Washington Informer - December 20, 2012

Every clique is a refuge for incompetence. It fosters corruption and disloyalty, it begets cowardice, and consequently is a burden upon the progress of the country.”

– Madame Chiang Kai-Shek

James Clingman Notes the Difference Between Leadership and Pleadership See Page 21 •

C e l e b r a t i n g 4 8 Ye a r s o f S e r v i c e

•

Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area / Vol. 48, No. 10 Dec. 20 - Dec. 26, 2012

National Children’s Museum President J. Willard Whitson, center, Prince George’s County Councilman Obie Patterson and Pat Lawson Muse of NBC4, cut the ribbon with the help of Sesame Street characters on Friday, Dec. 14 during the grand opening of the National Children’s Museum at National Harbor in Prince George’s County. See story on Page 27. /Photo by Roy Lewis

Area Parents Wrestle With Newtown Tragedy

By Michelle Phipps-Evans WI Staff Writer When the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., occurred on Friday, Dec. 14, the District of Columbia Public Schools system was closed for a professional development day for teachers. So, children didn’t have to attend

school that day. It may have been a blessing for District parents.

That’s how Monica Evans felt when she first heard about the tragedy inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults. Two others were wounded.

“My heart felt so heavy,” said

Evans, a 40-something -year-old mother from Ward 7. “However, I have to admit the next emotion I felt was completely selfish. I was so glad that DCPS was closed. My child was safe at home with my father.”

Evans, who has a five-year-old son at a school on Capitol Hill, said when she first heard about

the situation from a colleague, her “immediate response was to pray.”

“I just started looking at the pictures and the families. Some were relieved faces. Their children were safe,” Evans said.

“Some were pained faces. I knew what that meant. I knew their lives would be changed forever.

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Lawrence Guyot Remembered Page 14

Residents Rally for Southeast Schools Page 19

I could not put myself in their shoes.”

Evans voiced what many parents in the D.C. area have been feeling ever since the news broke recently that 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed his mother, 52-year-old Nancy Lanza, in Newtown before heading to See PARENTS on Page 8

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The CoLumn

Events DC Host “Winter Wonderland”

Xayna Sanders, Greg O’Dell (Events DC Pres.&CEO) with the “2012 Ms. American Classic Womanof the Year Pageant winner

The 14th annual Winter Wonderland was hosted by Events DC at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center where holiday cheer was spread through the air for children of all ages. Gregory O’Dell (Events DC President and CEO) gave the holiday greetings. The event co-hosted by Ashleigh Demi and Breaka of local radio station, WPGC 95.5 kept the children smiling during favorite game, and musical chairs. Singing machines, digital cameras, and gift cards to Safeway were just a few of Santa’s raffle prizes presented by the Events DC committee. Volunteers and other Santa’s Helpers assisted the children while they decorated cookies and cupcakes with sprinkling and topping treats. The festive, two-hour event ended by remembering those children’s lives lost, and words of comfort to the families in Connecticut.

2012 Winter Wonderland Elves (L-R) Alexander Padro (Chair ANC 2C), Michele Hagans (Events DC Bd. Chair), Greg O’Delll (Events DC Pres. & CEO), Rachelle Nigro (ANC 2C04 Comm. Secty.), Kevin Chapple (ANC 2C) & Linda Greenan (Events DC Bd. Membr.)

Devon Lowery with his daughter Kirsten

The Pitts John (Dad), Mary (Mom) with Hatcher & Lavinia

Shu Yu Wang with her son Jasoncao

Tabitha Shain with her sister Stephanie Williams & their children Jayden, Ryan & Taylor

Michele Hagans (Events DC Bd. Chair) with Cameron Hagans & Madison Ready

Wendy Dong & Ester Wang

The Bonats

Shiron Pratt & Curtis Burgess (Events DC Elves)

The Lewis & Blount Families

The WPGC Elves (L-R) Anthony Lee, Tiffany Wesley, Tiara Stallworth,Ashley Diggs & Brian Harley

Ward 2 Neighborhood Residents

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Events DC Volunteers - Nuru Yirmam, The- Kweisi Mfume Jr with his son Kweisi Mufume III resa DuBois & Patricia Moorman

Subscribe www.SocialSightings.com

Kurt Pommonths, Sr, Photographer * Photo Enhancer • Graphic Designer “Merry Christmas” 2003 © SOCIAL SIGHTINGS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — DUPLICATION IN ANY FORM REQUIRES WRITTEN PERMISSION | E-mail SocialSightings@aol.com

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AROUND THE REGION Black Facts Page 6 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Page 12 BUSINESS William Reed’s Business Exchange Page 16 COMMENTARIES Pages 21-22

The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree is a major tourist attraction in Washington, D.C. during the holiday season.

For nearly 50 years the famous Christmas Tree that stands in front of the Capitol has been selected from a National Forest. The photo was taken on Sunday, Dec. 16. /Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah

RELIGION Lyndia Grant’s Religion Column Page 31

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region Docudrama Honors Anna Julia Cooper

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Civil and Women’s Rights Activist Celebrated

Women Break the Cycle of Domestic Violence

By Elton Hayes WI Staff Writer

To describe Anna Julia Cooper as a pioneer would be inaccurate. The African-American feminist and civil rights activist ideas were far more viBy Tia Carol Jones sionary well ahead of her time.

WI Staffand Writer When Cooper died in 1964, the educator than When had L.Y.dedicated Marlow'smore 23-yearsevendaughter decades of herher life the to the betold told father terment of Africanthreatened Americans, her but of her daughter life, the lifeAfrican-American of their child, moreand specifically, she knew something had legacy to be women.

Despite her lasting done.

Out of frustration in the annals of her history, Cooper’s with enforcement's handling name law remains virtually unknown to of the situation, she decided to many. start theandSaving Promise cam“Two a half years ago is when paign.

I first found out about her,” said “It seems to be a vicious cycle film director Cheryl Lewis Hawkins, that won't turn my family who lives in Northwest. “I’m findloose,” Marlow said. Marlow ing that her a lotstory of people know shared withdon’t the audiwho she and District she has done some ence at isthe Heights phenomenalViolence things.” Symposium Domestic CEO onHawkins, May 7 at59, thepresident Districtand Heights of Prosperity Media, intends to Municipal Center. The sympomake Cooper a household name. sium was sponsored by the More than people Services gathered Family and100Youth Center of the on the third floorcity of of the District Charles Heights and theMuseum Nationaland HookSumner School ArUp of located Black Women. chives, just few blocks from written book, theMarlow Farraguthas North Metroa Station “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a in Northwest, to honor the woman story about four generations of affectionately known as “Sis Anna” domestic violence.

The book is during a screening of a movie that inspired by her own experiences, showcases her determination to enand those of her grandmother, sure that District school students her mother and her daughter. received She saida quality every education. time she reads Born into slavery Raleigh, excerpts from her in book, sheN.C., still in 1858, Cooper forged a career as can not believe the words came an educator and made her life’s from her. “Color Me itButterfly” missiontheto 2007 champion the cause of won National “Best young African Books” Award.Americans to have an “I educational thatwhen prewas just curriculum 16-years-old my first for blackened my paredeyethem college. and Cooper lips spentbled,” manyMarlow years as said. a teacher and Elaine atDavis-Nickens, presiprincipal M Street High School, dent of theasNational Hook-Up now known Dunbar High School of Black Women, said there is no in Northwest. consistency the way Prosperity inMedia anddomestic Koalaty violence issuesshowcased are dealt Sis with by Entertainment Anna on Dec. 7 before a diverse crowd that included Vivian M. May, an assistant professor of Women’s Studies at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. The short, 15-minute clip received rave reviews from guests.

The screening also doubled as a fundraiser aimed to gather financial support for a full-length version of the film.

Cherri Styles is a longtime District resident and walked away impressed by what she’d seen.

“It was very informative. I had no idea that Dr. Cooper taught at what’s now known as Dunbar High School, and I’m a native Washingtonian,” said Styles, who lives in Southeast. “I was very impressed. If there were more teachers who were role models like her, I don’t believe that there would be such a high

4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com The Washington Informer

4 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a vicstory, her own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assesspush forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further said about Marlow. training for law enforcement Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's Life Protecwho reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counsel“get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiperson can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must end of the day, the book will look at both sides of the coin. help people begin to have a dia- We need to address both the viclogue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow Also present at the event was said.

Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow would also like to see wife of John Allen Muhammad, programs designed to raise who was sentenced to six consec- awareness among children in utive life terms without parole public and private schools. She by a Maryland jury for his role in feels children need to be educatthe Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence.

2002. Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop being pasthe founder of After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilan organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. and their children.

Marlow has worked to break “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she not an easy thing to come out is pushing for will start that of,” she said. process.

Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to people who want to help a Congress and implore them to domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said. be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these polithe victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” that she may be in “survival Tia Carol Jones can be reached Anna Julia Cooper, 1858-1964. /Courtesy mode”. at Photo tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net “Before you get to 'I'm going to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI dropout rate in D.C. public schools.” just three years later from Ohio’s Hawkins and Sherelle R. Wil- Oberlin College. Years later she liams, both producers, first became earned her Ph.D. from the Univerfamiliar with Cooper’s achievements sity of Paris (Sorbonne) at the age two-and-a-half years ago when of 56. whittling down their list of subjects The United States Postal Service for their next docudrama. Hawkins released a commemorative stamp in said the two signed on immediately.

Cooper’s honor in 2009 and pages “She fascinated us during our 26 and 27 of every United States research and we were really upset passport features one of her quotes. that we didn’t know about her,” said Sahaadat Hammed-Owens, 11, Hawkins, a 25-year film industry wants to become an actress. While veteran. “We thought that she would she said she enjoyed playing the role make a great film. I hope people of one of Cooper’s five adopted leave here feeling inspired to learn children in Sis Anna, Sahaadat, now more about her.” has a new role model.

The film, Sis Anna, features 12 “She was really involved in the actors and actresses and 30 extras. educational system and she inspired Scenes from the film were shot at a lot of people,” Sahaadat said. the Charles Sumner School Museum “That’s why this film was made and and Archives and the Akwaaba Bed it’s very important for people to & Breakfast in Northwest, owned know about her.” wi L.Y. Marlow by former Essence magazine editorin-chief, Monique Greenwood.

Please contact Prosperity Media EnterCooper received her bachelor’s prise, Inc. at 202-841-1807 for informadegree in 1884 and master’s degree tion regarding donations.

“

We have to stop being passive-aggressive with poor children about domestic violence. I plan to take these policies to Congress and implore them to change our laws. I will not stop until these policies are passed.

“

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Moten Talks At-Large Race, GOP Changes Ronald Moten, a co-founder of the anti-gang, anti-violence organization, Peaceoholics, said that he’s thinking about running in the April 23 special election for the at-large seat on the D.C. Council and that the District’s GOP is headed in the right direction.

“A number of people have approached me about running in the special election,” said Moten, 43. “I will make a final decision in a few weeks on whether I will do it or not.”

Moten, a recently minted Republican, ran against D.C. Council member Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) in the Nov. 6 general election. The campaign was heated at times, with Alexander refusing at one point to debate Moten, saying that she did not have to “debate a Republican” in the heavily Democratic ward.

Alexander, 51, won the contest as expected but Moten surprised political observers with his 12 percent showing in a ward that has voted for Democratic incumbents by as much as 97 percent. The impressive showing has fueled talk that Moten, already known citywide, may jump into the April 23 special election which is non-partisan.

Moten said that he’s weighing his options.

“I am looking at should I get behind a candidate or work to become a kingmaker,” said Moten, who lives in Southeast. “If I do run, I will prove that a civil rights Republican can win in this city.”

Moten is pondering his political future at a time when the D.C. GOP is undergoing a major change at the top. Nicholas Jeffress, the executive director of the District of Columbia Republican Committee, is planning to leave his post in January 2013.

Moten said that Jeffress has done a lot to advance the party in the District.

“Like any other organization, you have new people come in and old people go out,” he said.

“The party has grown recently and it will grow some more. I will continue to work to make the party an important player in this city.”

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

301.292.9141/FAX 301.292.9142/Mobile 703.819.0920 doris@mcmilloncommunications.com/www.mcmilloncommunications.com

Denise Rolark Barnes Ronald Moten ran as a Republican in the Ward 7 D.C. Council member race on Nov. 6. /Courtesy Photo

Bonds Will Stay at Helm of D.C. Democrats D.C. Council member Anita Bonds will continue to serve as the leader of the District’s Democratic Party despite her recent selection to the legislative body, said a high-ranking D.C. Democrat.

“Council member Bonds is set to stay as chair of the D.C. Democratic State Committee,” said James Berry, the vice chairman of the committee. “I have not talked with her about stepping down and I don’t think she is going to even though she is on the council.”

Berry, a resident of Northeast, said that it’s not unusual for the leading DemocraticParty official on the state level to be an elected official and it is valid according to the rules of the Democratic National Committee, Berry said.

Virginia recently elected Del. Charniele Herring of Alexandria

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as its state chair but Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis of Prince George’s County has never held an elected position. The Democratic National Committee is led by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray is recognized as the leading District Democrat in national circles but organizationally, when it comes to dealing with the Democratic National Committee, it’s Bonds who calls the shots for the District.

Berry would not speculate on who would replace Bonds if she wins the April 23 special elec‡ Please set all copy in upper and lowercase, flush left as indicated on artwork at these point sizes: Consultant name in 11-point Helvetica Neue Bo tion for the at-large seat that she Helvetica Neue Light; Web site or e-mail address in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; phone number in 9-point Helvetica Beauty Consultant in 9-point To the Independent Beauty Consultant: Only Company-approved Web sites obtained through the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site program may temporarily occupies.

Even then, she could stay on, as party rules permit.

“She will stay the chair until the next election,” he said. wi The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

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December 24 1881 – The Edgefield Exodus begins. Over 5,000 blacks, driven in part by a wave of white violence and economic exploitation, begin leaving Edgefield County, South Carolina and resettle in Arkansas. The movement was also encouraged by people like Pap Singleton who believed Southern blacks could enjoy a better life if they moved to the Midwest.

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December 20 1988 – Max Robinson, the first black co-anchor of a nightly network news program (ABC’s World News Tonight), dies in Washington, D.C. of complications due to AIDS. December 21 1865 – Following the example set by Mississippi, South Carolina on this day enacted a series of “Black Codes.” The codes displayed a white Southern obsession with three things after losing the Civil War. 1) They still desperately wanted to control blacks. The primary method was forcing the now landless and money-less ex-slaves to sign “labor contracts” with white employers which were so strict that they came close to re-instituting slavery. 2) They were obsessed with preventing sexual relations between blacks and whites. This took the form of banning interracial marriages and relationships. 3) They wanted to retard black economic progress with a series of measures designed to require that blacks work for

whites and not establish their own businesses. The codes barred blacks from even selling farm products without the permission of a white employer.

Fortunately, many of the codes were never fully enforced because Northern troops occupied the South and voided many of the “Black Codes.”

December 22 1898 – Historian and author Chancellor Williams is born on this day in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Williams authored the book “Destruction of Black Civilization: Great Issues of Race from 4500 BC to 2000 AD.” The book is considered a must-read for any serious student of black history. Williams died in 1992.

December 23: 1815 – Abolitionist Henry Highland Garnet is born in Kent County, Maryland. Perhaps second only to Frederick Douglass, Garnet was the leading black abolitionist of the 1800’s.

He was known for his tremendous oratorical skills and being

December 25 1951 – Mr. and Mrs. Harry T. Moore are murdered when a bomb explodes under their home in Mims, Florida. Both were teachers and courageous civil rights activists. It is believed the bomb was planted by a white terrorist organization such as the Ku Klux Klan.

December 26 1848 – In one of the most daring escapes from slavery in U.S. history, on this day in 1848, William and Ellen Craft began a 1,000-mile journey from a plantation in Macon, Georgia to freedom in Boston, Massachusetts.

The light-complexioned Ellen disguised herself as an infirmed white man and the dark-complexioned William pretended to be the faithful slave.

1966 – The first Kwanzaa holiday celebrations take place.

California Black nationalist Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga originated the alternative sevenday holiday period for African Americans. Kwanzaa and its principles, however, may be more widely respected than actually celebrated among American Blacks.

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INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY ELTON J. HAYES

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Rhoma Battle Washington, D.C. It does. As we get older, Christmas becomes different. When you wake up in the morning now, there isn’t all of the excitement that there was when you were younger because of the new toys. But the magic of Christmas is still there because of family and friends.

That’s really what the holiday is about, being around family and friends, and that’s what gives Christmas its magic.

Johnnie Mae Riggsbee Washington, D.C. Yes, I believe it still does. For some people, buying all of the materialistic things makes it magical.

For me, it’s about celebrating the birth of Christ. God comes first for me. Christmas is about reaching out and helping others. It’s about giving. Christmas is a special holiday and as long as we remember its true meaning, it will always have its magic.

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DOES CHRISTMAS STILL HAVE ITS SAME MAGIC?

Kevin Harris Washington, D.C. Christmas still does have its magic. I’m into the holiday spirit and still buy gifts and enjoy the time spent with others. I can see how those who are struggling [financially] could think that the magic is gone, and that’s unfortunate. But to be able to help others out, and to be able bring them joy during this time of year, is a great feeling. And that in itself is magical.

Ricki Fairley Atlanta, Ga. Christmas definitely has its same magic. Santa Claus will always be here, but Jesus is the real reason for the season. And if you believe in Christianity, then Christmas will always be the same for you.

Although we grow older, Christmas is still about goodness, friendship, family and love.

Nik Reid Washington, D.C. I think that it still does. I have a 22-year-old daughter and we always celebrated Christmas when she was younger. There is a lot of commercialism [associated] with the holiday now and that’s changed. But Christmas should be about doing something good for others and giving more than you receive. That provides the magic at Christmas.

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The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

7

AROUND THE REGION

Students leave Maury Elementary School in Northeast on Monday, Dec. 17. Parents in this area voiced their concerns about safety in the schools. /Photo courtesy of Michelle Phipps-Evans

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 

      

     

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 8 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

At Eastern Senior High School in Northeast, on Monday, Dec. 17, students observed a moment of silence in memory of the students and teachers who were killed in Newtown, Conn., on Friday, Dec. 14. /Photo courtesy of Michelle Phipps-Evans

PARENTS continued from Page 1 Sandy Hook Elementry School , where he killed 20 first graders – mainly 6 and 7 years old – and their teachers. It rocked the core of the tight-knit community of about 27,000 residents, just outside Danbury, Conn. Lanza left a total death count of 28 people after a 10-minute murderous rampage, which ended in his suicide.

As the country continued to ask the question, “why,” and tried to put the pieces together, one Southeast mother said it best, “you can replace the name, Sandy Hook, with any elementary school here in D.C., and you can have us dealing with the same tragedy. It could have happened anywhere.”

During the weekend following the shooting, many parents who gathered for holiday parties and dinners talked about the magnitude of the carnage, especially so near to the holidays. In whispered tones – eyes darting at their children nearby – many discussed The Washington Informer

how they’ll approach the children, and more important, what they will tell them.

Kimberly Kennedy said she talked about the shooting with her son, Christopher Salmon, 8, before he headed back to school.

“His reaction was what I expected,” said Kennedy, 44, who’s both a parent and a teacher’s aide at Maury Elementary School in Northeast. “He didn’t seem frightened but I just wanted to talk to him before he heard it at school.”

Kennedy said she was personally horrified by the massacre’s “randomness.”

On Monday, Dec. 17, the first day back to school after the tragedy, each school in the District’s public school system chose to deal with its students differently.

At Maury, the principal joined several teachers in greeting the students and their parents by their names as they entered the building. Many parents said they were pleasantly surprised and touched.

The rest of the staff was on the playground interacting with the children.

At Watkins Elementary in Southeast, parents said they noticed a police officer at the corner of the school on 12th Street. At Eastern Senior High School on East Capitol Street in Northeast, the students observed a moment of silence. One Northwest dad said he didn’t experience anything different at the school.

On the first day back, Beth Caine hesitated to take her fouryear-old son to his pre-kindergarten class in Northwest.

“I wanted to keep him home with me this week,” said Caine, 30, “especially since it’s close to the holidays. If someone told me this would be my reaction after I had kids, I would’ve just laughed. I’m horrified for those parents.”

To help alleviate reactions such as these, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson sent a letter with the children to take home.

“Parents should never have to worry about the security of their students when they’re in our care,” Henderson wrote. “But what hap-

See PARENTS on Page 9 www.washingtoninformer.com

around the region

            

Parent and Teacher’s Aide Kimberly Kennedy in front of Maury Elementary School in Northeast with her son, Christopher Salmon. She talked to her third-grader about the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., before he returned to school on Monday, Dec. 17. /Photo courtesy of Michelle Phipps-Evans

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PARENTS continued from Page 8 pened … is another example that these horrible events can and do happen and we have to be vigilant in our efforts to prepare for every scenario and situation.”

In many instances, principals in the public school system of 46,000 students, employed robo calls to children’s homes, or emailed personal messages to parents, emphasizing their belief in the schools’ safety processes; and to offer emotionally affected students opportunities to speak to counselors.

“The main question that I predict will come up is ‘Am I safe in my school?’ for those children who know about what happened,” wrote one principal. “I’ll be talking with staff on ways we can help students feel safe without directly mentioning specifics.” Most schools chose not to address the tragedy in class; choosing instead to bring it up only if a student initiated the conversation.

In Prince George’s County Public Schools, Communications Officer Briant Coleman said the 125,000-student body took several actions to deal with the tragedy, including a review of safety protocols, and increased security around the schools as a precautionary measure. It also observed a moment of silence on Monday, Dec. 17 to remember the youngest of victims.

Coleman said the school system immediately sent a letter to Newtown to express its sympathy.

      

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Flags are flown at half-staff at Watkins Elementary School in Southeast in memory of the victims in Newtown, Conn. Students also took letters home concerning their safety at school from D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson after the mass shooting in Newtown on Friday, Dec. 14. /Photo courtesy of Michelle Phipps-Evans

“It’s so important to reach out because during the D.C. sniper attacks, so many school districts reached out to us and it was so helpful,” said Coleman who’s been in his position for the last two years. “That’s why we thought it necessary to communicate as much as possible.” The Beltway Sniper attacks took place in October 2002 in several locations in the D.C., area, which left 10 people dead and three others critically injured.

Liselle Yorke, a 41-year-old mother whose daughter attends a school in Morningside, Md., in the Prince George’s County Public Schools system, said she spoke to her 9 year old on the same day as the attack.

“She doesn’t want to hear or see anything about it,” said Yorke, who lives in Capitol Heights, Md. “She hasn’t asked too many ques-

www.washingtoninformer.com

tions since then.” However, her daughter asked her one question that stumped her.

“She asked, ‘Will the teachers who died be teaching those children up in heaven?’” Yorke said.

“I told her, ‘I don’t know.’”

Both District and Prince George’s County public school systems have added resources on their websites to help parents respond to children’s questions, many asked in innocence.

Some parents, like Evans, still have the option of not saying anything.

“My son is only 5. He doesn’t know about what happened,” said Evans, who, on Friday, Dec. 14 went home and hugged him and her father because her husband had not arrived home yet.

“He’s too young to know. I won’t tell him. I won’t take his innocence yet.”wi The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

9

Around the Region

Race Begins to Fill Mendelson’s Seat

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The race to fill the at-large D.C. Council member position vacated by current D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has started and has attracted a group of candidates who have varying degrees of experience in District politics.

Anita Bonds, the chair of the D.C. Democratic State Committee, was appointed by that organization to Mendelson’s atlarge seat temporarily on Monday, Dec. 10 at a special meeting. On April 23, 2013, there will be a special election that will determine who will fill that spot until 2015, and one of those candidates might be Sekou Biddle.

“I have not made that decision but I will let the public know soon,” said Biddle, 41.

Biddle can relate to what Bonds may be going through because he was appointed to the D.C. Council in January 2011 by the D.C. Democratic State Committee to take Kwame Brown’s at-large position. Brown, 42, was elected chairman of the D.C. Council in the November 2010 general election.

Biddle served on the D.C. Council until he lost a special election in April 2011 to Vincent Orange, a former Ward 5 D.C. Council member. Orange, 55, was re-elected at-large in November.

Bonds, 67, is an appointed D.C. Council member due to the resignation of Kwame Brown in June and Mendelson was elected by the D.C. Council as interim chairman. Mendelson, 60, won the position permanently in a special election that was held on Nov. 6.

Bonds, who took office Tuesday, Dec. 11, said that she will run to fill the position permanently in the April 23, 2013 special election.

Biddle is a former Ward 4 member of the D.C. State Board of Education and is the vice president for advocacy with the United Negro College Fund in Fairfax, Va. He said that his decision to run will be based on “my commitment to public service.”

Patrick Mara, who represents Ward 1 on the D.C. State Board of Education and is a Republican, declared his candidacy on Wednesday, Dec. 12. Mara, 31, narrowly lost to Orange in the April 2011 special election and said this time, he will campaign differently.

“Two years ago, I ran in the special election focused on education and I will continue to do that during this campaign but I will talk about the ethics of the council also,” Mara said.

The ethics of D.C. Council members is also on the mind of political newcomer A.J. Cooper.

Cooper, 32, ran as an independent in the November general election and received 6.46 percent of the vote.

Cooper, who is now a registered Democrat, said that some members of the D.C. Council “do not have the best interests of the city at heart.”

“The D.C. Council member position should be a full-time job,” he said. “You have some members of the council who are more concerned about getting money for their law firms and companies than for residents.”

Mara said that if elected, he would work to fix ethical issues that cloud the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest and get

Former D.C. Council member Sekou Biddle may try and return to the John A. Wilson Building in 2013. /Courtesy Photo

back to the business of creating jobs for District residents.

“We need good workforce development programs so that people can get the training they need for the jobs that are available,” he said. “We need to work to make sure that returning citizens and teen mothers have access to good jobs.”

The deadline for candidates to get their petitions to the D.C. Board of Elections to get on the

ballot is January 23. Any District resident can run in the non-partisan April 23 special election.

Political observers are waiting to see if D.C. Council member Michael Brown (I-At Large), whose term expires in 2013, gets into the race. Brown, 47, comes from a politically well-connected family. However, some residents feel that those connections didn’t help him in the No-

vember general election – since he lost his seat on the council to David Grosso.

Cooper, who is the nephew of District socialite and philanthropist Peggy Cooper Cafritz, said his family connections will be helpful, but he is the candidate.

“My aunt is going to help in terms of fundraising and guidance but it is my campaign to run,” he said.wi

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The Washington Informer

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The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

11

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Briefs Department of Corrections Gives Students Tools to Cope

The Prince George’s County Department of Corrections will complete its six week mentoring program at Glenridge Elementary School in Landover Hills, MD on Tuesday, December 18. One hundred and sixty one students will sign a pledge committing to be drug free, gang free, and to abstain from bullying. After signing the pledge students will receive treats and enjoy refreshments courtesy of ARAMARK Corporation. Students have participated in weekly sessions of the program titled C.O.P.E.S. (Correctional Officers Protecting and Educating Students) learning to use effective communication skills when approached to sell or use drugs, join gangs, and how to steer clear from bullying.

Principal, Dr. Gloria McCoy says, “The COPES program is a valuable part of our mission

to help students become college and career ready. The guidance lessons that are taught by volunteers from the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections help to build the capacity of our students to make good decisions and avoid peer pressure. We are very fortunate to have such a committed community partner.”

The C.O.P.E.S. program started in 2005 at Glenridge Elementary School. The six week schedule the Officers follow focuses heavily on how drugs, gangs, peer pressure, and bullying can lead to an unsuccessful and unproductive life. The Officers use their work experiences to navigate students away from making potentially life altering mistakes. Fourteen Officers work in pairs to mentor the students and discuss the life changing topics. The six week program will move to another county school in the spring.

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Holiday Food Baskets Delivered

by County Executive and Public Safety Agencies

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III and public safety officials gathered Monday morning, December 17, at the Bunker Hill Fire/EMS Station to help fill and deliver a portion of 3000 holiday food baskets.

Public Safety Assistance Program (PSAP) Executive Director Bill Milligan coordinated the event that included the leadership and members of the Fire/EMS Department, Police Department, Department of Corrections, Office of the Sheriff and Homeland Security. Personnel filled holiday food baskets that would be delivered this morning to the Emerson House, a senior citizen highrise, in Bladensburg as well as a visit with students at the Riverdale Elementary School.

The PSAP is a combined effort by all Prince George’s County Public Safety Agencies. About 3000 holiday food baskets will be distributed throughout the County this year to families that otherwise may not be able to afford a holiday meal. The PSAP operates on monetary donations from the public and corporations such as Pepsi Cola, Safeway, Burris Logistics, District Photo, Prince George’s County Board of Realtors, Scott Management, Apartment and Office Building Association, Watkins Park Festival of Light, DC Ventures, Inc., and others.

Fire Chief Bashoor was joined this morning by members of his command staff including Deputy Fire Chiefs Scott Hoglander, Ben Barksdale, Neal Dennis and Frank Underwood, volunteer firefighters from Bunker Hill, Bladens-

burg and Riverdale, career crew from Riverdale Heights #813 and Bunker Hill #855, a host of Assistant Fire Chiefs, Battalion Chiefs and civilian members of the Fire/EMS Department.

Breakfast was prepared this morning by retired member Tommy Smith and a host of assistant chefs including Terry Lloyd, Robin Pilkerton, Teresa Crisman, Kevin Roberts, Jack Mowatt and others.

If you are interested in making a donation to the PSAP you may do so at any time. The Prince George’s County Public Assistance Program, Inc. is a 501c3 organization and contributions are tax deductible. Mail monetary donations to FOOD, P.O. Box 548, Upper Marlboro, MD, 20773.

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12 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

The Washington Informer

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international

Briefs Cash-Strapped Cuba Presses Drive to Strike Black Gold

Mandela Hospitalized Again, World Prays

“Cuba will allow a Norwegian platform to being offshore drilling off the north-central coast in the coming days, part of an effort to build income from the subsea oil industry. State-run oil company CubaPetroleo announced that the platform Songa Mercur had arrived in the area, and would create the country’s deepest offshore oil well as a part of exploratory drilling. The statement was given via state-run newspaper Ganma, and detailed a partnership with Russian state oil company Zarubezhneft, who leased four blocks of Cuban land for drilling in 2009.

“The new well has the objective to determine the oil and gas potential of that sector in our country,” CubaPetroleo wrote.

“Its results must contribute to the knowledge of the area where it will be drilled, as well as all of North-Central Cuba.”

In November, a Russian official confirmed that the country would spend around $126 million on offshore drilling in Cuba.

The Norwegian company Songa Offshore AS will handle the drilling, with intial results expected in May. Successful drilling would prove extremely profitable for Cuba, a country with well documented energy struggles. Divided into 59 blocks, Cuba has leased out 22 to foreign companies. If exploratory drilling goes well the struggling communist state could see a sudden reversal of fortune.

United States officials have expressed concern over the environmental safety of the drilling exercises, due to Cuba’s inexperience in the oil drilling industry. In its announcement, CubaPetroleo said that the Songa Mercur had been inspected for safety, and that international firm ModuSpec had inspected it to ensure that less than 10 percent of the parts used on the platform are American, a testament to the 50year US Embargo.

Becoming energy independent would release Cuba from strained relationships with Venezuela, and falls in line with new president Raul Castro’s plans to reduce the amount of money spent on imports.

People around the world are praying for the health of former South Africa President Nelson Mandela as he remained hospitalized since last weekend for reasons that have not been publicly announced.

Widespread reports say the 94-year-old justice icon is doing well, but Associated Press described concerned Sunday morning worshipers at Soweto’s Regina Mundi Catholic Church as praying for the Nobel Laureate, a symbol of freedom and democracy around the world. The church “once served as a major rallying point for anti-apartheid activists,” the AP described.

The country of 50 million people, as well as people around the world, awaited word of his conTRIM dition this week as an announcement from current President Jacob Zuma said only that he was admitted to a hospital in Pretoria for tests “consistent for his age” and that he is “comfortable.”

Zuma reportedly visited President Mandela in the hospital Sunday, causing even greater concern since he did not visit during his last hospitalization for a minor surgery in February.

Additional information was being added early this week.

“There is no cause for alarm …

He [Mandela] is in the hands of a good medical team,” said presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj on Monday, according to GIN. An update on Mandela’s health will be relayed once his doctors update the presidency, Maharaj added.

Mandela is receiving medical attention from time to time which is consistent with his age, Maharaj insisted, adding that the family wanted to avoid Mandela’s health being treated like “a movement of share prices on the stock market”, and wanted his family to be with him without having to answer questions. It is believed he is being treated at One Military hospital.

A Qunu traditional ruler, Nokwanele Balizulu, told foreign news agency Agence France-Presse she saw Mandela shortly before he was taken to hospital, GIN reports.

“I was called by the Mandela family saying Tata [grandfather] is not well. I rushed there and I saw he is not well,” she was quoted as saying.

Mandela reached world fame as he served 27 years in prison for his

By Kevin Webb Special to the Informer from the Atlanta Black Star

Special to the Informer from the Houston Forward Times

www.washingtoninformer.com

opposition to the racist apartheid rule that once divided the country between Whites, Coloreds and Blacks. Millions of American activists, celebrities and politicians joined activitists around the world in decades of protests for his freedom. Released on Feb. 11, 1990, Mandela became South Africa’s first Black president in 1994 and served for five years. According FAME_TABLOID_5.65X7 to AP, he has lived in a remote vil-

in the upcoming ANC vote for party head and to be its presidential candidate in 2014.

Votes will be tallied this month at the ANC’s national elective conference in Mangaung where factional discord is expected to boil over. Many believe the Zuma regime has buried Mandela’s principles of justice amidst of string of corruption scandals.

“Zuma’s government drew widespread criticism when police opened fire on striking workers at Lonmin Plc (LMI)’s Marikana /Courtesy Photo platinum mine on Aug. 16, killing 34 people. That was followed lage in the Eastern Cape area since by a wave of industrial action in retiring from public life two years mining, transportation and agriago after South Africa hosted the culture that has stunted economic 2010 World Cup soccer tourna- growth,” GIN reports. ment.

“When you have someone The hospitalization comes as that’s willing to lead by example South Africa’s National Congress like he did, it makes things easier prepares for another presidential for people to follow,” a worshipelection. GIN reports that Zuma per, Thabile Manana, told AP on appears to have picked up the Sunday. “Lately, the examples are most votes from the country’s not so nice.

It’s hard.

I’m scared PUBLICATION: TABLOID 11/29/2012 TRIM: 5.65” X 7” nine provinces, giving him the lead for the country.”

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13

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14 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

The Washington Informer

Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry addresses the crowd at the memorial service for Civil Rights icon Lawrence Guyot on Saturday, Dec. 15.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray reflect upon Barry’s words regarding their fearless friend. /Photo by Roy Lewis

Guyot Memorial Service Rocks Civil Rights Style

By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer Civil Rights legend and longtime D.C. community activist Lawrence Guyot spent most of his 73 years seeking to help usher in equality and unanimity between the races.

At a packed memorial service on Saturday, Dec. 15, the several hundred mourners at Goodwill Baptist Church represented a rainbow of colors and ethnicities, a fitting tribute to the man they came to honor.

Led by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Mayor Vincent C. Gray, the standingroom-only crowd in the Northwest church consisted of luminaries, D.C. government officials, colleagues from the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), civil rights warriors, Freedom Riders, family, friends and mentees.

Guyot died Nov. 23 and was buried in Pass Christian, Miss., on Dec. 8.

“Let me start with the simple truth. Lawrence Thomas Guyot Jr. was the bravest man I knew up close and personal,” said Norton, 75, who moderated the service. “Many of my friends and colleagues in … SNCC were arrested. Even I have been in jail.

No big deal … But I personally saw what Mississippi jailers did to Guyot when I went to the jail in Winona, Miss., in the heart of the Delta. He almost surely carried those scars with him when Guyot

left this world on Nov. 23. Yet, there were no scars on Guyot’s soul. It remained unblemished.”

Despite enduring the worst of the American experience, including time at the notorious Parchment Farm Penitentiary, Guyot was the most upbeat of human beings, Norton said.

“That spirit kept him everpoised for the next fight. Yet, Guyot was born and raised in a state bathed in racial hatred,” she said. “Guyot’s Mississippi had not much changed since the Civil War. Blacks were supposed to adhere to its racial code – and to like it. Guyot abhorred it and lived to help bring down that code.”

Bernice Johnson Reagon, a social activist, former SNCC member and founder of the a capella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, provided musical accompaniment in between remarks, singing several Civil Rights standards and leading mourners – who stood holding hands – at the end of the service in “We Shall Overcome.”

The memorial afforded old friends the opportunity to reconnect, recall their shared past and reflect on the arc of growth in issues of race and society since they marched as young people for change. Guyot’s friends also talked about the need to remain vigilant because of fears that the Voting Rights Act which is now being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court might be amended or eliminated. Outside of Civil

See MEMORIAL on Page 15 www.washingtoninformer.com

NATIONAL MEMORIAL continued from Page 14 Rights, Guyot’s attention was always focused on the Voting Rights Act. A succession of speakers, including Gray (D), Ward 8 Council member and former four-term mayor Marion Barry and activist and comedian Dick Gregory described Guyot as a force of nature who was impatient with indecision and hesitation and as someone used to bending circumstances to his will.

“I didn’t know Lawrence Guyot in the days of the Mississippi freedom fighting but I knew him in the District of Columbia,” said Gray, 70. “If he was half the person in Mississippi that he was in the District, I wouldn’t want to tangle with Guyot. He was resolute, he was clear, he was eloquent and he was brilliant.”

Barry, 76, called Guyot “an unsung hero” who brought a revolutionary zeal to everything he did.

“SNCC was formed in 1960 at Dr. King’s request in Raleigh, N.C. and there was not one student from Mississippi,” Barry recalled. “In 1962, blacks made up 40 percent of the population but only three percent of those were registered to vote. These were the conditions that Guyot was born into.”

“Guyot was up and down the highways registering people to vote,” said Barry, who told the throng that he was at the memorial “not as the mayor, not as ‘Mayor for Life’ but as a friend.

“He had the courage, guts, tenacity and he had the feeling of freedom. I’m glad God gave me the strength and the courage to be a part of that movement. To lead in that kind of condition was not easy … this band of brothers, this freedom trust, knew that freedom is a constant struggle.”

When Guyot came to Washington, he brought with him the same fervor that served him so well in the Civil Rights movement, speakers said. He helped Barry win his first mayoral term in 1978 and worked in the administration.

“He said he wanted to work for me and we put him in the Department of Human Services but I knew then and there that I couldn’t put Guyot behind a desk from 9-5,” Barry said to knowing laughter from the mourners. “I told his supervisor, ‘don’t worry, don’t worry about him; he’s out there fighting for the people.’” www.washingtoninformer.com

      •   •  •  

 

      

•     •   • 

    Fiduciary Panel Attorney - Superior Court of the District of Columbia - Probate Division Former DC Fraud Bureau Examiner - Insurance Administration  Former Law Clerk for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

D.C. government officials, colleagues from the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, family and friends attended a memorial service for Lawrence Guyot on Saturday, Dec. 15 at Goodwill Baptist Church in Northwest. /Photos by Roy Lewis

“Guyot, I love you brother,” Barry concluded.

Gregory had the crowd nodding their heads in agreement when he said a lot of people were surprised that Guyot died in his bed.

“I never thought he’d lie in bed and be attended to by doctors. We always thought that they would have killed him. This is one of the few funerals where we could speak the truth,” Gregory said.

Courtland Cox, a former SNCC field secretary, remarked on Guyot’s will, grit and determination.

“He was unrelenting and worked until the very end. Every day, Guyot faced being shot on plantations, on the highways and beaten as he actually was in 1963,” said Cox. “The terrorist tactics of the Ku Klux Klan and the White Citizens’ Council did not prevent him from doing his life’s work. It must be said at the end of the day, that Lawrence Thomas Guyot, Jr., led a consequential life and contributed to the common good.”

Civil Rights Activist Joyce Ladner said Guyot helped her to become more decisive and deliberative. While they studied at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss., Ladner called the institution “an oasis in the desert, a safe haven for those cast out” for their civil rights activities.

“We were discussing an issue and he got impatient. ‘Joyce, if we follow your logic, we’ll never do anything.’ I learned to take positions. He was decisive and never

wavered. He was a passionate leader who went with his gut, a brilliant analyst with a mind that churned faster than most.”

Guyot’s daughter, Julie GuyotDiangone evoked laughter when she said her lullabies were freedom songs and bedtime stories were of jailings, beatings and busing. She also wrote a letter which was read at the service. In it, she said doctors pronounced her father dead on April 13th, when he had the first series of heart attacks and as his kidneys began to fail.

“But, he had stuff to do. He wasn’t finished yet, and spent the next eight months confusing his doctors with his sheer willfulness, his determination to see things through,” she said. “It was the first time I got a sense of what everyone had been telling me since childhood about the strength of a man who endured so many beatings, daily death threats, and the tireless efforts he put forth with every step in the Movement.”

“The doctors shook their heads. They took his numbers.

He just wasn’t supposed to still be here. But, the months passed and he continued to organize, ignoring the doctors and his own body. He was going to be the one to make the decision. And he left when he was ready to do so. Not a moment sooner.”wi The Washington Informer

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business Business Exchange

The Year in Review

Comments? Opinions? Ideas?

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news@washingtoninformer.com

Again this year, African Americans placed higher priorities on participation in politics than the pursuit of capitalistic and business development initiatives to improve their economic conditions. Their primary motivation is to use “the vote” to get what they want and need. In 2012 Blacks continued to display dysfunctional political behavior.

Instead of seeking and supporting candidates and platforms to improve the financial status and wealth-building through private and public sector programs, the following abhorrent political behavior occurred among African Americans.

Once an African American is elected to high office, they or a member of their family, lounges there for life. Examples

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16 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

The Washington Informer

By William Reed are African-American voters in Chicago, Detroit and New York City. They should be awarded the “Colman Young ‘I Stayed Too Long’ Political Empowerment Award.” The award has dubious value. Coleman Young became Detroit’s first Black mayor in 1973 and served in that capacity for 20 years. By the time he left office, Detroit had lost half its population. During Young’s tenure, Detroit became the world’s “murder capital”, arson capital and America’s most dangerous city. The poverty rate zoomed to the highest in the U.S. Unemployment rose to more than 24 percent and Detroit became a lawless pocket of poverty as property values plummeted.

People are asking: “What were they thinking to reelect 83-year-old John Conyers Jr. to his 25th term in the U.S. House of Representatives?” As Detroit has deteriorated, many of the voters that regularly re-elected Mayor Young have repeatedly sent Conyers back to Congress since 1965. He’s become a fixture on Capitol Hill and is the second longest-serving incumbent member of the House (after fellow Michigan Democrat, John Dingell who is No. 1). Conyers is the third-longest incumbent member of the Congress by length of service. His wife, Monica is a former Detroit city councilwoman who has been imprisoned since pleading guilty to conspiring to commit bribery.

In the 2012 elections, Harlem’s scandal-scarred “Lion of Lenox Avenue” cruised to a 22nd term in the House of Representatives. Rep. Charles Rangel claimed victory for District 15’s seat despite his diminished status in the House. Rangel provides his constituents little clout since he was censured by Con-

gress in 2010 and stripped of his chairmanship of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

In Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District a political enclave that covers most of Chicago’s South Side and nearby suburbs, Jesse Jackson Jr. caused a special election that could cost upward of $5 million after resigning from the Congressional seat that he held for nearly 17 years, immediately after he’d won another term. The voters gave him 65 percent of the votes even though he was bed-ridden and never made campaign appearances.

The “I’ll Be Sweeter to You Tomorrow than I was Yesterday” Award goes to Black Voters across America who gave Barack Obama 95 percent of their ballots in the 2012 elections despite high unemployment rates and being on the wrong end of American wage and education disparities.

The one thing that makes a president’s second term so interesting is the fact that as a “Lame Duck” a president can do things they couldn’t before because they no longer have to please everyone to get their votes. This opens the door for Obama to do what he really wants to do with his power as president. Last but not least, one of the biggest and most important items that might be on Obama 2’s agenda is what he might do to help his most loyal constituents, African Americans. They have had to stand by and watch as this president has done what he could do to help the country in general, leaving their specific needs out of his agenda.

A new initiative the Obama 2 White House should be about is a “White House Conference on Minority Business” to address the lagging economic growth in minority communities. African Americans stumble through elections not knowing the cure to their lack of opportunities and growth is to foster Black-owned businesses which should be the source of jobs and wealth-building. wi William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org) www.washingtoninformer.com

BUSINESS

Opportunities in the Utility Sector

By D. Olandan Davenport Special to the Washington Informer

The cost of modernizing electric, water, and natural gas infrastructure systems in the United States will exceed $4 trillion over the next 20 years, according to industry estimates and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

That’s why NARUC, a nonprofit organization based in Northwest, that represents state public service commissioners who regulate utilities that provide essential services such as electricity, telecommunications, water and gas discussed a wide array of issues that must be addressed before modernization can occur at their annual meeting last month at the Baltimore Hilton hotel in downtown Baltimore.

NARUC’s members include commissioners from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. NARUC started a subcommittee in 1994, Utility Market Access (UMA), to serve as a vehicle to assist women, minority and service related disabled veteran-owned businesses (WMDvBEs) to conduct business in the utility industry and ensure that everyone gets a piece of the pie.

“When corporations include minority and women-owned firms that operate in high margin categories of service to corporations, the chances for wealth creation and increased economic returns to underserved communities increases as well,” said Emmett T. Vaughn, director of Diverse Business Empowerment for Exelon Corporation headquartered in Chicago, Ill. Vaughn presented a compelling strategy for increasing WMDvBE business participation during the recent UMA subcommittee meeting.

Vaughn said that part of Exelon’s strategy to expand business relationships with diverse suppliers was to provide opportunities in professional services. This opens the door for investment banking, legal, and a variety of business opportunities, not often available to smaller firms.

Exelon, the nation’s largest competitive energy provider, recently purchased Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), the largest utility company in Maryland. Exelon is doing business in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. BGE serves approximately 1.8 million customers in the Maryland – D.C. region.

Reginald McCauley, director of Supply Chain, said Pepco has just started a program to rebuild its infrastructure with its “Reliability Enhancement Plan.” Pepco will spend more than $1 billion on the project over the next five years. Pepco has signed on to voluntary Memoranda

of Understanding with NARUC in Maryland and the District to increase business with WMDvBEs, and is searching for qualified WMDvBEs to do business with.

Harold Williams, a public service commissioner for Maryland, is the chair of the subcommittee on UMA. Williams is working with other commissioners like Timothy A. Simon, from California, utility companies and WMDvBEs to develop a new strategic plan to “take the program to the next level,” he said. Williams expects that the UMA program will have a significant effect on local WMDVBEs interested in doing business with the utility sector in the Baltimore -Washington region.

One initiative being considered is a mentor protégé program for WMDvBEs in the utility sector. The program would pair established and successful companies in the utility industry with WMDvBEs. Supporters of the mentor protégé initiative believe that guidance and assistance with relationship building and best practices could be one fundamental pillar of the UMA program objective.

An initiative currently underway by UMA is a project with the National Utilities Diversity Council (NUDC).

“We are developing a supplier diversity toolkit,” said Laurie Dowling, interim executive director of NUDC in Los Angeles, Calif. The toolkit will include comprehensive information designed to help utility companies and commissioners get WMDvBEs more business in the multi-billion dollar utility sector. The document is expected to be completed by February 2013.

How quickly any infrastructure modernization will roll out is the subject of much debate. Two major factors that will determine the time frames for development are the requirements of the new federal regulations on utility companies that deal with environmental concerns and the price of gas. The regulations are a “big issue” said Mayo Shattuck III, executive chairman of Exelon Corporation.

Most industry observers believe that the issues will be resolved given the reality that a continued crumbling utility infrastructure in this country will negatively impact the economy.

Longtime Minority Business Enterprise entrepreneurs like Will Johnson of Visage Energy Corp. believe that the time is right for WMDvBEs to pursue business in the utility sector. “I have been in the energy business for 20 years, and have seen many cycles,” said Johnson. Any WMDvBE must be willing to “pay some dues” and “work with the companies to learn the business.”

To learn more about the UMA program, go to http://www.naruc.org.

www.washingtoninformer.com

Money Matter$

By Hermond Palmer VP/Director of Marketing and Sales

Industrial Bank Industrial Strong

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Member FDIC

The Implications of Managing Your Health The cost of good healthcare can be the cause of some pretty frightening nightmares. The ability to manage the expense of healthcare without causing the household budget to crash and burn is not only a benefit, it is a blessing. One important key to achieving this goal is to be proactive when it comes to managing your own personal health and well being.

There have been countless messages promoting the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, one that includes regular exercise, a reasonable diet, and regularly scheduled exams by a physician. For many that sounds great – in theory, but when it comes to reality, it is easier said than done. Like the commercial says, “Life comes at you fast.” In between juggling work, relationships with significant others, children, faith based service, community service and everything else, when does one find the time to workout long enough to break a sweat three to five times a week consistently?

It is not easy. But you have to start by making YOU, your priority. The incidence of high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, diabetes, as well as other chronic conditions, and illnesses amongst African Americans far exceeds that of other ethnic groups. Compounding this issue is the fact that in many cases, individuals are predisposed to developing these conditions as a result of their family medical history.

Now, with that as background, what can you do to improve your situation? You CHOOSE to make your health your priority.

Proactively managing your health will ultimately work to your advantage and place you far ahead of where you would otherwise be if you chose not to. The health and financial benefits associated with this plan of action are important and very compelling. Some examples include the following: zz Taking preventative measures can result in better overall physical health, eliminating the need for costly medications or medical procedures zz Early detection may create a wider range of less invasive, less expensive treatment options in the event you do become ill zz Better overall physical health will result in you paying lower life insurance premiums zz Better overall physical health can produce a higher net income resulting from fewer sick days What you should do: Eat Right zz Eat a reasonable amount of fruits and vegetables consistently. Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a diet of 2,000-calories. You should also eat 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day. As a general rule, at least half the grains should come from whole grains. Also remember to have 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

Exercise zz Establish a workout plan. The length of time and the level of intensity of your workout should be tailored to your health, endurance level and overall goal. Your program can range from moderate to vigorous-intensity; from 30 minutes, to 60 minutes, or even 90 minutes; from 3 days a week to 6 days a week. Be sure to include cardiovascular conditioning to get your heart-rate up, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises for muscle strength and endurance.

Check with a physician to determine an appropriate exercise program for your age and health.

See Your Doctor Regularly zz If you have health benefits, USE THEM! Go to the doctor. Get your annual physical exam (i.e. eye, hearing, blood work…) with all of the appropriate screenings (mammogram, prostate…). zz If you do not have an employer health benefits program, create a savings account which will allow you to save until the point you can afford to pay the cost of an exam.

In the end, managing your health carries with it certain benefits which can result in not only lower medical costs, better outcomes, and a longer and higher quality of life, but also more graduations, birthday parties, family reunions, weddings, and anniversaries attended. All that is required is that you make YOU the priority. If not for yourself, then do it for your family and friends. If not for your family and friends, then do it for your wallet because it makes financial sense. Being sick is not fun and it is not cheap.

The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

17

health

Depression during the Holidays

By Michelle Phipps-Evans WI Staff Writer Every year, the holidays kick off with Thanksgiving and end on New Year’s Day. Many people look forward to the season with anticipation. Although for many, the holidays can be fun; for others, it can be anything but festive. The season may trigger an onslaught of the blues, suicidal thoughts or actions.

Michael Ferdinand was 15 when he and his two older sisters migrated to New York from the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago in 1977. They arrived just before the holidays to join their mother whom they hadn’t seen since 1971.

Ferdinand had a difficult time not only adjusting to new surroundings, but also leaving behind the warmth of the Caribbean.

“It was the usual – new environment, missing friends and family,” said Ferdinand, 50, the youngest of 10 children. He missed his oldest sister who cared for them while their mother worked. “I didn’t want

to leave T&T, and Ma was angry. I was very sad.”

“My depression was far worse and lasted way longer,” than any other time, said Ferdinand, a father of two in Kirkland, Wash. He admitted to being depressed during his deployment with Operation Desert Storm in 1991, but the depression from moving to the United States was worse.

“I had to talk to two shrinks,” said Ferdinand who liked skipping across train tracks, which forced his mother to take him to a psychiatrist. “I’m still here. I’d say they helped a lot.”

Depression in children is frequently overlooked, said Vanesta Poitier, Ph.D, a social worker at the Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home in Northwest.

“It’s confused with other illnesses, misbehavior or malnutrition,” said Poitier, 60, who has helped youth to the elderly. “During the holidays, everyone gets the blues for a time,” especially when you’re away from home like Ferdinand.

But these feelings are short lived

/Courtesy Photo

and pass within a couple of days.

Depression, said Virginia-based psychiatrist, Dr. Robin Brannigan, is a term to convey a variety of dysphoric mood states.

“Most folks will use the term to describe feeling blue for brief periods but from a medical perspective, depression refers to an ongoing period of sadness – typically longer than two weeks – and associated with specific symptoms,” said Brannigan, 47. “When there’s sadness and loss of interest plus three or four other symptoms for more than two weeks, an individual is considered majorly depressed.”

Symptoms include loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, decrease in motivation, changes in

appetite and sleep, feelings of unwarranted guilt, excessive worry, suicidal thoughts and actions.

Other symptoms for the elderly, said Poitier, a relative of internationally known actor Sidney Poitier, include irritable mood swings, expressions of worthlessness, weight loss, not caring for themselves, always tired, irresponsible behaviors, “doing things outside the norm for this person,” persistent sadness and emptiness, and persistent physical symptoms and chronic pain that don’t respond to treatments.

The National Mental Health Association theorized that the reasons for feeling blue around the holidays are numerous. They range from fatigue – a result of the increased holiday activity – to financial limitations and family tensions. Experts say the fastest route to holiday depression is unrealistic expectations.

People may develop other stress responses such as headaches, excessive drinking, overeating and difficulty sleeping. Then, they experience a post-holiday let down after Jan. 1.

“There are numerous triggers for the onset of depressive episodes,” Brannigan said. “Disturbing experiences like loss and death, genetic predisposition, and seasonal changes. Although it may seem that the holidays can be a trigger

for depression, it’s not always the case. More often than not, it exacerbates an already underlying vulnerability.”

Ways of coping with stress during the holidays, advised the D.C. Commission on Aging, a citizen’s advisory group, include keeping expectations manageable, pacing yourself and organizing your time.

Make a list and prioritize important activities. Be realistic about what you can do. Don’t put the entire focus on one day. It’s a season of holiday sentiment, and activities can be spread out to lessen stress and increase enjoyment.

Poitier added that families become busy celebrating and they leave out certain members such as the elderly.

“They don’t feel included in the festivities,” said Poitier, “and the key is to include them in the process of what you’re doing. Even simple things like shopping trips; you can include them so they’ll feel a part of it.”

Brannigan was more straightforward.

“My advice for anyone experiencing depressive symptoms for an extensive period of time, greater than two weeks, is to seek help,” Brannigan added. “There’s no need to suffer in silence, nor deny yourself assistance or relief.” wi

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EDUCATION

Southeast Residents Rally to Keep Schools Open

By Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer A cadre of parents, teachers and community leaders recently gathered on the grounds of a Southeast elementary school to protest a controversial proposal

by D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson to shutter several neighborhood schools.

During a Dec. 13 rally at Malcolm X Elementary School in Anacostia, the fired-up group of more than 100 Ward 8 residents who vehemently oppose the 20 school closings – the majority of which are located in their neighborhoods – loudly proclaimed along with newly-elected D.C. Ward 8 School Board representative Trayon White, that “enough is enough.”

Cynthia McFarland, 48, said that Henderson has lost touch with the needs of her community.

“My grandchildren live in Ward 8,” the Alabama Avenue resident said. “They go to school at Hart [Middle] and Malcolm X. I was raised in the public school system and walked to school. So did my children. Ms. Henderson needs to stop playing games and do what’s not only right but necessary.”

McFarland also stressed that given the large number of children who live in Ward 8, it’s essential that all of the area’s neighborhood school doors remain open.

According to a statement issued prior to the rally by organizers, many of those in opposition represent Ferebee Hope and M.C. Terrell/McGogney Elementary and Johnson Middle schools. “Parental, school and student choice are no longer a part of the equation in accordance with decisions regarding neighborhood school closings,” a portion of the state-

ment read.

Four years ago, at the behest of Henderson’s predecessor, two dozen schools were closed throughout the District in an attempt at school reform. But Henderson, 42, admitted recently that those closings only proved costly and ineffective: while student test scores remained stagnant, DCPS enrollment figures dipped from 47,000 students to less than 45,000, and paved the way for public charter schools to gain leverage as the preferred education model.

White, who helped organize the Malcolm X rally, said it doesn’t make sense to close any of the community’s schools.

“We don’t need less educational resources, but more educational resources,” the outspoken 28-year-old protégé of Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry, said. “A lot of factors have to weigh in on the closings, and so far, the chancellor hasn’t [stepped up to the plate] with an adequate explanation. Dropout and truancy rates are already high in the area, and if she closes our schools, those rates will only increase.”

White added that a major concern of parents has been plans to merge low-performing DCPS buildings with high-performing charter schools.

White said that in talks with Barry, he expressed that there’s no guarantee DCPS will be more successful in its attempt at school reform.

“History has proven, especially since 2008, that if we continue to go down this road, we will be right back here again discussing another round of school closures,” White said.

Henderson’s plan – currently being studied by members of her

A group of parents, teachers, students and community leaders from Southeast, voiced their concerns over proposed school closings in their neighborhoods during a Dec. 13 rally at Malcolm X Middle School in Anacostia. /Photos by Khalid Naji-Allah

administration – calls largely for the closings of under-enrolled and under-performing schools.

After her staff makes adjustments to the proposal, Henderson will confer with Mayor Vincent Gray, 70, and together in January, they will announce their final decision about which of the 20 schools will be closed.

Kim Harrison, 49, who works with Concerned Parents for Action Coalition, a citywide organi-

zation that advocates on behalf of public schools, drummed up support for the for the rally.

She said word of the closings have been exacerbated in the aftermath of a series of public meetings where Henderson shared reasons behind her proposal.

“We can’t be quiet, as this is a bigger issue than we think,” said Harrison, who lives in Southeast.

“It’s just awful, all this talk about

closing our schools. Our children need a school that’s in walkable distance – and they clearly need to be D.C. schools, and not charter schools,” she said.

“In order for reforms to work, they’re supposed to engage community stakeholders, parents, teachers and students, and Henderson’s proposal has failed to include [that kind of input].”wi

dc association of chartered public schools

strong schools ■ bright futures

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11/29/12 10:34 PM

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

19

Editorial

opinions/editorials

The Tipping Point Just one month ago record numbers of Washington area residents attended the Nation’s Gun Show in nearby Chantilly, Va. With children in tow, gun enthusiasts poured into the three-day event and purchased a record number of legal weapons including the type of semi-automatic weapon used by a 20-year-old lone gunman who killed 20 kindergarten-aged children and seven adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., last Friday. It is the legal sale and possession of these handguns that has resulted in the deaths of three people per hour and 85 victims of gun violence per day all across the nation. Reportedly, legal weapons have been used to commit the nation’s deadliest massacres in recent times.

This horrific incident has lawmakers talking now about passing more restrictive gun laws that will potentially ban the sale of semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as requiring background checks for those who purchase guns in person and online. They realize it will be a fight and, once again, they are targeting President Barack Obama as the one who should lead them into battle against the National Rifle Association and other gun rights advocates.

We agree with President Obama who told the heartbroken Newtown community that more should be done and that there’s a role for them and others to ensure that stronger gun control laws are passed. We also agree with those who are pushing for greater mental health services in hopes of identifying potential perpetrators before they have time to massacre people anywhere else in the country. It may have made a difference for 20-year-old Adam Lanza who died when he turned his gun on himself after murdering his mother and the children at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

We recommend legislators take a look at our South Capitol Street Amendment Act, which expands mental health services for young people.

Getting individuals the mental health care they need early on could save lives like the four teens that were murdered, along with six others who were wounded, by five young men who engaged in a killing spree using semiautomatic weapons on South Capitol Street in Southeast in 2010.

America is a violent nation, but we can do more to protect ourselves from ourselves.

Season’s Greetings The Washington Informer staff extends our holiday well wishes to our readers, advertisers and supporters. For the past year we have strived to produce a newspaper, and an online publication, aimed at serving the needs of our readers. We realize that we may not always hit the mark, but our aim has never changed. This is the season for giving, and we want you to know how much we appreciate every opportunity we have to give you our best.

We realize the various challenges our readers have faced this year, from high unemployment to home foreclosures, to natural disasters and social as well as political fighting and unrest. Yet, as we look back over the year, it’s clear that we made it through. There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding us, but we believe that we have come too far to become fearful, hopeless or discouraged now.

Last year at this time we reminded you about our goal to publish stories that focus on the positive news occurring in our community.

We don’t ignore the negative news; but we prefer to concentrate on the topics that build communities, not destroy them. Even today, while so many households are struggling economically, we know that the current bad times are not the worst of times that we have seen, nor will they be with us forever. We have observed, and reported on, the generosity and good will that even those with a little are giving to those with less. These are the stories we like to tell.

So, as you engage in the hustle and bustle that the holiday season often brings, we hope that you will also take a moment to reflect on the reason for the season. We want to express our sincere appreciation for your support and we wish you and yours a happy, safe and prosperous holiday and the same for the New Year.

20 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

Get the Parachutes Out!

While reading your article, “The Fiscal Cliff Looms” by Barrington Salmon, December 13, 2012, I became very angry. If I could talk to the president I would tell him to let us go over the cliff and tell us to put on our parachutes!

The individuals the Republicans in Congress are protecting need to feel what it’s like to go over the cliff for a change. The poor and disenfranchised people living in America are born with parachutes on, but the difference is they have holes in theirs. With every budget deal, the poor get pushed over a cliff time and time again.

I would tell the president that he won this election based on the promise that everyone would pay their fair share, so if you don’t agree, put on your parachute! The Republicans in Congress have disrespected President Obama more than once and tried to make his presidency a failure at any cost. So, Mr. President, just tell them that you hold all the cards now, and if they don’t want to play by your

rules, just put on their parachutes!

They continually try to scare us with the idea that there will be cuts in defense; well, there need to be cuts in the defense budget. If entitlement programs had the kind of waste and fraud in their budgets like the defense budget, Congress would be in an uproar.

Mr. President, I say again don’t give an inch; play hardball and make them squirm in their seats.

Make them come to you with their hats in their hands the way they tried to do you when you were negotiating the debt ceiling limits.

I’m ready; I’ve been over the cliff more than once in my life, so let’s see who else is ready to jump.

Thomas Jenkins Fort Washington, Md.

Information Equals Power

our health especially during the holiday season.

The articles on eating healthy and exercising are vital. There are so many studies that tell us that we don’t eat properly and don’t exercise enough, and because of that, our community suffers the highest rate of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. I have seen similar supplements in your paper at different times of the year.

Please continue them; they are so important to us. I am a strong believer in this: the more information is put out in front of us, the more information we will get, and we need to get this type of information.

Robert Robinson Washington, D.C.

Thank you for the splendid Health, Wellness and Nutrition Supplement in the current issue of The Informer. You continue to provide very important information to the community about

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opinions/editorials

Guest Columnist

By Julianne Malveaux

Passionate about the Wrong Things I was in a cab just the other day when the driver chided me for not knowing football. He was a big Redskins (I call them the Deadskins because they need to change their name) fan, and was obsessed with RG III. I must confess that I did not know who RG3 III was until the driver informed me and told me that I was culturally deficient because I lived in Washington, D.C. and did not follow football.

I observed his passion as I would poke and probe at a sociological phenomenon. The brother was intense, focused, and annoyed by the fact that somebody, anybody, was not caught up in the football drama.

At some point I became silent, to see how long the rant would last. And it lasted through the whole 20 minutes of my ride, through stalled traffic and long lights. The man was on a mission.

I understand that folks have to have valves to release the ten-

sion of everyday life. Maybe it’s sports, reading, or music. Still, I wonder if we could ever garner these passions for our children, for their needs, for ways that education can build a path to the future.

I’d be overjoyed if a taxi driver told me that he was so excited about education that he could not move. I’d be thrilled if one of them questioned me about education as intensely as he did about football. I could imagine the questions. Why are test scores so low? Why are children

Guest Columnist

not going to college? Why are so many young Black men (and women, but men pose a special set of issues) alienated from the system? What can we do to provide job opportunities for them?

What if someone had passion for our eating habits? Nearly half of the Black population is obese because pork, grease, and artificial snacks are staples of some diets. Why don’t we make healthy living a priority and be as passionate about that as we are about football? Why can’t we teach about ways to be healthy?

What about housing? As African Americans are being put out of their homes, there have been feeble attempts to modify loans.

Those who are working on this have insufficient resources, and just a fraction of those who qualify. Nearly $200 billion of Black wealth has been compromised by foreclosures, yet too many are silent about promises unfulfilled.

Shootings in Oregon and Connecticut are heartbreaking

See MALVEAUX on Page 37

By James Clingman

Black Leadership or Pleadership?

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” This famous quote from Frederick Douglass brings to mind the predicament of Black folks in this country relative to those upon whom we depend to put forth our demands for political reciprocity.

Are they really leading (demanding), or are they simply pleading?

The term “Pleadership” was `coined by Kenneth Price, my

friend and business associate from the post-Million Man March days. He used to talk about how our so-called leaders were not using our collective leverage to attain the goals we sought. Instead he suggested, they resorted to merely “pleading” rather than leading. Looks like the same is true in many circles today.

A quick analysis of the issues, challenges, and problems we face paints a grim portrait of our position in this country

and an unattractive view of our children’s future. We are long on rhetoric and short on action, high on emotion and low on involvement, quick to react and slow to get in front of issues that will negatively impact us. And many of our “leaders” are nothing more than “pleaders” kowtowing to the whimsical winds of politics, looking out for themselves only, and trying to make us believe they are “all that” when it comes to influence.

Nearly two decades ago, I

Guest Columnist

wrote an article titled, “If we are so smart, why are we so far behind?” The same thought can be applied to our current status, especially as it pertains to the dearth of genuine, authentic, and courageous Black leadership.

Another problem is that Blacks are unwilling, to a large degree, to follow the path of Marcus Garvey and others who advocated and demonstrated the primary importance of establishing and maintaining an economic

foundation. We have opted for political empowerment instead, which always begs the question: What is the economic result of our political involvement? Has it propelled us to a position of leadership, or has it reduced us to a position of pleadership?

We continue to discuss how Black folks can be directly advantaged by a Black president, who is now in his second term.

We still petition our government

See Clingman on Page 37

By Raynard Jackson

White Democrats Abandon Strong Black Women What is it about Democratic presidents and Black women that result in the women always being thrown under the bus? Black women gave President Obama 96 percent of their vote in 2012 – compared to 87 percent for Black men – but somehow Black women end up with tire marks on them.

Remember when the “first Black president,” Bill Clinton, totally dissed Lani Guinier, the

first Black woman professor tenured at Harvard Law School? In April of 1993, Clinton nominated Guinier to be the Justice Department’s Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. She was accused by right-wing conservatives of being a “Quota Queen” (a play on Reagan’s incendiary “Welfare Queen” language). Right-winger Clint Bolick’s editorial opposing Guinier in the Wall Street Journal doomed her nomination. Clinton refused to defend or fight for her.

Mind you, this was a woman who was in Clinton’s wedding!

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Then there was Shirley Sherrod. In July 2010 she was forced to resign from her position as Georgia State Director of the Rural Development Agency for the U.S. Department of Agriculture because of an edited video from a speech 24 years earlier to a Douglas, Ga. NAACP chapter. Rightwinger, Andrew Breitbart, who drastically altered and posted the distorted video on his Web site, did it in his attempt to embarrass the Obama administration.

Sherrod – with sharp public criticism of her from NAACP

President Ben Jealous – was unceremoniously forced to resign her position by the Obama administration, only to find out that Breitbart had intentionally edited her speech to make it look as though she hated White people when, in fact, she had been helpful to White farmers in Georgia.

Obama called her after the fact, but by then it was too late.

Now there is Susan Rice, Obama’s Ambassador to the United Nations. She was widely considered to be Obama’s first choice to be Secretary of State. I

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was thoroughly encouraged when Obama drew a line in the sand and came out strongly with his support for Rice during his press conference on November 14. I was heartened to see Obama finally show some spine, I cheered as he vowed to go toe-to-toe with Republicans for someone he claimed to believe in.

He said at the time: “…She gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her. If Senator Mc-

See Jackson on Page 37

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

21

opinions/editorials

Child Watch©

By Marian Wright Edelman

Dear God! When Will It Stop?

The horrendous news from Newtown, Conn. has pierced our hearts. A black-clad man in his 20s armed with two semiautomatic handguns, entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School and made an elementary school for kindergartners through fourth graders the scene of the worst mass shooting in a public school in American history.

Twenty children were shot and killed. Six adults were shot and killed. We don’t yet know how

many were wounded. We do know dozens of parents are experiencing the worst nightmare any parent could imagine. We do know more than 500 young children in the school are traumatized.

Once again we are faced with unspeakable horror from gun violence and once again we are reminded that there is no safe harbor for our children. How young do the victims have to be and how many children need to die before we stop the proliferation of guns in our nation

and the killing of innocents?

The most recent statistics reveal 2,694 children and teens were killed by gunfire in 2010 – 1,773 of them were victims of homicide and 67 of these were elementary school-age children.

If those children and teens were still alive they would fill 108 classrooms of 25 each. Since 1979 when gun death data were first collected by age, a shocking 119,079 children and teens have been killed by gun violence. That is more child and youth deaths in America than American battle

Guest Columnist

deaths in World War I (53,402) or in Vietnam (47,434) or in the Korean War (33,739) or in the Iraq War (3,517). Where is our anti-war movement to protect children from pervasive gun violence here at home?

This slaughter of innocents happens because we protect guns, before children and other human beings. Our hearts and prayers go out to the parents and teachers and children and the entire Newtown community that has been ripped apart by each bullet shot this morn-

ing. We know from past school shootings and the relentless killing of children every day that Newtown families and the community will never be the same.

The Newtown families who lost children today will never be the same. The families of the teachers who were killed will never be the same. Every child at the Sandy Hook Elementary School this morning will never be the same.

Each of us must do more to stop this intolerable and wanton

See Edelman on Page 38

By George E. Curry

One Week, Two Sides of Obama Over the span of one week, two different sides of President Obama emerged in different yet unforgettable terms. This first was political, involving Susan Rice’s decision to withdraw her name as a candidate for Secretary of State. The second was deeply personal in the wake of mass murders in a Newtown, Conn. elementary school.

In a column explaining her

decision to withdraw her name, Rice said: “ …As it became clear that my potential nomination would spark an enduring partisan battle, I concluded that it would be wrong to allow this debate to continue distracting from urgent national priorities — creating jobs, growing our economy, addressing our deficit, reforming our immigration system and protecting our national security.”

That was the public perception: A loyal UN Ambassador declining to fight for a promo-

tion so that an embattled president could avoid a showdown with Republican hypocrites in the Senate.

Just as Rice withdrew her name to give Obama a way out, I believe that if the president had insisted, Rice would have kept her name in the ring and ultimately would have been confirmed by the Senate to succeed Hillary Clinton as the next Secretary of State. But evidently Obama would rather switch than fight, to paraphrase an old cigarette commercial.

ASKIA-AT-LARGE

In his statement accepting Rice’s decision, Obama said, “While I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, her decision demonstrates the strength of her character and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first…”

When Obama first defended Rice, we all thought he had finally discovered some political backbone. He said at a news conference, “If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others

want to go after somebody they should go after me. For them to go after the UN ambassador who had nothing to do with Benghazi…to besmirch her reputation is outrageous.”

Game on. Or so we thought.

Had Obama chosen to fight, it would have set the tone for his second term. Instead, he retreated behind the comfort and safety of Susan Rice’s loyalty rather than standing up to conservative bullies. Republicans not only

See Curry on Page 38

By Askia Muhammad

Long Live the Spirit of Lawrence Guyot Whenever I hear the word “Mississippi,” my ears perk up. I am drawn by bonds of love to all things Mississippi – the place of my birth. Three – totaling two full hours – of nine nationally distributed documentaries I produced for the “Soundprint” radio series have been about the Magnolia State.

I’ve written poems and stories, and have an abiding fondness for

my home, even though it’s the poorest state in the Union, and is the most repressive in terms of policies which perpetuate the American slave mentality and the racial beat-down of Black people – which, along with the genocide committed all over this country against Native Americans – is one of the worst crimes against humanity in modern world history.

Sherman Briscoe, a retired Agriculture Department press aide, who served for many years in the 1980s as executive director

22 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

of the Black Press, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), and who hailed as I do from the cotton-growing and agricultural region known as the Delta, told me once that Mississippi is actually three states, not one. There is the flat, hot, Delta in the north; there is the luscious hilly region of the interior; and there is the tropical Gulf of Mexico coastal region in the south.

Briscoe told me there were two types of Negroes who prospered in Mississippi. He The Washington Informer

said there were the offspring of Caucasians who bequeathed their mixed offspring with land or money; and there were the fearless, shotgun-wielding Black folks of whom White people said: “You better leave them alone because they’re crazy.”

Lawrence Guyot was from the Gulf region. His father was an independent business person, and judging by his fair complexion, he must have had some White foreparents. Indeed, I believe he told me once, that his grandfather may have even

been a postmaster down there in Pass Christian, Miss. Postal workers were federal employees, and were more immune to racist violence because the FBI would relentlessly investigate intimidation and murder committed against even its Black employees, even in Mississippi.

But Guyot’s fearless, steadfast demeanor in the face of the brutal opposition to his quest for Black voting rights in Mississippi made him appear like one of the

See Muhammad on Page 38 www.washingtoninformer.com

E. Faye Butler as Sister Juba in Pullman Porter Blues at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater through January 6, 2013. /Photo by Kevin Rosinbum

“Pullman Porter Blues”

A Soulful Train Ride through a Slice of American History

By Eve M. Ferguson WI Staff Writer As the lights rise on the simple, yet effective railroad car setting of Cheryl West’s “Pullman Porter Blues,” at the Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater, the scenario is set for a slice of American history with a soundtrack drawn from the homegrown music of the time – the Chicago Blues.

The date is June 22, 1937, the eve of the boxing bout between Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, and James “Cinderella Man” Braddock. As the elder of three generations of Sykes men working on the rails, Monroe (Larry Marshall), a Pullman porter on the Panama Limited, hides his newspapers foretelling Louis’ victory in a locker on the floor, the audience is already cued in to the racial and generational conflicts to come.

In the opening scene, the youngest of the of Sykes, Cephas, (Warner Miller) rolls out a familiar tale to his grandfather, creating the driving force for West’s tribute to the African American Pullman Porters, who worked on the railroad doing one of the only jobs available to newly freed Black men.

Cephas is the first generation of Sykes men to go to college, but he is more interested in the life of the porters. His father and www.washingtoninformer.com

L-R, Cleavant Derricks as Sylvester, Warner Miller as Cephas and Larry Marshall as Monroe in Pullman Porter Blues at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater through January 6, 2013. /Photo by Kevin Rosinbum

grandfather found employment and opportunity with the Pullman Company, but also discrimination and intolerance. And so, the ageold tale of moving up economically, despite the hardships, and a rebellious son who has other plans is told, put to the sound of music.

That music is delivered with gusto and flair by Sister Juba (E. Faye Butler), a blues singer who has worked her way up from being a maid on the Pullman trains to an independent business woman who travels with her own band.

Her story is intertwined with the other lives on the rails, colored by the reality of Jim Crow laws.

“Sister Juba is fierce, she is wild.

She can be loving but tough, hard as nails. She is glamorous, and I

think every woman has a little Juba in her. She is a sapphire,” said Butler of her provocative character in the musical.

“I don’t think I had to find the character. Cheryl (West) was very clear,” Butler said. “Juba was based off of singers of that period – Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Victoria Spivey – so just knowing that much and knowing their music, I didn’t have to do a lot of research,” she added.

Sylvester Sykes (Cleavant Derricks), son of Monroe and father to Cephas, not only wants something better for his son’s life than what he faces himself every day is also defiant, campaigning his rights through the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the union

formed by A. Philip Randolph.

The plot is complicated by the presence of two white characters – train conductor Tex (Richard Ziman), who delivers the gardenvariety racist attitude of Jim Crow, and Lutie Duggernut (Emily Chisholm) a stowaway on the train discovered and subsequently rescued by Cephas.

Those laws, which mandated segregation of the races, dictated the restrictions that African American men working for the Pullman Company were forced to live by. They also divided their two distinct worlds, where black men would suffer great harm if they talked back to whites or had relations with white women, both incidents which figure into West’s tome.

Doled out in healthy portions

by Juba and the Band, the harmonica-playing Lutie, as well as the three Sykes men, song-anddance numbers like “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Trouble in Mind,” bring spark and excitement to a historical backdrop that should be better known as a part of American history.

“I am from Chicago, I was born in Chicago and I live in Chicago.

I know most of the places they are talking about. I know where the Pullman community is,” Butler said. “I grew up in Chicago in a period where lots of my mom’s

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and my grandmother’s friends were Pullman Porters.”

“I have known so many Pullman Porters in my life as a young girl,” she added. “They would bring (us) beautiful presents and they were always such gentlemen of class and distinction.”

For a play that is two-and-a half hours long, time flies by effortlessly, buoyed by the excellent score and a compelling plot. But there is so much more to “Pullman Porter Blues” to be reaped than just the theatrical experience.

“It’s a rich American story.

It talks about an America that we don’t talk about a lot. It talks about a group of Americans who were trailblazers in the Civil Rights Movement and the first African American union. It is a great American story all around, and everyone needs to see it,” Butler intoned.

A small exhibit in the lobby of the theater, “Pullman Porter Memories,” displays artifacts and provides information about the Pullman Porters and their history.

“Pullman Porter Blues” continues at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 Sixth Street, S.W. Washington through January 6, 2013. Tickets are available online by visiting arenastage.org or by calling (202) 483-3300 or at the Arena Stage box office.wi

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

23

LIFESTYLE

Holiday Shoppers Flock to BZB Holiday Gift & Art Show

By Michelle Phipps-Evans WI Staff Writer Ten shopping days to Christmas, and Jerri Adams-Simmons walked briskly from Shiloh Baptist Church in Northwest with three shopping bags. She pulled out a three-foot-tall wooden earring holder with an African motif, a Robert Griffin III sweater with an African-American Betty Boop character on the front of the garment and a mink hat.

“I’ve been coming here since they opened 22 years ago,” said Adams-Simmons, 67, who lives in the Brightwood neighborhood in Northwest. “You wouldn’t get

what you get here from other stores. I’ve stopped shopping at department stores for Christmas a long time ago.” Adams-Simmons just left the annual BZB Holiday Gift & Art Show, the Largest Upscale African American Department Store on the East Coast. Come Shop ’Til You Drop is the catch phrase.

“I find the most original black dolls with unique facial expressions of African Americans we know – in all hues,” said AdamsSimmons.

Two floors of exhibits featured all sorts of imaginable gift ideas – African-American dolls and angels, President Barack

24 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

/Photos by Roy Lewis

Obama paraphernalia, calendars, artwork, jewelry, African motif dishes, textiles, food, children’s and adult books, usually with the author on hand.

Dr. Courtney Davis showed

The Washington Informer

up for the BZB Holiday Gift & Art Show for the second time.

She penned a children’s alphabet book, A is for Anacostia, a story that highlights the children and activities in the Ward 8 community in Southeast.

“I wanted some information I could connect to children’s homes,” said Davis, 41, special education administrator with D.C. Public Schools, who lives in Anacostia. “Like most teachers, if it doesn’t exist, we create it. I wanted people to come to the Big Chair, to see [the] Frederick Douglass House.”

As she talked, Michael Marks, a District electrician, stopped to flip through the $9.99 book.

“They’re colorful, plus they caught my eye,” said Marks who bought a copy for one of his grandsons.

Although the floor was bustling with customers and artists who cheerily greeted each person walking by, the show’s creator said, “overall it’s been slower than most seasons.”

However, “this show feels as it did 10 years ago,” said Juanita “Busy Bee” Britton, 50.

“Today is the 125th show,” she bragged. This year’s shopping extravaganza started on Black Friday and every Saturday, from Nov. 24 through Dec. 22.

Britton was particular in calling exhibitors, artisans. Not vendors.

“When people hear vendors, they think of people selling things,” said Britton. “We have artisans from around the country who make things.”

This is Britton’s brainchild.

Thousands of patrons file through the doors of the Shiloh Family Life Center in Northwest

for holiday shopping with designers and entrepreneurs over several weekends in November and December. She credits the show’s success to the loyal support of her family, a host of employees, volunteers and longtime friends.

An entrepreneur, Britton operates several other ventures. She owns and operates the Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique in Ward 8; BZB International Tours, an educational and recreational travel service; and “Up, Up and Away,” a program that educates youth by exposing them to golf, aviation and airport retail. These are through the parent company, BZB International Inc., which coordinates events and works with small businesses on strengthening community relations. She’s also senior vice president of a company that operates stores such as Brooks Brothers and Heritage Booksellers in the Washington area airports.

The senior communications manager for Mayor Vincent C. Gray browsed throughout the exhibition halls on a recent Saturday.

“I’ve been going to the BZB Gift Show for years and always look forward to it,” said Doxie McCoy who couldn’t stay away and made a return trip to pick up additional gifts.

“I find unique items you can’t find anywhere else, as well as things that I choose to buy there to support black entrepreneurs.

Today, I purchased dolls for my nieces and a book.” wi www.washingtoninformer.com

Christmas Gift!

LIFESTYLE

African-American Themed Production Gets Rave Reviews

’Tis the season for a multitude of holiday-themed theatrical performances. Although the years change, the majority of Christmas plays and musicals tend to stick to the tried-and-true formula centered on the traditional nativity story.

Inspired by the lack of artistic creativity and innovation, a local songwriter set out to change the status quo. A decade later, his dream is now a reality.

“This has been 10 years in the making,” said Nolan Williams, Jr., 43. “I wanted to bring some kind of major piece to the arts landscape during the holiday season that would reflect AfricanAmerican faith and values,” the well-known music director of Voices of Inspiration said.

Christmas Gift! rolled through the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park on Dec. 14 and 15 and opened before more than 600 people at the center’s Ina and Jack Kay Theatre on Friday evening. The production ran just over two hours in length, which included an intermission.

Williams, Christmas Gift’s! director and producer, enlisted the help of nationally-known rhythm-and-blues artists Shirley Murdock and John Stoddart to round out the more than 30 Voices of Inspiration choir members who soulfully, and sometimes in a capella, belted out African-American spirituals as well as more traditional Christmas carols. The choir, and its accompanying musical ensemble, performed selections such as What Child is This?, Have You Heard About the Baby? and Go Tell It on the Mountain. The music, fused with spoken-word poetry written by W.E.B. DuBois, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and other accomplished African-American poets, coalesced to provide a memorable evening.

“The voices and harmonies are great and they really got me into the Christmas spirit,” said Howard Stone, 60, who lives in Mitchellville, Md. “This has been much more than I expected and I personally think that it should be bound for Broadway. I want our black children to see this performance because it will re-

ally give them a sense of pride.”

Despite the size of the 622seat, state-of-the-art theatre, Christmas Gift! provided an intimate experience for concertgoers. Female Voices of Inspiration choir members donned vibrant crimson red blouses and black skirts while the male members sported tuxedos. Poinsettias lined two corners of the Proscenium-style stage and a massive projection screen located behind the choir displayed Christmas images that changed with each song and poetry selection.

Curtis Swafford lives in Tampa, Fla., and wanted his twin grandsons to experience a different take on the traditional Christmas story. Swafford’s daughter, Joy, is a Voices of Inspiration choir member. While he cherished the opportunity to hear her perform, the entire Christmas Gift! performance offered much more.

“I appreciate the fact that I’m able to bring them here and expose them to this kind of event,” said Swafford, 60, who pastors a church in Florida. “It’s just an exciting and fabulous production.

We’re all really enjoying this.”

Swafford’s nine-year-old grandson Nicholas SwaffordSims echoed his grandfather’s sentiments.

“I really liked the singing and dancing,” said Nicholas, while his brother Nathaniel looked on with a smile.

Perhaps one of Christmas Gift’s! defining moments occurred during the show’s rendition of Robert Nathaniel Dett’s classic, Ave Maria. The theatre’s lights

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Director Nolan Williams, Jr. leads Voices of Inspiration in performing a selection from “Christmas Gift!” The African-American themed holiday production captivated audiences for two evenings at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Md. /Photo courtesy of B.K. DuBose/NEWorks Productions

dimmed; Voices of Inspiration choir members held candles and wowed the audience with their moving version of the popular hymn which they performed in Latin. Another highlight of the evening was Murdock’s rendition of Wihla Hutson and Alfred Burt’s carol, Some Children See Him. Throughout the song, images of infants from different races flashed across the high-definition projection screen.

Williams, who lives in Northwest, hopes Christmas Gift! inspires other African-American directors and producers to create more African-American themed holiday presentations.

“Not taking anything away from our arts’ landscape [in the District], that’s really wonderful, but it seems that during the holiday season, there should be [a] seminal kind of production that diversifies the landscape,” said Williams. “And that’s what we are seeking to do with the Christmas Gift! project.”

Christmas Gift! received rave reviews from those who attended.

Elizabeth Hewlett lives in Bowie, Md., and said the production offered more than she expected.

“The performance was absolutely magnificent,” said Hewlett.

“I loved every bit of it and it was wonderfully inspirational. It exceeded my every expectation,” she said with a smile. wi

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Featured artists Shirley Murdock and John Stoddart (not shown in photograph) perform a selection from “Christmas Gift!” backed by Voices of Inspiration. / Photo courtesy of B.K. DuBose/NEWorks Productions

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Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

25

Horo scopes

dec 20 - dec 26, 2012

ARIES Someone in the family is ready to give you something. Open yourself up to it. Home improvement – mental, physical and spiritual– is this week’s best theme. Seek the simple pleasures from a neglected hobby this week. Soul Affirmation: I love charming, positive head games. Lucky Numbers: 18, 24, 36

LIFESTYLE

M ulti-Media BootCamp for Nonprofits

TAURUS How efficient you are this week! Your busy mind is focused on productivity and achievement. Both come easily to you, so take your advantage and press forward. Soul Affirmation: I see myself as a finisher rather than a starter this week. Lucky Numbers: 11, 12, 53 GEMINI Entertainment and companionship are high on your list of things to enjoy this week. Use your mental gifts to speed carefully through your work so that you’ll have more time for fun this week.

Soul Affirmation: This week silence speaks loudest and truest. Lucky Numbers: 5, 15, 31 CANCER Your only real caution this week is to watch your budget. Other than that, happiness remains the focus, as relationships heat happily up. Your family is very supportive and loving right now; let them meet your new admirer. Soul Affirmation: I speak my mind knowing that truth is my best defense this week. Lucky Numbers: 4, 14, 33

DATES: MAY 15, 2013 SEPTEMBER 25, 2013 DCTV will host a special one-day workshop for quali fied nonprofits interested in expanding thei r outreach, as well as their knowledge of soci al medi a and other communication tools.

Parti cipants receive: -Presentations by local media experts -Soci al media tools and strategy training -Communication strategy development -A one-minute public servi ce announcement (PSA) produced by DCTV that will air on DCTV channels and web – reaching more than 300,000 viewers; and -A one-year broadcast membershi p with DCTV! Price: $400 for Members; $550 for Non-Members

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10, & 11 10, 11 & 28

26 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

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The Washington Informer

LEO Romantic daydreams may distract you from work this week; try to stay focused, but also enjoy your mental trips to romantic sunnier spaces. These images will inspire you to take action regarding a trip or get-together with your honey. Soul Affirmation: I let my dreams take over my mind to provide enjoyment. Lucky Numbers: 27, 32, 41 VIRGO Partnerships continue to be featured this week.

This week is especially favorable for a fresh start or a new beginning for you in love. Avoid distractions at work this week and you’ll get much accomplished. Soul Affirmation: There is a funny side to everything I see. Lucky Numbers: 2, 17, 37 LIBRA Friendship remains highlighted; you may be attending a social event with good friends, or may be planning one. Whichever, it will be a very happy occasion. Be happy!

You’ve got many loving friend. Soul Affirmation: Hope is a beautify jewel. I enjoy owning it. Lucky Numbers: 22, 26, 31 SCORPIO You may find out this week that the project you didn’t really want to work on has been scrapped. That leaves you plenty of time to finish up the stuff you want to work on! Money concerns ease up. This week a romantic get-together will remind you of what bliss really is! Soul Affirmation: He who asks might seem foolish for a while. Lucky Numbers: 3, 10, 17 SAGITTARIUS Keep an eye on your budget this week, but also indulge your creative senses with the visual and the tactile. You might find yourself wanting to “feel” something new in your hands. Just the feeling may be enough; you don’t necessarily have to spend money to satisfy your artistic urge this week.

Soul Affirmation: Happiness is my only goal this week. Lucky Numbers: 4, 15, 22 CAPRICORN Call early in the week and make a date so you can catch the person that you want to spend time with this week. An old love may turn up in your romantic mix, and romance will be very sweet if you rise above the temptation to remember why you split in the first place! Soul Affirmation: What I need to be is fully present inside of me. Lucky Numbers: 21, 36, 43 AQUARIUS Your vibes are calling to you this week to think fondly of all the love you are now giving and have given.

Love itself makes you a better you. So act the fool and love with all your big sunny self. If things get stressful repeat your magic word to yourself: LOVE! Soul Affirmation: Freedom of mind is the greatest gift for me this week. Lucky Numbers: 8, 15, 33 PISCES Some quiet time could fill the bill nicely for you this afternoon. You need some space to let your creativity spread out, so keep enjoy the moments of solitude and make your necessary phone calls later. Relax! Soul Affirmation: I let myself be the cheerful me. Lucky Numbers: 14, 43, 54

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LIFESTYLE

The National Children’s Museum Opens

By Michelle Phipps-Evans WI Staff Writer In what’s been a long time in coming, the National Children’s Museum (NCM) finally opened its doors Friday, Dec. 14 at the National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Md. The $6.7 million, 18,000-squarefeet of public space features exhibits and programming designed to encourage children to learn through play.

“We’re happy for the opportunity to be the cultural anchor here at the National Harbor,” said National Children’s Museum President J. Willard Whitson at a preview day on Thursday, Dec. 13. “I want them to have the opportunity to learn from play, a necessary part of childhood.”

At the preview, children ran from exhibit to exhibit. They excitedly tried on clothes, played with cars, discussed the world map on the floor, and enjoyed other hands-on learning experiences.

“I like the sirens,” said fiveyear-old RJ Bernard, standing at the fire truck exhibit with his mother, Delise Bernard, 36, and two younger sisters, Rielle, 2, and Rae, 4 months.

“I used to come to the storefront so I’m really excited it’s opening,” said Bernard of Upper Marlboro, Md. “There are all these amazing educational experiences for them – all these diverse activities from around the world.”

Founded as the Capital Children’s Museum in 1974, the museum closed its Northeast location in 2004 and functioned as a museum without walls, serving the area through community and school outreach programs, traveling exhibits and partnerships.

There was a small storefront location at the harbor, which will be closed. As the only congressionally designated museum focused on children, NCM’s mission is to inspire children to care about, and improve the world.

“The National Children’s Museum takes our young visitors

from their homes to the world, sharing the importance of global citizenship and personal responsibility in an open-ended, playful environment,” said Whitson, chief executive for six months.

“We’re proud to support our mission in the Washington, D.C. area, while serving children and their families from beyond the region.”

The Sesame Street-themed 3 & Under gallery, created in partnership with Sesame Workshop, facilitates exploration for visitors under three-feet-tall or younger than 3. Our World familiarizes children with community citizenship through three areas: Map Zone offers a contextual and physical global perspective; My Town demonstrates that citizenship starts at home, offering participatory exhibits that promote social engagement within one’s community; and World Cultures transports visitors to various global regions and highlights diverse cultures and traditions. Tanzania will be the first country profiled in the marketplace in World Cultures. NCM is targeted at children 0 to 12.

“We want kids to understand and appreciate that people’s climates dictate what they’ll do for natural resources,” said an NCM employee not authorized to speak to the media. “Tanzania is so rich as a culture, especially the culture of the Maasai.”

Exhibits are complemented by staff-led programming, including hands-on activities such as paper bead making and design; literature-based arts and crafts; interaction with roaming Sesame Street characters and professional actors portraying a chef, mayoral candidates engaged in debates and even a reporter who’s dedicated to staying on top of My Town events. A theatre accommodating 130 people adds to the experience, with interactive productions from both museum’s theatre ensemble and guest performers.

NCM is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., between Labor Day and Memorial Day, and will be open until 7 p.m.

www.washingtoninformer.com

Both the young and the young at heart enjoyed the grand opening ceremonies at the National Children’s Museum on Friday, Dec. 14. Five-year-old RJ Bernard, in official fireman’s gear, takes control of the fire engine’s steering wheel at the National Children’s Museum, while others get hugs from Sesame Street characters. There’s no shortage of activities for children at the $6.7 million museum. /Photos by Roy Lewis

during the summer. Admission is $10, with no cost for infants 12 months and under. Various membership packages are available, offering free year-round admissions, exclusive benefits and access to special museum events.

To make the museum affordable for all, January will bring

the GEICO Free Family Night, which would occur Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, from 5 to 8 p.m. Future free nights will be the third Friday of the month. A full events calendar and holiday hours are available at www.ncm.museum.

NCM welcomes 2013 with

The Washington Informer

“Noon Year’s Eve” on Dec. 31, an all-day celebration with a noontime parade, theatre performances and New Year’s-themed programs. The museum is located 151 St. George Blvd. in National Harbor, Md.wi

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

27

sports

make a real connection

Los Angeles Defeats Washington 102-96 Washington guard Jordan Crawford slips past Los Angeles guard Chris Duhon in the second half of NBA action on Friday, Dec. 14 at the Verizon Center in Northwest.

The Lakers defeated the Wizards 102-96. /Photo

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Washington forward Cartier Martin gets a layup around Los Angeles center Dwight Howard in NBA action on Friday, Dec. 14 at the Verizon Center in Northwest.

The Lakers defeated the Wizards 102-96. /Photo

by John E. De Freitas

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Sports Photos

by John De Freitas

at:



 

                

 

 

28 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

Los Angeles guard Kobe Bryant and Washington forward Martell Webster fight for possession of the basketball in the first half of NBA action at the Verizon Center in Northwest on Friday, Dec. 14. The Lakers defeated the Wizards 102-96. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

The Washington Informer

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sports

Roberts Wesleyan Defeats UDC 77-67

UDC junior guard Quasim Jones dunks and scores two of his 11 game points during college basketball action on Saturday, Dec. 15 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest. Jones also collected four rebounds and four assists in the contest. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

UDC senior guard Keith Brooks drives past Roberts Wesleyan senior guard William Kemp-Harris during college basketball action on Saturday, Dec. 15 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest. Brooks scored eight points with eight assists in the contest. / Photo by John E. De Freitas

UDC Women Defeat Roberts Wesleyan 59-56

UDC and Roberts Wesleyan players fight for possession of the basketball in the first half of women’s college basketball action on Saturday, Dec. 15 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest. UDC defeated Roberts Wesleyan 59-56. /Photo by John E. De Freitas

UDC junior guard Janelle Junior drives to the basket in the first half of women’s basketball action on Saturday, Dec. 15 at the UDC gymnasium in Northwest.

UDC defeated Roberts Wesleyan 59-56. /Photo

by John E. De Freitas

The Maryland Lottery and Washington Redskins

Mega Power Promotion

Final Drawing Deadline December 27th

Win Redskins 2013 Season Tickets and $5,000 Cash.

Add $1 when you play Mega Millions® or Powerball® to be a part of the Mega Power Promotion.

Then, enter non-winning Mega Millions Megaplier® or Powerball Power Play® tickets into a weekly drawing for a chance to win cash and Redskins ticket packages.

Go to mdlottery.com/redskins to enter.

Available at designated retailers only.

Must keep terminal tickets for proof of purchase.

The Maryland Lottery® encourages responsible play. Remember, it’s just a game.

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The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

29

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Comments? Opinions?

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New Exhibit Opens!

Nettie Price points to the Butler Medal which was given to AfricanAmerican soldiers during the Civil War for their bravery. It’s on display in the new exhibition, “Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and The March on Washington, 1963” at the National Museum of American History in Northwest. /Photo by Roy Lewis

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Congratulations to the Graduates!

A proud and promising group of individuals graduated from the HOPE (Hospitality Outreach Pathways to Employment) program on Monday, Dec. 17. The commencement took place at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Northwest. Stephanie Bridges, center, can’t contain herself – she’s all smiles. This commencement ceremony marks the third graduating HOPE class of 2012. /Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah

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30 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

The Washington Informer

Merry Christmas!

Four-year-old Kamya Brown told Santa Claus (Antonio Burgess) everything that she wanted for Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 16 at the Forest Village Park Mall in Forestville, Md. Afterward, she and Santa waved to passersby in the mall. /Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah

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The Religion Corner

religion

AIRLINE CAREERS BEGIN HERE

Walk Down A Different Street This week, as I listened to my inspirational videos and tapes, I heard one of my favorite speakers tell this story. It was Wayne Dyer, who told the story of a woman named Portia Nelson, the actress who portrayed the cantankerous nun, in the musical, The Sound of Music. She wrote a well-known poem that’s based on psychology, and about the way in which we react to situations that occur in our lives.

Nelson wrote: Chapter One: I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two: I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend that I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in this same place. But, it isn’t my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three: I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in ... it’s a habit ... but, my eyes are open.

I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter Four: I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

Chapter Five: I walk down another street.

Though this appears to be an absurd example of how someone would consciously be aware of a problem, yet continue to fall in the hole, get out, and then do it again and again, it reflects reality, and reminds me of myself.

Until early November of this year, I can honestly say, for the

past few years, I was out-of-control! My weight was skyrocketing, and even though I was fully aware of the harm that I was inflicting upon my body by eating a box of Vanilla Wafers in two days, or eating a large box of Cheese Nips – I continued to repeat this behavior.

For me, it was like walking down the street, and I knew about the deep hole in the sidewalk, yet I continued to walk down that same street. Does this sound familiar to anybody out there? I was killing the messenger! Me. Those familiar with my writings know how I’ve preached about the importance of African Americans getting a handle on our diets. Diabetes is running rampant in our community.

You’ve read about how my mother lost both of her legs; and how she had seven strokes; and kidney failure. She was a classic text book case! So for nearly nine years, I walked 3-4 days every week for 45-60 minutes; I chugged down Garden of Life Perfect Food green drinks; and maintained my health.

But over the past three to four years, I’ve gotten away from healthy habits. I started to simply sit around and I stopped taking my walks. I started eating whatever I felt like eating. Shall we call it a slump or somewhat of a depression. Take for example, a large bag of peanut M&M’s; two or three candy bars; if I couldn’t figure out whether to get a Snickers Bar or Almond Joy, I would

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with Lyndia Grant

buy both; and eat one behind the other.

I had fallen into a dangerous lifestyle. I used the excuse that my back hurt. I was badly injured when a car plowed into the rear of my vehicle while I was sitting at a red light; my back was knocked out of whack. My chiropractor worked on my back for three months, and I still have pain. But that’s no excuse to continue to walk down that same road that my mother once traveled, unknowingly, only to continue to fall into the same hole. … more next week. wi Lyndia Grant is a columnist with the Washington Informer. She is also a radio talk show host on WYCB-AM, Fridays at 6 p.m. Call 202-5183192, www.lyndiagrant.comp; send emails to lyndiagrant@gmail.com.

Listen to

“Praise In The City”

The New Public Affairs Talk Show Hosted by Praise 104.1’s Sheila Stewart Saturday 5:30am-6:30am on Praise 104.1 For more info visit www.praise1041.com

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The Washington Informer

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

31

religion BAPTIST

african methodist episcopal

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Rev. James Manion Supply Priest Foggy Bottom • Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW • Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 • Fax : 202-338-4958 Worship Services Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Blessed Word of Life Church Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors 4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax Schedule of Services: Sunday School – 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service – 11:00 AM Communion Service – First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study – Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org e-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church Reverend Daryl K. Kearney, Pastor 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., S E Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email:Campbell@mycame.org Sunday Worship Service 10: am Sunday Church School 8: 45 am Bible Study Wednesday 12:00 Noon Wednesday 7:00 pm Thursday 7: pm “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE Washington, DC 20020

Mt. Zion Baptist Church Rev. John W. Davis, Pastor 5101 14th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20011 202-726-2220/ 202-726-9089 Sunday Worship Service 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday School 9:15am Holy Communion 4th Sunday 10:00am Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 7;00pm TV Ministry –Channel 6 Wednesday 10:00pm gsccm.administration@verizon.net

Pilgrim Baptist Church

700 I. Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20002 Pastor Louis B. Jones, II and Pilgrim invite you to join us during our July and August Summer schedule! Attire is Christian casual.

Worship: Sundays@ 7:30 A.M. & 10:00 A.M. 3rd Sunday Holy Communion/Baptism/Consecration Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @12:00 Noon @ 6:30 P.M. – One Hour of Power!

(202) 547-8849 www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ Drs. Dennis W. and Christine Y. Wiley, Pastors 3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax) SERVICES AND TIMES: SUNDAYS: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Worship Services BIBLE STUDY: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:45 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantbaptistdc.org

Morning Star Baptist Church Pastor Gerald L Martin Senior Minister 3204 Brothers Place S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032 202-373-5566 or 202-373-5567

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew, Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464 Schedule of Service Sunday Service: 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org

St. Stephen Baptist Church Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. State Overseer 5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555 Sunday Early Morning Worship - 7:45 a.m.

Church School - 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship – 10:45 a.m.

Tuesday – Thursday - Kingdom Building Bible Institute – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday – Prayer/Praise/Bible Study – 7:30 p.m.

Baptism & Communion Service- 4th Sunday – 10:30am Radio Broadcast WYCB -1340 AM-Sunday -6:00pm T.V. Broadcast - Channel 190 – Sunday -4:00pm/Tuesday 7:00am

“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org e-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., • Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE • Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 • www.acamec.org 2008: The Year of New Beginnings “Expect the Extraordinary”

Crusader Baptist Church

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews • Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 Fax: (202) 526-1661

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan, Pastor 800 I Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 Fax No. 202-548-0703

Sunday Worship Services: 8:00a.m. and 11:00a.m.

Sunday Church School - 9:15a.m. & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30a.m.

2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m.

Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study - 10:00a.m.

Tuesday Topical Bible Study - 6:30p.m.

Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study - 6:30p.m.

Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study - 6:30p.m.

Wednesday Children’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m.

Thursday Men’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m.

Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service - 6:30p.m.

Saturday Adult Bible Study - 10:00a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00am Holy Communion – 1st Sunday Sunday School-9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study – 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study – 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes- Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org

“The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

“God is Love”

Third Street Church of God Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor 1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202.347.5889 office 202.638.1803 fax Sunday School: 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Wed. 7:30 p.m.

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org

Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 9:20 a.m.

Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!”

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

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax Sunday Worship Service: 8 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org emailus@gmchc.org

ST Marks Baptist Come Worship with us...

St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Dr. Raymond T. Matthews, Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews Sunday School 9:am Worship Service 10:am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service 6:45 pm Thur. Bible Study 7:15 pm

We are proud to provide the trophies for the Washington Informer Spelling Bee

Service & Time Sunday Worship 7:45A.M & 11A.M Communion Service 2nd Sunday 11A.M Prayer Service Tuesday 7:00 P.M Bible Study Tuesday 8:00 P.M Sunday Church School 10:00 A.M Sunday “A church reaching and winning our community for Christ” morningstarbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.morningstarchurch-dc.org

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

52 Years of Expert Engraving Services

Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor 901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Sunday Church School : 9: 30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10: 45am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10: 45am themcbc.org

32 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

The Washington Informer

www.washingtoninformer.com

religion Baptist

All Nations Baptist Church

Friendship Baptist Church 900 Delaware Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20020 (202) 488-7417 (202) 484-2242 Rev. Dr. J. Michael Little Pastor Sunrise Prayer: 6:00 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday-11:00AM www.friendshipbaptistdc.org Email: frienshipde1900@verizon.net

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor 2001 North Capitol St, N.E. • Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

King Emmanuel Baptist Church Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor 2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730

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

Sunday School – 9:30 am Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 am Baptismal Service – 1st Sunday – 9:30 am Holy Communion – 1st Sunday – 11:00 am Prayer Meeting & Bible Study – Wednesday -7:30 pm

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

“Where Jesus is the King”

Zion Baptist Church

Israel Baptist Church

Full Gospel Baptist Church

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Charles Y. Davis, Jr. Sr. Pastor

4850 Blagdon Ave, NW • Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 • Fax (202) 291-3773

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

14350 Frederick Rd. Cooksville, MD 21723 (410) 489-5069

Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Sunday School: 8:30 A.M. Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:00 A.M.

Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Wed. Bible Study/Prayer: 6:30-8:00 pm Holy Communion 2nd Sunday Pre-Marital Counseling/Venue for Weddings Prison Ministry Knowledge Base

Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

Web: www.FullGospelBC.org Email: fullgospelbc1946@verizon.net “IF YOU NEED REST, THIS HOUSE IS OPEN”

Sunday Worship Service 10:15AM- Praise and Worship Services Sunday School 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church Shall; Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, and Exalt Our Savior. (Acts 2:41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:15 a.m.

Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Study: Monday - 7:00 p.m.

Prayer Meeting: Thursday - 7:00 p.m.

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton, Senior Pastor 1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 Fax: 202-544-2964 Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 am and 10:45 am Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 am and 10:45 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon and 6:30 pm Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 pm Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 pm Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

Rehoboth Baptist Church

St. Matthews Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor 1105 New Jersey Ave, S.E • Washington, DC 20003 202 488-7298 Order of Services Sunday Worship Services: 9:05 A.M. Sunday School: 8:00 A.M. Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting: 7:00 P.M. (Tuesday) Bible Study: 7:30 P.M. (Tuesday) Theme: “Striving to be more like Jesus “Stewardship”.

Philippians 3:12-14; Malachi 3:8-10 and 2 Corinthians 9:7 Email: stmatthewbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.com

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Emmanuel Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Clinton W. Austin Pastor 2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Come Grow With Us and Establish a Blessed Family” Sunday Worship 7:30am & 10:45am Baptism/Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30pm Prayer Service Tuesdays – 8:00pm www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Advertise your church services here call Ron Burke at 202-561-4100 or email rburke@washingtoninformer.com

New Commandment Baptist Church

Rev. Terry D. Streeter Pastor

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Pastor and Overseer

215 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. • WD.C. 20001 (202) 332-5748

625 Park Rd, NW • WDC 20010 P: 202 291-5711 • F: 202 291-5666

Early Morning Worship: 7:45 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:15 a.m.

Morning Worship: 10:45 a.m.

Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:45 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.

C.T.U. Sunday: 2:45 p.m.

Bible Study: Wednesday 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Prayer Service: Wednesday 8:00 p.m.

Noon Day Prayer Service: Mondays 12 p.m.

Sunday Worship Service - 11 am Sunday School - 9:45 am Bible Study & Prayer Wed. - 7 pm Substance Abuse Counseling 7 pm (Mon & Fri) Jobs Partnership - 7 pm (Mon & Wed) Sat. Enrichment Experience - 9:30 am

Salem Baptist Church

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

Shiloh Baptist Church

Rev. R. Vincent Palmer Pastor

Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

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

917 N St. NW • Washington, DC 20001 (202) 232-4294

9th & P Street, N.W. • W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4200

The Church Where GOD Is Working....

And We Are Working With GOD

Sunrise Prayer Services - Sunday 7:00 a.m.

Sunday Morning Prayer Service: 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 9:15 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:40 a.m.

Third Sunday Baptismal & Holy Communion:10:30 a.m.

Tuesday Church At Study Prayer & Praise: 6:30 p.m.

Morning Worship: 8:00 a.m Church School : 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship: 10:55 a.m.

Bible Study, Thursday: 6:30 p.m.

Prayer Meeting,Thursday : 7:30 p.m.

Sunday Service: 10 am Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 am 1st Sunday Baptism: 10: am 2nd Sunday Holy Communion: 10 am Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 pm Prayer Meeting: 7:45 pm

www.washingtoninformer.com

Motto: God First

The Washington Informer

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert SR. Pastor

623 Florida Ave.. NW • WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 • Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 • Fax (202) 483-4009

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

Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 a.m.

Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 p.m.

Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 p.m.

Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

9:30AM. Sunday Church School 11:00 Am. Sunday Worship Service The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Wednesday 7:00pm Prayer & Praise Services 7:30pm. Bible Study Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries 10:30am A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

Mt. Bethel Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Bobby L. Livingston, Sr. Pastor

Dr. C. Matthew Hudson, Jr, Pastor

75 Rhode Island Ave. NW • Washington, DC 20001 (202) 667-4448

2616 MLK Ave., SE • Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 • Fax 202-678-3304 Early Worship Service 7:30a.m Worship Service 10:45a.m.

New Members Class 9:30a.m.

Holy Communion : 1st Sunday -10:45a.m Church School 9:30a.m.

Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: Wednesday 7p.m Bible Study : Saturday: 11a.m.

Baptism: 4th Sunday – 10:45a.m “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Peace Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Sunday Morning Worship Service 7:15 am & 10:50 am Sunday School 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:50am Wednesday Prayer & Testimonies Service 7:30pm Wednesday School of the Bible 8:00pm Wednesday - Midweek Prayer Service 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address pbcexec@verizon.net

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church 602 N Street NW • Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595 Sunday Worship Services: 7:45am & 11:00am Sunday school For All Ages 9:30am Prayer Services Wednesday 11:30am & 6:45pm Bible Institute Wednesday at Noon & 7:45pm “Changing Lives On Purpose “ Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org

Sunrise Prayer Service 6:00 A.M. Sunday Church School 8:30 A.M. Pre-Worship Devotionals 9:45 A.M. Morning Worship Services 10:00 A.M. Holy Communion 1st Sunday Worship Services Bible Study Tuesdays, 6:00 P.M. Thursdays, 1:00 P.M. Prayer Meetings Tuesdays, 7:00 P.M. Thursdays, 12:00 P.M.

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

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor 2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 Fax: (202) 529-7738 Order of Services Worship Service: 7:30 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.

Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m.

Prayer Services: Tuesday 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday 12 Noon Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

33

CLASSIFIEDS legal notice SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2012 ADM 1136 George Gilbert Kinard, Sr. Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Carla Kinard Lindsay, whose address is 1710 40th Street, SE Washington, DC 20019, was appointed personal representative of the estate of George Gilbert Kinard, Sr., who died on August 18, 2012 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. Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 13, 2013. 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 June 6, 2013, 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: December 6, 2012 Carla Kinard Lindsay Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

legal notice SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2012 ADM 1135 Karetta W. Shorter Decedent Deborah D. Boddie 1308 Ninth Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jacqueline H. Bailey, whose address is 830 Maury Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD 20745, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Karetta W. Shorter, who died on September 4, 2012 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. Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 6, 2013. 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 June 6, 2013, 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: December 6, 2012 Jacqueline H. Bailey Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

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

Administration No. 2012 ADM 1139

Administration No. 2012 ADM 1171

Annette C. Jones aka Annette Pauline Caldwell Jones Decedent Matthew F. Shannon, Esquire 1420 N Street, NW Suite 102 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Geraldine Mowbray-Arnett Decedent James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Matthew F. Shannon, whose address is 1420 N Street, NW #102, Washington, DC 20005, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Annette C. Jones aka Annette Pauline Caldwell Jones, who died on November 5, 2012 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. Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 6, 2013.

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 June 6, 2013, 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.

Ernestine A. Blackwell aka Tina Blackwell, whose address is 8506 Bradford Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Geraldine Mowbray Arnett, who died on October 31, 2012 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. Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 13, 2013. 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 June 13, 2013, 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: December 6, 2012

Date of first publication: December 13, 2012

Matthew F. Shannon Personal Representative

Ernestine A. Blackwell Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

34 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

legal notice SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2012 SEB 513 Mulatu Samuel Workneh Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

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Date of first publication: December 20, 2012 Hanna Samuel Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

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okay with these massacres?

I’m not so angry at the football (baseball, basketball) aficionados, but I am concerned that so much passion is channeled in one direction but not in others.

The passion for sports is so rabid that I’ve listened to preachers pray for victory for their teams from their pulpits, never mind that those on the opposing team are God’s children, too. Can a preacher or two not only throw down on education but also provide vehicles for parishioners to get involved in educating our children? Passion and intensity are important elements of our lives. Without passion we fade into the periphery, ground down

MALVEAUX continued from Page 21 manifestations of the violence that pervades in our nation.

Anybody with an attitude and a gun can shoot into a crowd and cause major damage. Why have a couple of fools targeted an elementary school in Connecticut leaving dozens dead. Why does the National Rifle Association work so hard to maintain the right to bear arms? Why aren’t more legislators working to limit this so-called right? Why do we continue to leave our population vulnerable to nuts with guns? I’d love to see some passion channeled to this issue? Why are we

Clingman continued from Page 21 for relief from generations of unfairness and inequity. We repeat the same mating dance every two, four, and six years by registering and voting for folks who have absolutely no concern for our economic stability, bringing back to mind the words of David Walker in his famous Appeal. “How strange it is to see men of sound sense, and of tolerably good judgment, act so diametrically in opposition to their own interest.”

Haven’t we suffered enough from political shenanigans to finally change the way we select, promote, and follow those who pretend to be “leaders”? We are confused and child-like in so many areas when it comes to our own economic self-determination. To top it all off, we are still trying to find out “Who is

by the minutia of everyday life.

Get kids to school, go to work, come home for dinner, and relax.

If that isn’t your pattern, you’ve got one, and the only thing that pulls you out of pattern is passion.

There is nothing wrong with a passion for football. Can we channel some of that passion, though, that can transform our world by generating safety, education and job opportunities?

That’s the kind of passion that could rock our world. wi Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C-based author and economist.

Black in America?” It’s shameful that in many circles, we don’t even know who we are. The “one drop” rule was imposed by White people, and for centuries it has been the law of the land.

Suppose they had said anyone who has one drop of White blood is White. The point is that he who defines you controls you.

We must define ourselves and we have an obligation to define our leaders, and assure they are not merely “pleaders.”

Historian Carter G. Woodson wrote, “Negroes, however, choose their leaders but unfortunately they are too often of the wrong kind. Negroes do not readily follow persons with constructive programs. Almost any sort of exciting appeal or trivial matter presented to them may receive immediate attention and temporarily at least liberal support.”

Let that thought marinate on your brain for a moment. Think

about some of the folks who are presented to us as influential and, thus, in leadership positions.

Julia Hare distinguishes Black leaders from Leading Blacks; so should you.

Woodson offers this sobering thought on Black pleadership rather than Black leadership: “No people can go forward when the majority of those who should know better have chosen to go backward, but this is exactly what most of our ‘misleaders’ do.” Black leadership or Black pleadership? Not only do we get the leaders we accept; we also get those we deserve. wi Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, is the nation’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and can be reached through his Web site, blackonomics.com.

ators Sen. John McCain and Lindsey Graham?

Why aren’t they assailing Obama for not standing up and fighting for Rice? I would have more respect for Obama had he nominated Rice and lost (though she would have ultimately been confirmed) rather than him running from a fight, as he always does.

Thus far, I have not heard a word from Melanie L. Campbell, President and CEO, National Coalition for Black Civic Participation; Marcia Dyson, Partner, M & M Dyson, LLC; Ingrid Saunders Jones , Chair, National Council of Negro Women; E. Faye Williams, National Chair, National Congress of Black Women; Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwhich, President & CEO, Center for Community & Economic Justice; Claire Nelson, president & CEO, Institute of Caribbean Studies; Sophia A. Nelson, author; Tamika Mallory, National

Executive Director, National Action Network; or Tanya Clay House, Chair, Civil Rights Law, National Bar Association.

These are the same women that just last month signed and circulated a letter of support for Rice’s nomination and chastised Republicans for the language used towards a Black woman.

There is absolutely no doubt that Rice is imminently qualified for any job dealing with foreign affairs or national security. Rice’s withdrawal had nothing to do with Republicans and everything to do with another Black woman being deemed expendable and not worth fighting for by another Democratic president. wi Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm.

He can be reached through his Web site, www.raynardjackson.com.

JACKSON continued from Page 21 Cain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. And I’m happy to have that discussion with them.

But for them to go after the U.N. Ambassador who had nothing to do with Benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous…”

But my excitement quickly turned into disappointment when instead of fighting, Obama accepted Susan Rice’s decision to withdraw her name from consideration.

Where is the righteous indignation from the usual blowhards: Al Sharpton, the NAACP, the National Urban League, and the Congressional Black Caucus? Where are all the women who railed against the incendiary language coming from Republican Senwww.washingtoninformer.com

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NOTICE FOR ADVERTISEMENT Prince George’s County is pleased to announce the Business Development Reserve Program (BDRP), created to assist County-based businesses to contract with the County for goods and services. The BDRP program is a two year pilot, in which local businesses can apply. Fifty applicants from five industries will be chosen through a lottery system.

Date of Application: Applications are currently being accepted. All applications must be submitted by January 25, 2012.

Instructions for Submitting Applications: To apply or for more information, visit www.princegeorgescountymd.gov.

Eligibility Criteria for Participation in the BDRP: Supplier qualification requirements include the following: · Supplier must meet the definition of “small business” pursuant to the Code of Maryland Regulations 21.01.02.01(80); · Suppliers in the construction industry must meet Sector 23 requirements of the NAICS codes, the supplier must meet the federal definition of “small business concern” in Part 121 of Title 13 of the Code of Federal Regulations; · Must meet small business requirements according to size standards determined by the business’ NAICS codes; · Minority businesses participating in the program must be certified by one of the authorized third party certifiers currently used by the County; · Must be in business for at least two years; · Total revenues must not exceed $10 Million; · Suppliers must meet County based business certification requirements per Section 10A-161 of the County Code.

Successful applicants are required to complete a business development training program.

List of Participating Agencies that will Award Contracts under the BDRP: · Department of Public Works & Transportation; · Department of Environmental Resources; · Health Department; · Office of Technology; · Office of Central Services Contractors interested in submitting a bid on the project listed above should direct inquire to: Roland Jones Executive Director Office of Central Services Minority Business Development Division 1400 McCormick Drive, Suite 281 Largo, Maryland 20774 Telephone: 301-883-6480/Fax: 301-883-6479

By Authority of Rushern L. Baker, III County Executive Prince George’s County, Maryland

WEEK OF DECEMBER 17, 2012 Prince George’s County, Maryland Is Committed To Delivering Excellence In Government Services To Its Citizens. The County Is Seeking Bids Or Proposals From Businesses Who Share In A “Total Quality” Commitment In The Provision Of Services To Their Customers.

Sealed Bids And/Or Proposals Will Be Received In The Prince George’s County Office Of Central Services Until The Date And Local Time Indicated For The Following Solicitations.

Pre-Bid Conference: Occurred 11-0007 Demolition of the OMES Building $ 55.00 BID/ BID EXTENDED OPENING/CLOSING PLAN/SPEC. Opens: TO: 3/1/13 @ 3:00 p.m.

PROPOSAL # DESCRIPTION DATE & TIME DEPOSIT/COST

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY SUPPORTS MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION Solicitations identified with an asterisk (*) are reserved for Minority vendors, certified by Prince George’s County, under authority of CB-1-1992. Double asterisk (**) solicitations contain a provision for subcontracting with Minority vendors certified by Prince George’s County.

The County reserves the right to reject any or all bids or proposals in the best interest of the County.

Bidding documents containing instructions to bidders and specifications (excluding construction documents) may be reviewed and/or downloaded through the County’s website www.goprincegeorgescounty.com. Documents may also be obtained from the Prince George’s County Office of Central Services, Contract Administration and Procurement Division, 1400 McCormick Drive, Room 200, Largo, Maryland 20774, (301) 883-6400 or TDD (301) 925-5167 upon payment of a non-refundable fee, by Check or Money Order only, made payable to Prince George’s County Government. Special ADA accommodations may be made by writing or calling the same office.

For information on the latest bid/proposal solicitations call the Bid Hotline (301) 883-6128.

- BY AUTHORITY OF – Rushern L. Baker, III County Executive

Muhammad continued from Page 22 shotgun-warriors, only he never carried a carnal weapon. His weapons of choice were his unbreakable will, his shrewd, strategic mind – like that of a brilliant field marshal.

Guyot joined his ancestors on Nov. 23, and after a memorial service for him in Jackson, Miss., there was a standing-room-only memorial service

for him at Goodwill Baptist Church in Washington on December 15, and it was attended by the legions of his admirers, and by dozens of veterans of SNCC – the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee – including his dear friend Dorie Ladner; her sister Dr. Joyce Ladner, former president of Howard University; D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Courtland Cox, Reggie Robinson, Revalyn Gold, and Ivanhoe Donaldson.

38 Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

Edelman continued from Page 22

and for every child’s right to live and learn free of gun violence.

But that will not happen until mothers and grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, and neighbors and faith leaders and everybody who believes that children have a right to grow up safely stand up together and make a mighty ruckus as long as necessary to break the gun lobby’s veto on common sense gun policy. Our laws and not the NRA must control who can obtain firearms.

Why in the world do we regulate teddy bears and toy guns and not real guns that have snuffed out tens of thousands of child lives? Why are leaders capitulating to the powerful gun lobby over the rights of children and all people to life and safety?

Albert Camus, Nobel Laureate, speaking at a Dominican

monastery in 1948 said: “Perhaps we cannot prevent this world from being a world in which children are tortured.

But we can reduce the number of tortured children.” He described our responsibility as human beings “if not to reduce evil, at least not to add to it” and “to refuse to consent to conditions which torture innocents.”

It is time for a critical mass of Americans to refuse to consent to the killing of children by gun violence. wi Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org.

have Rice as a political trophy, but if Senator John Kerry is the eventual nominee as expected, they will get a chance to replace him with Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts.

This is not the first case of political timidity by Democrats. Republicans nominate – and fight for – for extreme ideologues to serve on the Supreme Court. Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and John Roberts are but three examples. But weak-kneed Democrats are afraid to fight for liberal justices and instead settle for centrist nominees who will be “accepted” by Republicans. The end result is a more conservative Supreme Court because Republicans nominate far-right conservatives and Democrats don’t have the guts to offer a liberal counterbalance. This was true of both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

While President Obama re-

fused to fight for a Susan Rice nomination to be Secretary of State, he demonstrated in Newtown, Conn. that he is at his best when serving as Comforter-inChief to a bereaved nation. The president visited the city two days after the massacre of 20 young children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. According to authorities, Adam P. Lanza, a 20-year-old gunman, inflicted the carnage before killing himself.

“I can only hope it helps for you to know that you’re not alone in your grief; that our world too has been torn apart; that all across this land of ours, we have wept with you, we’ve pulled our children tight,” President Obama said. “And you must know that whatever measure of comfort we can provide, we will provide; whatever portion of sadness that we can share with you to ease this heavy load, we will gladly bear it.”

Obama noted that he has attended similar services in three

other cities.

“Since I’ve been president, this is the fourth time we have come together to comfort a grieving community torn apart by a mass shooting. The fourth time we’ve hugged survivors. The fourth time we’ve consoled the families of victims,” he said. “And in between, there have been an endless series of deadly shootings across the country, almost daily reports of victims, many of them children, in small towns and big cities all across America – victims whose – much of the time, their only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” wi George E. Curry, former editor-inchief of Emerge magazine, is editorin-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.

Those luminaries were joined by Marian Wright-Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund; D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson; D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray; and former Mayor – indeed D.C. Mayorfor-Life – and current Ward 8 Council member and former SNCC Chairman Marion Barry; the legendary Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of the SNCC Singers and the vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock also attended as did dozens of others who spoke about their friend, my friend.

Guyot was jailed and beaten countless times. Once, Dorie Ladner told me, after his torture in the jail in Winona, where he went to free the legendary Fannie Lou Hamer, June John-

son, and Annell Ponder – themselves victims of vicious beatings – his face resembled raw ground meat when he was released from jail. Maybe the only reason they were released at all in June 1963, is because the state’s NAACP field director Medgar Evers was slain in Jackson the day before and the tactics of the White Citizen Councils and other race-haters made Mississippi “too hot” in the public’s eye.

Along with Mrs. Hamer, Guyot founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party which fought to get the Voting Rights Act passed, and which unseated the all-White Democratic Party delegation to the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and which spelled the end of

the domination of that party by segregationists known as “Dixie-crats.”

The amazing thing Dorie Ladner told me, is that she, Guyot, and Bob Moses – another legend of Mississippi freedom-organizing – were the ones who went to the plantation owned

by U.S. Senator James Eastland and took her off the plantation to register to vote. It was our Hero Lawrence Guyot who found Mrs. Hamer and her husband and their 17 children a place to live when the powerful politician kicked her off his place for registering.

Long live the unbreakable spirit of the SNCC Mississippi cadres. Long live the unbreakable spirit of Mississippi-born legend, Lawrence Thomas Guyot! wi

epidemic of gun violence and demand that our political leaders do more. We can’t just talk about it after every mass shooting and then do nothing until the next mass shooting when we profess shock and talk about it again. The latest terrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School is no fluke. It is a result of the senseless, immoral neglect of all of us as a nation to protect children instead of guns and to speak out against the pervasive culture of violence and proliferation of guns in our nation. It is up to us to stop these preventable tragedies.

We have so much work to do to build safe communities for our children and need leaders at all levels of government who will stand up against the NRA

CURRY continued from Page 22

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Dec. 20, 2012 - Dec. 26, 2012

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