The Washington Informer - July 18, 2024 by The Washington Informer

NationHouse Marks 50 Years of Academics, Culture and ‘Re-Afrikanization’

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Earlier this year, Necilia Jones’ youngest son, DeAngelo Kwabena Jones-Sharpe, wrapped up his studies at the independent African-centered school NationHouse with a graduation ceremony where he and another classmate wowed teachers, parents and community members with essays they wrote about the youths’ role in “nationbuilding.”

Decades ago, late NationHouse co-founder Nana Kwame Agyei Akoto defined nationbuilding (intentionally one word) as the liberation of African people through the dedication of resources and development of customs, values and institutions that explain their history, protect them in the present day, and help them shape a national identity outside of a hegemonic European paradigm.

Jones said those values compelled her to enroll her daughter, Destiny Nyala Sharpe, in NationHouse at the turn of the century.

“I was always in Sankofa Books, Blue Nile

Page 26

Black Homeowners Lament Closure of Homeowner Assistance Fund Portal

Questions Persist about Management of Funds and Internal Processes

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

(HAF) would no longer be accepted after June 30 due to allocation of all the federal dollars made available to District residents who fell behind on their mortgage and utility payments.

On June 27, the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced that applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund FUNDS Page 52

Biden Shows Reporters He Won’t Step Aside:

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

During Thursday’s highly anticipated NATO press conference, President Joe Biden assured Americans he had no plans of dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.

When asked if he would drop out of the race, whispered, “It’s not gonna happen,” with a toothy smile. The almost hour-long press conference featured similar moments, with Biden hammering down on why he should lead the

5President Joe Biden speaks to reporters at 75th Annual NATO Summit at Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy Photo/WhiteHouse.gov)

wi hot topics

STACY M. BROWN, NATIONAL REPORTER

Federal Judge Dismisses Entire Classified Documents Case Against Trump

In a bombshell decision, a federal judge dismissed the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump on Monday, ruling that the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional. Smith’s appointment, according to Judge Aileen M. Cannon, a fervent supporter of Trump who the former president himself appointed, violated the Constitution’s appointments clause because neither the president nor the Senate nominated or confirmed him.

Several legal experts and news reports immediately noted that Judge Cannon’s ruling defies decades of legal precedent– including decisions dating back to the Watergate era— that have upheld the legality of appointing independent prosecutors. The timing of the decision is particularly notable, coming on the first day of the Republican National Convention, where Trump was officially nominated the party’s presidential candidate.

Smith’s team filed the case, which accused the already 34 times convicted felon Trump of illegally holding onto highly confidential state secrets after leaving office and thwarting repeated attempts by the government to retrieve them. Despite the dismissal, an appeal from Smith’s team is almost inevitable.

Judge Cannon’s dismissal was based on her interpretation that no federal statute governs the appointment of special counsels like Smith, a practice that has been in place for nearly 30 years. She argued that allowing special counsels to operate under the attorney general’s authority violates the Constitution’s separation of powers.

Judge Cannon’s decision removes a significant legal obstacle for Trump as he campaigns for a return to the White House.

Survey Finds Black Adults Develop Unique Coping Skills for Racism

Black adults in the United States often develop distinctive coping skills by adulthood to handle the chronic stress of racism, according to a new survey by Duke University researchers. The study, as reported by Duke Today, suggests that these coping mechanisms are not typically found in their white counterparts, highlighting the unique resilience cultivated through lived experiences of racial discrimination.

The study identifies that social support and religion are among the most common coping strategies employed by Black Americans. Social networks and religious communities offer emotional support and a sense of belonging, which buffer against the negative psychological impacts of racism.

Additional strategies include avoidance, substance use, positive reframing, and activism. Some respondents reported using avoidance techniques, such as disengaging from stressors or using sub-

stances like alcohol and tobacco, for temporary relief. Cognitive strategies like positive reframing—focusing on positive aspects in difficult situations—and working harder to overcome obstacles help maintain a sense of control and purpose. According to the study, activism and affirming one’s identity through positive self-statements were also significant strategies.

“By educating others and advocating for social change, individuals reclaim a sense of agency and counteract feelings of helplessness,” the researchers wrote.

The findings have crucial implications for mental health practices, researchers asserted. Mental health professionals are encouraged to recognize and validate these coping strategies, tailoring their support to enhance their effectiveness.

“By fostering open discussions about these mechanisms, professionals can help Black individuals navigate racial stress more effectively,” the researchers determined. WI

BLK and GIPHY BLKmojis

As digital communication evolves, emojis have become a go-to way for many people to express emotions and emphasize moments— with little faces and images sho casing everything from happiness to fury, love, prayers, sports, activities, and food and beverage items. In celebration of World Emoji Day (July 17), BLK, a dating and lifestyle app, has created a collection of emojis called “BLKmojis” that celebrate the beauty, boldness and power of Black culture.

With emojis that honor modern lingo popularized by Black community, BLKmojis is more than just a new keyboard, it’s a means of honoring the incredible impact African American culture has had on digital media at large.

BLK collaborated with Meaningful Gigs, a platform that connects companies with diverse designers from around the world, to identify an African design-

er to create the emojis. They tapped Illustrator Wale Adeyeye to execute the vision for the BLKmojis. His work boldly celebrates phrases such as: “It’s Giving,” a term showing appreciation for someone's look or vibe; “Purr,” a playful way of saying “period,” that emphasizes a point or statement; and “Pressed,” when someone is overly concerned about something trivial.

"Representation in digital and social spaces is essential, and with BLKmojis, we're excited to offer emojis that truly reflect the language and expressions of Black youth," said Jonathan Kirkland, Head of Brand and Marketing for BLK.

GIPHY, the popular visual communication platform founded in 2013 that allows people to use GIFs, clips, stickers and more, will promote the BLKmojis on its platform.

BLK Page 5

Honoring Legacy: Community Rededicates Mary McLeod Bethune Statue in Lincoln Park

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

Braving hot weather and humidity, National Park Service rangers gathered with history lovers and members of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) to honor and celebrate Mary McLeod Bethune in Lincoln Park on July 13. Three days after what would have been the NCNW founder’s 149th birthday, this celebration was more than a birthday party in a park, but also a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of a statue honoring Bethune’s life and legacy.

District Mayor Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), D.C. Council

Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) and NCNW leaders reflected on the leader’s lifelong commitment to service and the importance of the public statue honoring her work and mission.

“The statue represents feminism. It represents social justice. It represents education,” said Cypriana McCray, president of the Reston-Dulles Section of NCNW. “I think it's important for us to have others see all of the progress that we have made as women, as women leaders by lifting up our community, making sure our children are educated, making sure our communities have what they need and the resources that make them successful.”

Bethune founded NCNW in 1935, and to date, the organization provides local scholarships, participates in political advocacy forums and champions women’s suffrage movements. While NCNW touts Bethune’s legendary achievements, many believe more monuments like hers need to be established across the District.

BLK from Page 4

"At GIPHY, we love love. And as a Black woman, I particularly appreciate how this partnership between BLK and GIPHY has the potential to amplify Black love stories and reach a broader audience,” said Lydia Getachew, senior client lead at GIPHY. “GIPHY aims to

“Not many more tributes to women have been placed in our city. But we know the contribution of American women and we know the contribution of Black American women,” Mayor Bowser said. “We are challenged to make sure we remember our history and make sure it’s properly reflected in our public spaces, buildings, and curriculum.”

Upon the statue’s unveiling in 1974, Bethune’s depiction became the first to honor a woman and an African American public land in front of a crowd of 18,000 people.

Holmes Norton noted that many came to celebrate Bethune’s ability to break barriers on a national level.

“Dr. Bethune became the founding president of the National Council of Negro Women, and in 1936 became the highest ranking African American woman in the federal government when she was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of Negro Affairs at the National Youth Administration,” said Holmes Norton.

The South Carolina native, born 12 years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation , sits across from a statue honoring the park’s namesake. African Americans funded both the statues of Lincoln and Bethune, which now rest in the largest recreational ground in Capitol Hill.

Bowser noted Bethune’s legacy should be particularly celebrated in the District and nationwide, as many people still grapple with modern freedom fights.

“Her tireless advocacy for voting rights resonates strongly today, certainly in Washington, D.C. and our push for statehood,” Bowser said, calling the barrier breaking

help people express themselves and make everyday conversations more meaningful, and we’re excited to bring these relevant, timely emojis to the BLK community as part of this campaign.”

For more information on the BLKmojis collection visit BLK Dating App and GIPHY. WI

leader and educator a “phenomenal American.”

Dr. Robert Williams formerly directed the concert chorale at Bethune-Cookman University, an institution founded by Bethune with $1.50. He recognized Bethune as “one of America’s greatest trailblazers,” and mentioned it took grassroots efforts to build a statue in her honor with hundreds, “collecting pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars to create a statue that means something to Black woen.”

Among the crowd were members of Bethune’s family, who graciously watched as the statue was unveiled for a second time.

“The statue is a living legacy sustained in the animated faces of children at play,” said Joan Mooney, who represented the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Those who were not present at the first reveal 50 years ago were elated to attend the rededica-

tion and recommit themselves to Bethune’s ideals.

Current NCNW National Chair Dr. A. Lois Keith reflected on what she thinks Bethune would say about the work the organization is doing today.

“I certainly hope that her dream has been fulfilled and I certainly hope that this new era of NCNW with Shavon and myself would make her proud and that we would continue to carry out the vision of NCNW.” WI

5Local leaders unveil Mary McLeod Bethune statue for a second time in Lincoln Park. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer) See more photos on page 43

AROUND THE REGION

JULY 18

JULY 18 - 24 , 2024

SOURCE: BLACK AMERICA WEB

1753 – Lemuel Haynes, an influential African American religious leader and first Black minister to serve for a White congregation, is born in West Hartford, Connecticut. 1918 – Nelson Mandela, former South African president of South Africa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and civil rights icon, is born in Mvezo, South Africa.

JULY 19

1849 – Joseph Lee, who invented machinery for processing food and became very prominent in the food-service industry, is born in Boston.

JULY 20

1967 – The first Black Power Conference is held in Newark, New Jersey.

JULY 21

1864 – The first issue of the New Orleans Tribune — America's first daily Black newspaper — is published. 1896 – The National Association of Colored Women, which later became the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, is established in Washington, D.C.

JULY 22

1939 – Jane Bolin becomes the first Black woman to serve as a judge in the United States when she is sworn in as a judge of New York's Domestic Relations Court. 1946 – Actor Danny Glover, best known for his roles in the "Lethal Weapon" series and "The Color Purple," is born in San Francisco.

JULY 23

1891 – Louis Tompkins Wright, famed surgeon and civil

rights activist, is born in LaGrange, Georgia.

1962 – Baseball great Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the major leagues, is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1984 – Vanessa Williams is forced to give up her Miss America title amid a nude-photograph scandal. She is replaced by Suzette Charles.

JULY 24

1954 – Civil rights activist and founding NAACP member

Mary Church Terrell, who was the first African American to serve on the D.C. board of education, dies in Annapolis. WI

NELSON MANDELA JACKIE ROBINSON

AROUND THE REGION

view

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

What’s a classic movie you love and recommend people watch?

MIYOSHI JENKINS / GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

SIR ROBINSON / WASHINGTON, D.C.

Bryan’s Song, Uptown Saturday Night, Three the Hard Way, Deacons of Defense

Crooklyn by Spike Lee. It’s a classic in our household!

SHIREE BROOKS / SANTA ROSA, CALIF.

TIFFANY FREDERICK / DALLAS, TEXAS Imitation of Life.

The Wood, Life, Coming to America, Shawshank Redemption, Waiting to Exhale. Now, I want a movie night!

E. ROSCOE / WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Homesteader. First feature-length film with a Black director, Oscar Micheaux.

Amplified Sound Mitigation Act of 2024: Balancing Culture and Peace in D.C.

By Harrison Buck Chevrolet Discovering the Unexpected Fellow WI Reporting Intern

The vibrant and dynamic soundscape of Washington, D.C., is about to undergo significant changes as the Amplified Sound Mitigation Act of 2024 takes center stage.

Introduced by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Anita Bonds (D-At-large), Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1), and Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), this legislation aims to amend municipal regulations to control amplified sound in public spaces and update standards for sound-level meters.

The bill targets street musicians and performers who use amplified sound, imposing specific noise level restrictions to balance cultural expression with residents' peace and quiet.

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"This legislation will protect the vibrant musical and cultural history of our neighborhoods while establishing reasonable protections for residents from excessive amplified sound," said Nadeau. "It is a product of collaboration with residents of the Disney music community, aiming to address legitimate concerns about the disruption caused by amplifiers turned up far too loud."

Under the new regulations, amplified sound must not exceed 95 decibels at the point of amplification,

which roughly translates to about 50 to 60 decibels in nearby buildings. This standard is designed to be easy to measure, ensuring that performers can self-enforce the rules without the need for complex equipment or invasive procedures. Additionally, the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) is designated as the primary agency for enforcing these standards, allowing police to focus on other responsibilities.

Nadeau emphasized the importance of this approach.

"Government enforcement at the point of amplification allows performers to self-enforce, which would otherwise be nearly impossible,” the Ward 1 council member said. “This bill is not about undermining our rich music and arts scene but about finding a balance that supports artists and entertainment events without unreasonable residential disturbance."

The bill also grants police the authority to confiscate noise-amplifying devices for up to 24 hours after a violation, aiming to provide immediate relief to affected residents. Payment plans for fines resulting from non-compliance will be available, ensuring that penalties are not overly burdensome.

"We've heard from many neighbors and stakeholders over the years, and this issue is critical to ensuring that our communities can continue to thrive in harmony," said Pinto. "It's about maintaining the vibrancy of our neighborhoods while support-

ing artists and entertainment events without causing undue residential disturbance."

The Amplified Sound Mitigation Act is accompanied by the Harmonious Living Amendment Act of 2024, introduced by Nadeau and co-sponsored by Mendelson and Pinto. This complementary legislation covers other policies related to music and sound in public spaces, ensuring a comprehensive approach to managing noise in the city.

Residents from central Columbia Heights and Gallery Place, known hotspots for sound-related tensions, have voiced their support for the bill.

"Between 2018 and 2021, the Implied Noise Amendment Act attempted to address these problems but was overly punitive to performers and would have damaged the District’s rich cultural fabric," Nadeau explained. "This new legislation is a more balanced approach, considering both the needs of residents and the importance of preserving our cultural heritage."

Eric Jones, vice president of Government Affairs, echoed Nadeu’s sentiments during his testimony.

"We know that amplified sound can reach levels well above current legal limits, disturbing both businesses and residents. The careful consideration of feedback in this bill reflects a commitment to balancing cultural expression with public peace." WI Read more on wshingtoninformer.com.

5The Amplified Sound Mitigation Act of 2024 targets street musicians and performers who use amplified sound, imposing specific noise level restrictions to balance cultural expression with residents' peace and quiet. (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

AROUND THE REGION

Dreaming Out Loud's Marion Barry Avenue Market to Combat Food Apartheid

By Demarco A. Rush WI Intern

Although still a work in progress, the vision of Dreaming Out Loud—a dedicated organization focused on creating economic opportunities for marginalized communities through a healthy, equitable food ecosystem—is coming to life at the upcoming Marion Barry Avenue Market in Southeast, D.C.’s Ward Eight.

When completed, the Marion Barry Avenue Market, located at 1303 Marion Barry Ave SE, will become the second full-service grocery store in Ward 8 and the fourth in Wards 7 and 8, compared to 46 in the other six wards of the city.

Jaren Hill Lockridge, director of Strategic Partnerships at Dreaming Out Loud, took The Informer on a hard hat tour of the developing facility. Once open and fully operational, the market will feature a full-service grocery store, dining space, areas for community events, cold food storage, and educational programming.

“We're going to start with making sure that folks understand where the food comes from,” said Lockridge. “Folks know they’re

NATO from Page 1 nation for a second term.

“I’m the most qualified person to do the job,” he emphasized several times.

After weeks of critical judgment due to slow moments in the June 27 presidential debate, the president addressed claims of inadequacy to reporters and doubters alike. He cited his decorated career as a Senator while touting historic achievements during his time in office but also slipped up accidentally referencing his running mate Vice President Kamala Harris as “Trump.”

Despite the setback and a few gargled moments, Biden was clear in reiterating that he wants to finish the work he started with this administration.

“We can’t afford to lose what

getting food from grocery stores but beyond that, they don't know. What we know is where the food came from, every hand that touched it and we’re able to identify the seeds that it came from.”

The organization’s Dream Program has supported over 60 different food organizations, entrepreneurs or entities to help them scale up in the food business.

“We want to bring [food entrepreneurs] into the network when we can't take a job or we have an event and we need vendors, we can give them additional market access,” said Dreaming Out Loud Communications Manager Nardos Alemayehe.

The program includes a Farm and Food Hub located at Kelly Miller in Ward 7 and collaborates with growers across the East Coast, with a particular focus on Black and women growers.

The Market will include produce, a food bar, and an open kitchen where diners and patrons can watch meal preparation as well as indoor and back patio seating for guests.

The hope is for the Market to become a center locals can count on to provide fresh produce, meals, cooking demon -

we’ve done or backslide on civil rights or civil liberties,” he said.

Amid questions on his capability to lead Biden had extensive dialogue on the threat posed by Donald Trump’s re-election.

“Do you think our democracy is under siege due to project 2025? Do you think he means what he says when he says he’ll take away civil services, the Department of Education,” he asked the audience.

The questions boiled among the silence in the room. Biden’s intense pause left room for thought, he highlighted the matter as the thing keeping him away from stepping aside.

The president told journalists, “That’s the only reason I didn’t hand off to another generation, I’ve got to finish this job, there’s too much at stake.”

strations and more.

Rather than using the term "food desert," Dreaming Out Loud addresses what staff describes as "food apartheid." This concept reflects the belief that discriminatory planning and policy decisions have created inequalities in access to fresh food.

“Ending food apartheid is a racial justice issue. It is a human-made phenomenon that is a function of overlapping systems of oppression — white supremacy, profit-over-people capitalism, racialized violence and discrimination, and the resultant racial wealth gap,” said Dreaming out Loud Executive Director Christopher Bradshaw. “An end means healed individuals, and communities.”

Lockridge anticipates that construction will be completed by late summer. However, the organization plans to open The Market in

phases, with the public opening expected next spring.

“We're not opening up a grocery store, we’re opening the Marion Barry Avenue Market! Back

in the day, you would go to the market to get the things that were needed. That's what this is going to be, a community hub!” WI

5Jaren Hill Lockridge and Nardos Alemayehe of Dreaming Out Loud survey the construction inside the upcoming Marion Barry Avenue Market. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

“It is in

Chef Ramone from Food Jonezi, Tanya Johnson, from Amerigroup and Betty Bennett pose at the the first in a series of mobile popups Amerigroup will host around the District this summer. The mobile truck, stationed at Martha's Table's Southeast location, provided the community with access to free food, snacks, supplies and giveaways. (Courtesy Photo/Amerigroup DC)

GOODProjects Community Nonprofit Fights Violence, Expands Youth Programs with NFL Players Association Support

By Asma Amani WI Contributing Writer

In the heart of Southwest, D.C., one organization is combating gun violence with a two-pronged approach: security and opportunity. GOODProjects, a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth, has found itself on the front lines of community safety while simultaneously expanding its programs through a partnership with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).

After incidents of violence near Dunbar High School and the nearby New York Avenue Recreation Center, home to GOODProjects' after school programs, the organization took a major step to protect children by hiring armed security.

Darius Baxter, GOODProjects' chief engagement officer, didn't make this decision lightly.

"We've had shootings in broad daylight that forced us into lockdown," Baxter told The Informer. "It became clear that business as usual wasn't going to cut it anymore."

The urgency of the situation was driven home by a chilling near-miss. A mother and her 12-year-old honor roll student barely escaped injury when a stray bullet pierced their car, embedding itself in the door inches from the child's face. It's the kind of incident that keeps Baxter up at night – and propels him forward.

“The current access to firearms in the District does speak to the larger issue of gun control in this country. D.C. as a jurisdiction has some of the harshest gun control laws in the country, yet we find guns easily accessible to young people,” the chief engagement officer explained.

For Baxter, the fight to end gun violence is personal. At the age 9, he lost his father, a Metropolitan Police Department lieutenant, to gun violence. That tragedy now fuels his mission to ensure no other child suffers the same fate.

But GOODProjects isn't just playing defense. Even as the organization grapples with immediate safety concerns, it’s planting seeds for a brighter future.

The security is just one step in

GOOD Projects’ fervent work to provide a safe space and opportunities for youth. For the second year running, GOODProjects has been named the Official Youth Charitable Partner of the NFLPA, a designation that comes with a $25,000 grant.

"This partnership is a game-changer," Baxter said. "It allows us to expand our summer camp and even start a youth football league. We're giving these kids positive outlets and role models – things that can make a real difference in their lives."

Leslie Isler, manager of the NFLPA's Professional Athletes Foundation, emphasized the importance of the work GOODProjects is doing to help local young people.

"GOODProjects has an authentic connection to this community," Isler said. "They understand these kids and what they're up against. That's why we're proud to support their work."

The contrast between the armed guards and the football camps paints a stark picture of the challenges facing District residents.

Dr. Charlayne Hayling-Williams, a clinical psychologist and CEO of Community Wellness Ventures, warned that the impact of this violence goes beyond the immediate danger.

"The trauma these kids experience can shape their entire lives," she explained. "Programs like those offered by GOODProjects are crucial in providing a counterbalance – a sense of safety, community, and possibility."

With GOODProjects programming, New York Avenue Recreation Center buzzes with activity daily, offering youth a positive, safe environment. There, children laugh and play, momentarily free from the worries that plague their neighborhoods. It's a scene that gives Baxter hope.

"We're not just trying to keep these kids alive," he said, watching the young faces light up. "We're fighting to give them lives worth living." WI

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

GOVERNOR WES MOORE

ANNOUNCES

$150 MILLION IN BUDGET CUTS

In an effort to shift funds to healthcare and child care programs, Governor Wes Moore (D) announced nearly $150 million in budget cuts on July 10. Moore views investments into childcare and healthcare as major drivers of economic growth, and is elevating these investments over other priorities.

With this announcement, there is expected to be a delay in state hirings, although no furloughs or firings are planned.

Given that the legislative session has ended, these cuts will be made through the Board of Public Works. This Board, which includes Gov. Moore, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman and State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, is authorized to cut the state budget by up to 25%.

“This morning, my administration submitted a plan to make targeted and strategic spending cuts and grow our economy while simultaneously protecting the programs and projects that Marylanders care about most,” Moore wrote in a Baltimore Sun op-ed.

“We’ve taken a disciplined, data-driven approach that prioritizes investment in areas that connect Marylanders with employment and build new pathways to work, wages, and wealth for all.”

Maryland’s 1.68 million Medicaid recipients and 41,000 enrollments in subsidized child care are both greater than expected during the session, and necessitate budget adjustments. Over $50 million of state support for higher education will be cut, over $25 million will be cut from Department of Health spending, and $15.6 million in cuts to the Department of Information Technology’s project fund.

“Maryland is honored to be recognized as a national leader for its redetermination efforts, ranking among the top 10 states by the Kaiser Family Foundation for its exceptional performance

in retaining enrollees,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Laura Herrera Scott about the state’s success in retaining Medicaid coverage for residents.

Maryland’s legislature is required to pass a balanced budget every year, and the budget deficit in the upcoming session is expected to be roughly $1 billion. This could increase to nearly $2 billion by 2027. WI

AT-LARGE SPECIAL ELECTION UPDATES

With the nine-candidate field solidified and less than a month before the special election on Aug. 6, the campaign season is heating up. Signs donning candidates’ names are now planted in several Prince George’s yards, and voters are now starting to receive mailers and text blasts from the hopeful people vying for the Prince

With the nine-candidate field solidified and less than a month before the special election on Aug. 6, the campaign season is heating up.

George's County Council At-large seat.

The field of candidates includes County Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D- District 5), Bowie Mayor Tim Adams, Delegate Marvin Holmes (D- District 23), former Delegate Angela Angel, former Board of Education appointee Judy Mickens-Murray, and Tamara Davis-Brown,

“Economic development is a vital issue for the Council,” said District 9 resident LaVonn Reedy Thomas. “We need commercial revenue, so both a business mindset and experience with land use policy are critically important as I look at the current makeup of the Council. Among other priorities, we need to rebuild our rainy day fund.”

Thomas acknowledged Davis-Brown as a candidate with a strong policy record and South County name recognition and was also supportive of her District’s longtime delegate,

Holmes, who she celebrated for his business acumen and Annapolis record on housing.

This special election is estimated to cost $1.3 million, and may precipitate a future special election in Ivey’s Council district. Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh has already declared as a candidate for the District 5 seat.

Four forums have been scheduled for the race so far:

• July 20: The League of Women Voters is hosting a virtual forum

• July 23: The Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee and the Prince George’s Young Democrats are hosting a joint forum

• July 25: The Collington Retirement Community

• Aug. 3: The NAACP will hold a forum at Reid Temple

Mayor Adams is also hosting a meet and greet alongside Councilmember Wala Blegay (D- District 6) on July 24 at Upper Marlboro’s Famous Lounge.

NAACP President Linda Thoronton Thomas emphasized the importance of politicians to engage with the community and offer information for voters to make informed decisions when filling out ballots.

“Our biggest goal is to let people know they can get the right candidate for your community,” said NAACP President Linda Thornton Thomas. “You should be aware of what’s going on to make an educated vote.” WI

5 Both Tim Adams and Jolene Ivey have sent mailers to likely Democratic primary voters. They have both also placed large signs near major roads. (Richard Elliott/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

THE STOREHOUSE FOOD BANK SEARCHING FOR NEW HOME

The StoreHouse, a Lanham-based food bank operated by The Mel Johnson and her closest family and friends, is being asked to relocate from Forbes Boulevard, and July 16 is their last day on site.

Now, Johnson is in the process of moving more than 10 refrigerators, food and office equipment, as she and her team work toward a new location to help Prince Georgians in need of reliable, healthy meals.

“We don’t have a place right now, and we have to be out by next week,” said Johnson. “We are Maryland’s first and only Blackrun food bank. I serve families that come and receive food by client choice or pre-packed, churches and many other organizations also come and get food from us.”

The StoreHouse currently serves over 1,600 residents monthly and offers fresh and nutritious food at no cost. The work is all self-fund-

ed, a point of pride for Johnson, who serves over 27,000 families, sometimes driving all the way to Pennsylvania to get the freshest produce.

As a trauma and stroke survivor, she believes emphasizing health starts with a proper diet.

“We serve in love. We want to make people feel whole again,” she told The Informer.

Since the pandemic, food insecurity has worsened and grocery prices have increased greatly. She went from feeding roughly 100 families a month to nearly 2,000, and she placed a greater focus on taking food to those who can’t travel to her office.

While Johnson is encouraged by government support for large nonprofits, she would like to see more support for locally-operated nonprofits and outreach groups.

“Where are the resources for us,” she said. “When we need that support, where are those who attended our gala?”

She encourages individuals who are interested in their mission to donate or volunteer. To find a list of event dates for the StoreHouse, visit themeljohnson.org.

PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATES

A month into his new crime fighting strategy, Prince George’s Police Chief Malik Aziz reported that carjackings and armed violent crime had decreased in the county. He reported a 9% decrease in overall crime, emphasized the importance of community outreach and engagement, and announced that the Prince George’s County Police Department is forming a new Gun Crimes unit.

“We’re already a month into

our crime fighting strategies, and we have an overall total crime reduction. Crime is down in Prince George’s County,” said Aziz. “We hear people and they don’t hear the police chief say what the numbers are. So total crime is down in Prince George’s County.”

Despite reported improvements in crime, Prince George’s Councilmember Ingrid Harrison (D- District 4) posted a statement on July 11 warning residents to be vigilant after using banks and ATMs.

“Following the recent spree of armed robberies in our County, I want to assure residents that the entire public safety community is working together to address this issue. We are seeing robbers target people leaving their bank or ATM with victims being followed to their vehicles or even their homes. While this is a regionwide crime trend, unfortunately we’ve seen multiple recent cases in and around Bowie,” she said.

Harrison said she was working with local authorities to keep residents safe.

“I have spoken to Bowie Police Chief Dwayne Preston who assured me that his department is working collaboratively with all regional partners to safeguard the areas we’ve seen targeted,” the council member continued.

“Police are also working with the State’s Attorney’s office to ensure those committing these robberies are held accountable.”

REP. IVEY ATTENDS TAKE BACK THE PARK

Congressman Glenn Ivey (DMd.) was one of the attendees at a Take Back The Park commemoration held in Greenbelt’s Schrom Hills Park to honor the young victims injured during the April mass shooting at an unofficial “Senior Skip Day” celebration.

“In the last Congress we passed a bipartisan bill for gun violence reduction: a step in the right direction and the first in 30 years, but we can go further. The most recent step is the creation of the Office of Gun Violence Reduction, who we’ve reached out to. They’re pushing out funding for violence prevention across the country,” Rep. Ivey told The Informer. “One of the guys leading it, Greg Jackson, is from Prince George’s. They’re doing a lot to move us in the right direction. Violent crime has dropped across the country, especially in Baltimore and Boston, in the past two years. Part of the team coordinating in Boston are from the University of Maryland.”

“Just under $2,000,000 is coming to help efforts like theirs at the local level. Community groups are also playing a pivotal role and getting active, including Moms Demand Action. This is expanding the number of impacted families who are involved.”

5 Lanham-based food bank The Storehouse is moving out of its current headquarters on Forbes Boulevard on July 16, and searching for a new place to call home and offer healthy foods at no cost for those in need. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

5 A month into his new crime fighting strategy, Prince George’s County Police Department Chief Malik Aziz reports a 9% decrease in crime. However, he is still trying to hire roughly 350 new officers to meet department needs. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

BRYSON GILLETTE ADVOCACY IS LAUNCHED

Bryson Gillette, a Black-owned, diverse strategic communications firm based in the District and California founded in 2020, announced the launch of Bryson Gillette Advocacy (BG Advocacy), an independent arm that focuses on government advocacy and public affairs.

“Bryson Gillette was founded to fight for a more equitable and just world alongside values-aligned clients,” said Bill Burton, Bryson Gillette founder and former deputy press secretary and special assistant to President Obama. “We have moved the needle on some of the biggest challenges of our time— from child safety and education to technology and climate change— while prioritizing intentional diversity in an industry where it is often lacking. By adding an additional le-

briefs

ver of change, we will continue this tradition in an even more impactful way.”

Damara Catlett, a two-decade professional with experience in campaign strategy, grassroots advocacy, lobbying and consulting, will head BG Advocacy and work alongside Bryson Gillette’s team of political operatives, public affairs experts, and communications strategists.

BG Advocacy will combine the relationships and experience of Burton and other senior staff, in partnership with industry veteran Catlett, strengthening existing and new clients’ influence and impact. The two firms working together will be uniquely positioned to create multi-faceted government affairs and communications campaigns to help clients succeed. The organization will work to build relationships with members of Congress, the White House, federal agencies and other third-party

stakeholders and decision-makers.

The services and strategies offered to clients include direct lobbying, third party engagement, policy and strategic communications and issue and policy campaigns.

“At a time in our country when

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long settled policy and civil rights battles are reopening all around us, I’m excited to build a team uniquely positioned for the political and policy fights ahead of us,” said Catlett, who will hold the title of executive vice president and principal of BG Advocacy. “In this landscape, the attacks are sophisticated and traditional tactics alone are insufficient. We must adopt creative approaches to meet the moment.”

NAREB PRESIDENT ON REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY CHANGES

The head of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) said big changes are on the horizon in the real estate industry that will particularly affect Black people in the market for a new home.

“In the near future, the home buying process will undergo significant change, particularly in the dynamics between homebuyers, sellers, and the real estate agents facilitating the transactions,” NAREB President and CEO Courtney Johnson Rose said in a statement on July 10. “These changes, stemming from a potential court case settlement, will redefine how home sellers compensate agents for the buyers of their home. The National Association of

“At a time in our country when long settled policy and civil rights battles are reopening all around us, I’m excited to build a team uniquely positioned for the political and policy fights ahead of us,” said Catlett

Real Estate Brokers wants to assure Black families and individuals that our Realtists, who often represent buyers, will continue to offer exceptional advice and service. These changes could potentially affect the affordability and accessibility of homeownership for Black families, and NAREB is committed to mitigating these impacts.”

Rose noted that the organization, founded in 1947 because Black real estate professionals were barred from joining white organizations of that type, has been a consistent advocate for African American real estate interests.

“We launched the Building Black Wealth Tour, which in less than a year has already hosted over 100 events in communities nationwide, equipping Black consumers with the knowledge, counseling, and guidance they need to become homeowners and start building intergenerational wealth that will strengthen our families and communities,” she said.

Rose said the proposed settlement lets home sellers continue to choose to offer compensation to the buyer agents and brokers. She said compensation offers can help make the homeownership process smoother and more efficient.

Plus, Rose said, the new system “can make the benefits of professional representation, like that reBUSINESS Page 15

3Damara Catlett is the executive vice president and principal of BG Advocacy. (Courtesy Photo/Linkedin)

BUSINESS from Page 14

ceived from Realtists, more accessible to buyers, including first-time home buyers.” She said with savvy counsel, the potential buyer pool can be expanded, which will benefit sellers.

Rose said NAREB Realtists have the best interest of African American homebuyers and homeowners in mind.

“These real estate professionals, who often represent buyers, are your best bet in achieving the American dream of owning a home,” she said. “With their wealth of data and information, they will guide you through the changes and ensure you make informed decisions. We can’t allow the changes dictated by the courts to become new barriers in our quest to increase Black homeownership and build Black wealth.”

MOCO EDC LAUNCHES REDESIGNED WEBSITE

A new and improved website will help people tap into more of Montgomery County Maryland’s businesses. Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) launched its newly redesigned website — thinkmoco. com — with better overall func-

tionality that allows for an enhanced user experience on July 8.

“Our website acts as a digital gateway to MCEDC’s support of business attraction, retention and expansion in Montgomery County and we believe the redesigned site will be an even more valuable resource to support our business objectives,” said MCEDC President and CEO

Bill Tompkins. “The redesigned site will help us communicate our mission and vision more effectively and reach targeted audiences for economic development—showcasing why Montgomery County is the premier location for businesses to thrive.”

The redesigned site features:

• Enhanced functionality such as interactive dashboards, an extensive resource library and refined incentives page.

• Improved user experience such as an intuitive experience with navigation that makes it easier to retrieve information.

• Modern aesthetic featuring a fresh, contemporary look that reinforces the MCEDC brand while delivering a visually appealing experience.

• Mobile optimization with a more responsive design provides a seamless and consistent browsing experience across all devices, so that users can access information on the go.

@JamesWrightJr10

Click. Save. Submit!

It’s not too late to go to college this fall! The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) will provide up to $10,000 a year to help cover tuition at participating colleges and universities.

To be eligible, you must be a DC resident with a high school diploma or GED, and meet a few other requirements.

Click on dconeapp.dc.gov few documents, then submit! Apply by September 6, 2024

5Courtney Johnson Rose is the president and CEO of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. (Courtesy Photo/CourtneyRoseJohnson.com)

NATIONAL

HUD and The Appraisal Foundation Forge Historic Deal to Tackle Racial Inequity in Real Estate Appraisal

By Stacy M. Brown National Reporter

To address systemic racial disparities in the real estate appraisal profession, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today a historic Conciliation Agreement with The Appraisal Foundation (TAF).

TAF, the organization responsible for setting standards and qualifications for real estate appraisers, faced allegations of creating discriminatory barriers that prevent Black individuals and other persons of color from entering the profession, violating the Fair Housing Act.

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the

stark lack of diversity in the appraisal industry, with 94.7% of property appraisers and assessors being white and a mere 0.6% being Black, making it the least racially diverse among 800 surveyed occupations. The Inter-

agency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) warns that this homogeneity contributes to the persistent undervaluation of properties in communities of color, further entrenching the racial wealth gap.

Fannie Mae’s 2021 research underscores this issue, revealing that 12.5% of appraisals in majority-Black neighborhoods and 15.4% in majority-Latino neighborhoods were valued below the contract price, compared to just 7.4% in predominantly White neighborhoods.

The HUD complaint against TAF identified the experience requirement for appraisers as a significant barrier to entry for people of color. This requirement often forces aspiring appraisers to secure supervision from a licensed appraiser, typically someone they know personally, thereby perpetuating a cycle of exclusion. The new agreement aims to dismantle these barriers by providing increased funding for alternative pathways to meet experience requirements, making the profession more accessible and inclusive.

HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman hailed the agreement as a significant victory in the fight against racial bias in home appraisals.

“To eliminate racial and ethnic bias from home appraisals, we must ensure that the industry reflects the diversity of America,” Todman stated. “This historic

agreement will help build a class of appraisers based on merit rather than connections, bringing us closer to eradicating housing discrimination and opening doors of opportunity for all.”

Diane M. Shelley, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, emphasized the agreement’s significance in promoting inclusivity. She thanked Demetria McCain, who initiated the investigation and secured the conciliation. “HUD’s agreement requires policy changes that expand pathways to becoming an appraiser, promoting greater inclusion of Black people and other persons of color,” Shelley said. “This groundbreaking agreement addresses systemic issues that have perpetuated unacceptable inequities in the appraisal industry.”

Melody C. Taylor, executive director of PAVE, highlighted the crucial role of homeownership in addressing the racial wealth gap.

“Homeownership remains a primary driver of wealth disparity, with wide racial and ethnic gaps in homeownership rates and financial returns from owning a home,” Taylor noted. “This Agreement is a significant step forward in cultivating a diverse and well-trained appraiser profession that upholds equal opportunity for all.”

Under the terms of the Agree-

HUD Page 19

5The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today a historic Conciliation Agreement with The Appraisal Foundation to address systemic racial disparities in the real estate appraisal profession. (Courtesy Photo)

Biden Takes Aim at High Rents, Unveils Comprehensive Housing Strategy

By Stacy M. Brown National Reporter

As he continues to battle the twice-impeached and 34-times-convicted felon and Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump, President Joe Biden has not stopped working to improve the lives of the poor, disadvantaged, and disenfranchised. In his latest effort to level the playing field, Biden announced a series of actions to make renting more affordable for millions of Americans.

The President’s plan includes: Legislative Push: Calling on Congress to pass a law forcing corporate landlords to cap rent increases at 5% or lose valuable federal tax breaks.

Public Land Repurposing: Utilizing public land to create up to 15,000 affordable housing units in Nevada.

Housing Rehabilitation: Revitalizing distressed housing and neighborhoods, particularly in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Biden emphasized the urgent need for Congressional action to make the American Dream accessible to more families. His proposed Biden-Harris Housing Plan aims to build 2 million homes and provide $10,000 in mortgage relief, potentially unlocking homeownership for millions. Housing construction has already reached its highest level in over 50 years, with new housing starting up 17% compared to the previous administration.

HOLDING CORPORATE LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE

A significant element of Biden’s

“Corporate landlords have raised rents far beyond their own cost in-

creases, reaping huge profits while millions of Americans struggle to afford their homes,” Biden stated.

The president is urging Congress to pass legislation that gives corporate landlords a choice: cap rent increases at 5% or lose federal tax benefits. This policy would apply to landlords with over 50 units and is designed to stabilize rents while new housing is built.

BIDEN Page 19

plan

cracking down on corporate landlords who have exploited housing shortages by imposing steep rent hikes.

5President Joe Biden announced a series of actions to make renting more affordable for millions of Americans. (WI File

Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

Meet J.D. Vance, Trump’s Running Mate

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

Former President Donald Trump highlighted junior Sen. J.D. Vance (R) of Ohio as the best person to serve as second in command after “lengthy deliberation and thought” on July 15 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump is currently in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention preparing to address the nation publicly after an assassination attempt on his life. Millions offered their condolences after shots rang out at his most recent campaign rally in Butler, Pa. on July 13.

“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance posted on X. “That

rhetoric led directly to President Trump's attempted assassination.”

The 39-year-old Yale Law graduate has proven to be one of his fiercest advocates and thoroughly aligned with Trump’s popular “2024 Make America Great Again.”

The platform serves as an alternative to Project 2025 which Trump claims to have no knowledge of.

The 20 point plan aims to conduct the largest deportation in American history including “proHamas radicals” on college campuses, defund schools teaching critical race theory, modernizing the military, tax cuts for workers, no tax on tips and rebuilding of cities like Washigton, D.C.

Vance, who formerly served as a combat correspondent or military journalist in the U.S. marine corps, just completed his first year in any government role.

Despite this he has succeeded in the private sector as a venture capitalist, and is gaining recognition among conservative leaders.

Vance lists issues like inflation, energy independence, solving the southern border crises and manufacturing improvements as top concerns on his website. In previ-

ous weeks, Trump has hammered down on these issues and presented solutions endorsed by the GOP.

In Congress, the Ohio senator has been working toward the Dismantle DEI Act, which he introduced with Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas). The bill seeks to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion

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programs in the federal government.

Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives also known as DEI seek to introduce representation of individuals differing in race, ethnicity and sexual identity on a leadership level within companies. Recently, GOP par -

ty leaders have pushed back on DEI programs with repeals to funding and education on the topic.

“The DEI agenda is a destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division,” Vance released in a statement.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 40-2024

Healthcare Pilot Program for On-Site Primary Healthcare for DCHA Properties

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) invites interested licensed organizations who will provide and implement a pilot program to include on-site primary care and nursing services to DCHA Properties.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Monday, July 15, 2024, on DCHA’s website at www.dchousing.org under “Business” and “Solicitations”.

SEALED BID RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 11:00 AM.

Email LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod, Contract Specialist at LMMCLEOD@dchousing.org with copy to business@dchousing.org for additional information.

5J.D. Vance, Republican Vice Presidential Candidate, gave his first speech since being named the running mate of former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, July 17, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Courtesy Photo/X, @DrSchwertner)

HUD from Page 16

ment, TAF will establish a $1.22 million scholarship fund to cover costs for aspiring appraisers attending the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) programs. These programs provide an alternative pathway to meet state licensure experience requirements. The agreement also includes:

• Provisions for marketing the PAREA program and scholarship fund to diverse communities.

• Evaluating the effectiveness of this marketing.

• Collaborating with state and territory appraiser regulatory

from Page 17

PROTECTING RENTERS AND EXPANDING HOUSING SUPPLY

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) will introduce new protections for renters in multifamily properties financed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These include a mandatory 30-day notice before rent increases, lease expirations, and a five-day grace period for late fees.

REPURPOSING PUBLIC LAND

FOR HOUSING

The administration is also repurposing federal land to build thousands of affordable homes.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will sell 20 acres of public land to Clark County, Nevada, at below-market rates, enabling the construction of nearly 150 affordable homes. Additionally, 562.5 acres in Southern Nevada have been identified for potential housing projects, which could create up to 15,000 new units.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) will lease land for workforce housing and repurpose surplus properties for housing developments.

COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION

HUD is announcing $325 mil-

agencies for the program’s adoption.

Although HUD did not issue findings before the agreement and the deal does not constitute admissions by TAF of any violations, it represents an enforceable resolution to dismantle long-standing barriers and foster greater diversity and equity within the appraisal industry.

Individuals who believe they are victims of housing discrimination can contact HUD at (800) 966-9777 (voice) or (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Additional information is available at HUD’s fair housing website. WI

@StacyBrownMedia

lion in Choice Neighborhoods grants to build new affordable homes, spur economic development, and revitalize communities nationwide.

These grants will fund the construction of over 6,500 units and leverage $2.65 billion in additional investments. Cities such as Las Vegas, Syracuse, Chattanooga, and Miami are among the recipients.

LEGISLATIVE ROADBLOCKS AND REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION

Despite these initiatives, Republicans in Congress have blocked Biden’s housing agenda. Efforts to cut rental assistance and programs that lower mortgage costs have been stymied, and Senate Republicans are currently holding up a bipartisan bill to help build 200,000 affordable homes.

Biden remains committed to his housing goals, stressing the importance of Congressional support. Experts said the President’s ambitious plans likely would be repealed under a potential Trump administration where the conservative Project 2025 would make America devastatingly cruel to people with low incomes and disenfranchised, as well as the middle class and most African Americans, Latinos, LGBTQ, and other minorities.

“We must stand up to corporate landlords and build more homes to lower rents,” Biden asserted. WI @StacyBrownMedia

Click. Save. Submit!

It’s not too late to go to college this fall! The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) will provide up to $10,000 a year to help cover tuition at participating colleges and universities.

To be eligible, you must be a DC resident with a high school diploma or GED, and meet a few other requirements.

Click on dconeapp.dc.gov, upload a few documents, then submit! Apply by September 6, 2024.

BIDEN

INTERNATIONAL

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, head of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has received a request from the African Group to run for a second term, according to a document released on Friday and cited by Reuters.

Before Cameroon hosts the next important ministerial meeting, it is imperative that the accomplishments obtained during her tenure be advanced, according to a document submitted by Chad.

n Banners

n Canvas Bags

n Color Copies

n Contracts & Vouchers

“The African Group is of the view that it would be in the best interest of the Organization if the process of reappointment were to start early,” the statement read.

The African group consists of nine observers and 44 African WTO members. Typically, a single coordinator or negotiation team is used to represent the whole group.

When a WTO screening team proposed Okonjo-Iweala for the CEO job in October – a decision that required consensus – she faced resistance from the U.S. administration, led by former President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration announced its support for the former Nigerian Finance Minister to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization after South Korea’s trade minister Yoo Myung-hee withdrew, making room for Okonjo-Iweala to assume the role of director-general of the global trade group.

The ruling brought the United States into line with most of the rest of the world, breaking with the Trump administration’s objection to Okonjo-Iweala.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance specialist, economist, and international development professional, with over 40 years of experience in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

Being the first woman to fill both roles, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister twice (from 2003 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2015) and as Foreign Minister for a brief period in 2006.

She is well known for putting into place significant reforms that improved these ministries’ efficacy as well as the government’s general operation.

She also had a stellar 25-year career as a development economist at the World Bank, finally becoming the Managing Director of Operations. In her dual roles as Finance Minister and Development Economist.

The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) has announced the appointment of Dr. Mohammad Rafik Nagdee as its new executive director, effective Aug. 6, Barbados Today reported on Saturday, July 13.

Dr Nagdee, a Barbadian national, emerged as the successful candidate during a rigorous three-stage recruitment process that was initiated in 2023.

Nagdee has a wealth of experience and a proven track record in climate change diplomacy, strategic planning, and the mobilization of resources toward environmental sustainability and energy security in the Caribbean.

He previously served as the Head of the Nature, Climate, and Energy Programme at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi-Country Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. During his tenure at the UNDP, he successfully led the development and channeling of new resources for sustainable development projects and initiatives in the region.

With a PhD in Natural Resource Management from the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, Nagdee also brings a robust academic foundation to his new role. His background includes extensive involvement with global environmental funds, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

“Dr. Nagdee’s appointment comes at a crucial time for The CCREEE as we strive to improve our region’s energy security and its resilience to the climate crisis,” said Dr. James Fletcher, chairman of CCREEE. “His impressive track record in resource mobilization, his experience in strategic project coordination, and his ability to manage multiple stakeholder relationships assure us that The CCREEE’s leadership is in capable hands.”

5Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala serves as director-general of the World Trade Organization. (Courtesy Photo)

5Dr Mohammad Nagdee, a Barbadian national, emerged as the successful candidate during a rigorous three-stage recruitment process that was initiated in December 2023. (Courtesy Photo)

“This time, it’s TREATMENT WORKS.

HEALTH

Black Health Connect: Working to Improve Health Care, Foster Partnerships in Africa

Eden Harris WI Contributing Writer

Through panels, workshops and celebrations, the second annual Black Health Connect conference, held July 11-14 in Washington, D.C., offered a safe space to discuss health care challenges within the African diaspora, and worked to create solutions to fix these problems.

Improving health care equity and creating a networking system that allows the African diaspora to communicate is one of the organization’s main goals, according to Dr. Rashad M. Abdallah, a clinical pharmacist and director of Black Health Connect Africa.

Abdallah told The Informer he and his team have been speaking directly to the communities they are working to help.

“[We met with] community leaders to figure out, 'how can we make it better'" said Abdallah, who hosted a panel during the conference entitled “Black Health Connect Goes International,” on July 12.

There’s a lot of work needed to “better” health equity in Africa.

According to the International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), over 600 million people in Africa still don't have access to primary health care.

However, Black Health Connect and organizations such as The Distant Relatives Project, a local nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., are working to improve such numbers. In January 2024, the local organization, in collaboration with Ghanaian artist King Promise, conducted health screenings in Teshie, Ghana.

During the “Black Health Connect

health care on

Goes International” panel, William K. Asiedu, founder of The Distant Relatives Project, offered advice for beginning work in Africa. He emphasized the need to truly learn about and engage with African people and cultures.

“There is a cultural barrier that you have to overcome,” Asiedu explained during the panel. “The most basic advice I can give you is to try the food, party, get to know the people and why they are stuck in their ways of doing things."

Jacqueline Idun, a family nurse practitioner and director of communication and international affairs at the Ghanaian Diaspora Nursing

Alliance, encouraged the crowd to partner with people who know the community when working in Africa.

She shared her own experiences in health care, such as collaborating with a non-Black doctor who has been working with Ghanaian pediatric patients for more than five years. Because her team is new, Idun is taking note, listening and partnering with the longtime doctor to provide the best care.

"These kids come [to the clinic], and when you ask them questions, they will tell you [a diagnosis], and that's not necessary what it is,” Idun explained.

Panelist Tambra Raye Stevenson, CEO of Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA), noted that Black Americans and Africans must consider a critical commonality between themselves: they both are "ingrained with a mindset of internalized oppression and extraction.”

"We have to humble ourselves when we go to the continent and [understand] that we've all been impacted, on both sides, of the Atlantic," Stevenson said.

As organizations and health care practitioners take time to humbly learn and connect with various African cultures, access to health care is also improving. More than 400 members of Accra, Ghana’s Nima community have undergone screening, and an additional 54 patients have been referred for emergency services and follow-ups, according to Black Health Connect Africa, Dr. Abdallah told The Informer

his team plans to visit Ghana every year and will continue improving the country's health care systems while in the United States.

WHY IS BLACK HEALTH CONNECT IMPORTANT?

As Black Health Connect works to address issues in health care across the African diaspora, the conference also aims to build community, cement partnerships and foster changemakers.

"We have more strategic partners that can help us invest more into our community,” said Duclas "Duke" Charles, founder and executive director of Black Health Connect. “I want to keep doing what we are doing through creating opportunities for people to come together, giving people the right tools to better themselves as professionals.”

For Asiedu, Black Health Connect stands out from other conferences because of its distinct focus on meaningful work rather than merely networking or talking about problems. Black Health Connect offers opportunities to create lasting solutions.

"I know the founder, I know Black Health Connect, I know the mission, I've worked with them previously and I know they are committed to continuous community engagement," Asiedu told The Informer. "So for me, it's about being a part of this movement and being a part of the trailblazers that are leading the way to a better Africa, a better Caribbean and a better Black community as a whole."

5The second annual Black Health Connect conference was held in D.C. July 11-14. Black Health Connect Africa hosted a panel on improving

the continent, focusing on building viable partnerships among locals. (Eden Harris/The Washington Informer)

5Dr. Rashad M. Abdallah, clinical pharmacist and director of Black Health Connect Africa, in Nima, a town in Accra, Ghana, on December 28, 2023. (Courtesy Photo)

Clarifying Common Misconceptions: Black Americans Must Protect

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

Extreme heat can cause negative health implications for everyone-that’s right, all people.

Less than a month into the summer season, the District has faced scorching hot temperatures, causing D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to activate heat emergencies and encourage residents to protect themselves from the dangers associated with the hot weather.

“During extreme heat, people should limit their time outdoors,” according to a press release from the Mayor’s Office.

While there are many health risks from heat, including heat exhaustion, stroke, and sunburn, skin cancer can also be a real threat. While there are many misconceptions about how the sun affects the body, experts are working to help raise awareness about proper skin care, keep people safe and address cancer risks in darker complexions.

MELANOMA AND BLACK AMERICANS

Although longtime myths and bad rumors say otherwise, Black people must protect their skin from the sun too.

While Black people are less likely to develop melanoma, a type of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes of the skin, than non-Hispanic White people, they statistically show a lower five-year survival rate if they do. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), lifetime risk of getting melanoma is roughly 3% (1 in 33) for white people compared to 0.1% (1 in 1000) for Black people, and 0.5% (1 in 200) for Hispanic people.

Despite such low rates, Black Americans must still pay attention to what’s happening with their skin.

“People of all colors, including those with brown and Black skin, get skin cancer. Even if you never sunburn, you can get skin cancer,” the AADA stated.

Skin cancer is often more challenging to detect among dark skin tones, as it can present as patches, discoloration, or dark spots, making it extremely critical for those with darker

Their Skin Too

skin to perform regular skin checks.

“When skin cancer develops in people of color, it’s often in a late stage when diagnosed,” according to the AADA. “This can be deadly when the person has melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can spread quickly. Treatment for any type of skin cancer can be difficult in the late stages.”

CLARIFYING COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

A common belief is that melanin, the pigment that darkens skin, naturally protects Black skin from Ultraviolet (UV) rays, preventing any negative effects from the sun. However, skin experts like Dr. Yolanda Holmes, a board-certified dermatologist and surgeon in the Washington, D.C. area, offered insight as to how these perceptions can put Black people at risk, particularly as it relates to using sunscreen.

“I think the perception that [Black people] don't need sunscreen is because we have a very low incidence of skin cancer. It's not impossible, and a lot of the cancers that we develop are in non sun-exposed areas, but because of that, they can be very advanced when they're detected,” Holmes told The Informer. “However, I always encourage people to use sunscreens, because not only does the sun cause fine lines and wrinkles on our skin, it also causes dark spots and it makes us look older than we are if our skin is exposed to the sun and not protected.”

Dermatologists suggest that the melanin of a person of African descent blocks UVlight up to SPF 13, which is not as strong as sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

“I think the recommendation from the dermatological standpoint is that you use SPF 30 but that you reapply it as necessary,” said Holmes.

While sunscreen is a helpful protectant against skin cancer, regular skin checks whether through self-examinations or a doctor visit are imperative to knowing the health of your skin, particularly if you see any unusual growths or changes including dark spots, sores that won’t heal, or a patch of skin that feels dry or rough.

Dangers of skin cancer are not the only skin problems that folks should work to prevent this summer. A rising heat index can also make skin more susceptible to sunburn, acne breakouts, dry skin, folliculitis (infected hair follicles), heat rash, and even infections from a manicure or pedicure, as the process can expose your skin and cuticles to germs that can cause an infection.

“While these summer skin problems can dampen your fun, they’re usually not serious. Most go away in a few days to a few weeks,” according to the AADA. “If a rash or other skin problem lingers or worsens, you should call your dermatologist’s office.”

LIFE CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE

5Dr. Yolanda Holmes, a board-certified dermatologist and surgeon in the Washington, D.C. area emphasized the importance of Black Americans caring for their skin. (Courtesy Photo)

EARTH OUR

Study Exposes Stark Inequities in Heat-Related Health Emergencies Among Black Residents

By Stacy M. Brown Naational Writer

The Washington, D.C. metro continued to experience oppressive heat and humidity, with highs in the upper 90s and heat index readings that may reach 110 degrees.

For parts of central and southern Maryland, parts of the northern neck of Virginia, and the District, an excessive heat warning is in force from noon until 8 p.m. in the evening.

It’s predicted that the extremely hot weather will last until Thursday before some relief arrives on Friday in the form of showers. However, any respite will be fleeting. On Sunday, the heat and humidity are back. Monday and Tuesday might see temperatures as high as 100 degrees. Reportedly, heat-related exposure has resulted in the deaths of at least nine people.

The sweltering weather comes as a study published in the scientific journal GeoHealth revealed that Black communities experience a higher incidence of heat-related illnesses during the warmer months, a situation exacerbated by historical underinvestment in their neighborhoods.

The study found that climate change is raising average global temperatures, with certain neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia, experiencing hotter temperatures due to the urban heat island effect. Black and low-income neighborhoods have been particularly vulnerable because of this effect and the legacy of racially motivated urban planning.

The study notes that “hotter, less resourced neighborhoods experience more heat-related health emergencies like heat stroke and heat exhaustion.”

Researchers reportedly employed a demographic and spatial analysis of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data to explore the relationship between heat health emergencies and intra-urban heat islands in Richmond.

The study identified significant correlations between the locations of these emergencies and urban heat islands. It also highlighted the need for more refuge facilities like public transit infrastructure, libraries, and government cooling centers to protect individuals with limited mobility in the most affected areas.

Peter Braun, a built environment

policy analyst with the Richmond and Henrico Health District, emphasized the critical role of community involvement in mitigating extreme heat threats.

“Spending just a few hours at a cooling center can help prevent heat-related illnesses, but a lot of Richmonders might not know these cooling centers exist, or they might not have a safe way to get there,” Braun told the Virginia Mercury.

The new research builds on earlier work by Jeremy Hoffman, director of climate justice and impact at Groundwork USA, who identified the lack of cooling centers in historically underinvested areas like Southside Richmond. Hoffman’s previous research found that only one cooling center is available in this area, further heightening the vulnerability of its residents.

The sweltering weather comes as a study published in the scientific journal GeoHealth revealed that Black communities experience a higher incidence of heatrelated illnesses during the warmer months, a situation exacerbated by historical underinvestment in their neighborhoods.

In a parallel development, the Biden administration has proposed a rule to protect workers from heat exposure. The proposed rule includes two heat index triggers: at 80 degrees, employers would need to provide drinking water and rest breaks, while at 90 degrees, additional measures such as monitoring for heat illness and mandatory breaks would be required. This proposal faces significant resistance from various industries and is likely to be finalized after 2026. If implemented, the rule could be transformative for workers, especially in the South, where agricultural and construction workers are most at risk. Data reveals that Southern states, including Mississippi, Arkansas, Nevada, West Virginia, and South Carolina, have the high-

est rates of heat-related workplace deaths. As climate change drives temperatures higher, more parts of the United States are expected to meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) heat triggers, necessitating more extended periods of employer accommodations.

According to a published report, “Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show that, from 1992 to 2019, an average of 32 workers died from heat-related causes annually. There were 43 such deaths in 2022, up from 36 in 2021. But workplace data aside, deaths from heat in the United States have steadily increased in recent years.

An estimated 2,300 people died from heat-related illness in 2023.”

Meanwhile, the GeoHealth study also reviewed the accessibility of cooling centers and public transit in Richmond, finding that over half of the heat-related illnesses occurred within a 1.4-kilometer walk of these centers.

The Mercury reported that the Greater Richmond Transit Company’s buses, of which only 5% have shaded shelters, offer zero-fare service to help mitigate the heat exposure risk.

The findings from GeoHealth underscore the urgency of adequate and equitable heat mitigation strategies.

“Having access to cooling options is a matter of life and death,” Hoffman said.

@StacyBrownMedia

5 GeoHealth revealed that Black communities experience a higher incidence of heat-related illnesses during the warmer months, a situation exacerbated by historical underinvestment in their neighborhoods. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

Summer Heat is Often Felt Most in Black and Brown Communities

By Willy Blackmore Word in Black

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

June 2024 was the hottest June on record, a milestone that can easily get lost in the seemingly endless stream of hottest months ever. But the month was also a little bit different: it beat the record set in June 2023, the month that began, what came to be, the hottest full year ever recorded.

Now, with scorching temperatures throughout the United States and across other parts of the northern hemisphere, there’s a distinct possibility that June 2024 could be the beginning of an even hotter hottest year ever.

News that we’ve tipped past one calendar year of record heat, which comes from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, follows news that June was also the 12th straight month when global temperatures were above the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold that the world agreed we needed to stay below in order to avoid the worst catastrophes of climate change.

In the Western U.S. alone — where the current heat wave sent temperatures in California’s Death Valley soaring toward 130 degrees— it’s estimated that at least 30 people died from heat-related issues during the first weeks of July. The “at least” is a very big caveat: it’s widely understood that such deaths are almost always undercounted due to the varied and oftentimes complex ways that heat can cause deadly health problems.

The deadliest form of extreme weather, heat can be dangerous for anyone, but it is often unevenly felt. Formerly redlined communities of color are significantly hotter than whiter, more well-off parts of the same cities, which tend to have less heat-absorbing blacktop asphalt and more trees. One study found that the temperature in a redlined neighborhood can

be anywhere from 5 to 20 degrees hotter, which truly can be a difference of life or death.

All of which does not encourage any comforting thoughts about the future of, well, anything. But while there is a chance that 2024 could out-bake 2023, it’s important to remember that what we’re experiencing right now — the heatwaves, the heat-related deaths they cause, the wetter winters and the floods that come with them — are in a way a preview of what’s to

While human-caused climate change is a factor in the extreme weather that the world has experienced since last June, the effects of a historically strong El Nino weather system also plays a role.

The weather phenomenon causes hotter and drier weather for most of the United States (except for California and other parts of the southwest, which get far more rain during El Nino years).

If we don’t want to have this, and much worse, we need to do so much more to halt any continued emissions from burning fossil fuels.

EDUCATION

NationHouse from Page 1

and supporting other African-centered organizations,” Jones said. “Because my children are Jamaican, they grew up with Rastafari. They know who they are and what they should be doing. You have that reinforcement at NationHouse with the intergenerational transmission and then your own self-determination and willpower.”

Destiny Nyala spent her preschool, elementary and middle school years at NationHouse before graduating in 2011, paving the way for her younger siblings DeAngelo Kwabena and Dennis Kwame Jones-Sharpe.

Dennis Kwame graduated from NationHouse in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Like their older sister, he and DeAngelo Kwabena embraced their West African middle names, wore African garb, spoke Kiswahili, and immersed themselves in daily customs and curricula that centered on figures, culture, and history of the African Diaspora.

Jones said such an experience further anchored her in D.C.’s African-centered community as she continued to attend events, design jewelry, adopt ancient African customs, and form bonds with like-minded parents.

“I just felt even more empowered as a parent,” Jones told The Informer. “Seeing all the beautiful children wearing color in an educational space. It

was everything I had ever hoped for.”

When DeAngelo Kwabena matriculates to a Prince George's County public high school next year, he will be following in the footsteps of his older siblings, both of whom went on to graduate high school with flying colors.

Dennis Kwame will start his freshman year this fall at Morgan State University in Baltimore while his older sister continues her graduate studies at American University in Northwest. Those outcomes, their mother said, serve as a testament to NationHouse’s significance throughout the generations.

“Our children do have these distractions, but there are institutions that reinforce what they want for you,” Jones said. “That’s what I wanted -- reinforcement. I’m just happy that they have that foundation. My children want to come back to serve the school even after they’ve graduated.”

LOOKING BACK: NATIONHOUSE CELEBRATES

50 YEARS

On June 8, Jones’ family counted among those who attended a gala in celebration of NationHouse’s 50th anniversary.

The gala, which took place at the Silver Spring Civic Center at Veter-

ans Plaza in Silver Spring, Maryland, attracted four generations of NationHouse students, parents, teachers, alumni and other community members who traveled from different parts of the country to attend the festivities. It also culminated an academic year that included NationHouse’s annual Kwanzaa program, the 35th annual Ankobea Sankofa Conference, and NationHouse’s participation in a chess tournament that commemorated the Bolling v. Sharpe Supreme Court decision.

The program opened with pouring of libation and a singing of the Black National Anthem by NationHouse students and Akua Allrich, a soul singer who’s also a NationHouse instructor-administrator and 1996 high school graduate. Yaa-Asantewa Akoto,

NationHouse’s second-generation senior director and 1984 middle school graduate, later acknowledged NationHouse co-founders Akua Akoto, Kehembe Eichelberger, and Akili Ron Anderson.

Other special guests that evening included Roots Public Charter School founder Dr. Bernida L. Thompson and principal Rashiki Kuykendall, and Dr. El Senzengakulu Zulu, founder of Ujamaa Shule, each of whom listened intently as Nkechi Taifa, an attorney, reparations advocate and former NationHouse teacher, gave the keynote address.

Allrich, accompanied by her band, The Tribe, later performed a few musical numbers of her own as guests enjoyed a Diasporic African cuisine catered by Down to Mama’s Backyard BBQ, based in Clinton, Maryland.

Meanwhile, her husband, DJ Baba Asukile Allrich, kept the sounds of the African Diaspora emanating through the space as a montage of throwback photos and videos played on a projector.

For Anderson, as a co-founder, the occasion evoked thoughts of a legacy that must be preserved and built upon by future generations.

“You can’t guarantee what’s going to happen in life but you want to at least continue to make a contribution with history,” said Anderson, a visual artist whose catalog includes sculptures, paintings and theater sets.

Anderson, a Cardozo High School alumnus and Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA)’ founding visual

arts department chair, channeled his passion for set design as a member of NATION: Afrikan Liberation Arts Ensemble, a group he formed with Nana Kwame Agyei Akoto and Eichelberger. He also served as an instructor at NationHouse before becoming a full-time faculty member in Howard University’s (HU) Department of Art.

As someone who saw NationHouse at its inception, Anderson said he valued collaborating with, and gleaning wisdom from, other African-centered independent schools that had membership in the Council of Independent Black Institutions, the entity under which Pan-African schools in the U.S. have unified since the 1970s.

“People see what worked, what didn’t work and what were the lessons learned so you don’t keep reinventing the wheel,” Anderson said. “You don’t want to expose everything, but [you do want] to pass on the knowledge of institution building so [future generations] can start at a higher place with institutions and in our personal development.”

A FAMILY-CENTERED INSTITUTION BORN OUT OF A MOVEMENT

Long before NationHouse’s 1974 inception, Agyei and Akua Akoto, along with Kehembe Eichelberger and Akili Ron Anderson bonded around their love for African people and a deNationHouse Page 27

5 (L-R) NationHouse co-founders Akili Ron Anderson, Kehembe Eichelberger, Akua Akoto,, and Nana Kwame Ageyi Akoto (Courtesy Photo)

NationHouse from Page 26

sire to build institutions that ensured Pan-African self-determination.

Throughout the 1960s, this quartet developed academically, socially, culturally and politically at HU, based in Northwest. During a period of political turmoil, they spent time with Pan-African organizer Kwame Ture, psychiatrist Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, poet-folklorist-literary critic Sterling Brown and other notable scholars.

They also counted among those who incited calls for Black arts and African studies programs at HU and hosted study circles.

During those study circles, the Akotos, Eichelberger and Anderson often explored the question of an institution they could establish to help African people. As Eichelberger told The Informer, the group settled on creating an independent African-centered school after Yaa-Asantewa Akoto, the Akoto’s first child, brought home an Easter-themed homework assignment.

“We just didn’t want to see bunny rabbits,” said Eichelberger, currently an associate professor of classical and jazz voice in HU’s College of Fine Arts. “We wanted to teach who we were and celebrate the freedom fighters. We wanted to maintain family, no matter what.”

After negotiating a lease in 1972, the Akotos, Eichelberger and Anderson started working on 503 Park Road NW, an abandoned, semi-attached row house. After several months of renovations, NationHouse Watoto School opened on July 1, 1974 with eight students -- including Yaa-Asantewa Akoto.

From NationHouse’s founding until 1986, Eichelberger played a prominent role as an administrator and cook. That’s when she said she saw a tsunami of support, locally and nationally, for the independent African-centered school. Supporters, she noted, included a District family court judge who referred students to NationHouse, along with Ed Love, scholar-activist Dr. Acklyn Lynch, Dr. Ronald W. Walters and Dr. Cornel West who made at least one financial contribution.

By 1982, when the founders acquired, renovated and fully furnished another property, 770 Park Road NW, the student body grew to 60. In the early 1990s, NationHouse had more than 180 students between two buildings. All the while, Akoto had

his sights set on further expanding the web of protection around children and families. In 1989, he, along with Eichelberger and a cadre of men and women in the community, created the Ankobea Abusua Society, an African-centered rites-of-passage program, in response to intracommunity violence that claimed the lives of NationHouse alumni.

Eichelberger said that Akoto navigated his responsibilities as NationHouse’s executive director with a love for family and community. “The generations of families, the commitment of teachers, the idea and the spirit,” Eichelberger said. “And Baba Agyei being the headmaster. Punching that nail in the ground. He was our spiritual duct tape and nail to keep things together.”

Obi Holly, NationHouse’s first male middle school graduate, credits NationHouse with boosting his reading fluency and inspiring the self-confidence that he lost when he had to repeat a grade at Janney Elementary School in the 1970s.

“The genius was that they kept me in my proper grade for my age -- and that changed my life,” said Holly, a rapper and award-winning television producer. “They saw me struggling in math and reading but wanted to… be around the proper social group while taking a class here and there. I was placed in an area that made sense for me and got me on… grade [level] by high school.”

Read more on washingtoninformerocom. @SamPKCollins

5 Obi Holly, NationHouse’s first male middle school graduate and producer of HBCUGO.tv’s “Spade ASpade,” won an Emmy in 2023. (Courtesy Photo)

“This time, it’s different.” TREATMENT WORKS. RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE.

Free substance use disorder treatment available 7 days a week

Three medications to help

Better coordinated treatment services

Peer counselors who have been there

Transportation, recovery housing, and more

Trump Assassination Attempt Should Spark

Republicans to Work with Democrats to Combat Gun Violence

It has been 43 years since the assassination attempt against President Ronald Reagan, 56 years since presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down, and almost 61 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Sadly, presidential assassinations, however infrequent, are an integral part of American history.

Recently, former President Donald J. Trump was the victim of an assassination attempt.

Unfortunately, after Trump was shot, his allies, rather than issue a call to work with the White House and Democrats to develop and pass meaningful gun control reform legislation, accused President Biden and his supporters of creating a political environment that resulted in the attempt on the former president’s life.

For example, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted on the social platform X, “Someone just tried to ASSASSINATE President Trump. The Democrats and media are to blame for every drop of blood spilled today. For years and years, they have demonized him and his supporters.”

Not quite, Marjorie!

Trump, with your tacit support and encouragement, has been instrumental in creating the hostile and divisive political environment that currently exists in America.

Where was the former president’s concern about political violence when a Trump supporter attacked former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband? After breaking into their home in San Francisco, he savagely beat Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull and nearly killing him.

However, instead of condemning the attack against Pelosi's then-83-year-old husband, Trump publicly mocked the attack. For example, in a speech at the California Republican Fall Convention, Trump said he “would stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi,” later asking the crowd, “How’s her husband by the way?”

Many in the crowd laughed. Did Trump scold his supporters who laughed? No!

After Trump was shot, former Speaker Pelosi publicly commented, “I thank God that former President Trump is safe. As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that those in attendance at the former president’s rally are unharmed.”

According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), “The country is still averaging over one mass shooting per day per year and could break over 500 mass shootings for the fifth year in a row.”

Imagine how the political temperature in America would be lowered if Biden and Trump worked as a united front to bring down gun violence in America. Unfortunately, it is too late for 3-year-old Ty’ah Settles, who was shot and killed in Southeast, D.C. last May. But not for other potential innocent shooting victims.

May the assassination attempt on Trump force all Americans – including him - to return to civility in our political dialogues and finally stand up to the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Before it’s too late. WI

Banning or Limiting Cell Phones in Schools Should be the Decision of Educators, Not Politicians

As children continue to enjoy summer vacation, educators are already making plans for the fall in hopes of raising test scores, incorporating AI into classrooms and improving the educational experience for each and every student.

However, one potential change to students’ day-to-day activities that’s garnered criticism and concern is the recent executive order, issued by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, to limit or ban cell phone use for the Commonwealth’s nearly 1.2 million public school students. Youngkin says he wants to improve student

Rest in heavenly peace to the three football players killed in Maryland. What a senseless and tragic accident. I pray for peace and justice for the families.

Merle Williams Bowie, Md.

mental health and safety while also improving academic performance for underachieving adolescents.

And the governor isn’t playing around, giving the Virginia Department of Education less than a month, Aug. 15, to come up with a rough draft of procedures that would restrict cell phone use during instructional time and until Sept. 16 to issue final recommendations on the new policy that schools would be required to implement by Jan. 1, 2025.

Studies show that cell phones can be detrimental to students’ learning and mental health, leading other school districts to take action. The Angeles Unified School District already bans cell phones during school hours and New York Public Schools are working to implement one. Dozens of reputable studies which indicate that cell phone use in class impacts students’ ability to focus and engage, resulting in lower grades. And with the proliferation of social media in children’s lives, the American Psychological Association, as Youngkin noted, found that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media double their risk of poor mental health.

I’m not understanding the calls for President Biden to step down just because he didn’t have a good showing in the recent debate. What good would that do? Who will that help? To me, it would be giving the election to the Republican party. I’m glad that Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to the presidential race.

Tamala Short

Washington, D.C.

Still, do politicians have the kind of insight and experience needed to develop and implement best practices for public school students? The issue of limiting or banning cell phone use during instructional time should be solved by those who have the appropriate qualifications: educators.

Like it or not, there are just as many good reasons for banning cell phones for students as there are bad ones. Either way, we cannot ignore the fact that cell phones have become an integral part of all people’s lives– from preschoolers to retirees.

Cell phones have become an extension of arms for many, but adults and parents realize that there needs to be some balance, and some limits, so students can better learn, listen and interact with their teachers and classmates. Nonetheless, shouldn’t it be up to educators to determine the proper balance of cell phone usage in the classroom.

Youngkin may have the best of intentions, but the best way to help young learners learn more effectively is to allow educators, not politicians, to sort it out.

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

The Scratch Line

My dear and much beloved preacher-teacher friend and spiritual mentor Dr. Samuel DeWitt

Proctor was a great president of a historically Black college, a Peace Corps leader in Africa, and pastor of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York. He preached a great sermon at Children's Defense Fund (CDF)-Alex

Haley Farm's opening as a center for servant leadership development and advocacy for children and young people. As we prepare Alex Haley Farm for CDF's annual Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry, Sam Proctor's words from that day resonate again — reminding us that even though we all enter the world in the same hypothetical starting position, "we do not all start at the same scratch line."

He said: "You were born here owning nothing, having earned

Guest Columnist

Marian Wright Edelman

nothing, just born! There you are, helpless! You are indebted to everybody — but some of us opened our eyes and saw nothing but blessings just dumping on us. I opened my eyes and there was Herbert and Velma and my grandma Hattie — a slave in Chesterfield County [who graduated from Hampton Institute] in 1882 — smiling on me. How in the world could I lose? Taught me how to read and sing four-part harmony before I ever got to school; taught me how to play the clarinet and the piano

Stop the Lynching of President Joe Biden

days to the lynch mob-like escalation of calls for President Joe Biden to step down from campaigning for reelection in 2024. I am not representing any organization or political party.

There are moments in life when the convictions of the spirit and personal consciousness collide in opposition to the mainstream, popular outcries for the blood, life and the end of the future existence of another human being. I refuse to be a silent witness to another lynching in America. Thus, the following is what I have observed and witnessed firsthand over the past

On the 4th of July 2024, while sitting quietly in Raleigh, North Carolina, I jotted down my personal views.

Although I am a proud Democrat, I am so saddened by the backstabbing cowardice of those who dare to publicly call for President Biden to step down while having an utter contradictory refusal to utter publicly any call for former President Donald

Guest Columnist

"The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land but has the lowest ethical standards, which means payto-play billionaires, right-wing dark money groups and carbon-emitting special interests have freedom to purchase the best justice money can buy. Congress can't stand idly by as this emboldened and imperious Court pursues a lawless right-wing agenda

and strips our citizens of their Constitutional rights."

— U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin

Several paragraphs into a media account of the many undisclosed and unethical gifts Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted — including a yacht trip to Russia and a helicopter flight to Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg — is a simple, but chilling phrase: "It's unclear whether Thomas met with Putin."

Did a member of the nation's

and made me go to Sunday school. Daddy didn't send us, Daddy took us to Sunday school. If there was nobody in the Sunday school but one person, that would've been my daddy with his six little children there in the Sunday school at the Bank Street Baptist Church. That's what I inherited! I didn't earn it. You can't get that with a Visa card. It was given to me."

He continued: "Now, all through my neighborhood, there were other young fellas. I could remember all of them. Daddies were drunk half

the time, they didn't read in their homes, nobody went to Sunday school, none of that. They started life below the scratch line. I started life way above the scratch line. Everywhere I went, someone said, 'Aren't you Ms. Hattie's grandson?' 'Are you Herbert's boy?' Skipped three grades. I never was in the 3rd grade to 5th grade or 7th grade. Everything smiling on me. Finished high school at 15, went on to college on a scholarship.

EDELMAN Page 53

Trump to step down and to end his fascist-engaging campaign to retake the White House. The question is why? The attempted political lynching of President Joe Biden has more to do with disingenuous political infighting than difficulties at a nationally televised political debate. What are the real motives from all of those who are calling for President Biden to step down?

Some will say that my words and expressions here are too strong and controversial. That may be true because there should be strong words

and expressions that always should call out and condemn any form of lynching. A political lynching is also a crime against the oneness of our humanity. Such is the situation today in America. It is the politics of division versus the politics of unifying all Americans for the best interests and future of the nation that is on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. Justice is on the ballot. Equality is on the ballot. Equity is on the ballot. Freedom is on the ballot.

The antidote to the current resurgence of ignorance, racism, coward-

ice, fascism and retrenchment from freedom, justice, equality and equity is to work hard daily and diligently to ensure the largest voter turnout this year in American history. Why do I claim responsibility for urgently making this statement on July 4, 2024? African Americans, like others who fought and died in the fields and streets in the 13 American colonies during the Revolutionary War against the British Empire 248 years ago, have a birthright to the Declaration of

highest court, entrusted to ensure fair and free elections, meet with the corrupt tyrant who directed the most elaborate election sabotage operation in American history? It's unclear. It's an extraordinary commentary on the depths to which the integrity of the Supreme Court has sunk.

What is clear is that Thomas and his equally unethical colleague, Justice Samuel Alito, are not fit to serve on the Supreme Court. The effort to remove them from the

bench, formally launched in Congress this week, is unlikely to succeed in a House of Representatives in thrall to its most extreme rightwing members. But that does not negate the responsibility of Congress to safeguard the integrity of the court.

The resolution on Thomas includes three articles of impeachment:

• Failure to disclose financial income, gifts and reimbursements, property interests, liabilities and transactions, among other infor-

mation.

• Refusal to recuse from matters concerning his spouse's legal interest in cases before the court.

• Refusal to recuse from matters involving his spouse's financial interest in cases before the court.

The resolution on Alito includes two articles of impeachment:

• Refusal to recuse from cases in which he had a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party in cases before the court.

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

Marc H. Morial

Guest Columnist

Serious Black Unity: A Must-Have for Progress and Protection in November and Beyond

tect our cultural, economic, political, educational, psychological and technological interests in the United States of North America and in the world.

As we prepare for the elections of November and beyond, it is very important and wise to study and act on serious guidance from the great journalist, historian and master teacher, Lerome Bennett Jr.

Brother Lerome, who was an iconic editor of Ebony magazine for many years, provided us with very profound insight on how to promote and pro-

SCOTUS

Three Brother Lerome quotes are as follows:

"The Black middle class can no longer avoid its destiny. The Black middle class can no longer avoid the necessity of redefining itself in terms of the needs of Black people. It is necessary now for the Black middle class to become the servants of the Black community and not be mediators for the White community. It is not necessary for all Blacks

to do the same thing. It is necessary for them to do something. It is equally important for the Black community to judge individuals on their basics of their contributions. Some men can write; some can fix cars; some can cook; some can raise hell; all — the writer, the mechanic, the cook, the hellraiser — are valuable because their skills are complimentary and not contradictory."

Another wise contribution from Brother Lerome states, "The time has come for all Black people to protect the idea of Black hegemony in cultural, political and economic matters. And

Decision Puts Hard-Fought

jority opinion authored by Chief Justice John Roberts ignored judicial precedent to hold that only the courts would decide regulation.

The Supreme Court issued several consequential rulings in its recently concluded term. One such decision reversed a 40-year precedent commonly known as the Chevron doctrine, which gave federal agencies the authority to write rules that enforced and implemented laws passed by Congress.

But on June 28, a sweeping ma-

In the SCOTUS majority view, judges alone would now decide highly specialized rules crafted to maintain reliable consumer safety standards governing our food, public health, occupational safety, clean water, higher education and more, bypassing the high-level expertise of civil servants in affected agencies.

Roberts' opinion included:

The 900-Page Guide to Snuffing Out American Democracy Guest Columnist

to support that blueprint. What could possibly go wrong?

What if there was a blueprint for a future presidential administration to unilaterally lay waste to our constitutional order and turn America from a democracy into an autocracy in one fell swoop?

That is what one far-right think tank and its contributors created. And more than 100 other far-right organizations have now signed on

Maybe you have heard about Project 2025. It was cooked up by the far-right Heritage Foundation. That organization's leader says we are in a "second American Revolution" that he suggests could turn violent if those who oppose their disastrous plan to kill our democracy do not get in line behind it.

For its 51-year history, the Heritage Foundation has always been an instrument of the far right. Around 2016, it started to become danger-

"Perhaps most fundamentally, Chevron's presumption is misguided because agencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities. Courts do… Courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority."

For Black and Latino Americans, this power grab by the court throws into doubt and potentially weakens current agency rules that sought to bring us closer to the nation's promises of freedom and justice for

Brother Lerome's third quote tells us, "Given the way we have been forced to live in this society, the miracle is not how many families are broken, but that so many are still raising good children, it's the incredible toughness and resilience of Black people that gives me hope."

This guidance from Brother Lerome and other serious Black master teachers is something that we must act on for our progress and protection.

we cannot rise to the level of that task which history demands of us, if we cannot recognize that it is useless for Black schools to waste their resources trying to become Black Harvards. Harvard is not good enough. University of Chicago is not good enough. The University of Georgia is not good enough. Technology apart, there is no White model in America for what we must do now. Let there be no mistake about it; I am saying that the Black man — as a Black man — has something to say in this country and something to do that no one else can say or do...not because of his color but because of his experiences."

Consumer Victories at Risk

all. In two particular areas — fair housing and financial regulation — many hard-won victories aimed at addressing inequalities could be opened up to review and reversal.

In a scorching dissent, Associate Justice Elena Kagen, joined by Justices Sonya Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, outlined the consequences of the majority ruling.

"In one fell swoop, the majority today gives itself exclusive power over every open issue — no matter how expertise-driven or policy-laden — involving the meaning

of regulatory law," Kagen wrote. "As if it did not have enough on its plate, the majority turns itself into the country's administrative czar. … Today's decision is not one Congress directed. It is entirely the majority's choice."

For example, the 1968 Fair Housing Act was strengthened by a HUD rule known as Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH). Originally a 2015 initiative of the Obama administration, an updat-

Page 54

ously extreme. Project 2025, and its 900-page guidebook for ending the American experiment, is perhaps its most extreme — and dangerous — initiative yet.

The premise behind Project 2025 is that our constitutional system of checks and balances somehow is skewed against the American people based on their politics. It is an argument that itself exposes the extremity of those making it.

Our Constitution provides a framework, as do our democratic institutions, for political debate and

disagreement within the natural parameters of our system of government. Although our country has too often bucked the very principles of our founding, we used to be able to agree that, generally, America is a Republic that elects its leaders through representative democracy. And that for our government to serve the best interests of all its people, we must protect debate and a free exchange of ideas, as well as the mechanisms of democracy itself and the separation of powers among the three branches of government.

Project 2025 wants to throw all that out the window. It attacks democratic institutions that separate nonpolitical civil service from loyalty to any particular party or leader. It prescribes purging the federal government of anyone who might be considered disloyal to the ruling party. It allows the president to usurp power from other branches of government, like Congress's power of the purse. Project 2025 endorses presidential powers that

JEALOUS Page 54

Charlene Crowell

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

A. Peter Bailey

CROWELL

LIFESTYLE

WASHINGTON

Things To Do, DMV!

By Jada Ingleton WI Contributing Fellow

Music fans are in for a treat with this weekend’s musical lineup: The Brian McKnight 4 and a Friday double feature of The Queens of R&B: Xscape & SWV and Dionne Warwick.

Arts and culture are at the forefront of exhibition with Cultural Evening at the Embassy of China and Afro Latino Festival 2024; while history and music collide in the Home Rule Festival and Broadway Through the Ages.

Also, don’t forget to join the Washington Informer family for the 12th Annual Washington Informer African American Heritage Tour.

Keep your outlook vibrant and remember, there’s always something on the Washington Informer Calendar to keep your spirit-- and social life-- lit.

THURSDAY, JULY 18

Cultural Evening at the Embassy of China

6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. | $64.00 Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America, 3505 International Pl NW, Washington, D.C., 20008

Step onto foreign soil and join the exclusive visit to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. Through The Mysteries of the Forbidden City, The Majesty of Shanghai, and The Glory of the Great Wall, the Embassy of China transports guests around the world to an ancient land filled with wonder and excitement - all in a single evening.

In addition to an incredible program, dive into the architecture, artwork, and cultural artifacts located throughout the embassy.

Participants can also get a taste of Chinese customs with additional evening features, including exposure to food, music, diplomatic greetings, and a Bian Lian Chinese Face Changing Performance.

The Brian McKnight 4

8 p.m. | $63.50+

Warner Theatre, 513 13th St NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Brian McKnight has released 20 albums to date, with several going platinum, and he has sold over 25 million albums worldwide.

Sing along with McKnight’s timeless classics as he takes over the Warner Theatre at 8 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 19

The Queens of R&B: Xscape & SWV

7 p.m. | $39.50+

Capital One Arena, 601 F St NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Following a teaser on socials that ignited fervent excitement among fans, the legendary groups XSCAPE and SWV have reunited for The Queens of R&B Tour with support from MÝA, Total, and 702.

The highly anticipated tour promises an unforgettable experience filled with timeless R&B music and stellar performances that are set to captivate audiences across 30 cities nationwide.

Dionne Warwick

8 p.m. | $59.00+

Warner Theatre, 513 13th St NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Dionne Warwick had a string of huge hit singles throughout the 1960s, and was the singer of choice for songwriting giants Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

With iconic tracks like “Walk on By,” “Alfie,” “I Say a Little Prayer for You,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “This Girl's in Love with You,”and “That’s What Friends are For,” don’t miss the opportunity to spend an evening with the legendary songstress.

SATURDAY, JULY 20

12th Annual Washington Informer African American Heritage Tour

7:15 a.m. - 3 p.m. | $15 for Youth under 16, $30 for Adults THEARC Black Box Theatre, 1901 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, D.C., 20020

The Washington Informer Charities presents a special installation and guided tour of Tudor

Place highlighting the experiences of people of African descent who lived and worked there.

This tour reimagines the historic house from the perspective of the enslaved and free individuals for whom it was both home and workplace. Using artifacts, maps, photographs, and audio recordings, visitors will explore how these individuals practiced resistance and activism while navigating the traumas of slavery.

Home Rule Music Festival at the Parks at Alethia Tanner Park 1 p.m. | Free Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, Washington, D.C., 20002

The Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation announced an all-star lineup for the 2024 Home Rule (HR) Music Festival. With three days of live performances, HR Music Festival features music legends and artists who represent the evolution of jazz and its historic and contemporary intersections with go-go music. Now, in its third year, the festival has expanded to include two outdoor, family-friendly events that are free and open to the public.

On its second day of performances, the festival will continue with The Experience Band & Show, Bella Donna, and others at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 20. A record fair, mural painting, and designated kids zone will make for a full afternoon of cultural fun..

SUNDAY, JULY 21

Afro Latino Festival 2024 Noon - 9 p.m. | Free Silver Spring Civic Center, 1 Veterans Pl, Silver Spring, MD 20910

The Afro Latino Festival is a vibrant celebration of diversity, culture, and the arts.

Guests can immerse themselves in a world where food, music, and crafts tell a story of unity and inclusivity.

Join this year’s “Latin, African & Caribbean Edition” for a day filled with live bands, food, and artisan craft vendors, all dedicated to bringing the community together.

Broadway Through the Ages 8 p.m. | Free Reston Town Square Park, 11900 Market St, Reston, VA 20190

Shenandoah Conservatory’s musical theater class of 2025 presents a selection of favorite Broadway tunes from the 1950s through the hits of today.

Also, tune into Reston Town Center Association and Reston Community Center’s Sunday Art in the Park with Shenandoah Conservatory.

Performances take place Sunday evenings during the summer from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Pack a picnic and come to the park for an evening of music.

5A Cultural Evening at the Embassy of China transports guests around the world to an ancient land filled with wonder and excitement in a single evening. (Courtesy Photo)

Blues Alley Uplifts the Spirit of Nina Simone, Celebrates Singer’s Legacy

Brenda C. Siler

WI Contributing Writer

Blues Alley presented a twonight tribute to an iconic American music artist with “I Got Life: The Music of Nina Simone.” Opening with “I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free,” it was an evening of well-known music from Simone’s songbook.

The show opened with bassist Gerald Veasley, pianist Aaron Graves and drummer James “Biscuit” Rouse performing an instrumental version of the celebrated classic song, written as an instrumental by Dr. Billy Taylor, musician, composer, and artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center, and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master. Opening with Taylor’s masterpiece immediately told audiences there is an important message to be shared.

Multi-octave vocalist Carol Riddick then joined the trio for an entertaining set of classic Simone.

From “Ain’t Got No, I Got Life,” to “I Put a Spell on You,” to “Sinner Man,” to “Strange Fruit,” and everything in between, this journey through Simone’s repertoire was a delightful mix of music.

Bandleader Veasley gave a rundown of what to expect in four parts: “Quest,” where Simone searches for her identity; “Passion,” filled with love songs; “So-

cial Justice,” where there is fury; and ending with “Hope,” which is self-explanatory.

“You’re going to be full of emotion that you are going to need a release,” Veasley explained with what the ‘Hope’ segment would provide.

HEARING AND VISUALIZING NINA SIMONE

The unique arrangements of Simone’s classics made this tribute truly engaging.

Philadelphia-based vocalist Riddick did not attempt to mimic Simone’s distinctive voice. Instead, she applied a new spin with soulful and meaningful intent.

The tempo for “Here Comes the Sun” was jazzy, mid-tempo, and full, with Veasley and bandmates adding their special blend to the familiar tune.

A haunting interpretation of “Strange Fruit” put Riddick through a deeply emotional ride everyone felt.

Riddick said that when invited to be part of the production, she really needed to study to fully interpret the legendary singer's body of work, however, she knew the emotions behind the tunes well.

“I can identify with some of her pains as an artist, a woman, and a Black woman,” said Riddick. “I can still identify with her frustration, with her trying to navigate a system not built for women. The pain is not old.”

The evening wrapped up with “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” a song Veasley said he would play at the end of every school year for his daughter, from preschool through college and law school.

Veasley said he offers that same kind of encouragement to his work off the stage.

“I was just selected to chair the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance,” Veasley proudly announced. “It serves over 400 members from museums, dance, and theaters. I love doing that kind of work.” WI @bcscomm

3Vocalist Carol Riddick and bassist Gerald Veasley perform in “I Got Life: The Music of Nina Simone” at the legendary Blues Alley in Georgetown.

(Brenda C. Siler/ The Washington Informer)

5Nina Simone. (Courtesy Photo)

LIFESTYLE

Maryland GRAMMY Members Advocate to Protect Creative Expression

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

During the spring legislative season, Recording Academy members throughout Maryland spoke to state legislators in Annapolis about HB 1429/SB 662, the Protecting the Admissibility of Creative Expression (PACE) Act.

Delegate Marlon Amprey (D-District 40) and Senator Nick Charles (D-District 25) introduced the legislation. The PACE Act aims to safeguard artistic expression and uphold the First Amendment rights of Maryland's dynamic music community.

Maryland’s music industry creates over 22,000 jobs and contributes $1.4 billion to the state's gross domestic product (GDP). Despite the indus-

try’s economic significance, challenges persist for artists whose creative works are misinterpreted or misused in criminal trials nationwide and in Maryland courtrooms.

Delegate Amprey, Senator Charles, the Recording Academy, and Kevin Liles of 300 Elektra Entertainment kicked off this advocacy initiative by hosting a press conference emphasizing the significance of the PACE Act in protecting the rights of Maryland artists.

“We want to make sure and safeguard creative expression here in the state of Maryland," stated Amprey. "Unfortunately, across the nation, we have seen an uptick of creative expression in lyrics being used against artists wrongfully in court as a form of evidence."

PACE LEGISLATION WILL PROTECT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Components of the PACE Act impact the music industry nationally. One key aspect is its emphasis on shifting the burden of proof to prosecutors, ensuring that the relevance and admissibility of creative works in legal proceedings are thoroughly evaluated. By doing so, the legislation aims to prevent the unjust weaponization of artistic expression, particularly within marginalized communities that are disproportionately targeted by such practices.

Lisa Winans, a GRAMMY-nominated gospel artist and a member of the Recording Academy, expressed concern in Annapolis along with other Recording Academy artists.

“As a gospel artist, I understand the importance of having the freedom to create music that is an authentic expression of my beliefs without fear of repercussions,” voiced Winans. “Artists in any genre should be able to express their creativity through music without fear of reprisal from the justice system simply because of the content of their art or because of biases against their chosen art form.” WI @bcscomm

5Advocating for the passage of the PACE Act in the Maryland legislature were gospel vocalist

Lisa Kimmey Winans, Executive Assistant for the Advocacy and Public Policy Office Montana Miller, GRAMMYs DC Chapter Executive Director Sharon Ingram, Maryland Delegate Marlon Amprey, music director Andre Hopson, singer and songwriter Shelby Blondell, and entertainment lawyer Tracey Lee. (Courtesy Photo/Montana Miller)

Author Presses Need for ‘Stronger’ Political Ties Among Africans, Black American

By Eden Harris WI Contributing Writer

Rahiel Tesfamariam, author of "Imagine Freedom: Transforming Pain into Political and Spiritual Power," held a book discussion at Busboys and Poets 14th Street July 11, with a mission of leaving audiences with more than thoughts on literature. Tesfamariam, an Eritrean immigrant, used the moment to emphasize the need for African Americans to cultivate closer ties with Africa beyond the realms of cultural appreciation.

"I think that African Americans need stronger ties to the continent that go beyond culture, esthetics and music," Rahiel Tesfamariam told The Washington Informer. "I think that we need to look at what our political relationality is."

Tesfamariam, a Stanford and Yale University graduate, is dedicated to raising awareness about the "African freedom struggle," which she stresses is ongoing.

"It continues to this day. It did not end with the end of colonization,” she emphasized.

Countries like Kenya have struggled to maintain freedom from external partners like China and the Western world. In recent weeks, Kenyan President William Ruto has been engulfed in political controversy because he tried to force a contentious tax bill to go through, which resulted in

reporting by the Associated Press.

While Kenyans and other Africans work to maintain freedom, Tesfamariam established a correlation between the challenges faced in Africa and those experienced by Black Americans in the United States.

"We have very similar freedom struggles and struggles against white supremacy and capitalism," Tesfamariam said. "There are also many ways that we don't have access to our own natural resources on the continent, and that is an ongoing land and resource struggle… It's one African Americans face [in the United States] as well as not having a deep connection to the land that we live on," she added.

The author also said that the divide between Africans and African Americans has been "very intentional and a systemic divide" that isn't by accident.

"The divide is created to ensure that white supremacy maintains a stronghold on the continent and in the United States. As long as we don't connect our issues, then we don't see how antebellum slavery and the history of colonization on African soil are very similar to each other,” she explained.

Antebellum slavery was a condition that forced enslaved people to abide by Slave Codes from 1830 to 1860; one condition was to prevent enslaved people from gathering without a white presence, ensuring enslaved individuals wouldn't organize together.

"The divide is created to ensure that white supremacy maintains a stronghold on the continent and in the United States. As long as we don't connect our issues, then we don't see how antebellum slavery and the history of colonization on African soil are very similar to each other.”

widespread violent and deadly protests nationwide.

Ruto attempted to address the country's $80 billion debt from China, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, according to

Tesfamariam also noted the media has played a role in "how [Black Americans and Africans] understand each other or don't understand each other, and the stereotypes that we embrace about each other."

In recent years, newsrooms and some police departments have taken a stand in limiting or nearly cutting the usage of mugshots due to racial bias. The San Francisco Police Department argued in a news release that mugshots "overstates the propensity of Black and brown men to engage in criminal behavior."

Additionally, WRCB, a Chattanooga-based newsroom in Tennessee, vowed to limit the usage of mugshots, claiming that they "disproportionately affect people of color and low-income neighborhoods."

BOOK PACKS POWER, TRIGGERS EMOTIONS, CALLS TO ACTION

Tesfamariam said at her book event that the “media has control” in how people view the notion of freedom.

“If we were truly free, African and Black Americans would be united,” she declared.

As Tesfamariam offered the importance of improving African and African American relations during the discussion last Thursday, she also reflected on the power "Imagine Freedom: Transforming Pain into Political and Spiritual Power" offers to readers. During the book discussion, moderated by Panama Jackson, a columnist at theGrio, Tesfamariam, reflected on her new work.

“Well, there’s one chapter that seems to resonate with people the most, and that’s the trauma chapter,” she said.

Tesfamariam also told the audience about the time when she went to record the audio version of her book, and the director started to cry and told her that he couldn’t get through the script.

[After, the] white engineer started to cry, and that’s when I knew I had something,” she added.

During the discussion, audience members listened to the author’s sentiments, adding constant finger snaps, claps and verbal affirmations, to express the impact of the conversation.

Rena, a reading coach who preferred not to use her last name, said she was impressed and learned a lot from the conversation. An African American, Rena said Tesfamariam's thought-provoking talk made her wonder, “Why aren’t [African Americans and Africans) as connected, or what’s missing from us…are we too indoctrinated from white people?” Tesfamariam emphasized what she hopes audiences will gain from reading the book.

"It's important to understand that we tackle a two-fold trauma that is both personal and systemic, and so we also need personal and systemic solutions to the issues that we face today." WI

5Rahiel Tesfamariam, author of "Imagine Freedom: Transforming Pain into Political and Spiritual Power, at Busboys and Poets 14th Street in Washington, DC, on Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Eden Harris/The Washington Informer)

The Phillips Collection Showcase Collage Art Created by Black Artists

Bonus Collage Work Featured at THEARC

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Once again, The Phillips Collection has assembled an exhibition that fills audiences’ eyes, mind, and soul with color, images and knowledge and takes them to another world. “Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage” displays the collage art from 49 Black artists. This is the first major museum exhibition dedicated to contemporary collage reflecting the breadth and complexity of Black identity and experiences in the United States. The exhibition is on view until Sept. 22.

The Phillips Collection’s Vradenburg Director and CEO Jonathan P. Binstock spoke about the objective of “Multiplicity” during a recent opening event.

“The diverse intergenerational group of artists has created innovative works in various materials,” said Binstock. “The experimental techniques offer pointed expressions of human experience including fragmentation, construction, shared history, cultural

Rest In Peace Deborah Ruth Hall

Transitioned on June 27,2024, at home in Clinton, MD surrounded by her loved ones. Deborah is survived by spouse Linton E. Mordecai, three daughters, eight grandchildren, and a host of other relatives.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, July 19, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at Victory Christian Ministry International, 3911 Saint Barnabas Road, Suitland, MD 20746.

hybridity, gender fluidity, and notions of being.”

Some may think of Phillips as a small museum, but in terms of its offerings, it is not. Occupying multiple rooms inside two buildings, “Multiplicity” is huge. Mounting the exhibition is a testament to the teamwork and collaboration between Katie Delmez, Senior Curator at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, and Adrienne L. Childs, Senior Consulting Curator and coordinating curator at Phillips.

DISPLAYING COLLAGES GALORE!

Some of the 49 artists who have contributed nearly 60 collages are featured artists ranging from established luminaries to emerging and mid-career figures. Included are Mark Bradford, Lauren Halsey, Rashid Johnson, Kerry James Marshall, Wangechi Mutu, Jamea Richmond-Edwards, Deborah Roberts, Tschabalala Self, Lorna Simpson, Devan Shimoyama, Mickalene Thomas, and Kara Walker. Some artists whose work is on display have a history with the Phillips, including Zoë Charlton, Sanford Biggers, McArthur Binion, and Radcliffe Bailey.

Because mounting this exhibition was a big undertaking, how

were decisions made on the approach and what works to present? Delmez explained working through the process.

“Some artists work in very straightforward collage-making modes, so that was a no-brainer,” Delmez said. “It was also interesting to think about artists that I had not initially thought of their technique as being a collage.”

A SMALL SAMPLE OF “MULTIPLICITY”

Delmez’s thinking reflects what is seen when strolling through “Multiplicity.” I was taken back to grade school collage-making when children would bring magazines to tear up to create art. I thought about that process when I saw “Jet Auto Archive,” a collage from Houston, Texas-based Jamal Cyrus. Looking at Cyrus’ art that was way beyond grade school arts and crafts made me laugh, but at least I knew what I was looking at.

“The Healing: Untitled 1, 2, and 3” by M. Florine Démosthène is another eye-catching collage with a captivating story. The artist was raised primarily in Haiti. Based on cultural beliefs, her collage was about bringing negative spirits out of the body. It is a striking progression of healing, which is why this

5(In white print dress) Zsudayka Nzinga, a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and educator, discusses her collage “Home Coming / Home Going” currently on view at the Phillips at THEARC as a part of The Phillips Collection exhibition “Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage.” (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

5The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., presents “Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage” featuring “The Healing: Untitled 1” (2022), a collage on paper by artist M. Florine Démosthène. This image, based on Haitian culture, depicts negativity being removed from one’s soul. (Courtesy Photo/M. Florine Démosthène, Mariane Ibrahim)

collage is in a number order.

Seeing “Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage” is a must. Expect to make several visits, as there is a lot to see. Plus, visitors will walk through multiple rooms on several floors.

“Multiplicity” also includes additional educational programs, many free after paying to enter the Phillips. Visit the Phillips website, phillipscollection.org, to see the days and hours the museum is open and the costs to get in. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. On Thursdays between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m., it is free to visit the museum.

MORE MULTIPLICITY AT THEARC

A bonus associated with “Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage” is the exhibition “Home Coming / Home Going” by Zsudayka Nzinga, from Aurora, Colorado, now living in the Deanwood area of D.C.

Nzinga’s exhibit space at THEARC is true to its title. Vis-

itors are welcomed into a home living room, an important place in Black culture.

“It is important to contemplate Black fine art in Black interior spaces. It makes us think about collecting art,” said Nzinga. “We have a long legacy of collecting art that is cultural for us. That is not necessarily touted as the same as collecting contemporary art or going to an auction, but it is definitely ingrained in us.”

Seven collage wall art is within Nzinga’s exhibition area at THEARC. Visitors will love spending time in this space to see how fabrics are used to cover furniture. This interior design space includes a record player and album covers, giving the feeling of a real home.

“Home Coming / Home Going” is on view until Sept. 26. Phillips@THEARC is at 1801 Mississippi Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C. This exhibition is open on Wednesday & Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-5: p.m.. There is no entry fee or reservation required.

@bcscomm

Buyer Be Conscious: The Importance of Independent Retailers

By DC Black MBA

Independent Retailer Month, celebrated every July, highlights the crucial role independent retailers play in local economies and communities. These small businesses are more than just stores; they are community hubs, economic stabilizers, cultural connections, and champions of unique, personalized shopping experiences.

Independent retailers contribute to local economies. For every dollar spent at an independent business, an average of 67 cents stays within the community. In contrast, only 14 cents of a dollar spent at a larger retail store remains local. Small businesses generate substantial local economic activity, with studies showing they reinvest 130% more of their revenues locally compared to chain retailers.

Independent retailers are committed to a stronger sense of community by supporting local causes, sponsoring events, and building connections with residents. Kim Roxie of LAMIK Beauty adds, "Buying from independent Black-owned makeup brands, like mine, supports diversity in the beauty industry, helps promote economic empowerment within the Black community, and often offers unique, products tailored to a wide range of skin tones.”

The investment also reduces environmental impact locally, due to shorter supply chains and the tendency of local stores to prioritize sustainable practices. Small, independent retailers typically use less land and resources compared to large retail chains.

One of the key advantages of independent retailers is their unique product offerings. Unlike larger re-

tail chains, independent shops often source from local artisans and niche suppliers, providing a diverse array of products that reflect the local culture.

Marisela Rodela, Enterprising Women of Color (EWOC) DMV Center Program Director, emphasizes the importance of supporting Black-owned independent retailers, “Supporting Black Independent retail businesses is more than economic empowerment; it is crucial for fostering economic equity and placemaking, while also promoting and celebrating community empowerment and cultural diversity.”

Despite their benefits, independent retailers face significant challenges, particularly in the current economic climate marked by inflation and rising operational costs. However, their resilience is remarkable. Small businesses have demonstrated adaptability, with many quickly pivoting to meet changing customer needs and market conditions. This is most notable during the height of COVID-19 Pandemic with an impact that continues today.

Independent Retailer Month is a celebration of the invaluable contribu-

tions of small businesses. By choosing to shop local and independent, consumers support their communities, promote economic growth, and enjoy unique, personalized shopping experiences. This month and all year long, let's recognize and support the independent retailers that are the backbone of our communities.

5Kim Roxie is the founder of LAMIK Beauty products, the world’s #1 Eco-Chic makeup line seeking to build women’s self-esteem and reveal their natural beauty.

Photo Credit: Neek Films

2024 Contemporary American Theater Festival Pushes Societal Boundaries, Conversations

Playwright Donja R. Love Advocates for HIV/AIDS Education With CATF Debut

By Jada Ingleton WI Contributing Fellow

Donja R. Love said he was left feeling frozen and defeated when he was diagnosed with HIV in December 2008.

In a 10-year reflection published on American Theater, he wrote about his “journey back to feeling whole again,” a process that he soon realized playwriting would serve as a catharsis for.

Since then, the Afro-queer virtuoso has dedicated his life’s work to telling the stories of marginalized communities and offering representation for Black people with HIV/AIDS, including his Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) debut of “What Will Happen to All That Beauty?”

“After I was diagnosed…I was put on a path to tell stories… [of] how can people, specifically Black people with HIV, see ourselves reflected in a way in which we're whole, in a way in which we know how much we matter…we know how loved we are?” Love told

the Informer. “If I didn't have stories, if I didn't have art, I don't know if I would still…be this version of myself telling stories and being able to hold space for myself and community.”

The Philadelphia-born playwright spoke of the power behind artistic storytelling, and how writing helped him recognize he “existed beyond his diagnosis,” a foundational sentiment of his most recent work.

In a two-part offering, “What Will Happen to All That Beauty?” follows a Black family over the course of 30 years as they navigate the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the ‘80s. The production reflects Love’s mission to create spaces for healing, learning and representation for the community.

“What I hope is that, by and large, people take away that there is still so much more work to do, that we can still hold space for each other, that we can be softer, more graceful to each other, and to ourselves as well,” Love said. “I hope that folks are able to take

away, particularly individuals living with HIV who see this work, that they are not alone.”

With these creative projects, he aims to combat ignorance and existing stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS, and foster a culture of growth and “softness.”

“I want to be able to create a work that showcases community, that showcases the joy that we have in our lives, right? If this world is already being hard on us, why am I going to do the same thing?” Love said. “If I can hold that space within me, hopefully I can exist in a way…where I can do that for other people as well.”

The 2021 award-winning production will be featured at this year’s Contemporary American Theater Festival, which started July 5 and wraps July 28 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Named as one of the top theater festivals in the world, CATF shapes American theater culture and provides a platform for artists to showcase new, fully-produced plays that address modern societal issues and honor diverse communities.

This season for CATF introduces five productions – three plays and Love’s two-part offering – which explore stories of having love amidst hardships and challenges. In addition to providing artists exposure and thought-provoking discussion, the fes-

tival places an emphasis on community and togetherness. CATF Artistic Director Peggy McKowen said the four venues and more than 30 special events this year, led by industry experts and artists, promises a riveting, engaging experience.

“We really want to encourage that sense of community…and that everybody who comes to us is coming in this experience together. And this, I hope, will just further enhance that sense of…being in a place where they're helping to make the art together, and to share that with one another,” McKowen told The Informer.

Thespian enthusiasts have the opportunity to embark on a journey meant to inspire and shift social dynamics with the 2024 Contemporary American Theater Festival. Audiences can look forward to weekly Know Before You Go virtual sessions with McKowen, where they can gain insight on the festival and enrich their overall experience.

Festivals like CATF and playwrights such as Love are dedicated to shaping the future of American theater and promoting progress and positive change in the nation and world.

“If you think about every play, musical or theatrical experience that you've had, that you've really enjoyed, someone took the first risk, and provided the resources to enable those artists to work. [CATF is] that for the new play industry, but also for audience members and communities who want to see themselves reflected on stage,” McKowen said. “We are really trying to shift to create a destination experience that includes the centerpiece of this amazing festival…and to just create a better sense of work, balance, and sort of commitment to the art.”

Tickets for CATF, including special discounts, can be purchased online at catf.org or by calling the box office at 681-240-2283.

5Donja R. Love, Playwright for “What Will Happen to All That Beauty?” (Courtesy Photo/Brandon Nick)

5Peggy McKowen, Contemporary American Theater Festival Artistic Director (Courtesy Photo/Seth Freeman)

by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship can make the world a more peaceful place.

Some young travelers have sent postcards home to family in the United States, but the senders forgot to say which country they were visiting. Can you use the geography clues to determine which country each postcard was sent from?

The names of the four countries where these postcards came from are hidden in the letters that form the border at left and right. To find out the names, circle every third letter—starting with the starred one in each row of letters.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Understand simple written directions.

Look through the newspaper for names of 10 different cities. Arrange these words in alphabetical order.

Standards Link: Spelling: Arrange letters in alphabetical order.

hat do dogs “say”? In English we imitate them by saying, “Bow wow!” People in other countries have their own ways to copy the sound a dog makes. Can you find each of the dog sounds in the word puzzle?

Follow the maze to find out how to say hello in each country.

Sports Stars of the World

similarities and differences in cultures around the world. Look through the newspaper for names of famous sports stars who come from other countries. Make a collage about your favorite star with newspaper articles, maps and pictures.

review wi book

"Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist"

By Jasmin Graham

c.2024,

Pantheon Books

$28 / 213 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Oh, those teeth!

Your finger practically bleeds just looking at them: three rows of perfect, razor-sharp white triangles that you know are gonna hurt. They're inside a mouth made for swallowing you whole, that's obvious, but when you think about it — are sharks really as bad as they seem? As you'll see in the new book "Sharks Don't Sink" by Jasmin Graham, maybe dentism isn't the problem. In studying them, maybe racism is.

Growing up near the ocean by Myrtle Beach, Jasmin Graham fell in love with the water early in her life. She fell in love with the creatures there when she was 10, with her father, fishing — something her forebears had done on local piers for decades.

She knew then that she wanted to be a "shark scientist."

She was 18 when she first held a live shark, and that cemented her dream. Not long afterward, though, Graham felt like she "had burned out completely." She'd been trying to make it in "a toxic, white, male-dominated … environment laced with … casual and overt sexism and racism …" and it was harming her well-being. She was about to quit when she found a few other Black women who were shark scientists, too, and who were going through the same thing. Graham received instant support and it was life-changing.

Two weeks later, the new friends had decided to mobilize. They met a Miami investor who lent resources and who helped them found Minorities in Shark Science (MISS), an organization that gives BIPOC young women an introduction to shark science. By then, Graham had decided to become a "rogue scientist" — one without academic backing, but whose research on sharks is essential in the field.

Sharks, says Graham, are not always the fearsome creatures that Hollywood wants us to believe. Yes, some sharks attack humans, but others are "kinda silly" sometimes, and some are "cutie-pies." And there's still a lot we don't know about them.

Says Graham, "So many questions. But that's where science begins: with questions."

All right, here it is: the STEM book you can share with your young adult, a book that's not stuffy or academic but that'll teach you something truly interesting. Here: all the things you wanted to know about all kinds of sharks, in plain words that are friendly, thorough, smart, awed, and easy to understand. Right here.

And if the shark science doesn't fascinate you enough, author Jasmin Graham uses "Sharks Don't Sink" to draw analogies between freedom and bias and between shark lives and Black lives. That's done in the sweetest of ways, through Graham's own story and that of her ancestors who steadfastly, fiercely stood up to racism and big business through the years. We also meet Graham's father, an easygoing man who makes you want to sit on a quiet front porch with some sweet tea and a church fan. Ahhhhh.

Find this book for yourself, loan it to your 14-to-18-year-old, and be sure to ask for it back. "Sharks Don't Sink" is the kind of book you'll want to bite into twice.

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

JULY 18 - 24, 2024

ARIES You might feel like you're speaking a different language than your partner or a love interest early in the week. Instead of trying to chart new territory together, you'd do well to stick to tried and true ways of connecting, which can keep your chemistry harmonious through this tricky time. Later, you're inspired to hone your skills around creative and self-expressive endeavors and seek experiences that broaden your horizons. Lucky Numbers: 14, 25, 42

TAURUS You can look forward to a beautiful connection between your head and your heart when the week starts. What you want to say and what you feel will be very much in sync, allowing you to open up to your partner or someone special in a way that is sure to resonate. Lucky Numbers: 5, 13, 37

GEMINI Trying to stick to your regularly scheduled programming might be especially challenging at the start of the week. Being open to last-minute changes in plans or different ways of checking things off your to-do list can help this rocky moment feel less stressful. Later, you'll be craving extra one-on-one time with a special someone. Lucky Numbers: 15, 20, 55

CANCER As the week starts, you can look forward to a sexy, fun-loving tone that's perfect for sending flirtatious messages, sharing witty banter, and enjoying impromptu fun with someone special. The more intellectually stimulating the activity (think going to a museum or watching a thought-provoking film), the more memorable and bond-bolstering it will be. Lucky Numbers: 5, 27, 31

LEO In the beginning of the week, you might feel compelled to take a microscope to the current personal path you're on, as well as your closest relationships. You'd do well to have heart-to-heart talks related to any emotional issues that were put on the back burner and revise any game plans that have stagnated related to your home life. Lucky Numbers: 6, 24, 53

VIRGO Early in the week, your curiosity is high, as is your thirst for enjoying intellectually stimulating moments with your love interest. Talking about the issues of the day or brainstorming creative ideas that you can take on together might serve not only as a form of foreplay but also strengthen your mental and emotional connection. Lucky Numbers: 23, 34, 57

LIBRA When the week starts, you might have to contend with confusion around moneymaking projects or technical glitches related to cash flow. You'd do well to double-check paperwork like receipts, paychecks, and invoices while also taking advantage of the opportunity to go back to the drawing board on any previously paused endeavors that might elevate your earning potential. Lucky Numbers: 3, 11, 18

SCORPIO Meditating on how you present and see yourself might be your focus when the week starts. You'll be conscious of your self-image and the relationships that you feel define you. Working on your self-awareness now. Considering how that dovetails with your most heartfelt, long-term aspirations can prove productive in the long run. Later, you'll be inspired to talk about your most brilliant moneymaking ideas with colleagues and friends. Lucky Numbers: 18, 35, 37

SAGITTARIUS You're in for a treat as the week begins. Pleasure-seeking vibes bump up your appetite for self-pampering, whether that means getting a massage, enjoying an impromptu road trip, or spending an evening cooking and sharing an exotic meal with your love. Giving in to your urge for adventure and indulgence when you can will surely ramp up your joy. Lucky Numbers: 12, 19, 48

CAPRICORN In the beginning of the week, you might be caught off guard when colleagues or friends from the past resurface to reconnect. Or you might need to put your nose to the grindstone on a group project you'd previously paused. Either way, it's all about rediscovering the power of joining forces with others and improving your team spirit. Later, the cosmos takes your closest relationships underground. Lucky Numbers: 27, 34, 47

AQUARIUS Early in the week, the tone is set for a joyful time spent with friends, neighbors, or colleagues. Whether you're attending a party or mingling with acquaintances, connecting with others feels fulfilling. Later, you might find that a wrench is thrown in your aspirations to take on more responsibility or apply for that exciting new job opportunity. Either significant delays or technical issues could make it difficult to get a grip on the path forward. Lucky Numbers: 21, 22, 58

PISCES At the start of the week, the cosmos stimulates your desire to share an eye-opening, horizon-broadening experience with someone special. Don't discount your wildest daydreams or most out-there fantasies related to travel or another learning opportunity. Instead, putting them into words, even if it's just on a journal page for now, can help turn them into heartwarming reality. Lucky Numbers: 2, 36, 59

SPORTS

Atkins Pours in Career High, Mystics Still Defeated by Las Vegas Aces

By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer

The Washington Mystics were hoping to make a statement when they hosted the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast, D.C.,

but after a valiant hustle, were defeated 89-77.

The Mystics have been playing well of late, having won five of their last six games after an 0-12 start. Despite playing the season without key players, Karlie Samuelson, Shakira Austin and Brittney

Sykes, the Mystics have developed a personality centered around Ariel Atkins.

Atkins, coming off a 24-point effort in a win over the Indiana Fever, came out smoking. The veteran guard, in her season, led the charge by scoring of her team's eight points in the first quarter as the home team bolted out to a 3120 lead over the defending WNBA champions.

The Aces, (16-7) who got off to a 6-6 start, have played well recently as well– winning 10 of their last 11. The veterans showed why they are still a team to beat when they outscored the hosts 20-9 to cut the deficit to 43-40 at the half, courtesy of a late three pointer by Mystics rookie guard Julie Vanloo.

It was Vanloo’s 46th three-pointer of the season, setting the franchise record for threes in a season and exceeding Atkins’s total from 2018. The rookie added two more three-pointers to finish the game

with nine points and seven assists.

While Atkins continued her hot streak, the Aces turned to their superstar, A'Ja Wilson, who led her team to a 64-62 advantage at the end of three. Wilson was virtually unstoppable as she tallied 14 of her points during the stanza. A two-time, consecutive MVP award winner, Wilson finished with 28 points on 12 of 19 from the field and 17 rebounds.

“She made some tough shots, man,” Mystics Coach Eric Thibault said of Wilson. “I thought [with] the adjustments we made specific for her; we did a pretty good job. We were crowding her hard when she put the ball on the floor, so she just started making shots with a hand in her face. Not a lot you can do when she’s doing that.”

When Atkins went to the bench for a rest, the Mystics had no one to make up the slack and it resulted in the Aces victory.

Atkins was brilliant in defeat, pouring in a career-high 36 points on 13 of 25 shooting from the floor and a career best 6 of 9 from beyond the arc.

On another note, three Mystics players were honored in the pregame for making the Olympic teams of their respective countries and will be headed for Paris, where former Mystics head coach Mike Thibault will serve as an assistant for Team USA. Vanloo will be representing Belgium, Aliyah Edwards will play for Canada and Jade Melbourne will represent Australia.

“It was pretty special,” Vanloo, 31, said. “I’ve never experienced so much appreciation from a team for being in the Olympics. … I’ve dreamed always about having a big role in the Olympics and finally being in the WNBA, so all those dreams are coming true for me this summer.”

5The Washington Mystics’ Ariel Atkins, who scored a career-high 36 points in the game against the Las Vegas Aces on July 14, shoots a jumper, at the Entertainment and Sports Arena. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

5The Las Vegas Aces turned to their superstar, A'Ja Wilson (center, winning tip-off), who led her team to a 89-77 victory against the Washington Mystics. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

CAPTURE the moment

The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and Bethune-Cookman University, celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the unveiling and dedication of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial on July 13, three days after what would have been her 149th birthday. The rededication ceremony mirrored the original 1974 program, including: remarks by leaders of the U.S. Department of Interior and NCNW, a reading of Mrs. Bethune’s last will and testament by students from the Washington School for Girls, performances by the “President’s Own” Marine Band and the Bethune-Cookman University Choir, and a grand unveiling and rededication of the memorial.

3Robert Stanton, Raenatta Floyd, Dr. William

A. Lois Keith, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton,

Mayor Muriel Bowser, Tara D. Morrison, Kevin Rapp, D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, Joan Mooney, Dr. Ashley Preston, John T. Fowler II, Charli Petty, Yolanda Long, Destiny Sands and other ceremony participants pose in front of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Berry, Dr.

D.C.

5Bethune-Cookman University Acting President/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Dr. William Berry, introducing distinguished guests during the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5John T. Fowler II, supervisory park ranger with the National Park Service, reading Frederick Douglass excerpts during the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) giving remarks during the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5Led by Director Karl Van Richards, Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale performs a musical selection during the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

3National Council of Negro Women Board Chair Dr. A. Lois Keith, giving remarks before the statue presentation during the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

4Paying homage to the original event in 1974, the rededication ceremony concludes with the official unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. (Ja'Mon Jackson/ The Washington Informer)

RELIGION

Vacation Bible School Brings

Australia to Hyattsville

in Engaging Play

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

University Park Church of Christ was recently transformed into the Australian Outback complete with snakes, spiders, and characters ranging from the Apostle Peter to Bounce, the kangaroo.

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a major summer tradition for adults and children in many congregations, but at University Park Church of Christ in Hyattsville, Maryland, Minister Don Ballard and his members held an event that included classes, a play, and a nature area with live animals.

“We are having a great time serving the Lord by doing his work,” said Ballard, who after concluding VBS on June 23, headed the next week to Honduras with a team from the church to build several buildings, distribute food, and help run a medical clinic.

While the church building is in Hyattsville, VBS attendees were transported to Australia when stepping into the house of worship.

From Alana Harris, 22, who played Peter walking on water in a skit, to Tom Liebrand, who was dressed like “Crocodile Dundee,” the play was an engaging way for people of all ages to tap into

biblical stories and have loads of fun.

“Even though I was teaching the children through the play, I was learning about strengthening my faith as well,” said Harris, a sophomore at Prince George’s Community College.

For Harris, who played Peter, participating in this year’s VBS programming was a family affair. Her brother, Isaiah, played the

role of Jesus in and their older sister Alicia Harris directed the production.

While bringing the play to life took hard work and rehearsals, Ken Roberts said it was all worth it in the end.

“Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces makes it all worthwhile,” said Roberts, who played Bounce. “I am proud our congregation members, especially the

young ladies, are spreading the gospel, they are doing it.”

Liebrand, a federal worker, from Upper Marlboro, said he enjoys serving in VBS because “it is designed to build enthusiasm and intrigue about the Bible and its teachings.”

Alicia, Alana and Isaiah Harris are the children of this reporter, Hamil Harris. WI

The Gathering 2024 Brings Church Leaders Together to Strengthen, Unify the Black Community

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

More than 3,000 church leaders from various denominations are convening in Landover, Maryland at City of Praise Family Ministries for “The Gathering 2024,” a conference that seeks better ways for church leaders to work together for the betterment of the African American community.

From the National Baptist Convention, to the Church of God In Christ many major faith groups meet regularly, but the mission for “The Gathering 2024,” July 16-19, comes at a

critical time in history with the upcoming November General Election.

“History will record that while the Republicans were meeting the ministers were also meeting because America is at stake and there needs to be a sobering voice today. We have ministers here from South Africa and around the world,” said the Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bishop Joel Peebles, pastor of City of Praise Family Ministries and leader of the Global United Fellowship, said that he is “thrilled,” to host the event, which he empha-

3Bishop Joel Peebles, pastor of City of Praise Family Ministries and leader of the Global United Fellowship is hosting “The Gathering 2024,” a conference with various church leaders working to strengthen the Black community. (Hamil Harris/ The Washington Informer)

sized is more than a traditional conference.

“It’s an opportunity to build bridges, ignite spirits, and move mountains,” Peebles said.

The four-day conference with a mission of unity, togetherness and promoting positive change, features Peebles, Bryant, the Rev. Dr. Gina Stewart, Erica Campbell, and others.

During the day there will be workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

"We invite everyone to join us in this extraordinary event," Peebles added. "Let’s come together to make a difference and transform lives through the love of God. The Gathering 2024 is where we renew our commitment to our faith and to each other."

5Tom Liebrand dressed as “Crocodile Dundee,” Isaiah Harris, who played Jesus, and Ken Roberts, who played “Bounce,” the kangaroo. (Hamil Hamil Harris/The Washington Informer)

An exciting show with a history of 35 years ended last weekend. Inspired by the iconic 60-panel painting series, Step Afrika!'s "The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence" tells the story of one of the largest movements of people in United States history — when millions of African American migrants moved from the rural South to the industrial North in the early 1900s to escape racial oppression.

"The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence" is presented through generous funding from Reg Brown and Tiffeny Sanchez and made possible with additional support from B. Thomas Mansbach. As part of Arena Stage's new pre-show panel discussion, I was invited to participate in a panel — "From Migration to Movement: The Legacy and Future of the Black Church" — just prior to the 2 p.m. show, along with Dr. Leah Burgess.

The panel, moderated by Arena Stage literary manager Otis C. Ramsey-Zöe as the moderator, aimed to engage the audience with of a dose of reality. As a sharecropper's daughter, I had personally experienced most of what was reflected in the award-winning play!

Questions brought out my sharecropper background of picking cotton, tobacco and doing anything the family could do together to bring in a few extra dollars. Raised by two Pentecostal

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

From Migration to Movement the religion corner

preachers, my life has taken many different twists and turns.

Now allow me to share a bit more about my co-panelist Leah Burgess. As a distinguished scholar in divinity and social work, as well as the council executive president of Howard University School of Divinity Student Government Association, Burgess stands on the brink of graduation. Her journey exemplifies the seamless integration of academic rigor with a profound sense of purpose.

Her story begins in Marlton, N.J., where she was born to parents who both worked in social work and are ministers. Reflecting on her upbringing, she acknowledges the influence of her father, who holds a master's degree in divinity: "In so many ways, I am walking in his footsteps. He heard a call to ministry … and there is something about having a glimpse of what you can be because of what you've seen others be."

For Burgess, 46, her call to ministry unfolds as a series of formative moments, as noted in her bio on the Howard University website. From witnessing the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, where a house occupied by members of the communal organization was destroyed when police dropped two explosives onto the roof in May 1985, to surviving sexual assault, each experience has propelled her towards advocacy for social justice.

Her commitment to "abolishing shame" was ignited by her own trauma, fueling her passion for advocating for sexual violence survivors and addressing issues such as sexual violence, poverty, mass incarceration, and addiction.

Discovering Howard University's Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work dual degree program felt serendipitous, aligning perfectly with her dual passions for ministry and social work.

After initially applying to a different divinity program and later learning that the program was not

accredited, Burgess found herself being led by God to other options.

One summer, Burgess visited the School of Divinity. Campus was quiet, as most students were on break and faculty members at various conferences. She walked to the fourth floor and met thenDean Yolanda Pierce's executive assistant, who offered Burgess the opportunity to speak with the dean, and the rest was history. Burgess describes her journey to this point as a "beautiful struggle or piece of the puzzle."

At Howard, she found a community dedicated to preparing practitioners who transcend immediate challenges, striving to instill in them a broader vision of social justice and empowerment. This environment empowered Burgess to fully embrace her voice and agency, recognizing that true empowerment comes from within.

As the world of religion and theology evolves, she will be there alongside it. Today, she finds that there has been a shift in how people engage with religious systems and the theory that people must come to a church to experience the church. This understanding inspired her goal of curating "third spaces" for people to gather and connect.

"There are multiple layers to connecting with people around things that people already enjoy, i.e. gathering for a good meal," Burgess said. "When you open a space for people to come together, eventually they'll feel a sense of belonging [and] safety, and will want to share their story."

It was indeed a lively discussion, with stories hidden inside the drama, brought to life with panelists who lived in this Jim Crow era of American history.

MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC

ADA, Age Discrimination, Benefits, Civil Rights, COBRA, Contracts, Deaf Law, Defamation, Disability Law, Discipline, Discrimination, FMLA, FLSA, FOIA, Family Responsibility, Harassment, HIPPA, OSHA, National Origin Discrimination, Non-Compete, Race Discrimination, Rehabilitation Act, Retaliation, Severance Agreements, Sexual Harassment, Torts, Whistleblowing, Wage-and-Hour, Wrongful Discharge

RELIGION

Church with a past to remember

and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

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

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “ The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson

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

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rehoboth Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Promised Land Baptist Church

Phase 2 Declaration of Nationality Protocol

In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender.

Notice of Special Appearance: I am that am: "Babafunke Ajamu©/ Wendall Carl Goins©“, in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “BABAFUNKE AJAMU/WENDALL CARL GOINS", corp.sole Dba.: "BABAFUNKE AJAMU© WENDALL C GOINS©", Wendall C Goins, Goins, Wendall C; GOINS, WENDALL C; GOINS, WENDELL C; WENDELL CARL GOINS, AJAMU, BABAFUNKE; BABAFUNKE AJAMU EL, Babafunke Ajamu El, OLOYE ABIODUN, Oloye Abiodun, Akili Tarishi, AKILI TARISHI having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as an: American Moor, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Al Maghreb Al Aqsa, Estados al Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as an: American Moor. I am that I am: "Babafunke Ajamu©/Wendall Carl Goins©", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " babafunke uasua ajamu © ". 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: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Department of Health: STATE FILE NUMBER, 0176030-1949 " WENDALL CARL GOINS©”, is as a special deposit order, conveyed to "Vitality 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: " babafunke uasua ajamu © ", nom deguerre:"Babafunke Ajamu©/Wendall Carl Goins© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of: " Vitality 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.

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

2024 ADM 000761

Thomas A. Jeffries aka Thomas Allen Jeffries Decedent

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

Jennifer Jeffries Weeks, whose address is 31 Shelton Ct., Indian Head, MD 20640, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Thomas A. Jeffries aka Thomas Allen Jeffries who died on May 27, 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Jennifer Jeffries Weeks

Personal Representative

TRUE

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 000746

Theodore G. Davis aka Theodore Glenn Davis Decedent

Howard Halley, Esq. The Halley Firm, PC 7600 Georgia Ave., NW #416 Washington, DC 20012 Attorney

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

Monca Lorraine Parker, whose address is 5065 Janet Lane, Irondale, AL 35210, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Theodore G. Davis aka Theodore Glen Davis who died on November 21, 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Monica Lorraine Parker Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

2024 NRT 000028

Walter P. Diggs Name of Deceased Settlor

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Walter P. Diggs whose address was 6928 33rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015 created a revocable trust on July 20, 1999, which remained in existence on the date of death on February 11, 2024, and Thelma

G. Diggs & Sheila Diggs Utts, whose addresses are 6928 33rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015 & 2210 Predella Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20902, are the currently acting trustees, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Andre O. McDonald, Esq. at 10500 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 420, Columbia, MD 21044 (413) 741-1088.

The Trust is subject to claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors, costs of administration of the settlor’s estate, the expense of the deceased settlor’s funeral and disposal of remains, and statutory allowances to a surviving spouse and children to the extent the deceased settlor’s residuary probate estate is inadequate to satisfy those claims, costs, expenses, and allowances.

Claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors are barred as against the Trustee and the trust property unless presented to the Trustee at the address provided herein on or before 1/11/2025 (6 month after the date of the first publication of this notice.) An action to contest the validity of this trust must be commenced by the earliest of (1) 2/11/2025, (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), 1/11/2025 (6 months from the date of first publication of this notice) or (3) Ninety days after the Trustee sends the person a copy of the trust instrument and a notice informing the person of the trust’s existence, of the Trustee’s name and address, and of the time allowed for commencing a proceeding.

The Trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the trust before the expiration of the time within which an action must be commenced unless the Trustee knows of a pending judicial proceeding contesting the validity of the trust or the Trustee has received notice from a potential contestant who thereafter commences a judicial proceeding within sixty days after notification.

This Notice must be mailed postmarked within 15 days of its first publication to each heir and qualified beneficiary of the trust and any other person who would be an interested person within the meaning of D.C. Code 20-101(d).

Date of First Publication: 7/11/2024

Thelma G. Diggs

Sheila Diggs Utts

Signature of Trustee

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

2024 ADM 000731

Garlandria A. Draper Decedent

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

Dionne D. Draper, whose address is 1024 Spring Road, NW, Washington, DC 20010, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Garlandria A. Draper who died on 12/26/2023 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Dionne D. Draper 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 000774

Clarence L. Miller aka Clarence Miller Decedent

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

Anita Murray, whose address is 9704 Starboard Court, Cheltenham MD, 20623, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Clarence L. Miller aka Clarence Miller who died on 4/3/2024 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Anita Murray 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 000744

Mary Catherine Patalkis Decedent

Debra Patalkis 1015 33rd St., NW Washington, DC 20007 Attorney

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

Debra Mary Patalkis, whose address is 1015 33rd St., NW, Apt 706, Washington, DC 20007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary Catherine Patalkis who died on March 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Debra Mary Patalkis 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 000772

John Carter Decedent

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

Karin H Saffold, whose address is 42949 Shelbourne Sq., Chantilly, VA 20152, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Carter who died on March 30, 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Karin H Saffold 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 00751

Doris C. Bagley Decedent

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

Alberta D. Bagley-Green, whose address is 14 W Bartlette Street Apt. 109, Sumter, SC 29150, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Doris C. Bagley who died on April 25, 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Alberta D. Bagley-Green Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 000825

Estate of Massie S. Fleming aka Massie Fleming

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Michelle Gordon “nee” Mitchell 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 June 27, 2013 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

Date of first publication: 7/11/2024

Ronald Dixon 1010 Cameron Street Alexandria, VA 22314

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 000050

Marjorie M. Keys Decedent

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

Marbury D. Keys III, whose address is 314 Rhode Island Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marjorie M. Keys who died on January 13, 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 1/11/2025. 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 1/11/2025, 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: 7/11/2024

Marbury D. Keys III Personal Representative

Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 FEP 000072

January 19, 2023

Date of Death

Robert Ronald Lembke aka Robert L. Lembke

Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Mary Lembke whose address is 99 Daisy Street was appointed personal representative of the estate of Robert Ronald Lembke aka Robert L. Lembke, deceased, by the District Court for Teller County, State of Colorado, on April 18, 2024.

Service of process may be made upon Robin Laupheimer 1920 L Street, NW, Suite 835, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

Decedent has cause of action in DC.

The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. 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:

7/18/2024

Mary Lembke

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 000510

Shirley Johnson aka Shirley M. Johnson Decedent

Johnny M. Howard Houston & Howard 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 402 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

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

Ermine M. Johnson, Jr. whose address is 1604 Webster Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley Johnson aka Shirley M. Johnson who died on July 23, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Ermine M. Johnson Jr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

2024 NRT 000029

Alfred James Price, Jr. Name of Deceased Settlor

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Alfred James Price, Jr. whose address was 850 Majorie Court, SE, Washington, DC 20032 created a revocable trust on December 21, 2007, which remained in existence on the date of his death on March 1, 2022, and Rosalind D. Price, whose address is 3310 Theodore Hagans Dr., NE, Washington, DC 20018 is the currently acting trustee, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Rosalind D. Price at 3310 Theodore Hagans Dr., NE, Washington, DC 20018.

The Trust is subject to claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors, costs of administration of the settlor’s estate, the expenses of the deceased settlor’s funeral and disposal of remains, and statutory allowances to a surviving spouse and children to the extent the deceased settlor’s residuary probate estate is inadequate to satisfy those claims, costs, expenses, and allowances.

Claims of the deceased settlor’s creditors are barred as against the Trustee and the trust property unless presented to the Trustee at the address provided herein on or before 1/18/2025 (6 months after the date of the first publication of this notice.) An action to contest the validity of this trust must be commenced by the earliest of (1) March 1, 2023 (One year from date of death of deceased settler) (2) 1/18/2025 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice) or (3) Ninety days after the Trustee sends the person a copy of the trust instrument and a notice informing the person of the trust’s existence, of the Trustee’s name and address, and of the time allowed for commencing a proceeding.

The Trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the turst before the expiration of the time within which an action must be commenced unless the Trustee knows of a pending judicial proceeding contesting the validity of the trust or the Trustee has received notice from a potential contestant who thereafter commences a judicial proceeding within sixty days after notification.

This Notice must be mailed postmarked with 15 days of its first publication to each heir and qualified beneficiary of the trust and any other person who would be an interested person within the meaning of D.C. Code 20-101 (d).

Date of First Publication: 7/18/2024

Rosalind D. Price

Signature of Trustee

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2023 ADM 001562

Cherice Nicole Allen Decedent

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

Johnnie Mae Riggsbee, whose address is 2714 Minnesota Ave., SE, Washington DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cherice Nicole Allen who died on December 23, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Johnnie Mae Riggsbee 2714 Minnesota Ave., SE Washington, DC 20019

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 FEP 000071

March 15, 2022

Date of Death

Martha Ann Evans

Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Brittany Evans whose address is 1428 Poplar Drive Eufaula, AL 36027 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Martha Ann Evans, deceased, by the Probate Court for Barbour County, State of Alabama, on May 8, 2024.

Service of process may be made upon Robin Laupheimer 1920 L Street, NW, Suite 835, Washington, DC 20036 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. Decedent has cause of action in DC.

Date of first publication: July 18, 2024

Brittany Evans Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 ADM 000778

Lilian Mikiver Decedent

Mary C. Williams 1629 K St., NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

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

Triinu Mikiver, whose address is 8201 Midnight Star Court, Las Vegas, NV 89145, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lilian Mikiver who died on July 14, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Triinu Mikiver 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 000779

Stephen Scott Everhart Decedent

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

Stephanie Zobay, whose address is 2935 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Stephen Scott Everhart who died on June 23, 2011 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Stephanie Zobay 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 000776

Jurg Mikiver

Decedent

Mary C. Williams 1629 K Street, NW Suite 300

Washington, DC 20006

Attorney

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

Triinu Mikiver, whose address is 8201 Midnight Star Court, Las Vegas, NV 89145, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jurg Mikiver who died on April 30, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Triinu Mikiver

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 767

William Thomas Walker Decedent

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

Michael Anthony Walker, whose address is 5021 Blaine Street, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William Thomas Walker who died on February 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Michael Anthony Walker 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 797

Samuel Mingo Jr. Decedent

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

Juwain L. Mingo, whose address is 309 Silo Ridge Ct. Apt 201, Odenton, MD 21113, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samuel Mingo Jr. who died on December 31, 2021 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Juwain L. Mingo Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 000783

Michelle Denise Phillips Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Attorney

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

Chamelle Phillips, whose address is 3407 13th St., SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Michelle Denise Phillips who died on December 24, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Chamelle Phillips

of Wills

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

2024 ADM 000771

Thelma L. Kelly aka Thelma Louise Kelly Decedent

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

Pamela Kelly Harrison, whose address is 11383 Wildmeadows St, Waldorf, MD 20601, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Thelma L. Kelly aka Thelma Louise Kelly who died on May 9, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Pamela Kelly Harrison

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 792

Russell L. Wade Decedent

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

Harold L. Wade, whose address is 6713 Heatherford Ct., Derwood, MD 20855, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Russell L. Wade who died on December 6, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Harold L. Wade 6713 Heatherford Ct. Derwood, MD 20855

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 000547

Alessandro Di Martino Decedent

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

Francesca Catanzaro Ricchiari, whose address is 5708 Dun Horse Lane, Derwood, MD 20855, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alessandro Di Martino who died on May 13, 2015 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Francesca Catanzaro Ricchiari

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 000795

Devera White Decedent

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

Kevin Stringfellow, whose address is 710 56th Place NE, Washington DC, 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Devera White who died on 4/13/2024 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Kevin Stringfellow 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 000794

Patricia A. Bullinger Decedent

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

Richard W. Meehan, II, whose address is 1724 Dunwoody Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37919, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Patricia A. Bullinger who died on June 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Richard W. Meehan, II 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 2023 ADM 001122

Laszio Levente Farkas aka Larry Farkas Decedent

Graner S. Ghevarghese 600 14th Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Robin Walter Grover, whose address is 306 South Fairfax Street, Alexandria VA 22314, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Laszio Levente Farkas aka Larry Farkas who died on 12/26/2018 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Robin Walter Grover 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 000780

Susan Roberta Jones Johnson Decedent

James Larry Frazier, Esq. 918 Maryland Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002

Attorney

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

George Henry Johnson, whose address is 224 Quackenbos Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Susan Roberta Jones Johnson who died on April 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

George Henry Johnson 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 788

JoAnn Jackson-Piper Decedent

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

Antoine Piper, whose address is 3457 Flagston St., Waldorf, MD 20601, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JoAnn Jackson-Piper who died on May 23, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Antoine Piper Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 000786

Cristina Kumary Kaimal

Decedent

Tabitha R. Brown, Esq.

Law Office of Tabitha R. Brown

1200 G St. SE, Suite A Washington, DC 20003

Attorney

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

Tiara Kaimal, whose address is 4121 W St. NW, Apt. 1, Washington, DC 20007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Cristina Kumary Kaimal who died on May 2, 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 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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:

7/18/2024

Tiara Kaimal

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 FEP 76

September 28, 2017

Date of Death

Bette Jean McLeod

Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Cheryl McLeod whose address is 6833 Old Waterloo Road, Elkridge, MD 21075 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Bette Jean McLeod, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on November 30, 2017.

Service of process may be made upon Joan Davenport, 1780 Sycamore Street, NW, Washington, DC 20012 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: 3217 Walnut Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018. 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: 7/18/2024

Cheryl McLeod Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2022 ADM 000851

Joseph Matthew She aka Joseph M. Shea

Decedent

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

Attorney

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

Deanna C. Williams, whose address is 303 Walking Horse Lane, Summit Point, WV 25446, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joseph Matthew Shea aka Joseph M. Shea who died on January 14, 2022 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/18/2025. 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 1/18/2025, 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: 7/18/2024

Deanna C. Williams

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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to each young man were posted, as hundreds more sat in the gym’s blue and yellow bleachers.

The victims’ families, sitting front and center in the gym, all wore commemorative shirts, and those who entered the facility were given mini electric candles to illuminate the space for mourning. Officers from the Forest Heights Police Department, Seat Pleasant Police Department, and Sheriff’s Office were on site to direct traffic.

Jackson, Lytton and Hazel won state championships together before going on to play college football, and while the three had hung up their high school jerseys, they remained beloved by their Wise community.

“I stand before you tonight with a heavy heart as we gather to celebrate three young men. They were more than just names on a roster: they were dynamic football players, best of friends with unwavering support for each other, who excelled both on and off the football field,” said Wise principal Taryn Washington. “Their actions touched the entire Wise community, and their legacy is one of unwavering commitment and friendship. Let us carry forward the values

FUNDS from Page 1

For some HAF applicants, like Stephanie Rones, that announcement hinted at DHCD’s mismanagement of the $50 million in COVID relief funds, to her detriment and that of other District homeowners who vied for utility and mortgage relief.

“I applied the first day they opened up the portal, so why am I on a waitlist two years later?” said Rones, a Northeast resident.

On July 2, Rones emailed the D.C. Executive Office of the Mayor, D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At large), and D.C. Office of the Inspector General to request an investigation of HAF. In this email, which followed numerous other emails sent to the mayor’s office and council members over the course of a year, she also demanded the exploration of strategies to streamline the application process and disburse funds more efficiently.

During the summer of 2022, Rones submitted her HAF application and supplementary documentation to Lydia’s House, a nonprofit housing counseling organization.

they embodied: loyalty, and love.”

This year, Jackson was drafted in the fourth-round by the Minnesota Vikings following his time at Alabama and Oregon. Hazel played for the University of Maryland, and Lytton played for Florida State, Penn State, and Bowie State University.

Wise High School Coach Steve Repp, Bowie State football coach Kyle Jackson, and University of Maryland head football coach Mike Locksley were just three of the numerous mentors who offered kind and commemorative words during the tribute.

“Legends. Legends are built in

From there, the materials went to the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC).

Rones said LEDC approved her application a year later, but not before she called and emailed the organization for weekly updates.

As Rones recounted, DHCD took several months to process the approved application and secure payments for the water and electric bills, her lowest utility costs that stood at less than $200. She said DHCD has yet to cover her internet bill, which she managed to pay down to $1,000 on her own.

In January 2023, amid Rones’ attempts to contact DHCD about the delays in payment, Comcast/Xfinity closed her account and prepared it for transfer to a collection agency. She would later learn that HAF doesn’t cover closed accounts.

“My perception of the program was that it wasn’t well thought out, and it was mismanaged,” Rones said. “For some reason, now that they’re at the end of the program and the funds are dwindling, they don’t want to pay utilities and past due mortgages. They haven’t paid past due utilities and mortgages, so now they want to change the rules.”

team he had ever coached. Locksley said Hazel was the first player he recruited to the Terps, by flipping his commitment from the University of West Virginia to Maryland.

One attendee wore a Hazel Terrapins jersey and University of Maryland gear could be spotted among the crowd. Behind the podium, where many offered words of encouragement and solace to those present, sat three yellow jerseys that each player had worn during their time at Wise.

ing at 9 a.m. and service at 11 a.m.

ANOTHER TRAGEDY STRIKES AFTER THE VIGIL

After the event wrapped up, two vigil attendees were shot around 10 p.m.

hard work, in perseverance and a strong spirit. I was blessed with the opportunity to build, hold accountable, and enjoy in their successes,” said Repp. “Our goal is to mold individuals who can be great community members, and to play elite football. They moved as a unit, they praised and supported each other, and made each other better consistently. They embraced change. Three legends with the same goals and aspirations. They have left an everlasting impression on all of us here.”

He cited their 2016 team, which all three men played on, as the best

QUESTIONS ABOUT TIMELINE, PROCESSES, AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES

A staff member in At-large Councilmember White’s office told The Informer that they’ve heard from District residents who’ve either been denied HAF or haven’t received responses from DHCD or LEDC. Legal service organizations, the staffer said, also shared “miscommunication issues” that kept residents in the dark about the status of their application.

The Informer unsuccessfully attempted to gather comment from LEDC. In speaking about delays, a DHCD spokesperson cited incomplete applications and unregistered vendors who were unable to accept payment through the HAF program as key causes.

From HAF’s 2022 launch up until June 30, 3,170 applications have been submitted. Of that amount, 2,948 have been processed, 1,650 of which have been approved. Per DHCD, nearly 1,000 HAF applications have been denied. The spokesperson noted that DHCD made on-site housing counselors available for homeowners unable to navigate

“Today is not easy for any of us,” said Councilmember Wala Blegay (D- District 6). “In the time I’ve served on the Council, this is not the first time I’ve had to console young people we’ve lost. To the Wise community, I know this is really hard. My prayers are with you.”

State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy also spoke at the vigil and promised to “seek the truth” in what led up to the accident that claimed the lives of the three beloved athletes.

Lytton’s celebration of life is scheduled for July 23 at the City of Praise in Landover, with a viewing at 9 a.m. until the start of the service at 11 a.m. A celebration of life for Hazel and Jackson is planned for July 26 at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, with a view-

the online portal while also allowing family members and other representatives to apply on their behalf.

All HAF funds have been allocated, the spokesperson said. The 222 applications that haven’t been processed are being waitlisted. Those homeowners will be awarded funds on a first-come, first basis with firsttime applicants being the priority.

A July 5 DHCD letter that The Informer secured said that “repeat applications” -- approved and denied initial applications for which DHCD requested additional documentation -- would be evaluated on Oct. 1, should HAF funds be available at the time. By that time, HAF will no longer provide payment assistance for utilities, internet, homeowner’s insurance, and forward-facing housing payments, according to the letter.

For Joanne Savage, such an arrangement does an injustice to applicants who’ve struggled to overcome technological barriers and other obstacles as they attempt to secure supporting documents and submit their HAF applications.

“We have clients who applied as far back as June of last year, submitted additional documents in September and are awaiting a decision,”

“They were hardly 30 seconds away from here when they heard the gunshots, they turned around and they were right back on scene," said PGPD Captain Sonny Batth. "They were the ones that initiated the initial call to our dispatch, so that’s when everybody started responding. No citizen called 911. It was the officer who initiated the call."

One victim, identified as Shahid Omar Jr., was reportedly pronounced dead at a local hospital, and another victim has non-life threatening injuries. Authorities do not currently have a motive or suspect.

Omar was planning to host a baby shower on July 12 for a son expected to be born this September.

Shahid’s father described the killing as “senseless” and his mother said he attended the vigil “as a sign of respect” to close friends.

“It’s not fair,” said Shahid’s father, Travis Clarke. “I’m sitting here today, and my son is gone.” WI

said Savage, Legal Counsel for the Elderly’s director of litigation and managing attorney for consumer advocacy and homeowner preservation practice. “Other clients who applied in March and April have been approved and are pending. With the closure, how do you choose who gets the money in a fair and equitable manner?”

Legal Counsel for the Elderly, located in Northwest, provides foreclosure prevention and other free legal services to older, low-income District residents. Over the last two years, attorneys at the organization have identified HAF as the best way to save clients’ homes.

A 2022 report by the D.C. Black Ownership Strike Force, of which Savage is a member, recommended the creation of a program, like HAF, for Black homeowners who are in risk of foreclosure due to outstanding mortgage and related housing fee payments. However, with the Fiscal Year 2025 budget solidified, Savage questioned whether the D.C. government would even be able to supplement the existing homeowner assistance program with local dollars. WI

CHAVIS

from Page 30

Independence signed on July 4, 1776, and later to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Although thousands of people of African descent, who were not enslaved, enlisted and fought for freedom and independence against the British, no people of African descent were invited or permitted to attend the formative meetings of the newly emerging nation's democracy and Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787. My great-great-great-great-grandfather, the Reverend John Chavis (17631838) fought as a young, enlisted soldier in the Revolutionary War against the British in our home state of North Carolina and in the state of Virginia. The Chavis family has lived in Granville County, N.C., for over 285 years. My father, Benjamin F. Chavis Sr. (1898-1965), enlisted and fought as a young sergeant major soldier in the United States Army in World War I.

The point here is that generations of African and African American soldiers have enlisted and fought and died to defend and protect the na-

MORIAL from Page 30

• Failure to disclose financial income, gifts and reimbursements, property interests, liabilities, and transactions, among other information.

The misdeeds of Alito and Thomas have been well-documented by investigative journalists and examined by a House Oversight panel and the Senate Finance Committee. Senators this week asked U.S. Attorney Gener-

Throughout his life, Sam Proctor thanked his parents, Herbert and Velma Proctor, and his grandparents — especially his paternal grandmother, Hattie Ann Proctor — for all they had done to ensure he started life so far above the scratch line. He understood how many millions of children and young people do not get the same good start. Can these bones live again? At a moment when so many forces are rallying against equity and inclusion, the forces working alongside children and young people to make sure all of them can reach their full potential and thrive must remain even stronger.

tion and democracy for the past 248 years. And we are not going to permit anyone or anything to deny our birthright to freedom and democracy. For us, the right to vote in America is blood-stained and sacred. We know from our lived experience the horror, pain, and suffering from centuries of physical lynchings in America to satisfy the sheer fear, hatred, white supremacy, and ignorance of racism. Today, we also know when mobs cry out for the downfall and political lynching of those who have been our allies in our long struggle for freedom, justice, voting rights, and equity, we cannot be silent.

It is ironic that also here in Raleigh, N.C., less than 24 hours after the questionable so-called debate in Atlanta, President Biden spoke eloquently and forcibly at the N.C. State Fairgrounds about a couple of miles away from the John Chavis Memorial Park in downtown Raleigh. President Biden stated, "I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious, I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know

al Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate two of Thomas' ethical breaches specifically.

"The unchecked corruption crisis on the Supreme Court has now spiraled into a constitutional crisis threatening American democracy writ large," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who introduced the impeachment resolutions. Sadly, it has been clear for some time that the Supreme Court has no intention of enforcing such

— I know how to tell the truth."

The truth is therapeutic. Our nation needs more truth over the lies and prevalent fake news.

At the same time, as the calls for President Biden to step down, the United States Supreme Court has now ruled that future and past presidential "official acts" of violence, crime, repression, voter suppression, and insurrection are all immune from prosecution as long those acts are official acts within the core responsibilities of a President of the United States. This is dangerous and fundamentally against the meaning and principles of democracy. That is why now, more than ever before, we must raise our voices and mobilize our families and communities to go out and vote in record numbers in the Swing States and in every other state across the nation. We all have work to do. We said back in the 1960s civil rights movement, "When things get tough in our struggle for freedom, we have to become tougher."

Join me and raise your voice with me. Let's vote in record numbers throughout America. Stop the lynching of President Joe Biden. WI

standards when it comes to its own members. The so-called Code of Conduct it issued last year was more a justification of corruption than a prohibition against it.

It is regrettable when any public official runs afoul of the standards of decency and integrity that should guide their actions. It is exponentially so when the official is one who is entrusted with enforcing standards of decency and integrity.

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CROWELL from Page 31

ed version was proposed in 2023 by the Biden administration that according to HUD would "achieve integrated living patterns, overcome historic and existing patterns of segregation, reduce racial and ethnic concentrations of poverty, increase access to homeownership, and ensure realistic and truly equal access to opportunity and community assets."

Central to the rule was the development of written local "Equity Plans" that incorporated citizens' concerns into a meaningful plan of action.

Similarly, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), created by 2010's Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act, implemented in 2017 a payday lending rule that required lenders to determine whether consumers could repay before approving predatory loans such as payday, vehicle title and certain other high-cost installment ones.

But two years later, a change in administration and agency director led to a court-ordered stay in rule implementation. In response, a coalition of advocates that included

JEALOUS from Page 31

include ignoring how Congress appropriates spending, where the president has the unquestioned authority to redirect congressionally passed spending at will.

Democracy Forward, a pro-democracy legal organization, refers to Project 2025 as "among the most profound threats to the American people." That is due to the plan's clear harm to the lives, livelihoods, and wellbeing of countless millions of Americans — "from attacking overtime pay, student loans, and reproductive rights, to allowing more discrimination, pollution, and price gouging," according to Democracy Forward.

It is no wonder that when Americans learn about the Project 2025 roadmap, they reject its policy prescriptions overwhelmingly.

A recent survey by Navigator Polling found strong opposition to Project 2025's possible impacts on healthcare: "83 percent oppose removing protections for people with pre-existing conditions, 81 percent oppose putting a new tax on health insurance for people who get coverage through their employer, and 80

the Center for Responsible Lending wrote then-CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger with warnings of how the agency was abandoning its consumer protection mission.

"[S]ince its 2017 leadership change, the CFPB has repeatedly failed to support the August 19, 2019, compliance date the agency established for these important provisions," the coalition wrote in part. "The Rule's payments provisions will protect consumers from significant harm by restricting an unfair and abusive practice: payday and vehicle-title lenders' repeat attempts to debit borrowers' bank accounts, after two consecutive withdrawal attempts fail due to insufficient funds. … These safeguards are important under any circumstance, but even more so because the agency has delayed and is proposing to undo the ability-to-repay protections."

With yet another change of administration, in 2020 and under current President Joe Biden, CFPB updated the rule, to include emerging predatory loans like longer-term loans with balloon payments, and other consumer loans that charged 36% annual percentage rates (APR) or higher.

Strong and swift reactions to the

percent oppose banning Medicare from negotiating lower prices and eliminating the $35 monthly insulin cap."

Project 2025 also calls for defunding public education and eliminating Head Start, the early education program that serves a million primarily low-income children. It lights the path for actions that could reduce food assistance for 40 million people and cost hundreds of thousands of people their jobs.

Project 2025 also supports the defunding or dismantling of key federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is vital in tracking hurricanes and the impacts of climate change. Rather than acknowledging the urgent need for climate action, Project 2025 accuses NOAA of being "one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry." That is a level of climate denialism not even seen among fossil fuel companies and petrostate governments these days.

How could anyone in their right mind think eliminating agencies on the frontlines of climate science is a good idea at a time like this?? Our

Chevron reversal came from academicians and advocates.

"When I went to law school, the most conservative legal scholars railed against just such creep of judicial policymaking," said Deborah A. Sivas, a chaired professor at Stanford Law School, in a recent Q&A blog. "Now they basically embrace it."

"Beyond the SAVE repayment plan and student loan forgiveness, this ruling could also have an impact on other regulations from the Education Department including gainful employment," according to a statement by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

"This is a seismic shift," noted Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a member of that chamber's Judiciary Committee. "Congress passes laws and then federal agencies use their deep knowledge and expertise to implement them. In overturning decades of settled law, this extreme Court has given itself the power to second-guess even the most complex regulatory decisions. This decision will result in chaos and undermine our ability to protect the health and safety of all Americans."

cities are cooking under extreme heat. Forests are burning. And experts say Hurricane Beryl, which just slammed Texas — the strongest tropical storm ever recorded this early in the season — indicates we could be facing one of the most devastating hurricane seasons ever. In Texas alone, Beryl killed at least eight people and caused power outages for more than 2.5 million in this summer's extreme heat. And, again, the season is just getting started.

We have big problems to solve. An authoritarian power grab that guts checks and balances is no way to solve them. A strong democracy that is responsive to its people is the only way we will create a rising tide of opportunity that lifts all boats. It is the only way we will protect people's fundamental rights and survive the climate crisis. We have seen enough examples of dictatorships around the world to know it is a road to failure and misery. Project 2025 emphasizes consolidating power, punishing political opponents, and making the government work for the powerful few over the many. That is not the country Americans want or deserve. WI

The Washington Informer - July 18, 2024

NationHouse Marks 50 Years of Academics, Culture and ‘Re-Afrikanization’

Black Homeowners Lament Closure of Homeowner Assistance Fund Portal

Questions Persist about Management of Funds and Internal Processes

Biden Shows Reporters He Won’t Step Aside:

More Tragedy Strikes with Post Vigil Double Shooting

wi hot topics

Federal Judge Dismisses Entire Classified Documents Case Against Trump

Survey Finds Black Adults Develop Unique Coping Skills for Racism

BLK and GIPHY BLKmojis

Honoring Legacy: Community Rededicates Mary McLeod Bethune Statue in Lincoln Park

AROUND THE REGION

AROUND THE REGION

view

P INT

Amplified Sound Mitigation Act of 2024: Balancing Culture and Peace in D.C.

AROUND THE REGION

Dreaming Out Loud's Marion Barry Avenue Market to Combat Food Apartheid

AROUND THE REGION

GOODProjects Community Nonprofit Fights Violence, Expands Youth Programs with NFL Players Association Support

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

$150 MILLION IN BUDGET CUTS

AT-LARGE SPECIAL ELECTION UPDATES

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Local Updates

THE STOREHOUSE FOOD BANK SEARCHING FOR NEW HOME

PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATES

REP. IVEY ATTENDS TAKE BACK THE PARK

BUSINESS

BRYSON GILLETTE ADVOCACY IS LAUNCHED

briefs

NAREB PRESIDENT ON REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY CHANGES

MOCO EDC LAUNCHES REDESIGNED WEBSITE

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NATIONAL

HUD and The Appraisal Foundation Forge Historic Deal to Tackle Racial Inequity in Real Estate Appraisal

Biden Takes Aim at High Rents, Unveils Comprehensive Housing Strategy

HOLDING CORPORATE LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE

Meet J.D. Vance, Trump’s Running Mate

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

PROTECTING RENTERS AND EXPANDING HOUSING SUPPLY

REPURPOSING PUBLIC LAND

COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION

LEGISLATIVE ROADBLOCKS AND REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION

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INTERNATIONAL

HEALTH

Black Health Connect: Working to Improve Health Care, Foster Partnerships in Africa

WHY IS BLACK HEALTH CONNECT IMPORTANT?

Clarifying Common Misconceptions: Black Americans Must Protect

MELANOMA AND BLACK AMERICANS

Their Skin Too

CLARIFYING COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

LIFE CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE

EARTH OUR

Study Exposes Stark Inequities in Heat-Related Health Emergencies Among Black Residents

Summer Heat is Often Felt Most in Black and Brown Communities

EDUCATION

LOOKING BACK: NATIONHOUSE CELEBRATES

50 YEARS

A FAMILY-CENTERED INSTITUTION BORN OUT OF A MOVEMENT

Trump Assassination Attempt Should Spark

Republicans to Work with Democrats to Combat Gun Violence

Banning or Limiting Cell Phones in Schools Should be the Decision of Educators, Not Politicians

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

The Scratch Line

Guest Columnist

Marian Wright Edelman

Stop the Lynching of President Joe Biden

Guest Columnist

Guest Columnist

Serious Black Unity: A Must-Have for Progress and Protection in November and Beyond

SCOTUS

Decision Puts Hard-Fought

The 900-Page Guide to Snuffing Out American Democracy Guest Columnist

Consumer Victories at Risk

LIFESTYLE

Things To Do, DMV!