Washington Afro-American Newspaper December 13 2014 by AFRO News

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Volume 123 No. 19

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DECEMBER 13, 2014 - DECEMBER 19, 2014

District Bids Emotional ‘Goodbye’ to Marion Barry By James Wright Special to the AFRO

Ferguson protestors rally at Gallery Place in D.C. Nov. 30.

Photo by Travis Riddick

#CrimingWhileWhite By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent

The deaths of several unarmed Black men at the

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hands of police officers and grand jury decisions to not indict them have set off a spate of protests in cities across the world--and on the Internet. “This activism definitely indicates a palpable concern within a range of communities with these verdicts,” said Darnell Hunt, an expert on race relations and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The fragility of Black life...that Black people, especially Black men, can be attacked and the people who perpetrate these killings get away without an indictment speak to the existing racial problems in our society.” Cyberactivsm has defined this new movement. Thousands have taken to Twitter and other social platforms, trending hashtags such as #Can’tBreathe, #HandsUpDontShoot and

#BlackLivesMatters, which speak to the public’s outrage with the blatant injustice of the United State’s justice system. But there’s a new, somewhat different, hashtag on the scene-#CrimingWhileWhite-which draws attention to the inconsistencies and double standards in the system. #CrimingWhileWhite is sort of the flipside to #BlackLivesMatter, said Lester Spence, political analyst, Johns Hopkins University. “If #BlackLivesMatter is an attempt to say Black people are human too and should be treated fairly as citizens, #CrimingWhileWhite is making public the concept of White privilege,” he said. “It enriches the conversation.” And the concept is being publicized by those in the best position to know about White

Thousands of District residents from all walks of life as well as members of Congress, clergymen and leaders of national organizations took time out of their lives to thank Marion Barry for his nearly 40 years of public service to the nation’s capital in three distinct events from Dec. 4-8. Barry, who died at the United Medical Center on Nov. 23 at the age of 78, was remembered as a strong champion of Black businesses, senior citizens and young people. Residents had the chance to celebrate his life at the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest on Dec. 4, the Temple of Praise church on Dec. 5 and at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Dec. 6. “There has been no one like him in the District of Columbia and there will likely be no one like him ever again,” Jim Vance, an anchorman for News Channel 4 said on a special edition of “Reporter’s Roundtable” on Dec. 7. Barry’s body was in a casket with a bouquet of red roses and a kente cloth draped over it in the first floor foyer of the Wilson

“There has been no one like him in the District of Columbia and there will likely be no one like him ever again.” –Jim Vance

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Following Garner Grand Jury

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See more photos from the funeral on A4.

By Taylor Carr Howard University News Service

NY Attorney General Stepping into Cop Cases By Gloria Browne-Marshall Special to the AFRO from AANIC

Building on Dec. 4. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a two-time presidential candidate, was joined by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray (D),) present and former D.C. Council members, U.S. Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.), and members of the Barry family, at a ceremony at the Wilson Building. After the ceremony, people were allowed in the building to greet council members who were available and stand in front of the casket to reflect on Barry in a personal manner. “I am here to share a special moment with Continued on A3

Petworth Residents Learn How to Combat Crime A new family has moved into the house two doors away from yours. Suddenly, there is traffic in and out daily. People gather outside at all hours of the day and night. Profanity, arguments, and loud conversations can be overheard. It appears drug sales might be taking place. What can you and other residents do? A lot, said Asst. Attorney General Michael Aniton and Community Prosecutor Trena Carrington of the Department of Justice. During the recent meeting of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), the pair gave residents of the Petworth neighborhood a list of things they should do to protect themselves and their neighborhood. ANC Commissioner Donna Brockington noted that there were several complaints from residents about the noise in the neighborhood. After acknowledging the concern, Aniton said, “I want to focus more on the drug, gun, and prostitution aspect.” Aniton’s office handles housing code violations, businesses operating without proper licenses or permits, drug, firearm, prostitution, and general nuisances. “A nuisance property uses, sells, or reproduces drugs, keeps or stores firearms that aren’t registered, or engages or practices prostitution in any manner.”

Photo by JD Howard

The public has lost confidence in District Attorneys to prosecute police shooting cases. This lack of public trust now drives New York’s highest prosecutor, the Attorney General, to take over such cases. It is an unusual request for a police shooting case; but not for civil rights cases. The request in a change of authority came from national protests after the failure of a Staten Island, N.Y. grand jury to indict White police officers involved in the choke-hold death of Eric Garner, an unarmed, Black man. President Barack Obama pledged over $77 million for police body cameras, better police training, and a Federal civil rights investigation by U.S. Attorney

Photo courtesy Howard Univ. News Service

This Saturday

Sharpton’s National March Against Police Violence By Tameka Amado Howard University News Service Civil Rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton has taken the case of the Ferguson, Mo., and Staten Island, N.Y., grand juries’ decisions not to prosecute police in the deaths of two unarmed Black men into his own hands. Sharpton, head of the National Action Network, said during a press conference that the country is in a “national crisis,” and he is organizing a rally in Washington to call for intervention by the U.S. Department of Justice in both cases. “A week from this Saturday, Dec. 13, we are having a national march in Washington, D.C., where we are calling for the Justice Department to take the shooting in New York and the case in Ferguson and the case in Cleveland,” he said. “It is

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The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

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AP Photo

LeBron James was one of the many NBA players who donned an “I can’t breathe” shirt on a Dec. 8 game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Brooklyn Nets in support of Eric Garner’s family.

(AP) — LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and multiple players on the Brooklyn Nets wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirts as they warmed up for a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Dec. 8. Kevin Garnett and Deron Williams were among four Nets wearing the shirts before the game in support of the family of Eric Garner, who died July 17 after a police officer placed him in a chokehold when he was being arrested for selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. Chicago star Derrick Rose wore one before a game Saturday and James said Sunday he wanted one. He got it from Nets guard Jarrett Jack, who provided them to players on both teams. A few NFL players had the saying written on different items of gear and shirts during pregame warm ups before games on Sunday, including St. Louis Rams guard Davin Joseph and Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush and Cleveland Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi. “Obviously as a society we have to do better, we have to have empathy better for one another no matter what race you are, but it’s more a shout-out to the family more than anything,” James said before warming up. Irving had already gone to the court in his as James spoke. James said at the time it was a “possibility” he would do the same, and he was wearing the shirt when he unzipped his yellow and gray jacket in the layup line. The statement from the players came before a game that was to be attended by Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Kate, as well as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “I respect Derrick Rose and all of our players for voicing their personal views on important issues but my preference would be for players to abide by our oncourt attire rules,” Silver said. Players are required to wear attire of Adidas, the league’s official apparel provider. A recording of Garner’s arrest showed him gasping, “I can’t breathe” during the fatal encounter, and thousands have protested a grand jury decision not to indict the officer since the announcement on Wednesday. Irving also said his thoughts were with Garner’s family. “What happened is a tragedy, I feel terrible about it, but my emotions are just more or less condolences for the family,” Irving said.

Son of ‘Young and Restless’ Star Kristoff St. John Commits Suicide

Multiple Emmy Award-winning actor Kristoff St. John, along with his ex-wife Mia, announced on Twitter that their 24-year-old son, Julian committed suicide after battling mental illness.

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“On November 23rd Kristoff St John and I lost our beautiful son, Julian St John. Our son was the light of our lives, an artist with a beautiful mind and spirit,” the grieving mother wrote. “He fought long and hard against an illness Facebook photo for which there is no cure. Actor Kristoff St. John (left) Unfortunately the pain announced that his son became too great for him Julian (right) committed and I dare not say he lost the suicide after battling battle–he simply chose to set mental illness. himself free. My fight for mental health will continue. They may not find a cure in my lifetime, but we can try and prevent the loss of another beautiful soul.” Julian, a talented artist, had suffered from depression ever since he was a child and was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 18. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that may cause the people affected to hear voices other people don’t hear or to become paranoid. They could sit for hours without moving or talking, and when they do talk, they may not make sense. For Julian St. John, the disorder led him to become homeless, he struggled with drug addiction and had problems with authorities, according to NewsOne. “He suffered from schizophrenia for many years and tragically lost his life just a few days before Thanksgiving, and two weeks before his 25th birthday,” St. John, an integral character on the “Young and Restless” for two decades, told ET. “His legacy will live on in our hearts and for those that continue to suffer from this insidious disease. We mourn the loss of our son, brother, artist poet, and a giant of a young man. A beautiful life gone much too soon. Julian will forever be remembered as he now takes flight with Angels.” On Dec. 5, Julian would have celebrated his 25th birthday. Instead, on that day he will be buried by friends and family.

Houston Pastor Says No Tithes, No Funeral

A 93-year-old Houston, Texas woman was denied burial by her longtime pastor due to what he deemed delinquent tithes. “It was like the last insult in the world,” Barbara Day, daughter of the deceased Olivia Blair, told FOX 26. Blair became a member of Fourth Missionary Baptist Church at the age of 43, spending almost 50 years with the congregation. When she died just before Thanksgiving after a sustained illness, the family contacted the church to make funeral arrangements. However, the pastor, the Rev. Walter Houston, said “absolutely not” due to the fact that Blair had not supported the church financially via her tithes in over a decade. “For the last 10 years, my mother has been in either a nursing home or she’s been in a hospital,” Day told FOX 26. “And the last few months, she was in a coma. What does this have to do with God? Why can’t I give my mother her last wish to be funeralized in a church that she loved so much?” Preacher watchdog Tyrone Jacques, of PimpPreacher.com, said he met with Houston to urge him to change his mind, but was allegedly told by the minister that he could not change the church’s by-laws for someone who had not been a member for several years, and said Blair’s family members should have paid the tithes in her stead to “reserve her membership.” Jacques even allegedly offered to pay for the funeral and Houston still said no, explaining, “Membership has its privileges.” Day was appalled by the lack of compassion, telling FOX 26, “All they care about is getting money, money, money, money, money!”

The Afro-American, July 5, 2014 - July 5, 2014

December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014, The Afro-American

Capital Press Club Celebrates 70th Anniversary, Honors Nine Media Legends By LaTrina Antoine Washington D.C. Editor The United State’s oldest African-American communications association celebrated its 70th anniversary along with honoring nine individuals for their contributions in capturing news for the Black community. “We honor nine living legends who have not only committed themselves tirelessly to the field of journalism, but to causes much larger than themselves or any of us,” Hazel Trice Edney, president of the Capital Press Club said in a message given to all of the attendees at its anniversary gala, “70 Years In The Black,” held at the National Press Club in Northwest D.C. on Dec. 4. The association’s mission is to increase and support the presence and role of AfricanAmericans in communications. Honorees included Simeon Booker, legendary editor of Jet Magazine; Dr. Barbara Reynolds, founding editor of USA Today; April Ryan, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Network; Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of the Washington Informer Newspaper; Roy Lewis, photographer for National Newspaper Publishers Association (Black Press);

Richard Prince, columnist for the Maynard Institute; Paul Brock, founding executive director for the National Association of Black Journalists; Joe Madison, radio talk show host for The Black Eagle on Sirius XM; and JC Hayward, D.C.’s first African American woman anchor. “It’s so exciting to see so many serious journalists, communicators from every walk of life,” Edney told Photo by Rob Roberts attendees. The gala’s purpose AFRO publisher Jake Oliver was for Black communicators to look back as they prepared and honoree Simeon to move forward. Booker “There aren’t many left like Simeon Booker,” Jake Oliver, publisher of the Afro-American Newspapers said

during his introduction of the news monarch, referring to the sacrifice, commitment and great risk Booker had to endure, for over 50 years, to bring news to the Black community. Booker , 96, who has over half a century of experience working at Jet and Ebony magazines, the Black Press, the AFRO and the Washington Post is particularly known for providing news on and about the Black community through his weekly Jet column, Ticker Tape USA. Throughout the night, Black media figures from across the communications industry shared stories, jokes and bits of wisdom from their varied experiences; whether on the job in the White House or from the stark reality that Black journalists aren’t always welcomed or appreciated. “The Capital Press Club, of course, is so special…the atrocities against African Americans are increasing and by the same token the numbers of African American journalists are decreasing and therefore the Capital Press Club is needed more than ever in order to tell our story,” Hayward told attendees. The club also presented the Raymond H. Boone Scholarship for Racial Justice in Journalism to Howard University student Megan Sims.

the deaths of two African-American men, Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner of Staten Island. Protestors angered by the grand jury decision on Nov. 24 in Ferguson not to indict policeman Darren Wilson for the killing of Brown have shut down stores, highways and engendered sentiment across the world. The protests also erupted into

death and organizations asked shoppers to sit out for this year’s Black Friday, asking that they buy from black owned businesses only so the U.S. felt the economic impact. Just a little over a week later, another grand jury declined to indict the police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner, who suffocated after he was strangled by police while standing outside a Staten Island store. Following the grand jury decision in Garner’s death, protests were even more widespread across the nation, stretching from New York to Baltimore to Atlanta to San Francisco. In New York, thousands marched through the city and shut down three of the city’s bridges, the Manhattan, the TriBorough, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Objections to the New York decision drew even wider protests across America, in Europe and in Japan.

Sharpton

Continued from A1 time for a national march to deal with a national crisis.” “Why are we going to Washington? Because all over the country, we all need to come together and demand this Congress deal with the issues, that we need laws to protect the citizens in these states from these state grand jurors,” Sharpton said. A 12-year-old boy was shot in Cleveland by police who said they thought he was wielding a pistol. Instead, it turned out to be a toy gun. The Washington demonstrators will meet at 10:30 a.m. at Freedom Plaza at Pennsylvania and 13th Street Northwest and march to the Capitol. Protests have erupted across America and in many nations in the rest of the world following two high-profile grand juries’ decisions to decline to indict the police officers involved in

“…we need laws to protect the citizens in these states from these state grand jurors.” –Sharpton violence in Ferguson as businesses were torched and looted. Protestors also boycotted Black Friday retailers to draw attention to the injustice of police brutality following Brown’s

Barry

Continued from A1 my friend,” Willie Jolley, one of the nation’s leading motivational speakers, said. “Marion Barry stood for courage and tenacity. That’s what made him a superstar.” Outside the Wilson Building, vendors were selling t-shirts, buttons and posters with Barry’s likeness on them. Floyd Myers Sr., a retired police officer and real estate entrepreneur, said that Barry would not have had any problem with what the vendors were doing. “Barry was all about helping Black people get into business,” Myers said. “He was responsible for shaping the District of Columbia for what it is now. I use to guard him as a member of his police detail and he taught me a lot of things about how this city runs and how to do business in this city.” Barry’s son, Christopher, could be seen shaking hands with people visiting his father’s casket. His stepsister, Lalanya Masters, said that Barry’s family was pleased with the outpouring of affection for the late mayor and council member. “This is a wonderful reflection on him,” she said. “It is poetic justice that my stepfather passed away just when things are taking place in Ferguson, [Mo.] and the death of Eric Garner.” On Dec. 5, Barry’s casket was put into a car and driven through Ward 6 via Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E. to Ward 8. D.C. Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser (D) and her staff joined thousands of people standing along the street to observe the car carrying Barry and she blew a kiss to it. When Barry’s car got on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, S.E., people stepped from the sidewalk to the street to touch it. Cora Masters Barry and Christopher got out of the car to greet the residents. Longtime Ward 8 advisory neighborhood commissioner Mary Cuthbert remembered her friend. “Marion Barry called this meeting and we are in order,” Cuthbert, who is the chairman

of her commission, said. “There are two items on the agenda, to say thank you and farewell.” During the eulogy, Temple of Praise Bishop Glen Staples said Barry was “one of the nation’s greatest civil rights leaders.” On Dec. 6, thousands of people filled the convention center to listen to speakers praise the late mayor. Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan thanked Barry for his support of the successful 1995 Million Man March that took place on the National Mall. “The Million Man March could never have happened in any other city at any other time than in Washington, D.C. at the time of Marion Barry,” said Farrakhan. There were video tributes by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and civil rights leader Julian Bond. D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) and Gray made remarks and Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, in his speech, said that Barry gave him his first real job. “And every time I would see him, he would remind me of that,” Baker said. Gray was joined, as he spoke, by former D.C.

Mayors Sharon Pratt and Anthony Williams and Newark, N.J. Mayor Ras Baraka. Former D.C. Council Chairman Sterling Tucker and Mendelson spoke along with Bowser and former D.C. Council member Charlene Drew Jarvis on what Barry meant to the city and the council. R. Donahue Peebles, who is considered one of the wealthiest African Americans in the country, said that Barry made the District “the mecca of African-American entrepreneurship.” “Barry created the Black middle class in Washington,” Peebles said. “If it were not for him, I would not be the nation’s largest African-American real estate developer.” “People would do terrible things to him and he would forgive,” Cora Barry said. “He was not fake. He had a pure heart.” Social media provided another avenue for grievers to express their gratitude for Barry. The late mayor’s twitter account was transformed into a forum for remembrance.Barry’s public relations team constantly tweeted about various

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memorial services, retweeting reflective posts and quotes along with the coverage of his official funeral service.

After the five-hour memorial, a processional took Barry’s body to the Congressional Cemetery,

where he is interned. Auburn Mann contributed to this article

The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

Photos by J.D. Howard

The Rev. Jesse Jackson Flag draped coffin being removed by police honor guard

City Council group photograph The Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, pastor of the Empowerment Temple

The Rev. Zina Pierre, Temple of Praise

Attorney General Eric Holder

Tyrone Parker from Concerned Black Men

Cora Barry is escorted from the service

Clergy from near and far spoke about Barryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy

Marion Christopher Barry Jr., Mayor Marion Barry's son

The choir celebrated a life well lived

Worshippers of all ages, color and creed came in tribute

December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014, The Afro-American

NY Attorney General

Continued from A1

General Eric Holder. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman wants to take-over any New York cases involving police officers shooting a civilian. In a Dec. 8letter to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Schneiderman asked to investigate and prosecute New York’s police shooting cases. Under Executive Law, Section 63, Gov. Cuomo has the power to place the state’s Attorney General over any of New York’s District Attorneys on any criminal case. Under this authority, Schneiderman’s office could investigate any police shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian by-passing the local District Attorney. The local District Attorney’s office relies heavily on police to investigate, testify, and provide evidence in criminal cases. That working relationship has undermined public confidence in the District Attorney to prosecute police “especially in cases where homicide or other serious charges against the accused officer are not pursued or are dismissed prior to a trial by jury,” Attorney General Schneiderman wrote. In the police shooting death of Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Mo., the grand jury failed to indict police officer Darren Wilson. Instead of charging Wilson outright, St. Louis District Attorney Bob McCulloch convened a grand jury to decide if criminal charges should be brought against Wilson. In a move different from how he prosecutes other criminal

cases, McCulloch presented evidence for and against Officer Wilson. In the Eric Garner case, District Attorney Donovan chose a similar maneuver, presenting evidence for and against New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo. Presenting conflicting evidence to a grand jury undermines chances for an indictment. Additionally, assistant district attorneys working with McCulloch gave grand jurors an outdated copy of Missouri law. The outdated version stated that all was required for Officer Wilson to use deadly force against Michael Brown is a “reasonable belief” that there was a threat, as reported by Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC. The U.S. Supreme Court made clear in a 1985 Memphis police shooting case, Tennessee v. Garner, that an officer must show probable cause to support their belief that there was a threat. Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster admitted to O’Donnell that Missouri’s deadly force law was incorrectly given to the Darren Wilson grand jury. Confusion surrounding Missouri’s deadly force law may have led to the grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Wilson. Although Wilson testified before the grand jury for several hours he never explained or was asked by prosecutors the basis of his belief that Michael Brown, unarmed, could or would take his life. A grand jury only hears from the prosecutor and decides if there is probable cause that the suspect broke the law; if so, the suspect is indicted. The Fifth Amendment requires that either

a grand jury indict a suspect or that a District Attorney bring criminal charges against a suspect before a criminal trial can take place. Then, a criminal trial jury decides if a defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. A recent USAToday public opinion poll found 57 percent over 22 percent thought the grand jury in the Eric Garner case made the wrong decision in failing to bring charges against Pantaleo. In an interview on BET Networks, President Obama said that distrust between the Black community and police is “deeply rooted in our history” but things are better than in past generations. However, Ken Thompson, Brooklyn’s District Attorney, said he is “adamantly opposed” to the New York Attorney General taking over police shooting death cases. “No one is more committed to ensuring equal justice under law” in police shooting cases, he said. Thompson is Brooklyn’s first AfricanAmerican District Attorney. In the infamous 1964 Mississippi voting rights case involving murdered college students James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman, that state’s Attorney General took over the case when the local District Attorney failed to vigorously prosecute the Klansmen responsible for their deaths. Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association of New York City is opposed to the state taking over police shooting cases from the local district attorney. Lynch said, “There is absolutely no reason to alter the existing system.”

#CrimingWhileWhite

Continued from A1

privilege--Whites. “Arrested for DUI, cop took me to drive through ATM so I’d have money to bail myself out. #crimingwhilewhite,” wrote a Twitter user with the handle @Dr24hours. User Alex Halpern posted, “Played with realistic toy guns my entire childhood, wherever we wanted. #CrimingWhileWhite,” referencing the recent cop killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland. “I was 20. Stopped by cop at gas station. Under the influence & underage. He flirted with me then let me drive home. #CrimingWhileWhite,” tweeted Cassie Fox. “My 13yo son and his friends were loitering at Walgreens recently. Only his black friend got searched for shoplifting. ~ #CrimingWhileWhite,” wrote Dave Hoover. Howard University political analyst Michael Fauntroy said he doesn’t buy into the significance of this movement since it simply acknowledges an ugly and well-known reality. “I don’t think it is that big a deal because we already knew that. It is like acknowledging the sun is in the sky every morning,” he said. Hunt, the UCLA race relations expert said #CrimingWhileWhite help explain, for example, the disparate perceptions of the situation in Ferguson, Mo., where Darren Wilson, a White officer, was not charged for killing unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. “When you’re White you see the police as a force to protect and to serve. When you’re Black

you see the police as an occupying force,” he said. “We’re talking about divergent realities.” Acknowledging White privilege is “fundamental” to aligning those realities and fostering true racial reconcilation, Hunt added. “The problem is this nation has never really atoned for slavery or the oppression of Black, Brown and Native American people,” he said. “And until we atone for the past and acknowledge what’s happening in the present, I don’t think we’ll be on the same page; we’ll be talking past each other.” All the experts agree that this new tide of activism will mean nothing if the movement does not outlast the moment and translate into concrete change. “It is one thing to have the tools to engage, but ultimately, we need to have that activism result in change,” Fauntroy said. And it begins with activism at the ballot box in 2016, he added. “These troubling policies are there because officials put them in place. So – tweet of Cassie Fox we can’t change the policies without changing the officials.” Spence, however, said the new level of advocacy and outspokeness among the younger generation is, itself, a significant accomplishment. “We’re talking about tens of thousands of students across the country and hundreds of thousands of students around the world who now know there is a space to protest and that they don’t have to keep their mouth shut if they see something wrong,” he said. “I hope this leads to institutional change,” he added, “but even if it does not, this has been tremendous.”

“I was 20. Stopped by cop at gas station. Under the influence & underage. He flirted with me then let me drive home. #CrimingWhileWhite.”

Tosin Adegbola Beverly Carter George E. Curry Rev. Dr. Frances M. Draper Sean Evans Edward W. Gray

Christina Hamilton Carl Murphy Humphrey Rachael Murphy Humphrey Anthony Jones Jennifer Carter Jones Laura Murphy

Kevin Peck Charles Perkins Felicia H. Murphy-Phillips Vashti Jasmine Murphy Saint-Jean Rev. Alfred C.D. Vaughn

The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

Race for Bowserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ward 4 Seat Starts By James Wright Special to the AFRO The race for the Ward 4 D.C. Council seat that has been vacated by D.C. Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser has begun. There is a great deal of discussion regarding who should take her place. Bowser sent her formal letter of resignation to the D.C. Board of Elections on Dec. 2, with a Jan. 2, 2015 date of departure, when she is scheduled to take the mayoral oath. The elections board set an April 28, 2015 date for the special election in the ward. That is also the same date for the Ward 8 special election to fill out the rest of the late Marion Barryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s term on the council. Brandon Todd, a protĂŠgĂŠ of Bowserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, said that he will run for his mentorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to work hard,â&#x20AC;? Todd said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to knock on every door in Ward 4.â&#x20AC;? Bowser has endorsed Todd, saying on Dec. 4 that â&#x20AC;&#x153;heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to make a great council member.â&#x20AC;? Todd is a native of the District, a graduate of Eastern High School. He received his bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree from Bowie State University and an MBA from Trinity University. He worked with Bowser on her campaign for re-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to knock on every door in Ward 4.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Brandon Todd

AFRO File Photo

The Rev. Graylan Hagler is mulling over whether to run for Ward 4 council seat. election to the council in 2012, on her mayoral campaign, and in her council office. Todd is the president of the Ward 4 Democrats and sits on the D.C. Democratic State Committee. However, Todd is not the only announced candidate for the seat. Pedro Rubio, a former D.C. Council atlarge candidate in the April 1 primary, said he will run for Bowserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat. If he wins, Rubio will be the first Latino elected to the D.C. Council.

Rubioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s candidacy for the seat could be favorable because the ward is 19 percent Latino, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Neighboring Ward 1 has the highest percentage of Latinos with 21 percent. A.J. Cooper, a progressive activist who ran for the D.C. Council in 2012, was in the process of running for the Ward 4 seat when he passed away on Dec. 3. Leo Alexander would have supported Cooper in the special election but will now consider running for the council spot himself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have not made a final decision on whether I will run,â&#x20AC;? Alexander, who ran for mayor in 2010, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have had conversations with some people.â&#x20AC;? The Rev. Graylan Hagler, senior pastor of the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ who ran as an independent for a D.C. Council at-large seat, is looking at getting into the race. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am kicking it around and giving it

serious consideration,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The people of Washington need an advocate in the John A. Wilson Building. People of color need affordable housing in this city.â&#x20AC;? Hagler has not set a timetable for his decision. Candidate petitions were available starting Dec. 8. Candidates must get 500 signatures of the wardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s registered voters to appear on the ballot. The completed petitions are due on Jan. 28, 2015 at 5 p.m. Ward 4 D.C. Council members have played a key role in the development of the District and its politics. The first Ward 4 representative, Arrington Dixon, was later elected chairman of the D.C. Council and was the husband of Sharon Pratt, the first woman mayor of the city. Charlene Drew Jarvis was the Ward 4 representative from 1979-2001 and ran for mayor in 1982 and 1994. Adrian Fenty represented the ward from 2001-2007 and served as mayor from 2007-2011. Bowser was first elected to the council in 2007, taking Fentyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat, and won re-election bids in 2008 and 2012. When Bowser takes the oath of office, Ward 4 will have the distinction of having three living mayors, Pratt, Fenty and Bowser, as residents.

Ward 8 Commissioners Oppose Greenhouse Project By Jasmine Jackson Howard University News Service WASHINGTON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A plan to build a 120,000 square foot greenhouse in Southeast Washington that will produce one million pounds of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs annually ran into opposition recently from Ward 8 commissioners who say they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want the project in their community. The District of Columbiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of General Services (DGS) has signed a lease with BrightFarms Inc.,

a New York based company that builds greenhouses, to construct what the company says will be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most productive urban farm near the intersection of South Capitol Street and Southern Avenue. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2015. The BrightFarms Greenhouse Project is an initiatives of outgoing Mayor Vincent C. Gray to increase healthy food grown within the city. DGS, in coordination with the Department of Parks

and Recreation, negotiated a 10-year ground lease for a portion of the Oxon Run Park â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Eastover Site, located near the intersection of South Capitol Street and Southern Avenue where the greenhouse will be built. City officials said the project will create 100 construction jobs and 25 permanent jobs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The greenhouse farm project is consistent with our sustainable DC food goals,â&#x20AC;? Gray said in a statement when he announced the project in 2011. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This project not only adds two and a half acres of

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food-cultivating land within the District, but it helps put the city on the path to ensuring universal access to secure, nutritious and affordable food supplies.â&#x20AC;? BrightFarms is supposed to grow enough crops to meet the fresh-vegetable-consumption needs of up to 5,000 residents, create 25 full time green collar jobs, and facilitate more than 100 construction jobs. The company has built, or is building, farms in Bucks County, Pa.; Oklahoma City, St. Louis, New York City, Chicago, and Kansas City, Mo. BrightFarms will also be partnering with 32 Giant Food stores to provide fresh produce grown at the greenhouse. Seventy percent of the produce is to be bought by Giant Foods. The rest will go to other food markets, DGS officials said. During a recent Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting, Ward 8 residents and commissioners said that they do not want a greenhouse in their neighborhood, because

it will not provide enough benefits directly to people living in the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a disrespect to the community because the ANC has never heard about itâ&#x20AC;?, said Commissioner Olivia Henderson, who serves as the 8D02 commissioner for Ward 8. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have never received any of this information. You guys are starting this project, but the first public announcement was May 9, 2013.â&#x20AC;? ANC 8D commissioners said they are upset with the DGS for starting a project in their community without proper consent and notification. The commissioners said none of them received a letter of intent or notification of the project. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I contacted you spring 2013,â&#x20AC;? said Commissioner Absalom Jordan, who serves as the 8D03 commissioner of Ward 8. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You promised you would get back to me, and I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard from you since then.â&#x20AC;? Derek Davis, who owns a barbershop in Ward 8, said

he was also upset about the project. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It bothers me real bad as a resident, tax payer, and business owner that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anything about this project,â&#x20AC;? Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am opposed to it.â&#x20AC;? Thea Dyson, who serves as the 8D06 commissioner of Ward 8, said she thought the land could be used better. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why are we having someone come in for something we can do ourselves?â&#x20AC;? Dyson asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why give the food to Giant when we can give it to the residents for free? People here need the basics, food, water, and shelter. There are a lot of people that are hungry. At least third or half should be given to the residents.â&#x20AC;? Davis said that the Ward needs a senior wellness center more than it needs a greenhouse. Marc Chambers, associate director of the DGS, told those in opposition to the greenhouse that while the suggestions for other projects might be a good, they cost money, and no one had offered a plan of how they could be built.

reports on file as evidence against the property to begin a legal process against the property, Aniton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once we have the

If the owner agrees to cooperate and take the necessary steps to remedy the problem, the case is closed and considered successful. If

Petworth Residents

Continued from A1

If residents notice property in the neighborhood that would be considered a nuisance property, he said, they should call the police. Once a complaint is made, the investigation would begin, he told the more than 50 residents in attendance. Aniton stressed that although there may be suspicious activity going on in the community, the activity must be reported. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do [residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concerns] have to be an emergency [to call the police],â&#x20AC;? Brockington asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No,â&#x20AC;? Aniton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A call can be anything.â&#x20AC;? Police are first looking for evidence that the property has an adverse impact, Aniton and Carrington said. That evidence can include increased fear of residents in the area, increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic, increased police calls, bothersome solicitations, dangerous weapons displayed, investigative purchases, arrests at or near property, executed search warrants, and discharged firearms, they said. One or more of those conditions has to be present for the property to be considered to have an adverse impact on the community. First, there has to be a call for service, followed by a search warrant and arrest

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A nuisance property uses, sells, or reproduces drugs, keeps or stores firearms that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t registered, or engages or practices prostitution in any manner.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Michael Aniton evidence that shows that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an adverse property, then we can move forward,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can use that evidence to essentially bring a case against the property owner.â&#x20AC;? Aniton and Carrington said once there is enough evidence, a notice is sent to the property owner. The letter informs them that their property has been reported as a nuisance and asks what the owner plans to do to remedy the problem. Remedies include putting up fences, installing lights outside of the property, initiating an eviction process or the destruction of sheds. The owner then has 14 days to respond to the notice.

the owner does not respond or responds stating that he or she is not going to remedy the problem, a complaint is filed. The complaint turns into a criminal property case. The complaint asks the judge to order the owner to find and put in affect a solution the issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;An investigation can be from a month to a year or longer,â&#x20AC;? Aniton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a process,â&#x20AC;? Carrington added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three or four are agencies trying to combat the problem.â&#x20AC;? Aniton and Carrington said residents with concerns could email them at Michael. aniton@gmail.comor trena. carrington@usdoj.gov.

December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014 The Afro-American

EDITORIAL

The Drama Unfolding Around the Real Bill Cosby There are so, so, many women. They all tell similar horrifying stories of being drugged and sexually assaulted by Bill Cosby, a man who found fame and fortune playing a Black doctor with an upper class family on television nearly 30 years ago. The man he played—Cliff Huxtable—was a rarity on network television in those days. A Black man in a successful, happy, intact family was something to be pointed to with pride and admiration. He presented an ideal and made it seem attainable. And while in his later years Cosby has become equally known for his fatherly lectures to Black youth about pulling up

For Our Sons

their pants and staying in school, the values of Cliff Huxtable the father, have been a continuous positive reinforcement for our community through his TV re-runs. And now? The current number of women who say Bill Cosby drugged and raped them is somewhere around 20 (It is hard to pin down the exact number because some of them have chosen to remain anonymous). The assaults are alleged to have taken place in hotels, talk show dressing rooms, his home and various locales across the country. It may take a long time before we know what Cosby has actually done, if ever. Our image of Cosby has nevertheless been tarnished, not only by the magnitude of the alleged

occurrences, but also by the realization that the long held image of him being a Cliff Huxtable—like Black personality that has inspired generations of our community for years, has been nothing more then an act. Like many, it is hard for us to believe that everything we are hearing is true. However; as we continue to witness this unfortunate and often ugly drama unfold, of who the real Bill Cosby may be, we cannot help but feel sorrow for his real-life family and friends who, like the rest of us, are forced to come to grips with the possible realization that Cosby, the actor, has effectively played a convincing role and we, his audience, in addition to being entertained by him--have also sadly been mislead, and indeed tricked, by him.

COMMENTARY

In September of 1955 Mamie Till allowed Jet David Miller magazine to print the badly decomposed photo of her son Emmett Till on the front cover. Till’s image on the Jet cover sparked outrage across the United States. Many Americans asked the same questions we are asking today when faced with a multitude of cases over the past 20 years of unarmed Black men and boys being killed by the police and vigilantes. How can White America and the police take the life of an 11-year-old boy? Till was murdered by two well-known White male residents, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, in Money, Mississippi. Both were found not guilty of the kidnaping and murder of Till, a Chicago native. While Till’s death took place 60 years ago, his murder represents the same racial profiling and violence taking place today that impacts Black men and boys at the hands of police and vigilantes. The Staten Island District Attorney stunned a large segment of the country, Dec. 3, when he announced that a Grand Jury opted not to indict New York police officer Daniel Pantoleo for choking Eric Garner to death. Garner’s death was captured on film by a local bystander. Within hours of the murder, the video-recorded execution went viral on social media platforms. Millions of Americans watched Garner—a 43-year-old father of six—beg for his life on film. Garner uttered, “I can’t breathe.” He cried out eleven times while being choked to death by the very people we expect to protect and serve citizens. Brown and Garner are now added to a long list of unarmed Black males who have fallen victim to police brutality. John Crawford of Ohio, Ezell Ford of Los Angeles, and Dante Parker of Victorville, Calif. are just a few of the Black men who have been killed by the police but have not received a great deal of media attention over the last several months. With President Barack Obama hailing as the first AfricanAmerican in the White House, with Eric Holder the first African-American Attorney General and more AfricanAmerican elected officials than we have ever had, there is still a culture of aggressive policing that victimizes our sons, grandsons, husbands and neighbors in the African-American community. These ongoing incidents across the country speak to larger

societal issues related to race in America. It is like a never-ending bad nightmare that unarmed Black men and boys are still subjected to the unconscionable conduct of the police that results in death on video in 2014. The deaths of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis illustrate a clear pattern of bias and a failure to recognize young Black males as human beings who contribute daily to society. The issue for me is far greater and more complex than simply outfitting officers with body cameras or increasing training for officers. The issue of unarmed Black men being killed is morally wrong and cannot be addressed solely by legislative mandates. As a Black father, I expect police officers and American society to recognize the “humanity” of my son and other Black men and boys. In interviews with Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, he referred to the 18-year-old Black male as a “demon” and a “monster.” Wilson’s characterization sheds light on the lens through which many White Americans view young Black males. While most police officers are decent hard-working men and women, all too often young Black males are confronted by police officers who are already intimidated by Black males. Many times the fear that police have of Black males leads to unlawful arrests, brutality and even murder. Much discussion will occur over the next few months and years regarding civilian review boards and body cameras. However, it is imperative to elevate the conversation to ensure that America realizes that “Black lives matter.” Each of these

incidents should be a wake-up call for parents, community leaders, clergy and other organizations concerned about children. Finally, the following are three actions steps for Black parents: 1. Talk with children about encounters with the police 2. Identify opportunities to watch the news and discuss incidents of police brutality and vigilante acts in real time. 3. Assure your children that they are safe and give them an opportunity to communicate when they do not feel comfortable about what they hear on the news or witness in the community. David Miller is a husband, father and author of several books including “Dare To Be King: What If the Prince Lives? A Survival Workbook for African American Males.

Baltimore Lessons to be Learned from Ferguson and Brooklyn Baltimore City continues to engage its citizens in dialogue about the civil treatment of it residents. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake has taken some bold steps to elevate the distrust of citizens of the police. The recent curfew statute that went into effect in the City this year was rolled out with a great deal of community input and awareness. In every councilmatic district, community forums were held to enlighten members of the community of its impact. With the recent national events involving law enforcement and their negligence pertaining to the protection of citizens and their rights, it is important that Baltimore City bands together to put an end to such unfortunate circumstances in our city. With this, we must work as a unit to ensure that our citizens are aware of the rights they are entitled to and we must hold law enforcement to high standards trusting that they are here to protect and serve while still holding them accountable for their actions knowing that they have received adequate training to deal with the most challenging circumstances. The Issue: 1. Overall lack of legal transparency on the part of law enforcement in these cases. • This results in difficulty finding legal and just responses to arrest-related deaths. • According to a Supreme Court Ruling of 1989 the test of excessive legal force is whether the police officer “reasonably” believed that the force used was “necessary.” These terms are clearly subjective and in fact each of the 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S set their own standards of

J. Howard Henderson

what they considered “reasonable and necessary.” • Additionally, the exact statistics on arrest-related deaths is unclear because it is self- reported by law enforcement agencies. The FBI reports that there are about 400 deaths per year nationwide while private researchers and journalists report closer to 1000 per year nationwide. In fact the Department of Justice stopped publicly releasing statistics on arrest-related deaths after 2009. In addition, While Congress required in 1994 the Attorney General to acquire data about the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers and publish it yearly, this has not happened regularly. Solution • One proposed solution is the use of body cams on police officers. In the town of Rialto, Calif., body cams were introduced in February 2012 and in the first year complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent and the use of force fell by 60 percent. We know that Baltimore is a much more populous city; however, body cams are still a preventative and legal tool. Some opponents of body cams have cited cost as a concern; however, when taking the total cost of lawsuits and legal fees into consideration cameras will pay for themselves in about two years. Baltimore City citizens have paid $11.5 million (from 102 civil suits) over the past four years on lawsuits and legal fees for law enforcement; that is an average of $2.8 million a year. In addition to the $11.5 million from taxpayers’ funds, the police department paid $285,000 to a consultant who ultimately recommended that Commissioner Anthony Batts begin a body cam trial here in Baltimore City. When adding actual figures, the body cams will cost $2.7 million for all officers (that’s $900 per cam for 3000 officers);

with that the body cams will pay for themselves rapidly. • Another solution is additional quality police training through partnerships with organizations outside of BCPD. An example of this is Behavioral Emergency Service Team (BEST), which was incorporated into Police Academy Training in 2010, and recently expanded its services to precincts and additional law enforcement this year. BEST trains officers to respond accordingly and appropriately to individuals with mental health issues and refer them to appropriate extensive services after initial intervention with law enforcement. This will in turn decrease the likelihood of an unfortunate incident because these police are trained to be compassionate and resourceful to a certain group rather than generalize them and act out of reflex. This is a primarily new program that should be impactful in the long run if efficiently operated. • Overall a solution that will be very impactful is to update and implement policies and laws that mandate the transparency and accountability of law enforcement. The citizen review board needs to have more powers to enforce its mandate. It has become apparent that while there are laws demanding police be responsible and honest by asking they report incidents and allowing them to self-report, it is obviously not fulfilled regularly. Baltimore we can do better and must; the civil rights of all our citizens are to be protected. We are still a nation of laws even if we are not at the point of a post racial society. J. Howard Henderson is president and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Urban League.

The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

Diversity Urged to Break through Green Ceiling Environmental Sector By Shantella Sherman Special to the AFRO Green 2.0 recently announced the findings of a report commissioned to determine the level of diversity within the environmental sector. Directed by University of Michigan professor Dorceta Taylor, “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations: Mainstream NGOs, Foundations & Government Agencies, found the overwhelming disparities exist between increased racial diversity and the racial

composition of environmental organizations and agencies. Equally important, despite the historical links between African Americans and a deliberate posture of environmentalism (recycling, fighting against air, water, and building hazards including lead), racially, they remain among the most negatively impacted by environmental hazards. Gina McCarthy, administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that while the EPA continues to make set mandates for ozone standards, clean water and air, time has ripened for more a more inclusionary environmental workforce. “It is important for EPA reflect broad interests across every community. It is essential for us to have a diverse workforce because our job is to protect clean air, clean water and providing healthy land for every American. But whether it is dangerous smog that causes asthma attacks in one out of ten kids or one out of five kinds in some communities, or toxic chemicals that are shutting down our water supplies or common pollutants that are causing changes in the climate, it is a risk to every community in the United States,” McCarthy said. Citing the worst affected communities by environmental toxins as low-income and those of color, McCarthy said the imperative is to get the rubber to meet the road and engage these very Americans to ensure better results. “We want to protect the public health in every community, but we have our hands tied behind our backs if we do not have a more diverse workforce. Our leadership must reflect the communities that we serve. We have to engage a broader constituency of stakeholders to invest in the work we have to do, so states need more diversity, local communities, and tribes and across the administration – and everyone in our workforce has to have the opportunity to become a leader of those agencies,” McCarthy said. While people of color constitute 36 percent of the U.S. population, and comprise 29 percent of the science and engineering workforce, they do not exceed 16 percent of the staff in any of the organization surveyed by Green 2.0 research. Similarly, the study found that people of color supported environmental protection at a higher rate than whites; however, environmental organizations are not adequately

reaching out to organizations representing people of color or their communities. This failure is believed to be rooted in unconscious bias, discrimination, and insular recruiting within these organizations. Recruitment and retention are only part of the job though. As many find, the “green ceiling” often functions in such a manner as to make even the most seasoned minority professional feel left out, marginalized, or unimportant in core decision-making. Mark Magana, founding president and CEO of Green Latinos founded the organization in direct response to fellow Latino environmental professionals leaving the field due to a lack of inclusion and corporate support. “The lack of a sense of diversity has an impact on organizations and how capable they are of doing outreach and how capable they are of hearing diverse points of view and having it improve the work that they do,” Magana said. “This is not a spanking, this is not a lecture. We are a family. This is an ‘eat your vegetables’ moment so we will grow big and strong together.” But while diversity has become a buzz word for racial inclusion, it also come to represent a kind of –Gina McCarthy has “forced march” for many businesses who wish to maintain conservative – white, male, and Midwestern -- levels of social familiarity. Minority recruits are often socially segregated within the space for the very diversity needed to get the job done. They either endure, or many cases, quit. The resulting assembly-line diversity, inhibits real growth and stymies true solutions to issues directly impacting minority communities. Roger-Mark DeSouza, director, Population, Environmental Security & Resilience, Wilson Center believes that young people, especially those with global perspectives embody the true grit of future environmental sector leadership. “When I speak to young Americans, they get it. Our young people tell me that they want a meaningful career in the environmental movement and that movement needs to ensure that they can be heard, they can be represented, and it needs to be connected globally,” DeSouza said. “These are our young community organizers, engineers, natural scientists, and I think this what we are talking about today, getting back to basics. It’s not just for us in the United States, that difference makes all the difference.”

“It is important for EPA reflect broad interests across every community. It is essential for us to have a diverse workforce because our job is to protect clean air, clean water and providing healthy land for every American.”

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December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014, The Afro-American

Katie Whitley, Debbie Davis, Sandra Kelly, Ida Singleton, Juella Young and Juanita Goudy

Maureen Barnes (seated), Patsy Jenkins, Judy Walton, Bobbi Polston and Tonya Winston; Patricia Hill Cherry (standing), Joan Stanard, Mary Michael and Spurgeon Stanard

Bethune/Height Achievers: Eleanor Thompson, Pamela Queen, Juanita Goudy, Connie Blake, Claudine Wiley, Sheryl Saunders, Carolyn Fisher and New Life Member, Theola Myo Khin

Reaching Out to the Community The Montgomery County, Md. Section of the National Sandra Kelly and Community Delores Nichols, Earldine Council of Negro Women (NCNW) hosted its annual fundService Award winner Tina Fisher, Maxine Jenkins, Monica raiser Inspirational Brunch on November 8 at the Hilton Frundt , founder/CEO of Baltimore and Bridget Jackson Washington DC/Rockville Hotel. Rev. Dr. Duane T. Kay, Courtney’s House Pat Grant Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of North Brentwood Maryland, delivered a speech that set an inspirational tone for The brunch’s theme “A Life of Faith & Service.” Community Service Awards were presented to the minister of outreach for Rev. Matthew L. Wadley, Pastor, Reid Temple, North Campus, Silver Spring, Md. and Tina Fundt, Courtney House, Washington, DC. Proceeds from this popular event will be used to support some of the Section’s many community projects, food Anne drives, health fairs, senior citizens, people-in-crisis OheneRev. Terrance and our Female Achievers Maintaining Excellence twun McKinley Leonard Young, Kenneth (FAME) Youth Section. Thanks to the section Stanard, Spurgeon Stanard, president, Juanita Goudy and the Ways and guest speaker Rev. Dr. Duane T. Means Committee, chaired by Janice Kay and Jim Offord Jeter for an enjoyable and spirit Joan Stanard and Mary Michael filled event.

Photos by Rob Roberts

Janice Jeter, Eleanor Thompson and Katie Whitley

STEM awardee Joseph Plummer of the DC STEM Fair

Rev. Dr. Duane T. Kay, Janice Jeter (far left and second to left), Pat Grant and Jennifer Washington (second to right and far right) with guests

Pamela Queen and Josephine Thomas

Members of Kappa Alpha Psi congratulate their award finalists Davey Yarborough, Rev. Jonathan Newton, and Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley

Honorary Event Chair Salaam Coleman Smith, AKA North Atlantic Regional Director Meredith L. Henderson, Cathy Hughes, Xi Omega President Dr. Lavdena Orr, and guest emcee WHUR radio personality Taylor Thomas

Alpha Kappa Alpha members enjoy the pre-event reception with honoree Cathy Hughes

Philanthropy awardee Thomas Raffa, President and CEO of Raffa PC

PEARLS Awards finalists pose with Xi Omega President Dr. Lavdena Orr and event chairs at the pre-event reception

The Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) honored Radio One and TV One Founder Cathy Hughes and other community leaders at their inaugural PEARLS Awards held on November 21 at the historic Howard Theatre. The event was a scholarship fundraiser held in support of Xi Omega’s charitable arm, the Pearl and Ivy Foundation (PIEF). In 2014, PIEF awarded more than $44,000 in scholarships to deserving DC-area students. Hughes, an Honorary AKA member, received the distinguished “Illustrious PEARL” Award for her many philanthropic endeavors and unwavering commitment to social justice and human rights. ABC Family ABC Disney Group Executive Vice President Salaam Coleman Smith, a DC-area native and AKA member, was the Honorary Event Chair and WHUR radio personality Taylor Thomas served as guest emcee for the evening. Local community leaders were recognized for demonstrating excellence in the areas of philanthropy, education, arts, religion, leadership, and STEM fields. Special guests included AKA North Atlantic Regional Director Meredith L. Henderson. Awardees were: Thomas Raffa, President and CEO of Raffa PC; Davey Yarborough, musician and educator; A. Toni Lewis, FAME Founder and Executive Director; Rev. Jonathan Newton, Executive Minister of Metroplitan AME Church; Carrie Thornhill, community economic developer; and Joseph Plummer and James Rountree of the DC STEM Fair.

Xi Omega Fundraising Chair Comelia Sanford and Event Chair Shelly Vanderpool Jackson

Arts awardee A. Toni Lewis, FAME Founder and Executive Director

Education awardee Davey Yarborough, educator and musician

Religion awardee Rev. Jonathan Newton, Executive Minister of Metropolitan AME Church Leadership awardee Carrie Thornhill, community economic developer

PEARLS Awards committee members pose with honoree Cathy Hughes

Xi Omega President Dr. Lavdena Orr is flanked by representatives from the Comcast Foundation, event corporate sponsors Courtesy Photos

The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

A Grateful Nation? The Doris Miller Story

Honolulu was dressed for Sunday, all sparkling and bright. KGU radio was playing Glenn Miller’s “Sunrise Serenade” as people rushed off to church, praying that yesterday’s Honolulu Advertiser newspaper, (Dec 6, 1941) was wrong . . .warning of an attack from Japan. Sunday morning breakfast in the all-white officers’ wardroom on board the West Virginia was being served by the “colored messmen” later than usual; as it was on all of the other 150 ships stationed at Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, due to the lavish party at the Officers’ club the night before. For Doris, Zoilo, Ignacio and William Jeremiah Powell while serving breakfast that morning, never dreamed that day in 1941, was the time for them to be a hero.

By MarshaRose Joyner Special to the AFRO J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI, considered that the Black newspapers’ reports about World War II and Jim Crow laws treason against the government. He tried to sue the Black press to shut them down and stop them from maintaining the truth about discrimination among the troops and at home. John Sengstacke, new publisher for the Chicago Defender, heard of his intentions, and demanded to speak with Attorney General Francis Biddle. Sengstacke convinced Biddle that it was just the job of the Black press to report the truth, and Biddle agreed to stop Hoover’s efforts against the newspapers. As a result, the Black press stayed in business, and over two million readers were supporting it by the end of the War in 1945. Therefore, I feel it is my duty to continue telling this story in the AFRO-American Newspaper.

Haunauma Bay

day in December, 1941 they stepped up to the mission so boldly, please tell me now what were their names? For those of you who know how much I like to tell stories from the backroads of MarshaRose Joyner Americana, this is especially interesting, one December 7, 2014 that the press will not tell you. Who were these Black men and what were their names? There were times when I would drive to Ford Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor at dawn to listen for the sounds of the spirits that still haunt the location of the first strike of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and make friends with some of the survivors. Therefore so much of this story is first hand. The sun rose early peeping over Koko Crater, with its light barely reaching toward Diamond Head, turning the lush black mountains to green, and casting shadows over Honolulu. Sunrise is always beautiful in What were their names, tell me, what were Hawai`i. The rays danced on the ocean like their names? Did you have a father, friend or flakes of gold. The balmy breezes blowing brother on those ships? Tell me what were gently against your skin, pushed waves their names? gently to shore, Malolo skimming across the They wore the blue and white, with its ocean acting more like birds than fish and the thirteen buttons, so gallantly, they flew the dolphins played tag with the early morning stars and stripes so proudly. On that fateful fishermen’s catch. GSUSA-Boots Wash Afro 5.68 x 10-V3_GSUSA-Boots-Wash Afro 5.68x10 11/21/14 9:01 AM Page 1

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL. TIME TO GET INSIGHTFUL.

Officers mess on a cruiser, World War II

Doris Miller Stationed at Pearl Harbor in the winter was a blessing, he joked with his family back home in Waco. There had been rumors of war with Japan since 1931, but no one in America really believed it, especially Dorie. World War II Messman Attendant Second Class Doris Miller’s acts of valor at Pearl Harbor on the opening day of the War made him a hero of epic proportions. Miller, knowing of the racial limitations, joined the Navy on Sept. 16, 1939, saying “it beats sitting around Waco working as a bus boy, going nowhere.” World War II non-white sailors were stripped of their dignity, their “somebodyness.” Regardless of their education they were expected to be messmen, stewards and cabin boys, not trained for combat. They did not even wear the traditional anchor on their uniforms. Secretary of the Navy (Colonel) Frank Knox, (former publisher of the Chicago Daily News and the 1936 G.O.P. vicepresidential nominee) wrote “the policy of not enlisting men of the colored races for any branch of the naval service but the Messman branch was adopted to meet the best interests of general ship efficiency.” Leaving home on the “back of the bus” for the recruiting station in Dallas and on the segregated “Super Chief” train, heading for training at the Messman School in Norfolk Virginia; Doris was assigned to duty on the “battlewagon” Battleship USS West Virginia. He fully expected to find “paradise’ when, in the spring of 1941, when the ship’s homeport was changed from California to the Hawaiian Islands. Instead he found more segregation in Hawai`i. All of the clubs played “jazz” and other Black music but only three bars in Honolulu’s Chinatown allowed African-American service men. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel was “off limits” to “Colored” service personnel with rolls and rolls of barbed wire planted in the beach in Waikiki was for white servicemen only. While a train ride along the Wai`anae coast was beautiful, the native Hawaiians warm and friendly. Blacks or Hawaiians could not venture beyond Wailupe Circle going east. 1940 Hawaii was a colonial society. The white elites in league with the U.S. Navy had ruled completely since 1893 when they engineered the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy. More of the story in Arts and Culture on Afro.com and in next week’s paper.

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Barbed wire lined beaches of Waikiki to protect against seaborne invasions.

December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014, The Afro-American

ARTS & CULTURE

The Walls Group Gets Grammy Nod for Best Gospel Performance for ‘Love on the Radio’ “Love on the Radio” is the second single from The Walls Group’s #1 debut album, FAST FORWARD

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced, Dec. 5, The Walls Group’s first Grammy nomination: Best Gospel Performance/Song for “Love on The Radio,” written by multiple Grammy-Award-winner Kirk Franklin. “Love On The Radio” spent 17 weeks on the Gospel Radio Chart and peaked at an impressive #9 position. “This is a special day for me and the entire Fo Yo Soul Recordings/RCA family,” said Kirk Franklin. “We are thrilled about receiving this Grammy nomination for our first signed artist, The Walls Group. I’m feeling like a proud father today!” FAST FORWARD, the critically acclaimed album by The Walls Group, debuted at #1 on the Gospel Album Sales Chart, Billboard’s Top Christian/Gospel Albums Chart, iTunes Christian & Gospel chart, and Amazon’s Gospel chart. Executive produced by multi-platinum gospel star Kirk Franklin, FAST FORWARD features 10 tracks of modern, up-beat and progressive music with strong gospel influences. FAST FORWARD is available everywhere music is sold. Inspired by the group’s multi-generational appeal, Franklin wrote and produced 8 of the album’s 10 songs and appears on the compelling track, “Beautiful.” Eldest member of the group,

Darrel also showcased his pen, writing two tracks featured on the project, “Great Is Your Love” and “Freedom.” The album includes power collaborations with R&B artist Brandy on “God On My Mind,” and popular Christian rapper Lecrae on “High.” The talented Houston-based siblings, Ahjah (17), Paco (18), Rhea (19) and Darrel (23) have been on the fast track to success that includes going on a national House of Blues tour with gospel phenom, Tye Tribbett, performing as BET Music Matter’s artists on 106 & PARK, and debuting a #1 selling album that received over a million streams on Spotify—but the group remains humble. The whole group co-signs the soulsearching single “Satisfied,” saying it reminds them to keep their eyes on the true prize.

Courtesy Photo

The Walls Group’s “Love on the Radio” was written by Kirk Franklin.

Opening the Genealogy Flood-‘Gates’ Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. The “Finding Your Roots: Season Two” Interview with Kam Williams Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African-American Research at Harvard University. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder, Professor Gates has authored 17 books and created 14 documentary films, including Finding Your Roots, season two, now airing on PBS. His 6-part PBS documentary series, The African-Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (2013), which he wrote, executive produced, and hosted, earned the Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Program—Long Form, as well as the Peabody and NAACP Image Awards. Having written for such leading publications as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and Time, Dr. Gates now serves as editor-in-chief of TheRoot.com, while overseeing the Oxford African-American Studies Center, the first comprehensive scholarly online resource in the field. Professor Gates’ latest book is Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, released by the University of North Carolina Press in 2014. Here, he talks about Finding Your Roots: Season Two, now available on DVD. Kam Williams: Hi, Dr. Gates, how are you? Henry Louis Gates: Everything’s a little crazy around here, because I’m trying to get out of town. But otherwise, I’m doing very well, Kam. How are you? KW: Great, thanks. So, where are you headed? HLG: We’re going to South Africa for a couple weeks where I’ll be getting an honorary degree from the University of Cape Town. KW: Congratulations! HLG: Thank you! KW: And congrats on another fascinating season of Finding Your Roots. How did you pick the luminaries to invite to participate in the project? Did you already have an idea that they might have an interesting genealogy? HLG: No, we picked them cold. I have a wonderful team of

producers. To tell you the truth, first, we just fantasize. Then, we sit down in my house with a big peg board with the names of all the people who said “Yes.” So, we never know who we are going to get in advance. KW: How do you settle on the theme of each episode? For instance, you did the one on athletes with Derek Jeter, Billie Jean King and Rebecca Lobo, and the one on chefs with Tom Colicchio, Aaron Sanchez and Ming Tsai. HLG: Usually, we first do the research and film everybody, and then organize the episodes internally. For instance, Episode One was called, “In Search of Our Fathers.” You might wonder, what does Stephen King have in common with Courtney B. Vance? Well, Stephen King’s father left when he was 2, and Courtney never knew his father. He was put up for adoption. And frankly, that’s my favorite kind of story, when it’s counterintuitive. That’s why we’ve organized the episodes around those two principles. KW: Environmental activist Grace Sinden says: The subject of our roots is fascinating, as shown in your television program on PBS. I’m wondering what you found to be the singularly, most-interesting discovery in your research for Finding Your Roots 2? HLG: That’s tough to say, because each story has something dramatic and interesting. Take when Ming Tsai’s grandfather fled China after the revolution, all he took besides the clothes on his back was one book, the book

For more information and the latest news on The Walls Group, also visit: Website: http://www.thewallsgroupmusic.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Wall2WallEntertainment Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheWallsGroup Instagram: http://instagram.com/thewallsgroup

containing his family’s genealogy. Isn’t that amazing? He was willing to flee to a whole new world, learn a new language, and start over in a new culture only if he had his family tree with him. That’s heavy, man! It’s like he was saying, “I can do anything, as long as I have my ancestors with me.” I really admire that. And consequently, we were able to trace Ming’s ancestry back to his 116th great-grandfather. KW: Whose roots were you able to trace back the farthest? HLG: Ming Tsai’s, without a doubt. We’ve traced several people back to Charlemagne, but Ming’s goes back to B.C., because of the Chinese penchant for keeping fantastic genealogical records. See more on afro.com

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The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff

SPORTS

Are the Wizards for Real? By Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley Special to AFRO After a 4-0 week and some impressive wins, the Washington Wizards are starting to look like a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. At 13-5, Washington currently stands second in the Eastern playoff picture. The team has gotten some of its players back from injury and the healthy bodies, along with some stronger depth, are making the Wizards a savvy and deep team. John Wall and Bradley Beal have been deeply in sync over the last few games and the upbeat play has had a trickle down effect. But how good is this year’s Washington team, and is it safe to say the Wizards are a true contender in the LeBron-favored East? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley of the AFRO Sports Desk debate the question. Riley: Washington fans have been hoping for some excitement since the Gilbert Arenas days, and this year’s team is already a better outfit than the surrounding cast in the Agent Zero era. Wall and Beal set the fast pace for which the Wizards is known, and the inside contributions – starting with center Marcin Gortat – has this team looking flat out scary. Both Wall and Beal are playing at All-Star levels, and there isn’t a team in the East – and perhaps the entire NBA – that has a backcourt as talented as the group running around D.C. The Cleveland Cavaliers are rounding into shape, and the Toronto Raptors may be the deepest team in the Association, but Washington deserves some credit. They play aggressive defense, they run in the open court and they can score with the great teams. The Wizards don’t have to be a favorite, but they’re definitely a contender. Green: A true contender has either one player or some aspect that other teams simply can’t match. The Cavs have James, the Chicago Bulls have Derrick Rose and the Raptors play terrific team ball. If the playoffs started today and I had to pick Washington against the likes of Cleveland, Chicago or Toronto, I actually would do it. I need to see more out of Wall’s jump shot, and I would like to see both Beal and the oft-injured Nene string a couple of healthy games together consistently, but I really like what I see from this Wizards team. In my opinion, they’re the best team in the East. They have the most physical and most skilled frontcourt in their conference, and Wall is the real deal at point guard. You throw in Paul Pierce, a true champion veteran, and then add a great shooter in Beal into the mix and the formula may lead to a NBA Finals appearance. Riley: The addition of Paul Pierce was designed to take the scoring pressure off of Wall, and as long as Pierce can stay healthy then the Wizards will have a proven clutch scorer come playoff time. Wall does need to become more of a dominant scorer but he’s doing fine being the

makes a winning move! Effective Monday, December 15, 2014 DC Lottery headquarters, including the Claim Center, will be located at 2235 Shannon Place, SE Washington, DC 20020

defensive pest and fast-break leader that he is. He’s clearly the engine revving this team, and the abundance of scorers on this team are going to allow Wall a chance to play the point guard role without worrying about being the offensive savior that most No. 1 picks have to be. And while Wall may not be evolving as a scorer, Beal is quietly becoming one of the more productive scorers in the league. Beal’s the true offensive juggernaut on this team and he’s only getting better. Pierce and the insertion of Kris Humphries are helping take this team to the next level. They’re deep, talented and well-coached. A perfect recipe for a deep playoff run. Green: There’s talent everywhere on the Wizards’ roster but it’s still void of a closer. Pierce can still play, but at age 37, relying on him to shift pressure off of Wall is a scary plan. Cleveland, Chicago and Toronto may still have the better rosters, and the Raptors and Cavaliers won their last games against Washington by a combined 45 points, but I blame that on Nene’s absence. That’s truly the key to Washington success – can they all remain healthy throughout an 82-game season and into the postseason? Nene probably won’t, and Paul Pierce is old and may go missing, too. Beal is a young gunner but he’s been injury-riddled as well. So, I say again, it all depends on health. If this team stays together, go ahead and jot them into a Finals appearance. They’re that good when they’re all playing. But if one of the pieces go missing, everything changes for this Wizards team.

‘More of the Same’ A few days ago I had a conversation with my toughest critic of 47 years. I was wondering if the theme of my most recent efforts may start to get boring to the readers. My instructions were to keep the flow going because most of the news had been reported and the public was up to speed, but the interesting things in Sam’s life were fresh and readable. According to my critic, AFRO Publisher Jake Oliver will pick up the phone and tell me, “Enough!” when the saga of Sam has run its course. In my last effort, I gave you a look at the tender side of Sam. This week I am going to explore a side I find amusing that describes his general outlook perfectly. Sam was a humanitarian, but there were some things he just didn’t let ruffle his feathers or disturb the “Force” around him. As a kid, I discovered I had inherited the hustle gene that was responsible for Sam picking his path to the future. He would shag fly balls at Griffith Stadium (home of the Washington Senators at the time) and go for errands for the ball players. These activities were in the interest of his pursuit of a buck. However, this also led him to wonder why some of the Negro players with more talent weren’t playing in the White leagues. What started out as a quest for another nickel led him to a quest for equality for colored players. My hustle gene led me to the collection of newspapers. In the 1940s, there was a premium on tin cans and newspapers. I would scrounge up all of the papers I could find, and take them to the junk yard. On a good day, I could make as much as a buck. With a load that big, my tired little wagon was really put to the test. One trip left me gazing at a broken wheel and dealing with frustration. A buddy of mine lived in a house a few yards from my calamity, so I went to borrow a hammer. I can’t tell you what I thought I was going to do with a hammer, but his pop seeing my distress called my pop. Sam arrived, transferred my papers from the wagon to his car, and I could only look out the back window at my tired little wagon as we drove off into the sunset. I had no idea at the time, but this set the tone for things to come. As a young adult, I enjoyed bonding with my pop on the golf course. We would lug our bags over the hilly terrain of Rock Creek Golf Course and come just short of passing out at the end of the round. Top Value Stamps (you fill a book and turn it in for merchandise) were popular at the time. Sam and I saved enough stamps to purchase pull carts. We would load our bags on the carts from week to week and enjoy our round of golf without the fatigue interfering with our bonding. Soon came the day when the carts were getting a little too rickety to handle the load. Sam unloaded the bags and tossed the carts into the woods. I looked back as we walked away and visions of my wagon danced before my eyes. A few weeks later the prospect of shouldering his bag around the course turned out to not be an option for Sam. His answer to the problem was to rent an electric cart to ride. We were tooling along having a grand ole time when the cart hit a slippery spot and flipped. We were able to bail out, but we were staring at an upside down golf cart. As I prepared to try and turn the cart over, I saw Sam gather his bag and head for the next hole. All I could think of was, “Another one bites the dust.” I guess Sam’s philosophy was, “If you are coming along, you have got to carry your weight.”

Claim Center will close at noon on Friday, 12/12 and reopen at noon on Monday, 12/15.

Howard University Basketball--Men

The office’s main number 202-645-8000 and 24-hour Lot-line 202-678-3333 will not change.

Howard Beats N.C. A&T at Home in MEAC Opening Weekend

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By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor Junior guard James Carlton posted a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Howard University Bison to a 54-47 win over the North Carolina A&T Aggies in the first MidEastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) action for both teams on Dec. 6 at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C. The win advanced Howard to a 5-4 overall record after they won half of their non-conference schedule during the first eight games of the season. Howard took a 28-23 lead into halftime and held tight to the lead for the victory. The Bison are usually led by top scoring guard James Daniel III, who averaged 21 points per game as a freshman last season. But N.C. A&T did a decent job of containing the now-sophomore shooter, holding him to just four points on 1-of-10 shots made from the field, 0-of-6 from the threepoint line. Instead, it was Carlton and sophomore guard James Miller who did all of the scoring for Howard, as Miller led all Bison with 17 points. No other player for Howard scored double digits in points, but no more was needed as N.C. A&T struggled to score itself, as Aggies junior forward Bruce Beckford was the only player for his team to score double digits with a game-high 19 points. The loss dropped the Aggies to 1-8 overall, 0-1 MEAC on the season. Next: Following a Sunday home matchup against MEAC opponent North Carolina Central, Howard travels to Richmond, Va., to take on the Richmond Spiders on Dec. 13, followed by another non-conference game against Indiana University-Purdue University-Indiana (IUPUI) on Dec. 15 back at the Burr in D.C.

December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014, The Afro-American

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Washington D.C. Free Holiday Cab Rides

Combating that time of year classified by U.S. Government officials as “especially dangerous due to holiday celebrations and frequent parties,” a local nonprofit organization announced today that free cab rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the District of Columbia during the winter holidays. The rides are offered by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the annual Holiday SoberRide program will operate between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each evening from Dec. 12 to Jan. 1 as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk, holiday period. During the evening hours, between Dec. 12 and Jan. 1, Washington-metropolitan area residents celebrating with alcohol may call the toll-free SoberRide phone number 1–800–200–TAXI and be afforded a no-cost (up to $ 30 fare), safe way home. (AT&T wireless users can dial #WRAP for the same service).

‘Mayor for Life: The Untold Story’

In memory of the recently deceased four-term Mayor and four-term Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, Jr., the Anacostia Playhouse will host two paywhat-you-can performances of Mayor For Life: The Untold Story on Dec. 15. The first showing will start at 6:15 p.m. A discussion will follow each performance. In an ode to Marion Barry’s legacy as an advocate and supporter of the arts throughout his decades of public service and Anacostia’s emergence as an arts district in recent years the staging of this play is only right and proper. The one-man, 35 minute, play takes the viewer into the mind of Ezekiel, a vendor

for Street Sense who vividly recalls his personal memories of “Marion B,” for an impromptu downtown audience. The character laments the irreplaceable void in District life the passing of the “Mayor for Life” leaves while retelling his own experiences witnessing up close and personal the highs and lows of Marion Barry’s folkloric public career.

Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, Live

Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, winners of FOX’s So You Can Dance crew battle, and viral videos (A Tap Salute to Beyoncé) are headed to the nation’s capital for a one night only concert Dec. 19 at The Howard Theatre located at 620 T Street N.W. Tickets are on sale now on ticketmaster.com. For more information, please visit www. syncopatedladies.com.

Germantown, Md. Blackrock Center for the Arts Holiday Performance

BlackRock Center for the Arts will present a holiday performance that is perfect for families, theatre-lovers, music-lovers, and those who want to get up and dance. The BlackRock Center is located at 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, Md. The first performance is the Holiday Swing Dance Party with live music Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.

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TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 12/5, 12/12, 12/19/14

TRUE TEST COPY

TYPESET: Tue Dec 02 14:18:51 ESTCourt 2014of Superior Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1214 Susie Ann Steward Decedent Jeremy D. Rachlin, Esq 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 800 Bethesda, MD 20814 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Robert Lee Stewart, whose address is 235 15th St. SE, Washington, DC 20003 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Susie Ann Steward , who died on May 26, 2014 without a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 5, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 5, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: December 5, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Robert Lee Stewart Personal Representative

the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM719 Evelyn DeBoeck Decedent Norman Schneider Kamerow Law Firm, 5001 Seminary RD, Suite 110 Alexandria, VA 22311 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS April Land, whose address is 816 Hermosa Dr NE, Albuquerque New Mexico, 87110 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Evelyn DeBoeck, who died on June 16, 2014 with a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 5, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 5, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: December 5, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter April Land Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

12/5, 12/12, 12/19/14

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AFRO. COM

Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM658 Linwood Chisholm Decedent Brenda C. Wagner, Esq Wagner & Associates 1425 K Street NW #350 Washington, Dc 20005 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS H a z e l V. C h i s h o l m , whose address is 2604 Monroe Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Linwood Chisholm , who died on January 18, 2014 without a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose where-abouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before June 5, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 5, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: December 5, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Hazel Chisholm Personal Representative

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2014FEP150 Date of Death January 17, 2008 Betty Jean SullivanGray Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Silky Sullivan whose address is 5410 Tinkers Creek Pl, Clinton, MD 20735 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Betty S u l l i v a n - G r a y, d e ceased, on April 17, 2008, by the Orphan’s Court for Prince Georges C o u n t y, S t a t e o f Maryland. Service of process may be made upon Reggie Taylor 400 M Street SE Washington, DC 20003 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Colombia real property: 6317 2nd Street NW Washington, DC 20011 The decedent owned District of Coulumbia personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, 500 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Silky Sullivan Personal Representative(s) TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS Date of first publication: December 5, 2014 Name of newspapers and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter The Afro-American

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410-554-8200

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1 Col. Inch Up to 20 Words

AFRO Classified minimum ad rate is $26.54 per col. inch (an inch consists of up to 20 words). Mail in your ad on form below along with CHECK or MONEY ORDER to: WASHINGTON AFRO-AMERICAN CO. 1917 Benning Road, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002-4723 Attn: Clsf. Adv. Dept.

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NAME: ________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _____________________________________________ PHONE NO.:____________________________________________ CLASSIFICATION: ______________________________________ (Room, Apt., House, etc.) INSERTION DATE:_________________

WASHINGTON AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER Legal Advertising Rates Effective October 1, 2008 PROBATE DIVISION (Estates) 202-332-0080 PROBATE NOTICES a. Order Nisi $ 60 per insertion b. Small Estates (single publication $ 60 per insertion c. Notice to Creditors 1. Domestic $ 60 per insertion 2. Foreign $ 60 per insertion d. Escheated Estates $ 60 per insertion e. Standard Probates

CIVIL NOTICES a. Name Changes 202-879-1133 b. Real Property

$180.00 per 3 weeks $180.00 per 3 weeks $180.00 per 3 weeks $360.00 per 6 weeks $125.00

$ 80.00 $ 200.00

FAMILY COURT 202-879-1212 DOMESTIC RELATIONS 202-879-0157 a. Absent Defendant b. Absolute Divorce c. Custody Divorce

$ 150.00 $ 150.00 $150.00

To place your ad, call 1-800-237-6892, ext. 262, Public Notices $50.00 & up depending on size, Baltimore Legal Notices are $24.84 per inch. 1-800 (AFRO) 892 For Proof of Publication, please call 1-800-237-6892, ext. 244

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Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1221 Romaine A. Derr AKA Romaine Angier Derr Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS L i n d a M . H o l l o w a y, whose address is 5399 Temple Hill Rd, Temple Hills, MD 20748 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Romaine A. Derr AKA Romaine Angier Derr, who died on October 26, 2014 with a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20001, on or before June 5, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before June 5, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of Publication: December 5, 2014 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Linda M. Holloway Personal Representative

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TYPESET: Tue Dec 02 14:19:22 2014 TYPESET: Tue Dec 02 14:23:45 2014Dec 10 09:51:12 EST 2014 TYPESET: Wed LEGALEST NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGALEST NOTICES

To advertise in the AFRO Call 202-332-0080

Payment Policy for legal notice advertisements. Effective immediately, The Afro American Newspapers will require prepayment for publication of all legal notices. Payment will be accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any returned checks will be subject to a $25.00 processing fee and may result in the suspension of any future advertising at our discretion.

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B6 The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INSIDE SALES ADVERTISING ACCOUNT Advertising SalesEXECUTIVE Professional needed for the AFRO-American Newspapers, Washington, D.C. or Baltimore office. Entry-Level Advertising Sales Rep needed for the AFRO-American Position provides: Newspapers, Baltimore, M.D. • Competitive compensation package • Salary andprovides: commission plan Position • Full benefits after trial period • Competitive compensation package • • Opportunity Salary and commission plan for fast track advancement • Full benefits after trial period • Candidates Opportunity for fast track should be: advancement • Self starters

• Money motivated Candidates • Goal-oriented should possess: • Good typing/data entry skills • Experienced in online/digital sales

• Excellent customer service skills • Confident in ability to build strong territory • Previous telephone sales experience sales experience preferred • • Previous Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Please email your resume to: Pleasedhocker@afro.com email your resume to: lhowze@afro.com or mail to or mail to AFRO-American Newspapers, Afro-American Newspapers Diane W. Hocker, Director of Human Resources, Diane W. Hocker, 2519 N. Charles Street, Director of Human Resources Baltimore, MD 21218 2519 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218

December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014, The Afro-American

The Afro-American, December 13, 2014 - December 19, 2014