7 minute read
Dawn Richard Talks Afrofuturism, Empowerment, Hip Hop Caucus
By Micha Green WI Managing Editor
Dawn Richard has come a long way from being a MTV's Making the Band contestant, and member of Danity Kane and Diddy Dirty Money. In her almost two decades in the entertainment business, Richard continues to add to her artistry, now as an independent artist, re-inventing and innovating ways to present art and connect with the masses. Now, as a solo singer, animation artist and Artist Relations director for the Hip Hop Caucus, Richard is continuing to wow fans through her Afrofuturistic, New Orleans-inspired sound and her deep care about uplifting fellow artists.
“You don't realize it when you're in it, right? You're just working your hardest to make great art and to do the things that you love,” Richard, told the Informer in a WIN-TV Live interview the day before she took her talents to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) on June 9.
“I just wanted to make this incredible piece of art that I could push past possibilities with the music that I've created,” Richard continued "to have the Smithsonian museum say, ‘You know what, yes, we see you… is exciting.”
Richard knows the grind it takes to be acknowledged for hard work and pays homage to the people and organizations that helped her on the road to success. More than 18 years ago, Richard, a New Orleans native, grappled with the horrors her hometown faced during Hurricane Katrina. While many organizations stepped in to help those affected by the devastating storm, Richard always remembered Hip Hop Caucus as lending a helping hand.
“I did not know then, some 18 years later, I would want to work for them,” Richard said. “But when the opportunity arose, I thought it was the universe and God's saying this is an opportunity for me to give back and to help our kids .” ter President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
Speaking at the bill signing ceremony, Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the day’s significance, stating, “We have come far, and we have far to go. But today is a day of celebration. It is not only a day of pride but a day to rededicate ourselves to action.”
Kicking off celebrations of the national holiday was a highly anticipated Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House on June 13. The concert, which coincided with Black Music Month, featured a star-studded lineup including renowned artists such as Jennifer Hudson, Method Man, Audra McDonald, Step Afrika!, Colman Domingo, Ledisi, Patina Miller, and the Tennessee State University Marching Band’s Aristocrat of Bands.
The White House said it intends to uplift American art forms that resonate with the soul of the American experience.
Juneteenth’s historical significance as the day when the last enslaved individuals in the United States learned of their freedom holds a deep and powerful meaning.
“This is a day of profound weight and profound power, a day in which we remember the moral stain and the terrible toll that slavery took on the country and continues to take,” President Biden remarked.
The president said with Juneteenth solidified as a federal holiday, commemorations and celebrations are poised to grow and evolve, as exemplified by events like the White House concert.
However, the White House isn’t the only place in the District acknowledging Juneteenth this week. People can tap into programming, expos, festivals and more throughout the Washington metropolitan region to celebrate the history of Juneteenth as well as focus on future goals for equity across Black communities.
Below are some of the many events happening across the DMV:
Juneteenth Honors 2023
(Thursday, June 15, 7:00 p.m., The Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW, Washington, D.C.)
The Juneteenth Honors 2023 pays tribute to the formerly enslaved freed African Americans of 1865. Held at The Warner Theatre, in Northwest, D.C., audiences will be treated to an elegant display highlighting the achievements, history and Black distinction of African American leaders. The show will also include Grammy award-winning artists, Ashanti, Ja Rule, and many more.
Book and Bike Giveaway
(Friday, June 16, 9:00 a.m., Franklin Park, Washington, D.C.)
The Juneteenth Foundation will also host a Book and Bike Giveaway event, to highlight the importance of health and physical activity. It will be a funfilled day that will not only encourage fitness, but an opportunity to learn about the importance of literature as well.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Panel Discussion + Career Fair & The Freedom Festival Community Block Party
(Saturday, June 17, 10:00 a.m., Virtual and In-Person at the Conrad Hotel, 950 New York Ave NW, Washington, D.C.)
If you’re looking for an opportunity to explore the job market, then sign up for the Juneteenth Career Fair. Job seekers will receive insight and resume and application advice. Access to support from industry experts will help job seekers explore their resources, discuss cultural challenges and get in-depth questions answered.
Freedom Festival Community Block Party:
(Saturday, June 17, 5:00 pm to 9:00 p.m., Franklin Park, 1332 I Street, N.W. Washington, D.C.)
The Juneteenth Foundation wraps up all the festivities with a family-friendly community block party that will supply a final dose of live music, games, activities and a good time. Franklin Park's newly renovated space provides room for all the community to take part in the vibes, and to create them as well. Celebrate all your hard work this year so far, and rejoice in the hard work of our ancestors! WI
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Makiyah Lee Wilson Foundation also put plans in motion to memorialize Makiyah, primarily through petitioning the D.C. Council for the creation of Makiyah Wilson Way. Even after moving to Georgia in 2019, Wilson collaborated with community members in the District to collect signatures and garner council support.
“I wanted to keep Makiyah’s name alive and stop gun violence by putting a lot of different activities in the streets for youth to keep them busy with positive thoughts in their mind,” said Wilson, who’s also a hair stylist. “Makiyah was an angel on earth before [she became an angel] in heaven. The same thing happens in Georgia with little girls and boys being murdered, so I just try to help. We had a blanket drive and fed the homeless for Thanksgiving.”
Councilmember Gray Collaborates With Community Members For The Designation
Per the Street and Alley Closing and Acquisition Procedures Act of 1982, people who have been deceased two years or longer are eligible for symbolic street designations with the suffixes “way” or “plaza” once the advisory neighborhood commission in which the street is located receives proper notice and the D.C. Council approves.
In May, the D.C. Council unanimously approved legislation that symbolically designates the 1400 block of Cedar Street in Southeast in honor of Davon T. McNeal III, a youth who died under circumstances similar to Makiyah’s on July 4, 2020 during an anti-violence cookout. That bill is currently under congressional review. Davon’s mother, Crystal McNeal, didn't respond to the Informer’s email requesting comment.
Last fall, D.C. Councilmember Vincent C. Gray, along with seven other council members, introduced the Makiyah Wilson Way Designation Act, which Gray described as a statement about the need to end gun violence in the community. The Committee of the Whole held a hearing in December, but the bill made no movement.
In January, Gray introduced the bill again at the beginning of the council session, this time with D.C. Councilmembers Anita Bonds (D-At large), Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Christina Henderson (I-At large), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large), Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) and Robert White (D-At large) as co-sponsors.
Matthew Marcou, the D.C. Department of Transportation’s chief of staff testified on behalf of the office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), expressing no objection to the street designation. ANC Commissioner Yolanda Fields, whose single-member district includes the 300 block of 53rd Street, submitted testimony calling the street designation a “blessing to the [Wilson] family for years to come.”
On the morning of August 11, Gray is scheduled to conduct a ceremony officially commemorating the naming of Makiyah Wilson Way. In speaking about this milestone, Gray kept the Wilson family at the forefront of his mind.
"This occasion, first and foremost, is a celebration of life. Makiyah Wilson Way honors the memory of a beautiful girl and her family,” Gray said. “Sadly, we cannot memorialize Makiyah without remembering how she was taken from us. It is tragic beyond words and a reminder that violence ends precious lives too soon. Makiyah enriched everyone she touched. Her smile and energy uplifted people.”
The Ward 7 council member went on to say, "There are other settings where we can talk about policy, public safety and why we are failing. This moment is not for that. I hope this memorial assists Makiyah's loved ones in healing. I want them to know we will never forget Makiyah or their tragic loss. The love and joy she shared is timeless."
Several Months of Court Proceedings and an Organizer’s One Wish
On June 13, a jury found Marquell Cobb guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and five other men -- Quentin Michals, Qujuan Thomas, Isaiah Murchison, Darrise Jeffers and Gregory Taylor -- guilty of Makiyah's murder.
The verdict wrapped up nearly three weeks of jury deliberations and a trial that started in February.
Authorities said Makiyah was a bystander in a shooting that was part of a longstanding beef between Clay Terrace and Wellington Park, the latter of which the six defendants represent.
Four other people, including Makiyah’s older sister Nyjhay Wilson, then 18, were caught in the crossfire at the 300 block of 53rd Street in Northeast. The sisters had been sitting on their front steps eating sunflower seeds and pickled eggs when a black Infiniti sedan pulled into Clay Terrace. Four men immediately opened fire upon exiting the vehicle.
Throughout her short life, Makiyah had been heavily engaged in basketball. She also developed an affinity for D.C. rapper Fat Trel and YouTube star CJ So Cool.
On May 31, family and friends in D.C. and Georgia celebrated what would’ve been Makiyah’s 15th birthday. In the days leading up to Makiyah's 15th birth anniversary, the jury heard closing statements in a trial of the Wellington Six. WI
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Melanin grains are like a screen. They protect the body from the burning rays of sunlight. Everybody’s skin makes melanin. Melanin grains are brown. When your skin is exposed to the sun, it makes more melanin. That is why your skin gets darker when you play in the sunshine.
Tanya has a lot of melanin in her skin. Andy and Melody have a little. Amy has very little. Some parts of Amy’s body make more melanin than others. These dark spots are called freckles.
Find: banana bat watermelon bowling ball moon crocodile dolphin ice cream car octopus • • • • • • • • • • Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple directions; identify common sight words. © 2023 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 39, No. 29
What should you look for when you are getting too much sun? Cross out every letter that is printed twice on the innertube. The five letters left spell your answer!
