The Washington Informer - May 16, 2019

VOL. 54, NO. 31 • MAY 16 - 22, 2019

It’s Mental Health Month. Look for the Signs: Lend a Hand.

Capture The Moment Page 21

Howard’s Newest Graduates Continue a Tradition of Excellence Keynote Speaker, Alum Kasim Reed Reiterates the Mission to Serve

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir On a picture-perfect morning, replete with sunshine and blue skies, Howard University illustrated why it has long been considered one of the nation’s leading universities, race notwithstanding, awarding 2,293 degrees during the 151st Commencement Convocation, Saturday, May 11.

Included in the number of degrees conferred: 309 master’s degrees, 114 Ph.D.’s and 40 certificates. Howard University President, Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick proudly noted that among this year’s graduates, women comprised 67 percent of those earning their degrees. But he also reminded the audience about the important leg-

GRADUATION Page 22

5 A Howard University student from the graduation class of 2019 celebrates during the commencement ceremony held on Saturday, May 11. Howard University alum and former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed addressed the graduates. (Robert Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

Banneker Relocation, Modernization in Question

Students, Teachers Fight to Rally Council Support

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins As the D.C. Council nears the end of a budget process that will determine the likelihood of Benjamin Banneker Academic High School’s relocation to, and expansion on, the campus of the former Shaw Junior High School, Banneker supporters have upped the ante in their support of the multimillion-dollar proposal.

D.C. Council Cuts UMC, Bucks Banneker in Budget

Since converging Friday on the Wilson Building, students have spoken to six council members and staff members of five others as part of an effort to counter a belief that modernization alone would suffice, as expressed in a group of elected officials sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) this month.

For some Banneker students such as RuQuan Brown, relocation to a newly constructed, fully furnished high school 5 D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie meets with Banneker students on May

SERVICE Page 34 13. (Sam P.K. Collins/The Washington Informer)

The D.C. Council approved Monday a drastic reduction for the city’s only public hospital and rejected a top-ranked high school’s attempt to move to a new building during the first reading of the fiscal 2020 budget at the John A. Wilson Building in Northwest.

While the overwhelming majority of line items in the budget did not generate controversy, one regarding the United Medical Center (UMC), a taxpayer-funded, full-service hospital in Ward 8 that lies east of the Anacostia River, was an exception.

The council cut the subsidy for the hospital from $40 million a year to $15 million, and Ambrose Lane Jr., founder and chairman of the Ward 7-based D.C. Health Alliance Network, expressed his outrage.

“The management of the United Medical Center will not have to resort to staff cuts,” Lane said. “That will affect the health outcomes of residents who live in Wards 7 and 8.”

To some in the District, the UMC has become obsolete and a great deal of chatter throughout the city focuses on the proposed hospital that will be located on the St. Elizabeths East campus in Ward 8.

Council member Vincent Gray (D-Ward 8), chair of the council’s health committee and a strong proponent of a St. Elizabeths hospital managed by Universal Health Services, which also runs the George Washington University Hospital, authored the cut to UMC and got his wish.

BUDGET Page 38

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Women the Cycle of wi hotBreak topics Domestic Violence Bowser Awards $2.1 Maryland Officials

COMPILED BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR, WI EDITOR AND WILLIAM J. FORD, WI STAFF WRITER

Great enforcement. SheMillion said they in threat,” she said.Streets Discuss Roads law had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow Small Grants Improvement Project sense of uniformity in the way Business wants to see implemented are

By Tia Carol Jones WI Staff Writer

When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, thetheMaryland Department of old Officials daughter with told her father survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families a second hearings May ofTransportation her daughter held threatened herpublic “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a viclife, andGermantown the life of their 16 in on a child, proposedstory, planher to widen own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assessshe knew something95 had be in push parts of Interstates andto270 Princeforward,” George’s Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further done.

Out of hercounties. frustration and Montgomery The plan, by said endorsed about Marlow. training for law enforcement with enforcement's handling Davis-Nickens Gov.law Larry Hogan, calls for the establishment of said anyone agencies, a Child's Life Protecofa the situation, she decided to would who reads book will tion Act and mandatory counselpublic-partnership whose task be to Marlow's add start the Saving Promise cam“getand it.”includes She said she “puts the ing for batterers. four tolls lanes along both highways paign. in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiseven alternatives estimated to costcase nearly $10 bil“It seems to be a vicious cycle personbe can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must lion.

It’s uncertain where the tolls would located that won't predict turn my end of of therenoday, the book will look at both sides of the coin. but experts that family any combination loose,” said.

Marlow between help people need to addressrecently both theawarded vicDCa diaMayorWe Muriel Bowser vations Marlow could save commuters 45 andbegin 64 to have shared with audiaboutcould domesticover violence. tim inand theYear batterer,” Marlow $2.1 million Fiscal 2019 Great Streets hours her per story year on thethe road while logue motorists ence at the District Also present eventBusiness was said.

Grants to 45 local small businesses, save between $900 andHeights $1,250 annually, helpingat theSmall Domestic Symposium Mildred Muhammad, the ex- effortsMarlow wouldlocal alsobusinesses, like to see crecontinuing to support to relieveViolence congestion.

The three-member state on May 7 at the District Heights wife of John Allen Muhammad, programs designed to and raisegrow ate new job opportunities for residents Board of Public Works on which Hogan sits could Municipal Center. The sympo- who was sentenced tothe six District’s consec- emerging awareness among children proposin neighborhoods. Her vote on the plan as early as June. sium was sponsored by the utive life terms without parole public and private schools.

She al countered one supported by the DC City CounFamily and Youth Services by a Maryland jury forcilhiswhich role in feels be educatsought to children eliminateneed $2.1tomillion in funds Center of the city of District the Beltway Sniper for attacks in ed about domestic violence. related programs.

Heights and the National Hook- 2002. Mildred Muhammad “We the havesignificance to stop being Bowserishighlighted of thepasawards Up of Black Women. the founder of After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilin attracting and supporting small businesses.

Marlow has written a book, an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” “These are the types of programs that make our “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. economy more inclusive, help us build thriving restory about four generations of and their children.

Marlow hasand worked tail corridors across our city create to DCbreak jobs for domestic violence. The book is “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, DC residents – investing in them should be an easy inspired by her own experiences, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she she said during a press conference at Patand those of her grandmother, not an easy thing todecision,” come out is pushing for will start that rick’s Pet Care, a Ward 5, two-time grant recipient. her mother and her daughter. of,” she said. process.

This said year’s grant illustrate the diversity She said every time she reads Mildred Muhammad “I recipients plan to take these policies to of the District’s business community, from to dance excerpts from her book, she still people who want to help a Congress and implore them studiosmust and nail salons to pharmacies and can not believe the words came domestic violence victim change our laws,” Marlow said.event spaces.

Grantees in Ward 8 include: Check-It from her. “Color Me Butterfly” be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poli- Enterprises; Divine Medina Inc.; J&D Market; won the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand ciesStyles; are passed.” on the Ave;Tia andCarol Zemen. than $16 milBooks” Award. that she may be inSalon “survival JonesMore can be reached lion has been awarded to a total of 319 small “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net businesses helping my eye first blackened and my “Before you get to 'I'm going to create more than 1,000 jobs. lips bled,” Marlow said. to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI Elaine Davis-Nickens, president of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, said there is no consistency in the way domestic violence areCounty dealt Public with by 5 Princeissues George’s Schools Interim CEO

Goldson Proposes Raises for County’s School Employees

The Washington Informer Newspaper THE WASHINGTON INFORMER InPUBLISHER Memoriam NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Denise RolarkSr. Barnes published weekly on each Thursday.

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“

Legislation Forms Commission to Study Societal Forces Effecting Black Males We have to stop being

Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (FL-Dem.) recently passive-aggressive with poor introduced H.R. 1636, the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act of 2019 – legislation which establishes an advisory body children about domestic to study societal forces which have long resulted in a disproportionate number of adverse effects violence.

I plan take these to on Black males andto to make recommendations address them. Wilson and co-chairs Reps. Cedric policies Congress and Richmond, to Hakeem Jeffries, and Lucy McBath were among the speakers during a press conference Maythem 15 at the House which also featured implore to Triangle, change our Tracy Martin, father of slain teen Trayvon Martin and spokespersons from Wilson’s signature prolaws.

I 5000 will stop until gram, Role not Models of Excellence Project.

“Despite historic gains made in the last 50 years, Black policies males from all walks continue to face these areof lifepassed.

Prince George’s County Public Schools Interim CEO Monica Goldson recently announced a three-year, $46.5 million proposal that would increase salaries “frozen” between 2010 and 2012. If accepted by the teacher’s union and school board, as many as 8,300 teaches and support staff would receive a 7.5 percent salary increase during the next fiscal year. Goldson has already identified nearly $20 million in cuts in central office spending to pay for step increases this year. The County will also receive $53 million in state money approved from this year’s Maryland General Assembly based on recommendations from the Kirwan Commission. Future cuts under consideration could provide raises in Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022.

Goldson says her action reflects numerous concerns and complaints voiced by County employees.

Roy Lewis,CIRCULATION Jr., Mark Mahonny “It was important that I made sure our commuPaul Trantham nity, our teachers, our students, our administrators [and] our support staff knew I heard [them]. You matter; your voice matters,” she said. “This is what we have to do in order to move forward.”

4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com

4 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

“

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

challenges and hardships that have created significant disparities in areas most critical to ensuring L.Y. Marlow that our boys have equal opportunities to develop the skills required to become successful men,” she said. “The commission and its work will provide the atomic blast of long overdue support that this issue merits and desperately needs.”

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AROUND THE REGION D.C. Council Floats Legislation for Pedestrian Safety

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia After two men worked to paint a crosswalk on a Southeast street in the wake of a couple of recent deaths and several near-misses, District officials including Council members are acting with expediency to secure the safety of all pedestrians, including extending some sidewalks in Southeast.

Council member David Grosso joined fellow members Anita Bonds, Elissa Silverman, Brianne Nadeau, Mary Cheh, Brandon Todd, and Charles Allen in introducing legislation that would increase pedestrian safety at crosswalks by requiring curb extensions as part of any future District Department of Transportation (DDOT) road improvements.

“All road users, especially pedestrians, are incredibly vulnerable at intersections,” Grosso said in a news release. “Unfortunately, we are reminded of this too often with the deaths of pedestrians in crosswalks, like Monica Adams Carlson and Cora Louise Adams just a few blocks away from here on Pennsylvania Avenue.”

The councilman was referring to a December incident when bus driver Gerard James of Baltimore struck and killed Carlson, who was mayor of Skagway, Alaska, and Adams, a D.C. resident, while they were in a crosswalk at Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street in Northwest.

James, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter, reportedly was distracted by handling his cellphone.

Ronald Thompson and Michael Kaercher said they painted a crosswalk on 16th Street in Anacostia last week because the city’s transportation department has reacted slowly to requests there.

Thompson told a local news outlet that he put in a request to the department in October for a painted crosswalk in an area where there’s a bus stop sign, a sign warning of a blind pedestrian and cut curbs on both sides of the street.

“These kids I see, these parents, these grandparents walking their kids to school, they do not have a safe accommodation here,” Thompson told WTTG-TV (Channel 5).

He said the area also has a

school zone sign with flashing lights blocked by a utility pole.

And just a few feet away, there’s another sidewalk with cut curbs and no crosswalk that also poses a risk to those walking to school.

He teamed with Kaercher, who lives in Northeast, in calling for safer streets in the District.

“If the city isn’t going to do it, and it’s something I can do — in this case, I felt like I could do it and so I did it,” Kaercher said.

The men said they got the job done in about two hours with cost for supplies totaling $150.

It was just a few blocks away that a man walking was hit and killed this month after police said a driver ran a stop sign.

The day of the crash, Thompson and other neighbors said they had been calling for a four-way stop and other safety improvements for a long time.

Less than a week after the crash, DDOT changed the intersection to a four-way stop and painted new crosswalks.

“It should not take angry, upset people, it should not take a death for us to get necessary changes to make people safe, particularly in Ward 8,” Thompson told WTTG. Council’s Curb Extension Act of 2019 would target intersections for improvement by forcing the transportation department to extend the curbs whenever it performs road reconstruction or repaving work.

Curb extensions lengthen the curb to align with parking lanes and reduce the amount of time pedestrians spend in the crosswalk.

“Curb extensions make pedestrians safer,” Grosso said. “Pedestrians are more visible to drivers, crossing times are shortened, and vehicles are forced to slow down at intersections. As an added benefit, it also expands opportunities to beautify our streets and expand our urban tree canopy with additional greenery.”

Meeting D.C.’s “Vision Zero” goals of eliminating serious injuries and deaths on city roads means shifting the culture of the transportation department to focus on the safety of all modes of transportation, not just cars, Grosso said.

“This will never happen as long as we continually rebuild our dangerous intersections in their same unsafe configurations,” he said. WI

5 A crosswalk of danger. (WI file photo)

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AROUND THE REGION

black facts MAY 16

1927 – William Harry Barnes becomes the first African-American board-certified medical specialist.

1929 – Longtime Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich.) is born in Highland Park, Michigan.

1966 – Famed singer and actress Janet Jackson is born in Gary, Indiana.

1979 – A. Philip Randolph, a leader in the civil rights movement, the American labor movement, and socialist political parties, dies in New York City at 90.

1990 – Iconic entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. dies in Beverly Hills, California, of throat cancer at 64.

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1875 – African-American jockey Oliver Lewis wins the first Kentucky Derby.

1954 – In the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that public school segregation is illegal.

1956 – Boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard is born in Wilmington, North Carolina.

MAY 18

1896 – The United States Supreme Court issues its infamous ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson.

The decision declared the doctrine of “separate but equal” was constitutional. By doing so it, in effect, approved all Jim Crow or segregationist

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laws designed to degrade Blacks or keep them separate from whites. The ruling would stand until the Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954.

MAY 19

1925 – Black revolutionary Malcolm X is born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska.

1930 – Lorraine Hansberry, famed African-American playwright best known for “A Raisin in the Sun,” is born in Chicago.

1952 – Eccentric model and singer Grace Jones is born in Spanish Town, Jamaica.

MAY 20

1743 – Touissant L’Ouverture, the father Haitian independence, is born.

MAY 21

1862 – Mary Patterson becomes the first Black woman in U.S. history to be awarded a master’s degree. She earned it from Oberlin College in Ohio.

1969 – Police and National Guardsmen open fire on student demonstrators at predominantly Black North Carolina A&T University, leaving one student dead. Five policemen were injured.

2009 – A Black man — James Young — is elected mayor of Philadelphia, Mississippi — a town that, during the 1960s, had the nation’s most racist reputation. Ku Klux Klan members dominated the town and it was known for the mistreatment and unpunished killings of Blacks.

One of the most brutal events in the city was the 1964 murder of three civil rights workers. In his 2009 election victory, Young captured 30 percent of the white vote.

MAY 22

1863 – The War Department establishes the Bureau of Colored Troops and begins to aggressively recruit Blacks for the Civil War. The Black troops would play a major role in turning the tide of battle against the rebellious Southern slave states.

1966 – Entertainer Bill Cosby becomes the first African American to receive an Emmy for Best Actor in a dramatic series for his role in the 1960s television series “I Spy.” WI

Buying Vinyl Records from 1950 to 1986, Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, R&B, Disco, Soul, Reggae, Blues, Gospel, and record format 33 1/3, 45s, and some of the older 78s.

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AROUND THE REGION

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Ayesha Curry, wife of NBA superstar Stephen Curry, recently drew criticism when she admitted feeling insecurity about her appearance amid the attention her husband receives from women, eventually prompting Curry to defend his wife’s comments. What are your thoughts?

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Of course he’ll defend his wife. I would always defend my wife against the general public, even if I disagreed with her. That would be a conversation behind closed doors. But perhaps he fully supports her ideology.The irony is everyone saying her husband feelings is the only one that matters which is true. Yet, his attention to her isn’t the only one that matters.

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Nothing to defend. I understood exactly what she said because of how she said it.

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Still laughing at her. If she was feeling a certain way, she should have had a private conversation with her husband.

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 7

AROUND THE REGION The World According to Dominic

BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR / WI EDITOR / @DKEVINMCNEIR

Messages, Spirits Revealed at HU Commencement Secured Understanding of HBCU Pride

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As the only child of parents who were both the first from either side of the family to graduate from college, both of whom attended HBCUs – Mom choosing Hampton and Dad selecting Tuskegee – there was never any doubt that I’d follow in their footsteps and attend college. The only question, unresolved until well into my senior year in high school, remained where I’d decide to matriculate.

Neither of them exerted undue pressure on me in the hopes that I might select their alma maters – a move which incidentally and in higher education lingo would thereby establish the heralded “legacy.” Still, given the numerous visits we’d taken to both college campuses throughout my childhood, my teen years in particular, it was clear that both Mom and Dad wanted me to choose their beloved schools.

Looking back, I must admit that I was not drawn to the Black college experience for several reasons. First, I did not feel the need to be indoctrinated into the “Black experience” as I had been immersed in that world from my earliest days of life. I had always celebrated the joy of being “Black and Proud.” And with my father

As the only child of parents who were both the first from either side of the family to graduate from college, both of whom attended HBCUs – Mom choosing Hampton and Dad selecting Tuskegee – there was never any doubt that I’d follow in their footsteps and attend college. being from Camden, Alabama and living on farm I had firsthand knowledge of Black pride and the importance of honoring the ancestors. Mom, being a Baltimore native and then transplant to Williamsburg, taught me about city life and about community living from the perspective of the colonial town in Virginia.

Second, I had been coerced and persuaded by the leadership at my college preparatory high school, Jesuit priests, who pushed their more talented students toward PWI institutions.

In fact, we represented each of the Ivy League colleges with students who had been admitted.

I was bound, at least I thought at the time, for Yale. (I would change my mind at the last minute to University of Michigan so I’d be closer to home).

Last, as a young man growing into manhood during the age of affirmative action, the sentiment seemed to be one that looked at HBCUs with disdain. I heard the echoes of W.E.B. DuBois in my head and as one of the so-called “talented tenth” it was my “duty” to tackle and shine at a place where Blacks had once been denied access.

But sitting at the 151st commencement convocation for Howard University, I finally realized what makes Black colleges so special and so important both to African Americans and to world.

The spirit was high as speaker after speaker shared their stories of struggle and triumph. We traveled down memory lane and revisited those trailblazers who had been instrumental in ushering in a new world for Blacks as we abandoned the shackles of slavery and picked up tools and knowledge gleaned from institutions of higher learning like Howard, Hampton and Tuskegee.

As the day drew to a close, I could not help but join with the faculty, staff, graduates and their families as we all responded to the speaker, Kasim Reed, when he said, “HU” and we all replied, “You Know.” I learned a lot during Howard’s graduation day. And it was a lesson that I will be sure to share with my grandsons as they ponder their own college experiences. Indeed, there is something quite magical about the Black Colleges and Universities of these United States.

WI

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Attorney Seeks Right to Sue Metro after Beating of Black Woman

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

When D.C. civil rights attorney Yaida Ford saw how a Metro officer beat up her client, Diamond Rust, she knew that justice consisted of a successful civil lawsuit against the transit system.

However, as she conducted her research, she was surprised to learn that the agency cannot be sued civilly because the police officer who severely injured Rust performed his duties and receives protection from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Compact, Metro’s governing document.

Ford deems that section dealing with employee protection in the WMATA Compact unacceptable and has vowed to change it.

“I have started a petition on change.org to urge Washington-area leaders to amend the WMATA Compact so that victims of police brutality have a legal mechanism for relief,” Ford said. “Without it, WMATA cannot be held accountable and lawlessness will increase.”

In February 2018, a Metro police officer slammed Rust to the ground on Alabama Avenue SE in front of her two small children, charging her with fare evasion and resisting arrest. Her injuries included a busted face, several broken teeth and a fractured knee.

When the incident became known to the public, some District leaders expressed outrage.

“The graphic images of Ms. Rust’s face as a result of a Metro Transit Police Department officer’s use of force are heartbreaking,” said D.C. Council member Robert White (D-At Large).

“That she sustained these injuries in front of her young children over unpaid bus fare is inexcusable. No entry should be able to escape liability for unjustified aggression and injury. Especially given the continued nationwide failures of the criminal justice system to hold law enforcement accountable for serious injuries and deaths of people of color, civil penalties serve a necessary and protective role.”

The mistreatment of Rust led the D.C. Council on Jan. 22, 2019 to enact “The Fare Evasion Decriminalization Act” which calls for fines, not arrests, of fare evaders.

Ford said Metro claims losses of $25 million to 30 million as a

result of fare evasion.

“However, the data shows that between January 1, 2016 and February 5, 2018, just over 2,000 people were arrested for fare evasion,” she said. “Ninety-one percent of these people were Black and 46 percent of these people were under the age of 25. If you look at those 2,000 arrests, which do not amount to the massive losses in revenue Metro claims is the result of fare evasion.

“Metro needs to not only evaluate at why its officers are selectively enforcing fare evasion laws against Black D.C.-area residents, but what other methods it can use to effectively deter fare evasion,” Ford said.

The D.C. Office of the Attorney General declined to comment on specific cases. A Metro spokesperson said the agency is “unable to offer legal interpretation of the Compact relative to a matter of personal litigation.”

Ford, a graduate of the Howard University School of Law, said she hasn’t filed a lawsuit at this point.

“We want the WMATA Compact to be amended to carve out an exception so that residents have the option of bringing suit against [Metro] for violations of their federally protected civil rights,” she said.

Ford said she is looking to partner with other organizations.

“I started the petition because I cannot wage this fight alone,”

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5 Diamond Rust’s face after being roughed up by a Metro transit police officer in February 2018 (Courtesy of Eliot Williamson)

she said. “I need the help of all DMV-area residents who are willing to take action and say enough is enough. [Metro] should not continue to receive the benefit of sovereign immunity in cases where its officers are savagely beating young Black people over bus fare.

“Justice is at stake all over America,” Ford said. “We need to act now.”

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Bishop Michael Curry Talks Faith, Love and Social Justice

Episcopal Church Leader Takes Royal Wedding Experience to a Larger Audience

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer The first thing one notices about Bishop Michael B. Curry is his smile and laugh. That smile and easy laugh welcomed everyone to a conversation at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture about his new book, “The Power of Love: Sermons, Reflections, and Wisdom to Uplift and Inspire.” The setting was a conversation with Michel Martin, host of NPR’s “All Things Considered.” The book contains the full sermon Curry preached at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex). Two billion people watched that wedding.

The sermon gave Curry global presence beyond the Episcopal Church in America. The book also has four of his favorite sermons on the themes of love and social justice.

Curry has a lot of titles with the Episcopal Church. He is the 27th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church.

Additionally, Curry holds the titles chief pastor, president and chief executive officer and chair of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church.

Understanding the strength of love is something Curry began living from a young age.

Curry and his sister were raised primarily by his father, also an Episcopal minister. His maternal grandmother and the church community pastored by his father, also played a big part in Curry’s upbringing. Early in his life, Curry’s mother died after many years of hospital and nursing home care for a brain injury sustained in a car accident. His father would drive each week from Buffalo where the family lived, to New York City where Curry’s mother was hospitalized “In a difficult time in life, I saw the power of love from both family and community who cared for two children,” said Curry. “And I saw the power of

love with my father taking care of his wife who was almost in a semi-vegetated state by that time.”

Curry told Martin that becoming a minister was a natural path for his life. Afterall, his father was a minister and his grandmother was what Curry called a “dyed-in the wool, rock-red Baptist.” Curry talked about the influence of his father’s ministry of activism.

“He pastored about civil rights and social activism. I saw that as growing out of the real core of Jesus’ teachings,” said Curry. “I said ok. You have church and church is supposed to do something good in people’s lives. I grew up with the assumption that whatever I did with my life, it would have to include some social benefit.”

Martin asked a question that many may think about when interacting with faith leaders.

“Have you ever had a crisis of faith?”

“I’ve had crises of life,” said Curry. “There have been some hard times, even as a leader.

That is the nature of daring to live a life that matters and makes a difference.”

For Curry, the opportunity to preach at a royal wedding was not a crisis of life. In fact, Curry thought it was a prank when he got the call from one of his staff that Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had a question for him. Normally for a British royal wedding, a bishop from the Church of England would preach. But as Curry acknowledged, this was a different wedding, so he made some assumptions on why he was chosen.

“I think they [Prince Harry and Meghan Markle] wanted to make a statement about human family and human community to reflect the two worlds that were being brought together in their relationship,” said Curry when speaking about what he wanted to convey through his sermon. “I wanted to get to the core of the Christian message, not what it is purported to be.” WI

5 The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church with Michel Martin, weekend host of All Things Considered on National Public Radio at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on April 10. (Anthony Tilghman/TheWashington Informer)

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 11

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Community Overwhelmingly Supports Keeping Goldson as Prince George’s Schools CEO

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Prince George’s County educators, parents, community and faith leaders overwhelmingly support making public schools interim CEO Monica Goldson a permanent leader of Maryland’s second largest school system.

Noah Millhouse, 9, read a letter backing Goldson in English and Spanish.

“Why do you need to find another CEO if Dr. Goldson is trying

to make things better for all programs [and] not just Spanish Immersion?” said Noah, who attends Phyllis E. Williams Spanish Immersion in Upper Marlboro. “My dad said that changing leaders is not bad, but it may take time to get used to another game plan. I think that we need to give Dr. Goldson time to make things better for us.”

Noah and 79 other people signed up to speak during a public hearing Monday, May 13 at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale to offer comments on the search for a permanent schools chief.

5 Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks speaking at a Public Hearing held May 13 at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale in search of the next CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

Although County Executive Angela Alsobrooks praised Goldson’s work since her appointment in September, she reiterated that state law requires the county to conduct a nationwide search for a permanent leader, briefly summarizing the selection process during the nearly three-hour session.

Goldson’s contract as interim CEO expires June 30. The firm of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates will be in charge of finding six

Prince George’s Students Build Brandywine Home

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Darien Halliburton completed masonry work, including installation of weep holes in the bricks to ensure moisture and water drains outside the house, while Sivaleshwari Ramu focused on interior design of a toddler’s room.

The two are among a group of Prince George’s County Public Schools students who set out in September to design and construct a 3,900-square-foot house in Brandywine, Maryland — a plan that came to fruition Thursday as school officials, teachers, volunteers and parents helped celebrate the completion of the domicile.

“I’m an engineer and I build stuff, so I know what you all deal with every single day when you come out here,” said school board member Sonya Williams, who represents the district in which the house is located. “I love the fact that when I build something, regardless of how bad a day you’ve might had, I can always go back to that structure and say, ‘I built that.’”

The students who built the house with four bedrooms, 3½

12 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

bathrooms and a basement are part of the school system’s Foundation for Applied Construction Technology for Students (FACTS) program. Established in 1981, the program enables students to learn carpentry, masonry and other related skills to design houses throughout the county.

The house in Brandywine with a two-car garage was the 43rd structure built as part of the program, for which approximately 16 stu-

dents received monetary scholarship awards. Half of those students attend Bladensburg and received amounts ranging from $125 to $1,500.

Howard Burnett, the FACTS board chair, said the program isn’t just vo-tech, or vocational education, and has evolved where students learn much more than just construction. For instance, the stu-

HOME Page 13

5 Prince George’s County students Vincent Zelaya (left) and Dylan Brown received $1,000 scholarship awards for their work in helping to design and build a house in Brandywine, Maryland. (Robert Roberts/The Washington Informer)

to seven candidates.

Once complete, a three-member committee appointed by Gov. Larry Hogan will review and narrow the list to three people. The committee members are Warner Sumpter, a retired brigadier general in the Marine Corps and current member of the state board of education, Oretha Bridgewater-Simms, a retired Prince George’s educator, and Hallie Russell Williams, president of the Accokeek Academy Parent Teacher Student Association.

Hogan spokeswoman Shareese Churchill said the governor appointed the committee April 1.

Alsobrooks will review the committee’s choices and select one person. The county school board would negotiate a contract and send a letter to State Superintendent Karen Salmon for final approval.

No timetable has been established on how long it would take to hire a permanent CEO. “It is something that every jurisdiction in our state is required to have,” she said. “Prince George’s County is not unusual in that regard. This happens in every single instance throughout the state.”

A few residents such as state Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-District 24) of Landover said the law seems unnecessary.

“A national search would the cost taxpayers over $100,000,” she said. “Why would we waste money on a national search when the most qualified candidate is already here?”

Others said the time frame is too short to select a permanent leader within two months.

The county school board can extend Goldson’s interim status while the search continues and she can be chosen as a candidate.

Several people in attendance lauded Goldson’s resume as a coun-

ty native who taught and worked as an administrator in the school system and received credit from state board of education for her work, namely for improvements to the grade-certification procedure.

“We need someone here who not only knows the county, but cares about all of the county,” said the Rev. Tony Lee, pastor at Community Hope AME Church in Temple Hills. “I am excited about Dr. Goldson because she cares about all of the community.”

Some residents summarized they would like the permanent leader to eliminate the school-toprison pipeline, increase teacher pay, provide more mental health services for students and even change the position’s title back to “superintendent.”

Rachel West of Bowie gave emotional testimony about having to travel to Howard County so that her 4-year-old son Marcus can receive special needs services for speech.

“I need someone who is going to be an advocate for children with disabilities and stand for them,” she said. “Everyone is talking about Dr. Goldson. I don’t know her. I would love to sit down and have conversation about the challenges my husband and I face on [Marcus’s] speech delay.”

Alsobrooks said someone from her office would contact West the next day to find a solution to provide services closer to home.

“We love all of our kids in the school system,” she said. “We will make sure we work with you and your family to make sure Marcus gets what he needs.”

The county plans to provide a link this week for residents to submit written comments on a permanent school leader.

WI

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Health Insurance, School Construction Focal Points of Annual Md. Bill-Signing

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill ANNAPOLIS — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday signed into law a third package of bills largely focusing on education and health insurance.

One of the first bills signed dealt with school construction in Prince George’s County to create a public-private partnership fund. One of its main goals is to implement nearly $1 billion over a seven-year period for students who attend the state’s second-largest school system, which has dozens of schools built in the 1950s.

The legislation pushes for money “to supplement, but not supplant” existing funds for renovation of current buildings or construction of new schools. Officials estimate the partnership program would help accelerate such plans and decrease an estimated $8.5 billion backlog of school construction and maintenance projects.

“It’s a wonderful start,” Alsobrooks said. “It’s going to really assist Prince George’s County in building schools more economically and more expeditiously. We are very excited for the future.”

The first bill signed Monday will add three more Pathways in Technology Early College High (P-TECH) programs, which allows incoming high school students to receive a high school diploma and associate’s degree.

Designed by the state Department of Education, students can take courses at local community colleges and companies provide mentoring and other services for students.

Dozens of students at Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro enrolled in a

HOME from Page 12 dents installed the home’s security system.

The house on Lusby Street served as the second house constructed by students in the neighborhood with a third scheduled in the near future. According to the FACTS program sheet, 285 high school students throughout the county participated in project.

Darien, a 17-year-old senior at Crossland High School in Temple Hills, was among three students to receive a $500 scholarship award.

After high school, he plans to par-

P-TECH program two years ago.

Once they graduate in 2021, they will receive management skills in health information from Medstar and hospital services from Marriott Hotels.

Frederick Douglass serves as the only school in Prince George’s with the P-TECH program.

According to a state document on P-TECH, nearly 600 students are enrolled for the 2018-19 school year in Prince George’s, Baltimore, Allegheny and Montgomery counties and Baltimore City.

“Jurisdictions have the opportunity to work with industry partners … and the students then have the opportunity to learn that industry,” said Del. Andrea C. Harrison (D-District 24) of Springdale, who sponsored the P-TECH legislation.

“We know that without some additional higher learning that individuals and families tend to be on the lower end of the poverty scale. By us giving these young people a head start when they graduate from high school, they have the opportunity to become middle-class citizens in our society.”

Among the 182 bills signed by Hogan, Sen. President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and House Speaker Adrienne Jones, health advocates believe one piece of legislation ushering in a new insurance program will be a future model for other states.

The Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance program will help at least 100,000 uninsured residents receive coverage by simply checking a box on their state tax income returns.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-District 21) of College Park and Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County), would determine eligi-

ticipate in basic training at the Air Force Academy in Texas, then use his newfound masonry skills “and other things I will learn once I’m done.”

Dylan Brown received a $1,000 scholarship award and a certificate for his carpentry work. The 17-year-old senior at Bladensburg High School briefly explained how he installed baseboards upstairs in a bedroom and helped mount drywall downstairs.

“The work helped me [be] more hands-on instead of just working on a computer and designing stuff on a computer,” said Dylan, who will study graphic design at Frost-

5 Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (seated, center) signs legislation during an annual bill-signing ceremony on May 13 in Annapolis, which was also attended by Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (back, third from left). (William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)

bility for free or low-cost health insurance and expand the poll of consumers and decrease premium costs for other enrollees.

Stan Dorn, a senior fellow with Families USA, a national advocacy group based in northwest D.C., said Maryland will be the first state in the nation to let residents “jump-start” their health insurance applications from tax returns. The process would start either by January or in 2021, depending on what the state comptroller says “is feasible.”

“We’re going to take this show on the road and encourage people all across the county to follow the great lead of Maryland,” Dorn said. “Democrats and Republicans in Maryland have come together to find practical, innovate solutions to help lower people’s health care costs and get more people the financial security that comes with health insurance. It’s really a big deal.” WI burg State University in Frostburg, Maryland.

The students’ last task for the summer is building a deck. Williams said the house will go on the market for $490,000 after it’s completed.

“When I took the interior design class, I wasn’t sure what I was walking into,” said Sivaleshwari, a 16-year-old junior at DuVal High School in Lanham who garnered a $125 scholarship award for her participation. “I definitely learned on how to pay attention to details and look at the bigger picture.”

WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Pursuing Your Passion

Having a business is overwhelming! Changing conditions, retaining customers, keeping up with regulations and attracting talented staff is daunting & rife with uncertainty. Some believe that owning a business, or, even leading a business is a wealth pathway. They are right! Ownership, if successful can create generational wealth-which wealth, if managed- can provide life sustainability leading to investing in other asset creation. However, make no mistake, business ownership is constant work.

When pondering a business opportunity, explore whether it’s an engagement or a passion. An engagement, in this case, is an activity which may lead to some success; but engagement alone will never sustain dedication. Passion, having enthusiasm for a cause, is the fuel for stickiness. Those days when revenue is inconsistent, when calamity happens, and when plans fail its passion that reinforces resolve to press on. Its passion that gets you up in the morning knowing success is inevitable.

When thinking about a business, think on what the business is serving? What is missing that the business will fill? Who will benefit and how will lives be uplifted? Business is the centerpiece of community identity and service. Think back, when going to retail services in the community, or going to the local bank-those are community assets that are part of the community fabric. And, that fabric is interwoven with business people, hopefully, tied to broadening economic empowerment. This all begins with an idea and passion to make a difference.

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 13

BUSINESS D.C.’s Arriving Immigrants Outnumber Exiting Residents: Census

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia

The population of the District of Columbia continues to grow.

Now the sixth-most populous region in the nation, the District now has a large share of immigrants, according to the latest

Census Bureau estimates.

Nearly 3,600 people from foreign countries moved into the District between July 2017 and July 2018, according to estimates.

That number more than triples that of the 1,000 District residents who moved out of the city.

The District’s overall population is estimated at 702,455, up

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16.7 percent over the 601,723 from 2010. African Americans comprise 47.1 percent of District residents while whites make up

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45.1 percent.

Approximately 14 percent of D.C. residents are foreign born, according to the Census Bureau.

There are approximately 15,380 District residents who were born in Africa, 18,262 born in Europe, 22,067 born in Asia, 43,573 born in Latin America, 1,971 in Canada and 607 in Oceania, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Between 2010 and 2016, the number of immigrants in the United States increased by 9 percent and the foreign-born population grew by 15 percent or more in 15 states.

In those 15 states, approximately 9 million immigrants reside – or one in every five residents.

No new metropolitan areas made it into the 10 most populous between 2017 and 2018, Sandra Johnson, a demographer at the Census Bureau, said in a statement.

“One interesting trend we are seeing this year is that metro areas not among the most populous are ranked in the top 10 for population growth,” Johnson said.

Earlier this year, the Council of Governments’ “The State of the Region: Human Capital Report” provided a snapshot of the District and outer region’s immigrant population.

“The proportion of the metro region’s population that are foreign-born has been greater than the U.S. average and that continues,” said Executive Director Chuck Bean. “When it comes to educational attainment, about 42 percent of the region’s immigrant population holds a bachelor’s degree or higher.”

Bean noted that it compares with 49 percent of the general

population in the D.C. region and 31 percent nationally.

Overall, about one in 10 U.S. counties grew in the fiscal year that ended last June mostly because of immigration and, as noted in the Wall Street Journal, it shows how new arrivals are shaping the nation as the population ages and the birthrate slows.

Further, the Brookings Institution noted that the Census Bureau’s latest population estimates demonstrate that America’s renewed population dispersal is real.

Growth in major metro areas and urban cores evident earlier in the decade are diminishing, and renewed growth is occurring in suburbs, exurbs, and more small towns and rural areas.

“As domestic migration drives these shifts, immigration is becoming an even more important contributor to growth in both large urban areas and smaller-sized regions with otherwise stagnant or declining populations,” the Brookings report noted. WI

Now the sixth-most populous region in

the nation, the District now has a large share of immigrants,

according to the latest Census Bureau estimates.

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

BUSINESS

CAAB Gives Ward 8 Residents a Chance to Save for College

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The cost of a college education, whether at a public or private institution, continues to climb and it seems that middle- and low-income families will have the most trouble providing a higher education for their children.

However, some Ward 8 families in the District of Columbia are participating in a pilot program to help them pay for their children’s college tuition and related expenses.

The Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB), a District of Columbia-based non-profit with clients in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, works to educate low- and moderate-income people to manage their personal finances better, build wealth and to become better financially educated. CAAB, in conjunction with Capital One Bank and the 11th Street Bridge Park, has set up a program at Ketcham Elementary School, Hart Junior High School, Bishop John T.

Walker School for Boys and the Washington School for Girls that will allow selected families to invest with the EduSaveDC program for college expenses.

“The program was launched in March 2019 for up to 110 families in Ward 8 at the four selected schools,” said Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, acting executive director. “The program will put $150,000 in the pockets of 110 families so that children can achieve college dreams.”

Here’s how EduSaveDC works. CAAB maintains an EduSaveDC account in the family’s name and for every $1 saved — up to $300 — it will deposit $5 up to $1,500. It will be a savings account and CAAB and the family jointly owns the account at a D.C. bank that will be at the discretion of the family.

The family has 18 months to achieve the savings goal of $300.

Upon completion of the program, in September 2020, the family savings plus the earned match by CAAB — up to $1,800 — will be transferred to a college

savings/529 account in the name of the family for the child’s benefit.

To participate in EduSaveDC, one must be an adult Ward 8 resident and interested in saving for college. In addition, the participants will be asked to attend free financial wellness classes and take advantage of free credit counseling, free financial coaching and free tax preparation services.

This program has been launched in light of the spiraling cost of a college education. According to a survey conducted

by U.S. News and World Report magazine, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2018-2019 school years came out to $35,676 for private colleges, $9,716 for state residents at public colleges and $21,629 for out-of-state students at state schools.

Naomi Smouha, who works in Community Affairs at Capital One Bank, said her employer enthusiastically supports EduSaveDC.

SAVE Page 33

5 Stefan Lockridge is saving money for his son, Stefan Lockridge III, through the EduSaveDC program. (Courtesy photo/Stefan Lockridge)

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NATIONAL Empire’s Taraji P. Henson Advocates for Black Mental Health Services

Forms Foundation Named for Father, Vietnam Veteran

By Frederick H. Lowe BlackmansStreet.Today Actress Taraji P. Henson has given the discussion of mental illness in the black community a leading role.

“I named the organization after my father because he returned broken and with little to no physical and emotional support,” said Henson, star of the television series “Empire” and the foundation’s founder. “I stand in his absence, committed to offering support to African Americans who face trauma daily simply because they are Black.”

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, a new organization that has a goal of breaking the silence and prompting discussion

16 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

of pervasive mental illness in the Black community, will hold a conference and benefit dinner June 7 – 9 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Northwest.

The foundation is named in honor of Boris Lawrence Henson, a Vietnam veteran who returned to the U.S. suffering from mental illness and unable to find help.

Taraji Henson, author Charlamagne Tha God, and Altha J. Stewart, MD, president of the American Psychiatric Association, are scheduled to deliver the keynote addresses.

A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT GETS LITTLE ATTENTION

5 Actress Taraji P. Henson (Courtesy photo)

Mental illness is an issue that needs to be addressed in the black community. I have seen it up close.

When I was an undergraduate, I worked as an orderly at the Veterans Administration Hospital, a psychiatric hospital for veterans in Lakewood, Washington.

The Vietnam War was slowly winding down, and the hospital was beginning to admit large numbers of Vietnam veterans during the late 1960s, but I never saw or came in contact with a Black Vietnam veteran as a patient.

This was very troubling because there were a significant number of Black men who served in Vietnam.

Of the 246,000 men recruited under “Project 100,000” between October 1966 and June 1969, 41 percent were Black, although Black Americans then only represented 11 percent of the U.S. population (actually, Black men represented less than 11 percent of the nation’s population).

“In Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans,” Wallace Terry wrote about the anger black GI’s felt confronting racism in combat and in America when they returned after their tour of duty. They served their country and were subjected to discrimination while risking their lives and when they returned home, most bearing these invisible wounds.

Black men discussed these issues among themselves, not with mental health professionals.

Some Blacks believe that seeking help for mental illness is a sign of weakness Much of this revolves around how Blacks at the time and now think about mental illness.

The other Veterans Administration orderlies, who were Black men, all older than I, including my father, agreed that if a Black man sought help from a mental health professional, he was “really sick.”

Taraji Henson said: “African Americans believe that if we hold our suffering in, the feelings that

HENSON Page 17

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NATIONAL HENSON from Page 16 plague us will go away.”

This pervasive suffering is secondary to the traumatizing racism Black men are subjected to on a daily basis from whites, other Blacks, women of all races, Hispanics, Asians, and all too many white cops, who shoot and kill unarmed Black men, claiming they “feared for their lives.”

THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIRE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT STARTS AT THE TOP

In 2012, Chicago Black aldermen voted to close mental health clinics in African-American neighborhoods where the clinics were mostly needed.

Moving ahead to Chicago, where I now live, the city’s Black aldermen voted to close all of the mental health clinics in Black neighborhoods at the insistence of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who leaves office on May 20 after an eight-year term.

The cost of keeping the clinics open was minimal. The shutdown of the city-operated mental health clinics saved Chicago $2 million annually.

Woodlawn Adult Health Clinic, on Chicago’s South Side, is one of the clinics that was closed.

It was located close to the site where “Empire” is filmed. The clinic served many black men for free or at a reduced fee.

All of the black aldermen should be ashamed,” N’ Dana Carter, a leader in the Mental Health Movement in Chicago, said in 2012 when the closings

were announced.

“They all knew about the closings. They are all thieves and murderers. They have supported everything Rahm Emanuel has done to the black community,” Carter said. “The entire black community should have been ashamed. Except for a demonstration outside of the Woodlawn Clinic, nothing was said or done to restore badly needed mental health care services in the most vulnerable and underserved areas of the black community.”

WI

Taraji Henson, author Charlamagne Tha God, and Altha J. Stewart, MD, president of the American Psychiatric Association, are scheduled to deliver the keynote addresses.

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A group of ANC veterans has warned South African President Cyril Ramaphosa that new deployments to Cabinet and public positions should take into account the fact that the fight against the perpetrators of state capture and corruption is not over.

This as Ramaphosa begins what are expected to be tough consultations with senior leaders and advisers as to who to appoint to his reduced Cabinet and how to balance issues of age, gender and factions in his divided party, the Johannesburg-based City Press reported.

In a document written this month by a group of ANC veterans including Wally Serote, Snuki Zikalala, Aziz Pahad, Thami Ntenteni and Fazel Randera, they highlight the apparent modus operandi used by the party’s own leaders and members to weaken government and thus block the party from achieving its objectives.

Citing revelations in the Zondo and SA Revenue Service (Sars) commissions of inquiry, the veterans wrote that the rot goes “further than individual instances of corruption and bad governance by particularly bad individuals.”

Ramaphosa will assume power for his first proper term on May 25 after his inauguration and has promised a leaner and more effective government.

This week, the ANC obtained a 57.51% share of the national vote, representing a 5% drop since the 2014 elections. The party lost support in all of the nine provinces and barely held on to Gauteng, which it kept by 50.19%.

But party leaders told City Press said they were not overly disappointed in light of the scandals and infighting the party has been through.

Ramaphosa is expected to trim Cabinet to just 25 ministers, from the current 35, City Press reported. He is also expected to reduce the number of deputy ministers, keeping them only in key portfolios such as international affairs.

This will be his most delicate balancing act in deciding which ministries to cut and which departments to keep.

A former government official said the planned reconfiguration of departments and reduction of ministries had been informed by the fact that some portfolios duplicated responsibilities, which also led to the bloating of the public service bill.

The world will also be watching to see if Ramaphosa has the courage to exclude party leaders who have been implicated in corruption and state capture from his Cabinet.

He is likely to face opposition from within the ANC should he be perceived to target the likes of Bathabile Dlamini and Nomvula Mokonyane only, as he could be accused of pursuing a purge against the supporters of former President Jacob Zuma.

The ANC’s integrity commission earlier tried to assist the party by drawing up a list of 22 people who it identified as unsuitable for public office. But the ANC has not acted on the recommendation, which would have affected senior leaders such as Deputy President David Mabuza.

There have also been calls for the elders to make way for the younger generation.

A member of the national executive committee (NEC) said: “Remember, you cannot cut everything at once, so that is where we will start. Those old ones must go, but I doubt the president will listen to us on that, especially on people such as Jeff Radebe.

“The final decision will be up to the president,” the member said. “He does not have to bring that discussion to the NEC because then you are saying people must decide on their futures. But there may be some consultation with the subcommittee on governance.”

A close ally of Ramaphosa said that among the factors he had to look into when considering a new Cabinet were balancing the issues of gender and youth, the representation of alliance partners, geographic spread as well as ethnicity.

“Those implicated in state capture will also have to understand that their fate will come under heavy scrutiny,” said the person, who is also a member of the ANC’s NEC. With the opposition DA and EFF increasingly fielding youngsters into leadership positions, Ramaphosa would be hard-pressed to prioritise a “generational mix” in his new government team. However, this was likely to prove contentious as senior leaders such as Naledi Pandor, Pravin Gordhan and Radebe had accepted nomination, signaling that they were ready to make a comeback. WI

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 19

HEALTH Creatives Fight Mental Health Stigma With Fashion

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, The Washington Informer will highlight some of the grassroots players on the frontlines against the silent epidemic that, for several years, has rampantly swallowed District homes and communities while shaming its victims.

The first of this two-part series features the millennial trio responsible for Behind the Facade Clothiers, a fashion line launched in 2015 as part of an effort to destig-

315656_6_x_6.5.indd 1

20 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

matize mental illness and provide District youth with alternatives to the increasingly popular, but destructive behaviors of concern to parents, community leaders, and elected officials.

“Fashion and music have always been a heavy influence, and young people gravitate to what’s hot,” said Andre Mckissic, local creative and COO/co-founder of Behind the Facade Clothiers. “But it wasn’t teaching us anything significant, just greed.”

In 2016, he, Andrew Jenkins and Aziyrah the Poet expanded the brand, creating material that creatively addresses mental trauma

5 Andrew Jenkins and Andre Mckissic (Courtesy of Behind the Facade Clothiers)

through fashion shows and community forums.

During Memorial Day weekend, Behind the Facade will honor Donnetta Wilson, the mother of slain 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson, and other local mothers during an event touted as Mothers Uniting through Mental Health.

On the following Monday, a group of mothers who attended the ceremony will walk through Wards 7 and 8, doling out green bags replete with mental health resources, essential oils, and hygiene products to the homeless.

Jenkins and Mckissic described the event as a means of changing young people’s lives through the empowerment of their mothers, in a manner similar to what they’ve attempted to do with local creatives and influencers.

“It’s necessary to to dedicate this to have programming dedicated to teaching young people coping skills,” Mckissic said. “Mental health stigma comes from people’s insecurity and how others belittle them for being different. We want to educate others so they don’t go down that road.”

The focus on youth mental illness and its manifestations — depression, suicide and seemingly unruly behaviors — has increased amid criticism that District students don’t have access to resources to address their trauma.

In the aftermath of 12-yearold Stormiyah Denson-Jackson’s suicide at SEED Public Charter School last year, her family revealed that she had been bullied.

An email unearthed amid a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against SEED revealed that Public Charter School Board Executive Director Scott Pearson made light of Stormiyah’s death and the Youth Suicide Prevention Act, passed three years ago to help prevent student suicides.

Last month, public and charter school students from the Black Swan Academy lobbied the D.C. Council Committee on Education for the expansion of in-school mental health services, a tenet of their Black Youth Agenda. A protest on the grounds of Ron Brown College Preparatory High School in Northeast followed their visit to the Wilson Building.

Across the nation, elected officials expressed a desire to help embattled youth. In the days leading up to Mental Health Awareness Month, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) hosted a a Task Force on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health during which

CBC Chair Karen Bass (D-N.J.) described the rising suicide rate among children between the ages of 5 and 12 as an overlooked national emergency.

For Andrew Jenkins, Behind the Facade Clothier CEO/founder and a mental health professional, disregard for people facing mental illness affects entire families, particularly those in which children provide care for their parents.

“The people I see are overlooked and played with, and others don’t have patience for them,” said Jenkins, a psychiatric counselor of more than 10 years who said he entered the profession to help his mother along her mental health journey.

“This profession helped me have a backbone when dealing with my patients, and my mother,” Jenkins said. “I know what’s right for her and I know how to maneuver her so I’m not her yes man. This is bigger than fashion; we have mental health hostels and apps in mind but the funds are lacking.”

Jenkins, Mckissic and Aziyrah the Poet have decades of the combined experience on the local fashion and spoken word circuit.

Shortly after launching Behind the Facade Clothiers, Mckissic and Jenkins met Aziyrah the Poet during a gathering at Halftime Sports Bar on H Street in Northeast. She has since served as the group’s mouthpiece, connecting their work with women and other marginalized groups affected by mental illness.

“We could be influencing any other way, but we’re giving children the opportunity to know they can be cool in their suffering,” Aziyrah said as she revealed her own bout with depression.

“Mental health has to be iterated from the beginning. You can’t complain about certain problems if you don’t take a stand. Our goal is to save our future by educating the present.”

WI

5/6/19 12:14 PM

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CAPTURE th e mo me n t

FUNK PARADE AND FESTIVAL

The 6th annual Funk Parade and Festival was held in the U Street neighborhood on Saturday, May 11. The festival celebrates Washington, DC’s music and arts with performances by local bands, parade participants included high school marching bands, Mayor Muriel Bowser, staff, and supporters.

(Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 21

EDUCATION GRADUATION from Page 1 acy that this year’s graduates will take out into the world.

“We can celebrate today because of the contributions made by the Howard University family in the areas of justice, equality and the transformative power of education,” he said.

“Our graduates today become part of a worldwide group of alumnus who have undertaken roles as servants, leaders and seekers. And while America has yet to embrace Blacks as equal citizens, we cannot be distracted or disheartened. We must be sure to keep our focus on the bigger picture.”

“Twenty-five years ago, I graduated from the Howard University School of Medicine. Here, I was encouraged to excel. No one ever disputed by abilities. Here, I was met with unbridled optimism and encouragement. This is the HBCU difference.”

Renee Whiteley gave the student’s welcome, sharing her perspective as a young woman who left her native

Jamaica in order to secure a quality, college education.

“When I came here from Kingston in 2014, I knew nothing about HBCUs or the differences felt by African Americans in their own country,” she said. “The tags Blacks use and the nuances of race were all foreign to me. In my country, everyone and everything is Black. But in my journey to become an architect in a country where only 2 percent of the nation’s registered architects are Black, I was provided with the best education possible. This place has been special to me. And it’s prepared to go out and serve my community and our people.”

Keynote speaker for the day, the Honorable Kasim Reed, former mayor of Atlanta and a graduate of Howard’s Law School, said emphatically, “there’s no place like home.”

“Returning to Howard always feels like coming home to me,” he said.

“No source, with the exception of my family and my faith, has played

a more important role in any success that I have had in my career than Howard University,” Reed said, who reminded those in attendance that he’d earned his Bachelor of Arts, Juris Doctor and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Howard University.

“Howard is a dream factory. But we don’t do enough to call the role.

When I was here, I had classmates like Taraji P. Henson hanging out on the yard with her small child. I had Puffy winning dance contests in front of the Blackburn Center. I would look at Founders Library and remember stories about how when it was being built, Booker T. Washington, a trustee of the University, pointed out that there were no Blacks among the construction workers. He said it ‘set a bad example’ for students. Those were the kinds of men and women who provided the basis of excellence and established our legacy and our traditions. And I share my gifts toward the continuing of that legacy and those traditions.”

“When you come to Howard, you should come with a lesson plan. But that lesson plan, as you learn, study and grow, becomes your dream plan.

And I have been blessed to realize so many of my dreams because of the preparation, guidance and supports I received and continue to receive from the Howard University faculty, staff, students – the HU family,” he added. off

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5 Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick and keynote speaker, former Atlanta mayor M. Kasim Reed during the 151st Commencement Convocation in Northwest on Saturday, May 11. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)

Reed pointed to the many buildings on the campus, all named for iconic leaders in African-American history. Each building had a personal story, a memory, that he said he’ll never forget.

One highlight of the convocation would be the conferring of honorary degrees including: Frank J. Bisignano, chairman and CEO, First Data; Dr. Norman C. Francis, Xavier University’s President Emeritus; Dr. Jeanne Craig Sinkford, former dean, Howard University College of Dentistry and a trailblazer in dental education; Dr. Michael R. Winston, a nationally-recognized historian and educator; and Reed, an attorney and politician who served two terms as the 59th mayor of the city of Atlanta. Each shared vignettes about why Howard University remains such a special place to them.

But one story shared by Reed spoke volumes about the importance of friendship – friendships he forged while matriculating at Howard University.

“During my first campaign for mayor of Atlanta, things weren’t going well,” he said. “Money was tight and the polls didn’t favor my winning.

I was in a hotel room in Chicago on my birthday and all alone. I was down. I was discouraged. I was depressed. Then my phone rang. It was Andy Young.”

“He told he I had been on his mind and he wanted to make sure I was doing fine. He said, ‘if you’re awake, then I’m awake. If you’re not okay, then I’m not okay.’ He had my back. That was the encouragement I needed to take the reins again in my campaign and push forward to victory. That’s what I’ve received because of my years at Howard University.”

“I’ll say it over and over: there’s no place like home.”

Editor’s Note: The Washington Informer extend our heartfelt congratulations to two of the new graduates from Howard University: Alexa Imani Spencer and Noni Marshall. Both young women previously served under my direction as summer interns and have continued to write for the Informer. They have prepared themselves for careers in journalism but have the skills to tackle any career of their choosing. We await their continued stories of excellence and achievement.

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Persistent Grandmother Gets UDC Degree

By James Wright WI Staff Writer Each year, hundreds of people graduate from the University of the District of Columbia and go out to make a mark in the world.

Many UDC graduates are under 25 years old and haven’t yet hit the workforce.

And then there are graduates like Catherine Fitch, who received her bachelor’s degree in social work on May 11 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest at the ripe young age of 58. Fitch started working on her degree eight years ago and wouldn’t let anything get in her way.

“This is something that I really wanted to do,” Fitch said.

“It wasn’t easy because I had to balance school, work and family obligations but I did. If I did it, other people can do it, too.”

The UDC serves as the only public higher education institution in the District and has historically been a commuter school

primarily, with students taking classes while working and living off-campus. It has long had the tradition of educating students past the age of 25.

Despite her age, higher education trends on the national level seem to favor Fitch. The traditional higher education student who attends college or university straight after high school has almost become a thing of the past. RTI International, a North Carolina think tank, completed a study in 2018 in which it said 74 percent of American undergraduates are over the age of 25 or have children.

Fitch has worked at Joseph’s House, a nonprofit that works with homeless people who are in the advanced stages of HIV and terminal cancer for many years.

She works as a certified nursing assistant and has received high marks from her superiors for her work ethic and tenacity.

“She is tough as nails, funnier than hell and a joy to be around,” said Bob Rogan, a member of Jo-

seph’s House board of directors.

“She is a kind and compassionate person who wants nothing more than to serve those in our community less fortunate than her. She is universally liked and respected.”

While getting a bachelor’s degree for anyone takes persistence, patience and intellect, Fitch dealt with family obligations, economic stress and a fire at her residence, obstacles that would permanently end many students pursuit of higher education.

Fitch, who was backed by her husband Joseph, her three children and eight grandchildren in the pursuit of her degree, credits her family’s and employer’s support for her success.

“Joseph’s House fully supported her getting a degree at UDC and worked flexibly with her schedule,” said Rogan, who works as the chief of staff for Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.). “We wanted to make sure that she met

UDC GRADUATION Page 29

EDUCATION

5 Catherine Fitch, 58 (right), recently received a bachelor’s degree in social work from UDC. (Photo by Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

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4:35:08 PM

EDITORIAL

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

To Realize Equality, Blacks Must Unleash a Voting Day ‘Blitzkrieg’ When Donald Trump thanked Blacks for their vote following his victory in 2016, he probably intended to invoke a “double entendre” – a French term indicating a word or phrase which has two distinct meanings. In other words, Trump thanked Blacks both for what we did and what we did not do.

Remember, 2016 served as the first election since the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in 2013 – a decision that allowed for a wave of new voting restrictions implemented in numerous states that almost-certainly reduced turnout among groups that tend to vote Democratic, including among Black voters. Blatant forms of voter suppression notwithstanding, added to the nine percent of Blacks who voted for Trump, his thanks undoubtedly referenced a whopping 4.4 million 2012 Obama voters who stayed home in 2016 – more a third of them Black.

A month after the presidential election, Trump praised Black voters for being “smart,” saying, “they didn’t come out to vote for Hillary [Clinton].”

His assertion that he “did great” serves as yet another of his many, now confirmed misnomers. He did garner more votes from Blacks than John McCain in 2008 or Mitt Romney in 2012 but still fared worse than any other Republican before the two. As Election Day 2016 approached, he asked Blacks, as they weighed how or even if they would vote, “What the hell do you have to lose?”

By now, and with just one year away from the next election, what Blacks have lost remains abundantly clear. If we seriously want to reverse our collective status as passengers “long relegated to America’s caboose” – a phrase uttered by National Urban League President/CEO Marc Morial during the recent unveiling of the “State of Black America” 2019 report, we must follow Morial’s one-word solution and prayerful advice: VOTE. In fact, Blacks must vote in numbers equal, if not greater, than those which broke all records during Obama’s first successful run for the White House. If equality is our ultimate goal – an end to centuries of white privilege and a true leveling of playing fields – then we must employ a “blitzkrieg” on Election Day 2020 – an intense, offensive campaign which when described in its normal context, includes the combined forces of military on land and in the air. We need everyone to vote.

What do you know about the candidates and their platforms? Are you willing to simply vote against one candidate or are you making sure you are becoming educated and enlightened about them so that you can cast your vote “for” the person you consider to be the best to represent your concerns, needs and desires? We can ill-afford to take our hard-fought right to vote for granted, particularly when history shows that at point, neither Blacks or women, of any color, were allowed to vote.

Surely, we’ve grown weary of holding up the back of the train, haven’t we? WI

D.C. Budget Battle Begins

Quality of life issues for District residents define Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed 2020 budget that now rests in the hands of the D.C. City Council. In February, Mayor Bowser led four citywide public engagement forums offering D.C. residents a glimpse into her plans to address affordable housing, education, health and an array of issues impacting the lives of District residents and businesses. On Tuesday, council members engaged in the required First Reading of the budget, vigorously debated and voted on significant amendments that will now go on to a Second Reading and then a final vote on a budget that should be fiscally responsible, but more importantly, equitable.

In the meantime, critical issues including workforce housing, low income, and affordable housing, adequate funding for a new Banneker Academic High School and a new Shaw Middle School, funding for a beleaguered United Medical Center in Southeast and new tax revenues headlined Tuesday’s debate.

Discussions between members of the council, at times heated, exposed their realization of the inequities that exist among District residents based on race, income and zip codes. Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyon McDuffie went further and named it – gentrification – as the engine that has accelerated the economic divide, while others acknowledged its historical impact on communities, particularly East of the Anacostia River.

Consequently, for more than 150,000 residents in Wards 7 and 8, the fact that a vote to significantly decrease funding and ultimately close the beleaguered 234-bed United Medical Center in Ward 8 in four years was a difficult vote to watch. It is also a harsh reality for residents that their desperate need, but lack of adequate health care will continue. The good news Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray would have residents believe is that this vote, to reduce the mayor’s proposed subsidy from $40 million to $15 million, was needed to end the hospital’s financial hemorrhaging and to push for a more expedient construction of a new hospital at St. Elizabeth’s from 2023 to 2021.

There’s no doubt, District residents need and want a new hospital in Ward 8 but it’s unfortunate they may suffer the consequences of this preliminary vote. WI

TO THE EDITOR Reviving Chocolate City Nice shot of the #DontMuteDC crowd.

I love it! It’s almost like Chocolate City is making a coming back. Well, let me not get ahead of myself, but if we keep striving together, we will take back our rightful place in this city. No doubt!

Willie Eaves Washington, D.C.

Family is No Burden What a beautiful tribute, editor, that you wrote to your mother. Words like yours makes me remember to be grateful for a paper like The Washington Informer where it’s for us, by us, and it shows. Your references to the song “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” was on point and I, too, reminisce about the good old days when mothers and other family included wasn’t a burden, but simply family.

Vital Omission Made in ‘Muslims of Color Issue Call for Unity’ Feature In the recent feature written by WI Contributing Writer Hamil Harris, we are not sure if it was an oversight or an intentional act to not mention the comments made by the Honorable Silis Muhammad’s Chief Minister, Minister Najee Muhammad at the Muslim of color unity meeting.

To not mention the fact that 250 million people from the slavery diaspora chose to self-identify as “Afrodescendant” and the fact that the definition for their new identity was written by the Honorable Silis Muhammad, is unconscious-able.

Our people deserve more respect than to withhold the news of unifying 250 million Afrodescendants of the slavery diaspora. There is nothing on the level of UNITY achieved that compares to this fact!

Shahidah Mustafa

Thomas Battle Washington, D.C.

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 25

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Julianne Malveaux

Commemorate Brown v. Board of Education by Supporting Teachers

Sixty-five years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in the Brown v. Board of Education case that the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) doctrine of “separate but equal” was unconstitutional. That ruling ended legal segregation in public facilities, but it did not necessarily accomplish its goals in terms of school desegregation.

Indeed, Richard Rothstein, the historian who is a Distinguished Fellow at the Economic Policy Institute and at the Uni-

versity of California, Berkeley School of Law, wrote that in 2014, Black students are “more racially and socioeconomically isolated” than at any time since 1970, when this data was first available.

After Brown passed, there were some integration gains, through bussing and magnet schools, but the South resisted Brown because a second case ordered desegregation “with all deliberate speed,” which was a euphemism for taking your sweet time. I attended a segregated school in Moss Point, Mississippi, in 1969, 15 years after the passage of Brown v. Board of Education.

In 2016, Cleveland, Mississippi, finally closed its segregated Black high school and renamed Cleveland High School, the white school, Cleveland Central High School. Now, the district is in court because a young Black woman was denied the salutatorian honors she earned so that a young white man, with a lower GPA, could have the honor. Yes, the Brown v. Board of Education case made history, but it was an imperfect tool to tackle racial inequities in the public school system, mainly because these inequities are anchored in residential patterns and funding sources.

When schools are funded with

Guest Columnist

property taxes, those who live in wealthier districts will simply have better education, perpetuating inequalities.

It has been trendy to blame teachers for unequal education outcomes, even as these teacher’s responsibilities expand with increased regulation, test-taking, and unrealistic requirements around engagement with parents and others. A school district in South Carolina, for example, requires that teachers respond to parent emails within 24 hours.

The burden of one teacher’s 10to 12-hour days became so onerous that she quit her job in the middle of the school year. Many

questioned her commitment to children, but she fought fiercely to maintain her sanity and some semblance of a quality of life.

Teaching is not supposed to be trench warfare. It is supposed to be joyful for both students and teachers. There is nothing more gratifying than to watch children gleefully grasp a concept, read a page, solve a math problem, or give a speech. But that sense of gratification is diminished when bureaucracy chips the joy away, or when a teacher has to take on outside work to pay her bills. Teachers

MALVEAUX Page 45

By Marc H. Morial

Protection from Foreign Interference in Elections

“This is not Russia. This is the United States of America. And I will fight until the death to make sure every citizen — whether they’re Green Party, whether they’re Freedom Party, whether they’re Democrat, whether they’re Republican, whoever — has that right to vote.

Because it is the essence of our democracy. For so many people, their rights are pulled away from them, then they’ve got to put in laws to get

them back. What does that mean?

They cannot progress rapidly. They cannot progress with the rest of society. All they’re trying to do is control their own destiny.” — Rep. Elijah Cummings, chair, House Oversight Committee.

The National Urban League’s 2019 State of Black America report, “Getting 2 Equal, United Not Divided,” an unprecedented examination of the state of the Black vote, was unveiled this week amidst a new push in Congress to protect voting rights and secure democracy.

Just a day after we unveiled the report at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings announced he wants to “make sure we spend significant effort and time, perhaps even looking at even more states and seeing what they’re doing and shining a light on what they may be doing illegally or improperly to stop or hinder people from voting and having those votes counted.”

Specifically, the committee is planning to examine voter suppression in North Carolina,

Guest Columnist

Georgia, Texas and Kansas.

In partnership with the Brennan Center for Justice and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the State of Black America revealed how the “Terrible Trio” of voter suppression — state legislatures, the Supreme Court and hostile foreign actors — worked together to disrupt American democracy.

Beginning in 2010 — following the first year of the first African-American president’s term — state legislatures began passing restrictive laws intended to hinder Black voters. The Su-

preme Court opened the floodgates for voter suppression in 2013 when it gutted the Voting Rights Act with its decision in Shelby v. Holder.

It was into this suppression-happy environment that hostile foreign actors — specifically the troll farm of Russia’s Internet Research Agency — unleashed a firestorm of manipulative, misleading and deceptive social media aimed at dissuading African Americans from voting.

Our report has landed at a cru-

MORIAL Page 45

By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

Decades After Brown v. Board of Education, We Risk Going Backward

This week marks the 65th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the unanimous Supreme Court decision that outlawed apartheid in America, declaring segregated schools “inherently unequal” and unconstitutional.

Today, the common sense of the Brown decision is under at-

26 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

tack. For nearly three decades, our schools have been re-segregating, reversing the progress made under Brown, reflecting the deep racial and economic segregation of our communities. Worse, several of Donald Trump’s nominees to the federal courts refuse even to endorse Brown as unassailable law.

As the United States grows more diverse, we run the risk of becoming more separate and more unequal.

The decision in Brown was

and is compelling. Racially segregated schools were and are inherently separate and unequal.

They also were and are unequal in resources. In affluent, largely white suburbs, public schools are new and modern, with advanced facilities and courses and good teachers. In low-income, minority neighborhoods, schools tend to be old and dilapidated, with less experienced teachers, fewer resources and fewer advanced courses.

Research shows that integra-

tion works. Segregation injures the chances for achievement, college success, long-term employment and income of students of color. Integration raises those chances with no detriment to white students. Indeed, the experience of going to a diverse school better prepares students of all races for the world they will enter.

With neighborhoods largely segregated — a legacy of racially restrictive laws and covenants, of bank and real estate redlining

and more — integration of public schools inevitably required busing. Busing, of course, is routine across America, a service to parents. But opponents of integration used “forced busing” to arouse fears and hatred. The question was never about busing, it was about where the bus delivered the students.

When the federal courts, packed by judges appointed

by Ronald Reagan and George

JACKSON Page 45

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Charlene Crowell

CFPB Proposes Helping Debt Collectors Instead of Consumers

When it comes to personal finance, multiple issues confront consumers every day. Ever-deepening student debt, denials on mortgage applications, and small-dollar borrowing known as payday loans that come with legal triple-digit interest rates in 33 states — all contribute to a series of financial challenges.

But there is also another form

of consumer finance that acts as a kind of glue that affects these and other issues: debt collection. In 2017, The Urban Institute found that 71 million consumers had a debt collection in their credit reports.

By 2018, 620,800 debt collection complaints were filed. Of these, 475,000 were brought to the attention of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). At the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), 80% of last year’s debt collection complaints focused on

Guest Columnist

one of three concerns: collector calls persisting after “stop calling” notices (29%), repeated phone calls (27%), and false representation about debt (24%).

And once again, communities of color are disproportionately affected.

By the CFPB’s own survey on debt collection experiences, 44% of consumers of color reported contact by a debt collector, compared to only 29% of whites. This finding of racial disparity was consistent with a report by the Urban

Institute that analyzed location as a factor in debt collection. That report revealed that 45% of consumers in communities of color had a debt in collection, compared to 27% of consumers in predominantly white areas. Further, an investigative report by ProPublica found that in Chicago, Newark, New Jersey, and St. Louis, the risk of collection lawsuits, judgments and wage garnishments were twice as high in Black census tracts as it was in white ones.

So, when the CFPB proposed a

new rule on debt collection on May 7, a swarm of interest emerged.

“The bureau is taking the next step in rulemaking to ensure we have clear rules of the road where consumers know their rights and debt collectors know their limitations,” said CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger.

Lawmakers and consumer advocates expressed distinctly different views from that of Kraninger.

“Last year, the Consumer Bureau

CROWELL Page 46

By E. Faye Williams

Equal Rights for Women Long Overdue

We get so consumed with stuff about the train wreck in the White House that we forget or miss important things going on in the nation and the world. Well, something good and historic happened in the U.S. Congress recently.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler held a hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment! That should be so ordinary that it shouldn’t even make the news.

Yet, it had been 36 years since such a hearing had taken place.

This wasn’t even a vote to make the ERA law, but women were actually excited that a hearing was held. It was only a hearing — not the passage of a bill to make it law. Yet, the hearing was historic. I had the honor of being one of several speakers for the press conference that followed the hearing.

Women actually celebrated the fact that the issue got a hearing! As much as we talk about equality in this country, and as much as some of our leaders go around the world preaching to leaders in other nations about human rights, women in this nation still don’t have equal

Askia-At-Large

rights in the Constitution!

It’s unbelievable that women still do not have equal rights under our Constitution, but women aren’t giving up. It’s time for women to stop asking to be a part of the Constitution.

We must demand our rights.

Women must demand of the current Congress to make us a part of the Constitution or elect people who are willing to do so.

Supporters can be men or women, but we must not continue to accept second-class citizenship.

Women brought millions of other women to the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017. We must bring mil-

lions more in 2020. We need more of our sisters to heed the words of Abigail Adams when she wrote her husband a letter that said: “I long to hear that you have declared an independency and, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to

foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”

That was well said, Abigail!

Where is that spirit among more women today? We’ve asked too gently. Most often we hear the gentler form of Abigail speaking to her husband to “Remember the ladies,” but what she said more and sounds like she had a lot in common with Michelle Obama, who was very influential in her husband’s life.

The ERA did pass in the 1970s but didn’t get enough

WILLIAMS Page 46

By Askia Muhammad

Venezuela Embassy: Mob Rule, Martial Law

Forget about the “constitutional crisis” on Capitol Hill. At the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, the U.S. Secret Service, the Trump State Department, with the complicity of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, has already begun the installation of not only an illegal government in Venezuela, but also the “presidency for life” of one Donald J. Trump.

For more than a month, Venezuelan thugs, supporting the ille-

gitimate presidency of opposition leader Juan Guiadó — who received not one single vote in the country’s recent election, but is recognized by the Trump regime — laid siege to a brave group of activists, who entered and occupied the building with the permission of the legitimate government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The peace activists were given permission to stay inside by the United Nations-recognized Maduro government so that the opposition elements would not seize the embassy, which, according to international law, is the sovereign property of Venezuela.

The thugs — probably paid by

some right-wing “think tank” — blocked access to the building so that the so-called Embassy Protection Coalition and its supporters could not get food or medicine into the building.

The coalition is led by CODEPINK Women for Peace and includes supporters from the ANSWER Coalition, Veterans for Peace and others.

The U.S. coerced Pepco to cut the building’s electricity even though the bill was paid, and they got the water authority to cut off water, which gravely endangers health conditions for drinking and washing.

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I went to the location myself and witnessed a man carrying a pouch of food get wrestled and beaten by the hooligans while the cops looked on and did nothing, after they had promised the coalition supporters that they would be permitted to take the food to them. Earlier in the siege, after the opposition forces locked and blocked the entrance, the coalition managed to get food inside by way of pulleys to an upper-floor window.

International law requires host countries to defend and protect the sovereignty of diplomatic property, which officially are considered the

“territory” of the foreign country.

The U.S. has been champing at the bit for regime change in Venezuela for decades because the country possesses the world’s largest known oil reserves.

The Trump administration pressured its allies to go along with its regime change scheme using a familiar tactic. They imposed sanctions on the country and all its leaders. They took over the state-owned CITGO Oil Co., which under former President Hugo Chavez gave free and reduced price winter heating oil relief

ASKIA Page 46 MAY 16 - 22, 2019 27

LIFESTYLE Experience the Magic of Love in ‘Tolkien’

V.I.P. Prepares for New CD Release

By Eunice Moseley Special to the Washington Informer Fox Searchlight Pictures’ Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios presentation of Tolkien arrives in theatres May 10, 2019. Tolkien is a bio-drama about scholar J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the epic novels “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” Tolkien stars Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Tolkien and Golden Globe nominated Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror) as his love interest Edith Bratt.

The audience will experience the magic of what love can do in

‘Tolkien.’ Tolkien (Hoult) lived through World War I, where all his friends (Rob Gilson, Geoffrey Bache Smith and Christopher Wiseman) die, to marry the love of his life Edith Bratt (Collins).

A lover of language, mystery and magic Tolkien is inspired by Edith, an accomplished pianist, to see the world on a deeper level. That vision beyond the surface helped him create the worlds of his ground breaking novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.”

Both Tolkien and Bratt were orphans that lived in the same foster home. It was love at first sight, but his guardian Father Frances Mor-

THE PERFECT GIFT

ANNIVERSARY – BIRTHDAY – MEMORIAL – GRADUATION – ANY SPECIAL OCCASSION

gan played by Colm Meaney (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) forbid the relationship and sends him off to college at Oxford (Exeter College).

Edith believes Tolkien will move on because she is so use to being abandoned that she gets engaged to another guy. Seeing Tolkien leaving to board a ship for war awakens her love for him and as they embrace goodbye she makes him promise to return to her. How Tolkien accomplishes this with bodies dropping all around him is the climax of the film.

Tolkiens’ creation of the “middle earth” was ground breaking at the time in 1937 when he published “The Hobbit.” Immediately after he releases a sequel to “The Hobbit”, titled “The Lord of the Rings.” This novel became the best-selling novel of all times with over 150 million copies sold so far.

It has been re-printed three times and translated in 38 languages.

Tolkien sold the film rights to “The Lord of the Rings” to United Artists in 1969 and thus garnering multiple Academy Award wins.

V.I.P.

V.I.P. (Virgin Island Professa) preps for his May 22, 2019 released of his new album “Emergency” (Dust Dem AFF Music), with the release of the first single and music video “Want It.” When I tell you the talent level of this Virginia Island singer, songwriter, producer is up there with Bob Marley, take my word for it. It’s not because he won my 20-year-old “Uplifting Minds II”

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28 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

5 Photo from ‘Tolkien’ (top) (www.FoxSearchlight.com/Tolkien/) ; VIP (bottom) (IslandPridePrints.com)

(ULMII) Baltimore talent competition six-times or that he has been a sponsor of that event since 2008, but witnessing him take an audience of people from their seats to their feet.

“Around the world we have a lot of issues with violence…I want to let everyone know it’s an emergency, we need to change, get better, do better,” said V.I.P., born in the U.S. Virgin Islands as Marvin Shamal Davis, Jr. “I hope to bring awareness to crime and

violence and the need for change.

It’s good to be happy.”

V.I.P. debuted in 2008 with “Ambassador” (Ivory Penn Entertainment) produced by Steve Ivory (Disney). That was the year V.I.P. started sponsoring the ULMII community event. His hit singles in the states and in the Virgin Islands include “Hands Up” and “Soakin’ Wet.” – two of my favorite V.I.P. singles. The Virgin Islands radio stations have always played his music as if he was Bob Marley. He is a local Virgin Island celebrity that is always representing his Virgin Islands home. The V. I. is included on his branded products which can be found at IslandPridePrints.com.

“Everyone needs to focus on the root problem. Rich or poor we all have the same problems,” he pointed out. “Have feelings, but don’t take it to the extreme.”

V.I.P. has a sweet and humble personality that people gravitate to. He said he was musically inspired by Calypso music, Bob Marley and Jay-Z. “My inspiration…Calypso music, Bob Marley of course… he is a global figure not just in the Caribbean and Jay-Z and I am inspired by yourself with your positive energy,” V.I.P. said. “My parents too, their strength…gave me the strength to be who I am.”

The Virgin Islands, where he was born and raised until he relocated to the states with his father Marvin Sr., has a West Indian culture mixed with African heritage. So, his music is a mixture

240-643-6737

TOLKEIN Page 29

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LIFESTYLE UDC GRADUATION from Page 23 her goals.”

Throughout the eight years at UDC, Fitch would sometimes take as little as a single course a semester and spent many nights receiving instruction and also weekends doing classwork and homework. Fitch said she got along well with her fellow students — “they helped me when I needed help” — and faculty members “who made time for me.”

Fitch said she wanted to study social work because of the experiences she had at Joseph’s House.

“I am already in the field, working with the homeless,” she said. “I want to help the homeless and I determined that getting a social work degree was the best way for me to do that.”

Fitch said her persistence has served as an example for her family and friends.

“I tell people to always follow your dreams and never give up,” she said. “And always put God

first. It doesn’t matter what age you are, you can do it.”

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), chairman of the Financial Services Committee who has emerged as a chief critic of President Trump, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. received honorary degrees from the university. Waters delivered the commencement address in which she blasted the corruption of the Trump administration and the encouraged the graduates to “go out and change the world.” WI

TOLKEIN from Page 28 of that West Indian culture and music from the African-American Hip-Hop culture in the states.

That gives his music a very fresh and different sound that can be heard in the music video for the “Want It” single (https://youtu. be/k4yO0Yu13Y8).

V.I.P., who has been the opening act for the Baltimore ULMII event almost every year since

2011, calls his style music Vulcha.

He hopes his body of music helps to create “world peace.”

“I wish for people to have the ability to know the path they may be taking,” he said. “That could help make world peace…something that creates international greatness. We’ve lost great brothers like Nipsy…too soon. We’ve lost some powerful brothers and sisters to violence.” @VirginIslandsProFessA (Facebook) WI

5 Rep. Maxine Waters receives an honorary degree during UDC’s recent graduation ceremony. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

spunk

Now through June 23

Photo of Marty Austin Lamarr by Christopher Mueller

Three tales by Zora Neale Hurston that celebrate the laughin’ kind of lovin’ kind of hurtin’ kind of pain that comes from bein’ human – all told in the key of the blues

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 29

LIFESTYLE

#DontMuteDC Looks Ahead Following Key Successes

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins

More than a month after successfully countering a censure of the go-go sound on 7th Street and Florida Avenue in Northwest, the founders of the #DontMuteDC movement continue to push back against concerns that their efforts won’t go beyond quasi protests, go-go functions and musings about the genre’s cultural significance.

During Saturday’s Funk Parade, the men credited for engineering the mass mobilization of go-go industry giants and fans — Kymone Freeman, Tone P, Ron Moten and Yaddiya — framed #DontMuteDC in the context of economic and so-

cial systems that have displaced Black Washingtonians for decades.

“With gentrification being a hot topic, #DontMuteDC has political and emotional power. It can [continue to] put the spotlight on this issue, and sway our council members to pass some policy on the back end,” said Tone P, an award-winning producer.

Tone P revealed plans to launch a youth music program, sponsored by the DC Housing Authority and the Do the Write Thing campaign, for young people living in his stomping grounds of Southwest.

He said the upcoming workshop is similar to a two-month class he hosted at Kelly Miller Middle School in Northeast

last year that culminated in the production of a musical collaboration between some of his students and D.C. artist Lightshow.

Tone P said these programs further familiarize the youth with go-go’s impact and embolden them to pick up the mantle in protecting the sound.

“The conversation goes beyond music,” he said. “When you displace people, you displace culture. This program, named My Mixtape Workshop, merges the trap genre and homegrown go-go music.

It keeps up with the young people’s spirit and upbringing.”

Tone P.’s April 8 tweet — in response to a tip that the T-Mobile Corporation, pressured by people living in a Shaw-area

condo, told Central Communications to stop playing go-go music outside of its 7th and Florida location — compelled more than 50 people to gather and blast go-go music in protest in the CVS Pharmacy parking lot across the street from Central Communications.

From the onset, D.C. Council members Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Robert White (DAt large), and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) stood alongside #DontMuteDC protesters.

Nadeau, whose constituency includes the Shaw business community, sent the T-Mobile Corporation a letter in a show of support for Central Communications owner Don Campbell.

On the day following the protest, Takeova Band, also known as TOB, headlined a protest/ go-go function outside of Frank D. Reeves Center on the corner of 14th and U streets in Northwest. That Wednesday, to the amazement of native Washingtonians and go-go fans, Campbell announced the T-Mobile Corporation reversed the order that sparked #DontMuteDC activities.

Since then, the District streets haven’t been quiet, thanks in part to Yaddiya, the local artist

and activist who coordinated the first demonstration on April 9 outside of the Reeves Center.

Subsequent iterations, including the large-scale event known as Moechella, have garnered local and national attention.

On the night of May 7, more than 4,000 people packed the intersection of 14th and U streets to dance to the sounds of Backyard Band and ABM. With another installment of Moechella in the works for this summer, Yaddiya described it as the start of a more complex strategy to address gentrification and its effects on D.C. culture.

“The first step is unity,” Yaddiya, surrounded by Tone P and Kymone Freeman, said at U Street Music Hall on Saturday during a Funk Parade press conference. “This is just the starting point. It’s a pep rally and we’re getting prepared to do the dirty work and have these conversations.

“It’s been a great spark and great energy,” Yaddiya said. “My heart is full, having [go-go group BackYard Band co-founder] Big G coming out in the middle of 4,000 people. If you know anything about the history of go-go, then you know that’s a very risky situation, and that says a lot.” WI

5 Kymone Freeman participates in a press conference held at the U Street Music Hall on Saturday, May 11 discussing the #DontMuteDC movement. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

30 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

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5 The cast of ‘Fame’. (L-R back) J. Klavans, A. Perea, R. Romain, S. Oliveras, K. Kwalick, T. Danskey, S. Ramirez, B. Menjivar. (L-R front center) T. DeLeon, M. Shimoda, A. Thomas, P. Pizarro, P. Calvo. (Photo courtesy/Rose Campiglia)

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‘Fame’ Rebooted for New Audience at GALA Hispanic Theatre

By Eve M. Ferguson WI Contributing Writer We all, especially those of a certain age, likely remember the name. “Fame,” the 1980 film revived (to limited success) in 2009 has come roaring back to life in 2019, in its original format for the stage, fueled by the small theater company at GALA Hispanic Theatre now in its 43rd year.

The beloved story of high school students at a performing arts school in New York has been repackaged by Luis Salgado, who directs and choreographed the latest production performed both in English and Spanish simultaneously, adding a new dimension to the already upbeat and catchy music that became a cultural phenomenon.

From the opening number, “Hard Work,” featuring the rather large cast (for the size of the theatre and stage), “Fame” explodes out of the gates and never lets up on the gas pedal.

Following the story of a few of the students who are training to be actors, dancers and musicians and their teachers, this ingenious production that speaks to Latinx and non-Spanish speakers alike, flows in and out of the two languages effort-

lessly, calling to mind the language that some from the Big Apple refer to as “Nuyorican” or “Spanglish.”

Live music drives the steadily pumping energy of the more than two-hour musical that spares excess dialogue to tell the stories through iconic tunes such as “I Want to Make Magic,” sung in glorious bravado by Carlos Salazar (Nick), a privileged student who is not content with average acting, but aspires to absolute excellence.

The offstage band is led by legendary drummer Walter “Bobby” McCoy, who steers the nine-piece musical support to the musicians on stage.

The subtitles in English and Spanish make sure that the audience doesn’t lose track of the dialogue, but the music really does all the speaking necessary to tie together the dynamic dance scenes, heartfelt ballads and big musical numbers.

Other show-stoppers are Susan Oliveras’ solo. Playing English teacher Esther Sherman, who drives a hard academic tradeoff for the talented children, she belts out “These Are My Children.” After she slaps one disrespectful student, Tyrone, Oliveras captures the sen-

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LIFESTYLE

Oliver Lee Jackson Exhibit on Display at National Gallery of Art

By Eve M. Ferguson WI Contributing Writer

The beauty of the paintings by St. Louis-born artist Oliver Lee

Jackson is that they really don’t need much explaining, or even titles.

They are entities unto themselves and boldly present themselves in the current exhibit, “Oliver Lee

Jackson: Recent Paintings,” currently on view at the National Gallery of Art’s East Building.

“I intend the work to have power, and I want the power to be spe-

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cific in terms of its effects,” Jackson said in a recent interview. “When you stand before a work — that goes for me after I finish one — you don’t really know it until it resonates you, makes it significant for you. But how it resonates me has to do with me. It’s like every vessel gets resonated uniquely. How it would affect me would be different than for you, because we are two different vessels.”

The painter, printer, sculptor and multimedia artist, born in 1935, has drawn inspiration from a number of sources. First and foremost, Jackson draws on jazz and the musicality of colors and forms gleaned from his interaction with composer and saxophonist Julius Hemphill, saxophonist Oliver Lake and other members of the interdisciplinary collective, Black Artists Group.

Jackson also served as assistant director of the People’s Art Center and director of Program Uhuru in St. Louis before relocating to California in 1971. Since 1982 he has been a fixture in Oakland, California, but never lost touch with his St. Louis roots.

“Because of my relationships with music and musicians, I began to understand how I could approach making something, starting with the first mark, the very first mark — that choice,” he said about his process. “The musicians I was listening to might begin very, very softly, touching silence tenderly, or harshly. In doing either, they never seemed to violate the silence.”

Jackson’s paintings, mostly largescale, also don’t violate the silence, although the colors reach out and grab the viewer. Many of the 20 works on view, previously unseen

publicly, are created by a variety of media, including liberal use of folded felt.

Although it seems an unusual material to work with, Jackson found something unique in its use.

“Oh, it’s the absolute saturation of color, it’s all the way through the cloth, there’s no place it isn’t dyed,” he said. “So it gives back the color — it’s just powerful. But in the most gently way — felt kicks the light back gently.”

Jackson’s color palette can only be described as delicious — sometimes taking on the shine of a bowl of orange sherbet, and in another work, plumbing the deep blues of the ocean. Sometimes one can make out what seems to be a figure, but on closer examination, the form dissolves into movement and rich hues.

“There are no human beings in painting — only ‘paint people,’” he explained as he acknowledged the figurative foundation of many of his works.

“Figurative is about the best I can do,” he added. “However, “figurative’ does not make a lot of sense to me because it is a category that depends on representation for its meaning. And that’s not what painting is for me — representation. I use figures as a foundation to make a painting, as a starting point.”

Harry Cooper, senior curator of Modern Art at the gallery, concurred.

“Unlike many artist who emerged in the wake of abstract expressionism, Jackson never wavered from his figurative stance,” Cooper said. “While his work is

OLIVER Page 44

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32 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

5 Oliver Lee Jackson (Courtesy photo)

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LIFESTYLE SAVE from Page 15 “We are committed to helping people at all stages of their lives take better control of their personal finances and see particular importance in helping young people save for post-secondary education,” Smouha said. “With the right skills, knowledge and drive everyone can gain an edge on their future and have a lifetime of success. We are thrilled to partner on EduSaveDC as part of Capital One’s Future Edge Initiative, which provides $150 million in community grants and initiatives across the country to empower more Americans to succeed in the future economy.”

Scott Kratz, who works as the vice president of Building Bridges Across the River and director of the 11th Street Bridge Park, also said the EduSaveDC program has a critical role to play in the lives of Ward 8 residents.

“As a project of the Ward 8 based-non-profit Building Bridges Across the River, our mission is to improve the quality of life of residents in Wards 7 and 8,” Kratz said. “The children savings account helps us realize this goal

and is an important strategy of our equitable development plan that allows local residents to build wealth and thrive in place.”

Stefan Lockridge, who has a fourth-grader at the Bishop Walker School for Boys, didn’t hesitate to sign up for EduSaveDC. “As a D.C. resident, I want to take advantage of the resources that are available,” Lockridge said. “I think this is a great idea because it gives me a chance to send my child to a higher education institution and anything that will help me do that I want to take advantage of.”

Amira Moore, who has a child enrolled in kindergarten at Ketcham Elementary School, echoed Lockridge’s sentiments.

“I like the CAAB match,” she said. “I want my kids to go to college. It is expensive now and it will be more expensive when they get college-age, so every little bit helps.”

Leitmann-Santa Cruz said his goals are to get EduSaveDC in every Ward 8 primary and secondary institution and eventually every public school in the District.

WI

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SERVICE from Page 1 campus would meet academic needs more so than renovation to their current dwellings.

“This is about solving both of our problems. [Shaw residents] want a new middle school, and we need a new high school,” said RuQuan, a junior at Banneker.

On Monday, RuQuan counted among 40 students who stormed At-large Council member Anita Bonds’ office and met with Council member Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5). Throughout their exchanges with council members and staff, students maintained their position that Shaw parents who want a neighborhood middle school should consider moving into Banneker’s Euclid Street location. “[The current building] is not a high school space, but we as Black people make what we have work,” said RuQuan, 17, a member of Banneker’s Student Government Association. “Every other high school has been renovated. Imagine what we could do in an expanded space.

We could give them [our] space.

Residents don’t want to send their children with elementary and high school students.”

Less than 24 hours later, as RuQuan and his peers watched from an overflow room, the council voted 7-6 against an amendment introduced by Council member David Grosso (I-At large) that would advance Banneker’s modernization without delay and allocate $1.6 million toward a site study and cost analysis for a stand-alone middle school at the Shaw site.

The debate around whether modernization would suffice has raged on since November, when Banneker students and Shaw community members testified before the council’s education committee. Banneker students and teachers pushed back against a 21st Century Fund feasibility study recommending only modernization to its current building, citing prolonged interruption of student instruction and other inconveniences.

The May 1 letter to Bowser in support of solely modernization included signatures from Council members Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7), Brianne Nadeau

(D-Ward 1), Elissa Silverman (I-At large) and Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8).

After Bowser revealed her intentions to move Banneker less than a mile down the street and expand enrollment by 300 seats late last year, Banneker students, teachers and parents have gone toe to toe with Shaw parents vying for that space.

Supporters of a new Shaw Middle School, a project in limbo since the Fenty administration, said they would at least entertain the compromise of a shared campus, a proposal that the Banneker group has decried on multiple occasions. Opponents of the Banneker move have reportedly questioned whether enthusiasm for the relocation originated in the Banneker community.

Since Banneker’s conversion from a middle school to a college-preparatory high school in 1981, it has garnered a reputation as one of the District’s most academically rigorous high schools.

In a school of less than 500, more than 75 percent of student body population identifies as Black or African American. Every year, 100 percent of students graduate and gain acceptance to college. Over the past five years, Banneker has expanded enrollment by 12 percent.

On Monday, Allen said that he supports a solution that benefits the Banneker and Shaw communities, reiterating that Banneker sorely needs renovations.

In his support for only school modernization, McDuffie told Banneker students that moving and expanding enrollment dilutes the quality of the Banneker brand that he and other native Washingtonians have come to appreciate.

“Part of the magic is the small setting,” McDuffie said during his meeting with students on Monday afternoon. “Moving from less than 500 students to 800 students would fundamentally change what happens.

“The community is closeknit and you’re focused and together,” he said. “Banneker is not Wilson, Eastern, Cardozo or School Without Walls. It’s the top school with students of color. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility to expand the school. It’s worth the debate and something I support.”

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LIFESTYLE

wi book review “The Undefeated”

by Kwame Alexander, illustrations by Kadir Nelson c.2019, Versify $17.99 (higher in Canada) 40 pages

By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer You wanted it. And you wanted it very much.

But, uh, well, you didn’t get it. You worked and you begged and maybe you even saved but you didn’t get what it was that you wanted. You were sad, but you got over it. You’ll try again, work harder, save more and, as in “The Undefeated” by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson, one day, you’ll reach your goal.

This book is just for you. But it’s something you have to share because it’s “for the unforgettable,” too. It’s for those people who opened the doors to all kinds of new opportunities for everyone, but they never became famous for it.

It’s for people who did whatever it took to get to America, to thrive and find a home and happiness. This book is for people who struggled, and for those who didn’t.

It’s about people who were strong and were admired for that strength. It’s for those who believed in themselves but who also put their faith in a higher power. It’s for those who “tackle vision” and those who don’t hide their light behind anything, ever.

It’s for soldiers and dancers, marchers and players, boxers and parents and kids, and it’s for you. It’s for Black lives that matter and for the people who never got a chance to know that. It’s because of the “unspeakable.”

Share this book for those who won’t be stopped, who’ll keep dreaming and reaching and imagining and proving. It’s for the athletes we know, and for the ones we don’t know about yet. It’s for performers we sing along with, and for songs not written. It’s for those who tried and tried until the last breath they had.

You’ll have to share it, but this book is for you. It’s “for us.”

“The Undefeated” is one of those things that’s really had to nail down.

It’s a quick read that may be too quick for some kids; it’s over almost before it begins because author Kwame Alexander’s words are spare and not very attention-grabbing for the very youngest of children. It doesn’t help that the picture-book-style illustrations are attractive but they aren’t particularly colorful or active.

For gradeschoolers, none of that will matter because “The Undefeated” is a poem set to picture and it’s inspirational for them, especially if they’re just learning about African American history.

But there’s a possibility for those kids that the power behind the illustrations by Kadir Nelson might be missed because the stories of the people in this book are at the end and not always with the pictures.

Adults, however, might find this book to be a treasure. Alexander’s poem pulses with strength and the artwork, from an adult’s POV, is perfectly rendered. You may recognize the people depicted — and if not, there’s always the back of the book.

The trick, perhaps, is to carefully share this book with the child you love, explain it and let it spark conversation. Once kids understand, “The Undefeated” is a book they’ll want very much.

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horoscopes

MAY 16 - 22, 2019

ARIES Fiery Mars moves into Cancer and your domestic sector for a six-week stay, which could put family issues firmly on the agenda. You might be ready to give your place a major overhaul and eager to get it shipshape. You might initiate family projects over the coming six weeks. This could be an exciting time when you feel you’re really moving forward with your plans. Lucky Numbers: 12, 29, 48 TAURUS The focus on your sign intensifies this week as sweet Venus, your personal planet, moves in, encouraging you to be kind to yourself. Her presence here might also be an opportunity for an image change if this would help you develop more confidence. As delectable Venus also aligns with eccentric Uranus, the week ahead could see you indulging your unique taste in clothes and other items, no matter what others say. Lucky Numbers: 5, 19, 21 GEMINI There’s a lot going on in your spiritual sector this week and over the coming weeks that could encourage you to look deep within. Your dreams might be particularly vivid, and you could find answers to some of life’s questions if you make a point of writing them down.

Your intuition might also come to the fore, and paying attention to it could help you navigate through life more easily. Lucky Numbers: 25, 35, 44 CANCER Your social life looks more exciting than it has in some while. And with luscious Venus moving into Taurus and this same zone this week, you’ll have many more options for romance. At the same time, convivial influences make it easier to connect with others and forge new friendships. An unexpected encounter could turn into a supportive friendship or even a budding romance over time. This bond will need regular nurturing if it is to continue, though. Lucky Numbers: 3, 22, 28 LEO With a powerful focus on your sector of goals and ambitions, you could be the star of the show right now and shining brightly in the spotlight. And with lovely Venus moving into this same zone this week and adding a little charm to the mix, it could make all the difference in helping to grease the wheels of commerce. Lucky Numbers: 11, 14, 21 VIRGO Lovely Venus moves into your sector of far horizons this week, so you might be eager for more travel and philosophical adventures. There’s already a lot of activity in this zone that’s encouraging you to embrace ideas that can make a difference in your life. You might also feel compelled to try activities that are a little bit different than anything you’ve experienced before. This is all to the good, especially if you invite a friend or your partner along.

Lucky Numbers: 3, 12, 45 LIBRA The sector of your chart associated with change, rebirth, deep emotion, business, and shared assets is very much in focus. And when delectable Venus, your personal planet, moves in this week, her presence could help smooth over any difficulties and prepare the way for negotiation. If you’ve been talking over some tricky issues, this convivial energy can make compromise much easier. Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 5 SCORPIO Your relationships could be positive, refreshing, and alluring and bring out the best in you over the coming weeks and months. With lovely Venus moving into Taurus and your relationship zone this week, it will be easier to resolve a partnership issue or any other matter between you and another. The willingness to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and see things from their perspective can make a compromise more likely. Lucky Numbers: 5, 32, 57 SAGITTARIUS You might find yourself busier than usual, yet this could be positive if it brings new opportunities your way and gives you the chance for fresh experiences. With a powerful focus on your lifestyle and wellness sector, things are set to change one step at a time. Lucky Numbers: 9, 31, 40 CAPRICORN While you might be busy with plans and goals that demand a lot of you, a pleasant focus on your leisure sector could encourage you to make enjoyment a top priority. As alluring Venus moves into this zone this week, her presence could encourage you to indulge your romantic side, whether you’re solo or spoken for. Lucky Numbers: 1, 13, 47 AQUARIUS Home, sweet home could be a busier place than usual with a lot of activity this week. Loving Venus moves into your home zone, adding a warm and comforting touch to family affairs. If you’ve been thinking about beautifying your place, her presence can encourage you to explore vintage or arty shops to see what you can find. Lucky Numbers: 14, 30, 43 PISCES Ideas might seem to come from everywhere and inspire you to action. Conversations, surfing online, reading magazines and books, and being observant could bring fresh bursts of energy into your life that translate into action. Lucky Numbers: 21, 22, 33

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 35

SPORTS

3 Atlantic City Blackjacks defensive back LaRoche Jackson tackles Washington Valor quarterback Arvell Nelson during the Valor’s 41-34 win at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Saturday, May 11. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)

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Valor Top Blackjacks, Unveil Championship Banner

6 Atlantic City Blackjacks wide receiver Antwane Grant stiffarms Washington Valor defensive back Marrio Norman during the Valor’s 41-34 win at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Saturday, May 11. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer) 3 The Washington Valor’s 2018 Arena Football League championship banner is unveiled prior to the Valor’s game against the Atlantic City Blackjacks at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Saturday, May 11. (John E. De Freitas/ The Washington 6 Washington Valor wide receiver Reggie Gray prepares to gives the football to a fan after scoring a touchdown during the Valor’s 41-34 win over the Atlantic City Blackjacks at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Saturday, May 11. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)

5 Washington Valor wide receiver Jared Dangerfield attempts to juke Atlantic City Blackjacks defensive back Arthur Hobbs during the Valor’s 41-34 win at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Saturday, May 11. (John E. De Freitas/The Washington Informer)

36 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

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SPORTS

Hurd Loses Unified Super Welterweight Titles To Williams By Unanimous Decision

By Gary Williams Special To Washington Informer Philadelphia, PA’s Julian “J-Rock” Williams outworked, outpunched and outhustled his way to a unanimous decision over previously undefeated “Swift” Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek. MD to win the unified WBA/IBF/IBO Super Welterweight championship at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, VA in front of a crowd of 5,105 and a nationally-televised (FOX) audience.

Williams beat Hurd to the punch with great jabs and inside punches. Williams repeatedly was first in his exchanges with Hurd. In the second round. Williams dropped Hurd with a left hand to the head. It was the first time Hurd had been dropped in his pro career.

Hurd did land some shots midway through the contest but Williams seemed to have an answer for every Hurd flurry by using angles and great movement.

There would be no late-round heroics for Hurd as Williams went on to win by scores of 116111 and 115-112 twice. Williams wins his first world championships and is now 27-1-1, 16 KO’s. Hurd loses for the first time and is now 23-1, 16 KO’s.

“The pressure didn’t get to me.

I just feel like J-Rock truly was the better man tonight,” Hurd said. “I kind of think hearing my hometown with my name being chanted, it caused me to try a little harder instead of just staying relaxed and take my time. That could have played a part, but no excuses.”

“I felt like they had a game plan that worked better tonight.

We also had a game plan and it was to keep the pressure on him, but he came in shape and he came out the victor.

The co-feature saw undefeated San Antonio, TX super lightweight Mario “El Azteca” Barrios score a second-round knockout over Juan Jose Velasco of Pulpaia, Argentina. Barrios was aggressive from the start and eventually caught Velasco with a clean body shot followed by a solid right cross. Velasco went down and could not beat referee Wayne Spinola’s 10-count. Barrios is now 24-0, 16 KO’s. Velasco falls to 20-2, 12 KO’s.

The battle between Richmond, VA middleweight “The Chosen One” Immanuwel Aleem and Matt Korobov of St. Petersburg, FL ended in a 10-round majority draw. Korobov seemed to land the harder punches in the contest, at times making Aleem take a step back. In the sixth round, Korobov wobbled Aleem with a

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strong right uppercut. However, Aleem fought back and turned the tide in the last three rounds as he caught the Russian native with strong punches of his own.

At first, Korobov was given the victory by majority decision because one of the judge’s scorecards was read as 96-95. However, that card was inaccurate and was actually a 95-95 score. Two of the judges scored the bout a draw while one judge saw Korobov winning 97-93. Aleem is now 18-1-2, 11 KO’s while Korobov is 28-2-1, 14 KO’s.

WI

“The pressure didn’t get to me.

I just feel like J-Rock truly was the better man tonight.”

– Jarrett Hurd

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5 Philadelphia, PA’s Julian “J-Rock” Williams (right) wins a unanimous decision over previously undefeated “Swift” Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek, Md. at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, Va. (Photo courtesy/Leo Wilson/Premier Boxing)

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Gray said his committee will hold hearings in the near future on how the UMC board will work within the parameters of the available $15 million and minimize the effects of subsequent reductions in staff and services for East End residents.

However, Yahnae Barner, vice president of the Service Employees International Union Local 1199, which represents 450 UMC workers, said the council’s action shows its insensitivity toward the hospital.

“Basically, we are looking at layoffs,” Barner said. “Services are being cut at UMC before a new hospital will be built in Ward 8 and what will residents east of the river do in the meantime. This doesn’t just affect residents in Wards 7 and 8 but everyone in the rest of D.C.” Council member Trayon White (D-Ward 8) passed an amendment to the budget that would allow Howard University medical students and faculty to practice at the St. Elizabeths facility, over the objections of Gray, who said Universal Health Services and George Washington University have reservations about Howard students and faculty practicing at the St. Elizabeths facility.

Gray said Universal Health Services cannot be forced by the city government to take Howard students and faculty, adding that “one private organization can’t be forced upon another.”

Council member Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) attempted to pass an amendment that would allow employees of the St. Elizabeths hospital to unionize, but Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) ruled her action out of order because of the lack of a fiscal impact statement.

Lane said he hopes the issue of

InCouncil member Trayon White (D-Ward 8) passed an amendment to the budget that would allow Howard University medical students and faculty to practice at the St. Elizabeths facility, over the objections of Gray, who said Universal Health Services and George Washington University have reservations about Howard students and faculty practicing at the St. Elizabeths facility.

Howard University’s medical school’s access will be resolved amicably.

Dozens of people dressed in black T-shirts with white writing signifying “District of Columbia Nurses Association” attended the hearing. The nurses association doesn’t want to endure UMC cuts and have made that clear to council members in the past few weeks.

Another large contingent at the budget hearing consisted of students and faculty at Banneker High School in Northwest. Banneker wants to leave its crumbling building at Euclid Street NW to relocate to the shuttered Shaw Junior High School building on Rhode Island Avenue in Northwest.

D.C. Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) passionately argued that Banneker deserved better facilities and noted its success as the leading academic high school in the District and one of the best of its type in the country. However, Mendelson argued that residents and leaders in the Shaw neighborhood have advocated for a new middle school for years and they deserve to have one.

The chairman said money for a new Banneker will be found in the near future but the Banneker con-

tingent didn’t buy that. Nevertheless, the council voted 7-6, to reject Grosso’s amendment and Eric Henry Jr., a student at Banneker chastised the legislative body for doing that.

“I think the vote was unjust,” he said. “We have been waiting for a new school for the longest. We have waged this fight before and we have gotten knocked down again and that’s not fair.

“We deserve a new school.”

The council voted for the proposed budget, 12-0, with White voting present.

White said he chose not to vote for the budget because it didn’t support the aspirations of low- and middle-income residents, particularly Blacks.

“Our city is prospering but the gap between the haves and have nots is getting wider,” he said. “We need more funding for our public hospital and 10 out of 15 schools [in the East End] will suffer cuts.”

The council will vote on the final budget on May 28 before sending it to Bowser.

Congress will then review the city’s budget, which will take effect on Oct. 1 if approved by all parties.

WI

IN MEMORIAM Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr.

May 18, 1927 – October 23, 1994 Founder and Publisher of The Washington Informer, Founder and Chairman of United Black Fund, Inc., radio talk-show host, community activist, philanthropist, husband, father and grandfather.

Many years have passed, the memories are clear, and our love remains strong for you who did so much for so many.

May you rest in peace.

Your Family

Use of these services is subject to the Terms of Use and accompanying policies at www.canadadrugcenter.com.

38 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

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RELIGION the religion corner WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Can Confederate Supporters Ever Sympathize with Slaves?

For my 68th birthday, For my 68th birthday, my family planned my second-ever birthday cruise, this time leaving out of the Galveston, Texas, port with several stops in Mexico.

Something wonderful happened during brunch. A very nice Caucasian lady, retirement age, kind and friendly as could be, was seated at our breakfast table.

She and her husband are cattle ranchers in Post, Texas, owners of hundreds of thousands of acres. She said, “Post, the cereal guy!” I thought, “Understood!

She is a descendant of Mr. Post.”

She talked about the heifers and how, though they are grass-fed and therefore classified as organic, there really is no organic beef because the government requires every cow to get shots to prevent disease.

We chatted about lifestyles, sharing from both sides. It was remarkable!

After a lengthy discussion, she said, “May I ask a question that may be offensive? And if it is, it is not my intention.” Of course, by that time, she had the attention of all four Grant sisters.

The question: “Why do you think there is so much discussion around the Confederate monuments?” After pausing, I said, “I think this is a question for me.

I added, “Perfect question for Mt. Zion Baptist Church 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”

my family planned my second-ever birthday cruise, this time leaving out of the Galveston, Texas, port with several stops in Mexico. [former D.C. Council member] Frank Smith, founder and director of the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.” Without going into an extended history lesson, I reminded her the status of the country in pre-Civil War times, when slavery in America was the rule, when Blacks were not considered human beings. When animals were fed before Blacks, and on and on.

I reminded her how the United States would have been split into two unique and different countries had the Confederates won the war. They did not win, so why celebrate them with flags and monuments? Put that history in books and museums.

Her concern was how those Confederate families want to honor their family members who were wonderful people and loved ones.

She shared how sweet, loving and kind they were.

I’ll never understand why one side can’t truly sympathize with the other. Let’s reverse the roles: Suppose that my family had slaves that cleaned, cooked and worked the fields at no cost and with minimal care. The family made millions of dollars in profits. Not one dollar was paid to my slaves, and my family became very wealthy from this free labor. I and my lifestyle led to the riches of my family today. Why would I want change to allow those who were once slaves to now rule over me?

On the other hand, I believe it would be quite difficult — but not impossible — for Confederate supporters to feel sympathy for those once enslaved. In doing so, they would have to believe in God and in loving one another — only then they would feel what life must have been like for slaves during those times. Confederate supporters would actually have to be reminded of the hangings, the beatings, the raping of women and men, and how slaves lived their lives daily.

With that type of sympathy, there might be a chance to put this part of our history to rest once and for all!

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. WI

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Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

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

www.mtzbcdc.org

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MAY 16 - 22, 2019 39

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church 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

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor 700 I 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

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

Church of Living Waters

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

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

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org

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

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

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”

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

1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661

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

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

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

Rev. Dr. Alice Greene Interim Pastor

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

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

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

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

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

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

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

www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Turning Hearts Church Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher 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

40 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

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

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: 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

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

Crusader Baptist Church

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

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

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

Twelfth Street Christian Church Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor (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

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

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

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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730

Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 AM Service 11:00 AM Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.”

Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com

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 Sunday Worship Service: 10:15 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church 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

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

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office • (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven!

623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 Fax (202) 483-4009

4504 Gault Place, N.E. Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184

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

“Where Jesus is the King”

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church Rev. Richard B. Black Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

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

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

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"

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

Eastern Community Baptist Church

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Damion M. Briggs Pastor

1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 AM and 10:45 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 AM & 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 PM Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 PM Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 PM

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

Rehoboth Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

2001 Brooks Drive District Heights, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074

621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:15 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting / Bible Study: Tuesday at 7 PM Theme: “The Kingdom Focused Church with an Emphasis on “Evangelism and Discipleship”

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 AM 1st Sunday Baptism: 10:00 AM 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10:00 AM Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting: 7:45 PM

Email: pastorstmbc@gmail.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.org

Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

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

Shiloh Baptist Church

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church 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

Christ Embassy DC

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

“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

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

“The Loving Church of the living lord “

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4288

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595

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

www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org

Service and Times First Sunday Worship Service (one service): 10:00 AM Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday Worship service: 7:45 AM and 10:55 AM Sunday Church School/Bible Study: 9:30 AM Thursday Prayer Service: 6:30 PM

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

Email: sbc@shilohbaptist.org Website: shilohbaptist.org

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist

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

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

Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson Priest

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Reverend Christopher L. Nichols Pastor

Rev. Reginald M. Green Interim Pastor

Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

St. Matthews Baptist Church

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

Emmanuel Baptist Church

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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 “

Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.

MAY 16 - 22, 2019 41

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

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

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

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

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

2019 ADM 402

Administration No. 2019 ADM 411

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000357

Administration No. 2019 ADM 394

Administration No. 2019 ADM 413

Sheila Devon Marshall Decedent

Virgil Edward Dunn aka Virgil E. Dunn Decedent

Stewart Kinard Jones Decedent

Gladys L. McNair Decedent

Deetsy Mae Cooks Decedent

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

Dominique S. Moore, Esq. 3225 Powhatan Avenue Baltimore, MD 21216 Attorney

Valerie J. Edwards, Esq. 1725 DeSales Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

Johnnie I. Barton, Esq. 1848 Bryant Street, NE Washington, DC 20018 Attorney

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

Paul Mensah 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Jacquelyne D. Diggs, whose address is 5916 Second Street NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Virgil Edward Dunn aka Virgil E. Dunn who died on September 24, 2010 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/2/2019. 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 11/2/2019, 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.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Terry Jones Stanback, whose address is 5520 Kansas Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Stewart Kinard Jones who died on May 2, 2018 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/2/2019. 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 11/2/2019, 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.

Doreen T. Wright, whose address is 1276 Patriot Lane, Bowie, MD 20716, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gladys L. McNair who died on February 25, 1986 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/2/2019. 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 11/2/2019, 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.

Johnnie I. Barton, whose address is 1848 Bryant Street, NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Deetsy Mae Cooks who died on March 16, 2019 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/2/2019. 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 11/2/2019, 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: 5/2/2019

Date of first publication: 5/2/2019

Date of first publication: 5/2/2019

Date of first publication: 5/2/2019

Jacquelyne D. Diggs Personal Representative

Terry Jones Stanback Personal Representative

Doreen T. Wright Personal Representative

Johnnie I. Barton Personal Representative

Anne Meister Register of Wills

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Washington Informer

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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

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

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

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

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

Administration No. 2018 ADM 001097

Administration No. 2019 ADM 000416

Administration No. 2018 ADM 001171

Administration No. 1982 ADM 1050

Administration No. 2018 ADM 001151

Samuel James Decedent

Anne Lee Malone Decedent

William G. Bradley, Jr. aka William M. Bradley, Jr. Decedent

Irvin Spears, Sr. Decedent

Neil Gilbride Decedent

Kisha L. Woolen, Esq. Tobin, O’Connor & Ewing 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Kisha L. Woolen, Esq. Tobin, O’Connor & Ewing 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

Colline Silvera Robinson Kirlew And Associates, PC 7731 Belle Point Dr. Greenbelt, MD 20770 Attorney

Joan M. Wilbon, Esq. 1120 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 1020 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

Ronald Dixon Bynum & Jenkins 1010 Cameron Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Attorney

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

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

NOTICE OF AFTER DISCOVERED WILL AND NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

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

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

Jennifer Concino, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #700, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samuel James who died on November 24, 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/9/2019.

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 11/9/2019, 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.

Kim B. Panchana, whose address is 517 Denham Arch Chesapeake, VA 23322, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anna Lee Malone who died on January 31, 2019 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/5/2019. 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 11/5/2019, 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.

William George Bradley, III, whose address is 1824 Varnum St. NE, Washington, DC 20018 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of William G. Bradley, Jr. aka William M. Bradley, Jr., who died on July 30, 2018 with a Will. 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 11/2/2019.

Irvin Spears, Jr., whose address is 2814 Erie St. SE, Apt # C46, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Irvin Spears, Sr. who died on May 12, 1982 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/2/2019. 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 11/2/2019, 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.

Ronald Dixon, whose address is Bynum & Jenkins, 1010 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Neil Gilbride who died on October 4, 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/16/2019. 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 11/16/2019, 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.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Brenda Helena Johnson, whose address is 4592 Triumph Dr. SW, Concord NC, 28027, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sheila Devon Marshall who died on January 19, 2019 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/2/2019. 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 11/2/2019, 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: 5/2/2019 Brenda Helena Johnson Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

Date of first publication: May 9, 2019 Jennifer Concino Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 5/9/2019 Kim B. Panchana Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 5/2/2019 William George Bradley, III Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

Date of first publication: 5/2/2019 Irvin Spears, Jr. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 5/16/2019 Ronald Dixon Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

42 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

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

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

Administration No. 2019 ADM 459

Administration No. 2018 ADM 001282

Frederick Drew, Jr. Decedent

Janice Burke Decedent

Joan M. Wilbon 1120 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 1020 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

Kisha L. Woolen, Esq. Tobin, O’Connor & Ewing 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #700 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

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

Constance Drew, whose address is 1600 Portal Drive, NW, Washington, DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Frederick Drew, Jr. who died on September 22, 2018 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/16/2019. 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 11/16/2019, 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.

Jennifer C. Concino, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW #700, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Janice Burke who died on December 29, 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 (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/16/2019. 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 11/16/2019, 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: 5/16/2019

Date of first publication: 5/16/2019

Constance Drew Personal Representative

Jennifer C. Concino, Esq Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2019 ADM 000446 Lovetta S. Johnson Decedent Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. Probate Law DC 1308 Ninth Street, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jawara Johnson, whose address is 820 Xenia Street, SE, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lovetta S. Johnson who died on January 28, 2019 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/16/2019. 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 11/16/2019, 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: 5/16/2019 Jawara Johnson Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2019 ADM 480 Estate of Herman C. Oglesby aka Herman Cecil Oglesby NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Nina Smallwood-Johnson for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

Admit to probate the Will dated January 28, 1999 exhibited with the petition upon proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of the witnesses or otherwise

Date of first publication: 5/16/2019 Caren M. Webb, Esq. 1308 Ninth Street, NW Suite 250 Washington, DC 20001 Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

CL ASSIFIEDS

CL ASSIFIEDS

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2019 ADM 451 Annie C. Putman aka Annie Carrie Putman Decedent Janet W. Blassingame, Esq. 1413 K Street, NW Suite 1500 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Michael Putman, whose address is 6100 4th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Annie C Putman aka Annie Carrie Putman who died on January 11, 2019 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., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 11/16/2019. 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 11/16/2019, 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: 5/16/2019 Michael Putman Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

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not political, it may refer to modes of violence and violation, and may imply suffering as well as hope, joy and perseverance. The result is an engaging, demanding body of work that challenges viewers to spend time with it and to open themselves to its effects.”

And therein lies the beauty of Jackson’s grand scale, gestural works. No one has to impose or dictate the response the viewer has to the work. It is unscripted and primal in its stance.

“The object’s strength is that it’s ‘somehow’ capable of provoking experiences in us,” Jackson said.

“Whether we wish to interpret or not is just a predilection on our part. The art doesn’t care whose eyes see it.”

“Oliver Lee Jackson: Recent Paintings” is on view at the National Gallery of Art through Sept. 15 and will feature a talk by the artist on the final day. On May 19, poet, critic and Oliver Lee Jackson’s longtime collaborator Quincy Troupe and playwright/theorist Paul Carter Harrison will engage in a complementary program “Two Writers on Art, Music and Modality” at 2 p.m. Go to nga.gov for more information.

WI

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Mo’Nique speaks on Nia 2X Radio about Netflix Issue

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FAME from Page 31 timents of stressed teachers who have to sometimes administer tough love. xic and illiterate student, Tyrone (Romainson Roman) gets the spotlight in both acts of the musical, telling his own story in “Tyrone’s Rap,” and accompanied by amped-up backup dancers in the ensemble on “Dancin’ on the Sidewalk.”

“If I had the chance to contribute as a faculty member to a ‘Fame SCHOOL’ what would my contribution be?”

Luis Salgado asked rhetorically. “’Fame the Musical’ was the first off-Broadway show in which I performed after I moved to NYC in 2002. It was the beginning of my Broadway career. It was a great welcome to NYC. Today we welcome a new generation of artists who bring their humanity to their art and share it.”

The GALA Theatre production cast is very young, some not even out of high school themselves, including students on stage and behind the scenes from Duke Ellington School of the Arts and George Mason University.

“It makes all the sense in the world to tell this story now and through a new lens—in celebration of Jose Fernandez (the Cuban creator of the original musical) in the nation’s capital and under the roof of a historical venue,” Salgado continued.

“I look forward to dancing and singing the theme song with you and better yet dare to dream, to work hard together. … I have the utmost respect and admiration for each one of the dreamers you see on stage.”

Librettist Jose Fernandez died at age 46 in January 1994. The original musical was conceived and developed by David De Silva with music by Steve Margoshes.

“Fame the Musical” seems as if it will live forever, and hopes for this production to expand beyond the GALA Theatre are part and parcel of the big dreams that Salgado has for the musical, which deserves to be seen by those remembering the original and a whole new generation of fans.

“Fame the Musical: A Latinx Reimagining of the Iconic Hit” plays at the GALA Hispanic Theatre through June 9 and making its U.S. Premiere at the historic theater housed in the old Tivoli movie theater at 3333 14th Street NW. For tickets, call 202234-7174 or go to galatheatre. org. WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

MALVEAUX from Page 26

unenforced and programs to subsidize scattered affordable housing are weak at best.

Now 65 years later, we face a stark choice: the promise of Brown or a country torn apart by racial tensions. Sadly, as Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, reports, Donald Trump’s nominees to the federal bench increasingly refuse to endorse Brown v. Board as unassailable law. The Republican Senate is about to confirm three of these judges to lifetime appointments.

Like the Voting Rights Act, gutted by five right-wing justices in the Shelby case, Brown v. Board of Education itself may be at risk.

Sixty-five years later, with our country more diverse than ever, we must once again decide if we will be one nation, with liberty and justice for all. That cannot be left to right-wing judges or timorous politicians. It is time once more for citizens of conscience to call this nation back to its better angels.

WI

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H.W. Bush, retreated from desegregation orders, the schools began to re-segregate. Now, as Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor concludes: “After four decades without federal support for desegregation, we are right back where we started,” with schools that are increasingly separate and unequal.

A recent report, “Harming our Common Future, America’s Segregated Schools 65 Years After Brown,” by the UCLA Civil Rights Project and the Pennsylvania State University Center for Education and Civil Rights, detailed the bleak reality. As the Washington Post’s Valerie Strauss summarizes, “Over the past three decades, Black students have been increasingly segregated in intensely segregated schools (defined as 90 to 100 percent nonwhite).” By 2016, 40 percent of all Black students were

in segregated schools.

The worst states? The “blue” states of New York, California, Illinois and Maryland, with New York the most segregated for Blacks and California the most segregated for Latinos.

This isn’t just an urban problem: our suburbs are increasingly divided by race, with African-American suburban students attending schools that are three-fourths nonwhite, and white students in the same suburbs going to schools that are, on average, two-thirds white.

Charter schools — increasingly a profit-making venture rather than an educational one — are even more segregated than traditional public schools.

Schools are segregated because our neighborhoods are segregated. Without residential integration and without metropolitan-wide integration policies, segregation will intensify, even as the country grows more diverse. Yet requirements that communities pursue residential integration remain

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tections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

We also make some bold suggestions like the elimination of the Electoral College.

Nothing is more important in the fight for economic and racial justice than protecting the right to vote. Make sure your congressional representatives know that combating voter suppression and foreign manipulation of our elections is a top priority. You can tell Congress to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act by texting “VRA4” to the number 52886.

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cial moment when some members of Congress are ramping up pressure to address foreign meddling and racially-motivated voter suppression.

The same day we unveiled the report, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a proposal to bar foreign citizens who have interfered in the U.S. elections from entering the United States.

Last week, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey unveiled a bill that would fund states’ implementation of paper ballots that could be audited and to enact new cy-

bersecurity standards to protect against hacking — a recommendation that is included in State of Black America.

Other recommendations include H.R. 1, the For the People Act which includes a wide range of voting reforms like enhanced cybersecurity protection of election systems, removing barriers to voter registration and prohibiting the distribution of false information about elections to hinder or discourage voting.

We endorse H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which restores the full enforcement pro-

You Can Say It Like A Pro!

D : Sade

MORIAL from Page 26

al product, our nation’s teachers, have been disrespected and disadvantaged by the structural indifference to classrooms that serve poor and Black students.

Sixty-five years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the achievement gap is persistent. Our nation’s wealth gap is a function of that achievement gap, and the treatment of our nation’s teachers is connected to the wealth and achievement gap.

When we commemorate Brown v. Board of Education, we must embrace the importance of adequately compensating teachers.

In embracing our teachers, we support the children they are teaching and guiding. In ignoring issues of fair teacher compensation, we are utterly abandoning our children!

WI

Photo

have made national headlines as they seek supplemental income, driving Uber or Lyft, moonlighting as food servers, taking on side jobs as tutors, and living two or three in an apartment meant for one to save money.

Those who teach really have to want to do it — they earn about a quarter less than their counterparts who have the same education, according to the Economic Policy Institute. We have been underpaying teachers for at least the last two decades!

So the nonsense we celebrated during the week of May 6, Teacher’s Appreciation Week is a charade. If you want to appreciate teachers, pay them! Don’t offer folks two-for-one burritos at Chipotle or other food fringes when

what teachers need is fair pay.

Don’t give teachers apples and faux appreciation when the teachers who graciously accept your apples and recognition are hustling outside the classroom to make ends meet. Teachers are striking all over the country, even in places like West Virginia where we would least expect it because they are desperate to be valued. Paying them less than they are worth is disrespectful. Offering half-price burritos and other nonsense is hypocrisy at its highest!

Sixty-five years ago, the Supreme Court tackled the issue of segregation in our nation’s school systems. The Brown v. Board of education decision changed the law, but not the structure of racial gaps in education. And it did not foresee the many ways that those who deliver the education-

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CROWELL from Page 27 received about 81,500 consumer complaints regarding predatory debt collection practices, which disproportionately affect minority and low-income consumers,” noted Rep. Maxine Waters, chair of the House Financial Services Committee. “This proposed rule does not come close to protecting consumers from predatory behavior. Instead, it allows debt collectors to needlessly harass and threaten consumers by sending unlimited emails and text messages and calling them seven times a week to collect debts. Hardworking Americans deserve better than this.”

The congresswoman is correct.

As announced, the proposed rule would allow debt collectors to place up to seven unanswered calls each week to consumers. Once that limit is reached, the collector could not resume communications until the following week. However, if more than one debt collector was contacting a given consumer, the number of authorized communications would be multiplied per collector.

Secondly, debt collectors are explicitly authorized to have unlimited text messages, emails, and social media communications. Thirdly, debt collectors would now send consumers a new disclosure form identifying how debts could be

WILLIAMS from Page 27 state votes to ratify the amendment when an arbitrary deadline was placed on passage. If 94 percent of the people support equality for women in the Constitution, what is it that prevents passage?

ASKIA from Page 27 Each week you’ll get news from The District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia.

You will discover Arts and Entertainment, Social Tidbits, Religion, Sports, People’s Viewpoints, Letters to the Editor, Classified Ads and more!

And best of all… No crime, no dirty gossip, just positive news and information each week, which is why…

The Washington Informer is all about you!

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46 MAY 16 - 22, 2019

to poor inner-city residents. Then, they refused to pay Venezuela for oil the U.S. had already purchased.

They coaxed the British to impound billions of dollars worth of Venezuelan gold on deposit.

With little or no oil revenue coming in, and with hardly any money in government coffers, the country has been unable to purchase food and other imports, creating a desperate situation for the innocent population, confusion, chaos and resentment.

Then, the right-wing elites inside the country and their right-wing allies in the U.S. and some of its banana republic neighbors point at the deteriorating living conditions and say: “Your suffering continues because your leaders have failed you.”

That same script has been used in country after country targeted for regime change by the U.S. Recently, the overconfident Guaidó forces tried to foment an uprising, hoping that members of

paid or disputed.

“Seven calls per debt, per week is simply too many, especially when combined with unlimited emails and texts,” said April Kuehnhoff, an attorney at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) who focuses on debt collection. “A student with eight loans could receive 56 calls per week. The proposed rule would also allow for critical notice to consumers to be provided by email or text message without a consumer’s consent as required by federal law. Other emails and text messages have no limits unless the consumer opts out.

“Debt collectors could leave messages on voicemail that may not be private,” Kuehnhoff said. “And protections from time-barred ‘zombie’ debts would be limited to prohibiting lawsuits and threats of suits on such debts, meaning that the consumer will face continued collection attempts out of court.”

Margot Saunders, also an NCLC attorney, agreed.

“The proposed rule allows critical notices to be sent by email to consumers who may not have regular internet access,” Saunders said.

“They may not be able to use their phones to read emails, open attachments, and click on hyperlinks to see critical disclosures.”

Melissa Stegman, a senior policy counsel with the Center for

Responsible Lending, said she had hoped for a rule that would effectively halt “illegal and harassing industry practices.”

“Instead, the agency is again catering to businesses instead of consumers,” Stegman said. “CFPB is expanding the authorized ways debt collectors can communicate by adding text messages and email. Consumers will now bear the burden of opting out of these new communications. Real reform could call for consumers to opt in, not out.”

Lisa Stifler, CRL’s state policy deputy director, cast a critical eye toward the White House.

“The best consumer protections utilize a combination of state and federal enforcement,” Stifler said.

“But in the Trump administration, federal agencies are frequently failing to regulate, or secure restitution for harmed consumers while hamstringing states that can and should act in defense of their consumers and residents.

“Instead of protections, the proposal will harm people who are impacted by the most abusive and deceptive debt collection practices: communities of color, older Americans, and service members,” she said. “Today’s proposed rule will widen the berth given to bad actors with a nodding approval by the one agency created to solely protect consumers: CFPB.” WI

I fear that too many women don’t understand that we cannot successfully bring a case that is gender-based in federal court.

The ERA would give us that right.

The ERA gives us the real possibility of succeeding in federal court with cases of hate crimes against

us evident in so much derogatory and misogynist rap music. In the case of Black women, we’d have a shot at winning on both race and gender. We have as much to gain with ERA as anyone else. Let’s get more involved in its passage soon!

WI

the Venezuelan military would defect and overthrow their chain of command. A few low-ranking soldiers and one Venezuelan general defected, but their uprising failed and they hastened to Plan B — taking over the country’s diplomatic properties, including military offices in Washington.

This is the very same tactic that led to the bloody and disastrous war in Iraq, another country with huge oil reserves the U.S. wants. The result of that debacle was thousands of needless U.S. military deaths and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis.

If the U.S. can secure the Venezuelan oil reserves, especially without having to commit its military personnel to the effort, then it will be on to the Big Prize, Iran, another country with huge oil reserves with which the Trump regime does want a war, in order to destroy the Islamic Republic.

With the Venezuelan oil in the U.S. “bank,” the disruption of the Iranian oil supply would not wreak

havoc on the world economy. It’s a textbook scenario.

After all these weeks of torment, the State Department and Secret Service have issued evacuation orders to the embassy protectors.

Those remaining inside are now subject to arrest. Well, if this country could have “legally” evicted the protectors all along, why punish the brave anti-war activists with starvation and worse?

Article 22 of the Vienna Convention protects embassies around the world and those at the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, but for a lawless president who’s shamelessly told 10,000 lies since taking office, who’s defied dozens of Congressional subpoenas, claiming they have no jurisdiction over him, and who’s promised not to leave office, even if he’s defeated in the 2020 election, international laws are just some more worthless papers that mean nothing to him.

He’s ruling by martial law. Only no one in authority is ready to admit it — yet. WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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mdlottery.com Please play responsibly. For help, visit mdgamblinghelp.org or call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 18 years or older to play.

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