Amid Emancipation Day Celebrations, Conversations about Teen Engagement Persist
D.C. Council to Soon Vote on Youth Curfew Extension, Permanent Curfew Legislation
By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. and Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly WI Senior Writer and WI Intern
This year’s D.C. Emancipation Day festivities are taking place as National Guard troops walk the streets and local officials advance permanent juvenile curfew legislation.
Despite the circumstances, Monet Washington says it's business as usual for her and her family.
“I will be going to the Emancipation Day events because I want my daughter to learn about D.C. and all of its history,”
In Her Last Budget Proposal, Bowser Opts for Future Growth
Fiscal Year 2027 Priorities Include Business Investments, Downtown Revitalization, Cuts to Programs and Subsidies
By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Writer
Despite federal workforce depletion and the proliferation of vacant storefronts, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of her cabinet remain confident in the District’s economic health. Even so, they’ve presented the Fiscal Year 2027 budget as a roadmap to spurring revenue growth and scaling back on what they deem unsustainable programs.
Some of those programs include universal paid leave, a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) employment program, substance use disorder community support, and rapid rehousing. Bowser also keeps emergency rental assistance at its current funding level while eliminating “duplicative” family
DC BUDGET Page 9
Black Maternal Health Week 2026: 10 Years of Working to Save Lives
Local Organizations Address Inequities Through Programming, Partnerships, Community Engagement
By Keith Golden Jr. WI Intern
For health equity advocates across the D.C. area and nation, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) is about more than celebration. It’s about saving lives.
Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and District data shows that 90% of pregnancy-related deaths occur among Black residents, with the highest risk concentrated in Wards 7 and 8.
Earth Month 2026
By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Writer
As District leaders mull how best to respond to mass youth gatherings in commercial areas, at least one young person has
NaQuan Shepherd, a student at Anacostia High School in Southeast is one of 12 students who contributed to the release of “From Anacostia with Love: An Ecological Journey.” (Courtesy Photo/University of the District of Columbia)
MATERNAL HEALTH Page 20
5 Families at the Community Baby Shower on April 13 in Southwest, D.C., hosted by Wellpoint District of Columbia. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
5 A group of cheerleaders representing Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Southeast perform a routine to T.I.’s 2004 song, “Bring ‘Em Out,” after Bowser administration officials announced the rollout of programming in celebration of D.C. Emancipation Day and DC250. (Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr./The Washington Informer)
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $96 per year, two years $168. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to:
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STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER
A Thriller on Film: ‘Michael’ Celebrates the Music That Changed the World
In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark
PUBLISHER
Denise Rolark Barnes
STAFF
Micha Green, Managing Editor
Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director
Shevry Lassiter, WIN-TV Producer
Ra-Jah Kelly, Digital Asset Manager
Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC
Desmond Barnes, WIN Daily Editor
Anthony Tilghman, Social Media Strategist
ZebraDesigns.net, Graphic Design
Mable Neville, Bookkeeper
Angie Johnson, Office/Circulation Manager
Jada Ingleton, Content Editor
REPORTERS
Stacy Brown, National Reporter
Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr., Political/Education Reporter
Brenda Siler, Lifestyle Reporter
Ed Hill, Sports Reporter
Richard Elliott, Reporter
Skylar Nelson, Sports Reporter
Mya Trujillo, 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
INTERNS
Keith Golden Jr., Spring Intern
Kree Anderson, Spring Intern
Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly, Spring Intern
The “Michael” movie has arrived, opening in Berlin—one of the strongest fan bases anywhere in the world for Michael Jackson— and let’s just get straight to it.
This film, hitting theaters in the U.S. on April 24, is a “thriller.”
From the choice to launch in Berlin, to the action throughout, it’s clear this film understands its audience. It knows who has carried Michael Jackson’s music, his image, and his legacy across generations and across continents.
Viewing the film takes this reporter back to December
2024, sitting in a Las Vegas hotel suite with Jackson Estate Co-Executor John Branca, who spoke about this project with a level of confidence that didn’t leave room for doubt. He talked about honoring the music, about giving the fans something worthy of what Michael created.
That’s exactly what this is.
The Washington Informer was among those provided with a special screening on March 31, weeks before the official opening, and from the first seconds, the film makes its move.
“Wanna Be Startin’ Something” hits, and it doesn’t build slowly, it drops viewers right into it. The rhythm, the sound, the movement. The same song that opened tours like Victory and Bad now opens the film, and it works the same way— audiences are hooked, immediately.
The film goes back to Jackson’s home in Gary, Indiana, MICHAEL Page 29
Influencer Ashlee Jenae Found Dead in Tanzania as Family Disputes Suicide Claim
New details from inside “On the Record” are raising fresh questions about how the film was made and what participants say was happening behind the scenes.
The revelations come as Russell Simmons’ amended lawsuit, filed in a New York court against Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO, HBO Max, Max, filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, and Jane Doe Films, continues to move forward, accusing the defendants of producing and distributing a one-sided film that damaged his reputation.
Now, in conversations and texts obtained exclusively by The Informer, sources, including individuals who appeared in the controversial documentary, describe a production they say involved direction, pressure, and a narrative they did not fully understand when they agreed to take part.
“I don’t hate Russell Simmons,” one participant said. “I hate HBO. I hate the filmmakers. They are liars. This wasn’t a documentary. This was all scripted.”
The accounts, provided by sources who asked not to be identified, track closely with claims laid out in Simmons’ lawsuit, including allegations that key information was left out, opposing voices were not included, and participants were guided in how their stories were presented.
Several sources, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, described what they said was a difficult and controlled process during production.
“On top of being the subject, and on top of being sucked dry for the concept itself, their lack of honesty and lack of humility is just stunning,” one participant said.
Hip-Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Dies as Legacy Faces Praise and Painful Allegations
Afrika Bambaataa, a critical figure to the birth and global spread of hip-hop culture who became mired with controversy later in life, has died, closing a chapter on a legacy that helped shape music while remaining clouded by years of serious allegations.
“Fact and Truth. One of the founders of Hip-Hop. I'm keeping it to the culture and thankful for the grace he gave me and my crew,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D wrote in a social media post following news of Bambaataa’s death. “And the accomplishments that so many built upon. I'll leave it there, as I was always taught never be quick to condemn and always slow to judge.”
Bambaataa, born Lance Taylor, emerged from the Bronx in the 1970s as one of the central architects of hip-hop, widely credited alongside DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash with helping establish the culture’s foundation through block parties, breakbeats, and a vision that extended beyond mu-
sic. His formation of the Universal Zulu Nation sought to redirect street energy into artistic expression, promoting peace, unity, love, and having fun as core principles. His influence stretched far and wide. Through international tours and groundbreaking records like “Planet Rock,” Bambaataa helped introduce hip-hop to audiences across Europe, Africa, and Asia, while also shaping the electro-funk sound that would influence generations of artists. He became known as the “Master of Records,” a DJ who blended sounds from multiple genres and cultures into a new musical language.
“Through his music, leadership, and influence, he contributed to the foundation of Hip Hop’s core principles, inspiring generations of MCs, DJs, breakers, and cultural leaders,” representatives for Bambaataa said in a statement.
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Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
5 Jaafar Jackson stars as his celebrated uncle in the new biopic “Michael,” which opens to U.S. audiences on April 24. (Courtesy Photo)
ASHLEE JANAE Page 13
D.C. Secures More Than $302K for Workers in Misclassification Crackdown
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
More than 100 construction workers in the District will receive restitution after the Office of the Attorney General reached settlements with two drywall companies accused of misclassifying employees and denying them wages and benefits required under District law.
Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced that DR Construction and Consulting, Inc. and Pedro & Pablo’s Construction Company, Inc. will pay a combined $302,739 to workers and the District following an investigation into labor practices at job sites across the city.
“Today, we’re putting money back in the pockets of more than one hundred construction workers who were illegally deprived of wages and benefits they were legally entitled to receive,” Schwalb said in a March 25 statement.
According to the investigation, Pedro & Pablo, a Virginia-based company performing drywall installation and other construction work in the District, classified workers as independent contractors from 2021 to the present instead of employees as required under D.C. law. That classification denied workers access to benefits including paid sick leave and workers’ compensation insurance.
The Attorney General’s office also determined that DR Construction and Consulting (DRCC), a Maryland-based company, relied on subcontractors, including Pedro & Pablo, that misclassified workers at job sites throughout the District. Investigators said they found that dozens of additional workers on DRCC projects were also improperly classified and denied wages and benefits.
Under the settlements, Pedro & Pablo will pay $200,000, including $135,750 in restitution to workers and $57,500 in penalties to the District. DRCC will pay $102,739, including $56,250 in restitution and $46,489 in penalties.
Both companies have agreed to change their business practices, according to the settlement filing. Pedro & Pablo will reclassify its entire
workforce as employees and submit to monitoring by the Attorney General’s office through 2027. DRCC will require certified payroll reports from subcontractors, conduct random audits, and stop working with subcontractors that fail to demonstrate compliance or resolve misclassification claims with the District.
Worker misclassification, identified by the Attorney General’s office as a form of payroll fraud, reduces labor costs for companies while denying workers protections guaranteed under District law. Misclassified workers are not provided minimum wage protections, overtime pay, or paid leave, and employers avoid contributing to unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems.
Schwalb said the enforcement action is part of ongoing efforts by the Office of the Attorney General’s Workers’ Rights and Antifraud Section, which targets industries where violations are more common, including construction, hospitality, healthcare, and gig work.
Since January 2023, when Schwalb took office as the District’s elected attorney general, he noted that the office has secured more than $23 million for workers and the District. Since gaining independent authority to enforce wage theft laws in 2015, the office has recovered more than $39 million through investigations and enforcement actions.
“You are doing amazing work to protect workers and consumers in D.C.,” social media user Josef Gasimo wrote in reply to Schwalb’s March announcement. “Please keep up doing this to root out noncompliant entities that want to make quick cash without fllowing all the rules!”
The settlements also require ongoing oversight and compliance measures designed to ensure workers on construction sites across the District are properly classified and compensated under the law.
“Misclassifying workers as independent contractors undermines fair competition, cheats the District, and hurts working families who are increasingly stretched thin,” Schwalb said. WI
AROUND THE REGION
If you think you have been a target of fraud, report it to the DC Senior Medicare Patrol at smpresource.org/reportfraud or call:
@LCEinDC @LCEinDC
5 More than 100 construction workers in the District will receive restitution after the Office of the Attorney General reached settlements with two drywall companies accused of misclassifying employees and denying them wages. (WI File Photo)
AROUND THE REGION
April 16
1862 – The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, or simply Compensated Emancipation Act, a law that ended slavery in D.C. by paying slave owners for releasing their slaves, is signed by President Abraham Lincoln.
1864 – Internationally known singer Flora Batson, known as "The Double-Voiced Queen of Song," is born in Washington, D.C.
1947 – Basketball Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is born in New York City.
1994 – Ralph Ellison, author of "Invisible Man," dies in New York City at 81 of pancreatic cancer.
April 17
1872 – Activist and fiery journalist William Monroe Trotter is born on this day in Boston. A close friend of W.E.B. DuBois, Trotter was one of the most militant Black leaders of the late 1800s and early 1900s. He helped found the Niagara Movement, which led to the establishment of the NAACP. Trotter refused to join the NAACP, saying the group was too moderate and elitist. He was also a leading opponent of the accommodationist policies of Booker T. Washington. Trotter's primary vehicle of expression was his newspaper, the Boston Guardian.
April
18
1977 – Alex Haley, author of "Roots," is awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
April
19
1910 – The National Urban League is formed in New York City. It was established from the merging of the National League for the Protection of Colored Women, National League on Urban Conditions among Negroes and remnants of the Niagara Movement which had earlier helped found the NAACP. Among the leading
APRIL 16 - 22, 2026
SOURCE:
organizers were Ruth Standish Baldwin and George Edmund Haynes. Originally founded in part to focus on economic issues affecting Blacks, today the National Urban League is considered the nation's second-most powerful civil rights organization, after the NAACP. 1971 – Walter Fauntroy becomes the first elected congressional representative from the predominantly Black District of Columbia since Reconstruction. However, Fauntroy did not have voting rights. To this day, the Congressional representative from Washington is still not allowed to vote on major legislation.
April 20
1853 – Harriet Tubman begins her work with the Underground Railroad, a network of antislavery activists who helped slaves escape from the South.
1971 – The Supreme Court rules that busing can be used to integrate schools.
1984 – Influential cabaret singer Mabel Mercer dies in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 84.
1986 – Michael Jordan sets the single-game playoff scoring record with 63 points in a double-overtime loss to the Boston Celtics.
April 21
1966 – Milton Lee Olive III, a U.S. Army soldier who sacrificed himself to save others by smothering a live grenade, posthumously becomes the first African American Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War.
1974 – Lee Elder becomes the first African American professional golfer to qualify for the Masters tournament. 2003 – Singer/songwriter and civil rights activist Nina Simone dies of breast cancer at her home in the south of France at 70.
April 22
1922 – Famed jazz bassist Charles Mingus is born in Nogales, Arizona. WI
Michael Jordan (left) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (center) Nina Simone (right)
AROUND THE REGION view P INT
BY KEITH GOLDEN JR.
What makes an American?
ELYSSA MONTGOMERY / LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
“I think what makes me an American is that I was born here and that I care for the people around me. And I really admire the many different diverse cultures there is in America.”
MONICA PAYNE / WICHITA, KANSAS
DON FOLDEN / ALABAMA
“This country was built on immigration, period. Immigrants of all– Africans, Irish. Matter of fact, in D.C., there's more Irish history that's just dying on the vine than anything, and we don't know it.”
“Being born here or coming here, going through the process and getting their citizenship, getting their legalized papers. And sometimes it is kind of a process for people that can't afford it or don't know what actions to take. But with us coming together, I think it’s better for all of us that we can help each other.”
KEVIN VANDIVER / ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA
“I think it means not having to worry about whether you are a citizen if you're born on these shores. I think it entitles us all to the right for equal rights, equal justice under the law and under the Constitution, where there is no stratification or hierarchy between some having and some having not, but that every American should at least feel like they have the rights to exist and to flourish.”
Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.
AROUND THE REGION
Four Arrested in D.C. Teen Takeover as Cities Confront Rising Youth Crowds
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
A weekend “teen takeover” in Southeast, D.C. ended with four arrests by Metro Transit Police, placing the District at the center of a growing national pattern that has drawn concern from city leaders and law enforcement from coast to coast.
“We will not tolerate assaults on our officers or unsafe conditions in our transit system,” a Metro Transit Police official said in a statement following the arrests that stemmed from a large gathering near the Navy Yard.
The big, youth meet up, which reportedly grew disorderly, spilled into transit stations and surrounding streets.
The incident adds to a string of similar gatherings across the District, where large groups of teenagers—often mobilized through social media—have converged in busy commercial areas. Officials have responded with expanded curfew zones and increased police presence, particularly in neighborhoods like Navy Yard in Southeast and the Wharf in Southwest, as concerns grow over fights, property damage, and disruptions to businesses.
This comes after Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), in a letter to the D.C. Council revealed that there are more than more than “1,700 [Department of Parks and Recreation]
programs in the spring and summer months” in the District.
“We know these are critical times of the year for young people and we share council's commitment to providing safe, fun, and enriching experiences,” she wrote in a letter to the District’s legislative body.
The trend of teen meet-ups has spread well beyond Washington.
In Detroit, Mayor Mike Duggan (D) said the city is working with organizers to redirect the gatherings into safer environments.
“We’re not trying to stop young people from coming together,” Duggan said. “We’re trying to make sure they have a place to do it safely.”
In Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens (D) is calling on both families and city agencies to step in as the gatherings increase.
“We need parents to know where their children are,” Dickens said, adding that the city must also expand youth programming and safe spaces.
Chicago officials have issued more urgent warnings after several large gatherings turned violent.
“These trends can turn deadly,”
Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) said, cautioning that the scale and unpredictability of the events have strained police resources and raised fears among residents and visitors.
In Milwaukee, the city’s Public
Safety and Health Committee has taken up the issue, with officials weighing stricter curfews and enforcement measures following similar incidents.
Law enforcement agencies across multiple cities say the gatherings are often organized online and can escalate quickly, leaving little time to prepare.
As officials search for answers, the pattern remains consistent in Washington and across the country: large groups of teens arrive with little notice, tensions rise quickly, and cities are left balancing enforcement with prevention.
“We have to create spaces where young people can gather without putting themselves or others at risk,” Dickens said.
In the nation’s capital, the debate continues on how to respond.
Some residents have pushed for tougher enforcement following repeated disruptions, while youth advocates argue the city must invest more heavily in recreation, mentorship, and safe gathering options.
“D.C. has more programming for the youth and rec centers than most major cities,” social media user Kev Coke wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, April 6. “At some point, we may need to look deeper at the actual problem.”
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5 Throughout the District and across the country, leaders are working to address a rise in youth gatherings, often spurred by social media. In D.C., increasing convenings are happening near popular family areas such as Navy Yard and near the Wharf. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
service centers, capping D.C. government liability payouts, removing future pay increases for public employees, and defunding the child care educator subsidy.
“The programs that we're investing in that just aren't yielding results. How do we shed those programs and focus on other programs that do?” Bowser said in response to D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At large) during her annual budget unveiling at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library.
On April 10, Bowser, flanked by City Administrator Kevin Donahue, Budget and Performance Management Director Jenny Reed, Chief of Staff Tomás Talamante, and Senior Advisor Lindsey Parker, told members of the D.C. Council that her budget proposal, themed “Run Through the Tape!” aims to boost revenue, attract new residents and lure new businesses.
The outcome, she would later say in acknowledgement of Bonds’ concerns, protects the very investments that have benefitted impoverished Washingtonians.
“If you look at the types of programs that we invest in our most vulnerable residents and compare them to any place around us, you'll see that we're the gold standard,” Bowser said. “From health care, to transportation supports, to housing supports, to our school time supports, we invest a lot.”
Bowser’s meeting with the council followed weeks of performance oversight meetings where council members heard testimony about benefits fraud and how some publicly funded offerings yielded less-than-desirable outcomes. D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) was the sole council member to not attend the meeting, due to what a staffer called a personal appointment that couldn’t be rescheduled.
Earlier, senior Bowser administration officials told reporters that, as it relates to universal paid leave, Maryland and Virginia residents heavily benefitted from the D.C. employer-funded program. Reed would later specify how the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, if left intact, aims to address that issue.
“Similar to last year, we are recommending reductions to make the program more sustainable,” Reed told council members. “But we will also need to pause in 2027 for one year
AROUND THE REGION
5 While D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser remains confident in the District’s economic health, her Fiscal Year 2027 budget is a roadmap to spurring revenue growth and scaling back on programs. (WI
folks taking leave for medical or for themselves or for their family members. Parental leave, internal leave will remain as is.”
Revelations about public spending came amid a warning from administration officials earlier this year about an impending $1.1 billion budget gap caused by federal workforce reductions, smaller surpluses, slower revenue growth, along with the increasing cost of Medicaid, Metropolitan Police Department officer overtime, administration of SNAP, and utilities and rent.
In March, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education announced an upcoming enrollment cap in the early child care subsidy.
There were also rumblings about whether the early child care educator pay equity fund, through which centers were able to pay employees, would receive funding. Despite strong advocacy around that program, Bowser opted instead to fund current child care subsidy recipients, the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program, and health care funding for early childhood educators.
She would later explain her rationale that the District’s early child care ecosystem provides better outcomes than pouring into what she called an “income support program.”
“We're paying all this money, but
we're not getting more affordable child care,” Bowser told reporters on April 10. “We also have a three-yearold program where….universally our children can go to a real school with real teachers for free. We even have one where they go to other schools in a $20 million PKEEP program for three-year-olds.”
Inside D.C. Mayor Bowser’s Attempt to Balance Obligations to Growth and D.C. Residents Bowser’s budget proposal, which amounts to $12.7 billion in general funds, represents a 3.3% decrease in operating expenditures when compared to the finalized Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Half of that funding goes toward public education and human support services.
The capital budget, $11.2 billion in total, represents a 4.6% increase in infrastructural investments, with nearly three-fourths of those dollars going to schools, transportation and Metro.
The Office of the Chief Financial Officer, which received Bowser’s budget proposal on April 1, is scheduled to finalize the document by April 14. However, there’s some possibility that Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee will make the books publicly available throughout the weekend. The council is then expected to conduct public
BUDGET from Page 1 DC BUDGET Page 11
DC
File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
AROUND THE REGION
The Mr. DC “Men of Culture” Community Event, held Saturday, April 11 at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest, D.C., offered networking, entertainment and friendly competition for local males. Hosted by the Mr. DC Charity Event, the programming celebrated men of diverse cultures and their honorable commitments throughout the DMV area, and crowned contestant Frank White as this year’s Mr. DC. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
Kwesi Baucum reads The Washington Informer. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
-Hazel Johnson "Every day, I complain, protest, and object,
hearings between April 20 and May 12 before conducting an informal breakfast on May 13.
A work session is scheduled for May 27, with the first reading of the adjusted Fiscal Year 2027 budget scheduled for June 9 and the final reading June 23.
On Friday, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) questioned Bowser from the onset about her vision for supporting marginalized residents, especially since she’s not increasing emergency rental assistance.
“I'm concerned about the level of African-Americans that are leaving our city. I think in the last census, we lost almost 20,000 people, especially for working-class people in the District,” White said. “What programs do you have that are safety nets for [those] who are struggling to stay in D.C.? Electric bills are going up, I think we need to allow for increases in rent, 6% twice, which would be 12%. The revenues are not keeping up for people to stay in D.C.”
In response, Bowser mentioned her attempts to support and boost workforce development— mainly through the D.C. Infrastructure Academy and Advance Technical Center. With the federal government no longer a source of revenue, the Bowser administration is looking to artificial intelligence and health care as potential avenues of job growth.
“It focuses on how people get jobs and how we make sure that we are attracting jobs,” Bowser told White about her budget proposal. “One of the biggest investments that we have with people who have lower incomes is in health care, and it's a huge investment. I would say the second biggest investment is in schools and making sure that we are investing in schools.”
Other aspects of Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal include capital investments in road, sidewalk and alley maintenance, the continuation of D.C. Department of Public Works’ Clean Corridors Initiative, and the construction of new D.C. Archives building. As it relates to public safety, the Bowser administration aims to modernize firetrucks and ambulances, improve youth rehabilitation facilities, and support a public-private partnership to construct a new D.C. Jail.
In what at least one council member considered a win of sorts, Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal also funds Medicaid and the Alliance health care program at current levels, while providing dental and vision coverage for all basic healthcare and Alliance enrollees.
“Thank you for the vision and dental,” said D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At large). “I feel like I've been banging this drum beat, but vision and dental care is super, super, super important for our DC BUDGET from Page 9
DC BUDGET Page 44
5 After hearing her proposal, D.C. Councilmember Trayon White is questioning D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser about her commitment to marginalized Washingtonians. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
Bowie Elects Michael Esteve in Mayoral Special Election
By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer
In an April 7 special election, voters in Prince George’s County’s largest municipality picked Bowie Councilmember Michael Esteve to lead them as mayor.
“I’m grateful to the many residents who came out to vote. We were pleasantly surprised by the
high turnout,” Esteve told The Informer.
The Bowie native was one of nine candidates vying for the mayoral seat, including his council colleagues Roxy Ndebumadu and Wanda Rogers, along with 23-year-old Rebecca Pearce.
Now that he’s won the special election, Esteve said he’s ready to get work.
“I’m looking forward to getting to work to preserve our core services, tackle aging infrastructure, and address our shortage of law enforcement and public works personnel.”
Having served on the council since 2015, the Bowie charter calls for a special election to fill his seat in the coming months. As he transitions from the council to the mayor, Esteve looks forward to further working to strengthen Bowie in a new capacity.
“We’re gonna do everything we can every day to make progress, to listen to people, to ensure folks know what the city’s doing and why we’re doing it,” Estève, who will serve as mayor until the 2027 election, said in an interview with NBC4.
Goals for Strengthening Bowie
A graduate of DeMatha High School and Loyola University, Esteve won on a platform of in-
Talent Strategy Is Economic Strategy
In today’s economy, talent is no longer just a workforce issue it is the foundation of economic growth. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, the demand is shifting toward adaptable, innovative thinkers who can navigate constant change. This shift is especially critical for small and medium-sized businesses, which power our local economy but often face barriers in accessing talent and adopting new technologies.
At the same time, a wave of business owners is approaching retirement, creating both risk and opportunity. Without a plan, communities could lose legacy businesses that have long anchored neighborhoods. But with the right approach, this moment can unlock new pathways to ownership and wealth creation.
Entrepreneurship particularly through acquiring existing businesses—must be elevated as a viable career path. If we are serious about the future of work, we must prepare people not only for jobs, but for ownership, leadership, and long-term economic participation.
Join the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce at www.pgcoc.org.
Sincerely,
Alexander K. Austin President & CEO Prince George's Chamber of Commerce
creasing police recruitment and addressing speeding motorists in his hometown.
“A town our size could easily have 122 law enforcement officers,” he told NBC 4 News. “We’re operating with about 66.”
He also plans to address discolored water coming from faucets in some Bowie homes and work to improve the city’s public works.
“A trash truck that cost $120,000 just a few years ago costs almost $280,000 today,” he continued. “Retention for public works workers, trash workers, recycling pickup guys is much, much, much harder. Those guys used to stick around for years, and now they stick around for months.
I think residents are starting to see and notice that.”
Greg Holmes, candidate for county executive in Prince George’s, is excited for the po-
tential that Bowie has in coming years.
“Change in leadership is an opportunity,” Holmes told The Informer, “and Bowie is ready for it.”
With more than a decade in Bowie politics, Esteve knows that the work ahead is not going to be easy. However, he’s looking forward to collaborating with residents and other leaders to get the job done.
“We have many hard decisions to make and a long road ahead,” Esteve told The Informer, “but I’m confident if we come together and make that journey as one city, we can build a shared future and a town we are all proud to call home.” WI
with more than 50% of the
in the April 7 special election.
Photo)
6 Mike Esteve is Bowie’s new mayor, elected
vote
(Courtesy
Remembering James Alsobrooks: Sen. Alsobrooks Mourns Death of Her Father
By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer
James Alsobrooks, the father of Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D) died earlier this month.
A distributor for The Washington Post and a car salesman, Alsobrooks and his wife Patricia Alsobrooks raised two daughters: the senator and her sister Kimberly Alsobrooks Seymour in Suitland.
"He sacrificed endlessly for my sister and me, and spared no resource– time or otherwise– to provide us opportunities he never had. Always selfless. Always teaching life lessons in his unique way. Always uplifting. telling us we could do anything in this life,” the senator wrote in a statement posted to Instagram on April 7.
People took to social media to remember the politician’s late father, who some affectionately called “Mack.”
“To have known ‘Mack’ was to
ASHLEE JANAE from Page 4
Another described repeated tension with the filmmakers.
“It’s been like this the whole time. I stand up for myself, she freaks out, and then I have to repair it so we can move on. Rinse, repeat. It’s awful,” the source said. “[Filmmaker] Amy Ziering has been holding all of the information and all of the cards.”
The same source described the dynamic as “classic abusive behavior,” pointing to what they said was a pattern during filming.
Others spoke more directly about how they believed the narrative was shaped.
“Those filmmakers are so terrible,” one participant said. “Thank God they’re done with.”
At the center of many of the conversations is the role of a primary figure in the film, who multiple sources say had influence beyond what viewers were told.
“The primary figure in the film definitely had a private deal with the film people,” one source said. “She was in it for monetary reasons and attention. Period.”
have experienced a life-long (67 years) friend and brother,” social media user Diane Crosley-Mayers wrote on a Facebook post by the Maryland Democratic Party.
“He loved hard as evidenced by the devotion he has garnered from so many family and friends. I am proud to have been accepted as part of the family and thankful for his unwavering devotion to displaying what Christian Agape love looks like. He selflessly thought of others until the end.”
Sharing her father’s lessons and legacy, Maryland’s first Black senator asked for privacy as she mourned the death of her family’s patriarch.
“I'm heartbroken that we've lost a devoted husband, loving grandfather, and the best father I could ever dream of having,” she continued. “ But I'm forever grateful that he passed on the kind of wisdom that endures, and the memories that will never fade.” WI
Another source said the effort had been in motion long before the documentary was released.
“She planned this. This has been architecture. This was always about her career,” the source said.
Those statements align with allegations in Simmons’ lawsuit, which claims that a central participant had a financial arrangement and an undisclosed role in shaping the project.
Some participants also questioned timelines and accounts presented in the film.
“There is nothing wrong with saying…people seem so certain I dated him, but nobody asked who I was actually dating,” one participant said. “He was with Marita Stavros during that period, constantly. So how is that timeline even possible?”
Another participant said assumptions were made about relationships without fully examining the details.
Participants also described confusion about the direction of the film and how it evolved.
WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
3 Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks is mourning the death of her father James Alsobrooks. (Courtesy Photo)
BUSINESS
From Enslaved Roots to a Billion-Dollar Business: Warren Thompson Expands Restaurant Empire Nationwide
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
Warren Thompson has seen just about everything in more than three decades of building one of the nation’s most successful Black-owned hospitality companies— from recessions, a pandemic, industry-wide slowdowns, and now a business climate that has turned hostile toward minority-owned companies.
Yet Thompson Restaurants is growing.
The division of Thompson Hospitality reported a 12% year-over-year revenue increase in 2025, fueled by expansion across multiple brands, new concept development, and a strategy that leans into both opportunity and discipline. The company opened or converted 11 locations last
year and is pushing toward a goal of 100 locations by the end of 2027.
“Our 2025 performance reflects our ability to scale thoughtfully while maintaining strong execution across a diverse set of concepts,” Alex Berentzen, chief operating officer of Thompson Restaurants, said in a statement.
“The strength of our team and our operating model positions us well to support continued growth without compromising quality or guest experience.”
For Thompson, the strategy is grounded in something deeper than business cycles or expansion plans. It starts with a story passed down through generations.
“My great-great grandfather was born a slave, spent 30 years as a slave,” Thompson said during an interview
on “Let It Be Known.” “When he got his freedom, shortly after he started his own business, started a very successful blacksmith business, he lived to be 103. And so, the 73 years of freedom, he ran his own business.”
Thompson said that story helped shape him into the entrepreneur he is today.
“My father told me I had no excuse for not being able to start a business, but more importantly, making it successful,” he said.
That mindset has carried the company through 33 years of operation and into its current phase of accelerated growth.
“We’ve seen recessions. We’ve seen pandemics. We’ve seen everything you can,” Thompson said. “Now we see the current administration that has attacked minority owned busi-
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nesses left and right. But this too will pass and we’ll come out of this stronger than when we entered.”
The company’s portfolio includes brands such as Milk & Honey, Makers Union, Wiseguy Pizza, Matchbox, and Austin Grill. Milk & Honey continues to drive growth, adding five locations in 2025 and reaching 19 total.
“Love your other locations, so can’t wait to check this one out,” one social media user wrote in anticipation of the Milk & Honey location now open in Alexandria, Virginia.
Expansion is not limited to traditional restaurant spaces. Thompson Restaurants is moving deeper into airports, including new locations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
“We’ve been in airports for roughly 15 years,” Thompson said. “The way we enter the airport business is through partners that we license our brand to.”
The company is also expanding beyond the Washington region into Virginia’s Tidewater area, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
“We go into the market with our contract side of the business and then we place restaurants close to those operations,” Thompson said.
Upholding the Thompson Standard
Even as the company scales, Thompson said consistency remains the foundation.
“If the restaurant chain or restaurant group is not consistent, it will not last,” he said. “The reason McDonald’s has survived all of these years is that the Big Mac has tasted the same no matter where you are in the world.”
That standard is enforced across
Thompson Restaurants’ brands.
“We don’t allow the individual restaurant chefs to deviate from that,” Thompson said.
In the case of Milk & Honey, many people look forward to the savory, soul-food and Southern-inspired cuisine.
“I need those chicken and waffles,” one Instagram user wrote.
At the same time, Thompson continues to build concepts rooted in personal history. Ms. Peach’s Southern Kitchen is a tribute to his grandmother.
“She was a midwife in the southeast part of Virginia,” Thompson said. “Every time I walk in, I can feel her presence and a sense of responsibility to deliver excellence.”
Technology is also shaping the company’s future.
“AI is going to help us better predict how many meals we have to prepare,” Thompson said. “If you can better predict demand using technology, then you can reduce waste.”
The company’s loyalty program has already enrolled more than 200,000 members.
“Those people are far more likely to open the email and to respond by coming in,” Thompson said.
Even with rapid expansion, Thompson said the company’s identity remains rooted in community engagement.
“We challenge all of our managers to adopt churches in the area, to adopt schools in the area,” he said. “That’s where our neighbors are and that’s where our customers are.”
For Thompson, running his restaurant group is a labor of love.
“I love watching this company grow,” he said, “and I love watching people grow within the company.”
WI
3 Inside Hen Quarter in Southwest, D.C., part of Thomson Restaurants, owned by Warren Thompson. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)
Leadership Transition Underway at GWBCC Following CEO Departure
By WI Web Staff
After roughly four years leading the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC), President and CEO
Aisha Bond will step down, the organization announced on Friday, April 3.
During her time at the chamber, Bond guided the organization with a clear vision, strengthening its foundation and positioning it for sustainable growth. She expanded GWBCC’s reach by forging strategic partnerships, enhancing programs, and raising the profile of Black-owned businesses across the region.
“Serving the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce has been a true honor,” Bond said in a press release statement. “I’m proud of what we’ve accom-
plished and confident the organization will continue to thrive.”
Bond was instrumental in creating new opportunities for Black entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. Under her leadership, the chamber improved access to funding, bolstered business development resources, and fostered stronger regional networks, cementing its role as a leading advocate for equitable economic advancement. The Board of Directors will oversee a transition to ensure leadership continuity as the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce enters its next phase.
Board Chair Corey Griffin highlights Bond’s indelible mark which will continue post her departure.
“We are deeply grateful to Aisha for her dedication and lead-
THE LENDING SUPPORT YOU NEED FOR THE LIFE YOU DESERVE
ership,” read Griffin’s statement.
“Her efforts have laid a lasting foundation that will continue to benefit Black businesses throughout the Greater Washington area.” WI
5 After leading the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce since April 2022, Aisha Bond is departing as president and CEO. (Courtesy Photo/GWBCC)
5 Aisha Bond speaks to a guest during a Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce event in January 2025. (WI File Photo)
NATIONAL
Americans Paying Attention but Struggling to Act, Major Democracy Study Finds
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
A sweeping 36-page national study from Gallup and Charles F. Kettering Foundation finds that Americans remain deeply interested in civic life but continue to face persistent barriers that limit their participation, particularly among those with fewer resources and weaker ties to their communities.
“This study shows the multiple ways many citizens are participating, but too many still face obstacles preventing them from doing so,” Kettering Executive Vice President and COO John Dedrick said.
The report, based on responses from more than 20,000 adults surveyed in 2025, shows that just 25% of Americans believe the public’s role in the democratic process
is working well, while 37% say it is working poorly.
At the same time, public engagement has not disappeared. Sixty-one percent of Americans report paying at least a moderate amount of attention to government and political matters, and nearly onethird have taken part in efforts to improve conditions in their communities within the past year.
Yet the study makes clear that interest alone has not translated into action. Thirty-six percent of Americans say they have wanted to participate in civic or community efforts but have not, revealing a significant gap between intent and involvement.
The report also shows that Americans remain divided on whether their voices carry weight. About 35% say ordinary citizens
have a great deal or moderate power to create change, while 33% say citizens have very little or almost no power.
Perceptions of influence are closely tied to lived experience. Data in the report shows that people who are financially secure, strongly connected to their communities or regularly attend local events are far more likely to believe in citizen power than those who are struggling economically or socially disconnected.
Community engagement stands out as one of the strongest indicators of democratic confidence.
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Slightly more than half of Americans say they attend community events at least occasionally, and those who do are significantly more likely to believe democracy is functioning well and that citizens can influence outcomes.
Volunteering follows a similar pattern. Among those who reported volunteering in the past year, 44% believe citizens have meaningful power, compared with far lower levels among those who have not participated.
Barriers to participation remain widespread and often overlapping.
Seventy-four percent of Americans report facing multiple obstacles that prevent them from engaging in civic life. Work or family obligations are the most frequently cited barrier at 47%, but other factors appear nearly as often, including not being invited or encouraged to participate, uncertainty about how to get involved and lack of knowledge about key issues.
The data shows that these barriers are not evenly distributed. Americans earning less than $36,000 annually or reporting financial hardship are significantly more likely to face four or more obstacles to participation and are far less likely to volunteer or attend community events.
Age also plays a role. Younger adults report the highest number of barriers, with nearly half saying they have wanted to volunteer but have not. Despite this, their actual participation rates are similar to other age groups, suggesting both
interest and frustration among younger Americans.
The report identifies civic education as a major factor in bridging the gap between interest and action. Sixty-three percent of Americans say they received at least some civic education in school, and about half report informal civic learning from parents or other adults.
Those who experienced both formal and informal civic education are far more engaged. Forty-two percent of this group reported volunteering in the past year, compared with just 20% among those with little or no civic education. They are also more likely to say they know how to contact elected officials and feel comfortable expressing their views.
Civic education appears to matter more than formal schooling alone. The report shows that individuals with strong civic knowledge are more likely to participate in democracy regardless of whether they hold a college degree.
Social media introduces both opportunities and complications. Americans who spend more time on social platforms are more likely to feel represented and to believe their voices matter, but they also report higher levels of information overload and are less likely to agree that democracy is the best form of government.
Roughly 60% of Americans say they feel overwhelmed by information at least occasionally, with younger adults reporting the highest levels of overload. Among those who frequently feel overwhelmed, confidence in participating in civic life declines, including lower comfort in expressing opinions and greater uncertainty about how to get involved.
The report also notes the role of local networks in shaping civic engagement. Seventy-seven percent of Americans say family, friends and neighbors are key sources of information on issues that matter to them, surpassing elected officials, educators and business leaders.
Researchers found that individuals who rely on multiple local sources of information are more likely to believe citizens can create change and to view the public’s role in democracy more positively.
“The challenge is removing the barriers that keep too many people on the sidelines,” said Justin Lall, a principal at Gallup. WI
5 People protest the Trump administration in the March 28 No Kings rally in Washington, D.C. A new national study reveals Americans remain deeply interested in civic life but continue to face persistent barriers that limit their participation. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)
Crump’s Debut Novel Delivers Big Wins for Black Independent Booksellers
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
Attorney Ben Crump’s first foray into crime fiction is delivering more than courtroom drama. His debut novel “Worse Than a Lie” is driving packed signings, sold-out shelves, and a measurable spike in revenue at Blackowned bookstores across the country.
Released Feb. 17, the legal thriller has translated into approximately 25,000 copies sold in pre-sales and in-store purchases during its first week, with several Black independent retailers reporting they exhausted their initial inventory shortly after hosting Crump tour events.
Rather than rely primarily on national chains, Crump partnered directly with Black-owned bookstores for signings, conversations, and community gatherings.
Kevin Johnson, founder and president of the National Association of Black Bookstores and a former Sacramento mayor and NBA All-Star, said in a published report that the strategy behind the rollout carried real weight for independent retailers.
“Ben Crump has always used his voice to fight for justice. With this release, he also put action behind that voice,” Johnson stated.
Among the stops were Baldwin & Co. in New Orleans, Da Book Joint in Chicago, the DMV’s Mahogany Books, Malik Books in Los Angeles, Marcus Books in Oakland, The Dock Bookshop in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Underground Books in Sacramento. Stores in cities including Tallahassee, Florida; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Los Angeles and Oakland, California; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Miami Gardens, Florida; and Dallas, Texas also reported record levels of support.
“By facilitating purchases of his book through the National Association of Black Bookstores, he ensured that independent Blackowned bookstores across the country directly benefited,” Johnson said. “That kind of intentional support matters. It strengthens businesses, families, and the cultural institutions that help tell our stories.”
5 Attorney Ben Crump’s debut novel “Worse Than a Lie” is driving packed signings, sold-out shelves, and a measurable spike in revenue at Black-owned bookstores across the country. (WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)
The Inspiration Behind ‘Worse Than a Lie’
The novel launches a new series centered on Beau Lee Cooper, a lawyer drawn into a case that begins with a violent traffic stop and spirals into a battle over truth and justice inside the criminal legal system.
The story opens on Nov. 4, 2008, as the nation celebrates the election of its first Black president, while a 53-year-old Black former police officer, Hollis Montrose, is shot 10 times during a traffic stop and later charged and imprisoned after what is described as a wrongful conviction.
Crump said the shift to fiction grew naturally from his work as a trial attorney.
“What trial lawyers do on a regular basis is we tell engaging stories to juries, and in my case, juries all across America,” Crump stated.
For Crump, the impact extends beyond the page.
“When we support Black bookstores, we are investing in literacy, legacy, and liberation,” he said. “They are invaluable community centers that host author talks, youth programs, civic dialogue, and cultural gatherings, all while honoring our past, present, and future.”
WI
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George Washington University Hosts Third Annual Future of Finance and Trade in Africa Conference
By Sumaya Abdel WI Intern
International leaders, representatives from The World Bank, academics, CEOs and investors are gathering at George Washington University in Northwest, D.C. on April 14 to raise awareness about the economic challenges and opportunities facing countries across Africa.
The third annual Future of Finance and Trade in Africa conference will address topics such as financial innovations, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), sustainable farming to combat food insecurity, and renewable energy and solutions.
“We’re really excited to be welcoming large numbers of members of the African delegation to campus,” Kyle Renner, the university’s assistant director of the Institute for International Economic Policy, told The Informer. “We want to ensure that the conference is not a discussion that is only taking place among individuals who are already in the Washington, D.C. area, but that, in fact, it bridges change-makers on the continent with leading thinkers and policy makers."
A day of engaging conversations and programming, one of the keynote speakers will be Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank's regional vice president for Western and Central Africa.
Danny Leipziger, a professor of practice of international business and the managing director of The Growth Dialogue, emphasized the wealth of resources across Africa. While the
continent faces challenges, Africa has an abundance of natural resources and the most possibilities of hydro-power, a renewable energy source that generates electricity through falling water, said Leipziger. Further, Africa currently has the fastest-growing population and increasing urbanization.
“There are tremendous opportunities, there are all sorts of advances that the continent has great potential in,” Leipziger said. “This conference is a forum that allows people to get more information than they themselves can gather.”
The conference was launched back in 2024 in a partnership through the university's business school and Elliott School of International Affairs.
The university aims to bring as many businessmen and women and
“We want to ensure that the conference is not a discussion that is only taking place among individuals who are already in the Washington, D.C. area, but that, in fact, it bridges change-makers on the continent with leading thinkers and policy makers."
Kyle Renner Assistant Director Institute for International Economic Policy
policy makers into dialogue with each other.
“Africa's economic transformation is one of the defining stories of our time,” said Sevin Yeltekin, the university’s business school dean. “From digital finance to trade realignment, new models of growth are emerging across the continent.”
For Yeltekin, the annual conference is about providing information, offering resources and empowering future changemakers.
“Three years ago, we launched this conference because we believed in the power of creating a dedicated space where heads of state, central bank governors, and business leaders could convene around that transformation alongside the next generation of global leaders, our students,” Yeltekin said. “That's what Africa 3.0 has become.”
Renner, who is in charge of facilitating partnerships with the guest speakers and overseeing the content of the conference, expressed optimism for the future of the conference.
“I would actually anticipate that the conference should only grow in both, potentially in size but in importance, because, as you can see from global economic activity, firms and countries and individuals are constantly looking for new opportunities,” Renner told The Informer. “They're constantly looking for new resources, and the continent is rich in both.”
WI
5 George Washington University Business professor Danny Leipziger (left) listens to a speaker during a previous Future of Finance and Trade in Africa conference. (Courtesy Photo/George Washington University)
HEALTH
Disparities facing Black women and firsthand experience drive Jaren Hill Lockridge, chair of the Ward 8 Health Council, to fight against inequities.
“It is my duty to do all that I can to support birthing people in my community and giving them the resources I wish I had bringing my daughters earth side,” Hill Lockridge told The Washington Informer on WIN-TV’s “Let’s Talk.”
Through programming, partnerships and community engagement, Ward 8 Health Council is dedicated to raising awareness not just during Black Maternal Health Week, but increasing access to care in order to strengthen District residents year round.
“We have the statistics to support the maternal labor and delivery moment. But it's actually a larger crisis about Black women's health,” Hill Lockridge explained. “This is not isolated to a woman's ability to reproduce… This is across the board, and this is really just being able to shine a light on the Black women's health crisis of: believe Black women when we say we're in pain or whatever's going on.”
The Ward 8 based care program is one of the many organizations across the DMV combating maternal health inequities.
In January, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and the Greater Washington Community Foundation (GWCF) awarded $2.2 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits dedicated to improving maternal health
throughout the DMV, including Community of Hope and Voices for Virginia’s Children.
“We simply cannot share our impactful programs without the generosity of so many,” said Leah Garrett, vice president of development and communications at Community of Hope.
Allison Gilbreath, senior policy and programs director at Voices for Virginia’s Children, said the funding is “affirming and motivating,”
“It reflects a shared urgency to improve outcomes for birthing people, infants, and families,” she said in a statement to The Informer. “For us, this is not just a investment in our organization—it’s an investment in the belief that our systems can and must work better for families, especially during pregnancy and the early years.”
As Black Maternal Health Week winds down, local organizations are committed to continuing their goals of strengthening communities beyond the annual celebration, including raising awareness, programming and partnership to continue equity and justice work.
“When policy, practice, and community voice are aligned,” Gillbreath said, “we can build a system where every birthing person has the support they need.”
Highlighting the Importance of Doulas
At the Ward 8 Health Council, Hill Lockridge said that the Maternal Health Working Group, co-chaired by Crystal Jackson, is emphasizing the importance of doulas.
“Who is really listening to and un-
derstanding and advocating for the mother and the birthing person? And that's the role of the doula,” Hill Lockridge explained. “[The doula says]: ‘She's cold. Let's get her a blanket. She doesn't want an epidural. hungry, she’s in pain.’ [ A doula] is really there to be an advocate, a cheerleader and supporter for the birthing person.”
The National Library of Medicine found that doula-assisted births are linked to lower rates of complications, fewer cesarean sections and overall improved maternal outcomes— particularly for Black birthing people who face higher risks during pregnancy and childbirth.
In the District, if birthing people qualify for Medicaid, they also qualify for doula support.
“We recognize that doula support is statistically proven to improve birthing and maternal health rates,” Hill Lockridge told The Informer.
The council’s Doula Learning Action and Collaborative aims to make doulas more accessible for those who need them, alongside clearer outreach explaining how to obtain one.
Further, the Ward 8 group announced a partnership with A Queen Mama Doula Services, Children’s National Medical Center and and Wellpoint DC to embed doulas at Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center. The effort would place doulas on staff, working alongside nurses, midwives and OBGYNs, while also expanding postpartum support for birthing people.
“We're really trying to do differently to really create a continuum of care from labor and delivery to that first pediatric appointment to really connect
the dots in an amazing, beautiful way,” the Ward 8 Health Council chair said.
Confronting ‘Stark Disparities in Outcomes’
Since its founding in 1994, Voices for Virginia’s Children, a statewide policy and advocacy organization, has been focused on improving the well-being of children and families through research, data and legislative action.
With the support from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and GWCF, Voices for Virginia’s Children hopes to deepen their work, particularly using data to better understand disparities — especially the disproportionate adverse outcomes experienced by Black birthing people.
“Lowering maternal mortality requires a comprehensive, systems-level approach grounded in data and equity,” Gilbreath explained. “We must ensure that birthing people have timely access to high-quality, culturally responsive care across the entire perinatal period, including strong behavioral health supports.”
Further, the organization plans to use the recent grant funding to advance maternal and infant behavioral health policy, focusing on longterm systems change. That includes strengthening Maternal Health Hubs, supporting implementation of the Statewide Maternal Health Task Force and integrating behavioral health into perinatal care.
“We will advocate to expand infant mental health screening, elevate
5With the 10th anniversary of Black Maternal Health Week underway, advocates are noting the importance of raising awareness, creating programming, and collaborating to improve overall birthing outcomes. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
MATERNAL HEALTH from Page 20
parent voice through community advisory structures and advance policy solutions such as improved Medicaid reimbursement and expanded access to care—particularly in underserved and rural communities,” Gillbreath said.
The policy and programs director emphasized that lowering maternal mortality requires more than individual programs— it demands structural change.
“We must also confront the stark disparities in outcomes, particularly for Black birthing people, by using data to drive accountability and change,” she said. “Just as importantly, we must listen to and center the experiences of birthing people most impacted.”
‘Caring for Babies and Their Parents is Community Work’
Through its comprehensive
Hope serves more than 600 pregnant women each year — many of whom are Black mothers on Medicaid.
Founded in 1980, Community of Hope is a D.C.-based nonprofit providing care, housing and family support services, with a strong focus on maternal and child health. Through initiatives like prenatal care, childbirth education, home visiting and behavioral health support, the organization works to address both medical and social needs — a model they credit for improved outcomes, according to their 2024 Maternal Child Health Impact Report.
The impact, Garrett said, is already visible.
“The babies and mommas in our community have better health outcomes than their peers across D.C.,” she said in a statement submitted to The Informer. “These families are off to a healthier start.”
Garrett emphasized that community involvement remains key to
aging residents to connect pregnant women to care, donate essential supplies like diapers and clothing, and support fundraising efforts that directly sustain services.
“Caring for babies and their parents is community work,” she told The Informer. “Something that anyone can do — babies require a lot of supplies, equipment and clothes. We accept donations of diapers, wipes, blankets, clothes — even clean and gently used items that your baby has already outgrown are so welcome.”
As organizations such as Community of Hope, Voices for Virginia’s Children and Ward 8 Health Council work to combat maternal health outcomes, they are also emphasizing the importance of collaboration in achieving their overall goals.
“We’re all really trying to co-create solutions to drive systems change, particularly for our mothers and birthing people who need it the most,” Hill Lockridge told The Informer.
HEALTH
WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE AT
• Health Services Administration (B.S.): Build leadership and management skills to improve healthcare systems and support patient-centered services.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (B.S.): Examine public policy, ethics and economic systems while developing strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Risk Management and Insurance (B.S.): Analyze and manage financial, legal and operational risks while building skills to support strategic decision-making.
5 Jaren Hill Lockridge, chair of the Ward 8 Health Council, works to uplift residents through increasing access to care and combating inequities through programming and
EARTH OUR
found solace in Grounded, one of Anacostia’s newest offerings.
“It’s honestly amazing,” Sebastian Frederick, a student at Anacostia High School in Southeast, told The Informer. “They serve coffee, matcha, boba, and stuff like that. When we went, we did yoga. It’s important to get away from industrialization and move towards connecting with yourself.”
Earlier this school year, Sebastian and his classmates spent hours at Grounded, an all-in-one plant shop, cafe and wellness enclave on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE.
Developing America's Workforce Nucleus (DAWN) coordinated the field trip. This University of the District of Columbia (UDC) program, in collaboration with Nature-Wise, D.C. Public Schools and Anacostia High School, is helping students explore career opportunities and
connect with nature.
Caroline Brewer, founder of Nature-Wise, a program that engages young people through literacy and outdoor exploration, said DAWN can serve as a model of what the District can do for young people on a grander scale.
“Children are hungry for these opportunities…to learn, to grow, to identify as people who are capable of doing great things,” Brewer told The Informer. “They will take advantage of opportunities that are offered to them to do things that are different, that are meaningful, that allow them to connect with nature and with the best of who they are.”
Students’ excursions to Grounded and other sights across the D.C. metropolitan area recently culminated in the release of “From Anacostia with Love: An Ecological Journey.” Sebastian— one of 12 students who contributed to this collection of poems, essays, and reports— said he wrote the pieces “What you don’t know about
Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School
Request for Proposals Limited Contracting Services: Summer 2026 Backfill Projects
The Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School in Washington, DC is seeking proposals from individuals or firms to provide general contracting services. View the full RFP and submission details at https://aohdc.org/get-involved/request-for-proposals/. P roposals are due April 24, 2026.
nature and me,” and “I’m Like a Meteor Shower” after tapping into the depths of his consciousness through a writing process facilitated by Nature-Wise.
“First, we had to do our creative thoughts…, then we would do a one-on-one revision with Miss Caroline [Brewer], then we would edit,” Sebastian told The Informer in March. “Then we'll take another day and then we'll edit again. We did final revisions [last month] since we did that in the summertime. We sat down with Miss Caroline and did the same thing over.”
Since joining DAWN last summer, Sebastian and his classmates have also taken trips to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in Northeast, Oxon Run Park in Southeast, Roosevelt Island, and the Library of Congress.
They also visited Mt. Pleasant Acres Farm, the ancestral home of Harriet Tubman in Eastern Shore, Maryland, where they learned African-American history and the basics of horticulture.
Through it all, Sebastian kept his late grandmother at the forefront of his mind.
“When my grandmother died in the ninth grade, it was always troubling my mind,” he explained. “This experience taught me that some things have to die in order for new things to grow. I just learned that and I carried that with me. It made me want to speak about how I grew as a person from being so depressed and to finding calmness and peace.”
Nature-Wise’s Lead Instructor Demands More
Creativity from City Officials
During its March 31 legislative meeting, the D.C. Council approved a motion to postpone its vote on an extension of what’s been referred to as the emergency juvenile curfew.
That vote will now take place, most likely, on April 21, upon District public and public charter students’ return from spring break.
The emergency juvenile curfew law, first approved last August and extended by the council later that fall, has allowed the Metropolitan Police Department to establish curfew zones where young people under the age of 18 are prohibited from gathering in groups of more than nine. During Easter weekend, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) hosted a late-night event at King-Greenleaf Recreation Center where young people were involved in altercations.
Shortly before DPR rolled out its spring break programming, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) called on the council to make the emergency juvenile curfew permanent. Some people like Brewer, however, say that more must be done to channel the youth’s energy.
5 Nature-Wise Founder Caroline Brewer (center) with students during the November 2023 celebration for the release of “Through My Anacostia Eyes: Environmental Problems and Possibilities.” (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
EDUCATION
ANTHOLOGY from Page 22
“We know from so much history in this country that punishing young people for being teenagers does not help us as a society,” Brewer said. “When we invest in their intellectual, social and emotional growth and development, it is a lot less expensive than the punitive measures.”
Brewer’s relationship with DAWN started during the summer of 2023 when DAWN’s deputy director Xavier Brown invited her to conduct a presentation for the Anacostia High School students. She’s since stayed on as a lead instructor, utilizing a curriculum that connects environmentalism and literacy to help students better appreciate nature and find their voice as writers.
Part of that process, Brewer said, involves creating positive experiences in spaces and places not too far from their school, including Grounded and Anacostia Neighborhood Library.
“These young people are very excited to see institutions, organizations, businesses in Southeast, D.C. that support their growth and development,” Brewer told The Informer. “A lot of the nature spaces are not far from where they live and from the high school. They were very happy to discover these places, to discover what they had to offer, to be able to interpret it for the readers of the book.”
On the morning of March 6, dozens of teachers, staff, students, and community members gathered in the library at Anacostia High School to celebrate the release of “From Anacostia with Love: An Ecological Journey.”
After opening remarks from Brewer, Brown, Anacostia principal Kenneth Walker, and DAWN founder and former UDC president Dr. Ronald Mason, some of the student authors read their works from the anthology. All of the young authors later appeared before the audience to read “Sensing the Anacostia Court-
yard,” a poem that came together on school grounds when each of them made observations about their surroundings.
“It was one of those poems where everybody went into the courtyard…to just write down what they saw, what they tasted,” Brewer told The Informer. “It just so happened that there was an apple tree and a fig tree in the courtyard. We took one line from each person's observations and we created that poem called a found poem.”
Other portions of “From Anacostia with Love: An Ecological Journey” are inspired by students’ experiences at Mt. Pleasant Acres Farm and on the Little Patuxent River in Laurel Maryland where they went kayaking.
“These are writing experiences that the students have generally not had,” Brewer told The Informer. “Being able to write in different ways, different genres and different formats helps to build their confidence, not only about writing, but about expressing themselves. It’s beautiful to see them blossom into more confident writers and readers and storytellers.”
Young People Reflect on Their Time Outdoors
Other works produced throughout DAWN’s existence include “Through My Anacostia Eyes: Environmental Problems and Possibilities,”which was published during the fall of 2023. Under Brewer’s direction, students become authors while learning about Black contributions to environmentalism, as well as the pollution afflicting Ivy City and the Anacostia River.
For NaQuan Shepherd, DAWN was the ideal program for a young person, like himself, who’s loved nature from a young age.
“Being outside, that's where you can learn the most and have fun,” said NaQuan, a senior at Anacostia High School. “You can also have your fun on your devices, but
I feel like when you're outdoors, it’s not as artificial. You're actually out there experiencing what you were meant to experience.”
NaQuan’s essay, “Nature and Me,” chronicles a connection to the outdoors that started as early as elementary school during recess. In his written work, NaQuan spoke about how his appreciation for nature grew, even with the changing of the seasons.
As NaQuan explained, DAWN helped him delve into career pathways for people of his ilk, including organic farming, hydroponics, and electric fishing.
“We spent a lot of time outdoors,” NaQuan said. “I challenged myself to not be on my de-
vices at all during these trips. I was very connected with the activities. We went to a few places, and we worked on a farm for a little bit. It was very engaging.”
Anacostia student La’Georgia Callaham told The Informer that putting her words on paper opened her up to the world.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Callaham, an 18-year-old senior at Anacostia High School. “I'm still a little shy about it and I'm still learning more about it. I finished it through all the challenges, so it feels great.”
Callaham counts overcoming family challenges and developing positive traits among her greatest life accomplishments. As she works to maintain consistent
school attendance, Callaham, an aspiring attorney, sees her involvement in DAWN as a step in the right direction.
For her, nature has become another source of stability during uncertain times.
“I didn't know that I would have this type of connection with nature and I would learn certain stuff,” La’Georgia said. “Clearly I can put it on my resume. It’s another thing that I can say I did. That’ll help me further my career.” WI
5 Caroline Brewer is the founder of Nature-Wise, a program that engages young people through literacy and outdoor exploration. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
America Stands on the Wrong Side of History
U.S. Veto of U.N. Slavery Resolution Ignores Truth, Justice, and Lasting Harm
In a moment that should have united the world in moral clarity, the United States instead chose denial. On March 25, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade the “gravest crime against humanity.” The vote was decisive, with 123 nations voting in favor.
Yet the United States— alongside Israel and Argentina— opposed the resolution, while the United Kingdom and the European Union chose the cowardly path of abstaining.
This was not merely a diplomatic disagreement. It was a profound moral failure. Slavery was not an abstract historical wrong. It was a system of industrialized human theft, torture, rape, and generational dehumanization that forcibly displaced more than 12 million Africans and built the economic foundations of Western wealth. The scars of that brutality remain visible today in racial wealth gaps, systemic inequality, and enduring discrimination across societies shaped by its legacy.
The resolution, led by Ghana and backed by African and Caribbean nations, sought not to rank suffering but to acknowledge the
truth and pursue justice, including reparations. As Ghana’s leadership emphasized, this was about “moral recognition,” not retribution.
Legal scholar Justin Hansford, in a Reuters interview, called the measure a historic step— an overdue affirmation of what descendants of the enslaved have long known.
Yet the Trump administration rejected it, hiding behind legalistic arguments about “hierarchies of atrocities.” That rationale rings hollow. Refusing to name slavery as one of the gravest crimes is not neutrality— it is erasure. It signals
an unwillingness to confront the full weight of history, especially when that history implicates power.
Let us be clear: this decision was not merely misguided; it was racist in effect and implication. At a time when the global community is grappling with systemic injustice, the United States chose to diminish one of the most defining atrocities in human history.
History will remember who stood for truth and who turned away. Unfortunately, the United States turned away from it.
WI
Let us be clear: this decision was not merely misguided; it was racist in effect and implication. At a time when the global community is grappling with systemic injustice, the United States chose to diminish one of the most defining atrocities in human history.
Kamala Harris Says She May Take Third Bite at the Apple
Can Americans Break the Chains of Racism and Sexism that Bind?
Former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed during a fireside chat with the Rev. Al Sharpton at the annual National Action Network (NAN) conference on April 9, that she may run again for president.
In fact, Harris garnered some loud cheers in support of the notion.
But as Harris knows, while chants of “run again” may be heartwarming and encouraging, she would be wise not to gauge her chances for success on the singular affirmations of a presumably partisan crowd.
“I served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States,” Harris told Sharpton. “I know what the
job is, and I know what it requires.”
Perhaps it’s that rare vantage point which she alone, and unlike no other Black woman in history, has ever been afforded, that has influenced her decision to bypass a run for California governor and to instead seriously ponder a third run for the White House.
If you believe the numbers, in a very early polling of a potential 2028 presidential race conducted by Race to the White House, Harris stands at the top of the field. However, it’s impossible to determine if that’s because folks know who she is and recognize her name more than many of the other potential contestants.
Could it be that Americans have
finally removed the blinders of racism and sexism in their evaluations of the potential candidates? Further, are the powerbrokers who hold the reins of the Democratic Party willing to give their unbridled energy and full support to a Black woman?
Can she be successful in her quest for the presidency while treading water in murky seas, which for 250 years, have provided life preservers to rich white men, albeit for one rare exception?
It’s easy to say “May the best man– or woman– win.” The question remains, is America serious? Are Americans ready for a woman of color— or a person who is not a white male– to lead as president of the United States? WI
TO THE EDITOR
“This is a very thought-provoking piece on the growing mistrust in artificial intelligence. It really highlights how concerns around bias, lack of transparency, and misaligned incentives can make people skeptical about AI systems—even when they offer clear benefits. As studies suggest, mistrust often comes from perceived risks like inaccurate outputs, privacy issues, and lack of accountability, which can strongly influence user acceptance.
“I especially agree that building trust in AI requires more than just technological advancement—it needs transparency, human oversight, and strong governance frameworks. Without these, even the most advanced systems may struggle to gain public confidence.”
- Sam Diago (In reference to the article: “AI and the Future of Health Equity: The Promise, the Potential, the Problem, the Prognosis.”
“This is [a] great loss to her family and community. I've known [James “Mac” Alsobrooks] since the late 80's. He always carried himself as [a] gentleman, and was respectful to all. Mac will be truly missed.”
- Jamil Rasheed (In reference to the article: “Remembering James Alsobrooks: Sen. Alsobrooks Mourns Death of Her Father.”
Can she be successful in her quest for the presidency while treading water in murky seas, which for 250 years, have provided life preservers to rich white men, albeit for one rare exception?
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
Guest Columnist
Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
The Black Press Puts Leadership on Camera
During Black History and Women's History months this year, we emphasized that one of the best ways to celebrate history is to make more history. Black excellence and leadership in all fields of endeavor are rising as the nation takes account of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, formally launched its 2026 "Leadership Matters" video series earlier this year. Working in collaboration with Events DC and PKB Enterprises, with corporate support, we were able to professionally produce six exclusive 30-minute video interviews with some of the nation's most effective and transformative leaders who are making a positive difference in science and
Guest Columnist
technology innovations, health care engagement, and political empowerment and public advocacy.
The NNPA is the national nonprofit trade association of 253 local African American-owned newspapers and multimedia companies that service the top 50 major media markets in the U.S. 2027 will mark the 200th anniversary of the Black Press of America since the first publication Freedom's Journal on March 16, 1827, in New York City.
As content producers and dis-
tributors, the NNPA is very conscious of the challenges that face all news media today, with many local "mainstream" newspapers, radio and TV stations making decisions to shut down and close their media businesses.
national brand but also provides timely and much-needed motivational content for all Americans on the importance of authentic and dedicated leadership.
The diverse series began with dynamic and candid interviews with the Honorable Congressman Gabe Amo, representing the 1st Congressional District in Rhode Island, and with health care professional Dr. Yasmine Wahdan of Bayer.
White House College Sports 'Reforms' Would Simply Codify Inequity
they deserve." — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker
College sports can open the doors of opportunity for student-athletes.
"They're not serious about the exploitation of college athletes, protecting their health, safety and ability to share in the enormous profits that are being created because of their sweat and labor … There's no industry or activity in America where this much wealth is created and the people that actually create the wealth are not seeing the kind of benefits or protections
All too often, exploitation is what steps through the opening.
The SCORE Act and President Trump's April 2026 executive order to "Save College Sports" would transfer billions in wealth from student-athletes to coaches and institutions, grant the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) unprecedented control over college athletics, and deny athletes the right to fair representation,
while leaving smaller sports programs and institutions — including Title IX programs and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) — behind.
The National Urban League has urged Congress to delay consideration of the SCORE Act and similar proposals until after the midterms to ensure meaningful input from current and former players — and civil society — to promote a level playing field for student-athletes.
Both the SCORE Act and President Trump's April 2026 executive
Discrimination in City Contracts
A long-awaited disparity study funded by the city of Oakland shows dramatic evidence that city government is practicing a deeply embedded pattern of systemic discrimination in the spending of public money on outside contracts that excludes minority- and woman-owned businesses, especially African Americans. Instead, a majority of public money
goes to a disproportionate handful of white male-owned companies based outside of Oakland, according to the 369-page report produced for the city by Mason Tillman Associates, an Oakland-based firm that performs statistical, legal and economic analyses of contracting and hiring.
The report was made public by Council Member Carroll Fife, who recently brought it to the Council's Life Enrichment Committee, which she chairs. Council members, angry at the conditions revealed, unanimously approved the informational report,
which is scheduled to go to an upcoming council meeting for discussion and action.
The current study covers five years, 2016-2021, roughly overlapping the two tenures of Libby Schaaf, who served as mayor from January 2015 to January 2023.
The amount of dollars at stake in these contracts was significant in the four areas studied — a total of $486.7 million, including $214.6 million in construction, $28.6 million in architecture and engineering, $78.9 million in professional services and $164.6 mil-
order are fundamentally flawed. Their efforts represent a transfer of wealth from student-athletes to institutions and coaches who already benefit disproportionately from the lopsided system. The SCORE Act, for example, caps revenue sharing for athletes at 22%, while top coaches earn more than $10 million annually.
Not surprisingly, President Trump's executive order does nothing to address this disparity or expand opportunities for fair compensation. Instead, it empowers the NCAA to define the "fair market value" of NIL deals be-
lion in goods and services.
While the city's policies are good, "the practices are not consistent with policy," said Dr. Eleanor Ramsey, founder and CEO of Mason Tillman Associates.
There have been four disparity studies during the last 20 years, all showing a pattern of discrimination against women and minorities, especially African Americans, she said. "You have good procurement policy but poor enforcement."
"Most minority- and women-owned businesses did not receive their fair
CHAVIS Page 45
tween student-athletes and higher education institutions and constrains third-party NIL agreements, tying them to the compensation of other players. This approach restricts athletes' ability to receive fair compensation from both institutions and third parties, while relying on scholarships as a justification for limiting their earnings. Importantly, the executive order also threatens federal funding for colleges and universities that are not in compliance with the order. This
share of city-funded contracts," she continued. "Over 50% of the city's prime contract dollars were awarded to white-owned male businesses that controlled most subcontracting awards. And nearly 65% of the city's prime contracts were awarded to non-Oakland businesses."
As a result, she said, "there is a direct loss of revenue to Oakland businesses and to business tax in the city. … There is also an indirect loss of sales and property taxes [and] increased commercial
Because NNPA member publications with their print, digital and social media platforms remain the "trusted voice" of the communities that we serve, the distribution and presentation of the "Leadership Matters" series not only enhances the NNPA's EPSTEIN Page 45
Marc H. Morial
Ken Epstein
Guest Columnist
Guest Columnist
The Resistance Needs Rent Money
Trump and his administration, you're going to have to open your wallet.
Yes. Your wallet.
"F— Trump" has become cultural currency. YG made it a hook.
Timelines on fire.
Group chats activated.
Think pieces flying.
Boycotts declared between brunch reservations.
But here's the part nobody wants to talk about:
If you really want to hit back at
The right understands something the left keeps pretending not to: Power requires infrastructure, and infrastructure requires money. MAGA treats funding as a duty, not a debate. That's how movements survive.
While we're busy tweeting clever drags, this administration is busy strangling the very institutions that keep marginalized communities informed, organized and sane.
The nonprofits.
The community radio stations.
The grassroots advocacy groups.
The arts organizations.
The "DEI" programs corporations have suddenly decided are "too political."
The same spaces people claim to love? They're bleeding.
Funding cut.
Corporate sponsors spooked. Foundations nervous.
Boards scared to be seen as "too aligned."
And a lot of folks who claim to be in the resistance are watching it hap-
pen like it's a documentary.
Let's be clear about something.
When Trump and his people attack "DEI," they aren't attacking an HR training slideshow.
They're attacking infrastructure.
They're attacking the pipelines that create leadership.
The community outlets that tell the truth.
The organizations that train young activists.
The legal funds that fight voter suppression.
The local stations that broadcast
Meta Deleted Me. I Still Don't Know Why. And Neither Will You.
But I digress …
I have long had a hate/hate relationship with social media. It is the place where people mainly try to impress people they don't know with knowledge they don't have, to fake lifestyles they don't live. And that's assuming we disregard the anonymous trolls, foreign bots, and random, garden-variety bad actors permeating the landscape.
For me, Facebook, Instagram, and its companion Threads (Meta) were more than enough to satisfy my social media needs. I get it. I'm old. I'm not cool. Most importantly, I'm good with it. But what little social media I used was essential to my profession, which, as a political and cultural commentator, included discussion of any and all topics, from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein to Palestine to even Diddy.
In fact, my blue-checkmarked profiles came from years of credibil-
ity construction, not from paying a monthly vanity subscription. This is very important. I'll come back to it later.
But just like that (snap), most of it disappeared.
Recently, my Instagram and Threads accounts were disabled and deleted due to a supposed post in which I violated the terms of service regarding the depiction of children.
Say what?! Children?!
• Showed a child's genitals
• Showed sexual activity involving children
• Sexualized children
From Meta:
"No one can see or find your account, and you can't use it. All your information will be permanently deleted. You cannot request another review of this decision."
No inclusion or mention of the supposed offending post was made. No recourse, review or redress. All gone. But wait, it gets worse.
Meta also informed me that:
"We're required by law to report suspected cases of child sexual exploitation to the National Center
Trump's Policies Hurt Black America — and Everyone Else
ical. It is real, measurable harm that is being felt in classrooms, workplaces, neighborhoods, and households across the country.
As Donald Trump's second term moves past its first year, a painful truth confronts us: Trump has spent more than a year in office making life harder for Black families, narrowing the pathways to opportunity that earlier generations fought to open, and going to great lengths to strip the nation of an honest accounting of Black history. This is not abstract. It is not rhetor-
The economic story alone should force us to examine what it means to live under a president who sells prosperity to Black Americans just to rip it away as soon as he is sworn in. Under Trump's first year back in office, Black unemployment rose to pandemic-era levels, driven by mass federal layoffs that landed hardest on Black workers, who have long relied on public service as a stable path to the middle class
when private sector discrimination closed other doors. And in the private sector, Trump's pressure campaign to force corporate retreat from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs helped push 300,000 Black women out of the workforce. The result has been a collapse of career ladders that supported entire families and communities — losses that ripple through households already strained by high housing and food costs.
Trump's attacks also targeted institutions that support Black entrepreneurs, including the Minority Business De-
velopment Agency, which has historically delivered billions in capital and contracts and helped create thousands of jobs. Trump attempted to eliminate the agency through an executive order, and even after the courts blocked that effort, its operations have never fully recovered. The message to Black business owners was unmistakable: their progress was never a priority for this administration.
For generations, Black Americans have seen education as a ladder to the middle class and economic stability, but Trump is pulling the bottom rungs
information when mainstream outlets won't.
They're going after the ecosystem. And if that ecosystem collapses because we were too comfortable to sustain it? That's not just unfortunate. That's a win for them.
And before someone says, "Well, I'm not wealthy."
Nobody asked you to be.
This isn't about writing six-figure checks with your name engraved on a plaque. This is about participation.
for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)."
Was it a discussion of Jeffrey Epstein or some other news-related figure misinterpreted by AI?
Was my account hacked by a nefarious actor who posted some offensive and obscene material? I can't rule it in or out, as I don't have access to my account to perform a forensic analysis of any logins from suspicious devices or the like. That, and I "cannot request another review of this decision."
Page 46 WEATHERSBY Page 46
out of reach for some Black scholars. The spending bill signed into law last summer by the president caps federal student loan borrowing for graduate, law, and medical students. It also restricts how much parents can borrow to help cover student tuition, reduces the maximum Pell Grant award, and limits aid for part-time students. This leaves Black students facing a system that shuts more doors than it opens and makes higher education more inaccessible than it has been in decades.
O'KELLY
Morris W. O'Kelly
Guest Columnist
Jasmyne A. Cannick
Brandon Weathersby
Guest Columnist
Washington Informer Weekend Checklist
WASHINGTON INFORMER'S
LIFESTYLE Things To Do, DMV!
By Kree Anderson WI Intern
Spring is in full swing across the D.C. region, and the calendar is packed. With a mix of culture, music and community-driven events, whether it’s a casual night out or a full day experience, there’s something worth adding to your schedule.
Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend. Stay up to date by checking the Washington Informer Calendar for fun-filled and engaging experiences.
Thursday, April 16
Rosslyn Cinema
6 p.m. - 10 p.m. | Free NOW Pop-Up Park, 1401 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA, 22209
Debut spring with Rosslyn Busi-
ness Improvement District for an outdoor movie series at the NOW Pop-Up Park. Bring friends, family, or make it a casual date night at Rosslyn Cinema, an easy, fun way to enjoy spring evenings outdoors and connect with the community, right in the heart of the neighborhood.
Join Afropolitan Cities for AfropolitanDC: Industry Night—a premier cultural mixer and one of the most anticipated social experiences on the sidelines of the Worldbank Spring Meetings.
Designed to harness the convergence of global and local influence during spring meetings week, this
5 The Continent DC, which offers high-end West African cuisine, will host AfropolitanDC’s Industry Night on April 16. Attendees will be able to meet diaspora leaders to build partnerships and celebrate culture. (Courtesy Photo)
evening fosters collaboration and partnership across the diaspora while showcasing its vibrant culture.
Friday, April 17
Autism After 21 Breakfast 2026
Presented by Madison House Autism Foundation
7:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | *Price depends on package selection* Congressional Congress Club, 2001 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20009
This event will bring together community leaders to support
autistic adults and their families during Autism Month and Autism After 21 Day.
Spring Floral Planter Workshop Noon - 2 p.m. | $49.87
Beaver Creek Cottage Gardens, 8117 Beverly Road, Severn, MD, 21144
Build a colorful summer planter that is pollinator friendly to last all season with master gardener Maria at Beaver Creek Cottage Farm.
Saturday, April 18
District Sounds Festival
3 p.m. - 9 p.m. | $12.00
District Pier at the Wharf, 101 District Square SW, Washington, D.C., 20024
Join District Coalition for a one-of-a-kind celebration of community, culture, and live music on the waterfront this spring.
AI Workshop
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | $199.00
Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, 7600 Takoma Ave #4141, Takoma Park, MD 20912
3 Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods will feature a Holi celebration on April 19, marking the holiday traditionally observed on March 4. The Hindu festival (Holi) symbolizes renewal, joy, and new beginnings. (Courtesy Photo)
Get ready to dive into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) at Code Her Rising’s fun and interactive in-person AI Workshop. Whether a newbie or a tech enthusiast, this is the perfect place to learn, experiment and connect with like-minded folks.
Sunday, April 19
Holi Celebration Noon - 3 p.m. | Free Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, 431 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD, 21044
Holi, the Festival of Colors, which was officially on March 4 this year, returns with a free celebration including community performances and a dance party in the park.
2nd Annual Coleman Love Midnight Madness Bowling 9 p.m. - Midnight | $44.52+ AMF Capital Plaza Lanes, 4601 Cooper Lane, Hyattsville, MD, 20784
Join Friendship First Foundation, Inc. and the Phi Nu Nu Chapter for a late-night bowling extravaganza filled with love, laughter and a little friendly competition.Whether participants are seasoned bowlers or just looking to have a good time, this event is perfect for all skill levels.
WI
from Page 4
where the estate continues to honor fans by hosting a private screening for residents of Michael’s hometown on April 13.
The film isn’t glossy. It isn’t soft. And it doesn't pretend that Jackson had anything close to a typical childhood. There’s no playing outside, no carefree days, no sense of ease. What audiences see is structure, expectation, and pressure that never lets up. A household where greatness wasn’t encouraged but demanded.
Colman Domingo steps into the role of Joseph Jackson and doesn’t just play him, he locks into him. The posture, the tone, the control. It’s not exaggerated. It’s not theatrical. It feels real, particularly as this writer knew the late family patriarch.
“We started by having great conversations about men that we know, that we're raised by, men of a certain generation, men like Joe Jackson who were sort of, you know, raised and came up pre-civil rights,” Domingo said in an interview with Black Girl Nerds.
And then there’s Jaafar Jackson. This is where everything could have gone wrong, as the nephew is taking on the title role of his uncle. However, he settles into it. There are moments when viewers will stop thinking about who’s playing the role and just see Michael.
Both Domingo and Jaafar should easily have their names bandied about when decision-makers decide on whom to nominate for some of Hollywood’s most prestigious awards.
Indeed, the Antoine Fuqua-directed and John Logan-written film makes a clear decision about the rise of an incredible and sometimes indescribable talent.
“Michael’s story’s so epic and so full of these incredible, iconic moments,” Fuqua told Black Girl Nerds. “We just talked a lot about making sure that it was more personal, as intimate as possible so you can get to know him as a human being.”
Inside the Film: Unknown Tales, Who’s In and Who’s Missing in Action
The film also contains a standout scene between Joseph Jackson and boxing promoter Don King. Two alpha figures. King hands Joseph a Cuban cigar, saying it came straight from Fidel Castro, pressing him for assurance that Michael will be part of
the Victory Tour and the promotion of the mega-event. Joseph gives that assurance—steady, and firm. The tension in that moment says everything.
Great attention to detail also allows the film to provide space for Bill Bray.
Bray wasn’t just Jackson’s head of security. He was a presence, protection, and Jackson’s guidance. If people saw Bray, the pop star was nearby. And when he steps in to check Joseph, you understand his importance immediately.
Then there’s Branca.
Not just as a character, but as a force behind the business. The man who helped orchestrate deals that changed music forever including the acquisition of the ATV catalog, known to many as the Beatles catalog.
The film doesn’t over-explain it. But it’s there.
Janet Jackson isn’t in the film, and neither is oldest sister Rebbie, whom Michael gifted her only hit song, “Centipede.” Yes, people will notice. Reports say Janet declined involvement. However, La Toya appears, and that choice seems to carry its own meaning.
And the family’s presence behind the scenes matters—four of Jackson’s brothers, including the late Tito, and Michael’s son Prince, serve as executive producers.
By the end, audiences are not thinking about what’s missing, but about the music, movement and feeling.
It stays with the music. And yes, that decision to do that was shaped in part by reality. Recent reports suggest that the film originally went further, but legal issues forced a complete reworking of the third act, shifting the ending to the height of the “Bad” era.
What audiences get is an honest portrayal of Michael at his peak—on stage, in control.
“So you can get to know him as a human being when he doesn’t have that cape on, on the stage being the superhero that we know,” Fuqua said in the Black Girl Nerds interview.
‘Michael’ Offers Inspiration
Through the film, fans and, perhaps, those beaten up by the many struggles defining today receive a reminder of what it took for the King of Pop to achieve such worldwide success.
In a day of eliminated federal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, “Michael” highlights how the cel-
ebrated performer made MTV accept Black artists and how “Thriller” became and remains the most successful and most talked about music video in history.
Further, with a war currently going on in the Middle East and the seemingly never-ending friction domestically, the film provides a compelling reminder about how Jackson made rival gang members call a truce as he engaged them and invited them to participate in his landmark “Beat It” video.
“It was really about bringing you into Michael’s world as much as possible as a human being,” Fuqua told Black Girl Nerds. WI
LIFESTYLE
5 Colman Domingo is playing Joe Jackson in the new film “Michael.” (Courtesy Photo)
PRINCIPAL from Page 5
MICHAEL
Fourth Annual Black Women in Food Summit Offers Space to Celebrate, Network, Build Sessions
Seek to Uplift, Inform and Empower ‘Drivers of Food Culture’
By Micha Green and Brenda C. Siler WI Managing Editor and WI Contributing Writer
Chefs, business owners, authors, media personalities, food justice advocates, farmers, and culinary and beverage entrepreneurs and innovators are gathering in D.C. April 23-25 for the fourth annual Black Women in Food Summit.
This year’s theme, “Ascend: Together in Purpose in the Face of Change,” looks at the rocky road in businesses nationwide, all the while celebrating the special influence Black women have on the food and beverage industries.
“We know Black women are drivers of food culture,” said Nina Oduro, co-creator of the event. “By building various communities of Black women who work in food, we can offer other programs beyond the summit.”
Oduro and Maame Boakye, co-founders of Dine Diaspora, started the annual convening to foster a space for sharing, nurturing, and building toward the future.
After three years welcoming approximately 400 attendees, the two Ghanaian-born businesswomen are expanding the summit, with a goal of 1,000 registrants.
“We outgrew our previous space, so we will be at the Capital Turnaround in Southeast, D. C.,” Boakye told The Informer. “There is a larger area for the very popular Marketplace, where entrepreneurs will sell products and offer food tastings.”
What to Expect at the 2026 Summit
More than 40 speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities will be available for attendees to enjoy during this wide-ranging, three-day summit experience.
A variety of agenda programming will meet one of the summit’s objectives: building special interest groups around specific issues in the food industry.
“We will also have a special Executive Track with limited sign-up,” Boakye said. “That session will delve more into the nitty-gritty of food business management.”
Sessions include “Reinventing the Restaurant: Leadership, Survival, and the Future of Hospitality,” “Selling the Product: What It Really Takes to Win,” “Wine Pairing for the People,” “Your Turn to Host: Supper Clubs & Events,” and “Food as Medicine: Caring for Ourselves, Healing Our Communities in Africa and the Diaspora.”
“We're going to be hosting a food as medicine panel at this upcoming conference and every year it's been different themes touching on advocacy, leadership, and really showing that there are women in the food space that need to be a part of these conversations and need to be inspired and know that they have an opportunity to make an impact,” Tambra Stevenson, founder and CEO of Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA), told The Informer at a summit preview in orthwest, D.C. on March 26.
Among the list of several speakers and presenters are: Toni Tipton-Martin, a three-time James Beard Book Award-winning author and editor, and a cast member “America’s Test Kitchen” on PBS; Robin McBride, co-founder and president of McBride Sisters Wine Company, the creators of Black Girl Wine; I-Shi Patterson Stuart, vice president of operations and administration at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW); and Angela Johnson, head of global delivery partnerships at Uber Eats.
Returning to the summit will be the pitch competition presented by the New Voices Foundation. The competition has entrepreneurs present new food or beverage products, along with a marketing strategy, and financial projections. A panel of judges will determine the first- and second-place recipients for financial support of their business ideas.
“We work to support entrepreneurs
FOOD Page 31
5 Maame Boakye and Nina Oduro, co-founders of Dine Diaspora and co-creators of the Black Women in Food Summit, at a preview reception on March 26 in Northwest, D.C. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)
of color,” said Marie Clark, executive director of New Visions Foundation, which is in its third year of supporting the Black Women in Food Summit.
The foundation also has a relationship with Sundial Brand, owner of Essence magazine and the Essence Festival. That partnership brings the summit pitch competition to present from some of the festival stages.
“What comes with the financial guidance for the competition winners are programming, mentoring, coaching, and networking opportunities, to help those build their community of peers and stakeholders for their business,” Clark said.
The Importance of the Summit, Coming Back for More
For many participants and sponsors, the annual summit allows them to further their goals toward uplifting Black women working in food advocacy and hospitality industries.
“Our overall mission is empowering Black women and girls to become the food heroes that our community needs through education, advocacy, and innovation,” said Stevenson on her work with WANDA. “And so that shows up by way of our WANDA Academy, where in Ward 8 last year we hosted birth workers to be trained in maternal food as medicine, so they can better support mothers and children.”
The president and CEO of the organization said when she first learned of the Black Women in Food Summit years ago, she ensured WANDA was an inaugural sponsor and has continued to do so ever since.
“[The summit’s] mission aligns [with WANDA’s] and we saw the opportunity to make an investment that focused on the very core audience that we believe needs to be supported,” Stevenson explained. “More than ever now, we are building pipelines for more Black women to be leaders in the food system that's in lockstep alignment with Black women. It gives us an opportunity to share and expand the conversation and platform.”
Dawn Kelly, who left her corporate job more than 10 years ago to create “The Nourish Spot,” which serves custom smoothies, juices, salads, wraps, and other nutritious eats, praised the Black Women in Food Summit for what it has accomplished in nearly four years.
“What I’ve gotten out of it is community at a high level,” said Kelly, co-founder and CEO of The Nourish Spot in Jamaica, New York. “Not just networking, but real conversations with women who understand the nuances of building in this industry—capital gaps, scaling challenges, representation, and resilience. It’s a space where I don’t have to explain my “why”—it’s already understood.”
Register for the Black Women in Food Summit in Washington, D.C., April 2325 at blackwomeninfood.org. WI
Good Oral Health Equals Good Overall Health
By DC Black MBA
There are a number of regular check-ups we are encouraged to maintain throughout the year from the annual physicals, eye exams, and routine screenings. Yet one of the most overlooked, and often avoided, is oral health. In the midst of ongoing health disparities within the Black community, prioritizing dental care is more than just about a brighter smile, it is about protecting overall health and well-being.
April marks National Minority Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about health challenges disproportionately impacting communities of color. The observance traces back to 1915, when Booker T. Washington established National Negro Health Week to promote wellness and disease prevention. In 2002, the U.S. Congress formally recognized April as National Minority Health and Health Disparities Month, reinforcing the importance of education, prevention, and access to care.
Among the many aspects of health that deserve attention, oral health remains a critical yet often underestimated factor. According to Dr. Michael Hall, an Atlanta-based oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the connection between oral health and overall health is undeniable.
“Oral health care should be apart of everyone's health care plans," Dr. Hall emphasizes, underscoring the role the mouth plays as a gateway to the rest of the body.
Dr. Hall’s expertise spans a wide range of complex procedures, including wisdom teeth extractions, corrective jaw surgery, and treatment for head and neck trauma, cancer, and developmental abnormalities. His journey to this highly specialized field reflects both dedication and purpose.
“I like the fact that my field is specialized,” he explains. “There are only about 6,000 practitioners that do what I do. I got into dentistry first, and my love for medicine and comprehensive care pushed me to go even further for my patients.”
With more than 15 years of training and board certification, Dr. Hall occupies a unique position that bridges dentistry and medicine. “You get to see both sides,” he says. “The dental side is very much its own lane focused largely on clinical outcomes, customer-service, patient satisfaction, and treatment plans with options, while the medical side tends to operate with the same focus on patient centered care within the hus-
tle and bustle of a broader healthcare system.”
That dual perspective also gives him insight into one of the biggest barriers to care: fear.
"The absolute fear of going to the dentist is why people find themselves coming to me," Dr. Hall shares. For many patients, avoidance leads to worsening conditions that require more invasive and costly procedures.
This is where prevention becomes essential.
"Keep up with your oral health checks," he advises. “Every six months, get a regular cleaning ans address any pain or concern early!”
Routine visits are more than a recommendation, they are a safeguard. What begins as a minor issue can quickly escalate if left untreated.
"Small problems become big problems in dentistry when ignored," Dr. Hall explains. “The longer you wait, the more it costs because the damage requires more reconstruction to fix.”
In communities already facing barriers to healthcare access, delayed treatment can have compounding effects both financially and physically. Poor oral health has been linked to a range of chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and infections, making early intervention even more critical.
Dr. Hall offers a simple perspective that puts preventive care into context, “If you only have to meet me for your wisdom teeth, you are living a great life.” His statement is both practical and profound. It reflects a larger truth that oral health is foundational overall health versus separate.
As we recognize National Minority Health Month, the call to action is clear. Scheduling dental appointments, maintaining regular cleanings, and addressing concerns early are essential steps toward long-term health equity and wellness.
Because in the end, taking care of your smile is also taking care of your life.
5 Chef Joseph Marshall with Nourish Culinary prepares appetizers during a March 26 reception event for the Black Women in Food Summit, set to take place in Washington, D.C. April 23-25. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)
review wi book
Books for Poetry Month
By Various Authors
c.2026, Various publishers
$18.99-$29.99
Various page counts
Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer
In life, there are times when you want some rhymes. Short ones or long, alone by yourself or attached to a song, rhymes you read quietly or read out-loud, savored alone or enjoyed with a crowd. It's Poetry Month and you're on the look, so why not seek out one of these books?
Who are you and where did you come from? "Stages" by Tramaine Suubi (Amistad, $19.99) gives you things to think about, including your inner life and what's going on outside it. Read it, and be educated. Place matters a lot, and "Shade is a Place" by MaKshya Tolbert (Penguin Poets, $20) is a book that considers Charlottesville, Virginia, in various ways. It invites readers to visit the "Black sense" of the city, to seek out natural parts of it, and to study the small, quiet places within. This book is perfect for vacation or if you're thinking about travel.
If you are a new parent — or you're about to be — look for "They Bloom Because of You" by Jessica Urlichs (Putnam, $19), a book about the ever-evolving process of becoming a mother: the love, the despair, the strengths and sadness, and watching as a newborn becomes a toddler becomes a big-kid. This is a book you'll reach for many times over the years.
On that note, "This is Not a Small Voice" by Sonia Sanchez (Beacon Press, $18.99) is a book that tackles a wide variety of topics: love and community, as well as activism and family. Readers will absolutely note the urgent power in these poems, and they might make you want to get out and do something.
If the Sanchez book is right up your alley, then you'll also want "We (The People of the United States)" by Joshua Bennett (Penguin Poets, $20), one long book-length poem that touches upon many aspects of American life over the past century or so. Black culture, scientific innovation, popular music, creativity, whatever made America good — and bad — is in this book. The semiquincentennial is coming soon, so read it now.
And finally, if you want to know more about poets, then look for "No More Worlds to Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington D.C." by Brian Gilmore (Georgetown University Press, $29.95). In this book, you'll read about a thriving literary community that Gilmore says is often overlooked but that's just as vibrant as any other in America. Filled with interviews, it's deeply researched, and nicely comprehensive, making it a book you'll absolutely want to have next to your poetry collection. Tackle it in between reading poetry; you won't be sorry.
If these books are good but they're not enough, if you want other poems and rhyming stuff, if you've got some rhymes but you need more, then head to your library or local bookstore. The staffs there are good, they'll put books in your hands, they'll put rhymes in your head and they'll make you a fan. Or find these books, above, for their timing then sit down and read, and happy rhyming.
WI
horoscopes
LIFESTYLE
APRIL
16 - 22, 2026
ARIES You've been treating urgency as a substitute for clarity — the two are not the same. Slow down enough to separate what is actually pressing from what just feels that way. A conversation you've been avoiding at work will not improve with more time; it will only require a larger repair. Someone in your circle is watching how you handle pressure right now. Lead with steadiness, not noise. The momentum you want is on the other side of one honest admission. Lucky Numbers: 3, 27, 51
TAURUS The stability you've built deserves more credit than you're giving it — stop measuring it against an ideal instead of against where you started. A financial opportunity surfaces this week that requires a fast read; your instincts are sharper than your hesitation suggests, so use them. Someone you've written off is showing up differently — that's data, not a trap. Lucky Numbers: 7, 33, 58
GEMINI The version of events you've been telling yourself about a recent falling-out has some gaps — fill them honestly before they fill themselves in less flattering ways. A new project arrives with more potential than its packaging suggests; look past the surface. You've been splitting your attention so evenly that nothing is getting your best; pick one thing this week and go deep. Lucky Numbers: 11, 39, 64
CANCER The boundary you set last month is being tested — hold it without apology or extended explanation. Overexplaining signals doubt you don't actually feel. A creative impulse you've been dismissing as impractical has more structural value than you've assessed; sketch it out before you talk yourself out of it. Someone close needs you present, not productive. Put the to-do list down. Lucky Numbers: 5, 41, 69
LEO The feedback you received last week stung because it was accurate, not because it was unfair — sit with that distinction before deciding how to respond. A relationship you've been coasting in requires a genuine gesture, not a grand one; small and intentional beats big and performative every time. Something you built quietly is drawing attention from the right direction. Lucky Numbers: 16, 43, 62
VIRGO You've optimized your schedule to the point where there's no margin for anything unexpected — that's not efficiency, that's fragility. Build some slack in this week before circumstances do it for you. A colleague is subtly shifting credit on a shared effort; document your contributions without making it a confrontation yet. Someone offers you a shortcut this week that actually holds up — not every efficient path is a compromise. Take it. The rest can wait. Lucky Numbers: 22, 46, 71
LIBRA The approval you've been waiting on from one particular source is not coming in the form you've imagined — adjust what you're looking for before the waiting becomes the point. A domestic change you've resisted for practical reasons is more feasible than you've calculated; run the numbers again. Someone is asking for your honest read and will use it; don't soften it into uselessness. Lucky Numbers: 10, 37, 66
SCORPIO The progress you've made in the last 90 days is real and you are underselling it — stop treating milestones like liabilities. A professional connection resurfaces this week with different energy than the last time; meet it fresh rather than from memory. You've been holding a grievance that has quietly become more about principle than injury — examine whether it's still worth the carrying cost. Someone new enters your orbit with relevant timing. Pay attention. Lucky Numbers: 1, 48, 75
SAGITTARIUS The plan that felt inspired two weeks ago is showing its first cracks — this is not failure, it's information. Revise without abandoning. You've been narrating your future so confidently that you've stopped gathering new data; stay curious about what's actually happening around you. A social obligation you agreed to reluctantly turns out to be exactly where you needed to be. Lucky Numbers: 19, 50, 77
CAPRICORN The structural work you've been doing in the background is starting to surface in ways others can see — resist the urge to explain it all at once. Let them discover it. A mentorship moment arrives this week, and you are the one positioned to give it, not receive it; show up without minimizing what you know. Lucky Numbers: 14, 44, 80
AQUARIUS The detachment you perform as perspective is occasionally the real thing, but this week it isn't — you're more invested in a particular outcome than you're admitting, and that investment is fine. Own it. A systems problem you've been working around finally has a direct solution available; take it instead of the workaround. Someone in your network is looking for exactly the kind of thinking you default to. Make yourself findable. Let your ideas travel. Lucky Numbers: 25, 52, 74
PISCES The dream that woke you twice this week is doing something your waking reasoning hasn't finished — give it space instead of logic. A financial decision you've been treating as purely practical has an intuitive dimension you keep overriding; check in with that side before you commit. Someone who knows you well offers a reframe this week that doesn't sit right initially — let it settle before responding. What you resist most clearly is often what you need. Lucky Numbers: 12, 55, 81
Fudd No. 1 Overall Pick, Kiki Rice Heads to Toronto
By Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer
The 2026 WNBA Draft delivered a defining night for not just the league, but an unforgettable night for DMV basketball fans.
From the Washington Mystics intensifying their rebuild with a new wave of key draft selections, to hometown star Azzi Fudd rising to the No. 1 overall pick, and former Sidwell Friends standout Kiki Rice set to begin
her professional career with the WNBA’s expansion Toronto Tempo, the evening was packed with momentum, pride, and historic milestones.
Beyond the local storylines, the draft itself marked a turning point for the WNBA, which is entering its 30th season.
“[It’s a] big responsibility to be the only women’s professional sports league to get to year 30, but [we’re] so excited…[The 2026 WNBA Draft Class] is going to bring their
confidence, there going to bring their brands already, and I mean personalities the size of the [WNBA orange draft carpet] so they’re really gonna bring it,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “I’m really excited, this is gonna be a great draft class.”
Not only did the draft usher in a new era of growth with inaugural classes for expansion franchises like the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, but the newly implemented 2026 WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement has dramatically reshaped player compensation.
3 WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Azzi Fudd, DMV native and No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Draft, hold the athlete’s new Dallas Wings jersey on April 13. (Jonae Guest/The Washington Informer)
urday, [April 25], and then literally the season tipping off on May 8, so [we’re] feeling so great,” said Engelbert.
Mystics Bolster Rebuild With Six Draft Selections
The Washington Mystics took a transformative step in the 2025 WNBA Draft, headlined by four key selections, including rising stars Kiki Iriafen and Soni Citron, firmly signaling the beginning of a new era for the franchise. That momentum carried into this year, as the team followed up with six impactful picks, further strengthening a foundation built on emerging talent.
Here are highlights from the Mystics’ 2026 draft selections.
Round 1, Pick 4:
The No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd is projected to earn around $500,000 in her rookie season, a staggering leap from previous years and a clear signal of the WNBA’s rising investment in its future talent.
These moments set the stage for not just a talented draft class, but one that is transformational.
“Obviously, the offseason was longer than usual as far as how everybody felt. But we felt it flew by and now just the fact that the [2026 WNBA Draft Class] will be in training camp on Sunday and then the first three season games on Sat-
a person, as a player, and I’m just ready to see what the future holds. I’m really excited.”
Round 1, Pick 9:
Angela Dugalić, UCLA
Angela Dugalić brings versatility and experience after a strong 2025-26 season with the UCLA Bruins. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged nine points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting over 50% from the field. As a key contributor off the bench, she earned Big 10 Sixth Player of the Year honors and played an important role in UCLA’s back-to-back Final Four runs and the 2026 National Championship.
Over her collegiate career, Dugalić appeared in 117 games at UCLA after being at Oregon, while also gaining valuable international experience representing Serbia in the Olympic and the FIBA Eurobasket. She now reunites with her UCLA Bruins teammate, Betts, in Washington and is set to bring tremendous skill to the young Mystics core.
Lauren Betts, UCLA Fresh off a dominant collegiate run, Lauren Betts enters the WNBA as one of the most decorated players in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-7 center averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting an efficient 58.2% from the field, leading the UCLA Bruins to a national championship.
She earned Most Outstanding Player honors and she made history during the NCAA tournament, becoming the first player ever to surpass 125 points, 50 rebounds, and 15 blocks while shooting at 65% from the field.
The two-time Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year and winner of the Lisa Leslie Award takes the next step in her career as the Mystics’ first draft selection in the first round, where she will reunite with a familiar face: Michaela Onyenwere, a former UCLA assistant coach who helped guide her during that championship season.
“I feel like I just play with joy,” said Betts. “This season has been so special. I’ve enjoyed every second, I’m playing with my best friends and my sister. I’ve had the most season and I feel like you can just see all the positivity that I play with… It’s been amazing. I’ve grown so much since in my confidence. I feel like I’ve just finally owned who I am as
“I’m super grateful for just the opportunity to play overseas with my national team,” said Dugalić. “I think it’s just been a blessing to prepare me for the league as well…it probably will be a smooth transition just playing with [Betts] and even getting some practice and reps from [former UCLA Assistant Coach Michaela Onyenwere] as well.”
Round 1, Pick 11:
Coti McMahon, Ole Miss Coti McMahon arrives in Washington as one of the most proven scorers in the 2026 WNBA Draft class after a standout 2025-26 season with the Ole Miss Rebels, where she started in all 36 games, averaging 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and three assists.
Her 703 total points ranked fourth in Ole Miss program history, earning her All-SEC First Team honors, SEC Newcomer of the Year, and a spot on the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Tournament Team.
Prior to Ole Miss, McMahon was a rising star as an Ohio State Buckeye, starting 97 games and averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023, earned back-to-back All-Big Ten First Team honors, and honed AP All-American Honorable Mention Recognition while finishing as a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award. McMahon is set to be a true force within the continued growth of the Mystics’ young core. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
CAPTURE the moment
Thousands of attendees lined Constitution Avenue for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on April 11, celebrating spring, the District and cross-cultural connections. Featuring music, performances, and giveaways, the 90-plus-year tradition highlighted the breadth and beauty of D.C. and Japanese cultures. (Cleveland Nelson/The Washington Informer)
RELIGION
National Poetry Month
This
Pastor Is Flipping Black Church Tradition With Poetry
‘‘Sacred
Slam’ Combines Poetry and Hip to Revive Church Traditions, Engage Younger Generations
By Rev. Dorothy Boulware Word in Black
This article was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation's leading Black news publishers (of which the Informer is a member) and slightly edited for clarity.
With graduate degrees from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., the Rev. Dr. Wanda Bynum Duckett has traditional faith
leadership credentials.
Her career path affirmed it: she rose from itinerant ministry to serve as superintendent of the United Methodist Church’s former Baltimore Metropolitan District for eight years. Then, she retired and rewired.
After years of preaching in a more traditional mode, Bynum Duckett now spits the gospel with the power and energy of a hip-hop artist or slam poet. That’s with good reason: Bynum Duckett, 64, is melding art forms found in nightclubs and coffee houses
with Scripture — a unique spiritual blend she calls “Sacred Slam”:
“We are the ones…what are we waiting for?
We are the ones…open wide every door!
We are the ones
We can’t hear them from our shrines
Can’t see them through closed blinds
Can’t love them with closed minds.
Eternal life? Let’s get this right.
The world is waiting and
We are the ones.”
The combination is drawing them into the pews whenever Bynum Duckett preaches, and not just young people craving a spiritual message in a language they can relate to.
Sacred Slam, she says, attracts the young and the young at heart. Her style has been so successful that she facilitates workshops and coaches others to find themselves in the art of poetry under the banner of Spoken by Bynum Duckett.
“I celebrate that God is the first spoken word artist,” Bynum Duckett told Word In Black in a recent interview. “In the beginning was the word. That’s a spoken word poem. And if you go back and listen to Rev. Jesse Jackson and some of the popular preachers we have, it’s poetry; the way they use imagery and repetition and alliteration.”
Extending her soul art, she says, has been a real blessing as well as a model for others to be authentically themselves. People began to ask her to perform in unusual places, including a wedding: “One bride walked down the aisle to a poem,” she says.
Bynum Duckett wants to introduce younger poets to the faith community, thereby encouraging them to embrace all the arts for worship. Her next plan also includes community gatherings, even in homes, much like the poetry salons of the Harlem Renaissance.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Word in Black (WIB): When did you first fall in love with hip-hop and poetry?
Wanda Bynum Duckett: Oh, my goodness. It was in the late 70s, and I heard [rap artists] the Sugarhill Gang; I was kind of in love then, but then when I heard, “Don’t Push Me, I’m Close to the Edge,” I was like, O.K. — I’m in.
I grew up the youngest of five. I had a brother who was rock and roll, Led Zeppelin, Rare Earth guy. He was a hippie. I had another brother who was Temptations, Four Tops. And my sister: she’s Pointer Sisters, and she’s listening to Malcolm X on wax— on album.
My mother’s James Cleveland, Mahalia Jackson. So I think in song and
the
with the power and energy of a hip-hop artist or poet through a unique spiritual blend she calls “Sacred Slam.” (Courtesy Photo)
rhyme anyway.
Of course, we’ve got poetic preachers and in the tradition of even someone reading the scripture and the preacher preaching a while and then he’s rhyming and he’s riffing and he’s unpacking it. It’s poetry to me. It’s, like, the way the images and the words and the attitude of it all come together. All this stuff is in my head.
WIB: When did you first experience rhythm in scripture and prayer responses?
Bynum Duckett: I really don’t know if I was aware until other people noticed it in my preaching. I think it was so much a part of the way I think, hear, and speak that I didn’t realize. I would preach at Mount Calvary AME Church, and when the young adult choir was singing, they would snap their fingers when I made a point. I said, “What are they doing?” I said to myself, “I’m not doing poetry,” but that’s the way they heard it.
WIB: Did you need to summon courage to be non-traditional?
Bynum Duckett: One of the first times I performed, I stood in the background with my hair tied up, like I was Maya Angelou or somebody. I thought I had to be Afrocentric. While I read from the background, out of sight, the Rev. Stephanie Graham Atkins, one of my colleagues, did liturgical dance to the rhythm of my words and I got to hide.
It was another kind of gradual coming out.
WIB: Did you experience pushback? Did anyone say, “That’s not preaching. What’s she doing up there?”
Bynum Duckett: It was actually the
opposite. I found my tribe in the young adults. And people love when young people show up, right?
I give credit to a young lady named LaShonda. When I was in southwest Baltimore, my first church, I was doing a lot of real, gritty urban ministry. And then when I moved uptown to Ashburton, I sat in the office and saw people and visited.
She came into the office one day and said the young people had Googled me. They said, “Where is she? We haven’t seen her show up here.” She called me out. She said they were excited for me to bring my bop” as she called it.
Out of that conversation came the poem, “I Decided to Be Myself.”
WIB: What did “being yourself” look like, initially?
Bynum Duckett: We started the “Seven Last Words of Poetry ” nights on Good Friday. We didn’t start until 10 p.m. People had been in church all day. We set the place up like a cafe. We had live music one year. We had a DJ the next year. And the seven last words were all offered poetically.
People came from all over: D.C., Silver Spring, you know, elsewhere in Baltimore.
It was beautiful. They were able to get a taste of what it was before they could argue against it.
So then, when I did [my] dissertation work, I really pushed the envelope and took the United Methodist hymnal and wrote a poetic reaffirmation of baptism, a poetic communion service.
WIB: Can you say more about the baptism poem?
Bynum Duckett: It is dedicated to Trayvon Martin. He had “a right to live.” Remember that mantra? And it’s talking about how Jesus had the right to live, but he gave himself up for us. It’s a communion service.
In the dissertation, it was the first time I had a chance to experiment with that to see what people said. And then I took a survey as part of the dissertation work. And the survey was, like, “it’s cool.” They said they liked it but weren’t sure about it being part of worship.
Some said they certainly didn’t know how they felt about it being used in the sacraments. And some people said stuff like, “Well, it’s kind of like hip hop. I don’t understand it because they talk too fast.” So writing it down is helpful so people can read it at their own pace in their own way.
But this one woman, who had been kind of on the edge, cried as I did a reaffirmation of baptism. She said it took her back to when she was confirmed, and she wasn’t one of those weepy people. WI
5 The Rev. Dr. Wanda Bynum Duckett is delivering
gospel
This August, the Washington community gathers to celebrate a true servant-leader. Chet A. Bennett, CEO and founder of Bennett Career Institute, is now a premier destination specializing in cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, braiding, makeup and related beauty arts education since its founding in 1996. With a remarkable 34 years in the industry and 30 years at the helm of Bennett Career Institute, Mr. Bennett's journey is a testament to what faith and hard work can achieve. The institute is located in the Brookland community near Catholic University, in a building it owns at 700 Monroe St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20017.
This exciting celebration honors the anniversary of the Bennett Career Institute; the Kidney Kafe, started as a result of the thankful spirit of Chet Bennett as he marked the anniversary of his kidney transplant earlier this month; and the C. Alan Foundation, the 501(c) (3) nonprofit arm. Mr. Bennett once said, "Your dreams may be deferred, but not denied. If God can do it for me, He can surely do it for you too!"
At the heart of this celebration is the Bennett Career Institute, the licensed and accredited institution where Mr. Bennett, his board and staff have spent three decades empowering students with professional excellence and spiritual integrity. Mr. Bennett's commitment to transformation was highlighted in a full-page feature in The Washington Post, which lauded his profound work within the prison system. For years, he has taught incarcerated men and women the art
WITH LYNDIA GRANT
A Legacy of Service and Faith: Bennett Career Institute Turns 30 the religion corner
of cutting and styling hair, ensuring they return to society ready to work for themselves.
A highlight of the institute's mission is its long-standing contract with the D.C. Department of Corrections, where instructors teach incarcerated men and women the skills needed to gain licensure and immediate employment upon release.
This commitment to "training today for a successful tomorrow" has transformed thousands of lives by providing a path to financial independence and professional excellence.
Colossians 3:23-24 says: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters ... It is the Lord Christ you are serving." This reflects the high standards at Bennett Career Institute, where work is viewed as a form of worship.
Chet Bennett's tireless dedication has earned him prestigious honors, including the 2024 Hero of Hope Award from the American Kidney Fund and a $30,000 grant from the BeyGOOD Foundation to further support his students' dreams.
To mark this milestone leading up to the big anniversary on Aug. 29, 2026, the public is invited to participate in these upcoming events:
• Scaling Your Beauty Brand (The Remix): May 18, 2026 (Tickets: $600 early bird / $700 regular).
• Anniversary Boat Ride: A cel-
ebration of faith and fellowship on the • 30th Anniversary Awards Gala: An evening honoring three decades of community impact.
• Bennett Tree of Life: Purchase an engraved leaf for $30 per leaf, $300 per branch, $3,000 per trunk or $30,000 per base. Each will be permanently displayed at headquarters.
• Souvenir Booklet: To purchase an ad and share your tributes, call 240-602-6295 and speak with Lyndia Grant.
The Kidney Kafe — often referred to as "From the Ground to the Gut" — is a specialized nutrition program and food service system founded by Chet Bennett to support the kidney disease and diabetic communities. Operating out of the Brookland community, the Kafe focuses on educating patients on healthy lifestyle choices through delicious, low-sodium, kidney-conscious meals.
Kidney Kafe features a community garden that provides fresh herbs and sustainable foods, which "Chef Benne" uses to create healthy seasoning alternatives. Beyond its pop-up brunch series and catering services, the Kidney Kafe partners with local organizations like Access Housing to provide nutritious meals to veterans and the homeless, proving that healthy eating can be both accessible and full of flavor.
WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org
Mount Carmel
Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax 202-338-4958
Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org
Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant
401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331
Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."
Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “ The Rev. E. Bernard
All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
Washington told The Informer. “No real concerns about Donald Trump and his lack of leadership. We just want to go and enjoy the city that we were born and raised in.”
On Monday, Washington and her 9-year-old daughter spent the first weekday of Spring Break 2026 at Pump It Up Palace, an indoor amusement park that D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) created at Kennedy Recreation Center in Northwest.
Other agenda items this week for Washington include family time and a visit to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest. Washington also expressed plans to attend Spring Fling at Rosedale Recreation Center in Northeast, where young people will get to eat food, play games, and listen to music in a carnival-like environment.
For Washington, it's about creating positive memories for her elementary-aged daughter.
“It helps her maintain the social, emotional aspect of her growth and development,” Washington said. “She needs to learn how to socialize, make friends, lose friends, all of those different things [and] just being able to function in social settings.”
Last weekend, not long after D.C. Public Schools started spring break, hundreds of teenagers converged on Navy Yard for what’s been described as another teen takeover. Officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) maintained a strong presence in an area, which the agency, once again, designated as a juvenile curfew zone.
Metro Transit police made four arrests for what was later described as disorderly conduct.
This incident followed attempts by DPR to conduct late-night teen programming in Southwest at King-Greenleaf Recreation Center. As her daughter approaches adolescence, Washington is concerned about whether such events will still be available for, or even of appeal to, District teens.
“It may not be as interesting to all youth or it may not be as accessible to all youth because all youth may not be able to go to those teen events without their parents,” Washington said on Monday. “[Pump It Up Palace] was publicized on social media really well, so I would say it's pretty high in terms of the availability and the opportunities, but there could be other ways that we can reach out to other aspects of youth.”
Emancipation Day 2026: Events and Activities for the Adults and Youth
D.C. Emancipation Day, which falls on April 16, commemorates President Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862. More than eight months before Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 3,100 enslaved African Americans in the nation’s capital became free.
During Reconstruction, after the District’s Black male populace leveraged their newly acquired voting power, Congress dismantled the local government. A three-member appointed commission stayed in place until 1974, when the passage of the D.C. Home Rule Act created the local government that’s currently in place.
President Donald J. Trump’s return to the Oval Office last year brought on a level of interference never seen before in the Home Rule era. Amid criticism about how D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has responded, Bowser administration officials remain mindful about the cards stacked against the District.
“Mayor Bowser will always say [that] we take this time to celebrate the city and the freedom,” said LaToya Foster during an April 9 press conference about D.C. Emancipation Day activities, “but we are not completely free, as long as we do not have full autonomy.”
Foster, director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment, recently joined D.C. Secretary Kimberly A. Bassett, DPR Director Thennie Freeman, mayoral deputy chief of staff Steve Walker, and Dania M. Jolley, deputy chief of staff
Bald Eagle Recreation after school and during weekends.
“DPR has been fun to me because they have brought so much success to my cheer life,” Naomi said. “My beautiful coach…has helped me…even yelled at me to help me….I’m learning how to be a part of the cheer life with my cheer sisters.”
As Freeman explained, young people like Naomi can have fun this weekend at Franklin Square.
“We welcome children coming, especially with their families,” Freeman told The Informer. “This is their city and we don't want to turn them away, nor do we want them to believe that they're not invited in spaces that are curated and created for them.”
and cultural affairs at Events DC, at Franklin Park in Northwest, where Black District residents first celebrated D.C. Emancipation Day in 1866.
It was at Franklin Park that this cadre of Bowser administration officials announced a slew of D.C. Emancipation Day activities to kick off DC250, the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing.
For Foster, there's only one solution to address a situation much like what Black people faced in 1776 and 1862.
“The fight for statehood, the fight to become the 51st state, still continues,” Foster said. “Even as Mayor Bowser is running through the tape, she has not let her foot off the gas to ensure that she is doing everything that she can to make sure that our city still moves forward in seeking full autonomy.”
On April 17, outgoing Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, known as the ‘Warrior on the Hill,’ will receive honors at the invite-only DC250 Full Democracy Luncheon. The DC250 Kids Ball will then take place at Planet Word on April 18.
The next day, on April 19, revelers of all ages will take part in the annual D.C. Emancipation Day parade, followed by a concert at Franklin Park. Musical acts include: Backyard Band featuring Sugar Bear, Black Alley, Mya, Tye Tribbett, 44 The Musical, and Souls of Kingsmen.
Grammy Award-winning rapper, actor and music producer T.I. will headline the concert. On Monday, a group of cheerleaders representing Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Southeast performed a routine to his 2004 song “Bring ‘Em Out.”
For seventh grader Naomi Wright, that experience represented the magic of being a DPR youth who goes to
ed housing,” Gray said. “They could be going through some type of abuse at home. The city should be looking more into why these kids are staying outside so late, instead of saying, ‘Oh, we're going to rally you up, we're going to arrest you, or we're going to call the police if you're outside past a certain time.’”
Permanent Curfew Legislation Advances amid Persistent Question about Teen Programming
More than likely, neither Sequnely Gray nor her children will be attending D.C. Emancipation Day events, or any other public functions for that matter during spring break. Gray has instead opted to take her young ones to New Jersey, or keep them in the house.
“It's just that I get really nervous every time they walk out the house, particularly…because we have so many different branches of law enforcement in the city,” said Gray, a Ward 1 mother of four. “The climate for teenagers right now in the city is not really good. Everybody's demonizing our youth, and I don't want [my children] to be targeted.”
A native Washingtonian, Gray recounted an adolescence marked by trips to go-gos, cabarets, teen summits and other engaging age-appropriate activities. She said, in recent years, the District has changed drastically for young people.
“Our youth haven't had anything to do since probably like the early 2000s,” Gray told The Informer. “They want to be outside to get fresh air. Everytime they're outside, there are so many law enforcement agencies. Everybody is out just like rallying up teenagers, and they don't have anything to do.”
Gray counts among those standing up against an extension of the emergency curfew, or even permanent legislation. She told The Informer that there are factors beyond the “teen takeovers” that elected officials are not considering.
“Their family could be in dilapidat-
Last July, the D.C. Council approved D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s emergency juvenile curfew legislation, and extended it during a vote in the fall. In recent weeks, after “teen takeovers” gripped communities in D.C. and across the country, MPD, by virtue of the legislation, have designated Navy Yard, Southwest Waterfront, and other jurisdictions as juvenile curfew zones. Since the council postponed its vote on the extension of the emergency juvenile curfew, the law will expire on April 15.
On April 9, the council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety moved a permanent curfew law that the council will consider, along with the temporary juvenile curfew extension, on April 21. A marked-up committee report included recommendations for MPD to strengthen its Youth Advisory Council and Youth Advisory Board.
In his remarks, committee member D.C. Councilmember Wendell Felder (D-Ward 7) mulled how best to leverage the permanent legislation, titled the Juvenile Curfew Amendment Act of 2025.
“In addition to the government stepping up, parents have to step up and take responsibility for the whereabouts of their children,” Felder said. “I think there also needs to be more conversations about maybe even expanding the curfew city wide instead of focusing specifically on designated locations.”
Felder, along with committee chair D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) and At-large Councilmember Anita Bonds (D), unanimously approved the bill.
During the committee meeting, Pinto said the youth curfew is a tool in preventing youth delinquency.
“I will continue to emphasize that a conversation about these curfew zones should also be had in conjunction with a conversation about more positive youth programming,” Pinto told committee members. “Youth programming is critical to ensuring young people feel supported and have entertaining, educational, and fun activities as an alternative to potentially harmful gatherings.” WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.con.
5 Black Alley performs during the Emancipation Day concert in April 2023. The band returns to this year’s Emancipation Day stage on April 19 in Franklin Park. (WI File
Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001098
Ana Lidia Bermudez
Decedent
Raquel Jimenez, Esq. 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 801 Washington, DC 20036
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Maritza C. Hernandez, whose address is 3020 11th Street NW, Washington DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ana Lidia Bermudez who died on 11/16/2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/02/2026. 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 10/02/2026, 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: 4/2/2026
Maritza C. Hernandez Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000303
Estate of Willie Haynes Sr.
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Evelyn Haynes for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.
Admit to probate the will dated 10/17/19 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise
In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative
Date of first publication: 4/2/2026
Evelyn Haynes 35 Galveston Place, SW, Apt. A Washington, DC 20032
Petitioner/Attorney:
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000279
Carl S. Kelly Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Carletta Kelly Jones, whose address is 3649 Elder Oaks Blvd., Apt 2204, Bowie MD 20716, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carl S. Kelly who died on 7/24/2002 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 10/2/2026. 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 10/2/2026, 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: 4/2/2026
Carletta Kelly Jones Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000287
Carrie M. Dodson Decedent
Jerry L. Hunter, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Terry Dodson, whose address is 14663 Endsley Turn, Woodbridge, VA 22193, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carrie M. Dodson who died on June 23, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/2/2026. 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 10/2/2026, 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: 4/2/2026
Terry Dodson
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000281
Ivan Russell Lee Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Glenda A. Lee, whose address is 618 I Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ivan Russell Lee who died on 3/4/2025 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 10/2/2026. 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 10/2/2026, 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: 4/2/2026
Glenda A. Lee
Personal Representative TRUE
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000328
Brenda D. Price aka Brenda Delores Price Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Monica M. Price, whose address is 4308 Wheeler Road SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Brenda D. Price aka Brenda Delores Price who died on February 21, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
Monica M. Price Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000251
Manita Telfort Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Manouchka K. Massillon, whose address is 639 Columbia Road, NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Manita Telfort who died on 1/10/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (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 10/2/2026. 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 10/2/2026, 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: 4/2/2026
Manouchka K. Massillon
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000289
Carolyn Pearline Huger Decedent
Peggy A. Miller, Esq. 5130 7th Street NE Washington, DC 20011 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
India Huger, whose address is 438 Glenview Rd., Trotwood, Ohio 45426-2826, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carolyn Pearline Huger who died on February 5, 2026 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 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
India Huger
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000284
Samson A. Dixon aka Samson Adrian Dixon Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Samson A. Dixon Jr., whose address is 4713 Bass Pl., SE, Washington DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samson A. Dixon aka Samson Adrian Dixon who died on May 9th 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/2/2026. 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 10/2/2026, 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: 4/2/2026
Samson A. Dixon Jr.
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000299
Fred Morris Glover Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Yvette M. Thompson, whose address is 803 Vauxhall Road, Landover MD 20785, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Fred Morris Glover who died on February 19, 2026 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 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
Yvette M. Thompson 803 Vauxhall Road Landover, MD 20785 Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000286
Viola J. Keyes aka Viola Louise Jefferson Keyes Decedent
Robert L. Bell, Esq. 245 Farragut Street, NW Washington, DC 20011
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Robin L. Jefferson and Sophia L. Kirby, whose addresses are 5832 Shallow Way, Richmond VA 23224 & 3716 Ft. Lincoln Dr., NE, WDC 20018, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Viola J. Keyes aka Viola Louise Jefferson Keyes who died on 1/22/2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
Robin L. Jefferson
Sophia L. Kirby Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000338
Marcus Moon Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Barrett Moon, whose address is 15037 Cherrywood Dr. Laurel, MD 20707, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marcus Moon who died on 2/6/2026 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 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Barrett Moon Personal Representative
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000285
Sylvester Daniel Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Hilary Daniel, whose address is 654 Oglethorpe Street NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sylvester Daniel who died on February 10, 2026 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 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
Hilary Daniel Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000305
Michael A. Thompson Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Deborah Bethel-Patterson, whose address is 1418 Allison Street NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Michael A. Thompson who died on 10/13/2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Deborah Bethel-Patterson Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000262
Annie Anderson
Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Jawanda Rowls, whose address is 5006 Vane Ct., Waldorf MD 20602, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annie Anderson who died on 7/25/2019 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
Jawanda Rowls
Personal Representative
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2023 ADM 001123
Estate of Beatrice Thelma Coleman
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Lawrence Coleman for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.
In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative
Date of first publication: 4/9/2026
Joan M. Wilbon 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006
Petitioner/Attorney:
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000307
Virginia Mack Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Lynn McCray, whose address is 24 Bryant Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Virginia Mack who died on December 11, 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 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Lynn McCray Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2026 ADM 000323
Douglas Augustus Wilson Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Devin Alicia Wilson, whose address is 1211 7th Street NW, #303, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Douglas Augustus Wilson who died on 1/14/2026 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 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Devin Alicia Wilson Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001262
Shirley Branham Jerkins Decedent
Kevin Judd, Esq. 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 900-South Building Washington, DC 20004
Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Kevin Judd, Esq., whose address is 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 900-South Building, Washington DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley Branham Jerkins who died on February 3, 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 10/9/2026. 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 10/9/2026, 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: 4/9/2026
Kevin Judd, Esq. Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2026 ADM 000348
Arthur Preston Scandrett Decedent
Peggy A. Miller, Esq. 5130 7th Street, NE Washington, DC 20011 Attorney
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Monique Scandrett, whose address is 143 Buckeye Road, Amherst, NY 14226, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Arthur Preston Scandrett who died on 1/18/2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Monique Scandrett Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000301
Bernardo Quentin Gainey Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Roslyn Gainey Holmes, whose address is 610 Tewkesbury Place NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bernardo Quentin Gainey who died on October 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 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Roslyn Gainey Holmes 610 Tewkesbury Place NW Washington, DC 20012
Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PROBATE DIVISION
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 FEP 000037
June 15, 2002
Date of Death
Carmen Elise Brown aka Carmen E. Brown
Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Connie Buelt whose address is 519 Ramona Avenue, Spring Valley, CA 91977 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Carmen Elise Brown aka Carmen E. Brown, deceased, by the Superior Court for San Diego County, State of California, on 10/14/2025.
Service of process may be made upon Aimee D. Griffin, Esq., 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015 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: 4925 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20019. 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: 4/16/2026
Connie Buelt
Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2025 ADM 001303
James E. Proctor aka James Proctor Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Lori M. Willingham, whose address is 757 Conisburgh Court, Stone Mountain, GA 30087, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James E. Proctor aka James Proctor who died on April 20, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Lori M. Willingham
Personal Representative
TRUE
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2026 ADM 000306
Brandon Lewis Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
Silva Lewis, whose address is 1116 McCollough Court, NW, Washington DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Brandon Lewis who died on 12/1/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (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 10/16/2026. 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 10/16/2026, 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: 4/16/2026
Silva Lewis Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
DC BUDGET from Page 11 residents.”
Henderson, chair of the council’s Committee on Health, also extolled the executive on Friday for what she called its special attention to matters discussed in oversight hearings— including fraud in substance use disorder program and the TANF employment program’s 6% effectiveness rate.
“I had a conversation with Director [Rachel] Pierre [during the hearing]” Henderson said, “We're rebidding these contracts, so we've got to do something different, because if it is going to become so important for people to have work in order to keep your health care and] your SNAP benefits, then we on the government side have to do a better job of connecting folks on that side.”
As it relates to Bowser’s proposed removal of set-asides for future collective bargaining agreements and nonunion pay increases, Henderson expressed concern about how that could affect the District’s ability to provide healthcare.
“I've got psychologists at St. Elizabeths Hospital. Smaller bargaining unit, but we don't have psychologists at our psychiatric facility,” Henderson said. “That's a problem, so I'm sure
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2017 ADM 956
Estate of Frances Cress Welsing
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.
appoint an unsupervised personal representative
Date of first publication: 4/16/2026
Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20015
Petitioner/Attorney:
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
I will talk to colleagues more about those pieces as well. ….The whole [health care] cluster [costs] money, but ensuring that people have care takes care of our hospitals. It relieves the pressure that’s there.”
Revenue generators in Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal include a vitality fund to attract businesses and diversify the economy while allocating $110 million toward Hill East, Fletcher-Johnson and Poplar Point.
In addition, Bowser aims to lower business operating costs and, for the third consecutive budget cycle, mandate four days per week of in-office employment. Her budget proposal also includes provisions delaying implementation of net-zero building energy performance standards. If Bowser’s budget comes to fruition, Southwest residents will see mixeduse development that expands D.C.’s cultural and entertainment district, while developers of federal government properties will receive a 20-year tax abatement that will fund a downtown revitalization fund.
Developments around RFK campus center will involve the construction of a new fire station, transportation upgrades for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, which, according to Bowser, stands to directly benefit constituencies in Wards 5, 7 and 8.
On Friday, D.C. Councilmember Wendell Felder, in his second budget cycle as an elected official, commended Bowser for prioritizing Ward 7.
“We want to make sure that we continue to grow our economy,” Felder said, “which is why we think it's important to invest more into capital projects, things that will grow our economy and generate the revenue that will really fund and support services, especially in Ward 7, that are desperately deserved.”
Felder even made a special shoutout to the District’s second-largest private employer that, with a $1 million allocation from the Bowser administration, would be on the verge of changing locations.
“To my friends at Children's Hospital, if you're looking for a location,” Felder said, “I wanted to be the first person to put that bid in for Ward 7.”
Contingency Funds, Future Conversations with D.C.’s Chief Financial Officer
Earlier this year, Lee didn’t include $180 million in his revenue estimates, citing the uncertainty around the council’s attempt to decouple the Dis-
trict’s tax code from President Donald J. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
If those funds are made available, Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget allocates them toward: future collective bargaining agreements for government employees, lifting the child care program waitlist, funding medical leave for the Fiscal Year 2027 universal paid leave program and reducing the employer tax; and funding the Housing Production Trust Fund.
On Friday, amid dialogue with the council, Bowser expressed her fervor for compensating government employees, citing what she called “pretty phenomenal and fair” collective bargaining agreements with teachers and police officers.
“Everybody knows how I feel about making sure we pay our people,” Bowser said. “Even in the…worst… of the COVID pandemic, we didn't lay anybody off and nobody missed a paycheck, and I'm proud of that.”
For now, the Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes a “phased coupling,” through which the District’s tax code will remain coupled with the federal government, only as it relates to tips, car insurance, overtime, and senior citizens.
Decoupling will only take place on modifications on business interests, special depreciation allowance for qualified production property, expanded reinstatement for charitable contributions of individuals who don’t elect to itemize, and enhancement of the standard deduction.
In the 2028 fiscal year, the District will remain decoupled, except for standard deduction, whereas by Fiscal Year 2029, it will be coupled to all aspects of Trump’s legislation. WI
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5 Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee cautions the D.C. Council against use of reserve funds to fund police overtime. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)
CHAVIS from Page 26
MORIAL from Page 26
scheme would likely negatively impact critical funding streams for institutions, including Pell Grants, which are a lifeline for many students.
The NCAA's mistreatment of student-athletes and strong pushback from the courts is not new. In Haywood v. NBA (1971), the Supreme Court rejected the NCAA's eligibility framework, which forced athletes to remain in college for four years before having an opportunity to play professionally. The system, seemingly designed to benefit the NCAA and its member institutions, required student-athletes to remain in college for four years, even if they had the desire and talent to play professionally. Additionally, in Johnson v. NCAA (2024), the Third Circuit held that student-athletes are not categorically barred from being considered employees under federal law. In its opinion, the court asked, "Do efforts that provide tangible benefits to identifiable institutions deserve compensation? In most instances they do." Although the
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office vacancies and empty retail space."
Carter and Fred Humphries, corporate vice president of U.S. Government Affairs for Microsoft; the Honorable Congressman Steven Horsford and Dr. Steven Johnson, executive vice president of Events DC; the Honorable Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., and Mamar Gelaye, vice president of Amazon; and the Honorable Gov. Wes
case was remanded to the district court for further analysis, the decision clearly rejects the NCAA's longstanding claim that athletes are not entitled to basic labor protections.
Rather than acknowledging the NCAA's mistreatment of student-athletes or pursuing reforms in compliance with the nation's longstanding antitrust laws and recent court cases, the SCORE Act instead seeks to grant the NCAA an unprecedented antitrust exemption — insulating it from accountability and entrenching a system that extracts billions from athletes while denying them a commensurate share of the value they produce. Such an exemption would grant the NCAA sweeping control over nearly every aspect of college sports while significantly limiting athletes' ability to secure a meaningful seat at the table or pursue legal recourse. Exemptions of this kind are exceedingly rare and clearly unjustified given the NCAA's long, multi-decade history of mistreatment toward student-athletes.
Equally concerning, the SCORE Act and President Trump's executive
ate equity, and to create the city that we all deserve," Fife said.
Moore of Maryland.
We are grateful for the support and sponsorship from Amazon, Microsoft, Events DC, AmeriHealth Caritas, Bayer, and PKB Enterprises, whose generosity enabled and made possible the production and distribution of the "Leadership Matters" video series.
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order fail to provide student-athletes with meaningful representation or the opportunity to organize and collectively bargain. Both efforts appear designed to preempt the implications of Johnson v. NCAA (2024), which held that student-athletes may be classified as employees entitled to basic labor protections. If student-athletes were permitted to organize and collectively bargain, many of the bill's provisions could be negotiated directly, rendering most of the language in the SCORE Act unnecessary.
The National Urban League is open to thoughtful efforts to strengthen college sports, including potential updates to the Sports Broadcasting Act, but we have not taken a position yet. That being said, incremental progress alone is not enough. Meaningful reforms must ensure equitable revenue sharing, reject unwarranted antitrust exemptions, provide substantive representation, and directly support smaller programs and institutions, including Title IX programs and HBCUs.
Anything less is unacceptable.
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rican Americans and minority women.
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Much of the discrimination occurs in the methods used by individual city departments when issuing outside contracts. Many departments have found "creative" ways to circumvent policies, including issuing "emergency" contracts for emergencies that do not exist and providing waivers to requirements to contract with women- and minority-owned businesses, Ramsey said.
Many of the smaller contracts — 59% of total contracts issued — never go to the City Council for approval.
Some people argue that the contracts go to a few big companies because small businesses either do not exist or cannot do the work. But the reality is that a majority of city contracts are small, under $100,000, and there are many Black-, woman- and minority-owned companies available in Oakland, Ramsey said.
"Until we address the disparities that we are seeing, not just in this report but with our own eyes, we will be consistently challenged to create safety, to cre-
A special issue highlighted in the disparity report was the way city departments handled spending of federal money issued in grants through a state agency, Caltrans. Under federal guidelines, 17.06% of the dollars should go to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs).
"The fact is that only 2.16% of all the dollars awarded on contracts [went to] DBEs," Ramsey said.
Speaking at the committee meeting, city Council Member Ken Houston said, "It's not fair, it's not right. If we had implemented [city policies] 24 years ago, we wouldn't be sitting here [now] waiving [policies]."
"What about us? We want vacations. We want to have savings for our children. We're dying out here," he said.
Council Member Charlene Wang said she noticed when reading the report that "two types of business owners that are consistently experiencing the most appalling discrimination" are Af-
"It's gotten worse" over the past 20 years, she said. "It's notable that businesses have survived despite the fact that they have not been able to do business with their own city."
Also speaking at the meeting, Brenda Harbin-Forte, a retired Alameda County Superior Court judge and chair of the Legal Redress Committee for the Oakland NAACP, said, "I am so glad this disparity study finally was made public. These findings … are not just troubling, they are appalling, that we have let these things go on in our city."
"We need action, we need activity," she said. "We need for the City Council and others to recognize that you must immediately do something to rectify the situation that has been allowed to go on. The report says that the city was an active or inactive or unintentional or whatever participant in what has been going on in the city. We need fairness." WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
EPSTEIN
CANNICK from Page 27
Five dollars.
Ten dollars.
Twenty-five if you can swing it.
Recurring if you're serious.
The same way people find money for streaming services, concert tickets, sneakers, brunch and DoorDash convenience fees — you can find a small, consistent amount to keep the institutions you claim to care about alive.
Movements are not funded by billionaires alone. They're sustained by
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Years of posts, pictures, commentaries and discussions across two platforms, gone. And I can't even verify whether the supposed violation occurred on Instagram or Threads.
But back to being a verified, blue-checkmark user …
In addition, since I work with children in various capacities outside of work, I'm required to be live-scanned. Live Scan technology uses digital fingerprinting to instantly transmit biometric data to state and federal databases. Its primary uses include rapid criminal background checks for employment — childcare, healthcare and law enforcement — professional licensing, volunteer screenings and firearm permits.
We're talking about the same DOJ that was run by Pam Bondi and the FBI under Kash Patel.
There is no pornography on my
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What makes this moment even more dangerous is that Trump has paired these economic attacks with a determined effort to control how Americans think about race, history, and identity. His signature executive order framed any discussion of equity as a threat and challenged schools to choose between honest teaching and their federal funding. In the months that followed, teachers reported fear and confusion about teaching routine lessons on Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Trump's whitewashing of history didn't stop at the classroom door. His administration ordered reviews that led to the removal of exhibits acknowledging the role of slavery in the lives of the founders and the service of Black soldiers in World War II. He has pursued the restoration of Confederate names of military bases with the zeal of a man intent on rewriting the nation's memory. These choices do not reflect a pres-
ordinary people deciding something matters enough to contribute to it.
You don't have to be rich.
You just have to be invested.
And if enough regular people decide to show up financially — even modestly — it replaces what corporations pulled back in fear.
Collective power isn't theoretical. It's arithmetic.
You cannot claim you're fighting authoritarianism while letting the last independent platforms standing quietly suffocate.
phone to "accidentally" upload. There is no hidden double life. There is no behavior to apologize for or explain. The problem with that is I can neither prove it nor even plead my case. Again, I "cannot request another review of this decision," nor will I be informed of what might happen next — in the form of a knock on a door from a federal agent or a federal file created (or added to) with my name on it. Today, it is me. Tomorrow, it may be you. Given the ongoing threats and outright censorship of late-night broadcasts — in both Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert — I can't rule out whether I was targeted, and neither can you.
Commuted Trump insider Roger Stone interviewed the owner of the aforementioned Los Angeles Times and avowed Trump supporter Patrick Soon-Shiong. And that's saying nothing of the ongoing efforts to delegitimize CBS News, a Paramount
ident who values unity or truth. They reflect a worldview that sees Black history as something that must be neutralized to preserve a false national story that centers on white grievance.
When you step back from each individual decision, a larger truth about this presidency comes into focus.
The way he treats Black America is not an exception. It is a window into how he has failed the country as a whole by stifling opportunity, fueling division, and abandoning any real commitment to shared prosperity. It is a warning about what happens when a president replaces opportunity with grievance and chooses culture war fights over real investment in people. When young people are taught incomplete history or denied education opportunities, and when families cannot rely on stable jobs or critical resources like food assistance, health care, or childcare, the entire country loses ground.
More than a year into a second Trump term, the consequences are visible across the country as growth for
You cannot say you care about democracy while refusing to financially support the institutions that defend it.
You cannot shout "resistance" and then treat community organizations like optional subscriptions.
Trump doesn't need to shut these places down if we let them starve. That's the part that should make people uncomfortable.
Because outrage is free.
Infrastructure is not. WI
Read more on washingtoninformer.com.
subsidiary firmly intertwined with the Trump administration.
My account didn't disappear in a vacuum.
If we check the leaderboard:
The top print media, broadcast media and social media are ALL owned by Trump acolytes, actively engaged in exerting public pressure by way of their companies to suppress dissent and force compliance from their employees and users. Whether I am a consequence of bad luck and unforgiving terms of service — or part of a larger effort to squelch opposing voices — who is to say? I can't definitively say, and neither can you. Whereas I'm generally not a conspiracy theorist, I can't just ignore publicly available and relevant evidence either.
This presidential administration may only be temporary in the grand scheme of things, but the internet is still forever, whether we like it or not.
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working families of every background has stalled, pathways to education and work have narrowed, and public institutions have been bent toward political theater rather than genuine public service. The setbacks facing Black America are not isolated; they expose a broader pattern of neglect and a government more interested in punishing Americans than in lifting them up.
The rights and opportunities secured by earlier generations are not guaranteed. They depend on leadership that sees prosperity as a shared project and understands that communities thrive when the government invests in their success. That is what Black America deserves, and it is what the entire country deserves. We need leaders who view our history as a source of strength and who treat economic stability and opportunity as national priorities, not bargaining chips in partisan fights. Trump and the Republicans who rubber-stamp his agenda have shown they will not provide that leadership. We can demand better for Black America and for the country as a whole. WI
