Lifestyle

Performances of Handel’s “Messiah” to Benefit Local A.M.E. Church

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Bringing renewed social relevance, commentary and philanthropy to an annual holiday tradition, National Philharmonic (NatPhil) presents George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah,” Dec. 17 and 18 at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland and Dec. 23 at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia.

This year’s performance has special meaning because 50% of the proceeds from the performances at Strathmore will go toward the “2nd Century Project” as a fundraiser to restore the historic Scotland African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church in Montgomery County, Md.

“We’ve been performing Handel’s ‘Messiah’ annually at Strathmore since 2005, except for during COVID,” said Piotr Gajewski, NatPhil’s music director and conductor. at scotlandamezion.org. NatPhil’s philanthropic commitment to the church was made before recent news that Scotland A.M.E. Zion was vandalized in November.

Built by hand and opened in 1924 by Black congregants in the Scotland community in Potomac, Md., Scotland A.M.E. Zion is registered as a State Historic Site by the Maryland Historical Trust. Today the church is the only historic building to survive in Maryland’s Scotland community. Even before the challenges faced by the church in recent years, the Scotland community in Potomac did not have running water until the 1970s.

“I urge people to visit the website of Scotland A.M.E. Church because that story is there,” continued Gajewski. “I think they may tell it in gentler words, but the county has not treated that community well, and it’s systematic.”

NatPhil will welcome the Scotland A.M.E. Zion Mass Choir and its director Michael Terry for a pre-concert performance at the Strathmore on Dec. 17 and 18. Patrons are encouraged to attend this free performance in the venue’s lobby area starting one hour before “Messiah.”

Tickets for both the Strathmore and Capital One Hall concerts are available online at nationalphilharmonic.org. Children 17 and under can attend National Philharmonic performances for free through their program “All Kids. All Free. All the Time.” WI @bcscomm

5 National Philharmonic (NatPhil) presents three performances of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 17 and 18 at Strathmore in Bethesda, Md., and on Dec. 23 at Capital One Hall in the Tysons area. (Courtesy Photo/ National Philharmonic)

5 Four African American vocalists are in the cast of Handel’s “Messiah.” They are (Top Row, L-R) soprano Kearstin Piper Brown, mezzo-soprano Lucia Bradford, (Bottom Row, L-R) tenor Norman Shankle and baritone Jorell Williams. (Courtesy photo/National Philharmonic)

Soloists joining the NatPhil chorale and orchestral mass are soprano Kearstin Piper Brown, mezzo-soprano Lucia Bradford, tenor Norman Shankle and baritone Jorell Williams.

“By design, this year’s performances have an African American cast because of what was uncovered several years ago about George Frideric Handel.”

There is a backstory behind this concert concerning composer Handel and Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church. Gajewski explained that Handel benefitted handsomely from slave trading. It is thought that many of the composer’s works may not have come to fruition if it were not for his revenue from the slave trade.

“So, the question arose for us, what is the proper response to learning this,” said Gajewski, 63. “One possible response would be to simply cancel all music by Handel and be done with it. Or maybe there was another way to consider with this newly uncovered information.”

NatPhil is taking Handel’s history and turning it into a positive to help communities of color, largely those who are descendants of enslaved people. Scotland A.M.E. Zion was chosen.

In 2019 the church was horribly damaged by floods. To save its rich legacy, the church and its Montgomery County allies have launched a multi-phase project to repair, restore and safeguard the building. Information about the 2nd Century Project can be found

Carmen Lundy Brings in the New Year at the Kennedy Center

Multi-Talent Vocalist Celebrates Grammy Nomination for Current Album

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Carmen Lundy is a successful and respected composer and vocalist who is riding high with her 16th album, “Fade to Black,” recently nominated for a Grammy award. She will perform songs from that album, plus many more, during two New Year’s Eve concerts called “Carmen Lundy and Friends,” at the Kennedy Center.

Lundy’s “Friends” include: Warren Wolf (vibraphone), Brandee Younger (harp), Andrew Renfroe (guitar), Kenny Davis (bass), Terreon Gully (drums), and Matthew Whitaker (piano, organ, keyboards). Whitaker is a VSA International Young Soloist and Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead alumnus, both Kennedy Center programs.

Talented across several creative genres, Lundy, 68, is an actress, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a celebrated mixed media artist and painter. Her art is on the cover of “Fade to Black.”

Recently, Lundy spoke about her career on WIN-TV, the Washington Informer’s digital platform program. She shared what went into creating her latest album during the shutdown period of COVID. “Say Her Name,” one of the songs on the album, questions why any woman or man must be a victim of police brutality at this time in our nation’s history.

“The way we have come to know the Black experience in the modern world, I find it doesn’t make sense. I went to my computer to understand what happened on that awful day in Minnesota. I remember being so emotionally broken down,” Lundy said. “I also remembered Attorney Crump insisting that we say the names of individuals who suffered needlessly. When you say it out loud, you claim the life, spirit, and soul of that person.”

A tribute to love is one of many feelings when listening to “Spell of Romance.” I told Lundy the song is reminiscent of missing someone due to the shutdown conditions in the early period of the pandemic.

“ It’s just that,” Lundy said while laughing. “When I talk about music, I find that if you give everything up, then that changes the listener’s perspective.”

“Reverence” is a cut Lundy considers her song of speaking out.

“I’ve done more protesting in my 60s than ever,” Lundy said. “The song is a simple way of breaking down ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Your life matters; mine does too.”

“Fade to Black” walks through this current era of reckoning and adds to Lundy’s catalog of over 150 published songs. Her compositions have been recorded by such artists as Kenny Barron, Ernie Watts, Terri Lyne Carrington and Regina Carter, all National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters. She is not done yet.

Check out the interview with Lundy on the Washington Informer’s WIN-TV on YouTube. Visit Lundy’s website to learn about “Fade to Black” and her other works at carmenlundy.com. For information about “A Jazz New Year’s Eve: Carmen Lundy and Friends,” visit the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org. wi @bcscomm

5 Composer and vocalist Carmen Lundy’s latest album, “Fade to Black,” was recently nominated for a Grammy. She performs two New Year’s Eve concerts at the Kennedy Center. (Courtesy photo/ Carmen Lundy)

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MGMNATIONALHARBOR.COM

5 Composer and vocalist Carmen Lundy’s latest album, “Fade to Black,” was recently nominated for a Grammy. (Courtesy photo/ Carmen Lundy)

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Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’ Resonates with Adult Audiences, Too

DB Bantino Movie Reviewer

Most of us read the story about the cultural icon Pinocchio who first emerged in 1883 as a wooden character created by Carlo Collodi. In the story, his creator Geppetto was an old man who lived in a Tuscan village suffering from the death of his only son. As he mourned his loss, he made a puppet out of a nearby pine tree. In that tree, there lives a cricket who becomes a friend and guardian of the puppet.

Geppetto names the puppet Pinocchio and teaches him to act like his lost son. Still, Pinocchio can make his own decisions and wants to learn life through his own experiences. The puppet is then given life through a higher power that wants to see Geppetto happy.

As news of a living puppet spreads, some of the locals want to capitalize on it, and they try to manipulate Pinocchio into bad situations, separating him from Geppetto. Eventually, he is persuaded to leave home for a spot in the traveling carnival in hopes of becoming a star which unfortunately does not turn out well. Although Pinocchio is a puppet, he still has a strong heart. He has to make bold decisions to survive many obstacles and hopefully reunite with Geppetto.

The movie is directed by Guillermo del Toro, who also directed Hellboy, The Shape of Water, and Pans Labyrinth. His interpretation was darker than most reimagined stories of Pinocchio. How he told his version would leave one wondering if it was for children or adults. He directed his first movie over 30 years ago in Mexico. It was a stop-motion animated scifi titled “Omnivore.” His talent for creating magical stop-motion films showed in this one which is also entirely stop-motion animated. The film makes such a connection with the audience that it becomes hard to remember that you are watching animated characters, not real ones.

The animation supervisor was Brian Leif Hansen, who grew up on a dairy farm in Jutland, Denmark. He has been animating for over 20 years after taking a chance and applying to the Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark. To complete this film, he and his team needed to create 60 different stages, all with different cameras and sets.

Stop-motion is very time-consuming, and without the different sets, the crew could only film about two seconds per day. Also, the characters were made with 3D printers after being designed on computers. Some scenes took weeks and even years to complete, and they were all done with a budget of $35 million.

The voice of Pinocchio was played by Gregory Mann. He has not provided his age publicly but has stated that the voice acting was sometimes difficult because, as a preteen, his voice would begin to crack. Ewan McGregor, the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, starred as the voice for Cricket. Also, David Bradly, who played Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, did an amazing job as the voice for Gepetto.

I have seen the Pinocchio story plenty of times, but this was the first I actually enjoyed it as an adult. The film had many lessons that only a mature mind could understand. Even in the music, there were lessons. I was surprised that many of the lyrics were written by the direction del Toro himself. One song in the film that I really enjoyed was called Ciao Papa, and in the lyrics, Pinocchio sings, “Eyes in the rain, I try to hide. Tears of a boy who shouldn’t cry.” Along with the music, the visuals were captivating and kept me very entertained. I would probably say that this was my favorite Pinocchio film. WI

PARTNERING from Page 15

the current African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) which ends in 2025.

Many African, African diasporan and American business, investment and trade development stakeholders have made several policy recommendations to the Biden Administration to address these issues. Some would like more effective policies and programs to foster greater incentives for trade and investments in Africa. Others propose initiates that assist African American small and medium size businesses to successfully compete and win USAID procurement projects in Africa.

Tigist Melesse, professor at University of California, Berkeley, argues that U.S aid has failed to deliver sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction in Africa.

The Biden Administration and its African partners have much work ahead to address Africa’s development while many observers are hoping for success but remain skeptical.

Joseph Sang, VP at USIP’s Africa Center said the summit should give people homework to continue the efforts.

“The summit should send Americans and Africans home with ‘todo-lists’ and a schedule to shape the first joint projects necessary to achieve its goals. Stay tuned.

WI

Bob Marley Experience Coming to the U.S.

The Jamaican Global Icon’s Memorabilia and Music on Display

Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer

The Bob Marley One Love Experience will make its U.S. debut in Los Angeles beginning in January 2023 after touring London and Toronto.

The interactive exhibit will be on display at The Ovation, Hollywood, for 12 weeks showcasing never-before-seen Marley photographs and memorabilia while immersing guests in a journey through his life, passions, influences, and enduring legacy.

The 15,000 square feet experience features the One Love Forest, Soul Shakedown Studio and the Beautiful Life Zone showcasing Bob’s interests and hobbies outside of music, including football– also known in the U.S. as soccer.

There are also zones focusing on the Marley family, Bob’s philanthropy, and the inner workings of his musical process, including lyric sheets, concert videos and studio equipment. Further, guests can explore multiple immersive expe-

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5 The Bob Marley One Love Experience will make its United States debut in Los Angeles in January 2023. (Courtesy photo

riences, including a silent disco, game room and a Jamaican rainforest and cannabis forest.

The global Reggae icon known for his musical hits such as “One Love,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “Redemption Song” died in 1981 from cancer. He was 36.

“After being in London and Toronto, it’s going to be amazing bringing the experience here to the U.S. for the first time and just steps from Daddy’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Cedella Marley, CEO of Bob Marley Group, said in a statement the Associated Press reported.

The Marley Family and Terrapin Station Entertainment produced the exhibit. Tickets are available now at feverup.com. WI

WARNOCK from Page 17

The radio host’s opinion of the Arizona senator goes beyond her political leanings.

“Like I’ve said before, it goes way beyond politics or ideology — she’s just awful.”

Critics have pointed out that Sinema, along with Manchin, has acted against the interest of Democrats during the current 50-50 senate composition.

She opposed Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and stubbornly refused to help push through vital pieces of legislation by refusing to weaken archaic and racist filibuster rules.

Others have pointed out that while Republican Senators broke filibuster rules and pushed through U.S. Supreme Court judges for former President Donald Trump, Sinema has even suggested nominees at the judicial and administration levels require 60 Senate votes.

“America has no higher minimum wage, no extended child tax credits, and no voting rights protections because of Kyrsten Sinema,” Obeidallah asserted.

However, Schumer and Biden have insisted they can still count on Sinema.

“Kyrsten is independent; that’s how she’s always been,” Schumer said in a statement.

“I believe she’s a good and effective senator. I am looking forward to a productive session in the new Democratic majority Senate,” continued Schumer, who previously called the prospect of a 51-49 majority “a world of difference.”

“We will maintain our new majority on committees, exercise our subpoena power, and be able to clear nominees without discharge votes,” Schumer pleaded.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested that Sinema’s flip would not affect the balance of power in the Senate or her working relationship with Biden.

“Sen. Sinema has been a key partner on some of the historic legislation President Biden has championed over the last 20 months,” JeanPierre said.

“We have every reason to expect that we will continue to work suc-

The radio host’s opinion of the Arizona senator goes beyond her political leanings. “Like I’ve said before, it goes way beyond politics or ideology — she’s just awful.”

cessfully with her.”

PBS News correspondent Lisa Desjardins tweeted that a Sinema spokesperson said Sinema “intends to maintain her committee assignments through the Democratic majority.”

Still, in the aftermath of Warnock’s win in Georgia, Democrats’ hold on the Senate remains tenuous, and Schumer expressed his understanding of that fact.

“There are a good number of Republicans in the Senate and the House who are not MAGA Republicans – who know that, if the Republican Party follows the hard right and the extreme members in their caucuses, they’ll continue to lose ground,” Schumer offered. “I intend to reach out to them and say, ‘How we can how can we work in a bipartisan way?’”

WI

The Air Inside the House: Connections Between Our Homes and Asthma

Kayla Benjamin Climate & Environment Reporter

Local organizations and partnerships are pushing to address causes of indoor air pollution linked to childhood asthma, including gas kitchen appliances, poor ventilation, and housing condition issues like mold and pests.

Michelle Hall, 63, has been fighting for clean air in Ward 7’s River Terrace neighborhood for more than two decades. For years, she organized with neighbors to collect health data and to protest nearby industrial facilities spewing fumes into the air.

“We've had a lot of encounters with environmental injustice—you have the highway here, trash transfer stations, the power plant [on Benning Road],” she said. “We’re being exposed to so much.”

Hall had not expected the next air pollution battleground to be inside her own home. But on Dec. 5, she stood in her kitchen with two fellow advocates from the Washington Interfaith Network, watching an air quality monitor. It registered high levels of nitrogen dioxide. For Hall, an asthmatic, the results proved particularly concerning.

The home air assessment, part of a project by the Beyond Gas DC coalition, which includes the Washington Interfaith Network and several other community groups, tests air quality inside D.C.-area homes. The project is just one of several initiatives by local organizations tackling the District’s high asthma rates by addressing household environmental health hazards.

5 Washington Interfaith Network’s Michelle Hall, right, watches a nitrogen dioxide monitor in her kitchen with fellow WIN organizer Sidra Siddiqui.

CHILDHOOD ASTHMA AND INDOOR AIR

Recently, health issues associated with gas-burning appliances gained attention from climate change 5 A screenshot from Children's National's “Healthy Housing and Pediatric Asthma in DC” map on Dec. 7. The blue circles represent advocates pushing to cut down on fossil fuel use. It mold reports and the red dots show where an ER asthma patient could make a big difference for childhood asthma: came from. one analysis found children in homes with gas stoves were 42 percent more likely to develop asthma than children in homes without them.

But dust, mold, mice and insects are even worse culprits when it comes to causing childhood asthma.

“When a young child is exposed to a lot of pests or mold, then they can develop an allergy to that, and that can change the way their immune system develops,” Dr. Janet Phoenix, a public health expert and longtime advocate for childhood asthma solutions in the District. “And that change is permanent.”

D.C. has the highest asthma prevalence of any U.S. city, according to a 2021 report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. More than one in 10 District residents have it, including almost 16,000 children and adolescents.

Childhood asthma in the District is also extremely unequal: more than 70 percent of D.C. kids and teens with asthma are Black, and more than 65 percent use public health insurance, according to a study published in the Journal of Asthma earlier this year. Children from Wards 7 and 8 are 20 times more likely to visit the emergency room for asthma than children from Ward 3.

oxide levels remained high for more than 20 minutes. She glanced at the device, then at her stove.

“I’ve loved cooking since I was a little girl,” Hall said. “I guess I will be cracking my windows all the time.”

HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS WORK TOWARD SOLUTIONS

Phoenix has been working on childhood asthma in the District for more than a decade. She said she has not seen much progress. “The numbers are similar to what they were when I first started working on the issue,” Phoenix said. “And I think it's because we really haven't been able to make much of a dent in some of the underlying factors.” Recently, though, she and other researchers— alongside healthcare providers and housing advocates in the District—have been trying out new solutions to address that exact problem. Last year, Phoenix worked with the housing justice group Yachad, Children’s National Hospital, and two other partner organizations on a pilot program offering virtual home visits to pediatric asthma patients. Following the visits, participants received individualized plans to address identified problems. Of the 57 families to complete a virtual home visit, 46 received remediation services, according to a report summarizing the project.

Other organizations have focused on pushing city government to provide necessary health and housing services. NAACP DC launched its Lead Exposure and Childhood Asthma campaign in March, partnering more than 30 other groups, including the Washington Interfaith Network.

As part of the Beyond Gas DC coalition, WIN also helps document indoor air pollution caused by gas-burning appliances and push for cleaner, more electrified homes. As of December, the coalition had tested just under 100 kitchens in the D.C. area.

In Hall’s kitchen, with the gas oven and two gas stovetops running, the numbers ticked steadily up. After about 20 minutes, the device showed nitrogen dioxide concentrations more than twice the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition of a healthy level for most people to breathe for one hour. With asthma, Hall experienced levels more than three times the healthy exposure level for her to breathe for an hour.

Even after Hall turned the appliances off, the nitrogen di-

Round House Theatre’s ‘The Tempest’ Presented in a World of Magic and Illusions

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Card tricks, disappearing characters and an illusionary twisting head are a few of the moments making audiences gasp during “The Tempest,” William Shakespeare’s 400-year-old play currently at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Md., until Jan. 1. This production, a collaboration with Folger Theatre, is co-directed and co-adapted by Aaron Posner and Teller of Penn and Teller.

This version of “The Tempest” was conceived in Las Vegas approximately 10 years ago by Posner, Teller and scenic designer Daniel Conway. They created a world where magic and illusions became characters in a story about revenge that leads to forgiveness. Through many iterations, the play was reconceived for a Chicago production. The Round House Theatre production is the third version of the play with lots of fun magic.

“New tricks came in for this version. There were things we tried before that we cut,” said Posner, an award-winning playwright, director and theater professor at American University. “We’re constantly looking at them, asking how we can make them better. In fact, one of my favorite tricks is brand new to this production.”

“The Tempest” opens on a ship being tossed in a storm and music from a trio adds to the storytelling throughout. Accordion player Lizzie Hagstedt sings and plays bass; vocalist Kanysha Williams also plays various percussion instruments; and Manny Arciniega, associate music director, was the lead percussionist on the evening I attended. Pilobolus dance company serves as choreographer for this production.

Prospero is a central character in the play. He is a skilled magician living in isolation on an island with his daughter and Caliban, a two-person hideous monster, who are also servants. Prospero vows revenge on those he feels have wronged him. That includes his brother Antonio. An assortment of characters joins Prospero on this revenge trek, but he did not imagine that his innocent daughter would fall in love with Ferdinand, son of one of his enemies Alonzo, King of Naples. Through numerous perils, Prospero’s heart softens, changing his stance on revenge.

Always hanging around to assist Prospero is Ariel, a spirit that uses magic and illusion more than anyone else in this production. Talk about disappearing acts! Ariel has tricks between his bracelets, under tarp coverings and even some that he delivers from spiral staircases.

The Caliban character, also called “Monster,” is really two ac-

5 “The Tempest” is playing at Round House Theatre until Jan 1. Prospero, a central character played by Eric Hissom, works his magic on his daughter Miranda played by Megan Graves, and Ferdinand, played by Ro Boddie, a young couple who fall in love. (Courtesy photo/ Scott Suchman for Round House Theatre)

tors who move around the stage interlocked for 95% of “The Tempest.” It’s a big show of body strength.

“The idea of having a two-bodied, two-brain person is something Teller and I invented for this production,” the co-director said.

Posner also explained the rigorous rehearsal process to bring the show to life. “For the production and rehearsal process, we often had three or four rooms going with movement in one, magic in another and music in another. This is a larger, more complicated production than most.”

Make plans to see “The Tempest” now at Round House Theatre until Jan. 1. Arrive early for a special pre-show surprise. Tickets may be purchased by calling 240.644.1100 or ordering online at RoundHouseTheatre.org. WI @bcscomm

Do you know what that means? It is the holiday greeting of Kwanzaa. This week, Kid Scoop gets the scoop about this holiday that started in 1966. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Each week, Kid Scoop brings students interactive games, activities, puzzles and more in a bright & bouncy, award-winning feature kids and their family members can enjoy together.

PUBLICATION DATE HERE

Publication Date 12-22-22

GOOD HOPE from Page 9

former D.C. City Administrator Michael Rogers, who serves as the chairman of the task force naming public spaces and buildings in honor of Barry. Mobley said the task force recommended Good Hope Road be renamed in Barry’s honor.

Mobley also got the chance to voice her feelings about the renaming.

“Marion Barry is due this honor,” she said. “He was transformative. Because of Marion Barry, downtown has been revitalized and now you have Gallery Place that is doing very well.”

Graylin Presbury serves as the president of the Fairlawn Citizens Association. In what can be considered a reversal, Presbury said his organization, who once opposed the renaming, withdrew its opposition to it.

While the overwhelming majority of people who testified supported the name change, Barbara Cooper, a housing activist in Ward 8 opposed it.

“I am against renaming Good Hope Road,” she said. “We live on Good Hope Road. You don’t live here. If the name is changed, we have to change everything like our IDs and the mail. Instead of changing Good Hope Road, why don’t you change Mississippi Avenue, Alabama Avenue or Texas Avenue where Black people are being killed?”

Mendelson said people have until Dec. 23 at 5 p.m. to leave comments with the committee staff on the renaming. White said he understands that he will have to re-introduce the bill in the next Council Period, which begins on Jan. 2, 2023.

“Next year, we need to have a hearing on this bill,” he said . “We can go ahead and vote it into law.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

© 2022 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 39, No. 3

There is an animal that looks like that. It’s a shorteared elephant shrew, and it looks like a mouse with a trunk. But it’s no mouse. Elephants are one of the world’s largest animals and elephant shrews are one of the world’s smallest. But they are related!

How many elephant shrews can you nd on this page?

An elephant shrew is not a member of the shrew family.

Follow the maze to see which of these animals is an elephant shrew relative.

Smallest of the Small

The short-eared elephant shrew weighs between 1 and 1.5 ounces (28 and 43 grams) and has a body length of about 4 inches (10 centimeters).

Which of these things do you think weigh about 1 ounce?

six sheets of paper AA battery two crayons ten pennies

Circle every other letter to see if you guessed correctly. WEVABCTHKOLFCTWHZEFSAERW UELIDGFHTSIOYNCEYOTUMNJCKE

Why is it called an elephant shrew?

aardvark manatee

Home Sweet Home

Short-eared elephant shrews live in southern Africa in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. They like to live in sandy soil, dry grass and shrub land. Some say the elephant shrew’s long nose, or snout, looks like the trunk of an elephant. Sometimes it is called a jumping shrew. Use the code to discover yet another name for this tiny animal.

Cut and paste these sentences in order to find out what these animals eat.

Lunch time!

= A = E = G = I = N = S

How many words can you make using the letters in ELEPHANT SHREW?

Critter Combos

Look through the newspaper for pictures of animals. Cut out parts of different animals and put them together to make up a new animal. Give your animal a name and describe where it lives, what it likes to eat and how it behaves.

Small and Speedy

An elephant shrew is small but speedy. Color in the spaces with two dots red to find out how many miles per hour an elephant shrew can run!

AFRICA ANTS CRITTER ELEPHANT LEGS MOUSE OUNCE SHREW SHRUB SMALL SNOUT SOIL SPEEDY TERMITES TRUNK

B R E T T I R C X A K E T R U N K M M T S H V S N O U T E E S P B U R H S L L R O A E S G E L L E M I A F E H H M A P I L N O R D R B M H T X T Q H I Y E S A E E S U O M C K W N S V O U N C E A F T I

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

“Sh” is a Blend

A blend is when two or three consonants are put together to make a sound. On one page of the newspaper, circle all of the examples you can find of two consonants put together in a word. Make a list of the blends you found.

Standards Link: Language Arts: Recognize the sounds created by consonants in blends.

If I were an Animal

Which kind of animal, are you most like? If you were an animal, what kind would you be and why?

KID SCOOP IS SPONSORED BY

wi book review horoscopes

DEC 15 - 21, 2022

"The White Wall: How Big Finance Bankrupts Black America" By Emily Flitter

c.2022, One Signal Publishers/Atria $28.99 336 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

The big, red-brick building down the road is where you get your groceries.

You have to drive there, past the shiny chrome car dealership, left by the green gas station. The yellow fast-food place is your kids' favorite; that's in the same block. And that large brown building? That's where you do your banking and keep your money. But, as in the new book "The White Wall" by Emily Flitter, can you get that money out?

A number of years ago, when she was a banking reporter for the New York Times, Flitter tried to follow a lead on a Black man who'd been fired from his job at a major financial company. It turned out to be a weak lead but meanwhile, she met a lawyer who turned her toward a much bigger issue: racism in the financial industry.

Recent polls show that most Americans have no idea that there's a racial wealth gap. They don't know about the Black/white gap in family wealth. They have no clue that Black families fared much worse in the 2008 financial crisis than did whites, or that they're struggling again in this post-pandemic time.

The truth is that racism thrives in banking institutions where, Flitter says, Black consumers are often profiled as "suspicious" by white bank employees, even if they have a paper trail of proof for their own money. Black borrowers are often given less service and more wrong information; Flitter also found instances where skin color determined interest rates. Bank customers who are Black aren't always offered the valuable perks that white customers get. Insurance companies are not servicing Black homeowners the same as they do white homeowners. Not even Black business owners escape racism within the financial industry.

That isn't even mentioning the proportionately low number of Black employees in those institutions, or the insufficient number of high-level leaders.

Clearly, says Flitter, "Corporate America has a long way to go."

Pick up your copy of "The White Wall," hold it tight, and make room on your lap for your jaw. It may be dropping a lot while you're reading this shocking book.

Or maybe not. What's in here might not come as much of a surprise to some readers who live this reality every day — and for that, author Emily Flitter has some words for you, starting with this: what you've experienced is no anomaly.

For Wall Street and for every large business in the nation, she offers more in an entire chapter devoted to ideas on how to do better by making financial services more accessible for Black Americans. On that, there's good news in Flitter's final words and that's a happy start but, judging by the many, many stories she shares, readers could absolutely be forgiven for any lingering pessimism …

Still, this informative book is easy for even the most busy executive to read and use, and its essential message shouts to be heard. This book could create new consciousness, or "The White Wall" may also leave you blue.

WI ARIES You could be reaching the end of the road on a group project at the beginning of the week. Although you often like to lead the charge, you could find that collaboration has actually proven hugely beneficial to your emotional well-being. This could lead to looking for more opportunities that help you feel like part of something bigger than yourself. Lucky Numbers: 1, 5, 23

TAURUS Although you're a creature of habit, you might be craving change, especially at the start of the week. Striking out on your own, perhaps on a major project or proposal, could not only feel liberating but also catch the attention of higher-ups. Lucky Numbers: 14, 15, 20

GEMINI You might feel as though life has gotten too mundane and predictable and be craving new horizons at the start of the week. Carve out time to dream, meditate, philosophize, and plan future travel. You might also enjoy diving into a book you've been meaning to read. Lucky Numbers: 10, 21, 55

CANCER Researching new ways to increase cash flow could come more naturally early in the week. Talking to old and current colleagues, friends, and other trusted confidants could inspire you to go down a rabbit hole of information, bookmarking and taking notes as you go. What you learn could lead the way to financial rewards. Lucky Numbers: 4, 23, 44

LEO Putting what's in your head and heart into words can feel even easier than usual as the week starts out. You can make the most of this moment by pitching that passion project you've had up your sleeve or initiating what you feared might be a challenging, emotional conversation with a loved one. You'll feel as though you said your piece and gave it your all, helping you feel centered with the outcome, whatever it is. Lucky Numbers: 1, 8, 9

VIRGO You might feel like you need to overhaul your agenda in order to amplify your work/life balance at the beginning of the week. Managing your stress tends to be an ongoing project for you, but this can be a powerful moment in which you're driven to clean house of energy-sucking time commitments or habits that are keeping you from moving forward. Lucky Numbers: 17, 18, 49

LIBRA If you feel like you've had to put your artistic impulses and appetite for fun on hold while you tended to the more monotonous aspects of life, you might be ready to shake things up in the beginning of the week. Letting go of your rigorous, structured schedule and allowing room for spontaneity can offer emotional fulfillment and bolster relationships all around. Lucky Numbers: 5, 13, 35

SCORPIO Family drama might be inevitable early in the week. If you've been feeling like your emotions aren't being heard, or loved ones are demanding more time and attention, the situation could come to a head. You might find you can't help but clash with your significant other or a dear friend out of the blue. Reworking how much time you're putting toward your relationships and holding space for others could expedite healing. Lucky Numbers: 6, 7, 12

SAGITTARIUS At the start of the week, you'll want to dive into new books or even an online course that feeds your wanderlust and need to broaden your horizons and always be learning. Having deep, philosophical conversations with friends and colleagues can also have you feeling more intellectually fulfilled right now. Lucky Numbers: 18, 21, 26

CAPRICORN You might find yourself reflecting on how you want to expend your energy and what commitments are worth your time at the start of the week. Streamlining your to-dos and moneymaking efforts might feel daunting, but it can also be empowering. Make sure to do what makes sense pragmatically and check in with your gut, but you'll also take your heart's desires into consideration as well. You'll soon know how to proceed. Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 16

AQUARIUS If you've been aggravated because it feels like you're putting your needs on the back burner in order to tend to other people's (specifically, loved ones') requests and desires, you might be ready to make some changes in order to put yourself first as the week gets underway. This can be a deeply emotional time, so you'll do well to carve out the space you need to reflect on next steps and bump up your self-care. Lucky Numbers: 8, 12, 33

PISCES You might feel the need to take a time-out from the daily grind at the start of the week. Whether you spend time meditating, journaling, doing deep breathing exercises, walking in nature, or practicing yoga, focusing on feeling more centered can be hugely beneficial for your mind and body. Lucky Numbers: 22, 27, 32