Residents of Asheville, N.C. are on the road to recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Fresh water and food is being offered at distribution sites throughout the south for people impacted by the storm. Shown here, a North Carolina resident, hauling fresh water dispersed to those in need, a look at the devastation in
and
By Reginald Williams
Special to the AFRO
Slow-moving showers hovered over Asheville, N.C., on Sept. 25.
At the time, Hurricane Helene was a Category 1 hurricane, swelling on Cancun’s eastern Gulf of Mexico.
By the evening of Sept. 26, that Category 1 hurricane dumped more than nine inches of rain on Asheville, and by noon Sept. 27, the city, perched 2,134 feet above sea level and 392 miles to the nearest coastal waters, began to feel the unimaginable devastation of being submerged by floodwaters. By the afternoon of Sept. 27, the Category 1 storm grew to a Category 4, causing residents in North Carolina to flee in search of safety.
The breath of Helene’s raging rivers stretched for more than 600 miles through ten
states, with the most intense destruction in North Carolina. Meteorologists estimated that between four and five months of rain descended on Asheville in three days.
“You have entire communities that are gone. They have just washed away,” Janice Royall Garland, who lives approximately 10 minutes outside the city limits of Asheville in Weaverville, told the AFRO. “It is phenomenal. This is scary.”
Janice Royall Garland, her husband Mike, and her mother were without power from Sept 26. to Sept 28. The power outage severed access to water. The Garlands use well water, which has a pump that requires
By Aria Brent AFRO Staff Writer
McQueen AFRO Staff Writer
Dockworkers and longshoremen of
“You
a power source. They, too, had intermittent cell tower access, making it challenging to contact their families.
“At first, it was disheartening because we didn’t see anything in the way of help coming for days,” Jan-
began, addressing the USMX and laying out why the two organizations couldn’t negotiate a new contract.
“Many of our members are operating multi-million-dollar container-handling equip-
ice Royall Garland said. “Now we see the convoys of power companies from other states coming to help.”
Mudslides and buried roadways left residents with sparse access to rescue crews. Several ambulances attempting to render aid instead ended up floating in the raging waters, along with the cars and houses of residents.
The torrential rain floods robbed people of their homes and the memories stored in them. Lives were also lost. Fatalities in Asheville rose above 40 on Oct. 2. Nationwide, more than 160 people are reported dead, according to The Associated Press. Dead bodies were reported to
ment for a mere $20 an hour. In some states, the minimum wage is already $15,” the statement read. “Furthermore, our members endure a grueling six-year wage progression before they can even reach the
be trapped in trees and floating in rivers of stormwater, resembling the sights and sounds of Hurricane Katrina, the 2005 tropical cyclone that landed in New Orleans. That storm was responsible for 1,392 deaths and an estimated $125 billion in damages. In Tallahassee, Fla. residents like Perry Kalip and his mother, Martha Kale, sought shelter at a school in the area. In fear of falling victim to the storm’s rapidly changing conditions, the pair traveled to Fairview Middle School in search of a safe place to wait out the hurricane. Before Helene landed in Ashe-
top wage tier, regardless of how many hours they work or the effort they put in.”
While the effects of the strike are expected to be felt nationwide, the work stoppage is sure to have a
deeper impact for the Port of Baltimore, which already experienced a lengthy closure in 2024 due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. Maryland Gov.
By Jake Offenhartz
The Associated Press
Nearly a year after FBI agents seized his phones, New York City
Mayor Eric Adams faces an expanding constellation of federal inquiries involving his administration. An indictment was unsealed on Sept. 26 by the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York.
According to information released by the office, Adams “is charged with one count of conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals and commit wire fraud and bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, which each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of soliciting and accepting a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.”
In recent weeks, the investigations have produced a drumbeat of subpoenas, raids and whiplash-inducing developments for the first-term Democrat. Federal investigators have visited more than a dozen members of his administration, taking devices from the police commissioner (who then resigned), the head of the public schools and other trusted confidantes both in and out of City Hall.
At least one high-ranking mayoral aide received a subpoena to testify before a grand jury.
Federal prosecutors have declined to discuss the investigations but people familiar with elements of the cases have described multiple, separate inquiries involving senior Adams aides, relatives of those aides, campaign fundraising and possible influence peddling at the police and fire departments.
Adams, a former police captain, has not been accused of wrongdoing and
adamantly denies any knowledge of criminal activity.
Below, a look at what we know about the investigations:
A nightlife company run by the top cop’s twin
On the morning of Sept. 4, as federal agents fanned out across New York City to seize devices from some of the mayor’s closest advisors, they also traveled to Rockland County, roughly an hour north of the city. There, they visited the home of then-NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, as well as the nearby residence of his twin brother, James Caban. Devices were taken from both homes.
James Caban used to be a cop, too, but he was fired by the NYPD in 2001 after he was heard on a recording threatening a cab driver. More recently, he has run a nightlife consulting business.
After the searches came to light, a Brooklyn juice bar owner publicly accused a mayoral aide, Ray Martin, of trying to extort him by claiming he would receive better police treatment if
he hired James Caban as a consultant.
As part of the investigation, police seized phones from several precinctlevel NYPD officials.
A week after the searches, Edward øCaban announced his resignation, telling officers that he didn’t want the investigations “to create a distraction.”
The same day, Martin was fired from his job at City Hall.
James Caban “unequivocally denies any wrongdoing,” his lawyer, Sean Hecker, said in a statement. An email sent to Martin was not returned. A lawyer for Edward Caban didn’t respond to phone and email messages.
The Banks brothers and a consulting firm
After taking office in 2022, Adams turned to a pair of brothers to help oversee two of the city’s most important institutions, the public schools and the police department. He made Philip Banks, formerly a top NYPD chief, his deputy mayor for public safety. He made David Banks, who had run a network of boys’ schools, the schools chancellor.
The same day they appeared at the
homes of the Caban brothers, federal investigators seized devices from Philip and David Banks, as well as from First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who is David Banks’ domestic partner.
Agents also took a phone from the Banks’ youngest brother, Terence Banks.
Formerly a mid-level supervisor in New York City’s subway system, Terence Banks launched a consulting firm that promised to connect businesses to key government stakeholders. The firm represented companies seeking work with city agencies, including the education and police departments.
According to public records, some of those companies received millions of dollars in city contracts — and in one case got a personal meeting with the schools chancellor — after hiring Terrence Banks.
Both David and Terence Banks have said they do not believe they are targets of the investigation. An attorney for Philip Banks, Benjamin Brafman, has told reporters he believes his client has “zero criminal liability.”
David Banks and Philip Banks remain in their positions. Adams has defended them, noting that his relationship with the family goes back to his time serving under their father in the police department.
An adviser with control over contracts
An influential figure with little public presence, Tim Pearson is one of the mayor’s most trusted advisers. Even as he faced several lawsuits accusing him of sexual harassment and a city investigation over his role in a brawl at a migrant shelter, Pearson has retained the backing of the mayor, who he served with decades ago in the police department.
Pearson’s electronic devices were also seized by federal authorities earlier this month. It’s not clear what aspect of his work might be under scrutiny. Among the wide-ranging
responsibilities, Pearson played a significant role in approving contracts for the city’s migrant shelters.
This past Friday, Sept 20, the city director of Asylum Seeker Operations, Molly Schaeffer, who worked closely with Pearson, received a subpoena to testify in front of a grand jury. Unlike other aides, her devices were not seized by federal agents.
Jennifer Beidel, a former assistant U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, said a subpoena to testify typically means an investigation has progressed to the point where prosecutors are providing the grand jury with evidence they would need to decide whether to indict someone.
An attorney representing Pearson in the civil lawsuits did not respond to a request for comment. Pearson has not spoken publicly since the searches.
A mayor under a microscope
The first sign that federal authorities were investigating people close to Adams came early last November, when agents searched the home of one of his top fundraisers, Brianna Suggs.
Then, on Nov. 6, FBI agents stopped Adams himself as he left an event in Manhattan and seized his cellphones and iPad.
Agents also searched the home of Adams’ liaison to the Turkish community in New York and a former Turkish airline executive.
As part of that inquiry, federal prosecutors have sought information about a time period when Adams was still Brooklyn borough president, but had won the Democratic primary and was widely expected to be elected mayor in the fall. During that period, Turkish officials were trying to get the city to expedite Fire Department approval of a new diplomatic building that were being held up because of safety concerns. See more on afro.com
By Stacy Brown NNPA Newswire
John Amos, the Emmy-nominated actor and pioneering television star who brought to life some of the most beloved characters in entertainment history, has died at age 84. His son, K.C. Amos, confirmed in a statement that Amos passed away more than a month ago, on August 21, in Los Angeles of natural causes. The younger Amos didn’t say why he kept his father’s death under wraps for more than a month.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” K.C. said. “He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”
Amos’ acting career spanned over five decades, with his most iconic role being that of James Evans Sr., the no-nonsense, hard-working father on the groundbreaking CBS sitcom “Good Times” (1974–1979). The show, which was the first sitcom to center on an African American family, became a cultural touchstone, and Amos’ portrayal of James Evans Sr. made him a symbol of strength and dignity for countless viewers.
However, his time on the series was cut short after three seasons due to creative differences with the show’s producers. Amos famously clashed with the show’s direction, objecting to what he saw as the stereotypical portrayal of his on-screen son, J.J., played by Jimmie Walker.
“We had a number of differences,” Amos recalled in later interviews, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “I felt too much emphasis was being put on J.J. in his chicken hat, saying ‘Dy-no-mite!’ every third page.” Amos’ insistence on portraying a more balanced, positive image of the Black family on television led to his departure from the show in 1976, when his character was written out in a dramatic two-part episode.
Born John Allen Amos Jr. on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, Amos began his professional life with dreams of playing football. He played the sport at Colorado State University and had brief stints with teams like the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. But after a series of injuries and cutbacks, Amos transitioned to entertainment, beginning his career as a writer and performer.
Amos got his first major acting break as Gordy Howard, the good-natured weatherman on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” appearing on the iconic series from 1970 to 1973. He would go on to write and perform sketches on “The Leslie Uggams Show” and later landed roles in various television series and
films.
In 1977, Amos received an Emmy nomination for his powerful portrayal of the adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark ABC miniseries “Roots,” a role that solidified his status as one of television’s most respected actors. Amos’ performance in “Roots,” one of the most watched and culturally significant television events of all time, remains one of his most enduring achievements.
In addition to his success on television, Amos made his mark in films. He appeared in Melvin Van Peebles’ groundbreaking blaxploitation film “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” (1971) and “The World’s Greatest Athlete” (1973). He was widely recognized for his role in “Coming to America” (1988), where he played Cleo McDowell, the owner of McDowell’s, a fast-food restaurant parody of McDonald’s. Amos reprised the role over three decades later in “Coming to America 2” (2021).
His filmography also includes the Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby classic “Let’s Do It Again” (1975), “The Beastmaster” (1982), “Die Hard 2” (1990), “Ricochet” (1991), “Mac” (1992),
ville, it traveled unexpectedly through Augusta, Ga., providing a destructive punch to the Georgians.
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“That storm sat on top of this area for three hours,” declared Mohra Hill-Smith. “We had those 80 mile per hour high winds and two tornadoes in those three hours. The community has taken a hit.”
Hill-Smith feels blessed while needing a new roof and siding, stating that fallen trees have split a few of her neighbor’s homes in half. Like Asheville, Augusta experienced no power, irregular cellular service, and the inability to find gas.
“When I left on Saturday, there was no food in the stores. The drug stores were closed. I couldn’t get my medication. Gas stations [had] three hour and longer waits,” explained Hill-Smith. “It was very dire straits.”
In an attempt to reach safety, Hill, a cancer patient on oral medication, traveled on Sept. 28 with a friend to Conyers, Ga. While there, a new emergency confronted them.
“On Sunday, we woke up to an emergency alert in Conyers stating there was a chemical fire in the area. We were put under a mandatory shelter-in-place for two days. So, we left one disaster and went to another disaster,” explained Hill.
Because of Asheville’s climate and its projected safety from severe weather, realtors tabbed the city as a prime living destination. However, the confluence of the Swannanoa River and the French Broad River, which sandwich the city of Asheville, is why the town and neighboring communities fell victim to flood waters. Subsequently, Asheville’s physical infrastructure will take years to rebuild, they’ll also have to repair its social infrastructure.
There is never a good time to be devastated by a violent
“For Better or Worse” (1995), “The Players Club” (1998), “Night Trap” (1993) and “Because of Charley” (2021). Amos was also a familiar face on television throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, with recurring roles in shows like “The West Wing” as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” as Will Smith’s stepfather. He appeared in “The District, Men in Trees, All About the Andersons,” as Anthony Anderson’s father, and the Netflix series “The Ranch.” Beyond acting, Amos had a passion for writing and performing in theater. In the 1990s, when he found it challenging to secure roles in Hollywood, he wrote and starred in the one-person play Halley’s Comet, about an 87-year-old man waiting in the woods for the comet’s arrival. He toured with the production for over 20 years, performing in cities across the United States and abroad.
In addition to his onscreen and stage accomplishments, Amos co-produced the documentary America’s Dad, which explored his life and career. He was also involved in Broadway, appearing in Carl Reiner’s “Tough to Get Help” production in 1972.
John Amos’ life and career were not without personal challenges. In recent years, he was embroiled in a public legal battle between his children, K.C. and Shannon, over accusations of elder abuse. This unfortunate chapter cast a shadow over his later years. However, his legacy as a beloved television father and one of Hollywood’s pioneering Black actors remains untarnished.
Both K.C. and Shannon, children from his first marriage to artist Noel “Noni” Mickelson and his ex-wife, actress Lillian Lehman, survive Amos.
This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.
rainstorm, but this may be the worst time. Asheville, which rests in the foothills of North Carolina, is a tourist community primarily because of the region’s climate and environment set on the backdrop of the ethereal Blue Ridge Mountains. September through early November is the time of year when the city experiences its most significant economic impact.
Janice Royall Garland said she found some deliverance despite the storm’s devastation. She says the storm washed away—at least momentarily—the political descent that fractured North Carolina residents before Helene.
“On our little road, we’re seeing a sense of community,” shares Janice Royall Garland. “You can Google people in
the area and see how they will vote, but with things like this, those differences are set aside. You see people hauling water, and they ask, ‘Do you need drinking water, flushing water, or both? What do you need? Frankly, I’m over the whole election thing. Since last Thursday, nobody is talking about it. Instead, it’s do you have water? What do you need? Gas? What do you need?’ That’s the shift in thinking when these kinds of things happen.”
According to information released by the White House, “In total, FEMA has shipped over 8.5 million meals, more than 7 million liters of water, 150 generators and over 220,000 tarps to aid response efforts for this historic storm.”
The Biden Administration also said that “FEMA as-
sistance in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia can include a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies.”
“After registering for disaster assistance, individuals may also qualify to receive disaster-related financial assistance to repair stormrelated damage to homes and replace personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay,” reported information released by White House officials.
“Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.”
By Sonali Kolhatkar
A Florida resident named Isaac Menasche received a home visit this September from a police officer asking whether he’d signed a petition for a ballot measure.
The petition, which Menasche had indeed signed, was for a November initiative overturning a strict abortion ban that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed last year. Now the governor is attempting to discredit those signatures using state-funded cops. According to the Tampa Bay Times, state law enforcement officers have visited the homes of other signers as well.
DeSantis created an elections police unit in 2022 to investigate so-called election crimes. By that August, he’d arrested 20 “elections criminals” for allegedly voting improperly in the 2020 election.
A majority of those arrested — some at gunpoint — were Black. Most had been formerly incarcerated and thought they were eligible to vote, since Floridians had overwhelmingly passed a ballot measure restoring their voting rights. But DeSantis and his GOP allies in the state legislature used every maneuver they could to thwart that popular decision.
If anyone is breaking voting laws intentionally in Florida and elsewhere, it’s White conservatives who’ve been caught engaging in deliberate voter fraud numerous times, including attempting to vote
Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. This week, she speaks on voter intimidation.
multiple times and voting under the names of their dead spouses. Further, given that voter intimidation is patently illegal, DeSantis is clearly the one flouting laws.
DeSantis’s fellow Republican, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is on a similar crusade. He recently authorized police raids on the homes of people associated with a Latino civil rights group called the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), including grandparents in their 70s and 80s.
Like DeSantis, Paxton has been aggressively prosecuting voters of color based on little to
no evidence of nefarious intent. The most egregious example is the conviction and harsh sentencing of a Black voter named Crystal Mason. Mason spent six years fighting her case and was acquitted last May because of a lack of evidence.
Bruce Zuchowski, a Republican county sheriff in Ohio, called on supporters to “write down all the addresses of the people who had [Kamala Harris] signs in their yards” so they can be forced to take in migrants — whom he called, in a garbled Facebook post, “human locusts.” Local residents say they feel intimidated.
It’s not just government officials. The extremist Heritage Foundation sent staffers to the homes of Georgia residents thought to be immigrants, in an effort to find voter fraud where none existed. (This is the same organization behind Project 2025, a playbook for a future Republican president promising the dystopian destruction of federally funded programs.)
And of course, the loudest and most bizarre conspiracy theories come from Donald Trump, who invokes non-existent fraud to explain why he lost the 2020 election. His billionaire backer Elon Musk has added fuel to the fire by amplifying these false claims.
If their rhetoric weren’t so dangerous, it would be funny that Trump is a felon and Musk is an immigrant.
There’s a long and disturbing history of voter suppression aimed at communities of color,
from poll taxes to lynchings.
Although the 1965 Voting Rights Act was aimed at preventing such race-based suppression, rightwing justices on the Supreme Court gutted parts of the law, opening the door to systematic disenfranchisement and intimidation.
Numerous investigations of voter fraud claims have repeatedly been found to be
utterly baseless. So why do Republicans make them?
As a federal judge in Florida concluded, “For the past 20 years, the majority in the Florida Legislature has attacked the voting rights of its Black constituents. They have done so … as part of a cynical effort to suppress turnout.” And that’s precisely the point.
There are strict laws in place against voter intimidation. And while the Biden administration is ready to enforce them with a small army of lawyers, it’s critical that voters know their own rights and ask for help if they believe their right to vote is under threat
This op-ed was originally published by OtherWords.org.
By Keith Dobbins
A close friend from Ohio, Brian, has always been a picture of health, maintaining a slim physique well into his late 40s and early 50s. However, a gradual weight gain went unnoticed until he participated in the Black Men’s Wellness Day and 5K Race in Atlanta.
Encouraged to undergo a series of health screenings, Brian discovered alarming spikes in his wellness numbers, revealing the hidden fragility of his heart. The onsite doctors’ urgent advice led him to seek further medical evaluation, ultimately resulting in life-saving heart bypass surgery.
Brian’s journey underscores not only the critical need for regular health check-ups but also the vital role community events play in fostering awareness and preventive care for Black men. His transformation is a testament to the power of knowledge and the impact of prioritizing health, a message that resonates deeply in discussions about Black men’s health.
In the realm of health and wellness, the mantra “prevention is better than cure” resonates profoundly, especially when we examine the alarming health disparities faced by Black men in the United States. The statistics are stark: approximately 70 percent of the
diseases that lead to premature death among Black men are preventable. This reality not only underscores the urgent need for proactive health measures but also highlights the critical importance of education and community engagement in fostering a healthier future.
Black men face a significant health crisis, living 12 to 20 years shorter than their White counterparts. The reasons behind this disparity are complex, involving a mix of socioeconomic factors, systemic inequities and limited access to quality healthcare. Moreover, the statistics surrounding kidney health are particularly troubling. Black men are more than three times as likely to expe-
rience kidney failure compared to White Americans.
According to The JAMA Network, Black men in the U.S. have the highest lifetime risk of kidney failure, accounting for 16.6 percent of all kidney failure patients in 2018, despite representing only 6.4 percent of the overall U.S. population. These figures are not merely numbers; they represent lives lost and families devastated by preventable conditions.
As a healthcare advocate, it is my mission to provide access to health resources for Black men, a demographic that has historically been underserved and overlooked. Education is paramount in this mission. By equipping our communities with knowledge about
health risks, preventive measures and available healthcare resources, we empower individuals to take control of their health.
Understanding the link between education and activation is crucial. Informed individuals are more likely to engage in preventive health behaviors, seek regular check-ups and adhere to treatment protocols.
Preventive health measures can significantly reduce the incidence of diseases that disproportionately affect Black men. Regular screenings for hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease can catch health issues early, when they are most manageable.
See more on afro.com
By Keith Boykin
Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Boykin served in the White House, co-founded the National Black Justice Coalition, co-hosted the BET talk show My Two Cents and taught at the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University in New York. This week, he speaks on the stories of three Black men and what happens when people don’t participate effectively in government.
Three Black men have dominated the news in recent days for different reasons: Eric Adams, Marcellus Williams and Mark Robinson. Their stories don’t have much in common, but they reveal much about our country and our politics.
First, Adams, mayor of New York City, was indicted recently on bribery and corruption charges. Three years ago, when I was still living in New York, I refused to vote for him. Even after he was elected, I was still not a fan but gave him four years to prove me wrong. He did not prove me wrong.
Last year, Adams refused to condemn a White man who choked a Black man to death on a subway train. In January, he vetoed a ban on solitary confinement in city jails and killed a plan to document police stops. Just as I expected, Adams brought back the racially biased stop-and-frisk policing that was ruled unconstitutional a decade ago. And in the past few months, his administration has been engulfed in scandals and resignations.
Adams is exactly who I thought he would be, and many of us tried to warn New Yorkers. But I remember talking to Black men in Harlem who supported him over a talented Black wom-
an named Maya Wiley, in part because he’s a Black man. For all the lies about Vice President Kamala Harris — that “Kamala is a cop” — Adams actually was a cop, and a former Republican. But many Black men were still willing to support him.
Second is Williams, a 55-year-old Black man from St. Louis, my hometown. The state of Missouri executed him this week after the Supreme Court refused to stop his execution, even though the prosecutor said the case against Williams was flimsy and tainted. The NAACP appropriately called the execution a “lynching.”
A 6-3 Supreme Court decision split along party lines: the six conservatives approved his execution, while the three liberals voted to stop it. Donald Trump appointed three of the six conservatives; therefore, if Hillary Clinton had won in 2016 Williams would more than likely still be alive.
Still, some people on social media tried to blame President Joe Biden and V.P. Harris for Williams’s death. That’s a damn lie. Missouri’s Republican governor, Mike Parson, and Missouri’s Republican Supreme Court approved the execution. It was the Democratic prosecutor in St. Louis County, and the
Democratic appointees on the U.S. Supreme Court, who tried to stop it. No legal authority gives Biden the power to intervene or pardon Williams in a state murder case. So, if you’re going to criticize Democrats, at least understand how our system of government works.
I’ve been a lifelong opponent of the death penalty in all cases, so for anyone who is upset about Williams’s execution, don’t ever tell me it doesn’t matter who wins elections. This is literally life or death. Elections have consequences.
Third, Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor, has been outed as a self-hating, hypocritically porn-obsessed, Black Nazi who wants to bring back slavery and join the Ku Klux Klan. After all that, Trump and running mate JD Vance refuse to disavow him. This proves the point I’ve made many times that Republicans love Black people…who hate Black people. I get why White people support Robinson, but how the hell can any self-respecting Black person be associated with a party like this? Just this week, Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins called Haitian Americans “wild,” nasty, “vudu”-loving, pet-eating “thugs” who should get “their
ass out of our country.” And even then, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to condemn his racist rhetoric.
“Clay Higgins is a dear friend of mine and…a very frank and outspoken person. He’s also a very principled man,” Johnson said.
First of all, Clay Higgins admitted years ago that he voted for Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke for governor of Louisiana, so why is he a dear friend of Johnson?
Second, Johnson claimed that Higgins deleted the post after “he prayed about it.” Turns out that the “very principled man” only did so only after the Congressional Black Caucus brought up a resolution to censure him.
“But, you know, we move forward,” said Johnson. “We believe in redemption around here.”
Redemption?
No, sir. There can be no redemption without contrition. So, tell me: when will Trump, Vance, Higgins, and Elon Musk apologize to the Haitian Americans whose lives they’ve endangered in the most overtly racist majorparty presidential campaign in 60 years?
These people are not the least bit remorseful about their bigotry unless it blows up in their faces.
And just like Robinson, they all had a long history of racist, sexist, and inflammatory rhetoric before these scandals erupted. And that’s the problem. Too many Americans don’t pay attention to their government until it’s time for a presidential election every four years. But Adams, Williams, and Robinson show what happens when we don’t. Our ignorance makes us susceptible to the clickbaiters, cynics, opportunists, hoteps, bots, and opps who spread misinformation for clout and pay. I’ve worked in local, state, and federal government, and I know that governing is complicated. The system is designed to make it easy for the powerful to maintain their power but difficult for the powerless to fight back. So stop listening to the cloutchasing clowns who don’t know anything about government or politics who try to get you not to vote or to throw away your vote. Stop listening to cynics peddling unrealistic expectations of what can happen in a single term in office and then weaponize your disappointment.
The truth is we can’t win if we don’t participate, and we can’t participate effectively if we don’t know the rules. This op-ed was originally published by Word in Black.
By Bill Barrow, Zeke Miller and Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press
Vice presidential hopefuls Tim Walz and JD Vance focused their criticism on the top of the ticket on Oct 1, as they engaged in a policy-heavy discussion that may be the last debate of the 2024 presidential campaign. It was the first encounter between Minnesota’s Democratic governor and Ohio’s Republican senator, following last month’s debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. It comes just five weeks before Election Day and as millions of voters are now able to cast early ballots.
The Oct. 1 confrontation played out as the stakes of the contest rose again after Iran fired missiles into Israel, while a devastating hurricane and potentially debilitating port strike roiled the country at home. Over and again, Walz and Vance outlined the policy and character differences between their running mates, while trying to introduce themselves to the country.
Here are some takeaways from the debate.
With Mideast in turmoil, Walz promises ‘steady leadership’ and Vance offers ’peace through strength’
Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on Oct 1, elicited a contrast between the Democratic and Republican tickets on foreign policy: Walz promised “steady leadership” under Harris while Vance pledged a return to “peace through strength” if Trump is returned
Continued from A1 Wes Moore (D) announced the full reopening of the Port of Baltimore only months ago, on June 12.
As a result of the strike, consumers could face a lack of products on the shelves or higher prices. Using data from Oxford Economics, JPMorgan Chase reports that an estimated $4.5 billion to $7.5 billion could be lost per week.
Tinglong Dai, the Bernard T. Ferrari professor of business at John Hopkins Carey Business School, discussed what he believes the overall impact of the strike on businesses will be in the region.
“Costs for operations will be higher, which will cause more of a problem for small businesses. But products should be able to make it in time for the holidays,” he said. “Assuming that the strike does not last through November, there should be no big loss of items.”
Charm City’s dock workers and longshoremen play an integral role in both the local and national economy. Moore spoke on the matter after an Oct.1 press conference, sharing that he supports the workers.
“We continue to not just monitor the situation and negotiations, but we also stand with our workers. We had a massive and deadly tragedy that took place six months ago with the collapse of the Key Bridge and every single day we were standing with our ILA members,” he said.
“These are incredibly important parts of our community and society. We hope that these negotiations move quickly because we both need to make sure that our workers are taken care of and also make sure that we can keep American commerce going because our ports are crucially important to the greater American economy,” continued Moore.
Maryland’s Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, Angela Alsobrooks shared a statement expressing her support of ILA members as well.
“The longshoremen and our dockworkers at the Port of Baltimore are essential workers who deserve a fair deal. I strongly urge the USMX to
to the White House.
The differing visions of what American leadership should look like overshadowed the sharp policy differences between the two tickets.
The Iranian threat to the region and U.S. interests around the world opened the debate, with Walz pivoting the topic to criticism of Trump.
“What’s fundamental here is that steady leadership is going to matter,” Walz said, then referenced the “nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes” and responding to global crises by tweet.
Vance, for his part, promised a return to “effective deterrence” under Trump against Iran, brushing back on Walz’s criticism of Trump by attacking Harris and her role in the Biden administration.
“Who has been the vice president for the last three and a half years and the answer is your running mate, not mine,” he said. He pointedly noted that the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, happened “during the administration of Kamala Harris.”
Vance and Walz punch up rather than at each other
Vance and Walz trained the bulk of their attacks not on their onstage rivals, but on the running mates who weren’t in the room.
Both vice presidential nominees sought to convey a genial mien as they lobbed criticism at Harris and Trump, respectively.
It was a reflection of the fact that most voters don’t cast a ballot based on the vice president, and on a vice presidential nominee’s
come to the table and negotiate a deal that respects the incredible contributions that these workers have on Maryland families, our community, and our economy,” she said.
On the condition of anonymity, the AFRO spoke with port workers in the Baltimore area about their thoughts on the strike and how it could impact them as consumers. Per union rules, members of the ILA could not identify themselves in photos or make comments in the media about the strike.
“People are rebelling and protesting for various reasons,” said a Baltimore woman on Oct. 2. “At the end of the day, it’s greed.”
Another Baltimorean told the AFRO that port operators should “pay the people their
frustrations, concerns and demands from these workers and contracts.
“No Justice, no sleep! As a dues-paying Member of #ILA I am a proponent of #WorkersRights, not Corporate greed,” said Lashonda “L.J.” Holloway, of Jacksonville, Fla on Facebook. “People feed families, not robots! Profit over people is unacceptable! We are fighting for #FAIRwages and against the encroachment of automation!”
Calls for understanding what ILA members are fighting for came from the family members of longshoremen, explaining that this strike is long overdue.
“For those of you who don’t know– I am the granddaughter of a longshoreman. I am the cousin of a long-
“These are incredibly important parts of our community and society. We hope that these negotiations move quickly because we both need to make sure that our workers are taken care of and also make sure that we can keep American commerce going because our ports are crucially important to the greater American economy.”
money,” and “pay them what they deserve.”
Though the strike has been mostly peaceful across the nation, in Baltimore, violence broke out on night one.
“Around 4 a.m., officers responded to an incident involving a driver and striking workers outside of the Dundalk Marine Terminal,” said an MDTA spokesperson. “The incident remains under investigation.”
MDTA said police have not yet made any arrests in connection with the strike at the Port of Baltimore.
Support for the strike
historic role in serving as the attack dog for their running mates.
Walz pointedly attacked Trump for failing to meet his pledge of building a physical barrier across the entire U.S.-Mexico border at the country’s southern neighbor’s expense.
“Less than 2 percent of that wall got built and Mexico didn’t pay a dime,” Walz said.
Underscoring the focus on the top of the ticket, during a back-and-forth about immigration, Vance said to his opponent, “I think that you want to solve this problem, but I don’t think that Kamala Harris does.”
It was a wonky policy debate, with talk of risk pools, housing regulations and energy policy
In an age of world-class disses optimized for social media, the debate was a detour into substance. Both candidates took a low-key approach and both enthusiastically delved into the minutiae.
Walz dug into the drafting of the Affordable Care Act when he was in the House in 2009, and pushed Vance on the senator’s claim
that Trump, who tried to eliminate the law, actually helped preserve it. Vance, defending his claim that illegal immigration pushes up housing prices, cited a Federal Reserve study to back himself up. Walz talked about how Minneapolis tinkered with local regulations to boost the housing supply. Both men talked about the overlap between energy policy, trade and climate change. It was a very different style than often seen in presidential debates over the past several election cycles.
Vance stays on the defensive on abortion Walz pounced on Vance repeatedly over abortion access and reproductive rights as the Ohio senator tried to argue that a state-by-state matrix of abortion laws is the ideal approach for the United States. Walz countered that a “basic right” for a woman should not be determined “by geography.”
“This is a very simple proposition: These are women’s decisions,” Walz said. “We trust women. We trust doctors.”
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shoreman. We must protect and support our hardworking families and friends who work hard 24/7 to give us what we need,” said Maria Venuto Bulone, of Brooklyn, N.Y. on Facebook. “Let’s stand by them all, let’s support them.”
As the strike continues, the ILA has been insistent that they will stand firmly in their fight for justice and better work conditions.
“Our position is firm: we believe in the value our incredible rank-and-file members bring to this industry and to our great nation. They deserve a contract that recognizes their contributions, secures their jobs, and reflects the profits generated by their labor.”
By Ryan Coleman Special to the AFRO
The Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) provides care and treatment, consistent with the public safety, to boys and girls under the age of 18 who violate the criminal law, or are likely to violate the law, or whose behavior is such that they may endanger themselves or others. Many close to the juvenile justice system say it is failing them and putting the lives of others in the community in danger.
There is a push to hold the juvenile justice system accountable for juveniles continuing to commit violent acts. We have a society that has the mission to ensure juveniles are given the resources needed. However juveniles don’t have the right to victimize citizens in the United States. Citizens have the right under the Constitution to be safe and live their lives. We can’t sanction under the chance of treatment to allow juveniles to victimize our citizenry.
Many say these local, high profile cases are a prime example as to why accountability is needed:
Continued on B2
Courtesy Photo Ryan Coleman is the president of the Randallstown NAACP. This week, he discusses youth crime and communities on edge.
By Alexis Taylor AFRO Managing Editor ataylor@afro.com
The Enoch Pratt Free Library (EPFL) announced a new CEO and president on Sept. 30. Hailing from Mount Airy, North Carolina, Chad Helton has been selected to lead the organization, which was founded in 1882 by philanthropist Enoch Pratt.
Helton spoke with the AFRO on day one of his time in the new role.
“I’m very excited, said Helton. “I know all of the amazing work that was done before my arrival and I have big shoes to fill.”
Helton said he’s committed to continuing the work being done by EPFL and also looking to further advance the library and services offered. His first order of business is to make himself available to staff and residents to promote understanding of who he is and the work he plans to do.
with people that live in the city,” Helton told the AFRO
“I’m holding office hours and ‘Meet the CEO’ events at each individual branch library once a month, so that I can connect with residents of the city to hear from them directly and see what it is that they want from us. That’s one of the first things on my agenda–looking at some of our infrastructure needs and having conversations about facilities improvements and getting funding for facilities.”
“It’s really hard to make change when people don’t know that this is something that they can do. Being out there, and having people see my face, lets kids know that this is something that they themselves can do.”
“I’m creating partnerships with staff, creating partnerships with elected officials and really creating a strong foundation
Though Helton is now president and CEO of a major library system, he is clear in how others have played a role in his success, including his mother and father, James and Lillie Helton.
“My parents grew up in segregation,” he said. “The opportunities not afforded to them were afforded to me and my brother. I didn’t really understand that until I got older.”
Not one to shy away from his past, Helton told the AFRO how, many years ago, his life looked completely different.
“I dropped out of college for 10 years, and during that time period a lot of things happened,” he said. “My father passed away and I started having conversations with my mom. I
AFRO honored as multi-generational family business
By Ariyana Griffin AFRO Staff Writer agriffin@afro.com
The Generational Wealth Diversity Summit celebrated 10 years of providing resources to minority communities on Sept. 28 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore. This year, the free event’s theme highlighted the importance of successfully passing down minorityowned businesses and keeping them in the family.
According to the Howard Business Review, “70 percent of family-owned businesses fail or are sold before the second generation gets a chance to take over. Just 10 percent remain active, privately held companies for the third generation to lead.”
The summit and conversation, led by Sharif J. Small, CEO and founder of S.J.S Financial Firm LLC, was a platform for several business owners to engage in a panel discussion. The discussion, which focused on the importance of succession when passing down a business, was a key part of the event. The panel shared insights on how to build a successful family business, life insurance and tax planning, real estate investing and more, all of which are essential for the next generation.
Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, publisher and chairwoman of the AFROAmerican Newspapers, was recognized as this year’s pioneer and trailblazer. She engaged in the discussion on behalf of the paper, a publication successfully led by the fourth and fifth
By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS), a grassroots think tank in Baltimore, hosted a panel discussion on Sept. 19 to dissect a ballot question that would shrink the size of the Baltimore City Council from 14 districts to eight. The initiative, known as question H, has been spearheaded by People for Elected Accountability and Civic Engagement (PEACE), an organization led by Jovani Patterson and funded by the billionaire chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, David Smith. LBS and other opponents believe the measure would usurp political power from Baltimore’s Black communities, which make up the majority of
population.
“We know that if you reduce the number of council members for Baltimore City, it will have significant impacts on representation in our communities,” said Maryland Delegate Melissa R. Wells (D-40). “When you look at the differences in educational attainment and employment or unemployment, each block varies. There are a lot of blocks and communities that
have significant needs to be met.”
Baltimore has increasingly become known for the “Black Butterfly,” a metaphor coined by scholar Lawrence Brown to depict racial and economic segregation in the city. The term is used to describe the shape that appears on the map when marking areas of the city with disparities in healthcare, internet access and more. Black communities
Continued from B1
descendants of founder John H. Murphy Sr.
The AFRO has continued to bring news and information to the community for over 130 years, a testament to its enduring success.
Attendees also heard from a thriving group of entrepreneurs who have taken over family businesses: Andrew E. Johnson, CEO of Goode Foods—Canned Beans and Vegetables; Ashley Ivey, executive director of I-CARE Home Health Care; Selena Britton, vice president of Class Act Catering and CEO of Aura Events and Décor, and Brandon M. Wylie, CEO of Wylie Funeral Homes P.A.
The panel was co-moderated by Perneita Farrar, CEO of Farrar Legal Services.
They each shared their journey of taking over the businesses that were passed down to them from their family, but they also talked about the struggles and tribulations that they had to help others prevent making the same mistakes.
Dr. Draper stressed the importance of having a business and a succession plan no matter what. “If you’re at the top of your company and something happens to you, the question is what happens to your company?” she said
Draper shared that people should think about the future and obtain some “insurance that says if something happens to me– even if I do not have a clear succession plan– what happens to my company and how are my
Continued from B1
Photo / Ariyana Griffin
Members of the Generational Wealth Diversity Summit come together to speak on how to pass minority owned businesses down the family line. Shown here: Andrew E. Johnson, CEO of Goode Foods—Canned Beans and Vegetables, (left); Brandon M. Wylie, CEO of Wylie Funeral Homes P.A.; Selena Britton , vice president of Class Act Catering and CEO of Aura Events and Décor; Rev. Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, CEO of the AFRO; Ashley Ivey, executive director of I-CARE Home Health Care; Perneita Farrar, CEO of Farrar Legal Services (seated), and Sharif J. Small, CEO and founder of S.J.S Financial Firm LLC.
assets going to be protected.”
Even with making mistakes, they spoke about the importance of pivoting, taking risks,
of Baltimore have faced long-standing disinvestment, greater poverty rates and limited access to resources. Several of these neighborhoods border predominantly wealthy, White neighborhoods.
Wells believes that by consolidating residents with distinct needs into larger districts, council members will not have the means to effectively serve their stakeholders.
“I’m really concerned that decreasing the number of council members that represent parts of my district in West Baltimore, which is the heart of the ‘Black Butterfly,’ is going to make it harder for those constituents to get access and for their voices to be heard,” said Wells.
and building connections.
“I think something I’m still learning today is the power of connections and
The VOTE4MORE! ballot question is set to be voted on by Baltimore County residents this November.
Andy Ellis, chair of Baltimoreans For Democracy (BFD), pointed out that while Baltimore County has less seats on its council, it also has no women and only one African American. He warned that a decrease in the Baltimore City Council could stifle diversity.
“It’s going to be more well-to-do White men and less women and less Black folks,” said Ellis. “We should take caution from what the Baltimore County Council looks like right now and make sure that we preserve our council so it can look like it does right now.”
Ellis also implied that a smaller council could give Smith
branding yourself,” said Johnson, the secondgeneration owner of Goode Foods. “Really putting yourself out there, as opposed to only pushing your company or your company name.”
He shared that since taking over the family business, he has had to be more public because he is now the face of the company, which was once led by his late father, Emile Johnson. Since doing so, the company has garnered over 400k views and likes across social media platforms.
Hundreds of attendees left the panel feeling motivated by their new perspective on starting and passing down a business.
“Being a former business owner, I didn’t think about some of the things on the panel, like succession,” Glenn Smits told the AFRO Smits expressed that it is important to pass down Black-owned businesses and for Black Americans to have a plan. “We need to pass everything to the younger generations— we need more events like this to get the word out,” he said.
Eugene Redfern, CEO of Fernland TV, shared that he was excited to come out and get information about how to pass down businesses successfully because he had recently started his own.
“For a young Black man, this is huge for me,” Redfern told the AFRO. He shared that he enjoyed hearing from like-minded people and “getting insight to doing it right.”
Baltimore’s council members are elected with a relatively small number of votes, which can lead to disengagement from the broader needs of the community. Our initiative is about making sure that every voice is heard, not just those in small, select districts.”
Patterson does not believe a smaller council will put racial diversity at risk. He noted that people of color already dominate the city’s government. Instead, he thinks the larger issue is the rise in departures from the city. He believes the exodus has been necessitated by the city council’s failure to address safety, education and economic challenges.
“It’s easier to buy a council [of] eight than it is to buy a council of 14.”
One of PEACE’s arguments for the reduction of the Baltimore City Council is that larger, surrounding counties represent more people with less council members. Anne Arundel County, which serves about 590,000 residents, and Baltimore County, which maintains nearly 850,000 residents, only have seven council members.
But, Baltimore County Senator Charles E. Sydnor (D44)explained that some residents and officials are leading initiatives to increase the size of their county council.
“We have been attempting to do just the opposite of what’s happening in Baltimore City, and that’s to actually expand our council,” said Sydnor. “Since Baltimore County was a charter county, it has had seven elected council people. We were a part of an effort to increase it to 11 members.”
greater political influence. The billionaire’s company currently owns two of the largest media outlets in the city, the Baltimore Sun and WBFF Fox45. The latter has long been known for its conservative leanings, much like the businessman.
“It’s easier to buy a council [of] eight than it is to buy a council of 14,” said Ellis.
Patterson, a frontman of question H, believes questioning the structure and effectiveness of local government is good for democracy. He said the ballot initiative is centered on ensuring that Baltimore’s government is accountable, efficient and representative of its current population.
“Larger districts with more constituents create a stronger incentive to council members to be truly engaged and responsive to a broader section of their electorate,” wrote Patterson, in an email to the AFRO. “As it stands, many of
“Ultimately, this initiative is about fiscal responsibility and ensuring that Baltimore’s resources are spent on addressing the city’s actual needs— improving education, public safety, and lowering the cost of living for residents—not maintaining a bloated council structure,” wrote Patterson. “We need to challenge the status quo and ask ourselves: is the current system working for the people of Baltimore, or is it perpetuating inefficiencies that prevent the city from thriving?”
The AFRO reached out to Sinclair Broadcast Group for comment, but did not receive a response.
Continued from B1
1. On Sept. 29, in Anne Arundel County, two 14-year-old boys, a 13-yearold girl, and a 16-year-old girl stole a car that crashed into a building, injuring the occupants. They all were released to their parents.
2. Also in September, two 15-year-olds fled the Maryland State Police and ended up shooting at Baltimore County Police officers. One was charged as an adult, the other released to his parents.
3. In Baltimore, a 66-yearold man in the Butcher’s Hill area was attacked by two juveniles last month. One was charged as an adult the other was released to his parents.
4. In June, two 17-yearolds and a 15-year-old were arrested for stabbing a man at Towson Mall. One was charged as an adult the others released to their parents.
DJS intake officers are responsible for determining whether youth who have been taken into custody require secure detention or may be released to a parent, guardian or other responsible adult and, if so, under what conditions. Intake officers are directed by statute (Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings, §3-8A15)to authorize detention if deemed necessary to protect the youth or others, or if the youth is deemed likely to leave the jurisdiction of the court.
Therefore, DJS has the legal authority and legal obligation to require secure
detention for juveniles that pose a threat to public safety. In the above cases they refused to protect Marylanders by holding these juveniles.
DJS announced a policy change on Oct. 1, saying “all youths accused of or charged with a violent felony will be placed on electronic monitoring before their initial court appearance. For those already on electronic monitoring, they will be detained.”
I appreciate DJS making a change, but it does not go far enough.
First, Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings, §3-8A-15 already directs DJS to hold children who pose a risk. It is not the job of DJS to write the legislation but to follow it. The role of writing legislation is given to the Maryland General Assembly. DJS must follow the law and when they dont must be held accountable.
Secondly, time and time again we have seen youth offenders commit crimes while on electronic monitoring.
This policy would allow them to victimize two Marylanders before being detained. Marylanders can not continue to see the same story played out over and over again. The leadership of DJS must detain violent juvenile offenders regardless of their age. If DJS’s new policy does not keep Marylanders safe, then the governor should appoint new leadership.
Continued from B1
started to have conversations with my grandmother, Jettie Mae Helton, who grew up in Jim Crow and lived to be 102 years old. Her grandmother, she remembered, was born into slavery.”
Helton said the poignant conversations put a spotlight on the many opportunities he was “squandering.”
“People really died for the right for me to be able to do anything in this world that I wanted to try and do, and I wasn’t taking advantage of that,” he said. That’s when a friend, Matt Wilburn, stepped in and changed his life.
“Matt knew that I was chronically underemployed and couch surfing,” said Helton. “When you are chronically underemployed, you don’t have full time jobs. You’re working part-time job after part-time job, and they’re somewhat dead end jobs. Matt saw that I was really, really trying hard. For one of the first times in my life–I was really trying hard. He felt if he got me a job at the library delivering books with this golf cart, it would somehow influence me to go back to college, because I’d be back on campus. And he was right.”
“I would not be where I’m at right now, had it not been for him taking that opportunity and really taking a chance on his friend. I’m forever grateful for that,” Helton said. “Let’s be honest, there’s so many people out in this world that work very, very hard, and the opportunities just don’t open up. Everything that I am is related to the opportunities
and the faith that people had in me, and I wouldn’t be anything without that.”
Helton is a long way from delivering library books to satellite libraries on the campus of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He returned to school himself, found a new career path and hasn’t looked back since.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in AfricanAmerican Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he went on to get a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University.
“I really do feel that education is the great equalizer and the only way to make it in this world is to educate yourself,” said Helton, who admits he didn’t know there were degrees for careers related to the library system until he was in his late 20s.
Helton said it’s important for Black students to see Black faces in leadership within the library systems of America.
“There aren’t a lot of Black men that do this work. At one point, there were less than 20 Black, male directors in public libraries in the United States,” he said. “When you think of all of the libraries that existed in this country, and the fact that there were less than 20, it’s very important to see Black men and Black faces doing this work and being in these roles. It’s really hard to make
change when people don’t know that this is something that they can do. Being out there and having people see my face lets kids know that this is something that they themselves can do.”
“I think it’s very important to be in this role, and be in a position to really start to make some systemic changes related to people getting involved in this particular field,” he added.
Today, Helton leads a system that, in a different decade, would have scoffed at the notion of a Black man taking the helm. In the Sept. 13, 1930 edition of the AFRO, the paper detailed how EPFL refused to hire Black employees– telling Black residents it was “needless” for them to apply for training to become employed by the organization. In the May 19, 1934 edition of the paper, the AFRO recorded how EPFL stood by their decision to segregate their bathrooms, upon receiving complaints from White patrons who thought African-American visitors should use a different restroom.
Decades later, Helton joins a short list of EPFL directors. Since its founding more than a century ago, there have only been 13 EPFL presidents, including Helton. According to information released by the library, a total of three African Americans have led the organization. Anna Curry took the helm in 1981. After Curry, Dr. Carla Hayden, another African-American woman, took on the role in 1993. Helton now joins as the third Black director for EPFL,
which boasts 21 branches throughout Charm City, in addition to a Central Branch, located at 400 Cathedral St.
“Chad Helton is the right leader for the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s next chapter,” said Christine Espenshade, chair of the Pratt Library’s Board of Directors, in a statement. “His deep industry experience and creative approach to addressing infrastructure needs will be invaluable as we work toward a bold future for the Pratt Library. We are confident that his leadership, coupled with a commitment to community, will ensure that the Pratt Library continues to thrive as a cornerstone of Baltimore. Chad’s expertise will help us build on the momentum we’ve already gained, including record-high library cardholders and circulation, as well as securing funding for ongoing infrastructure improvements.”
Prior to taking the EPFL position, Helton served as a library consultant and as a director in more than one library system. In Minnesota, he directed the 41 branches of the Hennepin County Library as they took on the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, he led Branch Library Services at the Los Angeles Public Library, which included oversight of 70 branches. In California, Helton served Contra Costa County Library as a deputy county librarian, and in Palo Alto he was the library services manager.
“The Board of Directors is eager to support Chad as he leads the organization into a
future defined by innovation and service,” Espenshade added. “Under his leadership, the Pratt Library will continue to be a welcoming and essential resource, empowering Baltimore’s residents through free access to critical resources and opportunities. On behalf of the entire Board, I also want to extend our deepest gratitude to Darcell Graham for her exceptional leadership as Interim CEO during this transitional period.”
Helton is looking forward to expanding EPFL’s capacity to deliver programming needed in the communities of Baltimore while also
improving access to digital literacy programs and wellness resources. When asked about the role libraries play in addressing the needs of society, Helton said they are crucial.
“The library is a government entity that people willingly want to come to, and people are generally excited to come to. We have a responsibility to assist people with whatever their needs may be,” said Helton. “I think the work that we’re doing is foundational– being that we are strategically placed throughout the city to address needs for each individual community that we serve.”
By AFRO Staff
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) recently honored several women who have left their mark on the community with the 2024 Torchbearer Awards. Held Sept. 28 at Martin’s West in Baltimore, the event honored AFRO CEO and publisher Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper; Dr. Joanne Martin, cofounder, president and CEO of The National Great Black in Wax Museum; Dr. Vonnya Pettigrew, founder and CEO of Root Branch Productions and Film Academy, and Shelonda Stokes, CEO and president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. With a theme of “advocacy and resilience,” Shavon ArkineBradley, who serves as president and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women, delivered the keynote address for the breakfast, now it its 33rd year. Vocalist Gabrielle Goodman entertained the crowd and attendees were afforded the honor of being in the presence of Dr. Thelma T. Daley, the educator, civil rights activist and former national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Daley served as chairwoman of the awards breakfast, which attracted local residents and elected officials alike.
By AFRO Staff
On Sept 28 the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture hosted the 10th annual Wealth Diversity Summit. The forum focused on building generational wealth and included an esteemed panel, qualified to engage in the conversation.
The panel consisted of Andrew E. Johnson, CEO of Goode Foods— Canned Beans and Vegetables, Brandon M. Wylie, CEO of Wylie Funeral Homes
P.A.; Selena Britton, vice president of Class Act Catering and CEO of Aura Events and Décor; Rev. Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, CEO of the AFRO and Ashley Ivey, executive
director of I-CARE Home Health Care. Perneita Farrar, CEO of Farrar Legal Services, served as a moderator of the discussion, along with Sharif J. Small, CEO and founder of S.J.S Financial Firm. Ahead of the session, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper was highlighted and
honored as a 5th generation leader of the AFRO, founded in 1892. Forum participants spoke on growing wealth through their family businesses, with a focus on how to train up the next generation of descendants to take leadership roles.
By Deborah Bailey AFRO Contributing Editor Dbailey@afro.com
Rev. Al Sharpton and recording artist
Albert “Al B. Sure!” Brown don’t seem like the most likely partners in the fight for civil rights. While Sharpton, head of the National Action Network, is known for historic civil rights campaigns on behalf of Black Americans, Brown is best known for his series of top 40 and R&B hits, and more recently as host of “Love and R&B” on Urban One’s Reach Media.
But together, these men with a national coalition of health advocates, have scored a major win for transplant patients across the U.S. Working through the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HEiTC), health advocates across the nation have successfully fought for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reverse a rule banning coverage of a crucial blood test taken by transplant patients to detect the life-threatening condition of organ rejection.
Close to 100,000 people are waiting for major body organs and more than a million transplants have already been performed in the U.S. That means the Medicare reversal on post-transplant tests is a life-altering win, especially for Black and Latino transplant patients, said Sharpton.
Black organ transplant patients represent close to 30 percent of all transplant candidates on the waiting list, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). The most frequently donated organs in order of transplant frequency are kidneys, livers, hearts and lungs, according to OMH.
‘’Our involvement in this major health issue is long overdue,” Sharpton said. “Life starts with our health. We are getting ill earlier and earlier. This is a civil rights issue, so as a civil rights organization we had to get involved.”
Beginning in 2017, Medicare covered two tests that transplant surgeons use to monitor patients for organ rejection. Surgeons like Dr. Steven Potter, a Georgetown University kidney and pancreas transplant specialist and professor of surgery, use these tests on a routine basis to monitor patients for organ damage and rejection.
But in 2023, The Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced significant reductions in coverage for the post-transplant blood tests. Contractors who supply the tests to CMS, called Medicare administrative contractors or MAC’s, have the right to restrict access to the tests by Medicare recipients via a rule recognized by CMS called a local coverage determination or LDS, according to a spokesperson for CMS.
‘’The blood tests check for organ rejection [and] prevent patients from undergoing painful surgical biopsies to determine whether a transplanted organ is rejected by the body,” said Potter, who also supports HEiTC. “These tests can detect possible problems long before patients have major symptoms.”
On a practical level, the tests can be administered at home.
“The tests save patients from losing a day of work or missing other essential commitments,” said Dr. Marsha Harris, New York University Langone Health colorectal surgeon and a HEiTC coalition member. Sharpton, Brown and other health organization partners got to work this summer, forming a bi-partisan response to the CMS decision. Sharpton and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich testified on Capitol Hill supporting Medicare coverage for the tests.
Brown, who underwent a liver transplant in summer 2022, is the executive chair of HEiTC and brings a new face to the disproportionate burdens Black transplant patients face. He embodies an urgency for Medicare to get back in the business of covering the costs of
By Aria Brent AFRO Staff Writer abrent@afro.com
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “grief is the anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person.”
Often accompanied with grief are “physiological distress, separation anxiety, confusion, yearning, obsessive dwelling on the past, and apprehension about the future,” reports to APA. In some cases, the “intense grief can become lifethreatening through disruption of the immune system, self-neglect, and suicidal thoughts.”
A 2008 report by Omega, the Journal of Death and Dying, says that Black people are more likely to experience prolonged grief, all the while being less likely to seek treatment due to cultural stigma and a lack of access to care.
Kimberli Gross, founder and CEO of Celebrate Still Inc, a local nonprofit organization providing grief advocate support services, spoke with the AFRO about how grief is handled in the Black community and what resources are available to help people through their grief journey.
“In our community if you say you have a therapist or a counselor, it automatically means you are crazy, “ said Gross. “It’s not something we talk about. If there’s something
happening in the house, it stays in the house. You don’t take your business outside in the streets and that contributes to mental illness. It contributes to depression and learning how to live in dysfunction.”
Gross founded Celebrate Still in 2021 with hopes of helping people find a new normal, build community and destigmatize the idea of going to therapy. The grief expert went on to discuss the different stages of grief and how permanent the feeling is.
“There are seven stages of grief ranging from denial to acceptance,” she said. “But those feelings
fluctuate - they ebb and flow. One day you’re good and you’re peaceful and then you’re angry and resentful.”
Grief is a deeply personal journey that affects individuals in many ways, whether it be through the loss of a loved one, the end of a significant relationship, or other forms of personal loss. Organizations like Gross’ encourage open dialogue about these experiences and foster an environment where people can express their emotions without stigma or isolation.
According to Good Grief, a
noninvasive post-transplant tests.
“Any organ transplant recipient will tell you the path to recovery is a steep, uphill and daily battle,” said Brown about his experience.
According to University of Virginia Health, acute organ rejection happens in the months following a transplant while chronic organ rejection can happen any time after a year.
In addition to HEiTC’s Capitol Hill testimony, 14 members of Congress and 24 leading transplant surgeons sent a letter to CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks LaSure urging her to restore Medicare coverage of the post-transplant tests.
“What’s less known is that this journey poses even greater risks for Black Americans because we are biologically more likely to experience organ rejection, and are disproportionately represented in the transplant population,” Brown said at a Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) event celebrating Medicare’s pending restoration of coverage for the tests.
On Aug. 16, CMS issued a statement announcing the decision to withhold Medicare coverage for post-transplant tests would not be finalized. In part the statement read, “In response to public comments and upon further review of the evidence, the MACs are not finalizing the proposed LCD issued on August 10, 2023.”
At a recent CBC event, Sharpton, Brown and other transplant supporters nationwide gathered to proclaim the fight is not over.
Once the Medicare decision is finalized, HEiTC is poised to begin a campaign targeting the root causes of the gross inequities between Black, Latino and White patients when it comes to the chronic diseases that lead to transplantation in the first place.
Poorly controlled diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, a condition impacting Black Americans at a rate three times greater than White Americans, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Kidneys are the number one organ on the transplant waiting list, where close to 30 percent of the waiting candidates are Black, according to the HHSOMH.
This story was made possible via the journalism fellowship program between Gerontology Society of America, the Journalists’ Network on Generations and the Commonwealth Fund.
nonoprofit organizations addressing grief, “Black families have over three times higher odds of experiencing the death of two or more family members by age 30.
Black families are about 90 percent more likely than Whites to have experienced four or more deaths by age 60.”
Terri McKoy spoke with the AFRO on how grief is often handled from an emotional standpoint in the Black community, leaving the mental aspect of the longstanding feeling neglected.
“We examine grief from an emotional state more than the mental state,” said the grief counselor.
“When we check on individuals who we know have experienced a loss or are grieving, we say ‘How are you feeling? ’ or ‘How are you doing today ?’ But once we go through the ceremonial traditions, everyone thinks time heals the grief in our culture and we just move on.”
Noting that someone’s mood is often perceived as their overall well being, McKoy explained how important it is that the Black community has an understanding of how to differentiate the two and how someone’s mental health is impacted by grief.
“We can better support each other by understanding the impact of grief on individuals. Yes, there is an emotional aspect to it, but becoming more educated on the fact that grief is inevitable and the finality of it can
help,” McKoy said. “Understanding that there’s a medical aspect to grief. An individual’s brain can change depending on how they’re impacted by grief.”
Gross expressed similar sentiments, noting education to be a great tool when it comes to being more sound and aware of the effects of grief. The experienced grief coach also discussed how learning these new habits can be hard for those who were raised during or by a generation of people that typically didn’t deal with their mental health in a healthy manner–if at all.
“Older generations usually choose to deal with things on their own and suffer in silence. There are generations that were raised by adults that don’t believe in therapists,” she said. “Now, we’re kind of waking up and educating ourselves and those conversations are different. My generation is discovering so many things about ourselves all at one time and trying to unpack and figure out what part is trauma, learned behavior, stigma or if this is really who I am.”
McKoy noted that the main thing to keep in mind while dealing with grief is that it’s extremely personal. Your journey with it has to fit you as an individual.
“Grief is personal and I don’t want people to have a general idea of how someone should grieve or how they manage their grief. It’s unique to each of us.”
By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word in Black
When I became curious about the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, it was Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant, who started a class at Bethel AME Church in West Baltimore called Power for Living. When my interest in spiritual healing was piqued, it was Rev. C, as she is called, who started a Saturday morning class on healing. I wasn’t even a member of Bethel, but when the hand of God began to tug at my spirit with a call to ministry, there she was again, hosting a “Behold the Woman” conference in a downtown arena.
It was as if she had been assigned to my case and I’m sure I’m not alone. I’m also sure I was not alone in wondering who would pray for us, who would gather us for prayer, when we learned she had eased out of time into eternity.
It was she who easily summoned the world together in prayer. It was she who prayed before kings and queens, bishops and potentates.
I was deeply saddened to learn of her Sept. 26 death.
“Rev. Dr. Cecilia Bryant was a commanding disciple who stood deep and strong in her faith and family, as she remained deeply dedicated to the cause of salvation,” Maryland Rep. Kweisi Mfume said in a statement sent to the AFRO. “As an advocate for community healing and mental health awareness, she committed her whole life to spreading the word of God as a liberating and annointing force to everyone she met. She will be dearly missed but never forgotten.”
A steadfast relationship with god
It was clear to everyone that Rev. C held a special place in the heart of God and could summon his attention to whatever situations we faced; and we could therefore expect relief because of her relationship with the
‘She
and
Lord.
This relationship began years ago through the praying heart and hands of her mother, and flourished throughout her youth and even more in her relationship with Bishop John Richard Bryant to whom she was
solemn,” Wanda Watts, director of the Wattsline who joined Bethel AME in 1977, told the AFRO, “and he changed that with choirs that sang contemporary music, and a different way of praising than AME had been accustomed to.”
into Bethel AME church. They came in dashikis because that was the mode of the day. They came in jeans. They came in sandals. They came with wraps on their heads. They came happy and they came high– but they came to Bethel AME. And they were well served until the ministry demanded the couple be elevated to bishop and district superintendent.
A spiritual visionary
“Rev. C was an extraordinary spiritual leader and visionary whose impact spanned the globe. As a spiritual director, missionary and women’s empowerment leader, she embraced a calling to bring healing to the nations,” according to a statement from New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where her son, Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant is pastor.
“Her leadership awakened the African and Diasporic Church to critical issues such as health, ecological wellness, development, culture and peace. She co-founded the AME Church in India with her husband and was the founder of the AME Church in the Ivory Coast.”
Bishop Walter S. Thomas, of New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, called her a spiritual lighthouse always pointing to safe haven and referred to the precious love with which she raised her
“Rev. Dr. Cecilia Bryant was a commanding disciple who stood deep and strong in her faith and family, as she remained deeply dedicated to the cause of salvation.”
married for 55 years.
Together they changed the whole scene at Bethel AME Church.
“The AME church was typically a quiet type of a service, very
She said he became everybody’s bishop.
“If you’re Baptist, he’s still your bishop.”
The community began to come
children and stood beside her husband as they did their kingdom work.
“There was such a vibrancy and zest for life that exudes from her
and it was born out of her wonder for God,” he said, adding that “she’s missed already.”
Rev. C preached on prayer, wrote books on prayer, summoned groups to prayer, called seasons of prayer, but most importantly she was a determined intercessor
Nurturing generations in ministry
Her children in ministry are almost innumerable.
“I met her when I was 17-yearsold, at Emerson College, while attending St. Paul AME Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I’d never seen a dynamo Black Christian team, with afros and dashikis and anointing, male and female,” says Former Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook.
“About 40 of us became senior pastors out of that era, leading congregations throughout the nation and she and Bishop John have always been there for us and with use. For those entering ministry in the 1980s, there were no female role models except Rev. C.”
The faith community can hardly stand the thought of letting her go, even if it is into the arms of God. Many regards of sweet peace have been offered through all the social media platforms, with remembrances of that special touch.
“Last year she sent me prayers for a challenge our family was going through, texting regularly. And for the past few weeks we changed roles and this time I sent her prayers and covered her,” Johnson Cook says.
“I don’t even have words to describe how I feel, only to say, I thank God for her; her ministry, her devotion, her marriage, her motherhood and her love.”
A homegoing service will be held in Baltimore at Bethel AME Church, 1300 Druid Hill Avenue, on Oct. 5. A wake will take place at 10 a.m., with the funeral service beginning at 11 a.m.
By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word In Black
For many generations, Christians have been encouraged to participate in the political system in spite of the “Be in the world, but not of the world” scripture used by many to remain aloof. The Black church, especially, has been the center of prayer and protest and of Jesus and justice.
The upcoming general election in this country — one tasked with “saving the soul of the country,” as President Joe Biden put it — demands the attention of everyone of good faith to make the country better in whatever way they see fit.
”Don’t complain, vote” is among the many slogans on front lawns around the nation, along with those who profess the candidate of their choice. According to Voter Registration Sunday more than 15 million Christians are not registered to vote.
So, organizations of varied faiths have aligned themselves to encourage participation by the myriad members of their combined groups.
From sunday service to virtual organizing
For some, the message will be emphasized every Sunday through the Nov. 5 presidential election.
“I’m preaching about lessons from the Daughters of Zelephedad (Numbers 27) when women’s rights and human rights were on the line,” says Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, regarding her Sept. 29 sermon at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Gastonia, North Carolina. She says democracy and women’s rights are on the line for history’s sake. These women woke up, spoke up, got up and acted upon their conditions. As a result, all the laws were changed to reflect rights for everyone,” she says.
”That’s what this Sunday is about, to do our one ‘Black job’ and go out and vote, to make a difference throughout the land.”
The website Vote Your Faith, which facilitates registration, offers information and a comprehensive tool kit that outlines how to sponsor a voter registration Sunday event at one’s house of worship.
In July, a coalition, Faiths United to Save Democracy began training volunteers to “provide a calming and moral presence for vulnerable voters at in-person polling sites,” according to their website. They did so mainly because the last election, vehemently protested by the Republican candidate for president, was the scene of potential voters being denied access to the polls and of perfectly safe voting places being called unsafe, not to mention the voter identification laws enacted since that election.
“Increasingly violent rhetoric and
events throughout the 2024 election has given voters credible concern about violence or intimidation at the polls,” according to the FUSD site. Trained poll chaplains and peacekeepers will be deployed to the most vulnerable polling places. At this point, targeted states are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin during early voting and on Election Day, Nov. 5.
“God intends for all creation to thrive. The current state of politics emphasizes the importance of protecting the vote for all people, especially for people of faith. It is crucial to ensure safe access to the polls in all communities,” said Rev. Moya Harris, director of Racial Justice at Sojourners.
“The involvement of poll chaplains and Peacekeepers is essential in actively safeguarding the vote in local communities. This is integral to our call as people of faith — to combat chaos with love and witness.”
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2024FEP000102 OCTOBER 8, 2019 Date of Death EMERSON LEE SUTTON Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
PAMELA SUTTON whose address is 3116 63RD AVENUE CHEVERLY, MD 20785 was appointecd representative of the estate of EMERSON LEE SUTTON deceased, by the ORPHANS’ Court for PRINCE GEORGE’S County, State of MARYLAND, on JANUARY 19, 2022. Service of process may be made upon ROLAND B. DENNEY 4111 KANSAS AVENUE NW APT. 204 WASHINGTON, DC 20011 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: ONE-SIXTH (1/6) INTEREST IN THE REAL ESTATE PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 126 TUCKERMAN STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC 20011. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
Name of newspaper, and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO-American
PAMELA SUTTON
Personal Reperesenative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27, 10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001042
TYWANA SMITH Name of Decedent
AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
LINDA K. JONES whose address is 309 SERENA STREET, UPPER MARLBORO, MARYLAND 20774 was appointecd representative of the estate of DONALD FLOYD JONES deceased, by the REGISTER OF WILLS IN THE ORPHANS’ Court for PRINCE GEORGE’S County, State of MARYLAND, on SEPTEMBER 03, 2024. Service of process may be made upon PATRICIA BRADFORD 4800 FRANKLIN STREET, WASHINGTON DC 20018 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 3044 MONROE STREET N.E. WASHINGTON D.C. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 Name of newspaper, and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO-American
LINDA K. JONES Personal Reperesenative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27, 10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001026 EUGENE R. BANKS Name of Decedent KHALFANI DRUMMER ESQ. 14310 BENTLEY PARK DR BURTONSVILLE
NATALIE S. WALKER ESQ. 1101 CONNECTICUT AVENUE NW SUITE 402 WASHINGTON DC 20036 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
JAKIA SMITH , whose address is 3541 JAY STREET, NE, #101 WASHINGTON DC 20019 was appointed
Personal Representative of the estate of TYWANA
SMITH, who died on FEBRUARY 22, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 20, 2025. 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 MARCH 20, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
JAKIA SMITH Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27,10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM1047 VIOLENA BEAN Name of Decedent
WILLIAM A. BLAND ESQUIRE 80 M STREET SE #330 WASHINGTON DC 20003 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs RAYMOND WAYTES , whose address is 3323 AMES STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC 20019 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of VIOLENA BEAN, who died on DECEMBER 8, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 20, 2025. 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 MARCH 20, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
RAYMOND WAYTES Personal Representative TRUE TEST
OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27,10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001024 BARBARA JEAN DICKERSON Name of Decedent HORACE LEE BRADSHAW JR 1644 6TH ST NW WASHINGTON, DC 20001 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
DELONTE AUGUST TINSLEY & NATIA DICKERSON, whose addresses are 1702 PLYMOUTH ST, JACKSON MI 49203 &1759 LYMAN PL NE, WASHINGTON DC, 20002 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of BARABRA JEAN DICKERSON , who died on JULY 23, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. 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 MARCH 27, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
DELONTE AUGUST TINSLEY NATIA DICKERSON Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27,10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000703 CHARMAYNE BROWNE Name of Decedent CHARLES C. IWEANOGE, ESQUIRE THE IWEANOGES’ FIRM, PC 1026 MONROE STREET NE WASHINGTON DC 20017 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
WILLIAH LAVITA GILLUS (AKA LIA GILLUS) AND SHIRLEY BROWNE, whose addresses are 702 COLUMBIA ROAD NW, WASHINGTON DC 20001 AND 4725 8TH STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC 20017 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of CHARMAYNE BROWNE , who died on MARCH 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. 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 MARCH 27, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
WILLIAH LAVITA GILLUS SHIRLEY BROWNE Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27, 10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM1049
CHERYL WOOD JOHN Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
CHARESE JOHN , whose address is 114 GALVESTON STREET SW WASHINGTON, DC 20032 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of CHERYL WOOD JOHN, who died on DECEMBER 20, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. 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
MARCH 27, 2025 or
or legatees of
of
by
to
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001110 GENEVA CLINKSCALES Name of Decedent MARY PALOGER, ESQ 1629 K ST NW SUITE 300 WASHINGTON DC 20004 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs SHELLAH CLINKSCALES , whose address is 4272 E
APT 302, WASHINGTON, DC 20019 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of
CLINKSCALES, who died on AUGUST 25, 2016 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.,
SHELLAH CLINKSCALES Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27,10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM1118 JOSEPH M. WALKER AKA JOSEPH MICHAEL WALKER Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs ALTHEA WALKER DAVIS, whose address is 1425 MONTAGUE ST., N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20011 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JOSEPH M. WALKER AKA JOSEPH MICHAEL WALKER, who died on JULY 1, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. 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 MARCH 27, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
ALTHEA WALKER DAVIS Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27, 10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001100 TIMOTHY LAMBERT Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs VIVIAN BRIDGES AND PATRICIA LAMBERT, whose addresses are 1122 48TH ST NE, WASHINGTON, DC 20019 AND 136 KENILWORTH AVE NE #3D, WASHINGTON, DC 20019 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of TIMOTHY LAMBERT , who died on JUNE 4, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. 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 MARCH 27, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024
Persons
who
of Wills,
of
name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers CHARESE JOHN Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27,10/04, 10/11/24
Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
VIVIAN BRIDGES PATRICIA LAMBERT Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27,10/04, 10/11/24
shall expire at the end of four years or at the end of the Mayor’s term of office, whichever first occurs, with the exception of the terms of the City Administrator, the Police commissioner and some members of the Board of School Commissioners, the Civil Service Commission, the Planning Commission, the Board of
off-street parking within the dedicated boundaries of Inner Harbor Park; Park, but making clear that areas used for multi-family dwellings and off-street parking are not part of the area dedicated as park land for public benefit; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.
By proposing to repeal and re-ordain, with amendments Article I - General Provisions Section 9 Baltimore City Charter (1996 Edition) SECTION 1. BE IT RESOLvED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COuNCIL Of
BALTIMORE, That the Charter of Baltimore City is proposed to be amended
The Mayor shall present the plan to the City Council not later than the first day of February of the first municipal election year following the approval of the Charter amendment. AGAINST CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR CHARTER AMENDMENT LEGAL
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BALTIMORE CITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES REVISED NOTICE RFP NUMBER: B-2015-24
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (“HABC”) is requesting proposals from interested and qualified property management companies to operate and manage Townes at the Terraces and Albemarle, and other certain HABC-owned low-income and affordable housing properties (the “Properties”) in the Baltimore area as identified by HABC.
PROPOSALS WILL BE DUE no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, November 1, 2024
A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., which will be scheduled as a virtual meeting.
Responders shall also comply with all applicable requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, 12 U.S.C. Section 1701u.
The entire RFP can be viewed and downloaded by visiting https://habc.bonfirehub.com/projects on or after Monday, October 7, 2024
Questions regarding the RFP should be directed in writing to the address and individual indicated below and must include the reference: HABC RFP Number B-2015-24.
Housing Authority of Baltimore City Division of Fiscal Operations, Procurement Department Attention: John Airey, Senior Vice President of Procurement Tel: (410) 396-3261 John.airey@habc.org
To
NOTICE OF LETTING
Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for WATER CONTRACT NO. 1446-Loch Raven Drive Over Rush Brook Culvert – LRD Culvert No. 19 will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204 City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M on November 20, 2024. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates and can be watched live on CharmTV’s cable channel 25/1085HD; charmtvbaltimore.com/watchlive or listen in at (443) 984-1696 (ACCESS CODE: 0842939) from City Hall at Noon. The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at Contract Administration 4 South Frederick Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 on the 3rd floor (410) 396-4041 as of October 4, 2024 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of 200.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call (410) 396-6883 or contact OBC at 4 S Frederick St., 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (“JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is B02554 Drainage Structures. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $500,000,000.01 to $1,000,000.00
A “Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted virtually on October 9, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.. Vendor can access this Microsoft Teams virtual meeting by utilizing the following ID and passcode: Meeting ID: 232 514 828 242 Passcode: YCgWGs or Vendors can call Phone Conference ID: 1 667-401-2804 Passcode: 178609837#.
A site visit will be held on October 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
Contractor questions will be accepted (in writing only) until November 8, 2024. For any bid questions, please contact Mr. Farid Sikander at farid. sikander@baltimorecity.gov
To purchase a bid book, please make an electronic request at: https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/dpw-construction-projects-notice-letting and dpwbidopportunities@baltimorecity.gov
For further inquiries about purchasing bid documents, please contact the assigned Contract Administrator Amber.coles-johnson@baltimorecity.gov
Principal items of work for this contract include, but are not limited to: Construction of culvert improvements and washout area at Culvert No. 19 per the Plans.
are 2119 PARKSIDE DRIVE, MITCHELLVILLE, MD 20721 AND 1619 WEBSTER STREET, NE WASH, DC 20017, were appointed Personal Representative of the estate of CARLYN F. CRAIG who died on APRIL 18, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before APRIL 04, 2025. 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 APRIL 04, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: OCTOBER 04, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
SUSAN F. CRAIG
CLARENCE F. CRAIG Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 10/04, 10/11, 10/18/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM1152 DELILAH G. HENRY Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
DONNA RENEE HENRY CRYER, whose address is 4323 WESTOVER PLACE NW WASHINGTON, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DELILAH G. HENRY who died on APRIL 11, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before APRIL 04, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall
whose address is 415 N. KENMORE ST. ARLINGTON, VA 22201-1725, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GLADIES S. BARKER who died on DECEMBER 03, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before APRIL 04, 2025. 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 APRIL 04, 2025 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: OCTOBER 04, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
PATRICIA ELAINE BARKER Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 10/04, 10/11, 10/18/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001135 KEVIN YOUNG Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
DONICA YOUNG, whose address is 8734 RITCHBORO ROAD, DISTRICT HEIGHTS, MD 20747 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of KEVIN YOUNG who died on NOVEMBER 14, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before APRIL 04, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to
COUNTY, MARYLAND
Annapolis, Maryland ANNOUNCEMENT
REQUEST FOR BIDS
On or after September 30, 2024, Plans and Specifications may be obtained from the Anne Arundel County Web Page at the following address: https://www.aacounty.org/departments/central- services/purchasing/P.O.R.T./bids/index.html . Bids will be received until time/date shown below, please submit your bid electronically via the PORT. Bids received after the date and time set will be rejected.
Due by 1:30 p.m. Local Time, Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Project: H566801 – McKendree Road Over Lyons Creek
Solicitation No.: CAP25000096
Contact: Debra Russell – 410-222-1340
City of Baltimore Department of Finance Bureau of Procurement
Sealed proposals addressed to the Board of Estimates of Baltimore will be Received until, but not later than 11:00 am local time on the following dates for the stated requirements.
October 16, 2024 • ELECTRICAL SERVICES 600 VOLTS AND UNDER RFQ-000579
ENTIRE SOLICITATION CAN BE VIEWED AND DOWNLOADED BY VISITING THE WEBSITE: https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/supplier/baltimorecity/SupplierSite
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO
The District’s DC Circulator bus system, which has been a popular mode of transportation for riders throughout the Greater Washington Area, began laying off employees on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Ninety Circulator employees have already been laid off. Seventyeight employees have already secured positions within the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. However, they will lose their seniority, start at lower hourly wages and be assigned different shifts. Circulator drivers also learned that they will not be given preferential treatment in the hiring process.
During a recent council transportation hearing with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of the D.C. City Council, Circulator spokespersons noted that there will be major changes for those who find work elsewhere. Employees who secure jobs with Metrocould expect their hourly wages to decline from $40 to $28 while those who have worked their way up in seniority to get nightsand weekends off, many of whom are
By Ashlee Banks Special to the AFRO
After a six-week recess, lawmakers have returned to the U.S. Capitol and are working to put forth legislation that will benefit their constituents.
U.S. Rep. Sheila CherfilusMcCormick (D-Fla.-20) told the AFRO that she is focused on passing a string of appropriations bills to avoid a government shutdown that will impact millions of Americans.
“We hope that we can pass the appropriations bill. That’s the biggest
concern,” said the congresswoman. “Another issue we’re having to move quickly on is a resolution to combat the continued violence and threats taking place in Ohio against Haitians.”
In recent weeks, Republicans have falsely accused Haitian migrants of eating domestic animals in Springfield, Ohio. Former President Donald Trump repeated the allegations during the presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Sept. 10. Although law enforcement has denounced the false narrative, Haitians have become
targets of threats and violence.
“We’re looking at introducing a resolution by the end of the week that actually condemns the false statements,” said CherfilusMcCormick. “They aren’t illegal. They came here through a legal pathway. Statements such as what Donald Trump Jr. said that Haitians have low IQs and they are scientifically inferior… those are the kinds of things that play into White supremacy.”
Cherfilus-McCormick added that
By Stacker Media
Despite repayments on federal student loans resuming late last year, much is still up in the air with student loan debt. Some loans have been forgiven, and more than a few borrowers have received incomplete, contradictory or confusing information about their loans.
Experian, one of three major credit bureaus in the nation, compiled data on student loan debt in Washington, D.C., as well as the nation at-large, to see how residents of the state are faring.
Most generations in the U.S. are still managing student loan balances averaging more than $40,000. Generation X, the eldest of whom turn 60 next year, owe the most on their student loans, on average.
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO
A marathon-length hearing was recently held to discuss reform of D.C.’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). For more than seven hours, the hearing focused on D.C. AG Brian Schwalb’s proposal that seeks to increase oversight and accountability of DYRS. Schwalb, who handles juvenile criminal cases in D.C., is calling for reform known as the Recidivism Reduction, Oversight and Accountability for DYRS Act (ROAD Act).
First introduced in May, Schwalb’s bill proposes a series of overhauls to the D.C. agency responsible for the supervision, custody and care of children and teenagers found responsible for a crime. The proposed legislation seeks to reform the supervision and intervention practices at the agency.
Under the ROAD Act, DYRS would be required to provide committed youth with a treatment plan within 30 days. Under current D.C. law, the agency has 90 days to provide the plan.
There’s wider variance among the states for student loan balances than for other types of consumer debt, including auto loans and credit card debt.
In most states, average student loan balances range from $25,000 to $45,000. One obvious outlier is Washington, D.C., where the average student loan balance, topping $57,000, is notable. Average student loan balance in Washington,
DYRS Director Sam Abed recognized that DYRS is not meeting the 30-day window, testifying on Wednesday, Sept 25, that it takes an average of 62 days. He pushed back on the timelines in the legislation and on the bill overall, telling the D.C. Council, “It creates unreasonable requirements that call on DYRS to take on the role and responsibilities of other system partners.”
Schwalb testified that DYRS has failed to provide some youth with a treatment plan within the 90 days that the D.C. law stipulates.
“Nearly 50 percent of youth committed to DYRS– 47.6 according to the report– are subsequently convicted of committing an additional criminal offense either under DYRS care or within a few years of their release of commit-
By Aria Brent AFRO Staff Writer abrent@afro.com
Vice President Kamala Harris announced that she and running mate, Tim Walz will be making their way to several historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) this homecoming season as they focus on securing the votes of young Black students. HBCUs in battleground states like Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania will be visited during the eight stop tour. Harris’ alma mater, Howard University (HU), is on the list of schools that will receive a visit in the coming weeks.
Known as “The Mecca” throughout the HBCU community, Howard’s homecoming is highly acclaimed and often attended by students, alumni and people from other universities too. However, this year is their centennial anniversary and they’ll be celebrating 100 years of camaraderie, community and HBCU pride. The annual event is something that many alumni look forward to attending each year, however Harris’ scheduled appearance seems to be serving as an additional incentive for people to return to the yard.
“I’m super excited for her to be at homecoming. I think Howard’s homecoming is the perfect place for her campaign,” said Jamel Wright, a 2017 graduate of HU. “This is a great opportunity for her to engage with the community and for us to hold her accountable for some of the concerns we have.”
Wright noted that an event centered around reuniting people is the perfect occasion for Harris’ presidential campaign. He explained that it provides an opportunity for her to take a grassroots approach to interacting with her supporters and hearing
Kamala Harris will return to her alma mater, Howard University, for homecoming activities on Oct.19. Her stop at the historical institution is one of several scheduled for her HBCU homecoming tour this fall.
their needs and wants.
“In the Black community, voting rates can be low and this is a great occasion for her to speak to members of the Black community and hear our demands,” he said. “The Black community usually seems to be last when it comes to presidential campaigns so her going on this homecoming tour is very strategic.”
Other HU alumni who spoke to the AFRO shared similar sentiments, noting her tour to be smart and innovative.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before. I think it’s a smart way of trying to appeal to a different generation of voters,” said Mekhi Abbott, a 2023 graduate of HU. “Her being an HBCU graduate makes her relatable. And I wouldn’t be surprised if candidates in the future decide to do the same thing.”
Although Madame VP is
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it is imperative that members of Congress hold Trump, his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and other GOP members accountable for spreading misinformation.
U.S. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-4) told the AFRO that for the remainder of the congressional session he would like to pass legislation that reforms the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I’m looking to build on the court reform measures that have now been recognized by President Joe Biden as important for the nation’s future,” said Johnson. “So, things like term limits for Supreme Court justices and a code of conduct that is binding and has an enforcement mechanism.”
He added that he will also “introduce the Judiciary Accountability Act which will bring the 30,000 judicial branch employees under the protection of the civil rights laws so they will not be subject to rampant and unaddressed discrimination and sexual harassment.”
The Democratic lawmaker doubts that his proposed legislation will pass during this session given that Republicans have control of the U.S. House of Representatives. However, he is hopeful that these measures will be passed next session if Democrats regain control of the House during the elections while maintaining control of the Senate.
the first to go on an HBCU homecoming tour, many of the institutions she’s visiting are no stranger to being the breeding grounds for political and social change.
for political campaigns,” said Yolanda Stewart, Ph.D, a 1994 graduate of HU. “These events offer a unique opportunity for political campaigns to connect with an educated, civically
“I think it’s a smart way of trying to appeal to a different generation of voters. Her being an HBCU graduate makes her relatable. And I wouldn’t be surprised if candidates in the future decide to do the same thing.”
“HBCU homecomings are more than just celebrations of culture and school pride; they are pivotal moments for political and civic engagement. Historically, HBCUs have been at the forefront of voter education and registration initiatives, making homecoming an ideal space
5) told the AFRO that he is focused on passing the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, which, if enacted into law, would help preserve affordable housing opportunities.
“I’m working with my Republican colleague U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.-3) to put forth legislation during a session where Congress hasn’t seen a surplus of significant legislation come through,” said Cleaver.
Rep. Luetkemeyer told reporters that this legislation is the answer to affordable housing.
“Owning a home used to be fundamental to the American dream, but it has become incredibly difficult and less realistic for Missouri families,” said the Republican representative. “I thank Congressman Cleaver for his dedication to remedying this issue, and I’m proud of our bipartisan work.”
“I’m looking to build on the court reform measures that have now been recognized by President Joe Biden as important for the nation’s future.”
Cleaver told the AFRO that he and Luetkeymer are not “foolish enough to think ambitiously” and doubts that the bill will be passed this session. However, he said, “I’m caught up in this whole thing about trying to demonstrate to the American people and to the world that we are not a dysfunctional legislative body. But, so far I’m losing.”
engaged community that has been instrumental in shaping social and political movements.”
Stewart currently serves as the president of the Columbus, Ohio chapter of the Howard University Alumni Association and she’s excited to see Harris return to campus for such a monumental
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celebration. She noted Harris’ journey of hardwork and high achievement to be well understood by many in the HBCU community– making her return a full circle moment.
“I’m incredibly excited to welcome Vice President Kamala Harris back to the yard for such a historic moment. Howard University has a rich tradition of producing leaders and to see one of our own not only succeed but also return to campus during a pivotal time is inspiring,” she said. “It reflects the journey of many HBCU graduates who have worked tirelessly for progress and justice. Homecoming is not just a celebration of the past, but a moment to look toward the future and having Kamala Harris on campus reinforces the powerful legacy that HBCUs like Howard continue to uphold.” Harris is returning to her old stomping grounds on Oct.19. However, she won’t be there long because she’s scheduled to attend homecoming events for Clark-Atlanta University (CAU) and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCAT) on that same day.
The homecoming tour started on Sept.28 at WinstonSalem State University in North Carolina, next the tour will stop in Pennsylvania and Virginia to visit Lincoln University and Virginia State University, respectively, on Oct.12. That following weekend the duo will be at HU, CAU and NCAT and on Oct. 26, the tour will conclude in Atlanta when the Harris-Walz campaign attends the combined Spelman and Morehouse College homecoming.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Yolanda Stewart, Ph.D here are her personal opinions and do not reflect the views of any organizations with which she is affiliated.
now in their 50s and 60s, could be reassigned to graveyard shifts.
The layoffs represent part of D.C.’s plan to phase-out the bus system, which has been around for 20 years. Last year, the D.C. Circulator bus system had 1.9 million riders and close to 300 employees. In recent weeks, transit workers and District residents have held rallies criticizing the shutdown, asking Metro to take over the beleaguered bus system to no avail.
Union representatives, including Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, one of the unions that represents the workers, said it will continue to fight to retain current pay rates. ATU asserts that Circulator employees had five-year contracts that guaranteed job security through 2028. Nonetheless, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser slashed funding for the Circulator from this year’s budget.
Riders on the Circulator bus system can expect to see changes and cancellations of service beginning in October.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.-
At this time, Congress has less than four months to pass meaningful legislation before the start of a new session in January 2025.
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D.C.
In the first half of 2024 the average student loan balance in Washington, D.C. grew $2,772 from the end of 2023, reaching $57,927. Washington, D.C. has the highest average loan balance among all states and $19,044 higher than the national average of $38,883.
States with the highest average student loan balance
#1. Washington, D.C.: $57,927
#2. Maryland: $45,434
#3. Georgia: $43,005
#4. New York: $42,058
#5. California: $41,991
States with the lowest average student loan balance
#1. North Dakota: $31,040
#2. Iowa: $31,829
#3. South Dakota: $32,112
#4. Wyoming: $32,232
#5. Nebraska: $33,506
Student loan forgiveness plans span more than 4 million borrowers, saving them $160 billion
According to the Department of Education, nearly $160 billion of student loan relief has been provided to student loan borrowers. This is largely from cancellations of federal student loans, but is also based on reimplementations of income-driven repayment plans. The largest slice of relief—forgiving $62.8 billion in loans to those deemed eligible though their public service—has amounted to an average of $71,000 of loan forgiveness for those borrowers.
But there are also other ways that federal-led student loan relief plans have chipped away at student loans, including providing $14 billion in forgiveness to more than a half-million borrowers with permanent disability, and canceling $29 billion of loans for 1.6 million borrowers through court settlements.
In most cases, borrowers had been paying their loans for years prior to the cancellations of the remaining balances by the federal government.
For current students, college costs level off, but are still an increasing burden
Considering that nearly everything else costs more than a few years ago, it may be a surprise that college tuition costs have actually leveled off in the past few years, barely budging since 2020. Adjusted for inflation, one general measure of college costs have begun to decline, according to data from The College Board. There’s still a huge sticker price for higher education though.
However, in part due to everything else surrounding tuition increasing in price—like room and board as
well as borrowing costs for student loans—it may not seem much of a bargain. (For their part, colleges and universities are managing financial issues of their own, in no small part stemming from demographic shifts leading to declining enrollments.)
Larger financial hurdles for student loan borrowers
Despite income-based repayment plans becoming more commonplace among borrowers, many still face greater financial challenges than those without monthly student loan payments.
In general, those with student loan balances carry greater financial burdens elsewhere. While auto loan balances are similar for both consumers, those with student loan balances have much larger average credit card balances than those who don’t have student loan debt. They also have larger monthly payments to service all their debts versus those without student loan bills.
Those still in college will be subject to higher rates on student loans
The high cost of borrowing has now reached students. It wasn’t unexpected: Interest rates for federal student loans (direct loans) have long been based on the auction prices for long-term government notes sold by the U.S. Treasury in May of each year. This year, as yields of those 10-year notes were at 15-year highs, so, too, will federal student loan costs be for the 2024-25 academic year.
Beginning July 1, undergraduate students with direct loans are borrowing at a 6.53 percent rate.
Those undergraduates won’t need to start repaying loans immediately, but when they do eventually leave academia, they’ll likely be paying much more in interest (versus principal) than others who have federal loans with interest rates of less than 5 percent.
Editor’s note: Student loan balance data in this story is attributed to Experian unless otherwise noted.
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The Attorney General’s Office said the plan would “strengthen the D.C. Superior Court’s authority to intervene when it becomes clear that DYRS is not providing appropriate services and placements for young people in its care.”
However, during the council hearing, members of the Bowser Administration pushed back on Schwalb’s proposal. “We do not support this proposal as introduced. First the ROAD Act overlooks that DYRS has ample oversight,” Deputy Mayor of
“Nearly 50 percent of youth committed to DC’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS)- 47.6 according to the report- are subsequently convicted of committing an additional criminal offense either under DYRS care or within a few years of their release of commitment.”
Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah
The ROAD Act would establish permanent independent oversight of DYRS. That role would fall under the Office of the D.C. Auditor. The current D.C. Auditor Kathleen Patterson questioned the oversight assignment, saying during her testimony that her team lacks the expertise on the issue and that they would be unable to look into individual cases. Councilmembers holding the hearing expressed interest in moving forward with legislation to make improvements at DYRS. They also requested additional data to better assess the needs of the agency. We need to change this photo after the stories are formatted. Please add to your to-do list @ea@afro. com
By Patricia McDougall Special to the AFRO
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, thousands of victims rallied in the Washington D.C. area for the inaugural “Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington.” The march started out on Capitol Hill, with various legislative leaders, then moved on to the National Mall for a day filled with entertainment, food, a candlelight vigil, the Healing Festival and various speakers.
Survivors came from over 30 states, including the Washington D.C. area for the event. Celebrities were also in attendance. Actor Omari Hardwick took to the stage with the various performing artists who entertained the crowd. Those present were able to enjoy performances from veteran vocalist Ledisi, hiphop legend Doug E. Fresh, Monica, DJ QuickSilva, Lloyd and more. Though the rain poured down, it did not stop the crowd from having a good time.
