This Week's Edition : 3-12-26

Serving Our Community in the DMV

Vol 61 No 22

March 12 - 18, 2026

What's Next in the Fight for Federal Officer Transparency?

March Health Supplement Center Section

The Collins D.C. Council Report

A Special At-Large Race Dictated by Budgetary Matters

Activists, Leaders Demand Answers after Death of Julian Bailey, Federal Law Enforcement Activity

By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Writer

By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Writer Local activists recently celebrated the passage of two emergency bills that mandate the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) inclusion of federal officers’ names in arrest reports and affidavits, and release of local officer body camera footage from the scene of federal officer-involved shootings and use-of-force incidents.

However, in the days following that victory, young people, once again, found themselves in the cross hairs of National Guard personnel and federal law enforcement officials accompanying local officers that were en5 Activists gather outside of the John A. Wilson Building on Feb. 25 before a performance forcing juvenile curfew zones. oversight hearing conducted by the council’s Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

TRANSPARENCY Page 40 (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

After much speculation about whether she would run for the seat she currently holds, Interim D.C. Councilmember Doni Crawford (I-At large) recently announced her candidacy. If she wins the June 16 special election, Crawford will serve out the rest of former D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie’s term, which ends on Jan. 2, 2027.

Crawford said she threw her hat into the ring out of a belief that the citywide constituent engagement infrastructure she’s built since her installment best positions her to weigh in on budgetary matters.

More than a week after a tenuous mayor-council breakfast, Crawford affirmed she will fight for the

COLLINS REPORT Page 40

Girl Scouts Week 2026: Peoples UCC Celebrates 57 Years of Service

4 Written in Spanish, a protester holds up a sign that translates to “Women's International Day” at a march in Northwest, D.C., celebrating the holiday and fighting for justice and equity on March 8. (Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly/The Washington Informer)

Historically Black Troop Exemplify ‘Spirit of Service, Faith, Leadership’

By Arcynta Childs WI Contributing Writer

Dozens March in D.C. in Solidarity with Immigrants, Women’s Rights

Marchers Fight Against ICE, Police Brutality, Injustices

By Sumaya Abdel WI Intern As people across the globe recognized International Women’s Day on March 8, dozens of activists took to Northwest, D.C.’s

Meridian Hill Park— also known as Malcolm X Park by many in the area— to commemorate the holiday, while simultaneously combating attacks on immigrants, reproductive rights, and other freedoms.

MARCH Page 16

As Girl Scouts of the United States of America, founded 114 years ago, marks a week of celebration March 8-14, members of a historically African American troop at Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ (Peoples UCC) in Northwest, D.C. are reflecting on 57 years of service and generational bonds of family, faith, and community. 5 Troops gather to celebrate Girl Scout Sunday at Peoples Congrega“The troops at Peoples are tional United Church of Christ in Northwest, D.C. on March 8. An

GIRL SCOUTS Page 9

annual faith event hosted by People’s UCC, the special Sunday kicks off Girl Scouts Week (March 8-14). (Courtesy Photo/Bryon Barlow)

Celebrating 61 years. Your credible and trusted source for Black news and information.

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wi hot topics

STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER; KREE ANDERSON, WI INTERN; MICHA GREEN, WI MANAGING EDITOR

Black and Latino Workers Face Lower Pay, Higher Joblessness in DC Fiscal Policy Institute Report Washington, D.C.’s skyline tells a story of prosperity. Towering federal buildings, booming development, and one of the nation’s highest concentrations of wealth have long defined the capital.

Yet beneath that image lies an economic divide that researchers say has hardened over generations, leaving Black and Latino workers consistently locked out of the city’s prosperity.

“While some residents have high-paying, high-powered jobs and extreme wealth, many other residents struggle to find employment or earn enough to afford D.C.’s high cost of living,” the DC Fiscal Policy Institute wrote in its latest report on the state of the District’s workforce. “And, in a In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes

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INTERNS Keith Golden Jr., Spring Intern Kree Anderson, Spring Intern Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly, Spring Intern

4 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

WORKERS Page 14

Remembering Jazz Legend, Educator Robert “Bobby” Felder A Mentor to ‘Generations of D.C. Musicians’

Jazz communities across the District and world are mourning the loss of Robert “Bobby” Felder, a celebrated musician and arts educator who recently died at the age of 95.

“Felder was a prominent jazz musician, educator, and bandleader who has been a central figure in the Washington, D.C. music scene for over 60 years,” the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities (CAH) wrote in a social media tribute to Felder, posted on March 3, extending condolences to the artist’s family and friends.

“His contributions range from establishing major jazz archives to mentoring generations of D.C. musicians.”

Born in Tampa, Florida in 1930, Felder’s affinity for

music started at an early age. One of 12 children, a young Felder first began playing a trombone that had once belonged to his brother, who abandoned music to pursue football.

“That’s why I just picked it up. Matter of fact, my first trombone, it’s embarrassing,” Felder reflected in a November 2022 interview with Charvis Campbell of the DC Public Library (DCPL). “I didn’t even have a case.”

Continuing to play the trombone, Felder completed high school in Tampa and then studied music at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. After graduating from college, he traveled back to Tampa and became the band director at the junior high school he attended for two years before being draft-

FELDER Page 28

UNCF Emphasizes Importance of Bolstering HBCUs Amid National Challenges

REPORTERS Stacy Brown, National Reporter Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr., Political/Education Reporter Brenda Siler, Lifestyle Reporter Ed Hill, Sports Reporter Richard Elliott, Reporter Skylar Nelson, Sports Reporter Mya Trujillo, Environmental and International Reporter PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Ja Mon Jackson, Asst. Photo Editor Roy Lewis, Jr. Robert R. Roberts Anthony Tilghman Abdullah Konte Cleveland Nelson

jurisdiction that is majority people of color, Black and Latino residents have worse economic outcomes than white residents by every measure, such as unemployment, underemployment, and median wages—both during good and bad economic times.”

The findings come from “Chronic Racial Inequality Holds Back Workers and Equitable Economic Growth,” a sweeping report released in March that examines decades of employment, wage, and housing data in the District. Researchers conclude that the city’s economy remains deeply stratified along racial lines despite years of growth.

‘Our Institutions Need Us Now More than Ever’

5 Actor, faith leader and philanthropist Clifton Davis accepts the UNCF President’s Award during the annual “A Mind is…” National Gala on March 5 at The Westin DC in Northwest. Davis is a graduate of Oakwood University, a UNCF institution. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)

As the nation navigates a partial government shutdown, war, and the continued challenges of economic and educational disparities due to racism, UNCF gathered on March 5 to continue their mission of empowering African American students and emphasizing the power of investing in their minds and future. “[UNCF] ensures that brilliant minds are not left behind, simply because of circumstance.

I, personally, love what they do,” said actor, singer and faith leader Clifton Davis, the 2026 UNCF President’s Award honoree, during the annual “A Mind Is…” National Gala at The Westin DC in Northwest.

Even before his days starring

as the Rev. Reuben Gregory on “Amen” (1986-1991), or Vernon Dupree in the CBS show “Beyond the Gates,” Davis made a commitment to the organization that has worked to uplift historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) since 1944, even performing on the beloved Lou Rawl “UNCF Parade of Stars Marathon.”

“I accept this award, not just with gratitude, but with renewed commitment,” Davis continued. “I am honored to stand with UNCF, and will continue supporting its mission, helping students at HBCUs, meet their obligations, achieve their goals, and receive the education they deserve.”

Davis was one of many honorees during the formal event, which transformed the Westin’s Ballroom to a site of glamorous Black excellence honoring the 37 UNCF institutions and the work the organization has done over the past 82 years. Other honorees included Pepco, FanDuel and the Jordan Brand, who received UNCF Keeper of the Flame Awards.

UNCF Page 5

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Rodents, Mold Spur D.C. AG Action at Two Ward 7 Properties

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Tenants at two Ward 7 apartment complexes plagued by rodents, mold, leaks, and broken security features will see court-enforceable repairs and years of oversight under settlements announced by the attorney general.

“Every D.C. tenant has a right to live in safe and healthy homes, and property owners and managers are obligated by law to maintain their buildings and meet basic safety standards,” Attorney General Brian Schwalb said as his office detailed agreements covering Benning Courts and Azeeze Bates Apartments.

The settlements resolve investigations into housing conditions at 1701–1713 Benning Road NE and 1515–1525 F Street NE. In formal agreements filed by the Office of the Attorney General, the District stated that it was addressing potential violations of the Consumer Protection Procedures Act due to housing conditions issues at both properties.

At Benning Courts, investigators inspected 14 units in August 2024 and documented suspected mold growth, chipping and peeling paint, water leaks, unsecured doors, and tenant reports of rodent infestations.

UNCF from Page 4 “A mentor once told me, many, many years ago, that ‘a mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.’

And I will tell you, UNCF has had a tremendous, tremendous impact in the minds of many,” said Amber Perry, vice president of governmental and external affairs and region president at Pepco, accepting on behalf of the corporation.

“Tonight represents something bigger than an award. It really reflects what is possible in business, education, and community leadership, moved in alignment to expand opportunity.”

Perry explained the Pepco and UNCF partnership is “rooted in impact.”

“For years, we have worked together to strengthen talent pipelines, support students, through scholarships, and mentorship. It's investing in programs that prepare the next generation,” she continued. “Our commitment to this

Months later, Department of Health inspectors identified approximately 45 rodent burrows on the property and recommended expanded treatment.

At Azeeze Bates Apartments, a January 2024 inspection of 16 units and common areas found evidence of rodent infestation, broken or insecure doors and windows, water damage, mold, and missing or inoperable fire safety equipment. Health inspectors reported evidence of rodents in at least 70 percent of the units they examined.

Under the terms of the Benning Courts agreement, management must conduct annual inspections and preventative maintenance in all units and common areas and repair all Housing Code violations discovered during the inspections including but not limited to broken exterior and interior doors, water leaks and damage, mold growth, pest or rodent infestations, inoperable smoke and/ or carbon monoxide detectors, and replacement of HVAC filters.

The Azeeze Bates settlement imposes similar requirements, directing owners to perform regular inspections and repairs of major systems and to correct all outstanding Department of Buildings infractions

AROUND THE REGION

within 35 days, subject to material availability.

Both agreements require quarterly pest control treatments by a licensed company, with tenants able to request additional in-unit service between visits. Emergency conditions must be addressed within 24 hours. The filings define emergency violations as any condition that presents an imminent risk to the health or safety of a tenant, including but not limited to lack of water, lack of air conditioning, lack of heat, lack of electricity, fire or storm damage, or a leak or flood. If repairs cannot be completed within that window, tenants must be provided with alternative accommodations until the emergency is resolved.

The District may inspect up to 10% of units each year through Jan. 1, 2028. In exchange, the District agreed to forego litigation over habitability issues during specified periods, provided the owners comply with the agreements.

“Horning is proud of its seven-de-

5 Tenants at two Ward 7 apartment complexes can now look forward to court-enforceable repairs and years of oversight under settlements announced by Attorney General Brian Schwalb. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

cade history as a leading housing provider across the District and will continue to work in partnership with all city agencies to ensure that residents are put first,” Jamie Weinbaum, president of Horning Management Company LLC., said in a statement.

“Horning worked collaborative-

ly with the Office of the Attorney General to address issues raised in an expeditious and holistic manner, and we appreciate OAG’s professionalism in reaching a practical, mutually acceptable resolution of this investigation.”

WI

event and UNCF initiatives reflect our broader focus on educational equity, workforce development, and long term economic vitality, across the communities that we proudly, proudly serve at Pepco.”

Other organizations who bolstered the annual gathering included: President’s Circle sponsors Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Air Lines and The Coca-Cola Company; Legacy Circle sponsor ExxonMobil; and Visionary Circle sponsors Alaska Airlines, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Bank of America, General Motors, Toyota and US Bank.

Dr. Michael Lomax, who is celebrating 22 years as UNCF president, shared some of the initiatives the organization is doing to support HBCUs and the hundreds of thousands of students who enroll in the institutions annually, such as a $500 million endowment.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 5

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black facts

Quincy Jones (left)

Vanessa L. Williams (center)

March 12

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1791 – Benjamin Banneker is commissioned by President George Washington as part of a team to survey the District of Columbia.

1955 – Influential bebop saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker dies in New York City of complications from lobar pneumonia and other health issues at 34.

1964 – Malcolm X announced the establishment of Muslim Mosque, Inc., four days after his departure from the Nation of Islam.

1982 – Playwright Charles Fuller wins the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "A Soldier's Play," a story of a Black captain's search for the murderer of a Black sergeant on a Louisiana army base during World War II.

March 13

1972 – Rapper and actor Common is born in Chicago.

1979 – Grenadian politician and revolutionary Maurice Bishop seizes power in a coup in 1979, serving as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he is overthrown and executed.

March 14

1794 – Eli Whitney receives a patent for the cotton gin.

1933 – Famous music producer and composer Quincy Jones is born in Chicago.

1977 – Fannie Lou Hamer, voting rights activist, civil rights leader and philanthropist, dies in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, of complications from hypertension and breast cancer at 59.

1999 – Chess player Maurice Ashley beat Adrian Negulescu to become the first Black International Grandmaster.

March 15

1947 – Ensign John W. Lee Jr. becomes the first African American with a commission in the regular Navy and

6 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

MAR. 12 - 18, 2026

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

Common (right)

serves on board USS Kearsarge (CV 33).

1988 – Eugene Antonio Marino is named Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, becoming the first Black Catholic archbishop in the United States.

March 16

1827 – Freedom's Journal, the first African American-owned and -operated newspaper published in the United States, is founded by Rev. Peter Williams Jr. and other free Black men in New York City.

1869 – Hiram R. Revels makes his first speech in the Senate, opposing the readmission of Georgia without adequate safeguards for Black citizens. This was the first official speech by a Black in Congress.

1956 – Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome, the first African American to serve as general manager of an NFL franchise, is born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

March 17

1877 – President Hayes appoints Frederick Douglass marshal of District of Columbia.

1919 – Famed singer Nat King Cole is born in Montgomery, Alabama.

1946 – Jackie Robinson makes his professional debut as a member of the Montreal Royals, the Brooklyn Dodgers' AAA minor league team, in the Daytona Beach ballpark that now bears his name.

March 18

1934 – Country music singer Charley Pride, one of just three African Americans ever inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, is born in Sledge, Mississippi.

1941 – Soul music legend Wilson Pickett is born in Prattville, Alabama.

1963 – Famed actress and singer Vanessa L. Williams is born in the Bronx borough of New York City.

1972 – The USS Jesse L. Brown, named for the first African American naval aviator in the U.S. Navy, is launched.

WI

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“Shocked about it. [I was] surprised, but ain’t nothing surprising with Trump. It’s the type of stuff he [does] to keep the focus off of him –– start a war to keep him from being caught up in the stuff he caught up in.”

NATALIE PRESTON / NORTHEAST, D.C.

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D.C. Gas Prices Poised to Climb After Iran Strikes Shake Oil Markets

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District area drivers are paying just over $3 a gallon for regular gasoline, but that relative stability may prove short-lived after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran sent global oil prices sharply higher and injected fresh volatility into energy markets that directly shape what District residents pay at the pump.

“Gas prices are already rising ahead of the summer driving season as people travel more,” according to AAA, which reported that the national average for regular gasoline climbed more than 5 cents last week to $2.98.

In the District, AAA lists the current average price for regular gasoline at $3.103 per gallon, compared with $3.228 a year ago. While those numbers suggest moderation compared with the record $5.262 per gallon reached in June 2022, analysts say the recent surge in crude oil threatens to reverse that trend.

Oil markets reacted immediately to the escalating conflict. U.S. crude traded 7.6% higher at $72.12 per barrel Monday, while international benchmark Brent crude rose 8.6% to $79.11 per barrel as disruptions to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reportedly heightened concerns about global supply. The narrow waterway handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply, making it one of the most critical energy transit points in the world.

The Associated Press reported that

5 District area drivers are paying just over $3 a gallon for regular gasoline, but that relative stability may prove short-lived after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran sent global oil prices sharply higher. (WI File Photo)

tanker traffic dropped sharply and that attacks and electronic interference were reported near the strait.

QatarEnergy also announced it would pause liquefied natural gas production due to military attacks on its facilities, pushing European natural gas futures dramatically higher.

Because crude oil is the single largest component of retail gasoline prices, the spike has immediate implications for consumers. Research cited by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas shows that a $10 increase in crude typically translates into roughly a 25-cent increase per gallon within about 20 days. With crude jumping roughly $5 per barrel in one trading session, even a partial pass-through could add double-digit cents to local pump prices if elevated levels persist.

“I fully expect that by Monday night, you could credibly say that gas prices are being impacted by oil prices having gone up,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan told NBC News. “It won’t be a spike.”

As of Monday morning, some Washington stations were still listing prices below the District average.

GasBuddy reported regular gasoline at $2.65 at Costco on Market Street NE and between $2.77 and $2.89 at several stations along Benning Road and in Northeast Washington. Those listings were posted within the previous 24 hours, but retail prices can adjust quickly when wholesale costs climb.

Beyond gasoline, overall economic signals show investor anxiety. Stocks fell sharply at the opening of trading, and gold prices jumped as traders sought safer assets. Natural gas prices in Europe surged more than 40% after Qatar’s production halt, raising concerns about broader energy costs.

Much now hinges on whether the conflict remains contained or expands to additional oil-producing infrastructure in the region. Prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz would present the most serious risk to sustained higher prices.

“If we start to see additional direct attacks against energy infrastructure, not just in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, but in other countries in the region, then that’s when the market will start to think about a push toward $90 and perhaps even beyond,” Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, told The Associated Press.

At the same time, OPEC+ nations announced plans to increase production by more than 200,000 barrels per day starting next month in an effort to calm markets. Whether that additional supply offsets conflict-related disruptions remains uncertain.

“The key question for the global economy is obvious: Will the Strait of Hormuz be effectively closed for oil and gas exports for more than a few weeks?” said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg bank. WI

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137 service hours, Shayla is currently working on attaining the Gold Award, the highest recognition available in Girl Scouts.

“What’s nice about Peoples – the girls become community,” Sullivan, 60, told The Informer, adding that the members remain close friends beyond Girl Scouts, continuing into college adulthood.

N

very historical, very well-known and very respected in the Girl Scout Council,” shared Dr. Maureen Sullivan, troop coordinator at Peoples UCC, who is celebrating 20 years as leader of the Girl Scouts’ Daisies for kindergarteners and first graders.

Girl scouting at Peoples UCC began organically, with a group of Black mothers looking for ways to engage their young daughters.

What began as a play group, called the Jumping Jills, would become the first Girl Scouts troop at Peoples UCC in 1969. They could not have imagined that the 10-12 girls in that group, led by co-founders Shirley Moseley and the late Dorothy Pierce, would grow into a sisterhood of eight troops, 84 girls and 18 adult volunteer leaders.

“I was a little hesitant [to lead], because I had never been a Girl Scout,” recalls Moseley, now 85.

“But it’s one of the best decisions I ever made.”

Starting with just two troops, Brownies (grades 2 and 3) and Juniors (grades 4 and 5), the girls met at the church on Saturdays for meetings. Donning their uniforms, they explored sewing, knitting, arts and crafts, and baking with Easy Bake Ovens, while engaging inchurch, hiking, and overnight camping trips.

The troops became so popu-

lar, they had to start turning girls away.

“We had some girls who came and they could not afford uniforms, so we developed a uniform,” Moseley said, noting the girls wore a dark skirt and white blouse. “So you still were part of the troop in uniform.”

A fourth-generation Washingtonian, Moseley was educated in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), where she met her husband at Cardozo High School in Northwest.

The working mom of three began a familial tradition of service in Girl Scouts that continues today.

Her daughter, Carol, was in the first Brownie Troop 1257, which Moseley led, and her oldest daughter, Sharon, was in the Juniors Troop 1324, led by Pierce.

Decades later, Moseley’s great-granddaughter, Shayla Wright, is a member of the current Senior Troop at Peoples UCC. “I’ve been a Girl Scout as long as I can remember,” the 16-yearold shared. “I couldn’t imagine not being a Girl Scout.”

A high school student in the D.C. area, Shayla is active in school, scouting and at Peoples UCC, where she is a member of the Rhythmic Choir. She said she is drawn to scouting because of the service activities and spending time with her friends.

The national delegate for Girl Scouts also volunteers with Sullivan’s Daisy Troop. Having earned

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Lessons learned as members of troops often inform the adult lives of Peoples’ Girl Scouts alumnae, who have gone on to become lawyers, doctors, public servants, entrepreneurs, scientists and even a leader of the prestigious organization.

“They’re all leaders, and I like to say, setting the world on fire,” Sullivan said, reflecting on the joy and pride she feels seeing girls grow from Daisies to successful adults.

“It’s not just a cliché – [they] make the world a better place.”

Kim R. Ford, who served as a Brownie at Peoples UCC in her youth, became CEO of Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital, covering D.C. and parts of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

The D.C. native is the first Black woman to hold her position.

GIRL SCOUTS Page 11

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 9

AROUND THE REGION

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GIRL SCOUTS from Page 9 “It’s a full circle moment,” Ford said, “because I would never have thought then, that one day I would have this amazing responsibility for all the little me’s.”

The Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital CEO is not the only person who gained leadership skills as a member of the Peoples troops.

“It’s about leadership and what I call becoming,” Sullivan explained. “Girl Scouts has what we call the ‘three Cs’ – courage, character and confidence. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls who possess those characteristics, who make the world a better place.”

Leadership is a core principle in scouting at all ages. Youth members, organized into troops by grade level (K-12), earn badges by completing required activities.

Members can earn badges in six main categories: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), outdoors, life skills, leadership, entrepreneurship, and awards. Its signature program, The Girl Scout Cookie Program, combines all five.

Having joined the organization at age 13, Peoples Girl Scout alumna Yasmine Arrington Brooks has learned all about leadership and put it into practice.

While in 11th grade at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Brooks, 33, founded ScholarCHIPS, an organization that provides college scholarships, mentoring and support for chil-

AROUND THE REGION

dren with incarcerated parents.

Launching ScholarCHIPS as part of her Girl Scouts Gold Award application, the cause behind the organization hits close to home for Brooks, whose father was in and out of jail.

Years later, her business has grown and work’s been featured widely, earning Brooks numerous awards, including a 2025 Washingtonian of the Year recognition from Washingtonian Magazine, a 2025 L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth honor, and a 2023 CNN Hero award.

Brooks, a self-defined encourager, peacemaker, social entrepreneur, and motivational speaker, is one of more than 50 million Girl Scout alumnae, including: astronaut Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel to space; tennis phenoms Serena and Venus Williams; Condoleezza Rice, the first Black woman to serve as Secretary of State; and journalist Robin Roberts.

“Girl Scouts helped to instill in me the importance of giving back and community service,” Brooks told The Informer. “I literally do the same things now in my role as founder and executive director of ScholarCHIPS.”

Continuing a Legacy of Women’s and Black History

Founded in 1912 by Juliette

GIRL SCOUTS Page 34

5 Residents, Girl Scouts and elected officials from Ward 8 with Kim R. Ford, CEO of Girl Scouts of the National Capital Area (far right) at the historic unveiling of Girl Scouts Way in 2025. As a former member of a Girl Scouts troop at Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ in D.C., Ford can attest to the longtime benefits of participating in the organization. (WI File Photo)

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

3 Current candidates for the District 5 Congressional race include (clockwise): Jan. 6 hero Harry Dunn, Del. Nicole Williams, Charles County Commissioner Reuben Collins II, Sen. Arthur Ellis, and former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, all seeking to represent the Southern Maryland-based district. (WI File Photos/Robert R. Roberts)

5th Congressional District Race Heats Up with More Than 20 Candidates

Dunn, Collins, Williams, Ellis, Baker Seek the Seat, Marylanders Talk Hopes for Next Leader

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer The Democratic primary to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Steny

Hoyer (D-Md.) has more than 20 candidates filed, with many recognizable names vying for the District 5 congressional seat.

Current candidates include: Jan. 6

hero Harry Dunn, Sen. Arthur Ellis (D-District 28), Del. Nicole Williams (D-District 22), Charles County Commissioner Reuben Collins II (D), and former Prince George’s County

From Access to Impact: Building Trust Between Institutions and Business Owners

Access alone is not enough. True impact happens when trust bridges the gap between institutions and the business community.

For many entrepreneurs, navigating financial institutions, government agencies, and resource partners can feel complex and, at times, transactional. But economic growth thrives in environments where relationships are consistent, communication is transparent, and commitments are honored. Trust is built when institutions listen before they prescribe, when processes are clear, and when accountability is mutual.

Business owners want more than programs; they want partners. They want to know that their challenges are understood and that their success is a shared priority. Likewise, institutions need engaged businesses willing to prepare, collaborate, and lead responsibly.

At the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, we serve as that connective tissue aligning resources with readiness and fostering dialogue that strengthens confidence on both sides. When trust leads, access becomes action, and action drives measurable, lasting impact across our business community.

Join the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce at www.pgcoc.org.

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12 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

Executive Rushern Baker, all seeking to represent the Southern Maryland-based district.

Hoyer came out early to endorse Del. Adrian Boafo (D-District 23), his former campaign manager.

“I’m not endorsing against anybody, I’m endorsing for somebody that I think would do a good job,” Hoyer said in a January interview with The Washington Post announcing his endorsement of Boafo. “He really knows the district. He knows the people. He’s served the people.”

Candidates Share Congressional Goals

Dunn reported raising over $550,000 on his first day as a candidate. He previously ran in the 3rd congressional district during the 2024 cycle and garnered endorsements from Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-NY) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS).

"I see the same aggression in ICE agents that I saw from Jan. 6 insurrectionists,” Dunn said in his announcement video, released Feb. 4. “So tell Donald Trump I'm coming back to the Capitol, this time with a vote, with oversight authority, with subpoena power, with the full constitutional authority granted to a member of the United States Congress.”

Collins, who filed on Feb. 12, was voted to lead the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments earlier this year, the first Charles County leader ever to serve in that role.

Further, Collins is the first African American to serve as president of the Charles County Commission and was

re-elected in 2022.

“Our region is resilient. We’ve come together on issues that go beyond boundaries, and I’m excited to build on that collaborative momentum to create lasting change,” he said following the vote. “COG provides a place for government officials from every area jurisdiction to provide their unique perspective and work on solutions.”

Williams is the chair of the Prince George’s County House delegation and serves as a deputy majority whip.

She is a sponsor of legislation to end the 287(g) agreements that allow local law enforcement to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which passed earlier this session.

“I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and lived in Maryland for over 20 years. I was raised by my mother and my grandparents - strong people who taught me resilience, responsibility, and the importance of standing up for others,” she said in an announcement on Feb. 23. “This region didn’t just become my workplace.

It became my extended home - and my purpose.”

She has been endorsed by Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, former chair of the economic matters committee and longtime delegate.

“I’ve known Nicole for more than 20 years and I’ve seen her commitment to creating economic opportunities for Maryland families,” Davis said in his endorsement statement.

“She understands the reality facing too many families from unaffordable groceries to housing costs and federal job losses. I know she will be the happy warrior that we need in Congress. I look forward to her representing us.”

Ellis filed for the seat after publicly stating his demand to vote on the proposed congressional redistricting.

“Redistricting will not fail in Maryland if it hits the Senate floor,” Ellis said in an interview with “Roland Martin Unfiltered.” “Democratic legislators here are elected by Democratic voters. The people who put us here are the boss.”

RACE Page 13

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RACE from Page 12 Baker served as the Prince George’s County Executive from 2011 to 2018 before losing in the 2018 gubernatorial election to Ben Jealous, the Democratic nominee who lost to former Gov. Larry Hogan. After serving as county executive, Baker ran for governor again in 2022 and then dropped out before the primary election. He also ran for county executive during the 2025 special election to replace now Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D), who stepped down to join the U.S. Senate.

“Bringing those years of experience to the challenges we face today is the reason I decided to run for this position,” Baker told WUSA9 shortly after filing for the seat. “So I think that's what it is, it's about immediately having an impact on people's lives.”

Marylanders Talk Hopes for Next District 5 Representative

Del. Tiffany Alston (D-District 24), who is vying for state Senate, is looking forward to strong congressional representation to partner with in Annapolis.

“As a resident of Congressional District 5, I will be proud to cast my vote for a candidate who is willing to stand up and fight against a tyrannical government and be a strong advocate for the people,” she continued.

LaTrece Hawkins Lytes, who is run-

5 Del. Tiffany Alston, who is vying for a state Senate seat, is looking for the next person representing District 5 in Congress to be a partner in Annapolis. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

ning for lieutenant governor alongside Eric Felber, would like to see Hoyer’s care for everyday Marylanders continue in the next representative.

“The next congressional member for 5th District has, as my senior community may say, ‘some big shoes to fill.’ With Congressman Steny Hoyer stepping down, he's leaving a lot of ground to be covered, such as federal facilities, five counties, colleges, and more,” Lytes told The Informer. “My running mate and I would like to see the next congressional representative chosen to care as much as Mr. Hoyer did. Always there to listen and ready to make a change when and where it's needed. My running mate and I are looking forward to working with whomever that may be.”

Carlos Childs, an activist from Charles County, said she wants to see Hoyer succeeded by a candidate who supports a progressive policy agenda.

“The next Congress person for District 5 needs to serve their constituents not special interest, have a Black agenda, be anti-genocide, fight for Medicare For All and support free public college and universities,” he told The Informer. “For too long District 5 has had a Congress person who put Israel, police, health insurance companies and corporations above the working class. We cannot afford to have a repeat!”

Pastors Kofi and Lachele Bryant Sr. of Inspired Life Ministries called Hoyer “a champion on many critical issues” and cite rising household costs and health care inaccessibility as core issues in this election.

“As we now prepare to elect his successor, we are looking for more than just a representative: we need a fighter. We need a congressional candidate who will not forget us once they reach Capitol Hill. In this deeply polarized political climate, far too many of our neighbors feel invisible, overlooked and left behind,” the couple told The Informer in a joint statement.

They said they are looking for a politician and champion to serve as the next District 5 congressperson.

“The next representative from our district,” the Bryants continued, “must be someone who will stand in the gap and fight to ensure that no family in the 5th District has to stand in a grocery store and make the heartbreaking choice between basic necessities they once could afford without a second thought.”

WI

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 13

BUSINESS

4 People attend a job fair in the District. A new DC Fiscal Policy Institute report reveals an economic divide in the District that leaves Black and Latino workers consistently locked out of the city’s prosperity. (WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)

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14 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

WORKERS from Page 4 “By broad measures, the District’s economy has often looked strong, but those gauges miss massive differences in wellbeing by race and ethnicity that are chronic,” the report states.

At the center of the disparity is income. White workers in Washington earned a median hourly wage of $52.69 in 2024. Black workers earned $29.61 and Latino workers $28.79. In other words, white workers earned roughly 1.8 times as much as their Black and Latino counterparts.

Those gaps appear across industries and occupations. Even in higher-paying roles such as managers or lawyers, Black workers earn substantially less than white workers holding the same positions.

Employment statistics tell a similar story. The unemployment rate for Black residents averaged 9.9% in the third quarter of 2025. Latino unemployment stood at 7.5%.

White residents faced a rate of just 3.6%, placing the District among the jurisdictions with the largest racial unemployment gaps in the country.

Underemployment reveals another layer of inequality. In 2024, 14.4% of Black workers and 12.1% of Latino workers were underemployed, compared with 3.7% of white workers.

Researchers say the disparities cannot be explained simply by education or job training.

“This reality is rooted in a long history of racism in policies and systems that denied Black and later non-Black people of color in D.C. equal access to quality education, jobs, and wealth-building opportunities,” the report explains.

Those historic barriers still shape the District’s economy today. The report traces the roots of the disparity back to the city’s earliest years when enslaved Black workers built much of the federal capital but were excluded from the wealth created there.

Later policies, including discriminatory housing practices, employment restrictions, and the exclusion of many Black occupations from early federal labor protections, further widened the gap.

One of the clearest examples appears in the cost of living. The District remains one of the most expensive places in the country to live.

Researchers found that a family of three with one adult and two children needs roughly $145,000 a year to achieve a basic standard of living in Washington. That figure is nearly two and a half times higher than the median income for Black households in the city.

Housing costs alone create enormous pressure. The fair market rent for a one-bedroom apartment reached about $2,056 a month in 2025. More than half of Black renters in the District spend over 30 percent of their income on housing, a level widely considered unaffordable.

Food, childcare, and utilities compound the burden. Residents face some of the highest grocery bills and childcare costs in the nation, with families paying an average of more than $47,000 a year for care for two young children.

“We keep trying to make D.C. something it’s not. D.C. is not Paris and the level of gentrification that has been forced on the city over the last 20 years has sucked the life and soul out of it,” the Rev.

WORKERS Page 15

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BUSINESS Women’s History Month: Estate Planning as an Act of Self-Care

By Aimee D. Griffin, Esq.

5 Researchers say reversing the racial disparities of the District’s federal workforce will require deliberate action from city leaders. (WI File Photo)

WORKERS from Page 14 Melech Thomas, known as the “Black Twitter Pastor,” wrote on X. “Rent is high, drinks are $25, and new residents want the city’s identity to fit themselves.”

Federal Challenges Affecting District Residents

The report warns that federal workforce cuts, immigration enforcement actions, and reductions in social safety-net programs could disproportionately harm Black and Latino workers in Washington.

Federal employment has historically served as one of the most stable paths into the middle class for Black households in the District.

Nearly 29% of the city’s federal workforce was Black as recently as 2024.

Researchers say reversing the disparities will require deliberate action from city leaders.

“D.C. policymakers must take

strong actions, including those laid out in the final section of this report, to meet this challenging moment for Black and Latino workers and redress chronic racial disparities to make the District’s economy one in which all residents can thrive,” researchers concluded.

WI

At the center of the disparity is income.

White workers in Washington earned a median hourly wage of $52.69 in 2024.

Black workers earned $29.61 and Latino workers $28.79.

duces confusion, preserves resources, and protects the homes and property so many families worked generations to secure.

For women who are entrepreneurs or professionals, planning also safeguards businesses and professional practices. Without a plan, a thriving enterprise can unravel quickly.

For Black women especially, estate planning is transformative. Historically, Black families have experienced disproportionate land loss, heirs’ property disputes, and forced sales due to lack of formal planning. Too many families have lost generational wealth not because of poor stewardship, but because of inadequate legal structure.

Women have always carried the weight of history.

We are caregivers, culture keepers, and community builders. We manage households, coordinate medical care, lead businesses, serve in our churches, and hold our families together. We remember the birthdays, the deadlines, the prescriptions, and the tuition payments. We show up — consistently.

Yet when it comes to protecting ourselves, we often come last.

Women’s History Month celebrates our resilience and leadership. But it also invites reflection. If we are honest, many women are exhausted from pouring into everyone else. One of the most overlooked forms of personal care for women — particularly Black women — is estate planning.

Women are more likely to serve as primary caregivers for children and aging parents. We often experi- Planning interrupts that pattern. ence career interruptions due to caregiving responsiIt says: bilities. We live longer than men, yet frequently retire “My labor will not be lost.” with fewer resources. Despite this reality, many wom“My children will not have to fight.” en delay creating comprehensive estate plans.

“My assets will transfer with clarity.”

Why? Estate planning is not just financial — it is foundaBecause it feels like one more task on an already tional. It protects the story of what you built. overwhelming list.

Many women avoid planning because it requires conWe say, “I’ll get to it after the kids graduate,” or fronting mortality. But planning does not invite death; “Once work slows down,” or “I don’t have enough it strengthens life. assets to worry about that.”

When your affairs are in order, you lead differently.

But estate planning is not about how much you You parent differently. You move with confidence rather have. It is about how well you are protected. than quiet anxiety. You create from a place of security.

We understand self-care when it looks like annual This Women’s History Month, let us redefine estate physicals, therapy appointments, gym memberships, planning as: or quiet mornings of reflection. But estate planning • A wellness practice rarely enters that conversation.

• A leadership decision When a woman creates a Durable Power of Attor• A love language ney, she chooses who can manage her financial life if • An act of stewardship she becomes incapacitated. When she signs a Health Self-care is not selfish. It is strategic.

Care Proxy and Advance Directive, she determines If you do nothing else this month, identify who who will speak for her and what medical choices align would make medical decisions for you if you could not with her values. When she prepares a Last Will and speak. Decide who would manage your finances in an Testament or Revocable Living Trust, she decides how emergency. Then take the next step to formalize those her assets will pass and who will care for her minor choices. children.

Women have always shown up for everyone else. Now That is not just paperwork. is the time to show up for yourself.

That is protection.

Estate planning is not simply about preparing for That is dignity. death. It is about preserving agency, protecting dignity, of keeping our That is peace of mind. and ensuring that the legacy of your life continues on community Estate planning ensures that if something happens, informed! your terms. your loved ones are not left guessing or fighting in www.washingtoninformer.com And that may be one of the most powerful acts of selfcourt. It re- care you can choose.

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. Life and Legacy Counselors 1401 Mercantile Lane, Ste 271, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Ste 440 Washington, DC 20015 1100 N. Glebe Road, Ste 1010, Arlington, VA 22201 www.yourestateplanningattorney.com (855) 574-8481 connects all locations

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 15

NATIONAL Henrietta Lacks Family Secures Settlement with Novartis Over HeLa Cells

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The family of Henrietta Lacks has reached a confidential settlement with pharmaceutical giant Novartis, resolving a lawsuit that accused the company of profiting from the use of her cells more than 70 years after they were taken without her knowledge.

“Members of the family of Henrietta Lacks and Novartis are pleased they were able to find a way to resolve this matter filed by Henrietta Lacks’s estate outside of

court,” the family and the company said in a joint statement. “The terms of the agreement are confidential.”

The lawsuit alleged unjust enrichment, arguing that Novartis used the HeLa cell line in research and development without ever compensating Lacks’ estate. The case was filed in federal court in Maryland, where Lacks was treated in 1951 for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Doctors removed a sample of her tumor without informing her or seeking consent. Those cells did

5 Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) with Henrietta Lacks’ family and civil rights attorney Ben Crump in 2023.

The Lacks family is pleased after reaching a confidential settlement with pharmaceutical giant Novartis, which was accused of profiting from the use of her cells more than 70 years after they were taken without her knowledge. (Courtesy File Photo/Mark Mahoney)

something no other human cells had done before. They continued to multiply, becoming the first immortal human cell line.

HeLa cells have since played a role in some of the most significant medical breakthroughs of the modern era, including development of the polio vaccine and advances in cancer treatment, HIV

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16 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

and AIDS research, gene mapping, cloning and in vitro fertilization.

The cells have been bought and sold by the billions while Lacks herself was buried in an unmarked grave and her family often struggled to afford health care.

Nearly three years ago, the Lacks family reached a separate settlement with Thermo Fisher Scientific under undisclosed terms. Other lawsuits against biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies remain pending.

Lacks died in 1951 at age 31, months after her diagnosis. Her cells remain alive in laboratories

around the world, still used in research that generates patents, products and profits.

Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Lacks estate, said the agreement with Novartis marks a turning point in a long fight for accountability.

“For the family and her grandchildren, this is certainly justice because people said they would never realize any benefit or compensation from her immortal HeLa cells, even though these pharmaceutical companies were profiting billions and billions of dollars,” Crump said. WI

MARCH from Page 1

community. That we nurture and care for this place.”

Organized by several Washington, D.C. coalitions, such as DC Against Trump and Movimiento Migrante DC, speakers exhorted the crowd before protesters took to the streets chanting pointed messages, such as: “Women rule, cops drool” and “Abortion and trans rights, same struggle same fight.”

Daniella Anello, CEO of DC Bilingual Public Charter School, honored women not able to publicly rally and speak due to the realities of trying to survive conditions imposed on them.

Having moved to the U.S. when she was 4 years old, Anello said watching the current, violent ICE arrests often gives her flashbacks.

Further, as a community lead-

“We are not just here to fight, we are here to celebrate,” said Nadia Salazar, one of the speakers at the Sunday march and a community organizer. “Let’s celebrate how well we are fighting, how well we are showing up, how well we are resisting.”

For Salazar, who migrated to the U.S. from Bolivia with parents at the age of 10, Sunday’s march was very personal. As she navigates the world as an immigrant and parent, she spoke about the importance of standing up for immigrant mothers, particularly against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“They are not ashamed to rip mothers from their children,” Salazar said. “We are here to remind them that these are our streets, our

MARCH Page 29

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HEALTH Study Reveals that Most Surgery Patients Don’t Finish Critical At-Home Therapy the likelihood of complications

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer A new national survey from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center finds that most surgical patients are undermining their own recoveries by failing to complete prescribed at-home physical therapy exercises, a gap clinicians warn can stall healing and even jeopardize surgical outcomes.

Three out of four patients are not finishing their assigned home programs.

According to the survey, 76% of patients did not complete all their prescribed at-home physical therapy sessions, a lapse that clinicians say can slow strength gains, prolong pain, and delay a safe return to normal function.

Physical therapy is not limited to what happens inside the clinic.

Recovery depends heavily on what patients do between visits, said Kyle Smith, a physical therapist at Ohio State.

“As physical therapists, we need to educate patients that it is going to take some work on their end to reach the goals they have to ultimately build strength and mobility and decrease the body's pain sensitivity,” Smith insisted.

The survey, conducted among 1,006 Americans, asked respondents what share of their assigned at-home physical therapy sessions they completed. Only 24% reported completing all their assigned exercises. Another 28% completed 75 to 99 percent of sessions, 27% completed 50 to 74%, 11% completed 25 to 49%, and 8% completed just 1 to 25%.

The reasons for falling short were revealing. Forty percent said they forgot or had no reminders, making that the most common explanation. Thirty-three percent cited lack of time or schedule conflicts. Others said the exercises were boring or repetitive, that they did not see results quickly, or that they feared pain or further injury.

The data also reveal generational differences. Adults 65 and older were more likely than those under 30 to complete all their at-home exercises, 30% compared to 12%.

Younger adults were three times more likely to complete only a small fraction of their prescribed sessions.

From a public health perspective, officials noted that these findings raise concerns beyond individual inconvenience. Incomplete rehabilitation can translate into longer recovery timelines, persistent functional limitations, and increased health care utilization. In orthopedic and post-surgical settings, adherence to therapy is directly tied to regaining range of motion, rebuilding muscle strength, and preventing complications such as joint stiffness and chronic pain.

“When it comes to outpatient physical therapy, the majority of progress with rehabilitation takes place at home. Therefore, the home rehab exercise program is of utmost importance,” Chartered Care wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The study authors noted that incomplete rehabilitation does more than slow progress, it can extend recovery timelines, limit long-term mobility, and increase

that require additional medical attention. They noted that surgeons may repair a joint or stabilize an injury in the operating room, but lasting improvement depends on what happens afterward — repetition, consistency, and disciplined follow-through at home.

Experts said that physical therapy is designed to retrain muscles, restore range of motion, and recalibrate pain responses, but those gains require sustained participation outside the clinic.

While the Ohio State findings focus on recovery behavior, the authors land in a medical system already grappling with disparities in who enters and advances in surgical fields. A 2021 perspective published in the journal Annals of Surgery titled “The State of Diversity in American Surgery” documented persistent underrepresentation of Black, Native American, and Latinx physicians in surgical training.

3 A new national survey finds that most surgical patients are undermining their own recoveries by failing to complete prescribed at-home physical therapy exercises. (WI File Photo/ Ja’Mon Jackson)

The authors of that study reported that although Black and Latinx individuals comprise 13.4% and 18.5% of the U.S. population, only 5.6% and 7.1% of surgeons in training are Black and Latinx, respectively Nationally, 70% of Black surgical residents, 46% of Asian residents, and 25% of Latinx residents reported experiencing discrimination, compared with 13% of white respondents.

Taken together, the newer Ohio State survey and the earlier diversity analysis illustrate two distinct but connected challenges in American surgery: patient adherence on the one hand, and workforce equity on the other. Experts agreed that recovery from surgery is not solely a technical feat performed in an operating room. It depends on sustained effort, clear communication, and trust between patients and providers.

When patients do not complete

prescribed therapy, progress can stall. When institutions fail to foster inclusive training environments, representation stalls as well.

Both trends carry consequences for outcomes, access, and public confidence in surgical care.

For clinicians like Smith, the message is direct. The hours in the clinic are only the beginning.

What patients do at home, consistently and correctly, may determine whether surgery fulfills its promise or falls short.

He said patients often underestimate how much of their recovery hinges on the hours between appointments.

“The one to three hours per week a patient spends in physical therapy pales in comparison to the 168 hours we have in a given week,” Smith outlined. “And that one to three hours patients are physically in the clinic is not enough to make big changes in the grand scheme of things.” WI

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 19-2026 FIRE ALARM SYSTEM PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT SERVICES The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) requires licensed, qualified professionals to provide Fire Alarm System Preventive Maintenance and Repair services at various DCHA Properties.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available March 5, 2026, full solicitation documents will be posted to our e-procurement system Housing Agency Marketplace at: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506 Respondents must log in to view this RFP for all related documents. It is the respondent’s responsibility to check the Housing Agency Market Place site regularly to stay current on all available documents as this is the primary communication site solicitation.

PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 12:00 PM Email LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod, Contract Specialist (OAS) at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org for additional information.

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Putin Ally Warns Trump Decision Could Ignite Third World War

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Russia’s furious response to the U.S.-Israel strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader has intensified global tensions and sharpened scrutiny of President Donald Trump’s trajectory at home and abroad.

A senior ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an extraordinary warning after the strike that resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a move that has dramatically escalated tensions across the Middle East.

The U.K. Express reported that Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and current deputy chairman of the Security Council, accused Trump of pushing the world toward catastrophe.

“Has the Third World War already begun, or is the world still not entering it, are we balancing?” Medvedev said. “Formally, no, but if Trump continues his insane course of criminal regime change, it will undoubtedly begin. And any event could trigger it.

Any event. This is a war by the U.S. and its allies to maintain global dominance. The pigs don't want to give up their trough.”

Medvedev added that the strike could carry consequences far beyond Tehran.

“Trump made a grave mistake.

With his decision, he put all Americans under potential attack, even though the Iranian regime is not wellliked in neighboring Arab countries,” Medvedev said. “The main thing is that the late Ayatollah was the spiritual father of nearly 300 million Shiites. And now he's also a martyr.

You can fill in the rest yourself. And now there's no doubt that Iran will redouble its efforts to develop nuclear weapons.”

The joint U.S.-Israel operation on Feb. 28 triggered immediate aftershocks. Israel has continued launching additional strikes in Tehran, fueling fears of a widening regional war.

Putin condemned the killing in unusually strong language, calling it “a murder committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”

Medvedev followed with another message on social media.

“The peacekeeper is at it again. The

5 An ally of President Vladimir Putin warns that the strike that resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dramatically escalated tensions across the Middle East. (Courtesy Photo)

talks with Iran were just a cover. Everyone knew that,” Medvedev wrote.

“So, who has more patience to wait for the enemy’s sorry end now? The US is just 249 years old. The Persian Empire was founded over 2,500 years ago. Let’s see what happens in 100 years or so.”

Russian state-aligned voices also escalated their rhetoric.

Dimitri Simes, an American political analyst frequently featured in Russian media, argued that Washington’s actions created strategic openings for Moscow.

“Estonia is waging war against us,” Simes said. “I think we should give it some thought that Mr. Trump unwittingly created political and psychological opportunities for us, he untied our hands for our Supreme Commander in chief to do whatever he finds appropriate to do for the nation’s security.”

‘We’re Already Well Into a Dictatorship’

The international fallout has again defined Trump’s second term by intensifying clashes over executive authority.

In a February 2026 interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, Atlantic writer Robert Kagan warned that the United States may already be approaching authoritarian rule.

“I think we're already well into a dictatorship,” Kagan said, arguing that Trump’s consolidation of federal agencies and efforts to control election structures mark a decisive shift.

Polling suggests those concerns ex-

tend well beyond Washington insiders.

A Navigator Research survey released in April 2025 found that 63% of Americans say Trump believes he is above the law. Majorities of independents and non-MAGA Republicans agreed.

The same report found that 65% of Americans view Trump’s violation of court rulings as concerning and 60% see his comments about pursuing a third term as a threat to democracy.

Legal scholars have documented repeated constitutional disputes. A May 2025 analysis from the Center for American Progress examined executive orders invoking the Alien Enemies Act, targeting law firms, and testing limits on presidential authority. The report’s conclusion was direct.

“The short answer is no,” the analysis stated when addressing whether certain presidential actions were constitutional.

In Washington, D.C., where the White House, Supreme Court, and Congress sit within blocks of one another, the constitutional confrontation has caused massive tremors.

Federal judges in the District have issued rulings blocking certain executive actions as the Supreme Court continues to face mounting pressure to define the outer limits of presidential authority.

Meanwhile, heightened security measures have been visible around federal buildings following the Iran strike, reflecting concerns about potential retaliation in the nation’s capital.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Tips on Managing Money Stress Sponsored by JPMorganChase If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for everyone, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Chase’s Community Manager in D.C, Aja Clark, has a few strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress:

1. Understand what causes financial stress

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health.

These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. This can include paying for school or paying off student loans, building an emergency fund,

builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan a nd stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

If you have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing your debt obligations, one option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

It can seem daunting at first, but it can be motivating to see your emergency fund grow over time.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect your health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you.

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 party products, services, or other content.

Deposit products provided JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. © 2026 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

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DCPSC Awards $3M Contract for Solar Pilot Project in D.C.

By WI Web Staff

The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (DCPSC) has awarded a $3 million contract for a solar aggregation pilot project aimed at expanding renewable energy and improving the reliability of the District’s electric grid.

Announced Feb. 24, the project will be led by clean energy developer Ecogy Energy, in partnership with grid technology company Ecosuite.

The initiative is part of the Commission’s “PowerPath DC” program, which focuses on modernizing the District’s energy delivery system and testing innovative energy solutions.

Ecogy Energy, a company that develops and operates renewable energy systems, will manage the project using three solar installations it already owns in the District. Ecosuite will provide the technology platform that connects and coordinates the solar systems, allowing them to communicate with the electric grid in real time.

“This is a big win for the District,” said DCPSC Chairman

Emile Thompson in a statement.

The project will upgrade the existing solar sites with advanced software and secure communication systems that allow two-way interaction with the grid. Officials say this technology will help the solar systems operate together as a coordinated network rather than as individual energy sources.

During the pilot, additional clean energy technologies may also be installed at the participating locations. These could include battery storage systems, energy-efficient building technologies and electric vehicle charging stations.

By coordinating these systems, often referred to as distributed energy resources, the project could reduce strain on the electric grid during times of high demand. It may also lower costs for connecting renewable energy systems to the grid while improving reliability during extreme weather events.

“This pilot project,” Thompson said, “has the potential to deploy solar power into the District that uses advanced inverter technology to keep the grid more stable and reliable.”

WI

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5 Solar panels on a D.C. balcony. The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia’s “PowerPath DC” program, is a solar aggregation pilot project focusing on expanding renewable energy and improving the reliability of the District’s electric grid.

(WI File Photo)

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EDUCATION Howard’s 159th Charter Day Celebrates History, Community and Alumni Achievement

By Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer Students, alumni, faculty and supporters of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) united March 6-7 to celebrate Howard University’s 159th Annual Charter Day, commemorating the institution’s history, commitment to educational excellence and intentional work to build changemakers of the past, present and future.

The annual celebration— featuring a convocation on March 6 and awards dinner on March 7— commemorates the founding of Howard University in 1867, when it was established to educate newly freed African Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War. Today, Charter Day serves as one of the university’s most important traditions, bringing together generations of the Howard community to reflect on its mission of “truth and service.” “[We’re celebrating] not just the founding of Howard University, but the enduring idea that education rooted in purpose can change the trajectory of individuals, and through them, nations,” said Howard Interim President Wayne A.I. Frederick.

The convocation, held at Cramton Auditorium, celebrated the university’s history and legacy, while the 102nd Charter Day Dinner on Saturday at the Marriott Marquis in downtown, D.C., honored alumni Dr. Jelani Cobb, Judge Herbert B. Dixon Jr., Kamilah Forbes, and James K. Fortson for their professional achievements.

“The things that I’m doing now are largely a product of [a] class I took when I was 18 years old,” said Cobb, in reference to a Black diaspora course taught by late Howard professor Adell Patton Jr. Throughout the weekend, attendees emphasized the importance of connection between students, alumni and the

broader Howard community as the university continues to build on nearly 160 years of history.

“From classrooms to communities, Howard continues to invest in possibility before the world sees it,” Frederick emphasized.

Students Reflect on Community and Connection

For many students in attendance, the weekend was an opportunity to connect with alumni and build intergenerational relationships that extend beyond Howard University’s campus.

“I think it’s super important to be here,” said Tara Gray, a third-year prelaw English major from Tampa, Florida and campus section editor for The Hilltop. “It’s a really good opportunity for networking and just making new connections.”

Students also reflected on Howard’s broader legacy and their responsibility to continue building and further the institution’s influence and reputation across the globe.

“Tonight reminds us that Howard’s legacy is not just history, but it’s something we continue to build on every single day,” said Ainslie Stowes, a second-year biology major with a chemistry minor.

As she prepares to receive her degree in May, Meagan Vanzie, a senior health science major, said the weekend was also about showing appreciation to the Howard graduates who continue to bolster the university.

“I’m here to give thanks to all of the alumni,” Vanzie told The Informer, “and just show gratitude for the support that they’ve shown.”

5 Phylicia Rashad speaks to attendees during the 102nd Howard University Charter Day Dinner on Saturday, March 7.

(Demarco Rush/The Washington Informer)

Howard University’s contributions across the globe, the 102nd Charter Day dinner honored accomplished alumni whose careers reflect the institution’s long-standing influence across industries.

Cobb, who received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement due to his work in the world of journalism, reflected on the role his alma mater played in shaping his worldview and career.

“What I took from Howard was the importance of being able to tell the story of your community, how you expe-

Honoring Alumni Achievement, Inspiring the Next Generation

During a weekend celebrating

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rienced history, and what your impact had been on shaping that history,” he told The Informer.

A celebrated author of books such as “The Substance of Hope” (2010) and “Three or More is a Riot” (2025), Cobb added that Howard’s influence on him extended far beyond his time as a student.

“With the exception of my family,” he said, “no other institution has had as much of an impact on who I am as Howard.

For current students, hearing directly from accomplished alumni like

Cobb, dean of Columbia Journalism School, served as both inspiration and motivation.

Emir Garrett, in his second year at Howard’s College of Dentistry, said seeing successful doctors and graduates return for Convocation Day offered encouragement for the road ahead.

“These are all people that we aspire to be as student doctors,” Garrett told The Informer. “They’ve come so far [and] accomplished so much and we just hope to follow in their footsteps and create our own legacy one day.” WI

Congrats Abigail Abigail Elias is a 5th Grader at Hyde-Addison Elementary DCPS. Abigail dances/ drums for the Coyaba Dance Theater, member of the Mass Emphasis Children’s History and Theater Company, member of the DMV NSBE Jr. Chapter‘s FLL Robotics Challenge, Novice debater in Washington Urban Debate League, and competes with DC Wave Swim Team. Abigail attends Turner Memorial AME Church, enjoys spending time with her grandmothers, and listens to WPFW-FM daily.

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EDITORIAL

Congress Must Reclaim its Constitutional War Powers

Presidential Military Actions Without Approval Undermine Democracy, Accountability The U.S. Constitution clearly defines a major decision for the nation: whether to go to war.

Article I, Section 8 gives Congress—not the president—the power to declare war. While the president serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, the authority to send the nation into extended conflict is deliberately given to the people’s representatives.

This constitutional setup exists to prevent any one leader from unilaterally dragging the country into war.

Yet, history shows how often that principle has been overlooked.

Most recently, Republican President Donald Trump took U.S. military action against Iran without first consulting Congress.

The outcome has already been tragic: at least seven Americans have been killed as the conflict worsens. These deaths highlight

why the founders insisted that decisions about war should involve broad national debate, not just a single executive decision.

To clarify, Trump is not the only president to sideline Congress.

Presidents from both parties have frequently stretched or bypassed congressional authority for decades. From Korea and Vietnam to interventions in Libya and Syria, commanders in chief— including President Barack Obama (D) — have initiated or expanded military actions without a formal declaration of war. Since World War II, the United States has participated in many conflicts without Congress officially declaring war, instead relying on limited authorizations or presidential powers.

Recognizing this growing imbalance, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973 to reaffirm its constitutional authority.

The law requires presidents to inform Congress when U.S. forces engage in hostilities and to seek approval within 60 days or withdraw troops. However, in practice, presidents from both parties have often treated the law as advisory rather than legally enforceable.

This issue should concern all Americans, regardless of their political party. War is not just a campaign talking point or a partisan weapon. It impacts American lives, costs billions in taxpayer dollars, and has consequences that could reshape global stability for generations.

Congress must stop relinquishing its authority and reclaim its constitutional duty. When the nation goes to war, the decision should reflect the will of the American people, not the sole judgment of any president, Democrat or Republican. WI

War in Iran? ‘What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing!’

The inevitability of prolonged war looms on the American horizon, provoked by the White House and its determination to “make America great again” and exert its power over the world.

However, it’s not the first time that this nation has sought to dominate other people, races, indigenous populations, or lands because of the belief in Manifest Destiny, which has guided decisions on U.S. territorial expansion and foreign influence since the 19th century, if not earlier.

But how are Americans responding? In many instances, the

voice of reason has come not from the political vanguard, but from creatives – songwriters, poets, and artists.

Such was the case in 1969, when a Motown duo of songwriters penned a counterculture-era soul song entitled, “War.” First recorded by The Temptations and re-recorded with Edwin Starr as the vocalist in 1970, “War,” with its anti-Vietnam themed message, became one of the most popular protest songs ever recorded, but not without those who refuted its words. In fact, it counts as one of 161 songs

Could America be on the brink of another Vietnam? Perhaps, but only if members of Congress fail to do their job and represent their constituencies.

on the no-play list issued by Clear Channel following the events of September 11, 2001.

Sadly, some things never change.

And so here we are, led, in part, by white, male, Christian Nationalists who proclaim to be destined

by God to expand, “civilize,” and settle not only the continent but the world. As an example, just days ago, Congress failed to pass the War Powers Resolution, thereby clearing the way for the Trump administration to continue its current military actions against Iran without legislative constraints.

Perhaps many Americans are not surprised but we should be, if for no other reason than the socalled explanation for why America has joined forces with Israel in this war.

For now, shifting explanations provide no clear analysis for why the U.S. attacked when it did, and what the specific goals are for spending billions of dollars on a foreign war, as Americans, back home, struggle to put food on their tables.

Could America be on the brink of another Vietnam? Perhaps, but only if members of Congress

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TO THE EDITOR “Ninety-five years is an incredible run, especially spanning over 60 years as a central figure in D.C.’s jazz scene. It’s remarkable how figures like Bobby Felder manage to be both celebrated performers and dedicated educators. I wonder what advice he often gave his students about navigating the evolving music landscape over those decades.”

- Melocool Music, in reference to the article: Remembering Jazz Legend, Educator Robert ‘Bobby’ Felder”

“This is so amazing. I love seeing us warriors be venerable and speak up about our struggles and in such a creative way. Your story is making a difference in our community. Such an inspiration to so many warriors such as myself. Can’t wait to see the film. Rooting for you!”

- Adri, in reference to the article “From IV Lines and Hospital Tubing to Punchlines and International Stages.”

fail to do their job and represent their constituencies. Only if our nation has given up on a federal government divided by three coequal branches as established by the Constitution, that maintains a separation of powers and will ensure that no single entity becomes too powerful.

In the meantime, many activists and Democratic leaders are push-

ing back against the president’s decision to enter into war and warning of the widespread damage such conflict can cause for the world and Americans alike.

The famous chorus sung by Starr, posits that conflict resulted not in glory but destruction: “War, huh, yeah. What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing!”

WI

MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 23

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Dr. Sharon M. Holder

Women of Color Shape Our Past and Future

Every March, Women's History Month invites us to pause and honor the women whose courage, intellect and leadership have shaped our world.

This year, that invitation feels especially urgent. We are living in a time when history is being rewritten, when DEI is being recast as a threat, and when the stories we choose to uplift matter more than ever. The stories of women of color

must be centered, celebrated and carried forward with intention.

For centuries, women of color have been architects of progress, even when history tried to confine them to the margins. They have led movements, built institutions, transformed culture, and expanded the boundaries of justice, leadership and community. Their contributions are not postscripts; they are landmarks. Yet too often, their brilliance has been acknowledged only in hindsight. Women's History Month offers a chance to correct that imbalance — not only by remembering the past, but by

Guest Columnist

recognizing their leadership unfolding before us.

This legacy lives in Harriet Tubman, whose courage and strategic brilliance transformed the Underground Railroad into one of the boldest freedom operations in American history. In Barbara Jordan, whose moral clarity reshaped the nation's understanding of justice and constitutional responsibility. In Madam C.J. Walker, expanding both the beauty industry and the economic horizons of Black women. It dances in Josephine Baker, who challenged racism and resisted fascism. In Ida B. Wells and

Dolores Huerta, who wielded truth and determination in pursuit of justice. In Chien-Shiung Wu, whose experiments altered science, and Shirley Chisholm, whose political courage expanded the very definition of leadership. These women did more than break barriers; they built new worlds.

A powerful throughline in the leadership of women of color is how they lead: collaboratively, creatively, relationally, and with deep responsibility to community. Their leadership is grounded not in hierarchy but in connection — in the belief that progress is something

we build together.

We see this in Kamala Harris, whose presence expands the boundaries of possibility; in Ketanji Brown Jackson; in Oprah Winfrey; and in Toni Morrison, who insisted that the interior lives of Black women are essential to the human story. It resonates in Simone Biles and Serena Williams, redefining strength through excellence and self-belief.

Today, women of color continue to drive breakthroughs in medicine, technology, the arts, politics and envi-

HOLDER Page 41

Louis J. King II

Economic Empowerment Has Always Been a Part of Black History

As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, I'm reflecting on the century of economic volatility and roadblocks that have often defined the experiences of disenfranchised communities.

Our collective legacy is marked by resilience in overcoming the economic challenges faced while trying to achieve the American dream.

For the last 50 years, many have pushed a single narrative: success can only come from a four-year college degree. While this opened pathways to education, access and wealth creation, this singular focus doesn't account for the diverse ways people work to make our world function.

That path doesn't fit everyone, and it doesn't have to. The best-kept secret is out: a career in the trades.

Starting a career in the skilled trades now means entering an industry with financially rewarding,

Guest Columnist

in-demand careers that are essential to the future of our economy.

Skilled trades — like construction, plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, masonry and HVAC — are not only in high demand but also recession-resistant. As America rebuilds its infrastructure, provides disaster relief and moves toward a greener economy, these trades are leading the way. At OIC of America, we are building America's workforce by enrolling thousands of people per year to start their careers in the skilled trades.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 500,000 skilled trade workers are needed each year to fill open positions. With roughly 40% of skilled trades workers expected to retire over the next decade, demand will continue to grow and more pathways to the middle class will open. These are careers that can't be outsourced and that AI won't replace. They require technical know-how, problem-solving skills and hands-on training — another pathway to a financially stable life.

At OIC of America, along with our affiliates across the country, we're working to dismantle the negative assumptions around vocational careers and open doors for young people and adults alike to explore these life-changing opportunities.

We're also making sure women, returning citizens, and multicultural and multigenerational communities are at the table — and in the field — where these good-paying jobs are waiting. By 2030, we're on track to

KING Page 41

Keith Magee

America Is Experiencing the Age of the Dominus: Our Moment of Truth

America is struggling to describe what it is living through in President Donald Trump's second term.

The language we keep reaching for — "authoritarian," "strongman," "dictator" — doesn't quite fit. Those words imply a rupture, a dramatic overthrow of democracy. What we are witnessing instead appears more incremental, more procedural, and

24 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

therefore more difficult to confront.

As Amnesty International recently warned, democratic erosion in the United States is occurring not through open collapse, but through the steady narrowing of civic space, the weakening of checks and balances, and the normalization of exceptional executive power.

Recently, in conversation with a close friend about the state of America and the presidency, we found ourselves less angry than tired. Not outraged, just disoriented. We weren't debating policy or rehearsing argu-

ments; we were sitting with a shared unease. What do we even call this that will awaken all of us? he asked.

And in that moment, I realized how much of our political crisis is also a crisis of language.

We still vote. Courts still sit. Congress still meets. The Constitution still exists. And yet, many citizens — whether they support Trump or oppose him — sense that something fundamental has shifted. Power no longer seems to live primarily in institutions. It seems to live in a person, or at least in the idea of one. Polit-

ical scientists have begun to name this transformation directly. A recent study in Political Science Quarterly argues that Trump's return to office has accelerated the personalization of authority and weakened the informal democratic norms that once restrained executive power.

There is an older word for this kind of moment: Dominus. Even before arriving at that term, scholars have noted how difficult it is to classify Trumpism using familiar categories.

A recent analysis from Harvard's Ash Center observes that Trump's gov-

erning style operates within democratic forms while steadily hollowing out their substance — making labels like "authoritarian" feel simultaneously true and insufficient.

Dominus is Latin for "master" or "lord." In Roman political thought, it described a form of authority where one figure effectively owned the system in practice, even though the system still existed in form. The laws remained. The offices remained.

But real power flowed through per-

MAGEE Page 41

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

Women: The Backbone of the Movement

I attended the memorial services this week honoring Jesse Jackson, joining thousands who gathered to celebrate the life of a man whose voice shaped the modern civil rights movement. As speaker after speaker reflected on the Rev. Jackson's extraordinary life — his preaching, his presidential campaigns, his global advocacy for justice — I found myself watching

another figure whose presence told an equally important story about the movement itself.

Jacqueline Jackson sat quietly through much of the program, dignified and steady, the way she has been throughout decades of public life alongside her husband. Watching her, I was reminded that the history of the civil rights movement is often told through the voices of its most visible male leaders while the women who sustained that work remain less fully acknowledged. We remember Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Jackson, and

other towering figures who helped move this nation toward justice, and rightly so. But movements do not survive on charismatic leadership alone.

They endure because women hold them together.

Jacqueline Jackson has lived that truth for decades. Anyone who has spent time in the civil rights community understands that the work does not end when speeches conclude or cameras turn away. The movement is sustained through meetings that stretch late into the evening, through endless travel, through community

Guest Columnist

gatherings and quiet organizing, and through the emotional toll of confronting injustice day after day. Families live that life alongside movement leaders, sharing both its burdens and its purpose. Yet Jacqueline Jackson has never been merely a supportive spouse standing quietly in the background.

She has participated in the struggle in her own right, traveling with delegations and bearing witness to injustice not only in the United States but across the broader African diaspora.

Those journeys often echo a much older story about freedom struggles in

the Americas. Long before the modern civil rights movement, enslaved Africans who escaped bondage formed independent communities throughout the hemisphere, known as Maroon societies. From the mountains of Jamaica to the forests of Brazil and the interior regions of South America, these communities created spaces of autonomy and resistance that endured against extraordinary odds. Their history reminds us that the struggle for dignity and self-determination has

expectancy for many working-class Americans has fallen. Addiction and suicide have devastated entire towns.

Acknowledging white advantage doesn't deny any of that.

It simply says this: if two people walk into the same job interview with the same résumé, race still affects the outcome. If two families try to build wealth across generations, race still shapes the odds. Social scientists have measured this for years. In a wellknown study, Princeton sociologist Devah Pager sent out identical résumés to employers.

Applicants with traditionally white-sounding names received far more callbacks than those with Black-sounding names, even when their qualifications were the same.

Suffering and advantage can exist at the same time.

My father understood something many activists forget: language can open conversations, or it can shut them down.

For decades he worked with thousands of men — mostly white —

MALVEAUX Page 42

Ben Jealous

The White Privilege Predicament

Last week I wrote about something my father, who is white, has said for years: when many white Americans hear the phrase "white privilege," they respond by listing all the ways their lives have been hard. But if you talk about "white advantage," the conversation changes. Advantage is measurable. It doesn't erase suffering.

It simply acknowledges that race still

tilts the system.

After that column ran, readers reached out asking me to elaborate.

To understand why, we have to go back to the beginning of the American story.

Early in colonial America, poor Europeans and enslaved Africans sometimes recognized that they shared a common predicament. They ran away together. They rebelled together. For a brief moment in our history, working people across color lines sometimes saw each other as allies rather than enemies.

Guest Columnist

That possibility deeply unsettled the people who held power. So over time, colonial elites built a system designed to prevent that unity. Europeans were given small advantages — permission to carry weapons, positions in militias, small measures of authority over enslaved Africans. At the same time, racial contempt was deliberately cultivated between the groups.

Racism itself became a tool of political control. The wedge worked. In many ways, it still does.

White communities across America are hurting. Factories have closed. Life

JEALOUS Page 42

Cristina Johnson

Beyond the Battlefield: Advancing Equity for Black Veterans in D.C.

Over the past generations, African Americans have devoted themselves to serving in the military even while confronting barriers within the very society they swore to defend. From earlier conflicts to more recent deployments, their contributions have significantly shaped the nation's security and global standing. However, the essence of that duty has often extended beyond the

battlefield because, for many Black personnel, their dedication has likewise represented a powerful affirmation of belonging, citizenship, and equal opportunity. And that legacy is particularly evident in the country's capital — Washington, D.C. — which hosts not only federal agencies overseeing veteran programs but also more than 12,000 people of color who have proudly worn the uniform. While their service is widely recognized, ongoing efforts remain essential to ensure they have seamless access to the care, resources, and benefits they urgently need. Amid

recent policy shifts that influenced the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, maintaining and enhancing these support mechanisms has never been more critical to translate acknowledgment into meaningful outcomes.

Persistent Barriers Facing Washington, D.C., Black Veterans

Even after leaving active duty, thousands of Black veterans in Washington, D.C., navigate a complex landscape of

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post-service burdens. For many, among the most consequential — and often overlooked — stems from prolonged exposure to hazardous substances, such as Agent Orange, mustard gas, lewisite, asbestos, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), lead, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and radiation.

These materials have become indispensable in wartime operations, particularly in building and sustaining military facilities, equipment, armaments, vehicles, tanks, trucks, vessels, and aircraft hangars.

In the capital region, one notorious

installation severely contaminated with such harmful chemicals was the Washington Navy Yard, which has been classified as a Superfund site after rigorous testing revealed substantial levels of lead and heavy metals in the area. A separate report also indicated the presence of numerous asbestos-containing materials in some of its buildings, while PFAS concentrations in on-base groundwater exceeded 130 parts per trillion due to the extensive use of toxic firefighting foams. Routine contact with these

JOHNSON Page 42 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 25

LIFESTYLE

3 The National Building Museum will host its third annual “The Big Draw” event, offering live drawing demonstrations, workshops, and free book giveaways on March 14. (Courtesy Photo)

Friday, Mar. 13

Artist-Led Workshop Event: Paper Party with Molly McCracken 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Free Museum of Contemporary Art Innovation Studio + Store, 525 14th Street S, Arlington, VA, 22202

Washington Informer Weekend Checklist WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV! Take the OPC Solar Survey People's Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye and the Ofce of the People's Counsel

Are you you interested interested in in Are solar power power to to lower lower your your solar electric bill? bill? electric

Do you you know know about about Do programs to to cut cut the the programs cost of of installing installing solar? solar? cost

W ill ssolar olar Will ssave ave tthe he p lanet? planet?

By Kree Anderson WI Intern From tapping into one’s own expressiveness, to watching artists bring classic stories to life, there’s much to do in the DMV area for the whole family to tap into their creative sides.

This weekend, people can visit the National Building Museum as it works to bring out the creativity and craftsmanship of every guest.

Or, for a more down-to-earth vibe, check out Park Florist where guests can creatively connect with nature.

Then there’s Washington National Opera, where talented artists will wow audiences in an engaging tale.

Choose a fun event from this weekend’s diverse lineup, and to learn about more festivities, check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

Thursday, Mar. 12

Indie Board Game Showcase in Washington, DC 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $15+ Dacha Beer Garden (Navy Yard), 79 Potomac Avenue SE, D.C., 20003

OPC Needs Your Feedback OPC needs your feedback to help us ensure DC residents who may be interested in solar energy have the information they need to make the best choices for their households.

Scan the QR Code or visit opc-dc.gov Contact OPC, an independent agency of the DC government, if you need help with your electric, gas, water, or local telephone services.

OPC-DC Office of the People’s Counsel

ADVOCACY | EDUCATION | PROTECTION

26 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

E: info@opc-dc.gov P: (202) 727-3071 F: (202) 727-1014 TTY/TDD: (202) 727-2876

Sandra Ma avous-Frye People’s Counsel

X/Twi er & Instagram @DCOPC Facebook/DCPeoplesCounsel W: opc-dc.gov

Calling all board game lovers!

Come play different games built by local D.C.-area designers and meet the brilliant minds who created them.

Spring Flower Workshop 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. | $103.22 Park Florist, 6921 Laurel Avenue, Takoma Park, MD, 20912 Engage in a fun and hands-on in-person workshop where participants will learn all about spring flowers.Come unwind, create something beautiful, meet other flower lovers, to usher in spring.

Hosted by Molly McCracken, current artist in residence at the Innovation Studio + Store create an artist trading card (or two) with colorful papers and acrylic paint markers. All materials are provided.

Dance in Solidarity: A Fundraiser for PGIRC 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.| $34.50+ Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount. Rainier, MD, 20712 Participate in Prince George’s County Immigrants Rights Collective’s (PGIRC) high-energy dance party, supporting immigrant families impacted by recent federal immigration actions. This event is recommended for individuals 18+.

Saturday, Mar. 14

The Big Draw 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Free National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001 The National Building Museum hosts its third annual The Big Draw, a free day-long festival that invites visitors of all ages to discover the power of drawing as a tool for better understanding the world needs your feedback to help us around them.OPC ensure residents who may be interested in solar energy have the information they need to make the best choices for their Pi Day at National households.

Children's Museum Scan the QR Code or visit opc-dc.gov 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | $18.95 National Children’s Museum, Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

The National Children’s Museum’s second annual Pi Day celebration is a special after-hours event that honors the infinitely amazing mathematical OPCconstant, featuring hands-on activations that explore needs your feedback pi (3.14) in mathematical, scientific, and artistic ways. WI Scan Read more on the QR Code or visit opc-dc.gov washingtoninformer.com.

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Smart Tips for Small Business Banking

From Local Banking Experts Who Get It with Mikella Girma and Rod Johnson of EagleBank Submitted by EagleBank With over 6 decades of combined experience, Rod Johnson and Mikella Girma have seen it all when it comes to business banking: cycles in interest rates, the rise of digital banking tools, economic changes from recessions to inflation, and 5 Rod Johnson 5 Mikella Girma changes in the DMV region.

"You can count on change to be a constant," Mikella, EagleBank's VP, Business Banking Relationship Manager, says. "My passion is in working with businesses through changes, solving problems and being a partner as they manage the financial health of their business."

As EagleBank's 1st VP, Small Business Administration (SBA) Relationship Manager, Rod's focus is on expanding access to capital for small businesses as they evolve.

“SBA loans are government-backed and can offer more favorable underwriting criteria and terms than other types of business loans. They can be a game changer,” he explains. “Clients often think SBA loans are complicated. But when you work with an SBA-preferred lender, you are partnering with someone who has the tools and expertise to get the loan done quicker.”

One thing Rod and Mikella find is that local business owners often have similar concerns and questions. They share their top tips for leveling up your banking relationships.

and volunteer locally as well.

That affords knowledge of the financial trends affecting local industries. As the largest community bank headquartered in Maryland, EagleBank associates are in a unique position to help clients navigate the local landscape.

3. Look for flexibility to customize solutions.

Your bank has more flexibility to customize solutions than you may think.

Community banks can offer local market knowledge, fast decision-making, and flexibility. They can often tailor financial solutions in ways that larger institutions cannot.

That could mean setting up digital services in a way that’s tailor-made for the processes your business follows, finding ways to minimize and offset fees, or uncovering just the right services to help you optimize everything from payroll to reporting to how cash flows within your organization. Or it could mean new capital for your business. “Our doors are wide open to local, growing and profitable companies,” says Rod. No matter the industry, adds Mikella, small business owners tend to rely more heavily on their financial partners than other commercial clients when it comes to service. While a good banker won’t always be able to say “yes,” they should be responsive and look for ways to tailor your banking to support how your business works – not against it.

Finally, Rod and Mikella add, finding the capital for your business to run smoothly can feel daunting when you’re busy managing your clients and team—but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just ask someone who knows.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

FORWARD MOMENTUM FOR YOUR BUSINESS.

“Many business owners are really great at what they do but find it hard to understand the basics of financing and credit,” notes Mikella. She compares early conversations with clients to seeing a new doctor for the first time. “There is a lot of assessment.” Through these conversations, she adds, your banker can also go back to basics: explaining rates in a clear way and pointing out offerings, accounts and financial opportunities you might have overlooked.

“When I sit down with a business owner who is considering an acquisition,” Rod adds, “I ask a lot of questions to understand their business. Yes, I can guide them through the SBA loan process and advise them on how much capital we may be able to offer. But I can also tell them honestly if I think they can afford the acquisition, and it’s that truthfulness and expertise they often value most.”

GET QUICK DECISIONS, FLEXIBLE FINANCING, & LOCAL INSIGHT.

2. Bank local.

As a DC native, Rod finds that his decades of experience in the region are often appreciated by new clients. “I often know exactly where their business or real estate deal is located, down to the street they are on. This helps create an environment of trust and comfort.”

Banking local also keeps money within the community, supporting job creation, growth and the development of businesses that shape the DMV region. Plus, local bankers tend to sit on local boards, participate in chambers of commerce meetings,

We’re proud to specialize in the following industries, & more.

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 27

LIFESTYLE

FELDER from Page 4 ed for the Korean War (1950-1953).

While this redirection may have initially appeared to suspend his music career, the move instead accelerated and evolved it. His time with the military allowed him to realize one of his greatest musical gifts- his self-proclaimed ability to arrange any music.

“My forte with music...all my success has been arranging,” Felder, who wanted to be a Marine, but joined the Air Force, told DCPL. “I was a musical arranger for a lot of different bands.

I could take any CD or LP, and I could listen to it, and write the charts and it would end up sounding just like the records.”

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Overcoming racist values of the age and with three months of basic training under his belt at Lackland AirForce Base in San Antonio, Texas, Felder wrote some arrangements for the base band school and subsequently became conductor.

This leadership role would open the door for him to join D.C.’s Air Force Band Squadron at Bolling Air Force Base, allowing Felder to perform and travel to places such as Scotland, France and England– a life change that started his career internationally and was the foundation for his success in the District.

“Out of 90 in the band, there were only six Blacks in the band,” Felder recalled.

After being discharged, Felder became the band director at Kelly Miller Junior High School in Northeast, D.C. and obtained a master’s degree at Catholic University.

Ten years after starting at Kelly Miller, Felder took on the band director at Roosevelt High School in Northwest, D.C., where he continued to build talented young artists and wow audiences.

“I’ll never forget, after the Star-Spangled Banner, I got a standing ovation,” Felder said in the DCPL interview, recalling a time his band at Roosevelt opened for a school assembly. , After a year at Roosevelt, he kicked off his long career in collegiate education, first teaching at DC Teachers College, and then transferring to Federal City College, before starting his 23-year career at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), where he retired in 1992.

5 People across the District and nation are remembering Robert “Bobby” Felder, who recently died at the age of 95. (Courtesy Photo)

“In all my teaching, especially at UDC, all my students still flock to me,” Felder said 30 years after his retirement. “You know, we’re still very, very close friends.”

As he worked to train generations of musicians, he also continued performing: forming Bobby Felder’s Blue Notes; becoming a regular entertainer at nightclubs around the District such as Jimmy Mcfill’s; playing with jazz greats; and even wowing crowds at D.C. churches such as Westminster Presbyterian Church in Southwest and The People’s Congregational United Church of Christ in Northwest.

“Beyond his own playing, he collaborated with every major D.C. icon, from Shirley Horn to Buck Hill and was part of the golden era of the “Black Broadway” (U Street) jazz scene,” CAH wrote, honoring Felder’s legacy. “He will be deeply missed.”

The legendary artist is survived by his son Ronald Felder and his legacy continues through the countless artists he trained, mentored and performed with over the years.

“So [much] great music and musicians are here in D.C.,” Felder said in 2022. “They are my very close friends.”

WI

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LIFESTYLE

5 Advocates and justice warriors rally with pride and march in Northwest, D.C. for International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8. (Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly/The Washington Informer)

MARCH from Page 16 er, Anello can attest to the rising tensions between ICE and people around the country, affecting her students.

“As an educator and a school leader, I also see the impact of the uncertainty that children face.

I see the worry that they carry, I see the fear when their families are disrupted. These moments do not just affect one person, they ripple through entire families,” Anello said. “Small acts of vigilance and kindness can make a huge difference in the lives of struggling families.”

Terra Martin, mother of Dalaneo Martin, a 17-year-old who was shot and killed by a U.S. Park Police Officer two years ago, shared her grief and message at the march.

“This International Women's Day, we celebrate the strength and power of women everywhere, but today must also be a day where we speak the truth,” Martin said.

“Across the country, women, espe-

cially Black and brown mothers, are fighting battles most people never see. We are fighting systems that judge us by our culture instead of our love.”

She pointed out that the very system meant to protect community members can be the one taking their lives, as in the case with her teenage son.

On March 18, 2023, Martin’s son was asleep in his car when police surrounded him and took his life in just three minutes. Nearly three years later, she took to the march to encourage all women to speak out against police violence, emphasizing that women are at the center of fighting for justice.

“My son should still be here,” she said. “No mother should ever have to bury her son because of police violence.”

The mother and freedom fighter also highlighted the overall power of women in justice work.

“Women are not just a part of a movement,” Martin said, “we are the movement.”

WI

The PhilliPs ColleCTion | MarCh 21-July 5, 2026 Presenting Sponsor: Lead Support: Estate of Toni A. Ritzenberg Essential Support: Martha R. Johnston | Dina and George Perry | Ednah Root Foundation Also made possible by The Kristina and William Catto Foundation | John and Gina Despres | Robert and Debra Drumheller | The Marion F. Goldin Charitable Fund | Paul W. Killian and Carole Goodson | Susan Lee and Stephen Saltzburg | Reid Walker

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International tour supported by: With the collaboration of:

Joan Miró, Chiffres et contellations amoureux d’un femme from the Constellations Series, 1959, Fundació Joan Miró © Successió Miró / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris 2026

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 29

30 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

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wi book review "Shut Up and Read: A Memoir from Harriett's Bookshop" by Jeannine A. Cook c.2026, Amistad $28.99 272 page counts Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Shhhhhhhh.

It's an old wives' tale that that's what librarians always say. Shhhhhhh, hush yourself, be silent, don't be so loud, no talking. Shhhhh, quiet is what makes a library appealing for many folks. As in the new book "Shut Up and Read" by Jeannine A. Cook, though, the bookstore is where you can really make some noise.

She had no plans to live in Philadelphia.

But that's where Jeannine Cook landed after she graduated high school — in Philly, in college, living in a "shell" of a house with occasional rats and junkies.

She stayed, though, fell in love with the City of Brotherly Love, and made plans in the form of college essays. She wanted to do something good for her community, to teach youth, and put books in the hands of the people who needed to read.

As it's been throughout her life, Cook was supported in this plan by "aunties" and sister-friends, and by "angels" who often appeared. She also appealed to her muse, Harriett Tubman, whose name graces Cook's first physical bookstore.

But Harriett's didn't happen easily.

Cook understood that she needed to own the building that housed her bookstore, and the owner finally decided to sell it to her. The closing took more time than expected; she was in Paris when purchase day came unexpectedly, so she had to fly back home quickly to get it done. There were problems with construction workers, problems with stock and events and building additional bookstores in New Jersey and in Paris. Problems with safety, in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, and Breonna Taylor's murder, and the riots that followed.

There were times, she says, when she felt like she was drowning. Her mother had gone back to the Caribbean, her father was dying (again), but Cook stayed the course.

She knew that books were the answer. That's the mantra she said every day when she got out of bed: books would always be humanity's salvation.

Go ahead, admit it: you need more books. And while you're at it, you need this one.

"Shut Up and Read" is a sweet story with grit, determination, and magic.

Anyone who's ever looked for room on their calendar and found none will identify with it. Anyone who's ever dreamed larger than large will find parallel in author Jeannine A. Cook's words. If you've had a hero or two in mind when you launch a difficult endeavor, this is your book. Struggled with your health and that of an aggrivating but much-loved family member, yep. Ever wondered how you're going to get things done, uh-huh. It's all shared, novel-like, held together by coincidence and magic and heartbreak, surprises, customer-service smiles, an "overground underground railroad," literature, and an artificial leg named Lester.

Yeah, it's everything you're thinking, and there's room for it on your shelf.

Hush little reader, here is your book. "Shut Up and Read" is so worth a look.

And if opening a bookstore was ever a lure, this is a book that you'll love for shhhhhh-ure.

WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE MAR. 12 - 18 2026

ARIES The fire in you this week isn't anger — it's clarity, and there's a difference worth honoring. A door you've knocked on before opens from the other side, without you raising a fist. Someone who underestimated you is quietly revising their opinion, and you don't need to help them along. Let the work speak.

Rest isn't surrender; it's maintenance on an engine that runs hot. Lucky Numbers: 8, 33, 59 TAURUS Abundance doesn't always arrive loudly, and this week proves it. A quiet accumulation of right decisions begins to show its shape, and the view is better than expected. You've been generous with your time in ways that went unnoticed — notice them yourself. A creative impulse you've dismissed as impractical deserves one honest attempt before you close the file. Lucky Numbers: 14, 41, 66 GEMINI Your mind is a crowded room this week, and the best idea in it keeps getting shouted down by the loudest one. Find the quiet corner. A connection you made in passing turns out to carry real weight — follow up before the moment loses its warmth. You've been translating yourself for someone who isn't trying to understand you; that effort has a better use elsewhere. Lucky Numbers: 3, 28, 55 CANCER The tide is turning in your favor, slowly and without announcement. A burden you've been carrying alone lightens when you finally let someone else see it — not to fix it, just to share the weight.

Your intuition about a person has been right all along; stop asking for evidence you already have. Lucky Numbers: 17, 46, 71 LEO Your light this week is steadier than usual, less performance and more presence, and people feel the difference. A creative endeavor you've been circling finally pulls you in — go all the way. Someone you love needs your full attention, not the version of you already thinking three moves ahead. A long-standing tension resolves not through confrontation but through your willingness to stop feeding it. Almost. Lucky Numbers: 12, 37, 63 VIRGO The details you obsess over are the reason something holds together this week when it easily could have fallen apart. That precision is a gift — one that occasionally exhausts the people around you, but a gift nonetheless. A health matter you've been treating as background noise deserves the foreground now.

Lucky Numbers: 6, 35, 64 LIBRA The scales tip toward boldness this week, and you'd do well to let them. A choice you've been weighing long enough to wear grooves into has a clear answer — you've simply been waiting for permission that was never coming. Beauty finds you in an unexpected place; pause long enough to receive it. Lucky Numbers: 5, 31, 58 SCORPIO Something beneath the surface breaks through this week, and the light it lets in is worth the fracture. You've been investigating a situation with the patience of someone who knows the truth will surface on its own schedule — and it does. A bond you tested with silence proves it can hold the weight.

Lucky Numbers: 10, 27, 53 SAGITTARIUS The horizon you've been chasing shifts this week into something you can actually touch, and the feeling is different than you imagined — better in ways, smaller in others, real in all of them. A philosophical debate you've been having with yourself reaches a working conclusion. Someone you meet briefly leaves a mark that takes days to fully understand. Lucky Numbers: 22, 48, 74 CAPRICORN The long game is paying out, and you are the only one who fully understands how long it actually was. A professional achievement lands with less fanfare than it deserves, but you know what it cost, and that knowledge is its own reward. A relationship that has weathered real difficulty enters a quieter, warmer season. Don't mistake ease for stagnation — sometimes arrival looks like this. You've been your own hardest task-master long enough. Lucky Numbers: 11, 43, 76 AQUARIUS An idea you've carried in isolation finally finds the audience it was built for, and the reception surprises even you. This week asks you to be less architect and more participant — to live inside the structure you've spent so long designing. A friendship deepens through honesty rather than harmony. Something you dismissed as too conventional holds an answer you've been chasing in all the wrong places. The future you imagine is closer than the distance feels. Lucky Numbers: 24, 50, 77 PISCES The dreams are louder this week, and they are trying to tell you something specific — don't rush past them in the morning. A creative project finds its missing piece not through effort but through surrender. Someone who once doubted you returns with a different posture; receive it with grace and without score-keeping. The boundary you've been hesitant to draw would bring more peace than you've allowed yourself to imagine. The current is with you. Stop swimming against it. Lucky Numbers: 19, 52, 80

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 31

SPORTS D.C. United Falls 2-1 to Inter Miami CFIn Baltimore Sell Out

Messi Nears Historic Milestone, D.C. Edgeson Promise Ahead of Chicago Fire FC Matchup, and More

By Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer D.C. United rallied a comeback from a two-goal deficit but ultimately fell short 2-1 to Inter Miami CF on March 7 at M&T Bank Stadium. Forward Tai Baribo pulled one back in the 75th minute with an electrifying finish from the center of the box, sparking a late push from the black-and-red United in front of a sellout crowd.

“I think we all know we didn’t start our best at all. It’s hard when you go down 2-0 to such a good team, but I think the whole second half we were the better team,” said midfielder Jackson Hopkins. “We responded really well and created a lot of chances, and we probably could have had two or three if we finished our chances in the first half. I’m proud of the way we all responded, but we know we gotta be sharper and more awake at the beginning.”

The reigning MLS Cup champions, Inter Miami CF, secured a road victory with goals from defensive midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and team captain Lionel Messi. De Paul opened the scoring effect in the 17th minute, netting his first goal of the season. Messi extended the team’s advantage in the 27th minute, adding a second goal that put Miami ahead 2-0.

United showed resilience throughout the second half, creating several opportunities as they pushed to level the match in their favor. Chances from strikers Louis

32 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

Munteanu, Hopkins, and centre back Lucas Barlett pressured Miami’s defense in the final minutes, bringing tremendous excitement for Washington fans.

“At the end of the first half, we were lucky because we gave them a lot of space to play the counterattacks. I told the team, ‘Hey, don’t lose the head. Don’t play another style of game,’” said D.C. United Head Coach René Weiler. “We have to play properly and simple, and we have to search for the first goal. At the end, it was a good second half, and that is the positive part.”

United forward Baribo scored the team’s lone goal in the 75th minute, marking his second in blackand-red, while playing the full 90 minutes. Midfielder João Peglow created two scoring opportunities and won six ground duels over the course of the match.

Goalkeeper Sean Johnson stopped three of five shots faced on target, while defender Kyle Rowles finished the day with 88% passing accuracy and five defensive recoveries.

Despite the 2-1 defeat, D.C. United’s fight and second-half momentum provided a sense of hope for the team’s future and built momentum into next week’s road matchup against Chicago Fire FC. “I think it’s really the mental game,” said midfielder Caden Clark. “We all have the ability and the skillset to do what we did in those last 20-25 minutes. Of course, you can [factor] in the stadium, the environment, playing against Mes-

5 D.C. United’s Talon the Eagle (left) and one of the Baltimore Ravens’ mascots (right) pose together at M&T Bank Stadium for the D.C. United-Inter Miami match on Saturday, March 7. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

si, but I think we showed that we can play. And we could’ve won the game on numerous chances or tied it at least. Sojust know that we belong, and carry that momentum forward, and keep that confidence.”

Sell-Out Crowd Fills M&T Bank Stadium For D.C. United-Inter Miami CF MLS Showdown

Inter Miami’s victory over D.C. United at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday attracted a sold-out crowd of 72,026, marking the first-ever MLS match played at the Baltimore stadium.

“It was nice to have a game in front of so many spectators and in this beautiful stadium,” said Weiler.

“But as coach and as players, we prefer to have [a] good result at the end. But yeah, it was a nice atmosphere.”

In a local game north of I-95, the crowd set a new home attendance record for D.C. United and marked the second time in the first three weeks of the 2026 MLS season that more than 70,000 fans attended a match. Messi’s presence is known for consistent historic fan turnouts, and Inter Miami’s third match of the season continued that trend.

To accommodate the surge in fan demand, D.C. United moved the match from Audi Field to M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s

Goalkeeper Sean Johnson stopped three of five shots faced on target, while defender Kyle Rowles finished the day with 88% passing accuracy and five defensive recoveries.

Baltimore Ravens. The crowd of 72,026 not only set a new home attendance record for D.C. United but also exceeded the largest attendance recorded for an NFL game at the stadium. The previous high of 71,547 was set when the Ravens hosted the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Playoff on Jan. 15, 2012.

The crowd total also surpassed D.C. United’s previous home attendance record of 57,431, established during the club’s 1997 MLS Cup victory over the Colorado Rapids at RFK Stadium. The Baltimore turnout has become a top 10 standalone attendance record in Major League Soccer history.

“In recognition of this match, I am officially declaring March 7 as

BMORE United Day in Baltimore, celebrating the fans, our communities, and the momentum building around soccer in Baltimore, D.C., and around the globe,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “With the World Cup on the horizon, there is no better time to bring Major League Soccer to our city – to Charm City.”

Lionel Messi Nears Historic Milestone Of A 900th Career Goal After Inter Miami’s 2-1 Victory Over D.C. United

After defeating D.C. United at M&T Bank Stadium, Inter Miami’s captain and forward is just one goal away from reaching his 900th career goal milestone. Messi, 38, scored his 899th official career goal on a pass from teammate Mateo Silvetti in front of a roaring Baltimore crowd.

The strike marked the Argentine forward’s third goal of the 2026 MLS season. With his next goal, Messi would become only the second male player to reach 900 career goals, joining longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

D.C. United will be back on the road, headed west to face off against the Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, March 14 at Soldier Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. and can be streamed on Apple TV. WI

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CAPTURE the moment

The National Cherry Blossom Festival held a press conference at the Mayflower Hotel on March 5 announcing plans to usher in spring with special events and programming throughout the nation’s capital. In addition to highlighting festival programming, which officially runs March 20 through April 12, the National Park Service revealed predicted peak bloom dates for the cherry blossom trees surrounding the Tidal Basin: March 29-April 1. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 33

RELIGION GIRL SCOUTS from Page 11 Gordon Low, in Savannah, Georgia – before white women had the right to vote— the Girl Scouts of America has a long history of working to empower young people and build changemakers of tomorrow.

The first all-Black troops were formed as early as 1917, according to the organization. However, several Black women worked to desegregate the Girl Scouts.

Barrier breakers in Girl Scouts include: Maggie Lena Walker, who helped create the first Black troop south of the Mason-Dixon Line, and Sarah Randolph Bailey, creator of the Girl Reserves in 1935 to give Black girls a true scouting experience.

Further, there’s Josephine Groves Holloway, who fought to have Black troops officially acknowledged. Having trained to become

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a scout leader under Gordon Low, the Fisk University graduate finally succeeded in her quest for Black troops’ recognition in 1942.

Walker, Bailey, Holloway and others paved the way for Dr. Gloria Dean Randle Scott, who became the first Black national president of the Girl Scouts of the USA in 1975, opening doors for people like Ford.

“I definitely learned courage and public speaking in Girl Scouts,” said Ford, who was called to her barrier-breaking service as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital in 2024. “Because of Girl Scouts, I’m not afraid to walk up to someone and state my case.”

With Girl Scouts Week underway, Moseley emphasized the importance of the organization and troops such as those at Peoples UCC. “Girl Scouts has not lost its touch. I hope it continues on,”

5 Part of an annual tradition, members of the Girl Scouts of the National Capital Area march in the April 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

Moseley said. “You wouldn’t have that strength that we have in our program without the volunteers and without the support of the church.”

The Rev. Benjamin Bragg-Reynolds, interim minister of Peoples UCC, said that the church-based troop “has been an integral part of our church's 135-year history for 57 remarkable years.”

“As an African American congregation, we cherish this ministry that not only enriches our community but also reaches far and wide across the DMV,” Bragg-Reynolds told The Informer. “The girls in this troop exemplify the spirit of service, faith, and leadership, walking in the footsteps of pioneers like Mrs. Moseley.”

Walker, Bailey, Holloway and others paved the way for Dr. Gloria Dean Randle Scott, who became the first Black national president of the Girl Scouts of the USA in 1975, opening doors for people like Ford.

Kicking off Girl Scouts Week, six girls received the “My Promise, My Faith” pin on Sunday, March 8, earned for exploring connec-

tions between their faith and scouting.

While membership has declined some, particularly during COVID, the program at Peoples UCC continues to welcome girls of all nationalities into the family.

Experiencing the benefits of participating in Girl Scouts firsthand, Shayla wants to see more adolescents give it a try.

“It’s not just for younger girls,” she told The Informer, explaining that she has the most fun as an older scout who can plan how she wants to serve.

Moreover, she emphasized that the bonds are forever.

“Once a Girl Scout,” Shayla said, “always a Girl Scout.”

WI

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the religion corner

RELIGION

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Breaking the Silence on Autoimmune Disease, One Story at a Time

A transformative new voice in the chronic illness community arrives today with the launch of "Beyond the Diagnosis: Stories of Living and Thriving," a new anthology written by eight professional women who all faced life-changing health challenges. Combined into a conference and book signing, Beyond the Diagnosis is an all-in-one women's conference. This anthology unites eight courageous women to challenge the stigma of autoimmune disorders, officially debuting during the Beyond the Diagnosis Conference at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center from noon to 4 p.m. EST, featuring dynamic speakers and workshops.

Hear details on "The Lyndia Grant Show," Radio One, Spirit 1340 WYCB, Friday, March 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. Eastern time — click Listen Live — and go to my YouTube channel to hear the podcast version, as Monique Pearson and the Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes share details of how and why the book was written and the conference is coming up for those who are suffering from autoimmune diseases.

This powerful anthology brings together the unique experiences and perspectives of eight women who have faced autoimmune disorders. Through their collective voices, the book aims to raise awareness, foster community, and inspire others by sharing authentic journeys of healing, advocacy and resilience. Rather than focusing solely on medical facts, the anthology highlights the emotional and social impact of autoimmune diseases, offering support and encouragement to those navigating similar challenges.

Spearheaded by mindset coach and author Monique Pearson, the project was born from her personal 2024 multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Driven to break the cycle of "silent suffering," Pearson curated this collection to shift the narrative from mere survival to intentional, vibrant living.

"Too many women are taught to push through pain quietly," says Pear-

son. "This book was created to bridge the gap between isolation and community."

Beyond the Diagnosis is a movement dedicated to educating and empowering women with autoimmune disorders. By sharing authentic journeys of healing and advocacy, the anthology provides a roadmap for others to reclaim their purpose despite a medical diagnosis.

Meet the Authors/ Speakers

The anthology features diverse perspectives on faith, advocacy and resilience from: Monique Pearson: The visionary behind the anthology, Monique is an Army veteran, federal employee and mindset coach. Following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 2024, she started the Beyond the Diagnosis movement to empower women to break self-imposed limitations and transition from surviving to thriving.

Sarah Sims: A wellness educator and passionate advocate for people living with chronic conditions. Through her health coaching practice, Destined to Live Well, Sarah offers experiences and programs focused on self-care, stress reduction and creative expression.

Jasmine Jackson: Jasmine is a former IRS revenue agent turned trusted tax professional with over a decade of experience helping individuals and business owners navigate complex sys-

tems with clarity and confidence.

Dr. Lauretta Halstead: Dr. Halstead is an ordained minister, educator, counselor, speaker and founder of Contemplative Conversation. With academic roots from Tufts University, Boston University School of Theology, the University of South Carolina and Towson University, she blends philosophy, ethics and faith into healing spaces that allow people to pause, process and transform.

The Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes: Dr. Barnes is a social and behavioral scientist, trauma-informed advocate and an unapologetic voice for the marginalized. As a Black woman navigating disability, survivorship and systemic oppression, she doesn't just speak about healing — she lives it.

DeNitra Davis: As an educator and metabolic health practitioner, DeNitra approaches healing through understanding. She helps uncover what often feels like a mystery in the body and reminds us that most people aren't lacking discipline — they're lacking access to the right knowledge.

Toya Thompson Tucker: Toya is a consultant, lawyer, spicy Southern storyteller and mom of two amazing kids, and she's also been living with multiple sclerosis for over 25 years. Instead of letting it break her, she turned that lived experience into purpose, bringing vulnerability, strength and patient perspective into the healthcare space. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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MARCH 12 - 18, 2026 35

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724 Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Blessed Word

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Church of Living Waters

Third Street Church of God

Rev. Joel R. Limerick Pastor

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849 Service and Times In Person Worship: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. Streaming: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org Prayer & Study: Wednesday @ 12 Noon and 7:00 P.M. www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

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

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM themcbc.org

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

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

Campbell AME Church

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

Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m.

Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

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

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www.livingwatersmd.org

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday

Rev. Terrance M. McKinley Senior Pastor

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration

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

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

All Nations Baptist Church

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

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study: Wednesday: 12:00 Noon, Wednesday: 7:00 PM, Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Emmanuel Baptist Church

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!”

Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

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

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.)

Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

“A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!

4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184

www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

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

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:00am & 12noon Noon Day Worship – Wednesdays at Noon Prayer Call – Tuesdays 6pm & Thursdays 6am Dial: 1-872-240-3212 Passcode: 164695965

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr. Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org

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

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

Place your church ad here!

Contact Ron Burke rburke@washingtoninformer.com

A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

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RELIGION Zion Baptist Church

Israel Baptist Church Rev. Lance Aubert Senior Pastor

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

Rehoboth Baptist Church

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

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

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged.

The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

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

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

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

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

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

Promised Land Baptist Church

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM

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

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

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

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

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

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

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

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

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

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

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

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

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

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

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

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

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

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

"Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180

Join us for our live broadcast every Friday at Noon!

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

2026 FEP 000017

2026 ADM 000111

2025 ADM 001170

2026 ADM 000132

2026 ADM 000081

Regina C. Newman aka Regina Cometa Newman Decedent

Paul Lawrence Bascomb, Jr. Decedent

Jamar De’Andre Jackson Decedent

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

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

Darnetta M. Bascomb, whose address is 8109 Rydal Rd., District Heights, MD 20747, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Paul Lawrence Bascomb, Jr. who died on December 23, 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 (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 9/5/2026. 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 9/5/2026, 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.

Mesha Jackson, whose address is 4215 1st Street SE, Apt 303, Washington DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jamar De’Andre Jackson who died on May 23, 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 9/5/2026. 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 9/5/2026, 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.

June 26, 2025 Date of Death

Annie J. Goodson Decedent

Robert Alexander Schaefer Name of Decedent

Attorney Ethel Mitchell 8403 Coleville Road, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Sheila M. Mattingly aka Sheila Maureen Mattingly whose address is PO Box 88, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Robert Alexander Schaefer, deceased, by the State of New Jersey Surrogate’s Court for Hudson County, State of New Jersey, on December 2, 2025.

Service of process may be made upon Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. of 1308 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20001 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 2106 12th Street, NW WDC; 2883 Connecticut Avenue, NW, P-170 WDC and 1210 R Street, NW, #P-83, WDC. 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: 2/26/2026

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Andre Adolph Goodson, whose address is 2112 Ellis Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annie J. Goodson who died on 8/30/2024 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 8/26/2026. 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 8/26/2026, 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.

Shaoming Cheng, Esq. 6088 Franconia Road, Suite D Alexandria, VA 22310 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS John D. Newman, whose address is 7851 Muirfield Court, Potomac, MD 20854, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Regina C. Newman aka Regina Cometa Newman who died on 8/6/2017 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 8/26/2026. 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 8/26/2026, 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: 3/5/2026 Darnetta M. Bascomb 8109 Rydal Rd. District Heights, MD 20747 Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 2/26/2026

Date of first publication: 2/26/2026

Andre Adolph Goodson Personal Representative

John D. Newman Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE COUNTY OF LEE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION

FILE NO: 25CV001792-520

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

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

2026 ADM 000129

WAN D. HILL, Plaintiff,

vs.

TEAIRRA A. BARNES, Defendant.

2026 FEP 000022

2026 ADM 000152

1/8/2025 Date of Death

Alfredia M. Bigesby Decedent

Sheila M. Mattingly Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Benjamin Darrell McKenzie Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Autumn Jackson, whose address is 7832 Tilghman St., Fulton, MD 20759, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Benjamin Darrell McKenzie who died on 11/19/2025 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 9/5/2026. 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 9/5/2026, 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: 3/5/2026 Autumn Jackson Personal Representative

) ) ) NOTICE OF SERVICE BY ) PUBLICATION ) ) ) )

To: Teairra A. Barnes Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Disestablishment of Paternity in Lee County, North Carolina You are required to make defense to such pleading 40 days following the first date of this notice, no later than the 14th day of April, 2026. And upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for relief sought.

This the 26th day of February, 2026 WILSON, REIVES & DORAN, PLLC

Nathalie M. Doran

Attorney for Plaintiff

1502 Woodland Avenue

Sanford, North Carolina 27330

Publish March 5, March 12 and March 19, 2026.

Megan Elizabeth O’Donnell (all names in appendix hereto) Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Pia Tamm whose address is 43 Grand Street, Apt 2, Brooklyn, New York 11249 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Megan Elizabeth O’Donnell (all names in appendix hereto), deceased, by the Surrogate’s Court for Kings County, State of New York, on March 3, 2025.

Service of process may be made upon John O’Donnell, 1905 S Street NW, Washington DC 20009 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate.

1727 P Street, NW #B, Washington, DC 20036. 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: March 12, 2026 Pia Tamm Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

38 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 3/5/2026 Mesha Jackson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Yvette B. Stephens, whose address is 3105 Apple Rd., NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alfredia M. Bigesby who died on 10/24/2025 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 9/12/2026. 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 9/12/2026, 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: 3/12/2026 Yvette B. Stephens Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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TRANSPARENCY from Page 1 For Corey R. McSwain, such situations raise questions of whether community members could ever be safe.

“There’s definitely been a shift in the atmosphere,” said Corey, a 17-year-old Southeast resident who attends Friendship Technology Preparatory High School Academy in Congress Heights. “It’s changed the overall tone of our community. Even when the change isn't directly personal, the psychological effect is real.

It changes the sense of freedom and normalcy that people should feel in their own city.”

Since Corey, known to many as Thee Kid President, first weighed in on public safety matters last summer, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have detained more than 12,000 people across the D.C. metropolitan area, while federal agents have fired shots on at least three occasions, killing one person.

National Guard personnel also suffered losses around the Thanksgiving holiday after an Afghan CIA operative shot two of them, killing 20-year-old Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom.

The situation had gotten so out of hand that, before voting in approval of the Body-Worn Camera Transparency for Use of Force Emergency Amendment Act and the Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act on March 3, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8), acknowledged that he led constituents into a “burning house” nearly three years prior when he called for the deployment of National Guard troops in communities overcome with violence.

As Corey recounted, he leaned on the Ward 8 council member, Ward 8 D.C. State Board of Education Representative Dr. LaJoy Johnson Law, and Jawanna Hardy of Guns Down Friday last summer after President Donald J. Trump started the federal surge. Months later, in the lead up to the council’s passage of federal officer accountability measures, Corey is continuing his call for elected officials to keep District residents first.

“Leadership should stand firm, and we should be able to set boundaries where necessary to ensure that federal involvement does not override local authority without accountability,” Corey told The Informer. “The community deserves representation that stands on busi-

40 MARCH 12 - 18, 2026

ness, speaks clearly, and protects its people without hesitation. We have youth that…don't even want to come to school. This is causing a huge, huge, huge problem when it comes to attendance.”

Looking Back: The Performance Oversight Hearing Watched across the District

The council’s passage of the BodyWorn Camera Transparency for Use of Force Emergency Amendment Act and the Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act came amid District families’ ongoing demands for an effective response to the federal occupation.

Days before the council’s legislative meeting, Nee Nee Taylor spoke before the council’s Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety in support of the Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Emergency Amendment Act, which D.C. Councilmember Robert White (DAt large) introduced.

Days after she unsuccessfully attempted to get the name of an alleged groomer arrested by federal officers, Taylor evoked her ancestors in her demands for a solution.

“They arrested the man, but because it was federal law enforcement, I was unable to get the man's last name,” said Taylor, executive director of Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, “nor could I track him through CourtWatch DC of his criminal background or what was happening.”

For Taylor, too much was happening for the council not to act.

“We must fight for change,” she said. “My ask is that the council...vote with Councilman Robert White’s emergency legislation that will keep your constituents safe. The only thing changed around MPD and local policing is the year. They are still killing Black people.”

By Feb. 25, the day of the judiciary and public safety committee’s performance oversight hearing, it had been nearly two weeks since a U.S Marshal shot and killed 43-year-old Julian Marquette Bailey on Hayes Street NE. Bailey’s death followed other instances, also in Ward 7, where Homeland Security Investigation officers shot at Philip Brown on Benning Road NE and Julian Brian Nelson on Minnesota Avenue NE during traffic stops.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

COLLINS REPORT from Page 1 fulfillment of the contingency list her council colleagues compiled during last year’s budget deliberations.

“Maybe people didn't want to talk about it in that setting, but I wanted it to be clear to residents that their voices were raised because this is something that had been top of mind to them,” Crawford told The Informer. “I want to take that posture into budget season because there may be some hard, difficult conversations that have to be had with residents. I see myself as a leader [who] can have those conversations while making sure to prioritize them.”

During the Feb. 10 mayor-council breakfast, Bowser administration officials painted a grim picture of what’s to come for Fiscal Year 2027. Due to a significant drop in the funding balance, the expiration of one-time funding, and a projected revenue decrease, the D.C. government would experience a funding gap of more than $1.1 billion if it continues all current programming.

Under that scenario, programs that could be either eliminated or reduced in D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s budget proposal include: the pay equity fund, the Alliance program, Pathways program, emergency rental assistance, and Housing Purchase Assistance Program. With lower-than-expected revenue, the District also faces spending pressures via $175 million in overtime spending across local agencies, a $297 million increase in Medicaid, and a $42 million childcare funding increase.

As it relates to Medicaid and Alliance funding challenges, the District is expected to absorb $1 billion in new spending throughout the four-year financial plan if Fiscal Year 2026 reductions are reversed and caseload levels increase. Two weeks later, as council members mull how to use contingency funding while reeling from a congressional disapproval resolution that jeopardizes tax revenue, Crawford remains adamant that the executive and the council should explore various avenues before resorting to reductions in health services.

“Once we see the February revenue forecast at the end of the month, then we'll know how much money we have to play with [and] how much we'll have to make up,” Crawford told The Informer as she

5 Independent At-large D.C. Council candidates (clockwise): D.C. State Board of Education President Dr. Jacque Patterson; Interim At-large D.C. Councilmember Doni Crawford; activist Addison Sarter; and former D.C. Councilmember Elissa Silverman. (Courtesy Photos)

reflected on the Feb. 10 discussion in the mayor’s ceremonial room.

“We have to budget over a fouryear financial plan, which makes it more difficult for us than other states. Obviously the mayor has the first crack at deciding what changes she wants to make and in what cluster, so I was trying to raise with her [to] consider other clusters outside of health and human services.”

Since Crawford’s installment as interim council member, the field in the June 16 special election for the independent at-large council seat has grown to include more than a dozen candidates, including: former D.C. Councilmember Elissa Silverman, D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) President Dr. Jacque Patterson, and activist Addison Sarter.

As the race bubbles, Crawford, who launched her bid on Feb. 12, has spent much of her time reaching out to, and speaking with, advisory neighborhood commissions (ANCs) and community organizations. She recounted recent meetings at Highlands Cafe & Grill in Ward 7 and Sycamore & Oak in Ward 8, along with a meet and greet with ANC 8A and a zoom meeting with Ward 7 residents.

By the time that she solidified plans for similar meetings in Wards 1 and 2, Crawford had already attended a town hall that the Black Swan Academy, DC Girls’ Coalition and other entities hosted at Trinity Washington University in Northeast during the earlier part of February.

Crawford said that, so far on her tour, she’s heard concerns about:

literacy, the lack of quality school lunch, and affordable housing. As a member of the council’s Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Committee on Youth Affairs, and Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Crawford said that she has her sights set on centering Black and brown people in matters of revenue growth, housing, education, and public safety.

“I've heard so much about Chocolate City over the years and to the extent that we can maintain the Black population that we have and perhaps grow the Black population,” Crawford told The Informer. “I also want to make sure our kids are going to quality schools, no matter their neighborhood.

Even though we've heard a lot about crime going down, there's still a perception that people are not safe. I want to make sure that I'm leaning in there to make sure that people have what they need and that we're investing in.”

Through it all, Crawford said she will utilize her past experience as an organizer and council staffer to bridge the gap between those standing inside and outside of the John A. Wilson Building.

“Now that I'm in this seat, I could be almost like a consensus builder,” Crawford said. “I could help shape the behind the scenes work and be vocal about what that looks like when I'm talking to residents when I'm talking to advocates, as well as being a responsible steward of resources at the same time, and I'm prepared for that.” WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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HOLDER from Page 24 ronmental justice. Their leadership appears not only in boardrooms or public office, but in mentorship, advocacy and the daily navigation of systems never designed for them. The spirit shines in Mae Jemison and Ellen Ochoa; in Michelle Obama; and in the brilliance of

KING from Page 24 place more than 50,000 people in the skilled trades per year — a pivot that opens up a world of economic potential they were previously

MAGEEfrom Page 24 sonal authority rather than shared rules.

This is not dictatorship in the classic sense. A Dominus does not abolish democracy; they inhabit it. They do not destroy institutions; they reorient them around themselves. Elections become affirmations. Courts become arenas of loyalty. Law becomes something that works — until it doesn't.

As a public theologian, I am less interested in diagnosing personalities than in naming structures of power. The prophetic tradition — from Amos to James Baldwin — teaches us that injustice is rarely sustained by villains alone. It is sustained by systems that quietly reorganize moral responsibility while appearing normal.

For Trump supporters, the Dominus captures something real and positive: a leader who cuts through paralysis, challenges elites while speaking to everyday frustrations, and takes responsibility when institutions feel distant or broken. In a nation marked by economic precarity, racial anxiety, and cultural displacement, that kind of decisiveness can feel like restoration.

For Trump critics, the Dominus captures the danger: a leader who personalizes power, weakens independent constraints, treats public office as a private platform, and replaces shared democratic authority with personal discretion. That logic is now visible both abroad and at home.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched a unilateral U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to U.S. custody. Supporters hailed the move as decisive leadership; critics warned it set a dangerous precedent for executive war-making power and international law. Global reaction

Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and Christine Darden, whose work helped launch a nation into space.

Celebration is important, but it is not enough. Honoring women of color requires intentional action rooted in equity. It means creating environments where their voices are valued, challeng-

ing the biases that shape who is recognized, and ensuring progress is shared.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, let us honor women of color not as symbols, but as leaders whose work continues to guide us. When we uplift women of color, we honor history and shape the future.

WI

locked out of.

A career in the skilled trades is not just about working with your hands.

It's about building an economic future — for yourself, your family and your community. In my view, that's

truly one of the best ways to honor the legacy of Black History Month.

For more information or to be connected to a training program near you, visit oicofamerica.org.

WI

was swift and divided. As Al Jazeera reported, allies and adversaries alike questioned whether unilateral military action, justified largely through executive discretion, further erodes the rules-based international order.

Domestically, similar concerns surround Trump's expansive use of the pardon power. In recent months, Trump has issued clemency to political allies, donors and loyalists — moves that legal scholars argue blur the line between justice and personal loyalty. PBS NewsHour notes that these pardons increasingly resemble instruments of political protection rather than mercy.

That same asymmetry now animates public concern around the ongoing release of the Epstein files. In early 2026, the Justice Department published more than 3.5 million pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, while lawmakers were granted access to unredacted materials — yet significant questions remain about who is fully exposed and who remains shielded.

As TIME has reported, the controversy is no longer simply about secrecy, but about credibility: in a healthy democracy, accountability is systematic; in a Dominus moment, it becomes selective, shaped less by principle than by proximity to power.

That moral logic is also visible in the return of racial dehumanization to the center of public life. When imagery likening the Obamas to apes resurfaces — and is circulated, excused, or met with strategic silence by figures aligned with the current political moment — it is not simply racist provocation. It is political signaling. The ape trope is one of the oldest tools used to deny Black people full humanity and therefore full citizenship. Its reappearance marks a shift in what is permitted, protected, and politically useful.

As The Guardian reported, the

outrage surrounding this imagery was less about shock than recognition: racial cruelty becomes normalized when power is organized around loyalty rather than moral restraint.

In moments like these, the question is not whether leaders personally endorse such language, but whether they allow it to stand. Under a Dominus, silence is not neutrality — it is permission.

Political theorist Sheldon Wolin warned that democracy can erode not only through repression, but through normalization — what he called "inverted totalitarianism," where democratic forms persist while power becomes increasingly private and unaccountable.

The Dominus emerges when democracies become exhausted: when inequality widens, racial wounds remain unhealed, trust collapses, and citizens want certainty more than procedure. In such moments, societies do not abandon democracy outright. They reassign it — from systems to personalities.

This is why our crisis is so difficult to name. It is not collapse; it is reconfiguration.

The deeper risk is not Trump as an individual, but what he reveals about the age. Once citizens grow accustomed to power flowing through a single figure, it becomes harder to imagine it flowing anywhere else.

That is the real meaning of the Dominus: not a man, but a political species.

The question America faces is not simply whether it supports or opposes Donald Trump. The question is whether it wants to live in a system where power is ultimately owned by individuals or shared by institutions.

That is not a partisan question. It is a civilizational one.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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always been international. Back in the day, during the 1984 campaign, Jackie often talked about the Maroons.

Like many women in the movement, Jacqueline Jackson carried responsibilities both public and private, sustaining institutions while nurturing family and community. Her example is part of a much larger tradition. The civil rights movement has always depended on women whose names may not always appear in headlines but whose work made progress possible.

Ella Baker shaped grassroots organizing and mentored generations of young activists. Dorothy Height spent decades advocating for civil rights and women's equality, building coalitions and influencing policy often from behind the scenes. Fannie Lou Ham-

JEALOUS from Page 25 helping them confront trauma and take responsibility for their actions. He saw how quickly people shut down when they feel their suffering is being dismissed.

That's the predicament. The reality of racial advantage is undeniable.

But the language we use to describe it sometimes pushes away the very people who need to be part of the solution.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson understood this better than anyone. His Rainbow

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Discover

JOHNSON from Page 25 chemicals has long been proven to cause serious illness, including chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, respiratory ailments, neurological disorders, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.

What makes this more troubling is that when these diagnoses surface, the repercussions frequently extend far beyond physical health. Too often, managing chronic disease can limit employment opportunities and increase household expenses, straining finances to the point of housing instability. African Americans have already accounted for more than a quarter of the homeless veteran population in the country, despite comprising only 13% of the total veteran population. Meanwhile, countless veterans have also confronted psychological challenges — specifically post-traumatic stress disorder and depression — which may likewise be exacerbated by other systemic barriers such as segregation, discrimination, and racism. Taking into account these overlapping challenges, it becomes even

er forced the nation to confront the brutality of voter suppression in Mississippi with a courage that shook the conscience of the country.

The same quiet strength defined the life of Myrlie Evers-Williams, who worked alongside her husband, slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Long before the nation knew her name, she was helping manage the daily work of the movement — answering phones, coordinating schedules, supporting organizing efforts, and helping hold together the NAACP office in Mississippi while Medgar confronted some of the most dangerous forces in American society. After his assassination, she carried the work forward with remarkable determination, eventually serving as chair of the NAACP. These women were not assistants to history; they were architects of

it. They organized meetings, raised funds, coordinated voter registration drives, trained young activists, and held communities together when the struggle felt overwhelming. They balanced public activism with the responsibilities of family and community life, often without the recognition or authority that male leaders automatically received.

As the memorial services concluded, I was struck by the generations gathered to honor the Rev. Jackson's life. Veterans of the civil rights era sat alongside younger activists who are now carrying the struggle forward.

Movements are never confined to a single moment in history; they are living traditions passed from one generation to the next.

Through it all, women remain the backbone of the movement. WI

Coalition was built on a simple insight: racism has long been the oldest political wedge in America. Divide working people by race and those in power stay secure. But if working people across racial lines ever truly unite, the coalition would be powerful enough to transform the country.

The opposite of racism isn't just tolerance. It's solidarity. Our history shows both possibilities. At times we have been divided by race so completely that we could barely see our shared interests. At other moments — Reconstruction, the labor move-

ment, the civil rights era — we have glimpsed what multiracial democracy can look like.

That history should give us hope.

Because if racism was built to divide us, it can also be dismantled.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson spent a lifetime trying to show us what comes next. When working people finally refuse the wedge — when we stand together from union halls to houses of worship, from big cities to small towns — the coalition that emerges will be stronger than the politics that have kept us apart for generations. WI

clearer how the post-service realities facing many Black veterans can reverberate across multiple aspects of their lives.

effort to ensure that existing programs were reaching veterans whose needs had sometimes been overlooked.

However, recent policy changes that scaled back several DEI-related efforts have altered the broader framework.

Even as federal officials have emphasized that core health care, benefits, and assistance programs for veterans remain intact, the shift has nonetheless raised questions about how equity-focused issues will continue to be monitored within the system. This topic has also drawn more attention after the adjustments coincided with the temporary removal of some DEI-related materials from official platforms, which were restored only after public scrutiny and review by authorities. Also, the Defense Department announced the withdrawal of its support for certain identity-based observances — including National African American and Black History Month — although it later clarified that personnel and organizations may still recognize them independently. WI Read more on washingtoninformeation.com.

Fostering Accountability and Sustained Support for Black Veterans

Recognizing the experiences of Black veterans in Washington, D.C., and across the country ultimately requires more than acknowledgment — it calls for continued attention to the structural and institutional factors that shape how support systems operate.

This is particularly important as many former service members continue to manage the long-term effects of toxic exposures, chronic health conditions, housing instability, and psychological stress long after their military service has ended. In recent years, federal agencies — most notably the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — have introduced DEI programs intended to better understand and address disparities affecting historically underserved veteran populations. For many advocates, these initiatives exemplified a vital

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