District Chronicles V14 Issue 44 by District Chronicles

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THE CASE FOR BAIL OUT NEEDED FOR RECENT GRADUATES 3

Councilwoman LaRuby May outlines initiatives to make Ward 8 safer Page 4 June 25 - July 1, 2015

Usher’s New Look comes to D.C. , train youth Page 11 www.districtchronicles.com

Volume 14 Issue 44

Editorial

Whites still live in ‘state of denial’ on race By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist

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ormer U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley is fond of saying, “Slavery was America’s original sin, and racism remains its unresolved dilemma.” But the unwillingness to face up to the raw racism that led to the murder of nine African Americans attending Bible study at a church in Charleston, South Carolina proves that the problem is more than just an unresolved dilemma. Judging by public opinion polls, most Whites live year-round in the 51st state – the state of denial. First, let’s deal with the facts. Around 9 p.m. on June 17, Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old avowed White supremacist, entered Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and murdered nine, unarmed African Americans, ranging from 26 to 87 years old. Each victim was shot multiple times. We have the murderer’s own words that his goal was to “start a race war,” according to law enforcement officials who took Roof into custody. Rather than address obvious racism, our non-friends on “Fox & Friends” and other Fox network programs attempted to make the massacre about religion, gun control and anything other than the actual culprit – racism. “Fox & Friends” host Steve Doocy referenced “hostility toward Christians.” That theme was echoed by Bishop E.W. Jackson when he noted that “we don’t know why he went into a church, but he didn’t choose a bar” or “basketball court.” Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani also postulated that “maybe he hates Christian churches.” But we aren’t talking about any Christian church. We are talking about an historic Black church that had been carefully targeted by the shooter. Within minutes after his name was made public, Roof’s White supremacy views became widely known. A photo on his Facebook page showed him wearing patches with the flags of White minorityruled South Africa during the apartheid era and Rhodesia, now

Dylann Roof at a court hearing after his arrest.

Zimbabwe. Both flags are popular symbols associated with White supremacists in the U.S. Another photo posted on Facebook by one of Roof’s friends showed him leaning against an automobile sporting the license plate, “Confederate States of America.” Several days after the rampage, Roof’s racist manifesto was discovered. In it, he said: “Anyone who thinks that White and black people look as different as we do on the outside, but are somehow magically the same on the inside, is delusional. How could our faces, skin, hair, and body structure all be different, but our brains be exactly the same? This is the nonsense we are led to believe. “Negroes have lower Iqs, lower impulse control, and higher testosterone levels in generals. These three things alone are a recipe for violent behavior…” Toward the end, he wrote: “I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.”

Some conservatives tried to make the shootings a gun issue. After several Fox personalities suggested that ministers arm themselves, Doocy chimed in, “If somebody was there, they would have had the opportunity to pull out their weapon and take [the shooter] out.” But it’s not that simple. “Fox & Friends used a mass shooting at a South Carolina church to baselessly promote the carrying of guns as a solution to prevent such attacks – even though research indicates that civilians are more likely to harm themselves or someone else than stop a criminal when they have a gun, and there is ‘no evidence; that arming civilians stops mass shootings,” observed mediamatters.org Clearly, the rampage in Charleston, S.C. was not about attacking Christianity or the need for more guns. It was about racism – an issue this country has always been reluctant to address. George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA) and BlackPressUSA.com. He can be reached through at www.georgecurry. com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ currygeorge.

Finance

Millennials first generation to be worse off than parents

Many graduates will enter the job market with an expensive degree and no job prospects in their field.

By James Clingman NNPA Columnist (NNPA) – By the time you read this article, millions of college students will have graduated and be looking for jobs. Many will be going on to grad school and millions will suddenly be faced with paying off college loans or contemplating obtaining a loan for graduate studies. Neither option is attractive. Even if students are fortunate enough to have a job when they graduate, if they are laden with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, it will be very difficult to save money for their future. They’ll also have to pay living expenses and costs associated with the job they accept, and make $300-$600 in monthly payments for college loans. For those moving on to grad school, unless they have a fellowship or some other kind of grant, they will have a tough decision to make when they face the loan officer at their school or the bank. At more than $1 trillion, college loan debt has surpassed credit card debt. I hate to think what it costs for a medical degree these days. With the job market the way it is and has been for Black people, some graduates will have an overpriced college degree without a commensurate job prospect. They will be faced with the challenge of paying back their loans while looking for a job that does not exist. Or, they will have to accept the prospect of

joining the ranks of the “underemployed.” This is indeed a sad state of affairs for our best and brightest, the grandchildren of the baby boomers. It is said that “millennials” are the first generation that will be worse off than their parents. High on our agenda should be a demand to Congress, and whoever is running for president, for student loan debt forgiveness. A strong, independent bloc of voters must go to candidates in both parties and make this demand. Keep in mind, however, a demand without power backing it up is just rhetoric. I think we have heard enough and had enough of empty words by some of our leaders; we know that it will take more than just asking for what we want. We must be willing to withhold our votes in order to get what we want – and that goes for both parties. The banks and other financial entities got their $780 billion bailout. Where is ours? Why not bail the students and homeowners out rather than merely “adjusting” their loans? The bankers were given billions that they used to make even more money from the taxpayers – that be us, y’all – who paid their bills. Contrary to what we were told, lending was curtailed rather than expanded, and hundreds of thousands of folks are still homeless because there was no real bailout program for them. As of January 1, 2014, the so-

called American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has paid out $816.3 billion in tax benefits, grants, contracts, loans and entitlements. Who got that money? In my neck of the woods, the folks who got the most were those who worked on the roads and expressways. Of those contractors and workers, few – if any – were Black. Georgia recently embarked on a $1 billion-plus road improvement project, and even with 3.2 million Black folks in that state, Black contractors and workers will not benefit as much as they should. Department of Transportation inclusion rules are based on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Programs, in which White female businesses get a significant share of the contracts, and “front” companies rule the day. So with all of the barriers facing our 2015 graduates, and the bleak outlook for improvement of their lot, the least we could do is bail them out of their student loans. Politicians said the banks were “too big to fail,” and I guess the bankers were “too big to jail.” They caught a huge break from George W. Bush and Obama. It’s time for a break for Black and poor people now. Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, He can be reached through his website, Blackonomics. com.

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Neighborhood

Councilwoman, residents outline plans for Ward 8 By Kelly-Ann Brown Howard University News Service

may4ward8.com

4 | Jun. 25 - Jul. 1, 2015 | District Chronicles

WASHINGTON – In her first public meeting with Ward 8 residents since her election, Councilwoman LaRuby May discussed a number of areas of improvement for the District’s poorest community, and public safety was among her top priorities. Chosen in a special election in April following the death of longtime Councilman and former Mayor Marion Barry, May introduced a new plan for increased neighborhood policing and asked a local police official to address scores of concerned citizens on public safety last Saturday morning at the Allen Chapel AME Church in Southeast Washington. Seven District Commander Willie Dandridge told the audience that one police initiative was ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system used by the police to identify the general location of most gunfire. May urged residents to help by notifying police if shots are heard in their neighborhood. Dandridge and May said they hoped to foster better relations between police and residents. May introduced her Purple Hats Community Walk, a neighborhood patrol that would meet once a week and walk through trouble spots in the community to help with public safety. May told residents that it is up to them as well as her office to become involved in improving their community. “This is about doing the work, not just about having the talk,” she said. Her statement was met with applause and excited murmur of agreement from the attendees. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Paul Trantham offered an additional public safety and environmental concern. Trantham said he’d “love to see the councilmember tackle the motorcycles terrorizing the community.” Despite the initial discussion of policing concerns, Rhonda Edward-Hines, also an Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) member commissioner said

Since her special election for Ward 8, Councilwoman LaRuby May discussed a number of initiatives for public safety in the community.

unfortunately too many people have a misperception of safety in her neighborhood. “There’s a myth about Ward 8 [and] how dangerous it is, that it’s not community friendly,” said Edward-Hines, “and that’s not true.” More than 100 residents and community leaders attended the session, including other ANC commissioners, representatives from the Waker Foundation, Congress Heights Civic Association and the Washington School for Girls. May and her staff asked each attendee to sign up for one of several committees to work on community concerns, such as public safety, education, the environment, and one called “Push for 7: Ward Growth and Prosperity.” The groups met later during the teamwork section of the meeting to outline issues and strategies to tackle problems. Concerns with education included infrastructure renovation, fund allocation as well as truancy among students. According to a March 2015 report released by the Children’s Law Center and the D.C. Lawyers for Youth, 56 percent of high school students in District public schools were chronically

absent during the 2013-2014 school year. May told the audience it was important for children to get a good early start in education. “We see the effects of a poor start in life,” she said. “If you start behind, it’s hard to catch up.” Environmental concerns revolved around the state of the residential and commercial properties in Ward 8 that have been abandoned or are vacant, accumulating excessive trash and debris. May suggested residents meet four times a month to clean the neighborhood. May pointed out that Ward 8 has the lowest numbers of complaints about derelict property to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, regulates rental housing and real estate. Myra Murray, a volunteer for the Waker Foundation, said she thought May offered a great start. “She is very confident and a morale builder,” said Murray. “She can bring the community together in order to implement her agenda.” “[We are] not asking for anything extra,” said May. “We’re asking for what we deserve”

Divine Intervention Slain S.C. pastor Pinckney was ‘a giant, a legend’ By Matthew Diebel USA Today

AMG | PHOTOGRAPHY PBS Hour/PBS/Courtesy Image

“He was a giant, a legend, a moral compass.” Those are the words used by fellow state senator Marlon Kimpson on CNN Thursday morning to describe the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor and politician who was among nine people killed when gunman Dylann Roof opened fire last Wednesday evening at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Those killed were: Cynthia Hurd, 54; The Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45; Depayne Middleton Doctor, 49; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; The Rev. Daniel Simmons, 74; and Myra Thompson, 59. Rutherford, who has served in the State Legislature with Pinckney since 1998, told the New York Times that his colleague was “a man driven by public service” whose booming voice inspired his congregation and constituents. Pinckney, 41, was married with two children and had served in the State Senate since 2000, according to an online biography on the church’s website. The pastor was a magna cum laude graduate of Allen University with a degree in business administration and went on to earn a master’s degree in the same subject at the University of South Carolina, the site said. He then obtained a master’s of divinity from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. According to Rutherford and the website, Pinckney started preaching at 13 and received his first appointment to be a pastor at 18. At 23, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives – the youngest state legislator in South Carolina history, and in 2000 was elected to the State Senate. Washington Post columnist David Broder called Pinckney a “political spirit lifter for surprisingly not becoming cynical about politics,” the site said. A black mourning cloth was draped over Pinckney’s seat in the senate chamber in the capital, Columbia, last Wednesday, according

Rev. Clementa Pinckney in the PBS documentary “The African Americans: Many Rivers To Cross With Henry Louis Gates Jr.” that aired in 2012. He was killed last week.

to news reports. In 1999, Ebony Magazine named Pinckney as one of 30 African-American leaders of the future. He leaves his wife, Jennifer, and two children, Eliana and Malana. State Rep. Wendell Gilliard told the Charleston Post and Courier that he visited Pinckney’s wife and daughters after the shooting saying that the family is “surrounded by friends.” In April, Pinckney, along with civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, helped lead a prayer vigil for Walter Scott, a Black South Carolina man who was shot dead by a police officer as he tried to run away. The church is one of the nation’s oldest Black congregations. It is housed in a 1891 Gothic Revival building which is considered a historically significant building. According to the National Park Service, the church is the oldest Black congregation south of Baltimore. The congregation was formed by Black members of Charleston’s Methodist Episcopal Church who broke away “over disputed burial ground,” according to the Park Service’s website. In 1822, one of the church’s cofounders, Denmark Vesey, tried to start a slave rebellion in Charleston, the website added. The plot was discovered and 35 people were executed, including Vesey. The Rev. Joseph Darby of the AME Church in Beaufort, South Carolina, described Pinckney as “an advocate for the people.” He told MSNBC that “he was a very caring and competent pastor, and he was a very brave man. Brave men sometimes die difficult deaths.”

Christian coalition calls Charleston shooting assassination The National Black Church Initiative, a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churched comprise of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans is decrying the nine murders of Black church goers as hatred and a violent affront on Christ’s Church. This horrendous act follows a litany of brutal attacks on African Americans over the past several years across the United States. NBCI President Rev. Anthony Evans is travelling to South Carolina to personally direct 682 churches on security measures for congregants and families. The dangerous unknowns of the murders, their intent and their allies still remain, and allies must rally together against those who are intent on silencing the Black church and its members. “What is this world coming to? Why do they hate Black Christians?” asked Rev. Evans. “I do not understand why Dylann Roof of South Carolina hates black people. “We are convinced that Roof’s killing spree was purely because these innocent victims loved Christ and were Black,” he continued. “Roof likely assassinated Rev. Clements Pinckney specifically because he is a preacher of the gospel and a civil rights leader. The Black church was the specific target for this horrendous act, chosen because of what it represents for all oppressed people.”

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District Chronicles | Jun. 25 - Jul. 1, 2015 | 5

Cover

Dylann Roof’s documents reveal racist thinking

By Freddie Allen NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent (NNPA) – A racist manifesto linked to Dylann Roof – the 21-yearold White man who confessed to shooting nine Black members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church – paints a portrait of a White supremacist with a deep-seated hatred of African Americans. “N****rs are stupid and violent,” wrote Roof in a document found on lastrhodesian.com, a site registered in his name. Roof alleged that the shooting of Trayvon Martin “awakened” him. George Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder charges in the case. “It was obvious that Zimmerman was in the right. But more importantly this prompted me to type in the words ‘black on White crime’ into Google, and I have never been the same since that day,” wrote Roof. “The first website I came to was the Council of Conservative Citizens.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), an organization in Montgomery, Alabama that tracks and exposes hate groups, the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC) “is the modern reincarnation of the old White Citizens Councils, which were formed in the 1950s and 1960s to battle school desegregation in the South.” Roof’s rambling, typo-ridden, ungrammatical manifesto is approximately 2,000 words and targets minorities: “there are good Hispanics and bad hispanics,” wrote Roof, “But

they are still our enemies.” In reference to Jews, Roof wrote, “In my opinion, the issues with jews is not their blood, but their identity. I think if we could somehow destroy the jewish identity, then they wouldn’t cause much of a problem. The problem is that Jews look White, and in many cases are White, yet they see themselves as minorities. “Just like n****rs, most jews are always thinking about they fact that they are jewish. The other issue is that they network.” His harshest words were reserved for Blacks. “Negroes have lower Iqs, lower impulse control, and higher testosterone levels in generals. These three things alone are a recipe for violent behavior. Anyone who thinks that White and black people look as different as we do on the outside, but are somehow magically the same on the inside, is delusional. How could our faces, skin, hair, and body structure all be different, but our brains be exactly the same? This is the nonsense we are led to believe.” He praised racial segregation as being good for both Blacks and Whites. “Not only did it protect us from having to interact with them, and from being physically harmed by them, but it protected us from being brought down to their level. Integration has done nothing but bring Whites down to level of brute animals. The best example of this is obviously our school system,” wrote Roof. He also criticized White supremacists who supported abandoning the South and relocating

6 | Jun. 25 - Jul. 1, 2015 | District Chronicles

Alleged Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof seen here in a picture he put online along with a racist manifesto.

to the Northwest as “scared White people running” to the suburbs because they were too weak or brainwashed to fight. “Why are the suburbs secure in the first place? Because they are White. The pathetic part is that these White people dont even admit to themselves why they are moving,” wrote Roof. “They tell themselves it is for better schools or simply to live in a nicer neighborhood. But it is honestly just a way to escape niggers and other minorities.” Although the document does not give any clues to why the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was targeted specifically, it’s clear that Roof saw his actions in the context of a larger racially-motivated war. “I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the

RNC calls for removal of Confederate flag from state house

WASHINGTON – This week, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus joined Gov. Nikki Haley and other public officials in South Carolina to call for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from state house grounds. Chairman Priebus issued the following statement: “Now is the time to do what is right, and I support the call by Gov. Haley and South Carolina leaders to remove the Confederhighest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country,” wrote Roof. “We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but

ate battle flag from state house grounds,” said Chairman Priebus. “This flag has become too divisive and too hurtful for too many of our fellow Americans. While some say it represents different things to different people, there is no denying that it also represents serious divisions that must be mended in our society. For South Carolina, taking down this Confederate flag is a step in mending those divisions. Our future must be better than our past. We are not meant to be a country divided by racial tensions; we are meant to be a country that stands united. “Our prayers are with the people of South Carolina during these difficult times." talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.”

Politics

To be equal: Making certain every child achieves By Marc H. Morial (TriceEdneyWire.com) – By passing this bill, we bridge the gap between helplessness and hope for more than 5 million educationally deprived children. We put into the hands of our youth more than 30 million new books, and into many of our schools their first libraries. We reduce the terrible time lag in bringing new teaching techniques into the Nation’s classrooms. We strengthen State and local agencies which bear the burden and the challenge of better education. And we rekindle the revolution--the revolution of the spirit against the tyranny of ignorance.” – President Lyndon B. Johnson, on the signing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, April 11, 1965 In a matter of weeks, our na-

tion’s senators will decide whether to improve access to this country’s promise of opportunity for every child through quality education, or deny our most vulnerable children – many from historically disadvantaged groups – equity, excellence and accountability in our public school system, and along with that, a proven path to future opportunity and success in this country. If the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 passes in its current, deficient form, children in low performance schools, children of color, children with disabilities, and those born into poverty and poor neighborhoods are sure to be left behind. The ECAA is the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also commonly known as No Child Left Behind. The ESEA

was signed into law 50 years ago. It was a landmark piece of federal civil rights legislation that became a critical cornerstone of President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” initiative designed to close the education achievement gap between lowerand higher-income children. Fifty years later, with Congress currently considering a vote on the ESEA reauthorization bill, the gap in educational opportunity, achievement and funding has only grown wider and the promise of equity in education for all of our nation’s students will be betrayed by a bill that does not provide additional support and opportunities for disadvantaged students. For the first time in our nation’s history, students of color are the majority of the U.S. student body. And according to a recent survey by the

Southern Education Foundation, a majority of all public school students come from low-income homes. A nation fully committed to the future success of all of its children and, by extension, its own future, must pass a reauthorization bill that holds schools and districts accountable in every instance and manner that leaves no vulnerable students behind. We must spend our education dollars and resources where the need is greatest. Without strong federal oversight and the ability to course correct when necessary, the practice of understaffing and underfunding schools in our most vulnerable communities will continue unchecked. The practice of not requiring school districts to provide equitable resources, or to close the comparability loophole in all its schools, for vulnerable student

subgroups like English language learners or students with disabilities, will only serve to perpetuate the very inequality the original bill sought to make the stuff of history in our modern-day schoolroom textbooks. We all know knowledge is power, therefore the reauthorization bill also needs to provide the transparency, data and reporting families and communities need to effectively advocate for their children and schools. Without critical provisions like these, like so many families, government officials and advocacy groups, the National Urban League will stand firm in its opposition to the current incarnation of the ECAA and demands that Congress revisit and recommit to the original vision of ESEA when it was first signed into law 50 years ago.

New judge sought for Charleston shooting case By Christina Coleman Special to the NNPA from The Chicago Defender (NNPA) – The South Carolina judge who urged the public support the family of accused AME gunman Dylann Roof during a bizarre bond hearing may be replaced if the state’s Supreme Court has their say. After the plea, where he also

called Roof’s family “victims” of the horrific shooting that left nine dead at the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church, it was revealed the court already reprimanded Charleston County Magistrate James Gosnell Jr. before – over 10 years ago Gosnell used a racial epithet in the courtroom, according to a judicial disciplinary order CNN reports. In November 2003, Gosnell was

talking to a Black defendant, whom he knew. Gosnell said he repeated to the defendant a phrase that he had heard spoken by a Black sheriff’s deputy. “There are four kinds of people in this world – Black people, White people, red necks, and n****rs,” Gosnell said at the time. He told the office of disciplinary counsel at the state Supreme Court that he made the “ill-considered” statement to

try to get the young man to change his life. According to NBC, the state Supreme Court announced Gosnell’s replacement prior to Roof’s bond hearing, suggesting the move was in the works some time before. The state Supreme Court announced prior to the bond hearing that Circuit Court Judge J.C. Nicholson would preside over Roof’s criminal charges, replacing Gos-

nell. Circuit judges are the ones that oversee trials. Gosnell’s lawyer, Lionel Lofton, also told NBC that Gosnell’s use of the n-word was being blown out of proportion by the media, calling it a “non-issue.” Roof, who confessed to killing nine people at the church last Wednesday night, is expected back in court in October. The Justice Department is investigating whether the fatal shooting was a hate crime.

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District Chronicles | Jun. 25 - Jul. 1, 2015 | 7

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Holt to be first African American to run solo news show

“In a more than 30-year career Lester Holt has become one of the finest journalists of his generation. He is an engaging storyteller, an agile field reporter, and a commanding figure behind the anchor desk,” said National Association of Black Journalists President Bob Butler. “I have known Lester for most of that time and he has gained the trust of viewers for his reporting and anchoring. He has the respect of his colleagues and peers because of the consistency of the caliber of his work and his notable versatility in reporting and anchoring in a myriad of situations.” Holt joined the NBC News in 2000 and in that time served as an anchor for MSNBC before being named co-anchor of the weekend edition of “Today” in 2003, and the weekend edition of “NBC Nightly News” in 2007. He became the anchor of NBC’s newsmagazine “Dateline” in 2011. Earlier in his career he was a lead anchor for WBBM-TV in Chicago, a weekend anchor and reporter for WCBS-TV in New York, and a weekend anchor for KNXT

now KCBS in Los Angeles, each CBS owned and operated stations. Before his career in television, Holt worked for CBS Radio station KCBS in San Francisco. In a statement released by NBC News, Holt expressed his sentiments. “This is an enormous honor. The respect and admiration I have for the Nightly News team has only grown deeper over the last several months that we’ve been together,” he said. “Day-in and dayout under an uncomfortable spotlight they have produced worldclass journalism. I’m very proud and grateful to be part of such an unflappable and dedicated team of professionals as we move forward together.” Holt is the first African-American in television history to be the solo anchor of a network evening newscast. In 1978 NABJ founder Max Robinson became the nation’s first Black television network news anchor when he was made part of the three-anchor team of ABC’s “World News Tonight.” Ten years later in 1988 member Carole Simp-

As NBC’s Nightly News official new host, Lester Holt is the first African American solo anchor in that position.

son became anchor of the weekend editions of ABC’s “World News Tonight,” a position she held for 15 years. Member Russ Mitchell was made anchor of the CBS “Evening News Saturday” in 1999, and like Holt also simultaneously anchored his network’s weekend morning show.

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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 R&B star’s organization partners with DC Public Schools for leadership training

Baltimore Baltimore businesses reap state benefits to rebuild following citywide civil unrest BALTMORE – Juan C. Nunez, owner of Tops in Cellular, was one of the first business owners to apply for financial assistance after the civil unrest that rocked the city last month. On Monday, he became the first to receive assistance under the Hogan administration’s Maryland Business Recovery program. Nunez, 40, said the $15,000 zerointerest Micro-Enterprise loan will be used to repair damages suffered and lost revenues due to the citywide curfew. “This check will serve as a cushion to help manage employee payroll, repair damages and restock in-

ushernewlook.org

C Public Schools has partnered with Usher’s New Look, a nonprofit organization founded by Grammy award-winning artist Usher Raymond dedicated to helping youth find a path to leadership and make career choices that match their passion. The organization will conduct “Powered by Service,” a one-day, peer-to-peer leadership training for students in grades 8-11. The training kicked off this week at four DCPS high schools, including Ballou High School, Banneker Academic High School, Eastern Senior High School, and Cardozo Education Campus. Each training focuses on the organization’s four pillars – talent, education, career and service – and will motivate students to be leaders in their schools and communities, using their talents to make a positive impact on the entire city. “We are excited to partner with Usher and UNL to bring this dy-

Usher Raymond’s non profit Usher’s New Look will conduct leadership training at four DCPS schools and award youth with a Emory University backed certificate.

namic experience to our students,” said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “This program draws upon our students’ strengths and provides them with powerful tools to succeed in school and life. I look forward to seeing the impact that our young people will make in their communities and beyond.” The “Powered by Service” training comes to D.C. as part of the Empowering Males of Color (EMOC) initiative launched earlier this year by Mayor Muriel Bowser and DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. EMOC is a comprehensive plan of action to enhance the student experience, increase achievement, and prepare males of color for success in college, careers and life beyond DCPS. ventory,” he said during a presentation ceremony with the Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) John Maneval. The goal of the Hogan administration is to get the nearly 400 businesses affected by the riots back in business as quickly as possible. DHCD’s Maryland Business Recovery Loan program was launched in the immediate aftermath of the unrest to cut through the red tape and put money in the hands of beleaguered businesses as quickly as possible. Businesses can receive zero interest loans up to $35,000 through DHCD’s Micro-Enterprise loan program or up to $500,000 through the Neighborhood BusinessWorks program. To date, DHCD has received 25 loan requests totaling $805,000; 18 requests have been approved for a total of $555,000. Nunez said he opened his store in 2010 and plans on serving Balti-

UNL staff from Detroit, Milwaukee and Atlanta will facilitate the trainings, which include networking and branding, Leadership 101, and workshops in financial literacy. Students will participate in town hall-style presentations and a series of small group discussions. “By week’s end, over 500 youth will receive leadership certification backed by Emory University’s Goizueta Business School with a charge to begin serving within their local communities,” said New Look President and CEO Yvette Cook. Founded in 1999, Usher’s New Look is a 501(c)(3) and has served more than 24,000 youth in multiple cities. To learn more, visit: www. districtchronicles.com and look under Neighborhood.

(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.

DHCD’s John Maneval presents check to business owner Juan C. Nunez.

more, particularly the Latino community in Highlandtown. “I plan to finally install a security gate for the store so I can sleep at night and have a piece of mind,” he added. The deadline for applications is August 1. Visit DHCD’s website to learn more at dhcd.dc.gov.

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