VOL. 53, NO. 31 • MAY 17 - 23, 2018
May is Mental Health Awareness Month Taraji P. Henson, Celebs Tout Mental Health Awareness
Homelessness in D.C. Drops for Second Straight Year Regional Challenges Remain
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer D.C.’s own Taraji P. Henson and DeWanda Wise are just a couple of the many celebrities lending their support to increase mental health awareness. Henson, star of the hit television show “Empire,” and Wise, the star of Netflix’s reprisal of Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” are a part of a campaign from the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI). The District-based organization has launched #CureStigma, a campaign to raise awareness for the 1 in 5 adults living with a mental health condition. “What better time to do this than during the month of May, which has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month,” said Sandra Cofield, a Northeast personal trainer who suffers from a form of mental illness. “To have celebrities — well-known celebrities — join in and support this cause is tremendous because it does kind of lessens the stigma and affords your everyday person to come forward with whatever problem they might be dealing with privately.” According to NAMI, African Americans sometimes experience more severe forms of mental health conditions due to unmet needs and other barriers. The Health and Human Services office of Minority Health reported that African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experi-
HEALTH Page 22
Antique Barber Chairs See story on Page 23
By Tatyana Hopkins WI Staff Writer
5 Howard University alum and actor Chadwick Boseman delivers the commencement address and a Wakanda salute on May 12. /Photo by Roy Lewis SEE PAGE 42 for complete story and more photos
Malcolm X Week Returns to D.C. after Long Hiatus
Homelessness in the District declined for a second year in a row, according to a federal report released last week. The Metropolitan Council of Governments annual report shows homelessness decreased by nearly 8 percent from last year in the D.C. However, this year’s 6,904 figure from 7,473 last year still remains higher than a previous count five years ago at 6,865.
HOMELESS Page 11
Organizers Hope to Reach New Generation of Activists By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor @dkevinmcneir It’s been more than 20 years since Washington, D.C. took centerstage with a week of events commemorating the life, achievements and contributions of Malcolm X. Finally, the wait’s over with seminars, summits and a march among the many planned activities, May 14-20 in venues across the District, which organizers say will address some of the most pressing issues facing urban communities today. Charles Stephenson, Jr., a former Congressional staffer and Malcolm X
Week co-founder, says he and others committed to the celebration and its resurgence, hope that it will catch fire with today’s youth so “we can begin to work with and cultivate a new generation of activists.” “When we first began planning Malcolm X celebrations, we were focused on bringing greater unity to our community while also creating a platform for organizations concerned with social justice, civil rights and more equitable education where we could all sit down, put our heads together and work toward solutions,” said Stephenson, who has been a staunch advocate
MALCOLM X Page 40
5 A squatter’s camp near Union Station. /Photo by Brigette White
Celebrating 53 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area