The Washington Informer - February 6, 2025

5 Search and rescue efforts take place early on Jan. 30 at Gravelly Point, along the Potomac River, after a fatal midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed more than 60 people the night before.

Nation Remembers 67 People Killed in Midair Collision, President and Allies Blame DEI for Crash

Airport Employee Recalls Moment of Crash, Flyers Talk Feelings of Safety

By Stacy M. Brown, Jada Ingleton, Demarco Rush

WI Senior Writer, WI Digital Equity Fellow, WI Contributing Writer

It was just a normal weeknight at Reagan National Airport (DCA) for LaVar Swann when he heard

Students,

a loud noise that made him temporarily pause. However, it would take a few moments before Swann, a greeter at DCA, began piecing together something devastating had happened.

“It was loud as hell,” Swann said, recalling the noise that he would later learn was the tragic collision of an American Airlines jet carrying 64 pas-

COLLISION Page 50

Parents and Elected Officials Tackle In-School Cell Phone Use

A Debate Rages about Public Safety, Students’ Ability to Research

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

As locally elected officials get to work on resolutions and legislation about student cell phone use, one of the state board’s youngest representatives said he wants to ensure that the devices don’t become a scapegoat for low academic achievement.

D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) Student Representative Calique Barnes currently counts among those who are organizing against an outright cell phone ban, much

SCHOOL CELL PHONE Page 34

5 D.C.

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

A dozen D.C. Council members—all part of an ad-hoc committee formed in the aftermath of then Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember Trayon White’s (D) federal bribery charge— kicked off the second legislative meeting of Council Period 26 with a unanimous vote in favor of his expulsion from the council.

This decision ends a weeks-long endeavor by White, his former attorney, and a cadre of supporters, to prevent the loss of a seat that he won in his second successful re-election bid, even with an indictment over his head.

In the moments leading up to the council’s vote on Feb. 4, D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large), ad-hoc committee chair and longtime ally of now former Ward 8 Councilmember White, directly addressed

EXPELLED Page 52

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

On Feb. 4, a dozen members of the D.C. Council kicked off the second legislative meeting of Council Period 26 with the unanimous approval of then-D.C. Councilmember Trayon White’s expulsion from his seat.

(Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5Trayon White, Sr. after the D.C. Council’s unanimous vote to expel the Ward 8 council member on Feb. 4. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

State Board of Education Student Representative Calique Barnes currently counts among those who are organizing against an outright cell phone ban in D.C. public schools. (Courtesy Photo)

5Friends, family, and supporters of Trayon White form a prayer circle around the former Ward 8 D.C. Council member at the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest, D.C. before the legislative body voted to expel him on Feb. 4. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

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wi hot topics

GOP Officials Privately Admit

BY STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER; BRENDA C. SILER,WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER; JADA INGLETON,WI DIGITAL EQUITY FELLOW

Trump’s Federal

Buyout Plan Violates Federal Law

Federal employees across the country received an email Monday morning that has concerned labor advocates and lawmakers: a directive from the Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) outlining a “deferred resignation program” that offers workers guaranteed pay and benefits until Sept. 30—months beyond the government’s current funding deadline.

Legal experts, state attorneys general, and labor organizations are warning that the administration’s move is not only legally dubious but outright illegal. It violates the Anti-Deficiency Act, which bars the government from spending money that Congress has not authorized.

GOP Officials Acknowledge Buyout Program Is Illegal

In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

PUBLISHER

Denise Rolark Barnes

STAFF

Micha Green, Managing Editor

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Ra-Jah Kelly, Digital Asset Manager

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REPORTERS

Stacy Brown, National Reporter

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Newsletter Editor

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INTERNS

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While congressional Republicans have remained largely silent, GOP officials privately admit that the Trump administration’s offer to pay federal employees beyond the government’s mid-March funding deadline violates federal law.

“This is an outright violation of federal law,” one Republican official told CBS News.

State Attorneys General Warn Federal Employees to Avoid the Scheme

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined 11 other states in cautioning federal employees against the Trump administration’s proposal, calling it an attack on the government’s ability to serve the public.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

On Watch: The Future of American Arts Programs

The last week in January saw two significant resignations in the arts world. Deborah Rutter, who became president of the Kennedy Center in 2014, stated her tenure will conclude at the end of 2025. In addition, Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) since last year, left her position on Jan. 20.

During Rutter’s years at the Kennedy Center, the institution saw growth in its fundraising and the expansion of the Center with the opening of the REACH, a combined performance and education space. The Center’s board has formed a search committee.

David M. Rubenstein, Kennedy Center board chairman, emphasized Rutter’s contributions to the arts center.

“Her legacy will be the Center’s increased relevance, visibility, and physical footprint,” said Rubenstein, a philanthropist and businessman. “She also led the organization in welcoming new art

forms and audiences and unprecedented fundraising.” Jackson headed NEA, an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of arts and arts education in communities nationwide. The agency also is a catalyst for public and private support for the arts.

Founded in 1965 during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, the NEA oversees three extensive grant programs for arts organizations and research. The independent organization presents two lifetime achievement awards: NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships, the nation’s highest honor in jazz, and National Heritage Fellowships, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. NEA oversees the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the U.S. government and presented by the President.

Jackson was the first African American and Mexican American confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead NEA. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Beyoncé Wins Album of the Year, Black Artistry Triumphs at 67th Grammy Awards

Fifth time’s the charm for Beyoncé who received her first-ever Album of the Year title on Sunday at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, culminating a 15-year journey to the coveted award and the first category win for a Black woman since “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1999.

“I just feel very full and very honored,” Beyoncé said during her acceptance speech on Feb. 2. “It’s been many, many years.”

Despite first being nominated for “I Am…Sasha

Fierce” in 2010, as well as being the most awarded artist in Grammys history, Beyoncé finally accepted the highest honor of the night for her 2024 country record, “Cowboy Carter.” She dedicated the win – one of three – to Linda Martell, the first Black woman to break through in country music and a featured collaborator on the album.

“I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors,” she said.

Hosted annually by The Recording Academy, the 67th Grammy Awards was a celebratory night for groundbreaking Black artistry across the board.

While Doechii and Tems snagged their first solo wins, jazz vocalist Samara Joy and R&B prodigy SZA, respectively, became five-time Grammy winners.

Meanwhile Kendrick Lamar swept with summer rap hit “Not Like Us,” which earned a total five Grammys, including Record of the Year—the first-ever for a diss-track. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5Beyoncé is the first Black woman to win a Grammy for Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill in 1999. (Courtesy Photo)

Remembering ‘The People’s Emcee’: Dr. Renee Allen

Longtime Friends, Community Leaders

Celebrate Allen’s Legacy at Homegoing Service

By Jada Ingleton WI Digital Equity Fellow

Sixty-three years of life, joy and imminent compassion shone bright on Feb. 1 as hundreds of family and friends gathered to honor the life of Dr. Renee Starlynn Allen, affectionately known in the DMV as “The People’s Emcee,” who died Jan. 20 in Fort Washington, Maryland.

The homegoing service – held at The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square in Upper Marlboro, Maryland – was as much a celebration of life as a moment of closure for the many individuals whose lives are forever changed by Allen’s everlasting legacy of service and empowerment.

“People will say, rest in power, and there's no one else I could say that more about [than] Renee Allen,” said Wanika Fisher (D-District 2), Prince’s George’s council member in an interview with The Informer. “Everything she did, she brought electricity to. She's the emcee of Prince George's County, and we will miss her greatly.”

CELEBRATION OF LIFE AT THE SANCTUARY

Per instructions from Allen, a U.S. Navy veteran, the afternoon of honor was executed to the minute.

The memorial kicked off with a viewing at The Sanctuary before a packed house of elected officials, delegates, and dozens of supporters gathered for mutual support and to share memories of Allen’s unshakable imprint across the DMV.

“Classy, sassy and fashionable, that's what she was,” said Be There Magazine Publisher Russell Price Jr. “She loved people…[they] loved her.”

Guests were donned in black and pink with breast cancer symbols and floral arrangements. Service participants read empowering scriptures and musical tributes reflecting Allen’s strong belief system–a posthumous reiteration that her passing is not of sorrow, but a spiritual return to God.

Additionally, the program featured a narrated media slideshow and com-

forting reflections from loved ones, all culminating in a powerful eulogy from Dr. Jasmin “Jazz” Sculark, lead pastor of Victory Grace Center, which live streamed the service.

As she sported a unique undertone cross necklace gifted to her from Allen last year, Sculark told The Informer:

“It is a victory day…but it’s bittersweet. I wish I didn’t have to give a eulogy, but she’s been a great woman.”

‘BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL’ VOICE FOR THE DMV

After a nearly three-hour service of reverence, it was abundantly clear that “The People’s Emcee” meant more than being a well-known master of ceremonies in the DMV area.

“When we didn’t have a voice, [Allen] had a voice for us. When we couldn’t stand up for ourselves, she stood up for us,” said Sculark during her eulogy. “And just like who she is… she’s leaving on the love month. She’s leaving [in] a month that exemplifies who she is.”

Originally raised in Connecticut, Allen leveraged a career in multiple fields and acts of service, notably dedicating decades to youth advocacy and education, as well as taking on leadership roles in organizations like Sisters 4 Sisters Network, Inc., We Will Survive Cancer, and American Mothers, Inc., to serve others in a broad capacity.

Her reputation as a television and radio personality, community organizer and decorated United States Navy veteran of 22 years precedes her, and has earned multiple accolades including the 2022 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

Posthumously, Allen’s local contributions were touted in memorial citation proclamations on Feb. 1, including from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (presented by First Lady of the State, Dawn Moore) on behalf of the state, and the Maryland General Assembly who described Allen as a “lifelong advocate for the betterment of all those around her.”

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

3 Pastor Dr. Jasmin “Jazz” Sculark reflects on the life and legacy of Dr. Renee Allen on Feb. 1 at The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square, touting the late media professional as a “marketing genius” who was bold, beautiful, and constantly shining on others. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

black AROUND THE REGION

FEB. 6 - 12, 2025

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

FEB. 6

1882 – Famed Black poet and civil rights activist Anne Spencer is born in Henry County, Virginia.

1933 – Walter E. Fauntroy, longtime former delegate to the U.S. Congress and former pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in the District, is born in D.C. 1945 – Reggae music icon Bob Marley is born in Jamaica's Saint Ann Parish.

1993 – Tennis great Arthur Ashe dies in New York City from AIDS-related pneumonia at age 49.

FEB. 7

1887 – Famed pianist Eubie Blake is born in Baltimore.

1965 – Comedian and actor Chris Rock is born in Andrews, South Carolina.

1974 – The Caribbean country of Grenada declares its independence from the United Kingdom.

1991 – Jean-Bertrand Aristide takes the oath of office as Haiti's first democratically elected president.

FEB. 8

1944 – Harry S. McAlpin becomes the first African American journalist admitted to a White House press conference.

1986 – Oprah Winfrey becomes the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show.

FEB. 9

1944 – Writer Alice Walker, author of "The Color Purple," is born in Putnam County, Georgia.

1965 – Martin Luther King Jr. meets with President

Lyndon Johnson to discuss Black voting rights.

1971 – Pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige becomes the first Negro League veteran to be nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1995 – Bernard Harris becomes the first Black astronaut to walk in space.

FEB. 10

1927 – World renowned opera singer Leontyne Price is born in Laurel, Mississippi.

1939 – Singer Roberta Flack is born in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

1992 – Author Alex Haley of "Roots" dies in Seattle of a heart attack at 70.

FEB. 11

1920 – U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general, is born in Pensacola, Florida.

1977 – Clifford Alexander Jr. is confirmed as the first Black secretary of the U.S. Army.

1990 – Human rights activist Nelson Mandela is released from a South African prison after serving 27 years.

FEB. 12

1909 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is founded after race riots in Springfield, Illinois.

1926 – Historian Carter G. Woodson founds Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.

1983 – Famed pianist Eubie Blake dies in Brooklyn, New York, at 96. WI

BOB MARLEY

ROBERTA FLACK

AROUND THE REGION

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

In line with the presidential attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), major corporations have rolled back their DEI initiatives, including Target, drawing ire from its Black-owned brands and its customer base. What are your thoughts?

DENISE WILLIAMS / WASHINGTON, D.C.

CRYSTAL HOWARD / OMAHA, NEB.

Target is not the end all be all. It’s time for group economics like Dr. Claude Anderson has been advocating.

These businesses need their own websites. Target and others can kick rocks.

DEBORAH BOSTICK / WASHINGTON, D.C.

TERI T. / PENSACOLA, FLA.

People, especially Black people, need to go to their corporate website and read what they’ve chosen to do. It’s not only DEI initiatives, but initiatives that were specific to Black business owners and their own Black employees! It’s disgusting and blatant racism!

They don’t care about their Black patronage today or tomorrow. Save yourself the trouble of shopping with them and buy direct from the vendors online and buy often.

KEVIN ANDERSON / PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

Stop supporting businesses that don’t support you.

Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.

AROUND THE REGION

D.C. Attorney General Sues Petra Management for Illegal Housing Discrimination Scheme

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against Petra Management Group, LLC, and its affiliated property owners, accusing them of operating an unlawful scheme to exploit housing subsidies while systematically excluding non-voucher tenants from rent-controlled apartments.

The lawsuit, filed in D.C. Superior Court, targets three apartment complexes—The Adams at 4825-4829 North Capitol St NE, The Madison at 5616 13th St NW, and The Keystone at 743 Fairmont St NW—totaling more than 100 units.

According to the complaint, Petra’s business model hinges on an illegal practice of leasing exclusively to tenants with government-funded housing vouchers, effectively shutting out lower-wage workers, senior citizens, and individuals with disabilities who do not qualify for subsidies. By doing so, Petra maximizes rental income by circumventing D.C.’s rent control laws, which cap rental rates for units built before 1976 unless specific exemptions apply.

The lawsuit alleges that Petra’s scheme violates the District’s Human Rights Act and the Consumer Protection Procedures Act by discriminating against prospective tenants based on their source of income. D.C. law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to individuals simply because they do not receive government assistance.

5The D.C. Office of the Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Petra Management Group, LLC, and its affiliated property owners, alleging an unlawful scheme to exploit housing subsidies while systematically excluding non-voucher tenants from rent-controlled apartments. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

“Petra is exploiting the District’s affordable housing crisis for profit— lining its pockets by limiting housing options for tenants who don’t have subsidies but still struggle to afford a home,” said Beth Mellen, assistant deputy attorney general and senior counsel for Housing Protection and Affordability. “It is illegal in the District for landlords to discriminate against tenants based on their income. Petra’s elaborate scheme further distorts a market that already puts rents out of reach for many. Our lawsuit seeks to put an end to Petra’s illegal conduct and help ensure that every Washingtonian has equal access to an affordable place to live.”

D.C.’s rent stabilization laws safeguard tenants with limited incomes, keeping rent-controlled units affordable amid rising housing costs. The median rent for non-rent-controlled units in 2020 was $2,554 monthly, while rent-controlled units averaged $1,442 monthly. However, landlords can charge higher rates if a tenant with a government-subsidized housing voucher rents a unit, as the government covers the difference.

Petra is accused of abusing the exemption. The company reportedly told lenders it would lease all units at government-subsidized rates, far exceeding what the law allows for rent-controlled properties. The Office of the Attorney General’s investigation found that Petra advertised vacant units only at these inflated subsidized rates, even though landlords are prohibited from charging the higher rates until a voucher-holding

tenant applies and receives an exemption.

At The Adams, for example, a three-bedroom unit that should be rented at a rent-controlled rate of $1,000.25 per month was advertised and rented for $3,131.00. This practice effectively locks out prospective tenants who do not have vouchers, shrinking the already limited pool of affordable housing options.

The lawsuit states that Petra’s policies and practices constitute a refusal to rent based on income source in violation of the Human Rights Act. The Office of the Attorney General argues that Petra has created and enforced leasing policies that exclude non-voucher tenants from The Adams, The Keystone, and The Madison, violating legal protections against income-based housing discrimination.

In its lawsuit, the District seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, restitution and damages for affected tenants, civil penalties, and attorneys’ fees.

“As a result of their illegal rent-maximization scheme, the Petra Defendants prevent unsubsidized tenants who need affordable housing from renting over 100 units at The Adams, The Keystone, and The Madison, even while they pocket public dollars intended to create more affordable housing options, not less,” the lawsuit states. “The Petra Defendants’ actions establish a pattern or practice of refusing to rent to unsubsidized tenants based on their source of income.” WI

@StacyBrownMedia

AROUND THE REGION

Political Prisoner Jamil Al-Amin In Need of Urgent Medical Care, Family and Comrades Say Activists Gather in D.C. to Advocate for Al-Amin, Freeing

Black Political Prisoners

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

In the weeks since a photo of a malformed Imam Jamil Al-Amin surfaced online, family, comrades and all those in between have coalesced around a demand that the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) provide medical care to the globally revered political and religious figure.

Al-Amin’s son, Kairi Al-Amin recently took to Instagram where he revealed that he spoke with his father, who received a biopsy for the massive lump growing on the left side of his face. As the younger Al-Amin awaits more information about his father’s condition, he continues to embrace the severity

of the situation, all while encouraging supporters to keep up the fight.

“He’s definitely deteriorating so I’m not going to do the whole ‘He’s okay, alhamdulillah’ sugar coating that we usually do. We need to keep making noise. He needs treatment,” Al-Amin, an attorney and rapper known as Shaykh Ri, said on his Jan. 30 Instagram post. “This doesn’t have to kill him, but it can….don’t stop mentioning the Imam. Keep his name alive, and make these people understand that people care about him.”

Family and friends are demanding that Al-Amin, 81, be transferred from U.S. Penitentiary Tucson to Federal Medical Center Butner.

In 2002, a state jury convict-

ed Al-Amin for the murder of a Fulton County, Georgia sheriff's deputy. Deemed a security risk by Georgia officials, he has served the majority of his time in federal facilities, often without adequate medical care and, until 2021, when FBOP reversed its policy under threat of lawsuit, the privilege of receiving visits from journalists and biographers.

Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown garnered a reputation during the civil rights era for speeches repudiating the U.S. government and endorsing destruction of property. He gained his organizing chops in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), where he served as chairman amid the radicalization

of the student-led movement.

By the late 1960s, Al-Amin had the attention of the U.S. intelligence community, which was eager about stopping the rise of a “Black messiah.” During his first prison stint in the 1970s, he converted to Islam. Upon his release, he moved to Atlanta where he developed a thriving religious community in the city’s west end.

Al-Amin, 81, suffers from multiple myeloma. The photo that hit social media platforms -- and caused an uproar among nationalists, leftists, and Muslim activists in late 2024-- shows him seated while wearing a blue prison uniform and jacket. He has an outgrowth covering the left side of his face, and an FBOP resident sporting a durag stands with his hand over the Imam’s shoulder.

DOZENS GATHER IN D.C. TO ADVOCATE FOR AL-AMIN MLK WEEKEND

In recent weeks, Al-Amin has

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found support from those who rallied in front of FBOP headquarters in Northwest during Dr. Martin

PRISONERS Page 20

ID 522399 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org)

5In this photo, political prisoner Imam Jamil Al-Amin is sitting with a fellow inmate and an outgrowth covering the left side of his face. For weeks, family and comrades have demanded immediate medical care for Al-Amin (Photo courtesy of Instagram/Council on American-Islamic Relations)

AROUND THE REGION

Paul Coates (third from left) poses with his award after receiving a special honor for service to the Black publishing community on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Thurgood Marshall Center in Northwest. With him are Charles and Queen Laureen Butler, hosts of the eighth annual “Know Thyself Book Fair and Author’s Forum,” and Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL) members: Serwaq Oguara, Imamu Baucum, Kwesi Baucum, and Nubia Kai. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

“The

Raufu Bey from House of Kamit reads the latest edition of The Washington Informer. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

The District of Columbia scored exceptionally low on the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control report, which was released on Wednesday.

The organization gave the District letter grades in several categories including Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws, Level of State Tobacco Taxes, Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco and Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products for which the city received an A rating.

“Here in the District, we are seeing tobacco industry lobbyists at the local level working to stop or weaken proven tobacco control policies,” Aleks Casper, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in the District of Columbia said in a statement.

Casper also warned of the type of tobacco on the market and encouraged lawmakers to support legislation removing products appealing to young people.

“The tobacco industry is also introducing new products that appeal to youth like e-cigarettes that mimic smartphones, kid-friendly flavors and flavored nicotine pouches that are heavily marketed by social media influencers,” Casper continued. “In 2025, policymakers in the District must focus on providing support to continue to implement the law to remove flavored tobacco products from the market, and funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs at the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

The American Lung Association estimated that the District has spent $391,048,877 in smoke related health care costs, while noting the adult tobacco use rate at 14.2%.

Comparatively the high school tobacco use rate was 11.6%, while there were 790 deaths attributed to smoking.

In 2022, District officials enacted a law banning fla vored tobacco, which Casper said has majorly con tributed to local sales to younger generations.

“We do know that kids overwhelmingly prefer flavored tobacco products, so this law will help prevent kids from ever starting to use tobacco products. In the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, nearly 90% of youth using e-cigarettes are using flavored products, with the most popular being fruit flavors, followed by candy, desserts and other sweets second, then mint and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes,” Casper told The Informer. “This is why it is critical for District policymakers to focus on providing continued support and oversight to remove all flavored tobacco products from the market and ensure that tobacco enforcement is coordinated within the District.”

5The District of Columbia scored exceptionally low on the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control report. (Courtesy Photo)

which 11.3% smoke.

The American Lung Association has been an advocate for Medicaid and state employee health programs while urging federal lawmakers to enact a menthol ban nationwide citing strong concerns for the Black community.

While the nation’s capital ranked high in several categories, the city scored exceptionally low on local funding for tobacco prevention programs with an F rating. The District only spent 42.6% of the recommended amount on tobacco prevention and cessation funding according to the State of Tobacco control report.

However, D.C. currently does provide various access to cessation services including 12 Medicaid medications, eight Medicaid counseling options and four state employee health program medications in addition to three counseling options for state employees.

The availability is crucial considering that low income individuals smoke at a rate of 29.9%, which is a significantly higher rate than the general population of

“We have been active on both the local level, like with the District law and on the federal level. This is important because menthol cigarettes make it both easier to start and harder to quit by reducing the harshness of the smoke and cooling the throat. In addition, Menthol cigarettes remain a key vector for tobacco-related death and disease in U.S. Black communities, with over 80% of Black individuals who smoke using them,” Thomas Carr, director of Nationwide Policy, Advocacy and Public Policy told the Informer.

“In the State of Tobacco Control, flavored tobacco product restrictions factor into the Federal Regulation of Tobacco Products grade at the federal level,” Carr continued, “and states are graded on their flavored tobacco restrictions.”

WI

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

NEW ENDORSEMENTS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTION

While the Prince George’s County Executive race has been the main topic of discussion in ongoing civic affairs, the special election for the Council seat in District 5 is also heating up.

Candidates are getting new endorsements and sending out mailers targeting registered voters.

Kendal Gray, a former Prince George’s County Council staffer, sent a mailer emphasizing his goals for local seniors, which include eliminating the $.10 bag tax for seniors, expanding senior check-in programs, and creating a county office for senior affairs.

“Like many of our neighbors, my wife and I find ourselves helping as caregivers to our parents at

the same time our daughter came home from college,” said Gray. “I know it is hard and I believe the government needs to do more to help and provide better resources and tax incentives to families caring for their adult family members.”

Former Board of Education member Shayla Adams-Stafford has announced endorsements from County Council Tom Dernoga (D- District 1) and Board of Education Member Jonathan Briggs (District 2), who called her “an advocate for change.”

The Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO, who endorsed State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy for county executive, is also supporting Adams-Stafford in her race for the District 5 seat on the council.

Working toward the council meant Adams-Stafford had to sacrifice her District 4 seat on the Prince George’s Board of Education. The rules of the board require resignation before filing

for an outside office, and now the District 4 seat will be vacant until further notice.

"Shayla has always put community interests ahead of special interests,” said Councilmember Dernoga in his endorsement. “We need her experience as a leader now more than ever as we face challenges that we have never seen before."

Having worked with her on the school board, Briggs emphasized Adams-Stafford’s proactive leadership.

“I am confident that Shayla Adams-Stafford will not only speak about change during her tenure as a county council member, but she will also actively implement it,” said Briggs.

Former U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, endorsed CountyStat Director Ryan Middleton, who worked with the Democratic federal legislator from from 2014 to 2018.

“Ryan served as my official representative in Prince George’s County for nearly five years, during which he demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the residents and their needs. I have seen firsthand how Ryan works tirelessly to address issues that matter most to the community. His dedication, innovative approach to problem-solving, and deep-rooted love for Prince George’s County make him an ideal choice for the County Council,” said Cardin, who is also supporting County Council Chair Jolene Ivey for county executive. “I am proud to endorse Ryan Middleton for Prince George’s County Council, District 5.”

Mail-in ballots have been sent to

3County Executive Rushern Baker (holding mic), County Council Chair Jolene Ivey, and Sen. Alonzo Washington at the recent Lauren forum to discuss their individual qualifications suited for the Prince George’s County Executive seat. State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (not pictured), another candidate, also attended. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

icans rely on. The Administration needs to clean up this mess immediately and reverse course.”

most registered voters, and Early Vote will begin on Feb. 26. Election Day will be held on March 4.

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MARYLAND DEMS CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Maryland’s congressional Democrats have been active and vocal in the first weeks of the Trump Administration to criticize and speak against the many policies that are already harming everyday Marylanders, particularly low-income households, senior citizens, and civil servants.

During the unprecedented and illegal limbo period where federal funds were withheld from countless programs and agencies, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D) and Angela Alsobrooks (D) raised alarm about the impending impacts. Van Hollen called this “an illegal abuse of power.”

“The Administration’s immediate halt of federal funding would devastate hardworking Marylanders. Countless have already called my office today afraid of what this means for them, for their kids, for their families,” she said on Jan. 28. “These funds support our local police departments that keep our communities safe, hospitals that keep people alive, food programs like SNAP that feed hungry kids, veterans in need of housing after serving this nation, and more. Public service is about trying to make people’s lives better. Not ripping away critical resources Amer-

During a hearing where she questioned Robert Kennedy Jr., he made several comments that justify medical racism, including limited vaccine access for Black communities and doctors assuming that Black patients have a higher pain tolerance. Alsobrooks pledged to vote against RFK Jr.’s appointment, and cited his answers as “dangerous”. During a press conference with doctors to raise concerns regarding RFK Jr., Van Hollen repeated the words of President John F. Kennedy regarding his desire to see vaccines for all children, and the hypocrisy of the late President’s nephew serving to destroy that goal.

Senators Van Hollen and Alsbrooks and Congressman Jamie Raskin (D- District 8) have also called on the Trump Administration to restore funding to the National Institutes of Health, which is based in Bethesda.

Congressman Glenn Ivey (DDistrict 4) denounced the Trump Administration’s policy changes that will allow Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement (ICE) officials to target schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Numerous advocates have also said that these policies will make communities less safe.

“It is shocking that the Trump Administration is now targeting churches and other places of worship for ICE raids. This cruelty not only contradicts longstanding ICE policy, but the idea of armed law enforcement dragging out worshippers violates the right to attend religious services at sacred spaces protected by the First Amendment,” said Congressman Ivey. “The risk of racial profiling makes this unconscionable defiance of basic constitutional protections even worse. That’s why I support efforts to push back in Congress and in the courts.” WI

5 Congressman Glenn Ivey (right) has been active in both uplifting locally-operated businesses and condemning the Trump Administration's efforts to demonize immigrants. He gave a congressional citation to Fernando Gonzalez, a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Award, and his 2Fifty BBQ restaurant. (Courtesy Photo/ Office of Congressman Glenn Ivey)

Prince George’s County Local Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

PATIENT FIRST OPENS IN CAPITOL HEIGHTS, 22ND CENTER IN THE D.C. AREA

A new Patient First opened in Capitol Heights on Jan. 30, offering a new urgent and primary care service provider for Prince Georgians.

The new site is the 22nd location in the D.C. metropolitan area, and the 79th overall.

Patient First physicians provide preventative and primary medical services for patients who do not have a regular physician, without a required appointment.

“The goal of Patient First is to provide convenient, cost-effective medical care on a walk-in basis,” said Dr. R.P. Sowers, founder and CEO of Patient First.

The new center will be open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m., 365 days of the year, including all holidays, and will provide treatment for routine injuries and illnesses, including care for: colds, flu, allergic reactions, ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, minor burns, and sprains. There will also be an x-ray machine on site.

“Our physicians and staff always work closely and in a collaborative fashion with the area’s existing medical community to provide care,” said Sowers.

Many people took to social media to express their excitement about the new location, with one user commenting on a Patient First Facebook post announcing the site is now open, saying: “The best of the best.”

Patient First accepts major insurance plans including Aetna, Amerigroup, Beech Street, CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Healthcare, Great-West Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare and TRICARE.

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The new center will be open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m., 365 days of the year, including all holidays, and will provide treatment for routine injuries and illnesses, including care for: colds, flu, allergic reactions, ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, minor burns, and sprains.

STATE MORTICIAN BOARD MEMBERS RESIGN FOLLOWING GRISLY REVIEW OF CREMATORIUM

Maryland State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors President Michele Kutta, Brandon Wylie and Patrick Thompson have resigned and been removed from state health department websites after a disturbing discovery that led Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to ask them to step down.

This move comes weeks after a review of Heaven Bound Crematory Services, based in White Plains, Maryland, found evidence of countless corpses incorrectly stored or decomposing and with blood littering the floors. A customer who received the cremated remains of their recently passed father last week, held doubts that the remains she received were from just her father and held strong criticism of the ethics of the White Plains crematory.

"The people that were in charge of running Heaven Bound were evil. I think they took advantage of people at their worst and most vulnerable point," said CJ Greenidge. "It causes real damage. It's a lot to deal with losing someone that you love and to know that as soon as they left this house, you don't

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

know what could have happened."

Services have been indefinitely suspended at the crematory facility, and concerns have been raised against the location since 2017. Co-owner Rosa Turner Williams has paid thousands in fines and has been told to redo ethics courses.

“There is no higher responsibility for any administration than protecting the health and safety of Marylanders. Today, we further honor our commitment to that pledge,” Moore said in a statement announcing the review.

Kirk Helfenbein was listed as board officer in minutes from meetings in December, and was not requested to resign.

“The Maryland Department of Health condemns in the strongest terms any mistreatment of human remains—on the basis of policy, respect for Maryland families, and basic decency,” the department said in a statement shortly after the gristly findings.

“Although the department does not have oversight of daily operations for the Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors, the department stepped in immediately upon learning of the circumstances at Heaven Bound Crematory to have the local health department issue an abatement order, given the egregious health hazards present. The department also issued

an administrative subpoena, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, to support the State Anatomy Board’s efforts to notify the affected families. We are committed to continuing to support the ongoing investigation into this matter in any way that is appropriate and commensurate with the scope of the department’s charge.

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BLADENSBURG WITHDRAWS EFFORTS TO ANNEX HOSPITAL HILL SITE

Following a closed-session meeting, Bladensburg officials announced on Jan. 28 that they plan to stop their efforts to annex the Hospital Hill site.

The site developer warned that the project, expected to host 1,300 homes alongside retail space and a new medical office, could be negatively impacted by the annexation efforts, and both Cheverly and Prince George’s had planned lawsuits against Bladensburg.

“Our intent is not to hinder development but to ensure that Bladensburg has a voice in a project that will have lasting positive regional impacts,” said Bladens-

burg Mayor Takisha James in a statement. “We are committed to fairness, collaboration, and advocating for the best interests of our community.”

Delegate Ben Barnes (D- District 21) now plans to withdraw his legislation to limit annexation attempts of property owned by the county’s redevelopment agency.

Senator Malcolm Augustine (D- District 47) and Delegate Julian Ivey (D- District 47) also introduced legislation to provide a $200,000 economic study for Bladensburg.

The Town of Cheverly called Bladensburg’s decision to halt their plans for Hospital Hill “a significant step forward” in a social media post.

When Bladensburg initially announced annexation intentions, Cheverly Council members previously spoke against their efforts and Mayor Kayce Munyeneh noted the time and effort the town put into securing the redevelopment.

“While there is still work to be done, this marks meaningful progress in the right direction,” Munyeneh said. “The voices of our residents have been heard, and we are continuing to push for solutions that reflect the best interests of our community.” WI

5 As of Jan. 30, a new Patient First is now open in Capitol Heights, offering urgent and primary care for those who don’t have a regular physician. It will be open year round from 8 am to 8 pm. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

VINCENT ORANGE JR., TO LEAD HOWARD UNIVERSITY FACULTY PRACTICE PLAN

Adventist HealthCare, a leading Washington area faith-based, not for profit organization based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, recently named Vincent Orange Jr., as the chief executive officer for the Howard University Faculty Practice Plan.

Orange is the son of former D.C. Council member and District mayoral candidate Vincent Orange Sr. He assumes the position after the departure of Daffodil Baez, who has been named the new president of Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center.

"I am honored to continue the strong strategic vision that was set by

briefs

Daffodil and lead the Faculty Practice Plan, which is dedicated to meeting and serving the needs of local community in Washington, D.C,” said Orange.

Orange’s appointment comes as Adventist HealthCare explores ways, through an evaluation plan, to acquire Howard University Hospital in a friendly takeover. Howard is proceeding to build a $650 million acute care facility that will reside next to the hospital regardless of the Adventist HealthCare transaction, university officials say.

Adventist HealthCare has provided executive oversight of the Faculty Practice Plan through a management services agreement since 2023. The Faculty Practice Plan is the employed physician practice of Howard University that supports the medical

school, hospital and the community. Orange joined the Faculty Practice Plan in 2023 as the chief operations officer.

As the operations lead, he has focused on developing the infra-

FREE GROCERIES FOR DC SENIORS!

structure of the practice to allow for future success to expand the Faculty Practice Plan, including: staffing stabilization, clinical pre-visit planning implementation, improved quality and reporting metrics and created critical nursing leadership positions.

A key initiative for early 2025 includes opening a new Access Center for the Faculty Practice Plan, allowing for more streamlined and efficient appointment setting for patients.

Prior to joining the Faculty Practice Plan, he served as the Regional Director for Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, where he implemented their Management Service Agreement with Rutgers Medical Group.

He has held leadership positions at MedStar Health, GW Medical Faculty Associates, University of Virginia Health and John Hopkins Medicine.

"Vincent has a strong understanding of the local healthcare market with deep connections in Washington, D.C. He is passionate about supporting and finding ways to meet the healthcare needs of the district," said Aaron Cohen, president of Adventist HealthCare Physician Enterprise.

As the new CEO, Orange is moving forward with key strategic initiatives that support improved patient experience and physician engagement.

"A strong partnership between the Faculty Practice Plan and Howard University Hospital is key to

strengthening both organizations and how we serve the community,” said Orange. “A strong physician network supports the hospital, provides needed healthcare services and helps train the next generation of African American physicians. I am excited to lead such a prestigious group in my hometown, which I love dearly.”

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NEW THOMPSON HOSPITALITY CFO

Thompson Hospitality, one of the largest foodservice and hospitality industry companies in the U.S., announced the appointment of Joe Lawler as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Lawler succeeds Ali Azima, who has served as CFO since 2000 and has been a cornerstone of the company’s success since its founding in 1992. Ali will transition to the role of senior vice president of special programs before his planned retirement in January 2026.

Since joining Thompson Hospitality in 2020 as senior vice president of strategy and finance, Lawler has played a pivotal role in driving corporate development, leading multiple acquisitions, and supporting strategic initiatives.

Over the past four years, Thompson’s restaurant portfolio has more than tripled in size, with his contributions shaping the company’s impressive growth trajectory.

“Joe has fully embraced Thompson Hospitality’s culture, gained an in-depth understanding of our business, and fostered strong relationships with clients and team members,” said Warren Thompson, president and chairman of Thompson Hospitality.

Lawler earned a degree in business from James Madison University and an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. He has worked with Deloitte Financial Advisory Services in the District and as a partner at PCA Partners, a boutique consulting firm specializing in complex financial and strategic challenges.

“His extensive financial expertise and exceptional leadership make him the perfect choice to lead us into our next phase of growth,” Thompson continued. “I am confident that, with Joe at the helm, we will continue to expand our reach and enhance the guest experience.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

5Vincent Orange Jr. is the son of former D.C. Council member Vincent Orange Sr., and the new chief executive officer of the Howard University Faculty Practice Plan. (Courtesy Photo)

NATIONAL

Black America Hardest Hit as Trump’s New Tariffs Drive Up Costs

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs—25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on imports from China—has sent shockwaves through global markets, sparking retaliatory measures from trade partners and raising concerns about the economic strain on American consumers. But for Black Americans, already facing disproportionate financial burdens, the fallout could be devastating.

“Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe (and maybe not!),” Trump said in a statement. “But we will Make America Great Again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid.”

For many in Black communities, the cost of that “pain” is far from abstract.

Chaniqua Jones, a school teacher in New York, is already struggling with budget cuts in her district.

“First, consider that most of our students struggle with basic necessities like food and shelter, and many tell us that if they can’t work, they can’t eat,” she said. “That and reduced school budgets that we’re already dealing with will hurt more because, something to remember, we can only use one vendor that the Department of Education approves for supplies, and that vendor can charge anything they want, including, if they choose, as much as $10 for a pencil.”

Jones’ concerns are echoed by business owners, truck drivers, and families who will feel the effects of higher prices in ways the White

House appears to have ignored.

Jonathan Dolphin, a truck driver from Pennsylvania, sees the changes already.

“The trucking industry isn’t the same anymore,” he said. “Hauling heavier loads doesn’t pay us more, and the brokers still charge higher rates. Those people who voted for Trump now have to see how idiotic that was.”

Fuel prices are among the biggest concerns for working-class Black Americans. Canada, the largest supplier of crude oil to the U.S., is now facing a 10% tariff on energy exports. Gas prices in some parts of the country are expected to rise by 30 to 70 cents per gallon, disproportionately impacting lower-income families who spend a higher percentage of their income on transportation.

George McKenzie, a wildlife photographer in Florida, has already seen gas prices climbing.

“I’m honestly worried about the price of gas and food going up,” he said. “As someone who travels frequently for work, any increase in fuel costs directly affects my livelihood.”

Existing disparities in Black communities compound the economic damage from the tariffs. The median household income for African Americans in 2023 was $52,860—well below the national median of $74,580. The racial wealth gap, exacerbated by decades of discriminatory housing and employment policies, means Black families have fewer financial reserves to absorb rising costs.

The tariffs also threaten the already fragile food security in Black communities. The U.S. imports

63% of its vegetables and 47% of its fruits and nuts from Mexico, and tariffs could push grocery prices even higher. Many predominantly Black neighborhoods already struggle with food deserts—areas with limited access to

Photo/Fotor)

affordable, healthy food. Higher food costs could worsen the crisis.

“It’s already expensive to eat healthy where I live,” said Alicia Brown, a 28-year-old mother of two in Chicago’s South Side. “A gallon of milk is already $5. If they

start charging more for fresh produce, people are going to have to make tough choices between food and rent.”

The auto industry, another key economic driver, is also set to take a hit. In 2023, the U.S. imported $69 billion worth of cars and light trucks from Mexico and $37 billion from Canada. Ford F-Series pickups and Mustang sports coupes rely on engines manufactured in Canada. Tariffs on auto parts will drive up costs, adding an estimated $3,000 to the price of some vehicles.

For Black auto workers in cities like Detroit and Atlanta, job security is now in question. Many automakers are considering layoffs or plant closures if production costs soar.

“We’re looking at a repeat of what happened in 2018 when Trump’s first tariffs led to layoffs,” said Maurice Richardson, a 58-year-old autoworker in Michigan. “Except this time, it’s going to be worse.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com. @StacyBrownMedia

5 For Black Americans, already facing disproportionate financial burdens, the fallout from President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China could be devastating. (AI

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HWPL Calls on Media to Foster Peaceful Culture Amid Growing Global Conflicts

Restoring the global community through fair reporting

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

Community members and media professionals gathered at the National Press Club on Jan. 28 for an event furthering Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light’s (HWPL) mission of global peace. Held in collaboration with Colegio Dominicano de Periodistas (Dominican College of Journalists), the event discussed the United States media’s role in maintaining international relations through peace journalism.

Founded on a mission of fostering harmonious global relationships and resolving the world’s wars, HWPL is an international nongovernmental organization associated with the U.N. Department of Global Communications and the U.N. Economic and Social Council. The organization takes strides toward its ultimate goal by outlining legislation, hosting workshops and spreading peace education curriculum.

During the event at the National Press club in Northwest, D.C., HWPL members in person and abroad promoted peace reporting. They emphasized that journalists possess a responsibility to remain fair and accurate when covering conflicts, and should strive to encourage amicable international relations.

HWPL encourages media outlets and their employees to remain steadfast to peace journalism and report with the mindset of mitigating violence, so the entire world is one step closer to the cessation of wars.

“If the media can’t spread a culture of peace, then truthfully no matter what happens in education, what happens in policy… anything else that happens, it’s not going to be successful,” said Reagan Durkin, director of the HWPL’s Washington, D.C. branch. “Journalism affects the culture. It affects the thoughts [and] ideology of the people, [and] it can divide or it can unify.”

Spreading such a culture requires the media to adhere to peace journalism’s standards of producing well-balanced stories when covering wars, avoiding showing bias toward violence and its perpetrators.

Members of HWPL note peace

hibition of the threat or use of force, freedom of religion and spreading a culture of peace.

“Truthfully, sometimes I feel like here in the United States, this kind of topic– peace journalism– isn’t well received,” Durkin told the Informer. “There’s a lot of tensions right now in our society, so this topic might not feel as pertinent.”

Regardless, she’s excited to see the ways peace journalism and HWPL’s initiatives will continue to improve the world.

journalism is currently incredibly crucial, as there were 56 ongoing conflicts in 2024– the most the world has seen since the Second World War’s conclusion in 1945, according to the Global Peace Index produced by the Institute of Economics and Peace.

Digital storyteller Oral Ofori referenced wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, and conflicts in Nigeria, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, weighing in virtually at the Jan. 28 HWPL event.

“In all of these, the media plays a crucial role in bringing international… topics to the public’s attention,” Ofori told the audience. “The demand for accountability has been brought to the attention of the world community.”

PROMOTING PEACE, ENCOURAGING CHANGE

While some may consider Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light’s goal to end all wars as wishful thinking, members say increased peace journalism could make these dreams a reality.

One way to promote peace journalism, according to the organization, is keeping HWPL’s Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) in mind while reporting. The DCPW features 10 articles, including: pro-

A year after Dominican President Luis Abinader closed the border with Haiti, refusing refugees, HWPL hosted the Bilateral Peace Summit for the Dominican Republic-Haiti Border Region. This September 2024 summit granted government officials, media personnel and members of civil society from both countries the space to effectively cultivate conflict analysis and peace-building skills.

The bilateral event also took place months after Abinader drafted an update to the Law on Freedom and Expression, including a rejection of prior censorship and offering means of holding the media accountable when necessary. This amended law would work in favor of peace journalism.

“Peace journalism is highly significant because journalists worldwide are agents of change,” said Rommel Santos Diaz, publicity ambassador for HWPL in the Dominican Republic, via video at the National Press Club discussion. “At this moment, I think peace journalism is the most important tool a country can have.”

In an age where society and news are technologically driven, HWPL is also working to spread its mission through digital platforms, hoping to spread empathy across international communities.

“Social media platforms can be harnessed for constructive activism, allowing users to support peace initiatives, share stories of resilience and create awareness about peace-building efforts,” said Ofori. “So like my mother always told me, ‘Peace is not a place you arrive at. Peace is a journey– a continuous struggle to perfect it.’ And when we attain peace, we will fight harder to maintain it.”

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5 The Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light organization took to the National Press Club in Northwest, D.C. to encourage its mission of utilizing the freedom of the press to motivate world peace on Jan. 28. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Autism in Your Child

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia

Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects how individuals socialize and interact with the world.1 ASD is characterized by challenges in communication, social interactions, and repetitive behaviors. Since autism shows up differently in every child, it’s referred to as a spectrum.

For parents, receiving an autism diagnosis for your child can feel overwhelming. However, with knowledge, patience, and support, you can help your child thrive.

UNDERSTANDING AUTISM

Autism is not a disease and cannot be cured. It represents a difference in how the brain grows and works. Children with autism may communicate differently, have sensory-related sensitivities to things like taste or sounds, or prefer structured routines. Some may thrive in specific areas like memory or art, while finding social interactions more challenging. Early signs of autism may include delayed speech, avoiding eye contact, and limited facial expressions, such as no big smiles or joyful expressions.2 Diagnosing ASD typically involves observations of certain behaviors by pediatricians and autism experts, along with a review of your child’s developmental history.3

NAVIGATING AUTISM AT HOME

Creating a supportive and predictable environment at home is key for children with autism. Here are some tips:

• Communicate effectively. Use simple language, visual aids, or sign language if your child has difficulty expressing themselves.

• Establish routines. Routines create predictability in your child’s day and help them feel secure. Use schedules that are visual or timers to outline daily activities.

• Encourage their strengths. Celebrate your child’s unique abilities and interests.

• Create sensory-friendly spaces. Minimize loud noises and bright lights if your child has sensory sensitivities.

WORKING WITH YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL

Collaborating with your child’s school is essential to ensure they receive the support they need. Since autism affects learning and development in different ways, it is important to address any challenges that could hinder your child’s progress.

• Develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Work with the school to create a specific plan outlining accommodations like extra time on assignments or speech therapy.

• Communicate regularly. Build a strong relationship with teachers and staff. Share strategies that work at home to create consistency.

• Advocate for inclusion.  Encourage participation in the classroom and extracurricular activities while making sure they have the proper support in all areas.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

Navigating autism can feel challenging, but many resources are available to support you and your child. Trusted organizations that can help are:

• Autism Speaks:  Offers toolkits for parents, including how to navigate diagnosis and therapy.

• Autism Society: Connects families with local support groups, community events, and advocacy resources.

• Understood.org: Provides practical strategies for managing sensory activities and fostering social skills.

Parenting a child with autism is a journey of discovery and growth. By understanding their needs, providing support, and accessing available resources, you can help your child reach their full potential.

on Mental Illness, https://www. nami.org/about-mental-illness/ common-with-mental-illness/autism/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAmMC6BhA6EiwAdN5iLTzwyWESt3Ekt96RhcGtv1DF_UpFZ-YSF1PHt0KXmupNUiwBLDPCnhoCqPkQAvD_BwE#gad_source_1.

2. “Signs of Autism,” Autism Speaks, https://www.autismspeaks.org/ signs-autism.

3. “How Is Autism Diagnosed?” Healthychildren.org, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/Autism/ Pages/Diagnosing-Autism.aspx.

4. “Heart Disease Facts,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/ data-research/facts-stats/index.html.

All images are submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia and are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model

Healthy Hearts during American Heart Month

Your heart works every day to keep you healthy, so it’s important to nurture it. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, with one person dying every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease.4 While these statistics are high, AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees have access to resources to help stay heart healthy this American Heart Month.

•Care Management program. Enrollees can get personalized health plans from a Care Manager to manage certain conditions like high blood pressure and help them

meet their health goals.

•Health education classes. Enrollees can learn tips for eating healthy, staying active, and reducing stress.

•24/7 Nurse Call Line. Enrollees can call the 24/7 Nurse Call Line to speak to a nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help determine what type of care they may need.

This month, make your heart a priority. Small changes today can lead to a stronger, healthier tomorrow. For information, call Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720 or toll-free at 1-800-408-7511.

Sources 1. “Autism,” National Alliance

HEALTHY REWARDS

Earn $25 in gift card rewards from popular retailers when you complete a postpartum visit with your OB/GYN or midwife within one to 12 weeks after delivery.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black bodies and labor at no less than $2.7 billion.

“Selling an enslaved person provided ready cash, explaining in part why roughly 600,000 people were sold in the domestic slave trade,” reveals NMAAHC’s online searchable museum. “This vast wealth, in human form, affected the entire nation.”

During and post slavery, countless African Americans fought on frontlines for equal rights in the workforce, education, health care and for all people— and these fights have been interconnected.

Commentary— Mimi’s Musings: Celebrating ‘Black Jobs,’ African Americans’ Critical Contributions to U.S. Economy, Culture

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

If you’re like me, you might’ve spent the last six months or so wondering what “Black jobs” are exactly, post President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration campaign rant in June 2024, when he claimed that Latinx people are taking employment opportunities away from African Americans.

While Trump warned of Hispanic communities threatening African American employment, the president signed an executive order his first day back in office, Jan. 20, eradicating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the federal government.

Yes, coming after DEI is far more widespread than African Americans, and includes women, minorities, people with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+ community and more. But, again, if you’re like me, you’re asking “Who’s after Black jobs now, Mr. President?”

But I digress.

As is our tradition every February, The Washington Informer is taking a cue from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)— the founders of Black History Month— to celebrate the con-

tributions of African Americans across the District, nation and world. ASALH’s 2025 theme,” African Americans and Labor,” honors the legacy of Black labor— both forced and forged— that laid the foundation of this country’s economic, cultural and global influence.

It’s more than examining “Black jobs,” but examining how African Americans’ work, skills, craftsmanship, leadership and ingenuity have inspired economic booms, justice movements and societal shifts.

Enslaved Black people, from as early as the colonial period, “figuratively and literally built the foundation of the nation, including having built the U.S. Capitol and the White House,” according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

“The lives and labor of enslaved African Americans transformed the United States into a world power. Yet they received no recognition or payment for what they created,” according to NMAAHC’s searchable museum, adding that by 1860, 4 million enslaved people produced more than 60% of the nation’s wealth.

Further, the slave trade valued

For instance, an equitable educational system, arguably, helps lead to more post-secondary opportunities— from college, to vocational training or directly in the workplace. Further, a fair workforce and equal wages can close economic gaps and often makes affording health care more realistic. However, it’s important to note that a systemic lack of access to nearby and affordable health care and strong educational environments can present challenges when entering the labor force.

For this reason, labor fights are justice fights, and, throughout history, have been key in African Americans combating racism and working toward justice for all.

“You have to join every other movement for the freedom of the people,” said labor leader and organizer Bayard Rustin, who famously planned and orchestrated the 1963 March on Washington.

PAST LABOR MOVEMENTS, LEADERS OFFER HOPE, BLUEPRINT FOR TODAY

Despite continued challenges of systemic racism, leading to economic, educational and health disparities, African American labor activists— from A. Philip Randolph and Rustin, to local changemakers like Nannie Helen Burroughs and Geraldine Boykin— have helped Black workers earn respect, fair wages and equitable treatment.

As President Trump, in his second administration, begins to make good on campaign promises, there are more plans proposed that could be detrimental to Black Americans and all marginalized communities. For instance, Trump is working toward a federal funding freeze for programming relat-

ed to: foreign aid, DEI, “woke” gender ideology and the “Green New Deal,” which focuses on the environment, until a review determines if the money supports causes that align with his new policies.

In the couple of week since the start of his second term, Trump already: reversed some of former President Joe Biden’s drug pricing initiatives, which, according to the American Journal of Managed Care, could affect Medicare costs; worked to revoke trans rights and gender affirming identity and care; targeted immigrants for deportation; and blamed DEI for challenges in this country.

Known for his empowering words and speeches, Randolph— the great labor leader known for starting the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (the nation’s oldest Black labor union, celebrating 100 years this year)— once warned of those who slowly work to take away programs that benefit Black people.

“Look for the enemies of Medicare, of higher minimum wages, of Social Security, of federal aid to education and there you will find the enemy of the Negro, the coalition of Dixiecrats and reactionary Republicans that seek to dominate the Congress,” Randolph said.

Current attacks against DEI aren’t the first battle Black Americans have had to fight and overcome in labor and business.

This Black History Month, as the nation commemorates “African Americans and Labor,” we should look to national and local labor leaders like Randolph, to celebrate their work and continue their legacies. In addition, The Informer will examine labor movements that paved the way for equal rights in the workplace and beyond and use them as a blueprint to help with challenges today.

While the fight for racial equity has been long and continues, African American workers have showcased the beauty, boldness and brilliance of Black labor and the important role it plays in shaping United States culture and economy.

This Black History Month offers a moment to look back at those people who labored for change, and use past movements as inspiration to press forward toward progress and true justice for all.

“To struggle and battle,” said Burroughs, an educator and labor advocate, “and [to] overcome and absolutely defeat every force designed against us is the only way to achieve.” WI

5Union workers from Kaiser Permanente striking in October 2023. The 2025 Black History Month theme is “African Americans and Labor,” celebrating the critical contributions Black Americans have made in showcasing beauty, brilliance, boldness and ingenuity in the workforce, unionizing for fair wages, and laying the foundation for the United States’ powerful economy and global influence. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR

Black Laborers: From Slavery to Corporate CEOs

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Many economic experts consider the American economy one of the strongest in the world and it is in no small part to the work of African Americans.

While diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has been on the chopping block across the federal government and corporations, even conservative Republican President Donald Trump admitted in October 2019 "African Americans built this nation.”

Civil rights leaders, historians and leading economists have noted the wealth of the U.S. was built by the blood, sweat and tears of African Americans who received little or no compensation for their efforts since 1619, when the first Blacks arrived at the Jamestown Virginia settlement.

BLACK FORCED LABOR: FROM INDENTURED

SERVANTS, TO SLAVERY

Indentured servants are people who work for an employer for a set term of years in exchange for living accommodation, food and clothing.

Indentured servants first arrived in America in the decade following the settlement of Jamestown by the Virginia Company in 1607. Black people came to Jamestown in 1619 not as slaves, but as indentured servants, as reported by PBS’s “History Detectives” show, “Indentured Servants in the U.S.”

The idea of indentured servitude was born of a need for cheap labor. While the life of an indentured servant was harsh and restrictive, it wasn' slavery.

With no slave laws in place, Africans were initially treated as indentured servants and given the same opportunities for freedom due as whites. However, slave laws were soon passed – in Massachusetts in 1641 and Virginia in 1661 –and any small freedoms that might have ex-

isted for Blacks were taken away.

Landowners, according to “History Detectives,” turned to African slaves as a more profitable and ever-renewable source of labor and the shift from indentured servants to forced, racial slavery began.

ENSLAVED AFRICANS BECOME THE U.S. SLAVE WORKFORCE

As the United States developed,

there is overwhelming evidence that the horrors of slavery helped strengthen America into an economic and world power.

In a working paper, “The Contribution of Enslaved Workers to Output and Growth in the Antebellum United States” by economist Mark Stelzner of Connecticut College and historian Sven Beckett of Harvard University, the scholars showed that the work of enslaved Africans was an important driver of

growth not only in the South but nationally.

“Slavery was an important institution for economic development in the United States, and that the unrequited labor of enslaved women, men and children helped produce in significant ways the nation’s economic expansion in the two decades before the Civil War,” the authors wrote.

6“Slaves Working on a Plantation,” from Edmund Ollier, Cassell's “History of the United States” (London, 1874-77), Vol. 2, p. 493. From indentured servants, to enslavement, sharecropping and today, many economists argue Black laborers have been critical to the economic expansion of the United States of America since its inception. (Courtesy Photo/SlaveryImages.org)

THE ANNUAL

black historymonth luncheon

FEBRUARY

22, 2025

LABOR

Greg Carr, Ebony McMorris, Mary Frances Berry, Marc Morial

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR

Bayard Rustin: A Legendary Organizer for Civil and Labor Rights

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

Bayard Rustin was a key ally and consultant for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ella Baker, and countless other civil rights leaders in the 1960s. Most celebrated for his efforts to organize the historic 1963 March on Washington, Rustin was also co-founder of both the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

In addition to the March on Washington, Rustin worked alongside King to develop the strategy for the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, a successful, year-long strike that served as one of the first major victories of the ascending Civil Rights Movement.

“As I watched the people walk away, I had a feeling that no force on earth can stop this movement,” said Rustin at the conclusion of a Montgomery Improvement Asso-

CORPORATE CEOS from Page 19

POST-SLAVERY AND SHARECROPPING

A post-slavery system of sharecropping emerged during and after the Reconstruction era.

Under sharecropping, a tenant or sharecropper would have a legal agreement with a landowner to rent land, supplies and equipment to produce a cash crop such as tobacco and cotton.

The arrangement would have the sharecropper, in most cases, remaining in debt to the landowner due to the increasing costs of supplies and equipment and the low profit margins of tobacco or cotton (as calculated by the landowner who was often white).

In a November 2018 post by Equal Justice Initiative, it was reported that African Americans who challenged the sharecropping system faced threats, violence, and even murder.

In the North, African Americans faced legalized discrimination in

ciation meeting. “It has all the elements to touch the hearts of men.”

Rustin was born on March 17, 1912, one of 12 children raised by his Quaker grandparents in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

He worked in multiple progressive groups into the 1940s, and was asked by his future mentor and labor titan A. Phillip Randolph to plan a mass march on Washington in 1941, just before President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order to allow Black workers in the growing defense industry.

Rustin later led the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, seeking to integrate unions and expand Black membership in labor unions— a mission that group continues to this day.

During the later years of his life, Rustin became a vocal advocate for gay rights.

Much of Rustin’s organizing efforts were not credited to him during his life. While he did not seek credit for his work on some

employment and were restricted from joining many unions, according to an article “African American Workers Built America” by Asha Banerjee and Cameron Johnson, published by The Center for Law and Social Policy.

“Companies used Black workers as strike breakers to misdirect white workers’ anger and frustration,” Banerjee and Johnson wrote. “New Deal programs excluded Black agricultural and domestic workers. And 1930s ‘progressive’ public benefits legislation such as the Social Security Act was pro-white legislation that neglects Black workers, especially women.”

BLACK WORKERS, LABOR LEADERS OF TODAY

Presently, Black workers make up a larger part of the workforce and face record-low unemployment. Nevertheless, racial disparities persist, with African American graduates nearly 10% more likely to be employed in an occupation

endeavors; he was also outright erased in others instances, primarily due to his status as an openly gay man, decades before same-sex marriages were legalized and national attitudes regarding the LGBQIA+ community became even moderately progressive.

“Rustin organized the March on Washington in an eight-week period, without cell phones, without email, without faxes. So he and his team were working the phones hard, typing letters constantly,” said Michael G. Long, editor of “I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin’s Life in Letters” and co-author of “Bayard Rustin: The Invisible Activist.” “From what I hear, the headquarters was in sheer chaos all the time. And Rustin thrived in an environment like that.”

Rustin died on August 24, 1987 from a perforated appendix.

He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama on November 20, 2013. WI

not requiring a college degree than their white peers.

Further, large numbers of Black workers experience workplace discrimination, and Black women are less likely to be promoted than men or other women, Banerjee and Johnson report.

Despite disparities and challenges, African Americans are making progress in business, with eight Fortune 500 companies having Black CEOs in 2024, a near-record high. However, Blacks Americans still make up only 1.6% of Fortune 500 CEOs, compared to 14.4% of the U.S. population.

Ursula Burns, who served as the first Black female CEO of a Fortune 500 company—Xerox—encourages people to pursue their dreams despite hurdles. “The most important thing that I tell people about my success is that I never gave up. I never let anyone convince me that I couldn't do something,” said Burns, 66.

WI @JamesWrightJr10

PRISONERS from Page 9

Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.

Dozens of activists from the District and other parts of the U.S. braved the wintry cold with signs, banners, and bullhorns in hand to demand immediate medical care for Al-Amin.

Shafeah M’Balia, one of the protesters, said this act of resistance further amplified the human rights struggle at a crucial time.

“Regardless of how we feel about this government, we have a right to demand respect for human and civil rights,” M’Balia, a Long Island, New York resident, told The Informer one day before the protest. “People are not going to sit idly while this institution conducts cruel and inhumane punishment.”

M’Balia, the union organizer and member of the Imam Jamil Action Network, an organization fighting for Al-Amin’s release, recounted her first brief meeting with Al-Amin, who she said she long considered legendary. Decades later, after fully embracing

Islam, M’Balia continued her involvement in a global movement for self-determination.

She said that, with this latest endeavor, she’s leaning on lessons learned as a member of the African People’s Party and, later, Black Workers for Justice -- institutions borne out of long organizing campaigns can advance prisoners’ rights as well as that for other marginalized groups.

“Our tactic is giving folks a way to pressure a system to do what it’s theoretically supposed to do,” M’Balia told The Informer. “ FBOP is responsible for the health and medical treatment of inmates in their custody. We’re building an organization to help people fight for our rights and back against injustice. This is part of something longer and [similar to] Queen Mother Audley Moore and Marcus Garvey fighting against the execution of Black men in Louisiana.”

FBOP declined to comment on Al-Amin’s status, citing “privacy, safety and security reasons.” WI @SamPKCollins

5 Bayard Rustin and Eugene Reed. (Courtesy photo/Public Domain)

GIVING BACK FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH

To celebrate, our associates are volunteering with community partners throughout the month.

Scan to learn more about our community efforts:

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

BLACK HISTORY

MONTH 2025: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR

Remembering Geraldine P. Boykin: A Trailblazing Labor Leader

By WI Web Staff

Celebrated as an astute political strategist and trailblazing leader Geraldine P. Boykin was one of the first Black women to lead a labor union in D.C., when she served as executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 20 in the 1980s.

One of the largest public employee unions in the District and nation, Boykin spent more than two decades working for AFSCME. She negotiated contracts across the table from D.C. Mayor Marion Barry and won respect in the District’s labor community for being an unapologetic advocate for gender equality in pay and promotions.

According to a press release, often she was the only woman in the room when labor leaders met to discuss bargaining strategies and political endorsements, but her humor and insight would cut through tense moments and foster unity.

Boykin spearheaded the petition drive for Home Rule and subsequently became the first District director for Congressman Walter E. Fauntroy’s congressional office.

“I hired Geraldine in 1970 for the Fauntroy campaign,” Douglass Patton told The Informer, commenting on an article announcing her death in January 2023. “She [became] a great organizer as well as a good friend over these many years. We have many good memories. Rest in peace my friend.”

Later, in the 1980s, Boykin joined the Political Action Department at the AFSCME International headquarters, where she traveled the country managing GOTV campaigns that mobilized African American voters. She was celebrated as a gifted strategist, beloved by the candidates and the volunteers she recruited — from Memphis and Milwaukee, to Louisville and

Jackson and Houston, and many other cities.

A widower and single parent of her daughter Jeannetta “BeBe” Boykin, the labor leader sacrificed family time, living on the road.

During her long career, Boykin mentored a generation of young political operatives.

She left her mark on AFSCME by training over 40,000 members in political workshops across the country.

“Aunt Geraldine was a very talented and thoughtful woman. She is the reason I learned about politics of the world. While campaigning with her for Walter E. Fauntroy, Dave Clark, Patricia Harris, Marion Barry, Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King, President Carter, Mondale/Ferraro,”

Victoria Snead told The Informer, commenting on an article after Boykin’s death. “It was a great experience because of her!”

Boykin retired in 1995 and launched GPB Political Strategist, LLC.

In addition to the mind of a strategist, Boykin possessed the heart of an organizer. She was a founding member and the first president of the D.C. Chapter of the Coalition Of Black Trade Unionists. She also served on the executive board of the National Congress of Black Women and was founding president of the D.C. chapter of that organization founded by the Honorable Shirley Chisholm.

“As National President Emerita of the National Congress of Black Women, I share the sadness of the family to learn of the transition of Geraldine Boykin,” E. Faye Williams wrote on The Washington Informer’s website, commenting on the article announcing the labor leader’s death. “May her family be comforted knowing she did her very best for so many while she was among us.”

Boykin went on to become a published writer, authoring several books including: “Explosive

Love,” a compilation of love poems, “Why I Couldn’t March,” a 1983 memoir to commemorate the March on Washington, and a novel, “Gotta Tell Papa,” a still to be published autobiography.

The mother, labor leader, and strategist died on January 13, 2023 at the age of 87, after having been hospitalized for multiple illnesses, leaving her daughter, former colleagues and countless mentees to continue her legacy.

“I worked with her for over 20 years in the labor movement and there was none more dedicated to working men and women than Geraldine,” professor, historian, labor advocate and government affairs liaison Dr. Bernard Demczuk wrote on The Washington Informer’s website under the article remembering Boykin’s life. “She was smart, sassy, funny, and fierce. Rest in Power and Peace, Gerri.”

WI

COUNCIL REPORT from Page 1

After a 10-minute recess, council members moved on to the business of the day, which included RFK campus, extension of pre-trial detention, and a ceremonial resolution for a veteran educator.

This edition of The Collins Council Report delves deeply into these elements of a meeting lasting no longer than two hours.

VISIONS GALORE FOR RFK CAMPUS

The council approved the Transfer of Jurisdiction Over the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Emergency Approval Resolution of 2025. This legislation, introduced by D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) at the request of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), further solidifies the development of RFK campus, which recently came under local control.

In his first-ever statement on the dais, D.C. Councilmember Wen-

dell Felder (D-Ward 7) reflected on what will be one of the most consequential development projects for him and his constituents.

“Ward 7 has been overlooked.

This provides a once-in-a-lifetime time to change that,” Felder said.

“We can drive economic development in a part of the city that deserves its fair share of prosperity. With much needed recreation space, a local economy around our waterfront, or perhaps build a home for our Washington Commanders.”

In January, Bowser braved a winter storm that shut down the District to watch then-President Joe Biden (D) sign into law the transfer of RFK campus. She celebrated the occasion with Josh Harris, controlling owner of the Washington Commanders.

A few weeks later, Bowser counted among those who cheered on the Commanders as they went toe to toe with the Philadelphia Eagles in their bid for the NFC Championship. Though the Commanders

aren’t going to the Super Bowl, they still enjoy strong support among legions of Washingtonians -- including D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large).

“Hopefully it can have some retail [with things] serving those in the surrounding communities. ”McDuffie said about the future plans for RFK campus. “But let’s bring back the Commanders. I want to thank [Commanders quarterback] Jayden Daniels for giving me something to cheer about in decades.”

As Mendelson explained on Monday, no plans currently exist for the 174 acres of public land spread along the Anacostia River. Looking forward, he told reporters that he would like to work with the Executive Office of the Mayor, even suggesting that it bring on a master developer who designs the entire campus and takes on the costs of constructing a new football stadium.

COUNCIL REPORT

5 Geraldine P. Boykin is celebrated as one of the first Black women to lead a labor union in D.C., having served as executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 20. (Courtesy Photo)

NPA401060-0014

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

the Freedom to Learn

BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR

Unsung Heroines of Labor Justice: Dorothy Lee Bolden Inspires Domestic Workers Unions

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Than 500 Courses

By Jada Ingleton WI Digital Equity Fellow

Dorthoy Lee Bolden was only 9 years old when she discovered the hardships of being a domestic worker.

From washing diapers for $1.25 a week to pursuing a full-time’s maid position for $2.00 more in high school, the Georgia native had a front row seat to the struggles of growing up in the Great Depression South, and soon grew tired of the extraneous travel and unfavorable conditions.

In 1968 Bolden transformed domestic workers’ rights by founding the National Domestic Workers Union of America (NDWUA).

With more than 40 years experience under her belt, and the support of her neighbor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bolden rallied against labor infringement and fought for fellow Black domestic workers to have fair wages, better service and resounding respect in the workforce.

She said in a 1978 interview: “See, we had to be brilliant, because all we could do is think. [Employers] would ask you about

your opinions and you never got credit for your opinions. And you sure to God didn’t get credit for your ideas. And you had some brilliant ideas.”

The NDWUA trained members in skills such as cooking, cleaning, first aid, and more, and provided learning tools for negotiation, which instilled a new sense of confidence in the working women who could now self-advocate for better pay and other requirements. Within two years of its founding, Atlanta maids earned an average of $13.50 to $15.00 a day.

Beyond the impact in Atlanta, the labor alliance was a catalyst for a series of nationwide social progression and reform through the mid-1990s.

“Reflecting on the journey, I pay tribute to the trailblazers. Dorothy Bolden is one of those pioneers. The legacy of improving #thecareeconomy and care worker rights has deep roots,” wrote domestic worker advocate Crystal Crawford in an April 2024 Instagram post. “Let’s honor Dorothy Bolden’s groundwork for the remarkable movement we are part of today."

WI

5 A celebrated labor leader, Dorothy Lee Bolden, pictured in this photograph by Lewis Boyd from 1971, is founder of the National Domestic Workers Union of America (NDWUA). (Courtesy Photo, Women and the American Story, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center).

Rosina Corrothers Tucker Brings Order to D.C. Labor Unions

By Jada Ingleton WI Digital Equity Fellow

The legacy of Rosina Corrothers Tucker embodies a notion as prevalent today as in the early to mid 20th century: Black women serving as pillars to innovation and social liberation.

Born Rosina Budd Harvey in 1881, the native Washingtonian, served as a pivotal force of sistership for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) – the first all-Black labor union. She notably helped establish BSCP’s local chapter in Washington, D.C.

HISTORY MONTH 2025: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR Guest Preacher | The Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock Guest Choir | North Carolina Central University Choir

Founded by A. Phillip Randolph in 1925, BSCP posed an opportunity for a major shift in a labor landscape griefed with systemic inequities and poor standards. Tucker was readily at the forefront of labor justice in the District, hosting private meetings for Pullman Company porters at her home located at 1128 7th Street NE, per Washington Post archives.

She eventually led efforts to establish the Women’s Economic Council (now renamed the International Ladies’ Auxiliary Order), a coalition of porter wives and maids whose contributions were crucial to the formative success of the union.

“Their contributions have long been overshadowed by their male counterparts in the Brotherhood’s proud mythology,” wrote labor rights author Kim Kelly in her 2022 book “Fight Like Hell: The Untold Story of American Labor.”

“But the truth is that the union could not have launched — or notched half of the victories it won — without their fervent support and untold hours of unpaid labor.”

Tucker was later elected International Secretary Treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary, a role she served until 1984. Beyond the order, Tucker continued her role in social justice through political and civil rights activism, including working to create unions for women in laundry and domestic service industries and organizing numerous boycotts and protests, such as the March on Washington of 1963.

Following a storied career of courage and resilience, the labor activist died on March 3, 1987 at the age of 105.

“While I live, let not my life be in vain,” Tucker once told a young reporter, according to Breaking the Chains Mag. “And when I depart, may there be remembrance of me and my life as I have lived it.” WI

February 16, 2025

11:15am

5 Rosina Corrothers-Tucker, pictured in her office, during her time as secretarytreasurer of the International Ladies’ Auxiliary. (Courtesy Photo/Melinda Chateauvert)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Maida Springer Kemp’s Intersectional Approach to Labor Rights Advocacy

How Kemp Merged Pan-Africanism and Workers’ Rights

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

Devoted to improving conditions for laborers in the U.S. and abroad, Maida Springer Kemp was a trailblazer for African and Caribbean workers, devoted to highlighting the intersections between the civil rights and labor movements. Focused on educating labor forces, Kemp created communal bonds and uplifted workers worldwide.

After prospering within Local 22 of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (LGWU), she became the first Black woman to represent U.S. labor after observing warfare working conditions in Great Britain in 1945, which launched her career to the global landscape.

Bring the whole family and celebrate Black History Month with us Reserve your tickets now!

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Arena Stage Kogod Cradle 1101 6th St, SW, Washington, DC 20024

She connected the human rights struggles in the U.S. and Africa by establishing educational and training programs in Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and many other nations. Her mission to bring African and Caribbean voices to the labor movement, while advocating for independence across the African diaspora embodied the Pan-Africanism ideal of creating a unified global community.

“[She] created a sense of that immutable bond wherever she went with the expressed purpose and understanding that harmony in the heart extended outwards to fortify and foster a desire to work for the greater good,” said Kemp’s granddaughter, Christina Springer.

Kemp’s lessons of integrating race, gender and class in the fight toward equitable working conditions apply to today’s global movements addressing environmental racism, refugee

U.S. and abroad, viewing education as a means to bring workers together to acknowledge their common struggles. She helped found a trade school for women in Kenya and a driving school in Nigeria to aid in the diaspora’s journey toward liberation.

rights and economic disparities. Challenging these intersections of injustice requires collective action across marginalized groups– something which she adamantly encouraged and practiced.

By centering the idea of labor unions— caring for all— Kemp’s efforts toward human rights and global solidarity remain influential examples of combating injustice through unity.

“She was very effective at building avenues for understanding,” said Kemp biographer Dr. Yvette Richards.

WI

5 Maida Springer Kemp is known for creating connections between workers in the

BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR

William Lucy: Black America’s Man in Labor

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

William “Bill” Lucy, a District resident who served as secretary-treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) for nearly four decades, was considered by many people throughout the world as a leading African American labor leader and transformative rights activist.

“Bill Lucy was a giant, one of the most accomplished and influential trade unionists ever — in any country, at any moment in history,” said Lee Saunders, president of AFSCME. “He did as much as anyone to advance the dignity of all working people here in the United States and around the world. He was one of our greatest warriors ever for civil rights, labor rights and human rights.”

One of Lucy’s defining achieve-

ments occurred in 1968, when he traveled to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, to help resolve the sanitation workers’ strike by marching alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as the workers sought the city’s recognition of their union, AFSCME Local 1733.

Lucy and a Memphis pastor are credited with coining the now-iconic “I AM A MAN” slogan, which was embraced by the workers, emblazoned on signs, and soon became ubiquitous.

In addition, Lucy co-founded and served as longtime leader of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. He was also co-founder of the Free South Africa Movement (FSAM) that launched the successful anti-apartheid campaign in the United States. The dedicated labor leader was the first Black president of Public Services International (PSI), the world’s largest union

federation, and served on the executive council of the AFL-CIO, the federation’s highest decision-making body.

Lucy’s career in labor started in 1953, when he joined the Contra Costa County, California Public Works Department and became active in an employee association that represented county workers but lacked negotiating power. He was among the association’s members who changed to an AFSCME trade union affiliate.

In 1965, as president of his local union, Lucy caught the attention of AFSCME International President Jerry Wurf, who brought him to the District to work at headquarters. In 1972, after serving as Wurf’s executive assistant, Lucy was elected AFSCME secretary-treasurer.

After his release from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela toured several U.S. cities, making a stop

at the AFSCME convention in Miami. In 1994, Lucy led an AFLCIO delegation to monitor the 1994 South African elections in which Mandela became president.

Lucy retired as AFSCME secretary-treasurer in 2010 after 38 years in the position. He died September 25, 2024, at the age of 90.

Ever passionate about labor work, Lucy urged union members at a Boston convention to remain active in the fight for social justice.

“We’ve always known that there’s a crisis,” Lucy said. “It may be more intense now, but there’s always been a crisis for millions of people not as lucky as we are in this room. There’s a daily crisis in their lives, as they struggle to put bread on their tables, to put clothes on their backs, to have a roof on their heads. We have a responsibility to help them out.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

HARRIET TUBMAN

FREDERICK DOUGLASS

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR,

5 William Lucy served as the secretary-treasurer of AFSCME for decades. (Courtesy Photo/X, William Lucy )

DIRECTOR

CHARON P.W. HINES

Live Boldly -February 2025 Message from Department of Aging and Community Living

able and that streets are safe and clear, they have been pivotal in keeping us safe this winter.

Additionally, I would like to commend the team at DACL, who made sure seniors like you received much-needed services despite the snow. Your commitment to supporting our seniors during challenging times is inspiring. If you need DACL services during a snow emergency,

victim to romance scams, collectively losing nearly $622,587.

DISB has identified some things to look out for and ways to protect yourself  to avoid getting scammed.    Red Flags to Watch For:

• Excuses to avoid in-person or video meetings.

• Request for money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.

Dear Seniors,

Winter is in full swing, and though it has been a cold season, we are reminded of the warmth and resilience of our community. Many of you have braved these freezing temperatures, and we hope you are staying safe and warm. Despite the extreme winter weather we have experienced this season, we are still a community that uplifts one another and always lends a helping hand.

Speaking of lending a helping hand, I want to sincerely thank our sister agencies, the Department of Public Works, Office of Unified Communications, the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, and Serve DC for their incredible efforts to keep our city safe and functional during winter weather emergencies. Their dedication makes all the difference; from snow removal to ensuring essential services remain avail-

to 2:00 PM. To make this event even more accessible, we are hosting this celebration at two locations:

• Deanwood Recreation Center (1350 49th St., NE)

• Edgewood Recreation Center (300 Evarts St., NE)

We look forward to seeing you at the celebration, so grab your friends and loved ones and join us for a lovefilled day.

• To RSVP for Deanwood, visit: tinyurl.com/rwydeanwood25

• To RSVP for Edgewood, visit: tinyurl.com/rwyedgewoof25

While love is in the air, romance scams continue to rise. Romance scams are one of the most costly and devastating types of fraud. They can happen to anyone but often target older adults, taking advantage of their trust and emotions. According to the DC Department of Insurance, Secu rities, and Banking (DISB), in 2023, 38 District residents reported falling

Quick declarations of love or af-

Inconsistent stories that don’t match their profile.

TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:

1. Talk to trusted friends or family members about the situation.

2. Slow down communication with the person if something feels off.

3. Cut off all contact—block their number and report their profile.

4. Never send money or personal information, no matter how convincing the story may seem.

For more tips on staying safe, or if you believe you have been targeted do not hesitate to contact DISB at 202-

Ms. Senior DC Pa

727-8000 for additional resources.

Thank you for being an essential part of our community. We are committed to ensuring that every senior in the District has access to resources, support, and opportunities to thrive in every season. Stay warm and safe and we look forward to seeing you at our second annual Red, White, and You celebration!

In Service,

Charon PW Hines  Director, Department of Aging and Community Living

Are you a DC resident aged 60 or older and interested in representing your peers as Ms Senior DC 2025?

Are you actively involved in your community?

Consider becoming a contestant in the Ms. Senior DC 2025 Pageant!

Contestants are judged on their: Personal Interview Philosophy of Life Talent Presentation Evening Gown Presentation

The winner will represent the District and compete in the Ms Senior America Pageant in 2025.

Application Deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025

information on how

A Tone-Deaf and Insensitive Commander in Chief

In the aftermath of national tragedies, Americans turn to the president for comfort and inspiration, regardless of their political affiliation.

After the Kennedy assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson said, “This is a sad time for all people. I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help – and God’s.”

After the explosion of the Challenger spacecraft, President Ronald Reagan, referencing the crew, spoke, “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, as they waved goodbye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.’”

President Barack Obama, after the shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut, said, “This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter, and we’ll tell them that we love them. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight.”

Unfortunately, President Donald J. Trump, during his first public appearance after the recent plane crash in Washington, did not provide comfort to the nation. Instead, immediately after calling for a moment of prayer, he launched into a misinformed attack, blaming “DEI” – or to put it in less coded language: Black people and Democrats - for the accident that claimed the lives of 67 Americans.

Trump cited “I have common sense” as the source of his allegation.

Here are the facts from the U.S. Census Bureau: 78% of air traffic controllers are men, while 22% are women. White individuals comprise 71% of the total, while Black individuals account for 8%.

Further, according to the Chicago Tribune, when you hear “This is your captain” on a commercial flight in the United States, there’s over a 90% chance that the speaker is a White male. Only 3.4% of pilots are Black.

When asked if he planned to visit the crash site, Trump replied, “You want me to go swimming?”

This grieving nation deserved better from the president.

The Washington Informer extends its prayers and condolences to the families impacted by the collision of American 5342 and the U.S. Army Black Hawk.

WI

Black History Month is a Reminder We Must Never Forget Our Past

Happy Black History Month!

Black History Month may occur in the shortest month on the calendar, a joke occasionally told from one Black brother or sister to another. However, for African Americans, it’s still OUR month.

It’s that time each year when Americans are invited to celebrate the history and culture of African Americans; and each year since its formative days, Black History Month has become a moment of reflection and rejoicing.

Black historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a leader in the academic pursuit of African American studies, chose February because it includes the birth of two men who changed life for Black people during the pivotal 19th century and opened doors that had long

Loved the WI Bridge’s “DMV 35 Under 35.”

Lots of interesting people doing great things. I hope to make the list one of these days. Until then, the work and the grind continue!

TO THE EDITOR

Looking forward to attending the Washington Informer’s Legacy Gala in March! I’m a longtime supporter and can’t wait to meet everyone in person, fellowship, and celebrate the newspaper’s 60th anniversary.

been locked shut: President Abraham Lincoln (Feb.12) and Frederick Douglass (Feb. 20)

Dr. Woodson wanted Black people to be proud of their heritage and to see themselves as more than just former slaves, former property. He hoped that African Americans could be energized and more confident after hearing about the contributions made by Blacks both on the African continent and here in America.

Many of these tales of triumph were omitted from America’s standard texts. But the griots of the past and present have kept their stories alive.

So, what are your plans during Black History Month? Are you attending events that highlight African American achievements,

P. Johnson Washington, D.C.

sacrifices and the uncanny ability to “make a way out of no way?”

Perhaps you’ve decided to attend a concert that will pay homage to the hymns and spirituals that helped our ancestors believe that despite the hardships they faced, there would be brighter days.

Celebrating Black History Month can be as simple as sitting down with young people and reading them stories about the amazing litany of African American heroes and sheroes.

Finally, for African Americans, celebrating Black History Month should include recognizing that even our mothers, fathers, siblings,

Diane Richmond Washington, D.C.

grandparents and great-grandparents, and our longtime best friends have a place in history – our history.

But to maintain that place of reverence which they have earned, especially those who have departed this earth and gone on to glory, their names must continue to be spoken. So we must continue to tell the story – our story.

We must always remember and retell the story just the way it was and not allow anyone to try to erase, revise, eliminate or step on our history. For indeed, we are a tremendous people.

It’s Black History Month – celebrate! WI

Celebrating Black History Month can be as simple as sitting down with young people and reading them stories about the amazing litany of African American heroes and sheroes.

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

To Fix Congo, Fix Its Leadership

The biggest portion of news coming out of Africa this week has been the crisis in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where a rebel group known by its acronym M23 is pitted against the DRC government forces. As of this week, these rebels had managed to overrun one of the strategic towns in the East of DRC, Goma, that shares a border with Rwanda.

Here in the U.S., many people may not be conversant with the root causes of this crisis. However, this is a crisis that has been ongoing for nearly 30 years whose genesis can be traced on two fundamental issues.

One is historical and the other is largely a question of weak and incoherent leadership on the part of DRC.

Historically the colonialists left a big mess in Africa. When they mapped out nations during the Berlin conference of 1884, a big chunk of communities were separated by a mere geographical line of boundary. The de-

marcation of borders did not consider the homogeneity of communities.

In other words, Africans woke up in the morning and found families and communities that shared similar culture, language, ancestry and blood had been separated.

This is exactly what happened to Congo. When the boundaries were designed, a big chunk of people with strong connections to Rwanda found themselves as citizens of Congo. The only thing that separated them from their kith and kin in Rwanda was an imaginary borderline.

Super Bowl QBs Expose Anti-DEI Myths

"This is the thing people seem to have intentionally forgotten: that discrimination is real and prevents qualified people from getting opportunities that they would otherwise have and the goal of DEI is to prevent that as much as possible. But there are plenty of influential people on the intellectual right who see outlawing this kind of discrimination as a fundamental perversion of what the

political order is supposed to be ... which should tell you something about what the crusade against DEI actually was all about. It wasn't about restoring merit. It wasn't about fairness. It was about removing undesirable classes of people from the competition pool for jobs that bring high pay and high status."

— Jamelle Bouie

Of the many lies behind the current assault on racial justice and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, the most vicious is that DEI policies lower standards.

Guest

The issue of abortion has a long, complicated history before and after the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which made abortion legal nationwide.

It's a historical story worth understanding, given the chaos we see in our nation today. Abortion is particularly complex because it has evolved into a defining political issue affecting state

and federal elections.

The Catholic Church has always maintained strong opposition to abortion based on its principles and teachings. While not all Catholics share the church's official stance, the church has been consistent in opposing abortion for moral reasons.

Opposition to abortion didn't begin as the cultural war issue it is today.

While the Catholic Church opposed abortion, the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest evangelical denomination, said it should be allowed in many circumstances. This was

Nothing exposes that lie more nakedly than the world of elite and professional sports.

The two quarterbacks who are about to face off in Super Bowl 59 have led their teams to the playoffs every season they have started. Jalen Hurts has taken his team to the Super Bowl twice in four seasons as starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Patrick Mahomes has done it five times in seven seasons starting for the Kansas City Chiefs. There is no denying their excellence.

Yet for most of NFL history, neither

However, this would never have been a problem because it's a common feature across many African nations. The problem is that for all these post-colonial years, the leadership in DRC has failed to recognize these people as legitimate Congolese who should enjoy equal rights as others.

For all these years, they have been a subject of discrimination, humiliation, annihilation and endless torture.

The government has instigated hate speech against these people leading to extermination of a big segment.

This is partly why a segment of

these people picked up arms to defend themselves against this brutality that has gone on endlessly before the eyes of the international community. It's why we are seeing this M23 rebellion.

There have been repeated cries to find a peaceful solution to this crisis mainly from the Rwandan leadership, but unfortunately the world has largely chosen to ignore them.

The problem is further aggravated by the inept and weak leadership in Kinshasa. They have chosen to exter-

before evangelicals became organized and deeply involved in politics.

Neither political party viewed it as a defining issue until candidates like Richard Nixon saw the Catholic Church's passion to restrict abortion access and decided to use the issue to gain Catholic votes. Nixon suffered a painful loss in 1960 when Democrat John Kennedy narrowly defeated him, becoming the first Catholic president.

Vowing never to lose the Catholic vote again, Nixon began taking anti-abortion positions to appeal to Catholic voters and other social con-

of these world-class athletes would have been seriously considered for the position of quarterback. In the league's early years, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to play any position at all.

It's easy to see that opening the doors of opportunity for athletes of color has raised standards in every sport.

It would be ludicrous to argue that Black baseball players lacked the skill to compete in the major leagues before Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947, or that admitting Black players has diminished the level of play.

Yet that's exactly what President Trump and other opponents of racial equity initiatives are trying to claim when they baselessly blame "DEI" for tragedies like this week's deadly plane crash in Washington, D.C.

Anyone who assumes — or falsely claims — that the bar of achievement is always set by white men — should consider the case of Johnny Weissmuller's world record. Weissmuller, an Olympic swimmer who achieved greater fame as Tarzan in the movies,

servatives during the 1972 presidential campaign. After Nixon won the election and most Catholic votes, Republican strategists used the same tactics for congressional races. Supporting the anti-abortion movement became more about getting votes than saving unborn lives for many candidates and elected officials.

Before and for several years after Roe v. Wade, evangelicals were largely indifferent to abortion, which they considered a "Catholic issue." Although a few evangelicals mildly criticized the ruling, the overwhelming

response was silence, even approval. Linda Greenhouse and Reva B. Siegel explained in their book "Before Roe v. Wade" that the shift against abortion rights was part of a larger effort to paint the Republican Party as pro-family to mobilize socially conservative voters. Catholic groups led the anti-abortion campaign, which was hampered by disagreements but eventually became a political agenda directed by religious right organizations that were politically sharp and media savvy.

Marc H. Morial

David W. Marshall

Arthur Asiimwe

Guest Columnist

Columnist

Where Will You Shop?

Often people shop where it's convenient without thinking about how their spending may be detrimental to them. While you are free to do that, we're currently being asked to examine everything that affects us because many actions by the Trump administration demonstrate they are seeking retribution.

Many concerning changes have already begun. For instance, Trump and his party have always claimed total support for police regardless of their actions. Their union endorsed Trump, but now they feel betrayed. Some of their colleagues were killed by the very people he pardoned.

The world knew what happened Jan. 6, so Trump had to know. It didn't matter to him. It was part of his retribution plan and led companies to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion — known as DEI.

This is a racist and sexist move. The programs existed only because women and minorities historically were excluded from certain jobs and opportunities available to white men. I wonder how white women and minorities feel about what's happened to their future opportunities. Black women have always had to be better than others to access many opportunities others have always had — and we still meet the challenges.

Companies like Target, McDonald's and Walmart where

Black History Month 2025 — We Proclaim It

Former Georgia Representative Julian Bond and Black Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver once said that when Rosa Parks chose to stay seated on that bus in Montgomery, Alabama, somewhere in the universe, a gear in the machinery shifted, and everything changed.

A gear-shifting moment.

In the history of this country, in the

ongoing fight against racial oppression, against a white supremacist narrative, and against the racial apartheid laws that were passed and upheld, there have always been gear-shifting moments when individual people have taken a stand. It happened in 1850, when Harriet Araminta Tubman, a year after her self-emancipation, chose to go back to Baltimore, Maryland, to help lead her niece and her niece’s two children to freedom. A gear shifted.

It happened in 1770, when Crispus Attucks, a Black and Indigenous

sailor and whaler, chose to get involved with the growing kerfuffle in Boston.

In 1864, when the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Colored Troops marched from Camp William Penn through the streets of Philadelphia on their way to fight, a gear shifted.

When Mamie Till told them in 1955 to leave her son’s casket open so that the world could see what those white men had done to her son, a gear in the machinery of the universe shifted. It happened again in 1966 with Kwame Ture and Mukasa Dada’s declaration of Black Power at the conclu-

many women and minorities shop and take their children. McDonald's depends on children. Will people continue to take their children there?

Target has rolled back its DEI programs. They sent a memo to employees, announcing the end of three-year DEI goals and diversity programs — including some they acknowledge aim to make their workforce and merchandise better reflect their customers. They are halting reports to external groups like the Human Rights Cam-

paign's Corporate Equality Index and ending a program focused on carrying more products from Black- or minority-owned businesses. In prior years, Target officials said George Floyd's murder in their Minneapolis hometown motivated them to strengthen DEI programs. Now this.

Most of us haven't heard of Meta, so I can't explain why they would roll back their DEI program. I know no one who works

sion of the “March Against Fear.” And in 2014, after police officers killed unarmed Eric Garner in New York and unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Black people came together under the banner and hashtag of Black Lives Matter to march, protest, and demand change.

Gears shift when we choose to fight, when we choose to stand up, and when we refuse to back down.

The moral arc of the universe does not bend on its own toward justice, it bends because we push it and because we are willing to continue to do it un-

In Fire's Wake, a Community Comes Together to Prevent Future Disasters

God's earth. Without a shadow of a doubt, community solidarity is crucial in the fight against climate change."

"As we address the aftermath of the wildfires, let us resolve not just to build back better but also smarter, with a commitment to the environment and future generations. As a pastor, I am guided by the principle that caring for creation is an integral part of our faith. Let us take inspiration from the teachings of love and stewardship, embracing the role of being good caretakers of

Those are the words of the Rev. Dr. Larry E. Campbell, senior pastor of Pasadena, California's historic First African Methodist Episcopal Church. Forty-nine members of his congregation lost their homes to the Eaton fire last month.

The Eaton fire raged through the Pasadena area, hitting the neighborhoods of Altadena especially hard. Altadena, where many of Campbell's congregants live, is an unincorporated part

of Los Angeles County just north of Pasadena, nestled in the foothills against Angeles National Forest. I grew up in a California community similarly on the edge of the wilderness. We were used to fires happening in the forests, but not in our neighborhoods. Thanks to extreme drought, climate whiplash and other effects of the climate crisis, people in these communities now need to grapple with increased firestorm threats in their towns and cities.

Altadena lost at least 17 lives and thousands of homes to the flames — many more than Pasadena, which,

while also devastated, lost just under 200 homes. The city leaders and community activists of Pasadena have stepped up to help their neighbors.

"In this community we don't make very large distinctions between Altadena and Pasadena. We all grew up together, we all went to school together, and when families who lost their homes in Altadena reached out to family members for shelter it was their family and friends in Pasadena who opened their doors and welcomed them in. We really are one big community," Pasadena council member Tyron Hampton

til change does happen.

In 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson — the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the son of formerly enslaved parents, a former sharecropper and miner, and the second Black person to receive a Ph.D. in History from Harvard University — sent out a press release announcing the first Negro History Week, a gear shifted. He chose February because the Black community

told the Los Angeles Sentinel. In the face of tragedy, community leaders are stepping up not only to rebuild but to strengthen their communities — and all of ours — against future disasters by working to combat the cause of the fires: warming due to continued burning of fossil fuels. In 2023, the Pasadena City Council passed a Climate Emergency Resolution, setting a goal for Pasadena to run on 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030. Now, after the fires, a broad coalition of

WILLIAMS Page 54

Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

HEALTH

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

Even before the murder of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, Americans have been concerned about the state of health care across the U.S. With President Donald Trump occupying the Oval Office for the second time, health care advocates are proactively urging the commander in chief to prioritize equitable Medicare and Medicaid coverage for the country’s most underserved communities.

ration, Al B. Sure (Albert Joseph Brown III) famed singer and executive chairman of the Health Equity In Transplantation Coalition, released a statement urging the new administration to take a “thorough approach” to public healthcare in a manner that is inclusive to African American and Latino communities.

Just days after Trump’s inauguaccess,” said Brown.

“If the new administration wants to effectively deliver for Black and Latino Americans, as President Trump promised, it should instead look at how existing public health funding is deployed, and whether it can be better used to address gaps in

According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), in 2022, Black, Hispanic, and Latino Americans “accounted for more than 41% of transplants in the U.S., while only representing 32.7% of the general U.S. population.”

And while scores of Black and Brown Americans struggle through the hardships of chronic illness, the weight of extensive medical evaluations and exorbitant test costs are posing additional sources of stress for patients already fighting to survive.

New challenges arose for the transplant community on March 2, 2023, when a private contractor, by the name of “Medicare Administrative Contractor,” announced restrictions placed on “Medicare coverage of transplant patient blood tests that detect early signs of organ rejection.”

A transplant blood test, often used to monitor for organ rejection after a transplant, can cost anywhere between $2,800 and $3,200 per test, depending on the specific type and where the test is administered.

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network countered Medicare Administrative Contractors announcement by emphasizing the immense benefit federal dollars spent toward organ transplants or post-procedure care provides for Americans in need.

“Every American who can get systemic support for a kidney

transplant is one who does not have to rely on costly, painful, and time-consuming dialysis,” Brown continued. “That is a Black, Latino, or rural American who can go to work in a good job thanks to a system that smartly invests dollars back into the community.”

LOCAL DRUG ADDICTION SPECIALISTS TALK INEQUITABLE REIMBURSEMENT RATES

Even before Trump assumed office for the second time, Dr. Edwin Chapman, who specializes in drug addiction in Washington, D.C., said that his practice was impacted because the District’s local Medicaid carriers saw a significant payment decrease in reimbursement rates starting in 2023.

Largely working with opioid addicted patients, Chapman sees the multi-pronged approach needed to treat residents whose unique circumstances render them high risk for morbidity and mortality due to co-occurring illnesses that may include mental health challenges, homelessness, and economic hardships.

However, Chapman laments that insurance companies insist on neglecting the more layered needs of treatment and support for this particular demographic of patients.

“You have to understand that

there's a reason why these people, in spite of the fact that they're on medication, continue to use drugs, but the insurance company wants you to treat them as if they're a stable patient. A patient that is on medication and now drug free,” Chapman told The Informer. “But obviously, there are two different classes of results, which is not uncommon, but that's how the insurance company makes money, is by underestimating the severity of the patient's illness.”

While equity advocates criticize the Trump administration for potential health care rollbacks that could harm underserved communities, Chapman reasons the source of the issue is not solely based on the new administration’s projected policies alone.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword. Insurance companies saw Trump coming into the presidency and felt that they could do this and get away with it,” Chapman said. “This didn’t just happen overnight.”

The foreseeable future could be grim for medicaid and medicare patients who rely on insurance coverage to afford them the critical medical attention they need.

“It will put us out of business,” Chapman said, considering the broader implications of insurance company practices and the potential impact they will have on patient care, if these rollbacks persist. “We won’t have the resources to cover our patient’s costs.”

5 As President Donald Trump occupies the Oval Office for the second time, health care advocates are proactively urging the commander in chief to prioritize

Medicare and Medicaid coverage for the country’s most underserved communities.

File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

EARTH OUR

And Now We’re Back to Justice Zero

The Axing of Justice40 Reverses Biden’s Efforts to Clean Up the Port and Roadway Pollution Sickening Black, Brown Communities

By Willy Blackmore

Word in Black

This article was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation's leading Black news publishers (of which the Informer is a member).

Among the many, many programs and initiatives established by the Biden Administration that President Donald Trump sought to end at the very outset of his second term in office was Justice40.

Enacted through an executive order shortly after Biden himself took office in 2021, Justice40 set a goal across federal agencies to direct at least 40% of spending on climate and related issues toward frontline communities — which often happen to be predominantly Black and Brown and poor, too.

The initiative represented a historic shift in the federal approach to climate issues. It has long been understood that Black and Brown Americans bear a disproportionate risk from the climate crisis, not to mention the ongoing burden of being exposed at a higher rate to industrial pollution, and the Biden Administration was finally making it so government spending reflected that reality.

But now, just like seemingly every other government-related effort that celebrates any minority group or attempts to address any inequity they experience, both Justice40 and also the great environmental justice approach taken by departments like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recent years are being stamped out by Trump.

“The lawyers are ready,” Robert Bullard, the father of the environmental justice movement and the founding director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, told In-

the categories included: climate change; clean energy and energy efficiency; clean transit; affordable and sustainable housing; training and workforce development; remediation and reduction of legacy pollution; development of critical clean water; and wastewater infrastructure. (This is the exact language for how the covered areas were named in the memo that codified Justice40, which is no longer on the White House website.)

While it was widely expected that the Trump administration’s approach to climate issues would be in contrast to Biden’s, the tact the President has taken thus far makes his first-term climate policy look practically woke in comparison.

side Climate News. “We’ve got to fight to make sure we don’t roll over and let things happen to us, but be ready and prepared to fight back,” he said.

While DEI has quickly become the go-to scapegoat for the second Trump Administration — blamed even for the mid-air collision of a passenger jet and a military helicopter over the Potomac last week — many of the executive actions being taken on DEI programs are also affecting environmental justice too as both a phrase and an approach to governance.

Trump’s executive order ending all DEI positions in the federal government, for example, also applies in practice to environmental justice. A follow-up memo from the Office of Personnel Management said: “In accordance with that order, each agency, department, or commission head shall take action to terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and environmental justice offices and positions within sixty days.”

The page on environmental justice that had been on the White House website has been removed, as well as the official Justice40 website (as well as many but not all pages pertaining to the program that were on the website of individual agencies).

There are concerns too that the administration might also scrap the $1 billion in environmental justice community grant money, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, which has yet to be awarded (there are also awarded grants that have yet to be paid out that seem in limbo now as well).

Justice40 applied to federal investments in a number of areas that, together, provide a broad definition of both the climate crisis and of arenas where Black and Brown Americans have long been disadvantaged or suffered disproportionate effects. Some of

When Scott Pruit was EPA administrator during the first Trump administration, he once said environmental justice was “critical to improving environmental and public health outcomes.” Even if that was lip service, it’s hard to imagine the new administrator, Lee Zeldin, even saying such a thing — never mind actually doing anything about it.

WI

5 Justice40, enacted under former President Joe Biden, and the environmental justice approach taken by departments like the Environmental Protection Agency in recent years are being stamped out by President Donald Trump. (Courtesy Photo/ Screenshot via WhiteHouse.gov)

EDUCATION

CELL

from Page 1

like what legislation by D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) proposes. Amid teachers and parents’ complaints about cyberbullying and distracted students, Calique warned against policies he said overlook underlying problems.

“We, as a District, must address deeper issues like mental health, safety concerns, and the lack of adequate resources for our youth,” said Calique, a senior at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School in Southeast.

“Bullying, for example, existed long before social media; it’s not just about the devices but about how we educate and guide students, parents, and educators in accountability and usage.”

Weeks before Pinto introduced her bill, SBOE conducted a panel featuring public witnesses who spoke in support of a cell phone ban. Experts also weighed in on the mental health drawbacks of prolonged cell phone use while providing a picture about a movement that’s gaining national traction. While on the dais in the Old Council Chambers of the Marion S. Barry Building in Northeast, Calique, one of four SBOE student representatives, expressed his apprehension about totally removing cell phones from the classroom. He instead attempted to explore a middle ground with a cadre of public witnesses that included parent advocates and nonprofit leaders.

With SBOE scheduled to adopt a resolution as early as Feb. 19, Calique said he’s continuing to engage his peers to gather their feedback that will help SBOE draft a document that doesn’t prevent young people from navigating modern society.

“It's not just about the devices but about how we educate and guide students, parents, and educators in accountability and usage,” Calique told The Informer. “A blanket ban overlooks these complexities and could lead to missed opportunities for engagement and support in today’s tech-driven world.”

D.C. COUNCILMEMBER

BROOKE PINTO EYES ANOTHER PIECE TO HER PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY

If the D.C. Council approves Pinto’s legislation, titled the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025, D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and District public charter schools too will be required to adopt and implement policy prohibiting students’ use of cell phones, gaming devices, and smart watches.

The bill, which outlines requirements for notifying students about the cell phone policy, funds the installation of on-campus cell phone storage lockers. It also includes a provision

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

5 If the D.C. Council approves Councilmember Brooke Pinto’s legislation, the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025, D.C. Public Schools and District public charter schools will be required to adopt and implement policy prohibiting students’ use of cell phones, gaming devices, and smart watches. (AI Photo/Fotor)

allowing in-class cell phone use for students who have such accommodations outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP). Educators would be allowed to let students use tablets and laptops during the instructional day for educational purposes, while providing wireless communication devices in case of an emergency or health-related matter.

Pinto, who introduced the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025 with D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), and Councilmembers Anita Bonds (D-At large), Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) as co-sponsors, said she wants to secure the bill’s passage by the spring. She called her legislation, which follows the funding of a literacy outcomes task

Parking Garage Repairs and Resurfacing

The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency is seeking the services of a contractor to provide the above services.

Those interested in participating must attend the mandatory site visit on 2/19/25 at 11:30 p.m., at 815 Florida Avenue, N.W.

The RFP can be found at www.DCHFA.org/about/business-opportunities. Deadline for submission of proposals is March 4, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

cell phones as a tool of engagement.

“Cell phones are not just text messages, tik tok dances and social media—they are gateways. In fact, they are the small computers that students will rely on to navigate higher education, careers, and a world increasingly built on mobile technology,” Best said in his Jan. 29 letter. “Instead of eliminating them, I encourage you to pass legislation ensuring that we teach our students how to use them appropriately. Let’s mandate digital citizenship, self-discipline, and model the kind of responsible use they will need for their future jobs and lives.”

EXPLORING BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE

force and movement of the District’s safe passage program to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, an important step in keeping students safe.

“Schools with these [cell phone] policies have seen... an increase in school safety,” Pinto told The Informer as she identified some District public middle schools as a model for what a cell phone ban could achieve. “Staff collect the phones in homeroom and the teacher keeps them,” Pinto told The Informer. “The biggest feedback from teachers is that they don’t want to be enforcing this, so the legislation requires that someone be assigned for collection and enforcement of the policy so we’re not asking teachers to do another thing.”

The Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025, introduced on Jan. 28, elicited varying reactions among state board members.

In a statement, SBOE Representative Allister Chang (Ward 2) said that data supports the need to help students and teachers “make the most of their time in the classroom.” Meanwhile, SBOE Representative Brandon Best (Ward 6), a proponent of tech-based classroom instruction, cautioned against a “one-size-fits-all approach” that doesn’t take into account students’ inequitable access to academic technology.

In a letter he sent to Pinto last week, Best implored the Ward 2 council member to think about a solution that doesn’t disadvantage District students entering the professional realm, nor jeopardize the groundwork teachers have laid to use

In the post-pandemic world, inschool cell phone bans have amassed bipartisan support; at least a dozen states -- including California, Florida, Minnesota and Virginia --- have approved legislation that imposes a system wide ban or encourages schools to develop their own policies. Eight state-level education departments have also issued policy recommendations and pilot programs that, according to Kaiser Family Foundation, have highlighted concerns about school emergency protocol, students suffering medical emergencies and challenges that overworked teachers face while enforcing policy.

Even so, teachers and other proponents continue to cite research that connects in-school cell phone use with increased stress, anxiety and depression and a reduction in cognitive abilities. A slew of public witnesses who appeared before SBOE on Dec. 11 relied on that information as they expressed support for a cell phone ban.

Ana Rodriguez, a mother of a student who attends McKinley Technology High School in Northeast, spoke not only in support of a cell phone ban, but on-campus safety protocols that, in the absence of mobile devices, could put community members’ minds at ease.

In making her point, Rodriguez told state board members about an incident last Halloween when a peer punched her daughter in the stomach while another student recorded. As she recounted, her daughter, who suffers from epileptic seizures, didn’t even appear concerned about her physical health when she spoke to her mother about the incident later that day.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com. @SamPKCollins

SCHOOL

PHONES

Harvard Under Fire for Slashing Slavery Initiative Staff as Black History Faces Nationwide Attacks

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Harvard University abruptly terminated staff contributing to the research component of its Slavery Remembrance Program on Jan. 23, leaving employees without notice and sparking outrage about the institution’s commitment to its $100 million Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Initiative. The decision comes during a national wave of setbacks to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, widespread layoffs of minority employees, and actions by states and schools to diminish the teaching of Black history.

The Slavery Remembrance Program, a cornerstone of the Legacy of Slavery Initiative, sought to address Harvard’s extensive entanglements with slavery. The 2022 report by the university’s Presidential Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery detailed how the institution enslaved

over 70 individuals, benefited financially from slavery-related industries, and upheld racial hierarchies through “race science” and eugenics.

Richard J. Cellini, the program’s director, was also dismissed after he reportedly challenged the university’s administration for allegedly interfering with the research’s scope. Cellini had accused Sara Bleich, the initiative's overseer, of attempting to suppress findings that uncovered descendants tied to Harvard’s slavery legacy.

According to reports, Cellini gave the administration an ultimatum: either allow the program to conduct its research without obstruction or fire him. Days later, his termination followed.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from within and beyond the university. Staff told the Harvard Crimson they had no prior indication that their roles were at risk.

One former employee described the layoffs as devastating.

January 31 – February 9

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

“We were conducting vital work, uncovering Harvard’s ties to slavery and its legacies. Cutting this program sends a clear and troubling signal about where priorities lie,” the employee told the university newspaper.

Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Advisory Council member Henry Louis Gates Jr. publicly praised Cellini’s contributions.

“Richard Cellini’s superb efforts launched us on our way on this historically important mission,” Gates stated in a university press release. “We are indebted to Richard for his early guidance and his ambitious leadership.”

Harvard announced the program’s next phase will proceed under the leadership of American Ancestors, a genealogical organization. However, critics argue the abrupt staff dismissals undermine the credibility of the university’s stated commitment to reckoning with its history.

“Institutions like Harvard have

is under

after abruptly terminating staff who were contributing to the research component of its Slavery Remembrance Program on Jan. 23. (Courtesy Photo)

the resources to set an example for accountability,” said one academic familiar with the initiative. “But actions like these raise serious doubts.”

The controversy follows Harvard’s

2022 acknowledgment of its historical reliance on slavery. According to its report, the university’s leaders, faculty, and donors directly profited from slavery, with more than a third of donations during the first half of the 19th century coming from five individuals tied to the slave economy.

Some enslaved individuals lived and worked on Harvard’s campus, serving presidents, professors, and students. The report also revealed that the university played a prominent role in the proliferation of racial pseudoscience, with faculty conducting dehumanizing research and promoting eugenics.

Former Harvard President Lawrence Bacow, who launched the initiative in 2019, described the program as essential to addressing Harvard’s past.

“We must do what we can to understand and confront our history and the harm it caused, while building a future rooted in equity and inclusion,” Bacow said in 2022.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5 Harvard University

fire

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Tait Manning WI Intern

Happy Black History Month!

This week is full of events to kick off February.

From a Black film showcase to early Valentine’s celebrations, check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend.

To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Jazzmeia Horn

7 p.m. | $35.00+ Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20007

Vocalist Jazzmeia Horn boasts impressive credentials, including winning the 2013 Sarah Vaughan and 2015 Thelonious Monk jazz competitions.

The thrice-Grammy-nominated Horn sings standards with a pow-

erful, earthy tone that draws heavily on the blues, and also writes her own tunes in a classic mode. She sounds somewhere between Vaughan and the great scatter Anita O’Day.

Two separate sets are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Microcinema: Student Works

7 p.m. - 9 p.m. | $10.00+ Rhizome DC, 6950 Maple St NW, Washington, D.C., 20012

This event will present short video works by students from American University's film program.

The filmmakers will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

SIP AND PAINT| HST| WASHINGTON DC

7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $27.00+

Allure Bar & Lounge, 711 H Street Northeast, Washington, D.C., 20002

Enjoy a fun and exciting eve-

5Amid traveling to global celebrations and cultural events like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, filmmakers in the feature documentary “Color” explore the backstory of reputable visual artist Alteronce Gumby, with color at center stage. “Color” screens at the National Gallery of Art on Feb. 8. (Courtesy Photo/National Gallery of Art)

ning in Washington, D.C., where attendees can laugh, create and vibe in a dynamic paint session.

Let your creativity soar with a cocktail in one hand, a paintbrush in the other, and the best Hip Hop + R&B tunes in the background.

Whether an experienced artist or just starting out, the evening with Sade Paint and Sip has got you covered. A professional artist guides guests through the process, ensuring all attendees have a great time creating individual masterpieces.

FRIDAY, FEB. 7

FUNNY ARABS by Rola Z

6 p.m. | $25.00+

Union Stage, 740 Water Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024

“FUNNY ARABS” by Rola Z is back again at Union Stage for one night only.

Don’t miss this unique show featuring leading Arab American comedians who explore a range of topics from the immigrant experience to displacement and belonging through comedy and laughter.

Created by the D.C.-based Rola Z in March 2022, “FUNNY ARABS” has been featured on Dubai TV, WUSA9 Open Mic, DC Fray, City News Montreal, City TV, Bonne Nuit Pod, and in the National.

Named “The Traumedian” by Washingtonian Magazine in 2023, Rola Z uses humor to process pain and deal with trauma and taboos.

SZA Dance Night

10 p.m. | $20.00+

Union Stage, 740 Water Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024

SZA Dance Night brings the soulful, genre-blending vibes of the event’s namesake alongside artists like Doechii, Jorja Smith, and Summer Walker.

With a mix of smooth R&B, experimental beats, and empowering anthems, this night will have guests dancing to hits and remixes that capture SZA’s raw emotion and bold energy.

Expect an intimate, vibrant atmosphere where the music inspires movement, self-expression, and connection all night long.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

DC Zinefest Presents: Valen-Zine

3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. | Free Rhizome DC, 6950 Maple St NW, Washington, D.C., 20012

Join DC Zinefest for ValenZine at Rhizome!

In this free event, open to the public, participants will be making, sharing, and trading zines and hand-made Valentines, with supplies provided.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own zines to share and/ or trade, and can bring their own Valentine's box for collecting traded zines.

Rhizome has a $5 suggested donation to support the venue. Masks will be required and available for those who need one.

Dupont Circle's Cupid

Con 2025

2 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $10.00+ Decades DC, 1219 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C.,

Gather your crew, throw on your most outrageous Cupid-inspired attire, and bar hop your

way through a day full of fun and festive vibes.

Whether you're celebrating love, friendship, or your fabulous single self, this event is packed with themed drinks, DJs, costume contests, giveaways, and all-day drink specials at Dupont’s hottest spots.

Don’t miss out on Cupid Con 2025.

Celebrate Black Art & History on Screen

2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Free National Gallery of Art, 6th and Constitution Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20565

New restorations of original feature narratives, recent documentaries, and experimental short films thrive in this seven-part series highlighting art and history, as told on screen by African American artists.

Saturday’s film, “Color,” explores many facets to the world’s abundant spectrum. Beginning by exploring what color means to visual artist Alteronce Gumby and how it influences his work, this new documentary highlights conversations with scholars, artists, and advocates from around the world, each offering a unique take on the role of color in their lives.

It includes commentary by renowned color expert Jerome Lamaar, pigment specialist Michael Ambron, marine ecologist Catherine Kim, filmmaker Shondiin Mayo, and advocate Karima Bengara.

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Sensory Friendly Morning at Planet Word

9 a.m. - 11 a.m. | Free Planet Word, 925 13th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20005

Sensory Friendly Morning is designed for families with neuro-

divergent children or teenagers to explore the museum at a quieter, less-crowded time.

The recommended age for this experience is 10 and up, but all are welcome. The experience is self-guided, and guests can choose to participate in additional activities.

Some exhibit elements will be adapted to accommodate sensitivities to light and sound.

Prior to the event, registered guests will receive pre-visit materials to help them prepare for their visit, including a social narrative and sensory map.

Self-Love Wellness Workshop

3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | $40.00+ Spicez, 1610 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20007

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, take a moment to honor the most important relationship in your life: the one with yourself.

Join clinical social worker and

therapist Krista Malbouef for a heart-centered workshop designed to nurture the spirit, cultivate deep, lasting self-love, and build community.

In this 1.5 hour experience, guests will explore the power of self-love and compassion through mindfulness, reflection and creativity – the perfect environment for anyone looking to deepen their connection with themselves, find clarity, or simply engage in positivity during this season of love. WI

Dreaming of homeownership?

rate.

5Grammy-nominated vocalist Jazzmeia Horn is performing at Blues Alley on Feb. 6 and 7. (Courtesy Photo/Drew Bordeaux)

LIFESTYLE

Music by Black Classical Composers Brings in Black History Month at the Washington National Cathedral

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Kicking off the first day of Black History Month on Feb. 1, an audience at the Washington National Cathedral spent the afternoon learning about and listening to Black composers at the concert: “Onward & Upward: The Unsung Heroes of Classical Music.”

This was the second year Michele Fowlin, vocalist and associate director of Music for Contemporary Worship at the cathedral, curated the concert, which featured music by Hall Johnson, Joseph Bologne, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Andrae Crouch and D.C.’s native son Duke Ellington.

“I am excited to have collaborators to tell the story of African-Americans showing up in classical music,” said Fowlin, also artistic director of Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir.

Musicians and vocalists for “On-

ward and Upward” were from The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF), the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA), and The Sam Bonds Chorale.

Terry Eberhardt, executive director of DGF, shared the vision for the afternoon event: collaborators bringing to light the history of Black classical music.

“Our foundation has grappled with the question of how do we put these stories back into history,” said Eberhardt. “We aim to identify hidden voices and restore them to their rightful place through the works we create.”

PRESENTING COMPOSERS AND THEIR MUSIC

While the event was entertaining, it was also educational— incorporating a reading about each featured composer, followed by a performance of their music.

Hall Johnson (March 12, 1888 –April 30, 1970) was born in Athens, Georgia. He was educated at The Juilliard School in New York, New York and praised for arrangements of African American spirituals such as “Ain’t Got Time to Die.”

Soprano Fowlin performed the Johnson composition accompanied by pianist James Glover.

Joseph Bologne (December 25, 1745 – June 9, 1799) was a French violinist, conductor, composer, and soldier. He was the first significant classical composer of color.

From his opera “Ernestine,” soprano Jasmine Ward sang “Scene from Ernestine” accompanied by Damien Sneed on piano.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (August 15, 1875 – September 1, 1912) was a pioneer in classical music and an iconic figure in Black British history. He died of pneumonia at the age of 37.

“He wrote a popular song cycle titled “ Songs of Son and Sheep,”

said reader David Powell about Coleridge-Taylor.”

Laree Simons sang one of Coleridge-Taylor’s compositions from the cycle titled “Thou Hast Bewitched Me, Beloved,” accompanied by Sneed.

Dorothy Rudd Moore (June 4, 1940 – March 30, 2022) was an

American composer and music educator. She was one of the co-founders of the Society of Black Composers and is considered one of the leading women composers of color during her generation. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com. @bcscomm

5Cellist Johnny Walker, Jr., pianist Lester Green, Ph.D., and vocalist Anthony Anderson perform at the Washington National Cathedral for the Black History Month event “Onward & Upward: The Unsung Heroes of Classical Music.” (Brenda C. Siler/The Washington Informer)

Black Inventors and Science Pioneers Touching Lives Every Day

Have you ever ridden in an elevator, worn shoes, played with a Super Soaker or used a microphone? Then your life has been touched by an African-American scientist.

Early elevators had doors that had to be opened and closed by hand. Elevator doors that open and closemadeautomatically riding an elevator safer.

This NASA engineer is best known for inventing the Super Soaker water blaster. The success of his invention has funded his own research and he now has more than 100 inventions to his name. Use the code to discover this inventor’s name.

If you love to pick up a microphone and sing out a song, you will be glad this scientist loved electricity and physics. He invented a small microphone. His technology is used in 90 percent of microphones today and in cell phones, laptops, baby monitors and hearing aids.

He invented a machine that could quickly attach the top of a shoe to the sole. The machine made shoes ten times faster than by hand, making shoes more affordable.

In 1914, this inventor created a “safety hood” which made polluted air safer to breathe. This was an early version of the gas mask.

Replace the missing words.

Mae Jemison has always had big ________. Her big dreams took her into space! She is the first African-American female _______________ . In 1992, she flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavor.

Mae loved ___________ and dancing as a child. In college she decided to ___________ medicine. After becoming a doctor, she went to Africa with the Peace Corps. When she returned _____, she decided to follow another dream—to be an astronaut.

Look through the newspaper for ten words that describe inventors. Use these words to write a poem or a paragraph about inventors.

Watch the newspaper for articles and pictures about important men and women in the world of science. Write a short paragraph about each. Keep all of your clippings and paragraphs in a notebook or folder called STEM Newsmakers

Determination and perseverance have helped people accomplish great things. Tell about a time determination or perseverance helped

© 2025 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 41 No. 10

INVENTOR CODE

Follow the maze to match each inventor with their invention.

Find the two identical shoes.

Carver

Carver invited lunch. They chicken, creamed bread, salad, and coffee. Imagines Carver told was made

review wi book

Black History Month Books for Kids by Various Authors and Illustrators

c.2024, 2025

$17.95-18.99

Various page counts

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

horoscopes

Your mother tells you stories.

She talks about things that happened before you were born; Grandpa does it, too, and you like to hear every tale. So why not have these stories about Black history on your shelves?

For the boy who loves looking good, "Saturday Morning at the ‘Shop" by Keenan Jones, illustrated by Ken Daley (Beach Lane Books, $18.99) is a great book to have around. One day each week, everything happens at the barber shop, and not just haircuts! This is a fun read and a cultural touchstone for boys ages 4 to 8.

Young cooks will love "Jollof Day" by Bernard Mensah, illustrated by Annalise Barber-Opp (Dial, $19.99), the story of father and son in the kitchen for a special event that starts early and ends in mouthwatering goodness. Kids will love the story, parents will love the recipe at book's end.

The child who has activism in their soul will want "We Miss You, George Floyd" by Shannon Gibney, illustrated by Leeya Rose Jackson (University of Minnesota Press, $17.95). It's a brief but well-done look at the life and murder of Floyd and why it's important. Younger kids will like the pictures but older children will understand the story best.

It's also important for kids to know about their heroes, and "Sharing the Dream" by Shelia P. Moses, illustrated by Keith Mallett (Nancy Paulsen Books, $18.99) begins with an exciting trip: the whole family's going to the March on Washington and young Agnes knows why it's important. Read this story to children ages 3-to-8 and be sure your older ones know about the biographies at book's end.

Speaking of heroes, "Unstoppable John" by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jerry Jordan (Viking, $18.99) is a slice-of-life story that's perfect for kids who crave books. It's the tale of young John Lewis, who loved to read almost anything he could get his hands on — but he couldn't get a library card. Back then, libraries were only for white folks but John knew that if he was persistent and kept working on it, soon libraries and other places would open up to people who looked like him. This is a heroic book for 5-to-9-year-olds and a nice launching point for other, similar biographies. And finally, for the child who loves world history, "Through Sand and Salt" by Elizabeth Zunon (Bloomsbury, $18.99) is a book you'll want. It's the tale of a young Malik who travels with his father's caravan across the Sahara desert to take salt to Timbuktu. It's a long journey filled with danger and excitement, new friends and old lessons. Just beware, there's a lot to this book, in a longer story that's perhaps too much for a small child in one sitting. Break it up into two read-alouds, or give it to older kids, ages 9 to 12. They'll enjoy it much more.

And if these Black History Month books aren't enough, be sure to ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more. For kids of all ages, they've got stories. WI

LIFESTYLE

FEB 6 - 12, 2025

ARIES Y A breakthrough moment early in the week revolutionizes your approach to a long-standing challenge, particularly in your career sector. An unexpected collaboration introduces fresh perspectives that align perfectly with your ambitious nature. Your natural leadership abilities shine during a team crisis, earning you valuable recognition from decision-makers. Lucky Numbers: 7, 23, 31

TAURUS Your dedication to personal development bears fruit as a skill you've been honing quietly suddenly becomes highly relevant at work. A midweek financial opportunity requires careful consideration — your practical nature serves you well in negotiations. Creative projects gain momentum as the week progresses, especially those involving beautification or renovation. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 42

GEMINI Communication channels open wide this week, bringing exciting opportunities for collaboration across unexpected platforms. A casual conversation brings valuable information that helps advance a personal project. Your versatility proves invaluable during a department restructuring, positioning you perfectly for future advancement. Weekend social activities introduce you to someone who challenges your perspectives in fascinating ways, potentially leading to an inspiring mental connection. Lucky Numbers: 2, 19, 35

CANCER Family dynamics shift positively as the week begins, bringing resolution to a long-standing domestic matter. Your intuitive understanding helps mediate a sensitive workplace situation, earning trust from all parties involved. Lucky Numbers: 9, 25, 44

LEO Your charismatic influence reaches new heights this week, particularly in situations requiring motivation and inspiration. An ambitious project gains unexpected support through your compelling vision and natural showmanship. Midweek brings opportunities for public recognition, possibly through social media or community leadership. Lucky Numbers: 3, 14, 38

VIRGO Methodical planning pays off as you navigate a complex professional challenge with remarkable precision. Your organizational skills impress a key decision-maker, potentially leading to increased responsibilities. Health initiatives started midweek show promising results, especially those combining mental and physical well-being. A systematic approach to personal relationships yields surprising emotional breakthroughs, allowing for deeper connections through honest analysis. Lucky Numbers: 6, 20, 41

LIBRA Relationship dynamics take an interesting turn as you find yourself mediating an unexpected dispute early in the week. Your natural grace under pressure helps transform a potentially difficult situation into a winning outcome for all. Financial matters improve through careful consideration of partnerships — trust your instincts about shared resources. Lucky Numbers: 11, 28, 37

SCORPIO Transformation becomes your keyword as the week begins, with powerful insights leading to personal breakthroughs. Your strategic mind at work uncovers solutions that others have overlooked, earning respect from influential colleagues. A deep connection forms through shared interests, possibly with someone who matches your intensity in unexpected ways. Trust your gut about a career opportunity that surfaces over the weekend — your intuition about timing is especially accurate now. Lucky Numbers: 4, 16, 43

SAGITTARIUS Exploration and discovery dominate your week, whether through intellectual pursuits or actual travel opportunities. Your enthusiasm helps rally support for an innovative project, turning skeptics into believers. New connections made midweek promise exciting future possibilities, especially in areas related to education or cross-cultural ventures. A spontaneous weekend decision leads to unexpected adventures that perfectly satisfy your quest for knowledge and excitement. Lucky Numbers: 8, 27, 36

CAPRICORN Career advancement takes center stage as your methodical approach to professional goals yields tangible results. Your practical wisdom helps resolve a complicated financial situation, demonstrating your natural leadership abilities. Property or investment matters require attention as the week progresses — your thorough approach ensures long-term security. Lucky Numbers: 1, 15, 45

AQUARIUS Innovation and technology intersect in fascinating ways this week, highlighting your natural ability to envision future trends. A breakthrough in communication methods brings unexpected success, particularly in group projects spanning different locations. Humanitarian efforts gain momentum midweek, allowing you to implement positive changes in your community. Lucky Numbers: 13, 29, 46

PISCES Intuitive insights guide you to valuable opportunities this week, especially in creative or spiritual pursuits. Your empathetic nature helps resolve a sensitive situation among colleagues, showcasing your natural gift for understanding unspoken dynamics. Pay attention to subtle signs regarding a personal matter — your inner wisdom offers valuable guidance. Lucky Numbers: 10, 24, 39

SPORTS

HBCU Alums Play Key Roles in Super Bowl

Ed Hill

WI Contributing Writer

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will be well represented in the upcoming Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 6 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, serving as game officials, players and coaches for the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

GAME OFFICIAL: BORIS CHEEK

One of the side judges in Sunday’s big game will be Boris Cheek.

A 1981 Morgan State graduate, Cheek will be working his fourth Super Bowl.

He holds the distinction of being the longest-tenured official in the NFL, now with 461 games under his belt.

PLAYERS: JOSHUA WILLIAMS, BRYAN COOK

Joshua Williams is in his third NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs and making his third consecutive Super Bowl appearance.

The Fayetteville State product played for the Broncos from 20172021, helping lead the team to a CIAA championship berth each year.

A fourth-round draft pick, selected by the Chiefs in 2022, Williams has played in 50 of 51 games in his career, including 12 starts.

Williams recorded 33 tackles, six pass breakups, and 1.0 sacks in 17 games this season.

Like Williams, Bryan Cook is making his third Super Bowl appearance in his third season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Cook played two years for Howard University in 2017 and 2018 before transferring to the University of Cincinnati.

The former Bison returned to the football field after missing last year’s playoff run with an ankle injury. He recorded 78 tackles, two interceptions,

and three pass breakups in 17 games this season.

COACHES: CHRISTIAN PARKER, ROY ANDERSON, ERIC DICKERSON, TERRY BRADDEN, KEVIN SAXTON

There will be four HBCU products serving as coaches.

In his sixth NFL season coaching overall, Christian Parker is making his first Super Bowl appearance in his first season as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles’ coaching staff.

Parker began his coaching career at Virginia State in 2013, where he was the team’s cornerbacks coach. The following year, he was promoted to secondary coach and recruiting coordinator.

In 2015, he accepted the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator position at Norfolk State and spent two

seasons with the team.

Parker got his first NFL position in 2019 when he was named the Green Bay Packers’ defensive quality control coach.

After two seasons with the Packers, he moved on to the Denver Broncos, where he served as the Defensive Backs coach for three seasons before being hired by the Philadelphia Eagles.

In addition to Parker, is Roy Anderson.

After 20 years of serving in various roles as an NFL assistant coach, Anderson is also making his first Super Bowl appearance.

Anderson played quarterback at Howard from 1998-2001, following behind MEAC career passing leader Ted White.

Upon graduation, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida A&M. In 2005, after coaching at the Power Five level for two years, he got his first NFL coach-

ing job as a Player Personnel Assistant with the Baltimore Ravens.

He spent his longest tenure with the Ravens, serving in multiple roles within the team for seven seasons. Since then, he has had stops with the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Seattle Seahawks before ending up with the Eagles.

In 2019, Anderson won a national championship as a member of the Louisiana State University (LSU) coaching staff as a Defensive analyst.

Philadelphia also has Eric Dickerson (not to be confused with the former Los Angeles Rams running back), who is making his second Super Bowl appearance since being hired by the Eagles in 2021.

Dickerson is a graduate of South Carolina State University, playing for the team as an offensive lineman from 2013-2016. He helped lead the Bulldogs to MEAC championships in 2013 and 2014.

The former Bulldog began his coaching career with his alma mater in 2017 as a fullbacks and tight ends coach.

He then spent three seasons at Duke as a Special Teams and Football Operations assistant before joining the Eagles.

Kansas City has Terry Bradden, who is making his fifth Super Bowl appearance as a member of the Chiefs coaching staff.

As a quarterback, Bradden played his first three collegiate seasons at Howard before transferring to Tuskegee.

Before being hired by the Chiefs in 2017, Bradden served as a graduate assistant at Bethune-Cookman. This succeeded a stint as the Special Teams Quality Control coach at Florida Atlantic in 2014.

The Tuskegee alum is planning to join the Nebraska coaching staff at the end of this NFL season.

In addition to Bradden is Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Assistant Kevin Saxton, making his second consecutive Super Bowl appearance as a member of the team’s coaching staff.

After previous stops at his alma mater, Emory & Henry and Cuthbertson High School, Saxton joined the Benedict College coaching staff as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks' coach.

In his lone season with the team, he helped lead the Tigers to its first undefeated regular season and SIAC championship.

He was hired by the Chiefs in 2023. WI

4A 1981 Morgan State graduate, Boris Cheek will be working his fourth Super Bowl as a side judge. (Courtesy Photo)

5Former Howard University quarterback Terry Bradden is making his fifth Super Bowl appearance as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff. (Courtesy Photo)

5Eagles Assistant Coach Roy Anderson, after 20 years of serving in various roles as an NFL assistant coach, is making his first Super Bowl appearance. Anderson played quarterback at Howard University from 1998-2001. (Courtesy Photo)

CAPTURE the moment

On Feb. 2, the “O” Street Museum in Northwest, D.C., celebrated the 40th anniversary of "We are The World/USA for Africa,” one of the best-selling tributes to humanitarianism in history. Produced by Quincy Jones, the legendary collaboration between King of Pop Michael Jackson and his longtime friend and award-winning musician Lionel Richie raised over $150 million dollars to combat pain, hunger, and poverty in Africa, Ethiopia, and the United States.

(Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

3

6

5Dolores Smith and H.H. Leonards. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

4Political leaders Cora Masters Barry, former First Lady of Washington, D.C., and Melanie Campbell, CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation pose on Feb.

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

Patricia McDougall and Dr. Frank Smith, founder and executive director of the African American Civil War Soldiers Museum. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

Filmmaker Chip Duncan with Marcia Thomas, Executive Director of USA for Africa, and executive producer Salim Amin in a panel question and answer segment on Feb. 2. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

RELIGION

When the Hands Do the Preaching: Black ASL in Church

Black American Sign Language Is a lifeline to the Sermon, Songs, and Spirit of Service

By Rev. Dorothy Boulware Word in Black

This article was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation's leading Black news publishers (of which the Informer is a member).

When Justina Taylor Miles broke the internet signing Rihanna’s 2023 Super Bowl performance last year, she wasn’t just interpreting — she was continuing a tradition of Black American Sign Language.

On Sunday mornings, during worship at a Black church, the sign language interpreter is often the most animated person in the room. Their spirited machinations include hands flying, bodies swaying, and faces expressing every emotion — joy, sorrow, and conviction.

But Black American Sign Language isn’t a performance. For deaf congregants, it’s a lifeline to the sermon, the songs, and the spirit of the service. And for hearing worshippers, it’s a reminder of the power of inclusion.

“Of course, it helps if you have

some experience being around deaf people in informal situations or having deaf friends so you can pick up signs that may be unique to them,” says Felecia Diggs, a retired Baltimore librarian who became a sign language interpreter.

“You’d also need experience worshiping in a Black church, listening to different preachers and singing the songs traditionally sung in churches. That can give you a good background for interpreting or facilitating in that setting,” she says.

There is, no doubt, a difference in the way Black interpreters sign and those of other cultures.

“I can see their attitude or their personality, their culture, their swag. Also, their body language and how they express what they want to say,” Wade Green, a BASL user featured in the documentary “Signing Black in America,” says of Black ASL interpreters.

WHY DID BLACK ASL DEVELOP?

The exclusion of Black deaf folks by family members and

friends who lacked understanding and attached superstition to the difference, was compounded by exclusion from the community and even education opportunities.

Indeed, racial segregation made the development of the distinctly different Black ASL a necessity.

The National Association for the Deaf did not admit Black people until 1965, a year after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (Yes, even the deaf community had segregation.)

Gallaudet College, now Gallaudet University, did not admit Black deaf students until 1950, 86 years after its founding as an institution to educate the deaf and hard of hearing. In the South, deaf students were segregated at school.

In 2011, former Black deaf students of the Kentucky School for the Deaf received diplomas denied to them 60 years earlier. The separation made the development of the distinctly different Black ASL a necessity.

PARTICULARITIES OF BLACK CHURCH SIGN LANGUAGE

Depending on the preaching style, it can be difficult to interpret in Black churches because there may be more than one thing happening simultaneously — someone may be preaching, and there may be responses from the audience — and you need to interpret all of what’s going on.

“Sometimes idioms or sayings used in the culture might be used that are foreign to some deaf persons, and if you are not familiar with it, you cannot interpret it,” Diggs explains.

One example? The saying that you should be thankful that last night’s bed was not your cooling board — meaning you slept last night and weren’t taken to the morgue or morticians before waking up.

Diggs says there’s a method to interpreting the sermons.

“You don’t want to interpret a preacher’s sermon word for word because the individual words may not have the same meaning when grouped with other words,” she says. “You first want to understand the concept or main points yourself and then transfer that information with as accurate signs

as possible.”

Diggs also says there are signs specific to the Black church setting: for church, Jesus Christ, crucifixion, heaven, Holy Spirit, sins, mercy, and forgiveness.

There’s also the need for an understanding of some of the rituals or sacraments such as the symbolism of bread, wine, and juice, or whatever elements are used for communion.

“The meaning of certain words, such as the summary of the ‘decalogue,’ is meaningless unless you can interpret that you are talking about the Ten Commandments.

A popular gospel song that mentioned ‘calling him (God) up,’ but signing it literally means

phoning God,” Diggs says, adding meanings are more important most times than words.

In some Negro spirituals, words can’t always be interpreted, or they won’t have meaning to the person listening, such as “I’ve been buked and I’ve been scorned,” which could be interpreted: I’ve been rebuked and criticized.

As for dancing, Diggs says it’s only allowed if that is what should be conveyed to the person you are signing for.

“Your job is not to add to the service, but to express what is actually happening, even if there is silent meditation or background music.” WI

5In the Black church, American Sign Language isn’t a performance for deaf congregants, it’s a lifeline to the sermon, the songs, and the spirit of the service. For hearing worshippers, it’s a reminder of the power of inclusion. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

This series is designed to help you understand the research discovered by Napoleon Hill during 20 years; research that shows the secrets to success, now available to anyone willing to apply them. He discovered these secrets by watching and interacting with Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, John Wanamaker, founder of the first department store (Hecht's and Macy's), and others. Hill reminds us how Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he made the electric light. His success formula describes the many steps that can be considered an insurance policy against failure, which changed my life. Once my mind was made up to practice these principles, everything changed for me, and it will change for you too.

We must THINK our way to success as we apply the rules he uncovered. These principles to success are intertwined with Scripture, which is extremely remarkable. This column provides a glimpse of the principles discovered by Hill. This week, we take the principle of "decision" to see how you're doing in this area. Before embarking upon the journey caused by a decision you've made, ask yourself: "Does this decision bring glory to God? Would it dishonor God?" Allow the Lord to direct your path. The Scripture in the Book of James tells us how a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Do you decide one thing today, and tomorrow something different? That's double-minded.

Hill's research disclosed the fact that successful men and women must have the habit of reaching decisions promptly and changing these decisions slowly, if and when they were changed at all.

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Life-Changing Principles: The Power of Making Your Mind Up the religion corner

"People who fail to accumulate success or money," says Hill, "without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, if at all, very slowly and of changing these decisions quickly and often." Don't let this be you! Don't live with an uncertain mind, can't make a decision.

For me, the decision to start a small business was one of my best, and though I didn't become a millionaire, my sisters and I certainly did achieve success in many ways: political appointments, large contract awards, meeting celebrities, coordination of major special events such as festivals, inaugural parades, events for D.C. mayors and two U.S. presidents. I was paid to work on the inauguration for George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton too. Look at the power of making a decision!

In fact, serving as project director for a national monument where more than 100,000 people visited annually from around the world wouldn't have happened.

Finally, I wouldn't be here writing this column today, because Denise Rolark Barnes would not have met me in the manner she did; it was during the annual Georgia Avenue Day Festival and Parade back in the 1980s and '90s.

Had I not made the decision to start a business and to do everything I possibly could, with my hand in God's hand, none of this would have happened. I would still be living in the

Oakland Bay Area or in and around Los Angeles!

There is enormous power unleashed by a simple decision. You wouldn't go to a restaurant, and after looking at the menu say, "I don't want that, I don't want that, and I really don't want that, and that makes me sick to think about it," would you?

Isn't it a lot faster to make a decision about what it is you do want? Often, we move through life more focused on those things we do not want. Make a decision about what you do want and begin to take action, day after day just take another step up on your ladder to success.

There is a parable of a father, his son and his son's friend. They were all sailing when a storm kept them back from shore. The father could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean.

Though he grabbed a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life; he knew he could only save one of the boys. The father knew his son was a Christian, but his son's friend was not. The father yelled out, "I love you, son!"

This father knew his son would see Jesus and decided to save his son's friend. He wanted the boy to also step into an eternity with Jesus. God gave His Son for our sins, didn't He? He gave us Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Study more on this principle and the power of making a decision. WI

RELIGION

MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC

ADA, Age Discrimination, Benefits, Civil Rights, COBRA, Contracts, Deaf Law, Defamation, Disability Law, Discipline, Discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, FOIA, Family Responsibility, Harassment, HIPPA, OSHA, National Origin Discrimination, Non-Compete, Race Discrimination, Rehabilitation Act, Retaliation, Severance Agreements, Sexual Harassment, Torts, Whistleblowing, Wage-and-Hour, Wrongful Discharge

RELIGION

Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 Fax : 202-338-4958

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

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

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Purpose

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rehoboth Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Promised

Baptist Church

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001520

Arletha Chappelle Green aka Arletha C. Green Decedent

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

James A. Schneider, whose address is 5703 Church Road, Bowie, MD 20720, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Arletha Chappelle Green aka Arletha C. Green who died on October 12, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

James A. Schneider Personal Representative

Stevens Register of Wills

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

2025 ADM 000009

Dominica B. Hill aka Dominica Bitondo Hill Decedent

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

Myron George Hill, III, whose address is 3900 Calvert St., NW, Washington, DC 20007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dominica B. Hill aka Dominica Bitondo Hill who died on October 20, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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:

1/23/2025

Myron George Hill, III

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001011

Barbara Tucker Decedent

Sharon Legall

1325 G. Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Kevin Tucker, whose address is 2402 Ewing Ave., Suitland MD, 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Barbara Tucker who died on February 9, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Kevin Tucker Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2024 ADP 001571

Eunice Mooney Johnson aka Eunice Johnson aka Eunice Renee Mooney Decedent

Andrew T. Richardson, III 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Brittany Mooney, whose address is 1016 17th Place, NE, #301, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Eunice Mooney Johnson aka Eunice Johnson aka Eunice Renee Mooney who died on July 24, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Brittany Mooney Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001007

Bernice Serena Smith Decedent

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

Patricia Prescott, whose address is 1115 46th Place SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bernice Serena Smith who died on July 15, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Patricia Prescott

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2024 ADM 001544

Hailemichael Mengistu Seyoum Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

Joseph Seyoum, whose address is 5808 30th Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Hailemichael Mengistu Seyoum who died on 11/13/2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Joseph Seyoum Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 001538

Camille Saum Decedent

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

Clover Stieve, whose address is 513 Harrison St., Frenchtown, NJ 08825, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Camille Saum who died on 10/29/2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Clover Stieve Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 001541

Helen Frances Burland Rehwaldt Decedent

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

Kathleen Rehwaldt, whose address is Unit 7700, Box 498, DPO, AE 09290, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Helen Frances Burland Rehwaldt who died on March 27, 2023 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Kathleen Rehwaldt 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

1995 ADM 2168

Charles A. Rehwaldt aka Charles Arther Rehwaldt Decedent

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

Kathleen Ann Rehwaldt, whose address is Unit 7700, Box 498, DPO, AE 09290-0498, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Charles A. Rewaldt aka Charles Arthur Rehwaldt who died on October 20, 1995 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Kathleen Ann Rewaldt

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2024 ADM 001537

James P. Burrell Decedent

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

David R. Burrell, whose address is 118 Tuckerman St., NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James P. Burrell who died on December 6, 2023 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

David R. Burrell Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 1529

Joan Peterson White Decedent

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

Christopher David White, whose address is 4423 Springdale St., NW, Washington, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joan Peterson White who died on June 11, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Christopher David White 4423 Springdale St., NW Washington, DC 20016

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Declaration of Nationality Protocol

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender.

Notice of Special Appearance : am that am: " Stephen Cashaun Matamoro© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “STEPHEN CASHAUN MATAMORO ", corp.sole Dba.: " STEPHEN CASHAUN MATAMORO© ", [Stephen Matamoro,Stephen Cashaun Matamoro], having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as an: American Moor, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Al Maghreb Al Aqsa, Estados al Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as an: American Moor. I am that I am: " Stephen cashaun matamoro© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " jor-el© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REC’D/BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS : STATE FILE NUMBER,142-85223651: “STEPHEN CASHAUN MATAMORO© ", is as a special deposit order, conveyed to " Stephen Cashaun Matamoro Trust© ". All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact, as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal / Creditor: " jor-el© ", nom deguerre: " Stephen Cashaun Matamoro© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " Stephen Cashaun Matamoro Trust© ", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente. reference 0112358-13

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

2024 ADM 001556

Joyce E. Strong aka Joyce Strong aka Joyce Evelyn Strong Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002

Attorney

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

Gail Whitley and Donna Price, whose addresses are 4110 Bolton Overlook Court, Woodbridge, VA 22192 & 18154 Windsor Hill Dr., Olney, MD 20832, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Joyce E. Strong aka Joyce Strong aka Joyce Evelyn Strong who died on 7/18/2023 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 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Gail Whitley

Donna Price

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2024 ADM 001373

Kenneth Nathaniel Hall Decedent

Colline Silvera Robinson Kirlew & Associate PC 7731 Belle Point Drive Greenbelt, MD 20770 Attorney

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

Lynn Watkins, whose address is 1370 Beringer Drive, Hoschton, GA 30548, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Kenneth Nathaniel Hall who died on May 19, 2024 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 7/30/2025. 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 7/30/2025, 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: 1/30/2025

Lynn Watkins Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001365

Margaret Reeder Decedent

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

Monica Reeder, whose address is 212 Varnum Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Margaret Reeder who died on 5/5/2008 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Monica Reeder 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

2025 ADM 000001

James I. Fitzgerald Decedent

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

Magdalene Fitzgerald, whose address is 812 Decatur Street NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James I. Fitzgerald who died on August 23, 2024 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 7/30/2025. 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 7/30/2025, 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: 1/30/2025

Magdalene Fitzgerald Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001566

Samuel Addison Decedent

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

Joseph Addison, whose address is 1015 Brockton Ct., Glen Burnie, MD 21060, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samuel Addison who died on 7/6/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Joseph Addison Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 001499

Elaine F. Gunter aka Elaine Faye Gunter Decedent

Joan M. Wilbon 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Olivia V. Morris and Darrell W. Gunter, whose addresses are 4417 Sturbridge Dr, Salisbury, MD 21804 and 298 Mathers Rd., Ambler, PA 19002, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Elaine F. Gunter aka Elaine Faye Gunter who died on 8/20/2024 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 7/30/2025. 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 7/30/2025, 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: 1/30/2025

Olivia V. Morris

Darrell W. Gunter

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 001540 2024 WILL 000849

Sandra W. Jones Decedent

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

Joy A. Williams and David A. Rucker, whose addresses are 636 Rock Creek Church Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20010 / 203 Edge Creek Lane, Odenton MD 21113, were appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sandra W. Jones who died on November 11, 2024 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 7/23/2025. 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 7/23/2025, 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: 1/23/2025

Joy A. Williams

David A. Rucker

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 000118

Rene Antonaire Simms Decedent

Brian L. Kass, Personal Representative 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 434 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney

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

Brian L. Kass, whose address is 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 434, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rene Antonaire Simms who died on January 7, 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 (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 7/30/2025. 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 7/30/2025, 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: 1/30/2025

Brian L. Kass

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001233

Barbara Harris aka Barbara Jean Harris

Decedent

Kevin Judd, Esq. 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 900-South Building Washington, DC 20004

Attorney

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

Kevin Judd, Esq., whose address is 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 900-South Building, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Barbara Harris aka Barbara Jean Harris who died on April 28, 2024 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 8/6/2025. 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 8/6/2025, 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: 2/6/2025

Kevin Judd, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001188

Melvin Craig Wilson Decedent

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

Misha Slaughter aka Misha Asamoa, whose address is 25360 Grotto Falls Lane Porter, TX 77360, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Melvin Craig Wilson who died on 7/28/2024 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 8/6/2025. 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 8/6/2025, 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: 2/6/2025

Melvin Craig Wilson Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 001177

Larry W. Ricks

Decedent

Murray D. Scheel

DC Bar Pro Bono Center 901 4th Street NW

Washington, DC 20001

Attorney

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

Rachel Molly Joseph, whose address is 409 Delafield Place, NW, Washington DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Larry W. Ricks who died on 9/2/2021 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 8/6/2025. 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 8/6/2025, 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: 2/6/2025

Rachel Molly Joseph 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

2025 ADM 18

Jan Walliser Decedent

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

Oya Celasun, whose address is 5040 Lowell Street, NW, Washington DC 20016 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jan Walliser who died on June 22, 2018 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 8/6/2025. 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 8/6/2025, 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: 2/6/2025

Oya Celasun 5040 Lowell Street, NW Washington, DC 20016

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

2025 ADM 000017

Devora Hill

Decedent

Ferguson Evans, Esq. 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 900 South Bldg. Washington, DC 20004

Attorney

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

Erika Rodgers, whose address is 223 O St., SW #30, Washington, DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Devora Hill who died on January 16, 2024 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 8/6/2025. 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 8/6/2025, 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: 2/6/2025

Erika Rodgers 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

2016 ADM 001462

Estate of Mignon K. Jackson aka Mignon Karen Jackson

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Derek E. Slocum 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 a member of the bar.

Date of first publication: February 6, 2025

Derek E. Slocum

#11380-Cove Lake Road

Lusby, Maryland 20657

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

COLLISION from Page 1

sengers and a Black Hawk helicopter with at least three military personnel, killing all aboard.

“It happened when I was waiting on a client, and the client’s plane got diverted to Dulles last night and it was tons of police here [at the airport], a lot of ambulances and everything, just flying through the terminal to get to the crash site,” he told The Informer.

Despite the chaos, Swann didn’t really know what was happening. It took a call from a colleague who is a driver to explain some of the scene that was unfolding.

“People on the inside really didn’t know what was going on. It was people on the outside that knew what really was going on,’” Swann said, before adding he never really got the full information that night. “And I didn’t know that it hit another helicopter. I just knew the plane. It was wild.”

Since the crash at about 9 p.m. Wednesday night, the nation is learning of the midair collision that killed 67 people as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates what contributed to this tragedy in hopes of preventing anything like this again.

“Our thoughts, our prayers are with you. Entire communities were affected and we are thinking of you,” said Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of NTSB, an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating civil aviation accidents and other serious transportation events. “The NTSB’s headquarters are just a mile from here and so we are all here because this is an all-hands-on-deck event. And we’re here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation. We are going to conduct a thorough investigation of this entire tragedy, looking at the facts.”

THE NATION’S CAPITAL AND WICHITA COME TOGETHER

as leaders, nationwide, work to unite Americans, following the devastating midair collision over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport.

“We mourn with all those who have been impacted,” said Wichita, Kansas Mayor Lily Lu, after a Black Hawk helicopter with at least three military personnel collided with an American Airlines jet carrying 64 passengers, killing all aboard.

The American Airlines flight was coming from Wichita to the nation’s capital.

“This is a terrible tragedy that will

unite those in Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas, forever,” Lu added.

As she sent condolences to the victims and families, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed deep gratitude for those working tirelessly to assist in searching people and answers.

“Our hearts and our prayers go out to all of the families and loved ones impacted by this horrific collision,” said Bowser, who has been working collaboratively with local elected officials, D.C. Fire and EMS, Reagan National Airport and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). “I am very proud of our first responders in D.C. and in the entire region who continue recovery efforts. We're going to support them every step of the way.”

TRUMP BLAMES DEI FOR CRASH

The day after the devastating incident, President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held briefings that included racist and partisan attacks.

Trump and his officials used the tragedy to attack Democrats and falsely blame former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Obama, who left office in 2017, was dragged into the conversation, while Trump and his allies claimed the crash resulted from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies— initiatives that have been in place in the federal government since at least the 1960s after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.

Even as mainstream media figures like Bakari Sellers urged against assigning blame so soon after the crash, Trump pushed his political agenda.

“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system. I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary,” Trump claimed, without citing any policy changes or evidence. “And then when I left office and Biden took over, he changed them back to lower than ever before. I put safety first, Obama, Biden, and the Democrats put policy first. Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse.”

Trump then took aim at what he called an “FAA diversity push,” spewing falsehoods about hiring standards.

“They’re including people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities—it’s amazing,” he said.

WI

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WHITE EXPELLED from Page 1 members of the Ward 8 community who, weeks prior, questioned his allegiance.

“I knew Trayon White before the council. He was one of the first people I called to get his thoughts on the scourge of violence plaguing our city,” McDuffie said on Feb. 4. “I empathize with [Ward 8 residents’] feelings as their ward leader navigates this challenging situation. It’s my duty as a council and frankly today’s action is straightforward. It’s not a tough question. What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong.”

Former Ward 8 Councilmember White’s trial is scheduled for early 2026. Toward the end of the last council period, the ad-hoc committee approved the findings of a report conducted by Latham & Watkins, LLC that found White in violation of the D.C. Code of Conduct and D.C. Home Rule Act when he allegedly accepted $35,000 in cash bribes and agreed to influence violence interrupter contract awards for future payments.

Throughout Latham & Watkins’ investigation, White declined to speak with the firm, and acted similarly toward the ad-hoc committee when asked to speak about what’s now confirmed as misconduct on his part.

During White’s latest appearance before the committee, White’s former attorney, Fred D. Cooke, Jr., spoke on the former council member’s behalf, arguing that the council overstepped its boundaries in trying to remove former Ward 8 Councilmember White.

“There’s no state that allows the expulsion of a legislator upon being indicted,” Cooke said on the afternoon of Jan. 28 in regard to the council’s ability to expel White, who has yet to face trial. “You can be put in a different posture, but you’re not expelled.”

WARD 8 RESIDENTS, ACTIVISTS TAKE TO WILSON BUILDING TO SUPPORT WHITE

Dozens of Ward 8 residents and activists converged on the council chambers on the afternoon of Feb. 4 in support of former Ward 8 Councilmember White. One day before that, lifelong Ward 8 resident Kevin Petty walked through the halls of the John A. Wilson Building, dropping off copies of a complaint he and four others filed against each council member.

5A truck outside of the John. A. Wilson Building in Northwest, D.C. during the hearing for Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, whose likeness is on the vehicle with the phrase “FBI set me up." (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

The complaint, dated Jan. 31, came just days after White’s former attorney, Fred D. Cooke, Jr., argued before the council ad-hoc committee at a special hearing that White’s expulsion violated the D.C. Home Rule Act. The document, filed by Petty and other Ward 8 residents, included a request for an injunction, whether temporary or permanent, that stops the council from voting on White’s expulsion.

On Monday, Petty said that, despite the federal bribery charge levied against former D.C. Councilmember White, his former lawyer Fred D. Cooke, Jr. presented an argument that highlights a serious ethical dilemma.

“I'm not talking about innocence or guilt, it's about representation [to] not [be] thrown into bastard conditions,” Petty told The Informer, adding that he voted for White in the 2024 general election.

His name appeared on the complaint alongside that of Rena Wright, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Fria Moore, Ward 8 D.C. Democratic Committeewoman Regina Pixley, and local teacher Astarsia Young.

“The council has other methods to deal with accountability at this stage if they have evidence a crime was committed. We know exactly what we looked at before we voted. There's a ton of us being disenfranchised.”

Mendelson told reporters on Monday that he and his general counsel, spurred by Cooke’s public testimony on Jan. 28, double checked and confirmed that the council acted within the letter of the law by forming an ad-hoc committee in the aftermath of Ward 8 Councilmember White’s arrest.

“I took issue with [the assertion] that legislatures can’t convict some-

“My own view is that these stadiums do not pay for themselves,” Mendelson said as he outlined a list of current capital budget priorities.

“Last year, we spent time figuring out we need a new jail. That’s going to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The Daly Building [near the courthouses] needs hundreds of millions of dollars for renovations.”

Later on, D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), in alignment with the council chairman, urged prudent use of capital funds in a tumultuous political climate.

one,’ Mendelson told reporters. “That’s not correct. The argument was that it was a violation of the Fifth Amendment. It comes down to whether a legislature expels a member, but we’ve seen it in legislatures.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR WARD 8?

Former Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember White, 41, is the first elected official since D.C. attained Home Rule to be expelled from his seat.

With the Ward 8 Council seat now vacant, all eyes turn to D.C. Board of Elections (BOE), which will call for a special election.

As noted in the District Municipal Register, a special election to fill a vacated seat may take place between 70 and 174 days after the seat’s vacancy. BOE is required to make nomination petition forms available to candidates within a week of certifying the vacancy.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Salim Adofo, who ran against White in the Ward 8 D.C. Council Democratic primary last year, didn’t speak to whether he intends to throw his hat in the ring once again. He instead reflected on upcoming budget deliberations, telling The Informer that he’s remaining focused on closing resource gaps.

“Sometimes…folks are looking for a good story but the most important part is to make sure we can get residents what they need,” Adofo said. “If anybody is really concerned about being a leader in their community, they have to prioritize issues. The issue isn’t who’s going to be the next council member, but making sure residents get what they need.” WI

@SamPKCollins

mother of two toddlers, entered D.C. Department of Corrections at the culmination of an incident that family members and advocates connected to the domestic violence Johnson experienced. As she awaits her day in court, Johnson is without her two children, who, according to their grandmother, continue to suffer without their mother.

D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) challenged the notion that RFK could be everything to everyone. The solution, he said, lies in prioritizing housing and economic development well before exploring the possibility of a stadium.

“Just look at the impressive range of businesses in NoMa, Dupont Circle and the Wharf -- economic engines for our city that didn’t require a stadium,” Allen said. “Now compare it to the business around Northwest Stadium [in Landover, Maryland], which is the team store. We don’t know the terms of a potential stadium deal so we don’t know the cost but it's been hinted that they would need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to prepare the space.”

THE COUNCIL EXTENDS PRE-TRIAL DETENTION PROVISION, WITH SOME APPREHENSIONS

The council unanimously approved the Secure DC Pretrial Detention and Reporting Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 and the Secure DC Pretrial Detention and Reporting Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.

Both bills extend a key provision of the Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act and Secure D.C. Omnibus that places those charged for any act of violence in pre-trial detention, regardless of whether they’ve offended in the past.

One day before the council vote, Corrie Johnson visited her daughter, Taya Johnson, a D.C. resident who’s been sitting in D.C. Jail for three weeks, most likely as a result of the council’s votes during Council Period 25.

In January, Taya Johnson, a

“I go through sleepless nights with them tossing and turning, on top of [having to go] to work,” Corrie Johnson told The Informer on Monday, just moments before entering Central Detention Facility to see her daughter. “She called me the other day [when] someone had a seizure and it triggered her. It took her in the mindframe of missing her brother. I told her to go in her room and pray.”

When asked about what she thought of the council’s actions over the last two years, Johnson said council members lacked regard for people, like her daughter, who get caught up in situations due to circumstances beyond their control.

“The council and mayor should do better and get involved,” Johnson added. “They put people in programs, but it’s not helping with the counseling they need if they’re going through postpartum [depression].”

For Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), the extension of pre-trial detention isn’t without reason. On Tuesday, she told her colleagues that the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), charged with measuring the impact of pre-trial detention extension and providing data to inform the council’s next steps, wouldn’t be able to meet its obligations, as outlined in the Secure D.C. omnibus bill.

“The deadline was intentionally set for 45 days prior to the expiration of the provisions to allow sufficient review [for us to] determine how we want to proceed,” Pinto said. “Due to staffing constraints, CJCC didn’t meet that deadline. They began work, but they didn’t complete with sufficient time for the council. CJCC needs 90 additional days to complete this report.”

A CJCC spokesperson confirmed just as much, also telling The Informer that council staffers also appear interested in assessing pre-trial detention between the effective dates of the Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act and Secure D.C. omnibus bill. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

@SamPKCollins

ASIIMWE from Page 30

nalize their problem to their neighbors, especially Rwanda as opposed to finding internal solutions. As President Kagame has repeatedly said, this is a Congolese problem that needs a Congolese solution.

The reluctance of the international community to speak truth directly to the DRC leadership has also worsened the situation. The result has been hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing into Rwanda and now some being relocated to the U.S.

Today, DRC leadership has made anti-Rwanda rhetoric a national policy. To win an election in DRC, you have to invoke an anti-Rwanda slogan. The current president of DRC has been irresponsible in his speech

MORIAL from Page 30

set the record for 100-meter freestyle in 1922 at 58.6 seconds. In 2008, Lia Neal swam the 100-meter freestyle in 56.87 seconds. She was 12 years old. A Black swimmer who medaled in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, Neal was able to compete because of a scholarship intended to diversify the sport. The opponents of DEI would eliminate scholarships like the one that gave Neal her opportunity.

The recruitment and development of Black athletes has undeniably raised standards in every sport. It was the barriers to their participation, in fact, that kept standards low. The same is true for every facet of society.

By giving organizations and insti-

MARSHALL from Page 31

The strategic shift among evangelical leaders wasn't strictly for moral reasons. While a court case sparked the religious right movement, it wasn't Roe v. Wade. The Green v. Connally ruling captured evangelical leaders' attention, especially when the IRS began sending questionnaires to church-related "segregation academies" about their racial policies. The school led by Moral Majority leader Jerry Falwell, Lynchburg Christian School, was included.

Because of Green v. Connally, the IRS enacted a policy denying tax exemptions to all racially segregated schools under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which forbade racial segregation and discrimination. Discriminatory schools weren't, by definition, "charitable" educational organizations, so they had no claims to tax-exempt status. Evangelical leaders had long boasted that the federal govern-

— on many occasions threatening to invade Rwanda and topple its leadership. He now wants to amend the constitution for a third term allegedly to "fix" Rwanda.

It's not too late to fix the problem. The ball lies squarely in the hands of Kinshasa. But unfortunately, there's little; hope. They have found it comfortable to rely on anti-Rwanda discourse for their political survival and hoodwinking their populace on underperformance.

Of course, their strongest weapon has been the mineral cards. Each time any international partner wants to intervene, they pull out the mineral card. Their stubbornness hinges on the fact that they have a free pass to do whatever pleases their ego since Congo is home to some critical rare earth min-

tutions access to the broadest possible pool of talent, DEI policies unfailingly raise the level of performance by every metric. This is glaringly obvious to anyone who isn't peering through the lens of resentment and entitlement. The problem — for those with such impaired vision — is that these policies increase competition.

Before Negro Leagues statistics were officially incorporated into the major league record, Ty Cobb held the career batting average record with .366. Josh Gibson, who never had the opportunity to compete against white players during his lifetime, now holds the record with .372. World-class athletes come in every shape, size, color and creed, but it's undeniable that there are white players who might not

ment couldn't tell them what to do — whom to hire or not, whom to admit or reject — because their educational institutions accepted no federal money (except for not paying taxes). The Civil Rights Act changed that.

Paul Weyrich, the late religious conservative political activist and Heritage Foundation co-founder, laid out a long-term social conservative agenda still in play in 2025. Weyrich concluded evangelicals, with their large numbers, would be a formidable voting bloc.

"The new political philosophy must be defined by us [conservatives] in moral terms, packaged in non-religious language and propagated throughout the country by our new coalition," Weyrich wrote in the mid-1970s. "When political power is achieved, the moral majority will have the opportunity to re-create this great nation."

Weyrich believed the political pos-

erals. Unfortunately, millions of Congolese continue to languish in abject poverty, while the top leadership benefit immensely from these minerals.

Africa's Great Lakes region has seen its fair share of wars. The region is tired of instability. Countries like Rwanda and some of its neighbors have been making tremendous strides toward socio-economic transformation.

Rwanda has invested heavily in basic infrastructure, the tourism industry and investment promotion, and does this knowing the geopolitical environment has to be conducive for us to reap any dividends.

That's why a peaceful Congo is in Rwanda's utmost interests. But Congo shouldn't see this as a favor to Rwanda — it must see it as a strategic interest in equal measure! WI

have made the team if they'd had to compete against the talent of a Josh Gibson.

This is what is behind the attacks on DEI. Opponents use vague and undefinable terms like "woke ideology" to conceal the fact that what they're trying to eliminate is competition. What they're trying to reinforce is white advantage.

The two teams that will take the field next Sunday represent not only the highest level of excellence their sport has to offer, but an incredible range of ethnic, racial and cultural diversity. A team comprised of nothing but place-kickers wouldn't go very far in the NFL. Eliminating DEI policies makes about as much sense.

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sibilities of such a coalition were unlimited. Falwell and Weyrich tapped into evangelical leaders' anger over Green v. Connally and recognized that organizing grassroots evangelicals to defend racial discrimination would be challenging. Abortion became the answer and the rallying issue used to mobilize evangelical voters broadly. Black and brown communities must now recognize that Roe v. Wade was the start. The Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act of 1964 are the next targets. The baton passed to Donald Trump, who intends to take it over the finish line.

A pro-justice counterattack is needed. Everyone in Black and brown communities, particularly young people, must understand the threat to their futures. As abortion was the religious right's rallying issue, pro-justice and fairness must be ours. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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WILLIAMS from Page 31

there, but research them and other companies that rushed to help Trump succeed with his 2025 threats aimed at women and minorities.

Look at Social Security — a federal program to help elderly people, survivors and people with disabilities. These recipients have worked — many for years. Many are relatives of the very members

from Page 31

was already celebrating the historic achievements on the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (2/12) and Frederick Douglass (2/14). Dr. Woodson did not wait for the celebration of our history to be proclaimed, he proclaimed it. He did not wait for someone to give him permission to celebrate what we have contributed to this country, he celebrated it.

Dr. Woodson understood that Black parents had been teaching their children our history since we arrived in this country. Our stories and achievements had been carried by the wind and buried in the soil. It had been whispered as bedtime stories, spoken from the pulpits on Sunday mornings, and woven throughout our songs and poems of resistance and survival. America did not have to tell us who we were to this country; we told them.

America did not have to tell us that we built this country, our fingerprints are etched into the stone. America does not have to proclaim Black History Month, we proclaim it. We live in the legacy of Dr. Woodson, and as we have done for 98 years, we will celebrate who we are and all that we have accomplished. We stand at the intersection of the

JEALOUS from Page 31

local activists and advocates are pushing for Pasadena to hit that target.

Those of us who grew up in the Black church understand Adam's commandment was to defend the Garden, protect the Garden, nurture the Garden. And the Garden right now is out of balance in a profound way. We should all take inspiration from how communities like Pasadena and Altadena are coming together to care for the Garden and take a stand for their future and ours.

This sort of resilience is a familiar part of Altadena's rich history — and its Black history, in particular. Altadena was one of the first places

of Congress supporting Trump on benefit cuts. Imagine one of these supporters walking into a home saying "Grandma or Grandpa, we're supporting Trump cutting your check next month" — the only income some have to get by. This is a cruel decision and we should withdraw support from anyone who backs it.

He has withdrawn U.S. involvement in the World Health Organization and cut scientists' access to

past and the future; what we do at this moment will determine how the next gear shifts.

The 2025 Black History Month theme is African Americans and Labor, which focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds — free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary — intersect with the collective experiences of Black people and the transformational work that we have done throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora.

We are celebrating our visible labor — from the work we did back then to build the White House to the work we do right now to hold the White House accountable, from repairing the roads to teaching in our schools, from stocking shelves to packing and unloading trucks; from working in the federal government to our ongoing labor in the state and local offices — and, our invisible labor — from raising and teaching our children to caring for our aging family members, from finding ways to practice revolutionary self-care to finding ways to hope beyond hope in a country that frequently targets and terrorizes Black people. We bear witness to what it means to work hard every day and to get sick and tired of working so hard.

in Southern California where a thriving Black middle class took root in the past century. It was home to such luminaries as Octavia Estelle Butler, the celebrated African American author and first science fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the "Genius Grant"); the writer, activist and early Black Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver; Sidney Poitier, the Hollywood and civil rights pathbreaker who was the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for best actor; and Charles W. White, a local artist famous for his depictions of Black history.

Even Altadena's earlier history dating to the 19th century held stories of both Black achievement and racial unity. Robert Owens was born into slavery

crucial research grants.

These decisions follow Trump's orders immediately after his inauguration to end government DEI programs and put federal officials overseeing them on leave.

So much for progress. As a Costco shareholder, I will shop at Costco and hope you will too. They didn't join this insulting group of companies cutting DEI. Wake up and stay woke! Not everyone seeking your business is your friend. WI

As the president of ASALH, one of the many legacy keepers of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, I am excited to proclaim and uplift the start of Black History Month 2025. I believe that ASALH is a lighthouse that you do not notice until you need it. When boats are caught in a storm or fog, they look for the lighthouse to help guide them safely back to the shore.

We have been standing as a lighthouse proudly proclaiming the importance of Black History and helping people to understand that it is only through studying the quilted narrative of our historical journey that one can clearly see the silences, blind spots, hypocrisies, and distortions of American history.

We do not celebrate because we are given permission, we celebrate because we are the permission givers. We do not wait for Black History Month to be proclaimed, we proclaim it. We do not wait to be seen, we see ourselves. We do not have to be told the story of America because we are writing it, we are telling it, we are owning it, and we are pointing the way to it.

We invite you to join us as we once again celebrate and center the incredible contributions that Black people have made to this beautiful and imperfect nation. WI

in 1806 and later became the wealthiest Black man in Los Angeles County. He made his home just above Altadena at El Prieto Canyon, which was named for him ("El Prieto" being Spanish for "the dark-skinned one"). Altadena is the final resting place of Ellen Garrison Jackson Clark, the abolitionist and civil rights pioneer. And it was the final home to Owen Brown, son of the abolitionist John Brown and the last surviving participant in his father's raid on Harper's Ferry. The younger Brown was celebrated locally among the area's mixed Black and white post-Civil War community.

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