehumanizing imagery does measurable harm — especially to children. When a president traffics in such symbolism, it gives permission for bullying, for employment discrimination, for unfair massive incarceration. Young Black people do not experience these moments as abstract politics; they experience them in hallways, online spaces, classrooms and
The Fight to Preserve Black History is a Fight to Save America
For nearly four generations of Americans, there's a core memory: the first time their teacher announced at the beginning of February that it was time to honor Black History Month.
Lesson plans highlighted the work of Thurgood Marshall to desegregate the very classrooms they sat in.
The words of Martin Luther King Jr. adorned hallways' corkboards, serving as a reminder to build character and to respect people regardless of race. And the contributions of Mae Jemison, Lewis Latimer and George Washington Carver encouraged us to lean into our ability to wonder and shape the world around us.
A year ago, those lessons, the landmarks of those contributions and the way we tell those stories in our schools, workplaces and museums came under attack.
On the new administration's very
When President Donald Trump launched his new "Trump Accounts" for babies, he surrounded himself with billionaires, big banks, and a surprise guest: rap star Nicki Minaj. Minaj has pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars, reported between $150,000 and $300,000, to fund Trump Accounts
first day in office, it issued an executive order to strip funding from programs aimed at diversifying the federal government and the military. It hit institutions that received federal dollars, like a tidal wave, pushing them to abandon even recognizing Black leaders and contributors out of precaution of being sued.
Our schools, colleges, hospitals and workplaces began to retreat from commitments to advance our nation forward by supporting marginalized communities, and in some cases, any mention of Black history at all.
Guest Columnists
Museums like the Smithsonian were quickly targeted and monitored for promoting "woke ideologies" that may make white Americans "feel bad" about the sins of this nation's past, like slavery, redlining and Jim Crow.
After 15 years, a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. was removed from the White House.
And in the last month, the administration removed a memorial honoring people enslaved by George Washington in Philadelphia.
The most sinister part of this effort
The Truth About Trump Accounts and Black Wealth
for her fans' children, the socalled "Barbz babies." But Trump Accounts are political fool's gold: shiny and celebrity-studded at the surface, structurally designed to leave most Black children with crumbs while channeling real gains to families who already have wealth.
Every child born between 2025 and 2028 is eligible for a Trump Account, a tax-advantaged investment account seeded with $1,000 in public funds if parents opt in. Families, employers, and donors can then contribute up to $5,000 a year, invested in mutual
funds and similar products. On paper, the goal is to give every child "skin in the game" and a nest egg for college, homeownership, or retirement.
But analysts warn that Trump Accounts are likely to widen, not close, the racial wealth gap. In 2022, the median wealth for Black families was about $44,900, compared with $285,000 for white families. In Trump Accounts, balances grow with both market returns and additional contributions, so the children who gain the most will be those whose families and employers can consistently add thousands of dol-
lars a year. A child whose family maxes out contributions could hold a six-figure account by adulthood; one whose family cannot add beyond the initial $1,000 deposit may end up with only a few thousand dollars.
Corporate America is already lining up to invest in these regressive investment accounts. As Politico recently reported, companies like Intel, SoFi, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and BlackRock are pledging to match the Treasury's $1,000 deposit for their employees' children. Venture capitalist Brad Gerstner plans to send $250 to
workplaces — where being called a "monkey" is not satire, but threatening dehumanization.
I have seen this damage up close. In 2017, while teaching journalism and training Black students to excel in a profession that has rarely made room for them, my class discovered online images of the Obamas — and even their daughters — grotesquely depicted as monkeys. My students were shaken. I was shaken. And yet, I did what Black elders have always
REYNOLDS Page 45
to erase Black history is the posturing. Announcing a list of Black iconic figures who will be featured in the proposed National Garden of American Heroes will dismantle the work they did to advance voting rights for all Americans. Honoring Muhammad Ali while waging unjust and unconstitutional wars in foreign lands is hypocrisy. Recognizing Coretta Scott King while removing mentions of her father in White House is disgusting. And lauding the work of Frederick
young children in Indiana, while Dell CEO Michael Dell has promised a staggering $6.25 billion contribution. Those are real dollars, but they will flow first to families with steady jobs at large firms and access to financial institutions, not to low-wealth income parents least able to save on their own. In other words, corporate Trump Account dollars follow good jobs, not the communities with the greatest need. For Black families, who are more likely to experience low wages, income
DEDRICK/PARKER Page 45
Marc H. Morial
Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and LaToya B. Parker
Guest Columnist
Church Disruptions are Justified
Don Lemon, a high-profile personality, was arrested on orders from U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi, accusing him of violating the federal civil rights of worshipers. Lemon, an independent journalist, followed protesters into a church on Jan. 18 to cover the event.
The Trump administration, known for its vindictiveness and with no love for the outspoken Lemon, who has
expressed outrage over the policies and racism of the administration, felt obliged to make him an example. We have witnessed how these political rogues in the White House don't hesitate to wield power in a punitive and targeted way.
Arrested also were Trahern Jeen Crews, co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Minnesota, Jamael Lydell Lundy and Georgia Fort. Each has a high profile in their own right. There were many other protesters and independent journalists who were in the church.
Pam Bondi wrote on X, "At my
Guest Columnist
Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler
direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota."
One of the church's pastors, David Easterwood, heads the local ICE field office, and given the high tensions and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, coupled with the unrestrained hostilities and overwhelming presence of DHS and other so-called law enforcement agencies, that was the reason this particular church was chosen.
Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon post-
ed on X that her investigation of Lemon and others have to do with these people "desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers." The post went on to state, "A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!"
This church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, a conservative church movement that has its own history of racism, including its support of slavery, its stance against women in ministry and homophobia. There was
Black History Month and the Power That Holds Democracy Together
Together they help ensure our country ultimately remains a place defined by a deep commitment to achieving freedom and opportunity for all.
Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson has emerged as a clarion voice for American democracy in turbulent times.
The values he represents reflect the voters who elected him. They remind us of the power of the Black community and the White, Asian American, Latino, and Native American voters who believe in multiracial democracy.
Yet events at home and abroad show how fragile that path can be.
As Black History Month begins, let us rise to this moment again. Let us take stock of what has made the Black community the backbone of movements that strengthen democracy.
Our strength has never been our size. Our strength has been that we hang together. Since we first won the ballot, Black voters have stood re-
Donald Trump won 48% of Latino voters in 2024 — the best Republican showing in half a century. Fourteen months later, 70% disapprove of his performance as president. What changed? The price of groceries.
Pew Research Center found 68% of Latinos say things are worse for them today than a year
immediate outrage that a church's worship service would be disrupted.
Immediately, the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention recoiled, stating, "I believe we must be resolute in two areas: encouraging our churches to provide compassionate pastoral care to these (migrant) families and standing firm for the sanctity of our houses of worship," said Trey Turner.
"No cause — political or otherwise — justifies the desecration of a sacred space or the intimidation and trauma
Page 46
markably united. Often, 80% or more have chosen the same candidate and the same vision of fairness. That unity has given us influence far beyond our numbers.
It is no surprise that those who attack democratic rights try to break our voting bloc. They come for civil rights. They come for workers’ rights. They come for equal pay and fair treatment. I have helped lead coalitions to defend our community from those attacks. I have faith we can see through them.
What keeps me up at night is quieter. It is the slow erosion of the cohesion
Guest Columnists
that fuels our power.
Our political unity reflects our community life. For generations, we were held together by congregations, by family reunions, by Sunday phone calls that crossed state lines. Cousins recognized one another by a reunion T-shirt. Even relatives we rarely saw were still close kin. Those bonds helped us resist the divisions that split others apart.
That cohesiveness was not magic. It was history. The Black community remained confined to segregated towns and neighborhoods long after
White America began to suburbanize. We built economically mixed communities out of necessity. In them, elders — especially grandmothers and great-grandmothers — kept the circle tight. They did it in church basements after service. They did it around kitchen tables late at night.
From coast to coast, Black children heard the same maxim: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Elders organized the reunions. They made the long calls between holidays.
JEALOUS Page 46
Trump's High Prices Are Costing Republicans Black and Brown Voters
ago — the first time most Hispanics said this in nearly 20 years of surveys. Trump's support among Hispanics has fallen to 28%, down 13 points since February, said The Economist/ YouGov. And the U.S. Hispanic Business Council reports 42% of Latino business owners say things are worse for them under Trump.
Black working-class voters face the same squeeze. Trump's support with Black voters has fallen to just 10%, reports The New York
Times. Among Blacks, high prices now poll higher than civil and voting rights concerns.
When Black and brown families can't get ahead economically, social justice issues like civil rights and immigration tend to fall on their priority list. When rent hikes eat up raises or grocery bills climb 20% while pay stays flat, social issues become a luxury instead of a necessity.
Democrats used this to their advantage in 2025 to reverse Trump's
gains with Black and brown voters. In key races across Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats focused on high prices and showed pocketbook messaging works strongly when it's centered rather than mentioned as an add-on to social issues.
Latino voters swung hard toward Democrats — backing Democratic governors by 37 and 34 point margins in New Jersey and Virginia. Kamala Harris only carried Latinos in these states by a ra-
zor-thin 3-point margin in 2024. Among Black voters, 89% voted for Democrats for governor in New Jersey and 86% in Virginia, while Harris carried Black voters by a much smaller margin at 68%, according to the Pew Research Center.
Trump is many things, but he is not politically oblivious. He sees the data. He sees working-class voters frustrated by debt traps and
HARRIS/MCDANIEL Page 46
Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel
Ben Jealous
HAGLER
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Mimi’s Musings: Black History Month 2026
African Americans’ Undeniable Contributions to D.C. History and Culture
By Micha Green WI Managing Editor
Despite the occupant of the White House ignoring Black History Month, working to erase African American narratives, and recently taking to social media to post a racist video of the Obamas,
the truth surrounds him. President Donald Trump lives in a building and city built by Black people.
“We now know that slaves baked the bricks used for the building’s foundation and walls, sawed lumber for the interior walls and floors, dug the trenches for the foundation, worked the Vir-
ginia quarries where the sandstone was cut, and laid the stones that hold up the Capitol to this day,”
WASHINGTON GAS CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Washington Gas is honored to celebrate Black History Month and each week during February 2026 we will profile one of our employees and what Black History means to them.
Lisa Gillison Director of Energy Acquisition
As Director of Energy Acquisition at Washington Gas, I oversee the team responsible for securing reliable, lowcost natural gas supply for our customers. My work includes portfolio asset management, long and shortterm supply planning, purchasing and scheduling, and oversight of our Asset Optimization and Choice retail programs. Ensuring a reliable and lowcost natural gas supply is critical. During the recent winter storm, my team’s work played a key part in keeping energy costs down for our 1.2 million customers in the DMV.
Beyond my title and responsibilities, who I am and how I lead is deeply rooted in my identity and in the history that shaped me.
Black history, to me, is deeply personal. I was once told that authenticity is a superpower, and I’ve carried that truth with me ever since. The confidence to stand out, to embrace everything that makes me who I am, comes from my culture and my upbringing. That foundation is a gift built on the determination of those who came before me. My journey, both personally and professionally, exists because of my mother, mentors, and trailblazers that cleared paths that were never meant for them. As a mother, I feel the weight and beauty of Black history in how I raise my daughters. I want them to see their identity as a source of strength and to understand that they belong in any space they choose to enter. The lessons of our history including resilience, creativity, and pride, shape the way I teach them about possibility.
Black history also shapes how I navigate professional spaces. It reminds me that my presence matters, especially when I am the only one in the room. It pushes me to speak up, create meaningful relationships, lead with integrity, and create room for others. Representation is not symbolic, it changes outcomes. I carry the responsibility of honoring those who didn’t have the same access or opportunity by making the most of the opportunities I have today.
There is immense pride in Black history for me. That includes pride in our creativity, our intelligence, and our culture. It lives in the music that shaped my childhood, the traditions that ground me, and the community that continues to uplift and challenge me. Even in the face of adversity, Black people have always created joy.
Black History Month is a time to reflect on the richness of our culture and the profound contributions Black people have made to society. It is a moment to honor our ancestors, celebrate Black excellence in the present, and continue creating opportunities for the generations that will follow us.
It is both remembrance and responsibility. And for me, it is a reminder to lead with courage, authenticity, and purpose.
wrote Jesse J. Holland is his 2007 book: “Black Men Built the Capitol: Discovering African-American History In and Around Washington, D.C.”
History reveals that from the White House, to the Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol and beyond, Black people contributed to building landmarks, boosting the District’s economy, and influencing local, national and worldwide culture.
As the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) marks 100 years since its founder, Carter G. Woodson— a D.C. resident— established Negro History Week, The Washigton Informer is highlighting Black narratives in the DMV area.
5History reveals that from the White House to the Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol and beyond, Black people contributed to building landmarks, boosting the District’s economy, and influencing local, national and worldwide culture. (WI File
Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)
This week, dig into the history of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) and a Ward 7 community leader who influenced many in the District and beyond. As CBCF celebrates 50 years, learn about the work of the organization and members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), who are walking in the legacy– and hallways– built by African Americans. Further check out how…. Dive into these local stories, be inspired by these change makers, and remember the power of learning about the past to offer insight about the future.
Black history is an indispensable part of the American story,” said House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a member of the CBC, in a 2026 Black History Month statement. WI
SETTLES from Page 15
they got on the path to getting a job.”
Settles said that those outcomes, and more, made her mother very well suited for a street named in her honor.
“My mother did most of what she did in silence,” Settles said. “She never said she wanted her name on the street. My brother said it was her last gift to us to have the name on the street. But it's not just to her children, it’s to the community.”
Decades Later, Pearl B. Settles is Still Queen of “The Hill”
In the late 1970s, at the beckoning of fellow DCHA board member Kimi Gray, the late Settles ran for, and won election as, advisory neighborhood commissioner for “The Hill.” As one of the District’s earliest advisory neighborhood commissioners, Settles connected the public housing community to a world on the other side of the wall.
As the Rev. Kenneth Mackie, Sr. explained, the late Settles also instilled pride in the community through a
home-grown cleanup program that united generations.
“We worked together. We broke bread together,” Mackie told The Informer. “That’s where the power and strength was. Everybody brought their gifts, their skills, and there was no animosity. There was nobody beefing. We had disagreements, but it didn't get to a point.”
Mackie, an accountant and ministerial staff member at Johnson Memorial Baptist Church on Ridge Road in Southeast, said he could attest to the late Settles’ penchant for connecting youth to the tools that placed them on the right track.
“Momma had that control,” Mackie said. “She had that spark, that spirit that you know you could be calmed down and put back in line in a loving way, you know. She set me up for success. She really did. Her and Ms. Constance Thomas.”
Mackie said that Settles handpicked him out of a group of youth to serve in her youth summer program. He credited the skills learned under her tutelage as preparation for the official D.C. summer youth program he
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
would later participate in as a teenager.
“She saw me in trouble and she put me to work,” Mackie said. “I was setting up chairs, tables. She had me running from this neighborhood all up and down Ridge Road, giving out flyers for community events, meetings and stuff.”
At times, the hard work paid off for a young, stubborn Mackie who would come to be, as he said, a consistent and persistent person.
“They had an award ceremony at the rec center on East Capital and I got that award for community service,” he told The Informer. “I ran all the way to my mama's house. She said, ‘What? Nice gold looking thing.’”
The elder Settles died at the age of 66 on Christmas Eve of 1986.
Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, her daughter raised her family on “The Hill” while navigating the reality that was the crack-cocaine epidemic.
That required peacefully coexisting with the young men on her block, though there were times when she took a broom to some of them, and even called the Metropolitan Police
Department’s Sixth District for reinforcement.
“I had to stand my ground, but stay in my place too,” Settles told The Informer. “We had to live here. You had to know how to navigate. Those are the types of things that I didn't really know about or have to worry about when my mother was here.”
Decades later, as the District reels from an opioid crisis, other members of “The Hill” are relying on the wisdom of the late Settles to effect change in their community.
“People are overdosing everywhere, especially in D.C. jail,” said Pastor John Davis, a returning citizen and
friend of the Settles family. “We've been going in there trying to bang away at this problem of gun violence and opioids. That's what I got from Mama Pearl: Don't just sit there. Do something.”
By last summer, Davis was making visits to D.C. Department of Corrections three times a week. That’s where he and his partner provide anger management training and life coaching. When he’s not engaging jail residents, Davis is working to ensure that substance users can access Narcan. WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
As we celebrate Black History Month in February, we recognize and honor the accomplishments of so many who have helped shape the face and future of our nation.
3 (L-R) Karen Settles, the Rev. Kenneth Mackie, Sr., and Pastor John Davis reflect on the late Pearl B. Settles’ legacy while spending time on ‘The Hill.’ (Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr./The Washington Informer)
HARRIET TUBMAN
FREDERICK DOUGLASS
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR,
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
transform representation into real power by developing leaders, advancing ideas, and driving policies that expand opportunity and protect our democracy,” said CBCF President Nicole Austin-Hillery in the Jan. 28 press release. “As we honor the legacy that brought us here, we are clear about the work ahead and committed to leading with courage, clarity, and conviction into the next generation.”
Be it the politicians who championed the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments in the Reconstruction Era, or the enslaved Africans who built the very Capitol building where legislators strive to affect policy, Black minds upholding America is a tale as old as time.
By the time the CBCF launched in 1976, with founders Nira Hardon Long, Albert L. Nellum and former Rep. Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (D-Calif), African American lawmakers had established their civic responsibility — and in the same token, the Congressional
Black Caucus — to improve the lives and communities of Black people for all Americans.
Guided by the principles of historic freedom fighters, what now stands as the largest branch and caucus of Congress (with 62 representatives) is continuing the call of 13 founding members, all of whom saw a purpose beyond the post-Civil Rights Era.
“We come from a tradition of people who, against insurmountable odds, found creative ways to make a difference,” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker (D) told The Informer during CBCF’s 54th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) in September 2025. “I've drawn inspiration all my career from people who have done bus boycotts, sit-ins and marches, hunger strikes and more— for the cause of justice. In many ways, that's inspired my…tactics to either… try to elevate the voices of other people, or be the voice that people have.”
This year’s anniversary celebrations include:
• CBCF Honors: Legacy and
ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY ®
Leadership Gala –– a marquee event recognizing forward-thinkers and changemakers whose work reflects CBCF’s mission and impact;
• 50 Cities, 50 Acts of Service: Legacy in Motion –– a nationwide initiative mobilizing communities through civic engagement and service, and;
• The 20th anniversary of AVOICE –– CBCF’s digital archive and virtual chronicle of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the leaders who helped pave American democracy.
Plus, CBCF’s regular programming, such as the Scholarship Classic in June and #ALC55 in September, is coupled with year-round mini Annual Legislative Conferences, including a health equity-focused event in New Jersey and a Policy Summit in Chicago, which will spotlight data-driven solutions to the nation’s, and particularly African Americans', most pressing challenges –– TED Talk-style.
Much like the foundation itself, Austin-Hillery said the 50th milestone is more than a celebration of longevity, “but a declaration of purpose,” which Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell (D) defined during last year’s
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
FEB.
Day of Healing.
“The work of healing the soul of the nation is at the center of our mission at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and we envision a world unburdened by our past, a world in which every community has an equal voice,” said Sewell, chair of the CBCF Board, during the formerly known “Prayer Breakfast” on Sept. 27. “We are working every day to turn that power, use that power and to inform new policy…to create progress.”
CBCF Launches Partnership Investment in Black Businesses
The anniversary year has already kicked off with plans to instill economic values and opportunity in the next generation, including a new partnership with Zelle and Community Development Investors (CDI).
On Feb. 3, CBCF announced the trio’s launch of The Zelle Community Development & Entrepreneurship Scholarship, awarding $10,000 tuition grants
CBCF Page 31
5 Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell at the 2025 Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) swearing-in ceremony. As chair of the board, Sewell says the CBC Foundation is grounded in a mission to heal the nation’s soul. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
CBCF from Page 1
5 Sen. Cory Booker at the 2024 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
from Page 30
to 10 MBA students at five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The selected HBCUs include: Howard University, Morgan State University, Virginia State University, Jackson State University, and Claflin University.
“We are standing at the edge of a once-in-a-generation economic transition, as millions of small business owners retire and ownership opportunities shift,” Sewell said in a statement part of the Feb. 3 announcement. “This partnership with Zelle is about ensuring Black students and aspiring entrepreneurs are not left behind, but instead are positioned to step into ownership, preserve jobs and build generational wealth in communities that have too often been excluded from these pathways.”
As retirement looms and thousands of Main Street businesses face closure, this project supports any MBA who aspires towards “entrepreneurship through acquisition” (ETA).
In addition to preserving the business and communal resilience, it forges more pathways in a field where, as of 2022, only about 3% of U.S. businesses are Blackowned, and less than 10% of MBA enrollment is African American students.
"We are…equipping the next generation of Black business leaders to keep local businesses alive, thriving and rooted in their communities,” said Donna Fisher-Lewis, senior vice president of resource
development at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. “At a moment when America's small business landscape is changing rapidly, intentional investment in Black talent and education is essential.”
As a beneficiary of that vision, former CBCF intern Irvin “Pax” Fordham touted the importance of building the collective resilience he says is needed in the days ahead.
“It’s a team huddle. Especially in moments like this, when the opposition is strategizing,” the now 24-year-old told The Informer in September. “It's one, networking…for the younger generation to [be able to] talk and learn from people that are much farther in their career. And then two, us coming up with [an] agenda and all becoming more enlightened.”
Wrapping up his own session of ALC54, Booker lauded the courageous leaders who continue to work in favor of a world that’s exceeded the demands of the 1970s.
“There are people from coast to coast, North to South, who [come to CBCF’s Annual Legislative Conference] to talk, learn, strategize, and leave more empowered to make a difference – not just in their communities, but for their country,” the New Jersey senator told The Informer. “From education to health care to helping people afford everyday costs mounting on their family… this is not just the agenda of Black Americans, it's the agenda of America. And I'm proud to be here and to be one small part of a larger set of…people who are determined to lift every voice.” WI
Celebrating the Freedom to Learn
• Accounting Specialist
• Automotive Technology
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• CISCO Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
• Commercial Driver License (Truck Driving)
• Construction Manager
• Culinary
• Database Design Manager
• Dental Assistant
• Digital Marketer
• Electrical & Residential Wiring (NCCER)
• Graphic Design
• Human Resources
• Management and Supervision
• Notary Public
• Personal Trainer
• Pharmacy Technician
• Physical Therapy Aide
• Project Management
• Small Business and Start-Ups
• Sterile Processing Technician
• Sustainable Energy
• Veterinary Assistant
• Welding
Grant and scholarship support available for eligible workforce development courses
https://www.pgcc.edu/ContinuingEd/
5 Judith Browne Dianis, Advance Project executive director, Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Board Chair Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama, and CBCF President Nicole Austin-Hillery during the 2025 Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
CBCF
LIFESTYLE
Things To Do, DMV!
By Kree Anderson WI Intern
February is a busy month, filled with many Black History and Valentine’s Day-related activities to enjoy.
Stay active, social, and connected with these engaging experiences and opportunities to find community and fun – all weekend long!
Check out a handful of the many activities happening in the
DMV, and stay informed on all lively events via the Washington Informer Calendar.
Thursday, Feb. 12
Senior Exercise
9 a.m. - 10 a.m. | Free for members, $3.00 for city residents, $6.00 for non-city residents
William R. Talley Recreation Center, 121 North Bentz Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Located in the recreation center’s gymnasium and led by trainer Teresa T., this class entails a fullbody workout for senior citizens!
culture.
Students across all disciplines have been working hard to put the show together, and it’s a great way to celebrate Black History for all.
9th Hour Poetry Slam hosted by Charity Blackwell
9 p.m. - 11 p.m. | $7.56 Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20009
Using bands, light weights, bodyweight exercises, cardio, and stretching, participants can expect an effective compound training session.
The recreation center also offers a series of amenities, including numerous rooms available for rent, athletic courts, a fitness center (includes locker rooms and showers), benches, parking on the street, and a playground located outside the facility in Baker Park.
Infuse Yourself, Herbal Bath Tea Workshop
6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | $55.20 Trade Roots, Fair Trade Gift Shop, Coffee House, & Wine Bar, 5852 Washington Boulevard Arlington, VA 22205
Sip, relax and learn to craft soothing herbal bath teas—selfcare vibes guaranteed!
Settle in for a dreamy evening of tea, creativity, and self-care. This hands-on gathering is all about cozy vibes and mindful making as participants blend their own bath teas using fragrant botanicals, mineral salts, and skin-loving ingredients.
All essential tools will be provided, and guests will head home with four to six handcrafted bath teas ready for the next soak.
Plus: Event features include
soothing tea, light treats, and learning about gentle, plant-based bath botanicals, while blending your own custom bath tea blends to take home.
Space is limited to keep the circle cozy—come claim a spot and soak up the good vibes!
Friday, Feb. 13
Do You Remember the Time: A Century of Learning, Celebrating, and Reflecting on Black History
6 p.m.| $15.00
Baltimore School of Arts, 712 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Join the Baltimore School of Arts in a tribute to every achievement, breakthrough, and hardship that the Black community has endured.
As 2026 marks 100 years of celebrating Black History Month – which started as Negro History Week in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson – the milestone offers a reflection of a century of Black excellence, creativity, culture, and traditions.
One of the top five public performing arts high schools in the country, the Baltimore School of Arts presents this year’s Black History Month Showcase as a moment to reflect, learn and celebrate the past, present, and look to the future of African American
A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically, the host or another organizer selects the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to 10 or one to 10 scale) based on the poets' content and performance. Hosted by award-winning spoken word artist and emcee Charity Blackwell, this is an opportunity for poetry lovers to enjoy the competitive art of late-night performance poetry!
With six competitors eliminated after the first round, the first-place winner will take home a $100.00 prize.
The rules:
• Each poem must be of the poet’s own construction.
• Each poet gets three minutes and 30 seconds (plus a ten-second grace period) to read one poem; if the poet goes over, points will be deducted from the total score.
• The poet may NOT use props, costumes, or musical instruments, including the removal of clothing – plus other rules that can be found online.
Enjoy two rounds of high-intensity poetry, with the audience choosing a winner.
3 Virginia’s neighborhood gift shop and cafe Trade Roots is hosting a dreamy evening of tea, creativity, and self-care on Thursday, Feb. 12. (Courtesy Photo)
TO DO from Page 32
Saturday, Feb. 14
Basketball Doubleheader vs UMES
2 p.m. | $17.48 - $43.10
Howard University, 635 Gresham Place NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
Love is in the air, especially the love of the game!
In a critical upcoming Howard University versus University of Maryland Eastern Shore game, both teams are getting down to the wire.
Join the Bison community at Burr Gymnasium as two accomplished and intense teams play to turn the tide. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the event welcomes a feel-good comfort vibe with its theme based on the classic romcom, “Love & Basketball” (2000).
Afrobeats to the World (DC)
9 p.m. - 2 a.m. | $29.73+
The Howard Theatre, 620 T Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
This isn’t just a party—it’s a movement. From the first beat to the last dance, Afrobeats to the World (ATW) is redefining what it means to celebrate African music on a global stage.
Experience the biggest Afrobeats touring experience that has captivated more than 70,000 fans across North America in just over two years.
ATW brings together pulsating African rhythms, world-class DJs, and dynamic dancers to create an unforgettable celebration of African music and culture.
Each event is an immersive experience, connecting communities, showcasing
the richness of African heritage, and delivering high-energy performances that leave audiences captivated and inspired. With top entertainment, live performers, and amazing dancers, attendees are guaranteed a great time filled with electrifying rhythms and nonstop vibes!
Escape to different worlds and see magic and fantastic creatures, by reading at People’s Book in downtown Takoma! Guests will explore different worlds and the characters that evolve there, and maybe what they teach readers about the world.
The book of focus is T. Kingfisher’s “A Sorceress Comes to Call” (2024), a dark fantasy novel that delves into themes of isolation, abuse, survival, resistance, and courage.
The story follows teenage Cordelia and her escape from her mother, Evangeline, who harbors supernatural abilities. Assisting Cordelia in her daring attempt at liberation is a middle-aged and extremely wise woman named Hester. In addition to 15% off all book club works, benefits include exposure to a range of modern fantasy and speculative fiction with an emphasis on diverse writers and stories that leave readers with hope!
Dive into the immersiveness of the written word! WI
TREEMONISHA
March 7, 8, 15 Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW
THE CRUCIBLE
March 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW
Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, based on Arthur Miller’s Tony Award®-winning play, puts truth on trial.
Damien Sneed and Kyle Bass bring Scott Joplin’s forgotten opera into a new era under the direction of legendary mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves.
Viviana Goodwin TREEMONISHA
Justin Austin REMUS Kedrick Armstrong CONDUCTOR Denyce Graves DIRECTOR
J’Nai Bridges ELIZABETH PROCTOR Ryan McKinny JOHN PROCTOR Robert Spano CONDUCTOR Francesca Zambello DIRECTOR
5 The Baltimore School of Arts honors the centennial commemoration of Black History Month with a showcase of African American history and excellence on Feb. 13. (Courtesy Photo)
LIFESTYLE
GRAVES from Page 4
dation is to explore a more inclusive look at American vocal arts, including training and deeper engagements with students and young artists pursuing careers in classical vocal arts.
“I’ve had a very long and storied time in the profession,” said Graves. “Now, I'm working with the next generation of wonderful artists, and we are about to launch some new projects.”
A Different Role in Opera
Graves is also directing the opera “Treemonisha” in collaboration with composer, producer, and recording artist Damien Sneed, scheduled for March 7, 8, and 15 at the Washington National Opera’s (WNO) new home at Lisner Auditorium in Northwest, D.C., on the campus of George Washington University.
Composed by American musician Scott Joplin, audiences will see a newly commissioned adaptation of “Treemonisha,” by Sneed and playwright and librettist Kyle Bass.
“Working with Denyce has been great because we have been looking at themes and the music, trying to figure out the best way to tell this story,” said Sneed, a Howard University alumnus. “With Kyle, we are reinvigorating, refreshing, and revitalizing this music for today with new lyrics and new content.”
Set in 1884, this opera blends ragtime, Black folk-songs, spirituals, ballet, and traditional operatic elements. It’s a “coming of age” story about a young Black girl during post-Reconstruction, two decades after the Civil War. The title character believes education is the key to liberation, and after she is educated, she returns to her community, encouraging them to do the same.
No stranger to the WNO stage, the opera company is thrilled to have the native Washingtonian and opera legend direct “Treemonisha.”
“As we continue honoring the gracious diva that is Denyce Graves,” WNO wrote in a social media post, “we are so proud and excited to open our next acts together!”
WI
5 Denyce Graves and Damien Sneed collaborate on the production of “Treemonisha” scheduled for the Washington National Opera on March 7, 8, and 15. (Courtesy Photo/ Washington National Opera)
review wi book
"Call and Response:
10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church"
By L. Michelle Smith
c.2026, Amistad
$28.99
288 pages
Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer
Your shoes are shined.
Wiped down, spiffed up, clean and looking great from toe to head. You're wearing your finest outfit, a new hat or tie, and you're confident that the Lord (and your fellow churchgoers) will look favorably upon you. But it doesn't stop there: In the new book "Call and Response" by L. Michelle Smith, you can have your Sunday best, Monday through Friday.
Not long ago, while relaxing at her parents' home for the holidays, Smith's mother handed her a photograph that made her think. It was a picture of several young ladies near a church with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Smith says, "it was apparent what was happening" in the photo; she recognized the scenario immediately: "The group had just finished preparing a meal for the congregation in honor of their guest …"
The photo astonished her; surely other Black churches had similar tales of "leadership grounded in faith and purpose" to tell. As a business owner, she herself had enjoyed the guidance she received from the Black church while growing up.
But she worried: Today's faithful often looked for services online.
"Could leaders be missing out on a crucial aspect of the value of the traditional Black Church by skipping … the experience or even limiting [it] to a digital one?"
If so, they sorely need to acknowledge leadership skills that the Black Church offers.
The Black Church "prepared us for the boardroom," says Smith, through purpose and faith. It offers supportive community. It teaches the value in engaging stories and in speaking well to one's audience. Resilience is learned, including "decision-making, communications, agility, and emotional intelligence …" Perseverance is another lesson, one that helps with many kinds of goal achievement. The Black Church teaches collaboration, accountability, social justice, innovation, and "economic empowerment."
And if today's leaders are not paying attention, many of the lessons may be lost … Is that a good "call" example from "Call and Response"? With a unique take on leadership skills and a clear warning that tomorrow's leaders are depriving themselves of valuable lessons, you might think it is.
Fortunately, author L. Michelle Smith doesn't just sound the siren and leave it at that. At the end of each help-filled chapter, she includes brief takeaways that you might want to remember for further reference, and "coaching questions" to get the most out of what you learn and what you need to share. Readers will also be well-advised to keep a pack of sticky flags handy, so you can refer to her advice as needed. If there's not enough information for you, she offers a nice chapter of other sources and ways to take her warning and her information further. Is that the "response" example? Happily, it sure looks like it.
For the business-minded, this is an unusual book that can be read by anyone, including non-Black Church-going readers. It might also be the eye-opener that young entrepreneurs need as a boost. If you're looking for leadership inspiration in a different kind of book, "Call and Response" shines.
WI
horoscopes
LIFESTYLE
FEB. 12 - 18, 2026
ARIES Tuesday collaboration benefits from listening over dominating discussion despite natural leadership inclination. Physical commitment requires incremental effort rather than sporadic intensity. Financial opportunity appears disguised as inconvenient timing requiring immediate decision. Competitive situation resolves through unexpected alliance when pride permits strategic flexibility. Lucky Numbers: 9, 42, 71
TAURUS Resource allocation Wednesday demands honest assessment despite emotional attachment to familiar pattern. Unexpected income arrives through previously dismissed secondary skill or overlooked talent. Relationship requires addressing accumulated small grievances before resentment calcifies into permanent distance. Lucky Numbers: 12, 36, 64
GEMINI Mental clarity Thursday emerges through decisive action breaking extended analysis paralysis cycle. Important conversation requires focused attention over multitasking habitual divided presence. Documentation prevents future confusion when verbal enthusiasm creates false certainty. Relationship progresses via emotional consistency rather than intellectual fascination alone. Lucky Numbers: 8, 29, 55
CANCER Emotional boundary Tuesday protects wellbeing despite guilt over disappointing others' unreasonable expectations. Home investment generates disproportionate comfort return beyond modest financial outlay. Professional instinct proves accurate when logical analysis produces contradictory confusing guidance. Past pattern recognition prevents repetition of familiar painful dynamic. Lucky Numbers: 18, 45, 69
LEO Authentic expression Wednesday attracts aligned opportunities superior to strategic calculated positioning. Creative satisfaction through personal standards rather than external validation or marketplace consideration. Collaboration demands equitable spotlight distribution despite preference for central recognition. Romance deepens through vulnerable honesty over impressive performance demonstration. Lucky Numbers: 11, 34, 62
VIRGO Completion Thursday surpasses continued perfectionist revision preventing forward progress and momentum. Delegation produces superior collective outcome versus controlled micromanaged individual execution. Health improves through moderate sustainable adjustment not extreme temporary transformation. Lucky Numbers: 16, 41, 66
LIBRA Personal conviction Tuesday outweighs habitual consensus seeking for external validation and approval. Educational investment justifies immediate cost through lasting applicable value. Belief examination reveals inherited unquestioned assumptions requiring independent honest verification. Aesthetic choice reflects genuine personal preference rather than trend conformity. Lucky Numbers: 5, 33, 60
SCORPIO Financial transparency Wednesday prevents future resentment despite uncomfortable immediate vulnerability and exposure. Unexpected openness transforms relationship dynamic previously considered fixed and unchangeable. Investigation reveals explanation resolving persistent underlying anxiety and nagging confusion. Lucky Numbers: 2, 28, 54
SAGITTARIUS Partnership evaluation Thursday clarifies necessary modification or natural conclusion. Behavioral consistency reveals underlying truth enthusiastic verbal declarations obscure. Contribution balance improves when efforts receive equivalent acknowledgment and appreciation. Romance requires authentic compromise preserving core identity over complete self-sacrifice. Lucky Numbers: 22, 47, 73
CAPRICORN Strategic elimination outperforms optimization of fundamentally dysfunctional ineffective system or structure. Health enhancement through realistic sustainable modification over ambitious temporary extreme overhaul. Productive structure energizes when rigidity permits spontaneity within established framework. Lucky Numbers: 14, 48, 75
AQUARIUS Implementation Wednesday surpasses continued theoretical development postponing practical action and application. Romantic connection through emotional participation over detached intellectual observation and analysis. Unconventional creative approach provides breakthrough after conventional method frustrating plateau. Lucky Numbers: 24, 50, 79
PISCES Domestic clarity Tuesday through direct honest conversation or practical decisive intervention. Environment modification creates restorative sanctuary replacing depleting draining inadequate space. Housing decision benefits from intuitive awareness balanced with practical patient consideration. Relationship dynamic shifts prioritizing functional health over comfortable familiar dysfunction. Boundary implementation compassionately yet firmly establishes stability detrimentally postponed. Lucky Numbers: 25, 56, 80
Commander Linebacker Bobby Wagner Named 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Dedicating the Honor To His Mother
By Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer
While much of the nation has had all eyes on the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots ahead of Sunday’s 29-13 matchup, the NFL recently honored a hometown player for his dedication to the game across 14 remarkable seasons.
The night of Feb. 5, in San Francisco, Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner was named the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year at the NFL Honors, the league’s most prestigious recognition for community service paired with on-field excellence.
“[Bobby Wagner is] able to maintain this level of intensity that’s just remarkable,” said Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn, highlighting the linebacker’s “consistency.”
First awarded in 1970 and renamed in honor of Payton— a Hall of Fame running back— in 1999, the NFL Man of the Year Award recognizes players who exemplify excellence on and off the field while making a strong commitment to give back to their communities.
The recipient of the award receives up to $250,000 for a chosen charity, while each of the league's 32 nominees receive up to $40,000 towards their philanthropic efforts.
Wagner became the first player in Washington franchise history to receive such profound recognition since Hall of Famer Darrell Green in 1996.
As a 10-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro, Wagner has recorded more than 100 tackles in every season of his career, setting a gold standard for linebacking greatness–a commitment to excellence shaped by the lasting legacy of his late
mother, Phenia Mae Wagner, who died from stroke complications before beginning his NFL journey as the Seattle Seahawks second-round pick in 2012.
In her honor, Wagner founded the FAST54 Phenia Mae Fund, partnering with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Cedars-Sinai, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Kaiser Permanente. The initiative supports stroke patients while advancing education and awareness around stroke prevention along with treatment. This effort is a reflection of Wagner’s lifelong commitment to service.
"I cannot be up here and not talk about my mom," Wagner said. "She is and will ever be my rock. She's the rea-
son why I'm standing up here. She's a person that had confidence in me when I didn't even have confidence in myself.”
Walking in a Mother’s Legacy
Wagner turned the pain of his mother’s death into purpose. While playing for the Washington Commanders, Wagner completed the Howard University School of Business rigorous 18-month Executive MBA program in just 12 months, finishing
in December 2025. He is scheduled to officially graduate from the program in May 2026.
The Southern California native spent 11 seasons in Seattle, winning a Super Bowl while cementing himself as one of the greatest defenders of his generation. Over the past two seasons, he has brought the same leadership and passion to Washington, quickly earning the respect and admiration of fans in D.C.
Over the course of his career, Wagner had been nominated four times for the Walter Payton NFL Man Of The Year Award.
The Super Bowl Champion and 10-time Pro Bowler now stands among the league’s most impactful leaders off the field.
As he received his award Thursday Night, Wagner stepped into the spotlight, not as one of the most enduring stars within the NFL, but as a son honoring his mother’s lasting legacy.
“She's not able to be here, but she lives through me, and everything I do is for her, and I honor her every chance that I get," Wagner said. "Her love and support is the reason why I'm standing here, and I wouldn't be here without her. So, again, every time y'all see my face, every time y'all see me do something…. just know that it's her and I'm in the flesh. She's not here right now, but she's here through me. And so, there's no way that I can accept this award without saying you are really thanking her."
WI
Wizards Trade For Anthony Davis But Star Expected To Sit Out Rest Of Season, What This Means For Washington Headed Into All-Star Break Next Weekend
By Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer
Anthony Davis’ highly anticipated debut in Washington now appears unlikely to come until next season.
The Wizards’ newly acquired star is expected to sit out the remainder of the year as he focuses on getting healthy for the 2026-27 season, according to Chris Haynes, a senior insider for NBA on Prime.
5 Power forward-center Anthony Davis looks to make a shot in team warm-ups ahead of an April 2024 Lakers-Wizards matchup. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)
The 32-year-old NBA All-Star has not played a game since Jan. 8, when he suffered ligament damage in left hand late in the Maverick’s 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz.
Davis was initially projected to return within six weeks to start playing in Washington, but the Wizards are
now opting for a longer-term approach.
“Anthony Davis is one of the most accomplished players of his generation, and we are thrilled to have him in Washington,” said General Manager Will Dawkins. “Anthony’s championship experience and defensive pedigree bring a new level of opportunity and excitement to this franchise.”
The 10-time All-Star was acquired by the Wizards this past week in a blockbuster trade ending his brief stint in Dallas. In addition to Davis, Washington also received Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum in a blockbuster trade this past week from the Dallas Mavericks. In exchange, the Wizards traded away Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki
Braham, Marvin Bagley III, two firstround picks, and three second-round picks to the Mavericks.
The Wizards landed Davis with the idea of pairing him with former Hawks star Trae Young, as the franchise’s veteran foundation moving forward. However, both Young and Davis are sidelined as the season progresses.
Young has not played since Dec. 27 due to MCL and quadriceps injuries in his right leg. He is expected to be re-evaluated after the All-Star break. However, there is growing belief that the Wizards may exercise similar caution with him as well. WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
5 Linebacker Bobby Wagner performs drills during 2025 team training camp in Ashburn, Virginia. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)
CAPTURE the moment
On day 108 of a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace, Buddhist monks, hailing from Texas, reached their final city: the nation’s capital. As the monks kicked off their two-day finale on Feb. 10, thousands of onlookers gathered at the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest, D.C.— where there was a celebratory ecumenical peace service — to see the group, show support, and extend gratitude. (Cleveland Nelson/The Washington Informer)
RELIGION
LEADERS from Page 1
For Peebles, who celebrated 32 years of marriage to Bishop Joel Peebles in October, love is not optional. It’s a critical part of her life not only as a wife and mother, but as a Christian and faith leader.
“Love is the foundation of my faith because God is love,” she said. “When we truly know and understand God, love embeds itself in our lifestyle.”
As the longtime couple collaborates to lead City of Praise Family Ministries, they are guided by the values of God’s love.
“In my marriage and in ministry, my husband and I choose love daily, trusting that love always triumphs,” Pastor Peebles continued.
With love being a central tenet in Christianity and many other religious beliefs, the Peebles are not the only faith leaders pushing the importance of love beyond February.
“In our faith tradition, love is the
lens through which we try to approach every human interaction. That includes how I interact with my wife of 34 years, Sheri, as well as how I coach my clients,” said Rod Hairston, founding senior pastor of Messiah Community Church. “Even though I work with people who don’t share my faith tradition as a follower of Jesus Christ, they appreciate the power of love.”
At a tense and divided time for the nation and world— amid protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), violent encounters between federal agents and American citizens, and pervasive racism and inequities— Hairston said love can be a healing antidote from the painful poisons of injustice and hate.
“The lens of love has the power to break through barriers of communication or to heal the painful scars,” he said. “Love gets us out of our own way and empowers us to think of and prioritize good for the other person.”
5 Pastor Rod Hairston and First Lady Sheri Hairston of Messiah Community Church spread love to the community by remembering the phrase: “Dignify everyone.” (Courtesy Photo/Naaman Brown)
Breaking Down Love
Although Valentine’s Day spotlights romance, faith leaders emphasize the root of love is far greater than between amorous partners.
“Love is the essence and the foundation of human life,” said Imam Talib Shareef of Masjid Muhammad— also known as The Nation’s Mosque. “You express love in the same way you do when you enter this world. You first are embraced and then your immediate needs are facilitated and that never changes throughout one’s life.”
Love is a major tenet in many faith traditions.
Answering Islam reveals that the word “hubb” appears 69 times in the Qur’an, divided into various categories, including: man’s love of things; human love, man’s love for God; the things God does not love; and God’s love for man.
“Love is more than an emotion,” Shareef said.
The word love is referenced in the New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible approximately 686 times, according to Bible StudyTools. In the New Testament, there are four main types of love, based on Greek vocabulary: agape, or divine, unconditional, selfless love; philia, which is brotherly love or friendship–the inspiration behind Philadelphia's nickname; storge, meaning familial love; and eros, explained best as romantic love.
“The Bible reminds us in 1 John 4:8, that ‘God is love,’ meaning love is not just something God does, but who He is,” said K’Ren & LaShaun Martin, co-leaders as part of Zion
5 In an era of social media and content creation, K’Ren & LaShaun Martin, co-leaders of Zion Church S.O.L.I.D. Ministry, share the importance of tapping into the fundamentals of God’s love, as opposed to what influencers post. (Courtesy Photo)
S.O.L.I.D. Marriage Ministry, in a statement.
Beyond romantic relationships, many faith traditions offer a call to action when it comes to love.
Christians are guided by Jesus’ notion of love in Matthew 22:37-39.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” Jesus says, according to the Gospel of Matthew, using an NIV translation. “This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
As senior pastor of Messiah Community Church and executive marriage coach at Love Again Coaching, Hairston emphasized that every person is called to spread love— something that he admits takes intentional practice led by God.
“Everybody wants to be loved, but demonstrating love is the challenge we have to grow into,” Hairston told The Informer. “I fully appreciate that God loves me— weaknesses, blindspots, failures and all. Love really does change the game if we’ll lean into it.”
Spreading
‘Love in Action’
As people across the nation, particularly minorities, navigate racism, bigotry and several inequities, faith leaders are highlighting the divine charge to spread love.
“In today’s society, we’ve lost our love. We’ve allowed ourselves to become skeptics,” Hairston told The Informer.
For the Martins, social media has
5 Imam Talib Shareef with his wife of more than 50 years, Tahira Shareef. The couple talk about the work necessary for extending romantic love and spreading selfless love throughout the world. (Courtesy Photo)
also contributed to the erasure of love.
“[Love] seems to have become performative in nature. Social media, content creation and comparison is oftentimes prioritized over the depth of relationship love,” they said, encouraging people to be inspired by “the fundamentals of what love is, according to God.”
However, many of the local ministers said there’s a solution to the problem: all people adopting the concept of selfless love for their neighbor.
“We spread love in the community by seeing people the way God sees us. He dignifies every human being, no matter our race, creed, color, nationality, sexual orientation, or or any other identifier,” Hairston explained. “Sheri and I have embraced a saying for years: ‘Dignify everyone.’ In our marriage we treat each other with utmost dignity. I challenge client couples that I work with to do the same.”
Having witnessed the power of love, Peebles is using her platform to encourage others to tap into that God-given strength and share it with others.
“Love is palpable and we spread love by putting it into action,” she told The Informer. “To celebrate my birth month with people all around the world, I launched a movement: Project Love In Action. It’s a movement to intentionally serve, uplift, and to show love and compassion, hoping to leave indelible marks on people’s hearts, realizing love becomes transformative when it’s lived out, not just spoken.” WI
Mobley, a Black woman who made history, working in an arena she loved since she was a young girl. Her mother passed away when she was only 15, yet she remembers how her mother shaped her future. During her younger years, her mother found solace in the forest. She would take young Melody on walks, enjoying the wildflowers and trees. The small girl was being molded and she didn't even realize this.
In the quiet of the woods, away from the noise of the world, she found the handiwork of the Creator. For Melody, the forest was more than just a workplace — it was her sanctuary. As the first Black female forester in the U.S. Forest Service, her life echoed Psalm 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."
She shared her hazing story with me, of how her coworkers, all white men, took her to a lake in Florida where alligators lived in the water and threw her in. She said she didn't even know how to swim. This was her initiation. I asked her, "How do you know there were alligators in the water?" She said their eyes glowed in the dark. She saw them all around her, but she was able to escape.
Melody began her career in 1977, traveling the world to care for God's creation. As we talked during our interview, she later realized that the forest was like home to her, starting with those regular walks with her mother. We all seek a place where our souls can find peace. For Melody Starya Mobley, that place has always been the forest. Her journey is a powerful reminder of Galatians 6:9: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
She went on to climb 200-foot oldgrowth trees to collect seeds and manage wildlife in the Florida sun. "All the
WITH LYNDIA GRANT
In the Woods, She Found Her Church the religion corner
years of my career in the forest," she said, "I felt like that was my church." She continued, "I always feel so close to my God." Yet, even in her sanctuary, she faced the "thick mud" of this world — racism, sexism and physical assaults that would have caused many to quit.
Melody's career was one of historic "firsts" and high-level leadership. From managing 32 million board feet of timber in Florida to serving as a branch chief in Washington, D.C., she handled massive budgets and even mended relationships with the Hopi Tribe. Her work took her as far as Tanzania and Chile, proving that God's mission for us often knows no borders.
Yet, even as she rose to the rank of GS-15 and received awards for excellence, Melody's path was rocky. She endured systemic racism and physical trials that tested her spirit. Like the "progeny tests" she once conducted on young trees to ensure their strength, Melody's faith was tested by fire. She emerged not with bitterness, but with a heart for service.
Despite the pain of a hostile work environment and an early retirement, Melody did not "grow weary." Instead, she chose to fail forward and use her story to heal others. Now retired, she spends her days mentoring young people, teaching them that they, too, belong in the outdoors. She is a living example that when you are doing what the Heavenly Father sent you to do, your joy comes from giving that service.
Today, at 68, she attends Christ the King Lutheran Church in Great Falls,
Virginia. She chairs numerous committees for diversity and inclusion. Whether volunteering with seniors at the Walter Reed Recreation Center or mentoring youth in the NAACP, Melody remains a "tree planted by the rivers of water." She continues to invite the next generation into the woods, helping them find the same peace and divine presence she discovered decades ago.
Leading the way into a brighter future, she also said, "I'm so passionate about supporting young people, getting them outside and interested in careers in natural resource conservation. They need to see people who look like them to know that they can do it. Until my dying breath, I will be taking youth out in the woods, or out in the desert to see the vegetation there, or whatever it might be, and just to grow that love of nature within them."
Despite the pain and turmoil of her time at the U.S. Forest Service, Melody is a shining light in the environmental movement, speaking up for young people and BIPOC. She provides mentorship for many people in the environmental field and consistently volunteers with youth to share the joys of nature with them.
There is a movie of her life story being shown during this year's Black History Month. Here's the link for tickets to the premiere of the short film "The Dark White Forest" and to make a donation to help cover premiere and other expenses. She is asking you to please plan to come out. (https://thedarkwhiteforest.eventbrite.com/) WI
Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org
Mount
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
Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant
401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331
Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."
Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “ The Rev. E. Bernard
All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Tamara Scurlock Briggs, whose address is 1305 Holy Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annie Rae Gales Bell who died on 4/21/2020 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Tamara Scurlock Briggs Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001353
Jerry Mack Spence, Sr. Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
LaChelle’ Shania Spence, whose address is 5122 Clacton Ave., Suitland, MD 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jerry Mack Spence, Sr. who died on December 13, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
LaChelle’ Shania Spence
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2024 ADM 001344 2021 WIL 001344
Dorothy M. Wilson aka Dorothy May Wilson Decedent
Itta Englander, Esq. 64 New York Ave., NE Suite 180 Washington, DC 20002 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Sadie Edwards-Brown, whose address is 3701 13th St., WDC 20010 & 3709 13th St., NW WDC 20010, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dorothy M. Wilson & Dorothy May Wilson who died on 12/20/2020 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Sadie Edwards-Brown Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2026 ADM 000016
Maurice D. Philson Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Monique Adams, whose address is 8494 Cardinal Lane, White Plains, MD 20695, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Maurice D. Philson who died on 1/10/2025 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Monique Adams Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001349
Flonorial Merritt Jr. Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Flonisha R. Merritt, whose address is 301 G Street SW #115 Washington, DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Flonorial Merritt Jr. who died on 8/14/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Flonisha R. Merritt
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001370
Rhonda Foxworth Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Felicia Foxworth Dixon, whose address is 7202 Ballantrae Court, Clinton MD 20735, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rhonda Foxworth who died on April 9, 2022 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Felicia Foxworth Dixon Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001451
George Edward Thomas Sr. aka George Edward Thomas Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
George Edward Thomas Jr., whose address is 9338 Clifford Dr., White Plains, MD 20695, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of George Edward Thomas Sr. aka George Edward Thomas who died on November 16, 2023 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
George Edward Thomas Jr. Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001401
Ricardo Gorrio aka Felix Ricardo Gorrio Larrabure Decedent
Lindsey M. Avedisian 5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 600 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Oliver Sebastian Rocha, whose address is 182 Clinton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ricardo Gorrio aka Felix Ricardo Gorrio Larrabure who died on 9/13/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Oliver Sebastian Rocha Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001445
Gilbert Mack, Sr. Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Gilbert Mack, Jr., whose address is 9010 Phita Lane, Manassas Park, VA 20111, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gilbert Mack, Sr. who died on 9/27/2022 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Gilbert Mack, Jr. 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 FEP 000009
July 14, 2024
Date of Death
Rodney Leslie Washington Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Barry James Washington, whose address is 2900 Hatboro Place, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Rodney Leslie Washington, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland, on October 28, 2024.
Service of process may be made upon Bradley A. Thomas, 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.
The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Barry James Washington Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001048
Tornora Michelle Carroll Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Beverly Henderson, whose address is 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Tornora Michelle Carroll who died on July 5, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before July 29, 2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before July 29, 2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: January 29, 2026
Beverly Henderson Personal Representative
TRUE
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000076
Estate of Louis Rine aka Louis Edward Rine aka Louis E. Rine
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Carol Ann Crane for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.
Admit to probate the will dated June 19, 2023 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise
In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
Carol Ann Crane 345 Elmcroft Blvd., Apt. 5205 Rockville, MD 20850
Petitioner/Attorney:
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2024 ADM 000246
Willie G. Wooten Sr. aka Willie Gold Wooten Sr. Decedent
Tabitha R. Brown, Esquire Law Offices of Tabitha R. Brown 1200 G Street SE, Suite A Washington, DC 20003 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Christopher Wooten, whose address is 7919 Orchard Park Way, Bowie, MD 20715, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Willie G. Wooten Sr. aka Willie Gold Wooten Sr. who died on 12/31/2023 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 7/29/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 7/29/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 1/29/2026
Christopher Wooten Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001211
Marie Walker aka Rebecca Marie Walker Decedent
Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
DeAnna Walker, whose address is 5413 Central Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marie Walker aka Rebecca Marie Walker who died on 2/26/2025 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 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
DeAnna Walker Personal Representativ
TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
CIVIL DIVISION
Case Number: 2025-CAB-004547
Judge: Maribeth Raffinan
ESTATE OF THEODORE R. BROWN
v. LILLIAN MAE BROWN
ORDER
Before the Court is Plaintiffs’ Consent Motion to Authorize Service by Publication, filed on October 30, 2025. Upon consideration of the Motion and the entire record herein, it is this 24th day of November 2025, hereby:
ORDERED that Plaintiffs’ Consent Motion to Authorize Service by Publication is GRANTED; and it is further,
ORDERED that the Plaintiffs are authorized to publish the following notice in the Daily Washington Law Reporter and the Washington Informer twice a month for three successive months, which notice shall include the caption of this case:
The object of this action is to establish title to 4854 Brooks St NE Washington DC 20019, known for assessment and taxation purposes as Square 5141, Lots 12 and 13, in the name of the Theodore R. Brown. The purpose of this publication is to ensure that there are no unknown heirs or devisees of Lillian Mae Brown, who is listed as a tenant by the entirety of this property. The complaint alleges that Lillian Mae Brown was born on or around 1910, and that she died on or around 1980; and it is further,
ORDERED that any person claiming an interest in this property or in this action must cause their appearance to be entered herein on or before the fortieth day, exclusive of Sundays and legal holidays, occurring after the day of the first publication of this Order; otherwise this cause will be proceeded with as in case of default. SO ORDERED. /s/ Judge Maribeth Raffinan, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Pub Dates: Dec 4, 11, 2025; Jan 1,8; Feb 5, 12, 2026
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2024 ADM 643
Mary Judd Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
J. Anthony Concino III, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary Judd who died on 11/22/2023 without a Will. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
J. Anthony Concino III, Esq. Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000029
Corita Lorraine DeVore Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Savannah Winona DeVore, whose address is 1227 Savannah Street, SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Corita Lorraine DeVore who died on 11/14/2018 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
Savannah Winona DeVore
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 000031
Patricia Ann Mayfield Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Eric Watson, whose address is 4420 Morgan Road, Morningside, MD 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Patricia Ann Mayfield who died on 2/2/2025 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 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
Eric Watson Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2024 ADM 001355
Harry Millner aka Harry Davis Millner
Decedent
Cecilia R. Jones, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite #440
Washington, DC 20015
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Alfred Ramon Millner, whose address is 4415 Ord Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Harry Millner aka Harry Davis Millner who died on June 15, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
Alfred Ramon Millner Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001392
Rosa E. Kelly Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
LaShawn Smith, whose address is 12602 Monarch Court, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rosa E. Kelly who died on 1/13/2018 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (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 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
LaShawn Smith Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2024 ADM 001422
Terry Franklin, Jr.
Decedent
Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Julius P. Terrell, whose address is 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Terry Franklin, Jr. who died on 8/18/2023 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 (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 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
Julius P. Terrell
Personal Representative TRUE
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2026 ADM 000056
Egypt Elaine Jones aka Egypt E. Jones Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Virdella Maple, whose address is 247 V Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Egypt Elaine Jones aka Egypt E. Jones who died on 2/28/2025 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 8/12/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/12/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 2/12/2026
Virdella Maple Personal Representative
TRUE
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001418
Yemaya Wilson Decedent
Danielle Oglesby, Esq. 1150 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 802 Washington, DC 20036
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Anasa Wilson, whose address is 253 Newcomb Street SE, Apt 2, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Yemaya Wilson who died on 7/22/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/5/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/5/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/5/2026
Anasa Wilson 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 2023 ADM 001361
Laura Long Decedent
Brian L. Kass, Personal Rep. 4301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 434 Washington DC 20008 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Brian L. Kass, whose address is 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 434, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Laura Long who died on 2/25/2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/12/2026. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 8/12/2026, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.
Date of first publication: 2/12/2026
Brian L. Kass Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
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REYNOLDS from Page 26
done: I taught history, resilience, brilliance. I reminded them that Black Americans survived slavery, Jim Crow, lynching, redlining and voter suppression — not alone, but alongside White Americans who refused to surrender their conscience.
But survival should not be the standard. Dignity should be.
The real scandal is not just the imagery — it is the silence surrounding it. Where is the outrage from business leaders who break bread with power while families struggle to afford food? Where is the sustained pressure from media institutions that soften cover-
MORIAL from Page 26
Douglass and Harriet Tubman while sending armed, masked agents into our cities and homes without warrants to terrorize and kidnap Black immigrants is criminal.
Recognizing Black History Month has been about more than slapping a kente cloth label on a packaged good or passive social post with a still shot of the March on Washington. It's an opportunity for humanity to reflect on what can be accomplished in the face of state-sanctioned oppression. It's a reminder of what's at stake in this nation if we disregard hatred and extremism. And it's a call to action to defend our democracy, defeat poverty and demand diversity everywhere in this country.
DEDRICK/PARKER from Page 26
volatility, and far less family wealth than white households, that contribution structure is the policy's fatal flaw. Trump Accounts effectively say: "You, too, can have a big nest egg, if you and your employer can save like the rich." That is the essence of fool's gold.
Decades of data show that Black households hold only a fraction of the wealth of white households, even at similar incomes, because of longstanding discrimination in housing, labor markets, the tax code and the economy's concentration of wealth over the last 40 years. On top of that, Trump Accounts are opt-in and require navigating banks, paperwork, and investment choices, which policy experts warn will leave many low-income and Black and Brown families out.
If we truly want to close the racial wealth divide, we do not need more fool's gold. We need policies that recognize how wealth is distributed now and invest most heavily in children
age in pursuit of access, contracts or future ventures? Where are politicians — of all parties — who understand that democracy cannot survive when hate is normalized at the top?
Scripture warns us plainly in Proverbs 18:21: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." In modern America, that tongue includes images, policies, budgets and omissions.
Dehumanization is never just rhetoric. It is rehearsal.
History teaches us that once a group is portrayed as less than human, violence — economic, psychological or physical — soon follows. Jobs are stripped. Contracts are can-
The National Urban League is no stranger to this fight.
We supported A. Philip Randolph's 1941 March on Washington Movement to combat discrimination against Blacks during World War II, and advocated for the integration of labor unions under the leadership of Lester Granger. In the 1950s, we lobbied President Dwight D. Eisenhower to urge the enforcement of the 1957 Civil Rights Act. We participated in the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights with Dr. King, other civil rights organizations and labor unions to discuss the progress of a new civil rights bill on Capitol Hill.
And we hosted meetings with the planners of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom at our
starting with the least. That is the idea behind Baby Bonds.
Economist Darrick Hamilton, alongside William "Sandy" Darity and other scholars, began developing the Baby Bonds concept more than two decades ago, proposing government-funded trust accounts for every U.S. newborn, with the largest deposits going to children from the lowest wealth families.
Today, Baby Bonds are no longer just an idea. States and jurisdictions including Connecticut, California, and Washington, D.C., have all enacted Baby Bonds-style programs that provide larger, automatic deposits for children in low-income families. Researchers estimate a robust national Baby Bond program could reduce the Black-white wealth gap among young adults by more than 90 percent at the median.
The contrast with Trump Accounts could not be clearer. Trump Accounts give the same modest $1,000 to every child and then turbocharge the ad-
celed. Protections are erased. And the public is told this is efficiency, not cruelty.
Actions speak louder than words — but silence speaks, too.
This is a moment that demands more than statements. It demands refusal. Refusal by media to normalize hate. Refusal by corporations to profit from proximity to power while communities suffer. Refusal by citizens to accept that this is just "politics as usual."
America has seen this road before. We know where it leads.
The question is whether we will once again pretend we don't. WI
headquarters in New York.
As we celebrate 50 years of Black History Month being recognized by federal law, we are reminded of how quickly the tide can turn against us and how we must double down in our fight to preserve and advance our progress.
Sixty years after the March on Washington, we stand in solidarity with our peers in civil rights, fighting back against the assault on diversity, anti-democratic plans to nationalize our elections and guard ballot boxes with armed, untrained, violent agents, and policies that threaten to impoverish millions, leaving them uninsured, hungry and facing homelessness.
This Black History Month is a reminder that the National Urban League is fighting for you. WI
vantages of families who can afford to contribute thousands more each year. Baby Bonds invest far more in children whose parents cannot save, and they do it automatically, without complicated opt-ins or Wall Street gatekeepers. One accelerates existing inequality; the other is designed to repair it.
Congress should transform these Trump Accounts into progressive Baby Bonds. Policymakers should guarantee larger automatic public deposits for children in low-wealth or low-income households, and shift from opt-in enrollment to automatic enrollment at birth.
To bridge growing wealth inequality, that is the lead cause of ongoing racial inequality, we need to embrace the original structure of Baby Bonds and broader structural reforms that move resources toward families who have been locked out of wealth for generations. These changes would move the program away from fool's gold and toward something closer to genuine wealth-building for Black children. WI
AIRLINE CAREERS
HAGLER from Page 27
inflicted on families gathered peacefully in the house of God," stated Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board of the convention. He went on to state, "What occurred was not protest; it was lawless harassment."
I have served ministries in Chicago, Boston and for 30 years in Washington, and am perplexed why churches would think that they are insulated from criticism from outside once they have made forays into the issues of the world?
When churches intentionally enter into vital and important political discussions or take positions that affect the lives of people, they have opened themselves to the critique and questions of those issues by the people affected by their positions. This invites actions and disruptions that may manifest themselves in worship.
Disruptions to church services are not new. Civil rights leader James Forman, in 1969, disrupted services at New York's Riverside Church to demand $500 million in reparations from white churches. It was the Black
JEALOUS from Page 27
They told the stories that reminded us who we were.
That love became political power. It lifted leaders from Shirley Chisholm to Jesse Jackson to Brandon Johnson — leaders who speak clearly for democracy and equality.
But the elders who held us together are disappearing. One by one. Funeral after funeral.
They were born into communi-
from Page 27
high prices. And he sees Democrats gaining trust by offering real answers to high prices, while he pivots to foreign policy side shows like military action in Venezuela — an issue that doesn't pay anyone's rent.
But if Democrats remain disciplined and deliver results, Trump's recent pivot to affordability won't be enough.
Republicans still oppose the very policies that could lower costs. Take insulin prices. Democrats capped costs at $35 per month for Medicare, saving diabetic seniors thousands yearly. House Republicans voted against it 215 times. When voters see one party cutting prices and another blocking them, the choice becomes clear. Republicans can't run as cham-
Manifesto, an action aimed at forcing institutions to address their historical complicity in slavery. The protest led to increased discussions about religious accountability, with some institutions later adopting anti-poverty and racism awareness initiatives.
Also, Stop the Church was a demonstration organized by members of AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP). In December 1989, that group disrupted Mass being led by Cardinal John O'Connor at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. One hundred eleven protesters were arrested. The main objective of the demonstration was to protest O'Connor's opposition to the teaching of safe sex in the public school system and his opposition to the distribution of condoms to curb the spread of AIDS.
During the Free South Africa Movement, there were a number of church disruptions to press churches and denominations on divestment from South Africa. More recently, worship services were confronted over the genocide in Gaza. Church disruptions are not new but bring urgency and
ties that were integrated by necessity. Many of us were born into communities divided by class, except in a few sacred spaces, often the church on Sunday. As we entered the broader economy, we absorbed its class lines as well.
This Black History Month, let us hold our community together by holding our families together. Replicate the reunion. Make the phone calls the elders used to make. Tell the stories they told us.
pions of working-class families while protecting the corporations that squeeze them. Voters are increasingly sophisticated about that contradiction, and this creates an opportunity for Democrats.
Republicans are realizing affordability is not a niche issue or a Democratic hoax. It is the issue. It cuts across race, ideology and geography. When people feel economically trapped, they will abandon any party that seems indifferent, no matter their personal feelings on cultural or identity politics.
Republicans built gains with working-class Black and brown voters by presenting themselves as insurgents against an unfair system. But when the bills keep rising, and their party offers no real relief, that image collapses. Democrats meanwhile have re-
concern, evaluating the public policy positions of the church and at times pointing out the contradictions in the church and of the pastor.
The conservative church, often referred to as the white evangelical or charismatic church, is one of the places where this right-wing Make America Great Again agenda garnered strength and energy to get elected. It was from the conservative pulpits that pastors presented to their members that it was "God's will" and that God took a flawed person like King David, known in the Scriptures for adultery and murder, and like King David, God anointed Donald J. Trump, even with all of his flaws.\
These statements or those of a similar bent were made behind many church doors to parishioners across the country. It was in these circles that people like Charlie Kirk gained his notoriety and political influence among young white evangelicals with his brand of ridicule of "wokeness," DEI, Black people and other people of color. WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
Democracy is under pressure. That pressure should remind us we need one another. We must hang together so our children can live better lives than we have.
Let us never forget that the elders we are burying have already shown us how to keep this country free — by keeping our families connected, in tough times and even across great distance. WI
discovered that when everyday life becomes unaffordable, cultural politics cannot cover the bill. The working class doesn't experience inflation, rent hikes or credit-card interest rates as abstract economic data, nor do they have the luxury of worrying about cultural issues when bills are due.
And across the country, affordability is beginning to reshape political loyalties, including among groups of working-class Black and brown voters where Republicans had been steadily gaining.
As we head into the 2026 midterms, Democrats must remember we won't win back Black and brown working-class voters by becoming more progressive or more moderate. We win them back by becoming more relevant to daily life. And that is what now has Trump scrambling. WI
HARRIS/MCDANIEL
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