VOL. 54, NO. 2 • OCTOBER 25 - 31, 2018
No Black Privileges Respected by Whites / OpEd Section Page 27
Max Robinson Center Continues to Tackle DC’s AIDS Epidemic
Whitman-Walker Health Plans 32nd Annual AIDS Walk By Dorothy Rowley WI Staff Writer The rate of newly diagnosed cases of HIV in the District has seen a downward trend over the past 10 years, but the rate of newly diagnosed caes remains high enough to be called an epidemic by the World Health Organizations. The most significant concern for D.C. officials and healthcare providers remains the rising HIV rates among young people between 13-29, gay men and Latinos. A 2017 D.C. Department of Health report indicated Black gay
men and black heterosexual women are the highest proportion of newly diagnosed HIV, with the highest cases among residents living in Wards 7 and 8. By the end of last year, there were 13,003 residents known to be living with HIV in the District, with 368 newly diagnosed cases, down from 535 cases in 2013. Advanced research, improved medications and lifestyle changes enabled 36.1 million to live longer with AIDS, the disease caused by HIV. “That’s why it’s so important to
ROBINSON Page 5
Don’t Miss WI Bridge Center Section
Mother of Philando Castile Brings A Hopeful Message to D.C. Students “Picasso” and Chuck Brown’s son host slain man’s mother at Northeast school By Ra-Jah S Kelly Contributing Writer @Ra_jahDC In his duties as a coach and teacher at the Kingsman Academy Public Charter School in Northeast, Wiley Brown is always looking for ways to inspire his students. After recently performing with The Chuck Brown Band, Brown spoke with his friend Demont “Picasso” Pinder, who had just created a painting, live, 5 Demont “Picasso” Pinder, whose paintings often depict victims of violence throughof Brown’s father, the late Go-Go out the country and the world, says his “calling is using my God given gift to bring a smile to the families that have gone through this tragic situation.” /Photo by DR Barnes legend. When Pinder asked to speak at the school where Brown teaches, Brown quickly asked, “Can you come Friday?” “I love speaking to the youth”, said Pinder. “I’d come every day By Stacy M. Brown cy of Donald Trump – which if I could.” has seen an onslaught of atWI Senior Writer Pinder happened to be hosting tacks on health care, reproduc@StacyBrownMedia tive and other rights – the stakes philanthropist Valerie Castile in When National Newspaper for Black women this midterm Washington that same day and Publishers Association President cycle could not be higher, accord- so a unique confluence of art and activism was brought to about 20 and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Cha- ing to many observers. Statistics have revealed jersey-clad members of the footvis, Jr., heralded 2018 as “payball team who sat spell-bound by that Black women face disproporback year,” for African Americans Brown and Castile’s stories. tionate barriers to reproductive and other minorities who have Castile’s firstborn son Phisuffered on the new presidential health care, and are more likely administration policies, it seems to die after childbirth than their lando worked in the Minnesota school system as a cook until Black women were in lock-step white or Latinx counterparts. Also, women of color are dis- he was killed by police during a with Chavis. Two years into the presidenBLACK WOMEN Page 38 CASTILLE Page 11
Black Women Voters Seek to Shake up Midterms
5 Clients feel at ease coming into the Max Robinson Center for a variety of services. /Photo by Dorothy Rowley
Celebrating 54 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area