The Washington Informer - July 25, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris Gears Up to Lead Democratic Party as Nominee After President Withdraws

By Stacy M. Brown National Reporter

Vice President Kamala Harris went from supporting President Joe Biden in his quest for re-election, to quickly kicking off her own campaign on Monday, July 22.

In a stunning turn of events Sunday afternoon, President Joe Biden announced that he will not seek re-election, and soon after endorsed Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee for the 2024 general election. President Biden, who faced intense scrutiny following a disastrous debate performance last month, made the Sunday announcement in a letter posted on his X, formerly known as Twitter, account.

"And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the HARRIS Page 34

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith Marks One Year in Her Role

MPD’s First Black Female Chief Speaks to The Informer

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith made history as the first Black woman to lead D.C. police on July 17, 2023. After taking on that role, she sePOLICE CHIEF Page 34

Anacostia Residents Fight for Balance in Affordable Housing Development

Market Forces Complicate Bowser Administration’s Efforts to Spur Development in West Rock Creek

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

While Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration is well on its way to achieving its affordable housing goals, there remains the question of whether each

ward in the District is taking on an equal share of the newly constructed and renovated units, as promised.

For a cadre of Southeast residents, that’s far from the case.

Bowser’s Budget Decision Sparks Protests, Community Criticism Questions about Taxes, Congressional Interference

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s decision to return the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act and Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Support Emergency Act unsigned stemmed from, as she explained in a letter, a desire to avoid tax increases.

Celebrating 59 years. Your credible and trusted source for Black news and information.

5 In honor of the John Lewis Day of Action on July 17, protestors took to the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest to call on Bowser to echo Lewis by causing “good trouble,” and fighting for the District’s underserved communities. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5Vice President Kamala Harris (pictured at a June 2024 gun violence event in Maryland) kicked off her presidential campaign in Delaware on Monday, July 22, after President Joe Biden announced he is no longer seeking reelection. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

5 In an intimate interview with The Washington Informer Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith reflects on the work she’s done in the past year leading the District’s police department. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

This Month's WI Bridge Center Section

“This time, it’s TREATMENT WORKS.

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U.S.

Navy Exonerates

STACY M. BROWN, NATIONAL REPORTER; BRENDA C. SILER, LIFESTYLE REPORTER

Black WWII Sailors Convicted After Port Chicago Explosion

The U.S. Navy has exonerated 256 Black sailors wrongfully convicted after the catastrophic 1944 Port Chicago explosion. The move marks a significant victory in the long battle against racial injustice within the military.

On July 17, 1944, during World War II, a massive explosion at a munition’s pier in Port Chicago, California, detonated over 4,600 tons of ammunition on a cargo ship.

The blast killed 320 people, predominantly Black sailors, and injured around 400 others. According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the explosion caused widespread damage, with shockwaves felt as far as Nevada.

Following the explosion, white officers were given hardship leave, while Black sailors were ordered back to work, tasked with cleaning the devastated base and handling the remains of their comrades. Despite the lack of additional safety measures or clarity on the blast's cause, 258 Black sailors refused to handle munitions. Under threat of dis-

ciplinary action, 208 returned to work but were still convicted of disobeying orders. The remaining sailors, known as the “Port Chicago 50,” were charged with mutiny and sentenced to dishonorable discharge, 15 years of confinement, demotion to the rank of E-1, and forfeiture of pay.

Although military officials later reduced their sentences, their names were not cleared until now, on the 80th anniversary of the explosion.

“The Port Chicago 50, and the hundreds who stood with them, may not be with us today, but their story lives on as a testament to the enduring power of courage and the unwavering pursuit of justice,” said U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro. “They stand as a beacon of hope, forever reminding us that even in the face of overwhelming odds, the fight for what's right can and will prevail,” Del Toro stated.

Delicious Meals Are Plentiful During Black Restaurant Week

A diverse list of local establishments are featured during National Black Restaurant Week, which runs until July 28. This is the fifth year that Black-owned eateries in the metro D.C. area and Baltimore have participated in this business event.

“Through collaborations with corporations and community partners, we organize culinary events and marketing campaigns, shedding light on small culinary businesses that often struggle with limited funds and resources for their promotional efforts,” Warren Luckett, who founded National Black Restaurant Week in 2016.

Thirty-two D.C. area dining locations are featured on the website for this year’s observance.

Thompson Restaurant Group’s newest restaurant, Hen Quarter Prime opened July 23, near Audi Field in the Capital Waterfront, just in time for National Black Restaurant Week.

“We will serve the best steaks, seafood, and side dishes from Chef Gene Sohn,” said Thompson Restaurant Group’s Area Director of Operations Alex Brown.

For Black Restaurant Week, Hen Quarter Prime is reducing the price of its Saturday and Sunday brunch. Usually $75 per person, the brunch will be $50. The brunch includes a seafood tower and a build-your-own Bloody Mary Bar.

For more information on National Black Restaurant Week in the D.C. area, Baltimore and other cities, visit blackrestaurantweeks.com WI

Apollo Theater Makes History with Kennedy Center Honors

The Apollo Theater, Harlem’s legendary cultural institution, has made history as an honoree in this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, one of the highest accolades in the arts. For 90 years, the Apollo has been the heart of American culture, nurturing emerging artists, launching legends, and serving as a center of innovation for Harlem, New York City, and the world. As the largest performing arts institution dedicated to Black culture and creativity, the Apollo has significantly influenced popular culture globally.

The Kennedy Center Honors has selected The Apollo Theater, marking the first time a venue, rather than an individual performer, has received this prestigious award.

“We are thrilled to be the first organization honored in the history of the Kennedy Center Awards, emphasizing The Apollo’s impact on the past, present, and future of American culture and the performing arts,” stated Mi-

chelle Ebanks, President & CEO of The Apollo.

The 47th Kennedy Center Honors, which will be held Dec. 8 and air on Dec. 23 on CBS, will also celebrate the lifetime achievements of director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt, jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval, and the surviving members of the countercultural rock band the Grateful Dead.

The Apollo was chosen because for 90 years, the venue has served as a testing ground for new artists working across various art forms and ushering in the emergence of musical genres, including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop.

“From the longest-running talent show in America with, Amateur Night at The Apollo, which launched the careers of icons like Ella Fitzgerald and Lauryn Hill, to performances from beloved legends like Smokey Robinson and Lil’ Kim and today’s biggest stars like Drake, The Apollo has always been a home for artists to create and a home for audiences to see incredible music and art from legendary artists,” Ebanks asserted. WI

5(Courtesy of HBO via AFI Docs Film Festival)

Business, Politics Conferred at U.S. Black Chambers Conference

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

John A. Colastin, a businessman who resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico, attended the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. (USBC) Annual Conference and 15th Anniversary from July 1720 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in downtown, D.C., with a mission. He hopes to build stronger ties between Black communities in Puerto Rico and the continental U.S., and he figured the USBC convening was the perfect place to help him achieve his major goal.

“I have a manufacturing and business development firm,” said Colastin. “This is my first time attending a U.S. Black Chambers Inc., conference. We need to have more interaction between Puerto Rico Black communities and the continental U.S. Black community. The purpose of this is to create the first Puerto Rico Black Chamber.”

Colastin was joined by scores of local Black chamber of commerce leaders, entrepreneurs from across the country, representatives and employees of corporations and federal government agencies and political leaders to celebrate 15 years of the USBC and to educate its members on the latest developments in the public and private sectors.

Ron Busby Sr., president and CEO of the USBC, hailed the 15th anniversary of the organization as a milestone moment. He underscored the importance of having such organizations as USBC in working to better the nation overall.

“In order for there to be a great America, there must be a great Black

SAILORS from Page 4

President Joe Biden lauded the exonerations.

“[The] announcement marks the end of a long and arduous journey for these Black sailors and their families, who fought for a nation that denied them equal justice under law. May we all remember their courage, sacrifice, and service to our nation.”

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also emphasized acknowledging and rectifying past injustices.

“The NAACP, Thurgood Marshall, Eleanor Roosevelt, and others

America, and in order for there to be a great Black America, there must be great Black businesses,” said Busby at the opening session on July 17. “The purpose of this conference is to educate, motivate and entertain. Fifteen years ago, we had six chambers as members and today we have 175.”

Busby said there are 3.6 million African American owned businesses in the U.S. that average about $164,000 in revenue annually. He noted that during the coronavirus pandemic, 41% of all Black businesses closed and stressed the need for more work in creating and sustaining African American owned firms.

“We want to bridge the racial wealth gap and create economic opportunities for Blacks,” he said.

Busby emphasized the organization’s five pillars: advocacy, access to capital, contracting, entrepreneurial training and chamber development as central to the USBC’s mission. Later that day, the organization’s president and CEO announced a memorandum of understanding with the Native American Contractors Association and USBC to build business partnerships and collaborative advocacy “to bring our communities together.”

While workshops were held on such topics as government procurements tips and practices, the use of artificial intelligence in business operations and how to thwart the attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, there were also discussions by political and civil rights leaders on Project 2025, the 900-page conservative blueprint by the Heritage Foundation on how America should be run if former U.S. President Don-

recognized the case as a travesty at the time,” Austin wrote in a memo. “The Department of Defense must continue to learn from our past, and today's decision reflects our commitment to reckoning with our history, even when it is painful.”

Officials said the exoneration signifies a profound milestone in the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.

“We owe it to these men and their families to remember their bravery and to learn from our past,” said Del Toro. “Their courage is a beacon for future generations.”

WI

ald Trump regains the White House in November.

Former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams participated in a robust discussion about the November general election and the negative impact that Project 2025 will have if implemented into policy on July 18. The Rev. Jamal Bryant, who took the place of absent National Action Network founder and president the Rev. Al Sharpton, also denounced Project 2025 and encouraged Black males to vote in large numbers in November.

Former NBA star and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson talked to the gathering about his entrepreneurial pursuits.

“I go to bed at night and wake up trying to uplift Black people,” said Johnson, 58.

Johnson said he is working to expand his restaurant chain, FixIns, possibly to the District.

In addition, Maryland Gov. Wes

Moore (D) spoke about his programs for post-high school graduate public service, efforts to make sure minority and female owned firms have an opportunity to do business with the state and eliminating child poverty.

Moore also emphasized his work to aid Black Marylanders and end eco-

nomic disparities for African Americans nationwide.

“I am honored to be the first Black governor of Maryland but that is not the assignment,” said Moore, 45. “I want to close the racial wealth gap.”

WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5Ron Busby Sr., president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. and Maryland Democratic Congressman Glenn Ivey at the organization’s 2024 conference. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

black facts

JULY 25 - 31 , 2024

JULY 25

1943 – The USS Harmon, the first warship to be named after an African American, is launched in Quincy, Massachusetts.

1972 – After the Associated Press breaks the story, US. government officials admit to the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, where Blacks were used as guinea pigs in syphilis tests under the ruse of receiving free health care.

1990 – Black Enterprise publisher Earl Graves and basketball legend Magic Johnson sign an agreement to purchase Pepsi-Cola of Washington, D.C., becoming the nation's biggest minority-controlled Pepsi franchise.

1992 – Gen. Colin Powell dedicates the Buffalo Soldiers monument at Fort Leavenworth.

JULY 26

1847 – Liberia becomes the first African nation on the continent to gain its independence.

JULY 27

2004 – Then-Sen. Barack Obama delivers an acclaimed keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, putting him on the national politics radar and launching him on the path to the White House four years later.

JULY 28

1868 – The 14th Amendment, guaranteeing to African Americans citizenship, and all its privileges, is ratified.

JULY 30

2020 - Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) is eulogized and buried in Atlanta, Ga. as the nation honors the man after whom the Voting Rights Act is named.

JULY 31

1874 – Patrick Francis Healy is inaugurated as president of Georgetown University, the first African American president of a predominantly White college.

1921 – Civil rights leader Whitney M. Young is born in Lincoln Ridge, Kentucky. WI

BARACK OBAMA

AROUND THE REGION

view

P INT

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

President Joe Biden announced he’s pulling out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic ticket. Some people praise Biden for prioritizing the country’s interests, while others criticize the decision, citing the potential challenges of electing a Black/AAPI woman as president. What are your thoughts?

ANTHONY PARR SR. / CHICAGO, ILL.

DANYELL GLOVER / WASHINGTON, D.C. What excitement Kamala Harris brings as the possible Democratic nominee for president!

I hope the same women and men who didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton because she is a woman will vote for Kamala Harris. Now that Trump is officially the oldest presidential candidate ever, l hope and expect the media to spend weeks focusing and talking about his age, mental capacity, and many lies.

CHERYL MAXWELL / WASHINGTON, D.C.

ELIZABETH JOY / CHESAPEAKE, VA.

I’m actually glad Biden stepped down. He knows he doesn’t have the stamina for this fight, so he’s letting someone stronger take it. He’s standing down and thinking about the team.

I’m not sure how to feel about this yet.

CLIFFORD BISHOP / KNOXVILLE, TENN. She has my vote!

Organizers Evoke John Lewis’ Name in Fight for Voting Rights Protections

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Four years after Congressman John Lewis’ death, organizers continue to advance a cause near and dear to his heart --- protection of voting rights.

A bevy of local and national organizations converged on the first floor of the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest, D.C. on July 17 for what they dubbed the John Lewis National Day of Action. That evening, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), one of the last people to spend time with the late Lewis, emphasized the significance of the commemoration.

“We will cast our ballots [in November] for how we save our democracy and our right to vote,” Bowser said, alluding to the threat of another Donald J. Trump presidency. “We want to ensure our already limited autonomy is not trampled on.”

5The Rev. Thomas Bowen, senior adviser in the White House Office of Public Engagement offered a call to action and led a prayer during the John Lewis National Day of Action at the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest, D.C. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

necessity of preserving Lewis’ legacy.

ing access to the ballot box.

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

In 2020, Bowser hosted Lewis during his last public appearance at the two-block pedestrian walkway on 16th Street she officially renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. Weeks later, in his last letter, Lewis reflected on George Floyd police-involved murder, likening the nationwide response to what he witnessed in the aftermath of Emmitt Till’s death.

Lewis also touted voting as a nonviolent act of resistance and means of making “good trouble.”

On Wednesday, Bowser reflected on those words and emphasized the

“We have to be careful that we don't lose the history,” Bowser said. “We have to make sure our activists and educators are reminding everyone about the remarkable life of John Lewis.”

PRESERVING THE VOTE, AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE

The November general election stands to not only determine this country’s future, but the populace’s appetite for the ballot box.

Locally, voter turnout during the June 4 primary stood at less than 26%, despite the option of mail-in ballots and early voting. During the 2022 D.C. Democratic primary that Bowser won, fewer than 35% of registered Democrats cast their ballots. Months later, Bowser secured a general election victory with fewer than 41% of voters showing up to the polls.

It’s estimated that, nationwide, more than 100 million people choose not to vote, though they are eligible to do so.

As organizers attempt to engage that populace, coordinators of the John Lewis National Day of Action continue to tout the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and the Native American Voting Rights Act as tools in protecting and expand-

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, if passed, includes provisions that allow tribal ID cards to be used for voting purposes. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore and strengthen portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Since 2021, it failed to pass the Senate twice, including as part of a combined bill with the Freedom to Vote Act.

For some people, like Barbara Arnwine, time’s of the essence in making the push for these bills.

“John Lewis was a champion of voting rights and a dear friend of mine. We know his legacy and we’re going to finish the job,” said Arnwine, president and founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, as she acknowledged similar commemorative events in more than 80 cities. “Hundreds of people are listening and watching this event. They are committed. We get calls from all over the country, from sea to shining sea. People are saying ‘We love you, John Lewis.’”

A MEMORABLE, AND MEANINGFUL, EVENT

Organizations such as People For the American Way, Secure Our Vote, League of Women Voters, and the D.C. chapter of Black Voters Matter were all at the John A. Wilson Building on Wednesday to continue Lewis’ legacy.

EZ Street of WHUR 96.3 FM and Daryl Jones of the Transformative RIGHTS Page 17

AROUND THE REGION

Washington Informer Charities Heritage Tour Takes Guests to Learn About the Black Presence at Tudor Place

Georgetown Site Shares Critical Stories of 19th Century Black Washingtonians

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Juanita Katon loves history and was thrilled when asked by Washington Informer Newspaper Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes to lead a tour of the company’s annual African American Heritage Tour.

“I have always loved history,” said Katon, 65. “Throughout high school and college, I took Black history courses. It was always love.”

Katon is the owner and operator of DC In Black LLC, a firm that offers tours of Black historical sites in the Washington area. On July 20, she led a group of 36 Washington Informer Charities African American Heritage Tour participants to the Georgetown in Northwest, D.C. to visit Tudor Place.

The group was scheduled to visit the historic house and garden with an emphasis on the free and enslaved African Americans who lived and worked there. Visitors can tap into Tudor’s Black history thanks to the site’s special exhibit: “Ancestral Spaces: People of African Descent at Tudor Place.”

“I was actually here 20 years ago for an event but that was long before the African American component was added,” Katon told The Informer.

THE HISTORY OF TUDOR PLACE

Over the years, the history of Tudor Place has emphasized the family of Thomas and Martha Peter, who was the granddaughter of Martha Washington, the inaugural first lady of the U.S. and wife of the first president, George Washington.

The Peters bought the 8.5 acres property in 1805 for $8,000 which would be about $215,000 today, with adjustments for inflation. Mark Hudson, the executive director of Tudor Place, told the Informer that he is not aware of how the property got its name.

Tudor Place opened to the public as a house museum and garden on October 8, 1988.

TIME TRAVELING

200 YEARS, LEARNING THE BLACK PRESENCE AT TUDOR PLACE

Tour attendees were divided into three sections for the purpose of touring the historic house.

They were met by Janet Wall, Tudor Place’s director of development and communications along with a docent, at the end of the pebble-laced walkway.

In the house, group members were able to see where the Peters resided but focused on the activities of the Black people who also occupied the property.

Some rooms had pictures of the descendants of slaves as well as noted Black gardener John Luckett, a Black man who escaped slavery in Lewinsville, Virginia and worked 44 years at Tudor Place.

“He got together with some other guys, and he was like, ‘That’s it. Let’s go, let’s get out of here.’ They started walking out. Some Yankees came up to them and said, ‘Hey, what are you guys doing?’ They said, ‘Oh, well we’re just visiting some friends. Those guys said ‘Ok,’ and they let them go. And

John Luckett just kept walking.”

As part of the exhibit a retelling of Luckett’s experience shares that he never stopped, but “crossed the Chain Bridge and made it to Georgetown,” where he ran into Brittania Peter and told her he needed a job. After working there he was able to move his wife and family to the D.C. area, where they were instrumental parts of the District’s Black community.

“A docent said Luckett walked more than three miles each working day to Tudor Place from his home in Capitol Hill because he wished to maintain the independence of his family from the Peters. In each room, a docent explained where and how Blacks lived in the house.

Further, docents shared stories of other Black people who were part of the life of Tudor Place such as enslaved plasterer Samuel Collins and the Pope Family.

Sandra Mason went on the Informer’s African American Heritage Tour

in 2023 and enjoyed it so much she opted to participate again this year. She said the Tudor Place tour was “revealing.”

“I have been to Georgetown a million times, but I never heard of this place,” said Mason, 77. “I found the tour to be very informative, but I became a little emotional finding out our history. Touring the place, I tried not to get an attitude.”

DMV freelance tour guide Mike Cohen also attended the tour and shared that sites like Tudor Place can help in advancing Black narratives and promoting further healing and progress between white people and African Americans.

“These are the kinds of stories that need to be told and not suppressed,” Cohen said. WI @JamesWrightJr10

5Washington Informer Charities African American Heritage Tour participants learn about some of the Black history at Tudor Place in Washington, D.C. (Ja’Mon Jackson/ The Washington Informer)

5A portrait of John Luckett, a Black man who worked 44 years at Tudor Place as a gardener. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

AROUND THE REGION

E.B. Henderson’s grandson accepting the induction award during the induction ceremony for the Washington DC Sports Hall of Fame ceremony held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on July 21. (Marcus Relacion/ The Washington Informer)

Washington Informer reporting fellows Harrison Buck, DeMarco Rush, Jada Ingleton and Juan Benn Jr. read the newspaper outside of the publication’s office. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer) Who’s

https://www

“If the time is not ripe, we have to ripen the time.”

– Dorothy Height

RAMMYS Awards 2024 Unites Washingtonians in the Celebration of District Food and Beverage Culture

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor

Hundreds of Washingtonians poured into the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest, D.C. dressed in elegant gowns and dapper tuxedos– accessorized with a proper helping of D.C. flair— to celebrate the District’s food and beverage industry at the RAMMYS 2024 on July 21. While the night honored restaurants, bars, and the people who keep the establishments going everyday, the event was a unique opportunity for Washingtonians from various fields to come together in the name of culinary culture.

“[The RAMMYs are] honestly a night to celebrate the food culture in our city, but also it’s a networking event. It brings people from all parts of the spectrum, and celebrates them and their achievements in the restaurant industry,” author and returning citizens advocate Tony Lewis Jr. told The Informer. “It’s a beautiful night for the city.”

Hosted by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala was a moment for all Washingtonians– including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith– to celebrate the importance of D.C.’s food and beverage scene to the District, nation and world.

“It is the economy. The restaurants in Washington, the food and beverage sector of Washington, D.C. employ so many people, but also we are conveners,” said Aaron Meyers, executive director for the DC Commision on the Arts and Humanities. “When you convene, you have people from across the world, who have to come and sit down somewhere, and when you put food in front of people, you’re bringing people closer together and showing how more alike we are than we are different.”

In his opening remarks, Shawn Townsend, RAMW president and CEO, highlighted the strength, beauty and boldness of D.C.’s food and beverage scene, referencing Pulitzer-prize winning rapper Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” to underscore the industry’ greatness.

“There’s no place better than the Washington Metropolitan region. Those other cities are ‘not like us,’”

Townsend told the crowd.

The competitive categories filled with lauded locations and worthy nominees, also showcased the topnotch quality of the DMV’s restaurants and bars.

Winners included: Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Causa | Amazonia; Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Lutéce; Casual Restaurant of the Year: La Famosa; Hottest Sandwich Shop: Colada Shop; Best Brunch: Duke’s Counter; Best Bar: Bar Chinois; Beer Program of the Year: Zinnia; Cocktail Program of the Year: Silver Lyan; and Restaurateur of the Year presented by Pepco, an Exelon Company: Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman and Paul Holder of Long Shot Hospitality.

While Lewis and Meyers don’t work directly in the food and beverage industry, they both shared how the field correlated with their work.

“I’m here to show the intersection between the restaurant industry or the world of food, but also the world of art,” Meyers told The Informer. “You think of every restaurant in Washington, D.C., that’s a possible space for artists to put their art up on the walls or a space where artists can perform, so we have been interlocked for years.”

Lewis said he attended the RAMMYS because the restaurant industry is critical in helping returning citizens get back on their feet.

“I’m a big advocate for returning citizens and the restaurant business has

been one of the best employers of the population that I serve, so that’s also another reason why I want to support the RAMMYs,” Lewis said.

Further Lewis explained that attending the RAMMYS and connecting with RAMW can strengthen opportunities to address, needs, concerns and dreams of area natives.

“I think as the city has become incredibly cosmopolitan, somebody like me that’s an advocate for people who are native to this city, I think that it’s important that people like me and others be here, so we can be the bridge, so we can be the connector, so we can be the conduit, for a lot of the opportunities from audiences like this,” he said.

Lewis noted that while some may feel the booming food and beverage scene caters toward new D.C. residents and tourists, it’s important for D.C. natives to tap into the ever-budding industry as appreciators and entrepreneurs.

“None of these new spots that opened are exclusive to people that just moved here. I really want people that have been here to ensure that we frequent these different places, and also know that you can open up new places,” Lewis told The Informer. “I want people to be inspired.. I know people out there that’s from D.C. have ideas, let’s get to it and make it happen.”

For more information on RAMW and a full list of RAMMYS 2024 honorees visit: ramw.org. WI

5Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington CEO and President Shawn Townsend addresses the crowd at the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala on July 21. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s County Political Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

MARYLAND’S COMPETITIVE SENATE ELECTION: FUNDRAISING, ENDORSEMENT UPDATES

In a week when President Joe Biden chose to end his re-election bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, there have also been some moves in both the Senate race and At-Large special election.

The two Senate nominees, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Governor Larry Hogan (R), have raised nearly $20 million combined through their official campaign accounts. Hogan raised over $7 million, while his campaign cited an additional $3 million via various political action committees (PACs). Alsobrooks has raised nearly $13 million since announcing her campaign last year, of which she has $3.5 million on hand.

Alsobrooks announced new endorsements from the Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO, the Human Rights Campaign, and 32BJ SEIU. She has also been endorsed by the now-presumed presidential nominee, Vice President Harris, with whom she has hosted multiple events during her campaign.

“Raised in a working family herself, Angela knows the importance of families having access to a well-paying job. As county executive, Angela has supported labor, and worked hard to protect workers, and expand Project Labor Agreements in Prince George’s County. When employees in one of

her government agency’s wanted to unionize, Angela supported their efforts,” said AFL-CIO President Donna S. Edwards. “Angela is the fighter we need in Washington, and we can’t wait to get her across the finish line in November.”

She denounced a spoof website paid for by the Hogan campaign, calling Alsobrooks “another partisan machine politician who doesn’t deliver.”

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AT LARGE SPECIAL ELECTION UPDATES

During this week, many Prince Georgians received mailers from the campaigns of Prince George’s County Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D- District 5) and Bowie Mayor Tim Adams.

Ivey’s literature denoted her record as chair and the 80 endorsements she has garnered from elected officials, including most of the county’s state senators and roughly half of the county council.

Adams’ literature re-introduced him to voters and detailed his platform for the office.

The League of Women Voters hosted the first forum of the AtLarge special election, held virtually on July 20. During the forum, each candidate was asked why they were the best suited for the opportunity and the priorities they have if elected to the seat. They were given two minutes to respond to each question, and candidates did not respond or pose questions to one another.

All candidates were invited, and the Democratic candidates present included Ivey, Adams, South County advocate Tamara Davis-Brown, former Delegate Angela Angel,

former Board of Education Chair Judy Mickens-Murray, former congressional candidate Gabriel Nijinimibot, and former At-Large candidate Leo Eyombo. Delegate Marvin Holmes and Kiesha Lewis did not attend the forum.

Public safety and education were the most common priorities for the group of candidates.

Adams said his main priorities would be public safety, quality housing development, and constituent services, and he also voiced support for property tax cuts for seniors.

Ivey said she would focus on increasing the county’s tax base, increasing connections between communities and municipalities, and public safety.

Davis Brown said her priorities would be securing additional funding for the county through federal grants, environmental stewardship, and investing in education.

Mickens-Murray said that accountability would be her primary focus.

Additional forums are planned for July 25 at the Collington Retirement Community and Aug. 3 at Reid Temple. WI

STATE AND FEDERAL SUPPORT TO FIGHT

CHILD POVERTY, ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH

Governor Wes Moore (D) announced the launch of the ENOUGH grant, a $20 million initiative to invest in areas with concentrated child poverty. The Governor’s Office for Children and a network of local, state, and national organizations will partner with applicants and grantees to apply community-focused solutions to alleviate child poverty and increase economic mobility in Maryland.

“There's a measure of intentionality that drives concentrated poverty – so there needs to be a measure of intentionality in how we're going to address it,” reads a quote by Mo ore on the ENOUGH grant’s website.

The goals of the ENOUGH grant include cradle to career education and creating both healthy and economically secure families and safe, thriving communities. Webinars are posted on the website to provide an overview for the initiative, and additional ones are planned in late July and early August to provide more detailed information.

As part of the Regional Leadership Council’s Week of Action, Maryland Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D) hosted a roundtable to highlight the second anniversary of the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline with Rep. Glenn Ivey (D- Md.) and leaders from Community Crisis Services, Inc, (CCSI), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Maryland Department of Health, and Vibrant Emotional

Health at CCSI’s headquarters in Prince George’s County.

Their discussion focused on how direct funding from Democrats’ Investing in America Agenda is expanding the life-saving reach of 988, improving public awareness and access to care, and supporting the mental health care workforce in Maryland.

“As House Majority Leader in the 117th Congress, I was proud to bring the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the American Rescue Plan to the Floor to help fund essential mental health care services like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Prevention Hotline,” said Hoyer. “I am so grateful to have exceptional mental health care providers in our community, like CCSI.

Congressman Hoyer and roundtable participants highlighted how Investing in America funding is supporting crisis call centers, like CCSI, that provide accessible services for Marylanders in crisis, including through American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish language, and text and chat services.

“The Maryland Department of Health is committed to ensuring we have a world class, equitable system of behavioral health care in Maryland. 988 is a critical entry point to help Marylanders with urgent behavioral health needs, including those who are in crisis," said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health Alyssa Lord.

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5 Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director Karen Darkes (at podium), joined by Rep. Glenn Ivey, Delegates Linda Foley, Joseline Peña-Melnyk, and Emily Shetty, former Attorney General Brian Frosh, and Dr. Jessica Bauer of Planned Parenthood to discuss what a Republican-led Senate with Larry Hogan as the 51st conservative vote would mean for Maryland and the country. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

Prince George’s County Local Updates

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

APPROVAL GRANTED FOR 8 NEW PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY SCHOOLS

The Prince George’s County Council approved the construction of eight new schools which will replace 14 outdated schools and add roughly 8,000 seats.

Fairwood and Brent Elementary are expected to open as soon as 2026. This is the second phase of the public-private partnership, as the first six schools have been completed.

The eight schools include:

• Fairwood Area Elementary in Bowie

• Margaret Brent Elementary in New Carrollton

• Springhill Lake Elementary in Greenbelt

• Templeton Elementary in Riverdale Park

• James Duckworth Elementary in Beltsville

• Hyattsville Elementary

• Robert Frost Area PK-8 in

• New Carrollton

• Brandywine Area PK

It is expected that construction will begin next month. The state will invest more than $800 million, while the County will pay off the remaining balance over the next 30 years.

Previously, the public-private partnership that is providing for the construction of the new schools was paused due to concerns over the cost and location of the schools. Of the eight schools planned, all but one are in the northern part of the County.

“We have to do our due diligence to make sure we understand how this is going to cost our community and our students, especially when all of the benefits go up north, but you’re going to cut resources inside the beltway,” said Councilmember Krystal Oriadha (D- District 7).

LUMINIS HEALTHCARE WINS AWARDS, LAUNCHES NEW GROUP

PRENATAL CARE

Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center recently received accolades for the work happening throughout the facility.

On July 18, the medical center was added to the list of organizations that received a Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

This recognition is a global credential highlighting Luminis Health’s commitment to creating a healthy and engaging workplace for nurses.

ANCC noted that hospitals with this credential tend to have higher job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and improved safety for their nurses and better patient outcomes.

"Our Pathway to Excellence journey reflects how our nurses’ commitment to excellence is shaping our workplace," said Crystal Beckford, chief nursing officer at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center. "Built on years of hard work and dedication, this recognition highlights our focus on shared decision-making, quality care, and professional development, all of which lead to improved patient outcomes."

The medical facility was also lauded as a high-performing hospital by U.S. News and World Report, with distinction for excelling in treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, pneumonia, and stroke.

“This recognition by U.S. News & World Report is a testament to our physicians and team members’ commitment to delivering high-quality care to the communities we serve,” said Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center President Deneen Richmond. “As we prepare to celebrate our hospital’s 50th anniversary next year, we remain steadfast as a leader in medical excellence, providing exceptional care close to home.”

To help fight maternal mortal-

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

5 The Prince George’s County Council approved the construction of eight new schools which will replace 14 outdated schools and add roughly 8,000 seats. (WI File Photo)

BUSINESS

By James Wright / WI Staff Writer

‘THE PARTNERSHIP’ INVESTS $3.2 BILLION

The Greater Washington Partnership announced that its table of leading employers collectively invested $3.2 billion toward inclusive economic growth since 2022.

This milestone commemorates the two-year anniversary of Shared Prosperity, a transformative pledge of $4.7 billion over five years to inclusively catalyze emerging regional economies and small and diverse businesses from Baltimore to Richmond, marking a historic commitment.

The Partnership was created to identify opportunities for greater economic competitiveness in the Mid-Atlantic region.

“This $3.2 billion milestone highlights the deliberate investments by leading employers throughout the region, strengthening our competitive edge,” said Kathy Hollinger, CEO of Greater Washington Partnership. “Inclusive economic growth is not just a pathway to a more equitable society but also a critical business imperative that fosters a pro-growth environment. By investing inclusively, we are unlocking the full potential of our region, its people and its businesses. This effort is key to enhancing our economic competitiveness on a global scale. While our journey is far from over, our steadfast commitment to Shared Prosperity ensures a transformative impact, driving sustainable, pro-growth development and longterm success for all stakeholders.”

The $4.7 billion initial commitment features efforts from 26 organizations including Akin, Amazon, AstraZeneca, Bank of America, Boston Consulting Group, Capital One, Clark Construction Group, Comcast, Deloitte, Dominion Energy, Exelon, EY, Gensler, Georgetown University, Howard University, Inova Health System, JBG SMITH, JPMorganChase, Kaiser Permanente, McKinsey & Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, SAIC, Thompson Hospitality, Truist, Washington Commanders and Wells Fargo.

briefs

Since 2022, the Partnership table has expanded to include additional organizations such as Ampcus Inc., Annie E. Casey Foundation, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Better Housing Coalition, Boeing, KPMG, Maximus Inc., United Way of the National Capital Area and Virginia Tech.

The $3.2 billion benchmark includes over $2.1 billion invested with diverse businesses and more than $1 billion in underserved communities through entrepreneurship programs, health equity and affordable housing initiatives. Additionally, more than $90 million has been directed to enhance access to capital through community development financial institutions and minority deposit institutions that serve underserved populations to create and expand economic opportunity.

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PRINCE GEORGE’S OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT

Prince George’s County has launched its newest agency, the Office of Procurement.

The agency is the realization of County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ vision, made possible by the Prince George’s County Council passing CB025-2024 in April.

“The new Office of Procurement marks a pivotal moment for our county,” said Alsobrooks. “This office will foster transparency and efficiency in our procurement process every day while also providing a high impact means to promote equity. Through our new Office of Procurement, we can support small, local, and minority-owned businesses, creating new opportunities for our residents to work in and improve the community where they live.”

Pamela Ford Dickerson has been appointed as the agency’s acting director. With over 20 years of experience in public procurement, contact compliance and public policy, Dickerson is well-prepared to lead the new office.

She previously served as deputy director of the Office of Central Services, since July 2023, and has a proven track record in managing complex management operations.

The Office of Procurement will comprise three main divisions: the Office of Accountability, Business Services, and Office of Administrative Services. These divisions will house critical functions including Contract Compliance, Contract Administration and Procurement, and Supplier Development and Diversity.

Alsobrooks expressed gratitude to Jonathan R. Butler, director of the Office for Central Services, for his visionary leadership over the past four years. Butler’s efforts were instrumental in prioritizing procurement from local and minority-owned businesses, notably through initiatives such as the County Supply Schedule and the Greenbook initiative.

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VIRGINIA BLACK BUSINESS EXPO & CONFERENCE

The 5th Annual Virginia Black Business Expo and Conference will take place from Aug. 2-4 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.

The theme this year is “Automate, Accelerate, and Innovate.” The weekend event will be packed with great

“Inclusive economic growth is not just a pathway to a more equitable society but also a critical business imperative that fosters a pro-growth environment. By investing inclusively, we are unlocking the full potential of our region, its people and its businesses."

networking opportunities and a twoday exhibitor showcase with over 100-Black owned businesses.

ZFor more information, call 540216-0021.

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ROUSON BECOMES D.C. COURTS EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Herbert Rouson Jr., was officially sworn in as the DC Courts Executive Officer on July 19.

Rouson was named to the position on May 1. He has held the position of Acting Deputy Executive Officer since 2019, taking over from Dr. Cheryl Bailey.

As the executive officer, Rouson will serve as the court administrator and manager of the daily operations of the D.C. Superior Court and the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Starting his career in the courts in June 2006, Rouson has worked in the District’s court system as the chief deputy clerk of the D.C. Court of Appeals, director of the Special Operations Division and a system accountant in the Defender Services Branch.

Rouson has a Bachelor of Science degree from Hampton University and holds a juris doctorate from the American University Washington College of Law. He was selected for the position by a committee consist-

ing of D.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby and D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring and other members of the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration.

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to serve as the DC Courts Executive Officer,” said Rouson. “Moreover, to have been afforded this opportunity to lead our extraordinary team of public servants in the administration of justice for the residents of the District of Columbia is beyond anything that I could’ve have imagined 18 years ago when I began my career here at the courts. Since that time, I’ve been both blessed and inspired to work alongside our dedicated judicial officers and staff–who daily and tirelessly embody our courts’ values of accountability, excellence, fairness, integrity, respect, and transparency in the delivery of service.”

Blackburne-Rigsby expressed her full support for Rouson.

“With more than 18 years of experience at the D.C. Courts, Mr. Rouson demonstrated a profound understanding of our judicial system, a steadfast commitment to our court community, and a dedication to fulfilling our mission,” said Blackburne-Rigsby. “His exemplary service reflects our values, and I extend my deepest congratulations to him.”

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@JamesWrightJr10

3Kathy Hollinger is the president and CEO of the Greater Washington Partnership. (Courtesy Photo/Greater Washington Partnership)

BUDGET from Page 1

Such an explanation didn’t suffice for those who converged on the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest during the John Lewis Day of Action on July 17. As Bowser took to the podium in the lobby area, members of Fair Budget Coalition waved signs demanding that the mayor make “good trouble” with the interests of District residents in mind.

“Mayor Bowser is siding with the wealthiest people and she cut the budget that affects everyday people like myself,” said Angie Whitehurst, a lifelong D.C.resident and Fair Budget Coalition member who attempted to speak to Bowser during the John Lewis commemoration event.

Whitehurst, 71, expressed concerns about her ability, and that of other seniors, to live comfortably in the District. Bowser’s budget proposal, she said, didn’t protect the District’s most vulnerable residents. With Bowser’s latest move, Whitehurst told The Informer that she continues to question whether she cares about District residents.

“She should be like John Lewis since she talks about him so much,” Whitehurst said about Bowser. “Good trouble isn’t cutting D.C. childcare. It’s not signing with billionaires. It’s not eliminating emergency rental assistance. We really need to invest in the residents and people of the city. Her refusal to sign the budget is, without question, anti-Black, anti-poor and anti community.”

MAYOR BOWSER PUTS HER FOOT DOWN

In her July 16 letter, Bowser criticized the council’s addition of a property tax category for “high-value” homes, along with business and utility taxes. She also questioned whether budget cuts to D.C. Public Schools central office would keep students safe and improve the quality of instruction.

Toward the end of her correspondence, Bowser implored council members to act without the Tax Revision Commission in choosing areas of spending on which they can collaborate with her during the council recess. She then warned her legislative counterparts that, without revenue

growth, the council cannot sustain programs that they allocated funding for in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

“[M]any of the programs the council is championing this year will be on the chopping block in a few short months,” Bowser’s letter said. “By working together on this important task, we can do the work needed before next year’s budget formulation.”

Per its website, the Tax Revision Commission is scheduled to finalize and present its recommendations and report to Bowser and the council in September.

The most recent version of recommendations compiled by the D.C. Tax Revision Commission, released in early July, includes an expansion of the child tax credit to all District children, a repeal of basic business license fees, an elimination of preferential tax rate for electric vehicles and high-mileage vehicles, and the elimination of quarterly sales tax minimum for street vendors.

As the commission’s discussion around the D.C. tax code nears the end, advocates continue to press for changes that shift more of the financial burden on the District’s wealthiest.

During the budget season, Just Recovery DC, a coalition composed of D.C. residents, grassroots organizers, tax policy experts, and organizers, released The People’s Tax Plan. The recommendations outlined in that document included tax increases on capital gains and high incomes, and restructuring of the Business Activity Tax.

For coalition members, Bowser and the council fell short in fully incorporating The People’s Tax Plan into the FY 2025 budget. After she sent the budget back to the council unsigned, they counted among those who questioned the mayor’s sincerity about helping D.C. residents.

“Contrary to what she said in her letter, Mayor Bowser raised taxes in ways that will hit hard at those struggling the most while pursuing spending cuts that demand the biggest sacrifices from D.C.’s lowest income residents,” coalition members said in their statement, “all while rejecting efforts to ask more of the wealthiest among us.”

The coalition issued a call to ac-

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

Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Dies at 74

By Stacy M. Brown National Reporter

Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, one of the longest-serving members of the Texas delegation died on July 19, at the age of 74. In June, Jackson Lee announced her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, yet she showed little indication of letting it interfere with her plans to run for a 16th term this November.

The fiery congresswoman disclosed her diagnosis in a written statement shortly after winning renomination in a fiercely contested Democratic

primary. Known for her unwavering commitment to social justice, she was a fervent advocate for reparations for African Americans and a vocal critic of the twice impeached and 34 times convicted felon and former President Donald Trump. Unlike some of her colleagues, she did not join the calls for President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 race.

As recently as Wednesday, July 19, Jackson Lee continued to champion President Biden’s re-election campaign. “Something that does not get talked about enough: we were able to bring down homicides in Hous-

ton with federal investment,” she wrote on X. “After President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, we brought $50 million to the city to take on crime—and it worked! Local/

federal partnership saved lives.”

She added, “This House Democrat believes Joe Biden has served us well and has the best plans for the future. I am laser-focused on beating Donald Trump and delivering for America because that’s what matters.” Jackson Lee also reminded her followers that America saw one of the most significant homicide spikes ever in Trump’s last year in office. “He threw his hands in the air and did not know what to do,” she asserted. “Since he left, I am proud that our American Rescue Plan has done the very important work to bring these numbers down! Federal/ local partnerships worked.”

Jackson Lee’s legislative achievements are significant and wide-ranging. She played a crucial role in the passage of the Violence Against Women Act. She was a senior House Committee member on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget Committees. She was the first female ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, serving as Chair during the 117th Congress.

Among her notable legislative efforts were the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, The RAISE Act, The Fair Chance for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, Kalief’s Law, and the American RISING Act. She also introduced the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization and Bullying Prevention and Intervention

Act and the Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act. A staunch supporter of women and children, Jackson Lee championed the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. She authored the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act.

Jackson Lee was widely recognized for her effectiveness and influence. Congressional Quarterly named her one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress, and U.S. News and World Report listed her among the ten most influential legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was a founder, member, and chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and the Congressional Children’s Caucus. She was chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Braintrust and the Justice Reform Task Force co-chair.

A Yale University alumna, Jackson Lee earned her B.A. in Political Science with honors and later received a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, an administrator at the University of Houston; her two children, Jason Lee, a Harvard University graduate, and Erica Lee, a Duke University graduate and member of the Harris County School Board; and her two grandchildren, twins Ellison Bennett Carter and Roy Lee Carter III.

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@StacyBrownMedia

5Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, one of the longest-serving members of the Texas delegation, has died at the age of 74. (WI File Photo)

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Donates $1 Million to Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation

By Ashleigh Fields WI Contributing Writer

The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are teaming up to fund initiatives that honor the brave suffragettes of the 19th and early 20th centuries and celebrate their work and legacy.

Uplifting women’s advocacy is not new to Delta Sigma Theta. The 22 founders of the sorority are celebrated for their first public act, organizing participants for the Women’s Suffrage parade of 1913. All 22 of the organization’s founders attended with educational activist Mary Church Terrell.

“On that day, the women of Delta cemented their legacy as pioneers whose bravery would come to define Black social activism of the 20th century and it is our honor to welcome Delta Sigma Theta as a National Partner and to work together to continue that legacy by uplifting all women’s stories out of the footnotes of history and into our collective memory,” said Anna Laymon, president and CEO of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation.

RIGHTS from Page 8

Justice Coalition served as masters of ceremony while Lemonade Dream, a Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) student, read Lewis’ last letter.

DESA choir members would later perform a musical number in honor of Lewis.

Other speakers included Alma Couverthie, chief of programs and interim co-CEO of the League of Women Voters, Svante Myrick, president and CEO of People For the American Way, and Jalisa Giles, campaign coordinator for Public Citizen’s Secure Our Vote Coalition.

Tara Murray, executive director of the National Urban League’s Washington bureau and senior vice president for policy and advocacy, also took to the podium. In recognition of barriers to voting that exist in several states, she evoked Lewis’ legacy, and that of Whitney Young, the pioneering National Urban League executive director.

“John Lewis and Whitney Young

In honor of the sorority’s founding members, Elsie Cooke-Holmes, national president of Delta Sigma Theta, voted to donate $1 million to the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation to support the $75 million project.

“Our founders stood not only in the parade lines but at the forefront of change. This gift and our role as Ambassadors are a testament to our ongoing commitment to advocacy and education, ensuring the valor and stories of these courageous women continue to inspire generations.

Together with the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, we are not just preserving history— we are propelling it forward," said Cooke-Holmes.

According to the organization’s website, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation was authorized by Congress in Public Law 116-217 to lead the effort to fund, design, develop, and construct the Women's Suffrage National Monument. The statue will serve as a lasting legacy of the longest political movement in American history and honor the generations of women

knew that racial justice required the full participation of citizens in the democratic process,” Murray said.

“We face a pivotal moment [with] a coordinated effort to roll back protections John Lewis fought for… We must safeguard the rights he worked so hard to secure.”

At the age of 23, Lewis counted among the six leaders who organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He was also the youngest speaker at the event. In 1965, Lewis led the first of three marches between Selma and Montgomgery, Alabama, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where state troopers and police attacked him and other marchers.

The all-out assault that came to be known as “Bloody Sunday” led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Decades later, Georgia voters elected Lewis to the House of Representatives, where he would serve 17 terms. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

who lobbied, marched, picketed, and protested in their decades-long fight for equality.

There are approximately 14 public artworks that honor African Americans in the District. This new statue would add to the tributes to Black life and culture in the nation’s capital. Dr. Thelma Daley, 16th National President of Delta Sigma Theta, said the new effort is timely.

“Delta's imprint in making the Women’s Suffrage National Monument a reality is a tribute to all Black women whose names may not have made the pages in the history books, nor recognized from a podium,” said Daley. “Black women from all walks of life played a pivotal role in the passing and ratification of the 19th Amendment, and as Delta rises, they, too, will rise.”

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5Anna Laymon, president and CEO of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation and Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes, who also serves as chair of the Board of Directors, in Constitution Gardens on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy Photo)

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5A coalition of Ghanaian, South African, and Ukrainian civil society organizations are calling on the African Union (AU) and African states to initiate United Nations (UN) reforms that reduce the power of the veto right. (Courtesy Photo)

T. BROWN,

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A coalition of Ghanaian, South African, and Ukrainian civil society organizations (CSOs) are calling on the African Union (AU) and African states to initiate United Nations (UN) reforms that reduce the power of the veto right.

According to them, this means empowering the United Nations General Assembly to overrule a veto with a 2/3 majority.

They argue that Ukraine’s experience showed that over 141 states, the majority of countries condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russia could block any UN action to defend Ukraine by using its veto at the United Nations Security Council, UNSC.

They explained that changing the veto power distribution will help ensure global peace if any veto-holding country starts military aggression against another state.

Speaking at the event at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, the Founding Director of a Ukraine-based Think Tank, Democratic Initiatives Foundation, Professor Oleksiy Haran said, while the UN system aims to maintain international peace and security worldwide, the number of conflicts in the last decade has increased.

He said this is partially due to the unequal distribution of power among countries, as the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC)-China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States have more power through their right to veto any United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

He added that Russia's veto blocked the United Nations Security Council’s action against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014. On February 24, 2022, Russia, while holding the presidency of the UNSC, launched a full-scale war by invading a fellow UN member’s territory.

Professor Haran said “delays in implementing systematic UN reforms to overcome the UNSC members veto rights will likely further deteriorate global security and humanitarian conditions.”

He added that the UN General Assembly must be given the right to overturn a UNSC permanent member’s veto.

5His Excellency Yasushi Noguchi, Director-General, Assistant Minister (Ambassador), Latin American and Ca- ribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, during a courtesy call on CARICOM with Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett. (Courtesy Photo)

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Japan reconfirmed their commitment to deepen collaboration on climate change, natural disaster preparedness, and agricultural technology during the recently held 20th CARICOM-Japan Consultation at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana, CARICOM Today reported on Sunday, July 21.

They also explored the possibility of technical cooperation in women, peace, and security; governance; citizen security; renewable energy; agriculture; food security;, agribusiness, and food value chains as well as sustainable marine resources and water resource management, in alignment with the current areas of collaboration.

The meeting, which was one of several high-level engagements commemorating CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year 2024, was co-chaired by Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency Liselle Remelda Blankendal, and His Excellency Yasushi Noguchi, Director-General, Assistant Minister (Ambassador), Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan.

Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations at the CARICOM Secretariat, Elizabeth Solomon, thanked Japan for being one of the first development partners to provide emergency aid following Hurricane Beryl’s devastation in the region.

Following the Consultation, the Director-General paid a courtesy call to CARICOM

Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett. The Japanese delegation included the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM, His Excellency Yutaka Matsubara.

CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the first Japan-CARICOM Consultation in 1993, as well as the 60th anniversaries of Japan’s diplomatic relations with Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The eighth CARICOM-Japan Foreign Ministers meeting is scheduled for December to conclude the year-long celebrations. WI

Louis Davis, Jr. AARP DC State Director

In the fabric of society, few programs have woven themselves as deeply into the American culture as Social Security. The economic devastation of the Great Depression further exposed society's vulnerabilities, with millions of older Americans in poverty and many more at risk of financial ruin. In response, the Social Security Act was signed into law to better ensure a measure of income security for older Americans in retirement.

Over the subsequent decades, it has matured into a vital source of guaranteed, inflation-adjusted income for millions of retirees who pay in and earn their Social Security through payroll taxes they and their employers contribute throughout their working lives. Social Security also enjoys widespread support across all ages and demographic groups.

Today, 83,647 District residents receive Social Security. Most of those age 65 or older count on Social Security as their largest source of income, and about 25% of households rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.

With 90% of people saying Social Security is important to their retirement security, it is instructive to understand how it was created and how it has evolved over time.

Here's a timeline of significant events in the history of Social Security.

• Aug. 14, 1935: President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law.

• Aug. 10, 1939:  The program was broadened to include benefits for workers’ dependents and survivors.

A Journey Through Time: The History of Social Security

• October 1950: Congress authorized the first cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), an increase of 77 percent.

• September 1960: President Eisenhower signed a law amending the disability rules to permit payment of benefits to disabled workers of any age and to their dependents.

• June 30, 1961: All workers are now allowed to retire early at age 62, albeit at a reduced Social Security benefit. Previously, benefits could not be claimed until the normal retirement age (NRA) of 65.

• Oct. 30, 1972: President Nixon signed the Social Security Amendments making the cost-ofliving adjustment automatic each year,

• April 20, 1983: President Ronald Reagan signed into law sweeping changes to Social Security aimed at addressing the imminent Social Security funding gap. These included moving up scheduled increases in the payroll taxes that fund Social Security, gradually raising the normal retirement age to 67, and making 50 percent of Social Security benefits taxable for recipients with incomes above $25,000 for an individual and $32,000 for married couples filing jointly.

• Aug. 10, 1993: President Bill Clinton signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, a large

deficit reduction package of tax increases and spending cuts that included a provision raising the share of Social Security benefits subject to income tax from 50 percent to 85 percent for beneficiaries with incomes above $34,000 (single) or $44,000 (couple).

• May 6, 2024: According to the Social Security Trustees report, Social Security can pay full benefits until 2035. That doesn’t mean Social Security payments would end, but they would be funded only by each year’s payroll tax revenue. The Trustees estimate that would cover about 83 percent of scheduled benefit payments.

The history of Social Security is a testament to the promise between the government and its citizens. From its humble beginnings during the Great Depression, Social Security has stood the test of time, having never missed a payment, providing a foundation of retirement security to generations of Americans.

Easy, Safe, And For Everyone: The Essentials Of Opening A Bank Account

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase

There are many reasons for opening a bank account. From depositing a check to making a transfer, working with a bank makes it seamless to manage your money in a safe way.

Opening up a bank account also makes it easier to pay bills on time, open a debit card, deposit and withdraw money from an ATM, and make transfers from an app, among many other things.

Whether you’re opening a bank account online or at a bank branch, it’s important to prepare and anticipate what information you will be asked for.

Personal Checking Account

If you’re opening up a personal checking account, you will need to fill out an application form and provide the following documents:

1. Identification: You don't need to be a U.S. citizen to open an account, but you need documents to verify your identity. These may vary slightly from bank to bank, but valid documents typically include:

• A government-issued photo ID. It could be a driver's license, for example, or a state ID.

• Passport with photograph and birth certificate for minors.

• Social Security card or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issues this identification number for those who do not have a Social Security Number. Having a Social Security Number to open a bank account is not mandatory. Some banks and credit unions may accept documents, such as a consular identification card with a photograph to verify identity.

2. Proof of address: An up-todate and valid document showing the customer's name and address. This information could be found in a utility or cable bill, for example—any payment document that provides both pieces of information—or even the rental agreement for the apartment where you reside.

3. Money: When opening the account, you need to make an initial deposit, which can be the minimum required by the institution or more. You can deposit with cash, a check, or a transfer.

BUSINESS BANK ACCOUNT

If you’re opening a bank account for your business, make sure you prepare and bring the following documents with you:

1. Documents regarding the structure of your business detailing who is in charge of finances and how it operates. For corporations or LLCs, this may include articles of incorporation or articles of organization—anything about the company's name, purpose, structure, and basic administration.

2. Ownership agreement outlining the rights and responsibilities of each business owner.

3. A certificate with the legal name of your business.

4. A business license if it is necessary to operate legally.

5. Personal identification of the business owner, similar to those required for individual accounts.

6. Employer Identification Number issued by the IRS.

7. Money for an initial deposit.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU ASK THE BANK WHEN OPENING AN ACCOUNT?

Before walking into a bank branch, have a list of questions prepared to help you determine which account will work best for you and your financial needs. Some of those questions may be:

1. What are your monthly maintenance fees, and how can I avoid those fees?

2. Are there any fees associated with different services, including ATM fees within and outside the network, or overdraft fees, and how can they be reduced or eliminated?

3. What is your process for accessing funds from abroad?

4. Do you have any current offers or discounts with opening accounts or credit cards?

5. What is your current interest rate for depositing into a savings account?

6. For a business banking account, what are the monthly transaction limits? And what additional banking services would I have access to, including loans, credit cards and line of credit?

WHAT IF YOU WANT TO SAVE FOR A FEW YEARS FROM NOW?

Whether it’s to prepare for retirement, or maximize the return on cash for a down payment on a house, many banks have financial experts who can recommend different strategies and investment products to grow your money over the years.

Choose to work with a financial advisor who you can create a strong relationship with and are comfortable expressing concerns and expectations. Keep in mind in some cases, financial advisors may receive a commission deducted from a percentage of the assets they manage for their client and/or charge transaction fees.

All banks offer online access, but not all banks have branches. While digital banking, whether online or with an app, makes managing your finances convenient, having access to a physical branch where you can sit down with someone to discuss your personal or business financing needs may make all the difference.

We’re proud to support the people, businesses and neighborhoods of Greater D.C. for over 50 years. Together, we’re creating a stronger, more inclusive economy for generations to come.

HEALTH

10th Anniversary of PrEP Medication Inspires Official Celebration

District Mayor Proclaims July 16 as PrEP Awareness Day in D.C.

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

Last Tuesday, Whitman-Walker teamed up with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of

HIV. Declaring the day as PrEP Awareness Day, July 16 will now be the official date dedicated to heightening awareness about PrEP and its critical role in the

fight against HIV/AIDS.

“By increasing awareness and accessibility of PrEP, we can protect our most vulnerable populations and move closer to ending the HIV epidemic,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a press release.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than 25% of the appproximately 1.2 million Americans who could benefit from PrEP are actually using the medication, despite its proven efficacy.

Through various community efforts, Whitman-Walker, an affirming health center for LGBTQ and community-based health and wellness services, works to heighten public education about PrEP and increase access to the beneficial medication.

PrEP is a medication made to help prevent HIV infection in people who are at risk of exposure through either sexual transmission or injection drug use. When the medication is taken as prescribed, PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by up to 99% and from injection drug use by at least 74%. The medication prevents the virus from multiplying in the body and it overtakes healthy cells. Eventually, the virus dies out because it is not able to duplicate and grow, which ultimately prevents transmission.

PrEP is commonly marketed as a medication primarily for men in the LGBTQ community. However, as Black women represent an increasing rate of HIV diagnoses, they are also a key demographic that benefits from using PrEP.

Whitman-Walker is making a concerted effort to reach all residents who can benefit from PrEP, as the health center underscores the importance of normalizing health care resources and education in underserved communities where disparities are most prevalent.

Further, Ramatoulaye Keita, Whitman-Walker’s director of Community Health and Wellness, highlights the organization’s goal to connect with others who are less aware of the benefits of PrEP, particularly Black women.

The community health center is hosting a six-month string of PrEP awareness events at local beauty shops across the city starting with residents residing within the Sycamore and Oak neighborhoods in Southeast, D.C.

During each event, the clinic’s health care providers will supply HIV and STI testing, also dispensing PrEP by oral and injectable dosages. The organization is hopeful to see PrEP become a commonly known medication among various demographics as it has stood as the “cornerstone of comprehensive HIV prevention strategies.”

“Having conversations with like-minded folks that you can share with in detail [is important],” Keita noted, adding that it’s about normalizing the conversation with people who are familiar with PrEP. “[For example] in your beauty shop, if your beautician is having a conversation with you, it's another Black woman talking to you.”

WI

5Juan Carlos Loubriel, senior director of Community Health and Wellness at Whitman-Walker Health, Dr. Kellan Baker, executive director and chief learning officer at the Whitman-Walker Institute, Naseema Shafi, Whitman-Walker Health CEO, and DC Health’s Clover Barnes, senior deputy director for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration at the PrEP Awareness Day event in Washington, D.C. on July 16. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Volunteer Reading Tutors

EARTH OUR

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $4.3 Billion for Climate Pollution Reduction

By Stacy M. Brown National Reporter

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a significant step forward in its “Investing in America” agenda.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded over $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants to support community-driven solutions to the climate crisis. The grants will fund projects across 30 states, including one tribe, to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from key sectors: transportation, electric power, commercial and residential buildings, industry, agriculture/natural and working lands, and waste and materials management.

President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act established a groundbreaking program, and this funding is assisting 45 states, numerous metro areas, tribes, and territories in developing climate action plans.

Officials said the initiative represents the most extensive effort to promote local climate action nationwide.

The latest grants will support projects deploying technologies and programs to cut greenhouse gasses and other pollutants and build the infrastructure for a clean energy future. Administration officials expect these efforts to drive economic growth, create jobs, and support workforce training programs.

The White House said the selected projects should achieve significant cumulative greenhouse gas reductions by 2030. The projects could also reduce emissions by up to 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050, comparable to the energy use of 5 million average homes each year for over 25 years.

Later this summer, the EPA plans to announce an additional

EDUCATION

Biden Administration Announces $1.2 Billion More in Student Debt Forgiveness

By Stacy M. Brown National Reporter

On Thursday, July 18, the Biden administration announced the forgiveness of $1.2 billion in student debt for 35,000 public service workers, including teachers, nurses, and firefighters.

The announcement is part of a broader effort to provide loan relief following the Supreme Court’s decision last year to block President Joe Biden’s plan for

widespread college loan forgiveness, and former President Donald Trump and his Republican ally’s opposition to assisting students, the poor, and middle-class.

“Today, my administration is canceling student debt for 35,000 people through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, bringing the total number of Americans who have benefitted from our various debt relief actions to 4.76 million people,”

5 On Thursday, July

the Biden administration announced the forgiveness of $1.2 billion in student debt for 35,000 public service workers, including teachers, nurses, and firefighters. (WI

President Biden stated.

“According to the Department of Education, this latest round of forgiveness brings the total debt relief under the Biden administration to $168.5 billion, benefiting approximately 4.8

million Americans. This represents about one in 10 student loan borrowers.

\ublic service workers who have dedicated their lives to strengthening their communities. Because of the fixes we made to Public Service Loan Forgiveness, they will now have more breathing room to support themselves and their families,” the president said.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona weighed in on the importance of the program.

“The additional Americans approved for PSLF today are hardworking public servants who will finally receive the financial breathing room they were promised — and all PSLF recipients can easily track and manage the process through StudentAid.gov,” Cardona stated in the announcement.

The administration also highlighted that this forgiveness includes individuals enrolled in the PSLF program through a limited waiver and regulatory changes. The Biden administration introduced the limited PSLF waiver, which allowed public-sector workers to receive credit for prior repayments that were not previously eligible for loan relief. The deadline for this waiver was October 2022.

Despite setbacks, including temporary injunctions against the administration’s flagship student loan repayment plan, the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, and the Supreme Court’s rejection of a previous debt forgiveness plan, the Biden administration remains committed to student loan relief. Borrowers can still enroll in the program, the Education Department has confirmed.

“Today, my administration is canceling student debt for 35,000 people through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, bringing the total number of Americans who have benefitted from our various debt relief actions to 4.76 million people,” President Biden stated.

President Joe Biden emphasized the administration’s achievements over the past three years, including increasing the maximum Pell Grant, fixing income-driven repayment plans, and holding colleges accountable for exploiting students and families.

“From day one of my administration, I promised to fight to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I will never stop working to make higher education affordable – no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us,” Biden said.

The Biden administration said it continues to work on a plan for broadbased student loan relief through the Higher Education Act, aiming to provide more relief to millions of borrowers despite legal and political challenges.

WI

@StacyBrownMedia

18,

File Photo)

Morgan State University Boasts Record Scholarships

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer

Morgan State University announced on June 26 that the school set a single-year record for scholarships awarded, with 2,560 students receiving a record total of $5.8 million of cumulative scholarships, compared to last year’s $5.1 million.

“It has been an exceptional year for our university, marked by the remarkable success of our scholarship program through the university's foundation. We are proud to have awarded our deserving students a record number of scholarships, enabling them to pursue their academic dreams and profoundly impact their communities,” said Morgan State University President David K. Wilson after announcing this achievement.

Wilson said the milestone underscores the university’s commitment to supporting educational excellence and an environment “where every student can thrive.”

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our generous donors and ded-

LOCAL UPDATES from Page 13

ity, Luminis is pioneering a program called CenteringPregnancy: a healthcare concept that combines obstetrician-gynecologist or midwife checkups with group prenatal care sessions. The first cohort of this program will begin later this summer.

Starting at 16 weeks, there will be 10 sessions that are 90 to 120 minutes long, beginning with a weight and blood pressure check, followed by private time with a medical professional for a belly check.

STUDENT LOAN TAX CREDIT APPLICATION OPENS

icated staff for their unwavering support and dedication to student success,” he said. “Together, we are shaping a brighter future for our students and our institution.”

WI

Gov. Moore Announces Summertime Benefits for Low Income Families

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced the launch of Maryland SUN Bucks, a new benefits program that provides $120 to buy groceries for each eligible schoolaged child during the summer.

Over 90% of eligible families will get these benefits automatically if they got free or reduced priced meals last school year, are in outof-home care, or if they qualify for Medicaid or SNAP.

For families receiving SNAP, SUN Bucks will be automatically applied to their card.

Marylanders must apply by Aug. 31 to receive summer 2024 benefits.

To apply for SUN Bucks, go here. To apply for the Student Loan Tax Credit, go here. WI

The application for Maryland’s Student Loan Tax Credit opened on July 1. The application is open to Maryland taxpayers who have incurred at least $20,000 in undergraduate and/or graduate student loan debt, and have at least $5,000 in outstanding student loan debt at the time of applying for the tax credit, and the application deadline is Sept. 15.

5 Morgan State University President David K. Wilson announced that the school set a single-year record for scholarships awarded, with 2,560 students receiving a record total of $5.8 million of cumulative scholarships. (Courtesy Photo)

Submitted by Washington Gas

You may know Washington Gas as a +175-year-old utility provider, and we’re proud of our history and future innovations. While that describes what we do, we hope you also know how deeply we care about our communities.

We are committed to providing care that helps you build resiliency and thrive under any circumstances.

“Washington Gas is dedicated to the communities, families, neighbors, and individuals we serve. It’s part of who we are and what the Washington Gas Cares initiative is all about—to lend a helping hand,” said President Blue Jenkins. “Our team supports customers facing difficult decisions when paying their bills. We can help identify the right energy assistance options and payment plans that fit our customers’ budgets and schedules during times of need.”

The programs and resources below are just a sample of ways to seek assistance for yourself and those you love. To learn more about any of the options below, visit washingtongascares.com.

MANY FORMS OF ASSISTANCE

You may qualify for a Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant to help pay

Get Help With Your Energy Bill

your energy bill. Many other federal and state assistance programs can also use your LIHEAP application to provide additional aid. This is one of the most valuable actions you can take to receive energy assistance. Learn more at www. benefits.gov/benefit/623.

The Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF) is a partnership between Washington Gas and The Salvation Army that has distributed more than $35 million over the past 40 years to more than 103,000 area households for help with utilities. If you are a qualifying District of Columbia resident, you can receive assistance regardless of your energy provider.

If you’d like to donate, please text SPREADWARMTH to 53555. Learn more at WAFFhelp. org.

Would you like to help a friend, neighbor, or family member pay their Washington Gas bill? With our Gift of Warmth program, you can easily assist others with a onetime or recurring utility payment. You can also donate anonymously. Learn more at bit.ly/3Tx010W.

MANAGE ENERGY COSTS

Whether you own, rent, or plan to buy a first home, your monthly utility budget matters. Completing an online Home Energy Profile provides an energy ranking, savings estimate, and upgrade recommendations for your home energy usage. It takes about five minutes and requires no sign-up or personal data.

“Washington Gas is dedicated to the communities, families, neighbors, and individuals we serve. It’s part of who we are and what the Washington Gas Cares initiative is all about—to lend a helping hand,” said President Blue Jenkins. “Our team supports customers facing difficult decisions when paying their bills. We can help identify the right energy assistance options and payment plans that fit our customers’ budgets and schedules during times of need.”

You may also qualify for a free Energy Conservation Kit. Learn more at bit.ly/washgas-energy-audit.

Energy Saver is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) consumer resource for saving energy and using renewable energy technologies at home. Get tips for everything from lowering home heating and cooling costs to improving moisture control and ventilation. Learn more at bit.ly/doe-esaver.

Through the DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program, you may apply for an “energy retrofit” for everything from new insulation to updated heating and cooling systems to upgraded electrical appliances. Learn more at bit.ly/ doe-weather.

MANAGING YOUR WASHINGTON

GAS BILL

You can make payment arrangements by enrolling in the Installment Payment Plan before signing

up for the Budget Plan. Installment Plans are available for 12 months and up to 24 months if you receive energy assistance. No down payment is required, and payment deferral is interest-free. Installment plans distribute your current outstanding balance across several billing periods.

Avoid further credit action on your account if you make payments according to the agreement. Once your plan is approved, you can enroll in the Budget Plan. Learn more at bit.ly/wg-billmanage.

The Budget Plan spreads the cost of winter heating over the entire year so that you pay the same

amount every month. Each month, your bill will show actual gas usage and budget installments so that you can review the information.

The Budget Plan is designed as a 12-month program, and we encourage you to stay on it year-round to realize the potential benefits. Learn more at bit. ly/wg-bplan.

Payment Extension Plans are also available for residential customers only and allow for a payment due date extension, which allows extending payment due dates.

Please reach out to EAP@ washgas.com with your questions.

Black Women Utterly Disrespected and the Hope to Save Democracy All at Once It’s

About Time to Unapologetically Work to Protect Black Women

Since the capture and forced arrival of enslaved Africans on American soil, Black women have been disrespected, abused and perceived as constant threats, while simultaneously used to offer their talents to serve the masses and weave the resilient fabric of this nation.

“bein alive & bein a woman & bein colored is a metaphysical dilemma/i haven’t conquered yet,” Ntozake Shange so poetically and powerfully wrote in “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf,” first published in 1975.

This week’s news cycle is a small aspect of the complicated dilemma Shange speaks of in her choreopoem.

Recently released body-cam footage shows 36-year-old mother of two Sonya Massey, a Black woman, being murdered by Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson in Springfield, Illinois on July 6. She was ducking in fear when she was shot three times, once in the head.

All the while, Sunday, July 21, President Joe Biden and the Democrats turned to Vice President Kamala Har-

ris to kickoff a presidential campaign weeks before the Democratic National Convention (Aug. 19-22) and months before the Nov. 5 election.

A little more than two weeks after Massey was gunned down in a moment she was looking to police to protect her, Harris is being asked to step up to save democracy in hopes of beating former President Donald Trump, who has promised to be a dictator on day one of his presidency.

It’s beautiful to see Black (and South Asian) women winning as Harris valiantly leads the party, but hard to reconcile the truth of how women of color are still treated in this country. Massey’s murder is a stark reminder that the justice fight of our foremothers and forefathers is far from over.

Massey was perceived as a threat even while apologizing to officers for holding a hot pot and simply saying, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

To be a Black woman in America means grappling with the reality that one is dodging metaphorical bullets every day– and the sometimes literal bul-

Joe Steps Down, And Kamala Stands Up

On Sunday, July 21, President Joseph R. Biden succumbed to internal political pressure and ended his 2024 reelection campaign.

For close to a month, the president has been under intense pressure from former President Barack Obama, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader Hakim Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a growing number of Members of Congress, and donors to bow out after a disastrous performance on June 27.

In a statement, Biden wrote: “Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable healthcare to a record number of Americans.”

After touting more accomplishments, including appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, Biden declared he would withdraw from the race.

“While it would have been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and

to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my time,” he wrote.

The statement began the process of bringing to a formal close on January 20, 2025, an extraordinary public service career, expanding over 50 years as a senator, vice president, and president of the United States.

A short while later, President Biden formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor in the White House next January.

The vice president is now officially a candidate for the next president of the United States. In the first 24 hours since launching her candidacy, she raised over $80 million in campaign donations.

With former President Donald Trump promising to be a dictator on day-one if re-elected, American Democracy is at stake on Nov. 5. If the Democratic Party hopes to save democracy and defeat Trump, its members must unite around Vice President Harris and defend and protect her with the same vigor that the Republican Party has for Trump.

No matter what the attacks are!

The Democratic Party has several

lets are a harsh reality that Americans must face as well.

For Shange, the Black woman’s challenge is metaphysical, which Merriam-Webster defines as “a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses.”

Intersecting justices– racism and sexism— is an indescribable burden to bear, however many Black women know this struggle all too well.

Even before becoming the Democratic Party’s frontrunner, Harris has already had to face blatant racism, sexism, ignorance and cringey comments like Drew Barrymore telling her that the nation needs her to step up as “Mamala,” a comment that was likely made in earnest, but triggers memories of the Black “mammies,” expected to care for families across white America.

The constant contradiction of treatment, expectations and perceptions Black women face in America is not new.

In May 1962, Malcolm X delivered a speech in Los Angeles saying, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unpro-

distinct advantages that the Republicans don’t:

Harris is not a convicted felon on 34 charges. She is not facing an additional 54 charges.

The vice president has never faced nor been found guilty of sexual assault.

The vice president did not support the insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, leading to the deaths of five Americans.

Americans have a choice: the prosecutor versus the convict!

The choice is an easy one!

Let’s see if Democrats unite around the vice president less than three weeks before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. WI

“While it would have been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my time,” he wrote.

tected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”

Despite Harris’ barrier-breaking campaign, Massey’s murder shows the great 20th century activist, author and orator’s words ring true today.

However, there’s a way to fight back: boldly defending, protecting, respecting and uplifting Black women.

As we work to fight for justice and commemorate Massey's legacy, it’s important to speak out against her murder and other police-related deaths such as Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland and Korryn Gaines. It’s important to call out all injustices against Black women and rally to bravely protect and defend the African American women in your communities who are disrespected daily, even when the offender is another person of color.

It’s important to honor Black women, make them feel valued, loved and safe.

As Democrats work to elect Harris as president, they must do the same. Protect her at all costs. Rally behind

her, uplift her legacy, and defend her against the onslaught of criticism, bullying and more inevitably headed her way.

When advocating for Harris, it’s important to be versed in her vice presidential accomplishments– such as her work toward surrounding gun safety laws, capping insulin costs, and setting the record for most tie-breaking votes in her role as president of the Senate (including the decisive vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act). Her supporters must be armed with examples of the qualifications that make her fit for the Oval Office and ready to defend her honor always, if she is to win in November.

She must feel as supported by her constituents as Trump does by his–and despite the July 13 assassination attempt, we know Republicans publicly support the twice-impeached, 34-time convicted felon no matter what.

For centuries, Black women have bolstered causes and worked to rally behind the rights and protections of others. It’s about time the same happens for Black women.

WI

TO THE EDITOR

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks, with the Trump assassination attempt, Biden pulling out of the race, and now Kamala Harris taking over and becoming the very likely Democratic nominee. Whew. What a time. I’m holding on gently, waiting for what’s coming next. We’re truly living in history.

Irene Tillman

Washington, D.C.

I love the summer photos and seeing children splashing around and enjoying themselves. It’s one of the small pleasures and truly what life is about. Sun and smiles!

Dia Massey Hyattsville, Md.

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Sheila Jackson Lee – An Energizer Bunny for Justice

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) didn’t lose many battles, but she succumbed to pancreatic cancer on July 19. She tackled the disease like she tackled so many other challenges, working with her doctors on a treatment plan, making the most of the time that she had, and speaking with optimism about the future. Even though

Guest

she had been ill, took to the streets to provide food, baby formula, and other supplies in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. And until the end, she worked. I know a journalist who had an appointment set up with her a few days after her death. Her office called Wednesday before her Thursday death to cancel. What optimism to think that, even battling a deadly disease, she might still want to do an interview. What faith, resilience, focus to keep working through it all. Sheila said she wanted to be an

“Energizer Bunny” for Houston, and indeed she was. She was also an Energizer Bunny for social and economic justice. The congresswoman was able to get federal appropriations for her beloved 18th Congressional District because she worked tirelessly to get things done. She was especially effective around race matters, successfully lobbying President Biden to make Juneteenth, the day when enslaved Black Texans learned that they were free, a national holiday. She also took HR40, the Congressional bill

that would study reparations and develop remedies for the economic injustice African American people experienced because of enslavement and its aaft4ermath, to the point that more than two hundred members of Congress cosponsored it. President Biden should sign an executive order to implement HR 40, especially now, in tribute to our fallen Congresswoman. It would be fitting recognition to a sister who took the baton that Congressman John Conyers (DMI) passed her and ran with it.

President

Fearmongering, when used as a political tool, has always been an effective means of swaying voters and winning elections.

Former President Richard Nixon once said, “People react to fear, not love. They don’t teach that in Sunday school, but it’s true.” Nixon’s statement shows his true heart. It also exposes how the spe-

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was selected by Congressman Conyers to shepherd the legislation he introduced in every congressional session since 1989. She never failed to acknowledge his effort and made herself available to reparations activist. She was especially helpful to the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC), which was creat4ed in 2015, partly to support HR 40. (Full disclosure –

MALVEAUX Page 49

Represent a New Era of Leadership

cific people he is referring to are driven not by love, but by their hate. In turn, their hate perpetuates the fear of having any form of progressive change. It is the fear of progressive change in our nation which is the fundamental reason behind the rise of the current MAGA movement. It is also the motive behind the conservative promise called “Project 2025”. Fear is a powerful emotion. There is not a person on the face of the earth who has not, at some point in their lifetime, experi-

Guest Columnist

I remember reading a story/ fable in school titled “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” He had 400 shirts, 300 pairs of pants, and 1,000 pairs of socks. He wore a new outfit every day and sometimes twice a day. He pretended to be very intelligent in impressing his followers. A slick con man pretending to be a tailor design-

ing costly clothes scammed the stable genius, Emperor. The swindler said the unique fabric made the clothes visible only to “intelligent” people, so stupid people could not see them. The emperor wore the clothes and rode down Main Street in a parade. The people noticed he was naked but were afraid to say anything.

A little child hollered, saying he was naked. The emperor jumped out as the people started laughing and ran back to his palace. The emperor had 99% great pretend-

enced some type of fear. Whether we are young or old, fear can have a demoralizing grip on a person’s life. A tightening grip where a person loses confidence and hope, thereby leaving them lost and empty.

This occurs when fear is used to intimidate an individual or group. Fear can make one paralyzed. It can make a person powerless to the point where they withdraw into a depressed state of ineffectiveness and frightful silence while losing all desire to move or act.

We see this when countless members of the Republican establishment lost all political courage and backbone to publicly speak the truth about Donald Trump. Rather than challenge what they know to be wrong, they became enablers. Sen. Mitch McConnell is one who comes to mind. Sen. Lindsey Graham is another.

A person can exhibit strength in one area of their life, while being totally powerless in another, all due to the spirit of fear. The fear of rejection, the fear of abandon-

ment, the fear of change, the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure, the fear of success, the fear of losing control or power, the fear of old age, and the fear of death. The country pays a heavy price when those with influence and power are unwilling to put their selfish motives, pride, ego and their fears aside for the best interest of the nation.

But there is another side of fear we must consider, and even

ers, and TRUMP had 48%. These are Trump’s Great Pretenders. (1.) His father, Fred, a card-carrying member of the KKK, pretended Donald was a business magnate. He made him proud when he refused to rent to blacks. Fred gave his favorite son over 400 million dollars to invest. (2.) Attorney General Bill Barr pretended Trump committed no crimes. He read the well-researched and written Muller report and gave his official legal opinion. (3.) Vice-president Mike Pence pre-

tended Trump was a “great benevolent” leader. He bowed, smiled, praised, lied, kissed Trump’s ring, and left himself without a modicum of dignity. TRUMP repaid his loyal servant, saying maybe they should hang him. (4.) Dr. Ben Carson, NFL star Herschel Walker, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Rapper Kanye West, Commentator Candace Owens, and North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson pretended Trump loved Blacks, and they spread the word to millions

of his allegedly best Black friends. (5.) All of Trump’s cult members, some otherwise intelligent, pretended: (A.) the election was stolen. (B.) the insurrection was peaceful, the participants were patriots, and they all should be pardoned. (C.) Trump did not sexually assault E. Jean Carroll. (D.) Just like President George Washington, Trump never told a lie (smile). (E.) Trump was never convicted and fined two million

David W. Marshall

Harris Would

Jerome Hankins

Julianne Malveaux

Columnist

Guest Columnist

Tell Me That Again!

it for sympathy. It’s hard enough to believe his ear was pierced by a young man who couldn’t shoot straight enough to even get into a gun training session in school!

There has been a lot of listening we have had to do this past week about the choice we have to make about who will be our next President when 2025 rolls around. There are a lot of people who believe the orange man was really injured enough to wear that big pad on his ear that could have been covered by a band aid. He wears

I wasn’t there at the Republican convention, but I’m having a hard time believing the same man who was such a bad shooter that he killed one man and injured two others near the orange man was the same person who hit his ear.

I'll move to the performance of the Secret Service as they tried to protect the orange man while he

Guest Columnist

continued to pop his head up and down so we could see his fist pump into the air (which is the symbol we, Black people, are known to use to express our determination to fight against racism.) I may be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that anyone who was just shot would not want to be protected by holding his head up to make it easy for the shooter!

Let’s move to the Secret Service at the time of the reported shot of the orange man. I was impressed by the quick response of the men

When Working Full-Time is Not Enough

For many people of modest means, taking a second job has been a go-to option for seasonal and/or short-term additional earnings. Whether planning for special holidays, noteworthy family events, or a one-time purchase, a “side hustle” has enabled many families to have a few extra comforts to make life more enjoyable.

But a new consumer survey finds that in recent years, an increasing number of workers are taking on second jobs for household needs, instead of wants. As the costs of living continue to creep upward, many working Americans are finding that one full-time job is simply not enough.

More than half of workers - 52 percent – have taken on second jobs in the past three years, and nearly one in three survey respondents believe they will always need a second income just to make ends

meet, according to Bankrate.com.

“While it's admirable that so many Americans are putting in extra time and effort on their side hustles, it's unfortunate that most are doing so simply to fund their expenses,” noted Ted Rossman, Bankrate senior credit card analyst.

The workers who most frequently turned to side hustles were Generation Z, ages 18 to 27 (48 percent); parents with children younger than 18 (45 percent); and Millennials, ages 28-43 (44 percent). For their extra work, average

and women as they risked their lives to save the orange man. I was grateful for the female Secret Service woman who rushed up the steps to the stage to make the orange man keep his fist pumping to stop and figure out how to quickly get him down the stairway to safety in the limo waiting to take him out of danger.

Now let’s go to those complaining about the makeup of the Secret Service that had several women taking measures to protect the orange man. After the first female

agent succeeded in getting him to stop showboating with his fist, he had at least three female agents at the limo who again took over and rushed him into the limo out of danger by pushing him inside, closing the door as he resisted. The women moved their bodies against the door to keep him safe while the male agents walked away. I resent any criticism of agents just because they are women, but when you consider how orange man and

monthly earnings rose from $810 in 2023, to $891 this year. The extra income typically is used to help pay for housing and groceries, paying down debt, or savings.

These findings follow a Bankrate pay raise survey released this spring that showed household budgets remained strained, despite the nation’s slowing inflation, particularly in the areas of housing and insurance.

“Although the much-feared recession hasn’t quite yet reared its head, three in five U.S. adults (59

percent) reported feeling like the economy is in a recession toward the end of 2023,” according to the survey. Many of these workers are concerned about their ability to purchase a home.

Almost two in five (37 percent) surveyed said they would move out of state to find a home they could afford, according to Bankrate’s home affordability survey.

But move where? Housing is often the most-costly monthly

When Silence is Cowardice: Simply Telling the Truth is Not a Call to Violence, It Has Never Been

When the stakes are high … when there is a real threat … should staying silent even be an option?

Martin Luther King, Jr. had a lot to say on the subject of silence. He said, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” And “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

He spoke of how, in the struggles for freedom and justice, what we will ultimately remember is “the silence of our friends.”

So, are we to be friends to the vast numbers of Americans whose fundamental rights and livelihoods are on the line at a pivotal time for our nation? Are we to be friends to the communities that we know will be targeted, marginalized, and denied America’s promise of opportunity? Are we to be friends to the planet itself, and

the life it supports from the bounty of nature to the entire human race?

Many people would say that when faced with the choice to speak up – to sound the alarm –or to remain silent, that choosing silence is not simply cowardly, it is immoral. I am one of them.

The greatest movements for freedom and justice of the last century were defined by peaceful methods. Passive resistance in the civil rights movement. Civil disobedience in anti-war efforts. Divesting financial support from unjust systems

and institutions like South African apartheid.

From rallies and marches to sit-ins and the tactics mentioned above, in no way was speaking out ever seen as a call to violence. Shining a light on injustice is necessary. And in a democracy, the most powerful remedy must always – always – be ballots, not bullets. That is why we organize.

There is a difference between truthfully explaining to people what is at stake for them in an election and targeting one’s polit-

ical opposition with dehumanizing slurs. The same goes for using dehumanizing rhetoric against groups of people based on their race, religion, gender identity, sexuality, or national origin.

The difference between truth-telling and violent or inciting rhetoric is not simply in the eye of the beholder. We should be expected to be able to draw the line between the two. Political actors need to respect that line.

WILLIAMS Page 50

Charlene Crowell

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

LIFESTYLE

Things To Do, DMV!

By Juan Benn Jr.

Check out a handful of the many events happening in the DMV this weekend. To keep up with all the fun, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

Keep your outlook vibrant and remember, there’s always something happening in the DMV to keep your spirit-- and social life-- lit.

THURSDAY, JULY 25

Glen Echo Park Summer Concert Series: James Bazen Big BandI 7:30 p.m. | Free Glen Echo Park, 7300 Macarthur Blvd. Glen Echo, MD 20812

Every summer, for the past 15 years, families have gathered at Glen Echo Park, to watch local musicians and performers give a show.

On Thursday, July 25, the 18-piece jazz ensemble, James Blazen Big

Band, will perform original music and compositions from the likes of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and more.

The concert is located at the park’s Bumper Car Pavilion. There is limited seating. Organizers encourage visitors to bring folding

chairs. Food and drinks will be sold. RSVP is preferred, but not required.

Comedy for Community Summer Series

7 p.m. | Suggested Donations Start at $10 BloomBars, 3222 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20010

Looking for some comedic relief?

You’re in luck! Grassroots Comedy, a nonprofit organization at the intersection of comedy and advocacy, is hosting a stand-up series at BloomBars, a community art and culture space in Northwest D.C.

It’s an alcohol-free event, but snacks and seltzer will be available for purchase. Free parking is available!

FRIDAY, JULY 26

Broccoli City Pre-Party: Major League DJz; Hosted by Issa Rae 9 p.m. | $25-$49 Echostage, 2135 Queens Chapel Rd. NE, Washington, D.C. 20018

Broccoli City Music Festival is back again and Issa Rae is hosting a pre-party this Friday. Come to Echostage in Northeast and join her in the fun before the kickoff of D.C.’s hottest music festival!

SATURDAY, JULY 27

DMV Made: A Culture & Wellness Festival

1 p.m. - 7:30 p.m | Free (RSVP)

The National Mall, 14th Street SW & Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, D.C.

DMV Made is a family-friendly festival that combines art, performances, and storytelling to promote

the intersections of culture and wellness. There will be multiple stages, with performers ranging from go-go and Latin music.

The free event is on the National Mall, one block away from the Smithsonian metro stop.

Motown Sound Flashband Showcase

8 p.m. | $25

Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20024

Flashband is bringing the sounds of Motown to Pearl Street Warehouse! Get ready to vibe, groove, and dance in the streets with covers of your favorite Motown-era bands and artists of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Eight all-new onetime “flashbands” will fill the summer air with soul-stirring covers of funk, r&b, pop, and soul greats, pulling from the catalogs of heyday labels and studios including Motown, Stax, Muscle Shoals, and all the rest.

Guests must be 21 and up.

SUNDAY, JULY 28

Gagsters & Dragsters

1:30 p.m. | $20 - $100 DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

D.C.'s hottest drag brunch will have you splitting your sides with each "Yas Queen!" Join Vagenesis, National Bearded Empress 2022, as she brings the finest drag entertainers and comedians to the DC Improv Comedy club this February. Grab your friends and some dollar bills and get ready for a hilariously fabulous good time. WI

Read more on

Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected Fellow

5A performer looks at the crowd at a show during the DMV Made Festival. (Photo Courtesy of Downtown DC BID)

Nas Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Illmatic, with National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap

Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of his debut album “Illmatic,” Nas, one of hip-hop’s most influential artists, took to Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia, to perform hits from the widely celebrated work in conjunction with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) on July 21.

“Illmatic," which debuted to considerable critical acclaim, has maintained consistent listeners via streaming decades after its release date. Billboard, the weekly music magazine, recently listed this album as the greatest rap album of all time.

This is the second time Nas and NSO teamed up to celebrate the album’s art and legacy.

“Ten years ago, my colleague and I decided to shake up the concert world by inviting a hip hop artist to join us, in a first of its kind groundbreaking collaboration,” said conductor Steven Reineke. “In 2014, we began our or-

chestra efforts with Nas. Tonight we revisit that epic collaboration with the 30th anniversary.”

After Reineke’s introduction, the crowd went wild as Nas entered the stage draped in a white blazer with a chain that reflected the set’s overhead blue and white lights.

“What’s up y’all! D.C., VA, B-More, who's in the house tonight? Thank you for being here with us tonight to celebrate my first album, ‘Illmatic!’ We’re at it again”, said Nas just before beginning his performance. “I started with my man here in 2014 on orchestra, and we’re back once again. If you ever owned it on cassette or on vinyl, or you just started streaming, I thank you.”

He opened with “N.Y. State of Mind,” performed with a light orchestra to allow his vocals to boom toward the crowd. Many audience members shouted out the lyrics to his celebrated song.

“Some of this stuff I wrote down when I was 16, I didn’t know nothing

and was just trying to put some words together– someday it would inspire someone. My world was Apartment 5D in building 4016, and outside of that was a zoo. I didn’t know that one day, someone would hear the stuff I was writing and relate to it,” he said just before he segued into a performance of “The World Is Yours” with an incredible, booming sound from the NSO. He used a call and response with the audience throughout the popular track.

He followed that with a funkbacked performance of “Halftime,” then a high spirited performance of “Memory Lane.”

The crowd roared when AZ came onto the stage to perform his opening verse on “Life’s A B***h”, bringing the gathered crowd to their feet as the lights focused on the stage, followed by a rising orchestra to end the song. He then recounted some of the slang from his New York upbringing while the strings section rolled softly into a rendition of “One Love” with

light drumming, then “Represent” with minimal strings.

“Those were some good songs. The classics, there’s nothing like the classics,” he said after finishing the per-

Pepco to Host Aja Moon Exhibit Opening Aug. 2

Arts and culture energize, inspire and unite us.

Artists’ vision and creativity helps make us better people and contribute to building vibrant and strong communities.

We strongly believe this at Pepco. That’s why we are thrilled to introduce a talented Washington, D.C. artist, Aja Moon, to the greater D.C. community this summer. On Aug. 2, Pepco’s Edison Place Gallery at 702 8th St., N.W., will open an exhibit of Moon’s works titled “The Aja Moon Collxn” that will continue through September. Register to attend at AjaMoonCollxn.eventbrite.com Moon, 37, came to our attention last fall when we were seeking community input to identify an artist and an artistic concept to beautify the exterior of our new Mount Vernon substation. As part of our commitment to provide more than energy, we conducted an online survey in September 2023. With help from the Mount Vernon Community Improvement District and its president and chief executive, Kenyattah Robinson, Pepco became acquainted with Moon and commissioned her to do the project in December 2023. Community meetings and discussions with Moon followed.

The result is a stunning and provocative example of public art titled “Illuminated Legacy.” It’s a 67-foot-long mural composed of 32 brightly colored digital portraits of notable Washingtonians who contributed to the city’s culture and heritage over the past 100 years. They are diverse in every sense of the word. They all contributed to D.C.’s culture palette as religious figures, political activists, sports stars, writers, musicians and more. Half are women; half are men.

Some names will be familiar, such as jazz composer Duke Ellington and Virginia Ali, the cofounder of Washington’s famous Ben’s Chili Bowl restaurant. Others may be lesser known, such as Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Black History Month, who lived in Shaw and passed away there in 1950.

One of the faces on the mural is a great-uncle of Moon’s, and his identity is part of the story of the artist’s vision for the mural. Rev. Dr. W.H. Jernagin was a pastor of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in the Mount Vernon neighborhood and a well-known civil rights activist until his death in 1958.

Moon, who grew up in Mount Vernon, conceived “Illuminated Legacy” as a blend of art and local history with a nod to its placement outside a substation. She researched more than 70 people. And then the winnowing began to match her candidates with the space available in the mural.

formance of “Illmatic” and moving to “Got Yourself a Gun,” “Oochie Wally,” If I Rule The World,” and some of his works from “Stillmatic” and later albums. WI

“There were so many stories to tell and I want this mural to depict the full entity of D.C. culture and some of the contributions that have been made to the foundation of culture in D.C.,” she says. Moon, a portrait artist who describes her paintings as abstract realism, began working on “Illuminated Legacy” in February. She estimates she has poured about 500 hours of her heart and soul into the project.

Pepco is proud to also display this artwork outside the Mount Vernon substation, which was energized in May. Its completion is a significant achievement in our Capital Grid project to build an integrated solution for providing safe, reliable energy to the Nation’s Capital.

Some of the portraits from the “Illuminated Legacy” mural will be included in the exhibit of more than 30 works at Pepco’s Edison Place Gallery. The exhibit will also include seven portraits of accomplished Black women from various walks of life, a series that Moon calls “creatHER: constructing the Black Woman.”

Pepco is delighted to sponsor Moon’s first major solo exhibit at the Edison Place Gallery. This spacious facility is available to nonprofits for meetings and other events. Please check pepco.com/gallery for more information.

5Celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Illmatic,” Nas stepped onstage and began his set with a performance of “N.Y. State of Mind,” and between each song he briefly spoke to the audience about the story of the album, his slang, and his appreciation for his fans.

(Courtesy Photo/Wolf Trap)

Aja Moon

LIFESTYLE

Bernice Johnson Reagon, Civil Rights Voice in Music, Dies at Age 81

By Brenda C. Siler Lifestyle Reporter

Known for her acapella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, writer, composer, educator, and civil rights activist Bernice Johnson Reagon, Ph.D. died at age 81 on July 16. Reagon’s daughter Thoshi Reagon posted the announcement on her Facebook page on July 17.

“I was here before I came, and when I die, I am not leaving,” Johnson Reagon once said.

Before starting the acapella group in 1973, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Reagon had an important role as an activist and founder of The Freedom Singers in 1962. The group started through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), founded in 1960 at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

District residents Attorney Timothy Jenkins and his wife Lauretta Jenkins were involved in SNCC.

Lauretta shared her thoughts about Reagon.

“Bernice’s strong voice and presence will always be in my heart. She was magnificent and carried us through so much,”

HOUSING from Page 1

“We want to see the city make good on its promise to provide affordable housing equitably across all eight wards, and that’s not happening,” said Nikki Waddell, a D.C. parent who has lived in Anacostia for a decade.

Earlier this year, Waddell and three other Anacostia residents filed a housing discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) alleging that the District government perpetuates racial and economic segregation by “funding, supporting, and approving” the construction of new affordable housing in majority-Black neighborhoods.

Waddell told The Informer that the complaint, filed in May, follows years of demands for market-rate housing in Anacostia, located east of the Anacostia River. She said those calls have gone unanswered since at least 2018 when the District funded the construction of Maple View Flats, a $50 million development project.

she told The Informer.

REAGAN’S IMPACTFUL CONTRIBUTION

In 2022, the multi-Grammy Award-winning group Sweet Honey kicked off a three-year 50th-anniversary tour with a concert at Strathmore Music Hall in Bethesda, Maryland. Carol Maillard, an original member of the group, recalled the beginnings of the group of ladies in song.

“When we started at the DC Black Repertory Theater at Georgia Avenue and Farragut St., NW, there was a music training where Bernice was our teacher – she gave us everything she knew,” said Maillard about Reagon.

In 2022, Reagan and her composer, singer, and activist daughter Toshi premiered an opera based on Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower.” This production also took place at Strathmore. The mother-daughter collaborators composed the music and lyrics for the opera.

WI @bcscomm

Maple View Flats, located on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, brought 100% affordable housing units, but neighbors didn’t receive any of the retail and amenities they were told would follow. Without mixed-income housing, Waddell and others contend that Anacostia won’t be able to attract economic activity that can create opportunities for residents and drive down crime.

“We want a better quality of life, and that comes with more amenities and higher income earners to increase jobs and improve the neighborhoods,” Waddell said, emphasizing that she’s not against affordable housing, only the oversaturation of affordable housing where she lives and in other pockets of the District.

“If you continue to concentrate [most of] the affordable housing in this neighborhood, the cycle will continue,” Waddell said. “The city’s building all high-density, income-capped housing in areas originally zoned for single-family homes and they’re taking away opportunities for us to increase the green space. It's a concrete jungle.”

The Clash between Housing Affordability and Market Forces

In 2012, the U.S. District Court

for the Northern District of Texas ruled that the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs violated the “disparate impact” clause of the Fair Housing Act when it unintentionally allocated the majority of low-income housing tax credits for development projects in majority-nonwhite areas of Dallas.

In 2015, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, upheld the lower court’s decision while limiting application of “disparate impact” out of regard for the Fair Housing Act and the free-market economy. Four years later, as leaders in major cities continued to mull the conflict between housing affordability and market forces, Bowser kicked off her second term with an announcement about her housing production goal of 36,000 new housing units and 12,000 affordable housing units by 2025.

As seen on the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)’s “36,000 by 2025” dashboard, the District has constructed 35,666 units since 2019.

Within that time, 9,771 new affordable units, the majority of which were newly produced, also entered the market. The majority of that affordable housing (2,449 units) appeared in the Far Southeast and Southwest. Midcity (1,478 units) and Far Northeast and Southeast (1,103 uniits) represented the second and third highest concentration of new affordable housing.

Meanwhile, Rock Creek West, which includes the upper Northwest neighborhoods of Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase, currently has 230 units of new affordable housing -- the lowest share out of what has been produced since 2019. That amount represents less than 12% of the target that DMPED set to achieve 15% housing affordability in the Rock Creek West planning area.

In recent years, housing advocates in Ward 3, which includes Rock Creek West, have demanded the increase of affordable housing in those communities, which are heralded for accessible transportation, quality schools and proximate employment opportunities. In the coming months, affordable housing will most likely come up in discussions about the Nebraska

Avenue campus of Department of Homeland Security.

While the Chevy Chase Small Area Plan, approved by the D.C. Council in 2022, represents an attempt by the Bowser administration to meet its 2,000 affordable housing unit goal, there remains a question of how to include a large swath of affordable housing with Ward 3’s high land value. [Nina Albert, deputy mayor for planning and economic development, told The Informer that 45 out of the 150 units to be built on the Chevy Chase site will be affordable.]

On July 18, calls for affordable housing erupted outside of 2 Wisconsin Circle NW during “The Future of Friendship Heights & Chevy Chase,” an event hosted by commercial real estate news outlet Biznow. While Biznow hosted panel discussions on the penthouse level, members of Chevy Chase Voice converged in the lobby area of the office building in opposition to Biznow’s decision to charge $135 for admission to the daylong event.

As D.C. Councilmember Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3) and others spoke on a panel that morning, security guards at the site kicked protesters out of the lobby area and into the street near Friendship Heights Metro Station.

Subsequent efforts to speak to Frumin fell short, protesters said.

The lack of transparency, as Chevy Chase Voice co-founder Sheryl Barnes described it, spoke to what she called ongoing efforts to push small, independent retailers out of Friendship Heights and further marginalize low-income District residents. The Biznow event, she told The Informer, didn’t provide community members any opportunity to weigh in on the need for affordable housing.

“Friendship Heights is the ideal area for social housing but they are remodeling office space,” said Barnes, a resident in Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3/4G, a jurisdiction with the greatest share of rent-controlled residential buildings in the District, according to the D.C. Policy Center.

Barnes formed Chevy Chase Voice to organize against overdevelopment and single-source contracting of public land for luxury housing. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

5Bernice Johnson Reagon (Screengrab)

2025 NEA Jazz Masters Are Announced

By Brenda C. Siler Lifestyle Reporter

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced the 2025 recipients for the highest American honor in jazz. The incoming class for the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship is Marshall Allen, Marilyn Crispell, and Chucho Valdés.

The recipient of the 2025 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy is Gary Giddins. These jazz giants will each receive an award of $25,000 and will be honored on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at a free concert in Washington, D.C., in collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

“We are delighted to welcome these four luminaries to the ranks of NEA Jazz Masters. They have each played a crucial role in nurturing and developing this art form and demonstrate jazz's immense diversity and creativity today,” NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D., said. “We look forward to working with the Kennedy Center on events next April that will celebrate their achievements and inspire new audiences and musicians to embrace jazz.”

A LOOK AT THE 2025 NEA JAZZ MASTERS

Celebrating his 100th birthday earlier this year in May, saxophonist Allen has an inventive and distinctive playing style, sometimes called “free” jazz or “avant-garde” jazz. His band arrangements have made him a major force in jazz.

Allen is best known for his work

with Sun Ra, recording and performing with him from the 1950s to Sun Ra’s passing in 1993, and taking over the leadership of the Sun Ra Arkestra for the past 30 years. He also plays flute, oboe, piccolo, and an electronic wind instrument ( EWI).

Crispell has become one of the most original and sought-after jazz pianists and composers, also working in “avant-garde” jazz. She came on the scene in the late 1970s. Influenced by her first loves in jazz, John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor, she has created an adventurous and distinctive style that continues to grow and expand.

Originally from Cuba, pianist, bandleader, composer, and arranger, Valdés is one of the most influential Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz figures. In a career spanning more than 60 years as a solo artist and bandleader, Valdés has fused elements of the Afro-Cuban music tradition, jazz, classical music, rock, and more into his distinctive style.

Recipient of the 2025 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy, Giddins has been one of the leading critics in the field of jazz for more than 50 years. This NEA Jazz Master category is given to those who have made major contributions to the appreciation, knowledge, and advancement of the American jazz art form. Giddins has written highly acclaimed books and essays for the New York Times, New Yorker, Esquire, and many other publications. He has motivated new generations of jazz fans at several universities as an educator. Read more on washingtoninformer.com. WI @bcscomm

5The recipients of the 2025 NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship are (L-R) Marshall Allen, Marilyn Crispell, Gary Giddins, and Chucho Valdés. (Courtesy photo/National Endowment for the Arts)

POLICE CHIEF from Page 1

cured the D.C. Council’s approval, unveiled a strategic plan to decrease crime and improve public safety, promoted public safety legislation to residents, and stood on her Christian faith to make inroads with community members frustrated with violent crime and deteriorating values.

The Informer sat down with Smith on the one-year anniversary of her tenure at the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The 20-minute interview spawned material for future stories. For the time being, here’s a breakdown of crucial points that we covered with the chief.

CRIME REDUCTION

Data gathered by MPD shows that, as of July 17, the District experienced a 33% year-to-date reduction in violent crime and 15% reduction in property crime. Overall, crime has reduced by 18% since Smith entered her role.

During that time, MPD also unveiled the Real Time Crime Center and a fleet of drones.

Smith touted her homicide reduction plan as a key driver of the downward crime trend. She highlighted Washington Highlands and Anacostia, both in Southeast, along with the Northeast neighborhood of Rosedale

remainder of my term," he wrote.

The following day, the vice president was ready to answer the call.

“On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris wrote on Twitter.

Biden’s decision came after a growing number of Democratic Party members voiced concerns that Biden's candidacy was jeopardizing their chances of keeping the twice-impeached former President Donald Trump out of the White House. While many were supporting Biden’s quest to stay the course, other top Democratic leaders were calling him to step down.

Harris has declared to work toward Party and nationwide unity.

“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party–and unite our nation– to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”

As Harris’ campaign gears up,

as areas of focus. The department, she said, based their emphasis on that area on three-years of data.

MPD captains, and a bevy of federal and local agencies, dedicated to those areas engage residents and encourage them to collaborate in crime reduction, Smith told The Informer.

“We don’t need to be heavy handed,” Smith said. “It’s about police officers building relationships. I’m proud of the residents. They call me in the middle of the night [to tell me] people are outside. We haven’t had that. And having the Real Time Crime Center to get to those locations rather quickly.”

POLICE RECRUITMENT

Since the pandemic, police recruitment has been an issue that inspired condemnation of activists, and even legislation geared toward increasing the workforce.

Chief Smith told The Informer that the department made some headway this past year with a 30% reduction in officer attrition.

This past spring, the MPD workforce fell slightly when 21 officers couldn’t return due to infractions they incurred. Those infractions ranged from failure to report to duty to what Smith called “serious misconduct.”

The department, she said, has since been on its way to surpassing the 3,300 mark. Within the last month, 34 MPD personnel graduated from the cadet program, with at least another 14 to 17 scheduled to achieve a similar feat before the end of August. Ramping up those numbers, Smith said, will involve the launch of an in-person recruitment team and engagement with local universities.

In regard to university engagement, Smith told The Informer that she has her sights set on native Washingtonians.

“The majority of the cadets are Washingtonians and [in] the pipeline for becoming police officers. I want to get that number up to 150,” Smith said. “That means taking a look at what happens in our program to see how we’re leveraging communities to get young people. They get a chance to go to [University of the District of Columbia] for free, [earn] an associate’s [degree] and become a member…. and that’s a good thing for us.”

FAITH-BASED ENGAGEMENT

Chief Smith, an ordained Baptist minister, doesn’t shy away from her connection to a higher power. She credited her involvement in the

Biden assured the nation that he would continue to serve with dedication until the end of his current term. He also indicated that he would provide further details about his decision in a forthcoming address to the nation later this week.

The Rev. Tony Lee, pastor of Community of Hope AME

church, under the guidance of her father and extended family, as a cloak of protection over her life.

As such, she expressed a desire for District youth to receive similar support.

“We got to get to a place to get the faith-based leaders back [in] the space,” Smith said. “Whatever you believe in, wherever your faith lies, we’ve got to make sure we’re driving out darkness out of our communities. When our pastors, clergy, and synagogue leaders show up, there’s a different level of respect.”

In June, Smith preached a sermon at Washington National Cathedral in observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Her appearance counted among several instances over the course of a year where she engaged the community through faith, including at prayer vigils and faith walks.

All the while, Smith continues to organize more than 100 local faith leaders through her Faith Advisory Council. Those efforts, she noted, also involve working closely with the Mayor's Office of Religious Affairs and connecting faith-based organizations with grant opportunities via the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants.

Such measures, she told The Informer, have culminated in programs of benefit to young people and their

cratic Party to rally behind Vice President Harris as she finishes the leg and gets us across the finish line in November.”

HARRIS SUPPORTERS ALL-IN, VP RAISES MILLIONS IN CAMPAIGN FUNDS

With weeks left until the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19-22, local and national leaders are already showing their full support for Harris, who has a few months before the Nov. 5 general election. Many African American leaders, in particular, are working together to ensure the vice president is elected in November and inaugurated president January 2025.

families. “That’s what they suggested to us -- that they need to have their doors open late in the evening as an after-school program,” Smith said. “They want to see us present. We need to have that connection .. especially in our communities where I know our children can thrive.”

DRUG-FREE ZONES AND MARIJUANA SHOPS

Chief Smith credited drug-free zones, among other initiatives, with the reduction in violent crime this year. Despite ongoing concerns about direct police community engagement and infringement on residents’ constitutional rights, Smith said that the push for this element of the Secure D.C. Omnibus Act came from District residents.

“We’ve been finding that people keep asking for it,” Smith said. “The mayor wanted one at a time, and I told her that we need to roll it out. It’s not [about] arresting… but telling people that ‘you can’t do this here… within a school zone. All people wanted was to have their community back, and not see hand-to-hand drug activity.”

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

WI @SamPKCollins

announcement that he would not run for the Democratic nomination, the network Win with Black Women organized a Zoom call to show how prepared and determined Black women were to take on this enormous challenge.

The call was a powerful display of unity and determination, with Black women leaders from across the nation voicing their unwavering support for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Church explained that Biden made the right decision for the country, and emphasized that it is now time to support Harris full throttle.

“Withdrawing from the race is another form of President Biden’s leadership in the race to defeat Trump,” Lee told The Informer. “Now is the time for the Demo-

The Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta explained how the African American community will support Harris to victory.

”The Black community will be unified behind Kamala Harris and we have been the most consistent voting bloc in American history,” Bryant told The Informer. Sunday night, following Biden’s

The Zoom call reportedly drew an astounding 40,000 attendees and featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including Reps. Joyce Beatty, Maxine Waters, and Jasmine Crockett. The leaders passionately emphasized Black women’s critical role in the upcoming election and shared personal stories about Harris that underscored her qualifications and leadership qualities. Other notable attendees included D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Maryland Senate hopeful Angela Alsobrooks, civil rights leader Bernice King, and Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown.

The call highlighted the urgen-

5President Joe Biden has announced that he will not seek re-election, bowing to mounting pressure from within his own party. (WI File Photo)

HARRIS from Page 1

HARRIS Page 40

Growing Community is Going for Kids!

Smithsonian's Center for Environmental Justice at the Anacostia Community Museum launches new gardening program

Submitted by Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum

Since the 1980’s the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum’s longest running program, Growing Community, has been a way for local Anacostia and DC residents to learn about best practices for their gardens and even start small home gardens themselves. Growing Community is a flagship program of the Smithsonian's Center for Environmental Justice at the Anacostia Community Museum, which launched on Earth Day 2023. Through garden programming, residents of all ages can engage with the beauty of the natural world, a healthy food system, and their cultural past. We welcome the community to participate in our monthly workshops, taking place throughout the growing and harvesting seasons. All workshops incorporate themes such as gardens as places of community and connections to our cultural past; gardens as sites of stewardship and nurture; and gardens as sites of empowerment and access to good nutrition and healthy living.

This summer, the Center for Environmental Justice is excited to launch a new program of the

Growing Community work as we look to serve the next generation of growers and gardeners in the area. Running from August 19 – 22, the Center for Environmental Justice will host the first-ever Summer Youth Gardening Program for students in grades 3 – 5. Throughout the week, participants will get firsthand experience on how to start and maintain a garden, tips and tricks for what to grow, live cooking demonstrations, creating art projects, and lots of fun outdoor games! This experience will be an opportunity for youth to connect with the Earth and learn about the benefits and the fun associated with growing your own food. Each day the camp will run from 8:30 am – 1 pm and lunch will be included. On the final day of the program, come celebrate with us at our Harvest Festival where participants will be able to see the bounty of their work and celebrate with new community members. This program is completely free, but does require advanced registration.

The Center for Environmental Justice is committed to ensuring that residents in all neighbors across Anacostia and DC have local access to fresh produce. We believe this experience will start to build the foundation for youth in the area to see how their communities are abundant with opportunity and

growth and how these youths can change their communities for the better. Through learning science, history, and civic engagement—the program will development the next generation of community stewards, imparting an accessible and familiar act of civic engagement through which tangible, equitable development of healthy communities can be achieved.

The youth gardening program will take place daily August 19-22 from 8:30am - 1pm with lunch provided.

For questions or to sign up your student, please email Jamie Gage at GageJL@si.edu. You can learn more about Growing Community and other programs offered through the Center for Environmental Justice and the Anacostia Community Museum by visiting: anacostia.si.edu.

On Saturday mornings the outdoor plaza at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum comes to life once again with colorful, locally grown fruits and veggies. The FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand returns for its second season, and it is open every Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (weather permitting) through November 23.

The ACM Farm Stand launched its inaugural season on Earth Day 2023, and since then it has welcomed hundreds of neighbors. Once again, this year, the ACM Farm Stand is produced in partnership with D.C.-based nonprofit FRESHFARM, which is the nation’s third-largest farmers market organization. ParkView Farms, based in Poolesville Maryland, supplies the farm stand with their

own homegrown produce.  Family-owned and operated, located in the heart of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, ParkView Farms naturally grow seasonal vegetables and fruits for the local community and beyond.

Also, this summer, starting June 22, the ACM Farm Stand will be part of the Free Summer Meals Program (also referred to as DC Youth Summer Meals), works to close the meal gap during the summer months for children in the District. Every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through August 24, children aged 5 to 18 years old can visit the farm stand with their families and request their free meal which has a protein, a fruit, a vegetable, a grain, and a small milk container. The menu changes regularly and will be displayed onsite. There is no ID or proof of residency required.

5Growing Community is the longest running program at the Anacostia Community Museum. Launching this summer will be a free youth focused program in August. (Photos courtesy the Anacostia Community Museum.)

We look forward to working with our friends at FRESHFARM to continue to increase access to fresh, healthy foods through the FRESHFARM ACM Farm Stand. We hope you will join us on the plaza sometime this year.

As part of the FRESHFARM Market family, which includes over two dozen other markets around the city and northern Virginia, the ACM Farm Stand accepts SNAP/ EBT, WIC, and Senior FMNP checks. Plus, the farm stand offers the FRESHFARM FreshMatch program which provides a dollar-for-dollar match on all federal benefits spent at market, helping shoppers take home more fresh and nutritious produce and local foods while creating and sustaining new revenue streams for local farmers and food producers.

The ACM Farm Stand is open every Saturday (weather permitting) on the ACM Plaza at 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. until November 23. Follow the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum on social media or visit the museum’s website at anacostia. si.edu/farmstand for the most upto-date information.

The Summer Olympic Games Are Back!

Why? That’s where the Summer Olympics will be held starting on Friday, July 26 through Sunday, August 11, 2024.

Take a look at the logo for the Paris Summer Olympic Games. At rst, you’ll see the Olympic ame and the Olympic rings. But take a closer look.

Do you see a face and hair? This is the face of a goddess that is seen as the symbol for liberty and wisdom in France.

Use this code to reveal her name.

The 2024 Paralympic Games

This is the logo of the 2024 Paralympic Games.

Athletes with physical disabilities from around the world compete in the Paralympic Games every four years alongside the Olympics. In fact, Paralympics means “alongside the Olympics.”

The Paralympics began 64 years ago. What year was that?

GYMNASTICS

Miss Your Flight!

Imagine you’re ying to Paris, but you forgot to attach your nametag to your suitcase. Write your name on the tag, then follow the maze to nd your suitcase.

Find the words in the puzzle by looking up, down, backwards, forwards, sideways and diagonally.

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. At the Olympic Games, a picture is worth a thousand words in hundreds of languages.

Pictograms are simpli ed pictures or symbols. There is one for each sport to help people from all over the world understand what is happening. For example, this pictogram represents the Olympic sport of judo.

Do the math to match each pictogram to the name of the Summer Olympic event that it represents.

Sports Team Mascots

Sports team mascots (often an animal or object) give personality to their teams. Look through today’s sports section. Select one team and make a list of characteristics you think that team wants to convey. Create a new mascot for that team.

review wi book

"54 Miles"

By Leonard Pitts, Jr

c.2024, Agate

$19.95

344 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Deep down inside, there's a part of you that always wants to do right.

Did someone teach you that? Or were you just modeling what your elders did when they did what was true and right? Either way, your moral compass points the way, always. You do right for the world, even if, as in the new novel "54 Miles" by Leonard Pitts, Jr., it's the wrong personal decision for you.

Sitting in church, hundreds of miles from home, Adam Simon felt the distance keenly.

This surprised him. It wasn't like he was close to his parents. No, his father, a white minister, had over-preached to Adam for too long, and his Black mother never showed Adam much warmth. With no siblings to help soften these facts, Adam left college to head to Alabama, to work with SNCC's voter registry efforts.

That was the plan, anyhow, but down-deep, Adam had no idea what he was doing. It was a good cause, a great and righteous one, but not without danger: he was almost killed while marching across the Edmund Pettis Bridge.

And that's how his frantic parents learned where he was: alerted by Adam's parents, his Uncle Luther tracked Adam down in a Selma hospital, took the young man in, and notified Adam's parents that he was safe.

By that time, George Simon was on his way to Alabama for his son's sake.

Years ago, George and his now-wife, Thelma, had busted almost every racial law the South imposed, and they married. Shortly afterward, George's father sent the new family north, for safety. And now Adam was in Alabama, in the mouth of the dragon.

But Adam had other troubles on his mind.

He knew he shouldn't have snooped, but while staying with his Uncle Luther, he found a stash of old letters, and he read them. What he learned shocked him, and he had to leave Luther's home immediately.

The problem was, Adam had nowhere to go.

Were you there? If not, can you imagine what it was like to live in 1965, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement? Readers who don't know or can't picture it will get an eyeful of what was possible inside "54 Miles."

In setting his novel roughly in the years 1945 to 1965, author Leonard Pitts, Jr. doesn't make reading this book easy. There are passages inside this novel that will make you want to wince and turn away and – caution! –they're not for the weak-stomached. Just remember, they're essential to the story and to why the characters act as they do.

On that, you'll enjoy most of these characters as they look to the past and future, working their ways through personal struggles and one of the more tumultuous periods in American history. Details help, making this books' cast feel more authentic.

Be aware that "54 Miles" can be slow, at certain points, but stick with it and you won't be disappointed. Especially if you're a historical novel fan, this book will do you right. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

JULY 25 - 31, 2024

ARIES An opportunity opens up ahead and Aries have the courage to push forward. Your hard work is starting to pay off. There's a slight divergence between the opportunities coming available to you and what you're trained to do. This is about applying your core skills to a different area. Now as it starts to rain, it's time for you to be courageous enough to grab a bucket to collect the bounty. Lucky Numbers: 37, 17, 53

TAURUS You may have boundless energy this week. You probably need a nap by the weekend but for now, enjoy the extra energy. Its movement and change that signals the Universe to bring you more resources. Over the course of the next few months, you may be moving, renovating the house or things in your neighborhood are changing. Lucky Numbers: 29, 36, 42

GEMINI Several friends reach out to you for advice and because they miss hearing your voice. There are stories to share. Today's a good day to meditate on where you're heading with your life. You might want to make a list of your considerable skills. Make a second list of the things that you would like to learn. As you look over these lists you can see the trajectory that your life is going. Lucky Numbers: 6, 30, 22

CANCER You are very noticeable this week and may receive compliments from people you admire. Sometimes opportunities present themselves that are bigger than you may feel ready for. Picture positive thoughts. If you have trouble visualizing a positive outcome, this is a block to your success. Lucky Numbers: 40, 25, 2

LEO There is adventurous energy for you this week and you can express your true self to your friends and family. Things are looking up. You may have had a dream or can now easily envision your future. As you start to journal, you might find it all unfolds in front of you. It's okay to go enthusiastically forward even though you're not sure where you'll end up. And while you can't take a lot of action on this day, this is just the beginning. Lucky Numbers: 43, 3, 23

VIRGO You could be the recipient of compliments—and even cash from people around you. Open your arms and allow others to give to you. This would be a good time to gather some family members and talk about your career trajectory, possible educational choices, or purchasing your own home. Think of this discussion as more informing rather than asking permission. It is important that you follow your heart. Lucky Numbers: 221, 29, 45

LIBRA Relationship energy is hot. If you want to meet someone new you have a great window this week. In fact, even those Libras in love relationships will be getting some attention. Today, you may be envisioning a different plan for yourself. Perhaps even a change of career. While you know that's not possible to do in one week, just by thinking about this, you're sending an affirmation to the Universe. Lucky Numbers: 35, 56, 19

SCORPIO You are highly productive with bursts of energy throughout the week. Pull out your list of things to do and add the truly important goals to that list. You'll be able to check off more than you expect. You may be pondering going back to school or returning to a previous type of employment. There are possibilities fanning out in front of you like roads in a roundabout. It's good to be open to the options. Lucky Numbers: 30, 56, 6

SAGITTARIUS You could have a week of enormous fun and a little bit of adventure. When planning out your week, schedule in the adventure first. You have a purpose and while it's not always very clear, the Universe is continually stepping up and helping you stay on your path. Today you may receive messages through friends, snippets from TV shows, or lyrics from songs that help you find your footing on that path. Lucky Numbers: 19, 36, 50

CAPRICORN There is an enormous amount of activity going on at home. There may be a gathering of family and friends in your home perhaps for a milestone event. Cooking, cleaning, and repairs may have you rushing around getting ready for guests. You may see a documentary or a news clip, and suddenly be inspired by that person's journey. You may have noticed your own path shifting slightly and heading in a different direction. A small alteration in your course could, in a few years, put you in an entirely different place. Lucky Numbers: 30, 33, 18

AQUARIUS You have a busy week with lots of communication. You may be doing some writing or leading a meeting. Your phone is buzzing, and your voice message box is full yet again. You love to take the road less traveled and yet today, as you look under your feet, you're on the same old path. Now you have the opportunity to investigate something new. It may not unfold overnight, but by starting on a new road you could be in a very different place just six months from now. Over the next four weeks change daily habits to make yourself more productive. Lucky Numbers: 3, 45, 34

PISCES There is a lot of activity around finances over this week. You may have your eyes on a high-ticket item, such as a car or computer. At the same time, more money is coming in now that you're keeping better track of your finances. A compliment is received. A talent of yours has been revealed. You feel inspired to explore this further. If you are looking for love, you have a positive window of opportunity for about four weeks. Check in with friends and family and get their support for posting your profile on the best dating sites. Lucky Numbers: 20, 34, 40

SPORTS

DMV Athletes Representing Well In Paris Olympics

Trevon Jenifer Talks About Preparing for Team USA’s Wheelchair Basketball

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

The DMV area is well represented in the upcoming Paris Olympics (July 26-Aug. 11) and Paralympics (Aug. 28-Sept. 8).

“There’s something about just how this place forms a different kind of person,” says actor Lamman Rucker, a native of Prince George’s, in Jimmy Jenkins’ documentary “Basketball County: In the Water.” “I can almost be anywhere else in the country, around the world. I can point at somebody—I can see them—and I’m like, ‘Where you from?’”

Jenkins noted that many DMV greats hail right from Prince George’s County.

“Some of the best athletes in the world have come from our coun-

ty, in every sport. Frances Tiafoe in tennis, we have success stories in football, soccer, basketball; we just had a track record broken this week by a local,” Jenkins told The Informer in May.

Legendary forward Kevin Durant, a native of Seat Pleasant, Maryland, is one of the members of Team USA’s basketball team, in pursuit of his fourth consecutive gold medal.

Then there’s Quincy Wilson, who has now broken the under-18 400 meter world record three times, and is the youngest male athlete on the U.S. Olympic track and field team. He is a native of Bowie, Maryland and is currently a rising junior at Bullis in Potomac. His 44.20 record beat the 2023 national champion by .03 seconds.

Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith, best known for holding up a fist after winning in the 1968 Olympics, tuned in to Wilson’s record-breaking performances and said Wilson is “poised to be one of the great athletes in the 400 meter dash.”

Laurel native Juliette Whitaker is another record-setting track star who will be in Paris in early to mid August. Her whole family have been runners and both her and her sister trained under her father at Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville.

She broke the outdoor women’s high school 800 meter record in 2022, and she is the first Stanford track and field athlete on the U.S. Olympic squad since 2008. Whitaker won a bronze medal during the 2022 U20 Athletics Championships.

TREVON JENIFER PREPARES FOR THE PARALYMPICS

Trevon Jenifer, a member of the 2024 Paralympics Team, is competing with Team Comcast in Paris as part of Team USA’s Wheelchair Basketball.

“This year, Xfinity’s Connections Credit will help me, and the rest of Team USA, stay connected to what matters most to us as we prepare for Paris,” said Jenifer, who has previously won two gold medals and one bronze.

He hails from La Plata and has played basketball since he was four years old, and also excelled in wrestling and track during high school. He works for the U.S. Secret Service in his day job.

Jenifer reflected on his road to the Paralympics.

“When I was young, basketball was a cross trainer for track. Now, I love competing with teammates that have become my family with the goal of accomplishing the ultimate goal. These experiences of battling against teams on the court

and the bonding off the court are the things I love the most about basketball,” Jenifer told The Informer.

Prepping for the big games takes a lot of work, the National Wheelchair Basketball Association player explained.

“The focus is getting better physically and mentally, in an attempt to be at my best when the games start,” Jenifer said.

“Weight training, watching game film and putting in the work with some of the teammates and staff,” he also said is important.

Jenifer’s favorite player to watch is LeBron James, and he said that setting goals and staying hungry for more achievements and team success are part of what has helped him become a multi-time Paralympic champion.

“Posting my goals is another constant reminder of what we are working towards. I also understand that it’s the people around me that made it possible for me to become a multi-time Paralympian from my family to my teammates, staff and to my supporters,” he said.

He offered advice about achieving one’s dreams.

“Always strive to be your best self, as you are the creator of your destiny. Your talents and abilities will take you as far as you allow it,” he said.

WI

5Trevon Jenifer, who has previously won four medals with the U.S. Paralympics, is heading to Paris in hopes to add to his collection while showing off his basketball skills. (Courtesy Photo/Xfinity)

CAPTURE the moment

SUMMER FUN IN THE CITY

6The Downtown BID, in partnership with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, hosted "A Night with Prince in the Park: A Tribute to His Life & Music" at Franklin Park in Washington, D.C. Featuring Edward "Junie" Henderson and the Prince Tribute Band, the pop-up concert commemorated the life of generational icon and music visionary, Prince on what would have been Prince's 65th birthday. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

5 ScholarChips hosted an awards scholarship ceremony for children of incarcerated parents at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. on July 20. Founded by Yasmine Arrington Brooks (pictured center left, back row), ScholarCHIPS works to eradicate the stigma and marginalization toward children, youth and young adults with incarcerated parents. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

5Artist Oliver W. Johnson Jr. holding a painting he created in honor of Prince’s life, work and legacy.

(Ja'Mon Jackson/ The Washington Informer)

5 On July 19, supermodel Tyra Banks held the grand opening for SMIZE & Dream Ice Cream, located at 2653 Connecticut Avenue NW. Following the summer pop-up, Banks plans to invest in culinary and entrepreneurial education by creating a learning center, designed to educate youth about the ice cream industry– from production to sales. Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

5 Tyra Banks (center) poses with fans and District officials. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

5 Pinky Cole Hayes (seated), author and founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan, caught up with fans and signed her new book “Hope to Fail.” (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

RELIGION

Bishop Joel and Ylawnda Peebles

Use Platform to Inspire Change, Strengthen Communities

City of Praise Pastor Says VP Harris is ‘Ready to Serve our Nation’

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

After presiding over “The Gathering 2024,” a four-day convention with more than 3,000 church leaders working together to better the Black community July 1619, Bishop Joel Peebles was using Monday, July 22, to catch up on errands with his wife Pastor Ylawnda Peebles. Despite their busy schedules, the couple, who have been married for 30 years, aren’t stopping their mission in using the church as a platform to address community, political and social justice challenges.

“The church has always been the gatekeeper. Our objective is to bring righteousness to politics and

cy of fundraising and voter registration as critical strategies for supporting Harris’ campaign. The participants generated about $2 million million during the call.

“We have a plan. This is not arbitrary. We are ready.” asserted Holli Holiday, one of the call’s moderators.

Enthusiastic attendees expressed their readiness to work tirelessly to elect Harris.

“This is work. Roll up your sleeves; we got work to do,” one attendee insisted. Another attendee declared, “Fired up and ready for this moment led by an intergenerational legion of Black women. Let’s get to work. Let’s gather our sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews.

to hold our politicians accountable and side in such a way we can provide strong role models for healthy living,” Bishop Peebles, pastor of City of Praise Family Ministries, told The Informer.

Bishop Peebles, the youngest of Bishop James and Apostle Betty Peebles’ three sons, has led the City of Praise Family Ministries since his mother died in 2010.

Two years ago he became leader of the Global United Fellowship.

While the parents of four prioritize taking care of their family, and guiding their congregation, much of the Peebles’ work is focused on strengthening communities and inspiring through faith.

“This week we are having a youth conference in which we

“Fired up and ready for this moment led by an intergenerational legion of Black women. Let’s get to work. Let’s gather our sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews. Let’s do what Black women do!”

Let’s do what Black women do!”

The following day, more than 50,000 Black men gathered on a Zoom call hosted by Roland Martin’s Black Star Network, raising over $1.3 million for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

The men’s call, led by Martin

will have more than 5,000 young people. It is free to everybody. We will have a whole bunch of young folks taking over the church. I call them culture busters.” Pastor Peebles said.

She told The Informer, the work with youth doesn’t end there.

“I want to inspire young people to read. We have reading nights and book clubs,” the pastor, wife

and co-hosted by Bakari Sellers and others, was a powerful statement against former President Donald Trump, who has been twice impeached and convicted of 34 felonies.

Martin tweeted, “I have no words. And not just because I’m tired. My @BlkStarNetwork just told me that 53,862 people registered for our #WinWithBlackMen video call. We raised $1.3M and counting from 17,000 donors.”

Sellers shared a poignant story that underscored Harris’ compassion and unwavering support. He recounted a harrowing time in 2019 when one of his twin daughters was born with a rare liver condition.

“The first person to call me was Kamala Harris. I am not sure people understand the pain and suffering

3Bishop Joel and Pastor Ylawnda Peebles use their work with City of Praise Family Ministries to inspire change and strengthen communities. (Courtesy Photo)

munities nationwide. Considering Black people’s political priorities lingered throughout the convening’s agenda.

As Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off her campaign Monday afternoon, Bishop Peebles reflected on why he felt she would be the best person to lead the nation.

“The work [Harris] has done with pharmaceuticals; the work she has done with the border crisis– it has been said this month has had the least border crossings,” Bishop Peebles said.

Despite concerns about whether or not the U.S. is prepared to have a Black and South Asian woman as commander in chief, Bishop Peebles told The Informer he is confident, based on her track record and his own personal experience, that a woman of color is just what the country needs.

and mother continued. “You can go around the world by reading a book.”

The faith leaders are focusing on improving their communities from young people all the way to the White House.

“The Gathering 2024” was a way for thousands of faith leaders to come together to talk about bolstering African American com-

that goes along with being a Black man in this country,” Sellers said.

“I am not sure people understand what it means to stand strong in this country. To have your back against the wall. But I am going to stand with her because she stood with me during my darkest moment when I almost lost my daughter. When I had to protect my wife.”

The Zoom call resonated with the slogan, “We Rocking with Kamala Harris,” reflecting the participants’ unyielding support.

In another significant gathering, a large group of Black men and boys convened in Atlanta to discuss the state of America and the importance of Harris’ candidacy against Trump in the 2024 election.

These weekly discussions, hosted by the Black Man Lab, are critical for

“Kamala Harris did a phenomenal job serving as Vice President in a very difficult terrain,” he said. “Being the son of a powerful woman and married to an amazing woman, both of color, I believe that America is ready… not just because she is a woman of color but she is a woman who is ready to serve our nation— who is ready to ascend to the highest office in the nation.” WI

spreading accurate information and countering misinformation.

“The reason that we’ve gathered tonight is that there is so much misinformation, disinformation, that is being put out. So, we wanted thought leaders from across the political spectrum to come in tonight and talk directly to Black men about what they know, what they experience, and what some of the real statistics and facts are,” said Attorney Mawuli Mel Davis, co-founder of the non-profit hosting these discussions. “That’s critically important because the sources of our information are important for us to make sure that we’re basing our decisions on good quality information.”

Hamil Harris, WI Contributing Writer, contributed to this story. WI

HARRIS from Page 34

Allow me to share with you about how my older brother was murdered, right here in the District of Columbia. He was a merchant, owner of a floor sanding and refinishing company located on upper Georgia Avenue, N.W., in Washington, D.C.

My brother was three years older than me. The family was so proud of him. Leon started out as a high school dropout. He quit school to work, to help my mother and father out, after moving to the area in 1964.

First, he worked at a drugstore, then he was hired to do floors, he learned how to sand and refinish so well that he was promoted to the role of foreman. His growth continued, and he began to acquire his own customers. Gradually, he began using his car packed with his own sanding machine and other equipment and started his own business part-time, in the evenings.

Though he had worked all day, many days, he would work a second shift for himself. This is when his growth as an entrepreneur began.

His business grew over the years, and he was able to hire a full staff, and purchase trucks and other equipment for his office located at 7323 Georgia Avenue, N.W., just a few doors away from McGuire Funeral Home, in Ward 4.

Though Leon had made a lot of money in his business, and several cousins and family members came to work for him, they too learned the business and several of them

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

The Power of Forgiveness the religion corner

started their own businesses as well. This growth was like a family enterprise.

One day, Leon's partner hired a secretary for Leon, while he was away, but she was not working out for him, so eventually, he fired her. This young lady worked there long enough to learn about his vault, where he kept cash on hand to pay the younger brothers he hired to have summer jobs, so they too could learn the business. Amazingly, all the boys’ names rhymed, they were Elton, Dalton, Shelton and Felton.

The young secretary was unusual, most people who get fired move on. But this young woman set up a plot for her friends to rob my brother. Whether they meant to murder him or not, we don’t know. They did shoot my brother, in his neck, above the bullet proof vest, and in front of plain clothes cops, my brother received a fatal shot.

Leon heard about the plot and went to the Fourth District (4D) police station on Georgia Avenue. When the police learned of the plot, they came up with a plan to use him as a decoy. They gave him a bullet proof vest and asked him to wear that vest when he went to the bank the next day. He did as he was instructed. However, once the young man fired his gun, my brother was rushed to Washington Hospital Center, and he died about an hour later.

That happened on July 21, 2024, and several family members are still

in business today, especially Dalton Grant, who lives in Los Angeles. He is making millions of dollars doing the floors of Hollywood celebrities, and all by word of mouth. They all love his floor work so much that they tell others. His clients have ranged from Sidney Portier, Lucille Ball, Barry Gordy, The Lakers, hotels all around the country, and the list goes on.

Where does forgiveness come in? I met the woman who set up the shooting. She was working with a community group at my church monthly. I had no idea that she was coming to my church every month. We did not know each other, of course, but I did know her name. My pastor asked us to give out flyers to announce our Women’s Day, and one of those months I decided to stay for a meeting and invited them to join us for worship.

It was at the conclusion of that Women’s Day worship that this woman asked to talk with me, she even asked me to sit down with her. It was strange, but at that moment, she informed me that she was the woman that worked for my brother that had him murdered. She said I went to prison, served my time, and now I'm working in my church too!

Thus, the reason why I’m calling this column ‘The Power of Forgiveness!’ It was hard, but I did say to her, “My brother is gone, we cannot bring him back. I forgive you, now you need to forgive yourself!” WI

MCCOLLUM & ASSOCIATES, LLC

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RELIGION

Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 Fax : 202-338-4958

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

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

Nicole 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.

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: 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 ADM 000806

John Gilbert Baltimore Decedent

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

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

Phyllis Marie Harvey, whose address is 1908 Robert Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John Gilbert Baltimore who died on April 28, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment 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 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2024

Phyllis Marie Harvey 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

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

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2024 ADM 000859

Estate of Sylvia C. Cephas aka Sylvia Colleen Cephas

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

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

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

Date of first publication: 7/25/2024

Wayne P. Cephas

2901 Toles Park Dr., #616 Suitland MD 20746 Petitioner/Attorney:

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 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

2024 ADM 000810

Paul Shearman Allen Decedent

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

Susan Au Allen, whose address is 2009 Q Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Paul Shearman Allen who died on July 8, 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 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2024

Susan Au Allen 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 000833

Wayne Bernard Jackson Decedent

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

Juanita Odessa Jackson, whose address is 125 Market Street, Apt 305, Manassas Park VA, 20111, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wayne Bernard Jackson who died on March 3, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2025

Juanita Odessa Jackson 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 000814

Charles Ulysses Mayes Decedent

Jeffrey K. Gordon, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW #400 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

David Ulysses Mayes, whose address is 620 Madison Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Charles Ulysses Mayes who died on April 16, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2024

David Ulysses Mayes 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 000809

Javon Leach Decedent

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

Lakisha Leach, whose address is 1351 Half Street, SW, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Javon Leach who died on March 13, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2024

Lakisha Leach

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 284

Rodney Pearson Decedent

Deborah Cason Daniel, Esq. 503 D Street, NW, Ste 200 Washington DC, 20001 Attorney

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

Deborah Cason Daniel, Esq., whose address is 503 D Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rodney Pearson who died on 11/17/2022 without a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2024

Deborah Cason Daniel, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

2024 NRT 000033

Rosa C. Negro-Vilar Name of Deceased Settlor

NOTICE OF EXISTENCE OF REVOCABLE TRUST

Rosa C. Negro-Vilar whose address was 2425 L. Street, NW, #315, Washington, DC 20037 created a revocable trust on January 14, 2015, which remained in existence on the date of death on March 31, 2024, and Alejandra Negro, Marcela Maamari and Mariana Cubeddu, whose addresses are 6002 Greentree Road, Bethesda, MD 20817; 2310 N. Nottingham Street, Arlington, VA 22205 & 4434 Macomb St., NW, Washington, DC 20016, are currently acting trustees, hereinafter the Trustee. Communications to the Trust should be mailed or directed to Roland M. Schrebler, LLC, 5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 600, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.

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 1/25/2025 (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), March 31, 2025 (One year from date of death of deceased settlor) (2), 1/25/2025 (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: 7/25/2024

Alejandra Negro Marcela Maamari Mariana Cubeddu

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

2024 ADM 000017

Gladys Wiggins aka Gladys L. Wiggins Decedent

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

Delores M. Green, whose address is 229 S Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gladys Wiggins aka Gladys L. Wiggins who died on April 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 1/25/2025. 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 1/25/2025, 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: 7/25/2024

Delores M. Green Personal Representative

Wills

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$300 million in funding for Tribes, Tribal consortia, and territories under the same program.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the selections in Pittsburgh. The Keystone State’s Department of Environmental Protection will receive over $396 million through a competitive grant program for the RISE PA project to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, nearly $500 million will go to California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District for transportation and freight decarbonization initiatives.

“President Biden believes in the power of community-driven solutions to fight climate change, protect public health, and grow our economy. Thanks to his leadership, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program will deliver unprecedented resources to states, local governments, and tribes to fund the solutions that work best in their communities,” Regan added.

This federal funding for RISE PA is one of the largest grants Pennsylvania has ever received, Shapiro stated. "It will help reduce toxic air pollution, create thousands of jobs, and continue Pennsylvania’s legacy of energy leadership,” he insisted.

“President Biden’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants put local governments in the driver’s seat to develop climate solutions that work for their communities,” stated John Podesta, senior advisor to the President for International Climate Policy.

Ali Zaidi, the White House National Climate advisor, added:“Today’s transformational investments will empower governors and mayors to seize opportunities for economic growth and climate action, supporting community priorities while advancing our national climate goals.”

The EPA said it selected the projects through a competitive process, reviewing nearly 300 applications that collectively requested almost $33 billion in funding. The 25 successful applications will receive federal support to implement local and regional solutions that can serve as models for others tackling the climate crisis.

@StacyBrownMedia OUR EARTH from Page 23

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

WI

MALVEAUX from Page 28

I am a member of NAARC). She traveled to many of our town hall meetings, that took place all over the country. Always a forceful and fiery speaker, she made a solid case for reparations. From her perch on the Judiciary Committee, she convened a hearing on June 19, 2019, the first time Congress held such a hearing. (Again, full disclosure, I was among those testifying at that hearing).

Reparations and racial justice weren’t the only things that impassioned the Texas Congresswoman. She was passionate about children and their opportunities, supporting Head Start, children’s health, and women’s rights. She fought to

MARSHALL from Page 28

embrace. This is the type of fear that will cause independent and progressive voters to fight and win at any costs. It is the type of fear that presents a heighten sense of urgency knowing that the consequences we face cannot be allowed to occur.

We should be very afraid of having someone like J.D. Vance as vice president and in line to carry the mantle of the MAGA movement beyond the Donald Trump era. We should be very afraid of the conservative mandate that calls for the elimination of public protection agencies such as the FDA and EPA. We should be very afraid of plans to defund the FBI and Homeland Security.

We should be very afraid of plans to cut Social Security, Medicare and end the Affordable Care Act. We should be very afraid at the prospect of eliminating unions and worker protections. We should be very afraid of the continued end of civil rights and DEI protections in government. We should be very afraid of the threat of the Supreme Court and lower courts being packed with right-

HANKINS from Page 28

dollars for stealing money from eight charities. (F.) Trump never promised to raise six million dollars for veterans. Three months passed, and he could prove that only three million had been given to them. The other three mil -

reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which first passed in 1994, but subsequently lapsed. She was successful in getting it expanded and reauthorized. She supported the CROWN Act, legislation that prevents discrimination against people because of their natural hair styles and spoke out when a young Texas man was put out of school because of the length of his dreads.

It seems that no issue was too big or too small for Sheila. Her office provided excellent constituent services, but beyond services, she offered the personal touch attending weddings and funerals and neighborhood gatherings. Yet she shone on the big stage, on the. Floor of Congress, in her Africa work, in

wing judges who ignore the rule of law.

We should be very afraid that too many people are not paying attention and will regret not doing their part in stopping a second Trump administration. John Lewis taught us about getting into good trouble, necessary trouble. In the 2024 election and beyond, we must now be driven by a positive fear which beats back the darkness and preserves the positive gains from the past.

We should

one

like

the world. She worked hard, she shone brightly, She car3ed for our nation, for Black people, justice. And Sheila Jackson Lee was my friend. I was blessed to have a personal relationship with the fierce, fiery, forceful, fantastic and, yes, fashionable fighter. The sister could rock some African attire! She stood on strong shoulders –that 18th district had previously been represented by the esteemed Barbara Jordan and the impactful Mickey Leland. She once told a reporter she had both of her predecessors “in her soul”, modeling her work after theirs. Now, she is in our soul, that Energizer Bunny for Justice. Her memory is both a blessing and an inspiration.

WI

In a selfless and patriotic move, President Biden abruptly ended his reelection campaign while endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, to replace him as the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer. On a post shared on X, Biden stated, “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year, - it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.” WI

be very afraid of having some-

J.D. Vance

as vice president and in line to carry the mantle of the MAGA movement beyond the Donald Trump era. We should be very afraid of the conservative mandate that calls for the elimination of public protection agencies such as the FDA and EPA. We should be very afraid of plans to defund the FBI and Homeland Security.

lion has not been accounted for.

(G.) Trump “did not” play golf for 123 days or 1/5 of his term with secret service protection, costing us taxpayers 72 million dollars. However, he paid $750 in income tax in 2016. (smile).

(H.) Trump does not know anything about The “racist” Heritage

Foundation Project 2025. (I.) Trump is not a lifelong “atheist” but a “born again “Christian” and the 2nd coming of Christ.

AFRICAN PROVERB: “If you see wrongdoing or evil and say nothing against it, you become its victim.”

WI

Each week you’ll get news from The District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia.

You will discover Arts and Entertainment, Social Tidbits, Religion, Sports, People’s Viewpoints, Letters to the Editor, Classified Ads and more! And best of all… No crime, no dirty gossip, just positive news and information each week, which is why…

The Washington Informer is all about you! Name

WILLIAMS from Page 29

his VP candidate teach people how to disrespect women, they should consider it lucky the women agents were there.

As Mark Pocan, Progressive for Congress, says in essence: Selection of J.D. Vance as his running mate is the latest glaring sign that if Trump retakes the White House and has a Republican Congress, he’ll pursue an extreme agenda that leaves Americans with few-

CROWELL from Page 29

household expense – whether renting or purchasing a home.

Consumers considering purchasing a home should be aware that nationwide the median price of a new single-family home is $495,750. The median price means that half of all new homes sold in the U.S. cost more than this figure and half cost less, according to the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB).

Moreover, 134.9 million U.S. households — roughly 77 percent — cannot afford this median-priced new home based on a mortgage rate of 6.5 percent.

For families considering purchasing an existing home, NAHB has more sobering information: 66.6 million households cannot afford a $250,000 home.

And rising apartment rents make it even harder for some workers to save for a home. The national median rent for an apartment in March 2024 was $1,987,

JEALOUS from Page 29

And the media does too. For the news media, that means not being cowed into treating important and necessary truth-telling as something dangerous or unsavory.

It is not rocket science.

It is unacceptable to suggest we are in the middle of a second civil war and that it could tip to violence if one side does not get their way. It is unacceptable to suggest that certain election results could trigger a “bloodbath” or warrant armed insurrection or violence between various groups or factions of Americans.

What else is and should be out of bounds: calling opponents “vermin,” describing them as a disease, referring to certain groups of people as “rats” or less than human,

er rights, worse healthcare access and a higher cost of living—not to mention a loss of democracy.

Before you go to the polls, you already know all of the orange man’s positions, but also take a look at what JD Vance, Trump’s selection for VP believes in: 1. national abortion ban with no exceptions, 2. stay in abusive marriages for the sake of children, 3. called universal child care “war against normal people”! Don’t forget his voting record where he failed to

For

families considering purchasing an existing home, NAHB has more sobering information: 66.6 million households cannot afford a $250,000 home.

$373 higher than four years ago, according to Rent.com. On a regional basis, median monthly rents trended cheaper in the Midwest ($1,456) and South ($1,656) but were higher in the Northeast ($2,504) and West ($2,365).

In short, household cash crunches are in large part being driven by the cost of housing. But housing is not the only factor that has consumers turning to second

or saying the primary goal of tens of millions of people who might disagree with your politics is the actual destruction of our country.

What is certainly fair game and must remain fair game: vocally sharing the truth, in a matter-offact way, about your opposition’s stated agenda and policies, and what is at stake with the choices in any given election.

Right now, in the wake of the most recent act of political violence – itself a direct attack on our democracy, to be sure – many far-right media figures and activist leaders are trying to equate fair criticism and discussion of the stakes of this election with violence-inciting rhetoric. It is a scam. And it is yet another attack on our democracy. That is because democracy depends on a certain

stand with striking autoworkers last year and advocated for cuts to Social Security.

Isn't it interesting how these men are so against immigration, but choose wives who are immigrants or the product of immigrants? I'm just asking!

Consider working for and voting for those who’ve shown they will work for your best interests. The next Presidential voting day is November 5, 2024. You know how to vote—so VOTE! WI

jobs. Other costs include:

Groceries – the average household spends $475.25 per month for food, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reported by USA Today.

Student loan debt – the average monthly student loan payment for a new college graduate is $500 with an APR of 5.5 percent. For those who pursued graduate degrees, the monthly payment is even higher and the debt deeper, according to the Education Data Initiative. Nationwide, 43 million student loan borrowers collectively owe $1.7 trillion.

These costs do not consider additional household expenses like transportation, health care, childcare, or insurance.

Lawmakers and other government officials must craft effective responses to these severe financial strains impacting their local communities and the nation, so that working people earn incomes that reward their toil and talents with a decent living. WI

amount of transparency, the civil free exchange of ideas and information, and a free press that is not too intimidated to report the facts or shy away from those sounding legitimate alarms.

Calls to suspend valid criticism of any party or candidate are no different than calls to quash dissent or eliminate critical thinking among the members of a society. The mainstream media, from newspapers to networks to online platforms, must fulfill their obligation to the truth and live up to their important role in our democracy. They must not give into cowardice. They must continue to provide a platform for those who tell the truth and continue to report, loudly and clearly, on facts, evidence, and what is at stake for our country. WI

JOY

Team USA is a source of joy and inspiration for so many. We are honored to bring the spirit of the Olympic Games home to the Team of Tomorrow.