The true worth of a race must be measured by the character of its womanhood. –Mary McLeod Bethune
Why I Left My College Page 29 •
C e l e b r a t i n g 4 7 Ye a r s o f S e r v i c e
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Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area / Vol. 47, No. 22 Mar. 15 - Mar. 21, 2012
Selma to Montgomery March
National Action Network leader Rev. Al Sharpton (center), Martin Luther King III, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and actor Tyrese finish the final day of the re-enactment of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights march Friday, March 9. The historic 50-mile march served as a modern-day protest of immigration laws, workers’ rights issues and current voter suppression laws in more than two dozen states. (See more photos on pages 25, 26.) /Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio Stands Strong in Wake of Raid Co-Founder: Firm’s Good Works Overlooked By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer For more than a week, the firm of Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio & Associates (TCBA), has been stuck in the middle of a firestorm following raids at the office and home of TCBA Chairman Jeffrey Thompson on
Friday, March 2. There is widespread speculation that the move by the Federal Bureau of Investigation is centered on Thompson’s possible involvement as part of an ongoing investigation into whether there were financial improprieties during Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s 2010 election campaign.
Ralph B. Bazilio, one of the firm’s three founding partners, expressed his growing concern during an exclusive interview last Friday, of the aspersions being cast on the firm which is only peripherally involved in whatever is transpiring. “The TCBA story is getting lost,” he said. “Just because this
has happened doesn’t mean TCBA doesn’t have good standing in the community. The firm has a built a tremendous reputation. Many people admire the work we do. There have been a lot of reassurances to staff and clients. No one is walking away from us. During this week, we have heard from numerous cli-
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ents from around the country. We have been getting calls of support and well wishes from clients and others.” “We want to tell the TCBA story. You won’t find another firm that has done the things we have in this community. TCBA is
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ASALH Celebrates Black Women in American Culture & History The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) held its 86th annual Black History Month Luncheon and Featured Authors’ Event on February 25 at the Renaissance Washington Hotel in Washington, DC. The 2012 theme for the occasion was “Black Women in American History and Culture,” with Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, as the guest speaker. Dr. JC Hayward (WUSA9) and Guy Lambert (WPCG News Director) emceed the event, which recognized 17 honorary co-chairpersons for their contributions to African American history through business, civil rights, religion, education, arts and advocacy. Awardees included Washington Informer Newspaper Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, Retired Army Brigadier Gen. Barbaranette T. Bolden, Black Girls Rock! Inc. founder Beverly Bond, NAACP National Board Chair Roslyn Brock, former Pres. & CEO NOVA Urban League Lavern Chatman Brown, arts and education advocate Peggy Cooper Cafritz, International Religious Freedom Ambassador-at- Large Suzan Johnson Cook, Children’s Defense Fund President Marion Wright Edelman, Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Miss Mid-Atlantic International 2012 Allison Hill, news anchor JC Hayward, The Jemison Group founder Mae Jemison, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Cultural Historian/Composer/Producer Bernice Johnson Reagon, The History Makers founder and executive director Julianne Richardson, Howard University First Lady Dr. Paula Whetsel-Ribeau, Black Benefactors & BlackGiveBack.com founder Tracey Webb and actress Lynn Whitfield. Twenty-five authors who have recently published books on African American history participated in the event’s book-signing. Founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the ASALH promotes greater knowledge of African American history through education, research and publishing. For more information about this organization, go to www.asalh.org.
Photo Right- Alex Barron (Walmart Regional Gen. Mgr. Eastern Seaboard) receives award from Dr. Stewart
Sylvia Y. Cyrus (ASALH Executive Dir.)
Honorees L-R Bernice Johnson Reagon, Dr. JC Hayward, Allison Hill, Evelyn Brooks Higginsbotham, & Julieanna Richardson
Honorees - L-R Amb. Suzan Johnson Cook, Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Lavern Chatman Brown, Beverly Bond, Brig. Gen. Barbaranette Bolden & Atty. Denise Rolark Barnes
Randy Rice (Natl. Mgr. Ed. Prog. Farmers Insurance Center Row Back) Presented ASALPresident Dr. James Stewart with check for $75,000
Dr. Valerie Maholmes, Luncheon Co-Chair
DC Council Race News Update Left Photo - (L-R)Roger Richmond, David Janifer, Darryl Wiggins, Council Membr. Bowser, Julius Ware II, Mickey Williams, Dr. India Rogers, Everett Hamilton & Viraj Gandhi
Left Photo -DC Council Candidate At-Large Mary Brooks Beatty attended Pastor Don Jenkins Church’s 1st Anniversary-Christ International Kingdom Ministries
Ward 4 Muriel Bowser met with some small business owners to discuss their issues regarding the city’s economic growth.
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Prince George’s County Page 13 National Page 14 International Page 15 Business Page 16 Health Page 20 The 1965 Selma to Montgomery March was re-enacted Sunday, March 4 to Friday, March 9, 2012. Here marchers led by Rev. Al Sharpton, (wearing a red tie, center), Martin Luther King III, Rev. Jesse Jackson and others hold the National Action Network banner. Sharpton founded NAN to “fights social andeconomic injustice.”/ Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
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Howard Theatre re-opens April When L.Y.being Marlow's 23-year12 after closed oldfor daughter told her the father more than 30 years. of her daughter threatened her (Photo of theatre) life, and the life of their child, she knew something had to be done. Out of her frustration with law enforcement's handling of the situation, she decided to start the Saving Promise campaign. “It seems to be a vicious cycle that won't turn my family loose,” Marlow said. Marlow Did you shared her know story that with the audithe at majority of eye Heights ence the District injuries result fromSymposium Domestic Violence thethe eye? onstriking May 7 at District Heights Municipal Center. Read more in theThe symposium was“Eye sponsored article, Health.” by the Family and Youth Services Center of the city of District Heights and the National HookUp of Black Women. Marlow has written a book, “Color Me Butterfly,” which is a story about four generations of domestic violence. The book is inspired by her own experiences, and those of her grandmother, her mother and her daughter. SheA year said after everythe time she reads excerpts from her book, she still devastating tsunami caninnot believe the words came Japan, survivors from “Color with Me Butterfly” areher. still coping won the 2007 National “Best tragedy that left Books” Award. thousands “I was just dead. 16-years-old when
Health
law enforcement. She said they threat,” she said. had come together to bring a Among the programs Marlow sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are domestic violence victims and stricter restraining order policies, survivors are treated. more rights for victim's families “She's using her own personal to intervene on behalf of a vicstory, her own personal pain to tim, a domestic violence assesspush forward,” Davis-Nickens ment unit coupled with further said about Marlow. training for law enforcement Davis-Nickens said anyone agencies, a Child's Life Protecwho reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counsel“get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiperson can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must end of the day, the book will look at both sides of the coin. help people begin to have a dia- We need to address both the viclogue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow Also present at the event was said. A Washington Mildred Muhammad, the exMarlow would Exclusive! also like to see Informer wife of John Allen Muhammad, Read programs designed to raise how Thompson, Cobb, who was sentenced to six consec- awareness among children in Bazilio Stands Strong in the Wake utive life terms without parole public and private schools. She March 2 raid on the home by a Maryland jury for his role inof afeels children need to be educatand office of the co-founder. This the Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence. exclusive is written by WI Staff 2002. Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop being pas6.5% Barrington UNDECIDED with M. Salmon. the founder of After the Trauma, Writer sive-aggressive poor chilan organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” survivors of domestic violence Marlow said. and their children. Marlow has worked to break “I lived in fear for six years. Six the cycle of abuse in her family, years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she not an easy thing to come out is pushing for will start that of,” she said. process. Mildred Muhammad said “I plan to take these policies to people who want to help a Congress and implore them to domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said. be careful of how they go into “I will not stop until these poliNow that History Month has the victim's life, and understand ciesBlack are passed.” ended, were you the that she may be in “survival Tia Carolsatisfied Jones canwith be reached slate of events that were presented? mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net “Before you get to 'I'm going Voting Results: to kill you,' it started as a verbal WI
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my eye first blackened and my lips bled,” Marlow said. Elaine Davis-Nickens, president of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, said there is no consistency in the way domestic violence issues are dealt with by
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We have to stop being S YE % passive-aggressive with poor New 22 33%Poll Question: children about domestic Are you being affected by high gasoline prices? Go to NO these violence. I plan to take Washingtoninformer.com and cast your vote! % 7 5 policies to Congress and 20. implore them to change our 1% February is Black NO laws. I will History not stop until Month: Find out more about ES Y these policies are passed. African American history, .4% YES
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Natwar Gandhi is the District’s chief financial officer. He played a central role in the formulation of the District’s 2013 budget. /Courtesy Photo — Office of the Chief Financial Officer.
there have been differing views among city leaders on what the 2013 budget may possibly look like. There was a recent spat between Gray and Natwar Gandhi, the city’s chief financial officer, on how much the District will take in during the next fiscal year. Gandhi said that the city will accrue $71 million more than he originally forecast, and Gray wasn’t happy about it. “I am concerned that your revenue projections may be unrealistically low,” the mayor wrote in a letter to Gandhi that became public on Wed., Feb. 29. “Although the numbers you provided me yesterday are positive, I am unclear that your modeling accurately incorporates the many positive trends currently underway in the District.” Gray questioned Gandhi’s accounting methods based on factors such as the city’s population growth, declining unemployment, and economic growth. Gray’s contention is that with these factors in play, the city should be seeing a higher assessment of the 2013 budget. “It is difficult for me to believe that the revenue impact of these positive trends in Fiscal Year 2013 will be as insignificant as you currently project.” Gandhi is known for his conservative estimates, and he generally argues that it is best to err on the side of anticipating lower revenue, instead of wild speculation based on the expectation of higher estimates. Gray’s $115 million figure, which is an off-hand estimate based on information he is getting from Gandhi’s office, is disputed by staff at the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute in Northeast. The Institute studies poverty in the District and makes recommendations to political and business leaders on how to alleviate it. Elissa Silverman, a staffer at the Institute, said she believes the deficit will be closer to $164 million and has pro-
nis.com adeden www.s ennis/ SadeD Photo:
D.C. residents will know in the next week the specifics of the District’s FY 2013 budget when Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) releases the state of the city’s finances to the D.C. Council first, and the public shortly after. Gray, 69, is scheduled to send his budget to the D.C. Council for approval on March 23. He said that a lot of work has gone into crafting the document. “We are still working on it and will probably release it at the 11th hour,” the mayor said half-jokingly. “We are facing challenges with this budget situation.” Gray, who talked about the budget during his bi-weekly press conference on Wed., March 7 at the Department of Employment Services headquarters in Northeast, said that the city “is looking at about $115 million in budget reductions.” “We are far and away and at a different place from 1995,” he said. At that time, the District was dealing with a $500 million shortfall and the U.S. Congress mandated a control board to exercise power over the District government’s spending until 2001. Gray mentioned the surprise surplus from late 2011 at the State of the District Address that he delivered on Tue., Feb. 7. “The financial health of our city continues to improve and just recently we announced that we ended 2011 with one of the largest budget surpluses in our history – $240 million,” he said. The city’s good financial standing however, has some residents questioning the wisdom and priorities of its leaders. The announcement of the $240 million surplus had business leaders who included D.C. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barbara Lang demanding that the city give back the money which came as a result of the overpayment of taxes and fees, and community activists such as the Rev. Graylan S. Hagler arguing that excess city money should be used exclusively to help struggling Washingtonians. Hagler is the pastor at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Northwest. D.C. Councilmember Michael Brown (I-At-Large) thinks Hagler has a point, although he acknowledges that any surplus according to city statutes is required to be directed to dedicated funds to keep the city solvent. “We have to explain to D.C. residents that we have a $200 million surplus that we can’t use,” Brown, 46, said. “I am concerned that programs that help poor people will continue to be sliced.” Since the surplus was discovered,
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posed ways to close the budget gap. Silverman, on the Institute’s Web site on Wed., March 7, said Gray should use “pay-as-you-go” for capital projects instead of borrowing; require higher-earning couples to report their incomes together instead of separately; reduce unnecessary deductions and exemptions and apply the sales tax to more purchased services such as pet care, barber and beauty services. “Taking these options would bring a balanced approach to the Fiscal Year 2013 budget,” she said. Denise Rolark Barnes Whatever the deficit happens to be, Independent Beauty Consultant some residents think Gray should fowww.marykay/drolark-barnes.com 202-236-8831 cus on economic development. “The mayor should put more money in the areas east of the Anacostia River,” said Maurice Thornton, who lives in Southeast. “We need revitalization east of the river and more money needs to be put into school construction and improving technological access in the inner city.” Thornton, 27, is the vice president of Le Vound Inc., a design and construction company in Southeast. “When the city puts money into an area, the area looks better. The reason that downtown or the area by Nationals ballpark looks nice is because the city invested money in those places,” he said. “The city should do the same for Ward 7 and Ward 8.” Brown said that whatever budget the mayor proposes on March 23, he should not forget the city’s indigent. “It is people of color [who] rely on ‡ Please set allfor copy in upper and lowercase, flush left as indicated on artwork at these point sizes: Consultant name in 11-point Helvetica Neue Bo government in this city survival,” Beauty Consultant in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; Web site or e-mail address in 9-point Helvetica Neue Light; phone number in 9-point Helvetica Independent he said. “TheyToarethethe ones whoBeauty rely Consultant: Only Company-approved Web sites obtained through the Mary Kay® Personal Web Site program may on housing vouchers and [government programs] to keep food on the table. We just cannot keep cutting people out.” wi The Washington Informer
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March 15 1933 - NAACP began a coordinated attack on segregation and discrimination, filing a suit against the University of North Carolina on behalf of Thomas Hocutt. Case was lost on a technicality after the president of a Black college refused to certify the records of the plaintiff. 1911 - Fifty-fifth Congress (1897-99) convened. One Black congressman: George H. White, North Carolina. March 16 1997 - Rebel troops in Zaire take the major city of Kisangani in an effort to overthrow President Mobutu Sese Seko. 1869 - Hiram R. Revels made his first speech in the Senate, opposing the readmission of Georgia without adequate safeguards for Black citizens. This was the first official speech by a Black in Congress. 1827 - First Black newspaper, Freedom’s Journal, published in New York City. March 17 1970 - Jacob Lawrence was the first artist to receive the Spingarn Medal in 1970. 1946 - Jackie Roosevelt Robinson made his professional debut as a member of the Montreal Royals in the Daytona Beach ballpark that now bears his name. One year later, Robinson would break Major League Baseball’s color barrier and earn the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. 1919 - Nat King Cole, singer, born 1865 - Aaron Anderson wins the Navy’s Medal of Honor for his heroic actions aboard the USS Wyandank during the Civil War. March 18 1972 - The USS Jesse L. Brown, the first U.S. naval ship to be named after an African American naval officer is launched. 1963 - Actress-singer and the first black Miss America Vanessa L. Williams is born in Millwood, New York. 1959 - Actress-singer-songwriter Irene Cara is born in New York City
1947 - R&B singer Wilson Pickett is born in Prattville, Alabama. 1933 Unita Blackwell was born this day in Lula, Mississippi. She became the first black woman mayor elected in Mississippi. 1895 - Two hundred Blacks left Savannah, Ga., for Liberia. March 19 1975 – James B. Parsons becomes the first African American chief judge of a federal court, the U.S. District Court of Chicago. In 1961, Parsons became the first African American district court judge 1968 - Howard University students seized administration building. Students were demanding campus reform and Black-oriented curriculum. Civil rights forces mobilized in support of striking hospital workers in Charleston, South Carolina. 1919 – Singer Nathaniel “Nat King” Cole, born in Montgomery, Alabama. 1883 - The shoe-lasting machine invented by Jan Matzeliger not only revolutionized the shoe industry but also made Lynn, Massachusetts, the “shoe capital of the world.” 1872 – T. J. Boyd, inventor, is awarded a patent for an apparatus for detaching horses from carriages. 1619 - Birthday of William Tucker, the first African child born in the colonies. Tucker was baptized in Jamestown, Virginia. There are unconfirmed reports that he lived to be 108 yrs. old. March 20 1970 – Students struck at the University of Michigan and demanded increased Black enrollment. The strike ended April 2, after the administration agreed to meet their demands. 1957 – Spike Lee, filmmaker, born 1950 - Dr. Ralph Bunche receives the Nobel Peace Prize for his work as a mediator in the Palestine crisis. He is the first African American to be so honored. 1890 - The Blair Bill provided federal support for education and allocated funds to reduce illiteracy among the freedmen was defeated in the Senate, 37-31.
1852 - Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in Boston. 1852 - Martin R. Delany published The Condition, Elevation, Emigration and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States; it was the first major statement of the Black nationalist position. Delany said, “The claims of no people, according to established policy and usage, are respected by any nation, until they a... March 21 1970 - Death of Walter White (61), New York City. Roy Wilkins succeeded him as NAACP executive, April 11. 1965 - The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leads thousands of people on a 54 mile march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama to call for voting rights for African Americans. 1960 - The first lunch counters were integrated in San Antonio, Texas. 1960 - Sharpeville Massacre took place in apartheid South Africa in which white police killed 67 Blacks and wounded 186. 1947 - In 1947 James Baskett (1904-1948) was given a Special Academy Award for his part in Disney’s “Song Of The South”. He was the second American of African descent to receive an Academy Award. Baskett was also the first American of African descent hired by Disney. Unfortunately, Baskett was unable to attend the premiere in Atlanta because he was unable to get accommodations. Source: www.blackfacts.com
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Viewp int Ryan Johnson, 36 Hyattsville, Md. They gave up a little bit too much given their history of giving away picks. If they want to go in the way of building a young team through the draft that wasn’t the way to do it.
Norman Jones, 43 Upper Marlboro, Md. I love the second pick because we will finally get a franchise quarterback. Something we’ve never really had. The Redskins always had mediocre quarterbacks and RG3 has the potential to be a great quarterback.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE REDSKINS TRADING FOR THE NUMBER TWO PICK?
Clifton Johnson, 64 Largo, Md. I think it was a good pick. If we can get some tackles, guards and receivers to go along with it, we’ll have a great team. I don’t think it will make any difference this season because it takes time for a team to gel.
India Poneta, 15 Brentwood, Md. It wasn’t a good move. They let everything go for this one person. We’ll see at the end of the season how this is going to play out.
Linden Wilkins, 72 Riverdale, Md. That’s a pretty bad trade giving up too many draft picks to get one football player fresh out of college. They gave up more than they will get. Shanahan is just trying to save his job.
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NO. 0011-2012 The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is requesting proposals from a qualified general contractor (Contractor) to provide services to construct a new I Street from 2nd Street to New Jersey Avenue, SE, and to relocate a low area sanitary sewer line onto the public right of way, and reroute an existing catch basin and storm line (collectively referred to as Work) as required for the Square 739 Infrastructure project. Solicitation documents will be available at the Issuing Office at 1133 North Capitol Street, NE, Room 300, Administrative Services/Contracts, Washington, DC 20002-7599 between the hours
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Distribution Manager 202-739-1967 ptrantham@washingtoninformer.com
of 9:00am and 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, beginning on Monday, March 12, 2012. There
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is a cost for the hard copy plans of $15.00; payment instrument can be by a company check, money order or certified bank check made payable to “District of Columbia Housing Authority.
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MANDATORY SITE VISIT: There will be a mandatory site visit Thursday, March 22nd 2012
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@ 10:00 a.m. The site meeting will be conducted at the corner of H and Second Streets, S.E. SEALED PROPOSAL RESPONSES are due to the Issuing Office by 11:00am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012. Contact the Issuing Office, Adrienne Jones on (202)535-1212 or by email at agjones@ dchousing.org for additional information. www.washingtoninformer.com
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Fiduciary Panel Attorney - Superior Court of the District of Columbia - Probate Division Former DC Fraud Bureau Examiner - Insurance Administration Former Law Clerk for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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Around the Region
Angela Davis
THOMPSON continued from Page 1
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ploughing back into the community. Pick any five local community organizations at random and we have touched them. Whether it is the homeless, youth, rehabilitation, the elderly, housing, or counseling, TCBA is in there somewhere.” Bazilio checked off some of the charitable efforts in which the staff is involved. These include, working with pregnant teens, buying Christmas gifts for needy children, and participating in races and walks for cancer, HIV/AIDS, leukemia and asthma. He was coming out of a staff meeting which a participant compared to church service because of the fervor generated in the room. He said in the aftermath of the raid, staffers remain “buried in the books.” “There is a fear of being cast in a really poor light,” said Bazilio at the firm’s 15th Street offices in Northwest. “This was pretty horrific for the employees.” Bazilio recounted what he knows about the 8 a.m. morning raid. He said federal officials have chosen not to explain the precise nature of the investigation. “The agents surprised us. They asked for access to documents. We cooperated and gave them access,” Bazilio said. “I don’t know what they wanted and asked them by telephone. They chose to look for themselves. I don’t know if they found what they were looking for.” “They haven’t told us what they were looking for.” He said the agents did not take any client records, and Bazilio reiterated that whatever the feds are looking for does not include any of the firm’s clients. “This has nothing to do with us in terms of our performance as CPAs or consultants,” Bazilio said. “There are several elected officials who the chairman of the firm has held fundraisers for. It’s public knowledge.” Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio & Associates is the largest blackowned business of its kind in the United States. The firm has a staff of roughly 200 employees and an additional 300 who are contractors. Bazilio said TCBA is a full-service professional services firm that provides accounting, audit and assurance, information systems technology, The Washington Informer
“We want to tell the TCBA story. You won’t find another firm that has done the things we have in this community. TCBA is ploughing back into the community. Pick any five local community organizations at random and we have touched them. Whether it is the homeless, youth, rehabilitation, the elderly, housing, or counseling, TCBA is in there somewhere.”
– Ralph B. Bazilio cyber-security, financial consulting and advisory services, management consulting and income tax services. The 29-year-old company’s headquarters is in Washington, D.C. Bazilio said TCBA has clients in the federal government, state and local government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, quasi-governmental organizations, small and medium businesses, nonprofits and trade associations. Employees also have or are handling projects in the Philippines, Mexico, Canada, Pakistan, Senegal and 14 other African countries. Thompson, 57, is a major donor to D.C. political campaigns. He has raised and contributed considerable sums of money to former Mayors Anthony A. Williams and Adrian Fenty and also to Gray who is said to have received a $100,000 donation. Thompson is purported to have also given money to every member on the D.C. Council, with the exception of Tommy Wells (DWard 6). According to Loose Lips, of the Washington City Paper, “a review of campaign records from 2000 to the present shows that Thompson, his companies, employees of his companies, companies that do business with companies he owns, and others with some sort of link to Thompson have given about $630,000 in direct campaign contributions over the last 10 years. Add in contributions from Thompson and his companies to political action committees and elected officials’ constituent services funds, and the total shoots past $730,000.” Thompson is a noted philan-
thropist. He has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to many D.C.–based organizations, including the University of the District of Columbia Foundation and the National Council of Negro Women. In addition to his affiliation with TCBA, Thompson owns and is chairman of D.C. Chartered Health Plan, Inc., which signed a $322 million annual contract with the D.C. government. It is the single largest contract in the city’s history. The company is responsible for the delivery of healthcare in the District, especially to the city’s poorest citizens. The company processes claims and handles private medical information for more than 100,000 District residents. A number of people contacted for this story declined to comment but a person familiar with the workings of D.C. government and political campaigns, said federal investigators are trying to ascertain if Thompson violated local and federal campaign finance laws. “I’m not saying I know anything … but there are several questions that have been raised,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. At present, individuals can donate a maximum of $2,000 to a mayoral candidate, $1,500 to a person running for council chair, $1,000 to an at-large candidate and $500 for a person vying for a council seat. In addition, he explained, each individual and corporation is limited to a contribution of $1,000. If a person owns more than one corporation and
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Universities Play Critical Role in City’s Life Presidents Cite Policy, Economy and Quality of Life in D.C.
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By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer In the District of Columbia, there have been some legendary town-gown disputes that on the surface might suggest a deep and impassable chasm between universities and the communities where they’re located. But almost 250 guests at a D.C. Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Policy Forum learned during a lively and detailed discussion that the relationship – though sometimes troubled – is much more nuanced, positive and mutually beneficial than it often appears. Acting as the perfect foil and devil’s advocate while moderating the wide-ranging discussion, Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) acknowledged the vital role universities play. “Our universities provide 16,000 jobs for District residents and a $609 million payroll. Every dollar spent by universities equals $1.40 for the city,” Gray said. “An additional 5,000 jobs are supported by these universities. The impact is demonstrable. It’s seen and felt.” The panelists for the discussion titled, “How Washington, DC Universities Shape Our Economy,” included: Trinity University President Patricia A. McGuire, Esq.; George Washington University President Steven Knapp; Howard University President Sidney A. Ribeau; University of the District of Columbia President Allan Lee Sessoms, and Jerry Ice, president and CEO of Graduate School USA. The event took place at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in downtown D.C. Gray, 69, seemed to delight in drolly firing queries that tended to question the value and efficacy of these institutions of higher learning, but the questions served as an effective springboard that the presidents used to defend the institutions they serve. The consensus among the group was that universities provided significant added value and that rather than being ‘in but not of ’ the city, they were an integral part of the tapestry of the District. Gray referred to the sometimes ferocious debates that take place between residents and adminisThe Washington Informer
Mayor Vincent Gray (center) along with George Washington University President Steven Knapp and Trinity University President Patricia McGuire at a recent D.C. Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Policy Forum at the Ronald Reagan Building in Northwest.
trators. Sessoms agreed, saying some residents were concerned with “creeping progress”, changing demographics and having young people in their midst. “We talked, talked, talked and met people,” he said. “The community bought into the planning process at every stage of the process. We took their input and made it a part of the plan.” The result, he said will be the transformation from buildings he called “Stalinesque” to buildings of beauty. McGuire, a Trinity graduate, credited the relationship with area residents with aiding the school’s resurrection. “I hate to be the contrarian, but we have a great relationship with residents,” she said. “Trinity was the old, grey lady on Michigan Avenue with a fence, imposing great hall and no men allowed by nuns. Then when the traditional enrollment of women discovered Georgetown and other Catholic universities in the 1980s, we almost closed. Twenty-eight acres might have been vacant.” “We faced the crisis and challenge of what if an institution disappeared. I think instinctively the community understood that. They helped us see how we could be of value.” Ribeau, who since taking office in 2008 has championed a greater emphasis on the university’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines, touted Howard’s deep ties to the community. “We have 7,000 full-time and part-time employees, many of whom live in the District,” he said. “We have a $342 million ef-
fect on the local economy and are critically important to the quality of life in the city ... We have 100 different programs … and Howard University Hospital served more than 150,000 patients who are residents in 2010.” “[The hospital] gave $40 million of uncompensated care to the community. This is something we do, not because it’s a good business model, but because it’s part of the service to the community.” Knapp, who became George Washington University president in 2007, spoke about the diversity and strength of the partnership he and the university has fostered with the city. “Universities are incredibly important to the flourishing future in D.C. and will become even more so,” he said in answer to whether his university is doing enough. He cited partnerships with city officials, School without Walls, Duke Ellington [School of the Arts] and the “rapidly developing partnership with Ballou Senior High School.” “My concern is that higher taxes would increasingly hinder investment in projects and programs here,” he said. Knapp, whose university is celebrating its 100th anniversary at the Foggy Bottom campus in Northwest, said his students give 150,000 hours of volunteer service which translates into about $5 million a year. wi (There’s a lot more to this important story. If you want to read it all, go to washingtoninformer. com.)
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Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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D.C. Council atlarge candidate Peter Shapiro once served on the Prince George’s County Council. /Photo courtesy of Peter Shapiro
AROUND THE REGION
D.C. POLITICAL ROUNDUP Race to April 3 Primary By James Wright WI Staff Writer Shapiro Runs Again – This Time in D.C. Peter Shapiro is a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for the at-large seat on the D.C. Council on Tuesday, April 3. If you live in Prince George’s County or are familiar with Maryland politics, Shapiro’s name should ring a bell. Shapiro was elected to the Prince George’s County Council in 1998 and served until 2004. During his time on the County Council, he served twice as the chair of the body and wants to parlay his experience into a position on the D.C. Council. “Our political system in the city is broken,” Shapiro, 48, said. “The present city council is hurting the city and we need new leadership.” Shapiro, who works as a leadership consultant and lives in the Chevy Chase section of Ward 4, said the main problem with the D.C. Council is that the members are not working together. “You have 13 council members and 13 agendas going on at the same time,” said Shapiro, a native Washingtonian. “Where is the Council’s vision of what the city should be? I can bring that experience.” On his web site, it is pointed out that Shapiro “worked for his constituents to improve public education and led efforts to bring three new elementary schools into the economically challenged neighborhoods he represented.” Shapiro represented primarily what is known as District 2 in
12 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
The Washington Informer
the northwestern part of the county, which includes Brentwood, Md., North Brentwood, Md., and Hyattsville, Md. District 2 is now represented by Prince George’s County Council member Will Campos (D). The web site also states that Shapiro “led the effort to revitalize the Route 1 corridor, creating the state’s first arts district. If elected to the D.C. Council, Shapiro said that his priority will be “jobs, jobs, jobs.” “We want to have jobs that will lead people to careers,” he said. “We want to provide jobs that will lift people out of poverty and we have them here in growing technology and highend retail.” Gaston Wants Ward 8 Working Ward 8 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Darrell Gaston has a plan to help unemployed and under-employed Ward 8 residents obtain full-time employment. Gaston, 25, is one of the candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the D.C. Council seat on Tuesday, April 3. Gaston, who represents single-member district 8B03 and resides in the Garfield section of the ward, said that he will work on employing his constituents at the start of his term. wi (There’s a lot more to this important story. If you want to read it all, go to washingtoninformer. com.)
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Prince George’s County
Prince George’s County Rushern L. Baker III recently visited The Washington Informer to discuss several of his initiatives: the Economic Development Incentive Fund and Read Across Prince George’s.
Prince George’s County Economic Development Incentive Fund Gears Up
Fund will be used to ‘Employ, Develop, Invest’ in Prince George’s County Residents By WI Staff The $50 million Economic Development Incentive (EDI) loan fund has been approved to support appropriations at a level of $7-to-11 million each year over a five fiscal periods. Goals of the fund focus on expansion of the county’s commercial tax base, job retention and attraction as well as support for small and local businesses and promotion of development. Disbursement of the fund also involves redevelopment opportunities, transit-oriented development and growth of key industry sectors. Eligible uses include land and building acquisitions, building construction and improvement, equipment acquisition and working capital. “I proposed the EDI fund to support and grow small businesses in Prince George’s County,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III “With this tool, we will be able to grow our economy, provide jobs for our residents and increase our tax base to pay for valuable services.” Aubrey Thagard, assistant deputy chief administrative officer for Economic Development and Public Infrastructure in the County Executive’s office, described the fund as an incredible tool that “will take county businesses to the next level.” “Our primary goals are to create and retain jobs and support small businesses,” Thagard said. “Ultimately, it is our desire to create development and redevelopment her in Prince George’s County.” Funding levels for the loans start at $250,000, with most being made to small- and medium-sized businesses. Based on applicants’ creditworthiness, they also could be eligible to receive the county’s
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prime interest rate of four percent on loans. The loan process can take up to 90 days and before closing, applicants will be required to offer proof of “clean hands,” meaning that all financial obligations to all levels of governments are met. Also, all loans must be secured with collateral. Applicants, individuals and corporations, also must be in good standing with regard to corporate filings. A check list of items needed to apply for a fund loan can be obtained by calling 301-583-4601. Requests can also be by email: Edifund@pgcedc.com.
Baker Announces Reading Initiative
Promotes literacy among Prince George’s County residents By WI Staff Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III has launched “Read Across Prince George’s,” a year-round schoolbased promotion that encourages reading among all ages, from preschool children to adults. The program pays tribute to and celebrates the birth of a beloved children’s book character, Dr. Seuss. “Reading is the foundation to everything we do and key to boundless opportunities,” said Baker. “As I have mentioned on many occasions, I had many reading challenges as a child, however, the more I read, the more confident and capable I became. Reading opens doors and takes your imagination anywhere you want to go.” The National Education Association (NEA) kicks off “Read Across America” each March, and the local initiative -- which partners with the county’s library system, public schools, the Bowie Baysox and Six Flags America – serves as an extension both national and state-level programs. During the entire month of March, Baker will participate in various literacy activities that include school visits, library readings and roundtable discussions aligned with “Read Across Prince George’s.” “I am very excited to get this new initiative underway. Coming soon will be a “Baker’s Book List,” Baker said. He added that teaming up with the Bowie Baysox has also resulted in the team donating up to 50,000 baseball tickets as reading incentives. “This is a shining example of the county working hand-in-hand with the business community, to make a difference in our academic and community environments,” said Baker. wi
If Your Ad Were Here Someone Would Be Reading It! Contact me, Ron Burke, at 202-561-4100 or rburke@washingtoninformer.com
When It Comes To Prince George’s Future, There Is A Big Difference Between Rosecroft And National Harbor Proposals For Alternative Gaming.
One of those proposals will be a better choice for Prince George’s County and benefit our community a great deal more!
That proposal will pay the proper amount of taxes, will generate more funds for Prince George’s, will benefit minority and locally owned business, will pay for infrastructure needs and will support education.
READ THE FACTS
Find out which alternative gaming proposal is best for Prince George’s community...
ROSECROFT RACEWAY PROPOSAL
NATIONAL HARBOR PROPOSAL
3
Committed to a minimum $300 million state-of-the-art gaming and racing facility under current tax structure.
7
Promises a $1 billion mega casino but it’s completely conditioned on a 37% tax cut of the current slots tax rate.
3
Estimates that it will generate nearly $40 million annually for Prince George’s County from gaming taxes.
7
Estimates that it will generate $29 million annually for Prince George’s County from gaming taxes.
3
Commits to a robust minority and locally owned business participation program in the development.
7
Does not commit to a minority and locally owned business participation program for their development.
3
Committed to paying for direct infrastructure needs for a gaming facility at Rosecroft Raceway.
7
3
Keeps the original intent of the slots law: to support education and the horse racing industry in the State of Maryland.
This development has already received hundreds of millions of taxpayer-backed dollars for infrastructure (i.e. roads). Current plan will require additional millions from the county for road improvements.
7
Reduces the share of gaming dollars originally supposed to go to education and instead gives it to the casino operator.
ROSECROFT RACEWAY IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR PRINCE GEORGE’S. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TODAY!
ICE THE CHO R! IS CLEA The Washington Informer
Paid for by Prince George's Racing Ventures.
Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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Where Did GOP Blacks Go?
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It’s a question that comes up every time you hit the home page of the Republican National Committee’s website: Where are all the Black Republicans? Only a year after celebrating the last days of its first AfricanAmerican chair, the RNC is fairly light on Black faces these days. What was once, especially during the ’90s, a fairly aggressive photo-op promotional strategy strung together by a small network of die-hard Black political consultants, former elected officials and partisans, is all but dead. While it did little in the way of yielding any results comparable to Democratic counterparts, there was a sense — leading up to the election of Michael Steele as party chair — that some progress had been made in mending the often bitter relationship between African Americans and the Republican Party. Now, as a bloody Republican primary carries on, the GOP appears smitten with the Latino vote. Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are bending over backwards, and breaking the bank, to connect with Latinos — looking for every conceivable angle to attract skeptical Brown voters turned off by a wave of anti-immigration sentiments. And the RNC happily trotted out a Director of Latino Outreach in January, eagerly announcing the move in a gritty effort to snatch Hispanic voters away from Democrats in what observers expect to be a grueling November election. “The RNC will place staff on the ground across the country to coordinate the GOP’s Hispanic effort as part of a program to make sure Barack Obama is a one-term president,” said RNC Chair Reince Preibus when introducing Betinna Inclan as the point person for Republican Latino strategy. “Latinos play an integral role in our communities, and the Republican Party believes it is essential to involve Latinos at every level of our Party’s efforts in 2012.” Meanwhile, the move angered a number of Black Republicans who were already feeling left out in the cold following the abrupt downfall and forced removal of Steele in 2011. Many continue to express disgust at the GOP love fest for Latinos, some out of concern that they have no other political home to turn to. The Washington Informer
“You have no Blacks on staff at the Republican National Committee — or any of its other committees — and there are no Blacks on staff of any of the presidential campaigns,” snorts longtime Black Republican strategist and marketing expert Raynard Jackson. “But maybe after a few more electoral loses you will awaken to the most loyal customer you have ever had.” Most politically active and prominent Black Republicans — and there are only a few compared to Black Democrats — are not as vocal about their displeasure with the GOP’s intense focus on the Latino vote. Most are quiet, some out of fear they might anger RNC bosses who are already stressed trying to keep a fractured party intact. But many are seething over what they view as a combination of betrayal and intrusion, a knife in the back from a Republican Party that was theirs from its Abraham Lincoln beginnings. However, a source tells the Tribune that focus could shift back to Black outreach as the Romney campaign prepares to hire a senior advisor for that exact purpose. While the source would not give details on the timing of an announcement, it was clear the embattled former Massachusetts governor is thinking ahead to the general election. “We’re finalizing the details,” said the source. “But, we’re not completely there, yet.” The reason behind that reluctance could reflect a larger sense of caution surrounding the primaries. There are still many more states to go, with the delegate-rich “Super Tuesday” on the horizon for March 6. With the Romney campaign nervously gauging the rise of Rick Santorum while smarting from triple losses in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota, it may be difficult to start thinking about the national scene while you’re still engaged in state-by-state trench warfare. Plus, finance reports are showing a Romney campaign low on cash and near tapped on donors. Do they even have enough to go the distance? In terms of the Black vote, it’s much more complex than that. Much of it has to do with pure numbers — only 10percent of African-American voters, on average, vote Republican during any given presidential or congressional mid-term cycle. The only Republican in the 21st century to slightly defy that trend was President Bush in 2004 when he won just over 11 per-
Charles D. Ellison /Courtesy photo
cent of the Black vote against Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. In statewide races, Republicans tend to garner 15 percent of the Black vote on average. In 2006, then Lt. Gov. Michael Steele was able to capture more than 20 percent of the Black vote in Maryland’s U.S. Senate race — but that was still very negligible for a Black candidate with extensive local roots and who never shied away from his Blackness. Many Republican strategists and candidates alike are quick to attribute those dismal ratings to Black dismissiveness. “It’s hard. We get called ‘racists,’ but we’re expected to go out and do outreach with these people,” complains one veteran white GOP campaign expert who wanted to speak off the record. Visibly angered by the question, the senior aide to numerous Republican campaigns accused Black voters of “setting unfair expectations.” Hence, Republican insiders point to the math in recent primaries. For example, only 2 percent of Black voters in South Carolina are registered Republicans. To make it worse, only 1 percent of South Carolina primary voters in January were Black — and that was in an “open primary” where voters of all partisan stripes can vote. In Florida, it was the same: only 1 percent. And, in Iowa (where there are sizeable pockets of African Americans living in such cities as Des Moines), Black votes didn’t even register on a significant scale. wi (There’s a lot more to this important story. If you want to read it all, go to washingtoninformer. com.)
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INTERNATIONAL Money Matter$ By Ellen Williams-McLendon Human Resources Manager
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Working with the Bare Minimum… by Ellen Williams McLendon Assistant Vice President/Human Resources Manager Many families today have experienced a reduction in income either due to loss of employment, being underemployed or simply trying to make ends meet in today’s economy. As a result, many are forced to pay close attention to their finances and come up with creative ideas to aide in stretching their paycheck.
African Diaspora for Change Launches ‘Beyond the Vote’ Initiative Seeks to engage Black Immigrants in the Civic Process By Lynsie Battle Special to The Washington Informer From the African Union and the World Bank to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations (UN), there is a growing focus on the role of the African Diaspora here in the United States as a key constituency. In fact, the UN declared 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent. As a continuation of that theme, African Diaspora for Change (ADC) has designated 2012 as the Year of African Ascent—an opportunity to engage a growing and increasingly influential population. On March 29, 2012 in Washington, D.C., at Atlas Theater for Performing Arts, the African Diaspora for Change will host the Spirit of the Diaspora Extravaganza, a multicultural feast of the sights, sounds and people of the African Diaspora. The event is a celebration of the spirit of the people of the African Diaspora and their ascent into greatness in 2012, as well as the official launch of ADC’s upcoming “Beyond the Vote” Initiative to engage Black immigrants in civic participation and the immigration reform debate. “Our organization began as an initiative to get black immigrants out to vote in 2008. It was a successful effort; however, once people voted, there was a lack of continued engagement www.washingtoninformer.com
in the civic process,” says Julian B. Kiganda, president of ADC. “Given that we’re now in the next presidential election cycle, this is an ideal opportunity for us to develop a platform for education and continued involvement of black immigrants in civic engagement, advocacy, and the immigration reform debate in which we have been a missing voice.” Invited speakers and Honorary Host Committee members include the African Union Ambassador to the U.S., Amina Salum Ali, the South African Ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, Congresswoman Yvette Clark (D-NY), Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL), Thomas Debass, director of Global Partnerships for the U.S. Department of State, and Dr. Julius Garvey (son of the late Marcus Garvey). Keeping with the tradition of ADC’s programs, it will highlight various artists of the Diaspora from Brazil, South Africa, the U.S. and Uganda, and many others. The mission of African Diaspora for Change is to educate, empower and engage the next generation of leaders in order to affect change in perception and policy. Since 2009, ADC has hosted programs such as Media Check: Africa, Winds of Change, Culture & Cocktails and Diaspora Dialogues that fulfill a vital role to build bridges that will foster greater understanding and collaboration in our diverse communities. wi
Whatever the cause, these realities can be all consuming and very stressful. While there is no magic potion, or one size fits all answer, there are things that one can do, to stave off the stress that these conditions can bring. The first step is to let go of any embarrassment you may be carrying, by recognizing that you are not the first and you won’t be the last person in your position. The second step is accepting it and COMMITTING YOURSELF to resolve the financial obligations if possible, but at minimum, make them manageable. To do this requires you to be honest about your current financial situation and recognize that, in many cases, it didn’t occur overnight; therefore, you will not get out of it, nor resolve it overnight. For most of us this simply means developing a budget and sticking to it. But, we also need to look at our spending habits. You will have to work hard at turning your monetary situation around – but you can make it happen! I’ll bet no matter what your situation, you can create a savings of $10-$20 a month by just reviewing and adjusting your spending habits. And though it sounds insignificant, it adds up, try it! Here are some simple things to look at when reviewing your spending habits: Telephone Bills – Yes that’s a plural, as some of us have both a home and cell phone bill. Do you need both? Okay, maybe you need a landline for emergencies or to use your computer, but do you need all those other services such as: call forwarding, call waiting, three-way calling, caller ID, and that ambiguous maintenance plan? Eating Out - This tip is really a no-brainer. How often do you eat out during and after your workday? If you are like most, you spend about $23 per day. With 20 workdays in a month, this totals $460 a month. That’s a month or more worth of groceries, depending on your family status. Cut back on the spending and enjoy some of those leftovers. Adjust Tax Withholdings - Talk to your professional tax preparer (accountant) to determine if you can adjust your withholdings to get more of your money in every paycheck. You can also use websites with withholding calculators; however, if you make a mistake you can end up owing the IRS. If this is a possibility, be sure to save a portion of the extra money from each paycheck and faithfully put it into your savings or investment accounts. Improvising and expounding on these tips can help you minimize stress while working with the bare minimum. It is truly about making the right decisions. As you brainstorm about folding these tips into your life style, remember that consistency is the key. Lastly, if the blues still have you down, volunteer, keep busy, you never know what the experience will bring…clarity…a networking opportunity…or the simple satisfaction of being involved. Through it all you have to learn to laugh and celebrate the little things in life (like saving $10 to $20 next month), bet you just saved $10 by reading this and skipping lunch. As always, Industrial Bank is ready to serve as your financial partner and support you, as you look to invest in yourself, invest in your dreams, and invest in your future.
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From the Pulpit to the Public Square Church Leaders: You Can Help End Hunger “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Proverbs 31:8
Apply now for a comprehensive advocacy training in Washington, DC. Full scholarships and travel assistance available. Don’t wait. Training is June 9-12, 2012. Application deadline is March 30, 2012. • Explore the biblical foundations of anti-hunger advocacy • Gain skills in advocacy & community organizing • Connect with like-minded young ministers (up to age 40) from across the U.S.
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
16 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
Wendell Moore was the store manager of the Giant in the Brentwood section of the District and one of the company’s longest tenured employees. / Courtesy photo -Wendell Moore.
• Speak out on Capitol Hill by meeting with your members of Congress • Lead advocacy efforts back home
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Moore, a Giant Man to the Core By James Wright WI Staff Writer A former top manager at one of the District’s supermarket chain stores remains a firm believer that hard work, dedication and loyalty are keys to a successful career and life. Wendell Moore, who retired as the store manager at the Giant supermarket located in the Brentwood section of the city two weeks ago, had worked for the company for 35 years, an increasingly uncommon achievement given that the average person is expected to change companies and careers more than four times before retirement. Moore, 56, said that he has stayed with Giant because the company has been good to him. “Giant has helped me to buy two homes – one in D.C. and one in Maryland – and raise my family with a great standard of living,” he said. “Giant has provided me opportunities in management and keeps in mind, even during a recession, everybody eats.” Giant Food Inc., based in Landover, Md., operates 173 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District and employs 22,000. Giant opened its first supermarket in the District on Feb. 6, 1936 at the corner of Park Road and Georgia Avenue in Northwest. The Brentwood store opened in the early 2000s and has received high marks for the cleanliness of the store, the freshness of the fruits and vegetables, and the 14 checkout lanes. The store is one of the anchors of the Rhode Island Avenue, N.E. shopping center that has a num-
ber of national retail chains in it and is visited by thousands of District residents weekly. The company is celebrating its 75th anniversary and has provided employment to thousands of Washingtonians and millions of dollars to community organizations and programs. Moore joined Giant after graduating from Bowie State College in 1977. He said that he went to Giant for a very simple reason. “I took the job paying the most money,” he said. “I was career-oriented and I wanted to join a company where I could climb the ladder. At Giant, you start at the bottom and work your way to the top.” A 1973 graduate of Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Northwest, Moore wanted to use his education not just to work at the cash register but to be a leader at his company. “I started as a cashier and I got into the management training program less than a year after I started there,” he said. “From there, I proceeded to work my way up.” Moore said growing up in the District had its advantages and disadvantages. The biggest advantage was that he was working “in the city that I was born and raised in” and he learned how to deal with different types of people and situations. The biggest disadvantage was his unfamiliarity with the culture of the business world that consisted of people from different backgrounds. wi (There’s a lot more to this important story. If you want to read it all, go to washingtoninformer. com.)
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Health
18 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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When It Comes To Hunger And Poverty, The Personal Is Political
S
everal years ago, Tara Marks of Pittsburgh, PA, didn’t know where her next meal would come from. An AfricanAmerican single mother who grew up in a middle-class family in Ohio, Marks went from “having an ideal life with perfect credit” to living on credit and food stamps and standing in line at her local food bank. A college student at the time, Marks would often skip meals so her young son could eat. On one such occasion, Marks, dizzy from hunger after not eating for an entire weekend, drove to a resource center for people in need. There, she met a woman who helped her apply for the federal assistance she needed to take care of herself and her son. Had it not been for federal nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Marks may not have been able to eventually lift her family out of poverty. Now, SNAP and other programs that supported Marks and her son are being threatened at the worst possible time. In February 2012, Bread for the World released its annual analysis of hunger and poverty in the African-American community. According to the report, “Hunger and Poverty Hurt African-American Women and Children,” 33 percent of black households with children struggle to put food on the table, compared to about 20 percent of U.S. households with children overall. A devastating 40 percent of all African-American children live in poverty, compared to 22 percent of U.S. children overall. Two nutrition programs— SNAP (formerly called food stamps) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)—continue to play a vital role for vulnerable families as our country slowly recovers from the economic downturn. SNAP provides crucial support to needy households and the working poor. More than 56 percent of all SNAP participants are women, 13 percent are African-American women, and almost half are children. WIC provides healthy food to low-income women and children up to age 5. WIC also provides information on healthy eating, breastfeeding support, and www.washingtoninformer.com
referrals to health care. In thanking the woman for her kindness and help, Marks asked what she could do to pay it forward. The woman said, “Tell your story.” Since then, Marks has used her experience to advocate on behalf of hungry and poor people. She is now a Bread for the World activist and co-director of the respected advocacy group Just Harvest in Pittsburgh, where she was once a client. She realized she could make a difference by advocating for policies to help end hunger and poverty—and you can too. Each year, Bread for the World invites churches and groups across the country to write personal letters and emails to their members of Congress on issues that are important to hungry and poor people. The letters send a powerful message to our country’s political leaders and help us as a nation move closer to our goal of ending hunger. The 2012 campaign urges Congress to create a circle of protection around programs that help hungry and poor people in this country and around the world lift themselves out of poverty. The campaign is particularly timely as our elected officials are considering devastating cuts to these programs. In a nation with an abundance of resources, hunger is more than a personal problem—it is a political issue. Bread for the World encourages you to take a stand today. If Congress cuts nutrition programs, millions of Americans will go hungry. We must urge lawmakers to create a circle of protection around these programs, protecting them from cuts that could result in more hard times for people in need. You may not have a story like Tara Marks, but you can make a difference. All it takes is a simple letter, email, phone call, or visit to your members of Congress to get this issue on their agendas. You can find additional information, resources, and materials to help you get started at www.bread. org/OL. Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s lawmakers to end hunger at home and abroad. Bishop Don DiXon Williams is Bread for the World’s racial/ethnic outreach associate. He sits on the board of bishops of the United Church of Jesus Christ, Baltimore, MD.
Courtesy Photo
The fastest, most direct way to reduce hunger is through our nation’s nutrition programs, which meet the needs of millions of children and vulnerable people. Unfortunately, these programs are at risk.
Tell Congress: Create a circle of protection around funding for vital domestic nutrition programs that meet the needs of millions of American families.
Karen Kasmauski
By Bishop Don DiXon Williams
www.bread.org
Learn more at bread.org/OL The Washington Informer
Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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One out of five male highschool students smokes cigars, and cigar use appears to be increasing among other groups.
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Lupus is 2 to 3 times more common in African Americans, like Samyria (pictured above), who is 16 and has been living with lupus for 7 years. To register - www.dclupuswalk.org Funds raised at the 6th annual Walk for Lupus Now provide services to over 80,000 patients and their families in DC, Maryland and Virginia Questions? Contact us at 202-787-5380 or walk@lupusdmv.org
20 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
The 2012 Surgeon General’s report details important new information about tobacco use among youth and young adults, the causes, and the solutions. The U. S. Surgeon General’s reports (SGRs) on tobacco are among the most credible and respected reviews of current data in all of science. Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General, has just released Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General, which is the 31st SGR on tobacco produced by CDC since 1964. This latest report details important new facts about the epidemic of tobacco use among youth ages 12 through 17 and young adults ages 18 through 25, including the epidemiology, causes, and health effects of this tobacco use and interventions proven to prevent it. Tobacco Use Among Young People We’ve made progress in reducing tobacco use among youth; however, far too many young people are still using tobacco. Today, more than 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students smoke cigarettes. Rates of decline for cigarette smoking have slowed in the last decade, and rates of decline for smokeless tobacco use have stalled completely. In addition: Every day, more than 1,200 people in this country die due to smoking. For each of those deaths, at least two youth or young adults become regular smokers each day. Almost 90% of those replacement smokers smoke their first cigarette by age 18. Rates of smokeless tobacco use are no longer declining and The Washington Informer
appear to be increasing among some groups. Cigars, especially cigarettesized cigars, are popular with youth. One out of five male high school students smokes cigars, and cigar use appears to be increasing among other groups. Use of multiple tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco, is common among young people. Prevention efforts must focus on young adults ages 18 through 25. Almost no one starts smoking after age 25. Nearly 9 out of 10 smokers started smoking by age 18, and 99% started by age 26. Progression from occasional to daily smoking almost always occurs by age 26. Immediate and Long-Term Damage Tobacco use by youth and young adults causes both immediate and long-term damage. One of the most serious health effects is nicotine addiction, which prolongs tobacco use and can lead to severe health consequences. The younger that youth are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they’ll be addicted. Other stark facts include the following: Early cardiovascular damage is seen in most young smokers; those most sensitive die very young. Smoking reduces lung function and retards lung growth. Teens who smoke are not only short of breath today—they may end up as adults whose lungs will never grow to full capacity. Such damage is permanent and increases the risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Youth are sensitive to nicotine and can feel dependent earlier than adults. Because of nicotine addiction, about three out of four teen smokers end up smok-
ing into adulthood, even if they intend to quit after a few years. Among youth who persist in smoking, a third will die prematurely from smoking. Social and Environmental Influences Youth are vulnerable to social and environmental influences to use tobacco; messages and images that make tobacco use appealing to them are everywhere. In addition: Young people want to fit in with their peers. Images in tobacco marketing make tobacco use look appealing to this age group. Youth and young adults see smoking in their social circles, movies they watch, video games they play, Web sites they visit, and many communities where they live. Smoking is often portrayed as a social norm, and young people exposed to these images are more likely to smoke. Youth identify with peers they see as social leaders and may imitate their behavior. Those youth whose friends or siblings smoke are more likely to smoke. Youth who are exposed to images of smoking in movies are more likely to smoke. Those who get the most exposure to onscreen smoking are about twice as likely to begin smoking as those who get the least exposure. Images of smoking in movies have declined over the past decade; however, in 2010, nearly a third of top-grossing movies produced for children—those with ratings of G, PG, or PG-13—contained images of smoking. (This article was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-CDC) wi www.washingtoninformer.com
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Inequities Abound for Black Students in Public Schools
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Study Shows Blacks, Hispanics Suspended at Higher Rates By Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer It’s often a given that black students at public schools take center stage when it comes to corporal punishment, suspension and other acts of discipline. But a new study confirms that they’ve been unfairly targeted compared to white and other nonminority students. The study, titled “Part II of the 2009-10 Civil Rights Data Collection” which was released by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, Tuesday, March 6 at Howard University, also focused on career readiness, discipline, school finance, and student retention. “The sad fact is that minority students across America face much harsher discipline than non-minorities, even within the same school,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan. He expressed hopes that the report would be an eye-opener to educators at all levels in an effort to address educational inequities across the board. “The power of the data is not only in the numbers themselves, but in the impact it can have when married with the courage and the will to change,” Duncan said. “The undeniable truth is that the everyday educational experience for many students of color violates the principle of equity at the heart of the American promise. It is our collective duty to change that,” he said. The study involved 72,000 schools that serve 85 percent of the nation’s students. It revealed that black and Hispanic students comprised more than 70 percent of those involved in school arrests or cases referred to law enforcement. Also, while black students made up 18 percent of students in the survey, 46 percent of them had multiple outof-school suspensions and 39 percent had been expelled. According to the www.washingtoninformer.com
study, while black students are likely to be expelled or suspended three times more than their white counterparts, African-American male and female students are suspended at higher rates than almost any other group. Raul Gonzalez, legislative director at the National Council of La Raza, said in a statement that “zero tolerance” policies in both schools and the court system disproportionately affect black and Hispanic kids. He said the policies have created a system that takes kids out of school and ultimately leads them into prison where they become hardened criminals. He said more moderate responses are needed in schools, and he hopes that the report will lead to a change in policies in schools and in state laws. “We’ve lost control of all judgment here, and it’s almost always a black kid or a Hispanic kid affected,” Gonzalez said. Russlynn Ali, assistant education secretary for civil rights, said during a teleconference with reporters, that the study also looked at disparities among underserved populations, such as the disabled and English as a Second Language (ESL) students who continue to reap less than their fair share of resources. She said the study – the first of its kind and which included 10,000 school districts – presents a “very disturbing” picture and that if its findings fail to change, it will be difficult to keep pace with President Barack Obama’s vision to lead the world in the number of college graduates by 2020. “What we released was a series of data points, a national data tool that talks about access and opportunity,” said Ali. “For many years, you have probably heard Secretary Duncan refer to education as the civil rights issue of our time . . . [and] we are working hard here at the Department of Education to close the achievement gap to help schools transform.” wi
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1. More likely to succeed academically and attend college 2. Physically and emotionally healthier 3. Demonstrate fewer behavioral problems in school and are less likely to commit delinquent behaviors 4. Less likely to be a victim of physical or sexual abuse 5. Have a better relationship with their mothers and fathers 6. Decreases their chances of divorcing when they get married 7. Less likely to be sexually active as teenagers or to contract STD’s 8. Less likely to be raised in poverty
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Live longer and are physically healthier Increase in the stability of employment Higher wages Decrease risk of drug and alcohol abuse Have better relationships with their children More satisfying sexual relationship Less likely to commit violent crimes
1. 2. 3. 4.
More satisfying relationships Emotionally healthier Wealthier Less likely to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other violent crimes Less likely to attempt or commit suicide Less likely to contract STD’s Less likely to remain or end up in poverty Have better relationships with their children
5. 6. 7. 8.
Source: Why Marriage Matters, Second Edition: Twenty-Six Conclusions from the Social Sciences, September 2005.
22 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Higher rates of physically and emotionally healthy citizens Higher rates of educated citizens Lower domestic violence rates Lower crime statistics Lower teenage pregnancy rates Lower rates of juvenile delinquency Higher rates of home ownership Higher property values Decreased need for social services
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Educare Seeks to Change the Face of D.C. Education By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer The myth persists in this country that a quality education is readily available for any child who needs one, but the reality belies that fallacy. The reality is that children living in disadvantaged communities who do not receive quality early care and education are at risk of falling behind even before beginning kindergarten. Fortunately for children, infants and toddlers in Wards 7 and 8, the scales are about to tip in their favor. In mid-June, the Educare Washington, D.C. facility will open in Ward 7 and bring with it, an educational system and philosophy that bucks conventional wisdom by leveling the conditions under which disadvantaged children learn. “We go where the needs are the highest and the challenges are greatest,” said Carol Howard, executive director of the 32,000-square-foot school which will be located in the ParksideKenilworth neighborhood. “We will offer direct services to 175 children in 14 classrooms. We’ll be wrapping our arms around them and providing the care for kids which draw on early childhood research about what makes a difference for a child.” “There are lots of lessons we’ve learned to help children learn and to have outcomes which leverage change.” Educare is funded by an umbrella of private-public partner-
ships and stakeholders who are committed to changing the face of education, Howard said. The first five years of any child’s life is critical in developmental terms, she said. It is clear, she added, that parents, policymakers and the community must invest in early childhood education because children are born learning. Dana Jones, president and CEO of the United Planning Organization (UPO), agrees. “If we appropriately invest in children and families, we can produce able learners who can compete with their peer group – children of similar ages,” he explained. “There’s an intentionality that we work with children with all the indicators that aren’t good in terms of ethnicity, economics, neighborhoods and conditions.” “If we can produce able learners here, we can do it anywhere.” Jones’ support of Educare and its mission is what prompted him to make space available at the UPO offices at its Rhode Island Avenue, NW location. “Policymakers have shortchanged young people,” he said. “This first-class building is paid for 100 percent by private contributors. Because of policymakers, children are in a 50-year-old building without technology or amenities. They have decided to fire teachers if they don’t do well. We can make changes and empower families to be able to
See Educare on Page 23 www.washingtoninformer.com
education Educare continued from Page 22 properly educate their children. [But] it will take a great deal of work.” Howard, and Belinda Jackson, who will serve as the school’s director, said Educare will be as concerned with the families of the children who’ll attend the school as the children themselves. “Research shows that the earlier you can intervene, the more likely the trajectory can change. That’s why we’re accepting children who are six weeks old,” she said. Howard and Jones said school officials would help pregnant moms with prenatal care and offer them support if they are dealing with any issues that could have an impact on their child’s ability to learn. “We’ll be focusing on brain capacity and the physical characteristics that support learning,” said Jones. “ … On the day that you’re born, should be the day that you’re equal. I want children equal to the Kennedys and the Rockefellers.” Crystal Powell, the family service supervisor said Educare will recruit children ages 6 weeks to 5 years into the program. She and her staff of five will actively engage families, make home visits and provide the kind of support necessary to enhance the likelihood of each child’s success. “There will be a significant amount of home visits, meeting people where they are,” she said. “Families have to understand that this is a partnership. We will not be offering the politically correct responses. Our investment is connected to those families.” Full-time social workers and consultants such as speech pathologists and nurses will provide additional support to each family. Teachers and social workers will routinely review and evaluate their success in helping the children to learn and grow, and adjust practices accordingly. Howard said the school will maintain a low staff to student ratio, with three teachers each present in toddler and preschool rooms. The program offers continuity of care with primary teachers remaining with their children for three years, and a second team of caregivers work-
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THOMPSON continued from Page 8
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24 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
also runs an independent limited liability corporation (LLC) which is not a subsidiary of that particular company, that person can contribute according to the number of LLCs, he/she owns. For example, if a person had 25 LLCs, she could contribute $26,000 maximum – as an individual and replicate the sum 25 times as an LLC doing business in the District. “All of this is legal. They can say bundling is bad or illegal but it’s not,” the source said. “If someone decides to provide cash to a candidate, or campaign and the campaign converts that to money orders, that’s illegal. Or if a person or corporation were to encourage employees through fundraisers to make contributions and they were reimbursed for that, that’s not their contribution, but his. If that’s proven, it’s illegal.” Other scenarios that would raise suspicion is if a campaign contributor provided “a bundle of cash to someone to convert to money orders” using fictitious names or if a person signed other people’s names on those money orders, that’s illegal. “These are some of the issues that the feds are probably looking at,” the source said. “The mayor has not accounted for all the money orders he received. According to [WUSA Channel 9’s] Bruce Johnson, 200-300 money orders were purchased across the street from the Gray headquarters.” “What would be the motivation? You’re saying that 200 to 300 people decided to contribute and they all bought the money orders at the same place? That’s unlikely.” Suspicions are also raised about the actual amount of cash given to the Gray campaign, where it came The Washington Informer
from, and the sheer volume of money orders. “It’s not illegal to make a contribution by money order. That in and of itself is not illegal,” the source said. “But a campaign with an extraordinary number of money orders …” This case speaks to the issues that are roiling the Mayor’s Office and the D.C. Council about where money is coming from, the lack of transparency regarding campaign contributions, attempts by contributors to give more than the legal allowable limits and the efforts to hide donor identities. A D.C. resident who follows local politics closely said he’s hoping Thompson won’t be implicated in any wrongdoing. “I think what’s bothersome is that deep down Jeff is just a big guy and no one wants that big guy taken down,” said the man, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. “D.C. is tiny. You can’t do politics in D.C. and not have touched Jeff Thompson. Everyone who did politics in this town crossed paths with Jeff Thompson. People don’t want to say anything, it’s just a sigh. People think he’s an upstanding guy. It’s like the patriarch is hurt. He may have exceeded legal limits; that’s just fines.” The 40-year-old man said as Council members effect the various ethics and campaign finance rules, all it does is tighten the noose on black elected officials who don’t have as wide a pool of potential donors. He said people he knows see Gray and Council Chairman Kwame Brown “hemmed up” and they hope Thompson doesn’t find himself in the same position. “It’s a bummer. I was happy that a black man was able to go so hard. It’s disheartening. People
relished that Jeff had the power he did. Jeff had the money; they’re just saying whether he handled the money right or not.” The man said he hates the witch-hunt quality of the allegations, adding that he hoped the media would give Thompson a fair shake. He also blamed Sulaimon Brown for the city’s political unrest. “People like Sulaimon don’t get to bring down people,” he said of the former mayoral candidate whose allegations opened a number of investigations against Gray. “He’s running a train wreck through a lot of folks. I don’t want people to get a pass, but you have to come to the party with clean hands.” Bazilio said he has gotten no indication from federal investigators about when the probe will end. In the meantime, he said, the company will stay focused on its mission. “We have 29 years of success providing top-quality service nationally and internationally,” Bazilio said. “This story is centered on D.C. Should the story not be told that the firm has been helping the L.A. Metro for 14 years protecting how their money is spent? Or our work on the African continent to check these governments’ financial systems so that money and aid from the U.S. government will be secure?” “Our staff is tough. We recruit employees who are tough because the clients are tough. They are handling this well. They know the significance. They are as frustrated as I am when they see only a part of the story being told. They built the place, they are fiercely loyal and they understand. They don’t expect these blips to affect their careers in the firm.” wi www.washingtoninformer.com
education Educare continued from Page 23 ing with the children for the subsequent two years. While maintaining small groups, administrators will minimize transitions so that the children can thrive in a secure relationship environment. Lead teachers will be required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and assistant teachers must carry an associate degree in early childhood education as well. Teacher’s aides will need to hold a high school diploma and possess credentials in child development. The school comes to the District at a time when the community continues to be roiled by different factions seeking to affect the direction of educational policy. The emphasis by District of Columbia Public Schools officials is on standardized testing tied to teacher performance, tests to ascertain teacher competency, and other gauges that underpin their reform efforts. All the while, the achievement gaps between children living in the wealthiest sections of the city versus those who live in poverty, and those between black and white children continues to grow. The logical place to start, Jones and the Educare staff said, is at the beginning. And the beginning they advocate is a learning environment that serves as a powerful catalyst for improving children’s educational skills through a year-round, comprehensive program.
According to Educare research, it has been proven that at-risk children who do not receive quality early care are 50 percent more likely to be placed in special-education classes, 25 percent more likely to drop out of school, 40 percent more likely to become a teen parent and 70 percent more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. So the implications are dire and must be addressed, Jones said. “There is a small window of time with a person,” he said. “We can’t allow these young people to become throw-aways. Think of the intellectual power and creativity they can offer this country. The untapped genius in impoverished communities goes unnoticed because we have such low expectations.” “In the Bible, they asked if any good could come out of Nazareth. Nazareth was the hood. I argue that great things can come out of Congress Heights, Parkside, Kenilworth. We know that Educare will make a difference, and not just for the children and families of Parkside. Educare will play a central role in the transformation of our community by sending a strong message that investing in our children will yield dividends for years to come,” Jones said. wi Parents wishing to enroll should contact Crystal Powell at 202-6748979 or via email at cpowell@educaredc.org.
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Capture the Moment
Marchers seen through a broken window as they make their way to the Alabama State Capital during a re-enactment of the historic Selma to Montgomery march on Friday, March 9 in Montgomery, Ala. /Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
Rev. Al Sharpton (right), speaks to thousands in Montgomery, Ala. on Friday, March 9, after a five-day journey from Selma to Montgomery. / Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
26 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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Capture the Moment
Rev. Jesse Jackson (right) rallies youth during an inspirational moment at the historic Selma to Montgomery march on Friday, March 9 in Alabama./Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
An unidentified man (center) holds a sign made famous during the civil rights movement On the final leg of the Selma to Montgomery march to the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, on Friday, March 9. / Photo by Khalid Naji-Allah
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Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
27
Editorial
opinions/editorials
War is Hell—Outside and In This week, the world learned about an American soldier who allegedly went on a killing spree in an Afghan village. The veteran Army staff sergeant is reported to have moved from house to house as villagers slept and killed 16 civilians, including 9 children. Meanwhile, half a world away, Alexander Song, 19, a University of Maryland student, posted a message on a website: “‘I will be on a shooting rampage tomorrow on campus. Hopefully I kill enough people to make it to national news.’” There is a war that is going on in the minds and in the souls of people—a war that is taking place inside. Although the violence may be projected outward, it is inner conflict, turmoil, confusion, hurt and more that can escalate and cause people to strike out, to attack others, to even harm themselves. The solution? Seeking help is an obvious one. But it is apparent that many of the perpetrators don’t realize they need help? Then it’s up to others --family, friends, loved ones and even strangers--to be vigilant; to take it upon themselves to make sure they are OK and others are OK, too. William Tecumseh Sherman, the Union general who initiated a “scorched earth” strategy during the Civil War that left thousands of people dead or wounded, was right: “War is hell!” but until we realize there can be “an inner war and an inner hell” that can exist within every human, we will have more alleged killing sprees by veteran soldiers and more murderous threats by 19-year-old students.
Will District Voters Show Up? The April 3 primary election day has intensified the campaign season in the District and it appears things are finally heating up all across the city. At least for the candidates they are. The spectrum of colorful campaign signs hoisted on light poles, buildings and empty corner lots say more about the candidates’ marketing savvy than the constituents they want to represent or the issues they stand for. And a plethora of candidates’ forums have added to the campaign frenzy causing campaign workers to run here and there to fill seats reserved for interested voters. But the voters are not showing up. Is it that many District voters are disinterested in this election? Are they convinced, based upon media reports over the past year, that not only are politicians dishonest, but a lack of ethics is also a characteristic of anyone seeking elected office? If there is a time when District residents need committed, informed and responsive leadership, it is now. A “new” D.C. is on the horizon and every quadrant and ward of the city is being impacted. Clearly, those vying for office are having a difficult time getting their voices heard, and pumping up the volume, like Councilmember Barry is doing daily from a loud speaker in front of his campaign office, is not going to do it. Voters want to be informed about what’s in store for them in this next administration and the candidate’s must say more than, “Vote for me.”
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four weeks prior to the event to news@washingtoninformer.com The Informer receives hundreds of emails per day for coverage, so please allow at least seven days for a reply to email requests.
28 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
Swim Meet Should Welcome Everybody
I have a slightly different view than the writer who penned “Black History Swim Meet … a Hybrid?” I am very aware of the inequalities we as a people have had to overcome in this country, but sports have always been the great equalizer. This annual swim meet held in the District of Columbia is no different. We want our kids to compete against the best, and that means the best everywhere no matter what their color. Yes, I can remember when the meet was small and had just a few teams, but the sport of swimming is very competitive, and can be very lucrative, just ask Mike Phelps. If the event gives our children an opportunity to improve their skills in the competitive arena, then we should welcome everybody who wants to be a part of it. Leslie Alston Silver Spring, Md.
RG3 – A Smart Move!
Today I feel proud to be a Washington Redskins fan. With the announcement of the team’s effort to draft Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III with its first pick in the upcoming NFL draft is simply fantastic! This young man will be a great addition to any team in the NFL, but especially the Redskins. The Redskins have needed, for so long, a smart, young, talented leader with the ability to play his position at the highest level, quarterback. What a smart move for the Redskins’ front office! I have been, over the last few years, very suspicious of some of the moves made by the Redskins, but not now. This is brilliant. Hail to the Redskins! John Marshall Alexandria, Va.
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opinions/editorials
Guest Columnist
By Bill Fletcher, Jr.
Circle of Clowns Playing with Fire It is difficult to watch the spectacle of the Republican primaries and not agree with whomever it was that originated the description of those candidacies as nothing more or less than a circle of clowns. At each moment one or the other candidate seems to go deeper into the swamp, whether through denigrating science, attacking women or attempting to ridicule President Obama for support-
ing college education. With this evolution of the campaign, it feels as if we are going deeper and deeper into a new dark age with mysticism, fear, militarism, racism and misogynism as the defining characteristics. What never ceases to amaze me is the manner in which these politicians have, with the exception of the right-wing libertarian Ron Paul, jumped up and down on the band-wagon in favor of war with Iran. In concert with an element of the Israeli political establishment and their support-
ers in the USA, they have been beating the drum for military strikes against Iran as a means of stopping the alleged efforts of Iran to achieve a nuclear weapon. Never mind that no one has been able to establish that the Iranians are doing anything more than they propose–to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes–and never mind the fact that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and assisted apartheid South Africa in constructing
Guest Columnist
weapons of mass destruction. Never mind the fact that retired and current U.S. military officials (and actually substantial numbers of Israeli military officials) oppose any discussion of military strikes on Iran, seeing such strikes as nothing short of foolhardy. The circle of clowns asks us to ignore this and to proceed forward with a disastrous war with Iran. This, all based on the crazy rhetoric of the Iranian regime and the possibility of what they might be able to do. Think about it this way. Let’s
say that you had a neighbor who did not like you. You go and buy a gun because you are a hunter. Your neighbor concludes that you bought the gun to get them, so they come into your house and kill you. Besides you being in a grave, where do you think that this would end? How many courts–unless race was involved–would ever go for an argument that it was fine to attack you because the neighbor thought that you might attack.
See fletcher on Page 45
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Why I Left My College When I went to Bennett College for Women in 2007, I declared that I was “on fire” for the institution. I still am. And I also yield to the biblical verse that says for everything there is a season, a time for everything unto heaven. I had a season to build four buildings in four years, to increase enrollment, to influence curriculum shifts, and to assemble an awesome senior team, to engage with most of
my students, and to influence young lives. I also managed the development of a new strategic plan, and I’ve been privileged to be a national Bennett brand advocate. I’ve maintained a speaking schedule partly because it enhances Bennett’s visibility, and wherever I go, I meet potential students, parents, and others, that want to engage me in Bennett matters. I most value the ways we have looked at our campus foci – entrepreneurship, leadership, glob-
al studies and communications. If a young sister masters these, she can operate in almost any arena. The number of students who have traveled internationally has increased exponentially during my leadership. Personally, I’ve taken students with me to Copenhagen, Haiti, and Nigeria, as well as too many sites in places in the United States. I am also grateful to have had support for the development of our entrepreneurship program. Given the job market, there is a point
Guest Columnist
in time when many of us will be entrepreneurs, whether we want to be or not. I have had a team to develop this concept and to integrate it into Bennett’s curriculum. So why go? Things are going well. We had a bump and were put on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) probation when a major donor defaulted on a large pledge, and when we had to pay (go figure – and that’s another column) the government more than a million
dollars on a prepayment penalty. We overcame that in just six months and are in the clear with SACS until 2014, when we have a five year review. We celebrated the removal of SACS probation in January and it was, indeed, an exciting moment. Why go? Because it’s time. Because leading the college is easy and fun, but raising money is hard. In order to move into the next phase at Bennett, somehow
See Malveaux on Page 45
By George E. Curry
The Vanishing Black Middle Class
A chapter in the National Urban League’s 2012 State of Black America report reached a sobering conclusion about the black middle class. “Our analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will clearly establish that whether one looks at education, income or any other meaningful measure, almost all the economic gains
that blacks have made in the last 30 years have been lost in the Great Recession that started in December 2007 and in the anemic recovery that has followed since June 2009. This means that the size of the black middle class is shrinking, the fruits that come from being in the black middle class are dwindling, and the ladders of opportunity for reaching the black middle class are disappearing.” That’s pretty strong language from the four authors: Chanelle P. Hardy, Valerie R. Wilson,
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Madura Wijewardena and Garrick T. Davis. But they provide strong figures to buttress their case. The black median household income in 2010 was $32,106. That’s 30 percent less than the comparable figure for Whites. In today’s dollars, that’s where the white median household income stood in 1980. Even with the tremendous income gap, the black median household income increased by 32 percent between 1992 and 2000. White income increased by
14 percent over that same time period. The latest economic downturn has eroded many of those gains. “The Great Recession and the recovery has led to a dramatic widening of the gap between white and black middle class income households,” the report stated. “Although both blacks and whites suffered declining median household income during and since the recession, the decline for blacks has been considerably higher – between 2008
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and 2010, white median household income fell by 2.9% while the black median household income fell by 7.7%.” A similar decline can be seen in home ownership. “Since the recovery, black home ownership has been falling at just under twice the rate of white home ownership – from 2009 to 2011, black home ownership declined by 1.4 percentage points while white home ownership declined by 0.9
See curry on Page 45
Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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opinions/editorials
Child Watch©
By Marian Wright Edelman
‘The American Promise’--The Right to Vote” Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason which can excuse the denial of that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right… The command of the Constitution is plain. There is no moral issue. It is wrong— deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States rights or National rights. There is only the struggle for human rights. —President Lyndon Johnson,
The American Promise, March 15, 1965 These words are from the well-known televised address President Johnson gave before a joint session of Congress urging members to move forward without delay on what would become the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The speech and legislation came after the entire nation had spent days transfixed by events in Alabama. On March 7, 1965, John Lewis and Rev. Hosea Williams set out with a group of 600 on a planned 50-mile peaceful march
from Selma to Montgomery. Instead, state troopers brutally attacked the nonviolent protestors on the first day at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The televised images of “Bloody Sunday” and the injured marchers—including Lewis, whose skull was fractured—were a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. They roused great sympathy for the protesters and reminded all Americans that these marchers had to put their lives on the line for what should have been considered a basic American right:
Beyond The Rhetoric
the right to vote. On March 4, 2012, marchers returned to the road from Selma to Montgomery—but not just to revisit that moment in history that changed the course of our nation. They are marching again because in 2012, voting rights are once again under attack. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said to the crowd of thousands (I was among them) who finally completed the original march to Montgomery two weeks later: “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave Negroes some part of
their rightful dignity, but without the vote it was dignity without strength… The confrontation of good and evil compressed in the tiny community of Selma generated the massive power to turn the whole nation to a new course. A president born in the South had the sensitivity to feel the will of the country, and in an address that will live in history as one of the most passionate pleas for human rights ever made by a president of our nation, he
See Edelman on Page 46
By Harry C. Alford
The Durbin Amendment Cuts like a Knife
“Oh what wicked webs they weave.” Perhaps the slickest and most greedy lobby in Washington, D.C. is that of the big merchants. I witnessed what they can do while visiting Africa. In their attempt to import “conflict cotton” (prison and slave labor) from China into the United States, this lobby put an amendment into the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)
that allows the substitution of Africa cotton for that of China. The impact has been devastating on African cotton farmers who can no longer sell their goods to principals in the United States. Imagine, conflict cotton from China coming into the United States duty free under a law that was supposed to benefit business owners in Africa. It didn’t stop there. As soon as the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) was born they slip in another amendment. This amendment allows
Haiti, which really isn’t in the deal, the benefits of CAFTA running finished cotton fabric to the United States duty free. Of course, you guessed it; all they are doing is running the China conflict cotton through the island. It is so massive that when the earthquake struck Haiti you may remember that Chinese 747 jet landing there the next day and restoring their sweat shop back to full operation two days later. That is how important this conflict cotton is to some Chinese Generals and the big merchant
ASKIA-AT-LARGE
lobby. The next time you look at a coat label and it says “Made in Haiti” think about this. I am saying all of this to illustrate that this lobby is capable of anything. They have struck again and, this time it will hurt you consumers and small retailers. The saying in Illinois is “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” It was bound to happen. Piggy-backing off the infamous Dodd – Frank Bill (an overreaching, knee jerk piece of massive regulation) came the Durbin Amendment. It is named for its sponsor, Sena-
tor Richard J. Durbin, (D-Ill.) In an effort to increase their profits, the merchants have been able to place a limit on the amount they are charged for debit card transactions. The free market had an average of 44 cents per transaction. Now card companies are limited to 22 cents per transaction. While this is another big windfall for the major merchants, it is devastating to small retailers. That is because debit card
See alford on Page 46
By Askia Muhammad
Halal’s: Hyper-hatred We are advised by the Scriptures that there is “None so righteous as the newly converted.” That means that often when we have a transformational experience we are anxious to prove our piety—especially to those who oversaw our conversion—that we are indeed true believers, true practitioners. So we often exaggerate our behavior when we are new recruits—to a faith tradition, a political ideology, any-
thing new. I can remember when I was a new convert to Islam. One of my first behavior changes was in my diet. At the time I was a roommate with three members of the Black Panther Party, and unlike me, they did not care much about what they ate. On the other hand, I was all “kosher” all the time. Funny thing though. My roommates would share the kosher meat products (such as hot-dogs) I would purchase, and then replace them with any old
30 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
meat they picked up at the store. That was a constant source of frustration for me. Since those days I have matured and mellowed in many ways. I still adhere to a “kosher” diet, although today as more and more Muslims have made their presence felt in this country, I now refer to that same dietary “law” as “halal.” The word “halal” in Arabic refers to that which is permitted, or acceptable, as opposed to that which is “haram,” or that which is forbidden. Think of the Sultan’s “haThe Washington Informer
rem” or his forbidden place. I also now realize that it’s not such a good thing to eat any “dog,” hot or cold. It is permissible for Muslims to eat kosher Jewish food, just as it is permissible for Jews to eat halal Islamic food. When it comes to meat, it refers to the method by which animals are slaughtered, as well as not contaminating it with the Divinely forbidden swine, pork, pig--The Hog. A funny thing is going in this arena now in France. Un-
like my former roommates who were happy to partake of items from my kosher/halal menu, the French are up in arms about the proliferation of halal meat being sold in their country. The French are now engaged in an uncomfortable struggle over the place of Muslims in their society which is ostensibly pledged to secularism but which is deeply rooted in Christianity, a xenophobic Christianity at that. First, there was a law to ban
See MUHAMMAD on Page 46 www.washingtoninformer.com
LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE
Black Deaf Doctorates Discuss Successes, Struggles Students Encouraged to Follow Similar Career Path By Karisse Carmack WI Staff Writer In the United States, only a fraction of the nation’s 300 million residents earn a Ph.D. And in the deaf community, an even smaller number of people have overcome a range of challenges – including being deaf – to earn a doctorate. On the afternoon of February 21, a steady stream of Gallaudet students and other guests filed into the Andrew Foster Auditorium on the Northeast campus to attend the university’s “Black Deaf Doctorates: Panel Discussion.” During the Black History Month event, a distinguished group of black deaf individuals who have attained their doctorwww.washingtoninformer.com
ates, discussed their individual triumphs and struggles in obtaining the advanced degree. One central theme of their remarks and comments was to also encourage more deaf black students to join their ranks. “I feel proud of myself. I feel at the same time a bit dejected,” said Angela McCaskill, Ph.D., regarding the small number of black deaf doctorates. She is currently the deputy to Gallaudet’s president, T. Alan Hurwitz, and the associate provost for diversity and inclusion. “We hosted this program to let you know that if you dream it, you can achieve it … I want to see more of us in the pipeline,” Angela McCaskill said through an interpreter. There are approximately 13
known deaf black scholars in the country who have earned their doctoral degrees, according to the university’s Daily Digest Web page. Nine of the 13 participated in the event. Among those in the audience were Gallaudet students, as well as pupils from the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf. Both of these schools serve as primary and secondary schools that cater to deaf students and they are also located on Gallaudet’s campus. Individually, the group decided to pursue Ph.D.s for various reasons. Some were encouraged by their mentors, while others were encouraged by their bosses, or were fueled
by their desire to advance in their careers. Simon Guteng, Ph.D., who is the director of the university’s G. “Bummy” Burstein Leadership Institute, said he was motivated by a conversation he had with his friends when they were in high school, his teaching experience at a school for the deaf in Arizona, and by his church’s missionary work. “We were talking about missionaries in Africa and there were photos of missionaries working with different Africans, both poor and rich. So, I sat back and I wondered, what about those deaf Africans, who is reaching out to them, who is helping them break the barriers they are experiencing in Africa?” said Guteng, who received
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his doctorate at the University of Arizona. Within the small, highly accomplished group was even a sister duo: Angela McCaskill and Carolyn McCaskill, Ph.D., who were each awarded their doctoral degrees at Gallaudet in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Angela McCaskill was the first deaf black female to receive her doctorate at the institution. Carolyn McCaskill is an associate professor in Gallaudet’s American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies Department; she also coordinates the department’s undergraduate program. Carolyn McCaskill said she was inspired by Glenn Anderson, Ph.D., the first known
See Doctorates on Page 32
Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
31
LIFESTYLE Doctorates continued from Page 31
HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU? The rapid-fire, head-spinning way in which technology continues to evolve never ceases to amaze me. Nielsen recently released its Nielsen and NM Incite’s U.S. Digital Consumer Report, and in it provides a deeper dive into Generation Y - also known as Generation Next, the Millennials, the NET Generation or Boomer Kids. Depending on your information source, these young people were born between 1980 and 2002, making them between 10 and 34-years-old. They are generally well-rounded culturally, having been exposed to diversity all their lives and, are accustomed to “playing well with others.” They have also been described by the media as being “pampered, nurtured and programmed with a slew of activities since they were toddlers, meaning they are both high-performance and high-maintenance.” Nielsen broke Gen Y into an even smaller subset: Generation C (as in connected), Americans age 18-34. They make up 23% of the U.S. population but an out sized portion of consumers using technology. Born between the introduction of the VCR and the commercialization of the Internet, this group has taken media consumption to a whole other level. They have redefined their personal connections with new devices and experiences like no other demographic group, watching online video (27%), visiting social networking/blog sites (27%), owning tablets (33%) and using a smartphone (39%). Their ownership and use of connected devices makes them incredibly unique consumers, and highly coveted by advertisers and marketers. They represent both a challenge and opportunity for marketers and content providers alike. But how about the rest of us, how do we stack up technologically? · · · · ·
For television viewers: 21% are 35-49, 20% are 50-64 and 13% are Black. Online video viewers: 28% are 35-49, 22% are 50-64 and 11% are Black. Social networking/blog visitors: 28% are 35-49, 22% are 50-64 and 10% are Black. Tablet owners: 29% are 35-49; 21% are 50-64 and 11% are Black. Smartphone users: 30% are 35-49, 20% are 50-64 and 12% are Black.
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Women surpass men in nearly every digital category: TV viewership (51% vs. 49%), Online Video Viewers (53% vs. 47%) and Social Network/Blog Visitors (54% vs. 47%). Who’s got the power now guys?
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Tablet ownership is the only male-dominated digital category (53% vs. 47%).
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274 million Americans (as of the end of 2011) have internet access. That’s more than double the 132 million of connected Americans in 2000. (Remember the Y2K scare that never happened)?
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Flash back: remember the VCR?! (please don’t tell me you’re still using yours)? It seems like eons ago, but it was just 10 years ago, in 2002, when the DVD knocked out the VCR as the champ in the home video market, and accounted for 2/3 of all videos sold.
In 2007, a mere 3.2% of mobile subscribers owned a smartphone. According to a Nielsen study released this January of more than 20,000 mobile consumers, smartphone penetration is now a whopping 48%. Smartphone ownership splits evenly, 50-50, between men and women. Those in the 25-34 age group (Generation C again) showed the greatest proportion of smartphone ownership, at 66 % penetration. Apparently we like to multitask while we watch TV. Well, I don’t because I like to concentrate specifically on what I’m watching. But, once again, I seem to be in the minority. Because while watching TV: ·
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57% of smartphone and tablet owners checked email.
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44% visited a social networking site.
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Advertisers will like this one: 19% searched for product information and 16% looked up coupons and online deals.
All of these cool technological gadgets are creating a new generation – kids who are growing up with all things digital. Another Nielsen study of adults with children under 12 in tablet-owning households in Q4 2011 shows that seven out of every 10 children in tablet-owning households used a tablet computer. Seventy-seven percent play downloaded games. Fifty-seven percent use them to access educational apps. And, parents report that tablets entertained their children while traveling (55%) or eating in restaurants (41%). So much for spending quality time together while at the dinner table, huh? Phones and electronic devices aren’t allowed at the table once food arrives at my house. But that’s just me. You may not be a Gen Y or even a Gen C, but according to these facts, you are still connected technologically. And everyone knows no technological connection can work without a power source. In this instance, the source of power is YOU. So what’s my mantra? Use your power wisely. Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is senior vice president of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Nielsen. For more information and studies go to www.nielsenwire.com.
32 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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deaf African American to earn a doctorate degree. When Anderson, who is currently an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, encouraged her to pursue a doctoral degree, at first she balked, saying she was done with school. “We can count on one hand how many black people, black deaf people there are with Ph.D.s,” Carolyn McCaskill remembers Anderson telling her. “And he said, ‘I am lonely. I am very, very lonely.’” For virtually all of the panelists, the road to pursuing this degree was not without its challenges, and they learned some hard lessons along the way. “I realize that the key was having a mentor,” said Elizabeth Moore, Ph.D., who received her doctorate at Gallaudet last year, and is now both an assistant professor of social work and the director of the department’s Master of Social Work degree program. “There was one terrible obstacle that I really had to get through. It was a statistics class that I was going through. The professor wanted to block me from taking the class,” Moore said. “ … I had to file an ADA [American Disabilities Act] complaint.” Gallaudet University was founded in 1864 as a federally chartered institution, under President Abraham Lincoln. The campus is the only university in the world where all of the academic programs are geared towards educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Currently, the university is helping to promote diversity through its Keeping the Promise program, which aims to increase the graduation and retention rates of black and Latino deaf students. So far, Gallaudet has awarded 54 doctorate degrees to deaf and hard-of-hearing students, eight of whom are black and two that were awarded to Latino students, according to information provided by the university. Two days after the event, the scholars’ personal journeys still resonated with first-year graduate student Elena Ruiz, who filled in as one of the student moderators at the last minute at the event. Ruiz also helped Angela McCaskill develop the
program for the panel discussion. “Although I was a last-minute replacement MC, I am honored and humbled to have been a part of this event,” said Ruiz in a February 23 e-mail. “As a deaf Latina, it was amazing to have collaborated with the Gallaudet black deaf community during this event.” Ruiz, 26, who is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Deaf Cultural Studies, said she had planned to pursue a doctorate prior to the event. Listening to the guest speakers provided the Sacramento, Calif. native with even more inspiration to achieve her dream. “However, I listened so intently to the panelists and internalized so much of their wisdom ... never before had I been that inspired by other doctorates in my life,” Ruiz said. “It particularly hit home to listen to other deaf women of color’s personal stories regarding their journeys in higher education. I now treasure what they shared with all of us, and will definitely apply their words as I progress through my education.” Ultimately, the panelists not only wanted the event to recognize the little-known achievements of deaf African Americans during Black History Month, but they also wish to pass the baton to future scholars. Ernest Hairston, Ph.D., is a retired employee of the U.S. Department of Education, and said he would like to serve as a mentor to deaf youth. Hairston is also the first deaf black man to receive his doctorate at Gallaudet. “I look forward to being able to set up that relationship in the future and to expose myself to the black deaf community and mainly to black deaf children,” Hairston said. One of his colleagues agrees. “I feel like we have to represent and show people that it is possible,” said Khadijat Rashid, Ph.D., who received her doctorate at American University, and is a business administration professor at Gallaudet. “Yes, racism is still there. Discrimination is still there. But we have to achieve anyway.” wi www.washingtoninformer.com
LIFESTYLE
Female Entrepreneur Develops Healthy, Organic Gluten-Free Cookie By Edith Billups Special to WI
Bae Gould, an AfricanAmerican female entrepreneur who formerly owned a mortgage brokerage firm with her husband James, created an organic cookie that provides an enjoyable and healthy alternative to transfats, refined sugars, and flour products. The soft, moist cookies, and cookie dough is called VeggiO. Gould, who lives on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with her husband, developed the nutritious, organic/natural, glutenfree cookie to promote health awareness and better eating habits for children, working families and people on the go. “It’s something completely different as far as my career goes,” said Gould, who said that requests from family members to share her quest for healthy eating with others caused her to develop the cookie one year ago. Gould, who said she always had an interest in organic, nutritional foods, developed a love for baking as a teenager and learned how to cook from her mother and grandmother. She is near completion of a cookbook which will promote healthy eating. In addition to being gluten-free, and containing two grams of fiber, the VeggiO cookie is wheat-free, sugarfree, soy-free, and dairy-free. “I am working on an egg-free version, so there soon will be no animal by products in the cookie,” said Gould. The VeggiO cookie is loaded with cranberries, blueberries, cherries, nuts, vegetables and other healthy ingredients. One VeggiO cookie contains 160 calories, and 23 antioxidant including herbs and spices. Gould said that they are satisfying when eaten as a meal replacement and they have no aftertaste. Gould said she started baking VeggiO cookies in her kitchen in Westover, Md., but has expanded to the point where the cookies are baked now at Manokin Specialty Cookie Company, a commer-
2012 SUMMER DANCE PROGRAM… Bae Gould has created soft, moist cookies, and cookie dough called VeggiO, to promote health awareness and better eating habits for children, working families and people on the go. /Courtesy photo
cial bakery in Princess Anne, Md. Gould launched her cookie brand at a popular bike race in Salisbury, Md., last October attended by several thousand people. “We gave away samples and conducted surveys at the race. At a health awareness expo, one 6-year-old girl filled out her own survey and stated that she liked the cookie because it did not contain chemicals. She bought three cookies with her own money. We find that children love the VeggiO cookies,” said Gould. Gould, who is not vegetarian, but who eats several meatless meals a week, said that she and her husband changed their own eating habits in 1983 after meeting a group of people who were very health conscious. “I went to the next level, and I learned that food can be delicious, healthy and fulfilling. I also love presentation, and I realized that food can look pretty, be healthy, and be nutritionally balanced.” Gould said that her cookies are packaged in eco-friendly containers and are made from old family recipes that she has updated by adding healthy
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ingredients. “The ingredients are whole, unprocessed foods, and I use my secret spices and herbs to enhance the flavor.” Gould would like to have her cookies included on the menu in schools and institutions. She also would like to have them carried by organic health stores, major food store chains, specialty stores, caterers and wholesale distributors. “The ultimate goal is to have health conscious people globally enjoy the great taste and nutritional benefits of VeggiO cookies,” the cookie visionary said.wi People interested in purchasing VeggiO cookies locally may buy them at Green Branch Organic Farm in Salisbury, Md. Additional locations will be listed online. The cost of the cookies is $5 for a package of two or $3 for a package of six niblets. People interested in purchasing the fresh cookie dough, which is shipped with ice gel packs, may purchase one pint at $15 or a quart at $28. To learn more about VeggiO cookies, visit www.veggiocookie.com The Washington Informer
LET’S DANCE
Auditions for ages 7-years and older—the weeks of March 19, March 26, April 30 and May 7
Contact Mary Wroth, School Coordinator at 202.274.4533 or mwroth@washingtonballet.org to schedule your audition. There is a non-refundable $30 Audition Fee.
Photo: Theo Kossenas
Visit www.washingtonballet.org/THEARC for more information. 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, Washington, DC
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a weekend workshop The Harlem Book Fair presents the founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center for a rare chance to spark your personal evolution. Beckwith is a featured teacher in the film The Secret and has appeared on the The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live.
Washington, DC Friday, March 23, 2012 7:00–9:00 pm ET
Saturday, March 24, 2012 9:00 am–1:00 pm ET
LivE MuSiC by Rickie Byars Beckwith
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ARIES This is a good week for exercising that clever mind of yours. Luck will be with you in all endeavors you start. Luck is with you always because positive outlook attracts positive vibrations. Soul Affirmation: I enjoy looking at the road of life sweeping just in front of me. Lucky Numbers: 30, 41, 54 TAURUS Your careless ways with money are going to be apparent this week. Financial mistakes you’ve made in the past will be especially painful. Don’t conceal the pain from yourself. It is a warning that you should take steps to prevent future financial crisis. Soul Affirmation: I let my friendships guide my way. Lucky Numbers: 5, 22, 35 GEMINI Take advantage of the great weather and spend time outdoors enjoying and relaxing with Mother Nature. Learn a new sport, and spend time with family and friends. Don’t take travel matters into your own hands. Seek a professional who will be able to plan a wonderful vacation for you without breaking your bank. Cook up some goodies for your loved ones. Soul Affirmation: I change who I am by changing where I am going. Lucky Numbers: 3, 20, 23 CANCER Everything seems to be moving along in a very pleasant way this week. Friends are helpful, family is supportive, even the sun seems to be shining just for you! Enjoy this harmony and count your blessings. Finish a task at work. Soul Affirmation: The slowness of my week gives me time to refresh my energy. Lucky Numbers: 12, 26, 36 LEO The bond that you established with your spiritual side works well in your relationship with a special person. Speak of the reality of the intangible qualities of life. Your lover will understand. Keep attention on the financial matters you’ve been dealing with. Soul Affirmation: I obey the rules this week and avoid hassles. Lucky Numbers: 3, 8, 24 VIRGO If you need some time to yourself this week, take it. You’ll be doing yourself an act of kindness. Since you do so much for others, why not treat yourself as well as you treat them? Your world is the way you are living. Live with love.Soul Affirmation: I get joy from giving good things. Lucky Numbers: 19, 39, 42 LIBRA Remember that exercise is a wonderful tensionreliever if things get too intense this week. A walk over your lunch hour could make all the difference in how you feel this afternoon. Love yourself and reward yourself with perfect health and happiness. Soul Affirmation: Faith keeps me calm in the storms of life. Lucky Numbers: 44, 49, 51 SCORPIO You’ve done some of your own love homework. Hopefully you’ve had an opportunity to learn a new way of seeing the world and in that way you’ve found a way of loving that is more natural for you. The combination of sexiness and joyful focus can create you a wonderful love experience. Soul Affirmation: I get joy from giving good things. Lucky Numbers: 14, 23, 37 SAGITARIUS If you want to keep your positive outlook intact, avoid gossip and those who might want to just cry the blues for no good reason. You’ll be happiest this week if you keep busy and keep your opinions to yourself. However, good advice is available from an older female relative. Soul Affirmation: Love is easier than breathing. Lucky Numbers: 12, 30, 50 CAPRICORN You’ve done a lot of things in life that no one has agreed with at the beginning. Finding agreement this week will be difficult, but it should not deter you from moving forward. Feeling sorry for your loneliness will discolor what you are doing. Be happy that you are alone. Soul Affirmation: I get joy from giving good things. Lucky Numbers: 3,18, 31 AQUARIUS Eternal optimist, eternity is now. Get in touch with your hopefulness and be a beacon to others. Try not to be taken in by promises made by others or promises you’ve made to yourself. Concerning your own affairs, avoid contemplating lofty subjects and seeking long ranged solutions. Soul Affirmation: Time is the greatest peacemaker of them all. Lucky Numbers: 6, 28, 39 PISCES Some say optimism is fantasy. Suppose the good thing you’re optimistic about never comes. This week you’ll know that the joy of anticipating it is joy enough. Just the certainty of coming goodness is present goodness. The joy of tomorrow is available this week. Soul Affirmation: This week is the week the Lord has made. I rejoice in it. Lucky Numbers: 22, 36, 38
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Griot
Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game by Chris Crowe, illustrated by Mike Benny c.2012, Candlewick Press $16.99 / $19.00 Canada 32 pages By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Everybody loves being first. You know how great it is to be the kid at the head of the line. You like being first to speak up, first to finish your assignments, and it’s even fun to be the first kid on the playground or ball field because you get first choice for the equipment. But not everybody can be first. Somebody has to be second and, as you’ll see in the new book Just as Good by Chris Crowe, illustrated by Mike Benny, coming next in line can be pretty awesome, too. Homer and his Daddy loved the Cleveland Indians baseball team. It was 1947 and they knew that baseball season was going to be great because Larry Doby joined the team that year. Doby wasn’t the first Negro pro ball player – Jackie Robinson was first overall - but Doby was the first in the American League and to Homer, that was miracle enough. Because of some bad news lately, Homer needed a miracle. It started when Coach O’Brien kicked him off the Litwww.washingtoninformer.com
LIFESTYLE
tle League team because Coach said Negro ballplayers weren’t “worth a spit!” That made Homer mad and sad, but now Larry Doby gave him hope. By fall, Homer’s dreams had come true: the Cleveland Indians were in the World Series! Everybody was excited, but nobody was more excited than Homer. On game day, he finished up his paper route and raced home to do his chores. He had to be at Standard Drug to get his spot near the radio, or he’d miss the big game. But Daddy had a surprise: he bought a radio just so they could listen to the action on the field. The sound was crackly but they found the station and they could hear every hit, every run, and every yell from the announcer, Mel Allen. As the game played out, Homer and Daddy paced and danced and urged the Indians to hold on to their one-run lead. And you can bet the Indians did! The morning after the game, Daddy helped Homer fold newspapers for the paper route. That was nice, but Homer knew that Daddy really only wanted to be first to see the newspaper. There, he found a picture of two faces, one black and one white, smiling as big as Lake Erie... Sometimes, it’s hard to remember how much has changed in the past few decades. Your young sports fan, for instance, will never know a color line in any sport, and this book helps to explain why. Based on a true event, this often-overshadowed tale is spun into an exciting fictional story that kids can relate to, and author Chris Crowe also includes a nice set of historical notes as well as a bibliography that will send you running to the library. I liked that, and I liked the rich illustrations from Mike Benny. I think that, if your 4-to-7year-old slugger loves a good read-aloud, this is the book to catch. For him (or her), “Just as Good” will be up first. wi
NCERT BENEFIT CO NG I FOR DESERV IANS IC YOUNG MUS The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education, Inc. (FAME) is partnering with Ayre Rayde, a local recording group, to provide brand new musical instruments to at-risk and disadvantaged youth at no charge. The event will feature a reunion concert performance by the Ayre Rayde band and you will be treated to a preview of the group’s soon to be released CD.
Saturday, March 17, 2012 9pm – 1am Camelot by Martins - 13905 Central Avenue Upper Marlboro, MD Co-Chairs: Prince George’s County Council Chair Andrea Harrison (Dist. 5), & Council members Derrick Leon Davis (Dist. 6), Will Campos (Dist. 2) & Karen Toles (Dist. 7). Tickets: $45 (first 100 guests) and $50. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Proceeds from this trailblazing event will enable deserving young musicians to explore and enhance their musical endeavors. This pioneering scholarship is structured to also support music programs in area school districts. For information: visit FAME at www.fameorg.org or call 301.805.5358 Sponsors:
FAME is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing equal access to all children and young adults, regardless of social and economic need, to quality music and music education as part of their lifelong journey to adulthood. We believe that the power of music, which is a key factor to a well-rounded character, will produce a new generation of leaders for our nation. We further believe that equity in the arts is vital to building strong communities.
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Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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Call John Corrigan today 202-306-1822 for instant Pre-Approval!
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Weapons of Mass Destruction By Lisa Thompson Special to The Washington Informer
One of my fondest memories as a child was going to summer camp at Camp Bennett in Pikesville, Md. It all began for me when I was six years old. My mother diligently packed and labeled clothes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, towels, wash cloths, soap, shampoo and all sorts of items for all five of my siblings and me to be shipped off to camp for two whole weeks!
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36 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
At Camp Bennett, I experienced my first real encounter with God. It was a camp that was built on the premise of Godly principles and because of this we were required to go to chapel at least two times per day--once in the morning and once at night before bed. During chapel service, we would sing songs, hear bible stories and also receive an opportunity to accept Christ as our personal savior. One of the songs that stuck out in my mind is entitled “Do You Know, Oh Christian, You’re A Sermon in Shoes?” What a powerful song and also a powerful statement. The gist of the song suggests that as believers we are walking sermons as we live our lives to exemplify that of the life that Christ has set before us in his Word. As the topic of the song that I learned at summer camp says “Do You Know Oh Christian, You’re A Sermon in Shoes?” may I interject here that not only are we a sermon in shoes, but, we are indeed a weapon of
The Washington Informer
mass destruction in shoes! Do You Know, Oh Christian, You’re A Weapon of Mass Destruction in Shoes? A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon which can kill large numbers of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures (buildings), natural structures (mountains), or the biosphere in general. This covers several weapon types, including nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons. Now, that is a powerful weapon! Although we live in the flesh and live in this world, the scripture is clear and explicit that our weapons are not carnal--nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological--but they are mighty through God. As powerful as those weapons may be, we have one-up even on them. Although God has given us various weapons of mass destruction, I will only discuss three. Our first weapon is the Word of God. “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” God’s Word is the greatest of them all. We must use this weapon against every suggestive imagination when there is trouble, harm or danger around us. We do this by bringing those thoughts into the obedience of his Word. Yes, media stations are reporting bad news all over the world, but as believers and “weapons of mass destruction
in shoes,” we have the ability to change these reports by simply speaking God’s Word to the situations and circumstances. What is reported is not what God says about us. Our second weapon goes hand-in-hand with our first and the most powerful – Obedience. “And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” It is our obedience to God’s Word that can wipe out a legion of bad reports. When we obey God, we exercise our faith and unlock the arms of God to perform his works in the earth. When we disobey God, we render Him and our weaponry powerless and situations remain the same. Finally, our third weapon is our Praise! II Corinthians 2:14 say, “Now thanks [be] unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” God needs your praise activated now, not later and not when things are worked out. Give God praise in advance, in spite of and because of. Our praise changes the climate, alters the atmosphere and moves demonic activity out of the way. Our praise settles us, comforts us and brings glory to God.wi Lisa is an Associate Minister at Church of the Rock Praise Factory in Capitol Heights, Md., where she serves in ministry with her brother, Pastor Grant A. Thompson.
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The Religion Corner
religion
Stop Thinking That Negative Stuff
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Say, “Lord, Save Me” It’s been proven time and time again that we can eliminate negative thoughts that come to each of us on a daily basis. But those who get ahead are those who have learned to switch from negative thinking to positive thinking. You must keep focused on the Lord. He will help you to see, feel and believe that you’re already in possession of whatever it is you want. It could be a business; a larger church congregation; a better job; a spouse; a fulfilling project while helping others, whatever it is you feel that you were born to do. It can happen, but you must see yourself already doing it, whatever you wish to be, to do or to have. Goethe said it this way, “If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse, however, if I treat you as though you are what you’re capable of becoming, I help you become that.” A scripture that reminds us is Mark 11:24 which says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” If you picture but have doubt, forget about it. You might as well keep thinking those negative thoughts. It is the doubt that’s your problem. Replace negative thinking with positive thinking; leave the past in the past; and make a major lifestyle change. You might ask yourself, how do I replace negative thinking with positive thinking: Learn to meditate; pray; repeat positive affirmations (memorize 5 scriptures and powerful affirmations); write out a positive state-
ment about your main goal; set a time limit for its achievement; repeat your statement aloud, daily. Finally, memorize your statement! It’s called faith! Scripture tells us, ‘faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word.’ Can I really leave the past in the past? If your past was a mess like mine and millions of others, let it become your message. Only speak of that mess when you want to help someone else to see they can get through their problem too. Otherwise, leave that stuff alone! It’s like taking a dose of poison each time. It breaks down your immune system, brings down your self esteem, and it’s just not healthy for you. That stuff wasn’t good when it happened, and it’s still unhealthy, even to discuss it today, so leave it alone! Les Brown, Mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy, is a twin, born in Liberty City, left in an abandoned building; but he became one of the world’s greatest speakers! He learned to leave the past in the past. Joyce Meyers was raped repeatedly throughout her teen years by her birth father, look what God has done with her! God doesn’t expect us to stay the same, he said, ‘be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ Change what you say aloud, and change what goes into your mind. Do you want a new life? Stop telling that awful story. See your future the way you want it to be, and tell that story! Don’t keep thinking about
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with Lyndia Grant what happened that was bad in your past, no, keep looking forward. Don’t face reality! Sounds crazy doesn’t it, but it’s true. Reality will cause you to stumble and fall. Bible scholars remember the story of Peter, who was walking on the water toward Jesus. When he looked around at the world, he started to believe the storm was going to defeat him. He lost faith. He took his eyes off Jesus, and he began to sink. If we forget that Jesus is right here to help us, we can let the storms of life cause us to sink. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can do mighty things for God by faith. wi Then Peter uttered what is probably the shortest prayer in the Bible: Lord, save me. Lyndia Grant is an inspirational speaker, living in the Washington, D.C. area, visit her website at www.lyndiagrant. com; call 202-518-3192; or send emails to fanniestelle@yahoo.com.
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religion BAPTIST
african methodist episcopal
Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Rev. James Manion Supply Priest Foggy Bottom • Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW • Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 • Fax : 202-338-4958 Worship Services Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.
Blessed Word of Life Church Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors 4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax Schedule of Services: Sunday School – 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service – 11:00 AM Communion Service – First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study – Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org e-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org
Campbell African Methodist Episcopal Church Reverend Daryl K. Kearney. • Pastor 2568 MLK Jr., Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20020 (202) 889-3877 (o) • (202) 678-1291 (fax) Services and Times 7:45 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. Small Groups/Church School: 9:00 a.m. Small Group Bible Study Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Wednesday Noon Thursday 7:39 p.m. God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Humankind one Family www.otfmall.com/camecame reedley5@aol.com
Mt. Zion Baptist Church Rev. John W. Davis, Pastor 5101 14th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20011 202-726-2220/ 202-726-9089 Sunday Worship Service 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday School 9:15am Holy Communion 4th Sunday 10:00am Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 7;00pm TV Ministry –Channel 6 Wednesday 10:00pm gsccm.administration@verizon.net
Pilgrim Baptist Church
700 I. Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20002 Pastor Louis B. Jones, II and Pilgrim invite you to join us during our July and August Summer schedule! Attire is Christian casual. Worship: Sundays@ 7:30 A.M. & 10:00 A.M. 3rd Sunday Holy Communion/ Baptism/Consecration Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @12:00 Noon @ 6:30 P.M. – One Hour of Power! (202) 547-8849 www. pilgrimbaptistdc.org
Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ Drs. Dennis W. and Christine Y. Wiley, Pastors 3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax) SERVICES AND TIMES: SUNDAYS: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM 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: 9:45 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantbaptistdc.org
Morning Star Baptist Church Pastor Gerald L Martin Senior Minister 3204 Brothers Place S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032 202-373-5566 or 202-373-5567
Church of Living Waters
Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor Harold Andrew, Assistant Pastor 4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464 Schedule of Service Sunday Service: 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday www.livingwatersmd.org
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Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., • Pastor 2498 Alabama Ave., SE • Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 • www.acamec.org 2008: The Year of New Beginnings “Expect the Extraordinary”
Crusader Baptist Church
Isle of Patmos Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews • Senior Pastor 1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 Fax: (202) 526-1661
Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan, Pastor 800 I Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 Fax No. 202-548-0703
Sunday Worship Services: 8:00a.m. and 11:00a.m. Sunday Church School - 9:15a.m. & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30a.m. 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study - 10:00a.m. Tuesday Topical Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Wednesday Children’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Thursday Men’s Bible Study - 6:30p.m. Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service - 6:30p.m. Saturday Adult Bible Study - 10:00a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00am Holy Communion – 1st Sunday Sunday School-9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study – 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study – 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes- Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org
“The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”
“God is Love”
Third Street Church of God Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor 1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202.347.5889 office 202.638.1803 fax Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Wed. 7:30 p.m. “Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org
Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday Church School: 9:20 a.m. Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net
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 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 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
ST Marks Baptist Come Worship with us... St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Dr. Raymond T. Matthews, Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews Sunday School 9:am Worship Service 10:am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service 6:45 pm Thur. Bible Study 7:15 pm
We are proud to provide the trophies for the Washington Informer Spelling Bee
Service & Time Sunday Worship 7:45A.M & 11A.M Communion Service 2nd Sunday 11A.M Prayer Service Tuesday 7:00 P.M Bible Study Tuesday 8:00 P.M Sunday Church School 10:00 A.M Sunday “A church reaching and winning our community for Christ” morningstarbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.morningstarchurch-dc.org
Mount Carmel Baptist Church
52 Years of Expert Engraving Services
Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor 901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Sunday Church School : 9: 30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10: 45am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10: 45am themcbc.org
38 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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religion Baptist
All Nations Baptist Church
Friendship Baptist Church 900 Delaware Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20020 (202) 488-7417 (202) 484-2242 Rev. Dr. J. Michael Little Pastor Sunrise Prayer: 6:00 AM Sunday School: 9:30 AM Morning Worship 11:00 AM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday-11:00AM www.friendshipbaptistdc.org Email: frienshipde1900@verizon.net
Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor 2001 North Capitol St, N.E. • Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591 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
Zion Baptist Church
Israel Baptist Church
Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor
Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor
4850 Blagdon Ave, NW • Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 • Fax (202) 291-3773
1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288
Sunday Worship Service 10:15AM- Praise and Worship Services Sunday School 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: 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
Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Sunday School: 8:30 A.M. Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.
Mount Moriah Baptist Church
St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 9:15 a.m. Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Study: Monday - 7:00 p.m. Prayer Meeting: Thursday - 7:00 p.m.
Dr. Lucius M. Dalton, Senior Pastor 1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 Fax: 202-544-2964 Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 am and 10:45 am Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 am and 10:45 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon and 6:30 pm Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 pm Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 pm Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org
Rehoboth Baptist Church
St. Matthews Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor 1105 New Jersey Ave, S.E • Washington, DC 20003 202 488-7298 Order of Services Sunday Worship Services: 9:05 A.M. Sunday School: 8:00 A.M. Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting: 7:00 P.M. (Tuesday) Bible Study: 7:30 P.M. (Tuesday) Theme: “Striving to be more like Jesus “Stewardship”. Philippians 3:12-14; Malachi 3:8-10 and 2 Corinthians 9:7 Email: stmatthewbaptist@msn.com Website: www.stmatthewsbaptist.com
Advertise your church services here call Ron Burke at 202-561-4100 or email rburke@washingtoninformer.com
Advertise your church
Emmanuel Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Clinton W. Austin Pastor 2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Come Grow With Us and Establish a Blessed Family” Sunday Worship 7:30am & 10:45am Baptism/Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30pm Prayer Service Tuesdays – 8:00pm www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org
Advertise your church
services here
services here
call Ron Burke at
call Ron Burke at
202-561-4100 or email
202-561-4100 or email
rburke@washingtoninformer.com
rburke@washingtoninformer.com
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
New Commandment Baptist Church
Rev. Terry D. Streeter Pastor
Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Pastor and Overseer
215 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. • WD.C. 20001 (202) 332-5748
625 Park Rd, NW • WDC 20010 P: 202 291-5711 • F: 202 291-5666
Early Morning Worship: 7:45 a.m. Sunday School: 9:15 a.m. Morning Worship: 10:45 a.m. Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:45 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. C.T.U. Sunday: 2:45 p.m. Bible Study: Wednesday 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service: Wednesday 8:00 p.m. Noon Day Prayer Service: Mondays 12 p.m.
Sunday Worship Service - 11 am Sunday School - 9:45 am Bible Study & Prayer Wed. - 7 pm Substance Abuse Counseling 7 pm (Mon & Fri) Jobs Partnership - 7 pm (Mon & Wed) Sat. Enrichment Experience - 9:30 am
Salem Baptist Church
“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”
Shiloh Baptist Church
Rev. R. Vincent Palmer Pastor
Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor
Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor
621 Alabama Avenue, S.E. • Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 F: (202) 561-1112
917 N St. NW • Washington, DC 20001 (202) 232-4294
9th & P Street, N.W. • W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4200
The Church Where GOD Is Working.... And We Are Working With GOD
Sunrise Prayer Services - Sunday 7:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Prayer Service: 8:00 a.m. Sunday Church School: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: 10:40 a.m. Third Sunday Baptismal & Holy Communion:10:30 a.m. Tuesday Church At Study Prayer & Praise: 6:30 p.m.
Morning Worship: 8:00 a.m Church School : 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship: 10:55 a.m. Bible Study, Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Prayer Meeting,Thursday : 7:30 p.m.
Sunday Service: 10 am Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 am 1st Sunday Baptism: 10: am 2nd Sunday Holy Communion: 10 am Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 pm Prayer Meeting: 7:45 pm
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Motto: God First
The Washington Informer
Florida Avenue Baptist Church
Holy Trinity United Baptist Church
Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert SR. Pastor
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
Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 a.m. Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 a.m. Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 p.m. Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 p.m. Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. Noonday Prayer Every Thursday
9:30AM. Sunday Church School 11:00 Am. Sunday Worship Service The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Wednesday 7:00pm Prayer & Praise Services 7:30pm. Bible Study Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries 10:30am A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
Mt. Bethel Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Bobby L. Livingston, Sr. Pastor
Dr. C. Matthew Hudson, Jr, Pastor
75 Rhode Island Ave. NW • Washington, DC 20001 (202) 667-4448
2616 MLK Ave., SE • Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 • Fax 202-678-3304 Early Worship Service 7:30a.m Worship Service 10:45a.m. New Members Class 9:30a.m. Holy Communion : 1st Sunday -10:45a.m Church School 9:30a.m. Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: Wednesday 7p.m Bible Study : Saturday: 11a.m. Baptism: 4th Sunday – 10:45a.m “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 Sunday Morning Worship Service 7:15 am & 10:50 am Sunday School 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service 10:50am Wednesday Prayer & Testimonies Service 7:30pm Wednesday School of the Bible 8:00pm Wednesday - Midweek Prayer Service 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address pbcexec@verizon.net
First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church 602 N Street NW • Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595 Sunday Worship Services: 7:45am & 11:00am Sunday school For All Ages 9:30am Prayer Services Wednesday 11:30am & 6:45pm Bible Institute Wednesday at Noon & 7:45pm “Changing Lives On Purpose “ Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org
Sunrise Prayer Service 6:00 A.M. Sunday Church School 8:30 A.M. Pre-Worship Devotionals 9:45 A.M. Morning Worship Services 10:00 A.M. Holy Communion 1st Sunday Worship Services Bible Study Tuesdays, 6:00 P.M. Thursdays, 1:00 P.M. Prayer Meetings Tuesdays, 7:00 P.M. Thursdays, 12:00 P.M.
Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Sunday Church School: 9:30 A.M. Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 A.M. Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 P.M. Prayer Service Bible Study
Mt. Horeb Baptist Church Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor 2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 Fax: (202) 529-7738 Order of Services Worship Service: 7:30 a.m. Sunday School: 9:00 a.m. Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m. Prayer Services: Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 12 Noon Email:mthoreb@mthoreb.org Website:www.mthoreb.org For further information, please contact me at (202) 529-3180.
Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
39
sports
The Redskins 2012 Draft and the Quest for RG3 By Charles E. Sutton Right now, Robert Griffin III [RG3] is the most talked about draft prospect in the nation. Nobody in the 2012 NFL Draft class will attract more hoopla or headlines than the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, even though he isn’t expected to be taken with the number one pick in the April 26 NFL Draft. But this fall when we’re watching the highlights on our favorite NFL recap shows, I’m almost certain RG3 will be wearing a Redskins jersey. The Indianapolis Colts hold the number one pick in this year’s draft. Most football insiders are almost certain that the Colts will select former Stanford University quarterback, Andrew Luck. On March 9, the St. Louis Rams traded out of the number two spot. The Rams are sending the Redskins the No. 2 pick in the 2012 draft in exchange for the No. 6 overall pick this year, the team’s first round pick next year and in 2014 as well as the Redskins’ second round pick this year. The Rams are committed to their current quarterback, Sam Bradford. Given the franchise’s need to add several quality players, the Rams did not hesitate to give up the number two pick to acquire several picks in return. Now that the Redskins hold the number two pick, it’s no secret that Washington has its sights on Griffin. The truth is if the Redskins don’t choose RG3, it will be a huge mistake. The Cleveland Browns, along with a few other teams, were interested in moving up to draft Griffin. However, none of them were willing to pay the hefty price the Rams were demanding. The NFL is a quarterbackdriven league. You must have a really good one otherwise you’re in trouble. The two quarterbacks who led their teams to the Super Bowl this year combined for 10,168 passing yards and 68 touchdowns. Both of these quarterbacks, Eli Manning and Tom Brady, have won multiple Super Bowls. The most recent quarterbacks to help lead their teams to Su-
per Bowl titles are a who’s who of NFL play-callers: Eli Manning (the Giants beat three-time champion Tom Brady), Aaron Rodgers (the Packers beat twotime Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger), and Drew Brees (the Saints defeated former champion Peyton Manning). Are you starting to see a trend? Before that, it was Roethlisberger winning his second ring, Eli leading the Giants to their first of two titles (over a threetime champion at quarterback). If you continue to go back, Peyton won his only championship to date, Roethlisberger winning his first (over former champion Kurt Warner), and Brady helping the Patriots go back-to-back. Of course, there are exceptions, but in today’s NFL having a quality quarterback is essential. The Redskins have an opportunity to get a quarterback who most football experts believe is going to be elite. The team has given up several picks to position itself to get a high-caliber quarterback. If you are sold on a quarterback prospect, and you truly feel he has the qualities to be special, then mortgaging the majority of your draft class is never too much. I compare finding a franchise quarterback to finding your dream home. If you know this house is the one, you must do what it takes to acquire it. There’s no getting around it, the Redskins must get significantly better quarterback play this season, if they want to improve on three straight doubledigit loss seasons. There had been talk about the Redskins not moving up to the No. 2 draft position, and signing a veteran quarterback instead. But signing a veteran, such as, Kyle Orton, will only fix the problem for the moment. As I see it, the Redskins have a hole in its living room window, and Orton or some other veteran will just be serving as a piece of plastic and tape to cover the hole temporarily. But drafting Griffin – if he turns out to be the star he’s predicted to be – would mean that the team actually replaced the broken window pane, and the problem has been
40 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
Courtesy photo
addressed. I don’t have a problem with using plastic and tape to cover the hole on a short-term basis, until you can get the windowpane replaced. It’s a good solution for the time being. But it’s about time the Redskins found some long-term answers. Head Coach Mike Shanahan is entering his third season and he still doesn’t have his future quarterback. Now is the time to draft that quarterback. RG3 clearly The Washington Informer
has more upside for the Redskins than any other player in this year’s draft. Obviously, the Redskins have taken the correct first step in the quest for Griffin. Now they need to close the deal by drafting him on April 26. I firmly believe that selecting the standout quarterback from Baylor gives them the best chance for longterm success. wi
RG3 Courtesy
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sports Howard Women 51, Florida A&M 43
Tamoria Holmes (4) scored 13 of her 19 points after intermission to help lead Howard University to a 51-43 win over Florida A&M University in the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s tournament at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. The game took place on Friday, March 9. The Lady Bison (24-7), the Number 2 seed, advanced to the tournament championship for the second straight year against Hampton, the 2011-12 regular season and 2011 defending tournament champion. That game was televised live on ESPNU at 4 p.m. on Saturday where Hampton nipped Howard 54-53. Holmes scored 20 points in the final, but missed giving Howard the win when she took an inbounds pass and her running jumper hit the rim and failed to drop in the basket. /Courtesy photo by Abdullah Yusuf
Kids from the First Class Sports Academy (FCSA) in Maryland provided exhibition basketball for fans at the Wizards vs Lakers NBA game on Wednesday, March 7 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. FCSA is an after-school sports program for aspiring young scholars and athletes. FCSA offers programs that encourage good sportsmanship, teamwork, a positive attitude and mutual respect. The program also promotes life-skills development by providing a safe environment for youth to engage in physical activity that develops their talents and self-esteem. The program is 100 percent compliant with First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” (LetsMove.gov) initiative to fight the childhood obesity epidemic affecting many of America’s youth. /Photo by John E. De Freitas
Portland Trail Blazers 110, Wizards 99
The Portland Trail Blazers got a much-needed road win, and revenge for a bitter Valentine’s Day home loss, by defeating the Washington Wizards 110-99 in front of 18,071 fans at the Verizon Center on Saturday, March 10. “We just couldn’t ever get into a situation where we could put stops together in this game. That’s what it really boiled down to,” Wizards Head Coach Randy Wittman said after the game. “We know LaMarcus [Aldridge] is a tough cover, but we can’t let their guards then come in and do what they did. We couldn’t get stops together when we needed to at that critical point there in the fourth quarter.” In this photo, Portland guard Gerald Wallace (3) dunks over the Wizards’ Nick Young. /Courtesy photo by Donnamaria Jones
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Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
41
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Yet this is the same logic that the circle of clowns is operating on and this must be repudiated. While it appears that President Obama is not interested in, at least for now, a war with Iran, he has fallen over himself to
Malveaux continued from Page 29 we need to both enhance our endowment and raise enough moment to implement the strategic plan I led. Do I have the stomach for spending 80 percent of my time raising money? When asked the question, I had to go into deep prayer and meditation. The answer? No. External forces work against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). President Obama has been great in managing to keep the Pell grant level, but it needs to be larger. In North Carolina, the private colleges have been excluded from state lottery funds, reducing the money Bennett students can bring to the college. Key stakeholders committed for four years and may or may not renew commitment. The United Negro College fund has slashed its appropriations to private colleges
Curry continued from Page 29
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could be looking at events that will spiral out of control. Bill wi Fletcher Jr. is a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, and the co-author of “Solidarity Divided.” He can be reached at papaq54@hotmail.com
by more than 50 percent. When I looked at the factors in play, I saw an uphill climb. And five years of working at full speed , wearing myself down, convinced me that I didn’t have the energy for another uphill climb. When I first came to Bennett a valued staff member chuckled at my pace. It’s not a sprint, she said, it’s a marathon. I replied that it is a sprinting marathon. Now I yield to her wisdom. Impossible. You can’t run at the pace that I tried to run without paying a price. I did. I so fully appreciate the difference between being 53 and being 58 I fully understand the toll that stress, sleeplessness, and diabetes can take on one’s life. I fully understand that while I talked about balance , I never practiced it. And I fully understand that my need to go is as much a result of my own exhaustion as anything else. I am not an HBCU graduate, and had I been, I would likely
have been a very different person. At my undergraduate college, African-American students fought to establish their intellectual chops, while at Bennett, the development of intellectual chops is applauded and encouraged. Without being an HBCU graduate, I am an HBCU fan, and my experience at Bennett convinces me that I will always be. I love my college so much that I hate to leave it, but it’s time. When I say that I have never had a job for more than five years, I’m being flip. I wrote for Black Issues for 15 years, have been affiliated with USA Today since 1986, and have written columns (my first love) since 1984. But I am a free spirit that rebels against structure, and I accepted the structure of leading a college, I realized that conformity would be a stretch goal. I stretched for five years. Now I need to exhale wi
is more than 1.5 times black income, a White family must earn more than African-Americans in order to be considered middle class. Even though blacks still trail whites in income, there was no significant black middle class before the modern Civil Rights Movement. “…The civil rights movement of the last 50 years forced open the door of full-fledged American prosperity to all those who had been barred from its many comforts in decades past, either through economic, legislative, a racial apartheid, or some institutionalized combination of all of the above,” the report said. After the Civil Rights Movement and affirmative action opened the doors of opportunity, they are now being slammed in our face. The National Urban League chapter on the black middle class did not address the issue of black net worth, which has also been pummeled. The Economic Policy Institute, analyzing data collected by the Federal Reserve, found that in 2004, the median net worth of White households was $134,280, compared with $13,450 for black
households. By 2009, the medium net worth for white households had declined by 24 percent to $97,860. Over that same period, the medium net worth for African-American households had fallen 83 percent to $2,170. Despite the Republican crusade for smaller government, the National Urban League report argues that the federal government must be an active partner if these blows to the black middle class are to be reversed. “Programs such as targeted job training, Pell grants, small business lending, pre- and postpurchase housing counseling, and Medicare and Medicaid provide the foundation which makes middle class life possible,” the report stated. “These programs should not, and must not be sacrificed in the hyper-partisan debate designed to produce political winners and losers.” wi George E. Curry, former editor-inchief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service, is editorial director of Heart & Soul magazine. He can be reached through his website, www.georgecurry.com. Also, follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.
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Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
45
fected. “It’s no coincidence that a nationwide rollback in voting rights for America’s most vulnerable citizens is happening just as elected officials mount unprecedented campaigns to slash investments in education and economic development,” said National Urban League president and CEO Marc Morial, as his organization launched their Occupy the Vote campaign on March 7. “[A] coordinated effort is underway to exclude from the political process the very citizens whose futures hang in the balance.” Of course, our true most vulnerable citizens—children—have no vote and no voice. And all parents and adults concerned about the future have a responsibility to them to vote and make our own votes count. But when powerful forces start to chip away at the right to vote for some Americans, they threaten the American promise for all Americans. No American should be complicit in allowing this to happen.
The courts and state legislatures are taking a second look at some of these changes as the presidential primary process continues and the 2012 elections grow closer—and so the time to take action against new voter suppression laws is right now. As Representative John Lewis prepared to participate in the Selma to Montgomery march, he said, “Forty-seven years ago I spilled a little blood on that bridge but that was nothing compared to those who died so that we could live in a better America. We march today for what we did 47 years ago—for what is fair, what is right and for what is just.” The sacrifices made during the Civil Rights Movement must not be undermined today. The “command of the Constitution” is still “plain,” and denying Americans the right to vote is still “deadly wrong.” Do you know the voting policies in your own state? Educate yourself and join others to speak out and defeat threats to voting rights now. w
companies used to give merchants discounts on debit-card fees they pay on small transactions. But the Durbin Amendment placed an overall cap on the fees, and the banking industry has responded by eliminating the discounts. With the normal margins greatly shrinking, the discounts card companies would share with their retailers have now disappeared. “Businesses with small dollar transactions, like a coffee shop, are suffering under Durbin”, says Beth Robertson, director of Payment Research for the Javelin Strategy and Research group, “Under the new fee structure, retailers pay 22 cents for each $8 dollar transaction. Prior to the swipe fee limits, a purchase like that would have cost them 14 cents.” On the other hand, big retailers are racking in big bucks. Prior to Durbin, $1,000 purchases would
have cost a merchant $15.02 in fees. They now only have to pay 72 cents per transaction. Don’t think for one minute that WalMart, Target, etc. will be passing these savings on to you. Ha! That money will be reported to their stock holders. Our small stores will have to “bite the bullet” or raise their pricing accordingly. For example, popular Red Box, the vending machine for DVD rentals, is increasing its price from $1 to $1.20. Consumers will pay for the consequences of the Durbin Amendment. Many small retailers will probably have to close some of their stores to offset or adjust to the increased costs. The Durbin Amendment is evil! Like the conflict cotton situation, the National Black Chamber of Commerce is committed to fighting this situation. We will not let it pass by us. We encourage all of you to join in and inform your congressional representatives that this amendment is not good for the economy and hurts
the common man. The emergence of the debit-card is a fine and positive alternative to check cashing and payday lending operations. It gets our new consumers into the banking system and teaches them how to budget and manage their precious cash resources. This Durbin Amendment puts it under attack and threatens the financial future of millions of up and coming consumers and entrepreneurs. We do not need adverse, mean spirited and tricky legislation to become another economic parasite to our communities. We need good policy. Bad policy should be quickly removed and the Durbin Amendment is in our “pockets” munching on our precious money. In God’s name, REPEAL THE DURBIN AMENDMENT!! wi Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/ CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc. org. Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
to integrate into French society. Think “gated community.” Think “Mormons in Utah.” Think the “Borscht Belt” Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn, in Florida, in Los Angeles. This French craze was triggered by a claim made by Marine Le Pen, a far, right-wing presidential candidate of the National Front. Think George Wallace, think Strom Thurmond, think David Duke, think Rick Santorum, and think Donald Trump. Okay? Le Pen contends that all the meat consumed by Parisians is halal and that millions of French people are consuming halal meat without knowing it. Well, we can’t have that. Let’s mix a little hog maws in with
that brisket. Let’s put some chitterlings in with those steaks. What harm would come to any person who ate food that was prepared to a higher standard than the one to which that person is accustomed? It’s not like violating a halal/kosher diet with contamination from a pig. Muslims and Jews consider eating pork products to be a sin, not to mention unhealthy. So, what’s the beef here? (Pun intended) There is a concern that in some areas where Muslims are the majority they might take over a town council here and there and impose halal food on school cafeterias. That’s as if halal food would some-
how be worse than the chemically doctored, lowest-common-denominator-slop that is now served in school cafeterias, as conniving administrators and the companies that provide school meals throw in everything they can come up with in order to cut the costs of meal preparation. There’s a 90-year-old song from Broadway which says “Fifty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong.” Well, when it comes to the halal food-debate today, 50 million Frenchmen have got it all wrong, and there are some Muslim-haters in this country who are itching to follow them right into the same ditch.wi
Edelman continued from Page 30
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WEEK OF: MARCH 12, 2012 Prince George’s County, Maryland Is Committed To Delivering Excellence In Government Services To Its Citizens. The County Is Seeking Bids Or Proposals From Businesses Who Share In A “Total Quality” Commitment In The Provision Of Services To Their Customers. Sealed Bids And/Or Proposals Will Be Received In The Prince George’s County Office Of Central Services Until The Date And Local Time Indicated For The Following Solicitations. BID/
BID OPENING/CLOSING
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S12-012 Deposition Reporting and Transcription Services Pre-Bid Conference: Occurred Closing: 04/03/12@3:00 p.m. “EXTENDED”
$ 5.50
C12-069 Firefighter Helmets
$5.50
Pre-Bid Conference: 04/03/12 @10:00 a.m. Opens: 04/17/12@ 3:00 p.m.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY SUPPORTS MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION Solicitations identified with an asterisk (*) are reserved for Minority vendors, certified by Prince George’s County, under authority of CB-1-1992. Double asterisk (**) solicitations contain a provision for subcontracting with Minority vendors certified by Prince George’s County. The County reserves the right to reject any or all bids or proposals in the best interest of the County. Bidding documents containing instructions to bidders and specifications (excluding construction documents) may be reviewed and/or downloaded through the County’s website www.goprincegeorgescounty.com. Documents may also be obtained from the Prince George’s County Office of Central Services, Contract Administration and Procurement Division, 1400 McCormick Drive, Room 200, Largo, Maryland 20774, (301) 883-6400 or TDD (301) 925-5167 upon payment of a non-refundable fee, by Check or Money Order only, made payable to Prince George’s County Government. Special ADA accommodations may be made by writing or calling the same office. For information on the latest bid/proposal solicitations call the Bid Hotline (301) 883-6128.
- BY AUTHORITY OF – Rushern L. Baker, III County Executive
MUHAMMAD continued from Page 30 full-face Muslim veils. You know those Muslim women take that modesty thing way too far, the French must be thinking. The latest chapter in the drama has flared over the prospect that nonMuslims might unknowingly eat
halal meat, or meat from animals slaughtered according to Islamic tradition. Well, what right minded Frenchman would want something like that? There are a number of urban and suburban areas in France where Muslims are now a majority and find it easy to live according to their traditions without seeking
46 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
pledged the might of the federal government to cast off the centuries-old blight.” In August 1965, the Voting Rights Act became law. But right now many states are attempting to put new voting restrictions in place that parallel all the old tricks and turn back the clock on civil rights to the days when voting was used as a tool for political control and exclusion. The “centuries-old blight” now has a twenty-first century disguise. The latest restrictions include strict photo identification requirements limited to certain forms of government-issued ID, cuts on early voting and absentee voting, and new requirements for registration that make it much more difficult for voters to prove citizenship and residency and register to vote at all. The changes threaten to disenfranchise millions of people, and studies show young, minority, and low-income voters and voters with disabilities will be most af-
alford continued from Page 30
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HOW A DC NEIGHBORHOOD IS TRANSFORMING INTO
A HEALTHIER PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK.
When VIDA Fitness president David von Storch saw an opportunity to benefit his business and the community, he turned to Bank of America. Understanding the potential in David’s idea, Bank of America provided him with the financial support, expertise and expansion capital to transform a run-down industrial building into an upscale VIDA Fitness location, spa, salon and restaurant. By doing so, David helped revitalize the neighborhood and create nearly 300 jobs. VIDA Fitness is another example of how we’re working to help small businesses grow and hire in Washington, DC — and across the country. In 2011, we provided $22.4 million in new loans to small businesses in Washington, DC.
To learn more about what we’re doing to help strengthen the local economy, visit bankofamerica.com/DC
© 2012 Bank of America Corporation. Member FDIC. ARY5P0T4
48 Mar. 15, 2012 - Mar. 21, 2012
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