RECIPIENT OF THE DC BLACK MBA ASSOCIATION 2023 LEGACY AWARD
Serving Our Community in the DMV
Vol 60 No 34
June 5 - 11, 2025
White-Out Controversy Clouds Future of Initiative 83
Local Democrats Demand Increased Oversight, While Ward 8 Special Election Candidates Split on Whether to Fund the Measure By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer
5A representative from Make All Votes Count DC participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in January 2024 in Southeast, D.C. While nearly three out of four District voters approved Initiative 83— which would implement ranked-choice voting in the District and allow non-party voters to vote in primary elections— there remains the question of whether the D.C. Council will prioritize Initiative 83’s implementation in the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. (WI File Photo)
Ward 8’s newest council member will enter the John A. Wilson Building later this summer with a bevy of policy and budgetary issues on their plate, including that which concerns a yet-to-be-funded ballot initiative approved by District voters last fall. As revealed at a recent candidate forum, there’s some agreement that District officials, for the time being, should delay implementation of the ballot measure known as Initiative 83. For Mike Austin, it’s a matter of understanding its long-term effects and addressing the controversy surrounding the use of white-out on ballot petitions. “There was some misconception and confusion in how it was agendized and presented to the community, “ Austin, an attorney and former hospital executive, said on the evening of June 2 during a
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In RFK Campus Deal, Union Organizers Continue to Demand a Community Benefits Agreement
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DMV Music Professionals Spotlight Roots of Black, Queer Representation By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor
June not only kicks off the summer months, but celebrations of queer excellence and barrier-breaking musicians who fearlessly shape culture and defy boundaries year-round. From challenging genre stigmas and forging multigenerational connections, to obliterating social norms for marginalized groups, Black and queer culture have historically met at the crossroads of transformation and innovation, and DMV artists like Billy the Goat are deter5Mayor Muriel Bowser raised the Pride flag over the Wilson Building to kick-off 2025 World Pride in the District mined to carry on that storied responsibility. of Columbia. (Roy Lewis/The Washington Informer)
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State’s Attorney Braveboy Elected as Next Prince George’s County Executive
Shayla Owens to Represent District 5 on the Council By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer
By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced the Washington Commanders’ return to RFK campus, she described it as part of a larger effort to replace the tens of thousands of federal government jobs eliminated by the second Trump administration. However, as local union organizer Paul Schwalb
5Fresh off his performance at D.C. Black Pride’s opening reception (May 23), Southeast-born rapper Billy the Goat is encouraging Black creatives to push self-advocacy and not be afraid to shift the status quo, as he aims to bridge the gap between the respective queer and hip-hop communities. (Courtesy of Billy the Goat)
The Rhythm of Pride: Where Black Music and Queer Culture Collide
5Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrating the football team’s move back to RFK campus. With development on RFK campus tentatively scheduled for later this year, local labor advocates and unions are engaging in conversation with D.C. Council members and Commanders officials about the yet-to-be-solidified community benefits agreement. (WI File Photo/Abdullah Konte)
Prince Georgians voted State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) to serve as the next county executive, after she proved victorious in a crowded Democratic primary in March and Republican candidate Jonathan White, an Air Force veteran in the June 3 general election. At her victory party at Lanham’s Sobe Lounge, Braveboy heaped appreciation upon her God, her
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5Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy celebrates winning the county executive Democratic primary in March. (WI File Photo/ Robert R. Roberts)