RECIPIENT OF THE DC BLACK MBA ASSOCIATION 2023 LEGACY AWARD
Vol 60 No 5.
The Collins Council Report: Post-Election Plans in the Wilson Building
Serving Our Community in the DMV
November 14 - 20, 2024
Sports Page 34
District Honors the Legacy of Ruby Bridges More than 60 Years Later
By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer
On Nov. 12, District Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and the D.C. Council returned to the John A. Wilson Building from a holiday weekend following what many considered the disappointment of former President Donald J. Trump’s electoral victory. The council dived into a legislative agenda centering on independent oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), adequate preparation for and response to seizures on school grounds, and illegal dumping, among other issues. Meanwhile, Bowser outlined her plans for engaging the new Trump administration and GOP-controlled Congress. Below is an overview of what took place on the fifth 5Despite concerns about a potentially unhinged president, Bowser said she plans to treat
President-elect Donald Trump and new GOP congressional leadership no differently than
REPORT Page 11 other federally elected officials she’s encountered as District mayor. (WI File Photo)
A Mayoral Snafu Emboldens Candidate in an Undecided ANC Race Elissa De Souza Celebrates, Stands by Preemptive, Congratulatory Call from Mayor Bowser’s Office
Safe Passage to School a Priority in District Today By Dr. Patrise Holden WI Contributing Writer
On the morning of November 14, 1960, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges, wearing pigtails, bobby socks and black Mary Jane shoes ascended the steps of her new school, becoming the first African American to attend the formerly whites-only William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Surrounded by three U.S. Marshals protecting her from a racially charged crowd throwing items and hurling threats, young Bridges’ courage catapulted conversations about equality and safety for African Americans that not only promoted change during the Civil Rights Movement, but continues to inspire more than 60 years later. “For me as a child, home was not a safe space, school was my safe place, so Ruby’s story of lacking that foundational safe space emotionally moved me,” said creative and safety advocate Sweeetz LaBamba, who decided to join-in on
RUBY BRIDGES Page 43
By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer
5D.C. Board of Elections has not yet declared a winner in the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6/8F02 race, but Elissa De Souza disclosed that she received a congratulatory message from the Executive Office of the Mayor. (Courtesy Photo)
D.C. Board of Elections (DCBOE) has not yet declared a winner in the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6/8F02 race, but Elissa De Souza said she had more than enough reason to celebrate. In an online post that inspired more skepticism than kudos last week, De Souza disclosed that she received a congratulatory message from the Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM). Hours later, she told followers that the phone call and email sparked contention between her and DCBOE about the outcome of the race. “It doesn’t seem like the two departments are communicating [because] this guy [from the mayor’s office] was so sure,” said De Souza, who declined to reveal the name of the EOM staffer. “He said he had a letter on his desk to contact me,” she told The Inform-
ANC8F Page 44
5Six year old Ruby Bridges, met each day by angry mobs, leaves school under the protection of United States Marshals. The District will celebrate Bridges’ inspirational legacy with a two-day educational and community event Nov. 13-14. (Photo/Department of Justice)
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