Revised This Week's Edition : 9-3-26 2 by The Washington Informer

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Vol 61 No 47 4 After co-convening the 2026 March on Washington, Martin Luther King III of the Drum Major Institute and the Rev. Al Sharpton (center) of the National Action Network (NAN), lead thousands of activists in a walk to the memorial named in honor of the former’s father. Marchers included the Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley (far left), president of the National Council of Negro Women, Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and King III’s daughter, filmmaker Spike Lee and the Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, chairman of the NAN Board. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

RAP Reports First Death Since Opening 56 Years Ago Founder’s Son Talks Preservation Goals

By Fredrick Kunkle WI Contributing Writer

The March Returns. So Does the Fight for the Vote

By Demarco Rush, Hamil Harris, and Jada Ingleton WI Contributing Writers and WI Content Editor

print, the 2026 March on Washington: Defend the Vote convened thousands in the name of reimagining who has a voice in this country, and how to leave America better An intergenerational calling to shape democracy returned to than it was founded. “We talk about the Civil Rights Movement and the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, and attendees say the historic revival March on Washington [for Jobs and Freedom] as these was just the beginning. From interfaith institutions to the descendants of the blueMARCH Page 38

2026 DC JazzFest Celebrates the ‘Future of Jazz,’ Highlights Local and Global Talent Five Days of Music Programming Across the District

By Micha Green WI Managing Editor As Washingtonians celebrate Labor Day weekend and the nation continues to recognize its semiquincentennial, the 22nd annual DC JazzFest (DCJF) is coming to audiences Sept. 2-6 with performances across the District that highlight local and global artists while showcasing the value, diversity and evolution of a musical genre born in the

September 3 - 9, 2026

Art All Night Center Section

The death this month of a patient at RAP, Inc., a highly regarded addiction treatment center in Northeast, has shaken its local leadership and intensified friction with the out-of-state nonprofit that assumed its management nearly a decade ago. The death of Karlton Sparrow on Aug. 5 marked the first time anyone has died in RAP’s care since founder Ronald C. Clark opened the center’s doors in D.C. 56 years ago, according to several RAP board members,

including Clark’s son. They said RAP never lost anyone while building a reputation over the decades as a grassroots, hands-on drug addiction center that welcomed anyone and offered a holistic approach to treatment. “The death itself for me, personally — as a board member and my father’s son — was terrible,” Paul Clark told The Informer. “It was deeply emotional, and I didn’t even know the guy.” District police said they were summoned to RAP’s facility in the 1900 block of 4th Street NE shortly after 9 a.m. to assist D.C. Fire and EMS on a

RAP REPORTS Page 8

Nekisha Durrett: The Artist, D.C. Native Behind the ‘Hem of Heaven’ Obama Center’s Message Of Hope with the Rendition of Harriet’s Shawl

By Tatiana Allen WI Intern Nekisha Durrett, the mixed media artist behind the Obama Presidential Center’s “Hem of Heaven,” grounds her work in Black life and labor. As a native Washingtonian, she knows all too well the history that is erased and destroyed, and yet her own labor is evidence that all hope is not lost. “I didn't make a decision to make another Harriet Tubman piece out of the blue. It was like it was for this very specific site. And one of the themes of

NEKISHA Page 9

5 Sequoia “Redwood” Snyder is one of the members of DC Jazz Festival’s Next Jazz Legacy, performing on Sept. 5. (WI File Photo/Brenda C. Siler)

4 Nekisha Durrett’s piece “Hem of Heaven” is a 24-foot-tall sculpture now on display at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Between working for the Smithsonian and Duke Ellington School of Arts, Durrett continued her artistic endeavors through a variety of competitions and commissioned pieces. (Courtesy Photo/Nekisha Durrett)

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CONTENTS

Page 12

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Page 36

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 3

wi hot topics

RICHARD ELLIOTT, WI CONTRIBUTING REPORTER; STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER

Sen. Van Hollen “Testing The Waters” for 2028 White House Bid Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen is testing the waters for a potential White House run in 2028, citing the need for a shakeup of status quo politics and a desire for policies that strongly benefit working families. “I do think both those races and others around the country show that there’s a real hunger for candidates who want to shake up a very broken status quo,” Van Hollen said. “I think voters are tired of the finger of the wind politics, right? The folks who constantly are just engaged in political calculation rather than expressing their views.” He has already visited the early primary states of New Hampshire and Iowa and endorsed progressives Abdul El-Sayed and Peggy Flanagan during their recent Senate primary elections in Michigan and Minnesota respectively; both of whom won against moderate opponents. In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark

PUBLISHER Denise Rolark Barnes

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STAFF Micha Green, Managing Editor Ron Burke, Advertising/Marketing Director Shevry Lassiter, WIN-TV Producer Ra-Jah Kelly, Digital Asset Manager Lafayette Barnes, IV, Editor, WI Bridge DC Desmond Barnes, WIN Daily Editor Anthony Tilghman, Social Media Strategist ZebraDesigns.net, Graphic Design Mable Neville, Bookkeeper Angie Johnson, Office/Circulation Manager Jada Ingleton, Content Editor REPORTERS Stacy Brown, National Reporter Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr., Political/Education Reporter Brenda Siler, Lifestyle Reporter Ed Hill, Sports Reporter Richard Elliott, Reporter Skylar Nelson, Sports Reporter Mya Trujillo, Multimedia Reporter PHOTOGRAPHERS Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor Ja Mon Jackson, Asst. Photo Editor Roy Lewis, Jr. Robert R. Roberts Anthony Tilghman Abdullah Konte Cleveland Nelson

“We need to be against the status quo, and that’s why I’ve been kicking the tires as I look at 2028, because I don’t think the Democratic Party has answered the call about how we’re going to make sure we have an economy that really does work for everybody, especially working people,” he said in an Aug. 31 interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I think there’s a great deal of churning within the Democratic Party, and I support that. As I said, I think we need this healthy debate, because I don’t think Democrats have put forward a clear alternative to the Trump administration.” Van Hollen flew to El Salvador last April to help free Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who multiple federal judges argued was wrongly deported to El Salvador’s CECOT– a notorious supermax prison

VAN HOLLEN Page 12

Trump’s Jobs Promise Meets the Numbers, and the Numbers Are Brutal President Donald Trump promised an economic boom, a country brimming with factories, investment, and jobs. Instead, the American hiring machine has slowed to a crawl, and in July it slipped into reverse. The United States lost 23,000 payroll jobs last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), following an average monthly gain of only 34,000 over the previous year. May and June looked worse after BLS finished revising them, too, as 103,000 jobs were removed from the earlier estimates. “The numbers expose the bitter truth,” one social media user wrote on [...], arguing that Republicans have been far better at piling up debt and deficits than producing jobs.

That anger has helped send a presidential jobs graphic flying across Facebook, Instagram and Threads. It shows Bill Clinton first with 22.9 million net payroll jobs, then Joe Biden at 16.6 million, Ronald Reagan at 16.1 million and Barack Obama at 11.6 million. Trump sits dead last, the only president on the graphic below zero, with his two terms combined at minus 1.7 million. BLS does not produce that presidential ranking; however, some did note that Trump’s first term coincided with COVID-19, when more than 20 million jobs disappeared in April 2020 alone. Biden then inherited the recovery, with enormous payroll gains as businesses reopened and workers returned to the force.

JOBS Page 15

Nearly 30 Years After Tupac Shakur Was Gunned Down, a Jury Says Keffe D Was Responsible For nearly three decades, Tupac Shakur’s murder lived everywhere except a courtroom. It lived in documentaries and books, police files and conspiracy theories, rap lyrics and street lore. It lived in grainy interviews, old grudges, whispered accusations and endless arguments over who was inside the white Cadillac that 5 Tupac Shakur rolled alongside the BMW carrying fans are celebrating a one of the most recognizable young semblance of justice Black men in America. after Duane “Keffe On Monday, 12 jurors in Las VeD” Davis was congas finally put a legal answer behind victed of first-degree one part of the mystery. murder in relation Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the forto the artist’s 1996 mer gang leader who spent years death. (Courtesy publicly describing his role in the Photo) events surrounding Shakur’s killing,

was convicted of first-degree murder in the Sept. 7, 1996, drive-by shooting. Jurors deliberated for roughly three hours before finding the 63-year-old guilty. Davis now faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison. “Justice has finally caught up with Duane “Keffe D” Davis,” one social media user wrote. The verdict arrived nearly 30 years after gunfire ripped through the passenger side of a black BMW stopped near the Las Vegas Strip. Shakur was 25. He was struck four times and died six days later. Davis was not accused of firing those bullets. Prosecutors said he supplied the gun and helped set the killing in motion after Shakur and members of his entourage attacked Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, inside the MGM Grand following a Mike Tyson fight earlier that evening. Under Nevada law, prosecutors did not have to prove Davis pulled

TUPAC Page 35

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AROUND THE REGION

D.C. Could Collect $129 Million as Meta Pays Historic Price for Alleged Harm to Children By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The price tag for years of Instagram feeds, Facebook notifications and algorithms designed to keep young eyes glued to screens has reached Washington, and the check could be enormous. The District of Columbia is guaranteed more than $90.3 million and could ultimately collect nearly $129.4 million from Meta Platforms Inc. under a sweeping multistate settlement announced Wednesday by D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb. The agreement settles allegations that the company behind Instagram and Facebook deliberately built addictive products that harmed children while misleading parents and the public about the dangers. “Meta intentionally exploited kids for profit and then lied about it, claiming its products were safe when its own internal research confirmed the platforms were addictive and harmful,” Schwalb said. The money makes the settlement a financial bonanza for the District, but the agreement reaches much deeper into the phones of teenagers. It dictates when young people can scroll, how long they can remain on the platforms, what Meta can show them and how the company must determine whether someone claiming to be an adult is actually a child. Meta will pay at least $12.1 billion to states and territories over 10 years, according to Schwalb’s office. Another $5 billion is tied to what happens elsewhere in the social-media industry, potentially pushing the overall settlement to $17.1 billion. “Big Tech is finally being held accountable for the harm it is causing, especially to our children’s mental health and safety,” said New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherill, whose state was part of the settlement. “More important, parents and teens will finally get some relief, including groundbreaking new safety features to protect kids online.” For D.C., the agreement calls for 10 guaranteed installments of about $9.04 million each. An additional roughly $3.9 million per installment could be triggered under provisions tied to adoption of comparable protections by other major social-media compa-

nies, bringing the District’s maximum payment to $129,356,761.71. The settlement identifies Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube as the industry players whose actions could trigger portions of those tougher requirements. For teenagers, some of the most noticeable changes will arrive not as legal language but as a screen that refuses to keep feeding them content. Instagram and Facebook must default users ages 13 through 17 to a combined two-hour daily limit. Once the clock runs out, access to covered features shuts down until midnight unless a supervising parent has approved a less restrictive setting. The agreement excludes time spent messaging, adjusting settings and watching certain long-form content. The platforms must also build interruptions into prolonged use, including what the settlement calls “Productive Pauses,” aimed at breaking the kind of uninterrupted scrolling that can turn a few minutes on a phone into hours. Nighttime will bring another barrier. From midnight until 6 a.m., teenagers will generally be locked out of Instagram and Facebook feeds, while push notifications must go silent from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. Parents can make the restrictions stricter or authorize changes to the defaults. School hours get their own protections. The agreement defines them as 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays between Aug. 15 and June 15, creating another stretch of the day in which Meta’s ability to summon young users back to its apps is restricted. Meta must also confront one of the oldest loopholes in online child protection: a child simply entering a false birthday. Within a year, the company must establish an age-assurance system across Instagram and Facebook in the participating jurisdictions. The system must evaluate whether users are teenagers or younger than 13, and the methods must undergo annual third-party testing. The agreement reaches into the content teenagers encounter as well, including material involving bullying and harassment, suicide and self-harm, eating disorders, nudity, sexual activity, violence, gambling and restricted substances. It also places re-

strictions on features that encourage social comparison, including certain appearance-altering filters and visible measures of popularity. An independent auditor will examine whether Meta is actually carrying out the required protections. The auditor is empowered to evaluate implementation, develop or approve methods for measuring compliance and report findings to the states. Final reports must identify material weaknesses, explain the evidence behind them and assess whether Meta corrected the problems. The settlement money can also reach the same problems the lawsuit accused Meta of helping create. The agreement permits states to use proceeds for youth mental-health programs, crisis intervention and 988 services, after-school and summer programs, digital-wellness education, outdoor activities, digital-literacy counselors, phone-free school initiatives and

5 The District of Columbia is guaranteed more than $90.3 million and could ultimately collect nearly $129.4 million from Meta Platforms Inc. under a sweeping multistate settlement, surrounding allegations that the company deliberately built addictive products that harmed children while misleading parents and the public about the dangers. (Courtesy Photo)

training for medical providers dealing with interactive-media use and body dysmorphia. Schwalb called the agreement a “monumental public health victory” and said its impact would extend well beyond the money arriving in government accounts. “The physical, mental, and emotional harms that intentionally addictive social media platforms inflict

on youth — and particularly teenage girls — are widespread across the tech industry,” Schwalb said. Meta, he warned, may simply be the beginning. “This successful, coordinated multistate litigation has resulted in Meta being the first platform to come to the table and agree to such comprehensive reforms,” Schwalb said. “It will not be the last.” WI

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black facts

Frederick Douglass (left)

Richard Wright (center)

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1838 – Abolitionist Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery in Maryland by disguising himself as a sailor and boarding a Pennsylvania-bound train. 1846 – The American Missionary Association, an abolitionist group that helped educate freed slaves, is founded in Albany, New York. 1919 – The film "A Man's Duty" is released by Lincoln Motion Picture Company, an African American-owned company, marking the first feature-length film by a Black filmmaker. 1990 – Jonathan A. Rodgers is named president of CBS' television stations division, becoming the highest-ranking African American in network television at the time.

Sept. 4

1908 – Famed author Richard Wright, best known for penning "Native Son" and "Black Boy," is born in Roxie, Mississippi.

SEPT. 3 - 9, 2026

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Sonia Sanchez (right)

1981 – Grammy-winning singer Beyoncé is born in Houston.

Sept. 5

1947 – Rock musician Buddy Miles, a former bandmate of Jimi Hendrix, is born in Omaha, Nebraska. 1959 – "Our Nig: Sketches from the Life of a Free Black" by Harriet Wilson, widely considered the first novel written by a Black woman, is published.

Sept. 6

1988 – Lee Roy Young becomes the first Black member of the Texas Ranger Division.

Sept. 7

1930 – Legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins is born in New York City. 1986 – Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-apartheid activist Desmond Tutu becomes the first Black Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa.

Sept. 8

1957 – Tennis great Althea Gibson becomes the first African American to win the U.S. National Championships, now known as the U.S. Open. 1986 – "The Oprah Winfrey Show" debuts nationwide, making its namesake host the first Black woman with a nationally syndicated talk show.

Sept. 9

Beyoncé 6 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

1934 – Renowned African American poet Sonia Sanchez is born in Birmingham, Alabama. 1941 – Soul music legend Otis Redding is born in Dawson, Georgia. 1968 – Arthur Ashe wins the first U.S. Open of the open era, becoming the first Black man to win the title. WI

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RAP REPORTS from Page 1

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medical call for “a cardiac arrest.” Sparrow, who was found unconscious and not breathing, was pronounced dead at the scene. The brief police report says he left behind a necklace and 28 cents in his pocket. Sparrows’s death, whose cause is pending determination by the D.C. Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, brought to the fore long-simmering tensions between RAP’s local leadership and Gaudenzia, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit corporation that took over management of the center in 2014. Members of RAP’s local leadership team say Gaudenzia has ruled the D.C. clinic from afar in high-handed fashion, making important decisions without consulting local officials and diluting the culture that distinguished RAP’s approach to addiction treatment, including a willingness to accept anyone 24/7. Gaudenzia, which entered a management agreement with RAP when RAP was seeking to stabilize its shaky finances, has also been less than transparent about its own finances, board members said. “This is the first time someone has died in the care of RAP,” said RAP board member Othello Mahone. Mahone, who is a former D.C. government housing official, accused the nursing staff under Gaudenzia’s control of “apparent negligence” in Sparrow’s death by failing to monitor him properly during an acute medical crisis. Mahone said the lapse was symptomatic of other shortcomings with Gaudenzia and that the time had come for RAP to terminate its management agreement with the larger

5 The founder and visionary of RAP, Inc. is the late Ronald C. Clark, who died in 2019. (Courtesy Photo)

nonprofit organization. “Gaudenzia has just mismanaged things,” Mahone said. “And they don’t come and consult with the board. They just do stuff.” RAP board chair Charles C. Stephenson said Gaudenzia’s plan to shut down RAP’s emergency detox program next month for financial reasons, despite opposition by local RAP leaders, was typical of its approach. “It’s a very instrumental part of the program,” Stephenson said.

‘RAP Can’t Just Disappear’

RAP — which stands for Regional Addiction Prevention — has been a D.C. fixture since 1970. The visionary behind it was Ronald C. Clark, a Los Angeles native who got mixed up in heroin as a young musician. As a recovering addict, Clark first worked in Nevada’s prison system before heading a clinic in New York, The Washington Post reported. He arrived in D.C. to establish a treatment center in the middle of a heroin epidemic. What Clark had in mind was not just switching people from heroin to methadone but ridding them of drug addiction through a holistic approach to treatment. Grounded in the black power movement, Clark also educated clients about systemic racism and the struggle for civil rights. One of his first buildings had served as local headquarters for the Black Panthers. “At RAP, Clark pioneered a therapeutic approach to addiction aimed not just at detoxing the body but also the mind,” The Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy wrote in 2019. RAP’s doors were open 24/7 to anyone in need. Days began with drum

circles and ended with drumming. Residents met for group therapy, partook in reading lessons, job training, and presentations on nutrition, and received emergency and transitional housing assistance and help managing HIV. They performed community service, picking and distributing fresh vegetables from local farms or shoveling snow for elderly neighbors. Clark arranged visits from poets, artists and musicians. In the early years, even cigarettes were outlawed. Over the decades, the drug of choice on the streets changed from heroin to crack cocaine to PCP eventually fentanyl. But RAP adapted and hung on, despite occasional funding struggles, particularly during Covid. Recovering RAP clients often became RAP employees counseling others. In his 70s, however, Clark began looking for organizations with deeper pockets to partner with RAP and carry on its work. He learned about Gaudenzia through a trusted friend there and signed the management agreement in 2014. Clark died five years later of a heart attack. He was 83. Norristown, Pennsylvania-based Gaudenzia, Inc. — which takes its name from a legendary racehorse whose against-the-odds victory in the Palio was popularized by Marguerite Henry, the author of Misty of Chincoteaque — is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to treating substance abuse. Gaudenzia serves more than 20,000 people a year and operates 49 locations in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, according to its fiscal 2025 annual report. It has annual revenues of more than $120 million, including more than $31 million from government grants and contracts. Gaudenzia Foundation, Inc., which raises funding for the operation, reported nearly $7.2 million in revenues and more than $68 million in total assets in fiscal 2023, according to its most recent filing with the Internal Revenue Service. Other public filings show that Gaudenzia’s upper echelons include more than a dozen executives whose six-figure annual salaries total more than $3.5 million a year, including: former ex-officio chief executive Dale Klatzker ($507,961); current chief executive Deja Gilbert ($307,582); and chief information officer Michael Anderson ($213,000). WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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NEKISHA from Page 1 the museum is [built to] bring hope home or bring hope back to your community,” Durrett said. Before her 24-foot work was one of the final pieces installed at the historic center in Chicago, Durrett had a long career dedicated to highlighting the Black experience. She is recognized for her artwork that includes "I Love You Miss Celie” (2015), a digital drawing installed on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest, D.C., "Queen City” (2023), “Break Water” (2025) and "Don't Forget to Remember (Me)” (2025). Each piece pushes the boundaries of how the lives of Black Americans are told and how one can come to fully understand a story never told before. A skill she credits to having developed as a young child. “What I started to notice [is] that I would get these art projects in class and I would kind of push it to another level, like I would go beyond what the assignment was, which didn't always please my teachers,” Durrett said. She recalls a fifth grade art project that required students to create candles using milk cartons and plaster. When the plaster finally set, one could peel off the carton, and stuff fell onto the candle. However, young Durrett proceeded to carve holiday designs with a pair of scissors and wash the designs with watercolor paint. “My teacher takes it to the front of the class, she holds it up and [says] ‘I don't like this.’ and puts it down,” Durrett told The Informer. “I was just kind of moving a little differently than everybody else, and everybody else kind of stopped drawing and painting, and I kept doing it and trying to get better at it.” The lifelong creative was heavily supported by her parents, John and Georgetta Durrett, to pursue art. As a young person, her mother would buy Durrett art books, and her father’s work as an engineer planted the seed of belief that she could make anything. That kind of support led Durrett to study the arts from high school through her postgraduate education, and eventually become an educator and full-time artist whose work is inspired by the lives of others. “My parents [said], ‘Once you're finished with college [and] if you don't get work as an artist full time, just make sure that whatever work that you do is somehow connected to what you love,’ which

AROUND THE REGION Up until 2017, most of Durrett’s work stayed local, but she saw the opportunity to go beyond the District with the help of a longtime friend, Hank Willis Thomas. Together, they constructed a piece for the Liberty City and Miami-Dade County community: “I See Myself in You,” which challenged Durrett to utilize a variety of techniques to pay homage to the community’s cultural heritage and African American beach bathers. “This moment [is] when I realized that all of these skill sets that I acquired over the years, whether it be in school [or] in jobs that I had working for museums,” Durrett said, “all of these skill sets could live under one tent and make really interesting work that is kind of coming from a unique perspective and voice.”

was great advice,” Durrett said. “Hem of Heaven” offers guests of the Obama Center a glimpse into past resistance that connects its audience to remain resilient in the present. “So many threads went into the planning of the Underground Railroad stops, the Black Moses. When I look at that shawl, I see that it protected her from the elements,” said Dr. Sheryl Guthrie Lucas Giles, a member of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC). The massive artwork, inspired by Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, furthers Durrett’s goal of intentionality through her artistry. “It just makes me even more intentional in the work that I'm making and the sites that I engage with,” Durrett said. “Saying maybe [or] saying no to certain projects so that I can say yes to these projects.”

Pursuing a Passion

Based on the recommendation of a family friend who also saw the budding artist’s potential, Durrett applied and attended D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of Arts from 1991-1996, where she and her parents first realized that her talent could lead to many future opportunities. In 1998, she furthered her education by earning a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York and later a master’s degree in photography from the University of Michigan in 2000. “When I was an undergrad, I just tried to learn everything that I could; graphic design, typography, sculpture, drawing and painting, even film,” Durrett said. “A lot of times my work starts with some photographs that I found and an archive. Oftentimes it is the springboard into these larger projects.” While working as a full-time artist did not feel like the most financially sound decision for the young Durrett, her parents encouraged her to make sure she stayed connected to what she loved. In 2001, she went on to manage the art bank program for D.C.’s Commission on the Arts & Humanities, which highlights local visual artists’ work on display within D.C. government buildings. After that, she spent a decade working across various departments of the Smithsonian Institution. Yet, her north star to becoming a full-time artist had just begun.

5 Nekisha Durrett's latest commissioned sculpture “Hem of Heaven” is one of the final installations for the Obama Presidential Center, which opened in June. (Courtesy Photo/Nekisha Durrett)

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‘Valuing the Voices… to Make You Who You Are’

As Durrett’s work expanded beyond D.C., longtime supporter and art collector Peggy Cooper Cafritz--

who founded Duke Ellington School of the Arts-- questioned each of the artist’s pieces. She wondered if Durrett had found her own story. “Even though she was a great supporter of my work, she just felt like there was something that just wasn't quite there yet or clicking yet,” Durrett told The Informer. “And she was like, ‘You know, Nekisha, what's your story?’” She found the answer to that question at an art residency connecting more with the writers than the visual artists. It was through her conversations that she came to understand the storytelling aspect of art just by discussing her own life and family history. The value of the past was critical to those she wished to honor in the present. “Paying attention to and valuing these voices that have lent themselves to your life and make you who you are,” Durrett said, “I had this desire to pay more attention to that and to put more value on it.”

NEKISHA Page 11

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 9

AROUND THE REGION CAPTURE THE MOMENt Mahogany Books owners Derrick and Ramunda Young cut the ribbon alongside their son Adrian, officially opening the doors to their newest location at Woodmore Town Center in Bowie, Maryland, on Aug. 29. Hundreds of eager customers lined up to be among the first to step inside and celebrate the newest home for Black stories, authors and culture in Prince George’s County. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

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AROUND THE REGION

NEKISHA from Page 9 Later on, these lessons proved useful during her time as an educator at her Northwest alma mater, Duke Ellington School of Arts, and the 2023 public sculpture “Queen City” in Arlington, Virginia. The sculpture confronts the unknown history of the Black-owned land that was seized by the federal government to build the Pentagon. “Queen City” was crafted to honor the 903 residents who were displaced and the many communities today bonded by the same story. “I'm not a historian, I'm not an archivist,” the artist told The Informer. “I'm just a curious person who wants to know more and who is really looking in those spaces of absence and knowing that there actually is something there to be discovered and bringing that information forward.”

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5 Artist Nekisha Durrett is an alumna of D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she began her studies in visual arts in 1991. (Courtesy Photo/Nekisha Durrett)

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and see the “Hem of Heaven” from the ground up. Lucas Giles said she was interested in the artwork as it honors one of the organization’s founding members. “Harriet Tubman demonstrated that [fight for equality] with the many folks that she saved in her fight,” Lucas Giles told The Informer. “So to look at her shawl and to see all the intricate pieces symbolized to me that there was so much to her journey.” Reflecting on the inspiration gleaned from the Obama Center, along with her work in the NACWC, Lucas Giles emphasized the importance of learning, sharing and uplifting Black history and narratives. “We have to know our history. We have to celebrate our history. We have to tell our history,” she continued. “This is an important visual of our history. But we need the message to be broader.” While Durrett is happy “Hem of Heaven” serves as a source of beauty, information and inspiration for guests, she also hopes it encourages all people to tap into their personal talents to ignite hope and promote positive change. “We all have a light inside of us,” Durrett said. “We have so much [more] power together than we do individually.” WI

to and from school. The collective effort in Durrett’s District neighborhood inspired the hope that she hopes to instill in everyone who sees the artwork at the Obama Center. “Going to the dedication, hearing the Obamas speak in person, walking through the museum, it really reinvigorates your sense of hope, enlivens it and reactivates it,” Durrett explained. The museum’s story is split into four floors, highlighting former President Barack Obama and his family's early life-- from his presidential campaign to the many contributions from ordinary people that made his barrier-breaking presidency possible. Jennifer Grondzik and her husband traveled from West Michigan with their young son James, so that he could learn about the former president, a man she describes as inspirational and led with dignity. On the ‘Working for the Common Good’ floor, Grondzik and her son got to learn about those who were an extension of that dignified leadership. “I'm learning about the individuals who are listed here in Imagine Your Impact. James and I, we've been reading their stories, so that he, too, can feel connected to individuals in the community, and how they can take that small step into making an impact,” Grondzik said. Towards the end of the tour, visitors can make their way to the lower level

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This past June, the 24-foot-tall ceramic “Hem of Heaven” wowed visitors at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center. The piece was inspired by Tubman’s shawl and Douglass' famous 1868 letter calling the midnight sky and silent stars witnesses to her heroic devotion to freedom. For the artwork to scale from vision to standing tall in the South Side of Chicago, Durrett assembled a team of six ceramicists: Camille Beckles, Ricky Blanding, Rich Brown, Jun Mabuchi, Nala Turner and V Walton. “You see all of these blues, blacks, purples and turquoise, and each of these individual artists bringing themselves into this work and having in their own minds the color of the midnight sky,” Durrett continued, “and together they make this Harriet Tubman’s shawl.” The piece reflects the many lives Tubman’s work impacted while emphasizing the importance of hope in today’s society. For Durrett, she couldn’t believe in the idea of hope while working on the piece. “I felt embarrassed to talk about hope in recent months, like in the past year or so,” Durrett told The Informer. During her design process for the “Hem of Heaven,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) began to occupy D.C., and residents of her neighborhood came together to find ways to assist immigrant communities. Durrett’s contribution included driving two little girls of mixed status

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Obama Center, ‘Hem of Heaven’ Offers Hope

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Afro Plus Fest Returns to DMV for Three-Day Celebration of Black Music and Culture Wizkid and Alkaline, with additional performances from Lil Baby, Latto, Chief Keef, Sexyy Red, Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Adekunle Gold, Sarkodie, Ruger, Victony and others. “Afro Plus Fest is a homecoming for African communities across our state and across the country to come together and celebrate the bonds that connect us,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said in a statement, expressing his support for the event hitting Prince George’s County. “I have to give a special shout out

By: Demarco Rush WI Contributing Writer Afro Plus Fest returns to the DMV this Labor Day weekend with a three-day celebration of global Black music and culture at the Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland. The festival runs Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6 expanding from its sold-out oneday debut in 2025 at RFK Festival Grounds. This year’s lineup is headlined by Tems, Ayra Starr, Davido,

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5 Guests gather at Afro Plus Fest 2025 at RFK Stadium. This year, the festival is three days at Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland, and is expected to bring out a projected 120,000 attendees. (Courtesy Photo/APMWORLDMAG)

to the ‘Made in DMV’ performers and hope everyone shows them some love this weekend.” Beyond the music, the festival will transform 35 acres of openair stadium space into a cultural campus featuring a carnival, interactive basketball court,

125 food vendors, art installations and a marketplace featuring Black-owned businesses and DMV creators. “We packed this weekend so full that the goal is for you not to be able to finish the festival in one day,” said Michael Awosan-

VAN HOLLEN from Page 4 that faces international allegations of widespread human rights abuses and overcrowding. He also introduced legislation to strip presidential control of the D.C. National Guard, expand Social Security, and protect federal workers from the cuts envisioned by Project 2025, the conservative roadmap for the second Trump term. Ian Miller, who was recently re-elected to the Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee and has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s war policies in Gaza, spoke to Van Hollen during the recent Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) conference and was very supportive of the Senator’s record in Washington. “Senator Van Hollen has been one of the few national Democrats to read the room and advocate for change in our party,” said Miller. “He has been one of the most important progressive voices in our nation.”

Others Vie for the White House as Moore Focuses on Maryland

2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Cal-

5 Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen is considering a run for President in 2028 and seeking a shakeup to status quo politics in the Democratic Party. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

ifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have all publicly stated their potential interest in running for the White House in 2028. Further, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D), Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) have all received media speculation as potential candidates. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has

ya, founder and executive producer of Afro Plus Fest. “You could come all three days and still miss something. We built it for the fans first.” The festival drew 20,000 attendees in 2025 and generated an estimated $10 million in local economic impact, according to organizers. This year, the Afro Plus team projects 120,000 attendees and up to $60 million in local economic impact. DC News Now host Corinna Delgado described the festival as a stimulus for the local economy. “[It's] like a micro economic stimulus package for Prince George’s,” she said. As the festival prepares to open, Awosanya urged attendees to soak in the significance of the event. “We’ve never seen anything like this in our lifetime,” Awosanya said, “and I truly hope we realize how special this moment is and make the most of it.” WI repeatedly stated that he is not running for president; despite that, there is a growing call for the nation’s only Black governor, a U.S. Army veteran, to seek the role of commander in chief. Moore has traveled to South Carolina and Michigan to support Democratic candidates and was a highly visible surrogate during the 2024 presidential contest. “I’m so excited about what we’re doing. That we’ve gone from 43rd in the country in unemployment to now one of the lowest unemployment rates. We’ve had among the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America. Our population is growing, Maryland is moving,” Moore said in an interview with The Hill last September. “And so, I’m really excited about going back in front of the people of my state and asking for another term.” Barry O’Connell, a Maryland political commentator, has launched a social media effort to support Moore for President. “Like my mama told me when I was a small boy, learning how to play bridge: lead with your longest and your strongest,” O’Connell told The Informer. “Wes Moore is a Democrat ready to meet the moment and has done an outstanding job leading Maryland.” WI

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East Wins 2026 Negro League All Star Game

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer

The Chesapeake Baysox Stadium hosted the annual Negro League Legends Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 29, a commemorative event honoring the Black roots of the MLB All-Star Game, where the East All Stars won 18-6 against the West All Stars. A matchup with a mission of honoring legacy, several Maryland leaders were preset for the game, including: Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan, Fairmount Heights Mayor Akiaba Stewart, Prince George’s County Councilmember Jolene Ivey (D-District 5), and Dels. Kym Taylor (D-District 23) and Denise Roberts (D-District 25). For some politicians, this was their first time attending the annual game, such as Baltimore City Central

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Committeewoman Monica Cooper, former Annapolis Alderman DaJuan Gay, and LaTasha Ward, who will be sworn in as a Delegate in January to represent District 24. Lt. Governor Aruna Miller attended the game as a guest of honor and was proud to throw out the opening pitch. “Celebrating the players, pioneers, and trailblazers who made the Negro Leagues an essential part of American history. This year’s East/West Vintage Baseball Game also honored the Women of the Negro Leagues — players, managers, and owners whose stories deserve to be told,” Miller wrote in a social media post. “Thank you to Dwayne Sims and the Negro League Legends Hall of Fame for keeping this history alive. Play ball!” WI

3 The Washington Informer’s table to distribute newspapers, waters, and goodwill ambassadorship during the All-Star Game, with photographer Anthony Tilghman standing watch. (Courtesy Photo/Belinda Queen)

5 The Negro League Legends Hall of Fame honors both the Negro Leagues and the Professional Colored Leagues, which was a precursor to the Negro Leagues. (Richard D. Elliott/The Washington Informer) 3 County Councilmember Jolene Ivey (yellow) poses with a copy of the Hank Aaron commemorativestamp, Deputy Treasurer Courtney Finklea Green, and Washington Informer writer Richard D. Elliott. (Courtesy Photo/Office of County Councilmember Jolene Ivey)

5 Lt. Governor Aruna Miller (second from right) poses with Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan (far left), Fairmount Heights Mayor Akiaba Stewart (second from left), and Delegate Kym Taylor at the NLLHOF All-Star Game. (Courtesy Photo/Office of Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller) 3 Deputy Treasurer Courtney Finklea-Green (right) poses alongside Dr. Crystal Cody (left) during the All-Star Game. (Richard Elliott/ The Washington Informer)

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 13

BUSINESS

3 Activists protest in front of Target in April 2025. A Halloween costume on Target’s website depicting a Black child model with a dark hood, enormous painted smile, black gloves, and an orangeand-black suit is drawing criticism as it reminds many of blackface, minstrelsy and the caricatures once used to turn African Americans into entertainment. (WI File Photo/Jacques Benovil)

Target’s Latest Bullseye of Outrage: Costume Evokes Blackface By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Critics say it was the dark hood, the enormous painted smile, the black gloves, the orange-and-black suit. And inside it was a Black child. For $25, Target was selling a children’s Halloween costume that drew criticism for looking less like something for trick-or-treating and more like an image dragged out of America’s ugliest racial past. The retailer called it the “Kids’ Glows under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit.” But when photographs spread across social media over the weekend, many people saw something else: blackface, minstrelsy and the grotesque caricatures once used to turn Black people into entertainment. “Target, for real? I’m not sur-

prised, but this is a new low,” comedian LaTrez Anderson said in an Instagram video as anger spread online. Target apparently reached a similar conclusion about how indefensible the product had become. By Sunday, the costume was gone. “As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” Target said in a corporate apology statement on Monday, Aug. 24. “The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment.” But removing it did not resolve the question now hanging over one of America’s largest retailers: How did it get there in the first place? “[Target], I know you pulled it, but how did this even make it past being a fired intern's last project? Because I know an adult [with a] fully formed frontal lobe ok'd this,”

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14 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

One social media commenter wrote that the young model might not understand the connection to minstrelsy, but the adults around him should.

read one X user’s post, which included pictures detailing the historic context behind the image’s controversy. “After everything you're still playing in [the] faces of Black Americans.”

‘This is So Reckless of Them’

The photograph that drew particular fury showed a young Black model wearing the dark hood with an exaggerated mouth, standing on one leg with the other kicked back and one hand raised. Critics said the pose recalled the exaggerated poses and facial imagery associated with minstrel performances and Jim Crow-era caricatures. Blackface minstrelsy was built on distortion, where Black people were portrayed with darkened faces, enormous lips, exaggerated expressions, and buffoonish movements for the amusement of white audiences. Those images did not remain confined to theater stages; they migrated into advertising, toys, postcards, cartoons, household products, and popular culture,

advancing racist stereotypes into ordinary American merchandise. One social media commenter wrote that the young model might not understand the connection to minstrelsy, but the adults around him should. “This is so reckless of them,” the comment read. Target itself acknowledged that the damage landed particularly hard in the Black community. “We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners,” read the company statement. “Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.” That promise may be harder to sell for a corporation arguably in the throes of amending a more than year-long boycott. After the decision to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a retreat that infuriated African American clergy, activists and customers, boycotts and calls for Black consumers to take their dollars else-

where ensued. Those in favor of protest argued that Target had enthusiastically embraced racial-equity commitments when they were popular and began backing away as the political winds shifted. Now comes an image that critics say embodies precisely why corporations need Black voices in the rooms where product, advertising, and marketing decisions are made. Target has not publicly disclosed who approved the costume or its marketing photographs. Instead, its statement says the company is examining “how this happened.” “You sided with the Trump administration’s scare tactics over DEI, lost a loyal Black customer base as well as Black voices that were formerly in the room. That’s HOW it happened,” read one user’s response to the company’s tweeted apology, “and why we will continue to boycott you until you put some REAL CHANGE in motion.”

‘The Issue Could Not be More Pressing’

The controversy also arose only months after another significant

TARGET Page 15

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TARGET from Page 14 development in Target’s relationship with Black institutions. In January, the Target Foundation entered into an agreement with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade association representing the Black Press of America, for an unspecified three-year grant. The amount has not been publicly disclosed. Separately, the American Federation of Teachers is urging its roughly 1.8 million members and their families to avoid Target during the back-to-school season, accusing the retailer of not speaking forcefully enough about federal immigration enforcement actions. Target now faces that campaign just as teachers and parents are buying pencils, notebooks, backpacks and classroom supplies. “The issue could not be more pressing: Seven months since the murders of Alex Pretti and Renée Good, masked ICE agents are still in our streets, our schools and our communities, terrorizing families

in the name of Donald Trump’s illegal and immoral assault on immigrants striving for their American Dream,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten in an Aug. 19 press release. “That’s why we’re urging our members to avoid Target and patronize more ethical shopping alternatives this back-to-school season.” The latest outrage also exposes the nearly impossible political corner Target has backed itself into. Conservatives previously attacked the company over Pride merchandise; Black consumers revolted against the reneging on DEI. And just as Target attempts to persuade alienated customers to return, a $25 Halloween costume has reopened one of the deepest wounds in American racial history. Online, some people immediately began talking about boycotting again. One commenter on Anderson’s post offered a warning with considerably fewer words than any corporate crisis consultant might use: “Lol wanna lose $12 billion more? This is how you do it.” WI

BUSINESS

JOBS from Page 4 But Trump’s second administration now has its own record, and it is increasingly difficult to dress it up as a jobs boom. July’s losses cut deeply into everyday American employment. Leisure and hospitality shed 40,000 jobs;, government lost 53,000; , retail shed 19,400;, and financial activities lost 14,000. Construction added 22,000, and health and education services gained 25,000, helping prevent an even larger overall decline. “Dems combined have created more jobs than the GOP combined, which means Dems are better at job creation!” another social media commenter wrote. “And not to mention Donald Trump is the only president to lose jobs in office!” The political sting comes from Trump’s own sales pitch. He has spent years using jobs as a scoreboard, boasting about hiring, factories, and investment as evidence of his economic stewardship. His second administration now presides over a labor market in which 5.9 million people outside the workforce say they want a job, in-

July’s losses cut deeply into everyday American employment. Leisure and hospitality shed 40,000 jobs;, government lost 53,000; , retail shed 19,400;, and financial activities lost 14,000. cluding 476,000 discouraged workers who believe no jobs are available to them. The unemployment rate remains at 4.1%, hardly a picture of economic collapse. Private employers added 30,000 jobs in July, while government losses pulled the overall payroll figure below zero. Those numbers matter because they keep the story from becoming something the data do not support. “THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE,” independent journalist Christina Lorey wrote on Instagram Aug. 22. “According to Bureau of Labor Statistics payroll data, Trump is the ONLY

president to leave office with fewer jobs than when he started. Yes, COVID matters. Absolutely….Biden inherited that same pandemic-damaged economy and presided over a massive employment recovery.” Voters appear increasingly unhappy with what they are seeing. Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33%, the lowest of his presidency, according to an August Reuters/Ipsos poll. More registered voters now say Democrats have the better approach to the economy than Republicans, 37% to 36%, marking the first Democratic advantage on that question in roughly a decade. The next BLS report is scheduled to be released on Sept. 4, offering another look at whether employers have begun hiring again or whether America’s long-running jobs expansion is losing strength. For Trump, who built an economic brand around winning bigger than anyone before him, the social-media verdict has been considerably less forgiving. “Let’s just say, he is sinking the USA,” wrote one commenter WI

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NATIONAL

3 A few flowers left by passersby near the area where a body was found hanging from a tree at 9th and Quackenbos in Northwest. Memories of America’s dark past quickly surface as more stories of Americans of color recently found hanging come to light. (WI File Photo/Shevry Lassiter)

Found Hanging: Black Deaths, Unanswered Questions and an American Terror that Refuses to Stay in the Past By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Tasia Fortune was 29 years old, a mother of four, when police found her body hanging from a tree behind a vacant house in Jackson, Mississippi. The place had a haunting name: the 500 block of Road of Remembrance. For Black Americans, memories

surface quickly when a Black person is found hanging from a tree. Old, grainy photos show Black men surrounded by smiling crowds. The ropes. The trees. Bodies left on display. Postcards are made from these horrors. Thousands of names, some remembered and many forgotten, from a time when lynching was not just a way to kill Black people but a way to terrorize everyone who survived.

Now there are new names. Javion Magee; Dennoriss Richardson; Earl Smith; Demartravion “Trey” Reed; Kyle Basalinga; Juliana Nzita; To’Nea Nicole Miller; and Jerard Jackson. Their faces now appear together in a single image widely shared on social media, with each photo accompanied by the words “FOUND HANGING FROM

TREES.” This week, Academy Award-winning actor Viola Davis shared the image with three angry, red-faced emojis. Over 122,000 people liked her post. One person responding beneath it reached back to the controversial 2013 death of Georgia teenager Kendrick Johnson. “Kendrick Johnson didn’t roll himself up into that gym mat either,” the commenter wrote. “People aren’t angry enough about all of this.” The anger is real, and some argue the need for caution is, too. No evidence connects these deaths. Authorities have ruled some as suicides and said they found no signs of foul play in others. Some details shared on social media, like ages and circumstances, do not match published reports. Suspicion alone cannot turn a suicide into a murder, and America’s painful history cannot by itself explain what happened in each case. Still, history and the questions families ask do not go away just because an official report says “suicide.” “Lynchings are not just a relic of the past; they continue to scar society today,” said Marcus Reynolds, a 34-year-old civil rights activist. “These acts of violence are reminders that hatred still festers beneath the surface, and justice remains a distant hope for many communities.”

Eight faces, eight deaths

Magee, an 18-year-old truck driver from the Chicago area, was found dead under a tree in Henderson, North Carolina, in Sep-

16 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

tember 2024. A rope was around his neck, with the other end attached to a tree. Authorities said there were no signs of foul play. His family demanded a more complete accounting of how he died. That same month, Richardson, 28, was found hanging in an abandoned house in Colbert County, Alabama. Authorities ruled his death a suicide, but his family challenged that finding. Smith, 58, was found hanging from a tree near Green and South streets in Albany, New York, in June. Authorities determined that Smith's death was a suicide. A freshman at Delta State University in Mississippi, Reed, 21, was found hanging from a tree on campus in September 2025. His death was ruled a suicide. Reed’s family later confirmed that his girlfriend said he sent suicidal text messages the night before his body was discovered, according to published reports. Claims circulated online that an independent autopsy found head trauma, but that report has not been publicly released for independent review. Basalinga, 21, was found hanging from a tree in Cobb County, Georgia, in March. Police said investigators found no evidence of foul play. Then came Nzita in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nzita was found hanging from a tree on church property in May. Published accounts described circumstances that alarmed her family: her feet reportedly touched the ground, a small chair was nearby, and a ratchet strap encircled her neck and the tree.

BLACK DEATHS Page 35

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By Mya Trujillo WI Multimedia Reporter Cities like Washington often experience high levels of light pollution, largely because concentrated outdoor lights shine upward. A new study by the nonprofit organization Darksky International found that residents in Wards 7 and 8 are disproportionately exposed to potentially harmful light pollution compared with other neighborhoods in the city. Guidelines from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) recommend minimum average illuminance levels for roadways to start between 0.3 and 0.6 foot-candles, the unit that measures the intensity of light on a surface per a one-squarefoot surface. In the two wards east of the Anacostia River, the light levels combined across both areas exceeded AASHTO’s minimums by 238% as compared to 181% across the city’s other six wards. “All outdoor light at night, regardless of source or intensity, is a pollutant with potential impacts on human health,” Darksky wrote in the study. “Even small amounts of nighttime light are enough to suppress melatonin production, and scientists have long recognized that disrupting circadian rhythms harms human health.” Sky glow pollution also affects wildlife behavior, especially nocturnal animals, and can block the visibility of solar system objects. The movement trying to fight this pollution and preserve the nighttime environment is called the dark-sky movement, first and most widely advanced by Darksky International. The nonprofit strongly

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5 Light pollution, or sky glow pollution, can disrupt humans’ melatonin production, interfere with wildlife routines and block visibility of solar system objects. (WI File Photo)

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advocates for outdoor lighting that will effectively reduce sky glow. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has also been trying to mitigate this form of pollution in the city through its D.C. Smart Street Lighting Project, which upgraded the city’s streetlight network of more than 75,000 lights to LED, advancing energy efficiency. “Our ability to modernize our infrastructure is directly related to our ability to increase the quality of life for Washingtonians in all eight wards,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said when the initiative was approved. “With this project, we’re doing so much more than just replacing lights – we’re making our streets safer, our communities more connected, and our city more resilient.” WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Support The Washington Informer as we Celebrate 61 Years.

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35 Performers welcome His Majesty Otumfo Osei Tutu II to Bowie State University.

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Live Boldly –September 2026 Message from Department of Aging and Community Living DIRECTOR CHARON P.W. HINES

Dear Seniors, Happy September! What a wonderful summer it has been! From parades and days at the pool, launches with the Villages, to engaging activities at our Senior Wellness Centers, we have truly made the most of the season. Across the District, older adults stayed active, connected with friends and neighbors, discovered new experiences, and embraced opportunities to thrive and Live Boldly. We hope this summer brought you joy, laughter, and wonderful memories to carry with you into the fall. As we welcome a new season, September gives us many opportunities to celebrate our community, prioritize our well-being, and

stay connected. From September 15 through October 15, we recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich history, vibrant cultures, and many contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Here in Washington, DC, we are especially grateful for the Hispanic and Latino residents, families, caregivers, community leaders, and older adults who contribute to the diversity and strength of our city. This month, we celebrate your stories, traditions, accomplishments, and the many ways you continue to enrich our community. September is also National Preparedness Month, reminding us that taking steps to prepare for emergencies can help protect our safety, independence, and well-being. Emergencies can happen at any time, but a little preparation today can make a meaningful difference when it matters most. Take time this month to review your emergency plan, check your emergency supplies, make sure medications and important documents are easy to access, and stay connected with family, friends, and neighbors. Being prepared can provide greater peace of mind for you and those who care about you. For more information about emergency preparedness in the District, visit ready.dc.gov or call (202)7276161. We also recognize Falls Prevention Awareness Week, taking place September 21–25. This national campaign raises awareness about falls and fall-related injuries while highlighting simple ways to help older adults remain safe, active, and independent. I encourage you to join Home Care Partners for their annual Falls Prevention Awareness Week (FPAW) events. This will

take place on Monday, September 21, and Tuesday, September 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 899 North Capitol St. NE. Attendees can participate in free screenings and activities, including balance tests, medication reviews, and home safety education. Resources will be available for people of all ages, along with free snacks and giveaways. For registration and additional information, visit tinyurl.com/dcfpaw2026. Finally, September brings one of our most meaningful celebrations of the year, National Centenarian

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Day! On September 23, we will continue the tradition of honoring our centenarians at Mayor Bowser’s 40th Annual Centenarian Salute. This special celebration recognizes DC’s oldest residents and honors the remarkable lives, accomplishments, and legacies they have shared with our city and generations of Washingtonians. Each centenarian will receive a commemorative medallion and personalized certificate from Mayor Bowser in recognition of this extraordinary milestone. As we welcome fall, stay pre-

pared for what lies ahead and make the most of every opportunity to stay connected, healthy, active, and engaged. Thank you for all that you bring to Washington, DC, and for the many ways you continue to make our city stronger. In Service, Charon P.W. Hines Director Department of Aging and Community Living

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 19

HEALTH ‘You Look Fine’: Award-Winning Film Turns Invisible Illness into a Call for Preventative Health

By Dr. Patrise Holden WI Contributing Writer

Jared “J.” Snow knows what it means

to look healthy while fighting serious health complications invisible to others. The filmmaker lives with sickle cell disease, a chronic, hereditary, debilitat-

ing illness. “For me, hearing, ‘you look fine,’ is something universal that all people can relate to whether they have a rare disease, hypertension, cancer, or high stress,” he said. Bringing an intimate story of awareness, especially to communities of color, of dismissing symptoms that can’t be identified outwardly, his nationally award-winning documentary “You Look Fine” premieres at Greenbelt Cinema on Sept. 3. “It reveals how others can completely invalidate your health experience and even make you doubt yourself because symptoms aren’t always visible,” Snow continued. Audiences of all ages and backgrounds have been drawn to the relatability of the film’s message.

5 J. Snow (far left) reflects on the emotional impact of his raw documentary on the audience at the film’s award-winning debut in California earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo/J. Snow Pro)

“It layers in others' experiences because everyone is fighting something that the world can’t see. During past screenings, people have been vulnerable enough to voice extremely personal battles that they were fighting,” recalled the filmmaker. And perhaps beneath the many layers of the documentary is a message simple yet powerful. “Recognition, validation, community connection, and the support to voice unseen pain,” said Snow. “These are the foundations of true healing.”

Preventative Health, More Than Meets the Eye

For John E. Samuels and his wife, Tesha F. Samuels, preventive health is inseparable from the concept of good health. Co-founders of Journey to ExSCellence, an organization created in 2023 to help people with sickle cell disease find resources, support, and advocacy, the couple has experienced firsthand how everyday life challenges impact access to health care. “With heavy economic concerns, family caregiving, and oftentimes the feeling that you are carrying this alone, preventative health is sometimes pushed to the back; worse still, even serious symptoms can be ignored,” Tesha Samuels, 44, recounted. For the Samuels family, preventive health is not an abstract recommendation; it is the difference between discovering a problem early and confronting a crisis later. “I want people to be aware of the fact that debilitating health problems are often unseen,” said John Samuels, 70, “sometimes even to ourselves.” The duo works to raise awareness beyond sickle cell. The American Heart Association notes that the rate of high blood pres-

20 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

sure among Black adults in the United States is among the highest in the world. Many clinicians recommend that people of color should be screened earlier for health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. For people of color, many diseases that respond favorably to early treatment are often not diagnosed until late or advanced stages. The wife emphasized that one of the most impactful ways to address health disparities is through the power of community. “This documentary is of particular importance to the DMV,” she said. “The fact that a man has given access to the entire world to view the most vulnerable parts of his health care journey both educates and gives us the courage to be empowered to better navigate our own.”

Knowledge is Power

Snow sees the documentary as more than a story about disease; he sees it as community empowerment. This year, he launched Better Exists, an organization dedicated to helping people with sickle cell disease improve their quality of life through life skills, education, and a healthier relationship with their bodies. The Samuels share a similar mission and see community events such as “You Look Fine” as critical to forging a deeper understanding of unseen health crises, both physical and mental. “You walk around and see people in tailored suits looking fine, but behind that, many are going through tremendous mental and physical anguish,” said Tesha Samuels. “This film shows us how to be more empathetic to other people’s unseen pain, and that of our own.” WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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The New Trustees Report Is a Wake-Up Call for Congress AARP DC Reports Every year, the Social Security Trustees Report provides an important snapshot of the long-term outlook for one of America’s most popular and important initiatives. This year’s report sends a clear message: Congress needs to act. The latest projections show Social Security’s Trust Fund reserves are expected to be depleted by 2034. That means without Congressional action, Social Security will have about 80% of the money it needs to make full payments. Congress needs to act to fill the 20% gap, and they have plenty of tools in their toolbox to do it. Unfortunately, some special interests in Washington will seize on this report to push proposals that would cut Social Security by reducing payments, raising the retirement age or otherwise shifting the burden onto hardworking Americans. These Washington insiders are out of touch with the realities facing people who are already struggling with rising costs. At AARP we hear every day from older Americans across the country who are struggling to make ends meet. In fact, a recent AARP Financial Security Trends Survey found that six in ten Americans 50plus worry about whether they will have enough to stay financially secure in retirement. Nearly seven in ten say prices are rising faster than their income, and almost half report higher health care costs than just a year ago. At the same time, many are entering retirement without enough savings—42% of adults 50-plus who are not yet retired have less than $50,000 set aside. This is why Social Security remains a lifeline. It helps people cover basic needs like housing, groceries, utilities, and healthcare. Yet even with that support, a majority of older Americans say today’s average benefit—around $2,000 a month—is not enough. For millions of Americans, including 88,265 here in the District, Social Security is an essential part of their plan for financial security in retirement. It is earned through a lifetime of hard work. It’s not a bonus or a handout, and it must be protected. The good news is Social Security isn’t going broke. This is absolutely something Congress can fix in a way that protects the money we’ve earned, without cuts. Lawmakers have time to act, and there are many ways to strengthen Social Security and close the projected funding gap. People work their whole lives paying into Social Security. Americans have kept up their end of the bargain and now it’s time for Congress to do the same thing.

At AARP we hear every day from older Americans across the country who are struggling to make ends meet. In fact, a recent AARP Financial Security Trends Survey found that six in ten Americans 50-plus worry about whether they will have enough to stay financially secure in retirement. Nearly seven in ten say prices are rising faster than their income, and almost half report higher health care costs than just a year ago.

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 21

EDUCATION Howard Captures First MEAC/ SWAC Challenge Title

3 In a team scrimmage on April 18, redshirt senior quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins looks to make a pass. (Abdullah Konte/The Washington Informer)

Insights On Ted White’s Victorious Coaching Debut, Home Opening Week Teaser By Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer Ted White’s first game as Howard University’s head football coach ended with a statement victory. The Howard Bison defeated the Alabama A&M Bulldogs, 31-24, in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Saturday night at Center Parc Stadium in Atlan-

ta, Georgia, giving White his first win at Howard and the program its first victory of the 2026 season. “I’m definitely proud of these guys. I’ve seen the work, definitely throughout the offseason,” White said. “I’ve seen it through spring football, I’ve seen it through the summer, and then getting the opportunity to see it in training camp… the message this week

was to block out the exterior. To make sure that we focus on things that we need to do to win the football game.” A significant milestone for Howard and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) also stemmed from this victory. It marked Howard’s first win in the MEAC/SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Challenge and improved the MEAC’s all-time record

D.C. is more than just a federal city. It is a collection of neighborhoods and communities that have nurtured distinctive cultures of creativity, learning, music, food, and sports. Its residents have contributed ideas that have been embraced by the country and have stimulated change.

22 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

in the event to 13-7. Howard previously appeared in the Challenge in 2022, falling 23-13 to the Alabama State Hornets. The win also added another chapter to the football history between Howard and Alabama A&M. Saturday’s contest was only the second meeting between the two historically Black programs, with Howard winning the first matchup, 28-7, in 1992. “This is my third time playing in [the MEAC/SWAC Challenge]. I got a chance in 2011 when I was coaching at Southern University to play in Orlando. I got a chance in 2018 to play when I coached at Prairie View,” said White. “Getting the opportunity to come back with my alma mater and being able to win and not only represent Howard University, but represent for the conference. We feel like the MEAC is one of the best conferences in the country.” White, a 1998 graduate of the institution that hired him in January, watched his team take a 20-14 lead into halftime before Alabama A&M erased the six-point deficit with a 2423 advantage early in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs’ comeback surge threatened to spoil Howard’s strong start, but the Bison answered with a clutch fourth-quarter response. Graduate student quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins put together an 86-yard, six-play drive that ended with a 51-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Se’Quan Osborne with 2:41 remaining. Howard then converted a two-point attempt from Scroggins to senior tight end Nathaniel Clark, extending the lead 31-24. The Bison sealed the victory by stopping Alabama A&M’s final possession, with sophomore linebacker Aidan Foster forcing a thrilling fumble. “For the coaches to be preaching

this whole week to go 1-0, not many people in the country can go 1-0,” Foster said, “so just getting that done, following the game plan, and everything set in stone for the game, it meant a lot to me. And I’m grateful for it.” Scroggins completed 19-of-36 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 49 yards on 15 carries. His performance earned him MVP honors for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Kicker Matt Conord also delivered a key performance in the Bison’s win, connecting on all three of his field goal attempts. For White and the team, the victory serves as an early statement as the new coach embarks on his tenure at Howard. On the other hand, it also provides momentum heading into the Bison’s first home game of the season. “It means so much to me, knowing that [White] is a Howard alum,” Scroggins admitted. “Being a [graduate student] and Howard alum myself, and knowing that I could bring it for his first head coaching win, on my first start under Coach White, it means so much to me.” The Howard Bison will return to Greene Stadium for the first time this season when they host the Richmond Spiders on Saturday, Sept. 5, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to fill the stands in white for the team’s White Out-themed game. Howard has faced Richmond three times since the teams first met in 2017, with all three matchups taking place on the road. The Bison are 0-3 against the Spiders and will welcome Richmond to “The Mecca” for the first time, looking to snap their three-game losing streak in the series. “We have a special team,” White said. “And every day we come with a chip on our shoulder to be better than the day before.” WI

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Health Literacy at the Provider’s Office medical terms • Leaving an appointment without asking questions or getting clarification Health care conversations often focus on diagnoOver time, misunderstandings can make it harder to ses, treatments, and getting the care you need. How- stay healthy and follow a treatment plan. ever, less attention is sometimes given to whether patients fully understand the information they receive. Why health literacy Health literacy plays an important role in how peochallenges happen ple experience and manage their health care. Many factors can make health information difficult to Health literacy affects many parts of a health care visit, including understanding instructions, taking understand. Reading skills, education level, and language medications correctly, and following up on recom- barriers can affect how well patients understand medical mended care. When health information is unclear, information. Limited time during appointments can also make even the best treatment plans can be difficult to follow. communication more challenging. Health care providers often need to share a lot of information in a short period What it means to be health literate of time, leaving little opportunity for questions. Stress or Health literacy means being able to find, underanxiety about a health condition can also make it harder stand, and use health information to make good to remember and understand important details. decisions about your health.1 This includes understanding provider instructions, reading prescription labels, following treatment plans, and recognizing Ways to improve health literacy Improving health literacy can start with small steps when additional care may be needed. Health literacy does not require medical training. that make communication clearer between patients and It reflects the ability to understand health informa- providers. Helpful strategies include: tion in a way that supports safe and informed deci• Repeating instructions in your own words before sion-making. It also includes the confidence to ask your provider questions if any information is unclear. leaving the appointment. • Bringing a list of symptoms, medications, or questions. How health literacy shows up in • Asking providers to explain medical appointments terms in simpler language. Health literacy plays a role in almost every health • Requesting written instructions that care visit. Patients may receive a lot of information are easy to understand. quickly and leave without fully understanding what • Bringing a trusted family member or to do next. Once they get home, they may find writ- friend to the appointment. ten instructions to be confusing or difficult to follow. • Taking notes during the visit. Common examples include: • Calling the pharmacy or care team when medication instructions are unclear. • Not understanding how or when to take medications Sources • Missing follow-up appointments because in1. “What Is Health Literacy?” Centers for structions were unclear Disease Control and Prevention, October • Not knowing which symptoms need medical 16, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/health-literattention acy/php/about/index.html, accessed June 18, • Having trouble understanding lab results or 2026. Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia (DC)

Lifelines for mental health support

Life can feel overwhelming at times — whether it’s stress from work or school, family responsibilities, or personal struggles. Many people carry the weight of mental health challenges. However, there are real, accessible solutions created to help you or a loved one through them. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is an important resource that provides immediate, confidential support for people facing mental health challenges. By dialing or texting 988, you or a loved one can connect with trained counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you or

#BestMe

your loved one deal with feelings of depression, anxiety, or thoughts of suicide. AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollees have access to additional mental health benefits to help manage everyday challenges. Enrollees ages 13 and older can download the Headspace app, which offers guided meditation and mindful exercises. Enrollees can also chat with an emotional support coach at any time. Call AmeriHealth Caritas DC Enrollee Services at 202-408-4720 or 1-800-408-7511 for information on how to begin texting with an emotional support coach right away.

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EDITORIAL

Dolly Wasn’t for Sale

She Rose from Poverty Without Forgetting Where She Came From. That May Be the Greatest Part of Her Legacy Dolly Parton’s death at 80 is more than the passing of a country music legend. It is the loss of one of the rare American celebrities whose fame never seemed to separate her from the people and places that shaped her. Parton was born into poverty in rural East Tennessee, one of 12 children. Her family lived in a small home, struggled financially, and knew what it meant to go without. Yet those humble beginnings never became something she tried to hide. They became the foundation of her life’s work. When Parton became a superstar, she did not forget poor children, struggling families, or her hometown. Through the Dollywood Foundation and her Imagination Library, she turned her own experience with poverty and limited educational opportunities into an extraordinary commitment to children's literacy. The Imagination Library has distributed hundreds of millions of free books to children around the world. And Parton understood something about race that many powerful people still refuse to grasp. In 2020, when asked about Black Lives Matter, Parton responded with characteristic plainspoken

honesty: “Of course, Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!” Those were not the carefully calibrated words of a celebrity publicist. They were the words of a woman who believed that compassion should not depend on race, politics, or social status. Her support for Black communities extended to philanthropy, including investments and initiatives that benefited Black families and expanded educational opportunities. That makes President Donald Trump’s posthumous attempt to associate himself with Parton particularly jarring. After her death, Trump shared an AI-generated image showing himself and Parton walking arm-in-arm at the White House. The image was not a photograph of a documented encounter; reporting noted that no known photograph of the two together exists. There is something profoundly unnecessary about trying to manufacture a relationship with someone after she has passed. Parton did not need Trump, a political party, or an artificial photograph to validate her legacy. She built it herself—one song, one

book, one child, and one act of kindness at a time. She became enormously wealthy without ever forgetting what poverty felt like. She became globally famous without abandoning the people who knew her before her fame. That is the woman we should remember. Not the AI version. The real Dolly Parton. WI

Parton did not need Trump, a political party, or an artificial photograph to validate her legacy. She built it herself — one song, one book, one child, and one act of kindness at a time.

omy that counts as the top concern in America. But if you listen to the president, “affordability” is something that radical left Democrats, socialists, and outliers have concocted. In his mind, his MAGA agenda has been so successful that we should all genuflect in allegiance and respect and co-sign his plans to put his name on every building, street corner, and mom and pop business located throughout Washington, D.C.’s eight wards. But while the president remains fixated on securing his legacy – making his dreams come true – we, the people, continue to be victims caught in a nightmare. Even diehard, blue-eyed, evan-

Feedback from: ‘You Look Fine’: Award-Winning Film Turns Invisible Illness Into a Call for Preventative Health.” “The article is very informative. I commend the warriors who don’t mind being transparent about their ordeal and continued journey. Their lives impact others by giving hope!” - Yvette Tuzon

As the President and His Consorts Continue to See Their Coffers Grow, Ordinary People Struggle Just to ‘Make A Dollar Out Of 15 Cents’ During the 1992 U.S. presidential election, James Carville, the lead strategist who guided Bill Clinton’s political machine to victory over the incumbent, George H.W. Bush, came up with a conclusion that has since become an immortalized saying. “It’s the economy, stupid,” Carville repeatedly stated in efforts to keep the focus on the recession and avoid being distracted by less significant issues. Today, with the escalating prices of groceries, rent, health care, and utilities forcing seniors, single-parent mothers, and millions of other Americans to choose between keeping the lights on and eating a wholesome meal, it’s still the econ-

TO THE EDITOR

gelically inspired Republicans are saying things like, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” But don’t take our word for it. Just stay focused for a moment and listen. “So, I don’t wanna hear about the affordability” the commander-in-chief has said repeatedly to the media and Americans, while arguing that inflation has improved and that his economic record should be celebrated. Celebrate the Trump administration’s economic record? Celebrate a soaring national debt, persistent inflation, higher living costs, trade disputes, and escalating global conflicts, including the president’s sixmonth-old war of choice with Iran?

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“Great article! I absolutely loved the film and appreciate J Snow for allowing us all in. Very much relatable for even those outside of the sickle cell space. I think many times during the film I had to laugh to keep from crying. I pray J Sno goes far with this film.” -Mia Robinson No way! Affordability is not a made-up word, nor is it a theory propagated by con men. In fact, for most African Americans, it’s always been the conversation at the dinner table, at the barber shop, in the beauty salon, and in the pews and pulpits on Sunday mornings. The difference is, now, many white American families are facing the vicissitudes of Black American life that have been prevalent within African American households for generations. The promissory note, which was

dangled before the noses of voters during the 2024 presidential, became a check marked insufficient funds. Meanwhile, many of “No. 47’s” policies have either prolonged or exacerbated the economic fortunes of those he promised to help. Still Black Americans are hanging on, tying knot after knot as the old folks used to say, as to not fall into the abyss. Tupac Shakur perhaps said it best on his 1993 song “Keep Ya Head Up”: “I'm tryin' to make a dollar out of 15 cents. It's hard to be legit and still pay your rent.” WI

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 25

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Stephen Oduntan

Black August Was Never Meant to End in August

When George Ray "Bogard" Thomas first encountered Black August in 1987, he wasn't at a rally, a university lecture or a community commemoration. He was entering California's prison system. Thomas had grown up in Watts' Imperial Courts housing projects, one of five children raised in a single-parent household. His father sold drugs,

he has said, and his mother relied on public assistance. By 13, Thomas was cycling through the juvenile justice system. He later became a co-founder of the Eastside Crips, part of a street organization he says initially drew inspiration from the community-protection politics of the Black Panther Party. A previous profile of Thomas in The Wave chronicled that journey from the streets of Watts through prison, cancer and eventually youth mentorship. He would return to prison years later. A 2010 drug case led to a sentence of 31 years to life. The case grew out of

Guest Columnist

a traffic stop in the Palmdale-Lancaster area in which sheriff's deputies found cocaine base during a search of his person. Thomas later challenged aspects of that search, arguing that the search of his buttocks exceeded the consent he had given and that its manner and location were unreasonable. A suppression motion filed by his attorney was denied. Thomas continued fighting his conviction through the courts. When his appeal reached California's Second District Court of Appeal, Kamala Harris was the state's attorney general.

The 2013 opinion lists Harris and attorneys from her office as counsel for the state; it does not indicate that Harris personally participated in Thomas's prosecution or appeal. The appellate court affirmed the judgment with modifications. Nearly four decades after he first encountered Black August, prison remains written on his body. Thomas speaks by pressing an electronic device against his throat, the result of stage 4 cancer and surgery that took his natural voice. He spent years in solitary confinement. Thomas says

he endured sexual abuse in custody, lived amid mold and poor ventilation and received medical treatment he came to distrust. He believes conditions inside contributed to his illness. "You ain't alive to nobody out there because nobody don't even care," Thomas said of serving life in prison. "You Yet Thomas said prison never broke his spirit. He studied law behind bars, working through legal books and filing

ODUNTAN Page 45

Shewanda Riley

Preserved by Purpose: Taking the Limits Off of God

These words from an Israel Houghton song point to an aspect of living a Christian life that can sometimes be difficult. As Christians, we believe in God but find it hard to take the limits off of Him to do "exceedingly and abundantly" as Ephesians 3:20 asks. How do you take the limits off of God, who is beyond space or time? You have to first acknowledge that

you've put limits on Him not by a lack of faith but by having narrow faith and low expectations. There have been times in my life when I found myself proudly proclaiming freedom as a Christian but living with low expectations of God. And lately, I've had conversations with friends who have the same problem. For example, one friend shared how excited she was to start a business. She knew that she had exercised great faith by starting the business. However, now that she'd made such

Guest Columnist

a big step of faith, she found herself dealing with the fears and uncertainty of what to expect in the future. As a result, she was struggling with the low expectations that she'd set. Even though she'd dreamed big by starting the business in the first place, she was uncomfortable as she felt pulled to dream even bigger. And that's where she was stuck. I knew how she felt because I'd been there before myself many times. For example, when I was looking to purchase a home over a decade ago, I started looking at homes that

were five years old or less. After not having much luck, I talked to my real estate agent about how much of a difference in price it would be to have a home built. After looking into it, I was surprised to learn that it was cheaper to have the house built. In the end, I had the house built just like I wanted it and learned to trust God in a totally new way. Taking the limits off of God is not about being greedy. It's about realizing that the same God who blessed you with $10 also can bless you with $1,000. We just have to have faith

to boldly go to Him and ask for the greater blessing. I've often struggled with asking God for more in certain areas of my life because I felt like I was being selfish. However, God had to remind me that He had been waiting to give me the greater blessings. God is waiting to bless us and won't force us to take the "limitless" blessing if we don't ask for it. But He's more than happy to give that limitless blessing when we take the limits off and trust Him without limitations. WI

just schools. And D.C.-area families are watching this erosion play out in real time, right as students head back into classrooms this fall. As the retired superintendent of PGCPS, I'm seeing the greater Washington region students being asked to navigate a labor market and technological shift that no single classroom or single nonprofit program can prepare them for alone. I've observed at a systems-level from the inside that this problem needs a coordinated effort across public and private

sectors. Perhaps we've been asking the wrong question. Instead of asking how schools can do more on their own, we should be asking how communities can do more together. Uncertainty in our public education institutions isn't a reason to retreat from education, it's a mandate to reimagine the model. Student success isn't produced by any single lever. It's built through an ecosystem where schools, em-

Dr. Monica Goldson

The Education Ecosystem Our Students Need

Stephanie Rivera started high school in 2021 a bit differently than other students in Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS). A student who usually sat at the back of the classroom for fear of being called on joined her freshman class at Potomac High School in a new type of environment. She was an inaugural par-

26 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

ticipant in the first 3DE by Junior Achievement in PGCPS. 3DE re-engineers high school education to be more relevant, experiential, and authentically connected to the complexities of the real world. She was one of five students, out of more than 100, who proudly called themselves "The Founders." The students were given a business challenge provided by Arby's, a national 3DE partner, that the group dedicated six weeks to solving. The students didn't know it then, but they weren't simply

learning business. They were experiencing a different model of education, one that would change how they saw themselves and what they believed was possible. This summer, a Gallup poll found that Americans' confidence in core U.S. institutions is stuck at an average of 27%, near an alltime low, and that Americans have 27% confidence specifically in public schools. This finding isn't a partisan talking point. Confidence has eroded across nearly every major institution Gallup tracks, not

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

Two Systems of Justice: How Success Makes Leaders of Color Targets

Unless you have lived through it, it is easy to dismiss as racial paranoia the wariness and discomfort felt by many successful business leaders of color who have reached the elite ranks of the business world. To outside observers, modern corporate America appears to be a meritocracy where performance dictates how far an individual can rise. Yet

history reveals a far more sobering reality: No matter how much success an outsider of color accumulates, his or her place at the top is often accompanied by a question mark — by a lingering sense that acceptance is fleeting and the status earned over decades is more fragile than it appears. Nowhere is that more evident than in moments of crisis and failure. When an established company led by white American executives falters, media pundits, investors, business analysts, regulators and other stakeholders follow a predictable script.

Guest Columnist

Their failure is framed as the result of harsh economic cycles, bad timing, changing consumer preferences, miscalculation or bad luck. Rarely is the white executive's integrity put on trial. But African Americans and other people of color corporate leaders are rarely afforded the same benefit of the doubt when a damaging crisis erupts under their watch. Instead, people are often quick to assume that incompetence, poor work ethic, character flaws, dishonesty, or criminal intent was at the root of the problem.

The 2008 mortgage crisis vividly illustrated this double standard. Wall Street banks made enormous profits from a housing boom built on risky mortgages. When Americans began defaulting in staggering numbers, millions lost their homes, trillions in household wealth vanished, and the global economy neared collapse. And how many of the overwhelmingly white Wall Street executives behind this scheme were criminally prosecuted? Virtually none. Instead, the financial system received billions in taxpayer bailouts while the institu-

tions at the center of the crisis paid executives lavish bonuses. The double standard hardly ends there. A few years later, global banking giant HSBC avoided criminal prosecution after admitting that its lax controls allowed Mexican drug cartels to launder hundreds of millions of dollars. Instead, federal prosecutors levied financial penalties against the bank. In the world of high finance, global breakdowns seem to be routinely treated as the cost of do-

expand or restrict access to healthcare, drive economic development, appoint judges, administer elections, and sign or veto legislation that directly affects millions of lives. For African American communities, gubernatorial leadership can influence everything from maternal health and voting access to public school funding, environmental justice, housing and entrepreneurship. One Black governor can make a difference. But several Black governors working together can lead the national conversation on many critical issues impacting African Americans.

We came remarkably close to that reality in 2018. Andrew Gillum in Florida, Ben Jealous in Maryland and Stacey Abrams in Georgia inspired millions of voters and built historic coalitions. Their campaigns energized new voters and demonstrated that Black candidates could compete successfully for the highest office in their states. But each fell just short on Election Day. Their defeats meant that another opportunity to build a meaningful cohort of African American governors

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Kevin Harris

One Black Governor at a Time Is Not Enough

When Maryland Gov. Wes Moore was recently elected chair of the National Governors Association, he made history as the first African American to lead the bipartisan organization representing the nation's governors. It was a milestone worth celebrating, not only because it broke another barrier, but because it reminded us how rare Black governors have been in American his-

tory. Too often, when America elects an African American governor, that leader serves alone. When Virginians elected Douglas Wilder in 1989, he became the first African American ever elected governor in the United States. It was a watershed moment that many hoped would usher in a new era of Black executive leadership. Instead, Wilder remained an exception for years. More than a decade later, Massachusetts elected Deval Patrick, making him only the second African American elected governor since Reconstruction.

Guest Columnist

Once again, history was made, but once again, he largely stood alone. Today, Wes Moore is only the third African American since Reconstruction ever elected governor, and now the first to chair the National Governors Association. Currently, Moore is America's only Black governor. His achievement is extraordinary, but it also underscores the uncomfortable truth that for Black folks there can only be one historic "first" at a time. That isolation matters. Governors are among the most powerful elected officials in America. They shape education policy, oversee criminal justice systems,

HARRIS Page 46

Dominic Boston

Young Black Men Suffering in Silence a Curse That Can Be Broken

As a young Black man, this topic is personal to me. When people discuss mental health, they usually don't picture someone who looks like me. Instead, Black men are often seen as strong, tough, or able to handle anything life throws at us. Growing up, I was taught exactly that.

My elders always told me to be strong. If I got hurt, I was told to get back up. If I was upset, I was told not to cry. Showing emotion wasn't encouraged. It was seen as a weakness. Looking back now, I realize I wasn't just being taught how to be a man. I was being conditioned to hide my emotions. I was taught to believe that strength meant staying silent, no matter how much pain I was carrying. I know my family wasn't trying to hurt me. They wanted me to survive in a world that has never been easy for Black men. They wanted me to be pre-

pared for life's challenges. But somewhere along the way, being strong became confused with pretending everything was OK. Instead of talking about our feelings, we learned how to bury them. Instead of asking for help, we learned how to deal with everything on our own. The problem is that emotions don't disappear just because you ignore them. They stay with you, and eventually, they find another way to come out. I believe that is the reality for many young Black men today. We're expected to carry the weight

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of our families, our communities, our schools, our work, and our lives without ever breaking down. People admire our strength, but they rarely ask how much it costs to always be strong. The truth is, many of us are hurting in silence because we've spent our entire lives believing that is what real men are supposed to do. For many Black boys, those lessons start early. Some grow up in neighborhoods where hearing gunshots or seeing police lights is normal. Others lose friends or family members before they are

even old enough to understand why. Some are raised in communities where violence, poverty and limited opportunities are part of everyday life. When you're constantly worried about making it home safely or helping your family make ends meet, you don't always have time to process your emotions. You focus on surviving. Then there is the way society sees us. Before some people even hear us speak, they have already made as-

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LIFESTYLE DC JAZZ FEST from Page 1 U.S.A. “This jazz festival is unique in that we're celebrating the future of jazz, part of America's 250. We know that jazz is America's original art form and that it’s right out of New Orleans [and] many Black people have made this festival what it is today,” Sunny Sumter, president and CEO of DC Jazz Festival, told The Informer on the publication’s digital show “Let’s Talk.” “This music is so powerful and we're delighted every summer to bring it, and close out the summer right here in D.C.” This year’s festivities will feature a wide variety of powerhouse art-

ists, including NEA Jazz Masters, GRAMMY winners, competition winners, rising stars, international talent, the DMV’s finest, and celebrated virtuosos on indoor and outdoor stages— from The Wharf, to Anthem Row, Palisades and Columbia Heights. The lineup has music for everyone, with the likes of: Dee Dee Bridgewater Quarter “We Exist,” Joshua Redman Quartet, Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets Celebrate Weather Report, KES, Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles, Etienne Charles & Creole Soul, and Chuck Brown Band, among dozens of others. “DC JazzFest continues to serve as a cornerstone of Washington, D.C.’s cultural landscape, and we

SONDHEIM’S GLORIOUS MUSICAL

5 Given Gelin performs at the 2022 DC Jazz Festival. The 22nd annual DC Jazz Festival is coming to audiences Sept. 2-6, with performances and programming across the District. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

are proud to support its vision,” said Angie M. Gates, president and CEO of Events DC, a major sponsor for the festival. “For over 20 years, DC JazzFest has showcased world-class programming for residents and visitors, while reinforcing Washington, D.C.’s status as a global stage for artistic innovation. We invite everyone to join us at The Wharf and across our city to experience why the District is a premier cultural destination.”

Five Days of Festival Fun: ‘We Want Everybody to.. Appreciate This Great Music’

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The festival kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 2 in downtown D.C. at Hamilton Live Opening Night, featuring: JazzDC AllStars Orchestra directed by saxophonist Paul Carr, with Grammy-nominated vocalist Christie Dashiell, and Jason Marsalis, a drummer, vibraphonist, NEA Jazz Master, drummer and the youngest member of the first family of jazz. The second day of the fest, attendees can enjoy the free DowntownDC at Anthem Row event from 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m, featuring the genre-bending artist Butcher Brown, D.C.’s own saxophonist Marshall Keys & Soulful Path, plus bassist and Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate Corcoran Holt’s band. “Activating spaces like Anthem Row is central to our mission:

creating vibrant, accessible destinations where arts and culture can thrive and bring our community together,” said Gerren Price, DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) president and CEO. “We look forward to experiencing the incredible, silky sounds of live jazz that will fill downtown D.C. with energy, creativity, and the unmistakable spirit of the festival.” On Thursday, DCJF will have performances across Northwest, D.C., with Great American Songbook inheritor Dan Murray in performance at the Kreeger Museum in Palisades and Joe Brotherton’s band at St. Vincent Wine in Columbia Heights. The soul of the Hammond B-3 will take center stage on Friday, Sept. 4, for the DCJF’s second annual Organ Summit, featuring Charles Covington, special guest Mike LeDonne, with Lennie Robinson on drums and Dave Manley on guitar at Westminster Church in Southwest, D.C. Later in the day, DCJF attendees can take to Capitol Hill for vocalist Heidi Martin’s Ensemble at the historic Mr. Henry’s, a celebrated staple in the District jazz scene. The 2026 festival will wrap with a two-day grand finale, including DC JazzFest at The Wharf– with performances along the Potomac Riverfront, Arena Stage, Union Stage, and Pearl Street Warehouse— as well as the DCJazzPrix and the Next Jazz Legacy show. In addition, the Meet the Artist series at Arena Stage will allow

audiences to go deeper into the music beyond the performances, featuring interviews, panel discussions, and topical dialogues. “We try to make it accessible so there's no barriers to entry because we want everybody to come out and appreciate this great music,” Sumter told The Informer.

Uplifting the Next Generation, DMV Artists, International Talent

For Sumter, the festival is not solely about entertainment. The annual programming is about elevating the next generation of jazz voices and furthering the genre. “The good news is that our young people are coming up in this music and they are continuing it. The interesting thing is when you do that, they bring their current language to it,” she explained. “So we have jazz mixed with hiphop and R&B and gospel and some of that's going to so much of that will be present during Jazzfest Sept. 2- Sept. 6.” Emerging talents take the stage every year through performances and the annual DCJazzPrix, held on Sept. 5 and featuring Amina Scott Quintet, South Africa’s Bokani Dyer Trio, the James Fernando Trio, and Luther Allison’s Poiesis. Then there’s also the Next Jazz Legacy show, also on Friday,

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DC JAZZ FEST from Page 28 which not only features rising stars, but highlights musical girl power. All the artists are women, including: saxophonist Alden Hellmuth, trumpet player Allison Phillips on trumpet, bassist Destiny “Le Queen” Diggs; drummer Lilly Finnegan, drums; Devon Gates on bass and vocals; and pianist-composer Sequoia “Redwood” Snyder. Snyder, a native Washingtonian and graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, has led her own jazz band for several years, but says the mentoring through New Jazz Legacy has been valuable. “We are each awarded a grant that helps out with expenses. Our time with the mentors includes preparation and strategy,” said Snyder. “We also perform with the mentors in the program and get to be under their wings for

five gigs.” The local pianist and composer has two mentors: bassist Aneesa Strings and saxophonist Braxton Cook, both based in Los Angeles.

“Charlie Fishman used to manage Dizzy Gillespie, and his wife Stephanie Peters, they started it on a paper napkin at Cashion’s in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in D.C.,” Sumter, who has been involved with the festival for 18 years, said. “And here we are, you know, 22 years later.”

“What we are doing is very comprehensive,” Snyder told The Informer. “Support from women artists who are at this stage of their careers is a huge blessing.” After more than two decades, DCJazz Festival, founded by Charlie Fishman, continues to expand its reach throughout the District and beyond. “Charlie Fishman used to manage Dizzy Gillespie, and his wife Stephanie Peters, they started it on a paper napkin at Cashion’s in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in D.C.,” Sumter, who has been involved with the festival for 18 years, said. “And here we are, you know, 22 years later.” As jazz continues to evolve

LIFESTYLE

with the times, the festival president and CEO said the heart and soul of the genre remains the same. “I think some of our young people, if they could, they would just get rid of this name of ‘jazz’... because for them it's just music. They're just contributing. We know what jazz is and that's the improvisational part. That's what makes jazz so celebratory and so live. That's why it's important to catch it live,” she explained. “But I do think that what we're probably going to see in the next 10 years is jazz morphing into these other beautiful art forms. Or maybe 10 years from now, there won't even be any genres. We'll

just all call it music.” No matter how things change, Sumter said DCJF will continue its mission of uplifting the music and musicians. “We're happy to be an advocate for this great music we call jazz. And to make sure that the young people that are really celebrating it, that we're giving them a platform to do so,” she told The Informer. “And that's what the JazzFest is all about.” For more information on DCJF tickets and the full festival lineup, visit: dcjazzfest.org Washington Informer Contributing Writer Brenda Siler contributed to this article. WI

5 Sunny Sumter, president and CEO of the DC Jazz Festival, says jazz continues to thrive in the District, nation and across the globe. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 29

LIFESTYLE Washington Informer Weekend Checklist WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV! By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor Gear up for a Labor Day Weekend that’s all play and no work–– which is just what the DMV ordered. From the return of annual events like DC JazzFest and DC State Fair

3 Downtown Washington is coming alive with activity this Labor Day Weekend, including events at Anthem Row such as the DC JazzFest Downtown on Sept. 3 and the DC State Fair on Sept. 6. (WI File Photo/ Robert R Roberts)

to key opportunities for local actors and Beyoncé fans, the night is always young, and here’s a roundup to keep it going. Don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar to keep up with all the fun.

Thursday, Sept. 3

DC JazzFest Downtown 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. | Free Anthem Row, 800 K Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001 Immerse in art, culture, and community just steps away from Gallery Place - Chinatown, as the 2026 DC JazzFest Downtown brings the silky sounds of live jazz to the nation’s capital. Held in partnership with the DC Jazz Festival, DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID), and Pipkin Creative, this free music event promises smooth vibes and the likes of Butcher Brown, Corcoran Holt, and Marshall Keys & Soulful Path. It's open to all –– and one evening folks simply won't want to miss. The Rocky Horror Show 8:30 p.m. | $45.00 Dance Place, 3225 8th Street NE, Washington, D.C., 20017 Monumental Theatre presents one of the most beloved cult classic musicals of all time: Richard O'Brien's “The Rocky Horror Show.” The immersive production takes inspiration from the decades-long traditions of audience participation that made Rocky Horror a cultural phenomenon, while celebrating the show's legacy as a joyful celebration of queer expression. Join in for a wild night of science fiction, seduction, self-discovery, and unabashed theatrical mayhem, featuring iconic songs including "Sweet Transvestite," "Dammit Janet," and "Time Warp.” More than that, this rendition offers a timely moment of remembrance for Tim Curry, the 1975 film’s lead Frank-

30 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

N-Furter, who died Aug. 25. CONTENT ADVISORY: This production will contain adult language, sexual content, depictions of violence, fog and haze. Recommended for ages 13+.

Friday, Sept. 4

Beyoncé’s Birthday Trivia Night 6 p.m. | $26.29+ Shaw's Tavern, 520 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20001 Calling all Hive members: Whether a fan since “Dangerously in Love” (2003), the “Lemonade” era, “Renaissance” (2022), or someone who saddled up for the 2024 “Cowboy Carter” drop, it's time to put your knowledge to the test. Join Shaw’s Tavern for four rounds of Hive-themed trivia that will challenge memory, test ears, and push dedication to the “Queen Bey,” who celebrates her 45th birthday on Friday, Sept. 4. The fun doesn’t stop at trivia; compete for titles such as Best Overall Beyoncé Look, Best Renaissance-Inspired Outfit, and Best Cowboy Carter-Inspired Outfit. Plus, guests are invited to create their ultimate Top 10 Beyoncé songs list, and see how it stacks up against everyone else's. Grab your team, get in formation, and let the biggest fan win! Professor Vera Katz's Two-Night Intensive Acting Master Class 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. | $39.19 Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910 In a two-night intensive acting master class (Sept. 3-4), actors will be selected from the audience to take the stage and work with scene partners us-

ing material from celebrated television shows, films, and plays. Legendary acting educator Professor Vera J. Katz will break down performances, offer direct feedback, and teach the acting techniques she has developed over more than five decades of training and mentoring performers –– from household names like Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, to the late Chadwick Boseman and DMV’s own Taraji P. Henson. The actors will take those techniques back into rehearsal, return to the stage, and perform the same scene again, allowing the entire audience to witness their growth and transformation in real time. Come ready to watch, learn, and possibly perform.

Saturday, Sept. 5

Rhythms, Roots & Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music 1 p.m. | Free National Museum of American History, 14th Street NW & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20004 “Rhythms, Roots, Recipes: Community Stories of Food and Music” is a series that brings together cooking demonstrations, live music and storytelling. Father-and-son chef duo Boris and Berj Ghazarian of Bark Barbecue Cafe in Stevensville, Maryland, will be in lively conversation with acclaimed a cappella trio Zulal as the Ghazarians prepare ghapama, a showstopping stuffed pumpkin, and manti, small meat-filled dumplings served with garlicky yogurt or tomato-sumac sauce.

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T0 DO from Page 30 Zulal will share folksongs of love, beauty and family, and journalist Liana Aghajanian will moderate a lively demonstration of how a diverse diaspora preserves and adapts its culinary and musical heritage across generations and geography.

Sunday, Sept. 6

DC State Fair 11 a.m. | Free Anthem Row, 800 K Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001 This beloved celebration brings together thousands of Washingtonians for a day built around the things that make D.C.'s homegrown talent shine: art, agriculture, and the culinary arts. Event highlights include: • 50+ contests, as well as dedicated youth categories that require pre-registration; • 50+ local vendors, including fair food; • All-day live music and entertainment; • A dedicated Kids Zone with games and activities for younger fairgoers, plus a Wellness Zone; • An Education Stage with demonstrations in art, cooking, and gardening, and more. Don’t miss out on the family fun!

Monday, Sept. 7

Taste of History: Ongoing Food Experience on the National Mall 10 a.m. | Free National Mall (Multiple Locations), Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, D.C., 20004

LIFESTYLE

AUGUST WILSON’S

After a thousand-man March on Washington last Friday, the National Mall will transform into a “Taste of History” Labor Day Weekend, presenting a new, ongoing food kiosk experience designed to make dining part of your visit—not just a quick stop. Located throughout the Mall near major landmarks and Smithsonian museums, each kiosk offers something unique, from playful, photo-worthy menu items to quick, convenient options for visitors on the go. With expanded menus rolling out throughout the season, Taste of History gives visitors a fresh reason to stop, refuel, and enjoy more of their time in Washington, D.C.

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55th Annual Labor Day Arts Show Noon | Free Glen Echo Park, 7300 Macarthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD 20812 The 2026 Labor Day Art Show— the 55th anniversary of this event— will return to the historic Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park from Sept. 5 - 7. This unique exhibition and sale presents the work of more than 400 artists from the greater Washington, D.C. area and features a wide range of media, including sculpture, paintings, works on paper, ceramics, fiber arts, jewelry, photography, and furniture. A Glen Echo Park tradition, it brings together students, teachers, and art enthusiasts each year to celebrate the Park and its many distinctive arts programs. WI

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5 Residents and tourists will get a “Taste of History” on Monday, Sept. 7, as multiple food kiosks take over the National Mall offering location-inspired food and mobile ordering on the go. (WI File Photo/Shderick Pelt)

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Donate online today at wicharities.org Purchase an ad to support our education programs. Email rburke@washingtoninformer.com SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 31

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wi book review Kids Books for Almost-Fall By Various Authors and Illustrators c.2026, Various publishers $19.99 each Various page counts

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Pretty soon, you'll want to add another blanket to your bed at night. You'll want a jacket or sweater when you go outside, and your shoes won't be sandals pretty soon. Fall is coming, and you'll be staying indoors a little bit more, which means you'll have time to read and these books are great for your fall … Have you had a good summer? Most people have — but some kids are sad this fall, and in the new book "Love Lives On" by Dorena Williamson, illustrated by Ana Latese (Magination Press, $19.99), Will's family has experienced a tragedy and it's pretty scary. How the adults around him react, dealing with loss and gun violence, grief and healing are at the heart of this book. Beware of that before you hand it to a sensitive child — but if your 4-to-7-year-old needs a book like this, here's a helpful story for you all. Determination. That's what you want for your child, and "Better Than a Touchdown" by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, illustrated by Nneka Myers (Flamingo Books, $19.99) will get your child in the right direction. When Jalen arrives for his first day of school, his friends break the bad news to him: there won't be any school football this year. What? Jalen was sure that this year, the perfect touchdown was within his grasp. He tried other activities, but nothing compared to football — and then he thought of an idea that just might work. Was it possible, with teamwork, to have a football season of their own? Your 3-to-7-year-old will want to find out. So your child is a little bit different. Big deal. In "Simply Winnie" by Supermodel Winnie Harlow, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud (Penguin Workshop, $19.99), that difference is actually a benefit. Willie is an artist, a painter, a designer, a glam-girl, and she's fabulous! But Winnie doesn't fit in sometimes, and she hates looking like everybody else. Even her new best friend likes to go along with the crowd, so Winnie wonders which is better: to be like other kids or to just be Winnie? How can a one-of-a-kind girl be true to her one-in-a-million self? Kids ages 3-to-7 will love this book, especially if they're uniquely beautiful, too. And finally, for the kid who wants a story with meaning and lots of pictures, look for "Black Hands: Builders of Our Nation" by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Crown, $19.99). Black history isn't just a once in a year thing, as this book shows. Its powerful but spare narrative is great for quiet times, and the words are such that you can read them every day. For your 2-to-5-year-old, they'll sink in quick. If these books are not exactly what your child will enjoy, then head to your favorite bookstore or library and ask to be directed to the kids' section. There, you'll find lots to read, and access to even more books for kids of any age. Find these four books or more, and sit down pretty soon. WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE SEPT. 3 - 9, 2026

ARIES A software glitch delays something important, but the fix teaches you a shortcut you'll use again for months. A friend cancels plans at the last minute, freeing up time you didn't realize you needed. Midweek brings a small compliment from a stranger that lifts your mood more than expected. A bill arrives lower than budgeted, giving you breathing room you didn't plan for. Someone asks you to settle a disagreement, and your answer surprises even you. Lucky Numbers: 11, 24, 59 TAURUS A recipe you've made a hundred times goes wrong in a way that actually improves it. Someone at work notices effort you thought had gone unnoticed. Thursday's commute takes an unexpected detour that turns out scenic rather than annoying. A minor disagreement with a sibling resolves itself faster than usual. A text you send half-jokingly gets taken seriously, and that works out fine. Saturday's weather ruins one plan but makes room for a better one. Lucky Numbers: 4, 19, 45 GEMINI A message you send by accident turns out to open a door you didn't expect. Your usual routine gets interrupted by a pleasant surprise midweek. A coworker's joke lands better than intended and lightens a tense meeting. Friday brings news about a project that's been quietly moving forward without you. An old skill you'd stopped using comes in handy out of nowhere. A weekend hobby reminds you why you started it in the first place. Lucky Numbers: 15, 32, 51 CANCER A long-postponed appointment finally gets scheduled and turns out painless. Someone you rarely hear from reaches out with good news. A small home repair reveals a bigger fix you're glad you caught early. Wednesday's mood shifts for no clear reason, then clears just as fast. A family photo or old keepsake resurfaces at exactly the right time. Lucky Numbers: 9, 27, 44 LEO An idea you pitched weeks ago resurfaces with new interest attached to it. A minor traffic delay puts you in the right place at the right time. Someone compliments a decision you made and had quietly doubted. Thursday's plans get busier than expected, but in a good way. A small act of generosity toward a stranger circles back around sooner than expected. Lucky Numbers: 6, 21, 55 VIRGO A spreadsheet error you catch early saves someone else a headache later on. A friend asks for your opinion on something bigger than they let on. Midweek brings a package or delivery you'd forgotten was even coming. A workout or errand you'd been dreading turns out easier than expected. Someone else's mistake teaches you something you'll use to your advantage later. Sunday's plans simplify themselves, and you're grateful for the extra room. Lucky Numbers: 12, 30, 47 LIBRA A group chat resurfaces an old joke that somehow still works. Someone reschedules on you, and the new time actually suits you better. A purchase you hesitated over proves worth it by Thursday afternoon. A conversation with a neighbor reveals something you didn't know about your own street. A small compromise this week costs less than you feared it might. Lucky Numbers: 3, 18, 42 SCORPIO A tool or gadget you've used for years finally breaks, forcing an upgrade you'll appreciate. Someone challenges an opinion of yours, and you end up half agreeing. A minor scheduling conflict resolves itself before you have to choose. Thursday's weather changes your plans for the better. An overdue conversation with a friend clears the air faster than expected. Lucky Numbers: 17, 35, 61 SAGITTARIUS A last-minute change of plans sends you somewhere you wouldn't have chosen yourself. You'll spend more time outdoors this week than you'd planned. A message from an old friend arrives at exactly the right moment. Saturday's to-do list shrinks itself when one item turns out unnecessary. Something you learn by accident midweek changes how you approach a bigger decision. Lucky Numbers: 2, 29, 50 CAPRICORN A task you assumed would take all day wraps up before lunch. Someone senior notices work you thought had gone unremarked. A bill you expected turns out smaller than budgeted. Sunday's plans clear up space for something you'd shelved for weeks. A friend's advice you brushed off earlier turns out to have been right. . Lucky Numbers: 8, 31, 53 AQUARIUS A new app or gadget saves you more time than you expected it to. Someone invites you somewhere unfamiliar, and it's worth the discomfort. A disagreement turns out to be about timing, not substance. A younger relative or friend teaches you something useful without meaning to. A plan you almost skipped ends up being the highlight of your week. Lucky Numbers: 5, 22, 46 PISCES A piece of music unexpectedly shifts your mood for the better this week. Cleaning out one drawer or folder clears more mental space than physical. An old conversation crosses your mind and reads differently now that time has passed. A small act of kindness from someone you barely know stays with you. A decision you second-guessed all week turns out to have been the right one. Lucky Numbers: 13, 36, 64

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 33

HOPE

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BLACK DEATHS from Page 16 Authorities determined that she died by suicide and closed the investigation within days, but her family questioned that conclusion. On June 18, Miller of Flint, Michigan, was found dead at Gwen Cherry Park in Miami. Claims that Miller had been lynched spread across social media. Miami-Dade authorities said the evidence was consistent with suicide and that investigators found no evidence of foul play. Even within Miller’s family, there was disagreement. Her sister publicly rejected the suicide explanation, while an aunt said she accepted it after speaking with investigators and the medical examiner. On June 30, Jerard Jackson was found hanging from a tree in Rothbury, Michigan. Each death has its own evidence, witnesses, forensic details, and unanswered questions, and civil rights advocates say every family deserves answers grounded in those facts. “When we talk about lynch-

ing today, we must recognize it in all its modern forms, racially motivated murders, hate crimes, and systemic violence that target marginalized groups,” said Angela Farhnam, a 47-year-old historian. “Understanding this is crucial to breaking cycles of oppression.” Then another mother got a telephone call. Fortune was found on Aug. 3 behind the vacant Jackson house. Her body was identified three days later. An autopsy was performed on Aug. 12. Authorities have not publicly announced a final cause and manner of death, and Jackson police have said the investigation remains open. Her mother has already made her position unmistakable. “She did not do this to herself,” Christy Spivey told ABC News.

Trauma that Stretches from Mississippi Across the Country

For Mississippi, these questions come on ground marked by a violent history. Years af-

3 In his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” Duane “Keffe D” Davis, acknowledges being in the Cadillac and describes obtaining the gun that killed rapper Tupac Shakur in September 1996 and handing it toward the back seat. (Courtesy Photo)

TUPAC from Page 4 the trigger to hold him responsible for the murder. Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal told jurors that Davis acquired a weapon and “went hunting” for Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight. The hunt, prosecutors said, ended when the Cadillac carrying Davis and three other men encountered Knight’s BMW. The Cadillac turned around.

A gun was passed, then came the bullets. Knight was wounded and Shakur never left the hospital alive. For years, the case seemed destined to remain one of American music’s most notorious unsolved murders. There was no recovered murder weapon. The Cadillac disappeared. The other three men authorities identified as occupants of the car died before Davis ever stood trial. Davis kept talking. He talked in interviews. He talked for documentaries. He described the night in his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend.” He acknowledged being in the Cadillac and described obtaining the gun and handing it toward the back seat. Those words eventually followed him into court. “I never thought this case would be closed but here we are, incredible that he just couldn't shut up about [it] and fade away,” one social media user wrote in response to news of the ruling. WI

ter Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy visiting Mississippi from Chicago, was abducted, tortured, and murdered after being accused of offending a white woman. His killers were acquitted, but the photo of Till’s mutilated body became a defining image of the civil rights movement because his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, made sure America saw what happened to her son. Seventy years later, another Black mother in Mississippi is refusing to quietly accept an explanation she believes does not fit her child’s death. Civil rights attorney Jill Collen Jefferson has been looking beyond individual cases. Her organization, JULIAN, released “A Crimson Record: Seven State Modern-Day Lynching Report 2000-2025” in February. The organization says it documented

more than 70 deaths it considers suspected modern-day lynchings across Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama, including 20 in Mississippi. President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act in 2022, making lynching a specific federal hate crime, more than a century after the first federal anti-lynching legislation was introduced. “The trauma caused by lynchings stretches across generations,” said David Kim, a 29-year-old social worker. “It’s not just an isolated event; it creates fear, fractures communities, and demands that we confront uncomfortable truths about safety and equality in our society.” Bernice King, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., urged restraint after Fortune’s death while acknowledging ex-

actly why that restraint is difficult. “We also cannot dismiss the fear and painful history these circumstances evoke for Black communities, especially in Mississippi,” King said. “That history makes transparency, thoroughness, and truth essential.” This may be where these deaths connect—not in proof that lynch mobs have returned, but in the distrust and in families asking investigators to be transparent. And they gather behind a vacant house on Road of Remembrance, where Tasia Fortune’s four children lost their mother and Christy Spivey lost her daughter. The investigation must determine how Fortune died, while her mother waits. “I know my daughter,” Spivey said, “and she did not do this to herself.” WI

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 35

SPORTS

3 Spirit defender Tara Rudd looks to make a play in Washington’s 1-0 win against Bay FC at Audi Field on Sunday, Aug. 30. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

Spirit Make Their Return Back To The Win Column With 1-0 Victory Over Bay FC at Audi Field By Skylar Nelson WI Contributing Writer The Washington Spirit secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Bay FC in front of 16,817 fans at Audi Field for Hello Kitty Day on Aug. 30. Washington’s Sunday victory snapped their four-game winless streak, keeping the team in second place in the NWSL standings heading into September. The Spirit’s lone goal came just before halftime. Forward Trinity Rodman fired a shot off the crossbar, with defender Paige Metayer following up to knock the ball into the net, giving Washington the 1-0 lead. “Just when [Rodman] had the ball, you know [we] kind of just want to be in the box,” said Metayer. “You never know what’s going to happen. So obviously she sliced and diced and the ball thankfully fell to me. So I just wanted to make sure it was over the line. I wasn’t sure if it was in or not, but can’t be too sure in those situations.” Strong defensive plays and key saves from goalkeeper Sandy Maclver helped the Spirit hold onto their lead, earning all three match points in the

end. This match also marked the debuts of midfielders Mélissa Bethi and Monnique Ngock. Bethi is the first Algerian player in NWSL history and Ngock led her native Cameroon in its first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WACON) championship over Malawi on Sunday Aug. 16. The Washington Spirit will look to build on that momentum on the road, when they face the Portland Thorns FC on Sunday, Sept. 6. Match kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET. “I think we’ve done a good job of accepting the [four-game winless streak] situation and trying to be

5Spirit players work to block a shot attempt from Bay FC, in Washington’s 1-0 home victory at Audi Field on Sunday, Aug. 30. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

36 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

humble and try to bring that desire again. We know how important it is for the team to bring that energy here at Audi. I want to thank, again, all the fans, because I think it’s been huge. Their support, when we are winning and losing so they are always there and that’s huge for us,” said Head Coach Adrián González. “I think the team is showing the personality that we wanna have. We want to fight until the end. And we’re gonna compete every single game until the end.” WI 3 Washington Spirit dancers pass out the complementary Spirit Hello Kitty hats ahead of the team’s match against Bay FC on Sunday, Aug. 30. (Marcus Relacion/ The Washington Informer)

5Bay FC’s midfielder Taylor Huff versus Spirit defenders in Washington’s 1-0 victory at Audi Field on Sunday, Aug. 30. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer) 4 A mother poses with her daughter as they hold a “Rise Up, DC” Spirit sign and Hello Kitty doll during the Washington Spirit’s Hello Kitty Match Day against Bay FC at Audi Field on Sunday, Aug. 30. (Marcus Relacion/The Washington Informer)

3Both the Washington Spirit and Bay FC gather on the field together ahead of the match kickoff at Audi Field on Sunday, Aug. 30, to celebrate their players who participated in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. (Marcus Relacion/ The Washington Informer)

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CAPTURE the moment

The Culture Quest Kids Fest: STEAM and Creativity Lab took place on Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Deanwood Community Center, transforming the recreation center into an interactive learning playground. Presented by the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser, this free community festival focused heavily on sparking creativity early by providing young minds with hands-on exposure to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) alongside essential literacy experiences. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer). (Rob Roberts/The Washington Informer).

3 And Then…It’s Time to Dance! - As the evening unfolds, the glow of sparklers signals that dinner is over, and the celebration is just beginning. Guests raise their sparklers, the energy rises, and Dîner en Blanc DC shifts from elegant dining to a night of music, dancing and celebration. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

Diner En Blanc DC 2026: Guests Sparkle, Shine, Dine Downtown 3 The Night Begins - Dressed in white and ready for an unforgettable evening, Dîner en Blanc DC participants arrive with everything they need, from tables and chairs to place settings and picnic baskets, to create their own elegant dining experience. The excitement builds as guests transform the secret location on Aug. 29, from 11th to 13th and Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest into a spectacular sea of white. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

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5A Table Set for an Extraordinary Evening - With tables beautifully set and guests gathered in their finest white attire, Dîner en Blanc DC comes to life. Seated with friends and fellow guests, participants await the signal to wave their handkerchiefs and begin the meal they prepared for this special night. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 37

RELIGION MARCH from Page 1 things that happened in the past, and yet with all the attacks…and attempts to roll back the gains of [that era], we need a stronger, more active, more vibrant pro-democracy movement today,” Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, vice president of programs and strategy at Interfaith Alliance, told The Informer. “The march was really about [fulfilling that] need…to reassert the promise of the United States and equal citizenship under the law.” Not unlike 1963, clergy, policymakers, and advocates from around the nation dawned the nation’s capital with powerful directives and spirited resistance to charge the Lincoln Memorial ––only this time the demands were rooted in preserving efforts that began merely 60-some years ago. With the landmark Louisiana v. Callais ruling in April, SCOTUS opted to reinterpret key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, upending decades of precedent and allowing Southern

states to redraw their congressional maps in the process. Meanwhile, as mail-in voting for midterm elections starts this week, the latest update in the legal battle comes from a whistleblower report released Monday, Aug. 31. According to several news outlets, the whistleblower claims “untested technology” and hidden procedures –– under President Donald Trump’s push to restrict voting by mail this November –– could result in a derailed midterm and increase vulnerability potential “for mass disenfranchisement.” “We're seeing the most aggressive anti-Black, racist gerrymandering and attempt to take away Black political power that we've seen, definitely in my lifetime, but really since the gains of the Civil Rights Movement,” Graves-Fitzsimmons told The Informer on Friday, “that kind of threat means we have to do everything we can in the next few months, but then…long term solutions in rebuilding American democracy after this Trump fever ends.”

3 Thousands gather at the Lincoln Memorial for the 2026 March on Washington: Defend the Vote. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)

Held 63 years to the date the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, the event pointed to the reality of a hope that has yet to be actualized for America. “Unfortunately, we are in the midst of a disgraceful attempt by some politicians to return our nation to the days of unchecked racism, murder, selfishness and greed,” co-convener Martin Luther King III said on Aug. 28. “Human progress... does not roll in on the wheels and inevitability. It requires the tireless work of dedicated people of all races willing to stand up for justice.”

Inside the March: Who Gets a Vote?

King III, leader of the Drum Major Institute, teamed up with National Action Network founder, the Rev. Al Sharpton, to host the historic revival that culminated in a march to the memorial in honor of the former’s father, whose name he carries. Anchored in a banner-turned-promise to secure democracy, the affair also centered on a three-point demand for economic dignity, voting rights and affordability for all Americans. “We're seeing the most aggressive anti-Black, racist gerrymandering and attempt to take away Black political power that we've seen, definitely in my lifetime, but really since the gains of the Civil Rights Movement,” Graves-Fitzsimmons, who delivered one of the multifaith invocations, “that kind of threat means we have to do everything we can in the next few months, but then…long term solutions in rebuilding American democracy after this Trump fever ends.” Among the leadership who topped the Lincoln Memorial with fuel and fire: Melanie Campbell (National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP); Marc Morial (National

38 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

Urban League); several youth leaders of historically Black colleges and Greek-letter organizations; plus the Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley, president of the National Council of Negro Women, who donned the stage with an organizational mission to register 1 million voters by late November. Elected officials including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) and New York House Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) took to the stage with reflections on the strategies and tools that built the original movement. Meanwhile, local leaders like Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Democratic nominee for mayor of Washington, D.C., and Robert White Jr. (D-At-large), poised to replace District Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, hit close to home challenging definitions of suffrage and representation. "The people of Washington, D.C., have less power to fight back than Americans in every state in this nation,” Lewis George reminded the crowd on Aug. 28. “Congress can overturn our laws, they can interfere with our budget, the federal government can put troops on our streets, and we don’t have a vote in Congress. This isn’t an oversight, my people. This is disenfranchisement.” Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger brought a victory to Lincoln Memorial in a plea for returning citizens to have a voice at the ballot box. After reminding audiences that governors are the sole officials who can restore voting rights to ex-offenders –– what she denounced as “a shameful relic of Jim Crow’s past” –– she pointed to the power of expanding participation in the democratic process.

‘The Conscience of the State’

Reflecting on the ethics of church-

state separation, Graves-Fitzsimmons said modern faith leaders can emulate those of the Civil Rights Movement, many of whom championed democratic principles with a morality clause foremost in mind. “Dr. King marched with Rabbi Heschel [in 1963]. There were rabbis speaking at the event [63 years later]. We have to model that,” he explained. “The church should be neither the servant nor the master of the state; it should be the conscience of the state. The response can't be to get religion out of public life because that will only fuel more bad religious expression. What we need is a confident, pluralistic approach.” For the Interfaith Alliance executive, that includes denouncing anti-democratic movements that “drapes itself in religion,” namely threats of white Christian nationalism and efforts to push divisiveness across different belief systems. Further, he implored congregants of all denominations to recognize that democracy is about far more than protest and voter participation. “It's also meeting with members of your city council, getting involved in every level of government. It’s coming together with people and joining an organization,” Graves-Fitzsimmons told The Informer, also nodding to the impact of economic boycotts. “I think for many people it’s just so easy to sort of give up and accept the democratic backsliding and rollback of civil rights…but each of us has a call to be courageous.” Similarly, the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., president of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), told The Informer that these times warrant reflection on progress as much as the work ahead. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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the religion corner

RELIGION

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Running With the Vision and Favorable Grace

Have you ever had a dream in your heart that you couldn't let go? Sometimes God places a vision in you that is far bigger than your current circumstances. While watching the story of the racehorse Secretariat again, this message came to me. In the early 1970s, Penny Chenery inherited a struggling horse farm and a massive estate tax bill. She entered a racing industry dominated by men who doubted she could succeed. The common advice was simple: sell the farm and walk away. Instead, Penny held on with unwavering faith. Secretariat was born with a heart more than double the size of an average horse, a true miracle. Her persistent faith led Secretariat to win the Triple Crown in 1973, cementing his place in history. What has God put in your heart that others cannot see? Don't confuse your current situation with what God has promised. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." You can't always trust critics, but you can trust God. When he gives the vision, he gives the provision. While the average horse heart weighs around 8.5 pounds, Secretariat's heart was an astonishing 22 pounds, perfectly built for unprecedented speed. Long before Penny faced crushing debts, God had already prepared the vehicle for her victory. She obtained success by exercising an unstoppable attitude. In the exact same way, God

has already made the way for you. He was already placing giant-sized grace, strength and resources inside your life to ensure you finish your race victoriously. To settle her family's estate taxes, Penny syndicated Secretariat's breeding rights that February for a record $6.08 million, retaining four shares and his 1973 racing earnings. His Triple Crown run that spring, still ahead of him, only multiplied what she had already secured. For decades after, she monetized his legacy through managed media rights, licensed merchandise and public appearances. Don't let doubters stop you either. When enemies tried to distract Nehemiah from rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, he declared in Nehemiah 6:3, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down." Sometimes the best answer to critics is simply moving forward. When God told Noah to build the ark, Noah didn't wait for

Don't let doubters stop you either. When enemies tried to distract Nehemiah from rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, he declared in Nehemiah 6:3, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down."

public approval either. Hold fast to your convictions. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Think of a seed in the ground; growth is happening beneath the surface. Don't dig up your seed out of impatience. The key word is "now." Faith also requires action. Penny Chenery didn't just wish for a miracle; she took risks. As James 2:26 states, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." If God gave you an idea, start working on it. Stop waiting for conditions to be perfect. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Jesus promised in John 16:13, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth." When you feel lost, pray. Waiting doesn't mean he forgot you; he may be preparing you. When Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont Stakes, he finished 31 lengths ahead, setting a record that still stands today. That oversized heart, as it turned out, was built for exactly that kind of distance, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. The other horses simply didn't have that kind of heart. It was impossible for them to come close to Secretariat. Thirty-one lengths ahead is remarkable. God can do things in your life so extraordinary that others will see his hand. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Don't stop because the road gets hard. When God gives you the vision, he provides the favorable grace to finish. Keep running, your story isn't over yet. Think on these things. WI

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SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 39

RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 / Fax: 301-499-8724 Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 AM 7 10:00 AM Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Blessed Word

Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Joel R. Limerick Pastor

Rev. Dr. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

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

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

Service and Times In Person Worship: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. Streaming: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org Prayer & Study: Wednesday @ 12 Noon and 7:00 P.M.

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM Communion Service: First Sunday

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

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

Reverend William Young IV Pastor

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

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

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00 AM Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30 PM www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423 Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10 AM Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00 PM Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00 PM Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10 AM themcbc.org

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30 PM (dinner @ 5:30 PM) Sunday School: 9:00 AM – Hour of Power “An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantdc.org

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship 8:00 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Tuesday: 7:00 PM – Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: 12:30 PM – Mid-Day Bible Study Wednesday: 7:00 PM – Evening Bible Study Baptism - 3rd Sunday – Communion 4th Sunday Free Food Giveaway – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm “We are One in the Spirit” www.ssbcmd.org | secretary@ssbcmd.org

Campbell AME Church

2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org

Service and Times Divine Worship, Sunday 10:00 a.m. Communion 1st and 3rd Sunday “Friendliest Church in the City” Website: mountolivetdc.org Email: mtolivedc@gmail.com

Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness - Senior Pastor Rev. Ali Gail Holness-Roland Assistant & Youth Pastor

40 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. / Senior Pastor 5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301.899.8885 – Fax 301.899.2555

1306 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Rev. Terrance M. McKinley Senior Pastor

Adams Inspirational A.M.E. Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education / School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration

www.livingwatersmd.org

John F. Johnson Reverend Dr.

All Nations Baptist Church

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

Church of Living Waters

12801 Old Fort Road • Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Office (301) 292.6323 • FAX (301) 292.2164 Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:15 am Sunday Church School 11:00 am Youth Sunday every 4th Sunday Prayer Call @ Noon every Tuesday & Thursday 978.990.5166 code: 6166047# Virtual Bible Study Wednesday Facebook & Zoom 7:00 pm “A Growing Church for a Coming Christ” www.adamsinspirationalamec.org

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 8:45 AM Bible Study: Wednesday: 12:00 Noon, Wednesday: 7:00 PM, Thursday: 7:00 PM “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address : Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Emmanuel Baptist Church Rev. Christopher L. Nichols Pastor 2409 Ainger Place SE Washington, DC 20020 / Office: (202) 678-0884 “Moving Faith Forward” 0% Perfect . . . 100% Forgiven! Service and Times Sunday: Worship Service – 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM 3rd Sunday: Unity Service – 11:00 AM (Only One Service) Sunday School: 10:00 AM Monday: Unity Bible Study – 5:00 PM Call-In Number: (646) 749-3112/ Access Code: 971155757 Tuesday: Prayer Service – 6:00 PM & Family Bible Study – 7:00 PM Call-In Number: (872) 240-3212/Access Code: 164695965 Wednesday: Noonday Worship – 12:00 PM Thursday: Adult Bible Study – 7:00 PM Call-In Number: (646) 749-3112/Access Code: 843069541 Friday: Impact Focus (Online) – 7:30 PM Saturday: Children's Church (Online) – 6:00 PM Website: www.ebcwdc.org

Third Street Church of God Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

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

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

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday Community Worship Service: 8:30 AM

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Church School: 9:20 AM Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 AM Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 PM Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!” Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital” www.thirdstreet.org Live Stream Sunday Worship Service begins @ 12:00 noon www.thirdstreet.org

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Reverend John W. Davis Pastor 5101 14th Street, NW / Washington, DC 20011 Phone: 202-726-2220 Fax: 202-726-9089 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service - 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Children’s Church - 11:00 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sundays) Communion - 10 a.m. 4th Sunday Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. (4th Sunday 8:15 a.m.) Prayer Meeting & Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. “A Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 AM Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 PM Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 PM Prayer Service Bible Study

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor 4504 Gault Place, N.E. / Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service : 11:00 AM The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Prayer & Praise Services: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: 7:30 PM Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries: 10:30 AM

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr. Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor 610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Sunday Worship Service: 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45 AM; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45 AM; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6:00 AM & 6:30 PM Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church / Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org / emailus@gmchc.org

Shiloh Church of God 7th Day Elder Jonathan M. Carson Senior Pastor

5701 Eastern Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20782 Phone: 301 559-5262 Service and Times Sabbath Worship @ 1:00 pm in-person/FB/Zoom Tuesday - Prayer@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Wednesday - Bible Study@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Friday - Sabbath School@ 7:30 pm on Zoom Web: shiloh7thday.org Email: shiloh7thdaycomm@gmail.com "A culturally diverse church of edification, deliverance and transformation"

Place your church ad here! Contact Ron Burke rburke@washingtoninformer.com

A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

RELIGION Zion Baptist Church

Israel Baptist Church Rev. Lance Aubert Senior Pastor

Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School 10:15 a.m. – Worship Service Wed. Noon: Dea. Robert Owens Bible Study 7 PM Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission: Zion shall: Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, And Exalt our Savior. (Acts 2: 41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:45 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:45 AM Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 PM Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 PM Bible Study: Tuesday at 10:30 AM

Mount Moriah Baptist Church Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM Sunday School: 9:15 AM Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 PM Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

Rehoboth Baptist Church

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lincolnpark@lpumcdc.org www.lpumcdc.org Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10:00 AM Holy Communion: First Sunday 10:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30 PM Motto: "Faith On The Hill"

Eastern Community Baptist Church Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor 5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged. The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

“Where God is Praised, Christ is Obeyed, and People are Loved”

New Commandment Baptist Church Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

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

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

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

The Reverend Canon Michele Hagans Priest

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

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958 Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist

www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Promised Land Baptist Church

Dr. Joseph D. Turner Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 PM Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 PM Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 PM

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

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

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church

2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 9:30 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 9:30 AM Sunday School: 8:15 AM Bible Study: Wednesdays at Noon Baptism: 4th Sunday 9:30 AM

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

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

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

Rev. Richard B. Black Interim Pastor

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

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

Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

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

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

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

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Website address: www.mmbcdc.org

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Early Morning Prayer & Bible Study Class: 8:00 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Wednesday Service: 12:00 PM “The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address: admin@pbc712.org

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Oran W. Young Pastor

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

401 Van Buren St., NW, Washington D.C. 20012 Office (202)-882-8331

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday

Service and Times Adult Sunday School: 8:00 AM Sunday Worship Services: 9:30 AM Youth/Young Adult Sunday School 12:00 PM Midday Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 11:30AM Evening Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00 PM Laymen's League: Thursday 7:00 PM

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 AM Sunday School: 9:00 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30AM & 10:30 AM Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 PM. Wednesday 12 Noon

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant Pastor

"Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ." Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

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

Join us for our live broadcast every Friday at Noon!

facebook.com/WashingtonInformer youtube.com/WashingtonInformerTV • X: @WashInformer Hosted by

Denise Rolark Barnes - Publisher of The Washington Informer WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 41

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

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

2026 FEP 000109

2026 ADM 000768

2026 ADM 000770

2025 ADM 001387

2021 ADM 001618

Reginald Thornton aka Reginald D. Thornton Decedent

Sarah Elizabeth Bethea Decedent

Tamar Peli Decedent

Lloyd Scaife Decedent

December 28, 2021 Date of Death Edna Becton Pittmon Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Stanwyn Becton whose address is 1668 Grand Meadow Drive, Gambrills, MD 21054 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Edna Becton Pittmon, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on December 28, 2021. Service of process may be made upon Monica Thomas Hawkins 4819 Illinois Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20011 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 4819 Illinois Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20011. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Murray D. Scheel DC Bar Pro Bono Center 901 4th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Denise Ross, whose address is 113 Jefferson Road, Waldorf MD 20602, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sarah Elizabeth Bethea who died on May 30, 2020 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/20/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/20/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Stanwyn Becton Personal Representative

Reginald Jeffries, whose address is 235 Mississippi Ave SE, Apt 101, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Reginald Thornton aka Reginald D. Thornton who died on April 3, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/20/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/20/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Date of first publication: 8/20/2026

TRUE TEST COPY

Reginald Jeffries Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

TRUE TEST COPY

Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 8/20/2026

Washington Informer

Date of first publication: 8/20/2026 Denise Ross Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Phase 2 Declaration of Nationality Protocol In God We Trust. Declaration of Nationality. Notice of White Flag Surrender. Notice of Special Appearance : I am that I am: " Robert Anthony Garcia © ", in full life, in propria persona, sui juris, in solo proprio, Haqdar by natural issue, the beneficiary and heir of: “ ROBERT ANTHONY GARCIA ", corp.sole Dba.: " ROBERT A. GARCIA© ", , having reached the age of majority, being aboriginal to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa, the Atlantic Islands, the continental Americas, being duly certified, hereby affirms to declare my tribal intention to be as my pedigree subscribes, as a: Moorish American, but not a citizen of the United States. I declare permanent, and unalienable, allegiance to The Moorish Empire, Al Maghreb Al Aqsa, Estados al Marikanos, Societas Republicae Ea Al Maurikanuus Estados, The Constitution for the united States of America, Article III Section 2, The Lieber Code, Hague Conventions of 1899 & 1907, The Geneva Conventions, [ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ], and all natural laws governing moors, and hereby declare and proclaim my nationality in good faith as a: Moorish American. I am that I am: " Robert Anthony Garcia© ", from this day forward, in harmony with my Nationality / Status / Jurisdiction, shall be known as: " robert anthony garcia© ". Notice of White Flag Surrender: as "hors de combat", pursuant to The Geneva Conventions, Article III, as a minister of The Moorish Empire, and Internationally Protected Person. Notice of: LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND HAGUE, IV), ARTICLE: 32, 45, 46, & 47. Notice of Claim pursuant to Public Law 87-846, TITLE II, SEC. 203. Notice of Bailment Merging of Legal Title with Equitable Title : This order is to preserve legal and equitable title , and to reserve all rights, title, and interest, in the property, Re: COUNTY CLERK-RECORDER RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA : STATE FILE NUMBER, :19533018858 " ROBERT ANTHONY GARCIA© ", is as a special deposit order, conveyed to " ROBERT ANTHONY GARCIA© ". All property of the same issue and amount, in like kind and specie, is to be returned fully intact, as a Special Deposit order of the Depositor / Beneficiary / Bailor / Donor / Principal / Creditor: " robert anthony garcia© ", nom deguerre: " Robert Anthony Garcia© ", as a special deposit order in lawful money. This special deposit is to be used exclusively for the benefit of : " ROBERT ANTHONY GARCIA© ", an Inter Vivos Unincorporated Divine Grantor Trust. This deposit is not to be commingled with general assets of any bank, nor depositary / trustee / agent / bailee / donee / debtor. This deposit is not limited to, but including: discharge and set off, of any and all outstanding liabilities as accord and satisfaction. Inter alia enact fuit. All Rights Reserved. Deo volente.

42 SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026

Xue F. Connelly Friedman, Grimes, Meinken & Leischner 616 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ben Peli, whose address is 3004 Sayre Rd., Fairfax, VA 22031, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Tamar Peli who died on 9/22/2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/20/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/20/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/20/2026 Ben Peli Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Richard Scaife, whose address is 9206 Ivanhoe Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lloyd Scaife who died on 04/03/2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedents’ Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/20/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/20/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/20/2026 Richard Scaife Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 001026

2026 ADM 000822

2026 ADM 000801

2026 ADM 000877

Beatrice Brown Decedent

Shirley J. Quander Decedent

Verline McFadden Decedent

Barbara Ann Boyd Decedent

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

Ciji Simmons and Kelvin Christian, whose addresses are 413 Prairie Court, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Beatrice Brown who died on 12/19/2022 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/27/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/27/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Marie A. Lambert, whose address is 7642 Buzz Aldrin Ln, Lanham MD 20706, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley J. Quander who died on 10/7/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/27/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/27/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Michelle Lanchester, Esq. 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 297 Largo, MD 20774 Attorney

Date of first publication: 8/27/2026 Ciji Simmons Kelvin Christian Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 8/27/2026 Marie A. Lambert Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Maya K. Little, whose address is 1611 8th St., NW, Washington, DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Verline McFadden who died on 11/27/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 2/27/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 2/27/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 8/27/2026 Maya K. Little Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Christopher O’Donnell Boyd, whose address is 526 Nicholson Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Barbara Ann Boyd who died on March 21, 2026 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Christopher O’Donnell Boyd Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER / WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

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

2026 ADM 000887

2026 ADM 000565

2026 ADM 000840

2026 ADM 000866

2026 ADM 000867

Donne’ Micole Malloy Decedent

Gloria W. Clanton Decedent

Kenneth C. Darrell Jr. Decedent

Randle D. Richardson aka Randle Richardson Decedent

Thelma Herling Collins Decedent

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

Dari K. Malloy, whose address is 762 Brady Ave. Apt. 429 Bronx NY 10462, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Donne’ Micole Malloy who died on August 7, 2026 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

George D. Clanton and Gail A. Clanton, whose addresses are 15222 Baughman Dr., Silver Spring MD 20906 & 4519 Thoroughbred Dr., Upper Marlboro MD 20772, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Gloria W. Clanton who died on April 9, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Xenia Elvis, whose address is 5034 Black Chaw Street, Indian Head MD 20640, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Kenneth C. Darrell Jr. who died on June 29, 2026 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 9/3/2026

Dari K. Malloy Personal Representative

George D. Clanton Gail A. Clanton Personal Representative

Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Xenia Elvis Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Jerome Cavanaugh, whose address is 3833 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Randle D. Richardson aka Randle Richardson who died on July 23, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Jerome Cavanaugh Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

Washington Informer

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Cedric Charles Collins, whose address is 13307 Trumpeter Swan Court, Upper Marlboro MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Thelma Herling Collins who died on May 22, 2026 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Cedric Charles Collins Personal Representative

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

2026 ADM 000829

2026 ADM 000874

2026 ADM 000876

2026 ADM 000882

2026 ADM 000886

Xenthain Mathews Decedent

Anna Lydia Rodriguez Castro aka Lydia Castro Decedent

Donald Hoskins Decedent

Mary L. Tooks aka Mary Lee Tooks Decedent

Nancy H. Stewart Decedent

Edward M. Biggin 200A Monroe Street, Suite 110 Rockville, MD 20850 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Doraine Gordon, whose address is 12405 Cecily Ct., Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Xenthain Mathews who died on 5/9/2026 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Doraine Gordon Personal Representative

Lindsey M. Avedisian 5425 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 600 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Lydia Castro-Perigo, whose address is 2918 Porter St., NW, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anna Lydia Rodriguez Castro aka Lydia Castro who died on 4/10/2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Lydia Castro-Perigo Personal Representative

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Cecilia R. Jones, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ashley Hoskins, whose address is 1735 Hampshire Ave., NW, Apt. 402, Washington DC 20009, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Donald Hoskins who died on 12/22/2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Ashley Hoskins Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Alexia Lynn Tooks, whose address is 1221 Newton St. NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary L. Tooks aka Mary Lee Tooks who died on January 3, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Alexia Lynn Tooks Personal Representative

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Holley Stewart, whose address is 490 M Street, SW, W601, Washington DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Nancy H. Stewart who died on April 19, 2024 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Holley Stewart Personal Representative

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Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2026 43

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

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

2026 FEP 000114

2026 ADM 000864

January 9, 2025 Date of Death

Thomas M. Williams, II Decedent

Ruth F. Matthews Name of Decedent

Joan M. Wilbon 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Michele Renee Bradley whose address is 11521 Maple Ridge Road, Reston VA 20190 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Ruth F. Matthews, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on February 14, 2025. Service of process may be made upon William Froehlich; 600 14th Street NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20005 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, 515 5th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Michele Renee Bradley Personal Representative Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Terri Merele Williams, whose address is 383 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Thomas M. Williams, II who died on 7/15/2005 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship. Date of first publication: 9/3/2026 Terri Merele Williams Personal Representative

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

2026 ADM 000361

2026 ADM 000889

Jessie Payne aka Jessie E. Payne Decedent

Robert Alan Kennedy Decedent

Sharon Legall, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Iris McCollum Green, Esq. 1714 15th Street, NW, Suite B Washington, DC 20009 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Doris Elizabeth Payne, whose address is 4317 Russell Avenue, Apt. 2, Mt. Rainier MD 20712, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jessie Payne aka Jessie E. Payne who died on 10/17/1981 without a Will. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Bruce Kennedy, whose address is 2925 Carmel Street, Apt. #2, Oakland CA 96402, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Robert Alan Kennedy who died on May 23, 2026 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before 3/3/2027. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 3/3/2027, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address, and relationship.

Date of first publication: 9/3/2026

Doris Elizabeth Payne Personal Representative

Bruce Kennedy Personal Representative

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Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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ODUNTAN from Page 26 motions. Another incarcerated man offered to show him how to fight his case but made one thing clear: Thomas would have to do the work himself. He did. Thomas still keeps one of the legal books he studied — a book containing the same laws he says had helped put him behind bars. "It's the same book that got me out," he said. For Thomas, one of the central disciplines associated with Black August — study — is anything but theoretical. Knowledge became an instrument of survival. Since emerging from California's prisons more than four decades ago, Black August has traveled far beyond the walls that produced it. Its roots, however, lie in a prison movement that confronted racial violence, isolation and the treatment of incarcerated Black people: conditions organizers believed the outside world too easily ignored. Now, as Black August enters its final days, longtime practitioners and formerly incarcerated people say the more important question is what happens when the month ends: Has the tradition spread faster than its meaning, and what remains when August is over? Thandisizwe Chimurenga has been considering those questions for decades. An author, multimedia journalist and activist who co-founded Black August Los Angeles, Chimurenga has observed Black August with other

GOLDSON from Page 26 ployers, mentors, nonprofits and families each play a role. 3DE by Junior Achievement was designed to answer a question every student eventually asks: why does this matter? Every day, I think about how we can better prepare students not just to graduate, but to thrive. And when I was the superintendent, I chose to partner with Junior Achievement of Greater Washington because they did what they said they were going to do. From sourcing volunteers to training educators on solving problems through practice, we're modernizing how students learn, communities engage, and our teachers thrive. The outcomes speak for themselves; the 4-year cohort graduation rate at Potomac High School was up 25.5 points in 2024, 85.6% compared to 68.9% pre-

members of the group since the 1990s. She sees something encouraging in its growing visibility. "What I'm seeing differently is more of an acknowledgment of Black August's origins," Chimurenga said. Those origins matter, she said, because many of the men who developed the tradition were already incarcerated, organizing under conditions that gave prison officials enormous control over communication, discipline and daily life. Its purpose was never celebration. "It's commemorating," Chimurenga said. "It's remembering, it's honoring, and it's recommitment." Even the increasingly common greeting "Happy Black August," she said, misses some of that solemnity. "It's not a happy time," Chimurenga said. "It's a very heavy time. A solemn time." The exchange she learned is simpler. One person says, "Black August." The response: "Resistance." For veteran organizer Kalonji Changa, preserving that meaning requires more than knowing the history. "Black August is not just a month," Changa said. "It is a lifestyle. It's a way of life." Changa, founder of Black Power Media and the FTP Movement, has spent August leading a study of George Jackson's "Blood in My Eye," examining Jackson's ideas about state power, political consciousness, and organizing. But Changa worries that revolutionary politics can become easier to display than to practice. A Jackson quota3DE in 2020. Reading proficiency in 9th and 10th grade went up 27.1 points and first-year college enrollment up 30.2 points. Perhaps most importantly, there was a 20.3-point drop in chronic absenteeism. When young people see purpose in what they're learning and can connect it to their own future, school becomes something they engage with not simply something they attend. These aren't isolated numbers. They're what happens when education, mentorship, and career exposure work together instead of in silos. Whether your child is planning on attending college or not, Junior Achievement is preparing the next workforce generation. The issue isn't whether this works; it's what and how much we're willing to invest. As students go back to school this fall, there will come a time when they start questioning

tion can be shared. Someone can fast. Neither necessarily requires sacrifice. "Revolution is not a sexy thing," Changa said. "Revolution is not cute. It's not about being seen." Chimurenga is less pessimistic about Black August entering music, social media, and popular culture. Greater visibility, she believes, can lead people toward history they might otherwise never encounter. The question is what they do once they find it. Black August emphasizes four principles: study, fast, train and fight. Someone who fasts without studying political prisoners, prison conditions or Black liberation movements, Chimurenga said, is "just not eating." Political prisoners remain central to that study. Chimurenga cited Geronimo Ji-Jaga, Leonard Peltier, Dhoruba Bin Wahad, Sundiata Acoli and Assata Shakur while discussing figures whose names became widely known in part because supporters outside prison kept their cases in public view. But she is equally concerned about the names people don't know. She pointed to Khatari Gaulden and Shaka At-Thinnin, incarcerated organizers associated with the history from which Black August emerged. They represent what Chimurenga called the "nameless, faceless" brothers whose organizing behind prison walls never generated the public profiles of better-known figures. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com. the value of their education and whether it's worth it to pursue a meaningful career. Our job is to ensure that we're creating the environment where they unquestionably want to do more, and better. So what happened with "The Founders" and the Arby case challenge? Stephanie and her cohort went on to win the ultimate prize in the 3DE national case competition. They didn't only succeed because of one winning idea for a project, it took a coordinated system built around them. Stephanie walked into high school afraid to raise her hand. She graduated having solved real business challenges and competed on a national stage. That transformation didn't happen by accident. It happened because we stopped thinking of education as something that happens only in schools and started building an ecosystem of opportunity around students instead. WI

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ing business. Contrast this grace with the treatment reserved for outsiders who aren't in the club, usually African American executives or other business leaders of color whose organizations come under strain — whether in municipal services, finance, or manufacturing. The institutional response is too often vilification, press leaks, and the immediate criminalization of business failure.

HARRIS from Page 27 slipped away. This election offers another chance. Democrats have the opportunity to reelect Moore in Maryland while electing Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, David Crowley in Wisconsin, Stacy Plaskett in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina and Aaron Ford in Nevada. Republican Rep. Byron Donalds is also well positioned to become Florida's first Black governor. In Minnesota, Republican Lisa Demuth is her party's nominee for governor, as is Republican John James in Michigan. Together, those victories would represent more than individual political successes. They would create something America has never experienced

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sumptions. Many Black men know what it feels like to be watched while shopping, stereotyped because of the clothes they wear, or judged simply because they are Black. On top of that, many of us grow up having conversations with our parents about how to act if we are ever stopped by the police. We aren't taught those lessons because our parents don't trust us. We are taught them because our parents are afraid of what could happen if someone else doesn't see our humanity. Living with that kind of pressure affects your mental health, whether people realize it or not. Constantly feeling like you have to prove you are not a threat is exhausting. Always feeling like you have to be perfect just to be treated fairly takes a toll. Those experiences create anxiety, fear and stress that many young Black men carry every single day, even if they never talk about it. I also think these experiences help explain why some young Black men feel disconnected from politics and voting. If you have spent your whole life

Consider a case I wrote about a few years ago involving Jack Brown III, a visionary African American entrepreneur who built CORE Services Group into one of New York City's most effective social services providers. Yet when CORE demanded tens of millions in overdue payments from the cash-strapped city for services delivered, city officials launched a campaign of press leaks and innuendo, suggesting that Brown's executive compensation was corrupt.

It was a classic example of how leaders of color can be character demonized in an instant. More recently, there's a troubling case in the American heartland involving both the forced liquidation of First Brands Group, an auto parts manufacturer that anchored many communities with jobs, and the unfair, aggressive prosecution of its founder, Patrick James. WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

with multiple Black governors serving simultaneously, sharing ideas, influencing one another through the National Governors Association and shaping state and national policy at the highest levels. A Lance Bottoms, Demuth or Plaskett victory would represent the first time the organization has had a Black woman in membership given that no Black woman has ever been elected governor in the United States. And a victory for Donalds, Demuth or James would represent the first time the organization had the viewpoint of a Black conservative. Having multiple African American governors at that table would strengthen the voices of communities that have too often been underrepresented in executive leadership. For the first time, a group of Black

governors could collaborate, exchange policy innovations, influence federal priorities and respond together to national crises. Every generation has inherited the responsibility to protect and expand American democracy, and oftentimes it is Black leadership at the forefront. Douglas Wilder opened the door. Deval Patrick proved the first Black governor was not the last. Wes Moore is demonstrating what Black executive leadership can achieve on the national stage even as Black excellence is under attack as DEI. And 2026 provides another opportunity to move beyond celebrating one history-making governor at a time by electing a generation of Black leaders whose collective influence can shape public policy for decades to come. WI

watching your community struggle no matter who is in office, it is easy to believe that your vote won't change anything. You see schools that need more resources, neighborhoods that deserve more investment, and communities asking for change year after year. After a while, some people stop believing anyone is listening. But I also believe that is exactly why voting matters. The people we elect make decisions about education, mental health funding, affordable housing, community programs, healthcare and criminal justice. Those decisions directly affect neighborhoods like mine and families like mine. If we want things to change, we can't sit back and expect someone else to make those choices for us. Our voices matter, and our votes do too. One of the biggest changes that needs to happen is the way we talk about mental health. We have to stop teaching young Black boys that crying makes them weak. We have to stop acting like asking for help is something to be embar-

rassed about. Real strength isn't pretending you're OK when you're not. Real strength is being honest enough to say you're struggling and courageous enough to ask for help. As I continue growing into the man I want to become, I'm learning that strength and vulnerability can exist at the same time. I can be determined, hardworking and resilient while still being honest about my emotions. I don't have to carry everything by myself, and neither does the next generation of young Black men. It's time we change the conversation. Instead of only telling young Black boys to be strong, we should also tell them it's OK to cry. It's OK to talk. It's OK to heal. Because when we create a generation of men who feel safe expressing themselves, we aren't making them weaker. We are giving them a better chance to live healthier, happier lives. And that is the kind of strength our communities have needed all along. WI

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