The Washington Informer - November 17, 2022

D.C. Council Approves Revised Criminal Code Act

Council members Differ on Increasing Penalties for Certain Gun Crimes

Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

The D.C. Council recently approved legislation that modernizes D.C.’s more-than-a-century old criminal code. The legislation, known as the Revised Criminal Code Act, now goes to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) for approval.

The council’s unanimous vote on Tuesday culminated a process spanning 16 years and countless hours of meet ings hosted by the Criminal Code Reform Commission (CCRC), along with council hearings and community meetings.

In the weeks leading up to the council’s vote, Bowser

5 Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, a former prosecutor, wants fair sentencing to be a top priority in the Revised Criminal Code Act for the District of Columbia. (Shevry Lassiter/ The Washington Informer)

described elements of the Revised Criminal Code Act as lax and a threat to public safety. She also expressed concern that residents didn’t have ample opportunity to provide feedback. Even so, council members, and particularly D.C. Coun

Dancing Centenarian, Virginia McLaurin, Dies at 113

James Wright WI Staff Writer

Virginia McLaurin, a former District res ident who danced with President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the age of 106, died Monday, according to a state ment from her family, WTOP reported.

McLaurin lived to the age of 113.

Born in South Carolina in 1909, Mc Laurin came to the District, like millions of Blacks leaving the South, to live in the North for better job and lifestyle opportu nities.

McLaurin received international atten tion when she shimmied with the Obamas in 2016 at a Black History Month recep tion at the White House.

D.C. Voter Turnout Decreases During Recent Midterm Election

Apathy, Democratic Dominance Cited as Reasons

James Wright WI Staff Writer

District voters went to the polls on Nov. 8, voted early and utilized a mailin ballot this election cycle at a lower level than the immediate past midterm election in 2018. Political practitioners and activists are speculating about why this occurred and what can be done to stimulate local voter participation in future elections.

“Voter turnout in D.C. is too low,” said Howard University political scien tist Ravi Perry. “It has always been too low. I think the reason the turn out is so low has to do with the system that doesn’t incorporate us. As a result, people

Authorities Warn: Human Trafficking Rises During the Holiday Season An

invisible crisis plagues victims and responders

Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Federal prosecutors said the fight against human trafficking, a crime that harms some of the most vulnerable members of society, counts among their highest priorities. “We are committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking crime victims by bringing their traffickers to justice and working to ensure that survivors have access to restitution, services and assistance that are needed to rebuild their lives,” U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg offered in a statement. U.S. Department of Justice officials maintain that their strong efforts continue to combat human trafficking.

5 In 2020, the Human Trafficking Institute reported that federal courts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories handled 579 active human trafficking prosecutions, 94% of which were sex trafficking cases and 6% forced labor cases.

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wi hot topics

Adofo to Run for Ward 8 Council Seat in 2024

Salim Adofo, an advisory neighborhood commissioner for single-member district 8C07 and the 8C commission chairman, announced on Nov. 10 that he will seek the Democratic nomination for the Ward 8 council seat in 2024.

“It has been my pleasure to serve as a commissioner in Congress Heights for the last four years,” Adofo said. “During this time, we have made substantial progress towards improving the neighborhood. In addition to improving infrastructure, we have increased educational resources for our children, and we have championed a number of environmental justice initiatives. The time has come for us to take our advocacy to the next level.”

Adofo gained notoriety for opposing the renewal and expansion of liquor licenses in the Congress Heights neighbor hood. He routinely notifies the D.C. Department of Public Works on social media for cracked sidewalks, fallen trees and garbage in his area that hasn’t been picked up.

Adofo said he worked to properly maintain commission records after years of neglect. He noted working with city offi cials and neighborhood leaders to provide the documentation needed for the building of the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center on the St. Elizabeths East campus.

Adofo is the first candidate to declare for the Ward 8 council seat. D.C. Council member Trayon White (D-Ward 8) hasn’t formally announced his plans for re-election to a third term.

Adofo said he will officially launch his campaign on Dec. 10 at Busboys & Poets restaurant and bar in Historic Ana costia. WI

Ward 8 Loses Two Popular Businesses

Anika Hobbs, owner of Nubian Hueman, located in the Anacostia Arts Center on Good Hope Road, S.E., announced the location will officially close on December 31. “We aren’t just leaving a building. We are leaving our community.” Hobbs wrote on the website (www.nubianhueman.com). Opened in 2013, the boutique gift and apparel store features items items from Black and brown artists and brands from the U.S. and beyond. It has been a gathering place for exchanging ideas and products that promote art, culture and community en gagement. With the brick and mortar location soon to close, customers will still be able to purchase items and support the business on it’s website, and at it’s location in Baltimore.

Customers who have grown accustomed to sitting down

and enjoying a meal, including breakfast, all-day, are surprised to find the doors locked and the lights out at the District’s first IHop Restaurant on Alabama Avenue, S.E. Great excitement and fanfare accompanied the opening of the first national brand sit-down restaurant to open in Ward 8 in 2008, but it is apparent the the restaurant is closed for good. The family-owned devel oper, Jackson Investment Co., LLC. has not provided an official statement, nor is it clear whether its location in Northwest will remain open. But we understand that the pandemic impacted sales and traffic for both IHOP and Nubian Hueman.

Students around the world are invited to apply for the 2022 Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest, hosted by the National Park Service. Each year, students ages 6-18 years old are invited to perform a part of a Frederick Douglass speech. The contest celebrates Douglass’ activism work and the many famed speeches he gave in his efforts to end slavery and pro mote racial equality and women’s rights. The deadline to ap ply is Nov. 22.

The virtual contest session will take place on Dec. 7 and 8, and in-person participation will occur on Dec. 9 and 10 at the Anacostia Arts Center on 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. Students can choose from four of Douglass’ speeches for their contest presentation. The speeches and other materials to help students prepare for the contest are located at www. nps.gov/frdo. Students in both the in-person and the online contest must memorize the speech so they can perform the speech in front of a panel of judges to compete for prizes.

For more information, visit Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest - Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (U.S. Na tional Park Service) (nps.gov) and to sign up for the contest go to Oratorical Contest Guidelines - Frederick Douglass Na tional Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov). WI

Metro Launches New Silver Line to Dulles Airport

Stay tuned for more details. WI Metro celebrated the opening of the Silver Line Exten sion, connecting customers to six new stations, adding 11.4 miles of track to the Metrorail system, and beginning oper ations at a modern rail maintenance facility. The Silver Line Extension gives customers a new connection to Washing ton Dulles International Airport and new service between Reston, Va., and eastern Loudoun County. Tuesday’s grand opening also marks the completion of the Silver Line proj ect, a generational infrastructure investment in Northern Virginia.

Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke was joined by U.S. Department of Trans portation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other federal, state, and local officials for the grand opening ceremony at Wash ington Dulles International Airport Station. The event was followed by an inaugural train ride with nearly 100 custom ers who shared their happiest Metro memories to receive a “Silver Ticket” for the special preview train ride.

In a press release Mayor Bowser stated, “As we continue to bring visitors back to Washington, DC, this extension of the Silver Line is a game changer for our city and region — one that opens up new possibilities for travel and business. Dulles was already known for the many direct flights it of fers to and from destinations across the country and around the world, and now we finally have a direct and convenient connection from Dulles to downtown DC.” WI

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

AROUND THE REGION

Residents Continue to Demand Revamp of Fort Greble Recreation Center

Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Residents in the community sur rounding Fort Greble Recreation Center in Southeast have long advocated for up grades to their shuttered neighborhood facility, even as they saw District officials celebrate the revamping of nearby Oxon Run Park and Anacostia Park.

Many parents, like Charnel Chaney, said they lament traveling miles outside their neighborhood for their children to enjoy rock climbing walls, zip lines, and other amenities. That’s why, out of regard for her neighbors, Chaney, a trauma-informed yoga practitioner, moved her yoga events from Anacos tia Park to Fort Greble Park earlier this year.

This past summer, more than a decade after Fort Greble Recreation Center closed, Chaney hosted a game day and six yoga sessions at Fort Greble Park. She recounted seeing an aban doned garden and broken geyser where children used to jump around in water shooting out of the ground.

Given the park’s enormous size, Chaney said it has potential as a place that her children and other students at nearby Leckie Elementary School could visit. However, it would take some investments from the District, little of which she has seen.

“You just don’t feel the love at Fort Greble Recreation Center that you would feel at other recreation centers,” Chaney said.

“The swings could be redone. I want the city to do something with that whole space in the back where there’s supposed to be a community garden. We need to activate the park. It could be a safe space for children if they did some upgrades.”

LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE

In 2017, DPR presented plans for the Fort Greble Urban Nature Cen ter to ANC 8D, which includes the Bellevue and Highland communities. The net-zero facility would consist of geothermal heating and cooling, ener gy-efficient LEED lighting, clearstory windows, and other energy-saving amenities. The property would also include a playground, community gar den, basketball and tennis courts, and a connection to a nature walk path.

ANC Commissioner Monique Diop (8D07) said budget constraints prevented the project from coming to fruition. In addition, changes within DPR’s project management team com plicated efforts to receive updates about Fort Greble Recreation Center, espe cially after the pandemic started.

Since then, Fort Greble Recreation Center’s status has been in limbo, with some residents not quite clear about whether it’s open to the public. A DPR spokesperson said DPR officials are working with the Department of Gen eral Services and a design/build firm on a redesign plan, but a timeline for facility upgrades hasn’t been established.

In 2020, DPR launched its Ready 2Play Master Plan, which will even tually include evaluating DPR spaces and identifying short- and long-term capital investment needs. A city of ficial who requested anonymity said residents have complained about DPR facilities, including Marvin Gaye Park and North Michigan Park Recreation Center, both in Northeast, and the fa cilities at Potomac Gardens Apartments in Southeast.

Legislation that D.C. Councilmem bers Christina Henderson (I-At Large) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) intro duced in October strives to comple ment the Ready2Play Master Plan by increasing transparency in the process.

On Wednesday, the D.C. Council’s Committee on Recreation, Public Li braries, and Youth Affairs conducted a public hearing on the bill titled the Planning Actively for Recreational upKeep so Neighborhood Resources Elevate Communities Act, or PARK SNREC Act. If the bill passes, DPR would be required to develop a capital improvement plan that aligns with Ready2Play, includes residents’ insight, and meets the surrounding communi ty’s needs.

The legislation would also require the mayor to invest in recreational facil ities based on need and expected com munity growth.

Henderson said that after hearing community members’ frustrations about the conditions of their recreation facilities, she wanted to create a situa tion where they would no longer have to depend solely on their council mem ber’s political savvy to secure upgrades to their facilities.

“As we move toward the end of the pandemic, more people want to spend

time outside, either by themselves or their children,” Henderson said.

“We have some spaces that are un derutilized in communities because they haven’t received financial invest ment. If we’re committed to bring ing community amenities to all eight wards, this is a step we have to take in a fair and transparent way.”

RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO DEMAND A SAFE SPACE

In the years leading up to the pan demic, Natasha Yates has attempted to get DPR to open Fort Greble Recre ation Center during after-school hours for Leckie Elementary students. How ever, as she recalls, DPR hasn’t respond ed to her requests.

As founder of the nonprofit D.I.V.A.S. IN SISTAHOOD, Yates connects single parents with transi tional housing and helps them address

issues that attract the attention of the DC Child and Family Services Agency.

In her role, Yates also coordinates yearround, family-friendly programming at Fort Greble Park. However, without an open recreation center, patrons often cannot use the restroom and fully enjoy Easter egg hunts, back-to-school func tions, and other celebrations.

That’s why Yates said she and her neighbors deserve a safe, high-quali ty neighborhood park and recreation center. For her, this issue becomes more pressing amid concerns about gun vi

olence that discourage parents from sending their children half a mile away to Bald Eagle Recreation Center.

“I don’t know how the recreation center looks from the inside, but it’s not a good look on the outside,” Yates said.

“During the daytime in the spring and summer, people are back there cooking out, but the park being open all night isn’t safe. There are gunshots going off all night. DPR keeps its part clean, but the federal part is forgotten.

WI

@SamPKCollins

5 A shuttered Ft. Greble Recreation Center in Southeast.

Howard University, though the trophy never makes it to Howard and mysteriously vanishes.

1962 – President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Or der 11063, which prohibits discrimination in housing.

NOV. 21

1969 – Baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. is born in Do nora, Pennsylvania.

1984 – Worldwide protests against apartheid begin, largely centralized at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C.

NOV. 22

1942 – Pilot Guion Bluford, the first African Ameri can in space, is born in Philadelphia.

1986 – George Branham becomes the first African American to win a Professional Bowling Association (PBA) title.

1989 – Frederick D. Gregory becomes the first Afri can American to lead a space mission.

NOV. 23

1897 – Inventor Andrew J. Beard patents the jenny coupler, used to connect railroad cars.

1897 – Inventor John Lee Love patents a portable pencil sharpener known as the "Love Sharpener."

AROUND THE REGION

BY SARAFINA WRIGHT

DARRELL STONEY / WASHINGTON, DC

It would be really sad if he sold the team and the new own er moved it. However, I think going after the NFL would also make them okay with the move.

DRU CALHOUN / OXON, HILL, MARYLAND

This is more bad attention to this team. This is so ridicu lous. Get rid of Snyder and Goodell and get this team back on the right path

THOMPSON / LEXINGTON, MARYLAND

Wow, people really do anything for publicity. This is a sad life and world.

JONNY NUMBERS /

WASHINGTON, DC

This is a waste of taxpayers’ money. The team is not even in D.C.

KARL JACKSON / WASHINGTON, DC

When January comes, he won’t even be the Attorney General anymore. It’s a waste of time.

EUGENE

D.C.’s Attorney General Karl Racine is suing the NFL and the Washington Commanders, alleging they conspired to deceive the team’s fanbase about an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. What are your thoughts?

are disinterested.”

The D.C. Board of Election web site reported on Nov. 14 that 40.22% of District voters participated in the Nov. 8 general election. That figure contrasts with the 2018 percentage of 46.29%.

In Ward 8, only 23.50% of its voters voted on Nov. 8. However, in 2018, 31.86% of Ward 8 voters par ticipated in that election.

Ward 3, which has historically had a high voter turn out in elections, slipped from 55.47% in 2018 to 51.66% on Nov. 8.

Akosua Ali serves as the president of the D.C. branch of the NAACP. She said her organization prioritizes voter turnout.

“The NAACP mobilized orga nizers, volunteers and supporters in phone banking, door knocking, voter education forums and poll monitor ing efforts to secure maximum mid term election ballots cast in key states nationwide,” Ali said. “Local and na tional voter turnout is critical to the lives of D.C. residents. In D.C., our politics are both local and national. Our local elected officials are im portant, but D.C.’s lack of statehood empowers Congress with significant legislative authority over the affairs of the District of Columbia. Without statehood, the people in D.C. do not have the right to pass our own laws, without congressional approval.” Ali said “our vote is our power.”

“The NAACP is a fierce, advocate for transformative solutions to ensure Black lives are safe, healthy, thriving and valued in all spaces, and it starts with our vote,” she said.

Perry said many District residents understand the importance of voting but don’t seem to care about partici pating in the political process.

“We have mail-in ballots but I have heard people say they threw that in the trash with their other mail they don’t think is important,” Perry said. “All people have to do is to mark the ballot and put it in the mail or in a drop box. They don’t even want to do that. People don’t feel they have a stake in what is going on in the city. They are out of sight, out of mind.”

Perry said the District has become known as a one-party town of Dem ocrats and that has fueled apathy, too.

“Everyone knows that the Demo cratic primary is the general election in D.C.,” he said. “When the primary is over, political candidates and poli ticians stop spending money. Voters need incentives to go to the polls and participate but they don’t have any.”

Ward 8 Democrats President Troy Prestwood said his organization has long had get-out-the-vote activities.

“The Ward 8 Democrats is com mitted to helping voters make in formed decisions on who should represent them in the halls of power,”

Prestwood said. “The work to get vot ers to the polls starts well before elec tion season by helping voters identify the issues they care about deeply and providing on-ramps to get engaged.”

Prestwood said his organization held several candidate forums during the primary. Plus, he said his mem bership knocked on doors, provided voter education on the new devel opments in the electoral process and relaunched their Ward 8 Votes digital campaign to further engage voters.

“In short, for every voter planning to cast a ballot this election season, we wanted to be with them every step of the way,” Prestwood said.

Prestwood said District voters can be educated about the political pro cess by participating in it.

“All of us must ensure voters have something to vote for, something or someone to believe in who shares their vision, value or ideal for the community they want,” he said. “We must actively share that voting can improve their lives or that of their families, neighbors and friends. Sit ting it out does not.”

WI

@JamesWrightJr10

VIRGINIA from Page 1

A statement from the family said McLaurin has been in hospice care for a few days and died at her home in Olney, Md.

“She lived an incredibly full life and appreciated all the love she re ceived from people,” the statement said, WTOP reported.

The D.C. Council honored her with a resolution in 2016 for her volunteerism in the community.

McLaurin’s fans kept up with her on Facebook.

D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) tweet ed McLaurin as a “beloved Ward 4 community member, tireless D.C. schools’ volunteer, fearless tenant leader and devoted grandparent.”

“Ms. Virginia will forever be re membered for her passion for ser vice and infectious joy,” the coun cil member said.

Plans for a funeral haven’t been publicly announced.

WI

@JamesWrightJr10

5 Voters stop at the registration desk before casting their ballots. (WI File Photo/ Anthony Tilghman)

cilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) remained committed to making no more changes to the Revised Criminal Code Act in the midnight hour.

He even went as far as encouraging his colleagues to reject amendments proposed by D.C. Councilmembers Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) on Tuesday.

“At the last hearing, I spoke at length about the numerous compromises made to accommodate additional re quests from the U.S. attorney's office and the Metropolitan Police Depart ment,” Allen said.

“Today we have the opportunity to take a monumental step toward a much improved criminal code, one that’s more fair, more clear, more pro portionate and just as effective at hold ing people who do harm accountable and keeping our city safe.”

The Revised Criminal Code will take effect in October 2025 with some aspects of the law falling in place by 2030.

Last year, the D.C. Council received the proposed legislation that included recommendations from the Criminal Code Reform Commission (CCRC).

from Page 12

Cavey said Hogan sought to create well-rounded boards by appointing Republicans and Democrats to the various positions.

“We wanted boards that were rep resentative of the state as a whole,” he said. “For us, that meant appointing men and women, liberals and con servatives and even making sure all (geographical) areas of Maryland had some representation, not just the I-95 corridor.”

O’Malley said he shared the same approach. He said his administration looked to appoint qualified individu als, no matter the party affiliation or who they supported in previous elec tions.

“I appointed many Republicans when it came to some of the larger boards, commissions and even judge ships,” he said. “I think, provided peo ple are sold and committed to imple menting the vision, things like party affiliation do not matter. Some people I appointed openly supported my op ponent during the campaign.”

But Sidh and others said there are some times where bipartisanship is not going to be embraced.

Those recommendations included eliminating mandatory minimums for criminal offenses, securing jury trials for misdemeanors, reducing the District’s most extreme penalties and expanding the Second Look Act to inmates who were handed their convictions at the age of 25 or older.

To the chagrin of advocates, the D.C. Council Committee on the Judi ciary and Public Safety revised portions of the Revised Criminal Code Act. The version approved by the D.C. Council increased penalties for robbery, carjack ing, burglary and offensive criminal acts beyond what the CCRC recommend ed.

However, that was about as far as council members seemed willing to go.

On Tuesday, the D.C. Council struck down, 10 to 3, Pinto’s amend ment which would've increased the penalties for offenses involving illegal possession of a firearm. White later withdrew his amendment which, if passed, would have increased penalties where an offender discharges at least 10 bullets at the scene of a shooting.

Pinto said she introduced the amendment out of concern that the Revised Criminal Code Act, as is, didn’t go far enough in penalizing certain gun

“Yes, having people from both sides is a plus, but at the same time, if you have someone that is diametrically op posed to your vision and you're asking them to implement it, that becomes very difficult,” Sidh said.

Education is one example. Moore stressed during his campaign he wants free pre-kindergarten for all children and to provide more funding for childcare and public school programs, especially schools that have not been given the necessary attention in the past.

“We have to ensure a high-quality education for every child in the state of Maryland, whatever it takes,” Moore said during one of his many campaign speeches. ”We must close one of the greatest gaps in our society, the educa tion gap.”

Moore and his team have said his administration will have a board com mitted to his vision

“Wes looks forward to building an administration with qualified leaders that share his commitment to ensur ing every child in Maryland has access to a world-class public education,” said Moore’s communications manager, Carter Elliott.

WI

crimes. D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) shared Pinto’s sen timents.

Before the vote on Pinto’s amend ment, Allen, and other council mem bers, countered the assertion that the Revised Criminal Code Act didn’t ef fectively punish certain violent offenses.

D.C. Councilmembers Christina Henderson (I-At-large) and Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) shared Al len’s referenced feedback from CCRC Executive Director Jinwoo Charles Park and community members when they said fair sentencing must be top priority.

Lewis George, a former prosecutor, said higher penalties don’t deter violent crime, nor do they save District taxpay ers money.

“I cannot support this amendment because it won’t make our communi ties any safer,” Lewis George said in ref

erence to Pinto’s amendment.

“The data shows that higher maxi mums are ineffective at preventing gun violence. Those of us who are barred in D.C. know this. We should be more thoughtful.”

The degree to which the D.C. Council prioritized the needs of the community had been a subject of great debate throughout the process.

For weeks, a coalition composed of Black-led community abolitionist de fense hub Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, DC Justice Lab and the National Re entry Network for Returning Citizens, organized around retaining the Revised Criminal Code Act’s original language.

Other groups, including the DC Justice Lab, circulated flyers challenging the notion that people wouldn’t be pe nalized for spitting on others, urinating in public or carjacking.

In the days before the Revised Crim

inal Code Act’s passage through the council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Patrice Sulton exec utive director of DC Justice Lab, im plored committee members to heed to the input of criminal justice experts.

In the end, certain hallmarks of the Revised Criminal Code Act remained intact. With the ongoing dearth of Dis trict court judges however, some coun cil members, including Henderson, recommended that the D.C. Council adjusts elements of the Revised Crim inal Code Act as needed, especially as it relates to expanded jury trials.

“It’s going to be important for this body to be nimble,” Henderson said.

“I appreciate that we have check points as we bring back the right to jury trial for misdemeanors. I hope that ev eryone is open to revisiting this if our va cancy situation does not improve.” WI

@SamPKCollins

FITS YOUR life

CAPTURE THE MOMENT

DC'S BRAVEST

Members of the DC Fire and EMS Department were recognized for their service during an awards ceremony and celebration honoring the District’s first responders held Thur., Nov. 10 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest. (Marckell Williams/The Washington Informer)

Who’s Reading the Informer?

Gov.-Elect Wes Moore reads the Washington Informer. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

WORDS TO LIVE BY

“I wanted to set the standard, do the best job possible so that other people would be comfortable with African-Americans flying in space and African-Americans would be proud of being participants in the space program.”

– Guion Stewart Bluford, Jr.

Aerospace engineer, retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, formerNASA astronaut and the second person of African descent to go to space.

From ‘Singing Hat Check Girl’ to Journalist and Civic Leader Who Predicted “The Plan” for D.C.

DR Barnes WI Staff Writer

Lillian Estelle Cooper Wiggins was born on June 26, 1930, in Cincinna ti, Ohio, to Ben and Fannie Cooper. She grew up with her parents and six (6) siblings in a house along the Ohio River at 910 John Street. Her parents divorced when she was young. After finishing ninth grade, she took a bus alone to Atlantic City, NJ, to live with her mother, Fannie Coleman Coo per Girdy, who had remarried. Upon graduating from 12th grade at Atlan tic City High School, she took a Grey hound bus and moved to New York, where she worked as a live-in domestic while saving her money.

In 1950, Ms. Wiggins boarded a bus again for Washington, D.C., to seek a “good government job.” She moved in with her maternal aunt, Doris Lucille Daggett, a civilian Navy employee. She passed the civil service exam and worked as a file clerk with the Navy Department. Concerned about discrimination and job security, she thought it would be to her advan tage and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. She also enrolled in Cortez Peters Business School, where she majored in English, typing and shorthand. She was accepted into a night English class at Howard Uni versity.

While trying to establish a foothold in Washington, Ms. Wiggins worked as a “hat check girl” and bartender at the Hollywood Restaurant and Lounge on Ninth Street N.W. and the 652 Club. She also landed singing gigs in nightclubs. While performing at the Golden Jungle Room on Bladensburg Road NE, newspaper ads published in the 1950s billed her as the “singing hat check girl.” She also worked evenings part-time at Mattie’s Sportsman’s Inn next to the Howard Theatre, where she carried meals to the stars who could not eat in white restaurants. There she met many performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Count Bassie, Gladys Knight, Pearl Bailey, Mom’s Mabley, and others.

In 1956, Ms. Wiggins broke her first color barrier when she entered the Miss Washington pageant as its first Black contestant. The Washing ton Afro-American published a photo showing Lillian and other contestants

in their swimsuits.

In 1957, the new African nation of Ghana opened an embassy in Wash ington, and she went to work there as a press and information officer.

With no formal training as a re porter, The Afro hired Lillian in 1962 to write obituaries. By the end of the 1960s, she was covering politics and African American life in the city. The paper sent her to Nigeria to cover the Biafran Crisis and South Africa to meet U.S. Congressman Charles Diggs, who was denied entry due to unsatisfactory writings about the South African government. She also attended the inauguration of Liberian President Dr. Willian V.S. Tubman.

In the early 1970s, she started writ ing editorials for the Afro and created a weekly column: “From the Desk of Lil,” covering the District and justice issues. By 1974, Ms. Wiggins was the paper’s women’s editor. She covered parties on Embassy Row and in the homes of the city’s growing African American middle class. Her concern about the gradual, subtle destruction of Black leadership, business, family, and community life precipitated her creation of the annual Survival Con ferences, the first of which was held in 1977. She also was a member and past president of the Washington DC chapter of Tots and Teens. For her hard work and diligent efforts in Washington, the D.C. Council pro claimed through a written resolution March 29, 1980 as Lillian Cooper Wiggins Day.

In 1981, she left the Afro for a po sition on Mayor Marion Barry’s first D.C. Lottery Board, where she served as vice chair for two years. She later returned to journalism and a report ing job with Dr. Calvin Rolark, Sr.’s Washington Informer. She was elected commissioner to represent Advisory Neighborhood 4C03, and in 1991, Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly nominated her to serve on the District’s Taxicab Commission. She continued to write, appeared on the radio, and produced a program on local access cable televi sion. She also served as board chair of the Indian Acres Club of Thornburg Board for many years.

Ms. Wiggins was also an entrepre neur who co-established the business venture Cornelius-WigginsInternatio nale, Inc. She later owned The Green house Eatery restaurant on Ninth Street N.W. Though she had a stellar professional career, she also found love in Washington. She married Adolphus “Face” Wiggins, who she met while working at the 652 Club. He went on to own the popular “Face’s” restaurant on Georgia Ave N.W.. which was a fa mous D.C. gathering spot.

Ms. Wiggins died on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at 92. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, adopted daughter Sarah Borteley Ikenna and grandson Baby Wiggins. She is survived by two (2) children, son Michael Anthony Wig gins and daughter Karen Ann Wig gins, five (5) grandchildren, ten (10) great-grandchildren, and a host of other family and friends,

Ms. Wiggin’s colorful and pointed columns on Washington politics and culture left an indelible mark on the city. In the 1970s, she became the first journalist to write about “The Plan,” a view shared among the city’s Black residents that the passage of Home Rule in 1974 would result in whites conspiring to seize Black power and property in the nation’s first Chocolate City. By the 1990s, journalists, histo rians, and sociologists were crediting Lillian as the source for the narrative that some called an urban legend, and others called a conspiracy theory. No matter what folks called it, the story became inextricably linked to demo graphic and cultural shifts in Wash ington over the past 30 years.

WI

5 Lillian Estelle Cooper Wiggins.

(Courtesy photo)

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Moore Makes First of Hundreds of Gubernatorial Appointments

Qualified candidates needed to fill 1700 state government positions

Timothy Dashiell Capital News Service

ANNAPOLIS— Considering the enormity of the task, Gov-elect Wes Moore’s selection of a handful of lead ership team members Monday is a mere drop in the bucket. Moore will need to make hundreds of appoint ments to boards and commissions be fore he assumes office in January. These selections are crucial to the running of state government and allow Moore a chance to change the way the state operates under his

administration and beyond.

Moore announced members of his leadership team Monday, appointing Fagan Harris, friend and co-founder with Moore of a Baltimore non-prof it employment and grant-making agency, as chief of staff; Tisha Ed wards, director of the Baltimore Of fice of Children and Family Success and former chief of staff to disgraced Mayor Catherine Pugh, as secretary of appointments; attorney Aman da La Forge, former counsel to the Democratic National Committee, as chief legal counsel; Del. Eric Luedtke,

D-Montgomery, a leading member of the General Assembly, as chief legis lative officer, and Helene Grady, vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer for Johns Hopkins Universi ty, as secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.

For all the aspirational issues Moore plans to address – poverty, education, unfair incarceration, the minimum wage – one of the most pressing will be a relatively mundane human re sources matter, said former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.

“In essence, you are becoming CEO of the corporate entity known as the state government of Mary

County Delegation Visits South Africa, Recommits to Sister City Agreement

Barnes WI Staff Writer

Prince George’s County Execu tive Angela Alsobrooks is leading a delegation of county officials, business leaders, educators, and others on a seven-day business mission to Phokeng in the Royal Bafokeng Nation of South Africa.

Organized by the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, the visit is a reaffir mation of the sister-city relation ship and the first business mission for the County since Alsobrooks took office in 2018.

“This is a common practice. Just as other places around the country take these trips to de velop economic growth and cultural exchanges, we are do ing the same for Prince George’s

County,” Alsobrooks explained.

The visit “will potentially open op portunities for Prince George’s busi nesses, as well as showcase opportu nities our County and region have to offer our South African counter parts,” she added.

Prior ceremonies establishing the Sister City relationship have occurred in Prince George’s County. This time, the signing ceremony will take place in South Africa.

Glenda Wilson, a former admin istration official, reflected that when Alsobrooks was an education liaison when she took her first trip to Bafo keng in 2003. “Now she’s going back as the County Executive. That’s pret ty amazing,” Wilson said.

A temporary Sister City MOU was initially signed in 1998 by Queen Mother Semane Bonolo Mo lotlegi and County Executive Wayne

K. Curry in South Africa. In 2001, County Executive Curry signed a permanent MOU in Prince George’s County with the present king, Kgosi Leruo Tsekedi Molotlegi, according to a press release.

The Royal Bafokeng Nation, which is approximately 2,000 sq kilometers with a population of about 200,000, has business op portunities in numerous industries such as transportation, IT, and construction. It is also home to the world’s second-largest reserve of platinum, as well as Rustenberg gray granite.

County business representatives from 15 industries are attending the trip, including transportation, IT, health care, education, film-mak ing, and finance. Additionally, the County Executive is accompanied by several senior members of her

land,” said O’Malley, a Democrat who served from 2007 to 2015. “As the CEO, you have to recruit the best people you possibly can.”

Moore will work with Edwards and the governor’s appointments office.

Edwards and her staff will advise Moore, researching, interviewing and selecting individuals for hundreds of positions within state agencies, depart ments, boards and commissions.

“Right off the bat, you're looking at 1,700 positions that the administra tion will appoint,” said Sushant Sidh, who served as deputy chief of staff for former Maryland Democratic Gov. Parris Glendening. “These appoint

ments are absolutely critical to how Maryland functions as a state.”

Some are prominent, like the Maryland State Board of Education or the State Board of Elections, others not so much, like the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners. Each, however, sets guidelines and policies that affect Maryland residents.

The applicants and appointees go through a long process to determine whether they are the right candidate for one of Maryland’s boards.

“It’s a grind,” said current Secretary of Appointments Chris Cavey. “These people must apply and be thoroughly qualified.

“Sometimes, they have two or three separate interviews. It’s our job as an office to help appoint the right person.

Cavey was appointed by Mary land Gov. Larry Hogan in 2016 and will serve until Jan. 17. Hogan had a unique perspective on the importance of gubernatorial appointments when he appointed Cavey. Hogan served as secretary of appointments from 2003 to 2007 under former Republican Gov. Bob Erhlich.

Moore has options when it comes to how he wants to handle appoint ments, experts said. Former public officials said he can take a partisan ap proach to ensure his agenda is pushed, unquestioned and supported, or he can be more bipartisan in his effort.

Alsobrooks acknowledged that 40 percent of the small businesses in the County are African-owned. And, for the first time, three recently elected county coun cilmembers are African immi

DR

5 Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (center) shares photos from her first visit to South Africa with Dorothy Bailey (left) and Glenda Wilson days before leading a 36-member delegation to the Royal Bafokeng nation. (DR Barnes/The Washington Informer) administration, including her Chief Administrative Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff who leads intergov ernmental affairs, and Director of Communications. Others include the CEO of PGCPS, Council Chair, and Executive Director of the Arts and Humanities Council.

5 Governor-Elect Wes Moore met with Governor Hogan in Annapolis on Nov. 10th during a transition press conference. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

State Transition Teams Announced

Richard D. Elliott

WI Contributing Reporter

Earlier this week, the candidates who won Governor, Attorney Gener al, and Comptroller announced their transition teams and gave an early glimpse into their priorities.

Lieutenant Governor-Elect Aruna Miller, who will be the second wom an and first Asian-American to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Mary land, will chair the transition team for Moore. The co-chairs are Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, Moore cam paign treasurer Mary Tydings, and Downtown Partnership of Baltimore President Shelonda Stokes.

Other team members include Cheryl Bost of the Maryland State Ed ucation Association, Delegate Stepha nie Smith, and former Governor Paris Glendenning. On the transition web site, you can submit your resume or ideas for governance directly. The pol icy committees will be announced in coming weeks.

Comptroller-Elect Brooke Lierman has a transition team comprised of mostly women, including Senator Su san Lee and former Treasurer Nancy Kopp. Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk and Alsobrooks are on the transition team for both Moore and Lierman.

Attorney General-Elect Anthony

Brown’s transition team includes for mer Judge Donna Hill Staton and former UMD School of Law Dean Donald Tobin. Staton was the first Black judge to ever represent Howard County.

Moore will be sworn in on January 18, 2023. WI

grants or Africans born in America.

In years past, the County sent school supplies and books to support schools in the region. Additionally, during King Leruo’s visit to Prince George’s, his delegation visited El eanor Roosevelt and Suitland High Schools and developed their premier school, Lebone–College of the Royal Bafokeng, after the arts and curricu lum offered to PGCPS students. In 2003 the Prince George’s County government, in collaboration with the National Council on Negro Women, took 12 County youth to the Royal Bafokeng Nation, and brought youths back from South Africa.

“There are so many similarities that remind me of Prince George’s,” said Dorothy Bailey, a former chair of the County Council who is also traveling with the delegation. She visited Phokeng with the delegation that traveled with Curry. She said she observed the people of Bafokeng’s “determination to hold onto their land, our determination in Prince George’s County that we were not

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MEDICARE

going to be ignored, and our deter mination to participate in this Coun ty in the fashion we want to partici pate. The tenacity and determination of the people there reminded me of Prince George’s County.”

Since 1956, Sister Cities Interna tional has promoted global relation ships based on cultural, educational, information, and trade exchanges. The results, SCI suggests, are partic ipants develop lifelong friendships that provide prosperity and peace through person-to-person “citizen diplomacy,” according to the web site.

“We look forward to this business mission and for the opportunity to re-affirm our longstanding Sister City relationship with the Bafokeng Nation,” said Alsobrooks. “The visit to this South African nation, rich in resources and culture, as well as meetings in various parts of South Africa, will potentially open oppor tunities for Prince George’s busi nesses, as well as showcase opportu nities our County and region have to offer our South African counter parts.” WI

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5 Governor-Elect Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Aruna Miller announce their transition team co-chairs (seated l-r) Ken Ulman, former How ard County Executive, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, and Shelonda Stokes, president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

AFRICA

DC Chamber of Commerce Presents Choice Awards

Honors D.C. Area Business ‘Trailblazers’

James Wright WI Staff Writer

More than 700 of the Washing ton, D.C. area’s most noted entre preneurs and community, non-profit and political movers and shakers packed the ballroom of the Wash ington Hilton Hotel in Northwest on Nov. 11 to honor business leaders at the D.C. Chamber of Commerce 2022 Chamber Choice Awards.

Political leaders such as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Coun cil Chairman Phil Mendelson and Council members Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5), Trayon White (D-Ward 8) Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) Rob ert White (D-At Large) and Coun cil-member elect Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) attended the event and networked with colleagues and busi

ness leaders. Entrepreneurs including Virginia Ali, co-owner of the Ben’s Chili Bowl chain and Antwanye Ford, the CEO of Enlightened Inc., located in Ward 8 in Southeast and vice chair of the U.S. Black Cham bers Inc., also attended the event.

Wanda “Mama” Durant, moth er of NBA superstar Kevin Durant and an author, philanthropist and entrepreneur, received the Econom ic Impact Award. Durant, a Prince George’s County native, cherished receiving the award.

“I was glad to get the call,” she said. “A lot of times, you don’t see the im pact of the things that you do. I am very happy they have recognized me for the things I am doing.”

Jan Adams, the founder and CEO of JMA Solutions based in South west, received the Veteran Impact

Award. Adams, who served for more than two decades in the U.S. Army, rising to the level of master sergeant, also expressed her satisfaction at being recognized.

“I really want to thank the cham ber for this,” she said, noting the event took place on Veterans Day. “I thank the JMA team for step ping up for veterans. We have real ly made a difference in the lives of

people and in the community.”

In addition to Durant and Adams, the Business of the Year Award went to real estate development compa ny Hoffman-Madison Waterfront and The Wharf. Anthony Shop and Thomas Sanchez, co-founders of the media-oriented agency Social Driv er, received the Business Leaders of the Year Award. Local radio station WPFW.89.3 FM received the Com

munity Impact Award.

The chamber also honored Corey Griffin, president and CEO of Glob al Governance and Industry Part ners (2GIP) with special recognition for his Outstanding Leadership in Business Recovery during the coro navirus pandemic. Business leaders Stacy Burnette of Comcast and Brett Greene of the American Manage ment Corporation received special awards for their work.

The Chamber Choice Award was given to Carolyn Rudd, who serves as the chairman of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and the president and CEO of CRP Inc., a District-based professional services and manage ment firm.

Angela Franco, the president and CEO of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, said the business leaders honored have been transformational and innovative in their ventures and work. Bowser said the event recog nized the best the District has to offer.

“I want to congratulate the cham ber for this beautiful, in-person event celebrating D.C. businesses,” the mayor said. “We are working to make it easy to open businesses and easy to create jobs for D.C. res idents.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

Has Black Friday Lost its Luster? Depends on Who You Ask

Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

TWO RIVERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

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Two Rivers PCS is soliciting proposals for contractors to perform general construction services for acoustic modifications and renovation work. To re quest a copy of the RFP, email Gail Williams at procurement@tworiverspcs. org. Proposals are due by December 9, 2022.

Nearly 70% of consumers plan to skip Black Friday and holiday shop ping altogether this year, according to a survey conducted in October by PissedConsumer.com.

While some believed retailers ma nipulated shoppers, a relatively large amount (18%) said they won’t shop because of large crowds.

Despite the relatively small sample size in the survey, a growing number of shoppers said Black Friday has lost its appeal.

sumer behavior,” Podolsky stated.

“The survey revealed that 85% of shoppers now rely on online reviews when buying as they intend to avoid general unhappiness with shopping.”

Small business growth expert Stephanie Scheller of Grow Disrupt said there’s little question that the days of getting excited about the day after Thanksgiving shopping sprees have ended.

lion spent on Black Friday and $5.14 billion on Thanksgiving.

The spending represented a .63% decrease from 2020 when Black Fri day sales raked in $14.13 billion in online sales.

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, 100 million con sumers shopped online, while in-per son Black Friday shopping fell 37 percent from 2019.

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“While Black Friday sales provide a great opportunity for brands to keep customers coming back for more, it also presents noteworthy risks for shoppers around buying too much,” said Michael Podolsky, CEO, and co-founder of PissedConsumer.com.

“Consumers are now savvi er with their purchases and how much they spend. That is not just inflation causing the shift in con

“While there are still ‘doorbusters’ at some places that are worth partici pating in, most places offer great deals online or are starting so early that it’s not worth the fight for Black Friday beyond tradition,” Scheller offered.

“I think that the problem with this is that we’ll end up diluting the pow er of the concept, and while overall shopping numbers might be okay, the one-powerful-day for generating sales for the holiday season concept is likely to fade.”

According to Adobe Analytics, Black Friday 2021 raked in $14.04 billion in online sales, with $8.9 bil

“Digitalization has encouraged the growth of online stores, due to which special deals and offers remain no more exclusive,” said Matt Gillman, founder of SMB Compass.

“People prefer online stores more than regular stores, which affects Black Fridays. And this is because of the perks online stores offer at the same costs. So, along with the low prices, we can focus on providing a better shopping environment.”

Despite declining sales and enthu siasm from many corners of the na

5 Award recipients stand with DC Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Angela Franco (center left) and Board Chair Carolyn Rudd (center right). (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

tion, some still enjoy the tradition of leaving the dinner table early to stand in the long lines that often accompa ny Black Friday sales.

“I usually think of shopping as therapy; therefore, I always look for ward to Black Friday for the excellent prices,” said Sean Harris, managing editor at Family Destinations Guide, which provides information and re views of resorts, hotels, and global destinations.

“Black Friday not only allows me to fill my closet with the newest styles at discount prices, but it also makes it possible for me to find some excel lent offers on electronics and books,” Harris exclaimed.

“I primarily rely on gadgets to sim plify my life as a tech-savvy individ ual. Therefore, I require everything, from an air purifier to a coffee foam ing machine.

“As a result, Black Friday will never lose its appeal to me because I can ob tain incredible electronics discounts online.

“The same is true for books, which

are a staple of mine and are available in bulk in specially curated best-seller collections every Black Friday Sale.”

Emily Saunders, chief revenue of ficer for eLuxury, noted that Black Friday always loses its luster during an economic downturn, but she said

she’s skeptical about whether those declines are permanent.

“Brick-and-mortar retail is fading, but Black Friday still has a strong heartbeat when economic times are good,” Saunders asserted.

“It recovered with a vengeance

LEE MONTESSORI PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) English Learner Services

Lee Montessori Public Charter School (PCS) is seeking proposals from companies to provide English Learner Services at our 3025 4th St. NE campus and 2345 R St SE campus.

Please request the full RFP by emailing Joshua McComas (josh ua@leemontessori.org).

Proposals are due by Wednesday, November 30 at 4:00pm ET and should be sent via email to Josh McComas (procurement@leemon tessori.org), Deputy Director of Operations, and Megan Hubbard (megan@leemontessori.org), Managing Director of Academics.

once the Great Recession was over, and online shopping had become an established alternative.

“I equate it to network television. Everything aired on major networks is being watched by far fewer people

compared to the pre-streaming days, but you’d never know that on Super Bowl Sunday. It still elicits around 100 million viewers each year.” WI

5 Crowds like those at a Target in D.C. during an earlier Black Friday may not be the same anymore as many believe the biggest shopping day of the year has lost some of its luster. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia commons)

@StacyBrownMedia

Congress Returns to Work as Election Results Remain Unsettled

Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

As votes continued to pour in from the 2022 midterm elections, Demo crats have retained control of the U.S. Senate and still cling to hope that the House will swing in their favor.

But whatever happens with the re maining count determining control of the House, the Republican Party’s anticipation of a red wave crashed into a resilient blue wall, even as members return to work.

“We are going to try to have as pro

ductive a lame-duck session as possi ble,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated.

“I’m going to talk to my caucus. I’m going to talk to the Republican lead ership and see what we can get done,” Schumer added.

There’s much on the agenda before Congress goes into recess on December 16.

At the top of the list is funding the government for 2023 and avoiding a shutdown.

Democrats also hope to get a bill to President Joe Biden’s desk to strength

en federal election laws surrounding counting and certifying electoral votes in presidential elections.

Many believe such a measure won’t stand a chance in a GOP-controlled House.

However, some Republicans are on record agreeing that reform of

some kind is required.

Congress also must address the an nual National Defense Authorization Act, which structures the Pentagon. Additionally, the January 6 commit tee should release its final report next month, and members must decide what to do about former President Donald Trump’s fight against its sub poena.

The committee could move forward in recommending charges, but with the possibility of Republicans wresting

control of the House, the investigation could stall or even cease.

A party must hold 218 seats to gain a majority in the House.

Officials continue to count votes from mail-in ballots in California, Or egon, and Arizona.

The GOP won 211 seats to 204 for Democrats as of press time.

In a significant victory for Demo crats, CNN projected that Marie Perez would defeat Republican Joe Kent, a Donald Trump ally, in Washington state’s GOP-leaning 3rd District.

In Colorado’s 3rd District, Trump loyalist Lauren Boebert remains locked in an unexpected battle with Democrat Adam Frisch.

If Frisch upsets Boebert, it will in crease his party’s long-shot chance of holding the House.

Democrats also did surprisingly well in gubernatorial races, winning 23 seats.

In potentially the most stunning up set of the 2022 midterms, Republican Kari Lake, a 2020 election denier, trails Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona governor’s race by 34,000 votes.

Officials still must count about 290,000 votes before declaring a win ner.

Also, in Los Angeles, former Con gressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass had widened her lead over devel oper Rick Caruso in the race for mayor.

A Bass victory would make her the first Black woman mayor in the history of Los Angeles. WI

5 Democrat Karen Bass widens lead in California mayoral race. (Photo courtesy Karen Bass for Mayor)

Post-Midterm Election Town Hall Focuses on Effective Black Coalition Building

Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

The November 8 midterm election red wave predicted by political didn’t happen after all.

Instead, local and state-level voter mobilization efforts successfully se cured substantial victories for Demo crats, including women and people of color throughout the United States.

While still waiting for some con gressional race results to be decided, a cadre of Black intellectuals, communi ty organizers, political watchdogs and clergy gathered at Howard Universty to analyze the results’ impact on Black America.

Panelists agreed that the election re sults are a cause for celebration. Still, they recommended that Black voters unite and leverage their political pow er to successfully advance an agenda now while the Democrats control the White House and the Senate.

The town hall was organized by the Institute of the Black World 21st Century. The theme: “The 2022 Mid term Elections: Impact on the State of Black America and the Pan-African World,” included topics that ran the gamut, from voter mobilization and civic education, anti-Black immigrant sentiments, neoliberalism and imperi alism, local and state-level organizing, engaging youth, and preventing the over-policing of communities.

Dr. Greg Carr, a panelist and as

sociate professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University, indict ed past Democratic and Republican presidents for foreign policy decisions that destabilized Africa. He also called to task elected officials in the U.S. and abroad who support policies that negatively impact Black working-class people.

In his analysis, Carr highlighted the National Black Political Convention in Gary, Ind. in 1972 and Reverend Jesse Jackson’s subsequent presidential run as moments when Black people should have permanently consolidat ed their power.

“We don’t have to beg nobody. We organize,” Carr said.

“What scared the hell out of the Democratic Party is that we were go ing to make an independent Black party. The tactical error was that the whole apparatus was turned over to the Democratic Party,” Carr asserted.

Other panelists at HU’s Cramton Auditorium on Thursday evening included: Hilary Shelton, NAACP national advisor of policy and gover nance; Melanie Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; Tamika Mal lory, co-founder of Until Freedom; Pastor Michael McBride, director of the LIVE FREE Campaign; Janice Mathis, Esq., executive director of the National Council of Negro Women;

5 (L-R) Dr. Greg Carr, Maurice Mitchell and Melvin Foote. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

NATIONAL

TRAFFICKING

from Page 1

Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney General released the Department of Justice’s National Strategy to Com bat Human Trafficking. The Strategy laid out the Department’s multi-year plan to combat all forms of human trafficking, focusing on efforts to pro tect victims of trafficking, prosecute human trafficking cases, and prevent further acts of human trafficking. The Human Trafficking Institute estimates that there are 24.9 million victims of human trafficking globally.

In 2020, the Institute reported that federal courts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories handled 579 active human trafficking prosecutions, 94% of which were sex trafficking cases and 6% forced labor cases.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, individuals prosecuted for

human trafficking increased from 729 in 2011 to 1,343 in 2020, an 84% rise.

The number of persons convicted of a federal human trafficking offense increased from 2011 (464 persons) to 2019 (837 persons) before falling in 2020 (658 persons). Of the 1,169 de fendants charged in U.S. district court with human trafficking offenses in the fiscal year 2020— 92% were male, 63% were white, 18% were Black, 17% were Hispanic, 95% were U.S. citizens, and 66% had no prior con victions.

By the end of 2020, for the 47 states that reported data, 1,564 persons were in the custody of a state prison serv ing a sentence for a human trafficking offense.

The District of Columbia reported zero new criminal human trafficking cases filed in federal courts in 2021.

The advocacy organization Hope

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different from any other day.

Law enforcement officials said traf fickers typically increase their illegal activities during the holiday season.

“We let our guard down because you’re supposed to be joyful, and, you know, it’s a great time of year. And un fortunately, we have people out there that don’t care what time of year it is,” Tony Mancuso, a sheriff in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, told reporters in a pre-Christmas interview in 2021.

for Justice defines human trafficking as modern slavery, where one person controls another for profit by exploit ing a vulnerability.

Victims usually are forced to work or are sexually exploited, and the traf ficker keeps all or nearly all the money. The control can be physical, financial, or psychological.

Childwelfare.com says the legal definition of trafficking involves “the exploitation of people through force, coercion, threat, and deception and includes human rights abuses such as debt bondage, deprivation of liberty, and lack of control over freedom and labor.”

The organization noted that traf ficking could be for purposes of sexual exploitation or labor exploitation.

In 2004, officials formed the D.C. Human Trafficking Task Force to in crease the prosecution of traffickers while identifying and serving the vic tims.

The task force’s primary goal is to “facilitate a more coordinated an ti-trafficking effort in the D.C. area through protocol development, ex tensive community outreach, proac tive investigations, law enforcement training, intelligence sharing, and more formalized partnerships between law enforcement organizations and non-governmental organizations.”

Additionally, while the holiday season counts as a time of joy, hap piness, and fun, the nonprofit She ro Foundation said for human traf ficking victims, the holidays are no

“California is home to some of the largest hubs for sex and labor traf ficking in the United States, and it is beyond the time our state takes the necessary steps in combatting this criminal enterprise,” Democratic As semblymember Tim Grayson insisted.

Grayson noted that human traf ficking was a $150 billion-a-year global industry and introduced a bill to establish the California Multidis ciplinary Alliance to Stop Trafficking Act (California MAST).

The bill aims to examine and evalu ate existing programs and outreach for survivors and victims of human traf ficking and provide recommendations to strengthen California’s response to supporting survivors and holding of fenders accountable.

“In my search for a better life, I found myself exploited by various individuals similar to other child traf ficking survivors,” said Jimmy Lopez, Survivor Advocate for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking. “Hu man trafficking is an invisible crisis plaguing our state and forcing thou sands of children to grow up too fast; we must stop trafficking in its tracks, and we must hold offenders account able,” Lopez said.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Human Traffick ing Hotline toll-free hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-888-373-7888 to speak with a specially trained An ti-Trafficking Hotline Advocate.

Support is provided in more than 200 languages. Hotline officials said they are there to listen and connect those in need with the help required to stay safe.

Callers can dial 711 to access the Ho tline using TTY.

You can also email help@humantraf fickinghotline.org.

To report a potential human traffick ing situation, call the hotline at 1-888373-7888, or submit a tip online here.

All communication with the hotline is strictly confidential.

WI

Black Lawyers for Justice (Dr. Attorney , Malik Zulu Shabazz)

All Roads lead to Bowling Green, Kentucky December 3 Demanding authorities serve arrest warrant for . Carolyn Bryant Donham

Carolyn Bryant Donham

Emmett Till

Activist are keeping up demand on an arrest warrant being served to Carolyn Bryant Donham. The warrant was found June 2022 in a basement in a Mississippi court house for her involvement in the gruesome murder of Emmett Till in 1955. Join us! 202 615 2139.

By the end of 2020, for the 47 states that reported data, 1,564 persons were in the custody of a state prison serving a sentence for a human trafficking offense.

Trump Formally Announces 2024 Presidential Bid

Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Six hundred and seventy-eight days after he inspired arguably the worst act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history and almost single-hand edly destroyed American democ racy, Donald J. Trump formally announced that he’s running for president.

The twice-impeached former president made the announcement ostensibly at the scene of one of his more recent alleged crimes.

With a gaggle of American flags hanging in the background and doz ens of family members and support ers looking on, Trump declared his 2024 candidacy at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida compound.

“Ladies and gentlemen, distin guished guests and my fellow cit

izens, America’s comeback starts now,” Trump told his cheering faith ful.

With Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis seen as the early favor ite to win the 2024 GOP nomina tion, Trump took a bow for “all the promises I’ve kept.”

However, most observers have noted that a border wall on the Southern U.S. border never occurred and Mexico, as Trump famously promised, never paid for such a proj ect.

While in office, Trump never re leased his tax returns and a health care plan he continually promised that would usurp Obamacare, never happened.

In August, authorities searched the Mar-a-Lago residence and reportedly retrieved masses of classified federal documents that he allegedly and il

legally removed from the White House after Joe Biden’s resounding victory over Trump in the 2020 pres idential election.

Trump’s announcement comes even as several investigations contin ue.

Earlier in the day, Allen Weissel berg, the former chief financial of ficer for the Trump Organization, testified in a criminal tax fraud case that Trump himself “authorized” the scheme.

Weisselberg, 75, added that Trump knew compensation for executives included perks such as apartments and luxury cars instead of extra salary.

In April of 2021, Weisselberg and the company were both indicted. Authorities haven’t charged Trump with any wrongdoing.

In August 2022, New York Attor

ney General Letitia James alleged in a civil suit that Trump and three of his adult children engaged in a decade’s worth of fraud, inflating Trump’s net

worth by billions of dollars.

“Our investigation uncovered the

5 The Donald Trump inspired riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 ultimately resulted in the death of 5 people, including two police officers/NNPA via Wikimedia Commons

5 Pupils gather in the playground of the Makhtar boarding school before returning to class on September 29, 2022.

Reviving Tunisia’s School System One Farm at a Time

The Makthar boarding school in Tunisia looks ordinary, but a partnership with NGO “Wallah We Can” has made it unique. Thanks to patrons, the school located in the country's rural northwest is equipped with over a hundred solar panels and solar water heaters covering the school's energy needs, AfricaNews reported on Saturday, Novem ber 12, 2022.

The NGO aims to transform more public schools into what it calls a social enterprise.

"A public school transformed into what we call a social enterprise is a school that is energy self-sufficient and produces its own food," Lotfi Hamadi, the founder of the local NGO explains. "This enables the school to save money on the electricity bills as well as the school canteen bills. Moreover, it can sell the energy and agricultural surplus."

With the energy and food income, extracurricular clubs have been launched: robotics, entrepreneurship, for eign languages and civilizations, media, singing, and e-learning.

"The experience I gained allowed me to have more confidence in myself," said 14-year-old Chahed Salhi.

"It taught me a lot of things, including entrepreneurship," said the girl who dreams of setting up a tourist business.

Nowadays 100,000 young people drop out of school every year in Tunisia. In a country where a majority of young people plan to emigrate, according to numerous studies, “Wallah We Can” would like children "to become reconciled with their country and discover the opportunities it can offer them."

The Mokthar boarding school has become popular in the region thanks to its privileged learning environment.

"Everyone wants to study here; we've heard about lots [of students] who came; everyone around wants to learn in this boarding school," Taher Meterfi reveals.

The director added: "We have discipline, with the intervention of the NGO "Wallah We Can," the conditions are very favorable and good, and we have had 80 requests [for students wishing to study there]."

The NGO “Wallah We Can” rents eight hectares of land cultivated by an agricultural cooperative which em ploys parents of pupils, formerly unemployed, and an agronomist.

The next step for the NGO is a 40-hectare "agro-energy farm" to provide food and electricity for the 23 schools in Makthar. WI

Jamaican Prime Minister Holness Says System of National Service Needed

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness believes a system of compul sory national service is needed to promote active participation by citizens in the development agenda. He said that such a program would positively engage unattached youth and steer them away from crime.

“I think we need a system of compulsory national service. When I see our youngsters being dragged off into gangs and being recruited for nefarious activ ities when there is so much that they could do in the national interest, in their own interest that could transform our culture, I think that is something we should really be considering.”

“It is something that I am considering, but the question is, is the society ready,” Holness said.

He was addressing the Edward Phillip George Seaga Inaugural Human Development Lecture held recently at the Uni versity of Technology (UTech) campus, St. Andrew.

Prime Minister Holness said that a system of apprenticeship is also needed to build the country’s human capital.

“If there is one thing that I would like to see in legislation is the full introduction of a system of apprenticeship. I think that is absolutely important if we are going to leapfrog in where we are in terms of skills,” he noted.

“I think it is critically important that we now move to the next step of ensuring that we have a well-articulated and im plemented system of apprenticeship, and as the society progresses, we can establish a system of national service,” the Prime Minister added. WI

COMPILED BY OSWALD T. BROWN, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

How to Navigate the Housing Market During Uncertainty

By Angela Swinson Lee Special to The Washington Informer

When Sean McClendon, 50, was asked to move to a more expensive renovated apartment in his complex, he knew it was time to consider buying a home. The first thing he needed to do to quality for a home loan was to get his credit in order. “That’s how the world works. You have to have credit,” said McClendon, who had been accustomed to making cash purchases for items and hadn’t built much of a credit history.

With the uncertainty in the housing market these days, Justin Cotton, Senior Home Lending Advisor with JPMorgan Chase, said homebuyers should stick with the basics, just as McClendon did to find his way to homeownership.

“For people who are looking to purchase a home, I would say you want to make the time to do your due diligence. Take a look at your financial situation and under stand what you can and can’t afford,” Cotton said. “The Chase Home Buyer Advan tage Program is a great tool where we sit down and go through your full financial profile. That way, when you are making these decisions, you can feel comfortable and confident in the timing for your home purchase, whether that be in the next few months or the next few years. As a philosopher once said, if you stay ready you won’t have to get ready.”

When McClen don, of Upper Marlboro, realized it was the right time for him to home purchase he got down to busi ness.

He paid off bills that were delin quent and put fu ture payments on automatic with drawals to ensure timely payments.

He got a credit card with a $300 limit to build up his credit. That was two years ago.

which Chase has a lot of experience in and he was given several credits which cut down on his closing costs.

Cotton said Chase works with several nonprofit organizations to assist home owners in the process such as Home Free USA.

They also have internal programs,

• A $5,000 home buyer grant to be applied toward two of the biggest barriers to homeownership—the upfront cash needed for a down payment and closing costs. This grant is for anyone who purchases a home in a community identified by the U.S. Census as majority Black.

• For veterans the bank just launched a $2,000 closing cost benefit.

• A $500 Homebuyer Education Benefit for homeowners purchasing a home with a DreaMaker mortgage.

When navigat ing the home buy ing process, buyers can be bombarded with information, but Cotton said there is no one size fits all. The best thing is to speak with a lending agent.

Cotton said po tential homebuy ers should keep four things in mind with attempting to purchase a home.

• You have to get the ball rolling. You have to get started and know where you are and what your goals are.

• Find a realtor that you trust, someone you have a good relationship with. The Chase Agent express program will pay you an additional $1,000 to use toward closing costs if you use one of the bank’s recommended realtors.

Earlier this year, he closed on his first home, and his credit card limit has since increased to $8,000.

It was McClen don’s realtor who introduced him to JPMorgan Chase. McClendon, a vet eran, was interested in a VA Loan for

• You want to make the uncertain certain. Once you have a house in mind, locking in your mortgage rate, and how much money you’ll be able to comfort ably spend.

• Take ad vantage of as many financial resources that you can.

To learn more about the home buying process,

available resources and programs and to connect with a home lending professional, visit Chase.com/Home.

BRANDED CONTENT SPONSORED BY JPMorgan Chase

HEALTH

Are African American Women at A Medical Disadvantage? Are African American Women at A Medical Disadvantage?

Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Staff Writer

Despite the numerical decrease in breast cancer mortality rates across

the U.S., Black women continue to die at higher rates than their Hispan ic and White counterparts. In a quest to promote greater equity in genetic counseling and testing, researchers

stress the dire need for more African American women to receive genetic preventative screenings to help deter mine their risk of developing breast cancer.

According to the American Can cer Society, Black women experience higher rates of triple-negative breast cancer, estrogen receptive (ER) - neg ative breast cancer, and a 42 percent greater breast cancer death rate than White women. But despite these troubling occurrences, medical doc tors are less likely to refer Black wom en patients to breast cancer genetic testing and counseling than their White counterparts.

While doctors still debate as to when genetic counseling and pos sible testing should be considered, these tests are said to provide a scope of what variables or conditions might trigger breast cancer diagnoses for Black women, in addition to guiding the best treatment options for wom

5 Black women die of breast cancer at a higher rate than white and Hispanic women. (Stock photo)

en who develop breast cancer. Intri cate screening methods at the least stand as viable options in addressing breast cancer potential, and occur rence as early as possible.

Dr. Ego-Osuala, breast radiologist with Washington Radiology in NW, D.C., illustrates a clearer understand ing of why 3D imaging, for example, can potentially increase a woman’s chance of survival while battling breast cancer diagnoses, as it provides more accurate and clear detection abilities, especially for women with dense breast tissue.

“When we look at breast density, it is the whiteness that we see. The problem with dense tissue is that it’s white, but guess what’s also white? Cancer. So you can see how cancer can easily hide in someone with dense tissue,” Dr. Ego-Osuala explained. “It [3D mammography] makes it easier for us to see in terms of looking at the breast and the density. It’s still not perfect, but it definitely does help us see better. It reduces the rates of false positives because we can see bet ter, and it also reduces the recall rates that we have.”

While mammography examina tions are highly recommended to women from age forty and older, medical prejudice, lack of medical ac cess, and fear tend to turn numbers of African American women away from getting a head start on addressing either preventative measures or best solutions to early-stage breast cancer.

Dr. Ego-Osuala highlights the importance of this conversation re garding misconceptions or fear about

cancer detection processes, as Afri can American women are the main demographic suffering from higher mortality rates and more aggressive forms of the disease, inclusively due to not accessing mammograms, or following up on care as much as need ed. However, the benefits of genetic testing and mammogram screenings seemingly outweigh the risks.

“While we do believe that up to 30 percent of breast cancers are pre ventable just from lifestyle, dietary, and physical activity - it is very hard to tell exactly why Black women have a more aggressive subtype,” said Dr. Ego-Osuala. “Recently there's been research [from Cornel] talking about the fact that there might be some ge netic component to it and the fact that our tumor biology and tumor genetics are different from our white counterparts. So if we have certain genes that predispose us to the more aggressive subtypes, [then] we can do more research as time goes on to see [why] those genes that cause certain responses of certain cancers act the way they act.”

Key findings of African American women developing mutations in spe cific cancer predisposition genes have shown to be strong indicators of de veloping breast cancer in Black wom en. Medical professionals continue to push physicians to direct proper attention to the health and preven tative measures extended to African American women as they continue to manage the battle with breast cancer disease.

WI

Sarafina Wright WI Contributing Writer

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 11.3% (3.08 million) of U.S. mid dle and high school students reported current use of tobacco products in 2022.

The study released on Nov. 10 found that the majority of the self-reported to bacco use was in high school students (2.51 million) followed by middle school students (530,000)

In addition, the study assessed eight commercial tobacco products. E-cig arettes—for the ninth consecutive year—was the most commonly used to bacco product among all students (2.55 million), followed by cigars (500,000), cigarettes (440,000), smokeless tobacco (330,000), hookah (290,000), nicotine pouches (280,000), heated tobacco products (260,000), and pipe tobacco (150,000).

The agencies said the term “tobacco product,” as used in this report, refers to commercial tobacco products and not to the sacred and traditional use of tobacco by some American Indian communities.

“Commercial tobacco product use continues to threaten the health of our nation’s youth, and disparities in youth tobacco product use persist,” said Deir dre Lawrence Kittner, director of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health.

“By addressing the factors that lead to youth tobacco product use and helping youth to quit, we can give our nation’s young people the best opportu nity to live their healthiest lives.”

Among all race and ethnicity groups, American Indian or Alaska Native stu dents had the highest percentage of to bacco product use. In contrast, White students reported the highest rate of e-cigarette use.

In addition, approximately one mil lion youth reported using any combus tible tobacco product; Black students reported the highest percentage of combustible tobacco product use, in cluding cigar use.

According to the CDC, other groups with a higher percentage of to bacco product use were those reporting

grades of mostly Fs; those reporting severe symptoms of psychological dis tress; those who identified as transgen der or as lesbian, gay, or bisexual; and those with low family affluence.

They added that many other factors contribute to youth tobacco product use, including flavors, marketing, and misperceptions of harm. In addition, most youth who use tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, want to quit.

This study’s findings suggest con tinuing disparities in tobacco product use can be attributed to greater expo sure to tobacco promotion and adver tising and greater tobacco retail outlet density in racial and ethnic minority communities, among other systemic factors.

Those other factors include social determinants of health, which are con ditions where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health and quality-of-life risks and out comes.

The CDC said there are several on going efforts at the national, state, and local levels to help reduce youth tobac co product use.

They include enforcing the federal minimum age of sale of 21 years for all tobacco product types; FDA’s ongoing actions against sales of unauthorized e-cigarettes; state and community re strictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products; efforts to raise the price and prohibit public indoor use of tobacco products; media campaigns and other education efforts that warn about the

our nation’s

“We

WI

EARTH OUR

Spotlight on Black Environmentalist: Tiffany Fitzgerald, Executive Director at DC Greens

FitzGerald joined DC Greens in July, and focuses on “big-picture” conversations at the influential food justice organization.

Kayla Benjamin WI Contributing Writer

After working behind-the-scenes in nonprofits for more than 15 years, Tiffany FitzGerald had no intention of stepping into the spotlight. Earlier this year, she noticed that a job posting for an executive director role at DC Greens, a food justice nonprofit, had remained open for a while. She offered to give the

search team some recommendations.

“As someone who had pretty good connections in D.C.’s activist com munity, knowing that DC Greens was looking for someone who kind of had that fighting spirit, that activist inclina tion, I thought, ‘well, I know a lot of people, maybe I can suggest someone,’” she said.

She was surprised when the team asked if she herself wanted to apply.

“The idea of being an executive di rector genuinely was not on my radar,” FitzGerald said. “But I loved the orga nization.”

After a lengthy round of interviews, she became DC Greens’ new head this past July. She is the organization’s second executive director, taking over from co-founder Lauren Shweder Biel. After Biel’s retirement in January, the organization worked with a search firm to conduct a national search. In choos ing FitzGerald, though, they went with homegrown talent.

Born and raised in Prince George’s County, FitzGerald knew without a doubt that she wanted to return to the DMV after attending college in Williamsburg, Virginia. Since then, she’s lived in four of the District’s eight wards. Currently, she lives in Columbia Heights with her two children.

“Particularly for my kids, being born and raised in D.C., I just really hope that they grow up with the love of this city and the sense of place that was very strong for me when I was growing up,” Fitzgerald said.

That deep connection to the District led her to the local advocacy space after more than a decade working in na tional nonprofits. In 2012, she got her start in fundraising at the Folger Shake speare Library, having studied English at William & Mary.

“[That job] really spoke to all of the geeky things that I love: history, liter ature, land, legacy and preservation,” FitzGerald said. “It was only because I wanted to be doing work that more immediately spoke to equity and jus tice issues that I left the arts and culture space.”

FitzGerald said she found herself drawn in by a “kernel” of social justice work she saw in that role: the Folger ran programs that brought Shakespearean experts and actors to DMV schools, es

pecially in Wards 7 and 8. But the real push came when she had her first son, seven years ago.

“I certainly would never assert that parenting is the only thing that makes you really, really think about the future and the world that you're leaving be hind. But for me, that was a really deep trigger,” she said.

She moved on to work in develop ment at Community Change, a non profit centered on building political power for low-income Americans. Then she spent time fundraising at Demos, a think-tank focused on racial and economic justice and democratic reform.

While at Demos, she began working on big-picture questions about how nonprofits function—and how orga nizations can avoid perpetuating the very power imbalances they’re trying to fight. She left Demos to become an or ganizational development consultant, helping nonprofits work on their own internal cultures.

“I was really focused on really having deep conversations that really address the ways that systemic harm is perpetu ated inside nonprofits, sometimes even inside very progressive nonprofits,” she said.

She’s taken that focus to her role with DC Greens, too. The culture she envisions for the organization empha sizes trust, relationships, “radical hon esty,” and giving employees’ space to acknowledge the difficulty of their mis sion to shift deeply-entrenched systems. Being able to discuss big ideas around nonprofit culture within justice work was a major draw for FitzGerald when taking the job.

“Before this, Tiffany did not want to be in the public eye,” said Latoya Peterson, a close friend for more than a decade. “But she basically said ‘this job allows me to really talk about justice,

and I can feel my platform.’ Tiffany is deeply enmeshed in justice. She's al ways thinking about what is going to directly improve the lives of women of color and the lives of children of color.”

FitzGerald also described a sense of disillusionment with national institu tions that pushed her to think seriously about her role in local activism. Follow ing the police murder of George Floyd in 2020 and the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, she felt like she was los ing some faith in American democrat ic systems. Meanwhile, she watched her neighbors in the District organize around statehood, tenants rights, and mutual aid networks.

“The idea of making systemic chang es that literally affect the place where I live, the place where I raise my children, the place where I pay taxes—that sud denly became really exciting to me,” FitzGerald said. “You know, my gov ernment has let me down so many times, but my community has never let me down.”

DC Greens’ community-centered work tackles health equity and food justice issues through a mix of pro gramming, policy advocacy, and—as of June—the running of an urban farm in Congress Heights called The Well at Oxon Run. The organiza tion’s vision for The Well goes beyond fresh food produced at the farm; the 50,000-square-foot space also hosts wellness and education programs during its open season.

“The Well just presents such an incredible opportunity to have an in tergenerational gathering space,” Fitz Gerald said. “We're using food as the starting point to have these conversa tions about why people feel disenfran chised and what it's going to take for people to feel involved and invested and heard.”

Linking together different social justice conversations is a major part of FitzGerald’s philosophy. She’s intent on coalition-building across issue areas, in cluding housing justice, racial and gen der equity, and food systems change.

FitzGerald said she sees environ mental justice, and especially access to nature, as a major part of those linked fights. The history of systematic land theft from Black and Indigenous peo ple speaks to her own sense of place in the DMV.

“My sense of connection to the land is really deeply aligned and centered on the question of ‘What would our Black and Indigenous communities be if we had not had these millions of acres of land stolen from our people in this

5 Tiffany FitzGerald. (Courtesy photo)

EDUCATION

Newly Elected State Board Officials Set Out to Better Represent Teachers and Families

Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

In the recent election, four State Board seats were up for grabs. The victors in those electoral contests garnered the support of teachers and parents who felt left out in conversations about their neigh borhood schools.

In Wards 1 and 6, community members who flocked to the polls were concerned about improving the quality of their middle and high schools. They also expressed a desire for more permanent safety and mental health resources that parents and students demanded during the pandemic.

For Ward 6 State Board of Edu cation (SBOE) Member-Elect Bran don Best, forming an SBOE par ent-and-teacher council is the ideal means of accomplishing that goal. He said he would do that within the first few months of his term.

“In order for us to get a holistic and well-rounded understanding

of what’s going on, we need to connect with our teachers and par ents. This will help us make more informed decisions based on the experiences of our communities,” said Best, an educator and admin istrator of nearly 20 years.

On November 8, Best defeat ed Joshua Wiley, a vice principal at Whittier Education Campus in Northwest. Wiley announced his candidacy after the passage of D.C. Council legislation allowing public school teachers to serve on the State Board.

On the campaign trail, Best touted his experience shaping Safe Passage legislation, securing meals for families during the pandemic, and increasing schools’ communi cation with parents and communi ty members.

When he enters his seat in the new year, Best will succeed Jessica Sutter, current Ward 6 SBOE rep resentative and president.

As a State Board member, Best wants to ensure that the Office of

the State Superintendent moves forward with adjustments to the STAR rating system his colleagues proposed. Other priorities include upgrades to facilities. Accomplish ing these goals, he said, requires authentic parent and teacher en gagement.

“I want to make sure the deci sions we make are rooted in first hand experiences from teachers, parents and students,” Best said.

“A lot of schools realized [during the pandemic] that when fami lies are engaged, our students do better. The challenge is not going back to the status quo and [fig uring out] how we meet parents where they are instead of going to business as usual.”

SBOE, an independent agency, consists of three separate offices:

the State Board, the Office of the Student Advocate, and the D.C. Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education.

In the era of mayoral control, SBOE no longer has control over the daily management of D.C. Public Schools. Instead, State Board members collaborate with community members to advise State Superintendent Christina Grant on education policies and standards. They do so, in part, by hosting monthly meetings, devel oping resolutions and testifying before the D.C. Council.

Ben Williams has advocated for measures to retain District teach ers in his role as an educator and policy fellow with the local non profit EmpowerEd. He also count ed among many people in the Dis

trict who’ve called for more mental health investments and an expan sion of Safe Passage programs.

On November 8, Williams gar nered 98.25 percent of the vote to become Ward 1 SBOE representa tive-elect. This milestone comes on the cusp of a more-than-a-decade career in education. During his campaign, William tapped into his experiences at Two Rivers Pub lic Charter School in Northeast and Capital City Public Charter School in Northwest, where he currently teaches A.P. Government and D.C. History.

When he enters his seat in the new year, Williams will succeed Emily Gasoi.

As he looks forward to a new chapter in his activism, Williams wants to amplify parents’ voices on the State Board. He revealed plans to collaborate with other District agencies and groups to not only attract grassroots support for reso lutions that he and his colleagues shape but develop policies that tru ly reflect a wide range of perspec tives within the community.

“We need to empower and listen to PTAs and Local School Adviso ry Teams to make sure we’re acting on the ideas that will be best for parents and families,” Williams said.

“In particular, we need to craft partnerships to make sure we’re intentionally trying to listen to all parents, and not just those who are active, including parents with lan guage barriers, to make sure their needs are being addressed as well.”

Part II of this article will feature Eric Goulet and Robert Henderson, who were recently elected to represent Ward 3 and Ward 5 on the State Board, respectively.

WI @SamPKCollins

5 State Board of Education (SBOE) Member-Elect Brandon Best

Bowser and Grant Celebrate Record D.C. School Enrollment

Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

Enrollment in District public and public charter schools has reached record levels, according to preliminary, unaudited figures collected by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).

On Monday, D.C. Mayor Mu riel Bowser (D) celebrated this milestone at Trinity Washington University in Northeast, where nearly 100 public and public char ter school students are currently taking college-level courses in the Advanced Technical Center.

A headcount conducted earli er in the school year showed that 96,000 students had been enrolled in District schools. That number included nearly 50,000 District public school students. Bowser de scribed these figures as the highest recorded since the audit started 15 years ago.

“We’re proud that families are

sending kids to our public schools. We’re proud of DC Public Schools for posting this number,” Bowser said.

“Give a round of applause to our public education members [who] talk to our families and educate our families about what’s happening in our buildings, and all the adults that are there and the challenging programs they’re de livering each and every day.”

OSSE will release the audited numbers in early 2023.

The DC Policy Center released a study earlier this year that high lighted declining pre-school and elementary school enrollment in the pre-pandemic years. This had especially been the case among Black families living east of the Anacostia River, supposedly be cause of gaps in access to early childhood education centers.

When schools opened in Au gust, Bowser hinted at the uptick in enrollment. She and State Su perintendent Christina Grant also

made the rounds promoting its ad vanced internship program where high school students can earn a sti pend and college credit exploring various careers.

Within that same time, the duo announced the launch of the Ad vanced Technical Center, where 96 students from high schools across the city currently take courses in cybersecurity, healthcare informa tion technology, and nursing.

Five days a week throughout the school year, these public and pub lic charter school students leave their high schools, either in the morning or afternoon, and take classes at Trinity Washington Uni versity. After class, taxis take stu dents to school or home.

Within two years, they can earn four high school credits and up to 20 college credits.

Next year, the Advanced Tech nical Center will move to its new home at the Penn Center in Northeast. For the time being, stu dents continue to immerse them

selves in an authentic college expe rience -- for free.

“My classmates and I all have dif ferent paths but we have the same objective,” said Teresa Jimenez, an 11th grader at Jackson-Reed High School in Northwest.

Teresa is currently taking healthcare IT classes at the Ad

vanced Technical Center.

“This program fits into my ca reer goals with networking [oppor tunities] and support. I feel like a university student. I have more responsibilities. It’s not childlike here. I have matured as a young adult.” WI

@SamPKCollins

Vacuum Leaf Collection Program

How to Prepare for Leaf Vacuum Collection:

• Check the DPW website to confirm your area’s leaf collection dates;

• Move vehicles from curb lanes to help ease the leaf vacuum collection process;

• Rake leaves to the curbside or tree box at the front of the residence the Sunday before the scheduled leaf collection date;

• Remove all cans, bottles, sticks, toys and debris from your piles of leaves—these items can damage equipment and prevent safe and proper collection

For more information, please visit dpw.dc.gov/service/leaf-collection

5Zaicoria McLean, a 9th grader at Bell Multicultural High School presents a project she worked on with Laylah Malloy and Teresa Jimenez, 11th graders at Jackson Reed High School to Mayor Bowser and Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Christina Grant, at the District’s Advanced Technical Center at Trinity Washington University in Northeast on Nov. 14. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

Southeast Community Fights to Reclassify Public Charter Schools

Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

For months, residents of Randle Heights in Southeast have appealed to the D.C. Office of Zoning to reclassify public charter schools as private schools in its regulations.

This endeavor comes at a time when residents continue to speak out against Lee Montessori Public Charter School's plans to expand its East End campus, portions of which neighbors charge have already encroached on their properties.

Residents said that because of its zon ing classification as a public school, Lee Montessori leased the plot of land at 2345 R Street SE from Eagle Academy Public Charter School and proceeded to enhance the building without prop erly consulting with them.

In October, the D.C. Office of Zoning denied Randle Heights resi dents’ appeal to reclassify public charter schools as private schools. The zoning board’s rationale centered on the asser tion that charter schools functioned as public institutions.

Key organizers have since countered that ruling, saying that the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) and District's public charter schools have independent boards that allow them to function as private institutions, and should be designated as such.

"I see all the time when people talk about charter schools like they’re not public schools, and even the charter schools try to distance themselves from DC Public Schools when it’s conve nient," said Camille Joyner, a Randle Heights resident of eight years.

If the zoning board reclassifies Lee Montessori as a private school, it along with Eagle Academy and other public

charter schools would be required to engage residents in surrounding com munities about ongoing construction projects taking place on private prop erty.

While Joyner acknowledged that Lee Montessori hosted engagement meetings last fall, she said leadership hasn't been explicit about their plans to expand the school, nor have they rec tified the fallout from a change Eagle Academy made to the neighborhood.

Shortly after occupying 2345 R Street SE, Eagle Academy removed a tree line. Joyner said that Lee Montes sori didn’t follow through on assurances that they would erect a fence in place of the tree line so that a border clearly divided the property and surrounding homes.

What residents saw instead were walls of gabion -- steel and mesh boxes filled with rocks and concrete. That sce nario, Joyner said, further highlighted the need for community involvement in the construction and expansion of Lee Montessori.

"We want them to follow the same rules private schools would when they’re building in our community," Joyner said.

Over the last few years, residents in Wards 7 and 8 have pointed out the increasing presence of charter schools, and other neighborhood schools, in their communities. When DCPCSB released its strategic roadmap last year, officials announced that new District public charter schools wouldn’t open until 2024.

The East End campus of Lee Mon tessori opened in the fall of 2020. This happened after the charter board and other agencies approved its lease with

Faith And Health Leaders Working to Protect The Health Of Our Community During This Holiday Season

Submitted by LCHC

The Leadership Council for Healthy Com munities (LCHC) invites you to a superb faith and holiday health event—The Hope and Wellness Summit!

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 1PM - 6PM

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church 4611 Sheriff Rd NE Washington, DC 20019

Along with Choose Healthy Life, the co-sponsor of this wonderful event, we will give away turkeys; teach healthy holiday meal preparation; provide health screenings; and offer free COVID vaccinations. Local health experts will bring you a phenomenal educa tional session focusing on diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and COVID. What’s more, we will provide a rich spiritual menu for your soul with gospel performances. All of this at no cost to our community!

LCHC is made up of a group of more than 40 DC churches. We are dedicated to transforming the health of our community through the power of faith and engagement. To bring this spectacular event to the com munity, we also are partnering with the Black Coalition Against COVID and other health providers.

As pastors and leaders of LCHC, we recognize and accept our responsibility to protect the spiritual and physical health of our community. We are motivated in this event by our understanding of the serious consequences of in creasing levels of diabetes and obesity in our congregations and in the larger DC community. We are also especially concerned with the predictions of another COVID winter surge as new variants of the virus make their way to our city and as people begin to congregate together indoors in response to the colder weather.

We urge everyone, but especially our seniors and those who are immunocompromised, to take advantage of the free vacci nations provided at our event. We want our congregations to be able to gather in church safely and have safe home holiday gatherings during this celebratory season. Let us be sure not to give the gift of COVID this holiday season!

We look forward to seeing you on November 22nd and we pray that each one of you has a healthy and spiritually uplifting holiday season!

For more informa tion, visit hopeandwell ness.eventbrite.com.

5Lee Montessori Public Charter School

5 Special performance by the stellar, award-winning gospel artist, Y’Anna Crawley

5 There will be a Covid Friendly Turkey Giveaway

of unlimited possibilities

Through Project UP, Comcast is committing one billion dollars to reach millions of people with the skills, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed in a digital world and build a future of unlimited possibilities.

No, Not Trump Again

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump announced that he will seek the Repub lican nomination for President in 2024. Yes, he believes American voters will grant him a second term.

Never mind his behavior when he ran for office in 2017, or the insulting attacks on people, including some of his closest associates, while serving in office. His misrepresen tations of facts and false statements were beyond belief. His alliances with white suprem acists and Black apologists are disgraceful. And, the most unbelievable assertion he wants Americans to believe is that he is capable of making America great again.

Trump’s inaction to the January 6 insurrection he instigated by being a sore loser demonstrates his threat to democracy. The theft of secret documents he took from the White House shows the danger he represents to U.S. security. The blind eye he insists on keeping to the risks associated with climate change is dangerous to future generations. And, his lies about supporting police, when several lost their lives at the hands of his bul lies who launched an attack on the Capitol, is indefensible. He said in his speech that he took quick action when Americans faced a killer virus. He joked about Biden’s missteps, but does he not remember his own when he refused to believe the science about the dangers of COVID-19 or when he questioned whether drinking bleach would protect one from getting the virus?

Where has he been over the past few days as his party leaders analyze and accept that he stood in the way of the Red Wave on November 8? And, how dare he mention Nancy Pelosi’s name without acknowledging the violent attack on her husband that was un doubtedly politically motivated and inspired by his actions and words.

Last week’s voter turnout showed that Americans are optimistic and believe there are reasons to be proud of who we are. The outcome of a midterm election was historic, proving that Trump’s effect on voters is waning. It’s too bad that he wants to send the entire country through another two years of his same old mess. Few have the stomach for it. For now, voters will have to wait and see who their choices will be when they go to the polls again in 2024.

WI

Black Friday Blues

As we approach Black Friday, it is imperative that Black shoppers take stock of them selves and their budgets rather than running head-first into “bargains of the moment.” Every year, the day following Thanksgiving opens the floodgates to year-end shopping and promotion of price-slashed goods just in time for the Christmas.

The term ‘Black Friday’ maintains several rumored origins, but most believe it is de rived from the businesses operating at a financial loss, or “in the red,” until the day after Thanksgiving, when massive sales finally allow them to turn a profit, or put them “in the black.” While the most profitable day for major retailers remains the Friday before Christmas, the “in the black” story remains most popular.

There were 155 million shoppers in the United States on Black Friday in 2021 and shoppers spent $8.9 billion online during Black Friday in 2021. In 2014, Black con sumers were predicted to lead all holiday spending by shelling out 17 percent more than other racial groups, and 42 percent of shoppers say they regret buying at least one item during Black Friday.

Historically, Black Friday was first believed termed so in 1869 when Wall Street fi nanciers Jay Gould and Jim Fisk attempted to corner the nation’s gold market at the New York Gold Exchange by buying as much of the precious metal as they could. They intended to send prices skyrocketing, and become wealthy in the process. On Friday, September 24, President Ulysses S. Grant intervened, collapsing their plans and the stock market.

The lesson learned from both origin stories: most sure things and bargains are too good to be true. With political and economic insecurity rising, this year African Amer icans may need to err on the side of caution and resist unnecessary purchases. If you purchase a product you do not need, is it really a bargain? If the holiday is to celebrate the birth of Jesus for you, try focusing on serving the poor or others in need. Consider writing your spouse a love poem or “gifting” a Saturday of alone-time where you take the kids, pets, phones, and potential distractions away. Corny? Perhaps, but the energy bills for this winter arrive just days after Black Friday. WI

Congratulations to Wes Moore for becoming the first Black governor in Maryland’s history, and here is to more to come!

Linda Gentry Silver Spring, Md.

Readers' Mailbox

TO THE EDITOR

Shout out to the Washington Informer for such a phenomenal issue last week cov ering D.C., Maryland, and Virginia elec tions. I loved everything about it, from the pictures to the bevy of information on our newly elected officials and what’s what on the political scene. Keep up the great work!

Mozine McVay Washington, DC

The Washington Informer welcomes letters to the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to: lsax ton@washingtoninformer. com or send to: 3117 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20032. Please note that we are unable to publish letters that do not include a full name, address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you.

Election Reflections — Ignore the Pollsters, Challenge the Democrats

To let the pollsters tell it, Democrats were going to get a "drubbing" or a "shellacking" just like the one President Barack Obama experienced in 2010 when Dems lost 63 Congressional seats and 6 Senate seats. In contrast, Demo crats seem to have gained one Senate seat, and the Georgia runoff may push the number up to two. There was no "red wave," hardly even a red puddle. Despite President Biden's tepid ratings

and economic uncertainty, Democrats did not do badly. As of this writing, the partisan makeup of the House of Rep resentatives is up in the air, but even if Republicans take the House, they'll hold onto it only narrowly. Republican control of Congress will, of course, be a blow to the African American com munity as key committees are chaired by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Rep. Bobby Scott (Va.) in Education and Labor, Rep. Maxine Waters (Calif.) in Finan cial Services, Rep. Bennie Thompson

(Miss.) in Homeland Security, and others.

The 2022 midterm elections remind us that pollsters spew nonsense and raise questions about the very nature of polling. It makes me wonder if the corporate media collaborates with poll sters to maintain the status quo. The pollsters take to the airwaves predicting, among other things, a red wave. Does it encourage people to stay home or to get out to challenge the polls? When the drip, drip, drip of negative polls is reported as "breaking news" almost ev

ery hour on the hour, what impact does it have on the electorate? Who are these pollsters talking to anyway? How many people? What demographic? What methodology? Are they doing internet polls? Are they properly sampling Black people? Are they stuck in the dark ages of landline phones (many people don't have landlines)? Polling methodology is replete with possible errors, and the voters highlighted those. No red wave, just a red puddle. The whole polling en terprise needs to be reexamined.

The Democratic Party also needs to

Seven Top Takeaways from This Year's Midterms

As the dust settles on the midterm elections and the warnings of a "Red Wave" evaporate, it's time to take a deep breath and take stock of what we've learned. There are many take aways from the elections this year — and here are a few that top the list for me.

If there's one thing that's crystal clear by now, it's that elections don't end on Election Night. With more mailin ballots to count and plenty of close

races, it's normal to wait a few days for final results. So don't listen to folks who say there's something suspicious about vote counts that take a while. There isn't. We have to be patient and make sure every vote is counted.

Another development is that early voting is here to stay. One day before the election, nearly 41 million Amer icans had cast early ballots. Georgia broke its all-time record for early votes. Again, there have been some fearmon gers out there throwing shade on early voting, as if it's somehow not the norm. Ignore them too. Early voting is totally legitimate and a great idea. Do it if you

can.

By now we've all seen the attempts by far-right activists in Arizona to scare people away from early voting, by camping out fully armed near drop boxes. We have to recognize that the Right may become more aggressive in its efforts to suppress the vote. The Jus tice Department stepped in this time to protect the vote and it will have a role to play in protecting it in the future; we should expect and welcome that.

These are all aspects of the new nor mal in our election process. But what about the issues? What are the take aways there?

Making History with Wes Moore

Maryland is unique in many ways. While it is one of the smallest states in the nation, it is also the wealthiest state in America for 2022. It has the highest median household income in the country at $86,738. While Maryland is the second state with the highest percentage of millionaires per capita, the state's wealth is not just exclusive to white communities. For decades, Prince George's County

has carried the unique distinction of being the country's wealthiest ma jority-Black county. Data shows that the title of affluence now belongs to neighboring Charles County.

Many people may disagree totally with Republican Gov. Larry Hogan on policy, but there is a sense of re lief that Hogan has shielded the state from the full impact of the MAGA movement and spared Maryland from the type of toxic and racially di visive politics usually associated with the current state executives in Florida and Texas.

During a speech earlier this year, Hogan, who has always been a critic of former President Donald Trump, said he thinks Trump's potency would wane if candidates backed by the for mer president start losing in prima ries and the midterms in November. We are now in November, and that is exactly what we are seeing. Hogan argued that voters want someone who offers "a hopeful, positive vision" be cause they are "completely disgusted with the toxic politics and they're sick and tired of all the lies and excuses."

Unlike Florida and Texas, Mary

There's no question that Americans came out in force to support reproduc tive freedom. In state after state where measures on abortion rights were on the ballot, people voted to uphold those rights. In California, Michigan, Vermont, Montana, and even deep-red Kentucky, voters came out for the free dom to control their own bodies.

Abortion rights were also among the top issues motivating voters to go to the polls. Exit polls show inflation topped the list with abortion second — and way ahead of crime, which the Far Right had hoped to use as a winning issue against progressives. Of course,

be examined. It relies on African Amer ican people as its base, yet it is expert in ignoring Black people when dis tributing resources. Organizations like the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, Black Voters Matter, and other independent organization get less support for the Democratic Party than they should. Further, Democratic indifference or belated focus on Black candidates has affected the outcome of the midterm elections.

the Right's spin — that progressives' only answer is to "defund" police — was never accurate anyway, and we shouldn't ever let that argument about public safety stand. Progressives have plenty of alternatives to offer when it comes to public safety and ending po lice violence. We need to be more clear and more forceful in making that case.

As for election deniers on the bal lot, it comes as a relief that some of the loudest and potentially most dangerous ones were defeated. Yes, it's true that a significant number of them won or

land is a deep-blue state with a 2-to-1 margin of Democrats. For Hogan to have won the election in 2014 and then reelection in 2018, the moderate Republican was able to put together a coalition of Republicans, indepen dent voters, suburban women and crossover Democrats. Many of those crossover Democrats were Asian, Lati no and Black voters.

Hogan, who is term-limited, re fused to support the Republican can didate in this year's governor's race to succeed him. He described the Trump-endorsed Republican guber

natorial nominee as "a QAnon whack job" unfit for office. Many Maryland voters agreed, instead electing Dem ocrat Wes Moore, who became the state's first Black governor.

The governor-elect had a resound ing victory, winning 60% of the vote. He is also the third Black person ever elected governor of a U.S. state since Reconstruction. Doug Wilder of Virginia and Deval Patrick of Massa chusetts were the first two. As a Dem ocrat, Moore assembled a similar

Guest Columnist

Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

Guest Columnist

David W. Marshall

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

When Student Loan Repayments Resume, Will Problems Return, Too?

nation's 44 million borrowers.

Although a college education is strongly believed to be the bridge to a better life, building financial security is a long way off for millions of gradu ates beginning their careers with heavy student loan debt. Fortunately, a near two-year pause on federal student loan payments has enabled many borrowers to diminish other debts in the interim. But the amount of time it will take to eliminate the combined $1.6 trillion of student loan debt weighs heavily on the

New research by the Center for Re sponsible Lending (CRL) finds that the disproportionate level of debt incurred by students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is delaying the pursuit of wealth-building options, despite federal programs specifically designed to ensure that student loan re payment will not be akin to a 30-year mortgage.

"HBCU students receive less institu tional aid and are more likely to take out loans than their peers at non-HBCU institutions," said Christelle Bamona,

researcher at CRL and co-author of the report. "While President Biden's recent historic student loan relief plan will ben efit millions of federal student loan bor rowers, including HBCU borrowers, policymakers must now work to reverse the systemic underfunding of HBCUs and increase the purchasing power of the Pell Grant, among other reformative measures."

To capture this stark financial dilem ma, CRL utilized a combination of data analysis and focus groups comprised of HBCU borrowers that together depict how nationwide HBCU attendees and

Remembering Rev. Calvin O. Butts

When I was about 7 years old, my family and I were visiting New York City and attending a large worship service at historic Abyssinian Baptist Church when I let go of my mother's hand in the bustling crowd on the way to the balcony and suddenly became separated from her. I was overwhelmed with panic and fear. But friendly peo ple summoned an usher who took me down to the pulpit, where the preacher embraced me and asked the congre

gation if anyone knew this child. My mother, who was frantically searching for me in the balcony, stood and said yes, and another usher quickly reunited us. I can still remember how terrifying it felt to be lost. But I also remem ber how adults at Abyssinian Baptist Church immediately surrounded me with care and concern, reassured me they would take care of me, and did not let go until I was safe.

Adults at Abyssinian Baptist Church have been a haven of care and safety for children in their Harlem communi ty for generations. They have done so under the leadership of giants like Rev.

Adam Clayton Powell Sr., Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Rev. Samuel De Witt Proctor, and, for the past 33 years, Rev. Calvin O. Butts III. Rev. Butts was a good friend, a powerful preacher, a leader devoted to positively uplifting the Black community, and an effective voice for civil rights. When he passed away on Oct. 28, we lost a champion for justice who had a transformative impact on his city and community.

Rev. Butts understood what it meant to grow up in New York City. As a child he lived in public housing in Man hattan's Lower East Side and then in Queens before attending Morehouse

alumni collectively owe a record $40 bil lion dollars in student debt, with an av erage debt load at graduation of $32,373 – 19% higher than their peers at non-HBCU institutions. This research was completed prior to President Biden's announcement of loan forgiveness.

According to the new report, "Pay ing from the Grave," among the nearly 280,000 HBCU students enrolled in more than 100 institutions, 70% are eli gible for Pell Grants. Although the max imum $6,500 Pell Grant has remained the same since 1980, the percentage of its actual financial assistance shrinks

with every passing year due to decades of rising college costs.

For example, during the 2019-2020 academic year, the average Pell Grant was only $4,491 while the average tui tion, fees, room and board at a four-year institution that same year was $29,436. Due to a lack of family wealth, 60% of HBCU families have no means to contribute any funds at all toward a stu dent's college expenses.

As a result, the financial pressure to begin post-graduation loan repayment

College on a scholarship. After gradu ating from Morehouse, he returned to New York to pursue a master's degree in divinity from Union Theological Seminary, followed later by a doctor of ministry degree from Drew University. It was shortly after he entered semi nary at Union that he was first hired by Rev. Proctor to serve at Abyssinian. He served first as a youth minister and then as assistant and executive minister before succeeding Rev. Proctor as Abyssinian's Senior Pastor in 1989.

Social outreach, social uplift, and neighborhood involvement had been priorities for Abyssinian since its found

ing, and by the late 1980s the needs in its Harlem community were obvious and great. Some of Rev. Butts' most significant impact came through the Abyssinian Development Corporation, which was created the same year he became pastor as a not-for-profit com munity and economic development corporation that would help the church respond to his call to "rebuild their community brick by brick and block by block," with a mission to "increase the availability of quality housing to people of diverse incomes; enhance the deliv

Ensure Access to Pharmacist Services in D.C. to Improve Health Equity

The worst public health crisis in a century has focused a harsh light on the inequities in our nation's health care delivery. Washington, D.C., is a prime example. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the District’s racial and eth nic minorities, elderly, and low-income communities have experienced more severe health effects and difficulty ac cessing health services.

Fortunately, a vital lifeline has helped

fill these needs: local pharmacies, where many find services to protect them selves from the deadly virus and other health complications. But that very re source could be threatened when health authorities lift the COVID-19 public health emergency as soon as early Jan uary. Congress should take immediate action to ensure patients have longterm access to essential services provid ed by pharmacists, such as testing and vaccination for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Here in D.C., income, housing, and transportation tell much of the story

about the gaps in health access and equi ty. The median income for the District’s white households is $50,000 greater than that of Hispanic households and $40,000 more than that of Asian Amer icans. Over the past three decades, the city’s African American population has dropped nearly 20 percent as families move to more affordable areas. A larger percentage of Hispanic (34 percent) and African American residents (27 percent) than whites (14 percent) rely on public transit to commute to and from work, however, Hispanics and African Amer icans are underrepresented in neigh

borhoods near rail stops. These factors help explain why Hispanics and Asian Americans in D.C. show a significantly higher infant mortality rate and why Af rican Americans in D.C. have the lowest life expectancy and highest prevalence of chronic disease conditions.

The prevailing disparities in our city have impacted health outcomes throughout the pandemic. Although African Americans comprise 45 percent of the D.C. population, they make up 75 percent of its COVID-19 deaths. Hispanic and Asian American people are at one and a half times greater risk of

COVID-19 infection than White peo ple, and Asian American, Hispanic, and Black people are about twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as their White counterparts. The largest proportion of African Americans in D.C. live in wards 7 and 8, which respectively have the highest and second highest area depriva tion index, a multidimensional measure of socioeconomic conditions linked to health outcomes. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the District’s elderly residents identify as African American,

Guest Columnist

Marian Wright Edelman

Michael Kim

Charlene Crowell

LIFESTYLE

A Road Down Memeory Lane in one ‘Night at Café Society’

Performers Pay Homage to Pianist and Activist Hazel Scott

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

Washington Performing Arts brought the 1930s the 40s supper club era back to life with “A Night at Café Society,” recently presented at Bethes da Blues and Jazz. On the menu were an array of talented artists setting the tone for a night of entertainment rem iniscent of an era of early integrated clubs in New York. This production was co-curated by Karen Chilton and

Murray Horwitz and headed by Eric E. Richardson, supervising producer at Washington Performing Arts. The team recreated a setting like what audi ences enjoyed in Greenwich Village or the Upper East Side, where entertain ers of all races brought joy to audiences of all races.

“A Night at Café Society” was Washington Performing Arts’ second production taking audiences into the world of Hazel Scott, a phenomenal jazz and classical pianist, singer and ac

tivist. She used her platform as an en tertainer to advocate for equal justice. Scott was also in the limelight with her marriage to Harlem Baptist minister and U.S. Representative Adam Clay ton Powell, Jr.

“We want people to think of Hazel Scott when they think of the women of that era who stood up,” Richardson said. “People instantly think of Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, or Josephine Baker. Hazel stands right there with them, but she’s never given the credit that she’s due.”

LET THE SHOW BEGIN

The right tone at Bethesda Blues and Jazz was established with come dian and MC Mark Gregory. When asked to host “A Night at Café Society,

Gregory did his research.

“It was an honor, and I had a good time. When I saw a video of Scott playing two pianos at once, that was amazing,” said Gregory, nephew of legendary comedian and activist Dick Gregory. “These people would not have been in this room if it were not for arts and entertainment. That’s what brought us together then and now.”

Coming to the stage was one out standing talent after another, each one delivering their specialized brand of en tertainment. Music director/drummer Chuck Redd led the house band. With Redd were pianist Warren Wolf, bass player Blake Meister, and tenor saxo phonist Lyle Link.

Opening the show with a solo pi ano number was pianist, composer, vocalist, arranger, producer, conduc

tor, and arts educator Damien Sneed. Justin Trawick, a versatile guitarist and vocalist, wearing one of the best-look ing hats ever, was a delightful croon er. Trumpeter and composer Etienne Charles played cool jazz sounds for the receptive audience. Anthony “Tony” Walker, another fantastic pianist, also delivered smooth sounds. He is also the music director for Washington Performing Arts Men, Women, and Children of the Gospel Choirs. What would a club show be with out some dancing? That was supplied by tap dancer and actor Baakari Wild er. The smooth, stylish dancer brought thrills to the audience that went back to his Broadway role in the tap musi cal “Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk.” Wilder spoke about his ap proach for “Café Society.”

“From a theatrical level, I’ve been fortunate to have studied with those pioneers who are no longer here,” said Wilder, a DC-area native, local college professor, and tap instructor in subur ban Maryland and Virginia.

LADIES TAKE THE STAGE

Female vocalists also made their mark during “Café Society.” Nova Y. Payton, one of the top musical theater singer-actors in the metro DC area, sang a stunning rendition of “Strange Fruit.” The familiar song is primarily associated with Billie Holiday, but Pay ton’s arrangement put her multi-oc tave range on full display.

“It was a Joseph Joubert arrange ment from “3 Mo’ Divas, a show I did in 2008,” Payton said. “He put the song together like an aria, which he called a lament.”

Wrapping up the evening was a powerful vocalist, keyboardist, and composer, Sheléa, who has performed with industry legends Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and David Foster. Opening with the songs “Misty” and “Night and Day,” Sheléa’s voice wowed the audience and kept the theme of the evening in the right place. Things got a little off-track when she asked for audience suggestions. Moving back to where she felt more comfortable, the end of her set ended with an Aretha Franklin tribute.

All-in-all, the audience had a good time reliving the days of a bygone era. The enthusiastic buzz as people left Bethesda Blues and Jazz was about wanting to see the next event that hon ors the Hazel Scott era. Learn more about performances at Washington Performing Arts at https://www.wash ingtonperformingarts.org. WI @bcscomm

5 Singer Nova Y. Payton was one of the performers in the production “A Night at Café Society” at Bethesda Blues and Jazz. Accompanying Payton were (L-R) pianist Warren Wolf, bass player Blake Meister, music director/drummer Chuck Redd, and tenor saxo phonist Lyle Link. (Brenda C. Siler/The Washington Informer)

New Netflix Cocktail Competition Crowns a D.C. Bartender “Ultimate Drink Master”

Two Black women—Kapri Robinson and Lauren “LP” Paylor O’Brien, who won the show—represented DC among 12 contestants from around the U.S. and Canada.

Kayla Benjamin WI Contributing Writer

At three in the morning on October 28, Lauren “L.P.” Pay lor O’Brien was binge-watching a just-released Netflix show. Un like the rest of us, O’Brien wasn’t indulging her laziest late-night habits. She was celebrating a huge victory.

On the couch eating Dunkin’ Donuts with her husband in the middle of the night sat the first Ultimate Drink Master, crowned as such on the new Netflix cocktail competition show “Drink Mas ters.” O’Brien, one of two Black women bartenders from D.C. among the 12 contestants, earned the title and $100,000 in prize money after a series of intense time-based challenges.

On-screen, she murmurs, “Oh God, that’s wild,” upon hearing her name announced in the final episode. For the last challenge, contestants created a three-course cocktail menu based on a theme. O’Brien’s menu centered on con

necting her personal experiences to the broader African American ex perience in food and beverage.

“I had to represent myself in a way that is truly authentic,” she said later in an interview. “It’s such a stressful situation—I’m getting emotional as I’m saying this, but it was so hard. And I’m really proud of what I was able to put out.”

Even before the Netflix show’s release, O’Brien was no stranger to the national spotlight: she served as the official bartender for the 2022 Emmy Awards, and Wine Enthusi ast named her to its 2021 40 under 40 list. She co-founded a wellness advocacy company for bartenders called Focus on Health. She runs L.P. Drinks Co., a business offering beverage consulting and cocktail classes, among other services.

She’s since competed in—and judged—a number of other cock tail competitions. In 2019, she won a cocktail competition hosted by DMV Black Restaurant Week.

O’Brien said she partly credits

MASTERS

5 Lauren “L.P.” Paylor O’Brien. Photo courtesy of Netflix.

Cécile McLorin Salvant Brings Together Jazz and Theater

“Ogresse” is a Woman’s Tale with All the Consequences

Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

The superior voice of Cécile McLorin Salvant has something to say about women, their paths, and the occasional dire straits along the way. That is what I got from “Ogresse.” It’s a one-person canta ta that is a 90-minute continuous, no-breaks tale that Salvant per formed recently at the Kennedy Center.

“Ogresse” was co-commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and the John F. Ken nedy Center for the Performing Arts. Through a provocative de scription, the production has been succinctly described as “She falls

in love. She eats the guy. She dies.” That’s a deep visual.

Earlier this year, during its de velopment, I questioned Salvant about this creative journey for “Ogresse.” It was originally framed as a “multimedia, animated inter pretation project of the true story of Sara Baartman, a 19th century South African woman taken to Europe, put on display, and now stands as a symbol of colonialist, racist and sexist exploitation.”

That’s not what audiences saw at the Kennedy Center. There was another “womanist” tale that Sal vant presented. For me, Salvant has always reached beyond what we thought a woman’s jazz voice is.

On stage, Salvant was dressed in a gold/bronze caftan, wearing

a crown of leaves. Her fingers and long nails looked that like talons. It appeared she was a goddess. When singing the lyric “I’m big; I’m happy,” I felt I heard a “take me as I am” attitude to how she or any woman might be viewed. The man-thing dealt with the struggle of the departure, then he comes back. There are so many layers to Salvant’s composition and lyrics. Some were funny, and some my mind received as, “Oh, she went there!” I loved it because it was a tale with chapters that many women have lived.

Salvant was accompanied by a 13-piece orchestra that included a few non-traditional orchestra instruments that were effective in punctuating words and emo tions. The use of the banjo, tuba, and congas marimba meshed with the string Mivos Quartet accented confusion at specific points. The fable blended folk, baroque, jazz, and country genres in this fable story. Darcy James Argue, the ar ranger and conductor, has traveled with Salvant on this trek.

Like so many, I became familiar with Salvant’s jazz stylings when she won the 2010 Thelonious Monk Competition. I saw her em body so many classic female jazz voices. Whenever she journeyed to the D.C. area, I ensured I was

in the audience. She has won three consecutive Grammy awards. In 2020, Salvant received the MacAr thur Fellowship and the Doris Duke Artist Award. Then I read she had skills as an illustrator and was working on “Ogresse.” Obvi ously, her dream evolved.

I sense “Ogresse” is still a work in progress. It will continue to evolve because Salvant’s voice, vision, and storytelling capabilities stay fluid. Learn more about Cécile McLorin Salvant. https://www.cecilemclo rinsalvant.com WI @bcscomm

5 Cécile McLorin Salvant stars in her creation “Ogresse” performed recently at the Kennedy Center. (Courtesy photo/Jati Lindsay)

D.C.’s ‘Busy Bee’ to Reopen Holiday Shopping Extravaganza After Two-Year Hiatus

‘Shop ‘til Ya Drop’ Gift and Art Show Marks 30th Anniversary on Black Friday, Nov. 25

D. Kevin McNeir Special to The Washington Informer Sponsored by BZB International

Yes, it has been confirmed!

The Annual BZB ‘Shop ‘til Ya Drop’ Holiday Gift and Art Show will reopen for its 30th anniversary on Black Friday after being closed for two consecutive sea sons because of the COVID-19 pandemic

And the always “busy” businesswoman and founder of the highly-anticipated event, D.C.-based philanthro pist Juanita “Busy Bee” Britton, said she can hardly con tain her excitement.

“I’m thrilled that shoppers and many businesses who have been hanging on and doing their best to survive can see that I’m doing all I can to bring a sense of normalcy back to the industry,” Britton said.

“In spite of the current turbulent economy, I receive hundreds of inquiries about the event –YES, they are coming back! And I’m pleased that shoppers will spend their hard-earned dollars with the artisans and entrepreneurs who will be featured,” she said while noting that about 22 of the 75 participating retailers have been with her since 1990.

Britton, an unyielding advocate of the Buy Black Movement and the genius behind what’s been described as the “largest African-American Department Store on the East Coast,” said she’s poised to help all minority businesses make up for several years of lost revenue.

“More than 41% of Black businesses nationwide had to close because of the pandemic,” Brit ton said. “Many are struggling but are surviving. I’ve been doing this show annually because I love my community and I want our businesses to thrive. But my ultimate goal remains to bring diverse groups of people together and persuade consumers to spend their dollars with Black businesses on quality merchandise.”

The “Shop ‘til Ya Drop” weekends, which attract thousands of shoppers from around the DMV and the country, kick off on Friday Nov. 25 with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting led by “Busy Bee” who will be joined by special guests and leaders from the DMV’s political, business and social arenas. Even D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who recently achieved the same success of former Mayor Marion Barry, being elected for a third term, both of whom have given their unwavering support of Britton and small businesses in the past, has been invited to join in the celebrations on Friday.

Shopping will take place on more than 100,000 square-feet of space inside the Shiloh Family Life Center at 1510 9th Street NW, three blocks north of the Washington, D.C. Convention Center, with hours scheduled from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Nov. 25 and 26, continuing every weekend of the Christmas holiday season through Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.

“Where else can you find a warm holiday cultural atmosphere with a unique collective of jewelers, artists, interior designers, indigenous products, crafts from women’s cooperatives, wood carvers, Black designers and DMV-based businesses such as Ida’s Idea Boutique, Shukri’s Gold smiths, Kuumba Kollectibles Greeting Cards, Pyramid Books, Unitees – even psychologists and health technicians – all from throughout the African Diaspo ra?  Britton asked.

“This is a celebration and we’re inviting everyone to come out and ‘Shop ‘til Ya Drop’ because it’s that time of year,” Britton said adding that ad mission to the event remains the same as it’s been for the past 30 years: A SMILE.

And to express her thanks, she will give the first 100 people who come out on Black Friday $25 to ‘Shop ‘til Ya Drop!’ at the Hol iday Gift and Art Show.

“I want to bless others just as the Universe has blessed me,” she said.

For more information, call 202-550-7060 or visit www.bzbinternational.com.

A AZZY HOLIDAY

TRUMP from Page 19

fact that Donald Trump and the Trump Organization engaged in sig nificant fraud to inflate his personal net worth by billions of dollars to enrich himself and cheat the system illegally,” James stated.

“Since we filed this sweeping law suit last month, Donald Trump and the Trump Organization have con tinued those same fraudulent prac tices and taken measures to evade re sponsibility. So today, we are seeking an immediate stop to these actions because Mr. Trump should not get to play by different rules.”

Last week, reports again surfaced that Trump appeared at “substantial risk” of criminal prosecution over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.

According to an October 2022 report from the Brookings Institu tion, which based its findings on “publicly available evidence,” Trump and his supporters could face several election-related criminal charges in Fulton County.

“This is not a game at all,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said earlier this year.

“What I am doing is very serious. It’s very important work. And we’re going to do our due diligence and make sure that we look at all aspects of the case,” Willis said.

Meanwhile, the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrec tion has also subpoenaed Trump, who has thus far ignored the inquest.

Still, committee leaders expect to hand their findings over to the federal prosecutors next month, and Trump could face charges that include inciting a riot and possibly treason.

Five people, including two police officers, died during or just after the insurrection, which featured an angry mob of Trump supporters at

tacking the U.S. Capitol.

The mob, many of whom left a Trump rally and heard the thenlame duck president urge them on. Insurrectionists sought out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice Pres ident Mike Pence in particular, even threatening to hang Pence.

Ahead of Trump’s announcement, Rhode Island Democratic Rep. Da vid Cicilline circulated a letter to his caucus urging his colleagues to sup port legislation barring the former president from running for office.

Cicilline cited the 14th Amend ment of the U.S. Constitution.

“The language in our Constitu tion clearly intended to bar insurrec tionists from holding high office in the United States,” Cicilline cited in the letter first reported by Politico’s Nicholas Wu.

“Given the proof – demonstrated through the January 6 Committee hearings, the 2021 impeachment tri al, and other reporting – that Donald Trump engaged in an insurrection on January 6 with the intention of overturning the lawful 2020 election results, I have drafted legislation that would prevent Donald Trump from holding public office again.”

Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Rom ney appeared on national television encouraging his party to move on from Trump.

“It’s like the aging pitcher who keeps losing games,” Romney said.

“If we want to win, we need a dif ferent pitcher on the mound. And, I know there are some fans that love him, but it’s time for him to get off the mound.” WI

@StacyBrownMedia

“The language in our Constitution clearly intended to bar insurrectionists from holding high office in the United States,” Cicilline cited in the letter first reported by Politico’s Nicholas Wu.

11/11

Honoring those who serve 24/7

With over 200,000 veterans and service men and women reentering the workforce each year, Bank of America is supporting the unique needs of our heroes as they transition to civilian life and careers.

Some steps we’re taking to support veterans and military members:

• Offering free online resources through BetterMoneyHabits.com on topics specific to them, from home buying to retirement

• Expanding the number of financial centers near military installations to address the needs of military customers

• Continuing our hiring momentum — more than 15% of our new hires are military veterans

My teammates and I here in the DMV are proud to support our military service men and women, especially as we celebrate Veterans Day. Thank you for your service.

Lawrence Di Rita President, Bank of America Greater Washington D.C.

What would you like the power to do?

Learn more at bankofamerica.com/washingtondc

®

Bank of America, Better Money Habits, Mejores Hábitos Financieros and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender © 2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever: Marvel delivers a marvelous sequel

Black Panther 2: Wakanda For ever is an action-packed film about the fictional nation Wakanda and its fight with outside world powers.

As Wakanda mourns the loss of its King T'Challa, also known as Black Panther, another world power, Talo kan, rises and becomes a potential threat. The underwater city is full of Vibranium, once known to only be found in Wakanda. It is also home to the film's antagonist and Marvel's first mutant, Namor. The leaders of Wakanda and Talokan struggle to find a peaceful solution to their issues which soon causes war before even tually identifying their true common enemy.

The two-hour and forty-one-min ute film is the second longest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, time flew by as it brilliantly found a way to engage viewers. Ryan Coogler was the film's director and the first Black director to make a billion-dol lar grossing movie when he directed the first Black Panther. This new film also performed very well in its box office debut weekend, bringing in roughly $188 million in ticket reve nue. It was the best film opening in November ever. In an interview with IMDB, Coogler stated that he "near ly stepped back from the movie and filmmaking as a whole after Chad wick Boseman's death due to how emotionally painful it was losing his friend/hero."

The cast of the film did an amaz ing job, as well. Lupita Nyong'o, Angela Bassett, Dania Gurira, Leti tia Wright, and Florence Kasumba portrayed remarkable women leaders and warriors for Wakanda's army. Dominique Thorne, who plays Iron heart, shows that while she is a stu dent, she is also an inventor who can be just as ingenious as other Marvel characters, like Ironman. In an inter view with IMDB, Dana Gurira, who plays Okoye, general of the Dora Milaje, the elite group of all-female

warriors for Wakanda's special forces, highlighted, "the realization of how you can put women in these roles on these big platforms and they transfer to everybody. We don't have to worry about you not being the right race or gender to play a heroic role."

There was also a lot of represen tation of the Mesoamerican culture in the film. The Talokan cast had to learn Mayan for their roles. Mabel Cadenda, who plays Namor's cousin Namora, explained to Gizmodo, "To me, it's crazy because I can find in the movie the little things from my Mexican culture. And if you hear the Mayan language, it's like, 'Oh my God, can you believe we have repre sentation for the first time in a movie like this.'"

Since a large part of the Black Pan ther 2 was filmed underwater, the cast had to take swimming lessons to prepare for their roles. Tenoch Huerta, who plays Namor, didn't even know how to swim when he was offered the role. Also, Mabel Cadena explains that she learned to hold her breath for up to six minutes compared to her thirty-second max before preparing for her role.

I was a fan of the original Black Panther movie, but this is my top film. I enjoyed the special effects, the character costumes, and the storyline. The music was also very entertain ing. I am looking forward to getting the soundtrack that includes artists like Rihanna, Tems, Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, Tobi Nwigwe, E-40, and others. Even though Chadwick Boseman's character will be greatly missed, the film did a great job of keeping me fully engaged in the new story. If you are a fan of the original movie, I believe you will also become a fan of Black Panther: Wakanda For ever. WI

3 Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda in Wakanda Forever (Courtesy photo)

LIFESTYLE

Kapri Robinson, another D.C. contestant on “Drink Masters,” for initially nudging her onto the craft cocktail scene in 2017 with an in vite to a whiskey conference called Camp Runamok.

“After being a part of that, there were a lot of opportunities that came my way, specifically from individuals that I’d met at Camp Runamok,” O’Brien said. “It was so great to be on the show with Kapri, considering she really is the reason why I delved into craft cocktails.”

Robinson has loomed large on the D.C. bartending scene for years. In 2017, she won the title of Cocktail Queen in the wom en-centered, D.C.-based Cocktail

Queen Competition. The follow ing year, she organized the first Chocolate City’s Best, a nonprofit that hosts a cocktail competition attended by bartenders of color from all over the country.

“I started to feel like there was a place for me to help Black and brown folks in the industry grow,” Robinson said.

Chocolate City’s Best, unlike many cocktail competitions, focus es heavily on providing contestants with educational and networking opportunities like mentorship, classes, and distillery tours.

“The point of it is to real ly show that there’s a limit or bounds to what you could do in this industry,” Robinson said.

“Chocolate City’s Best is a really beautiful community and a real

ly beautiful network now.”

In addition to running CCB, Robinson bartends at Allegory, a ritzy spot in the Eaton hotel, and co-hosts a podcast about the food and beverage industry called Soul Palate.

Though eliminated on “Drink Masters’” fifth episode, Robin son still had time to represent the District with a twist on a gin rick ey—D.C.’s official cocktail.

“It was honestly really cool that L.P. and I were the ones to be able to represent the city,” Robinson said. “Black women in hospital ity, in general, have had such an important part to play but haven’t had that much representation. To be able to be a part of a new history being written is mind-blowing.” WI

5 Kapri Robinson. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)

creator of comic strip would have been 100 years old on November 26, 2022. Find out more about this legendary cartoonist on today’s Kid Scoop page!

Later in life, Schulz became one of the world’s most successful cartoonists. But as a young man, he had a hard time finding a newspaper or magazine to buy his comic strip. He worked odd jobs to pay his bills.

During World War II, Charles was drafted into the United States Army. He brought a sketch pad and kept on drawing.

When he came home to Minnesota, he got a job teaching at the art school where he had studied. It was there he met a man who would become a friend for life. The letters on the correct path reveal his name.

celebrate the fact that

In 1947, the St. Paul Pioneer Press bought his comic strip, which was called Li’l Folks name was ___________ to because another comic strip had a name that was too ___________.

From that small start, Peanuts became very ___________. It was eventually _____________ in more than 2,600 newspapers and 75 countries!

Charles Schulz wrote and _______ every single Peanuts comic strip himself for the next 50 years, inspiring generations of __________ cartoonists.

Erase or white out the words in the bubbles in a comic strip in today’s newspaper. Write in new words for the characters to be “saying.”

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

Because so many hockey, the U.S. Hockey Growing Charles used hit tennis grandmother’s mother helped pads out rolled-up inside. His rink in their Charles and hockey whenever even by Charles’s his entire all In 1969, closed, Charles opened the Arena Santa Today, called and is Charles

How many you nd hockey

The Peanuts characters were so popular that they were made into books, TV shows, a musical stage show, greeting cards, toys and even movies! Circle every other letter to find out the name of the first Peanuts television special, which aired on CBS in 1965. To learn more visit www.schulzmuseum.org

– CHARLES M. SCHULZ

Charlie

KID SCOOP IS SPONSORED BY

LIFESTYLE

review wi book

"Vigilance: The Life of William Still, Father of the Underground Railroad"

By Andrew K. Diemer

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

You can't just sit around.

You can clearly see that people need help, they need someone, and you are in a position to lend a hand. It's going to take some organizing to do it right, but that's OK. You can't do it alone, and that's OK, too. People need what you have to offer, and so you step in and step up. In the new book "Vigilance" by Andrew K. Diemer, such efforts save lives.

Peter Freedman wasn't sure whom to trust.

His journey was almost over, but he wasn't in the clear: after months of toil, he'd finally purchased his freedom, though he wasn't able to free his wife or children. That would come later; meanwhile, his arrival in Philadelphia was part of the plan.

When he was a small boy, he and his brother, Levin, had been sold away from their parents, probably in spite. For more than 40 years, Peter promised himself that he'd remember his parents' faces but there were so many freed people and fugitive slaves in Philadelphia, so many unfa miliar faces, that he scarcely knew where to look.

Imagine his shock when a stranger brought him to the Anti-Slavery Society office, and the clerk there turned out to be William Still, a broth er that Peter never knew he had!

Still entered the world in the fall of 1821, the youngest of 18 children born to a former slave and a fugitive slave, neither of whom ever turned away anyone who needed help. As a boy, Still received an incomplete education; later, an employer made sure he learned the basics, which were all he needed to land jobs that would help move people along the Underground Railroad, to freedom and safety.

Still's steady trustworthiness placed him in positions to make hun dreds of contacts on the Railroad, including Harriet Tubman, John Brown, newspapermen, allies, social activists and others.

His knowledge allowed him to work for freedom long after the Civil War ended, and some months into the 20th century.

In almost every way, "Vigilance" is a big bite to eat.

It starts out with an astonishing story that captures a reader's inter est fast, a tale that even author Andrew K. Diemer's subject used as a touchstone throughout his life. Alas, your interest may wane, and pretty quickly: there are dozens and dozens of people to keep track of through out the pages of the main story here, as well as a clutter of too-detailed locations, somewhat random players, and other small items of seemingly little consequence to the tale.

And yet, readers won't get entirely lost. Diemer peppers his book with stories of bravery and heart-stopping escape, slaveowners outwitted, and fugitives with the powers of observation and enormous patience. These tales are irresistible, and they give readers reason to stick with a book that can sometimes feel a bit arid.

Should you decide to tackle "Vigilance," the best advice is to give yourself time. The book fairly demands that you do, lest you be more tempted to just let it sit around. WI

horoscopes

ARIES You might find it easier than usual to dive into a work project with your eye on the prize when the week begins. Your commitment is steadfast, and you'll be willing to put your heart into the nit ty-gritty details, as well as your nose to the grindstone to get it accomplished. Also, the stage is set for a creative collaboration with colleagues or friends. Lucky Numbers: 10, 15, 21

TAURUS At the start of the week, the cosmos throws a wrench in an interaction with higher-ups or an ongoing project. Either way, you could be caught off guard. As a creature of habit, you might be ag gravated by this out-of-the-blue surprise. Do your best to go with the flow and see how change might actually make you more productive and lead to recognition. Lucky Numbers: 2, 10, 29

GEMINI You could be feeling driven to commit even further to your closest relationships and thinking about what needs to be done to elevate your connections when the week starts. Any emotional chal lenges that arise now could feel like nuisance, but being willing to step up and do the work necessary to strengthen your attachment can ultimately be deeply fulfilling. Lucky Numbers: 7, 9, 25

CANCER In the beginning of the week, the stage is set for you to put in the work to make your one-onone relationships thrive. If you need to have a difficult conversation with a close friend, colleague, or significant other, the energy of this moment sets the tone to step up and do it to the best of your ability. Lucky Numbers: 3, 9, 36

LEO You'll do well to join forces with friends, colleagues, or your significant other to make strides on a group effort as the week starts out. You might be wearing your heart on your sleeve at the moment, but this sensitivity can also lend itself to being especially self-expressive and effective in sharing what's in your heart as well as the stage with others! Lucky Numbers: 13, 21, 35

VIRGO At the start of the week, the cosmos lays the groundwork for you to get even more in touch with your romantic fantasies and daydreams. Instead of brushing them under the rug in an effort to stay on a practical path, you'll do well to let your mind wander and play in the deep end of your imagination. What you land on could end up bringing you even greater satisfaction from your closest one-on-one relationship. Lucky Numbers: 5, 17, 29

LIBRA You could tap in to your imagination and spirituality for clues on how to bolster your work/life balance on a daily basis as the week begins. Your empathy and sensitivity are also bound to be firing on all cylinders, but it might also be tough to nail down how the people you encounter regularly are truly feeling. Hold off on taking action until you gain clarity. Lucky Numbers: 10, 22, 24

SCORPIO You'll be craving lighthearted, joyful interactions with loved ones when the week begins. Allowing yourself to get swept up in the moment and connect on a more spiritual, magical level with others can be truly healing and fulfilling. Also, you'll do well to guard yourself against taking on other people's negative emotions as your own. Instead, staying centered regarding how you feel while show ing compassion can preempt stress and burnout. Lucky Numbers: 25, 37, 47

SAGITTARIUS You'll want to apply a burst of youthful, playful energy to your closest bonds in the be ginning of the week. Taking the initiative comes naturally. Lucky Numbers: 6, 12, 34

CAPRICORN You might butt heads with loved ones or a significant other as the week starts. Confusion and other stressors feed into your short temper, making it tough for you to take a step back, take a deep breath, and then resume any conversation that ended up getting heated. But if you can make that happen, you could preempt impulsive words and actions. Lucky Numbers: 13, 18, 46

AQUARIUS At the start of the week, you could be caught off guard by a shifting tide with loved ones or your home environment. Finding that you have to contend with this out-of-the-blue situation is sure to get under your skin, but, if you can, try to do your best to embrace the bumpy road for what it is and what you might be able to learn from it. Later, you can breathe a sigh of relief as you get back into a fitness routine you had to pause or clear up misunderstandings with coworkers. Lucky Numbers: 14, 17, 30

PISCES It wouldn't be surprising if you felt inspired and confident when it comes to pitching a creative project as the week begins. Lean in to this artistic energy and you could come away from the moment feeling truly accomplished. Later, if you've had to deal with setbacks and delays related to dates and opportunities to express what's in your heart, you can now look forward to finding new ways to infuse everyday life with fun, joy, and pure magic. Lucky Numbers: 4, 5, 23

5

14. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

3Terry McLaurin (17) catches a deep pass during a Washington Com manders win over the Philadelphia Eagles 32-21 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Nov. 14. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

6 Curtis Samuel (10) stiff arms a defender during a Washington Com manders win over the Philadelphia Eagles 32-21 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Nov. 14.

(Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

4 Brian Robinson Jr. (8) swarmed by defenders during a Washington Com manders win over the Philadelphia Eagles 32-21 at Lin coln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Nov. 14. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

A Commanders fan celebrates a touchdown during a Washington Commanders win over the Phila delphia Eagles 32-21 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Nov.

5 Antonio Gibson (24) jumps past the goal-line for the touchdown during a Washington Commanders win over the Philadelphia Eagles 32-21 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Nov. 14. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

CAPTURE

For more photos, visit www.washingtoninformer.com

the moment

PORTRAIT OF A NATION

by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery

Seven honorees received the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery museum’s Portrait of a National Award for their contributions to the United States. (All Photos by Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

5 Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ5th District) on the red carpet with the children and grandchil dren of Marian Wright Edelman, who received an award presented by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

4 Tennis champion Serena Williams with Ava DuVernay, and Venus Williams on the red carpet.

3 Award recipient, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health.

5 David Rubenstein and his escort on the red carpet. Rubenstein presented the award to Fauci.

5 Martin Luther King III and his wife Arndrea Waters on the red carpet.

RELIGION

Shiloh Baptist Honors Nurses and Veterans on Sunday

R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

Military service and faith marked the occasion last Sunday at Shiloh Baptist Church, where congregants observed the 122nd anniversary of its Nursing Unit and the 20th anniver sary of Veterans Recognition Sunday.

Rear Admiral Barry Black USN (ret.) opened the doors of the church following his sermon titled, “Stand Your Ground Against the Devil.”

The Shiloh gospel choir members sang, “I Am on the Battlefield for My Lord.”

Nurse Juanita I. Coyle Bailey R.N. welcomed visitors. Throughout the service, members who served as nurs es and veterans stood as they were recognized.

Rev. Wallace Charles Smith, senior pastor of Shiloh, said, “Let us express our heartfelt congratulations to our veterans and our nurses on this, their annual celebration.”

Lt Col. Barbara Hatcher USA (ret), a nurse and a veteran, said the nurses at Shiloh have served selflessly

for more than a century.

Hatcher was a registered nurse working on her Ph.D. at George Ma son University when she was called to join the 115th Mobile Army Sur gical Hospital of the D.C. National Guard. Her destination was the Per sian Gulf.

“When we were called up, I thought it would backfill and sup port the nurses at Walter Reed, but this would be a different type of nursing,” said Hatcher, who, within weeks, would be aboard a military plane headed to Saudi Arabia.

“Many people in my unit were leaving their jobs, their children, and I had to leave school,” said Hatcher, who will never forget the six months she spent working in a combat field hospital.

“The most shocking thing was be ing in a country that you knew noth ing about and having the skud mis siles fall around you in the evening,” said Hatcher, adding that she is still close to many nurses to this day.

Captain Charles D. Smith, US

Navy (ret.), commissioned on No vember 3, 1972, at the United States Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, is credit ed with establishing the program to honor the nurses and veterans of the church.

“Nothing but my faith in God that has allowed me to do what I do,” said Smith as he talked about his reason for honoring Hatcher and the other nurses and veterans.

“The Black church communi ty produces its share of nurses and armed service personnel who bat tle illness, disease, discomfort, and hostile forces at home and abroad,” Smith said.

Shiloh Baptist Church, located and 9th and P Streets, N.W., was founded amidst the turmoil of the Civil War in 1863 by a group of 21

Melvin Foote, president of the Con stituency for Africa, Dr. E. Faye Wil liams, national chair and CEO emeri tus of the National Congress of Black Women; Maurice Mitchell, director of the Working Families Party; and the Rev. Sheridan Todd Yeary, former senior vice president of the National Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition.

Journalist Roland Martin and Dr. Julianne Malvueaux, president emer itus of Bennett College for Women, moderated the two-hour discussion, while Dr. Ron Daniels, president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, provided commentary that channeled the energy of esteemed an

cestors Dr. Patricia Newton, Dr. Fran ces Cress Welsing, and John Henrik Clarke, among several others.

As one of the youngest panelists, Mallory served as a bridge between the elders who understand the im portance of voting and many of her contemporaries who question elec toral politics. Part of her organizing strategy, Mallory said, involves ral lying for change among the grass roots and raising funds for local and state-level causes.

“It comes out sometimes as peo ple saying they don’t want to vote, but they are really saying that they want something different,” Mallory said. “I take on the role of explain ing the power in our vote but un

derstanding that the vote alone isn’t a tool. There must be something in this moment that speaks to who we are as a people today.”

Dr. Williams didn’t mince words as she called for unity and coalition building like what she saw decades ago. In her comments, she evoked the legacy of her friend, the late co median and activist Dick Gregory. She also lamented Black people’s waning support for Kyrie Irving, a professional basketball player who’s come under fire recently for posting a movie on his social media page that Jewish leaders have described as antisemetic.

“We need to return to that unity,” Williams said.

formerly enslaved people from Fred ericksburg, VA, who came to D.C.

under the protection of the Union Army.

Reverend Thomas Bowen, minis ter of Social Justice at Shiloh and the director of the D.C. Office of Reli gious Affairs, said Shiloh was found ed by formerly enslaved people with “the stains of the Civil War on their brow. Thank you, nurses, for provid ing resources to veterans to meet their needs.”

“Service means giving to others so their lives can be enhanced,” Smith said. “We have a wonderful opportu nity to celebrate men and women in union, be it in the church or a nurse.”

“We can’t afford to lose our history because there are people who want to take it away from us,” Smith added. “People don’t realize all the sacrifices that veterans make.”

WI

“We’ve got to stop saying that young people aren’t doing anything. The young people showed up. It’s not just about voting power. The most important thing is to form co alitions and work with each other,” Williams added.

Mitchell echoed Williams’ sen timents in his comments that elic ited accolades from James Early, a cultural educator who, with other featured guests, delivered responses to the presentations. Three Howard University students were included among them.

Throughout the evening, Mitch ell criticized the Democratic Party for shaping economic policies that increased the wealth gap. As an or

ganizer, he advocated for the need to build outside of the two-party system and leverage power so that a multi-racial conglomerate of work ing-class people, with Black people at the base, can effectively shape policy.

“Neoliberalism is not an econom ic strategy that’s good for Black peo ple,’ Mitchell said.

“We can’t join the elite white folks and turn our backs on working-class Black people. We need to have an international, gender, class and race analysis. We need to develop an in dependent Black agenda so we can join coalitions from a standpoint of power.” WI

@SamPKCollins

Hamil

5 (L to R) Rev. Wallace Charles Smith, senior minister Shiloh Baptist Church, U. S. Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry C. Black, Deacon Charles D. Smith, and other military veterans celebrate the 122nd anniversary of its Nursing Unit and the 20th anni versary of Veterans Recognition. (Courtesy photo/Hamil Harris)

“Nothing but my faith in God that has allowed me to do what I do,” said Smith as he talked about his reason for honoring Hatcher and the other nurses and veterans.

Sam Ford, WJLA TV-7 Bu reau Chief, journalist and history maker will be the guest speaker for Men's Day at All Nations Baptist Church, Sunday, November 20, at 10:00 AM where he will address the topic: Reclaim Your Brother. He will be followed by a panel discussion on the topic: “Go Get Your Brother.” All Nations is lo cated at #2 Rhode Island Avenue, N.E. The pastor is Reverend Dr. James Coleman.

The panelists will include (Ret.) Judge William Alexander, Ward 5 attorney Bradley Thomas, ANC Commissioner Gordon-Andrew Fletcher, Esq., executive director of the D.C. Department of Em ployment Services and chair of the DC Democratic Party for Ward 5; Triston Elliott, a long-serving member of All Nations and a Navy veteran for the Submarine Unit; and Men's Day Chair Reverend Hugh Terry.

Tune in this Friday, November 17 at 6:00 PM to hear more about Men's Day on The Lyndia Grant Show - Think on These Things. My guests will include our pas tor, Dr. Coleman, accompanied by Dr. Karen McRae, the first female to serve as National Pres ident and CEO of the National Organization of Concerned Black Men (CBM). Thanks for the 47th Annual Awards Dinner invite, Dr. McRae. It was fantastic! Allow

the religion corner

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Go Get Your Brother: A Men's Day Message

me to share a little about the CBM Annual Awards Banquet hosted annually.

Invited to cover this event for the Washington Informer News paper, the dinner was held in Ha nover, Md. Capitol Hill Police Of ficers Harry Dunn, Byron Evans, Eugene Goodman, Sgt. Aguillino and D.C. MPD Detective Michael Fanone were honored. Other hon orees included the family members of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25 year old Black man killed while jogging in a neighborhood in Glen Coun ty, Georgia. The two white men charged with murdering Arbery were sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 8 and a third man was sen tenced to 35 years in prison.

The National Organization of Concerned Black Men’s Annual Awards Dinner was yet anoth er outstanding example of our theme for the All Nations Baptist Church’s Men’s Day - “Go Get Your Brother!” I’m happy to share this news with readers.

Maryland Governor-Elect Wes Moore recently reported that Maryland has the highest arrest rate/imprisonment record for Black men in the entire country, and Mississippi is second. He said on Reverend Al Sharpton’s TV show, “We’re going to do some thing about this.” Moore is a Rhodes Scholar, military veteran, family man, and speaker extraordinaire who gets his point across. He cares about all people, and he has experienced what it’s like to be a Black Man living in the City of Bal timore.

I’ve been reading a book written by Moore in 2011 titled: “The Oth er Wes Moore – One Name, Two Fates.” In short, the Baltimore na tive juxtaposes his life with another young man

with the same name, Wes Moore. The other Wes Moore went to prison for murder. This was an in cident that occurred when Moore was a young man, but he wanted to know more about this other young man with the same name who lived on the same street, only a few blocks away.

Wes Moore got to know the im prisoned Wes Moore. He wrote letters to the other Wes Moore, he went to the prison to visit him. Governor-Elect Wes Moore had a natural instinct, even when he was a young man. He is yet another example of our theme “Go Get Your Brother.”

My sorority sister Saymendy Lloyd is someone who has worked with men and women in the pris on system over the years. She told me, “I have to attend your Men’s Day for two reasons. One, because your pastor invited me, and sec ondly,” she said, “I have to support Judge William Alexander because, in court, he has reduced the pro bation of people in my program over and over again, giving them a second chance.”

This is her way to say thank you to Judge William Alexander. Though Judge Alexander is retired now, he is also an excellent exam ple of our theme: “Go Get Your Brother! WI

Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor

9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743

Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM

Communion: 1st Sunday

Sunday School: 9:00 AM

Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com

Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com

Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Blessed Word of Life Church

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax Service and Times

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor

700 Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849

Service and Times

Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00 AM

5th Sundays: 9:30 AM

3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 PM www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464

Service and Times

Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., Pastor

2498 Alabama Ave., SE Washington D.C. 20020

Office: (202) 889-7296 / Fax: (202) 889-2198 www.acamec.org

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00 AM

Sunday Church School 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30 AM

2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00 AM

Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30 PM

Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00 AM

“The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

Third Street Church of God

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032

(202) 562-5576 (Office) / (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

Services and Times

Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services

Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power

“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555

Services and Times

Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45 AM Church School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45 AM

Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute

Wednesday , 12:30 PM Mid-Day Bible Study

Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 PM Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30 AM

“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org / E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office / 202-638-1803 fax

Services and Times

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM

Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org

Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

800 Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

Service and Times

Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 AM

Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00 PM

Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 PM

Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00 PM

Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment

E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org / “God is Love”

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002

(202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM

Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE

5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services

Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM

Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org emailus@gmchc.org

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018

Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM

Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM

Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM

Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM

Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us...

Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews

St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011

Services and Times

Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wed. Noon Day prayer service

Thur. Prayer service: 6:45 PM

Thur. Bible Study: 7:15 PM

7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Turning Hearts Church

Virgil

421 Alabama Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032

Phone: 202-746-0113

Fax: 301-843-2445

Service and Times

Sunday School: 10:15 AM

Sunday Worship Service: 11;15 AM

Children’s Church: 11:15 AM

Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 PM

Motto : “A Great Commitment to the

Great Commandment”

Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: gr8luv4u2@gmail.com

(Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM

Communion every Sunday: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 10:00 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 PM

Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org / Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com

Reverend Dr. Paris L Smith, Sr. Senior Pastor

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411

Fax (202) 682-9423

Service and Times

Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM

Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM

Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM

Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM themcbc.org

Reverend John W. Davis

Pastor

5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011

Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays)

Communion 10 a.m. 4th Sunday

Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.)

Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

“A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

Mt. Zion Baptist Church headline and photo for

- MALCOLMX DAY

John F. Johnson

Reverend Dr.

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Service and Times

Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m.

Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday

“Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

Crusader Baptist Church Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Pilgrim Baptist Church

The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

Covenant Baptist United Church  of Christ

Campbell AME Church

Twelfth Street Christian Church

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Zion Baptist Church

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor

4850 Blagdon Ave, NW Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773

Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study

7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church

Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis

Pastor

1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM

Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun.

Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

Service and Times

Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM

Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM

Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM

Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM

Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration

Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com

All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Israel Baptist Church

Rev. Lance Aubert

Imterim Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM

Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730

Service and Times

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM

Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 AM

Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 PM

“Where Jesus is the King”

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office / (202) 678-0885 – Fax

“Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . 100% Forgiven!

Service and Times

Sunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:45 AM

Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30 PM Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00 PM www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001

Church (202) 667-3409 / Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 / Fax (202) 483-4009

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 AM

Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 AM

Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 PM

Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 PM

Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 PM

Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert

4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184

Service and Times

Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM

The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM

A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Noontime Bible Study: Tuesday @ 12:00pm

Prayer Meeting/Bible Study: Tuesday @7:00pm

Theme: "Building On A Firm Foundation"

Email: revprbstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002

202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM

Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM

Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Damion M. Briggs Pastor

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

Service and Times

Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM

Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

Foggy Bottom Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW Washington, DC 20037

Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958

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

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

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Service and Times

Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

New Commandment Baptist Church

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor 13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

Dr. Joseph D. Turner / Senior Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 Fax 202-678-3304

Service and Times

Early Worship Service: 8:00 AM

Worship Service: 11:00 AM

New Member’s Class: 9:45 AM

Holy Communion: 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM Church School: 9:45 AM Wednesday 12:00pm Bible Study

Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: 7:00 PM Saturday Bible Study: 11:00 AM

Baptism 4th Sunday: 11:00 AM

“Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Peace Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836

Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM

“The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Promised Land Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480

Fax: (202) 289-4595

Service and Times

Sunday School for All Ages: 8:00 AM

Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM

Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM

Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM

Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM

Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org

“Changing Lives On Purpose “

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator

6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065

Service and Times

Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 PM Friday Evening Service: 7:00 PM ; Last Friday

“…Giving Your Life a Meaning”

www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500

Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM

Prayer Service Bible Study

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018

Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738

Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Christ Embassy DC

Rehoboth Baptist Church

St. Matthews

Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

All Nations Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Senior Pastor

Shabbath Commandment Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Mount Moriah Baptist Church Eastern Community Baptist Church

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

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

Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Mack Daniel Mims Jr © ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ MACK DANIEL MIMS JR ", corp.sole Dba.: " MACK D MIIMS © ", MACK MIMS, MACK DANIEL MIMS , MACK MIMS JR, MACK D MIMS JR, MACK D. MIMS, JR, MACK MIMS ETAL, MACK MIMS ET AL, MIMS, MACK DANIEL, MACK DANIEL MIMS JR AND CRYSTAL NICOLE MIMS, MACK MIMS MIMS AND SON CONSTRUCTION,MACK MIMS GOT DA HOOKAH , having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwest ern 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 a: Moorish American, 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 de clare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that am: " Mack Daniel Mims Jr© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality Status Juris diction, shall be known as: " maat shujaa shabazz© ". 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: STATE OF FLORIDA BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTIS : STATE FILE NUMBER, 109- 1979-065532: " MACK DANIEL MIMS JR© ", is as a special deposit order, conveyed to " BMSM 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: " maat shujaa shabazz © ", nom deguerre: " Mack Daniel Mims Jr© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " BMSM 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 satisfac tion. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2022 ADM 001101

Gwendolyn Lucas

Decedent

Iris McCollum Green, Esq. 1714 15th Street, NW Suite B Washington, DC 20009 Attorney

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

Chall Lucas, Jr., whose address is 3618 S. Dakota Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representa tive of the estate of Gwendolyn Lucas who died on March 3, 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 5/3/2023. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Reg ister of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 5/3/2023, 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: 11/3/2022

Chall Lucas, Jr. Personal Representative

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

2022 ADM 001162

Estate of Harold J. Sarbacher

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Joseph Peter Drennan, Esquire for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representa tives. 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 August 8, 2010 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

Date of first publication: 11/03/2022

Joseph Peter Drennan, Esquire 218 North Lee Street, Third Floor Alexandria VA 22314-2631

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

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

2022 ADM 001087

Troy David White Decedent

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

Rosetta Frazier, whose address is 316 Peabody Street, NW Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Represen tative of the estate of Troy David White who died on July 11, 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 (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 5/3/2023. 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 5/3/2023, 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: 11/3/2022

Rosetta Frazier Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2021 ADM 001285

Brent Antonio Odom, Jr. Decedent

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

Zelphia Odom, whose address is 102 Jonquil Avenue, Hyattsville, Md 20785, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Brent Antonio Odom, Jr. who died on 2/19/21 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 5/10/2023. 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 5/10/2023, 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: 11/10/2022

Zelphia Odom Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Robert Ridley Decedent

Brian L. Kass, Personal Representative 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 434 Washington, DC 20008 Attorney

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

Brian L. Kass, whose address is 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 434, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Robert Ridley who died on December 30, 2020 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 5/10/2023. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Reg ister of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 5/10/2023, 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: 11/10/2022

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

2022 ADM 001072

Juanita Yvonne Warren Weathers aka Juanita Yvonne Weathers Warren aka Juanita Warren Decedent

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

Dorine M. Adams, whose address is 3206 Lassie Avenue, Suit land, Md 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Juanita Yvonne Warren Weathers aka Juanita Yvonne Weathers Warren aka Juanita Warren who died on 8/16/2022 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 5/11/2023. 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 5/11/2023, 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: 11/10/2022

Dorine M. Adams 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

2022 ADM 1139

Joe L. Greene Decedent

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

R. Denise Greene-Bryant, whose address is 5602 Preswyck Dr., Austin, Texas 78723, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joe L. Greene who died on January 10, 2021 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 5/10/2023. 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 5/10/2023, 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: 11/10/2022

R. Denise Greene-Bryant 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

2021 ADM 000406

Christine Winston aka Callie Winston Decedent

Valerie Edwards 1725 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

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

Shelia Winston-Graves, whose address is 711 Penn Road, Raleigh, NC 27604, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Christine Winston aka Callie Winston who died on November 27, 2020 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 5/3/2023. 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 5/3/2023, 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: 11/3/2022

Shelia Winston-Graves 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

2022 ADM 1145

La’Shawn Woodson Decedent

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

Taylor Woodson, whose address is 1015 Rhode Island Ave, NE, Washington DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of La’Shawn Woodson who died on February 26th, 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 5/10/2023. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Reg ister of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 5/10/2023, 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: 11/10/2022

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division

Brian L. Kass

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Taylor Woodson Personal Representative

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2022 FEP 127

August 3, 2020

Date of Death

Felicia Maureen Johnson Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESEN TATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. whose address is 1825 K Street, NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20006 was appointed per sonal representative of the estate of Felicia Maureen Johnson, deceased, by the Register of Wills for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on February 26, 2021.

Service of process may be made upon Edward G. Varrone, Esq. 1825 K Street, NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20006 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.

The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real estate.

441 Valley Avenue, SE; 208 Malcom X Avenue, SE; 1130 47th Place, NE. 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: 11/10/2022

Edward G. Varrone, Esq. Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2022 ADM 001172

Shirley L. Van Buren Decedent

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

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

Cheryl Van Buren-Smith, whose address is 1918 D Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Repre sentative of the estate of Shirley L. Van Buren who died on December 8, 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 5/10/2023. 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 5/10/2023, 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: 11/10/2022

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2022 ADM 001125

Lynne Michele Pena Decedent

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

Dorian Alan Pena, whose address is 6003 New Forest Ct. Unit 3, Waldorf, Md 20603, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lynne Michele Pena who died on September 25, 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 5/17/2023. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Reg ister of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 5/17/2023, 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: 11/17/2022

Dorian Alan Pena Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

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

2022 ADM 1069

Dewayne Cornelius Chisholm Decedent

William C. McCaskill 6448 Bock Road

Oxon Hill, Maryland 20745 Attorney

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

Deshaliah D. Jeffries, whose address is 3912 Regency Parkway, #305 Suitland, Maryland 20748, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Dewayne Cornelius Chisholm who died on June 4, 2020 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 5/17/2023. 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 5/17/2023, 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: 11/17/2022

Deshaliah D. Jeffries 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

2022 ADM 000851

Estate of Joseph Matthew Shea aka Joseph M. Shea

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Deanna C. Williams and William D. Shea 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: 11/17/2022

Jefferey K. Gordon 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700 Washington, DC 20015

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

20001-2131

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

Nina McCoy Hawkins, whose address is 309 Reid St. E Wilson NC 27893, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Harold McCoy who died on May 2, 2020 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 5/17/2023. 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 5/17/2023, 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: 11/17/2022

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2021 ADM 001449

Jacqueline Laverne Martin aka Jacqui Laverne Martin Decedent

Ashley E. Wiggins Griffin, Murphy & Wiggins, LLP 1912 Sunderland Place, NW Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

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

Juanita Waller, whose address is 748 Oglethorpe Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representa tive of the estate of Jacqueline Laverne Martin aka Jacqui La verne Martin who died on 11/11/2020 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 5/17/2023. 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 5/17/2023, 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: 11/17/2022

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

2022 ADM 000005

Clarence L. Muse aka Clarence Lee Muse Decedent

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

Roland S. Muse, whose address is 401 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Unit PH203, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Clarence L. Muse aka Clarence Lee Muse who died on September 30, 2021 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 May 17, 2023. 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 May 17, 2023, 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: November 17, 2022

Roland S. Muse 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

2022 ADM 000774

Frank Spellman Borris aka Frank S. Borris Decedent

Law Office of Robert P. Newman Robert P. Newman, Esquire 801 Wayne Avenue, Suite 400 Silver Spring, Md 20910 Attorney

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

Catherine M. Borris, whose address is 6705 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Frank Spellman Borris aka Frank S. Borris who died on 4/11/2017 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 5/17/2023. 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 5/17/2023, 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: 11/17/2022

Catherine M. Borris Personal Representative

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

Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: "Amy Shondel Nichole Hines© ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ AMY SHONDEL NICHOLE HINES ", corp.sole Dba.: " AMY S HINES © ", AMY SHONDEL NICHOLE HINES, AMY SHONDEL HINES, HINES AMY, AMY SHONDEL NICOLE HINES, AMY S HINES 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 a: Moorish American, 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 gov erning moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: " Amy Shondel Nichole Hines © ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: "Ceasia Djehuti © ". 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 pre serve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: STATE OF FLORIDA BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTIS : STATE FILE NUMBER, 109-88-004525: " AMY SHONDEL NICHOLE HINES © ", is as a special deposit order, conveyed to " DJEHUTI 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: " Ceasia Djehuti © ", nom deguerre: " Amy Shondel Nichole Hines© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " DJEHUTI 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.

Cheryl Van Buren-Smith Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR

Harold McCoy Decedent

Nina McCoy Hawkins Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Juanita Waller Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES

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

Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Derieka Valen cia Mahoney", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ DERIEKA VALENCIA MAHONEY ", corp.sole Dba.: " DERIEKA V MAHONEY© ", DERIEKA MAHONEY, Derieka Mahoney, Derieka V Mahoney, derieka v mahoney, derieka valencia mahoney, derieka mahoney, 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 affi1985rms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a:  Moorish American, 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 Con ventions 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 a:  Moorish American. I am that am: " Derieka Valencia Mahoney© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " deja songbird bleu ". 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: STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: STATE FILE NUMBER, 151 1985 - 002664: " DERIEKA VALENCIA MAHONEY© ", is as a special deposit order, conveyed to " Musiqal Babiez© ". 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: " deja songbird bleu© ", nom deguerre: " Derieka Valencia Ma honey ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " Musiqal Babiez© ", 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 satisfac tion. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2022 ADM 001147

Arnell B. Stewart Decedent

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

Chesterfield R. Stewart III, oldest son, whose address is 2308 Good Hope Road, SE Apt 40, was appointed Personal Repre sentative of the estate of Arnell B Stewart who died on March 12, 2021 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 5/17/2023. 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 5/17/2023, 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: 11/17/2022

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the people who are closest to the prob lems really are the best equipped to find the solutions.”

This profile is part of an ongoing se ries highlighting Black voices advocating for the Earth here in the District. If you would like to nominate someone to be fea tured, or just want to offer feedback, please reach out! I’m at kbenjamin@washing toninformer.com.

WI

Eagle Academy, which had originally planned to open its campus at 2345 R Street SE.

Years earlier, the first Lee Montes sori campus opened in Brookland in Northeast in 2014. Its name comes from Tahiira Lee, a D.C. native and proponent of Montessori education, along with Dr. Maria Montessori, the woman who pioneered teaching sci ence.

Students at Lee Montessori’s Brookland and East End campuses guide themselves in their education with the help of teachers, peers and the classroom environment. The curricu lum includes general education classes in addition to ‘specials” -- enrichment classes that students take across grade levels. Officials said the East End cam pus has reached capacity with an ev er-lengthening waitlist.

Chris Pencilkowski, Lee Montessori’s executive director and Title IX coordi nator, told The Informer construction will happen on the current property with no possibility of encroachment on neighbors’ space. He also said that he and his colleagues have collected com munity input and provided updates at monthly virtual meetings.

Pencillkowsi then recounted imple menting changes proposed by a traf fic consultant while offering to show interested community members the building inspections.In regard to the tree removal, Pencilkowsi said residents requested that task.

For the time being, community meetings have stopped, but not with out reason, according to Pencilkowsi. He said Lee Montessori had no up dates to provide at the time. However, he did hint at a reemergence of such gatherings.

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“We always welcome conversations on any specific concerns,” Pencilkows ki said. “We made the decision to ex pand together with our existing families (most of whom live in Wards 7 & 8), our staff, and our Board of Directors, and look forward to shaping the future of our vibrant community, together.” WI

@SamPKCollins

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ZONING

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North Carolina's senatorial candi date Cheri Beasley came within 3% of winning the election. Beasley got some Democratic Party support, but it was too late. In Wisconsin, Mandela Barnes came within 30,000 of winning, but a low turnout in heavily Black Milwau kee condemned Barnes to a loss. Could the Democratic Party have funded a ground game in Milwaukee? Did Mandela Barnes pay enough atten tion to his natural base? It's easy to do the Monday-morning quarterbacking about the midterm election. The pro cess of making the Democratic Party more responsive to Black people is

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kept seats in Congress and lower of fices, and that's deeply disturbing. But Doug Mastriano will not be governor of Pennsylvania, Tim Michels will not be governor of Wisconsin, and Tudor Dixon will not be governor of Michigan. Lee Zeldin will not govern New York, and Derek Schmidt will not govern Kansas. Election-denying candidates lost secretary of state races in Michigan, New Mexico and Min

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Hogan-type coalition, this time with Republican crossover voters.

The former Rhodes Scholar, com bat veteran, best-selling author, Wall Street money manager and former CEO of one of the nation's largest anti-poverty organizations is a new comer to politics. His internal polling last fall showed that he was the choice of only 7% of Maryland Democrats. Despite never holding an elected of fice, Moore was not completely un known in political circles. He was en couraged to run for office in the past — for mayor of Baltimore and for Congress after the death of longtime U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.

"When you meet Wes, you re member Wes," said former Maryland Secretary of State John Willis. Receiv ing the political endorsement of U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer never hurts. Nor does a celebrity en dorsement from Oprah Winfrey. His patriotism resonated with vot

KIM from Page 31 making them disproportionately more vulnerable to serious COVID-19 in fections and more reliant on available health care. The population of His panic Americans over 65 is expected to increase dramatically, from 8 percent

more challenging.

Many of us got tens of emails daily from Democrats asking for funds. It was always urgent, accompanied by the promise of a 2 or 3 or 4 times match. How much money goes to candi dates, and how much to pollsters and campaign consultants? How many of these consultants work for the Demo cratic Party, not the candidate directly?

I prefer to give my money directly to candidate websites and to support in dependent voter participation activities, especially those that target Black voters. Neither Democrats nor Republi cans have a majority among voters. Independent voters are unwilling to declare party allegiance, and often will ing to split tickets, responding to their

nesota. I'll go out on a limb and say I hope the Right is learning that election denialism is not a ticket to victory.

I've saved one of the biggest take aways for last, and it's one that's close to my heart. It's the importance of down-ballot races like sheriff, state representative, or city council person. These candidates don't get all the at tention and the big rallies like folks at the top of the ticket. But these are crit ical positions where a small amount of support can make a huge difference.

ers regardless of their political ideolo gy. Wes Moore loves his country, and it became an obvious fact to specific voters who are accustomed to Repub licans being the party promoting patri otism and love of country. He believes it is critical for the next leader of Mary land to articulate that no one political party or movement holds a monopoly over service to the country. He made it known that you can be both a proud Democrat and a proud patriot.

Moore reminded voters that it is the Democrats who are fighting to safeguard free and fair elections. Com pared to MAGA election deniers, the Democrats are true patriots. As a former Army captain, he ran his cam paign on the military slogan of "Leave No One Behind." Moore served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Di vision of the U.S. Army and was de ployed to Afghanistan in 2005.

"There was something that they taught us on our first day of military training, whether you were Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast

in 2018 to 22 percent of the population by 2060, which will lead to the need for additional health services.

Pharmacists are essential in bridg ing barriers to care for these vulnerable communities in the District. Despite socioeconomic challenges, more than

assessments of individual candidates, not party affiliation. This increasing independence, especially among young voters, poses a challenge to both parties. Both Democrats and Republicans are experiencing intraparty conflict, which, when combined with gerrymandering, has caused some Democratic losses in usually Democratic New York state. Ideological puritans say they won't vote for flawed candidates unless they get their way. They need to consider what happens when they fail to vote at all.

The 2022 midterm elections will be discussed until 2024. However, I hope the 2022 elections taught lessons. The Democratic Party must invest in its African American base. And all of us must ignore the pollsters. Wi

They're also the races where you'll find rising stars: people like Malcolm Ken yatta in the Pennsylvania House, Anna Eskamani in the Florida House, and Darrin Camilleri and Sarah Anthony in the Michigan Senate — part of a wave that flipped the state's senate this year. We need to pay attention to these races, and we need to support these young people who are our future.

Thanks for voting — this time and every time.

Wi

Guard … it was simple. Leave no one behind, ever," said Moore to a cam paign crowd. "If you get one of my people, I will send a battalion to go get them if I have to. We leave no one behind."

When we compare the over all wealth of Maryland to the de spair, abandonment and blight of crime-ridden areas within Baltimore City, the poorest residents are un doubtedly left behind. Only time will tell if lasting progress will be made in this area. As a Maryland resident, it is refreshing that the governor-elect un derstands the plight of the poor and the need to strategically provide state resources to localities in addressing the root causes of crime and public safety.

The expectations for Moore will be high as the first Black governor. It is not easy being the first Black in any endeavor. But with the help of a Democratic-controlled General As sembly, one can see Gov. Wes Moore sending the battalion to Baltimore. Wi

91% of seniors in D.C. have received a COVID-19 vaccine, many of them administered by pharmacists. Beyond the challenges of a pandemic, pharma cists throughout D.C. help residents to manage diabetes, cholesterol, and other KIM Page 54

leads to 60% of HBCU graduates taking jobs either outside their fields of study or accepting less desirable po sitions. Another 37% of these students either delayed continuing their educa tion or buying a home.

Gabriella, a focus group participant, shared the tough choices she faced post-graduation. Despite a dozen years of loan repayment, she still owes $100,000. As a nonprofit executive, she enrolled in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that affords public service employees loan forgiveness after making 120 qualify ing payments. She said she felt trapped because if she were to take a job in the private sector, she could forfeit future loan forgiveness.

"I do feel even though I am passion ate about the work that I do in non profit, I almost feel like I have to work

EDELMAN from Page 31

ery of social services, particularly to the homeless, elderly, families, and children; foster economic revitalization; enhance educational and developmental oppor tunities for youth; and build communi ty capacity through civic engagement."

The Abyssinian Development Cor poration developed and sponsored a Head Start program, the Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School, and the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, a state-ofthe-art public middle and high school facility which when it opened became the first new high school in Harlem in 50 years. They were buying and ren ovating housing in Harlem before it became fashionable, and their efforts to increase retail options and other op portunities for the community laid the cornerstone for the neighborhood im

KIM from Page 53

chronic ailments that require timely and accessible care.

Pharmacists established mobile vac cination sites to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tests and vaccinations in medically underserved and econom ically disadvantaged communities in the city. These efforts have been import ant in reversing trends during the first months of the vaccination program when highly vulnerable areas had lower COVID-19 vaccine coverage than oth er areas.

Pharmacists are a trusted, reliable, and accessible source of care to the District’s most vulnerable and under served communities and have answered the call to protect our neighbors from

in nonprofit in order to make sure that my student loans get paid off," Gabriella said. "So my career choices are limited. And even when I look for other jobs, I'm always trying to make sure they qualify for PSLF. … So I do kind of feel trapped in a sense to making specific types of professional decisions because of PSLF."

Receiving PSLF loan forgiveness has been a daunting effort for all students. According to CRL's report, between November 2020 and July 2022, the De partment of Education approved only 2% of PSLF forgiveness submissions. HBCU alumni contend and public enforcement actions show that student loan servicing errors are a significant con tributor to the program's failures.

The encouraging news from the report is that the extended payment pause provided HBCU graduates with much-needed relief and the opportuni ty to reduce debts.

provement that outside developers were joining by the 1990s in what became the new Harlem Renaissance. Under Rev. Butts' leadership the Abyssinian Development Corporation was respon sible for over $1 billion in housing and commercial development in Harlem.

While he was leading Abyssinian, Rev. Butts also served as president of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury for twenty years, expand ing the diverse public college's campus, graduate programs, and student enroll ment. Among his other positions he was President of Africare NYC, a mem ber of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, chairman of the Board of the National Black Leadership Com mission on AIDS, and co-chair of the African American Men and Boys Initia tive. He was also an outspoken critic of prolific alcohol and tobacco advertising in Harlem and other Black neighbor

COVID-19. But when the pub lic health emergency declaration for COVID-19 is lifted as soon as January, many patients who face socioeconomic barriers to care could be left in the cold. Pharmacists will no longer be autho rized to provide critical services that those in D.C. and around the coun try rely on in an already overburdened healthcare system.

Congress has an immediate oppor tunity to advance health equity and protect patient access for older Amer icans by supporting H.R. 7213. This bipartisan legislation would preserve patient access to pharmacist services for Medicare beneficiaries, such as testing and vaccination for COVID-19, in fluenza, and other infectious diseases.

"Our research also showed that the payment pause played an important role in borrowers' finances and mental health," said Lucia Constantine, a CRL researcher and report co-author. "The payment pause enabled 85% of HBCU students to make at least one positive, wealth-promoting financial choice, such as starting or building emergency sav ings and paying other debts. Borrowers also reported being better positioned to achieve long-term goals like homeown ership, pursuing further education, or starting a business."

CRL's report offers multiple rec ommendations to lighten the load of student debt, including holding preda tory student loan servicers accountable and doubling the Pell Grant program. Additionally, CRL calls for larger and sustained investments in HBCUs to increase grants and scholarships that would diminish the need for high-cost borrowing. Wi

hoods, violent and misogynistic rap lyrics, and other negative cultural influ ences, always striving towards better.

Ted Shaw, former president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) and a member of Abys sinian, noted that Rev. Butts worked tirelessly for decades to improve every aspect of life for people in Harlem with his genuine "love of Black people": "He was what W.E.B. DuBois called 'a race man.' He loved the struggle for equality, the literature and poetry of Black peo ple, the various genres of Black music, the ways of Black folk."

Rev. Butts loved his people, his con gregation, and his entire community. He was committed to working faith fully in many spheres to bring justice and opportunity to all of God's chil dren, and Harlem and New York were changed by his vision and service. Wi

beneficiaries maintain access to phar macist-provided services during future public health emergencies. According to a recent national survey, four in ev ery five older Americans want access to testing, vaccination, and treatment at the pharmacy during COVID-19 and other health emergencies.

Pharmacists in the District are not only a first line of defense for residents during challenging times, but also a trusted source of care and support to help them manage complex health needs. Lawmakers have an opportunity to ensure patients can continue to rely on local pharmacists for essential health services. H.R. 7213 represents a small but meaningful solution to improve eq uity and address longstanding health ac cess challenges in the nation’s capital. Wi