The Washington Informer - April 11, 2024

Residents, Tourists, Students

Gather Around the DMV to Witness Solar Eclipse

Rare Phenomenon Inspires Celestial-Themed Gatherings

By Jacqueline Fuller and Olivia Nicholson WI Contributing Writers

From the National Mall, to Southeast, D.C. and Bowie State University, residents, students and tourists flocked to outdoor watch parties around the DMV to look to the sky and witness

a rare solar phenomenon on Monday, April 8.

“This is an exciting celestial event, and we’re fortunate enough to exist in a time and place to witness it with our own eyes,” said Dr. Dawit Hailu, a physics professor at Bowie State.

The April 8 rare occurrence was a total solar eclipse that crossed North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the sun.

ECLIPSE Page 16

Amid Debate about Universal Basic Income, Mayor Bowser Recommits to Strong Families, Strong Futures DC

Two District Mothers Reflect on Impact of Cash Disbursements, Workshops

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Two years after graduating from the University of the District of Columbia, Rondenise Peake is still continuing along a path to become a lactation consultant. She said she’s able to do so, in part, thanks to a District-funded program that’s better enabling her to balance motherhood and her professional endeavors.

Since entering Strong Families,

Strong Futures DC in 2023, Peake has been receiving a monthly stipend that she said allows her to keep her children in a daycare and pay for her lactation consultant coursework.

The other benefits, she said, include a bevy of resources at her disposal and the support from other women who are navigating motherhood.

“A new mom needs the same things as the baby to heal and recover.

INCOME Page 52

5Brynae West has found the Strong Families, Strong Futures DC program to help her with monetary resources and emotional support. (Courtesy Photo)

District to Celebrate Emancipation Day Amid Constant Congressional Interference Recall Campaigns Part of Bigger Plot, Opponents Say

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

As Kelsye Adams gears up for D.C. Emancipation Day festivities, she’s focused, now more than ever, on driving

home the point to District residents that her hometown’s lack of statehood exacerbates many, if not all, of local policy issues.

“We’re not able to make our laws, rules and regulations,” said Adams, a

Biden Visits Baltimore to Assess Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse

founding core organizer of Hands Off DC, a coalition of more than 50 organizations dedicated to rebuffing congressional interference in local affairs. “It’s blasphemous that residents don’t have a voice.”

More than a year ago, Adams joined

EMANCIPATION Page 52

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

Wreckage parts from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse still remain on the shores of Baltimore’s outer harbor as crewmembers wait patiently for experts to devise a plan that will clear the path of destruction. The accident involving the 984-foot-long Dali vessel left six people dead and others awaiting rescue from the Patapsco River’s chilly waters at around 1:30 a.m. on March 26. 5

Celebrating 59 years. Your credible and trusted source for Black news and information.

BRIDGE Page 18

5Thousands of residents, tourists and students, such as Autumn of Friendship Collegiate School, gathered along the National Mall on Monday, April 8 to witness the rare solar eclipse.

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Gallops to No. 1, Making History on Billboard 200 Music Chart

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has once again broken barriers and records in the music industry, as her new album, “Cowboy Carter,” rode triumphantly to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. Released on March 29, the album’s debut at No. 1 marks a stellar achievement for the superstar and stands as the highest-selling album of 2024 thus far.

With an impressive 407,000 equivalent album units, “Cowboy Carter” secures the artist’s eighth chart-topping album, solidifying her status as a musical powerhouse. Fans and critics alike said the remarkable feat reflects her artistry’s enduring appeal and influence.

bums chart, highlighting her groundbreaking impact across genres and the album’s wide-ranging appeal that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Streaming counted as pivotal in “Cowboy Carter’s” triumph, with 232,000 units attributed to streaming equivalent albums. This marks Beyoncé’s most significant streaming week ever, demonstrating her ability to captivate audiences across digital platforms.

With her latest achievement, Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to debut at No. 1 on the Top Country AlD.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said Friday that the owner and manager of a Ward 7 housing complex will pay more than $1 million and make additional investments to improve the health and safety of its residents as part of a settlement agreement with the attorney general’s office.

In addition to digital success, the impact of “Cowboy Carter” is felt in physical sales, with traditional album sales totaling 168,000 units. The album’s limited edition vinyl releases also made a significant mark, selling 62,000 copies and claiming the title of the best-selling vinyl album of 2024, a testament to the enduring appeal of physical music. WI

D.C. Attorney General Settles with Ward 7’s Mayfair Mansions Management to Improve Conditions

After receiving resident complaints, OAG initiated an investigation and engaged in constructive negotiations with Mayfair Mansions, resulting in a settlement that includes payments to impacted tenants and historic investments to improve conditions and ensure the properties remain safe and habitable in the future.

Mayfair is owned by Mayfair Mansions LP, a subsidiary of Enterprise Community Development, the largest nonprofit owner and developer of affordable

homes in the Mid-Atlantic region.

“The tenants of Mayfair Mansions, like all District residents, deserve a safe and secure place to call home,” Schwalb said. “After residents brought concerns about their housing conditions to OAG’s attention, our office engaged directly and constructively with Mayfair’s owners, ensuring that monetary compensation will be provided to its tenants, and that robust investments in building infrastructure, repairs, and security are promptly made.”

Under the terms of the settlement, Enterprise will pay $1,040,000 that will be used partially to refund tenants who were forced to live in poor conditions at the property; upgrade security; improve housing conditions by addressing all outstanding code violations and hire a pest control vendor to service the property monthly; and provide quarterly reports detailing updates on housing code violations and list of resident complaints, in compliance with District law.

The OAG plans to hold an information session on the settlement in the coming weeks. WI

Baseball Hall of Fame to Honor Hank Aaron with Statue

Unveiling; U.S. Postal Service to Issue Commemorative Stamp

Fifty years ago, the sports world watched in awe as Hank Aaron shattered baseball’s most hallowed record with 715 home runs, cementing his place as one of the game’s greatest legends. To celebrate the anniversary of that historic moment, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum plans to immortalize Aaron’s legacy with a monumental tribute.

“Hank Aaron’s impact transcended the game of baseball,” said Jane Forbes Clark, board chair of the Baseball Hall of Fame. “His philanthropy, advocacy for youth empowerment, and trailblazing achievements as an executive have left an indelible mark on society.”

Celebrating the life of the former Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers player is a new exhibit, “More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron,” at the Atlanta History Center. In conjunction with the opening of the exhibit,

Clark announced plans to unveil a bronze statue of Aaron at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on May 23. The statue honors Aaron’s remarkable contributions both on and off the field.

“We are privileged to safeguard his legacy and are honored to unveil this statue as a lasting tribute to an American hero,” he said.

The new statue’s creation was made possible through a generous gift from supporters Jane and Bob Crotty, and with the guidance and approval of the hall-of-famer’s widow, Billye Aaron.

The statue will debut during the Hall of Fame Classic celebration over Memorial Day Weekend, coinciding with the May 25 baseball legends game featuring numerous former big leaguers at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field.

Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI

5 D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb. (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

Generational Impact in Bison: Howard University Welcomes Cast of “A Different World”

By Jada Ingleton WI Intern

Attending a historically Black college or university (HBCU) was always the end-goal for Pennsylvanian freshman Ellyssa Elliott.

After enrolling into a predominantly white Catholic school in the sixth grade, the then-future Bison admitted she felt slightly detached from her Black roots and connection to the community. This all changed when a NBC sitcom based on HBCU culture caused a shift in her perspective on the Black collegiate experience.

“To [see] the joy and excitement to learn, the positive representation of Black characters on TV who are willing to use creative expression and discuss the political things happening in society,” Elliott said of her resonance with this show. “The fact that a show from the ‘80s still has students [from] Gen Z that excites us…it shows that they still have that much power and that we're yearning for representation to show the Black scholar side.”

A 1987 spinoff of “The Cosby Show,” “A Different World” is recognized for its representation and ability to combine light-hearted humor with pivotal life lessons for Black youth. The sitcom was ranked the No.2 show in the world during its prime, credited for the 26% increase of HBCU enrollment between 1976 and 1994, though it is noted that “virtually all of the increase was between 1986 and 1994.” “A Different World” aired from 1987 to 1993.

Elliott recalls pursuing Howard in an effort to recreate the “Hillman experience” depicted in the show. She recited a poem that she wrote during her first week at Howard, in which she compares the two historically Black institutions and acknowledges her acceptance, as well as the A Different World HBCU 2024 Tour, as “divine timing:”

“Hillman, Howard, HU / The Pit, The Yard. All beautiful hues / Let's go take this Mecca by storm / A surplus of opportunities and people to see / A place where we thrive and not conform / See how different this world could be?”

On Tuesday, April 10, more than three decades post-air, Howard University hosted the former castmates for their DC stop of the HBCU Tour.

“I don't think that any of us even then were aware of the impact. As peo-

ple of color, we felt the love from our people, but not necessarily from the industry at large. So it really is a retroactive love, and I have to say it's kind of the best,” said Cree Summer, who played Winifred “Freddie” Brooks in the show. “Now we're all old enough to really appreciate it, and to walk into a school like Howard and have people that weren't even born when this show was on know all the details. I mean, it just makes my heart expand. It's humbling, it's overwhelming. It just lets me know that the legacy will live on.”

Generations of Bison were on the Yard for the #HillmanTakeover, a day consisting of interactive discussions, guest speakers, and live music in anticipation for the main event: a panel featuring some Hillman College legends. Summer was joined by her castmates – Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, and Emmy Award-winning actor Glynn Turman – on the second stop of their two-semester HBCU Tour, a full-circle moment for many Bison who have credited the show as their inspiration to attend an HBCU.

“I grew up watching the show… and it was part of the reason why [my sister] and I both chose to go to an HBCU…just feeling the culture that was there,” said senior journalism major Amber Smith. “I'm always going to say it is based on Howard, just because Debbie Allen – being a Howard alum – changed the trajectory and the feel of the show by bringing that HBCU culture in there. I'd say it's more based on Howard than anything.”

With plenty of sentimental and inspirational takeaways from the event, a common theme was the emphasis on prioritizing Black minds and creations.

“The ability to be an artist on a show where I don't have to hold up the whole race because I'm the only Black character gave me a creative freedom that I hadn't experienced before. We weren't all playing the same thing from the same side of the tracks–we were bringing a variety of lifestyles in the Black community because we are not a monolithic group of people,” Guy told The Washington Informer. “Black is not a genre. [A Different World] is diverse and…shows the country that we have different ways of thinking, challenging and expressing ourselves.”

The A Different World HBCU Tour is set to continue in the fall of 2024 at Tuskegee University. WI

5Howard University welcomed the cast of A Different Worl cast to campus for Hillman Day at Howard on April 9. The cast participated in a panel discussion, reflecting on their experiences and the continued impact of HBCUs. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

black facts

APRIL 11

1881 – Spelman College, one of the nation's historically Black colleges and universities, is founded in Atlanta.

1899 – Percy Julian, a pioneering African American research chemist, is born in Montgomery, Alabama.

1908 – Jane Boldin, the first Black woman to serve as a judge in the United States, is born in Poughkeepsie, New York.

1966 – Emmett Ashford becomes the first Black umpire in Major League Baseball.

1968 – President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act, which outlawed discrimination in the sale, rental or leasing of housing.

APRIL 12

1975 – Famed singer and entertainer Josephine Baker dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Paris at 68.

1981 – Heavyweight boxing great Joe Louis dies of cardiac arrest in a Las Vegas-area hospital at 66.

1983 – Harold Washington becomes the first African American mayor of Chicago.

APRIL 13

1873 – The Colfax Riot, the largest racial massacre in U.S. history, takes place in Colfax, Louisiana, where approximately 150 Black men are killed by whites amid a highly contested gubernatorial election.

1964 – Sidney Poitier becomes the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as a construction worker who helps build a chapel in "Lilies of the Field."

1997 – Golf great Tiger Woods wins the Mas-

APRIL 11 - 17, 2024

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

ters, becoming the the youngest and the first non-white player to win the tournament.

The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, the first American abolition society, is founded in Philadelphia.

Social and civil activist A. Philip Randolph, who organized and led the first predominantly Black labor union, is born in Crescent City, Florida.

1896 – Booker T. Washington receives an honorary degree from Harvard University.

1915 – Walter Washington, the first mayor of Washington, D.C., is born in Dawson, Georgia. 1926 – Norma Sklarek, the first Black woman to be licensed as an architect in the United States, is born in Harlem, New York.

APRIL 16

– The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, or simply Compensated Emancipation Act, a law that ended slavery in D.C. by paying slave owners for releasing their slaves, is signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

1864 – Internationally known singer Flora Batson, known as "The Double-Voiced Queen of Song," is born in Washington, D.C.

1947 – Basketball Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is born in New York City.

1994 – Ralph Ellison, author of "Invisible Man," dies in New York City at 81 of pancreatic cancer.

APRIL 17

1983 – Alice Walker wins the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel "The Color Purple." WI

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

The parents of an Oxford, Mich., school shooter were sentenced to 10 to 15 years each for involuntary manslaughter for the slaying that claimed the lives of three students. James and Jennifer Crumley are the first parents convicted in connection to a U.S. mass shooting. Some say this will open up a can of worms, while others agree that this case was so egregious that the parent should be held responsible. What are your thoughts?

GAWIN ANDERSON / INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

I have talked to many parents who were in this situation. One parent even called the police and the school system; nothing was done until her child killed someone. I don’t know all the factors in this case. However, the system needs to start listening to the parents who do say something before things get worse.

ALTON JENKINS / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Parents have to notice the red flags. That’s where it starts. When your kids start acting differently, take notes every day.

RENEE MCTAW / SOUTHFIELD, MICH.

RHONDA MORGAN / DETROIT, MICH.

Glad the trial is over so the families can try and heal. It won’t ever be enough. Still, bless the families of those lost. I can’t imagine.

Justice is served. I hope all the families begin to heal.

LARON JENKINS / DETROIT, MICH.

Michigan has set the tone!

Mayor Bowser Presents Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, Defends Reasons for Cuts

Early Childcare Educator Equity Fund, Emergency Rental Assistance Topics of Discussion

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Tasha Brown walked into the John A. Wilson Building on Wednesday, April 3 with the demand that the D.C. Council restores the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, through which she’s been able to substantially raise the pay for degreed and certified teachers at the Hill Preschool.

Brown, assistant director at the Hill Preschool, told The Informer that the elimination of the equity fund, as seen in D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal threatens her ability to maintain a high-quality program with a student-to-teacher ratio well below what the Office of the State Superintendent mandates.

“There’s no mistake that we will lose our teaching staff [members] with master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees and certifications,” Brown said.

On W April 3, Brown counted among those who spoke in support of the D.C. Council increasing the tax obligations of high earners to close a budget gap. She was flanked by organizers and community members representing Just Recovery DC, D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, among other grassroots organizations who criticized cuts to the equity fund, the District’s emergency rental assistance program, and other programs of significance.

5D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s (D) Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal and financial plan is themed “Fair Shot: Strategic Investments and Shared Sacrifice.” (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

Brown noted that salaries subsidized through the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund allow educators to earn livable wages without moving into a leadership role.

In 2016, Brown started as a lead teacher at the Hill Preschool, long before the launch of the equity fund. She told The Informer that she didn’t enjoy a substantial pay increase until she assumed the assistant director role in the early days of the pandemic.

As Brown recounted, her rise in rank revealed the intricacies of operating a popular private, tuition-based childcare center. She said maintaining a qualified workforce counts among her greatest obligations.

“If I can’t afford a teacher who went through a four-year program, we will get babysitters,” she told The Informer.

“Some of our teachers will literally go from making $75,000 to $48,000 [per year],” she continued. “I worry tremendously for my staff who will experience a significant reduction in their salaries and consequently their quality of living if the equity fund is cut from the budget.”

In the weeks leading up to Bowser’s budget presentation before the council, parents and advocates rallied around investments in early child care. Their efforts happened amid the release of a report that tied rising childcare costs to an economic downturn.

The Under 3 DC Coalition, which authored the report, recommended investment in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and investments that keep childcare costs below 10%.

AT COUNCIL HEARING, EARLY CHILDCARE EDUCATOR EQUITY FUNDING TAKES CENTER STAGE

On Wednesday, a teary-eyed D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At large) spoke on the council dais in support of the equity fund. She described the proposed cut as an affront to Black and brown female early childhood educators for whom adequate compensation had long been an issue.

“Childcare is not just about education, it’s an economic issue. It’s a workforce issue,” Henderson said. “We’ve limped along for years with minimal government assistance and the bottom fell out in the pandemic. Women left the childcare market because the math didn’t work. In the District, we said we would do something different. We’re the envy of the country. It’s not perfect but the suggestion that we go back to Square One is disappointing.”

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Sylvia Ruth Foundation Hosts Sneaker Ball, Continues Namesake’s Mission of Literacy Advocacy, Empowerment

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

While most people consider learning to read fundamental, the board of the Sylvia Ruth Foundation recognizes reading and books as life-changing.

“We are a collective of women who have come together to honor Sylvia Ruth [Byrd], who is my mother, and carry out her dreams and her wishes and continue her service. She was a dedicated servant, who helped children,” said founding board member Stephanie Byrd, who is also a principal at Payne Elementary in Southeast, D.C. “What we do is build classroom libraries in first grade classrooms. Thus far, in the first three years of our existence, we have built six classroom libraries in first grade classrooms.”

For the second year in a row, the foundation, dedicated to promoting literacy and providing scholarship funds for students, raised money to continue its mission with a gala and auction.

This year’s soiree, a sneaker ball, was held on March 23 at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Southeast, D.C., and brought out guests donning dapper suits, glamorous gowns, and extravagant ensembles paired with stylish sneakers of all brands, shapes and colors.

“I’m looking at all these sneakers, seeing if I can get some tips that I can

wear to the next sneaker ball,” said Salim Adofo, chair of Ward 8C Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), who represents district 8C07.

In addition to the captivating footwear, Adofo emphasized the true focus of the event: education.

“Education, I believe, is the key to moving our community forward,” explained Adofo, who is running for the Ward 8 Council seat in the Democratic primary on June 4.

A LEGACY THAT CONTINUES THROUGH BOOKS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Board member Marion McDowell, a teacher at Payne, told the crowd she remembers how amazing it was to witness the late literacy advocate in action and working with students.

“I came across Sylia Byrd in the cafeteria. She had a group of children that she was reading to and I would see her every so often until one day I said, ‘You’re reading to the kids, that’s cool,’” McDowell recalled during the event.

McDowell explained the late mother and grandmother, who died in April 2021 at the age of 81, as a fervent supporter of children, who empowered them with the gift of books and reading.

“She loved our babies hard. She enjoyed reading and I’m here to make sure her name is living in

scholarships and in books,” McDowell said.

The Sylvia Ruth Foundation is doing more than providing books. Through literature, the foundation is offering a world of opportunities for young people to explore, learn and grow.

“As students come to school, if they don’t have a lot of books and examples of reading in their home, they have a library in their actual classrooms that they can enjoy and learn a lot,” explained Byrd, a mom and educator, carrying out her own mother’s legacy.

However the work doesn’t stop at books and building libraries.

“We also give scholarships to students at Howard University,” said Byrd, whose mother worked at the prestigious historically Black

university for many years.

Moreover, the foundation is creating a college pathway for children, some of whom haven’t even stepped into a formal classroom–or taken their first steps, for that matter.

“We have started to open up college savings plans for young people. We opened up three college savings plans for infants, and we have done two first graders,” Byrd said.

With all that’s been accomplished in three years, the foundation is making plans to continue its namesake’s mission in a major way.

“Next year we hope to do a whole class of first graders,” Byrd declared. “That’s our mission moving forward.” WI

5The Sylvia Ruth Foundation continues its founder’s namesake of literary advocacy through building classroom libraries for first graders and offering scholarships. (Courtesy Photo/Sylvia Ruth Foundation)

5Stephanie Byrd (front center) with board members of the Sylvia Ruth Foundation at the organization’s Sneaker Ball on March 23 at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Southeast, D.C. (Courtesy Photo/The Sylvia Ruth Foundation)

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Michael Smith of Temple Hills, reads the Washington Informer. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer) Who’s Reading the Informer?

“All you need in the world is love and laughter. That's all anybody needs: to have love in one hand and laughter in the other.”

Frank Malone, founder of 100 Fathers Inc. and chair of Black Men Working Together, hosted "Solutions to Heal and Restore the Soul of our Community," a mini conference meant to interact, engage, and equip the next generation of leaders. The event was held at Howard University School of Social Work. (L-R) Dr. Frank Malone, Rev. Willie Wilson, Larry Watson, Rev. Oliver Buie, Rafeeq, and Rev. Anthony J. Motley

AROUND THE REGION

Emancipation Day Festivities to Take Place on April 14

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

D.C. will honor the official observance of the end of slavery in the District with a series of events on April 14. The festivities, marking the 162nd anniversary of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, will feature a parade, concert, and fireworks at Freedom Plaza in Northwest. While District employees will recognize the legal Emancipation Day holiday on April 16, the community celebration will take place on April 14.

The parade, concert, and fireworks will commemorate President Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act on April 16, 1862. This act freed 3,100 enslaved people and provided compensation to their legal owners. Additionally, it offered support for freed individuals to emigrate, with a preference for Liberia or Haiti.

LaToya Foster, director of the District’s Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME), noted that this year’s Emancipation Day activities fall on a Sunday, adding that “God is in the midst of it all.”

Foster said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is “extremely excited” about the event, and she hopes it will bring people downtown to celebrate and enjoy performances by “homegrown talent.”

D.C. EMANCIPATION DAY’S START

In 1866, leaders in the District’s Black community began an annual tradition of the Emancipation Day parade. African American organizations and veterans’ groups marched past the White House and throughout the city despite racial segregation laws, and children took the day off from school to watch the celebration.

As racism continued in the city and throughout country, Emancipation Day festivities turned into demonstrations with marchers carrying banners calling for the

end of legalized racism and protests against racist U.S. Supreme Court decisions including Plessy v. Ferguson state-mandated segregation did not violate the Constitution.

In 1901, the parades ended due to infighting among the organizers. Little effort occurred to resurrect the annual commemoration until the 1990s, when a group of activists began to press the issue.

In 2000, the D.C. Council passed legislation proclaiming Emancipation Day a private holiday, meaning that it was recognized by the District government, but employees could not have a compensated day off.

However, in 2002, Emancipation Day was resurrected, and two years later, then Ward 5 D.C. Councilmember Vincent Orange proposed making the day a public holiday. The District of Columbia Emancipation Day Amendment Act of 2004 was signed into law by then D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams on January 4, 2005.

The legal public holiday was officially celebrated for the first time in 2005.

2024 EMANCIPATION DAY ACTIVITIES

The schedule of events include a parade that will start at 2 p.m.

and proceed along Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest from 10th Street to 14th Street..

At 3 p.m., a concert will be held at Freedom Plaza, across the street from the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest, where Mayor Muriel Bowser will deliver remarks.

Among the participating artists are: Dr. Lovail M. Long Sr., playwright and founder of DC Black Broadway; Poet of WPGC 95.5 FM, along with the East of the River Steelband, jazz musician and producer Marcus Johnson, the locally-based GoGo group Black Alley, as well as D.C. native and rhythm and blues singer Ginuwine,

“We will have gospel to go-go,” Foster said. “There will be praise and worship for sure,” with performances by gospel artists Ricky Dillard and Kelly Price, among others.

After the performances, there is a fireworks display set for 8 p.m.

Foster emphasized Emancipation Day as a moment for all District residents to partake in the celebration of freedom.

“We have something for every resident of the city,” she said. “This is a good place to come and bring your family and a blanket and have a good time.” WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5Black Alley, who rocked the crowd at last year’s Emancipation Day festivities, is scheduled to perform at this year’s Emancipation Day concert in Freedom Plaza on April 14. (WI File Photo)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

WELLS FARGO EXPERT LENDS ADVICE FOR ASPIRING HOMEBUYERS

Ewunike Brady, Wells Fargo’s Wells Fargo’s vice president of Home Lending and African

American Segment Strategy leader, offered advice and to dispel some myths regarding the home lending process for prospective buyers.

“It is a common misconception that you need to make a down payment of 20%. In reality, you may have options. Some financing programs allow qualified homebuyers to put down as little as 3%. You may be allowed to use mon-

etary gifts from family or friends for all or part of the down payment,” said Brady.

are looking for solutions. Qiana Johnson and a group of returning citizens are stepping up to support leaders’ quest to reduce crime and engage with the community.

Johnson and others working with Life After Release were recently honored by Councilmembers Wala Blegay (D- District 6) and Krystal Oriadha (D- District 7) and given proclamations for their work in the community.

The abolitionist organization has three approaches to support incarcerated women and returning citizens: legal/policy, reimaging communities, and the national FreeHer campaign, which advocates against building new women’s prisons and closing existing women’s prisons. No stranger to Annapolis or the Prince George’s County Council chamber, Life After Release has also advocated to open a women’s pre-release center in Maryland and stood against proposals in Annapolis that would likely increase incarceration rates.

She emphasized the major key to getting a loan.

“The key to loans is not necessarily high income, but also in demonstrating your ability to repay the loan. Lenders look at a variety of factors, including your income, assets, debt-to-income ratio, credit history, credit scores, and the amount of the loan compared to the value of the property.”

One program of note that Brady recommends for prospective buyers is the Wells Fargo Homebuyer Access grants, which provides $10,000 to be applied toward the down payment for eligible homebuyers who currently live in or are purchasing homes in certain underserved communities in eight metropolitan areas around the country.

“This offering under the [special purpose credit program] adds another key component to Wells Fargo’s efforts to help drive economic growth, sustainable homeownership, and neighborhood stability in minority communities,” she said. WI

LOCAL RETURNING CITIZENS CELEBRATE SUCCESSES

Amid persistent crime in Prince George’s, many county residents and political and civic leaders

Their members are planning a march on April 24 in D.C., starting at Freedom Plaza in Northwest, to raise awareness of the impacts of incarceration on women and particularly calling on state and federal officials to use their clemency powers to release incarcerated mothers before Mother’s Day.

“It’s time for a change. Time to decarcerate and begin investing in healing for women ” said Rita Gray of Life After Release.

To commemorate April as National Second Chances Month, Luminis Health held a symposium where some of their employees spoke to other business owners about the benefits of hiring returning citizens. More than 20 employees at Luminis are returning citizens, and five more are starting soon. Part of their success: providing a livable wage with benefits and offering training prior to their release.

The county is offering grants and other incentives to encourage more businesses to continue these hiring practices.

“We want our businesses to help us in the work and also give a chance, to give a second chance to one of our residents,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D). “Ultimately if they are successful, then so is our county and so is our state.”

WI

5 Ewunike Brady, Wells Fargo’s Vice President of Home Lending and African American Segment Strategy leader, offers advice and some smart strategies regarding home lending and employment for prospective homebuyers

Prince George’s County Political Updates

Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

END OF MARYLAND’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Lawmakers tackled key issues to wrap up this year’s legislative session.

Some of the legislation included: providing $275 million in state support to businesses and employees negatively affected by the Key Bridge collapse; allowing the state to take control of Baltimore’s Pimlico horse track; and extending a deadline for the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) to mail tax notices due to an earlier error.

Prior to a decision about environmental safeguards, members of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) held up signs on Thurgood Marshall Plaza, just outside of the state Capitol, to save the Climate Solutions Now bill.

With a brass band playing Arrested Development’s “Everyday People,” the activists were undoubtedly seen and heard by numerous legislators and staffers, who were also heading outside to witness the rare solar eclipse on Monday.

5 State Del. Julian Ivey (D- District 47), standing near the Maryland State Capitol, was one of the first elected officials to test out his glasses to see the eclipse, which fell on the same day as the last legislative session. He, like many of his colleagues, was genuinely awestruck by the unique event. (Anthony Tilghman/ The Washington Informer)

“We hope that the legislators, coming out to see the eclipse, we want them to see folks on the stage with the signs,” said CCAN’s Jamie DeMarco.

The Maryland General Assembly passed the bill, limiting the environmental safeguards and regulations needed to open data centers.

Among the other bills that passed in the final hours of session were extending online protections for consumers, creating a grant to provide security for abortion clinics, and establishing further civil liabilities for gun manufacturers.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) is expected to sign the bills and was happy with how the legislative session concluded.

“We opened up session saying that we really have four goals,” said Governor Wes Moore (D). “We need to make Maryland more safe. We need to make Maryland more affordable, and make Maryland more competitive. And we needed to continue to make Maryland a state that serves. I think on all four of those goals, we made very real progress.”

WI

CONGRESSMAN HOYER HIGHLIGHTS

FEDERAL INVESTMENTS INTO SOUTHERN MD

Longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer (DDistrict 5) visited his Southern Maryland constituency and discussed how $800,000 in federal grants will help to preserve the natural beauty of the area through environmental cleanup and expanding clean water access.

He met with nonprofit leaders from YESS! of Charles County in Nanjemoy, a rural town that has limited access to clean water, and Eagle Harbor Mayor Noah Waters, who is partnering with Ridge to Reefs to remove coal pollutants from their town.

“The Town of Eagle Harbor is one of the last predominately African American waterfront communities remaining in the United States,” said Mayor Waters.

Eagle Harbor is situated on the shore of the Aquasco, Maryland’s fraction of the Patuxent River, and Waters noted it is also “where the selling of

human cargo supplied the state’s largest slave population.”

“Not since Reconstruction has ample federal intervention been used in a way to impact this area,” Waters explained, before thanking Hoyer for his work to bring attention to the much needed work in Eagle Harbor.

Funding for the work in Eagle Harbor came through the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda.

“This set of transformational laws initiated bold policies to provide all Americans – no matter their race, creed, identity, or zip code – the tools they need to get ahead. That includes creating grant opportunities that prioritize federal investments to protect the environment in small communities like Eagle Harbor that have too often been overlooked,” said Rep. Hoyer, chair of the House Regional Leadeership Council. “The Investing in America agenda is also helping expand high-speed internet, mental health care, and safe transportation in small towns and rural communities. Investing in America means investing in every part of America.”

WI

5 April 8, the final day of the Maryland legislative session, was also the date of the rare solar eclipse. Del. Denise Roberts (D- District 25) was prepared for the celestial event with a pair of solar safe glasses.

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Business Updates

By James Wright and Richard Elliott WI Staff Writer and WI Contributing Reporter

SEED SPOT PARNTER FOR IMPACT ACCELERATOR

The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation and SEED SPOT have partnered to once again launch the Seed Spot Impact Accelerator, two four-week accelerator programs for up to 20 small business owners. The purpose of the programs is to focus on preparing underrepresented entrepreneurs for growth and investment through personalized coaching, industry-specific mentorship, and a curriculum targeting key busi-

ness development areas.

Following the program, participants gain access to SEED SPOT’s Alumni Resource Platform, providing invaluable benefits like facilitated introductions to investors, preferred vendor pricing, and ongoing support for sustained entrepreneurial success.

Applicants will be notified of their successful enrollment in the program prior to May.

For more information, contact the economic development corporation at 301-583-4650.

WI

LUMINIS HEALTH NAMES NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Luminis Health, a non-profit regional health system that includes

a medical center in Lanham, has appointed Stephanie Schnittger as the new Chief Financial Officer.

In this role, Schnittger will provide strategic direction and oversight to various financial aspects of Luminis Health, including financial operations, budgeting, planning, and analysis based on her over 20 years of experience in healthcare finance.

“We are excited to welcome Stephanie Schnittger to Luminis Health. Stephanie is a seasoned financial leader with a proven track record in resource management within the healthcare sector,” said Luminis Health CEO Tori Bayless.

“I am honored to join the Luminis Health Team,” said new CFO Schnittger. “I look forward to executing a comprehensive long-term strategy that strengthens our financial position, ultimately benefiting our team members, patients, their families, and ensuring we remain a valuable asset to the communities we serve.” WI

AI FOR BUSINESS GROWTH

The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation and the University of Maryland announced plans to introduce a specialized program tailored for small business owners keen on leveraging artificial intelligence for business growth.

The hybrid initiative features an online AI course, followed by an immersive in-person bootcamp at the university. The program offers a blend of AI-focused education, personalized coaching, and industry-relevant mentorship.

Each bootcamp focuses on hands-on learning and real-world application. Topics might include AI for Customer Relationship Management; Operational Efficiency with AI; and Data-Driven Decision Making with AI.

Applicants will be notified if they’ve been accepted into the joint specialized program by May 10. WI

5 The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation and University of Maryland have partnered to teach courses to small business owners about leveraging artificial intelligence. (Courtesy Photo/Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, Facebook)

Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Lingering challenges around inflation remain top of mind for business leaders nationwide, and even so, almost half (41%) say they’re using it as motivation to lay groundwork for future prosperity, according to JPMorgan Chase’s 2024 annual Business Leaders Outlook. Eight in 10 leaders are confident about their company’s and industry’s performance (82%) and have cut non-essential expenses and embraced new technology in preparation for the year.

While you may already be cutting back on spending due to rising costs and an uncertain economic environment, it’s important to evaluate your financial situation and consider implementing these lifestyle changes to help reduce inflation-related stress.

1. SPEND WITH INTENTION.

Instability in the market can make your finances feel equally unstable, so it’s important to set a budget and identify where your money is going each month. Financial tracking tools like a monthly budget worksheet or digital tools like Budget, in the Chase Mobile® app, will help track your spending, allowing you to review and adjust your budget as needed. You also can set alerts to determine how you’re doing throughout the month. Having a deeper level of insight will also show you where to consider cutting

unnecessary expenses or allocate additional funds.

2. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CREDIT CARD REWARDS.

Many credit cards offer new cardmember bonuses, cash back and rewards that can help you earn more for spending on everyday items like groceries and travel. Look for credit cards that essentially pay you back by earning more when you spend on eligible categories, including gas, groceries and utilities.

3. SAVE FOR AN EMERGENCY FUND.

Getting in a habit of saving is key, and how much you should save for an emergency fund will depend on your income and spending habits. Setting aside cash – ideally between three and six months of living expenses – will help prepare you for unexpected expenses. Consider anticipated expenses like rent, utilities, debts and food. Having an emergency fund will help ease stressful situations that can arise without warning.

4. SEARCH FOR INVESTMENTS WITH BETTER RETURNS.

The uncertain global economy has created pronounced peaks and valleys in the market over the last year. Now is a good time to reevaluate your asset mix and search for options that can protect your wealth from inflation. Consider consulting a financial advisor to create a personalized financial strategy that may include investments

4 Ways to Fight Inflation-Related Stress and Save Money Now The Newsletter

in things like savings bonds and commodities.

Visit chase.com/personal/financial-goals to learn more about how JPMorgan Chase can help you combat inflation-related stress.

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

KEY BRIDGE BUSINESS LOANS

Businesses in the District affected by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that occurred on March 26 are eligible to apply for low-interest, long-term Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) according to its Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.

The declaration applies to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and private nonprofit organizations. Applicants can apply for up to $2 million to help overcome any temporary loss of revenue stemming from the bridge collapse. These loans may be used to pay normal operating expenses such as fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of disruption.

Eligibility is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest

ECLIPSE from Page 1

The last total solar eclipse visible in North America took place in 2017 and the next will be in 2044.

Those viewing the eclipse from locations where the moon’s shadow completely covered the sun– known as the path of totality– experienced a total solar eclipse.

According to reports, the moon began eclipsing the sun at 2:04 p.m. with the maximum eclipse at 3:20 p.m. and ended at around 4:32 p.m. In the D.C. metro area, more than 80% of the sun was covered by the moon.

Though D.C., Maryland and Virginia were not in the path of totality, people gathered to celebrate the rare event.

Bowie’s State hosted a watch party at Bulldog stadium and partnered with NASA to provide protective glasses to view the eclipse.

“Events like this have the ability to spark interest and wonder about science and the world around us,” said Hailu.

Thousands also took to Northwest

briefs

rate of 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for private nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.

To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster. Call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

WI

FREE CHROMEBOOK

Participants in the Digital Empowerment Day that will take place on April 24 at the Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Library in Northwest have the chance to register to receive a free refurbished Chromebook.

With a donation from Human

on the National Mall to enjoy the eclipse on Monday afternoon.

The Air and Space Museum set up tents along Fourth Street NW and Madison Drive NW, staff handed out eclipse glasses, and people waited in a long line to take a peek through the eclipse-viewing telescope.

Katie Aguila, District of Columbia Food Recovery Network director, came down to the Mall looking to be around other people experiencing the eclipse. She said that the gathering “[felt] like an event.”

To Aguila and some onlookers, however, the eclipse itself was somewhat underwhelming.

“It was not as dark as I thought,” said Aguila. “It was more like a cloudy day, so not what I expected.”

After trekking to the National Mall for the moment, Lord Aziante, a local caregiver, and musician, thought the 2017 eclipse was much better.

“This [eclipse] was playing games with us,” Aziante told The Informer. “Out of 10, it was a 6.5.”

5U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella

I-T, and on behalf of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), the D.C. Public Library (DCPL), and the Mayor’s Office of Returning Citizens Affairs (MORCA) are partnering to support aspiring city entrepreneurs and businesses by removing one of the main barriers to digital empowerment. Together, these organizations are providing 144 Google Chromebook lap-

However, for Enkhzaya NyamOchir, a data scientist from Arlington, this eclipse was a much more special experience than the 2017 event, during which she was busy with work in Utah.

“I got to take my time and enjoy the eclipse from start to finish,” said NyamOchir. “I took some time to reflect… and enjoyed the peace and quiet.”

Lawyer Julie Rones took to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Southeast to view the historic moment. Rones was the first at the Ward 8 site– the same location she viewed the eclipse in 2017– and was excited to witness the occurrence again, calling it “one of the miracles of life.”

Armed with her solar glasses, Rones shared her excitement about observing the phenomenon again, telling The Informer it was “awesome,” and weighing in on its significance.

“[The eclipse] shows us that we are a small part of the solar system that functions independently from us.”

D.R. Barnes contributed to this report.

WI

tops to help close the digital divide under-resourced small businesses and entrepreneurs often experience.

People interested in one of the laptops must complete and submit a registration application by the deadline of April 19 by noon. Recipients must be a District business owner, or a city resident and proof of residence is required by either a Department of Motor Vehicles identification

or a driver’s license.

Recipients must be at least 18. Attendance at the April 24 event is mandatory to receive a chromebook. Multiple eligibility forms are not allowed.

Chromebooks will be assigned from accepted applications on a first come, first served basis. If selected, DSLBD will send a confirmation email to selected applicants.

Please email your questions to inno.ed@dc.gov.

WI

POWER UP FOR SUCCESS

The 2024 DC Small Business Summit and Expo, “Power Up for Success,” hosted by the DC Chamber of Commerce will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest on April 30 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Workshops and activities to be offered to registrants include an awards luncheon, access to capital seminar, procurement opportunities, networking opportunities, one-on-one consultation with business experts, business expo and vendor exhibits and speed networking.

For more information and to register visit dcchamber.org.

WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5People took to outside locations and watch parties to view the rare total eclipse on the afternoon of Monday, April 8. (Courtesy Photo/The Rev. Mark Thompson)

4Julie Rones took to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Southeast, D.C. to view the rare solar eclipse on April 8. (D.R. Barnes/ The Washington Informer)

Guzman. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Restaurant Group Set to Hold Annual Meeting

James Wright WI Staff Writer

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) will hold its annual meeting on April 17 at the Watergate Hotel in Northwest, with Ryan Zimmerman, a partner in Long Shot Hospitality and a key member of the 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals, as the featured speaker.

“Mr. National excelled both on the field, as part of a championship team, and off the field, as part of a leading regional hospitality group,” said Shawn Townsend, president, and CEO of RAMW. “We are thrilled to welcome him to share his insights

at this year’s Annual Meeting.”

RAMW is the regional trade association representing restaurants and the food service industry in the Washington metropolitan area.

Founded in 1920, the association serves to promote and advance the interests of its members which consists of restaurants with legislative and regulatory representation, marketing and small business support, programming, and events.

The meeting agenda includes panels about The District’s new Dram Shop law and ABC licensing; the future of streateries; and the new drive to reform Clean Hands laws. WI

@JamesWrightJr10

Basics of the Corporate Transparency Act of 2024

By Aimee D. Griffin, Esq.

Effective January 1, 2024, The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), has been introduced. For small businesses, understanding the implications of this legislation and complying with its provisions are essential to maintaining compliance and fostering trust with stakeholders. The US Treasury from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is the agency where you would report www.fincen.gov.

Before delving into the specifics of the Corporate Transparency Act, it's crucial to grasp the concept of beneficial ownership. Beneficial owners are individuals who ultimately own or control a significant portion of a company's equity, voting rights, or assets, either directly or indirectly. The Corporate Transparency Act has a focus of combating financial crimes such as money laundering, tax evasion, and terrorist financing, as it helps authorities trace the flow of funds and uncover illicit activities hidden behind opaque corporate structures.

A reporting company created or registered to do business before January 1, 2024, will have until January 1, 2025, to file its initial beneficial ownership information report. A reporting company created or registered on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2025, will have 90 calendar days after receiving notice of the company’s creation or registration to file its initial BOI report. This 90-calendar day deadline runs from the time the company receives actual notice that its creation or registration is effective, or after a secretary of state or similar office first provides public notice of its creation or registration, whichever is earlier.

Reporting companies created or registered on or after January 1, 2025, will have 30 calendar days from actual or public notice that the company’s creation or registration is effective to file their initial BOI reports with FinCEN.

A sole proprietorship is not a reporting company. An entity is a reporting company only if it was created (or, if a foreign company, registered to do business) in the United States by filing such a document. Filing a document with a government agency to obtain (1) an IRS employer identification number, (2) a fictitious business name, or (3) a professional or occupational license does not create a new entity, and therefore does not make a sole proprietorship filing such a document a reporting company.

A beneficial owner is an individual who either directly or indirectly: (1) exercises substantial control (see Question D.2) over the reporting company, or (2) owns or controls at least 25% of the reporting company’s ownership interest.

A reporting company will have to report:

1. Its legal name;

2. Any trade names, “doing business as” (d/b/a), or “trading as” (t/a) names;

3. The current street address of its principal place of business if that address is in the United States (for example, a U.S. reporting company’s headquarters), or, for reporting companies whose principal place of business is outside the United States, the current address from which the company conducts business in the United States (for example, a foreign reporting company’s U.S. headquarters);

4. Its jurisdiction of formation or registration; and

5. Its Taxpayer Identification Number (or, if a foreign reporting company has not been issued a TIN, a tax identification number issued by a foreign jurisdiction and the name of the jurisdiction).

FinCEN will permit Federal, State, local, and Tribal officials, as well as certain foreign officials who submit a request through a U.S. Federal government agency, to obtain beneficial ownership information for authorized activities related to national security, intelligence, and law enforcement. Financial institutions will have access to beneficial ownership information in certain circumstances, with the consent of the reporting company. Those financial institutions’ regulators will also have access to beneficial ownership information when they supervise the financial institutions.

Companies required to report are called reporting companies. There are two types of reporting companies:

• Domestic reporting companies are corporations, limited liability companies, and any other entities created by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or any similar office in the United States.

• Foreign reporting companies are entities (including corporations and limited liability companies) formed under the law of a foreign country that have registered to do business in the United States by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or any similar office.

Registration is not difficult and should be completed just once but if there is a change there should be a new registration. The website is really helpful. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. You don’t want to be negligent.

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq.,

The Griffin Firm, PLLC

http://yourestateplanningattorney.com

(855) 574-8481

5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 440 Washington DC 20015

4041 Powder Mill Drive Suite 215 Beltsville MD 20705

100 International Drive 23rd Floor Baltimore MD 21202

4601 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 1200 Arlington, VA 22203

5Shawn Townsend is the president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. (WI File Photo)

Biden Administration Bolsters Protections for Federal Employees Against Political Interference NATIONAL

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Former President Donald Trump, who has pledged to “be a dictator on Day 1” if voters re-elect him has previously released plans to reshape the federal government, potentially terminating thousands of employees and replacing them with conservatives.

However, President Joe Biden has moved to make that task much more difficult if Trump wins or steals the 2024 presidential elec-

BRIDGE from Page 1

Since then, government officials ranging from Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and President Joe Biden (D) have committed emergency funds to support the surrounding communities and local businesses.

“Earlier this afternoon, we took an aerial tour to survey the wreckage,” Biden shared at his April 5 visit on site. “From the air, I saw the bridge that’s been ripped apart. But here on the ground, I see a community that’s been pulled together.”

He commended the group of leaders including Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Moore, Maryland Senators Ben Cardin (D) and Chris Van Hollen (D), Maryland Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D), Scott, and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski for their swift response in the wake of uncertainty.

Mfume and Van Hollen have partnered to introduce legislation

tion. This week, the Biden-Harris administration issued a new rule to protect federal employees through the Office of Personnel Management. The new regulations should help prevent the reclassification of career civil servants as political appointees or other at-will workers, making termination difficult.

“Today, my administration is announcing protections for 2.2 million career civil servants from political interference to guarantee they can carry out their responsibilities in the best interest of the

American people,” Biden said. The National Treasury Employee Union applauded the administration’s decision, calling it a crucial step in preventing the arbitrary re-

“Earlier this afternoon, we took an aerial tour to survey the wreckage,” Biden shared at his April 5 visit on site. “From the air, I saw the bridge that’s been ripped apart. But here on the ground, I see a community that’s been pulled together.”

that requests millions for the state’s financial relief efforts and federal aid to cover up to 90% of the cost to repair the bridge. According to the White House, over 30,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily. Last year, Baltimore led the nation in tonnage imports of passenger vehicles, asphalt, zinc, nickel and aluminum wire as cited in the Census bureau.

“The impact here has a significant impact everywhere -- up and down the coast and around the country,” Biden explained. “Thousands of tons of mangled steel remain lodged in the water, blocking ships from moving in and out of

the harbor.”

Analysts estimate the port’s closure could cost the economy as much as $15 million per day.

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans for those businesses affected by the collapse.

“Our economic injury disaster loans have been made available swiftly with collaboration with Gov. Wes Moore and his team to make sure that small businesses could get the support that needed for them to be able to pivot and adapt,” Small Business Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman shared in a statement. “This eco-

apply their skills and expertise in carrying out their jobs, no matter their personal political beliefs,” said Rob Shriver, deputy director of the Office of Personnel Management.

Despite the proactive measures, concerns remain about future attempts to undermine these protections. If Trump, who will be the first former president to be a criminal defendant when he heads to trial in New York this month, were to secure another term in office, his administration could attempt to draft new rules through the Office of Personnel Management.

However, administration officials said the new rules mean that any such effort would likely encounter legal challenges, given the detailed explanations required for regulatory changes. The new rule “cannot be erased by a technical, HR process which [Trump] sought to do,” Shriver stated. He added that the majority of the 2.2 million federal employees nationwide are “our friends and neighbors” who don’t have political agendas.

moval of nonpartisan professionals from federal agencies.

“This rule is about making sure the American public can continue to count on federal workers to

nomic impact is widespread. Our disaster declaration in Maryland allows for us to declare the disaster in contiguous counties and Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and D. C. recognizing that this port had a strong economic impact across the region.”

She emphasized that through the disaster loans, all small businesses can tap into the emergency funds.

“We want all of our small businesses that see a disruption in their revenue to be able to be eligible to apply,” she continued.

The president and his team have projected a timeline that would present viable solutions over the next two months.

“So far, our team has been able to clear two small channels for essential ships helping clear the wreckage,” said Biden. “The Army Corps announced that by the end of April they will be able to open the third channel for some commercial traffic, including car carriers. And by the end of May, we’ll open the full channel.” WI

A crucial component of the Trump-backed and conservative Heritage Foundation’s extensive playbook, dubbed Project 2025, involves plans to scrutinize and terminate tens of thousands of federal employees whom they deem not loyal to Trump and replace them with loyalists.

The GOP frontrunner, Trump has vowed to run America as a dictatorship if he’s elected. Having already engaged in the Jan. 6 insurrection that led to the deaths of five law enforcement officers, Trump’s followers have vowed more destruction if he loses to Biden again.

Meanwhile, Biden called the new rules essential to safeguarding the independence and integrity of the civil service and ensuring that government agencies remain focused on serving the interests of the American people, free from partisan influence.

“Day in and day out, career civil servants provide the expertise and continuity necessary for our democracy to function,” the president asserted.

This rule is a step toward combating corruption and partisan interference to ensure civil servants are able to focus on the most important task at hand: delivering for the American people.” WI

@StacyBrownMedia

5This week, the Biden-Harris administration issued a new rule to protect federal employees through the Office of Personnel Management. (WI File Photo/Cleveland Nelson)

President Biden Unveils Sweeping Student Loan Relief Plans, Targeting Racial Disparities

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden has announced comprehensive plans to provide substantial relief to student loan borrowers, particularly those from marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by debt. The proposed measures, announced on Monday, April 8, would represent a significant step towards making higher education more accessible and equitable for millions of Americans.

White House officials say that the newly unveiled plans build upon these efforts and are expected to provide relief to over 30 million borrowers, combined with previous actions taken by the administration. One of the central aims of the proposals is to address the disproportionate debt burden communities of color, mainly Black and Latino borrowers, face.

According to a White House Fact Sheet, 20 years after enrolling

in college, the typical Black borrower from the 1995–96 school year still owed a staggering 95% of their original debt.

Under the new plans, the administration wants to extend relief to borrowers facing various financial challenges, including those who owe more than their initial loan amount due to accrued interest, individuals eligible for loan forgiveness who have yet to apply, and borrowers experiencing hardship in repayment. Additionally, the proposals would offer debt cancellation for borrowers who entered repayment decades ago and assist those enrolled in low-financial-value programs.

“These historic steps reflect President Biden’s determination that we cannot allow student debt to leave students worse off than before they went to college,” U.S. Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal said in a statement.

WI

@StacyBrownMedia

5President Joe Biden has announced comprehensive plans to provide substantial relief to student loan borrowers, particularly those from marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by debt. (WI File Photo)

Zimbabwe on Friday launched a new currency to replace its previous one that in recent months has been battered by depreciation, and in some instances rejection by the population. Authorities hope the new measure will halt a currency crisis underlining the country’s yearslong economic troubles, according to Africa News.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Gov. John Mushayavanhu said the new currency will be called ZiG, and will be anchored on gold reserves and a basket of foreign currencies. It goes into effect on Monday.

The Zimbabwe dollar has come under sustained pressure in recent weeks, making it one of the world’s worst performing currencies.

Since January, the Zimbabwe dollar lost over 70% of its value on the official market, and was plunging even further on the thriving but illegal black market.

Inflation increased from 26.5% in December last year to 34.8% this January before spiking to 55.3% in March, according to official figures.

Traders were increasingly rejecting lower denominations of the now scrapped currency, with many insisting on payment only in U.S. dollars, which are also legal tender in the southern African country.

“We are doing what we are doing to ensure that our local currency does not die. We were already in a situation where almost 85% of the transactions are being conducted in U.S dollars,” Mushayavanhu told reporters in the capital, Harare. People have three weeks to exchange the old notes with the new currency, he said.

Friday’s announcement is the latest of a cocktail of currency measures undertaken by the Zimbabwean government since the initial spectacular collapse of the Zimbabwe dollar in 2009.

The period saw the country at one point issuing a 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollar banknote before the government was forced to temporarily scrap its currency and allow the U.S. dollar to be used as legal tender.

The country re-introduced a domestic note in 2016, marking the beginning of another round of currency volatility highlighted by changes to currency policy that included the banning of foreign currencies such as the U.S dollar for domestic transactions in 2019.

This was followed by the unbanning of the greenback a while later after few ordinary people took heed to the U.S dollar ban and the black market thrived, while the local currency quickly depreciated.

WI

Former Jamaica Prime Minister PJ. Patterson is calling for a close look at measures which can be implemented to deal with the apathy which has greeted recent national elections as it is posing a threat to the country’s democracy, The Jamaica Observer reported on Sunday, April 7.

“It must be of concern when we see declining voter turnout. It should be something of concern to both [major] political parties, and indeed to the entire country, because we are failing to convert into actual meaning something [universal adult suffrage] that is so fundamental to our progress as a country,” Patterson told the Jamaica Observer in a recent exclusive interview.

According to Patterson, the closing of the ideological divide between the People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) could be a factor in the loss of interest for people to vote in national elections, but there are other issues to be addressed.

“More and more people feel it doesn’t matter how I vote, my life is not going to change and there is a level of individual materialism that no matter what, no matter which government is in power, I’m going to be alright,” added Patterson.

He said that too many Jamaicans do not understand that the fight for universal adult suffrage, which was granted in November 1944, meant that for the first time every adult in Jamaica would be able to participate in the choice of Government.

“We are not being taught enough about ourselves, who we are, the struggles we have undertaken, and really giving some sense of purpose and, I would almost say, of value,” charged Patterson. WI

The Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), DC EITC and Child Tax Credit can mean thousands of dollars back in your pocket this tax season. Many eligible residents have no idea that they qualify for these tax credits. Learn more at getyoureitc.org.

Black Maternal Health Week

Raising Awareness and Advocacy For Better Maternal Health Outcomes

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

Black Maternal Health Week-April 11-17-- not only works to raise awareness about the health challenges affecting Black women and mothers across the United States, but is a national campaign that seeks to combat health disparities African Americans face overall.

Inspired by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), a group of birth and reproductive justice organizations driving research and advocacy for Black mothers, the weeklong campaign prioritizes Black women’s well-being, while working towards a more equitable and inclusive health care system.

“The time is NOW to demand for comprehensive public and private insurance coverage for maternal, sexual, and reproductive health care; improving access to

care across geographies and birth settings,” according to the BMMA website.

This year, BMMA’s national Black Maternal Health Week theme is “Our Bodies STILL Belong to Us: Reproductive Justice NOW!”

Maternal mortality rates among African American women remain disproportionately high.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women rank three times more likely to suffer fatalities from a pregnancy-related cause compared to white women. Further, there are many factors that contribute to Black maternal health disparities including: “variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias,” according to the CDC.

Mamatoto Village, the District’s only Black maternal health center

Seeking approval for a Certificate of Need

DC Medical System, Inc. is in the process of seeking approval for a Certificate of Need to establish an outpatient home healthcare staffing agency facility. A formal Letter of Intent will be submitted to the District of Columbia State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA). The proposed facility is planned to be situated at 1746 V St NW, Washington, DC 20009. For further details or inquiries, please contact the SHPDA directly at 202-442-5875.

5 From April 11-17, people locally and nationwide will be celebrating Black Maternal Health Week in order to raise awareness and combat challenges surrounding African American health disparities in maternal health and overall. located east of the River, works to lessen disparities and equip families with essential tools to strengthen health and parenting outcomes by providing accessible perinatal support services.

Aza Nedhari, executive director and co-founder of Mamatoto Village, underscored the value of quality physician care over location of health care services when aiming to achieve equitable health care outcomes.

“It's not necessarily about the place that people are getting care, it's about the person who is offering that care. What that person brings-their biases, their discriminations, their lived experiences---that influences how they're going to treat the person on the other side,” Nedhari told The Informer. “Even if you have [only] 20 minutes to devote to providing care, you can actually be a really active, assertive and attentive listener, make that person feel like they are the most important person, and that 20 minutes will literally feel like an hour because you gave them what they needed in that moment. Hospitals are just made up of people, and so what we're really talking about are problematic people who are providing health.

Nedhari emphasized the historic prevalence of high maternal mortality rates among Black mothers, far beyond the rising attention to the Black maternal health crisis within recent years.

“This is an old issue. In the past five to 10 years, there has been an explosion of media content and

discourse around Black maternal health, much more than it's ever been in the past. That doesn't mean that people haven't been in the trenches working on this issue for the past 50 years,” Nedhari said. “We are seeing the symptoms of what it looks like to exist in a system of racism, white supremacy, and the health experiences of Black people, Black women, [and] Black children are collateral damage from that.”

CELEBRATING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK LOCALLY, CONTINUING ADVOCACY

Mamatoto Village will tap into Black Maternal Health Week 2024 with the theme “Our Bodies, Our Joy,” with plenty of programming celebrating women’s health, educating families, and encouraging the right to women’s bodily autonomy.

“We are kicking it off with a virtual birth planning workshop led by our perinatal care coordinators, Shannon and Aspen, [who are] going to teach attendees how to create a birth plan, understanding their birth rights, questions to ask their providers, and other important things,” said Mariah Oates, Mamatoto Village’s director of Communications and Development. “The beauty about our birth planning workshop that might be different from others, is that we're coming with a community cultural perspective. We just

want to make sure that new and expecting parents are informed and able to make the best decisions for themselves.”

The birth planning workshop will be followed by a host of events including a community fill-a-bag day, providing maternity essentials of diapers, baby clothes, breastfeeding items and more, along with virtual panels and workshops to provide maternal health and parenting tips for mothers and families alike.

Nedheri said she also looks forward to continuing uplifting Black women and families through Black Maternal Health Week.

“I'm really excited about celebrating the joy of motherhood. There's a place and space for us to continue this discourse around Black maternal health and we [also] cannot lose sight that Black women and Black families are parenting in joy. They are experiencing pregnancy from a joyful place,” the Mamatoto Village executive director emphasized.

This Black Maternal Health Week will be about digging into joy to combat challenges.

“Our workshops are about the celebration of that joy, because joy and rage can exist in the same place. We can have celebration and resistance, and it does not have to all be about gloom and doom,” Nedhari continued. “The only way so many of us have been able to continue living and continue fighting throughout the annals of history is because we've done it with joy and celebration.” WI

April 2024 Message from Department of Aging and Community Living

Dear Seniors,

A new season is here! As we transition from winter's chilly embrace and blossom into the gentle warmth of spring, I hope this newsletter finds you in good spirits and health. The days are becoming longer, the sun is shining brighter, and new flowers are budding each day.  Just as the seasons shift, so do our everyday lives. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “spring” as a sudden movement or to move upward or forward. It is our time to move forward and embrace new things in our lives, for each season brings its own unique charm and blessings!

As we enter the second quarter of 2024, discussions are already underway regarding the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 for District seniors. At the end of

February, DACL had the honor of partnering with Mayor Bowser for the FY25 Senior Budget Engagement Tele-Townhall. Seniors congregated at Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center in Ward 8 and various watch parties across the city, eager to hear directly from Mayor Bowser about how District funds are allocated and their impact on the aging community.

This invaluable event provided seniors with a platform to voice their perspectives on the city's achievements and their current priorities, needs, and concerns for the forthcoming fiscal year. Following the Tele-Townhall, I prioritized meeting with seniors who could not attend, recognizing the significance of your insights and feedback as we strive to enhance the aging experience in the District! The suggestions and changes proposed during these discussions are instrumental in our efforts to make our city the best place to live and age.

Change can be daunting, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. The continued evolution of Washington, DC is a testament to our community's commitment to supporting one another and making the District better.  Let us embark on this journey of change together with optimism in our hearts and a “spring” in our steps. Remember, with every change comes new opportunities, new experiences, and new joys to be discovered.

Wishing you all a season filled with warmth, wellness, and wonderful new beginnings.

Warm regards,

Charon PW Hines  Director, Department of Aging and Community Living

Change can be daunting, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. The continued evolution of Washington, DC is a testament to our community's commitment to supporting one another and making the District better.

CHARON P.W. HINES

EARTH OUR

Volunteer for the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy Creates A Clean-Up Tracker

By Asha Taylor WI Intern

The staff and volunteers from across the DMV region at Ward 8 Woods Conservancy work to keep the forested portions of the area’s namesake free of trash and pollution, collecting a total of 1,211,509 lbs of trash. Recently, in collaboration with urban planner Hung Trong, the conservancy has published an interactive map tracking their 813 clean-ups since 2018.

Covering the dates, locations, hours of labor, the number of invasive species and the amount of trash collected from each clean-up, the map conveys to viewers the de-

tails behind all of the work that the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy puts into reviving the environment. With color-coded dots to reflect each year, from 2018 to the present day, the map’s features display the attention that the conservancy has placed on parks along the Suitland Parkway, Fort Staton, Shepherd Parkway, Oxon Run Parkway,

5 Volunteer contributes to the clean-up of a river in Ward 8. (WI File Photo/Kayla Benjamin)

Congress Park Woods, Bald Eagle Hill, Shepherd Branch, Anacostia Park, and Fort Davis Park. It also includes the necessary clean-up

initiatives that the conservancy has done on private residential properties where people’s homes have been polluted by trash over the years.

After following the state of pollution in Ward 8, Trong, a Virginia resident, became involved as a volunteer for the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy in 2020. Through his experiences of assisting the conservancy once every month, Trong was inspired by the positivity of the environmental restoration initiati

“My experience has been nothing, but positive,” said Trong. “The idea of being able to contribute directly, not only being on the ground with my two hands to collect trash, but also to highlight the history of neglected parkland and being able to make an impact on that was what I found to be very rewarding.”

Trong was astounded by the results of the work he contributed to prompting him to propose that Ward 8 Woods Conservancy publish a map. With the help of a grant from ArcGIS Online and using ArcGIS software, Trong was able to create the clean-up tracker in four months.

“I already had data going back to 2018 of what we had done, but I had to spend quite a few hours sort of reformatting it so that it could be uploaded into the software that populates the map,” said Nathan Harrington, leader of Ward 8 Woods Conservancy.

The interactive map shows just how integral Ward 8 Woods Conservancy’s work has been to progressively cleaning up the region’s wooded areas. The color-coded dots are spread all along the map in each of the major parks, revealing that the work has been repeated over the years to clean up the legacy trash that accumulated over decades while maintaining these areas. Now, the conservancy is spreading its activism across the Ward 8 border.

With work starting September 2023 and finishing in January, Ward 8 Woods Conservancy map came to life. Every month, the map will be updated to include the upcoming clean-ups that are done to maintain Ward 8 and those that have begun outside of the ward.

“For the most part, we’ve been able to remediate all the legacy dump sites, so we are continuing to maintain those areas, but in looking for new areas that haven’t been cleaned in decades we have been moving beyond Ward 8 a little bit – across the line into Prince George’s County,” said Harrington. “This is logical because the trees and the animals don't really know or care which state they are in. These lines and political boundaries are irrelevant to them, and it’s irrelevant to the watershed.”

To access the cleanup tracker for the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy, visit arcgis.com.

WI

5 Clean-up, leader of the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy Nathan Harrington examines trash build-up in Ward 8. (WI File Photo/Kayla Benjamin)

5 Screenshot of the 813 cleanups the Ward 8 Woods Conservancy has done from 2018 to the present day. (Screenshot, ArcGIS Online)

Earthquake Centered in New Jersey Causes Tremors as Far as Baltimore

By Kayla Benjamin WI Climate & Environment Reporter

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit New Jersey Friday morning, causing rumbling across the northeast region. People in Baltimore— more than 130 miles south of the quake’s center in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey—felt the tremors.

In the region closest to the quake, which included New York City, residents experienced significant shaking but no injuries or major damages have been reported, according to a post on X from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

New York City experiences earthquakes fairly frequently, but most are too small to be felt. But the magnitude of Friday’s quake was unusual—out of 188 earthquakes recorded in the city since 1957, only seven had a magnitude above 4.5, according to New York Times reporting.

While D.C. does not often experience large earthquakes, the region did experience some shaking in January from a small quake in Rockville. And in 2011, a very rare 5.8 magnitude earthquake in central Virginia caused damage to many buildings in the District,

including the Washington Monument and National Cathedral.

WHAT CAUSES EARTHQUAKES?

Earthquakes can happen anywhere, though some places—like parts of the U.S. west coast—have them far more frequently. They’re caused by the two sides of a fault line, or crack in the Earth’s surface, slipping past each other suddenly after too much pressure builds up. D.C. does have fault lines running under it, but they’re not particularly large or prone to seismic activity.

Some early scientific research has linked climate change with a potential rise in the frequency of earthquakes—but that effect, if proven, would still be very small, according to Vox science writer Umair Irfan.

How does that connection work? As gasses from burning fossil fuels trap more heat in the atmosphere, glaciers melt and heavy rainfall increases. Water seeping into fault lines and the addition of water weight on the Earth’s crust could be associated with more seismic activity, according to an article published by the World Economic Forum. WI

Black Maternal Health Week

April 11–17, 2024

Did you know that 4 out of 5 pregnancyrelated deaths are considered preventable?

We got you! Scan the QR code below to learn more about gestational diabetes or call 202-363-4248, option 2 today.

5 New York City skyline as seen from Weehawken, New Jersey. (Joanne Wan/Flickr)

EDUCATION

Mayor Bowser Eyes Systemic Reset with New Truancy Bill

The UPLIFT Amendment Act Focuses on DHS Case Management, Family Counseling, Youth Court Involvement, and Alternative School Placement

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) recently released a bill that her administration made in collaboration with District principals and agencies to address truancy, chronic absenteeism and a bevy of other issues related to student safety and family

Bowser’s bill, titled Utilizing Partnerships, Local Interventions for Truancy and Safety (UPLIFT) Amendment Act of 2024, counts among its many goals the streamlining and strengthening of the District’s truancy referral process, via D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS).

If the bill passes, DHS would

and assesses the needs of families of truant youth. A Fiscal Year 2025 budget allocation of $7 million expands the agency’s capacity to serve 500 families in its Parent and Adolescent Support (PASS) Intensive Case Management program and 180 families in its Alternatives to the Court Experience (ACE) Di-

“We are aware of issues related to childcare, transportation needs and other behavioral health needs where a person might suffer anxiety,” DHS Director Laura Zeillinger told The Informer. “Our job is to partner with a parent to understand the root of why a child isn’t attending school. We’ve had success in our programs to date.”

PASS provides early intervention support to youth between the ages of 10 and 17 years old who skip school and exhibit unruly behavior in and outside of the home. In partnership with D.C. Department of Behavioral Services, DHS connects youth to mentoring, tutoring and after-school activities. Other elements of the program include short-term family counseling and crisis stabilization to curb behaviors leading to hospitalization and outof-home placement.

Young people who participate in ACE receive community support instead of prosecution. DHS coordinates this program in tandem with the Office of the Attorney General, the Metropolitan Police Department, and Court Social Services.

Zeillinger said that, through the UPLIFT Amendment Act, this work would continue to the benefit of truant students and their families.

“It’s but a ramp up and the level of effort to be effective. It’s a different team and contract work,” Zeillinger said in response to an Informer inquiry about how to mitigate case worker burnout. “Separate from this legislation, I have legislation to

increase capacity in the community to meet casework needs.”

ONGOING ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE

TRUANCY RESPONSE IN THE D.C.

COUNCIL, DISTRICT AGENCIES

Deputy Mayor Paul Kihn and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Dr Lewis D. Ferebee recently alluded to ongoing efforts to improve schools’ ability to make referrals. Ferebee told The Informer that principals who learned about the UPLIFT Amendment Act supported it due to the focus on DHS, Child & Family Service Agency.

Ferebee said that relationships between families and schools became strained in the aftermath of referrals. He also mentioned that some administrators expressed frustration about the lack of CFSA follow through.

Bowser’s introduction of the UPLIFT Amendment Act follows the introduction of truancy bills by D.C. Council members Robert White (D-At large), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) that focus on various parts of the ecosystem.

A provision of Parker’s bill would require the Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) to produce truancy reports more than once a year. On Thursday, State Superintendent Dr. Christina Grant noted that OSSE made that transition at

5 D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s UPLIFT Amendment Act requires parents and guardians of young people charged with gun crimes and crimes of violence to participate in family group conferences and other rehabilitative services coordinated by D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. . (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

TRUANCY from Page 26

the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, with its second truancy report having been released over the last couple of weeks and the third later in the spring.

The most recent report focused on August-November 2023. It showed a 6.4 percentage point year-to-date decrease in chronic absenteeism and 3 percentage point year-to-date decrease in chronic truancy. All grade levels, the report showed, experienced a decrease on both fronts.

Grant touted OSSE’s increased frequency -- from annually to three times a year -- as a step in the right direction. “The process involves school-level collection and data collection with parents,” she said in regard to why reports can’t be produced more frequently. “We want to align it with the right time of the year.”

FURTHER EXPLORATION OF THE UPLIFT AMENDMENT ACT: COURTS AND AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SETTING

Other provisions of the UPLIFT Amendment Act require parents and guardians of young people charged with gun crimes and crimes of violence to participate in family group conferences and other rehabilitative services coordinated by D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.

The bill limits diversion for youth who are charged with committing a dangerous crime while armed or having available a weapon. It also narrows consent decrees and deferred disposition agreements, meaning that youth charged with violent crimes would go before a judge.

“This [bill] isn’t requiring the courts to put them anywhere, but they should go before the court,” said Lindsey Appiah, deputy mayor for public safety and justice. “Commitment has sharply declined but we have a higher number of youth being arrested for carjacking,” she continued. “More young people are victims of homicide. Something’s going on with youth not under supervision. This is an effort for appropriate accountability.”

"Credit unions are owned by their members, and while this type of discrimination may be par for the course for a profit-driven megabank, a member-driven credit union should know better," said Waters.

In response to principals’ concerns about their lack of latitude in disciplining violent students, the UPLIFT Amendment Act allows for suspensions of middle school students by redefining allowable suspensions and allowing the designee of a local education agency leader to dole out suspensions of more than 20 cumulative days.

Another element of the bill concerns alternative school placement for middle and high school students who are involved in violent incidents.

Per Ferebee, the placement would take place between 20 and 45 days. Between 10 and 20 students at a time would participate in “restorative practices and therapeutic response.”

These students, Ferebee said, still be enrolled in their schools and allowed the flexibility to return there, depending on their progress in the alternative school placement.

This pilot program, Ferebee noted, will receive $1.6 million in central office funds for an administrator, staff members, social workers, and school psychologists. He spoke about ongoing exploration of a centralized location in the District with separate entrances for middle school and high school students.

“It’s no more than 45 days to get to root causes and provide supports,” Ferebee told The Informer on Wednesday, shortly after Bowser presented her Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal before the D.C. Council. ‘We see the need for support for our middle school-aged students,” he said. “The services are not in

their home school and we can provide that in this environment.”

A LAWYER QUESTIONS MIDDLE SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS AND ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SETTINGS

Danielle Robinette, senior policy attorney with Children’s Law Center, said that Bowser and the D.C. Council are moving in the right direction by involving DHS in addressing the underlying causes of truancy. The agency, she said, could take on the case management

that school-level personnel say they don't have the capacity to handle.

When it comes to court involvement in truancy, Robinette cautioned against a heavy handed approach. She told The Informer that adjudication of youth can create barriers to attendance and undermine efforts to reverse truancy and chronic absenteeism.

Robinette said the same logic applies when it comes to suspensions and an alternative school setting. She questioned whether these provisions of the UPLIFT Amendment Act weaken the Student Fair Access to School Act.

In 2018, the council passed that bill without Bowser’s approval. It

restricts the number of cumulative and consecutive days of out-ofschool suspension that students could receive.

Robinette said that changing course and placing middle school students alongside high school students could become problematic.

“There’s a difference between a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old,” Robinette told The Informer. “I would definitely be concerned about expanding suspensions for middle school students… Anytime a student is removed, it's a significant disruption to their education. It’s a form of school pushout, regardless of age.” WI

@SamPKCollins

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Government Increases the Number of Categories Used to Identify Race and Ethnicity but who Really Benefits?

The U.S. government recently released a new set of standards – the first change in nearly 30 years – that it will use, including for the U.S. census, to identify the race and ethnicity of citizens, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Among these standards will be two new categories as possible choices: Middle Eastern and North African.

To simplify matters, only one question will be asked to measure a respondent’s race or ethnicity from among seven broad categories: White, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and the two new categories, Middle Eastern and North African.

Still, the question remains “so what” given the caveat within the announcement that federal agencies will not only have 18 months to submit an action plan to OMB but will then be allowed up to five years to implement the new standards.

If you do the math, that means that the new standards could take up to six-and-a-half years before they’re implemented. Now given the unexpected rapid “browning” of America, somewhere between the years 2040 and 2045, according to census and immigration data, white Americans will no longer be the racial majority. With that in mind, as more “browning” occurs, this demographic change may require the addition of even more categories to accurately identify the race and ethnicity of Americans.

In response, the OMB’s chief statistician said the “updated standards will help create more useful, accurate and up to date federal data on race and ethnicity… [as well as] enhance our ability to compare information and data across federal agencies, and also to understand how well federal programs serve a diverse America.”

But aren’t there better methods that the government can employ that would lead to the achievement of their goals? It’s hard to imagine that increasing the number of boxes on government questionnaires will have any impact on policies that might reduce the health and economic disparities that have plagued African Americans for nearly four centuries. Nor will they adequately address and reduce the widening gap between family incomes and wealth that currently places white Americans at the top, other ethnic groups jockeying for middle positions and Blacks, again, far behind in a distant last place.

While groups like the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) may be correct in concluding that government programs and services are less responsive and effective when communities are inaccurately grouped together, experts find the latest decision by OMB to update standards lack any real teeth.

To be honest, it’s difficult to believe that maintaining and supporting diversity is still among America’s goals. Consider the recent dismantling of affirmative action, the refusal of all but a handful of politicians to even consider any forms of reparations, and the surge in nativism and xenophobia that have undergirded the agendas and policies of politicians within more conservative camps including former President Donald Trump and Sen.Ted Cruz.

For them, any efforts to either support or increase diversity and policies or initiatives related to diversity have long been replaced by a collective mission to “make America great again.” White Americans may be in the minority in the U.S. by 2045, but it’s clear that by itself that will not make the country more racially tolerant.

James Brown was on the money when he said, “You can’t tell me what I’m doing wrong when you keep jiving and singing that same old funny song … Like a dull knife just ain’t cutting … You’re just talking loud and saying nothing.”

WI

DMV Black Leaders Performing Well Under Pressure

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., once said: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” King’s quote could be applied to the leadership challenges of Mid-Atlantic region Black political leaders Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Virginia State Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas as they have led during recent times of challenge and controversy.

The Baltimore region suffered a blow to its economy and psyche on March 26, 2024 when the main spans of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on the Patapsco River collapsed after the Dali container ship struck one of its piers. Six bridge workers died because of the collision. Both Moore and Scott immediately rushed to the scene and in the days following

I’m personally glad that Monumental Sports, also known as the Washington Wizards, is staying in Chinatown. I’m glad the city got the agreement done. It would have been a monumental loss for the District. No pun intended.

Gerald Fulwiley, Washington, D.C.

calmly assured nervous residents and businesses that the situation was being handled. Some commentators have labeled the incident an example of the failure of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Both dismissed those assertions as racist nonsense and cowardice.

The recent debacle of Monumental Sports & Entertainment relocating from the District to Alexandria, Virginia shows how savvy Bowser and Lucas are.

Lucas blocked the nearly $2 billion athletic and entertainment district, despite pressure to “go along to get along,” because Virginians would have paid more taxes in the long run.

Meanwhile, Bowser and Ted Leonsis, the

TO THE EDITOR

These data breaches are getting out of hand. I need Congress or someone with some authority to act and monitor these big tech companies. Where is the oversight? Several of my friends have been victims of identity theft and I can’t help but feel like I may be next.

Rolando Murphy Laurel, Md.

chairman and CEO of Monumental, met several times in the District, keeping up the relationship between the city and the company. When Monumental’s Virginia plans collapsed, Bowser and the D.C. Council moved in with a $515 million plan to upgrade the Capital One Arena in downtown and Leonsis agreed. Bowser thwarted critics who said she could not “close a big deal.”

Whether it is a collapsed bridge or a billionaire threatening to take his operation elsewhere, these four African American leaders and others have withstood unfair criticism to act in the best interest of their constituents. That is what leadership is about. WI

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Stacy M. Brown

D.C. Mayor's Fiscal Plan Raises Eyebrows Over Potential Harm to Black and Minority Youth

Mayor Muriel Bowser's proposed budget and legislative initiatives could have significant implications for Black and minority residents, particularly District youth. Here's a look at how these measures might affect them, along with potential solutions:

Elimination of Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund

The proposed elimination of the

Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, which provides stipends to caregivers and daycare teachers, could adversely impact Black and minority workers in the early childhood education sector and exacerbate existing inequalities in pay and employment opportunities within the workforce.

According to the nonprofit Under3DC, with the current budget, child care challenges for parents of infants and toddlers lead to negative employment impacts that cost D.C. $8,100 per parent annually, or $252 million aggregated across all similar

Guest Columnists

D.C. parents. The annual cost to businesses for each parent is $2,540, or $79 million aggregated across D.C. parents.

"The mayor's budget takes an axe to the transformative investments — like the Pay Equity Fund — that D.C. has invested in in recent years, prioritizing the wealthy business sector and police force over investments in D.C. residents struggling to get by," said Tazra Mitchell of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. "Eliminating the Pay Equity Fund and gutting the child care subsidy program will decimate the early education sector," Mitchell continued.

There is a Local News Crisis in the

In the hours after WAMU announced the closure of DCist and the layoffs of much of its staff, the D.C. Council had a near-unanimous message: The District needs and deserves high-quality local journalism.

Ten of the council's 13 members posted statements in support of DCist, expressing sadness for this loss of local journalism in the District. But this was just the latest blow.

In April 2022, Washington City Paper announced it would no longer be printing its paper, and laid off five staffers. In July 2023, Street Sense, which

serves the homeless community of D.C. and reports on the issues affecting it, announced it would be cutting its printing days, laying off an editor and cutting hours for other staffers. Months later, The Washington Post cut a quarter of its metro desk via voluntary buyouts, hitting beats like transportation and education hardest.

D.C.'s elected officials are right to be concerned about these losses. There is also something they can do to help.

Ward 4 Council member Janeese Lewis George introduced the Local News Funding Act at the end of 2023.

Guest Columnist

"Not only does the mayor's approach undermine her purported 'economic comeback' vision, it backtracks on D.C.'s commitment to Black and brown educators fueling a sector that all other business sectors rely on. Her approach will set back the progress that D.C. has made on poverty reduction, greater economic inclusion, and closing racial and gender disparities that harm us all."

Tax Hikes

Proposed tax hikes may impose further financial burdens on low-income Black and minority families, poten-

Anna Brugmann and Mark Histed

The first-of-its-kind bill, if passed, would give each District resident a series of news coupons to allocate to the local newsrooms (including newsrooms as large as Washington City Paper and as small as a one-person newsletter) of their choice. As it's written, the bill would allocate $11.5 million to D.C. local outlets, with the residents deciding exactly who gets what. The bill is waiting for a hearing before the Committee on Business and Economic Development or the Committee of the Whole. It's an approach not only in the best interests of local news outlets, but of

community members and even the government itself.

Two decades of research have shown that when communities lose local news, taxes go up, government waste sharply increases and elections become less competitive. Community members report feeling less connected to their communities. Further, residents become less likely to know basic facts needed for democracy: studies show loss of local news makes people less likely to be able to name their elected officials. And it's not just the government that suffers; private sector abuses

David W. Marshall

DEI Has Become the New Dog Whistle

Despite the wide-ranging opinions and perspectives held by individuals representing different cultures and political persuasions, there is one common dominator that should always connect people of goodwill. Facts are a common dominator that should easily be accepted by everyone, regardless of their backgrounds.

This would be the case if we lived in

a perfect world, but we don't live in a perfect world. Facts are presented daily to the public through credible news reporting and solid journalism, but those facts are easily misconstrued, downplayed, or ignored by the "fake news" label. It is a fact that Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States. Yet, conspiracy theories surrounding Obama's place of birth and religion were embraced for politically and culturally motivated reasons. To this day, the fact that Obama is a U.S. citizen born in Hawaii is still rejected by many people. It is a fact that Joe Biden is the

46th president of the United States, yet those who embrace the false claims of a stolen election are unwilling to accept him as a legitimate president. With the strategic use of two words, "fake news," the facts about Obama's citizenship and the lawful election of Joe Biden can be rejected by those unpersuaded by the truth.

The deadly collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge after a container ship lost power and collided with it has created enormous repercussions for the Baltimore region and the nation. The Port of Baltimore is one of

the busiest ports in the country, and it plays a critical role in the local, regional, and national economies. The port's inaccessibility will be felt throughout the country. It is the largest importer/ exporter of vehicles in the U.S., with 800,000 cars moving through the port in 2023. Local and national businesses are collaborating with government authorities and other stakeholders to minimize the impact on the supply chain.

Most importantly, six construction workers are believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the Patapsco River. The bodies of two missing

tially widening economic disparities and hindering their ability to access essential services and resources. Despite being called a budget of "shared sacrifice," critics said Bowser's proposed fiscal year 2025 budget and financial plan takes an ax to transformative investments in residents who struggle to get by — like the Pay Equity Fund, "baby bonds" program, and the D.C. Earned Income Tax Credit — while prioritizing the wealthiest businesses. The budget also raises the sales tax,

BROWN Page 53

can also grow. For example, with no one reporting on warning signs, areas without local news are more likely to experience ecological disasters.

In D.C., some council members pointed out, the stakes are particularly high.

"This is a canary in the coal mine," Ward 5 Council member Zachary Parker said on X. "These closures promote misinformation and are a threat to Home Rule itself.

Conversations about the losses

workers have since been recovered, while four are unaccounted for and are presumed dead. For Baltimore and the region, "this is going to be difficult," Marty Durbin, U.S. Chamber of Commerce senior vice president for Policy, told a local TV station. "Shippers are looking to find different destinations for their shipments. If now they have to divert to ports along the Eastern seaboard or on the West Coast, you may see delays or increases in costs just because of the increased trucking

MARSHALL Page 53

Guest Columnist

Gallup Finds Black Generational Divide on Affirmative Action

Each spring, many aspiring students and their families begin receiving college acceptance letters and offers of financial aid packages. This year's college decisions will add yet another consideration: the effects of a 2023 Supreme Court, 6-3 ruling that ended the use of affirmative action. No longer can race be considered as one of many other factors to reach college admissions decisions.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said in part, "In these cases we consider whether the admissions systems used by Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, two of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States, are lawful under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. These cases involve whether a university may make admissions decisions that turn on an applicant's race."

"[T]he Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal

Guest Columnist

Protection Clause," continued the Chief Justice. "Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today."

A strongly-worded dissenting opinion by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, challenged the majority, asserting that affirmative action remains both viable and necessary.

Marc H. Morial

"This limited use of race has helped equalize educational opportunities for all students of every race and background and has improved racial diversity on college campuses," wrote Justice Sotomayor. "Although progress has been slow and imperfect, race-conscious college admissions policies have advanced the Constitution's guarantee of equality and have promoted Brown's vision of a Nation with more inclusive schools."

"The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequal-

ity in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society. Because the Court's opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent," concluded Sotomayor.

In the aftermath of this consequential decision, as many as 30 states have now either filed or enacted new laws against teaching Black history or "other divisive concepts," as well as

Hostile Takeover of Tennessee State University is Blaming the Victim of State's 30-Year Crime Spree

the news out of Tennessee is just the latest example of conservatives rejecting the notion that Black people possess the capacity for self-governance."

— Gevin Reynolds

"By underfunding public HBCUs and denying the value of Black students on non-HBCU campuses, these extremists are making very clear the kinds of students they do and don't want to succeed. They also are the same ones waging war on the teaching of our nation's full history. But if we studied that history they seek to quash, we would know that

It's a familiar pattern in rightwing political manipulation: Sabotage an institution. Point to the resulting damage as evidence of the institution's ineffectiveness. Use the manufactured evidence to subvert the institution.

That's what's at play in Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's hostile takeover

Guest Columnist

of Tennessee State University.

Over the past three decades, the state of Tennessee has shortchanged TSU by a staggering $2.1 billion, according to a federal study. Unsurprisingly, TSU has faced challenges in maintaining financial stability. But instead of responding rationally by honoring its legal obligation to equitably fund the university, the state has chosen to dissolve the state's board of trustees.

It's hard to find a more blatant example of blaming the victim.

Ben Jealous

Love for the Outdoors is a Gift that Pays Forward

ects more than 60 years ago.

When we see a 75-year-old white man out in the woods with a group of Black and brown kids from lowincome neighborhoods, teaching them about nature, few of us assume he is there because that is where he feels most comfortable. Probably even fewer of us assume many of those kids look just like the ones he grew up with in public housing proj-

Rocky Milburn grew up as one of the few white kids in a mostly Black public housing development in southern Indiana. His family was very poor. They were still poor when they moved into an old farmhouse in the country. That was where Rocky fell in love with the outdoors. Even though his parents struggled financially — perhaps even worse than when they lived in the projects — Rocky did not care.

"We lived right across the street from a creek," Rocky pronounc-

es it "crick," "and I spent my days running the fields. You can kind of say it was my drug at the time." For more than 25 years, Rocky has been an Outings Leader with the Sierra Club's Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) program in Tampa, Florida. The program takes youth from underserved communities on outings such as camping and canoe trips and visits to the beach. Rocky says, "many of these kids live two miles from the beach but have never seen the ocean."

His own experience has taught

TSU, like other HBCUs, was created by state lawmakers in response to an 1890 ultimatum: admit Black students to existing land grant universities or create a separate institution. Federal law required "a just and equitable division" of funds between the two.

Yet year after year, in budget after budget, the state of Tennessee continually allocated more funding per student and more funding overall to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville than to TSU. In the last five years alone, the state

has spent an average of $2,206 more per student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville than at TSU, Nashville's NewsChannel 5 found.

A study by the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture recently found that of the 18 states with historically Black landgrant institutions, only Delaware and Ohio have equitably funded their HBCUs in accordance with federal law. Overall, the 16 states

MORIAL Page 54

Rocky the importance of sharing his love of the outdoors. When the kids stand around Rocky and learn from him about nature, they do not see his age or his race. They see his heart. And they know his heart understands them and the challenges they are facing because he is from the same type of place. People like Rocky who serve as nature's ambassadors to young people, and people of any age who are nature-deprived, are heroes. The kids in his program learn how to appreciate and be good caretakers of nature.

They experience firsthand the lessons nature has to teach us; how being outdoors benefits both our physical and mental health. And they carry these lessons with them throughout their lives. Levi Randolph attended the Academy Prep Center of Tampa, which has a partnership with the ICO program. While at Academy Prep, a private middle school designed to give bright children from lowincome families top-notch educational opportunities, Levi went on

JEALOUS Page 54

Charlene Crowell

LIFESTYLE

Things To Do, DMV!

By Jada Ingleton WI Contributing Writer

Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend. To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

Give back to your community, yourself, and celebrate the artistry of notable industry names with this weekend’s variety of events.

Jazz Appreciation is in full swing with the Afar Music Conference and Charles Rahmat Woods Quartet, both events promising some of jazz’s finest educators and performers.

If you’re looking to recognize some familiar faces, check out the Spring 2024 Gala – an event that honors the work and legacy of Tracee Ellis Ross – or join Alan Cumming in conversation at Montgomery College.

For tips on how to effect change in your life and environment, the Black Health Matters Health Summit & Expo offers ways to prioritize health, while the Neighborhood Design Center's Trash Dash welcomes eco-warriors committed to protecting the planet.

Then there’s the annual Hip-Hop Bar Crawl and DC Comedy Festival, which will have participants on their feet or in their seats wanting more laughs, music, and good times.

In the spirit of spring, stay growing and thriving, and remember, there’s always something happening in the DMV to keep your spirit-- and social life-- lit.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

Afar Music Conference

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. | Free with registration Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20001

The Afar Music Conference is a two-day symposium of clinics held by some of the best jazz and Pan-American educators in the Western Hemisphere. By discussing the pros and cons of the music environment, the conference's overall goal is to help serve students of music much better. It also includes a component of instructional feedback for high school music students followed by a 45-minute jam session.

The conference will culminate with a performance by the Dizzy Gillespie Latin All-Star Group, led by John Lee, a prominent and influential jazz formation.

2024 DC Comedy Festival

7 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $30.00+

Bier Baron Tavern Comedy Loft, 1523 22nd St NW, Washington, D.C., 20037

The DC Comedy Festival is back and it's bigger, bolder, and funnier than ever. With the best comedic talents from across the nation, the festival is an unforgettable journey of laughter and entertainment. The festival will span across iconic comedy clubs, theaters, and open-air stages in the District and feature a stellar mix of national headliners, local stand-up stars, improv geniuses, and sketch comedy groups. WI

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Spring Gala 2024

6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $2,000.00+

National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20005

After a two-year hiatus, embark on a special night at the museum's largest annual fundraising event in its iconic space.

This year, actor Tracee Ellis Ross will be honored with the 2024

5 Actor Lamman Rucker, a D.C. native, is taking part in the Black Health Matters Spring Health Summit & Expo on April 13. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

NMWA Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts. A trailblazer in the entertainment industry and a passionate advocate for gender equity, Ross embodies the spirit of NMWA’s mission to champion artists and their work. Due to an unforeseen project commitment, Ross will be honored in absentia.

In Conversation with Alan Cumming

7:30 p.m. | $43.00 - $45.00 Montgomery College, 51 Mannakee Street Rockville, MD 20850

Actor, writer, singer, and activist Alan Cumming will sit down with Olney Theatre Center’s Artistic Director, Jason Loewith, for a wide-ranging discussion covering his rural and difficult upbringing, the effect it had on his career, LGBTQ topics, and so much more.

Cumming’s most recent projects include creating a dance theater piece about the Scottish bard Robert Burns, lip-syncing the protagonist in a documentary, directing a podcast series about a sperm bank heist, playing a gangster opposite Liam Neason in a Neil Jordan film, curating a cabaret festival in Australia and recording a duet with a Gaelic rapper.

He is a Tony and Olivier award winning theater actor. He hosted the Tonys and was nominated for an Emmy for doing so. He has been nominated for five Emmys, won a

With the spring edition of the HipHop bar crawl, hop from bar to bar and rock out to the best DJ's spinning hip-hop gems from back in the day all the way to the current hits.

The twist to this bar crawl is that each DJ will spin different hip-hop themes at the bars that they are in. Take the journey on U Street and party to good music and good people all day long.

WI

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

Neighborhood Design Center's Trash Dash

1 p.m. - 3 p.m. | $100.00 - $200.00 depending on team Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd, Bladensburg, MD 20710

New York Emmy, a Scottish BAFTA and a British Comedy Award. He is an Independent Spirit award-winning producer and National Board of Review winning director. He is a Grammy and multiple Golden Globe nominee. WI

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Black Health Matters Spring Health Summit & Expo 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Free The Kellogg Conference Center, 800 Florida Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C, 20002

(Virtual and in-person formats)

Join actor Lamman Rucker and NBC4’s Jessica Faith and get free health screenings, including for: A1c, hypertension, glucose, cholesterol, memory, body & muscle, metabolic rate and more.

Hear from healthcare providers, community leaders, health and wellness experts, and influencers on all things related to Black health and get an energizing workout with Dashaun Johnson, affectionately known as the “Guru of Abs.”

Enjoy free breakfast, lunch, and great prize drawings, all while being inspired to be your healthiest!

The Hip-Hop Bar Crawl

2 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $20.00+

U Street, 1208 U St NW, Washington, D.C., 20009

Neighborhood Design Center’s (NDC) annual Trash Dash seeks teams of eco-warriors for a competition to see who can collect the most trash in one hour. Like fundraising races, teams of 5-10 people are encouraged to get sponsors to donate to support their clean-up efforts as they race against the clock, competing for prizes in categories like most trash collected, best found object, and team spirit.

This family-friendly, earth-friendly FUNdraiser brings the community together to steward public places — all for a great cause in a blend of clean up, community spirit, and friendly competition. The inaugural Trash Dash removed 55 bags of trash from polluting the Anacostia Watershed making a huge impact on local water. The winners get one-of-a-kind trash trophies, swag, and bragging rights.

Jazz Month Celebration

Featuring The Charles Rahmat Woods Quartet 2 - 3 p.m. | Free Olney Library, 3500 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney, MD, 20832

Join Olney Library for a celebration with the Charles Rahmat Woods Quartet for a delightful Sunday afternoon of all things Jazz.

Born in Buffalo, NY and a longtime resident of Maryland, flutist, saxophonist and recording artist Charles Rahmat Woods has provided exciting and insightful performances in the jazz idiom throughout the DMV and New York for over 40 years.

This performance is funded by Friends of the Library Montgomery County. For questions, call the Olney Library at (240) 773-9545, or find out how to Get a Library Card. WI

Music’s Best At the Top Through 2024 NEA Jazz Masters

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

The 2024 class of NEA Jazz Masters will be celebrated through free events in D.C. April 11-14 in recognition of Jazz Appreciation Month.

Gary Bartz, Terence Blanchard, Amina Claudine Myers, and D.C. area resident Willard Jenkins are honored as the National Endowment for the Arts continues a tradition of more than 40 years of celebrating the best in jazz. Bartz, Blanchard, and Myers will receive the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship. Jenkins will receive the 2024 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy.

“Jazz is one of our nation’s most significant artistic contributions to the world, and the NEA is proud to recognize individuals whose creativity and dedication ensure that the art form continues to evolve and inspire new audiences and

practitioners,” said NEA Chair Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson.

Jenkins is currently the artistic director of the DC Jazz Festival and host of the “Ancient/Future” program on DC’s WPFW Radio. He was also the editor of “Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story,” a compilation of his interviews with Black music critics. Jenkins is an authority on the D.C. and national jazz scenes. On April 11, Jenkins will lead a free discussion titled “Music Careers, Beyond the Bandstand” at Howard University.

Since the 1960s, Bartz, an alto saxophonist and two-time Grammy winner, has worked with luminaries such as Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, and Miles Davis. He has released more than 45 solo albums and appeared on more than 200 as a guest artist.

Blanchard is a seven-time Grammy winner who has been a

consistent artistic force for over 40 years. His creative vision is boundless, from Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers to writing scores for Spike Lee to conceiving grand operas and collaborating with dance companies.

Myers is a skilled composer of voice and instruments, often rooted in her gospel influences. In the 1970s, she shifted her compositional work to take on theatrical production projects.

The main event for the 2024 NEA Jazz Masters is a free concert on April 13 at the Kennedy Center featuring the honorees performing with special guests. A live webcast and radio broadcast will also be available for this event.

Though free, tickets must be obtained for these events. Complete details are on the NEA website.

Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI @bcscomm

5 The 2024 class of NEA Jazz Masters will be celebrated through free events in D.C. April 11-14. Honorees are Amina

Claudine Myers (Courtesy Photo/Crystal Blake), Gary Bartz (Courtesy Photo/Alan Nahigian), Terence Blanchard (Courtesy Photo/Angeles) and D.C. area resident Willard Jenkins (Courtesy Photo/Jati Lindsay).

Celebrate Earth Day at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum

Spring is here- and that means the return of the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum’s Honor Earth: An Earth Day Celebration! Join us on Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. as we honor and celebrate our Earth.

This free, family-friendly day will be packed with activities and giveaways (while supplies last) focused on taking a deeper dive into the Earth’s offering and how to do your part in protecting it.  Enjoy plant health workshops and giveaways with Grounded, a black women-led brand that was created to decompress and disconnect through the appreciation of plants. You can also participate in our life-size Chalk Walk as you show us your creativity to color in illustrations of the Anacostia Watershed outlined by Chalk Riot!  Plus Swap D.C. will be joining us, so get ready to swap your gently used clothing, shoes, accessories and books with others in the community. This is a great opportunity to refresh your wardrobe without spending a dime.

Earth Day is also the opening weekend the 2024 farm stand season, in collaboration with our friends at FRESHFARM Market. The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand, which is the only direct-to-consumer farm stand of its kind East of the River in Ward 8, will take place each Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Anacostia Community Museum until November 23, 2024. FRESHFARM will also bring a host of other activities to our Earth Day celebration which include the education of composting and a cooking demonstration on how to convert your farmer’s market finds into delicious and health meals and snacks at home.

Plus- visitors will have a chance to view the museum’s latest exhibition A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, D.C., 1900-2000, which traces the story of the teachers and students who made Washington, D.C. a truly unparalleled center for Black arts education.

To see the most up to date information and learn more about the partners joining us visit anacostia.si.edu/earthday.

Honor Earth: An Earth Day Celebration is an indoor/outdoor event, occurring rain or shine. The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum is located at 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020.

Sculpture Unveiled in Appreciation for Artist and Educator David C. Driskell

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Friends, artists, art collectors, and admirers recently gathered at the David C. Driskell Center to unveil a sculpture honoring the center's namesake. Melvin Edwards created “David’s Dream,” a multi-dimensional steel design with disc-like structures held together by an abstract chain and rectangular pedestal.

Edwards’ creation is at the University of Maryland-College Park campus in front of Cole Field House, where the Driskell Center is located. In his remarks, Edwards, 86, reflected on the impact of what Driskell envisioned with the Center to understand the title of his sculpture.

“The development of this Center is an idea and part of the direction we should be in,” said Edwards. “That is to extend the

presence of the living artist and expand and understand the variety there is.”

Edwards is a leading American artist, whose work, according to the Stephen Friedman Gallery in New York City, is born out of the social and political turmoil of the civil rights movement in the United States. Themes of race, protest and social injustice permeate the artist’s practice.”

“David’s Dream” was unveiled to coincide with the Driskell Center’s current exhibition, “David C. Driskell & Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, and Friendship.” This exhibition features over 70 artworks by 35 prominent African American artists and original archival materials. The exhibition is available for viewing until May 15. For more information, visit the Driskell Center website

WI @bcscomm

5 Artist Melvin Edwards on the University of Maryland campus in front of his sculpture “David’s Dream,” which honors the legacy of artist and educator David C. Driskell. (Robert Roberts/The Washington Informer)

35 Visitors enjoying the 2023 Honor Earth Celebration. Join ACM this year on Saturday, April 20.

‘Rogue Justice’ Stacey Abrams Continuing Political Thriller Had Loads of Intrigue

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Turn the pages and read about corruption, judges, murder, congressional shenanigans, impeachment, and public policy, and no, these narratives are not just in today’s headlines. It’s the plot of “Rogue Justice,” the thriller by author Stacey Abrams now in paperback.

Yes, the politician, voting advocate, and “I’m still here” Abrams recently spoke to a sold-out audience at the Kennedy Center.

NBC Washington anchor Eun Yang engaged the politician in a funny, insightful conversation about her approach to writing and her future.

“The book takes place in D.C. What do you like about D.C,” asked Yang.

Abrams had two internships in the District that had her living in Anacostia.

“Avery’s story is anchored on being young enough to enjoy D.C. and poor enough not to know as much about D.C. as I wanted to. I was limited,” Abrams said. “And who doesn’t have a date at Kramerbooks.”

As a tax attorney and politician, Abrams has the knowledge to weave tales about money and politics.

RAMW Reveals RAMMYs 2024 Nominees, Announces Awards Date for July 21

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

Bottomless craft cocktails and small samples of delicious dishes flowed through the basement of Northwest, D.C.’s Hamilton Live as the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) kicked off spring and summer celebrations. On April 8, the same day a rare solar eclipse captivated much of North America, Washingtonians flocked to RAMW’s RAMMYS Awards nominations event, which celebrated the beauty and breadth of the District’s food and beverage scene.

“Our local restaurant scene is part of what makes Washington, D.C. special and that is because of all of you in this room,” said NBC4 Washington anchor Jummy Olabanji, before announcing the RAMMYS Awards nominees.

“D.C. is a place of almost pure power and the dynamics of power,” Abrams said. “The struggles seen through the eyes of someone who can witness it but can’t actually hold.”

Abrams is no stranger to writing. She has authored eight romance novels under the name Selena Montgomery. Abrams also has several books with her view of politics and a children’s book of her quotes. “Rogue Justice” is a follow-up to the novel “While Justice Sleeps.”

But what the audience really wanted to know; Yang did not shy away from. Did Abrams have any thoughts on the upcoming presidential election?

“Vote,” was Abrams’ response, reinforcing that she will always advocate for ensuring everyone's right to vote.

Will there be a sequel to “Rogue Justice?” “That book comes out in 2025,” answered Abrams.

Rumor has it that the Abrams’ “Justice” books will become a television series or film.

“We’re in development with my production company Sage Works,” Abrams said.

So, Abrams fans are assured she is not going anywhere.

Award categories include several facets of the industry, such as: New Restaurant of the Year, Cocktail Program of the Year, Beer Program of the Year, Wine Program of the Year, Chef

of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Restaurateur of the Year, and more.

“First, we always get questions about who chooses the finalists and the winners. The answer is that it’s an anonymous panel of judges, who are food and food service industry writers, critics, educators and experts, who go through a very extensive process,” said Shawn Townsend, RAMW president and CEO.

After nominees are announced, it’s up to local foodies to decide the win-

ners. Voting is open to the public and runs now through May 31 at 5 p.m. Winners will be announced on July 21 at the 42nd RAMMYS Awards.

Olabanji emphasized the importance of the RAMMYS.

“There are no other regional restaurant awards quite like the RAMMYs anywhere else in the country,” she said. “We should all be very proud to have such a major event, right here in Washington, D.C., celebrating its 42nd anniversary this year.” WI

5 (L-R) Former Georgia State Legislator and gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and NBC Washington Anchor Eun Yang discuss the paperback release of “Rogue Justice,” a novel by Abrams. (Courtesy photo/Jati Lindsay)

5 Restaurateur of the Year nominees pose during the RAMMYS nominations event at Hamilton Live in Northwest, D.C. on April 8. NBC4 Washington anchor Jummy Olabanji (left at microphone) served as mistress of ceremonies. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)

South African Social Media Sensation Biko’s Manna Perform First Live Concert in DC

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Biko’s Manna, the versatile musicians and singers captivated an audience with renditions of familiar songs mixed with original compositions during a concert held recently at Arena Stage.

Presented by the DC Jazz Festival, the group of young siblings, Biko Star, 17 and her brothers Manna Hero 14 and Tau Lion, 9, are astonishingly talented, mature performers who are engaging and move easily between songs.

Their social media presence is over the top, with millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok (@bikosmanna), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ BikosManna), and YouTube (@ BikosManna.

With April being Jazz Appreci-

ation Month, when talking to the audience in between songs, Biko’s Manna let everyone know they love jazz.

They began their set at the Arena Stage show with Chick Corea’s jazz classic “Spain.” They attributed the song to Al Jarreau, who recorded a vocal version of the jazz classic. Then they jumped to Bossa Nova Brazilian songs “One Note Samba” (1960) and “The Girl from Ipanema,” (1963) composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” followed those selections, another classic jazz composition that Jarreau also vocalized.

All three youngsters play the guitar, but Biko Star and Manna Hero each play two guitars. Tau Lion is primarily a percussionist and plays melodica, a keyboard attached to an air tube that sounds

like a harmonica.

Manna Hero’s guitar solo on “Take Five” was dynamic.

Biko Star’s vocals are stunning. When she began scatting the audience was entranced.

But this is a family affair. Mom Ayanda Pyramid and Dad Sebone Rangata had a vision for their children before they married. They met in New York in the world of show business. Rangata knew his kids would be important, which is why he named his daughter after South African activist Stephen Biko.

In the audience at Arena Stage was Davey Yarborough, co-founder of the Washington Jazz Arts Institute (WJAI), a nonprofit program that teaches jazz to District children students. Like most who were just getting to know the group, he was astonished.

“I went online and saw what I had been missing. It’s starting that young if the family is working together from the beginning,” said

Yarbrough. “This is what young people should be doing. And this is what families should be doing.” WI @bcscomm

5 Biko’s Manna recently performed their first American live concert for the DC Jazz Festival at Arena Stage. (L-R) The core sibling musicians and singers include Manna Hero, Tau Lion, and Biko Star. Parents Mom Ayanda Pyramid and Dad Sebone Rangata played various instruments with their children. (Courtesy photo/ DCJazzFestival)

Learn about pre-construction planning, tips for seeking a contractor, and much more at dob.dc.gov.

Tickets On Sale Now!

July 5

TLC En Vogue

Jody Watley

John Legend with the Wolf Trap Orchestra

June 4–6

Patti LaBelle

Gladys Knight

June 8

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Big Boi

Danielle Ponder

June 15

Pilobolus re:CREATION

July 10

Ghostbusters in Concert National Symphony Orchestra

July 26

July 21

Nas

30th Anniversary of Illmatic National Symphony Orchestra

KIDZ BOP LIVE 2024

August 10

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Cécile McLorin Salvant

August 15

Boyz II Men

Bell Biv DeVoe

August 17 + 18

The Roots Digable Planets Arrested Development

August 31

An Evening with The Washington Ballet

September 5

…and many more!

WOLFTRAP.ORG

By Andrew S. Jacobson WI Contributing Writer

Franklin Square Park was abuzz with the vibrant rhythms of the Jazz and Blossoms festival, a celebration that brought together music, community, and culture on April 7. This event, honoring both Jazz and Poetry Appreciation Months, is part of National Cherry Blossom Festival programming and showcased a diverse lineup of performances and activities that captivated audiences from near and far.

The festival featured a standout performance by the legendary hiphop group Digable Planets.

Ishmael Brown of Digable Planets emphasized the significance of the event.

"This is kind of our cultural wheelhouse,” said Brown. “Some-

thing that's community oriented as well as trying to talk about hip hop culture and a good time."

Organized by Words Beats and Life, the festival celebrated its eighth year by focusing on jazz and poetry from a hip-hop perspective, a departure from its traditional hip-hop elements.

Asad Ali Jafri of Words Beats and Life highlighted the festival's aim to inspire attendees.

"We hope that the festival continues to inspire us through the year [until] we come back together again next year."

Reflecting on the festival, local arts entrepreneur Omrao Brown underscored the community's support and the lineup's significance.

"It was nice to see all of D.C. out together,” Brown told The Informer. “The city needs more of this." WI

Replace the missing words.

Clean, ______ drinking water is something every person needs. Clean water keeps our bodies and homes clean.

In parts of the world, people struggle to _______ clean water to keep their families healthy.

Droughts (long periods of time with very little rain) cause water ________. In some places, people must walk several miles a day carrying _________ containers to bring water home.

Often this water is dirty and unhealthy to __________.

Bubbles Take Away Troubles

Washing your hands with warm soap and water several times a day helps keep you healthy. Sing the “Happy Birthday” song as you wet your hands with warm water, lather them with soap, and rinse the soap away. Be sure to dry them completely.

is an organization with 1.4 million members around the world. Rotary members, called Rotarians, volunteer their time and raise money to help solve many problems in the world. And one of the biggest problems in the world is the need for clean drinking water.

In the lower grid, draw what you see in each space on the upper grid to draw the Rotary logo.

Dry Desert Danger

This is a five-gallon pail. Do the math to see how much it weighs when filled with water.

5 gallons of water weighs _____ pounds!

Can you lift this much? Do you weigh more or less than this bucket of water?

Children in some dry desert areas must spend a lot of time helping carry buckets of water home for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. It’s not at all easy, especially under the hot desert sun.

Clean Hands Prevent Disease

W Water Wells

When it rains, water sinks into the soil and into underground pools.

To bring water to the surface, wells are needed. Wells help bring water to the surface for people to drink, bathe, and water crops. Rotary is helping people build wells.

hen clean water and soap are available, people don’t get sick as often. That’s because regular hand-washing helps prevent germs from hanging around to cause trouble.

In some places, schools don’t have enough restrooms and clean water for students. Rotary International works hard to build restrooms in schools in many countries.

Find the two bars of soap that are exactly the same.

How many di erences can you nd between these two pictures?

Look through the newspaper for photos of things that require clean water. Look for photos of people, fruits and vegetables, animals, etc. Cut them out and paste them on a large sheet of paper to create a poster. Write “CLEAN WATER MAKES A BETTER WORLD” at the top of your poster.

Rotarians are community heroes. Look through the newspaper for stories about people in your community who are helping others. Make a list of the kinds of problems they are helping solve. Share the list with a family member.

Kids Care About the Earth

What are ways you and your friends take care of our planet? Standards

With hundreds Kid Scoop features six-to-seven high-interest activities for school! Get sample today

review wi book

Books for Poetry Month

by various authors

c.2024, Various publishers

$18.99-$20

Various page counts

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

On your hands, you got lots of time.

You can make a song, you can make a rhyme. Make a long story, make a short one, write what you like, make it simple and fun. Writing poetry uses your imagination: you play with words, paint a picture, there's no intimidation. Creating poetry can be a breeze, or just reach for and read books exactly like these …

Picture books for the littles are a great way to introduce your 3-to7-year-old to poetry because simple stories lend themselves to gentle rhymes and lessons. "See You on the Other Side" by Rachel Montez Minor, illustrated by Mariyah Rahman (Crown, $18.99) is a rhyming book about love and loss, but it's not as sad as you might think.

In this book, several young children learn that losing someone beloved is not a forever thing, that its very sad but it's not scary because their loved one is always just a thought away. Young readers who've recently experienced the death of a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend will be comforted by the rhyme here, but don't dismiss the words as kiddishness: adults who've recently lost a loved one will find helpful, comforting words here, too.

Flitting from here to there and back again, author Alice Notley moves through phases of her life, locations, and her diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in her latest poetry collection, "Being Reflected Upon" (Penguin, $20). From 2000 to 2017, Notley lived in Paris where she completed her wrestle with breast cancer. That, and her life abroad, are reflected in the poetry here; she also takes readers on a poetic journey on other adventures and to other places she lived and visited. This book has a random feel that entices readers to skip around and dive in anywhere. Fans of Notley will appreciate her new-age approach to her works; new fans will enjoy digging into her thoughts and visions through poems. Bonus: at least one of the poems may make you laugh.

If you're a reader who's willing to look into the future, "Colorfast" by Rose McLarney (Penguin, $20) will be a book you'll return to time and again. This, the author's fourth collection, is filled with vivid poems of graying and fading, but also of bright shades, small things, women's lives yesterday and today, McLarney's Southern childhood, and the things she recalls about her childhood. The poems inside this book are like sitting on a front porch on a wooden rocking chair: they're comfortable, inviting, and they tell a story that readers will love discovering.

If these books aren't enough, or if you're looking for something different, silly or classic, then head to your favorite bookstore or library. The ladies and gentlemen there will help you figure out exactly what you need, and they can introduce you to the kind of poetry that makes you laugh, makes you cry, entices a child, inspires you, gives you comfort, or makes you want to write your own poems. Isn't it time to enjoy a rhyme?

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horoscopes

APRIL 11 - 17, 2024

ARIES At the start of the week, it will be easy to find yourself daydreaming of connecting with someone special or your dearest friends. You'll also be more driven than usual to various creative forms of self-expression. Later, you might feel distressed if your efforts on the job aren't being properly recognized and you have to go back to the drawing board on a project. But getting through this rough patch will only make you stronger. Lucky Numbers: 10, 11, 22

TAURUS Early this week, you'll crave tranquil downtime with your loved ones. Doing whatever you can to set up and maintain a sense of comfort, security, and peacefulness in your home is your top priority, so give in to that urge to redecorate your family room or put work on the back burner for an evening in order to bond with family. Later, the cosmos could trigger confusion with colleagues. If you feel like you can't trust the information, wait until you have clarity. Lucky Numbers: 3, 5, 12

GEMINI At the week's start, you'll want to connect with your significant other, a potential partner, or your closest friends on an intellectual level. Enjoying fun activities that stimulate your mind together can lay the groundwork for fulfilling this desire. Later, you might feel like it's challenging to see eye to eye with an authority figure. At the same time, you might not feel like you're seeing the situation clearly. Wait until the dust settles to draw a definitive conclusion. Lucky Numbers: 8, 14, 37

CANCER At the start of the week, you'll be primarily focused on stepping up your professional game. You'll be especially motivated by the idea of bolstering security but also being able to afford specific material possessions or experiences (like a vacation) you've been dreaming about. Later in the week, you could feel overworked and, in turn, experience tension with a close colleague or your significant other. Doing your best to stick to the task can help you cope. Lucky Numbers: 5, 8, 39

LEO At the week's start, you'll get a burst of energy that you can put toward hitting your most ambitious goals. There's so much you feel ready to accomplish so make sure to prioritize. Later, the cosmos boosts your appetite for connecting with someone you care about. You'll absolutely radiate from the inside out and find yourself daydreaming about treating yourself to anything from a spa day to a luxurious weekend trip. Go for it! Prioritizing activities you love, especially with your nearest and dearest, can make for sweet memories and bolstered bonds. Lucky Numbers: 8, 45, 48

VIRGO If you've been feeling burned out by work and the daily grind, you'll get an opportunity early this week to focus on resting, recovering, and, meditating on where you've been and where you want to go. You can enjoy being in planning mode during this time, tuning into your intuition to guide your exact next steps. Later, you might feel like you're speaking a different language than a close colleague. Hold off until you're on the same page. Lucky Numbers: 5, 12, 42

LIBRA As the week starts, your calendar is bound to be even more packed than usual. From happy hours with colleagues to meetups with friends, you'll be the ultimate social butterfly. Take advantage by collaborating on a meaningful project, perhaps for charity. Later in the week is a wonderful time to open up to a special someone about how you feel. Trust what's in your heart to help you find the right words. Your connection will be stronger for it! Lucky Numbers: 20, 33, 44

SCORPIO As the week starts, your calendar is bound to be even more packed than usual. From happy hours with colleagues to meetups with friends and even spontaneous plans with new connections, you'll be the ultimate social butterfly. Take advantage by collaborating on a meaningful project, perhaps for charity. Later in the week is a wonderful time to open up to a special someone about how you feel. Trust what's in your heart to help you find the right words. Your connection will be stronger for it! Lucky Numbers: 8, 30, 31

SAGITTARIUS At the beginning of the week, you'll feel like packing your bags and hitting the road. Although a vacation may not necessarily be in the cards, you'd do well to take advantage of any opportunities to broaden your horizons now. Later, the cosmos turns up the volume on your confidence to express how you feel to your significant other. The more playful and spontaneous you can be the more memorable the experience will be for you both. Lucky Numbers: 4, 5, 7

CAPRICORN Early in the week is an ideal time to connect with a colleague on a project that's close to your heart. You'll have the power to put your vision into words and figure out how you can make it a reality as a team. If you've been wanting to connect on a deeper physical and emotional level you can anticipate even more steamy romance later in the week. Don't shy away from sharing what you've been dreaming of. Being communicative can help get you in sync. Lucky Numbers: 5, 13, 16

AQUARIUS At the start of the week, you'll have a burning desire to connect with someone special, be it your significant other or a potential mate. Whether you're working together on a shared goal or simply enjoying one another's company, your efforts as a one-on-one team allow you to get ahead and can serve to strengthen your relationship in a heartwarming way. Later in the week, you could hit a wall on an artistic project on the job, perhaps due to a lack of concrete information. Wait for the dust to settle and more details to emerge and then you can pick it back up. Lucky Numbers: 15, 27, 28

PISCES At the beginning of the week, you'll feel empowered to go after your fitness goals. Whether you've wanted to try a new workout plan, a different class, or train for a race, you'll have the wind in your sails to make it happen! Later in the week, your effort to have a meaningful conversation with a loved one could be thwarted. There's no harm in taking a time-out until you feel more assured of your view. Lucky Numbers: 3, 6, 10

SPORTS

Capital Classic Returns with Preliminary Game and Main Event, Focuses on Legacy

By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer

Now that the NCAA has crowned the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team as champions, the focus is on the future of the sport. Some of the world’s future basketball stars will be on full display at the annual McDonald's Capital Classic at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast, Washington on April 13.

The 51st Capital Classic returns as a doubleheader. After being dropped last year, the preliminary contest between the District seniors against the Suburban AllStars is back, and then will be followed by the main attraction: the stars of seniors from all around the country against the top seniors from the DMV area.

"We felt that it was important to bring this back because it too has a legacy," said Capital Classic Chief Operating Officer Ricky Goings, in reference to the preliminary game. "The preliminary game is designed to provide exposure to those seniors who may not have scholarship offers."

This year’s Capital Classic is themed the “Legacy Game,” in honor of some of the fathers who are former all-stars and their sons who are current players.

Highlights will include a special presentation to former All-Met and Capital Classic member Curt Smith for his dazzling performance against Kenny Anderson, which remains in the lore of the game.

The honorary coach will be Dennis Scott, a former standout at Flint Hill Prep and Georgia Tech before having a stellar career later with the NBA’s Orlando Magic. A former player in the game, Scott's son, Dennis Scott III. (Georgia State) will be a member of the team, following this year’s “Legends” theme.

The District team will be coached by Friendship Tech Head Coach Dwayne Shackleford while the Suburban team will be coached by former University of Maryland standout and current Head Coach at Lanham Christian School Byron Mouton.

The Capital All-Stars will be coached by David "Tee" Johnson, the highly successful head coach at

5The 51st Capital Classic will take place at the Entertainment and Sports Arena is Southeast, D.C. (Courtesy Photo/Capital Classic, Facebook)

D.C.’s Jackson Reed.

As for the main attraction, fans will bear witness to future college players and possible NBA stars. Thirteen of the players in the game are headed to Power Five programs and 10 of the 26 players from the headlining teams are ranked in the Top 100 including Jalil Bethea,

the number six-rated player in the country. Bethea is headed to the University of Miami.

In addition to Bethea, the U.S. team, composed of some of the top seniors in the nation, features Paul McNeil, headed to North Carolina State, and Daquan Davis, who is undecided.

The game will also feature undecided player Baron Bellamy, son of comedian and actor Bill Bellamy, rapper Master P’s son Mercy Miller, headed to University of Houston, and Oliver Riuox, a 7-foot-7 talented center, who is on record as officially the tallest player to ever play college basketball, who committed to University of Florida.

There is added intrigue as Georgetown commits Caleb Williams of Sidwell Friends and Thomas Sorber go against one another, and future Villanova players Matthew Hodge and Malcolm Thomas face off.

The talented Capital All-Stars will showcase Paul VI’s Isaiah Abraham, attending University of Connecticut, Khani Rooths, who has committed to University of Michigan and Jaeden Mustaf, headed to Georgia Tech. Mustaf is also a part of the Capital Classic legacy. His father, Jerod Mustaf, played in the game before going on to have an outstanding career at the University of Maryland and later in the NBA.

"This is all about the legacy," said the senior Mustaf, director of U.S. Elite Basketball, based in Mitchellville, Maryland "What makes it so amazing to me is that I now get to see my son play in this Capital Classic on that stage.”

“It is something we never expected so we are honored,” added the younger Mustaf, "To be selected to play in a game that my father played in is a special honor. I am excited for the opportunity."

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CAPTURE the moment

5Grammy award-winning Hip-Hop trio Digable Planets perform during the Jazz & Blossoms music extravaganza at Franklin Park in Northwest on April 7. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

3KKitty Chaney dancing to the sounds provided by DJ John Murph at the Jazz & Blossoms music festival held in Northwest on April 7.

5 People line up to receive fish, chicken, and fries from Marty's Food & Catering in the 3100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

5The Fifty Forward March and Prayer Rally to End Mass Incarceration was held April 7 beginning at the Spirit of Freedom Statue of the African American Civil War Soldiers Memorial in Northwest. Participants marched to Lafayette Square across from the White House for a rally and prayer. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

4 William Weaver (right), owner of Marty’s Food & Catering, prepares fish, chicken, and fries in the 3100 block of Mar

RELIGION

Local Ministers Host Kingdom Economic Summit, on Anniversary of

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

In a two-day event that coincided with the 56th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, dozens of faith and business leaders met in downtown D.C. for the “Kingdom Economic Summit,” to work toward economic opportunities in the Black community.

MLK’s Death

Inspired by King’s life and legacy, the summit was themed “Resurrecting the Dream and Redistributing the Wealth,” and there, local leaders preached, prayed and promoted economic equity for all.

“We wanted to commemorate Dr. King for making the ultimate sacrifice for economics,” said the Rev Calvin E. Cage Sr., senior pastor of Meridian Hill Baptist Church in Capitol Heights, Mary-

land.”Dr. King started to address the inequities in our community with the war on poverty.”

Cage and other faith leaders came up with the idea of the summit because more than five decades after King’s death, not much has changed in many communities across the country.

“We are still in that place from food deserts to crime,” Cage told The Informer.

The Rev. Dr. William Bennett II, senior pastor and founder of the event’s host church Good Success Christian Baptist Church and Ministries in Southeast, D.C., called the summit “phenomenal,” due to its goal to reach beyond sanctuaries.

“We are able to do good by helping people from all sectors of faith and community,” he said.

The Rev. Lionel Edmonds, senior pastor of Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, said the issues plaguing the Black community are just as urgent as they were in the 1960s.

“We are continuing the vision Dr. King spoke about and

the mantel he took, which was the next phase of the movement, which was economics,” Edmonds said.

As pastor of a Northwest, D.C. based church, Edmunds considered the economic challenges Washingtonians face daily as a critical crisis that needs addressing.

“There should not be double District poverty in the nation's capital in the same zip codes,” he told The Informer. “We are dealing with structural sin.”

The Rev. Joe Daniels, pastor of Emery Fellowship United Methodist Church on Georgia Avenue NW, emphasized the many challenges Black Americans face across the United States such as economic, racial and environmental injustices.

“The Black community across the United States is at a very critical point where there are many needs that our community has. The Black church and the Black community have the opportunity to work together, and if we don't take advantage of this moment now we might not get another chance.”

Daniels and Emery Fellowship know all about finding opportunities for the church to help the community overall. In 1919, Em-

ery Fellowship opened the Beacon Center, a $60 million 99-unit apartment building for people who make 60% of the average income.

The Rev. John K. Jenkins Sr., senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, was one of the speakers at the summit, and shared excerpts and wisdom from his book, “Grace to Grow,” offering ways for churches to grow financially.

The Rev. L. K. Floyd II, pastor of Heart Changers Baptist Church in Silver Spring, said Jenkins’ lessons and insight were helpful because “when members grow individually in the area of financial freedom the church can grow in all areas.”

Endura Govan, CEO of Color of Health, LLC, explained events like the Kingdom Economic Summit are vital in a post-COVID world, particularly as the “church plays a role in generating additional revenue,” across communities.

“The church suffered a great financial loss by the nationwide mandate to shut down for over 18 months,” Govan said. “The Kingdom Economic Summit provided much needed strategies for pastors.”

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5 Kirsten Bryant-Phillip, Alyssa Smith, Endura Govan, CEO Color Of Health, LLC, William Thompson and Justin Nails at the Kingdom Economic Summit, held April 4 and 5 in downtown, D.C. (Courtesy Photo)

How many of you have heard my dear friend Dr. Willie Jolley speak? He always includes this saying: "A setback is a setup for a comeback." In fact, he even wrote a book with that title! As it relates to setbacks, each of us are usually in one of these three conditions during our entire lives — either we are heading into a storm, we're in the middle of a storm, or we are just beginning to come out of a storm.

Think about it for a minute. Personal experience testifies that this is true for all of us. Yet the Bible also makes it clear that with every setback, God is setting things up for our comeback — amen! On that, you can depend. Just never allow your setback to break you.

In His glorious "I have overcome the world" promise, Jesus also gives us a divine pearl of wisdom. He also says "Take heart!" — and then He explains why we should. Jesus has overcome all things, and that includes every setback we face in life. We are just coming out of Lent, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Those of us who are Christians have taken this time to realize how our Lord and Savior went through all of this

the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback

on our behalf. We are truly sinners, born into iniquity and saved by His Grace!

As a speaker, during my travels, one of the testimonies that I've heard repeated most often from the people is how much they profited from the seeming setback they encountered in their walk with Christ. Not only were they aware that God sent the setback into their lives, they knew God was in it with them! And in the middle of the setback, He was setting them up for a comeback.

So regardless of where this finds you today, whether riding the crest of the wave in a season of great success or buried under the waves of challenge, know that Jesus is with you.

Perhaps one of the best verses we can commit to memory comes from the inspired pen of Job. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and he definitely had a strong evil. Because Job was the most shining example for God in the earth, Satan wanted him taken out.

You need to understand how the enemy attacks you. He comes rapidly, repeatedly. Satan hits you once. He hits you twice. He hits you three times. He comes at you again and again. John 10:10 reminds us how it is in this con-

text that Jesus explains, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly."

Let's look at another person in Scripture who suffered a setback. God first sent Joshua to conquer Jericho, a huge walled city, the most impregnable fortress in the world at the time. The expectation was that his army was going to have a quick and easy victory. Instead, the Israelites experienced a huge military setback right after a great military victory. They were beaten so badly that their hearts "melted, and became like water." In other words, they lost all of their courage.

Joshua responded to this setback by getting on his face, putting dust on top of himself, and staying there all night. Joshua is known for his courage. Thanks be unto God, regardless of your strengths or weaknesses, God will work with you individually to help you get to your Promised Land!

The Book of Judges says that Gideon was trying to hide the grain from the Midianites because they would come and steal it. I don't know if there is anybody that ever feels like their harvest keeps getting stolen, but I tell you, your setback is God's setup for your comeback.

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The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor

9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743

Phone: 301-350-2200

Fax: 301-499-8724

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM

Communion: 1st Sunday

Sunday School: 9:00 AM

Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon

Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com

Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com

Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

Service and Times

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849

Service and Times

Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM

5th Sundays: 9:30 AM

3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion

Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church  of Christ

Reverend William Young IV Pastor 3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services

Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power

“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001

Phone (202) 842-3411

Fax (202) 682-9423

Service and Times

Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM

Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM

Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM

Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM

themcbc.org

All Nations Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002

Phone (202) 832-9591

Service and Times

Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM

Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM

Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM

Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM

Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge

Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration

Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com

All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

4915 Wheeler Road

Oxon Hill, MD 20745

301-894-6464

Service and Times

Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Communion Service: First Sunday

www.livingwatersmd.org

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. / Senior Pastor

5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301.899.8885 – Fax 301.899.2555

Service and Times

Sunday Early Morning Worship 8:00 AM

Sunday School 9:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM

Tuesday: 7:00 PM – Kingdom Building Bible Institute

Wednesday:  12:30 PM – Mid-Day Bible Study

Wednesday:  7:00 PM – Evening Bible Study

Baptism 3rd Sunday – Communion 4th Sunday

Free Food Giveaway – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

“We are One in the Spirit” www.ssbcmd.org | secretary@ssbcmd.org

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002

202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

Service and Times

Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday

Sunday School: 9:45 AM

Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM

Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM

Computer Classes: Announced

Family and Marital Counseling by appointment

E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net

www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”

Third Street Church of God

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax

Services and Times

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM

Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM

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

Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

John F. Johnson

Reverend Dr.

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Service and Times

Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m.

Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday

“Friendliest Church in the City”

Website: mountolivetdc.org

Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness Senior Pastor

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Crusader Baptist Church Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church Campbell AME Church Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018

Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM

Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM

Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM

Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM

Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon

Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM

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

Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org

Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

623 Florida Ave.. NW WDC. 20001

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax

• FAX (301) 292.2164

Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland Assistant & Youth Pastor 12801 Old Fort Road • Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Office (301) 292.6323

Service and Times

Sunday Worship 10:15 am

Sunday Church School 11:00 am

Youth Sunday every 4th Sunday

Prayer Call @ Noon every Tuesday & Thursday 978.990.5166 code: 6166047#

Virtual Bible Study Wednesday Facebook & Zoom 7:00 pm

“A Growing Church for a Coming Christ” www.adamsinspirationalamec.org

“Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . 100% Forgiven!

Service and Times

Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM

Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday

Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM

Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM

www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836

Home Study (301) 464-8211 Fax (202) 483-4009

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM

Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM

Holy Communion: Every First Sunday

Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM

Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM

Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM

Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE

Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM

Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services

Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM

Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round

Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday

The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Shiloh Church of God 7th Day

Elder Jonathan M. Carson Senior Pastor

5701 Eastern Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782

Phone: 301 559-5262

Service and Times

Sabbath Worship @ 1:00 pm in-person/FB/Zoom

Tuesday - Prayer@ 7:30 pm on Zoom

Wednesday Bible Study@ 7:30 pm on Zoom

Friday - Sabbath School@ 7:30 pm on Zoom

Web: shiloh7thday.org

Email: shiloh7thdaycomm@gmail.com

"A culturally diverse church of edification, deliverance and transformation"

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019

202-397-7775 – 7184

Service and Times

Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM

The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday

Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM

Bible Study: 7:30 PM

Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM

A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Zion Baptist Church

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor

4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011

Phone (202) 722-4940 Fax (202) 291-3773

Service and Times

9:00 a.m. – Sunday School

10:15 a.m. – Worship Service

Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study

7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study

Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday

Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

Israel Baptist Church

Rev. Lance Aubert Imterim Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018

(202) 269-0288

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM

Sunday School: 9:15 AM

Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM

Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM

Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM

Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton

Senior Pastor

1636 East Capitol Street, NE

Washington, DC 20003

Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM

Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM

Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM

Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org

Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Rev. Richard B. Black

Interim Pastor

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E

Washington, D C 20002

202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org

www.lpumcdc.org

Service and Times

Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM

Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM

Sunday School: 9:00 AM

Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM

Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Damion M. Briggs Pastor

8213 Manson Street

Landover, MD 20785

Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

Service and Times

Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM

Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM

Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

“Real Worship for Real People”

Website: www.easterncommunity.org

Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037

Church office: 202-333-3985 Fax : 202-338-4958

Service and Times

Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org

Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

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

Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor

3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

5606 Marlboro Pike

District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services

11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM

Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM

Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times

Sunday Worship: 11 AM

Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

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

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012

Office (202)-882-8331

Service and Times

Sunday Worship 10:30 am

Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm

Communion Every First Sunday

"Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

Website: Theplbc.org

Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Services: 9:30 AM

Youth/Young Adult Sunday School 12:00 PM

Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM

Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM

Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM

Email: Froffice@firstrising.org

Website: www.firstrising.org

“Changing Lives On Purpose “

RELIGION

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020

Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 9:30 AM Sunday School: 8:15 AM Bible Study: Wednesdays at Noon Baptism: 4th Sunday 9:30 AM

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

“Where God is Praised, Christ is Obeyed, and People are Loved” Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836

Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM

“The Loving

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Join

202 581-1500

Service and Times

Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM

Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM

Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM

Prayer Service Bible Study

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

2018 ADM 001345

Sumpter Darby Jr.

Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Dexter Darby, whose address is 5506 8th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sumpter Darby Jr. who died on 8/2/1991 without a Will and will serve with 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., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 9/28/2024. 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 9/28/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 3/28/2024

Dexter Darby Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Informer

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint a disinterested member of the bar as personal

Wills Washington Informer

filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 9/28/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 3/28/2024

Mary T. Curran Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Michael D. Vaughn, whose address is 1313 New York Avenue, NW, Basement, Washington, DC 20005, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Eunice Mae Vaughn who died on July 29, 2019 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., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/4/2024. 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 10/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication:

Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 10/4/2024, 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

2024 ADM 000321

Floyd T. Robinson aka Floyd Thomas Robinson Decedent

legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/4/2024

Reginald Ray Williams Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

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

2024 ADM 000324

Danielle Gabriel Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO

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., Building A, Third Floor

or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2024 ADM 000306

Claudia Rae Korte Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #400 Washington, DC 20015

Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Dina Korte Ponder and Ellisa Crawford, whose addresses are 221 Lakeway Drive, Coldspring, TX 77331 & 9600 Pine Valley Dr., Grand Blanc, MI 48439, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Claudia Rae Korte who died on 10/3/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/4/2024. 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 10/4/2024, 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.

20001-2131 2024 ADM 000309

Charles Robinson Decedent

Brian L. Kass, Esq. 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 434 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Michael B. Robinson, whose address is 2315 Lincoln Rd., NE #107, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Charles Robinson who died on 10/10/2012 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/4/2024. 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 10/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/4/2024

Michael B. Robinson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Daymieon Rivera, whose address is 12214 Brittania Cir., Germantown, MD 20874, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wilbur K. Mackall Jr. who died on 11/28/2022 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., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/4/2024. 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 10/4/2024, 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.

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

2024 ADM 000276

Spooner C. Underwood Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Cameron L. Underwood and Spooner C. Underwood Jr., whose addresses are 3622 Rock Creek Church Rd NW, Washington, DC 20010 and 3504 Manorwood Dr., Hyattsville, MD 20782, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Spooner C. Underwood who died on April 18, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/4/2024. 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 10/4/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/4/2024

Cameron L. Underwood 3622 Rock Creek Church Rd., NW,

2024 ADM 000371 Estate of Doris Handy Fleming aka Doris Handy

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Shari Kleiner, Esq. for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: 4/11/2024

Shari Kleiner, Esq. 5614 Connecticut Ave., NW #107 Washington, DC 20015

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE

515

shall

or

Claims against the

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 10/11/2024, or be forever barred.

believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/11/2024

Deborah B. Oliver Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 000375

Timothy H. Carson Decedent

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW

Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015

Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE

TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Willita Josell Carson, whose address is 4413 14th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Timothy H. Carson who died on February 6, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 10/11/2024. 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 10/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/11/2024

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 10/11/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 4/11/2024

Frank L. Hemming Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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INCOME from Page 1

We need to be held in the same way,” said Peake, a 32-year-old mother of two who lives in Northeast.

She said she was introduced to Strong Families, Strong Futures DC during a particularly “vulnerable” time in her life.

“My experience was lonely and isolated,” Peake told The Informer. “Strong Families, Strong Futures DC helped me with diapers, clothes, and mental health [resources]. They put me in community with other moms.”

MAYOR BOWSER INCLUDES STRONG FAMILIES, STRONG FUTURES IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET PROPOSAL

Peake counts among 118 mothers who are currently enrolled in Strong Families, Strong Futures DC, a collaboration between Martha’s Table and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) that’s intended to boost maternal health and economic mobility in Wards 5, 7 and 8.

On April 5, representatives of Martha’s Table joined D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) at DC Health headquarters in Southeast where Bowser announced the second round of direct cash assistance payments for expectant mothers and mothers of children under the age of three.

During the 2024 fiscal year, the program received $1 million. Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal includes an allocation of another $1 million that covers the third and final year of financial assistance to the mothers in the program.

The 118 mothers in the current cohort, more than half of whom live in Ward 8, are in their second year of the Strong Families, Strong Futures DC. Between the spring of 2022 and last summer, the first cohort -132 strong -- received monthly cash payments of $900 or a lump sum of $10,800.

Three of those mothers have since left the District, while six didn’t respond to calls for re-enrollment. Five others are currently navigating a re-enrollment process that involves the collection of various documents.

Tiffany Williams, president and CEO of Martha’s Table, told The Informer that Strong Families, Strong Futures DC moves families from “instability to stability to thriving”

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Nee Nee Taylor, Makia Green, Alex Dodds and a litany of other organizers and organizations in launching the Hands Off DC movement. They did so after President Joe Biden announced, in a tweet, that he wouldn’t veto a congressional disapproval resolution striking down the Revised Criminal Code Act.

Biden would later follow through on that pledge. Adams touts that situation, among others, as further confirmation of D.C.’s precarious status as a colony.

by providing community members with a basic income that allows them to support themselves and participate in the local economy.

Within a matter of months, she added, Strong Families, Strong Futures will launch a savings program with United Bank that builds upon workshops and other support provided to mothers

One of the added bonuses of the support, Williams noted, is that the cash disbursements come with no requirements on how to spend it, which she described as part of an effort to treat recipients with respect and dignity.

“No one tells us how to spend our money. We trust people to do what they know is best for their children,” WIliams said. “People in our program used the money to pay for food, transportation, healthcare needs, and build up their savings… Some of the parents were in a position to launch their businesses.”

THE DISTRICT ENTERS A NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME

The pandemic inspired the re-emergence of a movement around universal basic income that fizzled in the 2010s. Over the last couple of years, cash assistance pilot programs have been gaining popularity, especially with the formation of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI), of which Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson (D) is a member.

Atlanta, Baltimore, New York City, Oakland, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles count among the U.S. cities with cash assistance pilot programs. At least $125 million total has been spent on programs that,

like Strong Families, Strong Futures, come with no stipulations on how to spend disbursements.

In a 2023 blog post, University of Pennsylvania’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics cited studies that highlighted the benefits of such programs for enrollees living in U.S. cities, and even in other countries. However, the report acknowledged what former Stockton, California mayor and MGI founder Michael Tubbs described as the conflict that emerges between the programs and a long-held notion that hard work and self-sufficiency leads to financial success.

This conflict came into light after reports surfaced of a Strong Families, Strong Future DC recipient spending more than half of her $10,800 lump sum on a family trip to Miami. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Joel Griffith of the Heritage Foundation said that one mother’s experience shows how “handouts” trap people in a cycle of poverty.

For Brynae West, however, Strong Families, Strong Futures DC represents more than a hand out. She told The Informer that the cash disbursement, along with workshops and comradery she built with her fellow participants, went a long way in improving her emotional state and quality of life.

West, a 26-year-old mother of one from Southeast, entered Strong Families, Strong Futures amid her battle with postpartum depression and housing insecurity. She told The Informer that, at the time she applied for the program, she almost didn’t believe a resource of this nature existed.

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That’s why part of Adams’ strategy in changing the tide involves educating District residents about the importance of statehood. Since spring of last year, she and other Hands of DC coalition members have utilized artistic activism by hosting rallies, conducting workshops, creating art installations, and taking the message of District self-determination on a national tour.

For Adams, D.C. statehood stands as one of the most significant racial justice issues for Black and brown residents who face several layers of opposition as they advocate for change.

“D.C. was the first city to grant Black and brown residents emancipation,” said Adams, executive director of Long Live Go-Go and organizing director of DCVote, a national engagement and advocacy organization geared toward securing equality for the District.

“With us…lacking a federal government voice, it’s beyond time to change the topic of conversation from gun violence, to climate change, to reproductive rights, to solution-oriented conversation like statehood,” she added.

CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS CONTINUE TO TAKE AIM AT DISTRICT LAWS

Other disapproval resolutions over the course of a year have targeted council-approved voting rights to noncitizens and police accountability measures. Budget riders meanwhile focused on the banning of traffic cameras and criminalization of marijuana.

Despite what appears to be their concern about public safety, Congressional Republicans proposed budget cuts to the Public Defender Service and Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency.

Within that same timeframe, they brought D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and Justice

On March 21, Pemberton and U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger testified before the House Committee on Administration during a hearing about the U.S. Capitol Police’s response to crime in portions of Ward 6 that are part of its jurisdiction. The hearing served as a response to assaults, attempted assaults, and carjackings of congressional members and staff members near the Capitol grounds.

The hearing took place a couple of weeks after Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a member of the House’s Committee on Oversight and Accountability, introduced legislation to prevent District lawmakers from changing sentencing laws, lower the qualifying age of the Youth Rehabilitation Act from 24 years old to 18 years old, and require the Office of the Attorney General to publicly post juvenile crime data.

During the hearing, Pemberton, a staunch opponent of the council’s postGeorge Floyd police reform efforts, recounted what he called his unsuccessful efforts to engage the council on matters of police accountability.

In response, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) questioned whether the District deserves statehood.

“D.C. wants statehood and this is the type of legislative body that they demonstrate themselves to be?” Murphy said on March 21. “How in hell could people want that-- and even reasons being political -- do they want two votes in the Senate? They haven't shown the ability to protect their citizens.”

CHARLES ALLEN RECALL CAMPAIGN: A QUESTION OF OUTSIDE INFLUENCE

Since December, a contingent of Ward 6 residents with ties to Congress and political donors have been immersed in a campaign to remove Allen from the Ward 6 council office.

Members of what’s known as the Recall Charles Allen campaign are currently petitioning to include the recall question on the 2024 general election ballot. They, and organizers who are waging a similar battle against D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau in Ward 1, need to collect 7,500 signatures by August 12 to achieve their goal.

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Lindsey Appiah, and D.C. Police Union Chief Gregg Pemberton before the House Committee on Administration and Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

5 (L-R): Martha’s Table President & CEO Tiffany Williams, Rondenise Peake, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Brynae West, and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert. (Courtesy Photo/Executive Office of the Mayor/Khalid Naji-Allah)

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which disproportionately affects residents with low and moderate incomes who spend every dollar they earn to get by. As is, the proposed budget will set back the progress that D.C. has made on poverty reduction, greater economic inclusion, and shared prosperity.

"People are D.C.'s economic engine — not any one neighborhood," said Erica Williams, executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.

"Prioritizing public investments that support D.C.'s most-in-need children, workers, families and businesses, as we have over the last few years, is critical to growing the strength and

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shouldn't overlook the dedicated cadre of local journalists and publishers serving District residents. The Washington Informer, El Tiempo Latino and Washington City Paper — among many other outlets and community members who work to keep their neighbors informed — are still dedicated to telling the District's stories. Still, this group is also feeling the financial pressure facing local news across the country.

The idea of the government supporting local journalism may seem contradictory at first. On its face, public funding could jeopardize that since governments would ostensibly be in a position to pick which journalists and news outlets to support. That doesn't have to be the case, though.

This question — of how to support

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costs," Durbin added.

Undoubtedly, the bridge's reconstruction funding will face major hurdles in Congress. An influential group of House Republicans has already made it known that they will place strings on any new federal funding to replace the bridge.

As this is a national crisis where the nation's best interest depends on both parties' elected officials, we live in an environment where everything becomes a political fight. After taking an aerial tour of the collapse, President Biden stated, "My administration is committed, absolutely committed, to ensuring that the parties responsible for this tragedy pay to repair the damage and be held accountable to the fullest extent the law will allow. Biden added, "I fully intend, as the governor knows, to have the federal government cover the cost of rebuilding this entire bridge — all of it, all of it — as we've done in other parts of

resilience of our economy.

Legislation on Youth Prosecution and Truancy

Bowser's legislative proposal to increase prosecution of children and teens who commit certain crimes and address truancy cases has drawn criticism from advocates and attorneys. Restricting prosecutors from using plea agreements and banning diversion programs for youth facing gun charges could disproportionately affect Black and minority youth, contributing to the perpetuation of systemic inequalities within the criminal justice system.

"We're concerned this bill will increase the incarceration of young people and is really relying on practic-

strong journalism, while keeping journalists independent of government influence — has been around since the beginning of the United States.

The Founders debated how to support newspapers, and passed the Postal Act of 1792 as one of the initial acts of the first Congress. That act contained a huge subsidy for newspapers — a postage subsidy. That subsidy would be worth upwards of $60 billion as a share of today's GDP. The postage subsidy was neutral as to newspapers' content. It supported news of all sorts, including those that supported opposition parties.

Today, the U.S. is realizing again that public support is an important piece of strong local journalism. Any public subsidy today must keep the government at arms length, away from choosing directly which news to support.

Public media has historically been one

the country in similar circumstances."

The Biden administration has approved $60 million in emergency funding to assist in the initial mobilization and debris recovery efforts. The total cost to replace the bridge is unclear, but estimates range from $400 million to as much as $1 billion. Time will tell if Republicans' efforts result in prudent financial oversight or just become obstruct-and-delay tactics. The response from a small group of House Republicans is not surprising. The surprise is how this unintentional maritime accident is being used as a conservative dog whistle to attack Mayor Brandon Scott of Baltimore. One user on X, formally known as Twitter, called Scott "Baltimore's DEI mayor" when referring to a video of the mayor speaking about praying for those affected by the deadly collapse and acknowledging the efforts of the first responders. Phil Lyman, a Utah Republican and gubernatorial candidate, included Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, also Black, in his attack.

es that we know are not effective for addressing truancy," said Kaitlin Banner is the deputy legal director for the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. "We know the leading causes of truancy in D.C. and nationwide are students who are not in stable housing, students who are homeless, students with disabilities who don't have access to the accommodations and services they need in school," Banner said. "We want to make sure that the programs that address those root causes are funded robustly in this budget.

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solution, but the need for local news in the District is bigger than one single news organization could possibly fill. One or even a handful of public news outlets won't always do a good job covering all the news needed by different communities and diverse audiences.

The DC Local News Funding Act addresses these concerns by putting the choice of what news outlets to fund in the hands of the people of D.C.

Under this bill, every D.C. resident would get a set of "News Coupons" and would choose which news sources to give the coupons to. The program is managed by a board of community leaders. This means the government never decides which outlets get money — you do. We do.

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Lyman wrote, "This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens." What is Phil Lyman talking about? What does diversity have to do with undermining the security of citizens?

Just as we've seen with Obama and Biden, the twisting of the truth becomes effective when used for political gain. Now, we are seeing people like Phil Lyman distort the true meaning of diversity and DEI in a new direction. It is a fact that the race of Mayor Brandon Scott and Gov. Wes Moore as Black leaders has nothing to do with the unintended collapse of the bridge. How many people will accept that fact? In a moment of leadership displayed by two elected leaders during a national crisis, DEI has now become a racist dog whistle, detracting from the tragedy of the lost lives and the impact on the economy. This distortion of DEI gives them a reason to reject the authority and power of any Black elected leader. WI

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defunding or outright ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Counted among these states are Alabama, Florida and Texas, where multimillion Black residents are directly affected.

While many might presume widespread unity in Black America over the Supreme Court ruling, a survey analysis by Gallup's Center on Black Voices published earlier this year shows a distinct and disturbing generational divide on affirmative action. Survey respondents were asked about the effect the affirmative decision may have in four specific areas:

1. Higher education in general;

2. Educational opportunities for Blacks;

3. The ability of people of one's own race/ethnicity to attend college; and

cision negatively. But among younger Black adults, aged 18 to 39, the affirmative action reversal is viewed positively by 62%. Moreover, many younger Blacks anticipated the decision will have no impact at all on their educations and futures.

Another new and related survey reflects a growing political divide.

Jointly released by The Associated Press and the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center (NORC), the survey asked the question, "Do you think each of the following is doing a good job or a bad job or neither upholding democratic values in the United States?"

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4. Diversity of college campuses. Numerically, 56% of Black adults aged 40 and older mostly view the dehave underfunded their HBCUs by $12 billion between 1987 to 2020.

"Unacceptable funding inequities have forced many of our nation's distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities to operate with inadequate resources and delay critical investments in everything from campus infrastructure to research and development to student support services," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona wrote in a letter to 16 governors in September.

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his very first camping trip: an outing led by Rocky Milburn.

Now an adult, Levi is an Outings Leader with the Tampa ICO group alongside Rocky. Levi is paying forward his experience. He is pursuing a career working with animals and investing his time to make sure other kids from his old neighborhood and school get the same chance he had to explore and enjoy nature. This is a story that repeats itself in families and communities in every pocket of our country. And we should encourage and celebrate it. As someone who comes from a long line of outdoors enthusiasts who passed the love of nature on to me, I try to do the same for my kids.

Respondents were asked to share their views on government — including the Supreme Court, as well as Congress, and presidential candidates. Overall, 45% said the nation's highest court was doing a poor job. But when responses were screened by party affiliation, 68% of Democrats said the court was doing a poor job, compared to 21% of Republicans agreeing.

"I am continually inspired by all that HBCUs have achieved despite having to punch above their weight."

Despite the fact that the Tennessee legislature had previously acknowledged its own failure to comply with the law, Senate Education Chairman Jon Lundberg responded to the report by accusing the Education and Agricultural departments of "using TSU to stoke political and racial division in our state."

Lundberg's response is familiar to historians of the "Lost Cause" mythology that permeated the civ-

Whether we are skiing in the winter, paddling and fishing in the summer, or visiting national parks year round, I try to do my part to make sure my family stays connected to the great outdoors. Everyone can do this, whether it is a community affair, a family affair, or both. Vedia Barnett is a disabled Air Force veteran. After suffering a minor stroke, it was reconnecting with the outdoors and her love of nature that gave her a renewed sense of purpose to get back on her feet. "Just hearing the birds and feeling the sun on my face, it was like giving me life back."

Now Vedia works with Sierra Club's Military Outdoors campaign, getting other women veterans outdoors. She recounts one woman who left the service in the 1970s:

A coalition of 12 national civil rights advocates including the National Urban League, National Action Network, NAACP, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the National Council of Negro Women, also said the nation's highest court is the problem when it comes to affirmative action, saying its decision, "serves as a distressing reminder of the uphill battle we continue to face in dismantling systemic racism and the potential implications this decision can have on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the workplace."

Whatever solution(s) are needed, one thing remains clear: America's constitution may have promised that all are created equal, but in education, the fulfillment of that promise has yet to become real.

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il rights era, falsely labeling those fought end segregation and secure voting rights as "outside agitators" disrupting the cherished Southern way of life.

The modern "Lost Cause" movement — known in some circles as "anti-woke" — doesn't pretend that Black Americans are content to live under racism. It claims that racism doesn't exist.

Similarly, the state of Tennessee's solution to racially discriminatory funding of its universities isn't to provide equitable funding; it's to shut down any discussion of it. WI

"This was the first time she felt like she was in community with veterans who looked like her. And I think It's important even for veterans to understand that all these lands are for us — they're for everybody."

Vedia's mom, a Marine Corp veteran, has also gotten involved, bringing senior women veterans in their 70s out to join the group's outings. This month is Earth Month. It is a perfect time to get outside. Bring your friends and family out there with you. If there is a local program near you that helps get kids — or anyone — outside who doesn't typically have a lot of access to nature, consider chipping in your time. A love of nature is infectious. And it is one infection that is very worth spreading.WI

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