The Washington Informer - January 23, 2025

Trump Outlines America First Agenda: What It Means for Black Americans

By Stacy M Brown, Micha Green, Hamil Harris and James Wright WI Senior Writer, WI Managing Editor, WI Contributing Writer and WI Staff Writer

A little after noon on Monday, Jan. 20, the same day celebrating the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. As the nation commemorated the fallen civil rights leaders, Trump unveiled his America First priorities, which includes measures that have citizens and activists concerned about what his plans mean for the future.

“Donald Trump just said in his inaugural address that he is going to end DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion)

After Garvey Pardon, Family Members, Garveyites and Elected Officials Seek More

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

On his last day, President Joe Biden posthumously pardoned Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a polarizing Black nationalist figure who, since his death, had been subjected to both widespread admiration and loathing.

In 1923, a jury convicted Garvey for mail fraud, under what even the

Biden administration acknowledged as politically motivated circumstances. After four years, President Calvin Coolidge commuted Garvey’s sentence and Garvey was deported to Jamaica

PARDON Page 30

King Parade Proceeds with Changes

Longtime Procession Adjusts to Trump Events

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Each August, Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes and Ward 8 community and civic activist Stuart Anderson convene a group of volunteers to plan the following year’s MLK Holiday DC activities in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The highlight event is the Peace Walk and

Parade, a procession that began in 1979 by Dr. Calvin Rolark, Barnes’ father and founder of The Informer, her stepmother, D.C. Council member Wilhelmina Rolark (D-Ward 8) and media personality Ralph “Petey” Greene. One of the purposes of the parade was to honor King’s legacy and show support for a congressional bill setting aside the slain civil rights leader’s birthday

Local and National Freedom

Fighters Push for Justice Causes MLK and Inauguration Weekend

Angela Davis, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Nee Nee Taylor Emphasize Importance of Justice Fights, True Liberation

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

On the official federal holiday celebrating the Rev. Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr., Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, cat-

5 Family members and Garveyites are seeking more after, on his last day, President Joe Biden posthumously pardoned Marcus Mosiah Garvey. (Courtesy Photo)

5 Despite Donald Trump being sworn in as president on Jan. 20, local and national leaders, such as the Rev. Al Sharpton, are fighting against Trump’s policies, which could have negative implications for Black Americans. (Courtesy Photo and Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

4Angela Davis speaks to The Washington Informer on the red carpet at the 2025 Peace Ball hosted by Busboys and Poets and held at Arena Stage in Southwest, D.C. on Jan. 18. (Micha Green/The Washington Informer)

5Ballou High School Majestic Knights Marching Band performing during the 20th Annual MLK Holiday Parade at the Entertainment & Sports Arena. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Capture the Momoent Page 35

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

PUBLISHER

Denise Rolark Barnes

STAFF

Micha Green, Managing Editor

Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director

Shevry Lassiter, WIN-TV Producer

Ra-Jah Kelly, Digital Asset Manager

Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC

Desmond Barnes, WIN Daily Editor

Anthony Tilghman, Social Media Strategist

ZebraDesigns.net, Graphic Design

Mable Neville, Bookkeeper

Angie Johnson, Office/Circulation Manager

REPORTERS

Stacy Brown, National Reporter

Sam P.K. Collins, Political/Education Reporter

Zerline Hughes, Housing Reporter

Brenda Siler, Lifestyle Reporter

Lindiwe Vilakazi, Health Reporter

Ed Hill, Sports Reporter

Jada Ingleton, WI Comcast Fellow, WIN Daily

Newsletter Editor

Eden Harris, Reporter

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor

Ja Mon Jackson, Asst. Photo Editor

Roy Lewis, Jr.

Robert R. Roberts

Anthony Tilghman

Abdullah Konte

Cleveland Nelson

INTERNS

Skylar Nelson, Howard University

BY STACY M. BROWN WI SENIOR WRITER

Wendy Williams Speaks Out: ‘I Am Not Cognitively Impaired; I Am in Prison’

Wendy Williams stunned her fans and others when she made a surprise call to “The Breakfast Club,” where she revealed deep frustrations with a conservatorship she described as “emotional abuse.”

Despite her diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia in 2023, Williams was assertive. “I am not cognitively impaired," she demanded. "But I feel like I am in prison."

The former talk show queen

and radio host expressed her discomfort with being placed in a maximum-security care facility alongside much older residents.

“I’m in this place where the people are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s," she told Charlamagne tha God. "There’s something wrong with these people here on this floor.”

Williams then criticized her conservatorship and described her isolation, having lost her autonomy with her pets taken away and her finances under strict control. “This system is broken," she declared. Her niece, Alex, also on the call, shared that Williams’ guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, retains control over Williams’ older phone and restricts her financial autonomy. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Trump Pardons Jan. 6 Rioters in First Executive Action, Sparking Outrage from Law Enforcement and Families

Four years after the deadly Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection, President Donald Trump, now officially back in the Oval Office, has signed a sweeping pardon for approximately 1,500 convicted rioters. On the first day of his second presidency, this unprecedented move, which included high-profile figures like former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio, ignited fierce backlash from law enforcement, victims’ families, and political leaders.

Nayib Hassan, Tarrio’s lawyer, confirmed his client is being processed for release from federal prison. Tarrio was serving a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy, one of the most severe charges brought against January 6 defendants. Despite not being present at the Capitol during the riot, prosecutors argued Tarrio played a key role in organizing the attack that left five law enforcement officers dead, over 140 injured, and the nation’s democracy shaken.

Trump has long referred to January 6 rioters as “hostag-

es,” framing their convictions as politically motivated. Speaking to NBC News, Trump characterized the pardon as a “fun” start to his second term.

Former U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who sustained injuries during the attack, called the pardons “a desecration of justice.” Gonell added, “Releasing those who assaulted us dishonors the sacrifices made by law enforcement.”

Former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who defended the Capitol that day, said Trump’s election win and subsequent pardons felt like “a gut punch.”

The Justice Department, which conducted the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history to prosecute the rioters, has charged 1,583 individuals, securing 1,270 convictions. Many of these cases involved felony offenses, including assaulting law enforcement officers and seditious conspiracy.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

D.C. Attorney Issues Alert on Charity Scams Connected to California

Wildfire Relief Efforts

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb has issued a consumer alert to residents of the District of Columbia, urging vigilance against scams related to California wildfire relief donations. Schwalb’s statement pointed out the generous spirit of Washingtonians eager to assist those affected by the fires in Southern California, but he warned of opportunistic scammers exploiting this disaster.

“Many Washingtonians understandably want to help those harmed by the devastating wildfires in Southern California,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “Unfortunately, there are bad actors who prey upon that generous spirit, taking advantage of a natural disaster in order to line their pockets.”

Schwalb advised potential donors to research any charity before donating or sharing personal information thoroughly. He recommended verifying the legitimacy of charities through established resources such as IRS Select Check, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and

the National Center for Charitable Statistics. For secure donations, Schwalb advised using refundable payment methods like checks or credit cards and insisted on obtaining written confirmation of donations. He also cautioned against giving to organizations that use law enforcement or military names without verification.

The consumer alert also warned against donating through peer-to-peer or social networking sites due to difficulties in ensuring the proper use of funds. Schwalb advised being wary of claims that “100% of proceeds” from merchandise sales will go to charity, as this does not guarantee that all of the sales price benefits the cause.

Residents who believe scams have targeted them are urged to contact the Office of the Attorney General through their consumer hotline, email, or an online complaint submission to receive assistance.

Schwalb said residents can call the OAG Consumer Hotline at 202.442.9828, send an email to consumer.protection@dc.gov, or submit a consumer complaint online at oag.dc.gov. WI

5Wendy Williams is deeply frustrated with a conservatorship she describes as “emotional abuse.” (Courtesy Photo)

AROUND THE REGION

Ward 7 Welcomes New Community Wellness Center

MedStar Family Choice Brings Health Care Support East of The River

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

MedStar Family Choice District of Columbia has unveiled its brand-new Community Wellness Center in the heart of Ward 7, aimed to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities east of the Anacostia River.

Open to Medicaid-eligible residents participating in the DC Healthcare Alliance and DC Healthy Families programs, MedStar, along with local community leaders, welcomed Wards 7 and 8 residents to the ribbon-cutting event on Jan. 14 at their Minnesota Avenue location.

“We are so happy about the Wellness Center. We believe that we have created a space for the people we serve in Wards 7 and 8 to make sure that they have the appropriate access, not only to social needs, but also to clinical care–meeting with our care managers who will be on site, our care coordinators, navigators, and a very new team that we created: our care resource team,” said Jocelyn C. Carter, president of MedStar Family Choice. “Their goal is to make sure that our members have access to those services and that they are made aware of them.”

Local data highlights health concerns and lower life expectancy rates across Wards 7 and 8 in comparison to other parts of the city, largely due to a number of factors including health, racial, and economic disparities. For example, residents born on certain blocks of either Ward 7 or 8 have consistently shown, on average, a 25-year less lifespan than those born in other parts of the city.

Further, residents east of the Anacostia River have suffered a long-standing history of inequitable health care services made available within reach of their neighborhoods.

During the unveiling, Wayne Turnage, deputy mayor for the District of Columbia Health and Human Services (DMHHS) and director of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), shared details of prior data analysis of health care resources that were spent in Ward 8 versus health care resources spent outside of Ward 8 for the same [services]. The numbers revealed that only 50% of finances used on Medicaid were actually being spent on health

care services located east of the Anacostia River.

“Why were they spent outside the community? Because the residents didn't have a place that they trusted, or places that they trusted to go and take care of their healthcare needs,” Turnage said.

However, despite common doubts to the efficacy of wellness centers, Turnage assures that these community-based facilities have a substantial place in the approach to tackle the issue of health equity in the District.

The Community Wellness Center, part of MedStar Health’s com mitment to equitable health access, has orchestrated a bevy of support services to provide with the hopes of meeting people where they are. The center will offer social services with face-to-face case management, fitness classes, diabetes management cooking workshops, maternity and parenting support, perinatal legal assistance, and wellbeing resources.

“I see a facility like this – a wellness center – as a key [step] that can help residents deal with issues of self care. It is the best first step to having a healthy lifestyle,” Turnage continued. “So, I am very pleased that MedStar had the foresight to open this community [center] where it needs to be.”

AREA LEADERS WEIGH IN ON IMPORTANCE OF WELLNESS CENTER

District native and newly minted Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder (D) shared his support for MedStar in bringing a much-needed service to his community.

“For far too long, Ward 7 has faced significant health care disparities, with limited access to quality healthcare services, and it has taken a toll on the families and neighbors,” said Felder. “Today, we take a huge step forward to closing that gap.”

Similarly, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner 8E Anita Burrows is pleased to see the new development that she hopes will help improve the unequal health challenges many Ward 7 and 8 residents battle daily.

going to school and getting the education that they need. They can't fully function because of things that are going on in the home,” Burrows told The Informer. “So, having a wellness center or just community leaders coming out and helping is like [giving the youth] a family outside of their home where they can be their best self.”

While Burrows looks forward to the availability of support services for community members in need, she emphasizes the need to strengthen economic and workforce opportunities as more health services trickle into the community.

“I do think that we are seeing a brighter future, but I do not want any developers to forget about our Wards [7 and 8] residents when it comes to jobs and things of that sort,” she explained. “It's [important to be included] and to know what is going on. Don't just come over there, get the building and [leave us in the dark] where we don’t know what's going on. Let us know.” WI

THE ANNUAL

black historymonth luncheon

FEBRUARY 22, 2025

“East of the river has a high homi cide rate, so it's a lot of grief. And there are a lot of single parent homes - that affects the child a lot when it comes to

12:00

5Community and health leaders, including Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder (center), cut the ribbon at MedStar Family Choice’s Community Wellness Center in Ward 7. (Cleveland Nelson/The Washington Informer)

LABOR

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

AROUND THE REGION

black facts

JAN. 23

1891 – African American surgeon Daniel Hale Williams founds Provident Hospital — the nation's first non-segregated hospital — in Chicago.

1946 – Editor, writer and journalist Susan L. Taylor, who served as editor-in-chief of Essence magazine in the '80s and '90s, is born in New York City.

1976 – Renowned singer, actor and civil rights activist Paul Robeson dies in Philadelphia at 77 from complications of a stroke.

1977 – Patricia Roberts Harris begins serving as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Jimmy Carter, becoming the first African American woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet.

1977 – "Roots," a TV miniseries based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel, "Roots: The Saga of an American Family," begins airing on ABC, the first of eight consecutive nights.

1993 – Gospel music legend Thomas Dorsey dies in Chicago at 93.

JAN. 24

1885 – Martin R. Del aney Black nationalism and one of the first three Black people admitted to Harvard Medical School, dies of tuberculosis in Wilberforce, Ohio, at 73.

1993 – Thurgood Marshall first African American Su preme Court justice, dies of heart failure in Bethesda, Maryland, at 84.

JAN. 25

1938 –James

JAN. 23 - 29, 2025

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

JAN. 26

1863 – U.S. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton authorizes the enlistment of Black soldiers in the Civil War.

1944 – Political activist, academic scholar and author Angela Davis is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

1948 – Executive Order 9981 is issued by President Harry S. Truman, abolishing racial discrimination in the U.S. Armed Forces.

1958 – R&B singer Anita Baker is born in Toledo, Ohio.

1990 – Elaine Weddington Steward is named assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox, becoming the first-ever Black woman executive in Major League Baseball.

JAN. 27

1939 – Author and academic Julius Lester is born in St. Louis.

1961 – Renowned opera singer Leontyne Price makes her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. 1972 – Gospel music legend Mahalia Jackson dies in Evergreen Park, Illinois, of heart failure and diabetes complications at age 60.

JAN. 28

1972 – Shirley Chisholm formally announces her bid for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, becoming the first Black presidential candidate for a major political party.

1980 – Black Entertainment Tele vision (BET), a cable television net work launched by Robert L. John son, begins broadcasting.

Famed African American Zora Neale Hurston, author of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," dies in Fort Pierce, Florida, at age 69 of complicaArthur Ashe is denied entry to compete on the U.S. team for the South African Open tennis championships due to his stance on South Africa's racial policies.

1926 – Violette Neatley becomes the first African American woman to practice law at the U.S. Supreme

Entertainment mogul Oprah is born in Kosciusko, Missis-

view

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

For the first time in 34 years, Washington’s football team will play in the NFC Championship. With one game away from the Super Bowl, fans are ecstatic about the matchup as the Commanders take on the Eagles. What are your thoughts?

ERICA NEWSOME / WASHINGTON, D.C.

ORAL STOBY / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Wow. Just wow. I’m still in a state of bewilderment to see where the Commanders are today. Just last year, this team/organization was the laughingstock of football. Way to go, lads. I’m wishing the Commanders all the best and will be praying for a win next week.

Let’s go, Washington Commanders!

B. BOOK / WASHINGTON, D.C.

TERESA HARDY / LANDOVER, MD.

Here comes the eliminators. Watch out, Philly, I’m warning you. #HTTR

This is about to be the best conference championship game in my lifetime!

SHEILA MCDOWELL / WASHINGTON, D.C.

I had a feeling it would go down like this. One mission. One goal. And on to the Super Bowl! Let’s go! We’re not done yet!

AROUND THE REGION

AROUND THE REGION

Local Clergy, Leaders Applaud Peace Agreement, Biden Administration

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

Just five days before the official transition of power, former President Joe Biden, announced that Israel and Hamas finally reached a peace agreement on Jan. 15.

“Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal,” Biden said in a statement released after the White House news conference.

“This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.”

Imam Talib Shareef of the District’s Masjid Muhammad, “The Nation's

UPO Celebrates MLK’s Legacy, Awards $10K Checks to Scholarship Recipients

Mosque,” celebrated the news of peace in Gaza, saying: “We’ve been so heartbroken over the many killed, unwilling martyrs of a higher cause, and we continue to pray and extend our condolences.”

Shareef’s main priority is continued progress toward peace.

“Our hope is that it will continue to move forward and be sustained,” he said. “So we hope for change, for a lasting peace, and for that to happen we must address the roots of the conflict, including historic and ongoing Palestinian displacement, occupation, and the reality of apartheid.”

CELEBRATING BIDEN’S LEADERSHIP

The evening of the peace agreement, Biden delivered his farewell address to the country.

“This plan (the agreement between

Israel and Hamas) was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. That's why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that's how it should be, working together as Americans,” said Biden. “This will be my final address to you, the American people, from the Oval Office, from this desk as president.”

The Rev. Thomas Bowen, recently completed his tenure as a senior adviser to Biden.

“Serving as a Biden-Harris administration appointee and senior advisor for public engagement, leading faith engagement, has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Bowen, who is returning to the District’s Shiloh Baptist Church where he served as an associate pastor.“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with an exceptional team and faith leaders nationwide to advance a shared vision of a better, more just future.” WI

5Incoming United Planning Organization (UPO) Board Chair Lafayette Barnes, Sr. presents a bronze replica of The Thinker statue to outgoing board chair Ruthven Phillip, Esq. at UPO’s 41st Annual MLK Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Friday, Jan. 17, held at the Ronald Reagan Building in Northwest, D.C. (Courtesy Photo/UPO)

5The Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd and UPO President and CEO Andrea Thomas at the 41st Annual MLK Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Northwest. Boyd, a STEM champion, engineer, preacher, and motivational speaker, inspired the audience with her electrifying keynote speech addressing the theme “Chaos or Community?” Thomas said the annual fundraiser has helped to provide over $1 million in scholarships for more than 200 deserving students. (Courtesy Photo/UPO)

5United Planning Organization (UPO) Youth Services Coordinator Alex Lawler (left) with local high school senior scholarship recipients at the UPO MLK Jr. Memorial Breakfast at the Ronald Reagan Building on Jan. 17. Students: Marcos Gonzalez, Dunbar Senior High School; Khloe McDonald, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School; Andres Morales, Dunbar; A’Zia Turner, Digital Pioneers Academy; and Destiny Walker, Benjamin Banneker, received $10,000 from the 2025 Joseph A. Beavers Scholarship awards. (Courtesy Photo/UPO)

Black Leaders Push Back on DEI Cutbacks at National Action Network MLK Breakfast

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

Civil rights leaders joined forces at the National Action Network’s (NAN) annual Martin Luther King Jr. Legislative Breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel in Northwest, D.C. on Wednesday to address attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

Major companies patronized by minorities, including Walmart, McDonalds, Ford and Meta have rolled back diversity efforts in recent weeks.

“They may have the votes in the House and they may have the votes in the Senate, but we control our dollars. We're going to outline those major corporations that want to end DEI, then we want to end them having a diverse consumer base,” the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of NAN, told the crowd. “You don't want us in the C suite, then you don't want us in the supermarket. You don't want us on your boards, then you don't want us getting online and hitting you.”

Sharpton said he and eight partner organizations plan to employ strategies used by King in the Montgomery Bus Boycott to hit companies where it hurts.

“I want those corporations to know that there will be a cost for you crossing your consumers, and that nobody in Washington can make us buy where we're not respected,” he emphasized.

Special guest speaker former Vice

President Kamala Harris, who regularly attends the annual breakfast, also emphasized the need to fight for justice in the days and years ahead.

“In the words of Coretta Scott King, ours is the journey. And the fight that we are in, which is the fight to uplift the people, the fight for freedom, the fight for civil rights, the fight for dignity, the fight for human rights, must be fought in one with each generation,” Harris affirmed.

LAWMAKERS PROMISE TO ‘FIGHT BACK’

Lawmakers in attendance also addressed the new tune of Fortune 500 companies that committed to uplifting diversity initiatives and inclusionary practices in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.

“Many in this town who are attacking diversity, equity and inclusion, I think they're using these attacks as a shield to hide their own mediocrity and incompetence. Diversity, equity and inclusion are not foreign values,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) stated. “These are American values. The creed of this country, the motto: ‘e pluribus unum,’ out of many, one.”

Jeffries will likely lead the Democratic charge against Republicans in the next legislative cycle where the party will need to seek out bipartisan support to pass bills for their constituencies. However, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette D.

Clarke (D-N.Y.) noted that Republicans have a very slim majority.

“Next week, Donald Trump will take the Office. Office with a Republican led House and Senate and a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, and while the headwinds against us are strong, we are by no means powerless to fight back,” Clarke said passionately.

“Our strength and our unity are our greatest assets. And because of the work of Leader Jeffries and our new and returning members, House Republicans are in the slimmest majority in nearly a century.”

Vice President Harris underscored the importance of pushing forward and positive progress as a key aspect of success.

“How we measure the win is, are we making progress? How we measure the win is based on the knowledge that it is an enduring fight and that we must be strong, and that whatever the outcome of any particular moment, we can never be defeated,” Harris said speaking to a crowd that included fellow speakers Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Andrea Waters King and

Martin Luther King III.

In her last days as vice president, she offered a call to action.

“So, let's stay in the fight. Let's do

what we got to do. And again, I thank you, NAN, for all that you have done for me and so many people who are not in this room.” WI

5Rep. Hakeem Jeffries speaks at the National Action Network Legislative Breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel on Jan. 15. (Robert R. Robert/The Washington Informer)

5Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of National Action Network (NAN), Andrea Waters King, and Martin Luther King III link hands and pray at NAN’s annual Legislative Breakfast on Jan. 15 at the Mayflower Hotel in Northwest, D.C. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

Kitchen of Purpose and United Way of the National Capital Area celebrate being named the 2024 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Honorees. (Courtesy Photo)

Grounded Plant Shop in Anacostia Promotes Wellness, Naturalistic Healing East of the River

By Jada Ingleton WI Digital Equity Fellow

What started out as a virtual escape at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has since turned into a green capital for wellness, healing and inspiration in Southeast, D.C., due in no small part to DMV natives and business partners Danuelle Doswell and Mignon Hemsley.

Grounded, a self-coined “holistic sanctuary” located at 1913 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, seamlessly intersects nature, wellness and community in advocacy for mental health.

Using themed opportunities like January’s Week of Gratitude, through their business, Doswell and Hemsley underscore the basis of what it means to be “grounded.”

Throughout the week series (Jan. 2-9), customers enjoyed 25% off drinks, wellness classes and plants, while beginning the year with a newfound appreciation for intention and mindfulness.

“‘Grounded’ means so many different things, and that's where we really started in the concept, just understanding what was our interpretation of that word, and how can we connect that feeling to our community,” Doswell told The Informer.

The Southeast brick-and-mortar stands to do just that: grounding customers with green walls to increase serotonin and productivity. Offering plants, healthy cafe dining and physical wellness activities meant to invoke relaxation—such as yoga, meditation, sound healing, mat pilates, and Reiki, a Japanese-based healing technique that uses energy force to reduce stress and anxiety— Grounded is a multipurpose spot for shopping and promoting overall health.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Grounded started as a virtual plant shop.

Hemsley told The Informer the emphasis on connecting others with the natural world made the transition from virtual to physical modality the perfect opportunity for a multi-integrated project: an all-in-one plant shop, cafe and wellness studio that hits the mark of balancing body movement, well-being and horticultural therapy.

“There's nothing like experienc-

5Grounded, a self-coined “holistic sanctuary” located on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, seamlessly intersects nature, wellness and community in advocacy for mental health east of the Anacostia River. (Jada Ingleton/The Washington Informer)

ing nature at its fullest extent. Going outside, being able to hear the birds, touch greenery, breathing fresh air–just really pushing that mental health aspect of finding peace through nature,” Hemsley said. “Now people can convene in this space and really access the three ways of nature that we have been preaching over the past four and a half years.”

INTENTIONALLY SETTING UP SHOP IN SOUTHEAST

As District area natives, the local entrepreneurs highlighted the educational and communal impact of Grounded’s presence in Anacostia.

“Our approach to nature and wellness is teaching people how if you have a houseplant, you can…take a step in your day to slow down, water your plant, care for something to calm you, to relax you,” Doswell explained. “[Or having] a picnic [at Anacostia Park], which we did. Just finding unique ways to interact with nature and use it as a therapeutic form, and that's existing here in our space.”

The decision to set up shop in Southeast D.C. was no coincidence, the co-founders told The Informer.

In addition to providing a nesting home for mental and spiritual alignment, the co-founders heed the call to amplify mental health awareness and education east of the Anacostia River, a focal discussion often overlooked among Black communities.

Further in Wards 7 and 8, where more than 80% of residents identify as Black, research from the National Library of Medicine shows that adult

residents who are low-income and African American experience higher rates of mental health problems compared to the rest of the District.

Coupled with the disproportionate levels of food insecurity plaguing the region, African American residents continuously suffer the brunt of historic disparities that institutions such as Grounded work to combat through an increase in educational and wellness values.

“We're not just a plant shop, and that's something that differentiates us from any other online or in-person plant shop in the area and in the country,” Hemsley said. “For us, [it’s about] really honing in on the fact that we're a wellness brand above everything, and that to feel grounded, having a plant is just one portion of that.”

Future plans of expansion within Grounded include establishing more locations globally, increasing education of healthy practices, and opening a nonprofit later this year, which will be called “Grounded in Nature” and geared towards safely exposing teenagers to the nuances of nature while laying the groundwork to make wellness a normalcy for youth.

“We just want to be able to create greener spaces in neighborhoods and cities like [Anacostia]...for people to just be able to slow down,” Doswell told The Informer. “People being able to use one of our green spaces or use a piece of our education and integrate it into their lives, to then…make it a lifestyle over time. Just being of service to people and having our space and our education do that.”

WI

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

GOV. MOORE INTRODUCES

BUDGET, PLANS TO INCREASE TAXES ON MARYLAND’S WEALTHIEST

In an effort to alleviate Maryland’s estimated $3 billion budget shortfall and pass a balanced budget this year, Gov. Wes Moore (D) unveiled a budget on Jan. 15 with several proposals to increase state revenue without negatively impacting most Marylanders.

Moore has described the current fiscal situation as “worse than the Great Recession.”

He has also said that taxing or cutting spending alone to resolve the situation would not be a solution.

Economic growth and targeted investments from the state are his ideas to improve the state’s long-term fiscal health.

His proposal would create two new tax brackets for Maryland’s highest earners, with a new 6.25% tax

rate for people who make more than $500,000 and a 6.5% rate for taxpayers who make more than $1 million. He also proposes closing a corporate tax loophole that allows multi-state corporations to avoid paying taxes in Maryland.

According to the governor, 82% of Marylanders would see a tax cut or no tax increases under his plan.

State Sen. Guy Guzzone (D- District 13) said that the governor “did a pretty good job” of looking into ways to improve the state’s financial health.

Moore’s tax plan would also increase the state’s tax on table games at Maryland casinos from 20% to 25%, double Maryland’s tax on sports betting from 15% to 30%, and increase the tax on recreational cannabis from 9% to 15%.

These changes would be effective in July 2026, if passed.

“The governor’s FY 2026 budget proposal reduces the structural deficit by $2.25 billion for FY 2026, maintains a Rainy Day Fund balance of 8.0%, and flips the projected cash shortfall of $2.95 billion to a positive cash ending balance,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Further, the statement explains some of the target goals for the proposed budget.

“The proposal directs state resources toward investing in commercial hubs and industries of the future, maintaining record funding for local law enforcement and public safety, and making education, housing, health care, and child care more affordable for Marylanders.”

Longtime lobbyist Darrell Carrington told The Informer that since it is an odd-numbered year, the next step in the budget process will be reviewed in the House’s Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees.

“The Moore-Miller Administration released its budget today, as required by the Maryland State Constitution. The release has prompted significant discussion, with many Members expressing concern about where additional cuts might be made to address the structural budget defi-

cit,” said Carrington in an email.

“We will continue to monitor developments as the House Appropriations and Ways & Means Committees begin their review of the Administration's budget with recommendations.” WI

COUNTY EXECUTIVE RACE’S CAMPAIGN DONATIONS LIST PUBLICIZED

With the General Assembly returning to session, most politicians in Maryland are now unable to solicit campaign donations to prevent conflicts of interest.

The filing deadline for campaign donations was Jan. 15, and State Senator Alonzo Washington (D- District 22) remains one of the only state Delegates who is able to solicit funds for his campaign for Prince George’s County Executive. State Senator Washington reported $78,693.13 on hand and raised $51,288.85 over the past year.

State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy led the pack with a reported $530,299.41 on hand, and she raised $409,026.35 over the past year.

County Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D- At Large) reported $429,921.89 on hand and raised $333,905.00, although her fundraising totals are only from November through early January as her campaign was required to disclose contributors during the special election to replace former Councilmember Mel Franklin.

County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins (D- At Large) report-

without

ed $237,585 on hand and raised $333,905.00 during the reporting period. In his January newsletter, Councilmember Hawkins cited three bills of the past year that passed with his sponsorship: a rent stabilization act, a bill to enforce vehicle noise limits, and a bill to ban ghost guns.

Former County Executive Rushern Baker, who previously ran for Governor in both 2018 and 2022, announced $107,528.18 on hand and raised $120,487.06. During the recent snowstorm that left communities around the county trapped in their homes and with ice in their culde-sacs, Baker took to X to decry the failures of County leadership.

“Residents of Prince George’s County, we deserve better. When snow blankets our community, it should not paralyze our daily lives or compromise our safety,” he said on Jan. 10.“Yet, this week’s snowstorm has highlighted unacceptable shortcomings in the county’s response— leaving roads unplowed, sidewalks impassable, and students unable to attend school. These failures are not due to a lack of resources.”

As a former county executive, Baker explained how he felt the difficulties manifested.

“Transportation budgets have grown, and strategies for proactive snow removal exist on paper. But what we’ve witnessed is a breakdown in execution, with some neighborhoods facing disproportionate impacts and delays. Leadership means action. As your next county executive, I will take immediate steps to restore trust and deliver results.”

A forum for all County Executive candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, has been announced for Jan. 30 at the Laurel Boys and Girls Club on Montgomery Street from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Former board of Education member Dr. Alvin Thornton, the Rev. Lesyle Dwight of the Community of Hope AME Church, Kevin Leonard of the Laurel History Boys, and Kayla Mock, UFCW Local 400 political director, will serve as the moderators. Another forum, which will be available virtually, will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 5 by the South County Democratic Club, with media personality Marc Clarke serving as the moderator. WI

3 Gov. Wes Moore is proposing to increase state revenue

negatively impacting most Marylanders. (WI File Photo)

Prince George’s County Local Updates

Dispute Between Neighboring Towns of Cheverly, Bladensburg Heading to Lawsuits

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

The Town of Cheverly has announced plans to sue the neighboring town of Bladensburg for the town’s efforts to annex a site that, in the eyes of Cheverly residents, has long been a part of the town.

The site, known as Hospital Hill, is getting millions of dollars in state redevelopment funds. Bladensburg leaders have spoken out about the perceived preferential treatment for Cheverly and noted that the site is owned by the county’s Redevelopment Board, rather than any municipality.

"The Town of Bladensburg stands firmly behind the the fairness and legality of the annexation process conducted by the Town Council. We remain committed to upholding the principles of transparency and equity in all our actions and will not engage in divisive rhetoric or inflammatory exchanges to sway the whims of the court of public opinion,” Bladensburg Mayor Takisha James told WUSA9 in a statement after the lawsuit was announced. “We look forward to answering the complaint filed by Cheverly and firmly believe that we have conducted the annexation in question in accordance with the law. As I clearly stated at the hearing on

December 19, 2024, the Town has acted reasonably and in a good faith and business-like manner that serves the best interest of the residents of Bladensburg.”

Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh has taken issue with the process regarding the annexation, and both she and other Cheverly leaders have spoken out. Several attended a town meeting in Bladensburg, where numerous Bladensburg residents spoke in favor of the plan and Bladensburg officials unanimously voted in favor of annexation.

"I know that we are going to be neighbors after this," said Mayor Munyeneh. "So I want us to come to an amicable resolution without draining all our resources to pay attorneys: that is my ideal. If we can’t get to a resolution, we just move forward."

One of the lawsuits is for $40 million, while the other is to halt the annexation process.

“Our focus continues to be on serving the best interests of all residents, fostering inclusivity, and creating opportunities that benefit the entire community—not just a select few,” read James’ statement. “We appreciate the ongoing support of our residents as we strive to build a stronger, more united Town of Bladensburg."

WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

"I know that we are going to be neighbors after this," said Mayor Munyeneh. "So I want us to come to an amicable resolution without draining all our resources to pay attorneys: that is my ideal. If we can’t get to a resolution, we just move forward."

5 Cheverly officials, including Mayor Kayce Munyeneh (pictured), haveannounced they are preparing lawsuits against the nearby town of Bladensburg for their efforts to annex the Hospital Hill site, which Cheverly leaders have spent over a year trying to redevelop into housing and retail. (Courtesy Photo)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

NAREB RELEASES STUDY ON HEIRS’ PROPERTY

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers recently released a study entitled “Heirs Property in the United States—Its Destabilizing Structure and Contribution to Black Property and Wealth Erosion.”

When land is maintained as heirs’ property, all descendants hold fractional ownership, making the property vulnerable to legal challenges, forced sales, and exploitation by developers or outside parties. Exploitative and illegal actions resulted in Black families losing 90% of the land held in 1910 because of limited access to legal advice, discriminatory actions by federal, state, and local governments, and violence and hate crimes.

“As this comprehensive study demonstrates, public policies have aided private and public entities in the unscrupulous and predatory acquisition of land owned by Black families,” said Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose, president of NAREB. “Heirs property issues

briefs

disproportionately impact Black households, thereby making the need for urgent reforms as important today as they were a century ago.”

The study, conducted by James Carr and Michela Zonta, reveals that historic loss of property by Blacks contributes significantly to the wealth gap between the races. It states that farmland once owned by Black farmers has been routinely absorbed by white owners and has often merged into larger estates that would attract the attention of Wall Street investors.

As in the case of federally mandated discriminatory homeownership practices against Black households, the study maintains that the loss of Black heirs’ property has frequently been supported or carried out by government entities.

“Discriminatory practices related to Heirs’ property continue today,” the study says. “Only a small number of Black farmers have managed to retain or reclaim their land, leaving the majority without ownership of valuable agricultural land, particularly in the Deep South.”

Rose says that NAREB recog-

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nizes the collective effort needed to address this issue and vows to work with other organizations to help Black families reclaim and preserve their land and reverse decades of inequity. The organization supports the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, which makes it easier to pass family wealth to the next generation, and the National Heirs’ Property Protection Legislation, the Empowerment and Inheritance Rights (HEIR) Act, the Heirs’ Estate Inheritance Resolution and Succession (HEIRS) Act, and The Good DEED Act.

“As NAREB’s report makes clear, tangled titles have an extraordinarily damaging impact on Black communities and their ability to build generational wealth,” said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.). “My legislation, The Good DEED Act, provides critically needed resources that will help document and secure Black land ownership, as well as protect the wealth and economic mobility of impacted families. I applaud NAREB for bringing attention to this important issue.”

NAREB has also partnered with the National Bar Association (NBA) to help Black families understand the laws related to heirs' property and get legal representation. As part of NAREB’s Black Wealth Tour, NAREB hosted NBA’s “What to do with Big Mama’s House” course in cities nationwide to inform families

about heirs’ property issues and provide resources. WI

SHANKLIN HALL SEEKS 200K FOR EXPANSION

Shanklin Hall, a social club centered at the intersection of creativity, community, and wellness, is seeking to raise $200,000 to expand its Adams Morgan location in Northwest with the help of everyday investors on SMBX Marketplace.

and leave a legacy that inspires generations.”

Sixty-five investors from across the country have already pledged $15,700 toward the expansion.

“We’re raising funds to expand Shanklin Hall with a second floor—with more vibrant event space with opportunities for even more artists and entrepreneurs alive,” a statement from the co-founders said. “We’re also working to secure resources for a state-of-the-art ghost kitchen concept, to offer more support to partners in the culinary space. By investing through SMBX, you’ll be directly contributing to our mission while earning returns on your investment. This isn’t just about Shanklin Hall—it’s about building a stronger, more equitable D.C. Together, we can create opportunities, foster connections,

Shanklin Hall was founded by a close-knit group of friends and family who saw a pressing need for change in how we connect and fellowship. They created this social club to offer thoughtful, high-quality events that serve the Black community in the District focusing on depth and authenticity, filling a cultural void.

SMBX is a financial marketplace that connects qualified small business owners with everyday investors. By issuing a Small Business Bond, businesses can borrow money from existing customers and their community at competitive rates, raising the funds needed to expand their business.

Investors can buy Shanklin Hall’s Small Business Bonds for as little as $10 and earn 11.5% interest through direct monthly payments over five years.

WI @JamesWrightJr10

3Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose is the president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. (Courtesy Photo/ NAREB)

6U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II is a Democrat representing the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area. (Courtesy Photo/Clerk of the House)

DMV Creators Brace for Impact: How a TikTok Ban Could Reshape the Local Content Scene

By Zsana Hoskins WI Contributing Writer

The social video-sharing platform TikTok is back after averting the threat of a forever ban in the U.S. for good on Sunday, Jan. 19. Although TikTok only went dark for a few hours, the previous threat of the shutdown had influencers and content creators in the DMV area working to find ways to pivot as change sweeps the content space.

As one of the fastest-growing apps, TikTok has over 170 million current users in the United States.

On Friday, Jan. 17, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the decision to ban the app due to national security concerns. Lawmakers worried that user data could be accessed by the Chinese government, prompting increased scrutiny of the platform.

TikTok’s algorithm has allowed creators to engage with a vast audience quickly, making it a powerful tool for building a fan base. With the ban, creators might struggle to replicate that same level of virality on other platforms.

Cornelia Poku runs Black Girls Explore DC, a TikTok account highlighting things to do in the District from food to fun, as well as other travel content. Poku shared that one of the most unique things about TikTok is the community.

“[TikTok] feels like a home for niche interests. Whether you’re into beauty, book reviews, or hyper-local content, there’s a space for you. Losing that community would feel like losing a big part of my creative identity,” Poku, who has garnered nearly 800,000 likes and over 36,000 followers on TikTok, said as the threat of the shutdown loomed.

Local lifestyle content creator Talia Cadet expressed that the ban would have affected DMV creators and influencers specifically because it’s a more niche, tight-knit community.

“It’s not a New York. It's not LA, it's not Atlanta, but there is a thriving creator community here in D.C., and so many of us use TikTok as our primary platform,” said Cadet, who has more than 160,000 followers on the app.

MONETIZATION IN THE FUTURE, PIVOTING TO OTHER PLATFORMS

TikTok has become a key source of income for many content creators, and the ban would have directly affected their income. The app reportedly brought in $16 million in revenue to the U.S. in 2023.

From brand partnerships to creator funds, TikTok offers numerous monetization opportunities that other platforms may not match.

Onosetale Ijewere, a lifestyle, wellness, and travel creator located in the District, emphasized that many creators and small business owners who rely on TikTok for income or advertising.

“There are so many creators that make so much money on TikTok,” Ijewere told The Informer. “For me, I realized… brands seem to be pulling money from TikTok campaigns anyway…So now most of my income comes from Instagram, which I'm very thankful for.”

While TikTok is safe for now, Siraaj Woods, marketer and founder of social media agency Siraaj

Woods Creatives (SWC), believes that creators should pivot by diversifying their reach through other platforms.

“You can't really rely on just one platform forever…you do need to be able to branch out and have an omnichannel approach," said Woods. “Instagram, Facebook, YouTube any of the other platforms…also having your own website, your own mailing list. Those things that can't really be taken away from you can always…monetize off of that...because unfortunately, this type of thing can happen to any of the platforms.”

Despite TikTok still existing, creators planned to do just that—pivot. Ijewere encouraged her followers to follow her on other platforms like her Instagram and YouTube, but isn’t forcing it.

“I don't really want to press people on a platform to move to another platform with me. I think they organically found my platform on TikTok for a reason…If people saw your content and they loved it, they're going to find you on another app,” said Ijewere. WI

5Talia Cadet is a local lifestyle TikTok creator who shared the impact the TikTok ban would have had on the DMV area. (Courtesy Photo/Talia Cadet, Instagram)

NATIONAL

AGENDA from Page 1

this week— he’s going to put out his executive order— [and] you have these corporations that have said they’re going to back up off DEI. And why do we have DEI, because you denied us equity, you denied us inclusion,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said at the National Action Network (NAN) rally held at Metropolitan A.ME. Church in Northwest, D.C. “DEI was a remedy to the racial institutional bigotry practiced in academia and in these corporations.”

NAN, founded by Sharpton, intentionally hosted the rally fighting against Trump’s policies and commemorating King’s legacy mere miles away from the inauguration proceedings at the U.S. Capitol and around the same time of the swearing in.

Sharpton emphasized embracing lessons from King in order to resist racism.

While Trump’s America First addresses: border security, economic policies, government restructuring, and social values, aiming to bolster what the administration calls "American values and safety," the plans carry profound implications for Black Americans and other marginalized communities.

“Now you want to put us back in the back of the bus,” Sharpton said of the reversed DEI policies and Trump’s other proposals. “We’re going to do the Dr. King, Rosa Parks on you. We’re going to call you out one by one and we will shut you down.”

Although advocates argue his policies go against the civil right’s leader’s legacy, Trump did take a brief moment to acknowledge the King holiday during his inauguration.

“We will make his dream a reality,” said Trump. “We will make his dream come true.”

Further, during the inauguration the Rev. Lorenzo Sewell prayed for Trump’s presidency, thanking God for calling him to leadership “for such a time as this,” before mixing his closing with words spoken by King

at the Lincoln Memorial during the famous “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1963.

“So from the prestigious hills of New Hampshire, Let Freedom Ring, from the mighty mountains of New York, let Freedom ring, from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring,” said Sewell, lead pastor of Evangel Ministries of Detroit.

Despite the nod to King, Trump’s past racist rhetoric during the campaign season, his outlook about immigration and DEI, and his previous treatment of the Central Park Five, who were present at Sharpton’s event, make some people worried about the future for communities of color in a second Trump regime.

“My concern is that policies that have historically leveled the playing field will be overturned by legislation,” said Jacque Patterson, the new president of the D.C. State Board of Education and a Ward 8 resident.

BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION

The president plans to reinstate hardline immigration policies, including ending "catch-and-release," reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" program, and expanding the border wall.

“First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump promised in his inaugural address. “I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country.”

Further, the proposed suspension of refugee resettlement could disproportionately affect Black migrants from African and Caribbean nations who seek asylum in the U.S.

“As a child of immigrants, I’m especially concerned about D.C.’s quality of life during a second Trump presidency,” said Rep. Oye Owelowa, the District’s shadow

representative for the United States Congress, ahead of an immigrant town hall he hosted in Columbia Heights on Jan. 17.

Leaders like Owelowa are helping ease fears as increased deportation operations targeting undocumented immigrants, including those with minor infractions, may further contribute to fears of racial profiling and discrimination in Black and immigrant communities.

“I’m proud to be involved with this initiative as it prepares some of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters in D.C. to live safer,” Owelowa added. “Our goal is to ensure Washingtonians know their rights and are best prepared as we move forward.”

Additionally, deploying the military, including the National Guard, to the border raises concerns about the militarization of immigration enforcement.

Further, the designation of certain cartels as foreign terrorist organizations could lead to broader enforcement measures that risk overreach and collateral harm to immigrant populations, many of whom are Black.

“I wish safety for my immigrant community for the next four years,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

ECONOMIC AND ENERGY POLICIES

Trump’s plan to "Make America Affordable and Energy Dominant Again" centers on reducing costs through expanded energy production and deregulation. While these measures aim to lower living expenses, they could have mixed consequences for Black Americans.

Communities of color often bear the brunt of environmental harm caused by deregulated industries and fossil fuel expansion, raising questions about long-term health and environmental justice.

The administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord and rejection of renewable energy investments could also slow progress in creating green jobs, an industry where Black workers have begun to gain traction.

Despite concerns, activists are using this time as a call to action for people to combat the challenges surrounding climate change and stand up for environmental justice.

“President Trump is not the end all and be all on climate action in the U.S. The American people are,” Rev. Yearwood wrote in 2019 in a piece for Grist.org, after Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate

Accord. “Let’s take our power and vision for a sustainable planet and healthy communities to our mayors and city councils, and together we will transition to clean energy, stop climate change, and provide opportunity and clean air and water for all communities.”

GOVERNMENT REFORM

In his pledge to "Drain the Swamp," Trump proposes freezing hiring in non-essential areas of the federal workforce, with a specific focus on reducing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. This could result in fewer opportunities for Black professionals and reduced attention to addressing systemic inequities in federal agencies.

“Donald Trump, in his inaugural address, talked about a colorless society, where one will be judged based on merit,” said District statehood and civil rights activist Ty Hobson-Powell. “Many of the actions that held Black people back are state-sponsored. The assault on DEI is really people trying to shirk responsibility for past injustices.”

Powell, 29, said anti-DEI advo-

AGENDA Page 17

5The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to a large crowd at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church for a rally pushing back against the inauguration of Donald Trump, which was held on the official holiday celebrating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

AGENDA from Page 16

cates “want to rewrite history.”

“There are inequalities across the board,” he said. “But they don’t want to acknowledge that. They want to collectively stay frozen in time instead of moving forward.”

Plans to reduce remote work among federal employees could disproportionately affect Black workers, who often rely on flexible arrangements to manage systemic disparities such as longer commutes and caregiving responsibilities.

“President Trump’s plans sound great in theory but would not be beneficial to the economy of Prince George’s County,” said Maryland Del. Nicole Williams (D-District 22), who serves as the chair of the county’s House of Delegates delegation. “The federal government provides services that people need it is the federal workers that do the work, such as making sure Social Security checks are sent out. Any cuts to the federal workforce would be detrimental to the county because a number of our residents work for

the federal government.”

SOCIAL POLICIES

Under "Bring Back American Values," the president has vowed to uphold traditional gender definitions and push back against what he terms "radical gender ideology."

While the policy may resonate with some, critics argue it risks undermining protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, including Black transgender and nonbinary people who already face high levels of discrimination and violence.

Additionally, the administration’s promise to rename American landmarks to "appropriately honor" U.S. history raises concerns about erasing the recognition of Black leaders and historical figures in public spaces.

Under "Bring Back American Values," the president has vowed to uphold traditional gender definitions and push back against what he terms "radical gender ideology."

With concerns of Black erasure, Sharpton said he held his rally at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church on the King holiday and during Trump’s inauguration in order to commemorate African American leaders who have been associated with the historic house of worship in Northwest, D.C.

“One of the reasons I asked Rev. Lamar to let us do this in this church, is in this church, in 1885, they had Frederick Douglass’ funeral. At this church, they brought Rosa

January 31 – February 9

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Parks’ body,” said Sharpton. “The Bible said remove not the ancient landmarks, I wanted us to make our oath right in the same rock that sent Frederick Douglass home, that sent Rosa Parks home. This is sacred ground.”

IMPLICATIONS FOR BLACK AMERICANS

Trump’s America First agenda presents a mix of challenges for Black communities.

Policies targeting immigration, environmental regulations, and government reform could exacerbate existing inequities, while the rollback of DEI programs threatens to stall progress toward racial justice.

As the administration prepares to implement these policies, the impact on Black Americans will depend on how federal and state agencies carry out the president’s vision. Critics warn that many of these proposals risk further marginalizing Black communities in an era of increasing social and economic disparities.

"No administration can ignore

the lasting impact of its policies on communities already fighting systemic barriers," a civil rights advocate said.

The Rev. Henry P. Davis, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Highland Park, said he didn’t watch any of the Trump inauguration in order to truly honor King’s legacy.

“Today was Dr. King’s holiday and I put my focus on the positive message that he delivered throughout his lifetime,” Davis said.

He told The Informer that as citizens worry about the Trump administration posing threats to Black Americans, there’s a greater power higher than the president to go to for help and guidance.

”This is a time of prayer, a time of faith and a time for total dependence on God,” Davis said. “We have been reminded during this election that every knee has to bow and every tongue has to confess that Jesus is Lord. I don't know what President Trump will do or can do, but I put my total trust in God.”

WI

n Booklets n Brochures

n Business Cards

n Banners

n Canvas Bags

n Color Copies

n Contracts & Vouchers

n Church Fans

n Fax & Scan

Postcards

Promotional

n Posters & Signs n Tithe Envelopes n Tickets & Flyers

T-Shirts

Mugs & Glassware

Inaugural Immigration Town Hall Focuses on Constitutional Rights, Legal Resources Amid Trump’s Second Term

Community leaders, legal experts and advocates supply non-citizens with critical knowledge in preparation for potential immigration challenges

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

With hopes of offering solace to Washington’s non-citizen community preceding the second Trump administration, Rep. Oye Owolewa (D-D.C.), the District’s shadow congressman, co-hosted the 2025 Inaugural Immigration Town Hall at Columbia Heights Education Campus on Jan. 17. Understanding the looming concerns many immigrants have, attorneys, elected officials and policy experts provided the audience with legal resources and reminded them of their constitutional rights.

Following his inauguration, President Donald Trump has promised to: attempt to restrict undocumented immigrants’ entry into the United States via its southern border, conduct the largest mass deportation operation in the nation’s history, and end birthright citizenship. Considering the risk of the potential increased raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, fueling the District’s immigrant community with knowledge and support is crucial.

As the child of immigrants, Owolewa is deeply committed to ensuring the city’s residents are well-informed and thoroughly equipped for whatever may occur during Trump’s second term.

“I’m proud to be involved with this initiative as it prepares some of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters in D.C. to live safer,” said Owolewa. “Our goal is to ensure Washingtonians know their rights and are best prepared as we move forward.”

NAVIGATING ICE ENCOUNTERS

Immigration attorney Akua Aboagye of AK Poku Law PLLC traveled over an hour from Manassas, Virginia to speak with the community, adamant about educating the audience on the necessary procedures if confronted by ICE. Having relocated from Ghana to the U.S. in 2016 to build her family with her husband, Aboagye is devoted to serving the ar-

5 Worried about Washingtonian’s quality of life under the new presidential administration, Rep. Oye Owolewa has created a safe and informative space for non-citizens to evaluate all their resources and options moving forward. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Informer)

ea’s foreign-born community to the best of her ability.

During her presentation at the town hall, Aboagye highlighted the importance of having access to legal representation and understanding that everyone in the U.S., regardless of their citizenship status, has the right to due process under the Due Process Protections Act.

She continuously stressed that those approached by ICE are not obligated to answer any questions. Many avoid speaking with ICE by utilizing the Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s Red Cards. These double-sided cards outline an individual’s rights on one side and text stating the card’s owner does not wish to speak with ICE and refusing officers permission to enter their home or search their belongings.

“You just have to make sure you’re not part of the easy targets,” Aboagye told The Informer. “And how do you do that? You empower yourself with knowledge.”

VISA OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND FAMILIAL SPONSORSHIP

Two primary visa categories exist in the U.S.: nonimmigrant visas acquired for temporary travel and immigrant visas for travel to reside in the U.S. permanently. Attorney Chike Ogbuehi of Ogbuehi Omena Onwezi LLC provided information about the visas allowing for permanent U.S. residence.

While he spoke briefly of family-based green cards, acquired through the sponsorship of an immediate family member who is a U.S. citizen, he urged attendees to seek alternative methods of gaining documentation if possible.

“I think a lot of people come into the United States and are focused on the family-based and the family-sponsored side of things,” Ogbuehi told the audience. “If you have your education, there are other options that are available to you.”

The employment-based visa system is another path toward citizenship and requires a U.S.-based employer to represent the applicant and file an Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Form I-140. This system has five preference categories: priority workers and persons of extraordinary ability; professionals holding advanced degrees and persons of exceptional ability; skilled workers, professionals and unskilled workers; certain special workers such as translators, religious ministers and more; and immigrant investors.

Although various opportunities for potential residency and citizenship exist, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is plagued by a mountain of pending cases, also known as backlogs. According to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the USCIS had 3.5 million pending cases at the end of the 2024 Fiscal Year.

“You sometimes have to start all over again or go back to the end of the line,” Ogbuehi said. “I just want a future where things can progress more easily and some of these decisions by consular offices will not have such devastating consequences on people.”

WI

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HEALTH

Bone Chilling: Tips for Preventing Falls and Relieving Aches During the Cold Months

By Dr. Patrise Holden WI Contributing Writer

The cold weather months are not only a high time for respiratory illnesses, but bone and joint health are also affected during this time of year.

The risk of falls on icy surfaces and reduced exposure to sunlight can have detrimental effects on bone health during the winter season. Cold weather may also exacerbate joints, resulting in stiffness, discomfort, or pain.

“During the colder months the

body is trying to keep warm so muscles and ligaments tighten up, [and] for many people this causes achiness,” explained chiropractor Dr. Alison F. Parker.

Medical Director for Miracle Wellness Clinic, Parker offers the following practical steps to protect bone health during the winter season:

• Drink soups and hot liquids that contain warming spices like; cinnamon, cloves, onions, garlic, and ginger

• Switch morning breakfast from cold to hot cereals

4 Dr. Alison Parker uses gentle chiropractic techniques to encourage bone flexibility, improve density, and increase bone health year round. (Dr. Patrise Holden/The Washington Informer)

• Cold weather can be tricky. Dress in layers that are easy to remove if needed

• Cover your neck, wear a scarf

• Wear shoes or boots that have traction while outside. Change into heels or dress shoes once you reach your office or destination

• Move!

For Parker, staying active is a critical component to healthy, flexible bones and joints.

“People tend to keep still during winter, which can weaken bone density and joint health,” said Parker. “A walk on a cold day is more therapeutic than on a hot day as it causes an increase in blood flow.”

Board-certified foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Philip Garrett, stresses exercise, vitamin supplementation, and proper footwear as key ways to build stronger bone health in the winter and throughout one’s lifetime.

“The more melanin present in the skin, the harder it becomes to absorb vitamin D through the sun. People of color and those who cover their skin year round, such as Muslims, tend to be deficient in vitamin D,” Garrett, of Landmark Foot and Ankle Center, explained. Garrett, 56, provides useful advice to build healthier bone density:

• Supplement between 2,0005,000 IUs of vitamin D daily especially from the months of October through May. Be sure to consult your physician first.

• Take vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 works in conjunction with vitamin D in order to help bones absorb calcium.

• Use natural lighting, open windows and curtains, take walks, and exercise outside, even during the cold months. Limit the use of fluorescent lighting.

• Invest in a pair of running shoes:

- Designed for outside conditions, they have treads that allow the foot to adapt to changing terrain and slippery surfaces.

- They provide cushioning to absorb the impact of each stride, reducing stress on your joints, especially knees and ankles.

- Running shoes offer arch support which maintains, and may even correct, foot mechanics.

• Wear quality house shoes or slides at home.

While some people enjoy the opportunity to be barefoot at home, Garrett related that covering one’s feet, even in the house, can protect against painful accidents.

“During my 25-year career, over 95% of the broken toes that I have treated have occurred by hitting one’s barefoot against an item at home,” Garrett said. “Cover your feet at home.”

RECOVERY FROM BRUISES AND FALLS, STAYING HEALTHY YEAR ROUND

Many natural remedies offer alleviation from winter aches and soreness caused by stumbles or falls due to slick or icy conditions.

Fresh herbs such as cloves, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne have

proven helpful with inner bruising and inflammation which may help with pain relief. Sore joints can also be treated with rubs such as Vicks or Biofreeze which contain menthol.

“Adding a small bit of cayenne to lotion transforms it into a warming lotion,” said Parker.

The chiropractor of 30 years also advises soaking one’s joints in order to alleviate pain.

“Epsom salt baths or foot soaks also help to treat soreness and keep muscles loose,” she said.

Garret also emphasized ways of staying healthy all year long.

“Stay flexible, get outside, and stretch indoors when weather conditions make it difficult to walk outdoors,” Garrett advised. “Adopting exercise, vitamin supplements, and shoes with good foot support are essential to increasing bone health, not only for winter, but for a lifetime.”

WI

5 Wearing shoes made for outdoor conditions decreases shock to joints and chances of falling especially during winter weather. (Photo Credit/Mill City Running)

EARTH OUR

Community Cleanup at Shepherd’s Park Honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s

Community service and environmental justice converge preceding annual Peace Walk and Parade

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

On Jan. 17, Washingtonians gathered in Shepherd’s Park– some with reach extenders and heavy-duty trash bags in hand to clear the litter scattered across the area, and others hunched over snow shovels to deice the park’s perimeter– in preparation for the 20th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade.

An act of service, collective unity and environmental consciousness hosted by the MLK Holiday D.C. committee, the community cleanup is a volunteer opportunity to provide the commemoration march with its deserved stage– a landscape free of humanity’s disregard for the environment achieved through virtuous community service. A step toward a healthier environment, this event honors the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a unified front pursuing equality amongst the injustice’s various intersections.

“Everything we’re doing is about honoring Dr. King’s legacy and uplifting this community, inviting this community to help us clean up [and] where you stay,” said Peacwalking Rally co-chair DeJuan Mason. “Even if it’s just for a day, it brings us joy. It gives them something to do [and] makes them feel included and a part of it.”

This event aligns with King’s advocacy for community service and environmental justice.

According to a 2023 study by Volunteering and Civic Life in America, more than 75.7 billion people in the United States formally volunteered with an organization, accumulating a collective 4.99 billion service hours. After a historic low in such civic engagement in 2021 due to COVID-19,

this is a celebrated feat that breathes life into King’s dreams for the nation’s future.

Charnita Robinson is no stranger to community cleanups, but this year’s was her first time participating at Shepherd’s Park. As she anticipated engaging in a day of service while commemorating the esteemed civil rights leader, word of the communal event piqued her interest. Despite admittedly not being completely proficient in environmental justice initiatives, Robinson often enjoys hiking, which aligns with her clear admiration for nature and the planet’s well-being.

“I just know what I see and what irritates me the most– which is trash, litter and people not taking the time to take care of the community,” Robinson said. “I definitely just want to continue to do my part. It may be small, but I’m contributing.”

CONTINUING

KING’S LEGACY OF SERVICE THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY

King believed everyone possesses the ability to achieve a higher power and could step into their absolute potential if they carry a deep passion and commitment to humanity’s advancement.

Exactly two months before his assassination in 1968, he delivered a sermon titled “The Drum Major Instinct” at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where he described individuals’ desires for wide acclaim and redefined what it means to possess greatness. By referencing the Bible and Christianity’s commitment to serving others, King defended his stance that “everybody can be great… because

everybody can serve,” and that people could attain such acclaim solely through possessing a graceful heart and “a soul generated by love.”

Maurice Foushee, the cleanup’s co-chair, hopes the occasion sparks inspiration within participants to help improve their communities.

“With the community cleanup, it

helps with aesthetics, certainly, but it also helps with the environment… and getting people involved in things,” said Foushee. “So they may get involved with the cleanup, or maybe they’ll get involved with civic affairs.”

King often highlighted the nation’s environmental struggles, as the first atomic weapons test occurred in his

early 20s. The first trials opened a pandora’s box of nuclear violence and threats of warfare. He also experienced the worsening air pollution in the U.S.– a consequence of its increased industrialization at the end of the 19th century. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5Community members convene at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE and Malcolm X Avenue SE to celebrate thoroughly cleaning Shepherd’s Park and the surrounding area. (Mya Trujillo/The Washington Infomrer)

EDUCATION

Another Pan-African Book Fair, Another Chance to Engage Black Public School Students

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

For retired teachers and couple Charles and Queen Laureen Butler, the eighth annual “Know Thyself Book Fair and Author’s Forum” represents an ongoing endeavor to foster intergenerational bonds in D.C.’s Black community while boosting young people’s literacy and African consciousness.

Long after D.C.’s Black veteran teacher force dwindled under D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Queen Laureen Butler counts among those fighting to keep young people connected with elder scholars. She said time’s of the essence, especially for Black students still matriculating through a local education system unlike the one she left nearly 15 years ago.

“I have friends in different school systems, who are getting more and more frustrated with what’s happening,” said Butler, who’s organizing the annual book fair in her capacity as UNIA-ACL Woodson Banneker Jackson Bey Division 330’s education committee co-chair.

By the time Butler retired in 2011, she had nearly 40 years of experience under her belt with stints as a K-12 and special education instructor in public schools throughout the District. As she recounted to The Informer, she and her colleagues, when given time and some level of autonomy, often created programs proven to effectively boost student attendance, and reading and writing fluency.

She questioned the degree to

which the District public school students of today could say they are learning from an experienced, racially conscious Black teacher.

“When I was leaving, [D.C. Public Schools] brought in a lot of Teach for America teachers,” Mrs. Butler said. “People think teaching is easy, but it’s not. The system was dying, and COVID almost destroyed it. We have to bring our children back on track.”

RECOGNIZING A LOCAL BOOKSTORE FOR ITS WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE

On Feb. 1, visitors at Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage will, once again, have a chance to peruse a slew of literary works written by well-regarded African authors, poets and scholars in the D.C. metropolitan area. In years past, guests purchased books and interacted with the likes of Danny Queen, a poet who recorded Dr. Frances Cress Welsing’s lectures for years. They also heard from historian-novelist Dr. Nubia Kai.

This year’s book fair and author’s forum, also sponsored by Heritage Gallery and Thurgood Marshall Center Trust, will take place weeks after the Biden administration issued a posthumous pardon of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a Black nationalist and UNIA-ACL founder wrongly convicted of mail fraud. Authors featured include cultural historian Anthony Browder, attorney-activist Nkechi Taifa and Dr. Shantella Sherman, a histo -

rian and journalist who interprets eugenic themes in popular culture.

Guests will also have a chance to see Sankofa Video Books & Cafe in Northwest, along with Everyone’s Place Bookstore and Black Classic Press in Baltimore, receive recognition as institutions continuing to educate the public about movements, past, present and future, to liberate African people.

Since 1998, bookworms and budding scholars have frequented Sankofa, Video Books & Cafe, their store of choice along Georgia Avenue in Northwest.

Haile Gerima and Shirikiana Aina Gerima named the business after Haile Gerima’s award-winning 1993 film, “Sankofa.” As other Black-owned bookstores, and businesses for that matter, continue to fall victim to gentrification and displacement, Sankofa, located in an increasingly expensive part of the District, secured property tax relief from the D.C. government while expanding its collection of books.

Shirikiana Aina Gerima told The Informer that children and young adult titles -- including Cheryl Willis Hudson’s “When I Hear Spirituals” and Andrea Davis Pinckney’s “Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters” -- count among the majority of the bookstore’s inventory.

“We try to stand by that re -

sponsibility [to children] by keeping our children’s literature collection as large as we can. It is there to remind children that the world is theirs,” Gerima said as she mentioned the bookstore's engagement of District public school students.

With Howard University across the street, Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe has also become a popular meeting spot for undergraduates, professionals and activists yearning to learn their history and organize for self-determination.

“Every year brings another crop of students hungry after coming out of school systems not knowing about a Black world,” Gerima told The Informer. “We directly and indirectly have that link and that commitment to the young people.”

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS AND GREATER COMMUNITY

Within a matter of years, District public and public charter school graduates are anticipated to experience a social studies curriculum revamp, courtesy of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, D.C. State Board of Education, District teachers, administrators and community members.

The new standards, finalized this school year, focus on instruction about North America's First Nations, world geography, and American history up until the Reconstruction Era.

Eighth graders and high school students, some of whom attend a DCPS Reimagined School, will engage in project-based learning as they explore D.C., U.S., and global history. Amid a global social justice movement sparked by George Floyd’s murder, DCPS has also provided more opportunities for students to learn Black history. Middle schoolers recently met Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Lesley Lounge at on-campus events facilitated by An Open Book Foundation that followed youth’s extensive reading of both authors' middle-school level works.

Kendi and Lounge exposed students to author and Hoodooist Zora Neale Hurston, Middle Passage survivor Kudjoe Lewis, and 18th century Black abolitionist Olaudah Equiano.

Though public school officials tout these programs, and high-impact tutoring, as the engine behind the school system’s post-pandemic recovery, some people, like Charles Butler, still point out reading and writing gaps that he said existed throughout his 40-year teaching career. Butler, a retired college professor with experience teaching

5 Haile Gerima and Shirikiana Aina Gerima own Sankofa Video Books & Cafe in Northwest, an institution continuing to educate the public about movements, past, present and future, to liberate African people. (Courtesy Photo)

EDUCATION from Page 22

photography at University of the District of Columbia, said that some of the young people entering college from the District public and public charter schools often struggled to piece together sentences and paragraphs while taking his course.

That dilemma, he said, inspired a plan of action that included mandatory weekly journal entries. He said those assignments increased students’ writing stamina and attendance.

“They turned in those papers to me as part of the photography experience,” Mr. Butler told The Informer. “They’d write about what they photographed, how and why they selected the pictures and subjects in their photography, and how that increased their ability to read and write. At the end, they had a notebook full of information about subjects and they were able to speak in the photographic language about an image’s composition.”

Butler said Pan-African and

nationalist formations, like the UNIA-ACL, deserve an opportunity to continue such work in DCPS and District public charter schools. However, he lamented the possibility of public school officials not being amenable to viewpoints critical of a structure that even the Black professional class upholds.

“In order to get to the schools, you have to talk to the principals. If they’re open to it, it makes it easier,” Mr. Butler told The Informer.

“It’s an engagement process we have to develop. D.C. has different types of schools [with] a different dynamic on how they accept the public coming in,” he continued. “As a Black person, there’s a lot of apprehension when they don’t know what you’re talking about.”

DCPS didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about its work with Pan-African and Black nationalist groups. WI

@SamPKCollins

EDUCATION

5 Sankofa Video Books & Cafe in Northwest, D.C., is one of the institutions to receive recognition at the eighth annual “Know Thyself Book Fair and Author’s Forum” for continuing to liberate African people by educating about past, present and future movements. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Public Service is a Calling

Thank You Joe Biden for Decades of Service

President John F. Kennedy uttered 17 words in his inaugural address that still inspires Americans to serve their country 64 years later.

“Ask not what your country can do for you,” Kennedy said. “Ask what you can do for your country.”

The line is a call to action for Americans to contribute to the public good.

Say what you want about former President Joe Biden: he was too old to be reelected. Others believe that if he had stepped down earlier, before his poor debate performance, former Vice President Kamala Harris would be in the Oval Office today, not reflecting on her loss at home in California.

Then, many – 77 million to be exact - did not believe in the Biden-Harris vision of America and chose a vastly different direction for the country.

Yet, no one can deny that on Jan. 20, Biden concluded a distinguished public service career. Indeed, public service was a calling for him, whether as a member of the U.S. Senate for 36 years, vice president to President Barack Obama for eight, or president for four.

While in the White House, he made progress on several domestic fronts, including tackling big pharma, addressing the climate crisis, building a fairer tax system, and increasing housing for Americans.

Indeed, on his last full day as president, Biden pardoned the late civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, which this publication encouraged him to do in a Dec. 31 editorial.

Thank you, President Biden. Your dedication to the public good in general, and your presidency in particular, will undoubtedly be well-received in the annals of American history.

And for those currently engaged in public service who may be discouraged by the 2024 election results, or young people considering such careers who are questioning its value, may we all continue to be inspired by the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Everybody can be great,” King said, “because everybody can serve.”

King understood that service, sacrifice, and understanding of our interconnectedness are necessary to improve the world.

WI

Americans Deserve Digital Sources with Reliable News, Facts

Back in the early 2000s, platforms like Friendster and MySpace helped social media gain widespread popularity and in the blink of an eye, changed the way Americans access and consume the news. But the gamechanger was Facebook, launched in 2004, that caused a paradigm shift, propelling social media into the consciousness of the mainstream.

Now, more than two decades later, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that his social media company that owns Facebook and Instagram will stop using third-party fact-checking organizations because of excessive “censorship.”

“The fact checkers have just been too politically biased and have de-

As always, I enjoyed and appreciated the Washington Informer coverage of the Dr. King holiday. The stories, photos, and historical accounts are fabulous. Thank you for continuing Dr. King’s legacy.

Donna Franklin Washington, D.C.

stroyed more trust than they’ve created, especially in the U.S.,” Zuckerberg said during an announcement on Jan. 7.

But is he and other media moguls like Elon Musk – the primary owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter – more concerned with…media, or has he simply capitulated to the far right?

Consider that after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube banned President Trump from their platforms. However, Trump was allowed to return ahead of his second administration. Meanwhile Zuckerberg’s views on content moderation have clearly changed.

We support the right of every American to choose where they

stand politically and recognize that people will sometimes evaluate their choices and move from one political party or candidate for office to another.

However, with Meta’s announcement that fact-checking, like X, will be left to the devices of a community notes model, we are concerned that finding and following trustworthy sources of news online will become much more difficult.

Will neighbors really take the time to check their neighbors for the veracity of their posts? Or will social media devolve into an environment where anyone can say anything at any moment for any reason?

TO THE EDITOR

I’m so grateful I came across the annual Black History Month luncheon ad in the Washington Informer. I always want to attend events such as these, especially during Black History Month and am disappointed when I can’t because I didn’t know they were happening. I’m excited about registering. Thank you!

Agnes Y. Taylor Laurel, Md.

Social media has its pros and cons, maintaining connections and providing education on the plus side, while negatively leading to cognitive overload and causing depression and anxiety. But it’s here to stay, so do your own homework.

Check the source, your emotions, the date and the context. Crosscheck information and follow reputable fact-checking accounts on social media.

As Sgt. Joe Friday said on the popular detective TV show “Dragnet” back in the 60s and 70s, “just the facts, ma’am.” Indeed, Americans, when looking to digital sources, deserve the facts. WI

Now, more than two decades later, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that his social media company that owns Facebook and Instagram will stop using third-party fact-checking organizations because of excessive “censorship.”

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

What Would Martin Do?

What would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. do to celebrate his 96th birthday? Would he sit on the sidelines and cheer the incoming president who stands for everything that King was opposed to? Would he be wheeled to a protest to deliver rousing resistant remarks? Would he use the opportunity, the occasion of his holiday, to introduce young and vibrant new leaders?

Would he embrace the Rev. William Barber and invigorate the Poor People's Campaign? Dr. King is not here to tell us what he would do, but we can guess at his profound dissatisfaction at this moment in history.

We must know that Dr. King would be "no ways tired" because he never was. He was a man of audacity who, in accepting the Nobel Peace Prize spoke of his "audacity" to believe in justice. In his many speeches, he spoke of issues of distribution, getting to the economic bottom line — who gets what, when, where and why?

What would Dr. King do for his birthday? He'd be fighting!

There are those who are about to give up. We have an incoming president who wants to turn the clock backward. He wants to eliminate DEI, set back progress in education, eliminate public broadcasting and more. We aren't surprised. He told us what he was going to do through Project 2025, which he now somewhat disavows. No one should be surprised about anything that happens in these next few years. I am not surprised about anything but the ways

Marc H. Morial

so many have rolled over with resignation. Civil rights advocates did not roll over for the Bushes (although they were kinder, gentler Republicans than Mr. Trump is). We didn't roll over for Ronald Reagan, whose racist rhetoric, while repugnant (remember the "welfare mother" with 13 kids), did not prevent him, under pressure, from making Dr. King's birthday a holiday. We didn't roll over the first time the Orange Man had a bite at the presidency apple, and we won't roll over now.

So the road isn't going to be easy,

but it never was. Ask Sojourner Truth or Harriet Tubman. Ask Mary McLeod Bethune or Sadie Alexander. Ask Whitney Young or A. Philip Randolph. Take our leaders out of the history books, sit down with them and ask them. Was it easy? And they will tell you that it was not.

So what would Dr. King do? What will you do? We keep fighting for equality. For reparation. For criminal justice fairness. We keep talking about the nonsense that the incoming pres-

Page 45

'Demand Diversity' Roundtable Steels for Response to Incoming Administration's Threat

"A second Trump administration intends to abandon efforts to advance and legally defend affirmative action and DEI policies within military academies, federal minority contracting programs and other federal programs shown to open opportunities – as well as create inclusive education and workplace environments – unfairly denied to people of color, women and other marginalized

On Dec. 11, an important but under-reported U.S. Senate hearing addressed the nation's challenging economy.

After calling to order the session, titled "Protecting Workers' Money and Fighting for the Dignity of Work," longtime Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who for 10 years served as either the Banking Committee's chair or rank-

groups ... A second Trump administration would not only refuse to enforce civil rights regulations on behalf of individuals from historically marginalized groups but actively weaken these protections in housing, education, health care and other essential resources." — Alexis Agathocleous, Kim Conway, ReNika Moore, ACLU

Less than 48 hours after Donald Trump once again became president of the United States, a historic coalition of civil and human rights leaders planned to gather to map out a strategy to defend equal opportunity.

The Demand Diversity Roundtable is a lively, rapid-fire discussion focusing on confronting the disinformation campaign to discredit diversity, equity and inclusion, exposing the myths used to divide communities, setting the record straight with facts and reaffirming participants' unwavering commitment to justice, unity and the values that strengthen our nation. Trump has vowed that on his first day in office, he will revoke President Joe Biden's executive order on racial equity and pursue the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

initiatives both within the federal government and among private institutions. Project 2025, the policy blueprint Trump is expected to follow, calls for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division to "investigate and prosecute all state and local governments, institutions of higher education, corporations and any other private employers" with diversity, equity and inclusion policies. It calls for references to "sexual orientation and gender identity" to be deleted from all federal rules, LGBTQ workplace discrimination protections to be sharply

limited, and a ban on transgender troops in the U.S. armed forces. The Demand Diversity Roundtable represents a refusal to remain silent in the face of an unprecedented assault on DEI measures, and a commitment to fostering unity, resilience and proactive leadership in defense of equal opportunity for all.

America's strength lies in its diversity, and abandoning DEI would endanger the nation's progress and future. While Trump professed

ing member, spoke to the financial concerns of everyday people just days before his tenure ended.

"Most people don't have fancy lawyers," Brown said. "They don't have high-priced lobbyists. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau [CFPB] is their advocate and their voice. … Our charge, whether in the Senate or out of it, is to look out for workers and put them at the center of everything we do."

And in both significant and measurable ways, the CFPB has met its mission by returning nearly $21 bil-

lion to more than 205 million consumers who were financially abused in a wide range of personal finance issues. For example:

• Detrimental medical debt collection has now been removed from the credit reports of 22.8 million people who previously had at least one such debt.

• CFPB stopped illegal credit repair scams and returned $1.8 billion to 4.3 million consumers harmed by credit repair companies that illegally charged advance fees and used deceptive baitand-switch advertising tactics.

• Through 39 public enforcement actions, including six Military Lending Act violations, CFPB returned $363 million to veterans and service members.

Beyond these and other enforcement actions, CFPB has promulgated key rules governing personal financial transactions that together provide clarity and transparency for financial firms and consumers alike.

Unfortunately, and despite notable achievements, the agency remains as contentious a topic today as when it began in 2011. And with a new Con-

gress and president in 2025, consumers and their advocates would be prudent to remain watchful.

In particular, a new rule that brings the potential to save consumers $5 billion each year may be at risk. Previously, overdraft fees ranged as high as $35 per transaction, with affected consumers learning of the charges after receiving their monthly bank statements. Those hardest hit with these predatory fees are consumers whose bank balances provide slim to no financial cushion

Charlene Crowell

Julianne Malveaux

MALVEAUX

Guest Columnist

Guest Columnist

Saved from Prosecution

done deal.

As I was growing up, I often heard people say, "We'll have to take this to the Supreme Court!" That was because the thinking then was the Supreme Court was the final place our leaders could go seeking justice for our human rights. I haven't heard that said for a very long time with good reason. Donald Trump's justices thought saving Trump from prosecution was a

They didn't know that Justice Elena Kagan was going to be listening and asking, "Wasn't the whole point of the Constitution that the president was not … supposed to be above the law?"

It seems that some on the Supreme Court missed that statement about their job, but Justice Kagan thankfully will not allow them to forget. The Democrats agree with Justice Kagan's understanding of the Constitution, and it does not excuse Donald Trump, for whom a lot of laws seem not to have been applied.

Can you even imagine the justification of anybody, not just Trump, that they could do anything they wanted to do — even oppose the U.S. Constitution? Can you imagine anybody walking down Fifth Avenue, shooting somebody and bragging about the fact that there would be no consequences whatsoever? Can you imagine anybody being convicted of 34 crimes — with a whole lot of other things still waiting to be convicted of — becoming president of the United States?

I can't imagine that, but I also can't imagine any sane person voting for

somebody like that! The fact that his opponent in the last presidential election ran circles around him in education, work experience, normal behavior and a long list of other great things she cared about doing good things for, but who were not millionaires, billionaires or trillionaires?

Well, strange things do happen, and we have people who have no knowledge of Trump's record who voted for him. The second thing we had to deal with the past week was listening to senatorial questions meant to find out if nominees were capable of telling

the truth about their past statements and behavior. Even though we were taking the time to observe the great works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and remembering all he did to move our country to honoring the purpose of our laws and the statement that says all men are created equally. (Ultimately and presumably, someday, the statement will be shown to mean it includes all genders, races and ethnic groups — but we're still working on it.) However, it was never our under-

Two Choices: The Path Forward for America, a Reflection on Our Diverging Futures

their allegiance to the continuation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of equality, fairness and justice for all Americans.

As we stood at the crossroads of history, we were confronted with two starkly different futures. On one side of the Capitol, a twice-impeached convicted felon, committed to depriving people of color of affordable health care, education and a sustainable future, was sworn in as president. On the other side, thousands converged on Washington to pledge

Ratepayers beware. Team Trump's eagerness to enrich his fossil fuel industry cronies with his "drill baby drill" (and export baby export) agenda is going to raise energy costs for American households.

Burning fossil fuels is deadly on many levels. The pollution in our air and water from burning coal, oil and gas kills people. The pollution from

I marched with those who chose to be on the right side of history. I am 82 but I intend to keep on marching and protesting. I began my first march in the 1960s as a student working to register Black people to vote in Tennessee. Coming from the South, I was so naive I did not know that showing up in public after dark or going into white stores with interracial friends was a dangerous terri-

fying venture. My group was chased by the Klan and we felt blessed for managing to escape with our lives. I kept on marching, protesting, and as a writer, most of the time as the biographer of Mrs. Coretta Scott King, I saw how committed nonviolent warriors, those who would struggle and trade their blood for freedom, could overcome most anything. I was amazed at the fortitude of Mrs. King to fight for this holiday, rear her four children and continue the movement 30 years after her beloved husband was murdered.

Energy Bills

extracting fossil fuels from the ground and transporting them kills people.

And the climate crisis and its extreme weather events — extreme heat waves, supercharged wildfires and hurricanes — kill people.

Just as our continued reliance on fossil fuels kills people and entire ecosystems, slowing down our transition to clean energy kills jobs. Because of President Joe Biden's signature legislative achievements, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act we have seen clean energy projects

create more than 406,000 new jobs across this country. Hundreds of thousands additional jobs are being created as an indirect result of these new clean energy jobs.

We are reshoring entire supply chains for the products and technologies that will be the foundation of the new global economy. American manufacturing is back. And after losing 65,000 American factories since the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect 30 years ago, factories are now coming back — this time, building solar panels, wind tur-

In the '60s when I entered the struggle for justice, there were no thoughts of an African American president, a Black woman on the Supreme Court or a multicultural vice president — we couldn't even vote in the South or attend schools that were desegregated. Today, we now have 62 Blacks in Congress, Black billionaires, like Oprah Winfrey and Robert Smith who contribute to their communities, and the Black gross national buying power is estimated at $1.6 trillion.

I would be foolish to not be op-

bines, electric vehicles and batteries.

But it is not enough for fossil fuel interests and their allies in the Trump administration to put our lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. They are sprinting to make those factories empty once again, sending American jobs anywhere but America as they kill our pocketbooks with higher energy costs.

Energy from solar and wind power is not only already less expensive and more resilient than energy from fossil fuels, it keeps getting cheaper. So efforts by the Trump administration and its allies in Congress to slow the

timistic about our future. I understand we have come this far by faith and hard work, and we will not sit quietly as we are being pushed back possibly as far as when in 1857 the Supreme Court's Dred Scott Decision ruled Black people had no rights that whites had to respect. Moreover, lynching and the destruction of allBlack towns such as in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were a common occurrence. Those of us who are seniors have relived so much of what it took to at-

transition to clean energy are not just anti-climate, they are anti-consumer. When they say they want to come after the IRA or undo "Green New Deal" policies, they are talking about jacking up the cost of lighting and heating your home.

It is all based on the big lie that increasing fossil fuel production and supply will lower energy costs. That is hardly the case. Especially when we are talking about exporting those fossil fuels. And that brings us to "liquified

WILLIAMS Page

Dr. Barbara Reynolds

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

President Trump Will Raise Your

Guest Columnist

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON INFORMER WEEKEND CHECKLIST

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Jada Ingleton WI Digital Equity Fellow

This weekend is booming with opportunities to be inspired, entertained and engaged in the community. Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV, from winter-themed festivities and musical tributes to an MLK Day of Service and encore showing of Annie Costia Beat Ya Feet.

To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar, and remember, there’s always something happening in the DMV to keep your spirit -and social life -- lit.

THURSDAY, JAN. 23

The Lion in Winter

7:30 p.m. | $23.00 Gaithersburg Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons: “The Lion in Winter” by James Goldman is a modern-day classic.

Comedic in tone, dramatic in

action, the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family, who are locked in a free-for-all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom.

The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom and King Henry’s paramour during the Christmas of 1183.

As Eleanor says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and this royal family is no exception.

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

Winter Wonderland –Artistry in the Frost 1 - 5 p.m. | Free Gaithersburg Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

The Arts Barn will celebrate the beauty of winter with a juried and invitational exhibition of both two and three- dimensional work in a variety of mediums.

This invitational exhibit, on

display through March 9, 2025, showcases photography and painting in many forms. Featured artists include: Donna Baron, Patrick Brown, Byron Henson, Michael Kuchinsky, Tong Li, Alexis Limpiado, Sheryl Massaro, Jean Phillips, Barry Scheiner, David Terrar, Annette Uroskie, Richard Weiblinger, Jenny Wilson, and Svitlana Zagorodni.

Please note that much of the included artwork is for sale and all images are copyrighted by the artist.

Dancing with the Stars: LIVE!

8 p.m. | $263.15

The Theater at MGM National Harbor, 101 MGM National Ave, Oxon Hill, MD 20745

See the glitz, glam and breathtaking performances of America’s favorite dance show starring your favorite pros, including Season 33 favorites Stephen Nedoroscik, who will co-host on all dates, as well as Mirrorball winner Joey Graziadei, Chandler Kinney and Ilona Maher on select dates.

Experience the excitement, athleticism, and the artistry of the ballroom, live, up-close and personal for an unforgettable night that you won’t want to miss.

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Give Warmth DC

9 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Depends on ticket purchase

Vera DC, 2002 Fenwick St NE, Washington, D.C., 20002

Join Love Your Tribe & Friends for the 3rd Annual Give Warmth

MLK Day of Service, a heartfelt community service event to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Together, the community will #GiveWarmth to unhoused neighbors in Washington, D.C., and pool resources to create a bigger impact in 2025 and beyond.

Residents can provide support through:

• Direct donation, by purchasing winter essentials and toiletries from the Give Warmth Amazon Wishlist.

• Volunteering on Saturday, Jan. 25

• Sponsoring the event and contributing to the $5,000 fundraising goal

Cabaret Noir

7 - 8:30 p.m. | $25.00

Prince George's Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20784

Cabaret Noir is a series of dark, comic vignettes featuring Femmes Fatales and fedoras, trench coats and torch songs, intrigue, suspense, and shadows.

Happenstance Theater’s ensemble mesmerizes in a virtuosic display of physical comedy, object manipulation, and period style, with music played on multiple instruments, and characters costumed in vintage attire.

SUNDAY, JAN. 26

TINA: The Tina Turner Musical 2 p.m. | $250.00+

The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Learn more about: Tina’s story, her voice, her triumphs, for a performance with three nights only in D.C.

An uplifting comeback story like no other, “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, this electrifying sensation will send you soaring to the rafters.

An ultimate Broadway tribute to Turner, get your tickets now.

Annie Costia Beat Ya Feet: Holiday Go-Go Musical Encore

5 - 8:30 p.m. | $108.55

THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus, 1901 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, D.C., 20020

After selling out the Lincoln Theatre and earning glowing 5-star reviews on Ticketmaster, "Annie Costia Beat Ya Feet: Holiday Go-Go Musical" returns for an encore performance at THEARC!

Brought to life by the creative powerhouse DC Black Broadway, this electrifying production is an urban twist on the classic “Annie,” following the journey of a bold and spirited orphan from Southeast D.C., with a passion for go-go music and a dream to make a difference. Frustrated by the challenges at her orphanage and school, Annie Costia becomes swept up in the powerful Don’t Mute DC movement—a cultural phenomenon uniting the city. Don’t miss this high-energy, inspirational event! WI

5After selling out the Lincoln Theatre and earning glowing 5-star reviews on Ticketmaster, “Annie Costia Beat Ya Feet: Holiday Go-Go Musical,” a DC Black Broadway production, returns for an encore performance at THEARC on Sunday, Jan. 26. (Courtesy Photo/DC Black Broadway, Instagram)

5“TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” is the inspiring journey of the Queen of Rock n’ Roll, set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits. The National Theatre will host showings from Jan. 24 - 26. (Courtesy Photo/Manuel Harlan)

‘Where Do We Go From Here’ Presented by D.C. Public Library to Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library hosted an evening of music and working toward equity in honor of the site’s namesake.

Commemorating King’s legacy on what would have been his 96th birthday, speakers advocated for justice and Howard University’s “AfroBlue,” performed for the event “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?”

The show was made possible through the D.C. Public Library Foundation and introduced by Maryann James-Daily, director of the MLK Library.

“I can say that our libraries are the spaces to build community and where everyone can find an answer to this event’s question,”

said James-Daily. “For those seeking justice, unity and hope amidst chaos, we are a space to connect and learn.”

AfroBlue set the tone by opening with “Lift Every Voice,” followed by “Go Down Moses,” the traditional African American spiritual.

Their blend of harmonies in the a cappella style and accompanied by a trio is similar to similar vocal ensembles like Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, The Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, and Take 6.

The group was accompanied by a trio consisting of pianist Tony Walker, bassist Eliot Seppa, and drummer Samuel Prather.

AfroBlue’s repertoire for the evening included jazz, blues, songs of faith, and Brazilian-Bossa Nova.

The music represented what those working for justice heard in the background when advocat-

5AfroBlue, the Howard University vocal ensemble pose at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, where they performed in commemoration of Dr. King’s birthday. The event was titled “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

4AfroBlue performed “One+One=We,” composed by member Kayazhanna Donaldson (pictured), a Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate and a current senior majoring in Jazz Studies at Howard University. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

ing for equal justice, such as “You’ve Changed,” a classic from the American Songbook.

The group performed “One+One=We,” an original composition by AfroBlue member KayaZhanna, a native Washingtonian. She graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and is currently a senior majoring in Jazz Studies at Howard University.

Derrick Lewis, NAACP interim director for Youth and College, framed the program theme.

“Where do we go from here? The truth is, not everyone gets to choose. Some are dealt a hand they did not ask for,” said Lewis. “But for those who can act, the choice is clear. Chaos represents division. Community offers unity, hope and the power to create lasting change.” WI @bcscomm

JANUARY 24-26 ONLY!

5Maryann James-Daily, director of the Martin Luther King Memorial Library, gave opening remarks for “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” a King birthday observance event held on Jan. 15 at the MLK Memorial Library. (Jacques Benovil/The Washington Informer)

PARDON from Page 1

immediately after. He died in 1940, having never returned to the U.S. or set foot in Africa, where he wanted Black people to return.

Though Biden’s Sunday morning announcement sparked feelings of vindication among those who long fought for clemency, members of the government founded by Garvey continue to issue a clarion call for what they deem a solution more fitting for one of J. Edgar Hoover’s earliest targets.

“The term of clarity is ‘exoneration.’ You can’t pardon people for something they never do,” Dr. Chenzira Kahina said during a livestream that Kimbunga Media conducted about Garvey’s posthumous pardon.

Kahina, second assistant president-general of Universal Negro Improvement Association-African Communities League Rehabilitation Committee 2020 (UNIA-ACL RC 2020), weighed in on the Biden administration’s posthumous pardon of Garvey. For two hours, she and other Garveyites delved into the specifics of Garvey’s 1923 conviction and highlighted their role in the #WeExonerateGarvey campaign.

The group -- which also included UNIA-ACL RC 2020 President-General Akili Nkrumah, Second Assistant President-General Senghor Jawara Baye, Third Assistant President-General Mansa Foday Ajamu, and Cultural Ambassador ShakaRa Mbandaka -acknowledged Garvey’s son, Dr. Julius Garvey, and Justin Hansford, a Howard University law professor, as two of the most consistent advocates for Garvey’s exoneration.

Last year, Hansford released “Jailing a Rainbow: The Unjust Trial and Conviction of Marcus Garvey” via Paul Coates’ Black Classic Press. The book, which includes a foreword by Dr. Garvey, explains how the Jamaican-born printer and union organizer’s message of Black separation and self-sufficiency made him enemies of the U.S. political establishment, as well as Black integrationists and Black socialists.

As official UNIA-ACL historian Tony Martin noted in his book “Race First: The Ideological and Organizational Struggles of Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association,” the U.S. government intended for Garvey’s indictment, and that of two other UNIA-ACL members, to stop UNIA-ACL’s mission to purchase land in Liberia and the launch of its Black Star Line shipping company.

Scholars today identify Garvey’s conviction and deportation as the be-

(Courtesy Photo)

ginning of his movement’s decline, and the splintering of UNIA-ACL into different formations. During the Kimbunga Media broadcast, Kahina, a university professor who lives in the Virgin Islands, said that, given the magnitude of Garvey’s unjust punishment, it’s essential that the state fully recognizes the late Black nationalist leader’s innocence.

“We need [Marcus Garvey’s] record completely expunged, completely clean,” Kahina said, later making the case that the power ultimately lies in the grassroots to move the needle on that goal. “We exonerate the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey first. We’re grateful [for] a wonderful exercise in political diplomacy, even down to the last hours of his presidency. Perhaps this happened earlier, we could’ve had time to nurture and cultivate the difference between clemency, a pardon and the more outright, more accurately, exoneration.”

DR. GARVEY

REFLECTS AND LOOKS FORWARD

Biden pardoned five other people on Jan. 19, including: Darryl Chambers, a gun violence prevention advocate with a non-violent drug conviction; Ravidath Ragbir, an advocate for immigrant and faith communities with a non-violent conviction; and Michelle West who was serving a life sentence for crimes committed between 1987 and 1993.

Hours before Trump took his second oath of office on Jan. 20, the Biden administration also commuted the sentence of Indigenous American activist Leonard Peltier. For days and weeks, organizers lobbied for clemency action on Peltier, Garvey and other activists.

Those who rallied behind the movement to exonerate Garvey followed Dr. Garvey’s lead as he made public appearances and, in the spirit of his mother Amy Jacques Garvey, released new works by and about his father. Dr.

Garvey’s late 2024 release, “Justice for Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind,” includes writings from Hansford, author-journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates, Caribbean-American Political Action Committee President Goulda Downer, and Pan-African scholar Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Dr. Garvey, 91, celebrated the elder Garvey’s pardon while identifying a path forward.

“The president of the U.S. --- the highest office in the country -- can only give a posthumous pardon,” Dr. Garvey said. “That’s one step. We continue in Congress. Garvey represented all African people, so we continue the fight for liberation, through justice and human rights of all African people.”

Last year, Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) introduced a resolution espousing Garvey’s innocence and demanding the president clear his name. Earlier this month, she and 20 other congresspeople signed a letter asking the Biden administration to push for exoneration.

On Jan. 19, she too weighed in on the posthumous pardon, saying that more must be done.

“Although granting Mr. Garvey’s clemency will help remove the shadow of an unjust conviction and further the Biden administration’s promise to advance racial justice, Mr. Garvey’s family, myself, and countless others across our nation and around the world will continue to push towards his full and unambiguous exoneration,” said Clark, a Democrat representing New York’s 9th District.

“We know that Mr. Garvey was falsely convicted of a crime he did not commit. We know the path forward must include congressional action to completely exonerate the Hon. Marcus Garvey,” she continued. “And so, I will continue to take all necessary action to clear his name, and to deliver the justice and closure his descendants rightfully deserve.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

as a federal holiday.

PARADE from Page 1 said Black children left school to protest for civil rights but were met by the police with water hoses and dogs.

Since that time, the parade has taken place on the third Monday in January, the designated holiday to celebrate King’s life and legacy. However, last August, Anderson and the parade team were faced with a dilemma.

“Jan. 20, 2025 is King’s holiday and Inauguration Day for the president,” said Anderson, 63, in an interview with The Informer. “We thought that Kamala Harris was going to win. We didn’t want to interfere with her being sworn-in [as president]. So, we decided to move the parade to the Saturday before, on Jan. 18.”

That wasn’t the only change. Due to Inauguration of Donald Trump as the country’s next chief executive on Jan. 20, there were heightened concerns regarding security on the federal and District level.

As a result, law enforcement personnel were needed to protect the presidential party, members of Congress and federal officials as well as the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the nation’s capital. In response to a possible reduction in available law enforcement and security personnel needed to cover parade activities, the committee decided to alter the route.

“We usually march up and down Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue,” said Anderson. “This year, we decided the parade will take place on the St. Elizabeths East campus at the Entertainment Sports Arena.”

THE PEACE WALK

The Peace Walk was conceived a number of years ago to put a spotlight on fighting violence and homicides in the District’s Black neighborhoods, primarily those located east of the Anacostia River.

On Saturday, Jan. 18, 50 people gathered in Shepherd Park in Ward 8, which is at the intersection of Malcolm X and King Avenues in Southeast. A District Department of Parks and Recreation stage colored in white, and green was posted in the middle of the park.

The temperature was a reported 31 degrees and people wore hats, baseball caps, gloves, hoodies, and coats to warm themselves. One of the onlookers was Charlene Walker, who attended the event with a friend.

“I am from Seattle,” Walker, 35, said. “I am here visiting friends and decided to support the event.”

Ward 8A05 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Jamila White talked about the 1963 Birmingham, Alabama march for civil rights. White

White praised the children for their courage and noted that changes in Birmingham immediately took place after the march. She also said there is a sense of fear in the air with the new Trump administration about to take power.

“People are afraid of what’s coming but I am hopeful,” she said.

Cydney Roberts, who serves as the youth council chair for the District, spoke about the power of Black women, in concert with the theme of the parade uplifting women of color.

“It is time for the country to see Black women for who they are,” said Roberts, 17, and a senior at Washington Latin Public Charter School in Northwest. “There is a perception of the Black woman being sassy and angry, but they ignore the complexity. Black women’ emotional well-being must be respected.”

Dionne Bussey-Reeder, a food entrepreneur and political activist, said African Americans must do three things to improve themselves and their community.

“We have to love harder,” she said. “We need to spend our money differently. Why do we spend money in other neighborhoods when we have businesses here that need us?

We must save differently. We need to put away some of everything we earn.”

THE PARADE

After the rally, the participants lined up at the intersection of King and Malcolm X Avenues and marched north toward the St. Elizabeths campus. When they reached St. Elizabeths, they walked past participating bands and organizations on their way to the back of the Entertainment and Sports Arena.

After the Peace Walkers marched by, another change occurred. Usually, the Ballou High School marching band comes at the end of the parade. However, due to band members complaining that they didn’t have the chance to observe the parade, the committee accommodated them by placing them at the front of the procession. On the floor of the arena, a viewing stand was set up for the parade leaders and community notables. The grand marshals of the parade were noted District Black women such as former D.C. Councilmembers Yvette Alexander, LaRuby May, Edye Whittington, and Sandy Allen, as well as former D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Add

How many goods can you nd in this room? Color them. Standards

Is this dictionary goods or a service?

Who could use it? _____________________________

Why would they want to use it?

Is this waiter goods or a service?

Who could use it? _________________________

Why would they want to use it?

Is this taxi goods or a service?

Who could use it? _________________________

Why would they want to use it?

Goods and Services Search

Look through the newspaper for five or more examples of goods and five or more examples of services. Write them in the spaces below.

Find the words in the puzzle. How

Wants and Needs

Things that are necessary to our survival are needs. Wants make our lives easier or more pleasant but are not critical to daily living. Look through advertisements and see if you can find more wants or more needs Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.

© 2025 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 41, No. 8

Pollination

review wi book

"Slavery After Slavery: Revealing the Legacy of Forced Child Apprenticeships on Black Families, from Emancipation to the Present"

By Mary Frances Berry

c.2024, Beacon Press

$27.95 / 184 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Your kids will have a better life than you had.

You'll make sure of it, saving for their education, demanding excellence from them, requiring discipline, and offering support for their dreams and desires. Their success is your dream and, as parents did in the new book "Slavery After Slavery" by Mary Frances Berry, you'll fight to see that it happens.

In the years after the end of the Civil War, some Southern former slave owners refused to accept that slavery was over, and the courts often sided with them. In particular, under habeas corpus, Black children were sometimes taken from their parents and placed into an "apprenticeship," which was another word for "slavery" then. Berry estimates that more than two million 10-to-19-year-olds were trapped in this way for years.

Here, she shares the stories of many of them.

In late 1865, Nathan and Jenny Cox lost their five children to their former "master," who also took seven other children by persuading a local magistrate to let him apprentice the kids. As time passed, some of the children took their former owner's last name as their own which, in effect, erased their family's history.

When 6-year-old Mary Cannon was in danger of being apprenticed, a white woman came to her defense. Ultimately, the courts sided with Mary's benefactor and the girl was returned to her parents to live on their former enslaver's plantation.

Hepsey Saunders tried to leave her former owner's plantation, but he "refused to let her take the children" that were born when she was enslaved. Though the theft of her children happened in 1865, the story lingered over a span of decades.

In mot of the cases Berry cites, the families — with or without the return of their children — remained uneducated, unhealthy, and under discrimination. Imagine, she says, that these former slaves had had a chance to control their own lives. Imagine, she says, "if these Black people were permitted to pursue the American dream …"

While it may seem that "Slavery After Slavery" is a historical narrative, that's not all you'll get if you tackle this skinny book.

When reading the stories inside here, readers may struggle to keep track of what's told. The accounts are a bit repetitious and each one packs a lot of names, legal decisions, court rulings, and places, some of which nearly require a law degree and all of which demand full attention. That can be overwhelming, unless you shut the door and avoid any distraction.

Author Mary Frances Berry uses these stories to point out lasting damage done to many Black families, which is essential info for readers to ponder. She goes further to argue that what happened to the two million children is reason enough for reparations, which makes a good argument but it's sometimes misplaced inside the flow of this book.

Still, readers will agree that the accounts Berry uncovered have been hidden too long, and shedding light on them is essential. What's in "Slavery After Slavery" educates, and could help make conversations better.

WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

JAN. 23 - 29, 2025

ARIES When the week begins, you'll be fired up mentally to tackle a bevy of to-dos related to moneymaking and your work. Checking off anything that you've been putting off for a while can feel empowering and clear the decks for exciting new opportunities. Midweek, the cosmos urges you to reflect on the amount of giveand-take in your relationship. Lucky Numbers: 28, 32, 36

TAURUS You'll be on fire mentally and have extra energy to tackle heavy-duty meetings, research, and conversations with colleagues and friends when the week begins. Midweek, you could feel the weight of doing your best to strike a balance between your needs and those of your significant other or a loved one. Reflecting on related lessons you can best learn right now can serve your bond well as you move forward. Lucky Numbers: 7, 20, 56

GEMINI Exploring new ways to bolster your mind and body wellness comes naturally at the beginning of the week. You'll want to dive into a new class or pick a friend's brain about their favorite workouts and grounding practices. Midweek, finding ways to add more balance to your hectic schedule at work and at home can feel not only necessary but empowering right now. Lucky Numbers: 7, 8, 39

CANCER When the week begins, you could feel frustrated if it seems like you've been sticking to mundane chores while putting joy and playfulness on the back burner for too long. Giving yourself a break to relax and enjoy simple pleasures (think connecting with a loved one over a video chat or expressing yourself through your favorite art form) is called for now. Lucky Numbers: 19, 20, 54

LEO At the start of the week, the cosmos is setting you up for vibrant communications with higher-ups and colleagues. You'll be able to pitch new projects with ease and check busywork off your list in a way that feels effortless. Later, you'll be meditating on the aspects of life that offer you a sense of security. But if putting your nose to the grindstone to ensure your career is on track has been taking a toll and leaving you feeling burned out, it might be time to shift your focus ever so slightly to the activities that make your personal life feel full. Lucky Numbers: 1, 9, 22

VIRGO If you've been wanting to pitch a creative project that you hope will lead to financial rewards, consider sharing it with higher-ups and anyone else of influence in the early part of the week. You'll have a certain knack for making a charming impression, being in the moment, and putting your artistic impulses to work for your cash flow. Lucky Numbers: 2, 13, 26

LIBRA Letting your mind wander and being able to embrace your daydreams is crucial to making the most of the moment in the beginning of the week. You might be thinking of new ways to increase your skill set by taking an online course or plotting future travel with loved ones. You'll feel like you're at your most playful and lighthearted now. Lucky Numbers: 10, 11, 35

SCORPIO You could find yourself craving attention and feeling like you've had to put your needs on hold in order to tend to everyone else, especially family, and everything around you at the start of the week. Taking a deep breath and reflecting on what's real and what's imagined could be key to working through this challenging moment. Lucky Numbers: 14, 27, 51

SAGITTARIUS You might need to carve out some solo time in the beginning of the week. Prioritizing your selfcare, mind/body routine (think meditating, yoga, Tarot) can feel especially restorative now. It can allow you an important period of rest before you dive into a more active, social period in which you might be spending more one-on-one time with a loved one or colleague. Lucky Numbers: 23, 29, 44

CAPRICORN A key team project could be coming to its organic culmination as the week begins. You could realize just how fulfilled you can be by certain types of collaboration and want to pursue even more communal experiences, perhaps by taking a course or doing volunteer work for a local organization. Midweek, the cosmos is urging you to cozy up to those you love through sweet words. Lucky Numbers: 6, 8, 49

AQUARIUS Tackling large-scale projects with loved ones could come more easily at the start of the week. Even if you're checking off a long list of minor details, you'll feel you've accomplished something. Midweek, stepping into the spotlight in your work might be inevitable and present an exciting opportunity. Lucky Numbers: 19, 30, 33

PISCES You'll feel like a complete powerhouse when it comes to taking on everyday chores, like generally tedious paperwork or responding to a variety of emails when the week gets underway. Getting all of this busywork squared away will make more room for you to enjoy well-deserved time spent dreaming and planning for the future. Later, you could be feeling more emotional and artistic. Lucky Numbers: 15, 24, 49

SPORTS

Commanders’ Culture Transformation Drives NFC Championship Quest

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The Washington Commanders stormed into the NFC Championship for the first time since the early ’90s with a compelling 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. This win marks a pivotal chapter in the team’s resurgence, driven by a sweeping cultural overhaul under new leadership and coinciding with discussions to relocate the franchise back to Washington, D.C.

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’ remarkable leadership and performance have been crucial to the

team’s recent success.

“I always believed that we could achieve more than people give us credit for,” Daniels stated, reflecting the new ethos of ambition that has permeated the team.

The transformation began with the change in ownership to Josh Harris and the appointment of Dan Quinn as head coach. Their leadership has emphasized integrity, teamwork, and a strong community focus, revitalizing the Commanders’ approach both on and off the field. The result has been strategic plays and a disciplined defense that forced five turnovers against the Lions.

Nick Allegretti, an offensive lineman for the Commanders, discussed the team’s clarity of purpose that he says was instilled from the outset.

“Go back to April, the first team meeting... Immediately, the coaches, ‘DQ,’ ‘AP’ are talking about: ‘Our goal is to win the Super Bowl,’” Allegretti said. “We’re here to make the playoffs, win playoff games, go to the

Super Bowl. That is what you play this sport for.”

The unified vision has fostered a collaborative and effective environment, crucial for turning around the franchise’s fortunes.

As they prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles, the Commanders are not just fighting for a championship but also aiming to redefine their lega-

3Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels celebrates another successful playoff win, this time a 45-31 victory against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Jan. 13. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

cy within the NFL.

Simultaneously, Mayor Muriel Bowser has been advocating for the team’s return to the old RFK Stadium site, a move that would not only bring the Commanders back to their historical home but also promise significant economic and cultural benefits for the area. The potential relocation would reestablish a vital link between the city and its storied football team, enhancing community engagement and pride.

With the NFC Championship on the horizon and the possibility of a Super Bowl, the Commanders remain focused on their immediate goals while aware of the broader impact of their journey.

“Just to be a part of this turnaround and to see where we can take it, there’s nothing like it,” Daniels commented, with his eyes on the future and the exciting possibilities it holds for the team and its fans.

WI

5 Preview Highlights Ahead Commanders vs Eagles NFC Championship Matchup

By Skylar Nelson WI Intern

In a stunning turn of events last weekend, The Washington Commanders knocked off the No. 1 team in the NFC, taking down the Detroit Lions 45-31, in a thrilling matchup that will be remembered in NFL playoff history, while writing a new chapter of the Commanders’s franchise history.

Rookie Quarterback Jayden Daniels delivered an impressive performance that exceeded all expectations, conducting explosive plays and keeping Detroit’s defense on their heels the entire game. Meanwhile, the Commanders’ defense stepped up in a major way, capitalizing on key turnovers and disrupting the Lions’ offense in crucial moments.

With running back Brian Robinson Jr. bulldozing his way through Detroit’s defense, wide receiver Dyami Brown shut down all pre-game comments made by Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown by leading Washington in receiving, and the team racked up 300 yards in the first half alone. Now, the

Commanders have secured their spot in the NFC Championship for the first time since 1991.

As the dust settles on one of the most shocking upsets of the NFL playoff season, the Commanders now face their toughest challenge yet: another exciting NFC showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The winner of this matchup will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome on Sunday Feb. 9.

Here are four preview highlights ahead of the Commanders vs Eagles NFC Championship matchup:

1. The Established History Continues Between the Commanders and Eagles

The Commanders and Eagles rivalry has lived on for 180 games during the rich history of both teams’ franchises. In what has been a closely competitive rivalry, the Commanders have a record of 90-85-5, while the Eagles have a 12-4 record over their last 16 meetings that goes back to the start of the 2017 NFL season.

The rivalry between the two teams has only been extended to the postseason once during their 180-game history. The postseason showdown occurred in the 1990 NFL playoffs, which was then in 1991, when Washington triumphed over Philadelphia 20-6 by quarterback Mark Rypien’s two touchdown performance.

2.The Infamous Daniels-McLaurin Connection Will Be Hard To Disrupt

Although the infamous Washington quarterback-wide receiver duo between Daniels and Terry McLaurin has become a burden for many teams throughout the 2024 NFL season, the Eagles have managed to disrupt the connection, limiting the latter to one catch that only extended 10-yards in their first matchup. In that game, the Eagles shifted their focus on limiting the strength of the Daniels-McLaurin connection and having other receivers step up. Their focus was spot on as showed how Daniels’ connection between other receivers was still in the development stage.

However, McLaurin managed to improve in their connection in the second matchup receiving five-of-six passes for 60-yards and Daniels had a good understanding of how the Eagles defense operated against their growing Washington team.

3. The Dominant Eagles Quarterback-Running Back Duo

Although Washington is ranked third in the NFL this season for having the most rushing yardage (138.9), many predictions are already leaning towards the fact that the Commanders will struggle against the Eagles’ run game.

With the Eagles racking up 285 yards in their 28-22 triumph over the Los Angeles Rams last weekend, it seems that they are ready to take back control of their rivalry this season against the Commanders.

4. The Rookie Quarterback’s Navigation Against Eagles Defense Daniels has played his absolute best in Washington’s thrilling postseason run.

One major factor that is within his game is the fact that he has only been sacked once between his two previous playoff appearances.

5. The Rivalry Takes On A Whole New Intensity With The Super Bowl On the Line

The play series between Washington and Philadelphia is tied 1-1 this season as the Eagles defeated the Commanders 26-18, the first time in a “Thursday Night Football” matchup at Lincoln Financial Field in week 11.

The Commanders faced the Eagles again in week 16 back home at Northwest Stadium, making a strong appearance of domination, that sent they Eagles flying home with a 36-33 loss.

Although Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts exited the game in the first quarter due to a concussion injury, he is expected to play in the NFC championship. However the command and poise of Daniels shows as the rookie quarterback reveals he’s ready for the challenge. WI

CAPTURE the moment

Thousands of people from around the nation rallied on the National Mall on Jan. 18 for the People’s March to advocate for women’s reproductive rights and other causes under threat in the second Trump administration. Held just days before President Donald Trump’s second swearing in, the People’s March was a reprise of the original 2017 Women’s March hosted days before his first inauguration. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

FREEDOM from Page 1

apulting local and national activists to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy by emphasizing the need for a continued and courageous justice fight.

“When it was announced that the inauguration of Donald Trump was going to take place on Martin Luther King Day, we decided… we want people to see the tale of two cities in one District,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of National Action Network (NAN), at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church on Jan. 20. “Everything that Dr. King stood for is at risk with this president and this Congress.”

Sharpton, opening his speech with the famous civil rights chant “No justice. No Peace,” held his rally around the same time Trump was being sworn in.

From Monday’s NAN rally hosted less than five miles away from the U.S. Capitol, where the inauguration was held, to the Jan. 18 People’s March during the day and Peace Ball later that night, activists used the long weekend as a time to advocate for justice policies in the District, nation and world.

Leading up to the inauguration, local and national reedom fighters like Sharpton, Angela Davis, and Nee Nee Taylor of Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, offered insight about the justice struggles of today and offered plans and solutions to address challenges and gain true liberation even despite a second Trump presidency.

For many, the federal King holiday (MLK Day) is known as a day on, instead of a day off, using the time away from work as a moment to volunteer in the community, work for the rights of marginalized people and, like the celebrated human rights martyr, promote peace, justice and equity for all. This MLK weekend, particularly with the inauguration of Trump, activists fervently pressed the critical need for continuing King’s legacy in 2025 and

“What is Dr. King known for? Standing up for economic rights, standing up for equal rights, standing up for civil rights and all of that. This president is against equal rights to choose, against equal rights for gays, against the whole question of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)—on the record— against voting rights and wants to bring it back to states’ rights,” Sharpton explained. “So it's not even about me against Trump, it’s about him against Dr King's princi-

Sharpton called Trump and his second administration “nothing but a test.”

“He’s a test for our collective communities. He’s a test to whether we can get past our sectarian differences and our philosophical disputes. He’s a test of if we can get past our egos,” the NAN leader told

Pushing back against leaders and companies reversing DEI efforts, Trump’s racist past and

rhetoric, and the president’s current outlook on how to address race challenges in the country, Sharpton encouraged the crowd to use King’s legacy to gear up for the justice work ahead.

“What we’re going to do, is what King did. Trump’s talking about he wants to build a society that’s colorblind. Dr. King told us to be proud of who you were. Why do we have to be colorblind? We can acknowledge each other’s color and treat each other equally,” Sharpton declared. “Don’t be blind to my history, equal out what you made unequal. He wants us to be colorblind because then they don’t owe the equalizing. As long as you don’t deal with color you don’t have to deal with the lack.. of equity.”

LOCAL FREEDOM FIGHTER EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF D.C. STATEHOOD AT PEOPLE’S MARCH

During Saturday’s People’s March, D.C. native Nee Nee Taylor took to the podium to stand up for the rights of Washingtonians.

“In D.C., we don't have a voice in Congress. Despite living in the heart of this so-called democracy, over 700,000 constituents are denied representation. This is what colonization looks like. This is what systematic oppression looks like,” Taylor, executive director of Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, told the crowd during the Jan. 18 march. “But let me tell you something, this is not what freedom looks like.”

Just days before Trump’s inauguration, Taylor pushed against the president’s proposed policies and Congressional actions, while also offering a solution: organizing and action.

“We know this person will try to militarize D.C. police. We know this Congress will try to overturn our laws, they did it before in 2023. And we know that the people of D.C. deserve better than this, and we will refuse to comply with leaders who disrespect us,” the longtime local organizer and freedom fighter said. “We need more than symbolism right now. We need to organize. We need to get information.”

Chanting “Free D.C.,” Taylor emphasized the importance of District statehood in the fight for justice in the city, nation and world, saying “When D.C. wins, we all win.”

“Police in D.C., like everywhere, aren’t keeping us safe, and we deserve a voice and a vote to get laws passed,” she said. “We deserve a voice in the vote, investment in public health, community-based safety solutions, instead of pouring more money into harmful systems that have taken and that's taking more lives,” Taylor said.

Having long and passionately fought for the rights of marginalized communities in the District and nation, Taylor reminded the crowd about all the lives at risk of further oppression and challenges if people refuse to stand up for freedom and equality.

“This fight is not just about partisan, it's about the people. It's about our incarcerated siblings who deserve freedom. It's about our Black trans sisters and sex workers, reproductive rights. It’s about all those who have been criminalized, marginalized and ignored,” Taylor said.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

RELIGION

First Baptist Church of Glenarden Volunteers Prepare Hygiene Kits for Needy During MLK Weekend

By Richard Elliott

WI Contributing Reporter

Braving the cold, nearly 900 volunteers at First Baptist Church of Glenarden’s Family Life Center made 15,000 hygiene kits over two shifts on Saturday, Jan. 18 to give to those in need as part of the house of worship’s Weekend of Service. This massive volunteer effort was an outpouring of support from the community to attest to the legacy of an American hero, religious leader and freedom fighter, who was central to the civil rights movement: the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I think Dr. King’s message of love, concern, and care for the less

fortunate is significant. What we are trying to do is highlight that point,” said longtime First Baptist Church of Glenarden Pastor the Rev. John K. Jenkins in a 2020 interview.

Last year, served as the inaugural year for First Baptist Church of Glenarden’s Weekend of Service, with volunteers collecting canned goods and supplies for the homeless. In prior years, the church hosted a Day of Service.

Large MLK Day of Service buttons were distributed to attendees shortly after signup, and the Family Life Center had banners of the civil rights icon to differentiate each volunteer zone. Three different service projects were available

to support, including Central Union Mission and Convey of Hope.

Central Union Mission volunteers met at the DC site at 9:30 am to help serve warm meals.

“A huge thank you to our amazing friends from First Baptist Church of Glenarden for joining us yesterday at our Men's Shelter,” read a social media post by Central Union Mission. “From upkeep and clerical support to serving lunch and sharing heartfelt fellowship, their time and love made a big impact. We're truly grateful for their service and compassion!”

Convoy of Hope volunteers prepared hygiene kits, with each kit containing a towel, comb, toothbrush, soap, deodorant, shampoo, and toothpaste. Each table made 25 boxes, each containing 12 kits containing the seven different hygiene products.

Project Lead Deacon Stanley Jones, who leads the Mission Ministry—which handles the church’s notable volunteer efforts— noted that multiple teams were out serving hot meals in both Prince

George’s and D.C. after the recent snowstorm.

“Participating in this day of service holds immense significance for our local, national, and international communities. Dr. King stood as a champion for the most vulnerable among us, and his legacy continues to inspire us today,” said Jones.

In addition to continuing King’s legacy, Jones also emphasized the importance of giving back, particularly as Christians, who, as followers of Jesus Christ, prioritize helping and working to uplift marginalized communities.

“Through my faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to feed the hungry, care for the poor, the stranger, clothe the naked, the sick and the incarcerated,” Jones told The Informer. “It is both an honor and a privilege to carry out this work in service to our Savior and in tribute to Dr. King’s enduring impact on the world. I am deeply grateful to Pastor and First Lady Jenkins for their leadership, which allows us to engage in such meaningful service.”

“Participating in this day of service holds immense significance for our local, national, and international communities. Dr. King stood as a champion for the most vulnerable among us, and his legacy continues to inspire us today,” said Jones.

The kits were offered a critical resource for communities locally and nationally.

“Hygiene kits are one of the things that are very valuable. Ninety-five percent of those made go to disaster zones, including in Los Angeles,” said a volunteer leader during the Convoy Of Hope’s second shift. “They may go to Sacramento to replenish our warehouse in Sacramento, or potentially to another disaster zone. All we can do is be there for those in need, pray for those in need, and bring what we can for those in need.” WI

5First Baptist Church of Glenarden’s Family Life Center hosted an MLK-inspired Weekend of Service, using each of these banners to differentiate a volunteer zone on Saturday, Jan. 18. During the event, volunteers packed 15,000 hygiene kits to give to those in need. (Courtesy Photo/Facebook)

5A graphic posted by the Church to promote the MLK Day of Service this past weekend. (Courtesy Photo Via FBCG Website)

My people perish from a lack of knowledge. — Hosea 4:6 (KJV)

The principles I'm sharing have worked for me over the past 27 years. Sharing them with you feels like my obligation. Someone reading this column will decide to take steps to reprogram their thinking.

This article is written especially for you — you who understand the necessity of pursuing knowledge, you who want to become more professionally competent, more confident, and you who want to be more likely to succeed at whatever you've set your hand to do now or after retirement. You want to become a specialist.

You can learn and specialize in your field of choice, or as you continue your professional education, training or tutelage.

Some need to evaluate themselves by taking a close look at their exact stock of general knowledge before deciding to specialize. How are you operating in your day-today activities, an element essential for the proper functions of life? We must pay attention; we've got

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

The Hidden Price of Not Knowing the religion corner

to read directions; we must read instructions, and we must get complete details before purchasing tickets and other big-ticket items. Let me give you an example; it may seem simple to you, but it is a true story.

A man purchased a cruise ticket from England to America during the early 1900s. He paid for the cruise, got onboard, but stayed in his cabin at mealtime. He thought his ticket entitled him only to travel on the ship. He thought the cost of all that exciting food wasn't included. So he brought his own food, enough to last the whole journey from England to America. On the last day before the ship reached America, the captain asked him why he had never seen him at mealtime. The man explained his reason. The captain replied, "Sir, the ticket included every meal as well." The man missed out because of a lack of general knowledge. This man would never have missed enjoying his meals if he had known.

Another story of someone unable to read who missed her blessing: Spurgeon tells the story of when he visited an old woman's home. A servant in a rich man's house who had died gave her a piece of paper. She couldn't read, thought the design was pretty and framed it. When he visited,

he looked at the framed piece of paper - it was a check. She never knew she had become a millionaire, that her grandchildren would never go hungry again. She missed out because of a lack of knowledge — too late!

These two stories may not sound like something you would do, but in changing the course of your life, your unpreparedness could be just as devastating. The word reminds us in Hosea: "My people perish from the lack of knowledge."

True knowledge means not only learning details of the path God has put in your life, it also means you must always show love for one another. Never act as if you know so much that you feel you're better than others. Continue to learn for the rest of your life and remain humble! Paul himself had profound knowledge of the scriptures, but he understood that intellectual knowledge on its own is meaningless. Worse, it can be a dangerous source of pride that prevents discovery of a much deeper form of knowledge: love. "Knowledge puffs up, love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1). Puffed-up knowledge also shuts out vast realms of mystery.

As you continue to live your life, keep gaining knowledge, specialized knowledge — it works.

WI

MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC

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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 FEP 000140

March 17, 2022

Date of Death

Michael Ballard Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Tiki Makia Ballard Pie whose address is 23094 Village Road, Unionville, Virginia 22567 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Michael Ballard, deceased, by the Register of Wills Court for Baltimore City County, State of Maryland, on June 21, 2024.

Service of process may be made upon David Roberts, 1717 N Street, NW, Ste. 1, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Date of first publication: 1/9/2025

Tiki Makia Ballard Pie Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 FEP 000139

January 2, 2023

Date of Death

Jerry Knox Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Tijuanna L. Knox whose address is 6711 Greenland Street, Riverdale, MD 20737 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Jerry Knox, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on August 4, 2023. Service of process may be made upon Steve Larson-Jackson, Law firm of LarJack, PLLC, 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property:

4916 Sargeant Rd, NE, Washington, DC 20017. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Date of first publication: 1/9/2025

Tijuanna L. Knox

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

AFFIDAVIT OF FICTICIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

To The Governing Bodies of This Express Trust, ALL Corporation Soles but not limited to the State of California.

The Sole Trustee called a meeting to order and affirmed that officially on November 30, 2024, the trustee received the Intangible Property, herein known as Affidavit of Fictitious Business Name Statement, to be held in trust, published in any local municipality newspaper filing and not limited to The County of Los Angeles Recorder Office.

Trustee approved the initial exchange of the specific property for one hundred (100) units of Beneficial Interest, known hereto as Trust Certificate Units (TCU’s) to be held with this Indenture by the Trustees for the Beneficiaries also known as Members of CUSTOS MORUM

EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TROY TYWYSOG CYMRU, BRENIN OF NEW YORK.

The TRUSTEE shall:

a. Keep minutes of all future business meetings and Board of Trustee meetings

b. Act in the best interests of all the Trust Certificates Unit Holders through prudent record keeping of certificate transfers and other business respecting the holders and this Express Trust.

WE THE UNDERSIGNED, BEING DULY SWORN, DO HEREBY DECLARE UNDER OATH THAT THE NAMES OF ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE BUSINESS OR PROFESSION CARRIED ON UNDER THE NAMES OF THE CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST ARE DOING BUSINESS AS THE FOLLOWING:

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TROY TYWYSOG CYMRU, BRENIN OF NEW YORK

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a JOHN TROY WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TROY WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a JOHN WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a WILLIAMS, JOHN

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a WILLIAMS, JOHN TROY

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a WILLIAMS, TROY

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a JOHN TROY WILLIAMS ESTATE

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a JOHN WILLIAMS BANKTRUPCY ESTATE

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TROY TYWYSOG CYMRU, BRENIN OF NEW YORK

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a RES NULIS TRUST ENTERPRISE

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a CM HOUSE OF MEDIA

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a LOVERBOY INC

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a THE TRIBAL WAY, INC

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TYLIN TROY WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TITUS ALEXANDER WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a TRENTON MICAH WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a CHARNETTA MICHELLE WILLIAMS

CUSTOS MORUM EXPRESS TRUST d/b/a CHARNETTA MICHELLE WINGATE

AT: CARRERA 7, 71-21, 5 & 13, BOGOTA COLUMBIA 110231

MAILING ADDRESS: 44 PUBLIC SQUARE #354, DARLINGTON SOUTH CAROLINA 29532

AND THE EXTENT OF THE INTEREST OF EACH, IS AS FOLLOWS:

NAME: EXTENT OF INTEREST: HAROL LOZANO, Sole Trustee_____________________ 100% BENEFICIAL OWNER JOHN TROY WILLIAMS, Settlor/Witness_______________ 0%

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 1554

Estate of Alonzo York

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

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

Date of first publication: 1/9/2025

Colline Silvera 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 001030

Peggie Hall Decedent

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

Tracy Ham, whose address is 325 P Street, SW, Apt. 812, Washington, DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Peggie Hall who died on February 21, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Tracy Ham 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 001490

Sadie Maxine Miles aka Sadie M. Miles Decedent

Bradley A. Thomas, Esq. 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006-1631 Attorney

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

Ronald V. Thompson and John M. Thompson, whose addresses are 5148 S. Dakota Ave., NE Washington, DC 20017 & 11204 Chantilly Ln., Bowie, MD 20721, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Sadie Maxine Miles aka Sadie M. Miles who died on October 21, 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Ronald V. Thompson

John M. Thompson 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 1476

Mary E. Jackson Decedent

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

Pamela Williams Mitchell, whose address is 11024 Jumping Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary E. Jackson who died on 5/27/2024 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Pamela Williams Mitchell 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 001467

Percell Gray Decedent

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

Sherika Gray, whose address is 2336 High Street SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Percell Gray who died on 5/23/2023 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Sherika Gray 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 001466

Justin M. Robinson Decedent

Andre O. McDonald, Esq. 10500 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 420 Columbia, Maryland 21044 Attorney

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

Alicia R. Robinson, whose address is 2633 Naylor Road, SE, Unit 204, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Justin M. Robinson who died on September 1, 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Alicia R. Robinson

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 001479

Eva O. Aiken Decedent

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

Columbus P. Mack, whose address is 3352 Highwood Dr., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Eva O. Aiken who died on October 2, 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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:

1/9/2025

Columbus P. Mack

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

Dorothy B. Jones aka Dorothy Bernice Jones

Bobby G. Henry, Jr. Henry Legal Firm, LLC 9701 Apollo Dr., Ste. 100 Largo, Maryland 20774 Decedent

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

Nadine Jones Smith and Charlene Glispy, whose addresses are 8007 Carmel Drive, District Heights, Md 20747/ 12103 Partridge Dr., Lake Wales, FL 33859, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Dorothy B. Jones aka Dorothy Bernice Jones who died on 2/16/2024 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Nadine Jones Smith

Charlene Glispy Personal Representative

Nicole

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 1465

Charles H. Overhall aka Charles Hubert Overhall, Jr. Decedent

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

Valerie VanBuren Overhall, whose address is 1027 Potomac St. NW, Washington, DC 20007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Charles H. Overhall aka Charles Hubert Overhall, Jr. who died on July 14, 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Valerie VanBuren Overhall

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 1369

Jasmine Victoria Shelton Decedent

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

Shonnell Shelton, whose address is 1815 Vinewood Place, Gwynn Oak, MD 21207, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jasmine Victoria Shelton who died on January 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 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Shonnell Shelton 1815 Vinewood Place

Gwynn Oak, MD 21207

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 001485

Alton Festus Brown

Decedent

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

Faustine King, whose address is 39 Farrow Court, Magnolia DE. 19962, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alton Festus Brown who died on October 29, 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 7/9/2025. 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 7/9/2025, 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: 1/9/2025

Faustine King 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 001484

Paula A. Robinson Decedent

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

Mark J. Robinson, whose address is 11102 Quiet Woods Court, Boston, VA 22713, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Paula A. Robinson who died on 11/08/2024 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Mark J. Robinson 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 : I am that I 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. 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 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 001512

Diane Coleman Decedent

Sharon Legall 1325 G Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Ronald Coleman, whose address is 756 Burns St., SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Diane Coleman who died on 2/5/2024 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Ronald Coleman 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 001515

Anne Wiener Snyder aka Genevieve Anne Wiener aka Anne Wiener Decedent

Thomas W. Westberg-Croessmann, Esq. 8000 Towers Cresent Drive, Suite 1575 Vienna, VA 22182 Attorney

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

Margaret Snyder Thompson, whose address is 1524 Crestwood Lane, McLean, VA 22101, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anne Wiener Snyder aka Genevieve Anne Wiener aka Anne Wiener who died on 9/23/2024 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Margaret Snyder Thompson 1524 Crestwood Lane, McLean, VA 22101 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 001516

Pinkie McDowell aka Pinkie M. McDowell

Decedent

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

Pamela M. Fogan, whose address is 69 Randolph Place, NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Pinkie McDowell aka Pinkie M. McDowell who died on March 10, 2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Pamela M. Fogan

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

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

2024 ADM 000545

Josephine W. Humphrey aka Edith Josephine Humphrey Decedent

Sharon Legall

1325 G Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005

Attorney

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

Jerry Sims aka Jerry S. Sims, whose address is 10823 Haggle Court, Manassas, VA 20112, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Josephine W. Humphrey aka Edith Josephine Humphrey who died on 2/5/2024 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Jerry Sims aka Jerry S. Sims 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 ADM 001091

Rose W. Redmond aka Rose White Redmond Decedent

Mary Jane Knight Law Office of M. J. Knight 1007 Varnum Street, NE, Suite 100 Washington, DC 20017 Attorney

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

Alice Carole Redmond, whose address is 13160 Keverton Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rose W. Redmond aka Rose White Redmond who died on September 9, 2009 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Alice Carole Redmond 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 001478

Sarah Bundu Decedent

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

Fatima Bundu-Paen and Mohamed Bundu, whose addresses are 7406 Potomac Ct., New Carrolton, MD 20784 and 7827

Vanity Fair Dr., Greenbelt, MD 20770, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Sarah Bundu who died on June 8, 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 7/16/2025. 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 7/16/2025, 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: 1/16/2025

Fatima Bundu-Paen

Mohamed Bundu

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 001344

Estate of Dorothy M. Wilson aka Dorothy May Wilson

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

Admit to probate the will dated January 27, 2018 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

Date of first publication: January 16, 2025

Itta Englander, Esq. #610293 NLSP, 64 New York Ave, NE, Ste. 180

Washington, DC 20002

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

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 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

LEGAL NOTICES

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 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 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 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

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

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 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 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 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

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MALVEAUX from Page 26

ident embraces. We keep showing up at rallies, and we engage in radical selfcare so that we do not burn out. And we build community together, mindfully, purposefully and willingly.

Progressive people and civil rights advocates experienced a devastating blow in November. But we have been down this path before. I think of the days after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated when, in the words of poet and playwright James Weldon Johnson, he wrote of the days when "hope unborn had died.” Our

MORIAL from Page 26

to know nothing about Project 2025 during his campaign, as president-elect he has selected its authors and influencers for key roles in his administration. The agenda is alarmingly hostile to any measures it designates as "woke" - a term the "anti-woke" movement has defined as "the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them." The

CROWELL

from Page 26

— the millions who work paycheck to paycheck and may be aptly described as "the working poor."

Finalized in December and scheduled to take effect in October, CFPB's overdraft fee rule closes a bank overdraft loophole that had been allowing financial institutions to unfairly charge billions in excessive fees. Financial institutions with assets of $10 billion or more will now be required to comply. Those that wish to offer overdraft as a convenient service would be allowed to set their fee at an amount that covers their costs and losses — instead of generating a revenue stream designed to boost profits. Additionally, the rule calls for account-opening disclosures that enable comparison shopping, and give consumers a choice of whether to pay automatically or manually.

Earlier and in multiple, related overdraft enforcement actions, CFPB

REYNOLDS from Page 27

tain today's victories and our young people who are not planning to relive the indignities of yesterday will find a way out of no way.

The Dark Path: A Presidency Rooted in Division and Inequality

The swearing-in of a convicted

Negro National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" melodiously walks us through aspects of our struggle. It is our lesson, our blessing, our history, our reminder.

What would Martin Luther King Jr. do about poverty, inequality, homelessness, unequal education, resistance? What would he be doing in a nation that has still not fully accepted his brilliance? In too many states, the King holiday has been paired with something Confederate, even though we know that the Confederates lost. It is a genuflection to Caucasity that allows some states, Southern

movement holds that acknowledging discrimination is, in itself, discrimination.

Several organizations that have been designated hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center are among Project 2025's advisory board, including Alliance Defending Freedom, infamous for restricting access to the abortion pill and support for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and Center for Immigration Studies, known for providing a platform for rac -

returned a combined total of $446 million from institutions found to have charged their respective customers with illegal fees: Wells Fargo ($205 million), Regions Bank ($141 million), Navy Federal Credit Union ($95 million) and Atlantic Union ($5 million).

"For far too long, the largest banks have exploited a legal loophole that has drained billions of dollars from Americans' deposit accounts," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. "The CFPB is cracking down on these excessive junk fees and requiring big banks to come clean about the interest rate they're charging on overdraft loans."

In a comment letter that earlier urged enactment of overdraft reform, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) noted this predatory loan's disproportionate impact on Black and Latino consumers.

"Overdraft fees continue to be a

felon to the highest office in the land was a grim reminder of the fragility of our democratic institutions. This individual, whose tenure has been marked by scandal and impeachment, represents a vision of America that is exclusionary and unjust. His policies have consistently targeted marginalized communities, particularly people of color, by undermining

in particular, to attempt to erase the meaning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He will not be erased; we can't let it happen. Thus, and so, the struggle continues.

There will be King Day celebrations all over the country, along with a putrid inauguration of a man that King would be repulsed by. But King was among those who embraced the spiritual "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around." We are climbing a steep hill, and we are climbing. What would Dr. King do this birthday? He would fight!

WI

ist writers and associating with white nationalists.

The incoming administration's policies, aligned with frameworks like Project 2025, threaten to undermine principles of equal opportunity and roll back progress toward a multiracial democracy. The National Urban League and our co-conveners of the Demand Diversity Roundtable will resist these threats.

WI

major reason why consumers lose bank accounts. Black and Latino consumers are already four to five times more likely to be unbanked than white Americans," CRL wrote. "They are also disproportionately likely to be ejected from the financial mainstream. Ejection from the mainstream financial system can have long-lasting and negative systemic effects. The Proposed Rule has the opportunity to save at least $3.5 billion for the 23 million consumers who pay overdraft fees yearly."

Perhaps Brown summarized best the consumer challenge before us: "As important and effective as Wall Street reform was, it was incomplete. We still have an economy where hard work doesn't pay off like it should. … And over the next four years, the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be more crucial than ever. The work continues."

WI

their access to essential services such as health care and education.

Under his administration, the concept of a sustainable future has been systematically eroded. Environmental regulations have been rolled back, climate change has been dismissed as a hoax, and corporate interests have

REYNOLDS Page 46

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WILLIAMS from Page 27

standing that somebody named Donald John Trump would come along and with no change in our laws or cherished documents would give him the title of King Donald John Trump and allow him to be exempt from our laws!

In the coming four years, we have a job to do. Aside from teaching our young people right from wrong, legal

REYNOLDS from Page 45

been prioritized over the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants. This path leads to a future where the rich grow richer, and the poor are left to fend for themselves in an increasingly hostile environment. And with the marvels of artificial intelligence in the hands of tech wizards like Elon Musk, we cannot say for sure that our votes cannot be cloned, hacked or defused in some nefarious manner. The consolidation of power in the hands of a few is a defining characteristic of this dark path. With the courts, the House and the Senate under the new president's grip, and the support of the Billionaire Boys Club, we are on the brink of a dangerous oligarchy. In this system, money and power creates a network where the elite can break the rules with impunity, leaving everyday people disenfranchised and voiceless.

JEALOUS from Page 27

natural gas," or LNG.

The U.S. is already the world's leading exporter of LNG. Methane gas is a powerful greenhouse gas — more than 80 times more powerful at warming that carbon dioxide. And the lifecycle of LNG — from fracking and transport to liquefaction and refinement to shipping and burning — is fraught with methane leaks, making it nearly as harmful to the climate as coal. But the LNG market is also volatile, and the oil and gas companies that have such ambitious plans for expanding exports to countries and markets that will pay far more for it than the domestic market rate. That drives up the price of methane gas here at home.

The Department of Energy released a report confirming that unfettered LNG exports would drive up domestic energy prices — further supporting the Biden administration's pause of LNG export projects as the right choice.

But Big Oil and Gas can get rich from the higher prices other countries

from illegal, selfishness from caring about others, we have a huge job to do. Instead of Trump worrying about DUI, equality for women and people of color, poor people, immigrants, we need to convince Donald Trump and his allies about right and wrong for all!

I encourage you to take a look at all the nominees Trump has put up for governing our lives for the next four years. Please put in a prayer for the entire administration to do better than

The Bright Path: A Commitment to Equality and Justice

In stark contrast, the other side of the Capitol witnessed a gathering of thousands who believe in the ideals of equality, fairness and justice championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These individuals are committed to nonviolent revolution, advocating for a society where everyone is treated equally under the power of a righteous God.

This path is rooted in the belief that all people, regardless of race, creed or socioeconomic status, deserve access to affordable health care, quality education and a sustainable future. It envisions an America where diversity is celebrated, and the rights of all citizens are protected.

Nonviolence is a cornerstone of this movement. Unlike the violent mob that ransacked the Capitol in 2020, injuring hundreds, these marchers were dedicated to peaceful

are willing to pay, so they don't care about household energy burdens here at home. And they are even willing to undermine our national security by supplying LNG to our rivals, like the Chinese government, who can then resell it and leverage their role as an energy supplier elsewhere in the world. All the while, domestic consumers potentially face paying billions more in annual energy costs.

President Trump has made big promises to Big Oil and Gas in exchange for their support of his reelection. At one campaign fundraiser, Trump told oil and gas executives if they collectively contributed $1 billion to his reelection they would essentially get whatever they want and it would be a "deal" for them. They got the message. In addition to many other high-dollar contributions from the industry, the CEO of the country's largest LNG exporter Cheniere Energy kicked in $250,000. Cheniere continues to rapidly develop more export capacity at new and existing LNG terminals on the Gulf coast.

LNG is not the only way Trump

they've planned to do, so we know what to expect and how our unity will help us through the intended misery planned for us. We haven't heard from any of Trump's nominees about their plans to do the right thing by people like us, but if we do the right thing, we can make a difference that benefits all of us. Don't just stand by and accept wrongdoing. "It's always time to do the right thing." Resist wrongdoing!

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protest. They drew strength from the Bible, which says not to fret over the crimes of evildoers as they will ultimately be crushed like blades of grass. Their faith in a higher power and their unwavering dedication to justice provide a moral compass that guides their actions.

As we reflect on this critical juncture, the choice before us was clear. Would we allow our nation to be led by a convicted felon whose policies perpetuate division and inequality, or would we join the ranks of those who are committed to a future of justice and equality for all?

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Let us continue on the path that bends toward justice and work together to build a nation that truly reflects the values of equality, fairness and justice for all.

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could increase energy costs for everyday Americans. If his threatened 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports happen, prices at the pump could end up rising between 35 and 75 cents a gallon. That is according to GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan, who says the increases might be steepest in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions but would likely happen across all regions. And Trump's baffling war on energy efficient home appliances threatens utility bill savings that would benefit millions of households and are especially important to low-income families. Those families spend as much as four times more on energy bills as a portion of their household income. Trump has talked a big game on bringing down energy prices. But most of his proposed policies — from more oil and gas drilling to his attacks on clean energy and energy efficiency standards — are far more likely to drive the cost for consumers up. Americans need relief from punishingly high energy prices, not to be sacrificed on the altar of fossil fuel industry profits. WI