Less than two weeks after his prison release through the Second Look Amendment Act, Ja-
mal Childs experienced the perils of life on the outside. Without the close familial bonds he enjoyed as a free man in his early 20s, Childs struggled to secure stable and affordable housing.
Not even District-funded hotel accommodations proved sufficient, as Childs often grew anxious about the possibility of getting kicked
The Bowser administration has created a commission designed to study the causes
and effects of poverty in the District with the goal of its eradication by 2036.
D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) conceived of a government-funded panel to study poverty a few
years ago and the idea later received the support of his colleague, Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) and Mayor Muriel Bowser. The idea became a reality a few months ago when Gordon-Andrew Fletcher, a Ward 5 advisory
POVERTY Page 22
It was supposed to be a part-time job.
But the workload, travel requirements and responsibilities made Keturah Lee’s IT program management position as stressful as any full-time job.
The Northeast Washington resident was working for a federal agency less than 30 hours a week when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.
“But I was doing a full-time person’s job,” she said.
“It was extremely stressful. I was trying to carry all the responsibility and not drop the ball. It was a never-ending cycle. I felt I always had to be on.”
A few months into the pandemic, Lee decided to become one of the nearly 50 million Americans who quit or changed jobs during what has been termed the “Great Resignation” of 2021-22.
While some people didn’t have a choice due to loss of employment, many made a move in search of better opportunities.
According to a recent LinkedIn survey, work-life balance was the biggest concern, topping compensation, and benefits.
Lee decided to find a job with less pressure and more flexibility, allowing more time for her volunteer ministry as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
As the pandemic raged, she studied to be an American Sign Language interpreter.
She earned a certificate, quit the IT job, started working part-time as a freelance interpreter and found that her prayers were answered.
“I had made it a matter of prayer,” she said. “I didn’t want to be rash. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision.”
Even without the pandemic as a catalyst for taking a hard look at
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Denise Rolark Barnes
Micha Green, Managing Editor
Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director
Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor
Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC
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Kayla Benjamin, (Environmental Justice Reporter) Stacy Brown (Senior Writer), Sam P.K. Collins, Curtis Knowles, Brenda Siler, Lindiwe Vilakazi, Sarafina Wright, James Wright
Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor, Roy Lewis, Jr., Robert R. Roberts, Anthony Tilghman, Abdula Konte, Ja'Mon Jackson
The U.S. General Services Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced last September 2022, the site selection process for the new suburban FBI headquarters campus in the National Capital Region (NCR). This week, several Maryland lawmakers secured language to ensure an equitable selection process for the sites under consideration that include Greenbelt, Md.; Landover, Md.; and Springfield, Va.
“GSA and the FBI are continuing to move forward to accomplish the key milestones outlined by Congress for the FBI headquarters campus,” said GSA Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service (PBS) Nina Albert in a statement issued in September.. “We look forward to undertaking a fair and transparent process to select a site that will best serve the FBI for generations to come.”
This week, Governor-Elect Wes Moore and others circulated statements expressing optimism about the process and further encouraging both the GSA and FBI to select one of the sites in Prince George’s County.
“Locating the FBI Headquarters in Prince George’s County is a personal priority and an important objective for our incoming administration. I look forward to working with our Congressional delegation to seize this opportunity,” Moore stated. "In Maryland, we know that underinvestment in communities like Prince George’s County has held families back. As I’ve made clear, Leave No One Behind is the new mission of the state of Maryland. And, we will lead. Locating the FBI in Prince George’s County is in line with President Biden’s equity goals, and will uplift our communities and indeed, strengthen our entire state.”
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and
General Government (FSGG), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Senator Ben Cardin (all D-Md.) released a statement announcing the inclusion of language to the Omnibus Appropriations bill, as well as $375 million for the headquarters project in FSGG funding. The statement read, “For more than a decade, we have fought to provide the FBI with a new, consolidated headquarters that meets the security and operational needs of the Bureau. As the GSA weighs the final site selection, their top priority must be to ensure a fair and transparent process in line with both congressional intent and with the administration’s commitment to addressing long-standing inequity in the siting of federal projects and agencies. This language will help us as we pursue that goal.
“Taking into account the needs of the Bureau, the cost of the sites, and the federal government’s responsibility to consider the equity impacts of agency location decisions, it’s clear that Prince George’s County is the best option for the new headquarters. We will continue pushing for a process that fairly considers and recognizes these immense benefits.”
An announcement by GSA is expected soon. WI
Attorney General Karl Racine, and the Office of the Attorney General, has won another case on behalf of District residents in the amount of $35 million in savings following a successful ruling in an eminent domain case against developer Douglass Jemal.
A Buzzards Point property Jemal purchased in 2005 for $5 million was taken by eminent domain by the District in 2017 for “a public purpose,” the rebuilding and expansion of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. According a press release, Jemal attempted to recover $80 million for the property, along with interest, while OAG attorneys argued that it did not represent a “fair price” that the District would be required to pay.
After years of discovery, including several expert reports, the case went to trial on October 24, 2022, according to an OAG press release. The jury was asked to determine the fair market value of the property when it was taken based on analyses of hypothetical developments that could have been made to the property.
After a nearly four-week trial, the jury delivered a unanimous verdict valuing the property at $54,258,571.43, a significant victory for the District, and a savings of $35 million.
“The job of the Attorney General requires using the law to protect taxpayer dollars,” said AG Racine. “This was a hard-fought case against one of the District’s largest developers who sought more than $80 million for a property the city took through eminent domain – a sum that is far beyond the value of the property at the time it was taken – along with interest. Through the hard work of the lawyers and professionals at the Office of the Attorney General, a jury agreed that the developer was due less than $55 million – saving taxpayers more than $30 million.” WI
From the thousands of lights that adorn The United House of Prayer for All People Bishop’s residence, to a sculpture of Mary holding the body of Jesus in and around homes, to wreaths hanging on doors across the District, Maryland and Virginia, decorations represent decades of holiday traditions.
Be it outside light shows, live trees adorned with ornaments in a home, or candles burning on dining room tables, holiday traditions connect people, families and institutions to the past, particularly at a time when so many have dealt with distance due to COVID-19, political strife and hard personal, local, national and international news.
“The Pieta is a sculpture that represents the grief of Mary over the loss of her son Jesus,'' said Jane Johnson, 80, who with her husband Richard has one 41- year son Richard Jr.
Johnson said her living room has the Pieta because, “I was born to a young minister and his 16-year-old wife on Christmas Day and all of my brothers were named after prophets.”
The Johnsons’ home in Northwest is not far from 1600 block of N. Portal Drive, a brilliantly lit home adorned with thousands of lights in a tradition that was started by Bishop Walter “Sweet Daddy” McCollough and has continued by current Bishop C.M. “Sweet Daddy” Bailey.
Willis and Denise Johnson, no relation to Jane and Richard, live across
the District in Northeast, D.C. She said her home is filled with trees and holiday items centered around the theme of love, peace and joy.
“It is all about family,” said Denise Johnson. “ Even though we don’t believe Jesus was born on Dec. 25 The world seems to be more loving this time of year.”
Cara Williams, a resident of Baltimore County, said her tree in Reisterstown is about the things that she enjoyed growing up.
“I have roller skates and ice skates because I loved to skate growing up,” Williams said. “I also have baby booties on my tree because I had three children.”
Williams, who loves attending church and singing, also has small pocketbooks on the tree because she loves both purses and footwear and said, “handbags and shoes go hand in hand.”
When Allison Prince is not working as an educational liaison or taking care of her parents, she is making wreaths.
“I love making wreaths because it is an expression of creativity and love,”. I do themes such as celebrations, seasonal themes, music themes, remembrance of loved ones.”
Daisy Whitner was one of seven children who was born and raised in Washington, D.C. Whitner said even though she and her siblings didn't get many toys, what they got was invaluable. “
“We had all types of food, we would laugh and sing and talk, '' Whitner said, adding that one of her mother’s
most popular items was fudge. She said she still makes fudge for the holidays.
For many years. Whitner was the first lady and her husband Apostle Herbert Whitner was the pastor of God’s White House of the United House of Prayer. There are four other UHOP congregations.
The tradition of decorating the Bishop’s House dates back to the early 1960’s. with Bishop Walter McCullough and continued with Bishop S.C. Madison and now Bishop Bailey.
The United House of Prayer was founded in 1919 by Bishop C.M. Grace. The house on Portal Drive N.W. is the corporate headquarters for the United House of Prayer, which has several million members and congregations across the country. WI
On Tuesday, the D.C. Council approved emergency legislation dismantling the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) Board of Commissioners and replacing it with the Stabilization and Reform Board, a temporary entity that would recommend a work plan to improve oversight of D.C.’s public housing.
Earlier this month, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and D.C. Council Chairperson Phil Mendelson (D) introduced the legislation in response to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report detailing DCHA’s failure to provide safe, affordable housing.
Housing advocates who took issue with the legislation criticized it as an at-
DEC 22 - 28, 2022
SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB
1898 – Irwin C. Molllison, the first Black to receive a federal judgeship in the U.S., is born in Vicksburg, Miss.
1951 – North African country Libya declares its independence as the United Kingdom of Libya.
1760 – Poet Jupiter Hammon becomes the first published Black writer with his work, "An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ with Penitential Cries."
1863 – Robert Blake, a Union sailor during the American Civil War, helps fend off an attack upon a naval gunboat by Confederate forces, actions which resulted in him being the first African American to be presented with the Medal of Honor.
1870 – Henry McKee Minton, an African American doctor who was one of the founders of Sigma Pi Phi and superintendent of the Mercy Hospital of Philadelphia for 24 years, is born in Columbia, South Carolina.
1907 – Famed entertainer Cab Calloway is born in Rochester, New York.
1951 – Harry T. Moore and his wife, Harriette Vyda Simms Moore, both educators, are killed in a bombing of their home in Mims, Florida, by suspected Ku Klux Klan members. The two are the first NAACP members to be murdered for civil rights activism.
1883 – Arthur Wergs Mitchell, the first African American to be elected to the U.S. Congress as a Democrat, is born near Lafayette, Alabama.
1893 – African American writer and historian Chancellor Williams, author of 'The Destruction of Black Civilization," is born in Bennetsville, South Carolina.
1905 – African American art history pioneer and longtime Howard University educator James Amos Porter, whose "Modern Negro Art" in 1943 was the first comprehensive study in the United States of African American art, is born in Baltimore.
1939 – Award-winning children's book illustrator Jerry Pinkney is born in Philadelphia.
1960 – Famed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat is born in New York City.
1867 – African American entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist Madam C.J. Walker, considered the first Black woman millionaire in America, is born in Delta, Louisiana.
1919 – Inventor Alice H. Parker patents the gas heating furnace.
1935 – R&B singer Esther Phillips is born in Galveston, Texas.
1832 – The Georgia Infirmary, the first hospital established for Blacks in America, is chartered in Savannah.
1894 – Harlem Renaissance-era poet and novelist Jean Toomer, author of "Cane," is born in Washington, D.C.
1908 – Boxer Jack Johnson defeats Tommy Burns to become the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion.
1915 – Una Mae Carlisle, a jazz singer, pianist and songwriter, is born in Zanesville, Ohio.
1924 – Harmonica player DeFord Bailey becomes the first Black musician to perform on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
1966 – Black professor Maulana Karenga creates Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration of African heritage in African American culture.
1999 – Singer-songwriter Curtis Mayfield dies from complications of Type 2 diabetes in Roswell, Georgia, at 57.
1892
– The first Black intercollegiate football game is played between Livingstone College and Biddle College.
1903 – Pioneering jazz pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines is born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania.
1954 – Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington is born in Mount Vernon, New York.
1977 – Karen Batchelor Farmer is nationally recognized as the first African American member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. WI
BY SARAFINA WRIGHT
JEFF OKEKE / ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
My favorites are “What Christmas Means to Me,” the Fantasia version, and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”
JENNIFER WRIGHT / WASHINGTON, D.C.
It’s Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” every time.
S. JONES / CLEVELAND, OHIO
RILEY
/ SAGINAW, MICHIGAN
Boyz II Men’s “Let It Snow.” No screaming and yelling, just smooth soft vocals.
You know it’s Christmastime when you hear Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” playing. It’s the best song.
TRISH ELLIS / NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The Tempatations’ “Silent Night.” It’s not Christmas until I hear this song.
James Wright WI Staff Writer
Local business leaders congregated at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C. on Dec. 16 for the 2022 Annual Meeting & Chairman’s Inaugural Breakfast. Other than dining, guests caught up on latest developments from leaders of the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, met the organization’s newest leader and learned more about District government contracting opportunities.
“This year, the D.C. Chamber demonstrated continued success as a vehicle for engagement, convenor of thought leadership and a leader of business advocacy in the region,” said Carolyn B. Rudd, the outgoing chair of the organization’s board of directors. “In 2022, the D.C. Chamber’s portfolio of work was driven by the four strategic pillars: strengthening member services, enhancing advocacy and leadership, expanding D.C. chamber programs and workforce connections, and improving marketing and communications.”
The chamber held the event as the District continues to recover from the adverse economic effects of the coronavirus pandem -
ic. Analysts say while growth has taken place in most of the city’s main commercial corridors, activity needs to be stimulated in such areas as downtown and in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River.
Kathy Hollinger serves as the president and CEO of the Greater Washington Partnership. Hollinger also delivered the keynote address.
“The D.C. area is a great place to own a business,” Hollinger said to the crowd of 300. “Forty-eight of Fortune 100 companies have their headquarters in this area. We have a strong university community and a vibrant transportation network. Our work must continue to build a diverse workforce and to have inclusive growth. We are committed to that vision to make this the most competitive region in the world. But this is a work in progress and we must all work together to make this happen.”
Chamber leaders announced the new members of the board, with Tonya Vidal Kinlow as the new chair. Kinlow, a resident of Ward 8, works as the vice president for community engagement, advocacy and government affairs for Children’s National in Northwest. Kinlow said she looks forward to leading the board.
“I am looking to be bold as the board chair,” Kinlow, a resident of Ward 8, said. “We are looking to change the world.”
Kinlow said she and the board will be passionate about representing the interests of businesses, especially small firms, in the city.
“You have warriors working for you every day,” she said. “We are those working hard for you. We are not just working for businesses in downtown but in all eight wards. And I will use my experience in public policy to address chamber concerns.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser used the opportunity to address the audience about the work of the chamber and how it impacts the District and the latest edition of the Green Book, an annual publication detailing government contracting opportunities mainly for small businesses.
“I am so happy to talk to people in a room filled with business people,” the mayor said. “These businesses hire D.C. residents.”
Bowser said the District government “is a $20 billion entity and we buy a lot.” She said the Green Book lets everyone know a year in advance what contracting opportunities are available for businesses. The mayor said a goal of spending a billion dollars with local and small businesses was set last year and obtained. However, she said $1.1 billion District government spending with small and local businesses has become the goal of 2023 “and we will reach it.”
James Wright WI Staff Writer
Council Period 24 ended on Dec. 20 with the District’s legislative body passing bills that have the potential to change the lives of residents for the foreseeable future.
“I want to say before we start the last legislative meeting of Period 24 to thank all of you for your work,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) said on the dais. “I am saying this because there are some of you who will not be with us when we start Council Period 25 in a few weeks.”
When Period 25 starts on Jan. 2, Council members Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) and Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) will not be on the Council. Silverman lost her bid for re-election and Cheh opted not to seek another term. New Council members will be Democrats Zachary Parker and Matt Frumin, who will represent Wards 5 and 3 respectively. Kenyan McDuffie, who represents Ward 5, will remain on the council in 2023 but will be an Independent, At-large member.
Mendelson sat on the dais along with Silverman, McDuffie, Christina Henderson (I-At Large), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Anita Bonds (D-At Large), Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Robert White (D-At Large), Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward
1) and Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2). Cheh and her colleagues Trayon White (D-Ward 8) and Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7) attended the meeting virtually.
Mendelson re-arranged the legislative meeting schedule and considered the District of Columbia Housing Authority Stabilization and Reform Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2022 as the first piece of legislation. The legislation re-organizes the D.C. Housing Authority board after a U.S. Housing and Urban Development report in October cited the inefficiencies and mishaps of the agency.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, along with Mendelson and Bonds, who chairs the Committee on Housing and Executive Administration, came up with a plan to install an interim board with fewer members with the charge to administratively repair the workings and the image of the agency.
The Councilmembers voted, 9 in favor of and 4 against the legislation reorganizing the board, with Silverman saying the measure doesn’t go far enough to deal with the systemic problems of the board and the lack of affordable housing in the District.
The Council also approved Allen’s Metro for DC bill that will allow free bus rides for Washingtonians starting in July 2023 and a $100 monthly
balance on a registered SmartTrip card for District residents beginning in 2024. With this vote, the District becomes the only known jurisdiction offering free bus rides for residents.
“Today’s vote on this transformational bill makes the District a national leader in the future of public transit,” Allen said. “The bill balances making transit a public good with ensuring world-class service continues to return to our Metro system. It has the support and excitement of District residents, District businesses and the union representing transit workers.”
For an update of this story, go to www.washingtoninformer.com. WI
@JamesWrightJr10
1.
The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting quotes from qualified firms to provide Supply of Bay Door Operators. Interested parties can view a copy of the RFQ by accessing Events DC’s e-procurement website at https:// eventsdc.com/about/procurement.
APEX BID # 22-S-011-771
Key Dates
RFQ Release Date: Monday, December 19, 2022
RFQ Questions Due Date: 5:00 P.M. Tuesday December 27, 2022
RFQ Response Due Date: 5:00 P.M. EST, Friday January 6, 2023
Primary Contact: James White , Senior Contracts and Procurement Analyst Email: james.white@eventsdc.com Phone: 202-249-9067
2. The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide General Contractor Services.
This Request for Proposal (RFP) has a thirty-five percent (35%) set aside for a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) as required under the provisions of “The Small and Certified Business Enterprise Development and Assistance Amendment Act of 2014” (the “Act”), effective June 10, 2014. Interested parties can view a copy of the RFP by accessing Events DC’s e-procurement website at www.wcsapex.com
APEX BID #22-S-011-804
RFP Release Date: 3:00 PM, EST, Monday, December 12, 2022
Pre-Proposal Conference (Optional): 10:00 AM, EST,Tuesday, December 28, 2022 Questions: 5:00 PM, EST,Thursday, December 30, 2022
Proposal Due Date: 5:00 PM, EST, Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Primary Contact Name: Terrence Stafford
Email: tstafford@eventsdc.com
Phone: (202) 384-8351
3. The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (t/a Events DC) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide Uniform Purchase or Rental and Optional Cleaning Services.
Interested parties can view a copy of the RFP by accessing Event DC’s e-procurement website at https:// eventsdc.com/about/procurement.
APEX BID #22-S-011-800
RFP Release Date: Monday, December 19, 2022
Site Visit: 11:00AM EST, Thursday, December 29, 2022
Questions Due Date: 12:00 PM EST, Thursday, January 5, 2023
Proposal Due Date: 3:00 PM EST, Friday, January 20, 2023
Primary Contact Name: Gerald Green
E-mail: ggreen@eventsdc.com
Phone: (202) 249-3028
Local business and community leaders participate in Go-Go Santa Express with live performances on a mobile stage traveling through the streets of Congress Heights. Featured performers included Blackbella, Chris Pyrate & Friends, LoveMore, Paradyce, Our Armoire, Salon on the Ave., Soufside Creative, and the Museum DC. Attendees received omplimentary tickets from Capital City Go-Go. (Marckell Williams/The Washington Informer)
Jackie Davis reads the Washington Informer. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
Micha Green WI Managing Editor
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan (RAMW), the trade association representing more than 1,400 food and hospitality service establishments in the DMV area, named Shawn Townsend its new president and CEO.
Townsend, who served as a principal at Dewey Square Group and as the District of Columbia’s inaugural night mayor, will begin his new post as president in mid-January 2023.
“Our industry is at a pivotal moment and we are thrilled to welcome Shawn in this role to lead both the industry and organization into the next chapter,” said Gavin Coleman, chair of the RAMW Board of Directors and partner of Long Shot Hospitality. “Shawn brings a bounty of energy, experience and knowledge and is already in the unique position to have earned the trust of many operators across the city and region.”
The newly appointed RAMW president is not new, but, rather, true to the restaurant industry– he grew up watching the ins and outs of the business in his father’s restaurant.
Working with the D.C. government for more than a decade, the former director of the Mayor’s Office of the Nightlife and Culture– appoint-
ed by Mayor Muriel Bowser– has a pulse on the District’s hospitality industry. In his role as night mayor, he was responsible for advising the Bowser administration on challenges affecting D.C. 's food, beverage and nightlife industries, and served as a pipeline for city business to communicate, promote growth and engage with the District government. According to RAMW, he was also key in developing the city’s strategic hospitality engagement plan before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having worked with him while he was night mayor, Ben’s Chili Bowl Historian Bernard Demczuk, said he
Martha Table’s, a nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8, has selected Tiffany Williams as its new president and CEO after an extensive national search.
Most recently, Williams served as interim chief executive of the organization. She has held leadership roles at Martha’s Table for eight years, such as the chief architect of the design and growth of the organization’s offerings that included education, a focus on
healthy foods, and family support.
“Tiffany has a rare and unique combination of skills in executive management, governance, and operations; the board enthusiastically supports her as our new leader,” said Ken Bacon, co-chair of the search committee and the incoming board chair. “Our search process was informed by community input, and her exemplary record as a collaborator and bridge-builder with our neighbors and staff has been evident since her early tenure at Martha’s Table.
supports RAMW’s decision to name Townsend as its new leader.
“Mr. Townsend was very supportive of the U.S. Street corridor. He responded when we had issues, and I thought he was an excellent night mayor,” Demczuk said. “I see him doing a good job, because he knows the industry, he knows the people, he knows the challenges and I think he’ll be a good director of the Restaurant Association.”
Locally and nationally, restaurants are still rallying after the shutdowns and subsequent effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further, the District’s restaurant industry is undergoing more changes with the passing of Initiative 82 in November 2022, which gradually eliminates the tip credit for D.C’s. tipped employees. By 2027, District employers must stop any use of tip credit and will be required to pay tipped workers the applicable minimum wage rate. Currently, the District’s minimum wage is $16.10 for all workers and $5.35 for tipped employees, but if hourly tip earnings do not equal the minimum age, employers must pay the difference.
As RAMW president, Townsend will be tackling the District’s developing restaurant industry.
“Now as we continue the recovery path of rebuilding business, workforce and economic sustainability for operators of all sizes, especially in the wake of Initiative 82, we are confident that Shawn is the right leader for the job,” the RAMW Board chair said.
Between growing up in the restaurant industry and his former positions, including working with RAMW as night mayor, Townsend said he’s ready to begin this new chapter.
“Throughout the pandemic, I worked closely with RAMW to deliver much needed relief for the industry. Our restaurants have been critical to the dynamic growth of Washington, D.C. and the surrounding region,” Townsend said. “I am excited for the opportunity to build on those efforts at such an important moment with a talented team. I am looking forward to getting to work.” WI CEO Page 12
Recently elected to the Prince George’s County Council and named Vice Chair, millennial politician Wala Blegay (D-District 6),in her words, is “hitting the ground running.”
“On day one…we put over 20 bills,” Blegay said.
She said much of the legislation speaks to “the sprawl in our community, saturating our streets with townhomes… development that’s really unwanted,” in an interview on WIN-TV. “We also put together some bills that addressed some of the concerns that people had: the tobacco shops in our community, the oversaturation of public storage and also looking at the health impact from all land-use matters, so we really have been busy address-
ing many of the issues.”
Blegay called District 6, “the heart of Prince George’s County.”
“It includes: Upper Marlboro, Largo, downtown Largo is one of the biggest projects we have in District 6. It includes Westphalia, the newest developments in the Upper Marlboro area, it also includes Forestville, Mitchelville, Woodmore, parts of Fairwood, and we really have a really rich district,” Blegay said.
She said that when people refer to Prince George’s County as one of the wealthiest Black counties per capita, they are referring to a large chunk of her district’s residents.
“You have minorities and African Americans who are doing very well. Doctors, lawyers, engineers making a difference in the community and bringing the wealth into Prince George’s County,” she said.
5 Councilmember Wala Blegay (D-District 6) said she is working to bring quality development to her district, address crime and offer more residents services. (Courtesy Photo)
The Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair said she hopes to bring quality development to her district.
“District 6 is really the bed of development in this County. We have one of the largest projects in Prince George’s County, the Blue Line Corridor, which includes downtown Largo… developing up and down the 214 Corridor, from near Hampton Park, down to the Addison Road station, and beyond when you get into District 7. We’re also looking at Westphalia, we’re looking at the new areas we’re building.”
Blegay said the district and its residents deserve more.
“Many people say that you have African Americans, you have mi-
nority groups doing very well in District 6, but you wouldn’t know from the development here. So we’re trying to get more quality development,” she said. “Let’s bring the amenities closer to home, and this is not only the nice stores, grocery stores and retail, but also the green space that we can take advantage of, the trails– you have Watkins Park in District 6.”
In addition to improving development, the Vice Chair said she is emphasizing transparency in government, focusing on small businesses and increasing services to residents.
She also hopes to help reduce crime in the area through more mental health programming.
“One of the biggest issues in
from Page 11
She was our singular choice from a pool of 200 exceptional candidates from across the country.”
Founded in September 1980, with the motto, “Education. Food. Opportunity,” Martha’s Table serves the community by operating nationally accredited education programs, provides healthy food access in addition to mental and physical health services and encourages familial success through investing in family leaders. The nonprofit has embarked on programs such as providing direct cash assistance to needy families, launching a $100,000 Commu-
our community is really addressing some of the concerns that many of the families in our community have, and when we investigate what’s going on, it always goes back to mental health,” Blegay said.
As former counsel for the D.C. Nurses Association, Blegay learned about effective advocacy and change.
“I became an advocate talking about issues regarding justice, regarding healthcare, regarding a lot of things in our community and I’m bringing that type of advocacy on the Council,” she said.
Blegay plugged tuning into the next legislative meeting on Jan. 10.
“We have more good news coming.”
WWI
nity Impact Fund to support local organizations, and an emotional wellness program for residents.
After serving as interim CEO, Williams said she is pleased to lead Martha’s Table permanently.
“I am honored to lead Martha’s Table at this pivotal time in our history; it has been humbling to be a part of the evolution from our days as a food security and child care provider to truly becoming a place-based, community-led organization,” she said. “I am proud to continue to advance this important work alongside our neighbors and our team to co-create a future where everyone realizes their highest aspirations.”
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“I became an advocate talking about issues regarding justice, regarding healthcare, regarding a lot of things in our community and I’m bringing that type of advocacy on the Council,” she said.
Running alongside former Biden staffer Ashwani Jain as a lieutenant governor candidate during the crowded 2022 gubernatorial election, LaTrece Hawkins Lytes met people of all walks of life, including many diabetics. Having been diagnosed with diabetes at age 1, Hawkins Lytes knows firsthand what it’s like to struggle with the disease.
“Diabetes is not easy, the technology, medicine, and science working together has really improved over time.” she said.
Hawkins Lytes’ background inspired her to form Shining Lytes Inc. She runs the Prince George’s based nonprofit, centered on diabetes awareness and action, alongside her husband Floyd Lytes. Her goal is to reduce incidences of the disease by expanding access to affordable technologies and medicine and providing resources for organ donors. News updates about new treatments
and a blog are available on their website.
After not knowing much about diabetes before being with his wife, Lytes now understand the importance of educating others about the disease.
“The next five years of Shining Lytes Inc, I would love to get the word out about the struggles of diabetics, to the public who really are not aware,” he said. “It was a whole new world of understanding,like that you can pass out from not eating.
Although Hawkins Lytes spent 42 years as a Type 1 diabetic, she is now diabetes-free following a pancreas transplant and careful monitoring of her health and diet.
“Insulin pumps, glucose monitors, and especially the cure of a pancreas transplant have been a huge change for me,” she said.
Now she and her husband hope to help others. One major aim of their nonprofit is to reduce the cost of insulin. Hawkins Lytes hopes to work with the incoming General Assembly and Governor
Moore on this issue, along with other issues affecting healthcare systems, education and disability.
The American Diabetes Association estimates over 42,000 Marylanders are diagnosed with diabetes annually and Prince Georgians represent a disproportionate percent of those cases. In Maryland, nearly $5 billion annually is paid in direct medical costs related to diabetes and there are over 480,000 Marylanders with diabetes.
Medicare Part D recipients will see savings following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month for those eligible.
Senator Raphael Warnock (D, Georgia) introduced a measure to cap insulin costs for those without health insurance, a measure he will likely reintroduce with Democrats retaining a governing majority in the Senate.
“I wish it could be $25 or less, because I remember when it was very difficult to pay out of pocket.”, she said in a phone interview.
priorities and life goals, the Witnesses’ emphasis on service and family has led many in that denomination to make similar employment choices over the decades and given them a wealth of experience in learning to find success living on less.
“Living a balanced, simple life protects us, because it gives us more time and energy for spiritual things,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.
“Spirituality has a direct impact on a person’s emotional well-being, which is why Jesus said that those conscious of their spiritual need are happy. Living by that principle takes constant effort as we each strive to maintain life balance.”
Video programs with practical suggestions based on Scriptural principles on jw.org, the Witnesses’ official website, helped Lee appreciate the value of a simple lifestyle and helping others through her ministry.
“Having less is also good for less stress,” she said.
“I’m living within my means. Not
Hawkins Lytes believes that a $25 or less insulin cap cost passed by state legislators in Maryland would be beneficial for Marylanders with diabetes and their
families, although she acknowledges there are widespread issues affecting healthcare systems from COVID that need restructuring. WI
volunteer ministry,” said Martin of Riverside, California.
“I’m also able to spend three months a year in Illinois with my family and help my brother care for my mom.”
The key to long-term success at living on less, she said, is regular life reassessment.
“What might work now may eventually not work,” she said. “Sometimes, you have to make adjustments. It’s a continuous process.
consuming so much and having and buying just what I need has helped me live a life that’s less stressful.”
Gail Martin likewise has no regrets about reassessing her priorities more than two decades ago.
She left a high-powered but all-consuming job as a systems analyst to put faith and family first.
“I can prioritize studying the Bible, my religious meetings and my
She often goes back to the free resources on jw.org, searching for Scriptural counsel on how to “handle your finances, choosing a career, how to be happy and whatever it might be that you need to look at your priorities and your values,” she said.
Martin is currently reevaluating her life to prepare for retirement. She doesn’t yet know what adjustments she will make to simplify her life further, but she’s holding on to what makes her happy.
“I feel like if you put priorities first like family and God, that’s a lot more fulfilling than working yourself to death,” she said. WI
Martin is currently reevaluating her life to prepare for retirement. She doesn’t yet know what adjustments she will make to simplify her life further, but she’s holding on to what makes her happy.5 Keturah Lee has found success by living on less. (Courtesy Photo/ Jehovah’s Witnesses)
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden (D) spoke before African leaders at the culmination of the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, a full-day of events that laid the foundation for what participants on both sides described as a reset in U.S.-Africa business relations.
Even with the particular focus on economics, Biden touched on other aspects of African affairs, including but not limited to: strengthening democracy, climate change and global adaptation, food security and universal health coverage.
Doing so, he said, could open up a world of opportunity to African nations.
“Africa’s economic transition depends on good government, healthy populations and reliable and affordable energy,” Biden said.
“These [are] things businesses seek out when they’re looking to invest. They attract new opportunities, and they launch new partnerships,” he continued. “And the United States is
committed to supporting every aspect — every aspect of Africa’s inclusive growth and creating the best possible environment for sustained commercial engagement between Africa companies and American companies.”
On day two of the U.S.- Africa Leaders Summit, the business forum focused mostly on how the U.S. could help African leaders leverage their countries' natural resources to spur economic development.
Administration officials said they closed new deals totaling $15 billion.
Throughout much of Wednesday morning, African heads of state, along with public and private sector partners, announced these deals, each of which was intended to strengthen what many described as non-exploitative economic relations between the U.S. and African countries.
One such deal involves the upcoming launch of a manufacturing facility in the District.
This building, scheduled to open in Ward 7 in 2023, will facilitate a supply chain connecting the world with neem, moringa and other ingredients com-
5 U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. speaks during the U.S.-Africa Business Forum at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 (Paul Kim/ U.S. Department of State)
monly found in plant-based products. This arrangement also opens up marketpeople in Ghana and other parts of Africa to a customer base extending well beyond their towns and villages.
Rahama Wright, former Peace Corps volunteer and CEO of Shea Yeleen Enterprises, forged this deal with the D.C. Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. This arrangement stands to benefit many Ghanaians, including Gladys Petey, a shea butter merchant from a rural community in Northern Ghana. "We are hard-working women but many can't go to school so we learn to make shea butter," Petey said. “I'm happy that America can support hard-working African women to make our lives happier."
Several African heads of state and mavens of industry gathered in the “Deal Room” of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, where, for several hours, they announced deals that had been solidified
during the summit.
Representatives of the U.S.-Africa Clean Tech Energy Network said they dedicated resources to increasing African countries’ access to clean energy, starting with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ADB Group built upon more than two decades of development work with a deal to upgrade the infrastructure of the Ivory Coast.
Meanwhile, Cisco announced a $200 million deal through which African youth will receive technology training. Standard Bank and General Electric also announced a partnership to solve healthcare accessibility challenges across the African continent.
A common thread in these deals centered on Africans’ collective desire to enter equitable partnerships with the U.S. To that point, Okey Oramah said a memorandum of agreement (MOU) between the African Export-Import Bank and the Export--Import Bank of the United States further positions the private sector as a leader of development on the African continent.
Oramah, president and chairman of the African Export-Import Bank’s board of directors, said the MOU supports diasporic engagement in the areas of transportation, climate projects, and manufacturing. He added that the arrangement would better allow both parties to bolster African businesses often designated by banks as high-risk investments.
At a time when the Diaspora continues to embrace Nollywood, Afrobeats and other African exports, Orameh said that a reset in U.S.-Africa relations will eventually lead to an economic renaissance.
“We’re seeing more private sector growth,” Oramah said. “The creative and technology industries…have been
allowed to lead unfettered. Even in manufacturing the lack of capital has been a problem, but the small and midsized enterprises are becoming more and more empowered.”
On Monday, Biden revealed plans for a 2023 visit to the African continent. National security advisor Jake Sullivan also said earlier this week that the U.S. will commit $55 billion to African nations over three years. This came not long after China announced that its government would forgive 23 interest-free loans issued to 17 African countries and divert $10 billion of its IMF resources to the African continent.
In response to an inquiry about the Biden administration’s intentions, Vedant Patel, the State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson said the U.S. government aspires to foster a relationship with African nations different from what China and Russia have facilitated.
"We have the ability to help guide, direct and incentivize private partner engagement in the region,” Patel said. “These aren't commercial loans. They are investments. Obviously there will be U.S. partnership and engagement to make sure they reflect the interests of the U.S. and Africa."
Moments after he announced a multi-million dollar deal between his country, DRC and the United States for the production of electric car batteries, Zambian President Haikinde Hichilema expressed his desire to receive more financial support from the west.
In his remarks, Hichilema called business the engine of growth in his country.
"I understand the days of socialism and independence and what that did to the country [as well as] the leaders who failed to take advantage of our resources,” Hichilema said.
“This is not about Zambia or cobalt. It's about the rest of the world as we grapple with climate change. We want to indicate that as leadership, we are determined to make things happen."
Later on in the morning, Sim Tshabalala, chief executive of Standard Bank Group, conveyed a similar message when he stressed the importance of health technology. In all the discussions about economics, Tshabalala said a healthy population drives economic development.
"One of our strategic value drivers is economics,” Tshabalala said.
“GDP growth and health of the people are two sides of the same coin and we must give effect to both. This is not pie in the sky. Nations need infrastructure and that means the health of the people." WI
@SamPKCollinsThe Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce announced on Dec. 14 its selection of Alexander K. Austin as its new president and CEO.
Austin is the former director of business services at Employ Prince
George’s. In a statement, Cassius Priestly, chairman of the board, praised Austin and expressed gratitude to the interim leader.
“I want to thank Donna Graves, interim president and CEO, for stepping forward to temporarily lead the chamber as we implemented a thorough search process to find a permanent leader of the chamber,” Priestly said. “She, in partnership with the talented chamber staff, ensured the chamber continued to be
an effective voice and advocate for business in the county."
Austin started his duties on Dec. 19 and said he is excited to be leading the chamber.
“I am honored to have been selected to support the dynamic businesses of Prince George’s County,” Austin said. “Our county has enjoyed great gains in employment and economic output in recent years, but this is a critical time for business. To retain our title as a growth engine for the region, and to fully realize the potential of the county as a place to do business, we need to maintain a strong chamber of commerce and I will dedicate myself to continuing the great work of my predecessors to build the chamber.”
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s larg-
est and the world’s fourth biggest airline by route traffic, signed a historic memorandum of understanding with Washington, D.C. area-based AvDyne Aeroservices, LLC on Dec. 16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
AvDyne, based in Glen Burnie., Md., performs maintenance, repair and overhaul of planes as technologically sophisticated as Boeing 777s at Baltimore-Washington, Ronald Reagan National and Washington Dulles airports.
“We’re pleased to be in Ethiopia at this historic time for America and Africa as one of only two African American-owned maintenance repair and overhaul in the United States,” said AvDyne President and CEO Jerome Hodge.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele also expressed his approval with the agreement.
“We are very pleased to sign the [memorandum of understanding]
and we’re quite pleased that Africans from America and Ethiopia signed this historic agreement for developing aviation training for pilots, mechanics, and operation of flight schools. Boeing’s report on pilot and technician outlook for 2021-2040 noted a need for 612,000 pilots worldwide.”
C. Earl Peek serves as the chief financial officer and financial advisor with his firm Diamond Ventures based in Northwest Washington that helped finance the deal. Peek said the agreement will benefit HBCUs.
“AvDyne will bring aviation as a career to HBCUs,” he said. “AvDyne is already on the way to doing so with an HBCU Aviation alliance with the Vista Equity Robert Smith’s foundation and Mr. Hodge being president of the east coast chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen.”
WI @JamesWrightJr10
• Check the DPW website to confirm your area’s leaf collection dates;
• Move vehicles from curb lanes to help ease the leaf vacuum collection process;
• Rake leaves to the curbside or tree box at the front of the residence the Sunday before the scheduled leaf collection date;
• Remove all cans, bottles, sticks, toys and debris from your piles of leaves—these items can damage equipment and prevent safe and proper collection
For more information, please visit dpw.dc.gov/service/leaf-collection
Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-Florida) introduced the American Teacher Act to incentivize states to increase the minimum K-12 teacher salary to $60,000 and adjust inflation.
Wilson, the chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, said the financial incentive supports ongoing state
efforts to provide competitive wages for teachers and address the national teacher shortage.
“Teachers deserve a raise. Unfortunately, our nation’s teachers have been underpaid, overworked and deprived of resources for too long,” Wilson stated.
“That’s why I’m filing the American Teacher Act, to give our nation’s teachers the raise they have earned and deserve.”
Wilson called teachers the back-
bone of America’s education system and economy. She noted that they play a foundational role in the development of children.
“For seven hours a day, they help shape and inspire young minds as well as nurture students academically and socially,” Wilson said.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, teachers continued to play a critical role in our recovery, underscoring their indispensability,” she said.
The nonprofit Teacher Salary Project helped Wilson draft the bill, which they said responds to a national teacher shortage and low professional morale.
The bill creates a four-year federal grant program to increase teachers’ annual salaries to a minimum of $60,000 nationwide.
Additionally, it would create a fouryear federal grant available to states and local educational agencies to guarantee the $60,000 minimum wage.
The bill wouldn’t reduce salaries for those already making more than $60,000 and wouldn’t replace existing federal, state, or local funds used toward teacher pay.
Earlier this year, EducationWeek estimated that more than 36,500 teacher vacancies exist in the United States.
They noted that uncredentialed teachers filled more than 163,500 positions. Meanwhile, the Teacher Salary Project pointed out that 74% of teachers don’t believe they receive fair pay.
“How do we get (teacher pay increases) to happen when people in the position to make change are so scared or intimidated by the price tag and the controversial topics associated with higher pay, like performance-based pay and increases in taxes?” Ellen Sherratt, board president of the Teacher Salary Project, told Education NC.
Wilson said teacher shortages count among the most pressing threats to education access today, with districts across the country forced to radically
adjust school offerings to respond to turnover and prolonged vacancies.
“While teachers have never received the wages and respect commensurate with the work they do to help all children reach their promise and potential, the culture wars and stagnant wages of the last few years have made this worse,” stated Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
“Recruiting and retaining a diverse teaching force has become increasingly difficult—indeed, most parents say they wouldn’t want their kids choosing teaching as a career,” Weingarten remarked.
The president of AFT added that Wilson's bill addresses challenges by providing states with federal funding as incentives for teachers and school districts.
“It also funds a national campaign highlighting the value of the teaching profession and encouraging young people to become teachers, using many of the recommendations in the AFT’s Teacher and School Staff Shortage Task Force report ‘Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?’ for recruiting the best candidates into teaching, including increasing compensation,” Weingarten said.
“This bill says put your money where your mouth is,” she continued. “We thank Rep. Wilson for her bold legislation addressing the low starting salaries that have plagued the teaching profession for generations, and we are proud to support this legislation.”
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In June 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that as of 2018, inmates reported a 15% increase of sexual victimization from 2015. Of the 27,826 allegations, 55% allegedly occurred at the hands of prison staff.
Today, managers in at least four prisons failed to apply federal law intended to detect and reduce sexual assault.
The Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, the Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Florida, Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn, and Federal Correctional Institution Dublin, in California, were identified as sites where employees could target female inmates without fear of discipline.
Further, officials said hundreds of abuse charges remain among a backlog of 8,000 internal affairs misconducts that haven’t been investigated.
A new Senate subcommittee investigation has revealed more than 5,400 allegations of sexual abuse against prison employees over the past ten years.
Released by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the report revealed the inhumane treatment of female prisoners.
It detailed the response – or lack of – by federal officials who are supposed to watch over them.
The bipartisan investigation found that male Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees sexually abused female prisoners in at least two-thirds of the facilities that held them over the last decade.
Investigators detailed “horrific abuse” that went on, in some cases, for years.
Wardens, corrections officers and even prison chaplains were among those abusing women inmates, investigators found.
“From corruption at the U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta in Georgia, to the Department of Justice’s failure to count almost 1,000 deaths in custody across the country, to abusive and unnecessary gynecological procedures performed on women in Department of Homeland Security custody,” Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff explained.
Ossoff, who chairs the subcommittee, noted that a hearing this month counted as part of a two-year bipar-
tisan effort to investigate conditions of incarceration and detention in the United States.
“It is important to acknowledge that law enforcement professionals working in our prisons have among the hardest jobs in our country, and I believe the vast majority of BOP employees share our goals of ending sexual abuse once and for all in Federal prisons,” Ossoff said.
The problems in federal lockups run deep.
A jury found Ray Garcia, the former warden at Dublin, guilty of seven charges of sexual abuse this month after prosecutors charged him with assaulting female inmates and forcing them to pose for nude photographs.
At least 17 current or former employees at Dublin were under investigation for sexual abuse, including the prison’s former pastor.
“Having experienced the jarring sexual abuse, I came to learn that officer-on-inmate sexual abuse is a pervasive issue throughout the BOP system, though rarely acknowledged in public,” victim Carolyn Richardson stated.
“I have learned that there are challenges in the criminal prosecution of the abusers, especially because officers often do not use overt threats or physical force to obtain sex with inmates, but rather a psychological manipulation and the inherent power dynamic as in my case.”
Brenda V. Smith, a law professor at the American University’s Washington College of Law, said women in every penal system in the United States, including the federal system, have experienced unequal services and opportunities and physical and sexual abuse.
Smith directs the Washington College of Law Community Economic and Equity Development Law Clinic and serves as Director of the Project on Addressing Prison Rape.
She had long worked to help District of Columbia women sentenced in federal prisons around the nation.
“District of Columbia women prisoners were forced to trade sex in exchange for food, work opportunities, visitation, preparation of reports and recommendations to the court detailing their progress,” Smith told the Senate committee.
She added that women also challenged their lack of privacy, including cross-gender searches and viewing by male officers often while they were un-
clothed or showering.
“There are common elements of vulnerability in each of these women prisoner’s victimization. First, these women, as you know, often bring multiple well-known vulnerabilities into the correctional setting – past histories of childhood and adult physical and sexual abuse; poverty; involvement with powerful systemic actors like courts, child protection, housing, and immigration authorities that control their existence and their families’ existence; fear and deprivation that is part of the custodial experience,” Smith asserted.
“I could name many more elements, as could you. These factors create the levers of pressure that cor-
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Last week, Moise Katumbi, a businessman and former governor in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR) announced he will stand in the country's presidential election in December 2023.
His announcement came against a backdrop of violence in the country's east after fighting resumed between M23 rebels and rival armed groups after 10 days of relative calm.
In the DRC, the presidential poll is held at the same time as parliamentary, provincial and local elections. The president-elect would then take office in January 2024.
Current President Felix Tshisekedi came to power in January 2019, succeeding Joseph Kabila after 18 turbulent years as leader. It was the country's first peaceful handover of power. He has already announced his intention to run for a second term, despite clashes over the results.
Other possible contenders could include Martin Fayulu, the runner-up in the 2018 presidential polls who claims he was deprived of a victory in the vote. Augustin Matata Ponyo, another ex-premier, has said he will run.
Tshisekedi's inauguration ceremony in 2019 capped more than two years of turmoil sparked by Kabila's refusal to step down when he reached the constitutional limit on his term in office.
The last two presidential elections before that, in 2006 and 2011 -- both won by Kabila -- were marred by bloodshed and dozens died in a crackdown on protests after he chose to remain in office in 2016.
A country the size of continental western Europe, the former Belgian colony lived through two regional wars in 1996-97 and 1998-2003.
M23 rebels, a mostly Congolese Tutsi group, resumed fighting in late 2021 after accusing the DRC of having failed to honor an agreement to integrate its fighters into the army. WI
His Excellency Joseph Curry, the new Bahamas Ambassador to the Holy See, presented his credential letters to Pope Francis on Dec. 15 at the Vatican.
Ambassador Curry, a devout Roman Catholic, is President of Frandor Investments Ltd. He previously served in The Bahamas Foreign Service at The Bahamas Embassy in Washington, D.C. from 1990 to 1994.
“On Thursday, December 15, 2022, I presented my Letters of Credentials to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, accrediting me as Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the Holy See,” Ambassador Curry wrote on Facebook. ”It was a special moment as I assumed a new assignment from the Prime Minister to be his Envoy to the Holy See. While a devout Catholic, I did not expect or pursue the appointment, but God knows what plans He has for us.”
Curry continued, adding that the church and state must work together locally and internationally for the “advancement of mankind; peace and security; and a better quality of life for all citizens of the world.”
He also thanked Prime Minister of the Bahamas the Hon. Philip E. Davis for the appointment among other supporters and Archbishop of Nassau Patrick C. Pinder.
“I thank God for the opportunity to serve,” he said.
The Ambassador to the Holy See asked for his family, friends and fellow Bahamians to pray for him as he begins this new undertaking.
“I also ask for God’s blessings.” WI
If you haven’t had a chance to roast the chestnuts on an open fire because you’re still dashing to the malls, it’s a good time to hunt for bargains. But once you’re back at home and wrapping the last gift, it’s the perfect time to prepare for the next holiday season. That way, you can shop with intention, according to an official with JPMorgan Chase.
“You have to be within your boundaries when holiday shopping and not overcompensate in spending. A lot of times when shopping, we want to overcompensate for things we never received when we were younger,” said Brian Atkins, Chase’s Skyland Community Manager. “But it’s still possible to give that to your kids without spending a lot of money.”
Atkins advised against spending an entire paycheck on gifts and emphasized the importance of differentiating between a need and a want.
“Spending your entre paycheck is never a best practice. Once you spend your paycheck, you still have life responsibilities. The best way of shopping is to plan ahead.”
While it’s too late to put healthy financial practices in place this year, now is the perfect time to plan for 2023.
“We have to first make sure our responsibilities are taken care of,” Atkins said.
Atkins added that a great exercise is to save receipts for one month to itemize your budget. At the end of the month you can say, ‘did I need to buy this, or was it a want?’
“The only way to really enhance your saving is by increasing your income or decreasing your debt,” Atkins said.
When setting goals for the new year, Atkins said, the key is to have a plan.
“To me, a New Year’s resolution without a plan is just a dream,” he said. “Every new year, I have things I say I’m going to do, but if I have no intentionality behind them, sometimes I make it to the end of January or the middle of January, and I am back to my old ways. “
One way to help with planning is by using a vision board because that way you can see your goals every day.
“I have vision boards all around the house, so therefore when I wake up in the morning, I see my goals. When I come home in the afternoon, I see my goals. When I want to purchase stuff on Amazon, l Iook at my goals and close my computer,” Atkins said. “It’s not only about saying you want to do something. It’s having a plan and executing that plan and sticking with it.”
The purpose of the vision board is to illustrate what you would like to see happen in the upcoming year, whether it be a new car, a new home or a vacation.
Most importantly when setting goals, you have to create a budget, Atkins said.
“To really create a budget, you have to know what’s going in and what’s coming out. The receipt exercise seems kind of tedious, but if you’re true to yourself and save every receipt it can have a great impact on future spending. I am not just talking about the large tick-
et items, save everything. This includes if you cash app or Zelle someone, keep track of every dollar you spend. Then you know what’s coming in and what’s going out,” Atkins said.
When creating a budget, Atkins suggests that people use the SMART method: Set a specific budget that is, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound.
“Let’s say you’re going on a trip. There is no way to go on a trip unless you know how much it is going to cost,” Atkins said. That is specific. “There is no way to start unless you know where the end goal is. That makes it measurable. You have to make sure the goal means something to you. You can’t create goals with no intentionality behind it. You can’t save for a boat if you’re scared of water. It has to be relevant. Time bound is having a finish line for your goal.”
At JPMorgan Chase, we are taking actions to increase equity, affordability and access to housing for Black, Latino and Hispanic communities in Washington, D.C. and across the country.
Learn more at jpmorganchase.com/racialequity
President Felix Tshisekedi, of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), delivered opening remarks at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit forum about climate change on Tuesday.
The previous night, deadly floods had swept through the DRC’s capital city of Kinshasa, killing more than 160 people and displacing entire neighborhoods.
“Since we are gathered here to speak about fighting against climate change, I would like to speak first with regret to let you know [about] the crisis that my country has lived through in the past few hours,” Tshisekedi said at the forum. “That could have been avoided if the commitments of polluting countries would have been kept.”
The tragedy in Kinshasa high-
lighted the fact that conversations about the climate crisis at the summit were anything but hypothetical. Flooding has affected 8.2 million people in central and west Africa this year, according to an estimate from a U.N. humanitarian affairs office. More broadly, 17 out of the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change are on the continent.
But vulnerability was not the only reason that conversations about climate loomed large throughout the three-day D.C. summit, which wrapped up Dec. 15. Sub-Saharan Africa’s booming population and unmet energy needs make the region’s choices critical to the world’s fight against climate change. The question of how the continent expands its energy access—using its fossil fuel stores or using renewable energy—will determine, in large part, the success or failure of the
global climate fight.
The continent also holds around a third of the minerals required for many clean energy technologies. Massive forests and wetlands, especially in the DRC and Gabon, draw in huge amounts of carbon, keeping the planet-warming gas out of the atmosphere.
To protect those carbon sinks and transition to widely-available clean energy, African countries need investments from nations who have profited from more than a century of fossil fuel use and decades of colonial resource extraction. U.S. leaders, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks, acknowledged the injustice at the summit.
“It’s both unfair and unrealistic to ask [African nations] to turn their backs on economic development and opportunity in the name of a clean energy transition, to ask them in effect to forgo what many of us have done in the past in devel-
oping our countries and our economies,” Blinken said at the forum on climate change and conservation.
The Biden administration has committed $1.1 billion to African-led efforts to support climate adaptation, conservation and a transition to clean energy, according to a White House statement. But the International Energy Agency recently estimated that Africa needs around $190 billion each year from 2026 to 2030 in energy investments to meet its climate and energy goals. That means more than doubling current investments. That financing must address not only clean energy technology, but also major infrastructure challenges.
“Unfortunately, the routes and
the roads that we have were designed at the time for colonial trade, so it was meant to exit out of Africa, not to use it internally,” said Portia Derby, CEO of South African rail company Transnet, at a sustainability-focused business forum on the summit’s second day.
Derby also spoke about the continent’s reserves of minerals like cobalt and lithium, crucial elements in batteries and other clean energy technology. She emphasized the need for a “more mature partnership” between African countries and big investors like U.S. companies in order to change the dynamic of extractivism.
President Tshisekedi’s country includes some of the continent’s most mineral-rich lands, as well as large reserves of oil and natural gas. The DRC will likely continue burning those fossil fuel resources unless wealthier nations compensate for their financial loss with investments in cleaner energy options. In the meantime, the nation still remains one of the hardest-hit by climate crises.
“You’ve just given us your condolences for the tragedy in Kinshasa last night, thank you for your condolences,” Tshisekedi said to Blinken pri or to an official meeting between the two leaders. “But this is the very example of what we have been deploring for some time—countries who pollute unfortunately lead to negative consequences in our countries that cannot protect themselves.” WI
Deadly flooding hit central Africa during the D.C. conference, underscoring the urgency of climate adaptation investments and the clean energy transition.
To protect those carbon sinks and transition to widely-available clean energy, African countries need investments from nations who have profited from more than a century of fossil fuel use and decades of colonial resource extraction.
A new Global Oral Health Status Report shows that almost half of the world’s population (45% or 3.5 billion people) suffer from oral diseases, with three out of every four affected people living in low- and middle-income countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) report, published in November, provides the first-ever comprehensive picture of oral disease burden with
DCHA from Page 5
tempt to quash divergent voices on the board, including Board Commissioner Bill Slover, who in years past has questioned city contracts and the qualifications of DCHA leadership.
In regard to the timeliness of the emergency legislation, D.C. Councilmember Brook Pinto (D-Ward 2) described it as rushed and without sufficient constituent input.
In the moments before she and D.C. Councilmembers Elissa Silverman (I-At large), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) voted against the emergency legislation, Pinto implored her colleagues to wait until the next Council period to work on more substantial changes within the Authority.
On Dec. 16, Pinto and Silverman introduced legislation making more permanent changes to DCHA, including its re-establishment as an independent board.
“At the end of the day, trying to make improvements around the edges
data profiles for 194 nations.
It also outlines how global cases of oral diseases have increased by 1 billion over the last 30 years—a clear indication that many people do not have access to the prevention and treatment of oral diseases.
“Oral health has long been neglected in global health, but many oral diseases can be prevented and treated with the cost-effective measures outlined in this report,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“WHO is committed to providing
guidance and support to countries so that all people, wherever they live and whatever their income, have the knowledge and tools needed to look after their teeth and mouths, and to access services for prevention and care when they need them.”
WHO says the most common oral diseases are dental caries (tooth decay), severe gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancers.
Untreated dental caries is the single most common condition globally, affecting an estimated 2.5 billion people.
Severe gum disease–a major cause of total tooth loss– is estimated to affect 1 billion people worldwide.
In addition, about 380,000 new cas-
week. We should move at the beginning of the next council period.”
Since its establishment nearly 50 years ago, DCHA has been charged with providing the District’s lowest-income residents with safe, affordable housing through public housing and voucher programs. The Authority owns 52 properties and has purview over more than 30,000 households.
Its Board of Commissioners currently consists of 13 members, including the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development, six members appointed by the mayor, one appointed by the D.C. Council, and a housing advocacy representative.
es of oral cancers are diagnosed yearly.
The report also underscores the glaring inequalities in access to oral health services, with a huge burden of oral diseases and conditions affecting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
People on low incomes, people with disabilities, older people living alone or in care homes, those living in remote and rural communities, and people from minority groups carry a higher burden of oral diseases.
WHO said this pattern of inequalities is similar to other noncommunicable diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental disorders.
creasing transparency within the Board of Commissioners and training board members on their roles and HUD redevelopment of properties.
As Bowser and Mendelson’s bill made it through the Council, it underwent several adjustments, including the reduction of the Stabilization and Reform Board’s lifespan from three years to two. Other changes increased resident participation and expanded participation to those who aren’t mayoral allies.
The approved legislation also facilitates the creation of a new DCHA board within 18 months.
“Risk factors common to noncommunicable diseases such as high sugar intake, all forms of tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol all contribute to the global oral health crisis,” the organization said in a statement.
Essential oral health services cover only a small percentage of the global population, and those with the greatest need often have the least access to services.
The key barriers to delivering access to oral health services for all include high out-of-pocket costs, expensive high-tech equipment and materials, and poor information and surveillance systems.
In response, the report provides recommendations to improve global oral health, including adopting a public health approach by addressing common risk factors, planning oral health services as part of national health, and integrating oral health data into national health monitoring systems.
“Placing people at the heart of oral health services is critical if we are to achieve the vision of universal health coverage for all individuals and communities by 2030,” said Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, WHO Director for Noncommunicable Diseases.
“This report acts as a starting point by providing baseline information to help countries monitor progress of implementation, while also providing timely and relevant feedback to decision-makers at the national level. Together, we can change the current situation of oral health neglect.” WI
changing the process by which individuals will see the benefits. It has to be done. We can’t leave it as is.”
However, Silverman, in her last legislative session, as she was not re-elected, vehemently questioned whether the emergency legislation would make the substantive changes desired.
On Tuesday, she held up a copy of a 1994 news article about dismal public housing conditions, while explaining her disappointment about what she described as the lack of progress District officials have made in public housing over the last 30 years.
to make reform on emergency is not right,” Pinto said.
“We don’t need to settle for a proposal,” Pinto said.
“We can deliver what our residents deserve through consideration of the permanent legislation proposed last
While mostly under the control of the mayor, DCHA has struggled to overcome several challenges, including housing unit vacancies, an ever-expanding waitlist and asbestos and mold problems on its properties.
HUD’s report in September indicted DCHA on its failure to provide safe and decent housing and adhere to HUD program requirements and rules. Recommendations included in-
D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At large) lauded the legislation as a step in the right direction.
“We …need to make a clear statement that this plan is designed to move the Authority forward with the input from those who live on the properties and those in housing throughout the city that have benefited through the voucher [program],” Bonds said.
“There are many hopes that we are changing the governance structure by
“We keep making the same mistake again and again,” Silverman said.
“There’s no argument that the DCHA Board of Commissioners needs subject-matter expertise. The amendments are worthy in that it takes a flawed idea… and makes it a little better,” she added.
“That’s not the same as reforming this agency. Let’s not cross our fingers and hope that this will make the changes we need this time.” WI
@SamPKCollinsneighborhood commissioner, agreed to serve as the poverty commission’s executive director.
“Councilmember Trayon White deserves the credit for bringing up this concept and Mayor Bowser has embraced it,” Fletcher said. “Bowser appointed me to supervise the commission which will look into ways to combat poverty in D.C. and how best to serve those who are economically vulnerable who need support and access to change their lives for the better.”
The commission publicly started its work on Dec. 14 at the SOME (So Others Might Eat) offices on Benning Road, N.E. at its inaugural listening session. Census data reveals 15.5% of District residents live below the poverty line, a number higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty in the city consists of females ages 25-34, followed by females 1824 and then males 18-24. Census data also reports that Blacks overwhelmingly consist of those living in poverty in the District, followed by Whites and Latinos. Fletcher said while poverty exists throughout the District, its strongest presence exists in Wards 7 and 8.
The commission works under the
aegis of D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES). Fletcher said that in his role of executive director, he reports to DOES Director Unique Morris-Hughes and Bowser.
“Dr. Morris-Hughes told me when I got the appointment that she wants a policy-driven commission that will come up with legislation and recommendations to end poverty in the city,” he said. “We are planning on having a 19-member commission with people from across the city. What will be unique about the commission here in D.C. is that we are actively seeking people to serve on the commission who have lived in poverty. Poverty commissions in other cities tend to have just agency heads.”
Fletcher said he is accepting applications for commission positions. On the commission, there will be eight ward representatives who have had personal experience with poverty within the previous three years and 11 members who possess experience in public policy or in addressing poverty in the community or with a non-profit. He said residents who are interested in serving must be 18 or older and reside in the District.
The main goal of the commission will be to facilitate the writing of a poverty reduction plan that will be submitted to the mayor and the D.C. Council. Fletcher said the report should be complete by early 2025 at the latest. After the report’s
submission, the commission will go out of business unless it receives an extension by the administration or the council.
He added each ward will have a listening session on poverty, even those wards where wealthier residents tend to live.
“I want everyone to have a chance to be a part of this process,” he said.
Fletcher said Bowser’s goals are to significantly reduce poverty in the city by 2026 and to eliminate it altogether by 2036.
“These are bold goals but this administration thinks boldly,” he said. “The mayor wants to make sure all Washingtonians have a path to the middle class.”
Twenty-five people attended the first listening session at SOME’s Ward 7 offices. Throughout the ses-
sion, the predominantly Black participants talked about how difficult getting assistance from District agencies can be.
“It takes so long for the bureaucracy to respond,” said Kevin McLaurin, a resident of Ward 8. “I have tried to apply for positions with the District government since the start of the pandemic and I have been unsuccessful. It seems like I get the run-around. I am having to deal with this while trying to raise a small child that isn’t even my own. The child has been abandoned and I am trying to raise her.”
McLaurin’s complaints about the District’s bureaucracy were echoed by participants who said they could not solve their problems with housing, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and in the school system due to inaction or being ig-
nored by government workers. However, Daryl Wright, the vice president of emergency services for SOME, said his agency can help people who are seeking aid.
“Let us know what your problem is and I can call someone to help you,” Wright said. “You don’t have to do this alone. We offer help for people in a lot of areas but what we find is that people just don’t know where to go.”
At the end of the two-hour meeting, Fletcher agreed with Wright, saying people who are impoverished tend not to understand how to get government assistance. He also said there will be a listening session in Ward 8 and Ward 5 in early 2023. WI
@JamesWrightJr10PRISONS from Page 17
rectional staff can employ to ensure compliance with both legitimate and illegitimate requests.”
lease of inmate victims of prison employee sex abuse.
The Notice of Allocation Availability will be available beginning Monday, December 19, 2022 on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.or under “Business” and “Solicitations”. Applications are due on or before Friday, January 27, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. If allocation availability remains after the first round review is completed, DCHE will continue to accept funding applications on the 2nd and 4th Friday monthly until funding is fully allocated.
Interested parties should contact Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist via email at lwashing@dchousing.org to submit questions regarding this notice.
She added that the clearly unequal power dynamic plays a major role between women who are incarcerated and male authority figures.
“Combine these levers with a toxic culture, the forced compliance that is a part of the custodial environment, and powerful system actors who appear to be all-powerful and above rules, regulations and indeed the law, women make a choice to survive even if survival means rape.”
DOJ officials said they are in the process of overhauling policies that could allow for the compassionate re-
Ossoff said the subcommittee investigated sexual abuse of women in federal prison “because of some of their unique considerations.”
“Some women are more likely than male prisoners to have suffered from trauma and sexual abuse prior to incarceration, and particularly susceptible to subsequent abuse in a custodial setting,” the senator explained.
He also noted the subcommittee’s understanding that sexual abuse does not just affect women.
“However, the subcommittee fully acknowledges that sexual abuse is not limited to female prisoners.” WI @StacyBrownMedia
out suddenly.
For nights at a time, Childs, now 47, slept on an air mattress with a hole in it. By the end of the night, after air escaped out of the air mattress, Childs found himself on the floor.
On Monday morning, after completing his morning prayer, Childs braved below freezing temperatures to tell his story and demand that D.C. government officials better support returning citizens with adequate housing and employment opportunities.
Childs counted among several returning citizens, advocates and public officials who took to the podium in front of the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest during the Emergency Rally for Returning Citizens.
“We got to educate people and have a mentality that they will hear us,” Childs said.
“These kids are lost and are in survival mode. I’m trying to repair the damage so give me something solid,” he added.
“We’re not looking for a messiah. We want to make it better. Give us something to stand on and watch us shake something up.”
Other speakers on Monday included Roach Brown of Inner Voices along with The Rev. Willie Wilson, The Rev. Graylan Hagler, Tony Lewis, Jr., Al-Malik Farrakhan of Cease Fire, Don’t Smoke the Brothers and Sisters, and D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-large).
Brown organized this event in collaboration with former Alliance of Concerned Men director Tyrone Parker and Kevin Petty, founder of Philemon Mission Transitional Facility in Southeast. They coordinated the rally to bring attention to what they described as the long-term health drawbacks of housing insecurity and joblessness on returning citizens.
Brown, in particular, mentioned how housing insecurity has not only exacerbated a mental health crisis in the District, but New York City and other major U.S. cities.
In her comments, Dr. Carmen Johnson, a returning citizen and founder of re-entry program Helping Ourselves to Transform, delved into her experiences as a female inmate who experienced incarceration and prison
guard abuse for three years.
She too repeatedly explained the importance of mental health, and implored listeners to understand returning citizens’ plight.
Other returning citizens expressed gratitude for the advances the District has made for returning citizens and incarcerated residents -- including reinstatement of voting rights and the creation of the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizens Affairs.
However, they said more must be done to dismantle a remnant of chattel slavery that primarily discriminates against native-born Black Washingtonians.
Miles away from the Wilson Building, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and other District officials celebrated the opening of The Rise at Temple Courts.
The reconstructed affordable housing at Golden Rule and Temple Courts developments in Northwest now includes more than 100 affordable units. It counts as phase one of the Northwest One community at 2 L Street NW, which transpired out of the New Communities Initiative started by D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams.
In the 17 years since Williams launched the New Communities Initiative in 2005, countless Washingtonians have experienced displacement amid significant cost-of-living increases.
As explained by several speakers at the emergency rally, returning citizens transitioning to life in the nation’s capital often struggle to navigate a society vastly different from what they left behind. Despite the influx of newly constructed housing in the District, returning citizens, and other low-income
residents, often fall short in acquiring permanent, affordable accommodations.
The decades-long phenomenon inspired some people like Petty to take matters into their own hands.
Petty, a returning citizen, launched the Philemon Mission Transitional Facility in Southeast to provide temporary housing to men leaving the prison system.
On Monday, Petty said the Philemon Mission has been able to operate without government support. However, he called on the D.C. government to fulfill its obligation to residents via 3,000 housing units for returning citizens and other poor and underserved District residents.
Petty went a step further in proposing that those units eventually get converted into condominiums, not by developers, but by District residents possessing those skillsets.
“Our returning citizens are coming out of the prison system and have to come home to a poor and underserved family that’s being crushed,” Petty said.
“There is housing insecurity,” he continued.
“We are pulling people out of poverty. We don’t need your developers. We will build and manage this housing. We will take care of our people ourselves.”
Johnson, who also conducts court watch programs in Maryland, called on women and families to be more supportive of these efforts. She didn’t mince words as she expressed her gripes against the court system she said unjustly incarcerated her.
“It’s not cool for us to be enslaved and come home with nothing. It's disgusting,” Johnson said.
because I was considered a felon. Thank God I had my family and community supporting me,” she continued.
“There should be more of us
standing out here fighting against this disgusting system. Mental health is real. I know what it’s like to be beaten down by racist white guards.” WI
@SamPKCollins
“I couldn’t even get my housing PUBLICATION
This week, Kid Scoop’s weather expert Dr. I. Cicle uses puzzles and games to explain how meteorologists predict the weather.
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 12-29-22
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Hanukkah’s most iconic and central practice—that of lighting candles in the eight-pronged menorah—is meant to be a public one. Jewish tradition asks families not only to say the prayers and light the candles within their own homes, but to display the menorah in a front-facing window for all to see.
For American Jews, the gravity of that practice has grown in the last few years. Showcasing pride in Jewish identity has become more fraught as antisemitism has spiked. Just in 2022, we’ve seen rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) say “I like Hitler” live on television and share a meal with white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Closer to home, the words “Jews Not Welcome” appeared on an entrance sign at Bethesda’s Walt Whitman High School last week, just one day before Hanukkah started.
Those aren’t isolated incidents. The defaced sign at Walt Whitman marks Montgomery County’s fourth case of antisemitic vandalism in just the last five weeks. The Anti-Defamation League’s 2021 audit found the highest number of antisemitic incidents recorded since the group began its annual reporting in 1979. Across the country, about one in four Jews have experienced some form of antisemitic harassment, according to a study conducted by the American Jewish Committee.
Which is why, for many Americans, leaving a bright menorah in the window might feel less comfortable this year than in Hanukkahs past. But support and solidarity have also shone through this year. Political leaders at every level—from President Joe Biden to the Montgomery County Council— have spoken out against antisemitism in recent days as they join Jewish communities in celebrating the holiday.
Many such leaders joined an annual event earlier this month hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Governor-elect Wes Moore pointed out that the gathering included people of all faiths, all of whom needed to share the same fight.
“Antisemitism and racism are the same thing,” Moore pointed out.
It’s not a new observation—Jewish and Black leaders and organizers formed strong partnerships based around that same principle during the Civil Rights Movement. Combatting all forms of bigotry will require that same solidarity between American communities.
For me, the holiday season feels unifying. Americans of all faiths and races take this time of year to celebrate with family, eat good food and try to find rest in a busy world. After Hanukkah ends, I hope we can find that same sense of togetherness in a renewed fight against prejudice and oppression. Putting a menorah in the window may feel different for me this year, but I want my candles to bring light not only to my home, but to my neighbors’ as well. WI
The news of celebrated dancer and DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ apparent suicide at a hotel in Encino, California on Dec. 13 sent shockwaves through the socialmedia-verse.
Many celebrities and fans alike took to social media to pay tribute to Boss, who captured the hearts of millions on “So You Think You Can Dance,” in “Magic Mike XXL”, and as the longtime DJ and eventual stand-in host on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Several posts noted the joy that Boss constantly shared with others.
“Thanks for always laughing and smiling with me,” said Fox sports analyst and former NFL linebacker Emmanual Acho.
“I’ve always known you as joy, laughter, good times and a big smile,” singer Ciara wrote.
Former NBA basketball player Dwayne Wade, said anyone who interacted with Boss, 40, would be hurt by the news of his passing.
“Grateful to have had this moment in your light,” Wade tweeted, along with a video of him dancing with Boss during the “Ellen” final season.
Having known him to be such a positive person, many were further surprised by how Boss died.
“[tWitch] was such a light and a beautiful soul. Shocked and deeply saddened,” Jenifer Lopez wrote on Instagram.
Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans, who had recently seen the performer, said the two chatted about plans for the future.
“Always such a good, positive soul. Spoke of reinvention of ourselves in this journey. Rest well my friend,” Wayans said, before referencing an old adage about the realities of perception.
“You never know what people are going through,” Wayans said. “Sorry if we all wasn’t listening.”
It is, indeed true, that one can never assume what someone is experiencing internally. The same people we see smiling, celebrating and posting dance videos with their wives, as Boss did just days before his passing, might actually be struggling just to find the energy to wake up, do simple tasks and live.
“Check on your loved ones, guys,” singer and actress LeToya Luckett wrote in her tribute to tWitch, who she said she never knew personally.
I’m so happy and thankful Brittney Griner is home. I know she is grateful to be back in time for Christmas. May everyone count their blessings this holiday season.
Marilyn Adams Washington, D.C.I support community leaders advocating to change the name of Good Hope Road to Marion Barry Avenue. I know this has been an ongoing effort formally since 2019 and I’m hoping Trayon White’s and others efforts will pay off. In my opinion, no other D.C. politician is as deserving as Barry.
Amanda Hawkins Washington, D.C.While checking in on friends and family is important always, as trials and tribulations are indiscriminate of the time of the year, the holiday season can be particularly trying for many.
In 2014, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reported that 64% of people with mental illness say the holiday season makes their conditions worse.
A 2021 Sesame survey showed that 3 in 5 Americans feel their mental health is negatively affected during the holiday, with 60% reporting an increase in anxiety, 52% feeling an increase in depression, and nearly 70% feeling more financial stress.
The coronavirus pandemic, which persists among this rampant flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) season, also contributed to mental health challenges. According to the survey, 64% of Americans also feel increased COVID-19 related stress.
The Sesame survey found that 22% of Americans alleviate their stress by chatting with someone–12% talk to mental health professionals, while 10% speak with trusted friends and family.
Although not everyone is a mental health professional, we can all be a friend to someone.
A simple phone call or plan to meet up can be just what a friend needs this holiday season– and beyond.
And it’s not just the friends who you know are lonely or have struggled with mental health. Boss appeared joyful and was married to dancer Allison Holker. The couple had three children.
In fact, in this season of cheer, it is those who intentionally share their light who we must check in on the most. Are they spreading themselves too thin? Remind our ‘happy friends’ to save comfort and joy for themselves. WI
Fifty-five years ago, on Dec. 24, 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the message at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on what would be his last Christmas Eve, titled "A Christmas Sermon on Peace." Once again, I share some of that powerful lesson. In a season when many people sing carols praying for peace on earth, Dr. King shared a sharp warning for
our nation and world: "Now let me suggest first that if we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective. No individual can live alone; no nation can live alone, and as long as we try, the more we are going to have war in this world. … We must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools."
His words remain prescient. Are
we any closer to heeding them? At the end of the sermon, Dr. King spoke about the day four years earlier when he had told the nation at the March on Washington that he had a dream for America's future. He said in the turbulent years that had followed it already felt like he was watching that dream turning into a nightmare. But Dr. King said he was not willing to give up:
"Yes, I am personally the victim of deferred dreams, of blasted hopes, but in spite of that, I close today by saying that I still have a dream. … I
have a dream that one day men will rise up and come to see that they are made to live together as brothers. I still have a dream this morning that one day every Negro in this country, every colored person in the world, will be judged on the basis of the content of his character rather than the color of his skin, and every man will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. I still have a dream that one day the idle industries of Appalachia will be revitalized, and the empty stomachs of Mississippi will be filled, and brotherhood will be more than a
few words at the end of a prayer, but rather the first order of business on every legislative agenda."
He went on: "I still have a dream today that one day justice will roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. I still have a dream today that in all of our state houses and city halls men will be elected to go there who will do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with their God … With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when there will
R. Cooper Jr.
On January 30, 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Atlanta Congressman Andrew Young as the 14th and first Black U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Shortly after his confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Ambassador Young met with the President prior to embarking on his first journey to the continent in his new position. As a Member of
Congress, he had traveled to Kenya with U.S. Treasury Secretary George Shultz during the Ford Administration. He made additional trips to the African continent to attend conferences hosted by the Africa-America Institute (AAI) and with tennis legend Arthur Ashe for tennis matches in South Africa.
As he met with Carter in the Oval Office that morning, the President handed him a note that simply said, "I want you to ask African leaders what they would expect of this administration." Ambassador Young later recounted, “We didn't try to tell Africa
what it must do. Instead, we asked: Africa, how can we help you? That same spirit remains the key to unlocking opportunity today.”
Last week, President Joe Biden convened the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in the nation’s capital with forty-nine African presidents and their respective delegations in attendance for high-level discussions with Administration officials, Congressional representatives, and business leaders from across the United States.
When a White House official was asked by the Washington Informer “why now,” for such a convening in a background briefing, the response was, “It has been eight years since the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. President Biden came in on day one with the determination to revitalize our partnerships with African countries.”
Noting that the president had addressed the African Union virtually, “early in the Administration,” the White House official emphasized the President’s dedication to such a conven-
ing as the summit.
“And so, it has been our intent from, really, the beginning to do this – to bring together African leaders and civil society and businesses and meet their counterparts here…. Nothing is a better demonstration of our renewed engagement than three days of interaction and conversation.”
The official also shared the criteria for extending invitations to the African leaders.
“In terms of the rubric in terms of
We are just weeks away from the end of the 117th Congress, and with it comes the transfer of the gavel from Nancy Pelosi to the new speaker of the House.
We are also witnessing the end of the congressional careers of Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Regardless of your political beliefs, if you genuinely care about the Jan.
6 insurrection and the lasting impact it will have on our nation, you must admire the political sacrifices made by the two Republican lawmakers.
Since few elected House Republicans have shown the courage to publicly confront and condemn their fellow Republicans over the Jan. 6 attack, Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger will be sorely missed. Sadly, many Republican primary voters have it backward. While voters reward political cowardice, political boldness and true patriotism are rejected. "The once great party of Lincoln,
Roosevelt, and Reagan has turned its back on the ideals of liberty and self-governance. Instead, it has embraced lies and deceit." Kinzinger said in his farewell address to Congress. "Instead of members using our platform to advance the well-being of our nation and her people, we've turned this institution into an echo chamber of lies."
This type of warning to the GOP is not new to Kinzinger, who made efforts during the Trump presidency to inform his onetime GOP allies about the corrosive effects of
conspiracy theories. There are consequences when a large part of the electorate forgoes wisdom, good judgment and common sense when choosing their leaders. We all suffer as a nation when voters choose to be led by elected officials who embrace dishonesty, deceit, corruption and hypocrisy. Unfortunately, communities of color will suffer more.
This political corrosion is not just limited to Congress. It runs through the courts, state legislatures, and now school boards. Therefore, who is at fault when Kinzinger's warning con-
cerning the threats to democracy is so soundly rejected within his own party? Are the GOP elected officials and candidates who are disingenuous when preaching patriotism at fault? Are the GOP voters who are disingenuous when publicly chanting "USA!" at fault?
There was no "red wave" during the 2022 midterm elections because enough Democratic, Republican and independent voters displayed
was murdered.
Aug. 28, 1955, was many lifetimes ago, but, in the evolution of this country, it seems like the blink of an eye. Irrefutably, the racism that is pervasive now was even more pervasive, brutal and accepted as a socio/cultural norm by oppressor and victim alike then. Aug. 28, 1955 was the day that 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American youth from Chicago visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi,
His murder was most heinous. He was abducted at gunpoint from his uncle's home, beaten beyond recognition. He was then shot to death and unceremoniously pitched into the Tallahatchie River with a large fan tied to his body to keep him submerged. His assailants were Roy Bryant, Carolyn Bryant's husband, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam. Emmett's offense? He allegedly whistled at a white woman!
Later Bryant and Milam were acquitted by an all-white jury which,
unbelievably, deliberated for only 65 minutes! After acquittal, they bragged about committing the murder. Even later, it was discovered that Carolyn Bryant lied about the circumstances that sent her husband and brother-inlaw into a murderous rampage. We now know that an unserved warrant for kidnapping was issued in 1955 for Carolyn Bryant. Her maternal responsibilities for her children were deemed more significant than her complicity in murder. The deaths of her husband and brother-in-law left her only living participant in that
conspiratorial triad.
As more incriminating facts became known, Carolyn Bryant moved around the country. There is no complete record of her residences after leaving Mississippi, but it is known that she fled to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to live with her son. From Dec. 3-5, 2022, I visited Bowling Green for a rally to put focus for the murder of Emmett Till back on Carolyn Bryant, and on the radar of the United States Justice Department and the national conscience, where it rightly belongs.
A group of us, including Nia 2X, attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz and John C. Barnett went to Kentucky to hold a rally at the address where Carolyn Bryant purportedly now lives. The morning of our rally, we awoke to a credible threat against rally participants. We gave thought to personal security, but, considering the gravity of our efforts, soldiered on.
It seemed like every local police officer was assigned to secure Carolyn Bryant's home and to protect the
Malveauxwho showered her with the n—r word, even when she respectfully asked them to "please stop."
Autumn Roberson-Manahan is a 17-year-old Black girl attending high school in Slaton, Texas. The senior, who transferred to Slaton High School when her parents relocated there from Ohio, hoped to be her high school valedictorian based on her stellar grades. Instead, she was subjected to regular, vile, racist harassment from white students
From where I sit, the constant use of the N-word is assaultive and aggressive. Autumn complained to school administrators, who did nothing even though there was a policy that students who used such slurs would be suspended. Instead, the young lady was subjected to multiple verbal assaults and attempted to handle her challenges by asking offending white students to stop using the word. Their Cauca-
sity was rampant. They ignored her requests, and one day she snapped, yelling and slapping the fellow student who seemed to find the use of a racial slur amusing.
Nobody condones violence, and the use of the N-word is violent. School administrators chose to take no action against the unnamed white boy (who deserves suspension and more, and his parents should be reported to Child Protective Services for raising such a little monster) but suspended Autumn for 45 days, sentencing her to an "alternative"
facility where students are required to wear orange jumpsuits (talk about the school-to-prison pipeline) and subjected to extreme so-called discipline.
Rather than submit to such extreme insanity, Autumn ran away from home and was considered a suicide risk. Her parents have filed a lawsuit against the school district and complained to the Department of Education. Still, this amazing young lady has had her high school senior year interrupted and besmirched. And the toxic little white
boy who taunted her mercilessly has experienced no consequences. We don't even know his name!
Anti-blackness is at a peak, and it is disgustingly virulent. Black people are being openly massacred by socalled law enforcement officers who face few consequences for their murderous ways. They claim they fear for their lives. What did Autumn fear when, after enduring racist harassment, she snapped? Who wouldn't snap after the madness? And why is
"In 2022, in the United States of America, you can be turned away at a bank because of the color of your skin. The wealth and income disparities between white and minority households are a consequence of the unequal access and treatment minorities have faced. From accepting slaves as collateral for loans, to Jim Crow, to redlining, to the subprime
mortgage crisis' predatory practices, to the current crypto crisis, Black and brown Americans have never had equal access to or fair treatment in financial services." — Sen. Sherrod Brown
Recently, I had the opportunity to testify to the Senate Banking Committee at a hearing titled, "Fairness in Financial Services: Racism and Discrimination in Banking," to shed light on racism in the banking industry and urge passage of the Fair Access to Fi-
nancial Services Act.
Throughout our work, we have seen the dire consequences of an American financial system that has systematically cut off and shut out individuals, families, businesses and communities of color from access to capital.
When people of color suffer racist engagement in the financial marketplace, it causes substantial monetary and non-monetary harm. Depending on how the racist behavior occurs, be it systematic, digital, in-person, community
members often are unaware they received disparate treatment or a discriminatory outcome. This stems from a centuries-long strain of the Black and minority community with banking institutions. The exclusionary and biased practices have been widely documented, including the banking industry's tendency to disproportionately open and operate branches in white/non-minority communities.
In addition to the reluctance to operate in communities of color, another source of racial discrim-
ination may be bank employees' discretionary practices in charging costs and fees. Bank employees wield discretionary power in racially executing bank policies — they determine how much a customer pays in costs and customers may face varying fees depending on who they talk to at the bank. The concerns about racial discrimination and bias in the banking workforce are also not new and are illustrated in analyses of data from
Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer
As “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has been high on box office charts since its release in October, one hot topic of discussion has been the actors’ looks– particularly their hair. Camille Friend served as head of the hair department for both “Black Panther”
and the most recently released sequel.
Thirteen hair stylists, including two barbers, made up Friend’s “Wakanda Forever” team. Hair looks were specific to the culture of a character’s role in the film.
“As head of the hair department, you are designing the styles, the budget, and everything for hair,” said the Emmy-nominated Friend
in a phone call from London. She compares the on-set hair trailer to a laboratory. For “Wakanda Forever,” Friends explained she and her team regularly experimented and tried different approaches.
“Everybody can bring something to the table. I try to have an open-door policy so people can explore and evolve together,”
Friend continued. BREAKING
The service for King T’Challa in “Wakanda Forever” saw the cast dressed in white to mourn a beloved leader. That opening film segment showed the diversity of hairstyles that Friend and her team tackled. It was a massive undertaking.
The process included the director looking at storyboards to assess all characters, including extras. After the director made his picks, Friend and her hair team thought through their hair strategies.
“We then questioned roles. Are you in the Jabari Tribe led by M’Baku (played by actor Winston Duke)? Are you going to be in the Border Tribe?” Friend explained. “Then [we] start fittings, which is where the magic happens.”
Fittings is the term used for assembling an actor’s character, Friend explained. She said everyone is in the room, simultaneously going through fittings with costumes, hair, and makeup.
For Friend, hairstylists on the set who do fittings are her heroes. They make hard decisions in the creative process after wardrobe fittings with the costume team, headed by Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter.
“We put actors in the chair, and we look at wigs that were pre-done,” Friend said. “Then we look at people in the mirror. We evaluate the look of their face, the shape of their head, do they have a headpiece. We take pictures then I say yay or nay.”
Research was also required for the Mayan characters Namor, Namora and Atuma, played by Tenoch Huerta, Mabel Cadena and Alex Livinalli, respectively. Those actors spent a lot of time in the water, which meant everything from hair to costumes to makeup had to be considered.
Hairstyles for Angela Bassett’s character Ramonda and Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, were based on hair growth after cutting it low to mourn T’Challa’s death. The wigs and pieces worn by the actresses showed their hair growing back.
The distinctive look of female warriors, the Dora Milaje, was seen in their leader Okoye, played by Danai Gurira. Daily shaving of the head was required for each warrior.
“The day we cut the hair, there was no loud music. It was very quiet and spiritual. A certain type of music and sensitivity had to be given,” Friend said about the required special attention. “We are cutting Black women’s hair. We had to honor the women cutting the hair, and we had to give honor to God. I took it very seriously. I held hands, talked to people and I cried. It was a true bonding experience.”
Friend has an impressive resume
Bank of America proudly continues to support our employees’ health and safety while addressing food insecurity in our local communities, which typically spikes during the winter months.
Our employees are taking action to support the important work of our local food banks. For those who let us know they’ve received a coronavirus booster and/or a flu shot, we’ll donate $50 for each to a local hunger relief organization. In addition, employees can double the impact of their personal donations to fight hunger with our matching gifts program. Through these efforts, we’ll donate more than $8 million to address food insecurity in our local communities.
The team here in the DMV recently presented Kitchen of Purpose with a check for $80,000. This contribution is in addition to our long-standing philanthropic support to help fight hunger and food insecurity across the country. We are proud to be able to help our community as we work together to move forward.
An army base in the segregated South during the 1940s is the backdrop for the murder of a Black sergeant, in Charles Fuller’s “A Soldier’s Play,” on stage at the Kennedy Center until Jan. 8. The play explores the relationship between a platoon of soldiers on the base,under the leadership of Sergeant Vernon C. Waters, a tough leader whom his men do not like. With Black soldiers Black and White commanding officers, this murder mystery moves at a good pace, carefully unveiling layers of discovery for the audience to digest.
Waters is murdered in the opening scene. The consensus goes straight to the Ku Klux Klan as the killers. Enter Captain Richard Davenport, a Black army lawyer played by Tony-nominated actor Norm Lewis, 59. He is sent to investigate the murder to the chagrin of Captain Charles Taylor, the White base commander.
Lewis is in charge from the moment he comes on stage. He plays a no-backing-down officer who is determined to get the truth regardless of Taylor’s resistance. Constantly frustrated by his position, Taylor, played by William Connell, tries to take a very hard position to block
Davenport’s work. Taylor eventually realizes he and Davenport must work together.
“Fuller’s work is so smart. Rediscovering it from this standpoint has made us understand that it is never ending,” Lewis said during an interview a few weeks before arriving in Washington. “It touches on the dynamics of racism, not only from
pears throughout “A Soldier’s Play” in flashback scenes.
Lee, 69, is outstanding as the sergeant you love to hate. He knows this play inside-out as he was in the original 1981 Negro Ensemble production of “A Soldier’s Play.” He played a different character back
torically marginalized in the theatre community.
Black Theatre United (BTU) was formed in 2020 as an advocacy organization to pursue equity within theater communities. In 2020 as Broadway shut down with the rest of America, Black theater artists, mainly from Broadway, formed Black Theatre United (BTU). The group’s overall mission is to advocate for equity within the theater community. BTU is also committed to pursuing opportunities for students and industry professionals who have been his-
Norm Lewis is on the BTU executive leadership committee. He is currently in the national touring company of “A Soldier’s Play.” Lewis was also recently elected treasurer of BTU.
“We started early during the pandemic when we had so much time off,” Lewis said. “We put many things in place for BTU’s vision. Now that things have opened back up, we’ve gone through some restructuring but are still moving forward.”
With actors, directors, musicians, writers, technicians, producers and stage managers, BTU created a plan called “The New Deal.” That brought
BTU with theater owners,
creatives, and unions on
to
theater artists. Notable recent accomplishments saw the Shubert Organization officially rename Broadway’s Cort Theatre to the James Earl Jones Theatre in September. In November, the Nederlander Organization rechristened Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre as the Lena Horne Theatre.
“We’re trying to do phenomenal things by giving scholarships and opening doors in jobs not only on stage but in management, administration, casting and other theater careers,” said Lewis. WI
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Mindcage is a mystery thriller about a deranged artist that is also a serial killer known as the Artist. Once he finds his victims he uses their corpses to create statues that resemble archangels. He is eventually caught by authorities and sent to prison while awaiting the death sentence.
As he serves his time more similar crimes begin to happen resulting in more victims whose bodies also are dressed as archangels. Two detectives begin to search for the killer but can only solve the case with help of the Artist. More victims are found and tensions begin to rise as the Artist's execution day approaches and they still have not found the copycat killer. Eventually, they are met with a big surprise when they find out that the Artist is controlling more than they could even imagine after he exposes a deep secret that changes everything.
The film is directed by Mauro Borrelli who is best known for his films The Recall and The Final Recall both starring Westly Snipes. Before directing films, he was a fine art painter in Italy. He learned to paint in church as a kid while painting angels. He then left and became a conceptual artist in Los Angeles and worked on films such as Pirates of The Caribbean. In an interview with the YouTube channel LRM Online, Borrelli states that he was influenced to make this film because he “wanted to make a detective story about a crazy artist.”
Melissa Roxburgh and Martin Lawrence play the two detectives.
Lawrence played a very serious role that did not include one comedic line. He worked with an acting coach and put on weight to prepare for his role as Jake Doyle, a very depressed detective. Roxburgh played Mary Kelly, a more eager detective that did not have the same experience as her partner causing her to end up in some unfortunate situations.
The film played on the concept of making a deal with the devil and the consequences that may come with it. It also attempts to prove that the mind is weak and corruptible. The costume design and storyline are also very creative. Even when you think you know how the plot will end there is a big whoa moment with a lot of shock value.
Fans of Martin Lawrence will see a different side of him in this film but it could very likely be one they add to the list of films they enjoy. WI
Washington, D.C.’s special screening of “The Best Man… The Final Chapters,” brought Hollywood home.
Georgetown graduate and director Malcolm D. Lee, actress and D.C. native Regina Hall and actor Morris Chestnut were at the local screening at the How-
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, Events DC is pleased to provide funding for the program of $500,000 during two grant cycles ($250,000 in the first cycle and $250,000 in the second cycle). The grant program provides financial support to qualifying non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting children through sports, performing arts or cultural arts in the District of Columbia. FY23 Cycle 2 opened on December 5, 2022, and closes on February 1, 2023.
Grant Informational sessions will be conducted Tuesdays and Thursdays in January at 12pm and 6pm. To apply for the grant: https://eventsdc.com/community/community-grants#FY22-Cycle1
ard Theater, offering audiences a deeper understanding into the film franchise and its new series. The red carpet, celebrity-studded event marked a moment for the nation’s capital as more than a place for politics.
District native Terk Stevens, one of the producers of “The Best Man” franchise and host of the premiere, said D.C.’s leadership encourages creative culture.
“D.C.Mayor Muriel Bowser, and her team, have encouraged creatives like me, living in the District, to help me make D.C. one of the ‘Creative Capitals of the World,’” Stevens said. “Therefore, it is very important for me to continue to produce quality and culturally relevant content that continues to elevate D.C.”
LaToya Foster, the newly appointed director of the Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) and former communications director for Mayor Bowser, said bridging Hollywood and D.C. will become more commonplace.
“D.C. is open,” Foster exclaimed. “Terk, Morris Chestnut and I, we’ve already had conversations. This is going to be one of so many events like this. So many great films and television productions are coming right here to the District of Creators, the District of Culture, the District of Champions. Our D.C.”
The crowd roared and cheered at Foster’s proclamation.
This is not the first time “The Best Man” franchise has had a screening in the nation’s capital–both the original 1999 film and the holiday movie 14 years later held D.C. premieres.
“We came back to the Howard Theater in 2013 for ‘The Best Man Holiday,’ Stevens said during the event. “This is our home.”
Audiences got a sneak peek at the first episode of “The Best Man…The Final Chapters,” which had audiences clapping at the return of key characters, cracking up at funny moments and “oohing and aahing” at moments like Chestnut diving in a
pool with swimming briefs.
A panel after the screening, moderated by actor and comedian Chris Spencer, featured Lee, Hall and, to the chagrin of some, a clothed Chestnut. They reflected on their work in the franchise and some experiences in the more than two decades since the first “Best Man” film was released.
Hall also shouted out her hometown and Lee showed some Georgetown Hoyas pride.
One audience member asked Lee for whom he created “The Best Man,” and its subsequent film and series.
“I knew that everyone, from any racial background would be interested in this, because it’s a universal story,” Lee said. “We’ve been watching universal stories with white faces for centuries. And so I wanted to tell a story about a group of friends, who are very American, and upwardly mobile, and aspirational, and wanting love and wanting to be loved, and tell that with faces that look like mine.”
Miss DC for America 2022 Bismah Ahmed, the first Southasian, Muslim and Pakastani person to win the title, said she loves seeing the representation on the screen.
“I think diversity is so important and to get that on the big screen is just phenomenal,” she said.
Ahmed said it’s to have “The Best Man…The Final Chapters,” creative team in person in the nation’s capital.
“Hollywood is coming to D.C,” Ahmed said. “It’s really exciting to see.”
While many audience members made no secret that they were sad to see “The Best Man,” wind down, Lee said he was tactful in how he wanted to close the franchise and cement its legacy.
“I knew we were going to do this iteration,” Lee, who is filmmaker Spike Lee’s nephew, said. “I’m glad we got this and I feel like we’re wrapping up in an appropriate way and a way I think is going to be satisfying for the audience.” WI
This year, millions of people are expected to celebrate Kwanzaa, a non-religious event honoring African-American culture and community. The holiday is celebrated for seven days, starting on December 26 and ending on January 1.
The holiday was created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, an African-American scholar. Karenga created this special holiday to honor African- American heritage in a celebration of family and community.
The word Kwanzaa means first fruits in Swahili, an East African language.
On the last day of Kwanzaa, friends and relatives gather for a feast. People come to honor ancestors, review the past year and make plans for the new year. There is lots of good food, dancing and music.
How many differences can you find between these two pictures?
o you know what that means? Habari Gani is how you say What’s the News? in Swahili. One day you may hear this holiday message as often as you hear Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Happy New Year. Habari Gani? is the ritual greeting of Kwanzaa.
Christmas symbols are the wreath, tree, holly, and more. Hanukkah symbols include the menorah, latkes and gelt. Follow each of the seven mazes below to find the meaning of the seven Kwanzaa symbols.
ARIES As the week starts, it might be tough to focus on work when you want to get out and enjoy time with loved ones, friends, or a significant other. You're extra excitable and want to take life by the horns. Thankfully, later, you get an extra burst of patience and stick-to-itiveness to complete tasks that would otherwise frustrate you. In fact, you could come off as so centered that others gravitate to you for advice and higher-ups applaud your strength and clear judgment. Lucky Numbers: 6, 19, 25
Byc.2022, Bloomsbury $30 / 384 pages
Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer
Every day, you fly just under the radar.
Nobody bothers you because they don't know who you are and that's just fine. As long as you can keep your head down and get stuff done, you'll survive and thrive to work another day. You don't need fame or fortune to have a good life. As in "The New Yorkers" by Sam Roberts, they might come someday anyhow, though.
Through the years, as a writer of "quirky accounts" of New York City, Sam Roberts has come to know many people whose names have been mostly forgotten — people who, in merely living their lives, made an impact on history, America, and The City That Never Sleeps. Here, Roberts presents 31 freshly-awakened tales, beginning with a mystery.
It was a dark and stormy night in September 1609, when John Colman bled to death in a small rowboat in New York Bay. Nobody knows for sure where, exactly, his body was hastily buried; eyewitnesses all agreed that Colman was felled by a Native American arrow. His remains were never recovered, making his death New York City's first cold case.
In many of the city's earliest years, women generally couldn't own property but Anneke Jans Bogardus did. It was a nice piece of land, too, until the British seized it, then it was seized back, and somehow Bogardus lost her property to a church. Well into the last century, her descendants launched lawsuits to regain control over what is now very valuable land.
Capitalist John Jay claimed to despise New York City, but the city wouldn't be what it is today without him. Elma Sands was found dead in a city well, becoming part of America's first "media circus." Thomas Downing, the free son of slaves, built a reputation as a restaurateur in the city, years before the Civil War. John Randel created the city's street grid. Thomas Jennings received one of America's first patents given to a Black inventor. And Philip Payton "transformed the sparsely populated swath of Manhattan … into a fertile destination for mass migration by Black people."
Sometimes, in the whirlwind that this time of year seems to be, it's easy to think that one small life can't make an impact on anything. "The New Yorkers" tells not just a different story, but 31 of them.
You don't have to be a New Yorker or even a big-city dweller to be delighted by the tales that author Sam Roberts offers. Many of these accounts happened when the Big Apple was little more than a seed, back when pigs wandered freely around Manhattan and property was counted in acreage, rather than dollars-per-square-feet. Stories as varied as these really capture the imagination; it helps that Roberts' tales show readers what New York looked like and smelled like, and how it operated during the lives of each of his subjects.
This is history at its most enjoyable, no matter where you live or hail from. If you love a book full of surprises, put "The New Yorkers" on your radar. WI
TAURUS You'll want to put your nose to the grindstone to explore and broaden your horizons in a way that expands your mind and sets the stage for career advancement when the week gets underway. Consider taking a new online course or revisiting old courses of study that you enjoyed tremendously. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 35
GEMINI Doing some soul-searching about how you might want to switch gears with how you're healing old wounds at the beginning of the week. You might discover that it's easier to find a sense of calm mentally and can turn your focus to deep-rooted goals for spiritual growth. Lucky Numbers: 11, 12, 21
CANCER Your wheels will start to turn as you start reflecting on the ways you're relating to others and collaborating with colleagues in the beginning of the week. You might realize that working with different groups or making new friendships would be more fulfilling. No need to make your move just yet. This is simply a key time for reflection. Lucky Numbers: 8, 18, 32
LEO You might be fired up about a work project but also somewhat wired and overly excitable at the start of the week. It wouldn't be surprising if you struggled to figure out exactly what you want to say, because this nervous tension rushing through your veins is making it hard to concentrate. If you feel like you're getting unnecessarily worked up, make sure to take a step back from the task at hand and take a moment to breathe. . Lucky Numbers: 24, 33, 57
VIRGO You might want to reassess how you're finding opportunities to continually learn and foster personal growth early in the week. Meditating on this could lead you down a new path that allows you to switch up your perspective on the world. You'll also do well to be open to ideas from other people and sources than you usually rely on. Lucky Numbers: 2, 19, 37
LIBRA You'll be feeling centered in your feelings and capable of hashing out any kind of tough situation with loved ones as the week gets underway. If you've been meaning to have what you anticipate to be a challenging heart-to-heart talk, this could be a beneficial day to initiate that conversation. By putting it a little extra work and tender care, you could reach a healing resolution. Lucky Numbers: 4, 14, 19
SCORPIO At the start of the week, you could be compelled to reflect on relationships that are no longer serving you and fulfilling you emotionally. If you feel limited and repressed in any way, it might be time to walk away. Lucky Numbers: 31, 38, 42
SAGITTARIUS You could be aggravated if it feels like your plays for joy and creativity are quashed by the powers that be at the beginning of the week. If you've been gunning to take the reins on a creative project or feeling like your artistic impulses have been repressed, you might feel like acting out in defense of your needs. This moment could be a test, nudging you to figure out how you can reach your goals in a more measured way. Lucky Numbers: 12, 20, 34
CAPRICORN You might find the time is right to buckle down and have a deep, meaningful heartto-heart talk with someone special or carve out time to be there for a loved one in need in the beginning of the week. You can bring your wisdom and knowledge from the past to the table and find an emotionally gratifying way forward for everyone involved. Lucky Numbers: 21, 49, 51
AQUARIUS You might be in the beginning stages of changing your perspective on how you're relating to family and what constitutes home at the start of the week. If you're feeling like major changes are afoot, take a deep breath and dive into a journaling exercise or therapy session. Allowing yourself to explore your options without the pressure of having to make a shift right now can be freeing. Lucky Numbers: 4, 15, 34
PISCES Your sensitivity and work ethic make you the perfect referee for any conflicts that might be happening with colleagues or friends at the start of the week. Lucky Numbers: 5, 8, 30
"The New Yorkers: 31 Remarkable People, 400 Years, and the Untold Biography of the World's Greatest City"
Sam Roberts
3 Taylor Heinicke (4) throws a pass during a Washington Commanders loss to the New York Giants 12-20 at FedEx Field in Landover on Dec. 18. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)
4 Kyle Kuzma (33) drives past a defender during a Washington Wizards loss to the Brooklyn Nets, 100-112 at Capital One Arena on Dec. 12. (Abdullah Konte/ The Washington Informer)
5
During the Dec. 18 game against the New York Giants, the Washington Commanders hosted their second annual Shop Black Holiday Market to spotlight Black-owned businesses and Black creatives from our region.
In the West End pavilion, nine different Black-owned restaurants and food trucks offered new and returning customers some delicious food to stay warm in the 33 degree chill.
Gourmet chef James Robinson of Kitchen Cray had a spot on the upper concourse during the game. His restaurant offers a menu including blackened salmon, mumbo shrimp and catfish and grits. There are currently three Kitchen Cray locations in the District, Maryland and Virginia–on H Street Northeast, Lanham and Alexandria, respectively.
“It means a whole lot. This opens up other doors for other opportuni-
ties, a different platform to be seen and to be noticed at.”, said a relative of the owner at the food stand. “For a Black-owned business, that’s a great starting point.”
Everything Legendary, a plantbased burger stand owned and operated by a team of six, offered healthy options.
There were also soul food options, such as Clinton’s Fireman’s Cafe, which specializes in seafood, especially crabs and shrimp.
Ella Ray's Cafe, based in Forestville and operated by North Carolina natives, offers an expansive menu ranging from oxtail and spaghetti to spare ribs and candied yams.
Silver Spring’s Seafood at the Shack gives a Caribbean spin on local seafood, with crab-stuffed plantain, salmon tacos and crab cake fried rice.
The West End Pavilion hosted a bidding process on artwork by Taron Butler, Carl Hall, Julian Gray and Summer Clickscale. All of these
DMV-based artists were selected by the “Command the Canvas,” initiative in May based on original artwork that reflected the image of this area and of the football team.
Hall’s artwork was a rendering of former wide receiver Santana Moss holding up 21 with his fingers in commemoration of the late safety Sean Taylor.
“Santana is a player that embodies the Washington football legacy, and it was an honor to paint him paying tribute to his friend Sean Taylor,” he said at his game day exhibit.
Other local entrepreneurs, such as music artist and WI Contributing Writer Desmond Barnes, were part of the market selling their wares. Barnes is the co-owner of Heart of the City, a candle company. After vending and meeting new customers, Barnes visited a few of the food stands and bought some merchandise to commemorate the day and network among other business owners.
The Commanders’ website hosts a directory of local Black-owned businesses called Shop Black. Businesses ranging from athletics, to faith, to health and wellness are listed and promo codes are offered for some of the listed businesses.
During the game, fashion boutique owner Le’Greg Harrison was awarded a $10,000 Changemaker award by the team.
The game ended in a 20-12 loss, putting the Commanders record to 7-6-1, one game behind the Giants in the hunt for a NFC wild-card playoff spot. The Philadelphia Eagles have already secured the division with their 13-1 record.
On Christmas Eve, the Commanders will play an away game against the San Francisco 49ers and hope to keep their playoff aspirations alive. WI
5 Characters in the Peanut cartoon, adorn the Park on 10th Steet in Northwest on Dec.
17. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
4 Residents in the Stoneybrook Estates neighborhood of Silver Spring are in the Christmas spirit. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
5 A house in Upper Marlboro is lit up for the holidays. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)
4 Residents in the Stoneybrook Estates neighborhood of Silver Spring are in the Christmas spirit. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
Faith leaders primarily from places of worship east of the Anacostia River in the District joined residents in praising God and asking for His help as the city grapples with problems such as persistent gun violence, uneven economic growth, a nagging pandemic and even pastoral burnout.
“You do so many wonderful things,” said Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Washington, D.C. to a crowd of about 150 people at a prayer breakfast held at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Ward 8 in Southeast on Dec. 17. “You do so many wonderful things for people who don’t know how to say thank you.”
Gregory, who delivered the closing prayer, is the first African American to reach the level of cardinal in the Roman Catholic
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then, which gives him an advantage with the material in this national touring company production.
As the clues kept adding up to solve the murder, several characters trip over themselves through a combination of inconsistent alibis and wavering loyalties between friends.
The 2020 Broadway revival of “A Soldier’s Play,” directed by Kenny Leon, won the Tony Award for Best Revival. Leon has done a superb job directing this national touring company at the Kennedy Center. Bringing Lee into the company was easy for Leon. He was familiar with
Church. Gregory supervises about 139 churches and other Catholic programs in the Washington, D.C. area. He also has a voice and vote on high-level church matters such as the selection of a pope.
During his brief remarks before his prayer, Gregory said those in the clergy need to take time out to minister to themselves.
“It’s time we need to pray for ourselves and for one another,” Gregory said.
The constant theme that prayer can make a difference in the lives of District residents resonated throughout the program. Individual pastors prayed for a healthier environment, economic growth, the halting of community violence and stopping the spread of drugs and better police-community relationships. Pastor Reginald Luckett, speaking on fighting gun violence and drugs in the District’s neighborhoods, said prayer is the “key to making the community whole.”
Lee’s work in the original production. Leon also directed Lee in other Broadway productions.
“He knows the character,” Leon said about Lee’s portrayal of Waters.
“I also got to know Charles Fuller over the years before he passed in October,” Leon continued in a one-on-one interview during intermission. “When you combine the work of Eugene Lee with these young actors, then put Norm Lewis with that, you’ve got a great company.”
For tickets and more information on “A Soldier’s Play” visit the Kennedy Center website at www.kennedy-center.org. WI
@bcscomm
“Prayer is the deliverance for our nation,” Luckett said. “We can succeed. No weapon formed against us will prosper.”
The Rev. Anthony Motley, a well-known Ward 8 civic and political activist, touched on police-community relations. He talked about the importance of forgiveness and how it should be practiced by people on both sides of a conflict. Motley also briefly commented that grace must be shown “to those who labor in the vineyards.”
The Rev. Anika Wilson-Brown, the senior pastor at Union Temple Baptist Church in Ward 8,
HAIR from Page 28
with hair assignments on more than 60 TV and film projects..
Early hairstyling roles were with TV series “Third Rock from the Sun” and “Malcolm and Eddie.”
She has led the hair department on several Marvel films, including “Captain Marvel,” “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2,” and others. Friend has also led hair departments for the films “Tenet,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Us.”
She was the personal hairstylist to Samuel L. Jackson in the film “Ptolemy.” Currently in London for a year, Friend is working on the film adaptation of “Wicked.”
“Hair Scholars,” an online
served as the keynote speaker of the event. Wilson-Brown mainly talked about clergy burnout.
“As ministers, we should respect our own well-being,” she said. “We seem to ignore our own selves to care for others.”
Wilson-Brown said pastors should be intentional when praying for the uplifting of their psyches.
“We have to be on point when praying for words of encouragement,” she said. “Even when we need encouragement ourselves. The preacher needs a pastor.”
Wilson-Brown admitted that she didn’t have the answers to
problems the clergy deal with. But she reminded the audience that “it is God that sustains you.”
Throughout the event, were performances of inspirational songs such as “I Need You to Survive”, “Worth” and “Mary, Did You Know.” While the songs were sung, people rose out of their chairs and swayed to the singer’s words and a few even danced a little to the rhythm of the beat.
While the prayer breakfast focused on spiritual renewal, politics made its way into the discourse. D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) talked about the importance of staying engaged in the city’s political process.
training school created by Friend, aims to bring diversity and inclusion into film and television hairstyling.
“We’ve set up full online classes about styling hair and wigs,” Friend said. “But we want to teach people how to get into the business and how to become a department head.”
“Hair Scholars” feeds Friend’s love for connecting with stylists. After all, she is a super hairstylist.
“I love teaching. It fulfills me in a whole different way,” Friend said. “I really feel blessed to be able to do this.
WI
@bcscomm
“When I came onto the Council in 2017, the District had a $14 billion budget,” White said. “Now the budget is up to $20 billion. It is important that we as Black people learn as much as we can about the budget process so we can get as much as we can.”
Sheila Bunn, the chief of staff for D.C. Council member Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7), spoke on behalf of her boss, who could not attend the event. Bunn emphasized the importance of political engagement, and she stressed the clergy plays an important role in city affairs.
wI
A new year, a new you! The beginning of yet another new year is only days away, let us begin to put in some extra time considering what each of us should consider changing in our lives. We must make the necessary changes in the way we live our lives. It's time to ask yourself, why go through life doing the same old thing, day after day, month after month, and year after year! It is not beneficial to continue to live your lives without new experiences, it's time for change. We would not have moved up from kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade without learning something new each and every year!
Does this topic bring some new and exciting things to mind that you are interested in? My older brother who is now 78 years old has decided to learn how to use his computer. Though he has put this off all of his life, it has suddenly become of interest to him. When the student is ready, the teacher
Let's take a look at some examples that you can relate to. Colonel Sanders is best known for creating a fried chicken recipe that would become the world's fast-food chicken chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken. Colonel Harland Sanders was born on Sept. 9, 1890, in Henryville, Indiana. While running a popular Kentucky service station that also served food, his fried chicken was so good that he was designated as a Kentucky colonel. Eventually, Sanders focused on franchising his fried chicken business around the country, collecting a payment for each chicken sold to become the world's largest fast-food chicken chain.
Each of us can do more than we think. Research has proven how "learned behavior" can affect us. An excellent example is when an elephant is young and small, his owner will chain him to a large tree. The young elephant will try to break free of the chain, but because he is so small and the tree is so large, he is unable to break free.
Over time, as the elephant keeps trying to break free, he eventually learns that when he has a chain around his ankle, he cannot break free. He is constrained. Eventually, he just stops trying. Even as the elephant grows larger and stronger, he continues to remember, by associating the chain around his
ankle with a physical constraint. He simply tells himself, "I cannot break free from this chain." He is unable to realize as a baby elephant that his strength alone could help him break free. How can he know?
He's never been a grown-up elephant. His little mind doesn't know what it does not know.
This is why you can see a grown, seven-ton elephant chained to a small piece of wood lodged in the ground. He won't try to break free, even though we know he easily could. He is still under the impression that he cannot; that chain equals physical constraint. This story tells us a lot about implied limitations.
Les Brown taught all of us speakers that we must fail our way to success. He told us that each time we fail, we will learn not to do that same thing again the next time, and thus we will be moving ourselves forward. Failure is not an option. It will happen to everyone. It is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.
My challenge to each of you is to try something new this year! In the words of the late, great Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, "If it is to be, it's up to me!" Start writing your list of things to do in a new journal now so you can be ready to take the necessary steps to make your change happen. WI
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 Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org
Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor
700 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
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
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
Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor
5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555
Services and Times
Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45 AM Church School: 9:30 AM
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45 AM
Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute
Wednesday , 12:30 PM Mid-Day Bible Study
Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 AM
“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org / E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net
Reverend John W. Davis
Pastor
5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011
Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089
Service and Times
Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., Pastor
2498 Alabama Ave., SE Washington D.C. 20020
Office: (202) 889-7296 / Fax: (202) 889-2198 www.acamec.org
Service and Times
Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM
Sunday Church School 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30 AM
2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM
Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM
Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM
“The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
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
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor
800 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”
Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; 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
Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor
1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018
Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661
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
Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews
St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011
Services and Times
Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service
Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM
Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM
Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM
Communion every Sunday: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 PM Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org / Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com
Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays)
Communion 10 a.m. 4th Sunday
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.)
Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
“A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org
Virgil
421 Alabama Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032
Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445
Service and Times
Sunday School: 10:15 AM
Sunday Worship Service: 11;15 AM
Children’s Church: 11:15 AM
Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM
Motto : “A Great Commitment to the
Great Commandment”
Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: gr8luv4u2@gmail.com
Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor
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
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
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
St. Luke Baptist Church
Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis
Pastor
1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940
Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM
Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun.
Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon
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
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
Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor
2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730
Service and Times
Sunday School: 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM
Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM
Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM
Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM
“Where Jesus is the King”
2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax
“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
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001
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
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert
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
Noontime Bible Study: Tuesday @ 12:00pm
Prayer Meeting/Bible Study: Tuesday @7:00pm
Theme: "Building On A Firm Foundation"
Email: revprbstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org
mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
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.
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
New Commandment Baptist Church
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”
Dr. Joseph D. Turner / Senior Pastor
2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 Fax 202-678-3304
Service and Times
Early Worship Service: 8:00 AM Worship Service: 11:00 AM
New Member’s Class: 9:45 AM
Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM Church School: 9:45 AM Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study
Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00 PM Saturday Bible Study: 11:00 AM Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00 AM
“Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”
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 Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org
Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor
602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480
Fax: (202) 289-4595
Service and Times
Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM
Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM
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 “
Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator
6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065
Service and Times
Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Friday Evening Service: 7:00 PM ; Last Friday
“…Giving Your Life a Meaning”
www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com
Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 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
Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor
2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018
Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738
Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001313
Estate of Alonzo Lee Williams
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Elmore Manuel Williams and Deborah Cason Daniel, 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 Elmore Manuel Williams and Deborah Cason Daniel, Esq. unsupervised personal representatives
Date of first publication: 12/8/2022
Elmore M. Williams
Deborah Cason Daniel, Esq. 51 Hamilton Street, NW/503 D St. NW #200, WDC
Petitioner/Attorney:
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001259
David A. Thomas, Jr. Decedent
Mary L. McKinnon-Thomas, whose address is 11720 Redwood Dr., E. Brandywine, MD 20613, was appointed Personal
Representative of the estate of David A. Thomas, Jr. who died on February 22, 2022 with 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 (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 Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/8/2023. 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 6/8/2023, 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: 12/8/2022
Mary L. McKinnon-Thomas Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001324
Estate of Charles R. Scott Sr.
NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Pamela L. Nichols 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.
Admit to probate the will dated 6/6/2012 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise
Date of first publication: 12/8/2022
Howard Haley
The Haley Firm, PC 7600 Georgia Ave. NW #416 Washington, DC 20012
Petitioner/Attorney:
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2021 ADM 000677
Vester L. Chandler aka Vester Lee Chandler Decedent
Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney
Akia J. Turner, whose address is 631 71st Street, Capitol Heights, MD 20743, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Vester L. Chandler aka Vester Lee Chandler who died on 12/27/2020 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 6/8/2023. 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 6/8/2023, 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: December 8, 2022
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2022 ADM 0001307
Estate of Leonder L. Lee, Sr. aka Leonder Leopold Lee, Sr.
Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Lorna L. Washington 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.
Admit to probate the Will dated October 13, 2016 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise
Date of first publication: December 8, 2022 Glenda M. Wheeler Allen, Esq. Law Office of Glenda M. Wheeler 808 E. Street, NE Suite A Washington DC 20002 Petitioner/Attorney:
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001272
Doris Brewer Thomas Decedent
Michelle Lanchester, Esq. 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 900, South Building Washington, DC 20004 Attorney
Demetra Brewer Darlington, whose address is 3702 Melrose Ave., District Heights, MD 20747, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Doris Brewer Thomas who died on 2/6/2022 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 6/8/2023. 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 6/8/2023, 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: 12/8/2022
Demetra Brewer Darlington Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 1204
Catherine L. Held aka Catherine Louise Held aka Catherine L. Carney aka Catherine Louise Carney Decedent
Robin L. Hermann, whose address is 17805 Shady Mill Rd., Derwood, MD 20855, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Catherine L. Held aka Catherine Louise Held aka Catherine L. Carney aka Catherine Louise Carney who died on October 8, 2022 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.
Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Robin L. Hermann Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001316
Reginald A. Matthews aka Reginald Matthews Decedent
Leta M. Jackson, Esquire Legal Counsel for the Elderly 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 Attorney
Deborah Selena Matthews, whose address is 5032 Benning Road, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Reginald A. Matthews aka Reginald Matthews who died on 1/26/2021 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 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 1247
Lamont J. Meredith Decedent
Deborah D. Boddie Probate Law DC 1308 Ninth Street, NW Ste. 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney
Geraldine Meredith, whose address is 1610 Monroe Street, NE, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lamont J. Meredith who died on June 5, 2018 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 6/8/2023. 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 6/8/2023, 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: 12/8/2022
Geraldine Meredith 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
2022 ADM 001003
Donna Waters Green Decedent
Iris McCollum Green, Esquire 1714 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009
Attorney
Daquan Green, whose address is 1219 Holbrook Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Donna Waters Green who died on April 16, 2020 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 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Daquan Green 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
2022 ADM 001311
Ricardo Dixon DecedentRegina Jenkins-Dixon, whose address is 435 Oakwood St. SE Washington DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Ricardo Dixon who died on 12/13/2020 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 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Regina Jenkins-Dixon Personal Representative TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington InformerBarbara Jean Scott Decedent
Walter M. Scott Jr., whose address is 14556 Eastman Street, Woodbridge, VA 22193, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Barbara Jean Scott who died on August 22, 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 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Walter M. Scott Jr. Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001292
Lennie Mae Coleman Decedent
Mildred Lavonne Gooden, whose address is 3104 M Pl SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lennie Mae Coleman who died on July 14, 2022 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 FEP 000140
February 8, 2012 Date of Death
Linda A. Wyche-Edwards Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Thomas C. Wyche, whose address is 823 Crittenden Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Linda A. Wyche-Edwards, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on 3/19/12.
Service of process may be made upon Thomas C. Wyche 823 Crittenden St. NW, Washington, DC 20011 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.
The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate.
728 Crittenden Street NE Washington DC 20011. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: 12/22/2022
Thomas C. Wyche
Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills
Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 000923
Shirley D. Baber aka Shirley Baber Decedent
Kimberly Baber-Greenwood, whose address is 1908 Sahara Lane Bowie MD 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley D. Baber aka Shirley Baber who died on 7/4/2021 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Kimberly Baber-Greenwood Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division
Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 001291
Rosalyn Ann Matthews Carry Decedent
Rayton Carry, whose address is 918 Alabama Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rosalyn Ann Matthews Carry who died on December 7, 2020 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 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Rayton Carry Personal Representative
Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2021 ADM 001201
James L. Anthony Decedent
Yolanda Anthony, whose address is 2225 Savannah Terr., SE #14 Washington, DC, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James L. Anthony who died on 10/12/2016 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 (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 Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 6/15/2023. 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 6/15/2023, 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: 12/15/2022
Yolanda Anthony 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
2022 FEP 138
February 2, 2020 Date of Death
Rubin J. Reid Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Cassandra Reid/Garrick Reid whose addresses are 4000 E Street, SE, Unit 103, WDC 20019 /6200 Westchester Pk. Dr. #1806, College Park, MD 20740 were appointed personal representatives of the estate of Rubin J. Reid, deceased, by the Office of the Register of Wills Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on June 15, 2020.
Service of process may be made upon Cassandra Reid 4000 E Street SE, Unit 103, Washington, DC 20019 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.
The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate.
4000 E Street SE, Unit 103, Washington, DC 20019. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: 12/22/2022
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
2022 ADM 1382
Gertrude Pringle Peoples Decedent
Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street NE Washington DC 20002 Attorney
Sharon R. Pringle, whose address is 3405 Highland Dr., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gertrude Pringle Peoples who died on June 5, 2020 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 6/22/2023. 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 6/22/2023, 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: 12/22/2022
SUPERIOR COURT
Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2022 ADM 001333
Matricia N. Zeigler Decedent
Angela Zeigler, whose address is 2837 Robinson Place SE #303 Washington DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Matricia N. Zeigler who died on 8/22/2022 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 6/22/2023. 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 6/22/2023, 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: 12/22/2022
Angela Zeigler
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
2022 ADM 001298
James L. Brown Decedent
Peggy A. Miller, Esq. 5130 7th St. NE Washington, DC 20011-2625
Attorney
Crystal Y. Rice and Marcus Brown, whose addresses are 6008 Rosedale Dr., Hyattsville, MD 20783 and 945 Newington Ct., Capitol Heights, MD 20743, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of James L. Brown who died on April 13, 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 6/22/2023. 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 6/22/2023, 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: 12/22/2022
Crystal Y. Rice Marcus Brown Personal Representative TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington InformerReader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the following classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication.
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MORIAL from Page 27 mortgage lending lawsuits brought to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, which illuminated widespread discriminatory practices, including loan officers who "referred to subprime loans in minority communities as 'ghetto loans' and minority customers as… 'mud people.'
The consequences of these acts are reflected in the data: in the National Urban League's State of Black America 2022 Equality Index, Black Americans are less likely to be approved for mortgages than white Americans, at a disparity rate of 41%.
Traditionally, decision-making authority at banks has been the bastion of middle- and upper-class white males. A clear solution to this issue is to invest and strengthen Black-owned banks, of which there is an incredible need. In our 2022 State of Black America Report we found that the number of Black-owned banks has dwindled immensely over the years. Between 1888 and 1934, there were 134 Black-owned banks to help the Black community. Today, there are only 19 Black-owned banks that qualify as Minority Depository Institutions.
Due to historic undercapitalization, Black banks are small, with average assets of $363 million compared to $4 billion for all U.S. banks. The small number of Black banks and their small asset size limits their overall impact. A century of data proves that Black banks matter. When there is a Black bank in a community, Black people are more likely to be able to buy a home or secure a small business loan. These institutions help minorities build wealth by providing mortgages, small business loans, and financial services when others will not. That is why the work of uplifting Black banks is so vital.
There is work being done at the federal level and additional bipartisan solutions that Congress and the Executive Branch can take to address these ills and barriers. The National Urban League has partnered with both to be part of the solution, because just as redlining and disinvestment in communities of color is contagious, so is "greenlining" and reinvestment in those communities.
In March of this year, the Treasury Department certified the Na-
be peace on earth and good will toward men. It will be a glorious day, the morning stars will sing together, and the sons of God will shout for joy."
COOPER from Page 26
who we invited, we started with countries that are in good standing with the African Union. So, there are four countries that have had unconstitutional changes to the government that have been suspended from the African Union: Guinea, Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso. And then we do not have full diplomatic relations with Eritrea, so they were not invited as well.”
During the course of the day, a host of multimillion-dollar investments were announced to increase African exports, boost infrastructure and private investments, as well as accelerate innovation across the continent. Over the course of the Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration announced plans to invest at least $55 billion in Africa between now and 2025.
Other Summit highlights included announcements by President Biden for the African Union to officially become a member of the Group of 20 (G20), a global forum for major economies. Stated the President, “Africa belongs at the table in every room where global
Decades later, Dr. King's dream remains deferred, but every generation has a new chance to bend the arc of the moral universe closer towards justice, equality, goodwill towards all, and peace. Fifty-five years after Dr. King
challenges are being discussed, and in every institution where discussions are taking place.” The White House also announced the establishment of a New Diaspora Council. The executive order directs the U.S. Secretary of State to establish the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States (PAC-ADE), for the purpose of deepening “the dialogue between U.S. officials and the African Diaspora.”
Longtime American diplomat and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Africa Johnnie Carson has been named by the President as the Special Presidential Representative for U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Implementation. During his distinguished thirty-seven-year career, Ambassador Carson has also held diplomatic postings in Botswana, Mozambique and Nigeria, in addition to being a Peace Corp volunteer in Tanzania.
Ambassador Young, at age 90, continues to believe that strengthening ties between the United States and Africa can be mutually beneficial to both continents- listen to Africa, America.
For me, a highlight of the Summit was sitting in the U.S.-Africa Business Forum’s Deal Room at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Prosper Africa is a White House initiative operated out of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) designed to bring together services of the U.S. government and assist companies and investors to facilitate business here and in African markets. The Deal Room, an ongoing Prosper Africa initiative, connects American investors with African businesses seeking capital. The deal opportunities showcased at the Summit, and otherwise, have been curated by on-the-ground experts.
I commend the Biden Administration for bringing African leaders to Washington. Indeed, the timing is always right to not only ask Africa, “How can we help you?” but more importantly, to listen. However, the United States must also begin asking Africa, “How can you help America?” WI
MARSHALL from Page 26 the degree of wisdom, good judgment, and common sense to discern that both sides are at fault. Before Donald Trump, never has a former or current president called for the termination of the U.S. Constitution. Rep. Cheney, who has picked up a solid national following among moderate Democrats and Republicans alike, denounced the former president's statements. "No honest person can now deny that Trump is an enemy of the Constitution," Cheney said. The congresswoman is correct, and we can only hope that enough of those who were previously duped and misled will now start to wake up.
Marcus Tullius Cicero was the last true defender of the Roman Empire, and his story sounds very familiar when compared to today's politics. Cicero was a loyal politician to the Roman Republic and viewed the informal alliance known as the First Triumvirate to be in direct opposition to the principles of the republic
and the authority of the Senate. By refusing to join this alliance, Cicero was vulnerable to attacks from his political enemies, which became an issue when he was criticized for speaking out against the political figure and tribune, Publius Clodius.
Ironically, it is the same reaction Cheney and Kinzinger received by GOP lawmakers when taking a stand against Trump. When Clodius was elected as a tribune, he introduced a bill that revoked the citizenship of anyone who killed a Roman citizen without granting them a trial, a move designed to punish Cicero for his role in putting down an uprising known as the Catalonian rebellion.
Cicero ordered the execution of revolutionaries without a trial due to the urgent need to end the dangerous rebellion. With no allies remaining to protect him from Clodius' attack, Cicero fled Rome and lived in exile. When resisting the rise of dictatorship, Cicero once said, "the enemy is within the gates; it is our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality
that we have to contend." His political opinions were not always popular, and he was ultimately declared a public enemy and executed.
History has a way of repeating itself. Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger are the modern-day versions of Cicero. What was true of the government of the Roman Republic is also true with today's U.S. government. The enemies of democracy and the Constitution are within our gates with folly and criminality. With Cheney and Kinzinger now "exiled," who on the Republican side will join Democrat lawmakers in resisting this internal folly and crime? The battle among House Republicans over the speakership is a preview of the next two years. A small band of GOP opportunists has already signaled to their colleagues that any willful group can hold the entire House majority hostage over any issue they want, making governing and accountability impossible. The 2024 elections can't come soon enough.
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guilty party! There were more police than there were of us!
Arriving at the site, I thought about Ida B. Wells in the 1890s enduring the dangers of working for ending the lynching of Black people. Over 130 years later and 67 years since 1955, we must still seek justice for Emmett's murder.
In 2009, Dick Gregory, Janet Langhart Cohen, Mark Planning and I worked diligently for a simple apology from the United States Senate
for never having apologized for this dastardly crime. After much effort, we were successful. Notwithstanding, it was another 13 years before the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching law criminalized lynching!
Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett Till's mother, demonstrated her immense courage by allowing the world to see the horrors of racism by allowing the full display of her son's body. Her faith in securing justice never wavered, but she died without realizing justice for the kidnapping and murder of her only child.
Since Aug. 28, 1955, while Emmett lay cold and dead, and Mamie suffered from loss that only a mother could know, Carolyn Bryant has lived an unmolested existence provided by a racist justice system and a social structure willing to ignore the horrors perpetrated against African Americans.
The president and Congress must advocate for the justice denied to Mamie Till-Mobley. The Department of Justice must serve the warrant on Carolyn Bryant to begin the overdue process of attaining justice. WI
this so acceptable? High school administrators say the N-word is "only a word." But it is also the last word our ancestors heard before they were lynched. It is the word that was used to marginalize and criminalize. It is a word that sometimes seeps into the lexicon, a word that some say stings less when uttered as "nigga" instead of "n—r." But it is also a word that is historically objectionable.
The white administrators who said a word is just a word aren't so weak on enforcement when other ethnic slurs are used. They wouldn't say a word was just a word if they were called out of their name. When a young girl complains about racist hazing, administrators need to stop
MORIAL from Page 27
tional Urban League's small business lending subsidiary, The Urban Empowerment Fund, as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), bolstering its ability to deliver vital capital to urban communities. The Fund provides direct loans to Black and other minority-owned businesses in tandem with select Urban League Entrepreneurship Centers, which are currently operating in thirteen Urban League affiliate cities.
Perhaps one of our greatest achievements to date, however, will be the opening of the National Urban League's new headquarters, the Urban League Empowerment Center. Our new home is not just a home for us, it is a $242 million, 414,000-square-foot investment in the community. Our Empowerment Center is one of the most significant economic development projects in Harlem's recent history. And in constructing it, we are leading with our values. In addition to affordable housing, we are using
it. They should not protect the intellectually challenged white boy who insisted that he could use slurs because he was empowered to do so. Autumn complained. Her parents complained. Nothing happened. The young lady felt powerless and alone. The entire school system is at fault because they looked away from the madness of racial hazing. But we are also all at fault because we have normalized anti-Blackness.
Racist violence, whether verbal or physical, is the norm in this nation. It seems OK for white folks to haze, harass and demean Black people. It is unacceptable, and there need to be consequences, not just for those who attacked and hazed Autumn, but for all of those who choose to haze and attack Black children in ed-
minority and women-owned contractors and businesses throughout the building's conceptualization to construction — from our owners' representative to our construction firms to our professional services firms. Our project — built in one of the toughest real estate markets in the world — is on time, on budget, embraced by the community, and slated to open fully by early 2025.=
ucation systems all over the nation. Too many people think that racism is "no big thing." It's not a big thing for ignorant, myopi, and unaffected people. But for Autumn, an ambitious young woman who has been scarred by these incidents because myopically ignorant white administrators failed to take action, it's a big thing.
What action can we take as a collective? What can we do? As we end the year and make those empty resolutions, let's make one with teeth. Let's resolve to put an end to virulent anti-Blackness. Let's support Autumn and every young student dealing with racist administrators. Let's work to get them out of the jobs they do not deserve. Let's say no more as emphatically as we can. WI
ing executives named themselves allies in the fight against systemic racism, these lawsuits feel like a betrayal to communities who have been too long discriminated against by these institutions.
The Fair Access to Financial Services Act has an opportunity to build upon the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and regulatory protections by ensuring that all Americans have equal access to goods and services offered by financial institutions and that they are held liable if they do not comply with these standards. The legislation would prohibit banking and other financial institutions from conducting discriminatory practices and services on the basis race, color, religion, national origin, or sex — closing the gap and fulfilling the spirit of the Civil Rights Act to ensure that all people in this country have access to economic equity and empowerment. Congress must take action to advance and pass this critical piece of legislation.
bank-
In 2010, Congress passed, and the President signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Not only did this bill prohibit some of the most outrageous practices witnessed by predatory banking lenders, but it also created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). We are disappointed by recent actions and court rulings aimed at preventing the CFPB from using its existing authority to protect consumers from racial discrimination when seeking mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, bank accounts or other financial services. Just two years
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Many Black District residents face hurdles to receiving high-quality, accessible & timely healthcare, which is why disrupting health disparities is a high priority for AARP.
AARP DC wants to better understand your experiences accessing healthcare, the quality of the healthcare in your community, and obstacles to accessing healthcare.
AARP wants to hear from you! Scan the QR Code with your phone to take the anonymous health disparities survey.
