District Chronicles V14 Issue 34 by District Chronicles

PG COUNTY EXEC GIVES NOD TO VAN HOLLEN, NOT EDWARDS 2

HU Students show Civil Rights spirit in show down with anti-gay protesters Page 4

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April 16 - April 22, 2015

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Volume 14 Issue 34

Editorial

Should race matter in endorsements? By Dr. Julianne Malveaux

your story ideas, stories and commentaries to lkaggwa@howard.edu

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(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, an African-American, endorsed Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) over Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD) in the race to replace retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski. Edwards is African American, Van Hollen, Edwards also lives in Prince George’s county, the county that houses our nation’s wealthiest African-Americans. So far, she is the only African American in the race, and faces the prospect of joining Kamala Harris, an announced candidate for the California Senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. Barbara Boxer This may seem like a local story, but it has national implications. Both Edwards and Van Hollen are likely to seek contributions from all over the country. Furthermore, the possibility of having an African-American woman in the Senate is an opportunity for AfricanAmerican women’s issues to be raised on the Senate floor. Finally, Edwards’ presence on committees dealing with work, health care, and banking will bring a muchneeded perspective to a Senate that is overwhelmingly (96 percent in 2014). With an African-American female senator, would Loretta Lynch’s confirmation for the cabinet position of Attorney General still be languishing? Or would Sen. Edwards remind fellow senators that their treatment of AfricanAmerican women has hardly been fair? Sen. Edwards might also raise issues that impact all women, but African-American women especially, given the fact that we have lower incomes, and a higher rate of single motherhood. AfricanAmerican women have also been the targets of disparaging remarks about public assistance and food stamps, as if no Caucasian’s participate in these programs. An African-American woman senator would likely raise objections and stop senatorial trash talk about African-American women it its tracks. Why, then, have the highestranking elective officers both

Edwards did not get an endorsement from county executives Rushern Baker, Isiah Leggett.

African-American men, chosen the Caucasian Van Hollen over Edwards? Baker says he knows Van Hollen and has worked well with him. He says he has made this endorsement “in the interest of the county.” It has nothing to do with race, he says, but familiarity. Yet Baker has not indicated what makes Van Hollen a better candidate than Edwards. I won’t speculate whether the Baker pick has something more to do with gender than politics, but I do think his action raises national questions about race and endorsements. Isiah “Ike” Leggett, another Maryland county executive, has been a mentor and former professor to Baker. Leggett posits that race shouldn’t matter as much as it used to, and that “freedom” includes the right to step outside racial lines to make the endorsements of one’s choice. True. Again, I wonder if these early endorsements would be different if there were an African-American man, as opposed to Van Hollen, were also running for this Senate seat. When all else is equal, I choose to vote for the African-American candidate instead of the Caucasian one. When the candidate is a progressive Democrat, I’d expect them to be far more sensitive to my issues than a candidate. Both Edwards and Van Hollen are like-

ly to vote much the way that the liberal Mikulski did. However, I expect that Edwards will be far more aggressive in advocating for the African-American community than Van Hollen. Further, in light of the recent killing of Walter Scott in South Carolina, and the massacres of Eric Gardner and Michael Brown (among others), it seems specious to say that race doesn’t matter. In light of the double-digit unemployment rates African Americans experience (twice those of Whites), race still matters and the need for target employment programs have not been raised in this Senate, even when Democrats held it. Edwards would be forceful in pushing these programs. Baker especially owes his county an explanation both because it is majority African American (65 percent) and also because his count elected Edwards to Congress four times. Baker has used his position to go against the preferences of his county. I think that race should matter in endorsements, especially when history is about to be made. Baker and Leggett owe their constituents a more substantive explanation than the one they have offered. Julianne Malveaux is a writer and economist. She can be reached at www. juliannemalveaux.com.

Finance

Creating conscious Black millionaires By James Clingman NNPA Columnist

lack folks have the ability to create our own conscious millionaires. We have certainly done it for others for a long time now. Conscious Black millionaires, by definition, would most assuredly use some of their money to assist the Black collective; conscious Black millionaires would not hesitate to use their resources to help empower our people; conscious Black millionaires would not be afraid to espouse the principles of economic empowerment and then use their money to support it. This is not a pipedream, folks. It can, should, and must be done. To make real progress, we must move beyond rallies, speeches, protests, philosophy, pontification, intellectual rhetoric without commensurate action, and mere symbolism without real substance. Every rational person knows that at some point, everything we do to challenge injustice and to obtain the economic and political reciprocity we seek and deserve, will require money. Look at the amount of money spent on travel and accommodations to attend all the marches and demonstrations of the recent past. It would have been better spent on legal battles in the courts and placing initiatives on local ballots across the nation. Who should fund the initiatives we take on to deal with inequities and unfairness against Blacks? Who should benefit from the dollars we spend to accomplish our goals? As Ken Bridges would say, “That be us, y’all.” The revolution will not be televised, but it must be financed, and we should benefit economically from our expenditures and activities associated with our fight for freedom. Currently, our dollars are benefiting everyone else as we run for freedom, as we protest, as we demonstrate, and as we conduct our conventions and other meetings around the country. I recall how proud I was when I attended the Bring Back Black meeting, in 2007 at the Black-owned and operated Dudley convention complex in Kernersville, North Carolina; a Black caterer prepared our food,

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and everything else that could be done with Black vendors was done. It was the same at our MATAH conferences from1998-2002. Every convention cannot do that, but if we create conscious Black millionaires, some of them would do what the Founder of Compro Tax, Jackie Mayfield, did in Beaumont, Texas. He and Brother Yusef Muhammad built their own convention center. They are, indeed, conscious Black millionaires and, like others that I know, they are not only taking care of their families, they are also doing a great deal to help others, via business opportunities and philanthropy. Many are unaware that they helped Maggie and John Anderson in their efforts to get the Empowerment Experiment off the ground. No fanfare, just quietly and humbly paying it forward, the way conscious Black people do. Did Compro Tax prepare your return this year, or did your money go to one of those companies that do nothing for Black folks in return? Creating conscious Black millionaires is one of the objectives of the One Million Conscious Black Voters and Contributors Campaign. We know that simply by issuing a call for our members to purchase one pint of Ice Supreme from Ashiki Taylor’s company we would have a conscious mil-

lionaire. The same by buying one T-shirt from a Black company, one book from Rosie Milligan’s book store, one pound of Nefertiti Coffee from Roger Madison’s Izania marketplace, one product from Keidi Awadu or Bob Law’s Namaskar Health Foods, or even a couple of rolls of toilet tissue from Freedom Paper Company. C’mon y’all; this is not difficult. Those folks will use their resources to assist us in our fight for empowerment. They will do it because their consciousness will allow them to do no less. Conscious brothers and sisters consider it their “reasonable” service to support one another, to contribute to one another’s causes, and to let their actions speak louder than their words. We have created a lot White millionaires buying their products. Don’t you think we should be able to look at their work and see a reciprocal benefit to Black folks? There should be some collective gain. Have they given us a return on our investment? Go to www.iamoneofthemillion.com to sign up and get started. Jim Clingman is founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached through his website, blackonomics. com.

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Neighborhood

Howard students meet antigay protestors with protest

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Howard University students, faculty gathered in counter-protest to the Westboro Baptist Church anti-gay protest on the campus.

By Rachel Kersey

4 | Apr. 16 - Apr. 22, 2015 | District Chronicles

estboro Baptist Church, the infamous unaffiliated church known for its hateful, unorthodox protests, especially against homosexuality, brought its hate speech to Howard University last week – and the university’s students and staff fought back. Armed with picket signs, the organization, which has been denounced by the two largest Baptist denominations, gathered last Friday on Howard’s campus to denounce OUTlaw, Howard University School of Law’s organization for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender and queer students. “AMERICA IS DOOMED,” “MOURN FOR YOUR SINS” and “GOD H8S FAG MARRIAGE,” the signs read. One featured a depiction of anal sex. Howard students met the signs with their own. Dressed in all-black or rainbow colors, the students held signs that read “HOWARD <3s OUR LGBTQ,” “ALL BLACK LOVE MATTERS” and “GOD LOVES EVERYONE.” Nearly 100 students gathered at the flagpole and marched to the corner of 6th Street and Howard Place, where they promptly turned their backs on Westboro. With fists raised in defiance, the sea of students sang “Lift Every

Voice and Sing,” and students shed a few tears. Only 20 minutes after starting, Westboro headed down the hill to the taunts of Howard students, who turned around to send them on their way. “I thought it was perfect,” said Nia Johnson, a junior economics major. “I definitely felt the love and I felt proud. I was actually happy it ended early. Our power showed them that it wasn’t worth it here.” Amber Mason, president of OUTlaw, agreed. “This sort of hate-filled rhetoric is not condoned on our campus, and we want to show them that through a show of solidarity,” said Mason. “That’s now how we think here at Howard. We are inclusive, we’re accepting and their kind of speaking and behavior will not be condoned.” Lydia Durfler, the organizer of the student protest, said she did so because LGBT community at Howard is often slighted. “I don’t think it gets enough outright support from the Howard community, especially where the administration and faculty is concerned,” said Durfler, a senior political science major and an Amnesty International intern. “And if we had a group on campus saying derogatory things about Black folk and we weren’t doing something to build ourselves

up in the midst of that, that would seem pretty crazy. The same goes for the LGBTQ community.” Joshua Narcisse, president of the Chapel Assistants, an interfaith organization with Howard’s Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, said his organization stands against Westboro Baptist Church. “One of the dominant themes in Christianity is love,” said Narcisse. “So, at the end of the day, whether it be Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, this love or respect for humanity is at the center of the work that the chapel does. And this is really just a part of us affirming that.” Tyleah Hawkins, a senior broadcast journalism major, also objected to Westboro’s belief and its tactics. “I’m a Christian, but I’ve always been an advocate for gay rights,” said Hawkins. “I don’t agree with preaching hate. I am a proud Christian. I love Jesus … and I feel like Jesus would be out here protesting with me.” The protest was yet another chapter of the rich social and political saga of the university, said the Rev. Bernard Richardson, dean of the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel. “This is Howard University,” said Richardson. “Protests and all the other things are what happen here at Howard. It’s part of our legacy. It’s part of our history.”

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NNPA

Hezekiah Walker won the Torch Award at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Black Press Week last month.

By Elaina Johnson Howard University News Service (NNPA) – Grammy Award-winning artist Bishop Hezekiah Walker can now add the 2015 Torch Award for religion to his list of accomplishments. He was was honored by the National Newspapers Publishers Association (NNPA) at Black Press Week in Washington for his diligence in spreading the gospel through music, radio and ministry. “I was extremely shocked when I heard that I won this honor,” said Walker. “I quickly changed my plans to make sure I was there to receive it.” Walker, 52, was born and raised in the Fort Greene housing projects in Brooklyn. He formed the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir when he was in his 20s and has been releasing music with the choir as

well as a soloist since then. Walker is also the senior pastor of Love Fellowship Tabernacle, a mega church in Brooklyn, New York, that he founded in April of 1994. The church has brought together diverse members of differing races, socio-economic backgrounds and ages. He also launched the “Afternoon Praise – The Hezekiah Walker Show” radio show on 1190 WLIB in New York City, followed by the “Sunday Morning Celebration” radio show on 107.5 WBLS. He also received Grammy Awards in 1994 and 2001. “I really feel in my heart that out of all the awards I’ve won, the Torch award is the best award I could have ever received in my life,” said Walker. “Music is the foundation of our people. It’s one thing when others recognize you, but it’s another thing when your own people recognize you.”

There is, however, one honor that meant way more to him than receiving both the Grammys and the Torch Award. That was finding out that his music helped to save the life of a nine-year-old boy. Willie Myrick was grabbed from the streets last March and forced into a car by an unidentified man while playing with his dog outside his home in Atlanta. Young Myrick, who was awarded the NNPA’s Junior Newsmaker Award, continuously sang Walker’s hit song “Every Praise.” He sang the song for three hours straight until the kidnapper finally threw him into the street and drove away. “I have had many great things happen in my life, but just to save that young boy’s life really meant a lot to me,” said Walker. “When you begin to sing and put music out, you never know how many lives you touch across the world.”

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Cover Three Blacks to sit on Ferguson City Council By Lauren Victoria Burke

two months to collect approximately 1,800 signatures, or 15 percent of the total number of eligible voters from the last mayoral election, to force a recall. Yesterday’s spring elections were the first since the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in August. The vote coincided with an eerie reminder of Brown’s death, this time out of South Carolina, where yet another Black man, Walter Scott, 50, was shot to death at the hands of a White police officer, Michael Slager. The new Ferguson City Council, which takes over in two weeks, will have a full workload and several benchmark decisions on its agenda. “There’s a lot of work in front of them as far as picking the police chief, dealing with the DOJ report and getting to a consent decree. There’s a lot to do, and I look forward to working with them,” said Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) to The Root. Ferguson is in the district that Clay represents in Congress. The council must also select a new city manager and municipal judge, both of whom resigned, along with Chief of Police Tom Jackson, in the wake of a critical Department of Justice report that implicated the of-

Facebook/Friends of Ella M. Jones

fter last Tuesday’s vote, the city of Ferguson, Missouri, will have three Black members on its City Council for the first time in Ferguson’s history. Although it rained for much of Election Day, voter turnout was close to three times higher than what it was for the last City Council election in 2013. Many are saying that Tuesday’s turnout was the highest ever for a municipal election. Ella Jones and Wesley Bell, both victorious last night, will join Dwayne James as the three African Americans to sit on the six-person Ferguson City Council. The council has never had more than one Black member in its 121-year history, and Jones is the first Black woman ever elected. Jones, who won Ward 1, received more votes, 824, than her two White male challengers combined. And Jones wasn’t the only Black woman to win big on Tuesday. For the first time in history, the neighboring city of Jennings, Missouri, which is 85 percent Black, will have an African-American mayor, Yolanda Fountain Henderson. In addi-

tion, Courtney Graves was elected to the Ferguson-Florissant school board after beating incumbent Brian Elbert. “From what I’ve seen today, the community became empowered and came out. That is a win,” tweeted Ferguson Democratic Committeewoman Patricia Bynes as polls closed. Bob Hudgins, a White resident who joined in Ferguson’s protests against police brutality, lost his bid to represent mostly White Ward 2 on the City Council. He was defeated by former Ferguson Mayor Brian Fletcher. Bynes congratulated Fletcher and said, “Everyone is looking forward toward moving forward in a better direction.” Had Hudgins emerged victorious, the council would have leaned 4-2 against Mayor James Knowles, whom some residents want to see ousted. But the 3-3 split is major progress toward more equal representation in a city that is 67 percent Black. An effort to recall Knowles – launched when five residents formed a committee in March to collect signatures for a recall – is currently under way. The group has

Ella Jones won her bid for Ferguson’s council seat in Ward 1, a first for the city.

ficials in a wide-ranging scheme of racially biased public extortion focused on fines and ticketing to raise revenue. Clay also said that the various turnout efforts undertaken before the election “expanded the universe” of voters and created a path for victory for several candidates. Labor groups such as the Communications Workers of America and the Service Employees International

Union knocked on doors and helped with get-out-the-vote efforts on the ground in Ferguson. Five members of the Congressional Black Caucus also donated money to assist the campaigns of Ferguson City Council candidates. Lauren Victoria Burke is a Washington, D.C.-based political reporter who writes the Crew of 42 blog. Follow her on Twitter.

Black women taking to breastfeeding newborns By Elaina Johnson, Howard University News Service WASHINGTON -- Anoa Dzidzienyo, 27, is a married mother of one son living in Takoma Park, Md. Despite Dzidzienyo’s busy schedule,

the Howard University graduate student and owner of Shea Baby Butter, a small business that hand makes organic skin products for babies, said she still finds time to breastfeed her son -- because she thinks it is vital.

6 | Apr. 16 - Apr. 22, 2015 | District Chronicles

“I decided to breastfeed because I knew how much better it would be for my son,” said Dzidzienyo, who said her busy schedule that often leaves her ripping and running all day and at times sleepless at night.

“What I didn’t realize was that it made us so close and connected and helped me really transition smoothly into motherhood,” Unfortunately, doctors said, many black mothers are not following Dzideienyo’s example. Black women are less likely than any other group – such as white and Hispanic women -- to breastfeed their babies, statistics show. According to the Center for Disease Control, nationally, the breastfeeding rate amongst black infants is about 16 percent lower than whites and far less than Hispanic women. Pediatricians around the national are encouraging African-American women to breastfeed because of the numerous health benefits to children from infancy into adulthood. “We need more women of color to breast feed,” said Dr. Michal Ann Young, pediatrician at Howard University Hospital. “Many women do not have knowledge of how beneficial it is. “Human breast milk is the per-

fect milk for human babies. Breast milk can reduce baby’s risk for diarrhea, ear infection, obesity and type 1 and 2 diabetes.” Far too many children are given commercial formula instead of natural milk, experts say. The commercial formula is missing the vital nutrients produced in breast milk. Dominique Wright, 57, can attest to this. Wright is a mother of three children, ages 21, 25 and 33. She said she didn’t breastfeed her first-born child due to a lack of knowledge, but she did for her last two children. She said she noticed a huge difference in the health of her youngest two children from childhood all the way up to their adult years. “My first born son had a lot of health issues growing up, including ear infections and intestinal problems,” said Wright, who declined to use her real name. “I was always running back and forth to the hospital with him. My youngest two See NEWBORNS, page 7

Politics

Survivors: Troops delayed rescue for nearly 15 hours Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Global Information Network (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Frightened students at Garissa University in northeast Kenya, hid for what seemed like a lifetime as a small band of al Shabaab terrorists lined young people up on the floor and put a bullet in the back of their heads, one by one by one. Some were told to recite a prayer from the Koran and failure brought instant death. Others were told to call parents with their cell phones who then heard their child being shot. The killing spree, which began at dawn in the rural university, left nearly 150 dead, both men and women, but Christian men were the favored target of the gunmen. Stanely Muli, hiding in a wardrobe, said he wondered why the army stationed nearby was taking so long to arrive. “I was just praying to God that the Kenya Defense Forces would

NEWBORNS From page 6 children have never had any health issues other than minor colds.” Although experts believe that breast milk is best for babies, breastfeeding is not be possible for all mothers. Women who are HIV positive should not breastfeed. Also, women who have received breast reduction surgery are likely to have a low supply of breast milk. There are options for women in these situations. Across the country, there are several milk bank services that collect, screen, process and dispense breast milk donated by nursing mothers. Sharing breast milk may seem a little distasteful or strange to some, but it is a growing trend among women around the country. Frozen breast milk is sent out to several breast milk banking centers by donors and dispersed to mothers in need. This practice can carry many risk, depending on who is doing the donating. Human Milk Banking Association of North America, an organization that promotes the health of babies and mothers through the provision of safe pasteurized donor milk and support of breastfeeding, has a process at assures no bacte-

come,” he told Robyn Dixon, a reporter with the Los Angeles Times. He could hear the Shabaab fighters searching rooms and killing students. Muli was shot in the thigh but survived the bloodletting. “The government failed to protect us,” he said, still in shock. “We are angry because we lost some of our best friends. We think, ‘How come security wasn’t there when we were at the university?’” he told a reporter. A small rebel band between four and 10 militants attacked Garissa University College students in the dark pre-dawn hours of Thursday, April 2. The masked militants separated Christian students from Muslim students, killing those who could not recite passages from the Koran. Media are calling it the worst terrorist attack since the 1998 bombing of the United States embassy in Nairobi. Students ran for their lives, and hid while gunfire was heard rial growth is present in the milk samples. “The majority of women who are getting the milk are mothers of sick and premature babies,” said Liz Brooks, lactation consultant and member of HMBANA board of directors. “So we make sure that we remove any pathogens while at the same time retaining the antiinfective property,” The milk is poured into glass flasks and mixed to ensure an even distribution of milk components. Four ounce glass bottles are filled with milk and pasteured. Pasteurization eliminates bacteria while retaining the majority of the milk’s beneficial components. The milk samples then go through lab testing to check again for bacterial growth. Any milk that is contaminated is discarded. The milk is then frozen and stored and sent to hospitals and individual recipients at home. “Human milk is great for moms and for babies. It helps reduce short and long term illnesses,” Brooks said. “Anything that can be done to support breastfeeding and breast milk use is good for families.” For more information on milk banking, click here. The Washington Post recently carried an article that found that a small percentage of breast milk bought on the Internet -- one in 10 packages -- was topped off with cow milk.

throughout the university. When Kenya’s army finally arrived, they surrounded the school but remained outside the school gates. They didn’t engage Shabaab or end the killings. Government planes, when they finally arrived, carried the interior minister and police chief for a now embarrassing photo op. Journalists who drove the 225 miles to Garissa from Nairobi arrived before the special forces who came by air. Eleven hours after the attack was launched, a crack police squad reached the school and ended the siege 30 minutes later. “This is negligence on a scale that borders on the criminal,” The

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Nation, a local newspaper blustered in its editorial on Sunday. Survivors, they said, reported how gunmen, killing with obvious relish, took their time. Another headline read: “Response beggars belief,” meaning, unbelievable. Among the dead were three police officers and three soldiers. The four gunmen were also killed, for a total of 147 lives. Garissa’s location, about 90 miles from Somalia, is a clear shot from al Shabaab bases across the border. The obvious security issues troubled many students, and many refused to attend, hoping for a place in Moi University in Eldoret, west

Kenya, but finally accepted admission there. “It’s like we were being experimented on,” Gideon Nyabwengi, 19, told the Los Angeles Times reporter. “When this university was being put in that place, I don’t think it was the right place.” As news of the disaster filtered out, social media fired up. Two Twitter feeds – #GarissaAttack and #147notjustanumber – were started with latest news, names and pictures of the victims. A vigil was held last week in Kenya’s Freedom Corner in Uhuru Park. At this writing, 78 bodies have been identified out of the 147 that had been airlifted to Nairobi.

District Chronicles | Apr. 16 - Apr. 22, 2015 | 7

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By Khari Arnold Howard University News Service WASHINGTON – Kappa Alpha Psi, one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious black fraternities is facing multi-million dollar lawsuits for hazing, the latest by a 45-year-old Washington man who claims he was paddled and beaten with a cane by members, including a Prince George’s County police officer. Harry Draughn Jr., filed a $2 million lawsuit Tuesday (March 31) against Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and its member, police officer Jesse Stewart Jr., after allegedly being hazed as a spring 2015 pledge of the Hyattsville/Landover Alumni Chapter of the fraternity, according to court documents. Kappa Alpha Psi is already facing a $4 million lawsuit filed against it, its Baltimore alumni chapter and several members in January for allegedly hazing another man. As a result of the new lawsuit, Stewart, 49, who served as the dean of the intake process for the Hyattsville/Landover alumni chapter, has been charged with a misdemeanor and suspended pending an investigation, Prince George’s County Police Chief Mark Magaw said. “When one of our officers is accused of w ro n g d o i n g , we take those allegations seriously,” Magaw said in a statement. “The Prince George’s County Police Department holds our officers to high standards, whether they are on or off duty.” Stewart, a 21-year member of the police department, faces up to five years in prison on misdemeanor reckless endangerment charges. Court documents state the hazing began in February when Draughn and his line brothers were brought to Stewart’s garage to be smacked, hit, caned and paddled. Pledges were also brought inside Stewart’s home, where they rubbed lotion on the off-duty officer as he sat in a kitchen chair, according to the complaint. Draughn also claims he was required to do

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Leading Black fraternity, police officer face lawsuit

Draughn Jr. – 45 yrs. – (pictured) is suing Kappa Alpha Psi and its member, Maryland police officer Jesse Stewart Jr., after a hazing incident at the Hyattsvile/Landover Alumni chapter.

him to file suit. “Since the beating on March 23, 2015, plaintiff has had to sit on a pillow while driving and is suffering from lower back pain, has not been able to sleep and has felt depressed,” the lawsuit claims. After he’d had enough, Draughn said that he complained to the fraternity and asked that the $3,000 he paid to join the organization be refunded, but his request was denied. “We never thought that we were paying $3,000 to join a gang,” he said. “That’s not what we signed up for.” Bell said he has been a member of Kappa Alpha Psi for 30 years. He said he never endured hazing when he joined. Hazing among fraternities, black and white, was – Harry Draughn Jr., Maryland Resident common during that era. The situation is different today, Bell ate chapters. “When they lifted it, they did said. not change any policies or proce- “Here’s the difference between dures,” said Draughn’s attorney, now and then: It is against the law,” Jimmy Bell. “That is mind-boggling. he said. “I’m doing what’s right so You admit that you have a problem hopefully they’ll still be around in and you don’t correct it, and then the next 50 years. It’s better to take a the very next month my client’s get- (financial) hit and change your policies than to not exist anymore.” ting hazed.” Stewart, the Kappa Alpha Psi Bell said he believes that until headquarters in Philadelphia, the the better measures are put in place Kappa Alpha Psi Grand Polemarch by leaders of fraternities and other (National President) William “Ran- organization, injuries, deaths, like dy” Bates Jr. did not return phones the one at Florida A&M University, and subsequent lawsuits will concalls seeking comment. Draughn alleges that Stewart tinue to happen. “It’s a social orgafirst hazed him in February, but it nization,” he said. “Nobody should was a March 23 incident that caused get hurt pledging.”

tasks around Stewart’s home in his underwear. Draughn’s suit claims he suffered emotional anguish and humiliation. “I think it’s just degrading,” Draughn said in an interview. “When we signed up for Kappa Alpha Psi, we signed documents saying there wouldn’t be any hazing.” Draughn also said Stewart asked him inappropriate sexual questions. In September of 2014, the fraternity placed a national moratorium on membership intake for its undergraduate and alumni chapters amid hazing issues. The moratorium was lifted in January for gradu-

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 303 Samuel Shields Name of decedent Billy L. Ponds, The Ponds Law Firm 1250 24th Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20037 Name and Address of Attorney Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs Regina Marie Shields, whose address is 215 Adams Street, N.E., Apartment 2, Washington, DC 20002 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samuel Shields who died on June 17, 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington D.C. 20001, on or before 9/26/15. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 9/26/15, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication 3/26/15 Personal Representative Regina M. Shields 202-333-2922 TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Name of newspaper and/or periodical: District Chronicles 525 Bryant Street, NW Washington, DC 20059 Tel. 202-806-9401

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In the Neighborhood

Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington

Finding Senior Housing can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. “You can trust A Place for Mom to help you.” – Joan Lunden

District of Columbia Mayor Bowser, DC Housing and Community Development kick off Ward by Ward meetings

o build pathways to a middle class, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser and D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) have kicked off their three-month “DHCD Ward-byWard Check-In.” The first meeting was last Wednesday at THEARC on Mississippi Avenue in Ward 8. These meetings are designed to seek suggestions from community residents to help shape the future of affordable housing throughout the District. The mayor and agency are are also seeking to inform residents, business owners and other community residents of the DHCD’s programs and services, current and future projects and the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 affordable housing budget. “These forums continue our commitment to ensuring that residents and community leaders have a seat at table in shaping the future of Washington, D.C.,” said Mayor Bowser. “Ward by ward, we will engage residents, address their affordable housing needs and invest in the resources that will help build more pathways to the middle class.” The meetings will provide a platform for communities to voice their concerns, ask questions and give suggestions on what housing and community development needs are in their neighborhoods. Agency leaders will be on hand at the meetings to discuss the Housing Production Trust Fund and other resources available to developers and community residents to ensure affordable housing. Bowser discussed in her State of the District address that the the housing trust fund would be funded at $100 million during FY 2016 and beyond, delivering on an important campaign promise that

(800) 967-8641 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service. We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community. We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.

Donaldson will now oversee the agency making affordable housing for D.C. residents.

has received unanimous support from the D.C. Council. The fund is critical to the District’s plans to end chronic homelessness and support affordable housing in the city. “It is DHCD’s goal to continue to build strong relationships with our partnerships to better understand the housing and resource needs of our communities,” said DHCD Director Polly Donaldson, who was confirmed by the DC Council and officially appointed by Bowser last month. “At the end of the series we hope to have a clearer understanding of the various housing and community development needs ward-byward and neighborhood-by-neighborhood. This information will help the agency effectively plan the best approaches for creating opportunities, preserving valuable resources, and building enduring communities throughout the District.” Agency leaders met first with Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners a few weeks ago to announce the community meeting series and learn about top priorities in their neighborhoods. The series began in Ward 8; Ward 7 met Tuesday and the series will conclude in late June in Ward 1. Below is a full listing of meetings.

Ward 6 April 30, 2015/ 6:30-8:30 pm SE Neighborhood Library (403 7th Street, SE) Ward 5 May 14, 2015/ 6:30-8:30 pm Dunbar High School (101 N Street, NW) Ward 4 May 28, 2015/ 6:30-8:30 pm Coolidge Sr. High School (6315 5th Street, NW) Ward 3 June 11, 2015/ 6:30-8:30 pm Tenley/Friendship Library (4450 Wisconsin Avenue, NW) Ward 2 June 18, 2015/ 6:30-8:30 pm MLK Memorial Library (901 G Street, NW) Ward 1 June 22, 2015/ 6:30-8:30 pm Greater Washington Urban League (2901 14th Street, NW) For more information please visit the DHCD website at http:// dhcd.dc.gov.

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District Chronicles | Apr. 16 - Apr. 22, 2015 | 11

In the Neighborhood Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington Montgomery County Noyes Library for Young Children closed for painting April 24 May 5

he Noyes Library for Young Children in Kensington will be closed from Tuesday, April 21 until Tuesday, May 5 while the building’s exterior is re-painted as part of an abatement program to address the presence of lead-based

paint found on the structure. A contractor for the County’s Department of General Services will remove the exterior paint, utilizing scraping and a chemical solvent. All work will be performed by a licensed firm, with trained workers, and monitored by a consultant, to ensure all safe work practices are employed. “I felt it was important that the painting project be completed as soon as possible and in an environment that was safe and would result in minimal concerns for our users,”

Montgomery County Public Libraries Director Parker Hamilton said. “So, we decided to close for the two week-period in which the painting will be done in order to ensure that goal.” The presence of lead-based paint was discovered recently prior to starting upcoming work required to make some planned ADA modifications. The building was constructed in 1892. The programs scheduled at Noyes during the closing will be held at nearby Kensington Park Li-

brary, 4201 Knowles Ave. Updated information on the programs can be found at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Library/branches/ noyes.html or by calling Kensington Park Library at 240-773-9515. Noyes Library for Young Children, located at 10237 Carroll Place, offers books and programs specifically for early childhood, along with a comfortable space for babies, toddlers and preschoolers to read and play together with their adult companions. Now a nationally recognized

model for children’s library services and a thriving center for early literacy, Noyes opened January 10, 1893. Real estate broker and banker, Brainard Warner chose and donated the land and built the library while Crosby Noyes, editor and publisher of the former “Washington Evening Star” newspaper, filled the library with books, many that he had reviewed for his paper. Noyes is the oldest public library in the Washington, D.C. area and one of only a few public libraries in the country dedicated to children.

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

12 | Apr. 16 - Apr. 22, 2015 | District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

First ever Anacostia River Festival kicks off!

District parents, children flocked to the 11th Street Bridge park in Anacostia for the first annual Anacostia River Festival Park. The premier event marked the closing of the Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival celebrates the history, ecology and communities along the river bank through activities including fishing and boating. (Photo Credit: Robert Eubanks)