The Washington Informer - October 30, 2025

One Month into the Federal Government Shutdown: The Search for Resources and Community

By Sam P.K. Collins, James Wright, Jr. and Jada Ingleton WI Staff Writers and WI Content Editor

As the 2025 federal government shutdown approaches its second month, federal government workers and SNAP recipients are struggling to make ends meet, especially now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed a disruption in benefits disbursements for November.

That’s why Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Patricia Stamper has issued what she considers a simple request of local officials: mandate and coordinate the donation of food from groceries receiving District subsidies to furloughed workers and D.C. residents.

“These resources and the extra food and the access

Page 52

Howard University Celebrates 101st

Homecoming

Laud Importance of HBCUs, Safety, Black Culture

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

As the nation navigates political and social unrest, Jackson Clark counted among many touting Howard University’s homecoming last week to the tune of joyful resistance and cultural communion.

Clark, a Howard alumnus and Maryland native, says the annual tradition pays homage to the legacy that fortified in 1867, when the his-

Page 26

Health Advocates Plan for Breast Care, Health Literacy Year-Round

From Screenings to Storytelling, The Future of Equity Starts in the DMV

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

As October’s recognition for Health Literacy and Breast Cancer Awareness concludes, residents and health experts in the D.C. metropolitan area are looking to shape better outcomes in patient care year-round, and some argue it starts in the region.

Thus, DC Health is leveraging $290,000 from Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Fiscal Year 26 Grow DC Budget to expand its Project WISH program across all eight wards, providing free breast and cervical cancer screening activities in an effort to disrupt one of the leading causes for cancer-related deaths among women in the District.

BREAST CANCER Page 22

5 Christopher Alberts, 2026 D.C. Teacher of the Year, says he shapes instruction for orchestra and stage band, in part, based on students’ and what they would most likely encounter in the real world. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Students Speak about the Man Who Created a Community

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

In the nearly two decades he’s been developing School Without Walls’ instrumental music program, Christopher Alberts has seen District officials, at times,

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wi hot topics

Commanders

SKYLAR NELSON, WI

WRITER; STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER

Fall 28-7 To Chiefs In A Week 8 Monday Night Football Showdown

The Washington Commanders traveled to Kansas City in week eight to face the Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, but were defeated 28-7, playing without star quarterback Jayden Daniels, falling 3-5 on the season and extending their losing streak to three games.

“I thought heading into the game early, the energy [was good], the juice, and the speed, I saw and felt that from the minute we stepped down the field, and that’s honestly what we’re looking for,” Head Coach Dan Quinn said after the game. “It was great to see us to get in some of the takeaways. That’s been an emphasis of what we’ve been hitting on, but, leaving here— you cannot leave that many opportunities out there and walk away from this place with a win.”

The Commanders offense was pretty solid in the first half driving the ball down the field, until wide receiver Deebo Samuel deflected a catch right to a Chiefs defender, ending Washington’s thrilling opening drive headlined by

Luke McCaffrey’s 37 yard return.

Samuel’s deflection resulted in a turnover. However, the defense responded in the best way, with two turnovers on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first half, and capping it by finding Terry McLaurin for a Washington touchdown to tie the game before halftime.

Although the Kansas City Chiefs had a slow start in the first half, they made major improvements in the second half, while the Commanders’ momentum slowly fell resulting in the 28-7 loss.

Rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane missed a kickoff on the first drive in the second half, which made Washington start their offensive drive around the 2-yard line after Kansas City increased the score 14-7. The Commanders ended up punting back to the Chiefs after possessing the

COMMANDERS Page 38

Paris Mourns Its Jewels, D.C. and Places Worldwide Know the Feeling

The theft at the Louvre in Paris on Oct. 19 joins a historic list of robberies, where valuable museum treasures are often taken without a trace.

It was just after dawn in Paris when the sirens began to wail through the narrow streets surrounding the Louvre. Soldiers with rifles guarded the courtyard, tourists were turned away, and the great glass pyramid stood silent under a gray sky.

Inside, the world’s most visited museum had been stripped of eight priceless jewels once belonging to Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. The thieves were gone, and the crime had already become legend.

Police say it was fast and flawless– less than seven minutes from entry to escape.

Security footage shows figures dressed in black, moving

with precision on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 19. These people knew what they wanted and how to take it. When the alarms rang, it was already too late. The jewels, pieces of France’s royal past, vanished into the dark.

Experts say the thieves may be caught, but the jewels may not return. Once the gold is melted and the diamonds cut, there is no trail left to follow.

“Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” said Christopher Marinello of Art Recovery International.

For investigators, time is the enemy. For the thieves, time is the perfect disguise.

Across the Atlantic, Washington, D.C. knows

LOUVRE Page 20

Kamala Harris Says She’s ‘Not Done’ as Trump Era Deepens National Divide

5 Former Vice President Kamala Harris says she is not finished with politics, hinting at a 2028 White House run. (WI File Photo/Ja’Mon Jackson)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has made it clear that she is not finished with politics.

In an interview with the BBC, Harris said she “possibly” sees herself as president one day.

“I am not done,” she added. “I have lived my entire career as a life of service and it’s in my bones.”

Her remarks mark her strongest signal yet that she is considering another run for the White House in 2028.

Many people took to social media weighing in on

Harris’ potential run. While some people noted that Democrats could use a new face for the party, others celebrated the former vice president’s hint.

“I will vote for you 100 times if I could Kamala,” social media user Steven wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

There are some who believe Harris actually won the 2024 election. Failing that, many opine that she would have defeated President Donald Trump had she been given more of a runway than the 107 days presented after President Joe Biden’s sudden exit.

Still, most believe— even numerous Trump voters— that after more than nine months of him in office, the country and the world would have been much better off if Harris were commander in chief. And despite takes from pundits like Stephen A. Smith declaring Harris’ political career over, she said

HARRIS Page 18

Norton Pushes Bill to End Federal Ad Discrimination

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the District’s representative in Congress, has introduced legislation that would require all federal agencies to publicly disclose how much they spend on advertising contracts with small, disadvantaged businesses and those owned by women and minorities.

The bill, called the Federal Government Advertising Equity Accountability Act, would compel agencies to include the prior year’s spending and the upcoming year’s projections in their annual budget justifications to Congress.

“As one of the largest advertisers iwMy bill would ensure that federal agencies are striving to reach minorities and women, who often receive the news from smaller media outlets that serve more specific communities.”

Norton’s renewed effort follows years of documented disparities.

In a 2024 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that only 15% of federal advertising contract obligations went to small, disadvantaged businesses and those owned by minorities and women. From fiscal years 2014 to 2023, the federal government spent $14.9 billion on advertising contracts, yet only about $2.1 billion went to such firms.

GAO’s analysis showed that during the same period, Black-owned businesses received about $256 million, or 21% of the $1.2 billion in federal advertising contracts obligated to minority-owned firms. Still, Blackowned media received only a fraction of that, with earlier reports suggesting they secured no more than $10 million of the total $14.9 billion spent.

“Black American-owned businesses were awarded $256 million (21%) of the $1.2 billion in federal advertising contracts obligated to minority-owned businesses from FYs 2014 through 2023,” Jessica Lucas-Judy, director of Strategic Issues for GAO, clarified in an email to the Black Press last year. “When looking at the number of businesses, 148 Black-owned businesses were awarded advertising contracts during that time period. I double-checked with my team; the

data from FPDS identified Blackowned businesses generally, rather than Black-owned newspapers/media outlets specifically. I think the only way to find the information you’re looking for would be to review each individual contract.”

In 2007, GAO found that just 5% of $4.3 billion in advertising dollars at five agencies—the Departments of Defense, Treasury, Health and Human Services, the Interior, and NASA—went to minority-owned businesses. Those numbers barely improved over the next decade, prompting Norton and several Members of Congress to request updated reports in 2016 and 2022.

The longtime delegate said her bill would codify what the House Appropriations Committee has already been informally requiring from many agencies for the past several years.

“This legislation will make that requirement permanent and extend it to all federal agencies,” she said. “The regular collection of information on federal advertising contracts with small, disadvantaged businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities is essential to bridging the gap between what current statistics show and a more inclusive advertising landscape.”

The proposal would not only promote transparency but also allow agencies to evaluate progress toward equitable contracting. Norton has previously joined Democratic lawmakers like Hank Johnson of Georgia, Barbara Lee of California, and Val Demings of Florida, in calling on the federal government to address inequities in federal advertising spending.

A prior GAO study found that over a five-year period, the federal government spent more than $5 billion on advertising, yet Black-owned businesses received only $51 million, or just over one percent. Those findings, combined with the 2024 GAO report, reinforced Norton’s argument that the government must do more to ensure fair access for minority and women-owned media companies.

“The federal government is the largest advertiser in the United States, and it has an obligation to ensure equitable access to its contracts for small disadvantaged businesses and those owned by minorities and women,” Norton stated. “GAO’s findings show

AROUND THE REGION

that there is still much progress to be made.”

Norton urged her colleagues to support the Federal Government Advertising Equity Accountability Act, calling it a necessary step toward transparency and fairness in how federal agencies spend billions of taxpayer dollars on advertising.

“The promotion of equity in advertising, and in all areas of government, must be a continuous effort,” she said. “It is fundamental to the mission of every federal agency.”

WI

AROUND THE REGION

black facts

Oct. 30

1974 – Muhammad Ali regains the world heavyweight championship by knocking out George Foreman in the 8th round of the “The Rumble in the Jungle.”

1954 – The Defense Department announces the elimination of all segregated regiments in the armed forces.

1991 – BET Holdings, Inc. the parent company of Black Entertainment Television, sells 4.2 million shares of stock in an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming the first African American company listed on the exchange.

Oct. 31

1893 – William Henry Lewis, the first Black All-American collegiate football player, makes the team for the second consecutive season while playing for Harvard.

1896 – Early 20th-century actress and singer Ethel Waters, the first African American woman to be nominated for an Emmy Award, is born in Chester, Pennsylvania.

1950 – Earl Lloyd becomes the first African American to play in an NBA game.

Nov. 1

1945 – John H. Johnson publishes the first issue of Ebony magazine.

1951 – Jet magazine publishes its first issue.

1991 – Clarence Thomas is sworn in as the 106th associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Nov. 2

1930 – Haile Selassie is coronated as emperor of Ethiopia.

Nov. 3

1868 – John Willis Menard of Louisiana becomes the first Black man ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, though a challenge of the electoral results by his defeated foe prevents him from taking office.

1992 – Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois becomes the first African American woman to be elected to the United States Senate.

Nov. 4

1844 – Cathay Williams, the only known female Buffalo Soldier, is born in Independence, Missouri. 1954 – Hulan Jack is elected borough president of Manhattan in New York City, becoming the highest-ranking African American municipal official at the time.

1969 – Entertainment and business mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is born in Harlem, New York.

2008 – Barack Obama defeats John McCain to become the first Black president of the United States.

Nov. 5

1968 – Shirley Chisholm becomes the first Black woman elected to Congress, representing the 12th District in New York City.

1974 – George Brown and Mervyn Dymally are elected lieutenant governors of Colorado and California, respectively, becoming the first two Blacks in the nation to hold the position.

2010 – Famed opera singer Shirley Verrett dies in Ann Arbor, Michigan, of heart failure at 79. WI

P INT

BY KEITH GOLDEN JR.

What has been the thing that stands out from

Howard

University’s Homecoming this year?

COURTNEY WILBORN / HOWARD UNIVERSITY STUDENT FROM ELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVANIA

“Networking with the Alumni, any second that I can”

JADYN BENNETT / HOWARD UNIVERSITY STUDENT FROM TUCSON, ARIZONA

“The food trucks! The lines were short and the food was good.”

ANDREW FRASER / HOWARD UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS FROM MCDONOUGH, GEORGIA

“Being able to see all my friends together again.”

AUNTERIO VENTERS / STUDENT AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY FROM BOWIE, MARYLAND

“The culture that homecoming brings, the love of HBCU culture would be my stand out.”

Ben’s Chili Bowl Co-Owner Pens Uplifting Book

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

Kamal Ben Ali is known throughout the Washington metropolitan area as a scion of the District-based Ben’s Chili Bowl restaurant chain and for his work as an anti-violence activist, and now he’s added another feather in his cap of activities: that of an author.

Ali has written a book, “Ascend: The Black Man’s Guide to Education, Success and Purpose,” published by BAM Publishing and is in the distribution stages digitally and manually.

The chairman of the Ben’s Chili Bowl said he wrote the book because of what he observed and experienced throughout his life as an employee of his parents business as well as a man living in the national capital area.

leased weeks before Ali’s book, while Black billionaire hotelier and sports franchise co-owner Sheila Johnson has produced “Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Triumph” in 2023.

Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true. Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.

“This is a book of intentionality, written specifically for us and by us because only we have the answers to our own upliftment,” said Ali in the book’s introduction. “Iron sharpens iron. Ascend is more than a book. More than just words on a page. It’s a lifestyle, a daily practice, and a lifelong journey.”

Ali’s book comes out as some District entrepreneurs and business leaders write books to express their thoughts on their lives, the world around them and business topics.

Andy Shallal, owner of the Busboys and Poets has written a book, “A Seat at the Table” that was re-

The Rev. Keith A. Battle, senior pastor at Zion Baptist Church, wrote the book’s “Foreword” and said Ali did more than just put words on paper.

“Some people take the journey of writing a book as a life goal,” he said. “It’s kind of an aspiration, or something that is on their bucket list. But others are uniquely chosen to write and to communicate important messaging to the broader community and world through writing. Their writing is not an ambition but an assignment. For them, authorship is not just a dream, it’s a calling. Ben Ali is truly an example of the latter and ‘Ascend’ is a gift to all who are blessed by its content.”

Ali Explains the Rationale of ‘Ascend’

Ascend is written in a conversational manner with an emphasis on positive reinforcement. It contrasts with some books written by business leaders that tend to be self-promoting and preachy, and Ali wanted to avoid that.

“It is important for young people to have a game plan,” he told The Informer. “Each chapter outlines step by step ways for people to improve their lives. Black men have dealt with a lot of trauma in their lives and they need a roadmap on how to get things right.”

Ali, 63, said the book encourages people to control their actions and

to be thankful for what they have.

“A lot of people didn’t wake up today,” he said. “We need to understand how blessed we truly are.”

Using a famous sports duo, he said it was important that people need others to succeed.

“There would be no Michael Jordan if there wasn’t a Scottie Pippen,” he said, referring to the Chicago Bulls NBA championship teams of the 1990s.

Ali touches on topics such as forgiveness, letting go of past hurts, having an attitude of gratitude, as a man thinketh, and having the faith of a mustard seed.

“We all have the tremendous capacity to grow into being the person we want to be,” he said. “If you want more, it is possible to have. God has it all available to you.”

The businessman said a book tour is in the works and he wants to go to every HBCU to promote his written work and what he is trying to do as an advocate.

“It is important that we continue to keep working on ourselves,” he emphasized.

Ali’s biggest fan— his mother, the legendary Virginia Ali, the co-founder of Ben’s Chili Bowl— loves “Ascend.”

“It is a good book,” she told The Informer at the U Street NW location, adding that her son’s book should be required reading for all young people. “You have to work hard in order to be a success. Nothing in life comes easy. It helps a lot if you have the right attitude.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

DMV Braces for Fallout over Trump’s SNAP Stoppage

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

The nation’s capital is bracing for an unprecedented humanitarian crisis as the Trump administration refuses to release federal contingency funds to maintain food assistance programs during the ongoing government shutdown.

Beginning Nov. 1, millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are expected to stop receiving benefits for the first time in U.S. history.

The District and surrounding states are already preparing for the fallout. According to federal data, more than 1.6 million residents across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia depend on SNAP benefits. Local officials warn that the cutoff could push thousands of families into food insecurity.

D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson said the city is facing

“death by a thousand cuts” as the national government eliminates jobs and dismantles key social programs.

She said the District does not have the $30 million needed to replace lost federal funding.

“There also seems to be no meaningful conversations happening on the federal level about how to get these programs back,” Henderson stated.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said she remains hopeful that Congress will reach a compromise before November.

The District plans to divert $125,000 in emergency funds to sustain its Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program for about 500 families through early November.

“We have a very small part of it that is a local responsibility, and we need the federal government to do its part,” Bowser said.

The crisis comes as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that it will not use $6 billion in federal contingency funds to extend

SNAP through the shutdown. The department has also warned states that it will not reimburse any that use their own funds to continue the program.

District Attorney General Brian Schwalb and more than 20 Democratic attorneys general and governors are suing the USDA for suspending SNAP benefits.

“We just filed a lawsuit alongside 25 states to restore SNAP food assistance during the federal shutdown. 141,000 D.C. residents rely on SNAP to afford meals — including 47,000 children and 24,000 seniors,” Schwalb wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We will do everything we can to prevent D.C. families from going hungry.”

He also noted the challenges the USDA cuts present for local programming that supports many Washingtonians.

“Halting SNAP benefits will also hurt more than 400 local businesses in D.C. that provide food to our communities — often in food deserts,” Schwalb continued. “Many of these stores are small businesses already operating on thin margins. If SNAP revenue is eliminated, they risk going out of business.”

Maryland officials said they have the cash reserves to continue SNAP for a short period but will not take the risk without a guarantee of reimbursement.

“We are not going to gamble billions of taxpayer dollars while this administration turns its back on working families,” one official said.

In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency,

pledging to use state resources to continue food aid while blaming Democrats for what he called a “Democrat Shutdown.” His order allows the state to direct emergency funds to maintain benefits for more than 850,000 Virginians.

“I refuse to let hungry Virginians be used as leverage by Congressional Democrats,” Youngkin said.

WI

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AROUND THE REGION

Dr. Donna Grant-Mills, DDS, an associate dean at Howard University College of Dentistry, catches up on local news in The Washington Informer after the worship service at Cramton Auditorium on Oct. 26, culminating the institution’s weeklong 101st homecoming celebration. (Brenda C. Siler/The Washington Informer)

‘All Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk’: Black Women Talk Virginia Election, What the State Needs

By Gwen McKinney WI Contributing Writer

The saying “all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk,” loosely referencing a declaration made by novelist and folklorist

Zora Neale Hurston in her 1942 autobiography “Dust Tracks on the Road,” offers a cautionary tale that Blackness and political interests are not always aligned.

Tracy Chiles McGhee, a Hurston biographer, shared context, noting Hurston unapologetically leaned into her lived experience as an African American woman born 25 years after slavery, infusing her storytelling with Black dialect and the hardscrabble realities of the south.

“Her actual words: ‘My skinfolks… but not my kinfolks’ was a reminder that racial identity alone doesn’t ensure shared purpose or principle,” said McGhee.

The Nov. 4 Virginia election highlights Hurston’s warning.

For the first time in history, the state will elect a woman as its chief executive, with a right-wing Black Republican immigrant, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, facing off against a white, moderate national security specialist who served three terms in Congress, Abigail Spanberger.

“For decades many Virginia civic leaders have advocated for more diverse candidates to better reflect the electorate,” noted Krysta Jones, convenor of the Black Women’s Roundtable, Virginia. “This year, the ethnic diversity of office seekers is historic on both sides of the aisle.”

While Earle-Sears is a Black woman, many note that her political positions and goals do not support African American communities or interests.

“The joke of the century is believing that just because a candidate is Black, they automatically represent Black interests,” the voting rights organization and pac Voter Protection Project wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Winsome Earle-Sears stands with MAGA policies that harm Black communities— representation means nothing without values.”

Considered part of the “Old Confederacy,” Virginia is colored by con-

trast. Bordering the nation’s capital, it has one of the largest populations of federal employees and contractors hard hit by the government shutdown. It also claims three of the five richest counties in the nation, the world’s largest naval base, a robust Bible belt and a 20% Black population.

Virginia is conservative and liberal—often swinging from left to center to right over short and frequent election cycles. It is red, blue, purple, white, and Black with a growing immigrant population. Further, Virginia produced the nation’s first Black governor, Douglas Wilder, who served from 1990 to 1994, as the state’s constitution limits gubernatorial tenure to a single four-year term at a time.

As the Virginia election heats up, Penny Blue, program director of Red, Wine and Blue of Virginia, is focusing on issues important to African American Virginians— particularly Black women.

Blue is featured in a video series “What Black Women Want, What Virginia Needs” with a multigenerational group of Black women leaders — all representing 501c3 nonpartisan organizations— speaking to what’s at stake in November and beyond.

The series highlights the importance of policies supporting repro-

ductive rights, education, affordable health care, public safety, economic justice and being heard by their elected representatives.

“As Black women we are concerned about reproductive rights. Black women suffer from a higher infant mortality rate than white women and other women, so hospitals– especially nearby— are critical,” Blue said, before noting other challenges affecting Black women in order to emphasize the need for eligible voters to exercise their civic duty in Virginia. “Like 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs, so now it’s not a time for Black women to set out with regard to this race.”

The Candidates: ‘We Need to Listen How They Stand on Issues’

Republican pick Earle-Sears, is a 61-year-old Jamaican-born immigrant who moved to the United States at age 6.

A Marine Corp veteran, she is the first Black woman to hold statewide office.

Earle-Sears served a short stint in the House of Delegates, followed by two unsuccessful bids for the U.S. House and Senate. During the 2020 presidential campaign, she chaired the “Black Americans to Re-elect the

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Prince George’s Political Updates

Maryland Leaders Brace for Food Assistance Cuts, Local Organizations Offer Resources

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

With food assistance for tens of millions of Americans facing a funding cliff on Nov. 1 due to the multiweek government shutdown, Maryland leaders and organizations are warning residents about the dangers that could come with cuts, while also supporting people through providing resources.

Approximately 680,000 Marylanders, including nearly 270,000 children, are poised to lose their Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and roughly another 125,000 residents will lose

their Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits.

The Trump administration is refusing to use a six billion dollar contingency fund to keep these programs funded, and states will not be reimbursed for filling the financial gap to provide food for hungry families.

“The Trump administration has provided zero assurance that our state will receive reimbursement—even if Maryland were to cover SNAP benefits in the absence of federal funding,”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said in a statement. “And as recent history has shown, President Trump’s targeted attacks on Democratic priorities, programs, and states only further dimin-

Maryland’s Congressional Democrats Rally for Federal Workers

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Writer

Maryland Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are working to support federal workers not just in their state, but nationwide.

With more than 20 senators supporting his efforts, Van Hollen is sponsoring legislation to ensure back pay for federal workers who have lost paychecks during the government shutdown.

“No federal worker or servicemember should be punished for this shutdown that was brought on through no fault of their own. Republicans are hell-bent on letting

ishes our confidence in being made whole.”

As challenges persist, the governor is stepping in to support people around Maryland, such as on Oct. 24, when he helped to pass out food aid at the Bowie Food Pantry to furloughed federal workers.

“This shutdown is a continuation of the reckless actions we’ve seen since Day One of this federal administration. Now the president would rather allow the government to remain shut down than negotiate in good faith, leaving Maryland’s economy and working families to deal with the consequences,” Moore said in a statement shortly after participating in the food giveaway last Friday. “But while the president continues to look away, Maryland will do everything in its power to deliver relief to those struggling.”

Trump pick winners and losers here, but every federal worker, servicemember, and federal contractor deserves to get paid. Our legislation would ensure just that, and if Republicans are serious about supporting our federal employees, they will support it,” said Van Hollen in a statement on Oct. 23.

He emphasized the legislation serves as a tool for helping people, advocating for them and push back against efforts by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.

“We must keep pressing to reopen the government with a responsible agreement that holds RALLY Page 17

Ivey Blames Republicans for Impending Cuts, Offers Warning

Maryland Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey described the impending cuts to food assistance as both “tragic and inexcusable.”

“House Republicans knew this was going to happen, but have refused to take steps to address it. Whenever Democrats in the House made an effort to make Republicans confront that, Republicans united to block it,” he told The Informer. “Hungry people, including children, will not get enough to eat and in the wealthiest country in the history of the planet: that doesn’t make sense.”

He also noted that the shutdown remains the fault of the Republican majority, who have not re-authorized subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

“The Republicans have dug a deep hole with respect to health care in the country. On top of one trillion cuts to Medicaid, we will also see the expiration of the ACA’s tax credits,” Ivey said. “This could see 15 million people losing access to health care that has worked well for 15 years, despite Republican outcry.”

The congressman warned that without these subsidies, insurance premiums could rise significantly for many Americans.

“Once people see their insurance premiums doubling and tripling, they will contact their members of Congress and tell them to fix the problem.

The Republicans passed this legislation knowing that the health care credits wouldn’t be extended while they did extend tax credits for the wealthy,” he continued. “They made sure the money moved from the needy to the greedy.”

Local Organizations Here to Help

Like Bowie Food Bank, where Moore helped pass out resources, the DMV area is filled with local organizations working to support people during this challenging economic time and beyond.

The Storehouse, a Black-owned food bank, has been helping food-insecure families in both the DMV and Columbia, South Carolina for years.

The grassroots organization, which

is hosting food giveaways at locations throughout the Washington metropolitan area every Saturday in November, is headed by executive director Mel Johnson, who cites her Christian faith and surviving a stroke as reasons to give back to those in need.

“We believe food is love in physical form. Everyone deserves to eat well — not just survive, but thrive. And we mean everyone: moms, veterans, kids, returning citizens, grandparents, refugees, folks going through a hard time,” Johnson told The Informer. “I decided to start The StoreHouse as part of my healing journey and to help inspire others to create community change.It all starts on a grassroots level. Through my experiences, I know the importance of community support when people are trying to rebuild themselves and their families.”

She recommended nut butters, whole-grain cereals, and oats for their nutritional value; brown rice, quinoa, and pasta for their versatility; and shelf-stable/plant-based milks, protein-rich snacks like granola or energy bars, and honey/nut-based spreads for their natural sweetness and quick energy.

The Capital Area Food Bank is also providing free food assistance to furloughed federal workers across the DMV. Lines are forming hours before distribution begins, highlighting the urgent need.

“It’s a perfect storm of increased need in our community and throughout the country,” said Capital Area Food Bank CEO Radha Muthiah in an interview with WAMU. “At the very same time, we’ve got reduced sources of food supply.” WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Maryland Black Caucus Fetes Milestone Amid Trump Era Business, Entrepreneurship Are a Focus

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland celebrated milestones of its existence at its annual conference at Live Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland from Oct. 24-25 with a focus on business and entrepreneurship amid nationwide economic challenges, the federal government shutdown and the Trump administration’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programming.

“Our conference celebrates the leadership of the caucus and other Black Marylanders who are doing the work to fight for the rights of the people especially in the times we are living in,” Maryland Del. Karen Toles (D-District 25) told The Informer.

Toles, along with 65 of her African American colleagues are members of Maryland’s state legislative body that, founded in 1970 as one of the first of its type in the nation. The caucus has the most Black members of any state in the nation.

Toles noted that the conference is the 30th of the organization, which was founded to advocate for African Americans in Maryland at the state capitol in Annapolis, in such fields as education, health care, civil rights and economic development.

The conference took place as Maryland is noted as one of the states with the highest concentration of African Americans–fifth in the country–and having elected barrier breaking Black leaders including Gov. Wes Moore (D), and Angela Alsobrooks (D).

Nevertheless, various studies and reports reveal African American Marylanders face disparities in comparison to their white counterparts in educational attainment, homeownership, health outcomes, economic status and are more likely to be incarcerated no matter the nature of the crime.

With the Trump administration supporting the federal government shutdown due to Republican support of increased Obamacare premiums, coupled with the move against DEI programs in the

public and private sectors, and a relaxed approach to enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws, Toles said the conference uplifting Black communities could not have come at a better moment.

“The times we are living in under this administration are unprecedented,” she said. “This is evil. This makes our work as a caucus more critical.”

Black Caucus Gets Down to Business

On the first day of the convening, caucus members led workshops virtually on topics such as education, wealth building, health equity, civil rights and the environment.

Maryland State Sen. Nick Charles (D-District 25) said the topics impacted African American Marylanders and were designed to educate and motivate people toward action.

“With everything that is going on, it is important for many reasons that we focus on these areas,” Charles said. “Not only do these workshops inform, they are bringing folks together to talk about solutions. This is much needed at this time.”

The next day, dozens of people from across the state convened at the conference’s “Business Over Breakfast” session dealing in the topic: Building Resilient and Thriving Black Businesses in Maryland” at the Live Casino & Hotel Ballroom. Maryland Business reports there are more than 102,000 Black-owned businesses in Maryland which generates $6.8 billion.

“We want to make it clear that not only is Maryland open for business, Maryland is built for business,” said Dr. Zina Pierre, president of the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation.

Pierre said operating a business is a worthy pursuit, but it is not easy.

“Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart,” she said. “Everyday we are hustling and grinding.”

Maryland Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-District 20) serves as the chair of the caucus, noting the 55th year anniversary of the or-

ganization and its role in helping Black businesses get state government contracts.

“It was 1970, and it was a different time,” said Wilkins, pointing out indirectly that few Blackowned companies had contracts with any governmental agency anywhere in the country. “Maryland was the first state to have a MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) program. There are some who would like to take us back to 1970 when those programs did not exist. We must stand strong and continue to fight.”

Wilkins colleague, Del. N. Scott Phillips (D-District 10), said the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson created the blueprint for Black businesses getting government contracts, as was the case with the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, Geor-

gia that is the busiest facility of its type in the world.

“Maynard Jackson told large companies in the 1970s that if you want a contract to help build this airport, you have to include Black companies,” Phillips said.

Further, the District 10 delegate encouraged entrepreneurs in the audience to keep working and “you have opportunity in the midst of this chaos.”

Wallace Sermons, who serves as the chief procurement officer for the State of Maryland, agreed with Phillips, urging Black entrepreneurs to be tenacious.

“We (at the Moore administration) are working on countering Trump’s anti-DEI measures,” he said. “This is the time to be fearless. We will prevail.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

BUSINESS

By James Wright WI Staff Writer

City First Bank Taps

Jennings

as

an Executive Vice President

The Broadway Financial Corporation, parent company of City First Bank National Association, announced the appointment of Justin Jennings as executive vice president, chief deposit officer.

In this District-based role, Jennings will lead treasury management services, banking operations, digital banking, and deposit strategy. He will report directly to Brian Argrett, president and CEO of the company.

“I am honored to join a financial institution that is deeply committed to uplifting underinvested communities through mission-driven initiatives,” said Jennings. “I look forward to contributing to the continued success of City First Bank and advancing its impactful vision.”

Jennings most recently served as executive vice president, operations officer at Columbia Bank in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where he oversaw deposit operations, loan servicing, and the customer service center. He strategically positioned treasury management as a core enterprise asset, aligning it with long-term business objectives and community impact.

With Columbia Bank, Jenning’s leadership helped expand

the bank’s market presence and strengthen client engagement through trusted relationships with executive, institutional, and community stakeholders. Prior to his tenure at Columbia Bank, Jennings held the role of executive director, head of treasury services for community development banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co. His team managed a diverse portfolio that included Community Development Real Estate Lending, Community Development Financial Institutions

(CDFIs), Intermediary Lending, and New Markets and Tax Credit (NMTC) investments. Further, Jennings held the position of Head of Client Service for Real Estate Banking and assumed various leadership roles during his 17-year tenure at JPMorgan Chase.

The newly minted City First Bank executive vice president will assume a pivotal role in propelling the company’s strategic objectives, with a primary emphasis on augmenting deposit growth, optimizing treasury management, enhancing digital banking capabilities, fostering operational excellence, and elevating the overall client experience.

“Justin’s extensive experience in client services, business process management, and market expansion will be a significant asset to City First Bank,” said Argrett. “His strategic mindset, exceptional relationship skills, and proven leadership will be essential com-

“I am honored to join a financial institution that is deeply committed to uplifting underinvested communities through mission-driven initiatives. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of City First Bank and advancing its impactful vision.”

Justin Jennings

ExecutiveVice

President,Chief Deposit Officer

City First Bank National Association

ponents in achieving our organizational goals. We are delighted to welcome him to the team.”

PEPCO, DOES Hold Utility Training Graduation Ceremony

Pepco and the District Department of Employment Services (DOES) marked a significant milestone with the graduation of the 17th cohort of the DC Infrastructure Academy’s Pepco Utility Training Program on Oct. 22.

With 316 graduates now equipped with skills for careers in the energy industry, the program continues to build a sustainable workforce, providing a direct bridge to employment in an essential field.

The 21 graduates of Cohort 17 completed an intensive 14week training program, gaining hands-on experience, technical skill development, and customized preparation for the Construction and Skilled Trades (CAST) exam. Since its inception, 40% of graduates have been hired by Pepco, while many others have found opportunities with trusted contractors.

Graduates of the program continue to be strong ambassadors, with several referring friends and family to join.

“This is so much more than a training program; it’s a launchpad for long-term success,” said Rodney Oddoye, COO Pepco Hold-

ings. “This partnership continues to create pathways for District residents, providing the skills and opportunities to not only transform their lives, but also strengthen the neighborhoods they will soon serve.”

The Pepco Utility Training Program is powered by a collaboration between D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, DOES, Pepco, its parent company Exelon, and local Contractors of Choice (CoCs), including CW & Sons, Flippo Construction, and Fort Myer Construction. These partners work together to interview and hire graduates, ensuring a seamless pipeline from training to employment.

Together, these partnerships exemplify the District’s commitment to building a strong, inclusive workforce that keeps pace with the region’s evolving infrastructure needs.

“As experienced workers retire and industries across the country face a growing talent gap, there’s an increasing need to build the energy workforce of tomorrow,” said Dr. Unique Morris- Hughes, D.C.’s secretary of labor and director of the Department of Employment Services. “Beyond preparing District residents for successful careers, we’re shaping a workforce that reflects the diversity, skill, and strength of the communities we serve.”

WI @JamesWrightJr10

Black Americans Face New Hardships Under Trump’s Social Security Overhaul

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Major changes to Social Security set to take effect this fall and into 2026 could drastically reshape the nation’s retirement safety net—and experts warn that African Americans and other historically marginalized groups stand to suffer the most.

Some of the Trump administration’s changes affect the working-class, women, minorities and seniors. Reforms include raising the full retirement age to 67 for those born in 1960 or later, eliminating paper checks for benefit payments, tightening eligibility for disability coverage, and altering how benefits are taxed.

Analysts and civil rights scholars say the changes compound decades of systemic inequities built into America’s “crown jewel” welfare program.

In “The Color of Social Security: Race and Unequal Protection in the Crown Jewel of the American Welfare State,” Rutgers Law School professor Jon C. Dubin traces how the 1935 Social Security Act excluded large swaths of Black Americans through occupational barriers.

“The original Act’s complete exclusion of disproportionately

Black agricultural and domestic workers from old age insurance programs,” he wrote, “was grounded in the badges and incidents of slavery and a desire to preserve the plantation-sharecropping economy.”

Dubin noted that these exclusions had “lingering present-day consequences,” including diminished wealth, shorter life expectancy, and smaller accrued benefits among African Americans.

“Future proposals to raise the full retirement age to 70,” he warned, “will have a foreseeable racially disparate impact on Black workers due to shorter Black life expectancy and resulting shorter temporal benefit-receipt windows.”

Beginning in 2026, anyone born in 1960 or later will see their full retirement age (FRA) increase from 66 and 10 months to 67, the final phase of a shift that began in the 1980s. Workers who claim benefits before FRA will face permanent reductions, while those who delay up to age 70 can receive up to 24% more monthly income.

Financial analysts told 24/7 Wall St. that claiming benefits early could reduce lifetime in -

Page 18

NATIONAL

Trump’s Shutdown Pushes 40 million Americans Off SNAP as Health Costs Soar

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

Millions of Americans are facing a grim week as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, runs out of funds because of the Republican-engineered government shutdown.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that benefits will not be distributed in November, leaving more than 40 million people without the assistance that helps them feed their families.

At the same time, health insurance premiums are set to double for millions of Americans who rely on subsidized plans. The nation’s poorest are being crushed under a shutdown that has gutted lifelines such as food aid, rental assistance, and medical coverage—programs that keep millions afloat.

“Trump is intent on allowing SNAP benefits [to] run out in November. “He is willing to take food away from 16M children, 8M struggling older adults

and 4M people with disabilities,” social media user and racial justice advocate Morgan J. Freeman wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 1 in 8 Americans rely on SNAP benefits to make ends meet. AND every dollar in SNAP Benefits creates $1.50 in economic activity. It helps the economy.”

While the government remains closed, President Donald Trump has directed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to pet projects and personal indulgences.

He spent $300 million to build a new White House ballroom, demolished the East Wing without congressional approval or consultation with the Historic Preservation Committee, and rerouted $100 million to cover military salaries through a private loyalist—circumventing Congress entirely. His administration has sent $40 billion in aid to Argentina while Americans go hungry, and he has taken delivery of two Gulfstream G700 private jets at a cost of nearly $200 million.

Further, the Trump administration has refused to tap SNAP’s multi-billion-dollar contingency fund.

Despite the fund being explicitly established for emergencies, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the shutdown does not qualify because it was “manufactured by Democrats.” Her statement contradicted previous USDA guidance that the agency is legally required to use those reserves to maintain benefits during a shutdown.

Democratic leaders have blasted the move.

“This is perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offense the Trump

administration has perpetrated yet,” said Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Angie Craig in a joint statement. “Freezing funding already enacted into law to feed hungry Americans while he shovels tens of billions of dollars out the door to Argentina and into his ballroom.”

‘Ripping Food Away from the Mouths of Hungry’ Americans

Even as Americans struggle to eat and pay bills, Trump continues to claim the shutdown gives him “an unprecedented opportunity” to shrink the federal government and eliminate programs he derides as “Democrat handouts.”

SNAP, Medicaid, and housing support are among those on the chopping block.

Contrary to the myths Trump’s allies promote, the Americans hit hardest by this crisis are not immigrants or urban minorities but largely white, working-class families living in rural counties that overwhelmingly voted for him. Nearly 79% of counties where food stamp use increased between 2010 and 2020 supported Trump in both elections.

According to the Pew Research Center, non-Hispanic white people make up 44.6% of adult SNAP recipients—more than any

other group. Black Americans account for about 27%, while Hispanics make up roughly 22%.

The USDA’s own data show that most SNAP recipients are either children, seniors, or people with disabilities and 86% of benefits go to households that include at least one of those groups. Nearly all benefits go to families living below the poverty line.

Still, Trump’s policies have targeted these households. His administration’s “One Big Ugly Bill Act” earlier this year cut SNAP by an estimated $186 billion—the largest reduction in the program’s history.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said it was “ripping food away from the mouths of hungry children, seniors, families, women, and veterans to provide massive tax breaks to billionaire donors.”

While grocery shelves empty and families line up at food banks, Trump is rebuilding the White House into a monument to himself.

As food assistance runs out and health premiums soar, the question haunting millions of Americans is not whether this government shutdown will end—but whether they will survive it.

“This is not just politics,” Rep. DeLauro said. “This is cruelty, and it is deliberate.” WI

5 Maryland Democratic Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen are working toward passing legislation to support federal workers who have lost paychecks during the government shutdown. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

RALLY from Page 12

the president accountable to the law, protects federal workers and our servicemembers, and prevents massive spikes in Americans’ health care costs,” Van Hollen continued.

Both Van Hollen and Alsobrooks are also supporting legislation to end the furlough for federal workers who work in government agencies that are currently funded and prevent mass layoffs from Reduction in Force (RiF) orders.

“We cannot cherry-pick who gets paid during a shutdown based on our perception of the political affiliations of our patriotic civil servants,” said Alsobrooks while announcing her support for the back pay legislation. “In case some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have forgotten – federal workers don’t just serve Dem-

ocrats. They serve every American citizen who needs their help. Researching cures for cancer isn’t just for people who live in blue states. Making sure people get their Social Security checks isn’t some left wing conspiracy.

In her first year in the Senate, Alsobrooks warned against a bill introduced by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) to address pay gaps would leave federal workers vulnerable.

“Senator Johnson’s bill would ignore these dedicated workers, leaving them to continue to go without a paycheck while President Trump refuses to get back to the bargaining table,” she said in an Oct. 23 statement. “They can’t afford to wait for the president to tire of throwing celebratory picnics, or tearing down the White House for a gilded ballroom.”

WI

If you accepted or processed Discover credit cards between 2007–2023, you could be eligible to get a payment from a class action settlement.

**YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A SETTLEMENT PAYMENT**

To receive a payment, file a claim by May 18, 2026.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

A proposed class action settlement has been reached in three related lawsuits. The lawsuits allege that, beginning in 2007, Discover misclassified certain Discover-issued consumer credit cards as commercial credit cards, which in turn caused merchants and others to incur excessive interchange fees. The misclassification did not impact cardholders. Discover denies the claims in the lawsuits, and the Court has not decided who is right or wrong. Instead, the proposed settlement, if approved, will resolve the lawsuits and provide benefits to Settlement Class Members.

WHO IS INCLUDED?

The Settlement Class includes all End Merchants, Merchant Acquirers, and Payment Intermediaries involved in processing or accepting a Misclassified Card Transaction during the period from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2023. To view the full Settlement Class definition, including defined terms and excluded entities, go to www.DiscoverMerchantSettlement.com.

WHAT CAN I GET?

To receive a settlement payment, with very limited exceptions, you will need to file a claim by May 18, 2026 and/or provide additional information to the Settlement Administrator. Under the proposed settlement, Discover will make payments to eligible Settlement Class Members who submit valid claims. Discover has agreed to pay between $540 million and $1.225 billion plus interest in connection with this settlement. Your settlement payment amount will be calculated based on a variety of factors.

YOUR OTHER OPTIONS.

You can file a claim for a payment by May 18, 2026 and/or provide additional information. Alternatively, you can exclude yourself from the settlement by opting out, in which case you will receive no payment under this settlement and retain any right you may have to sue Discover about the claims in these lawsuits or related to the Misclassified Card Transactions. If you do not exclude yourself, and the Court approves the settlement, you will be bound by the Court’s orders and judgments and will release any claims against Discover in these lawsuits or related to the Misclassified Card Transactions. If you do not exclude yourself, you can object to or comment on any part of the settlement. The deadline to either exclude yourself or object to the settlement is March 25, 2026. Visit the website for information on how to exercise these options.

OVERHAULfrom Page 15

come by as much as 30%, with the burden falling hardest on communities with lower life expectancy and physically demanding jobs—conditions disproportionately affecting Black and Latino workers.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) reported that the Trump administration is advancing what could be the largest cut to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in history, reducing the share of applicants who qualify by as much as 20%. The proposed rule would make it harder for older workers to qualify by “discounting the barriers they face due to their age,” according to CBPP senior analyst Kathleen Romig.

Nearly 80% of SSDI beneficiaries are age 50 or older, and many live in Southern and Appalachian states where Black workers, older laborers, and those with lower education levels are concentrated.

“Rejecting more older applicants will cause more hardship for people who would be eligible for benefits under the existing rules,” Romig wrote.

Such cuts, she added, would “threaten retirement security, access to health care, and other supports” by forcing many to deplete savings early and claim smaller retirement benefits sooner.

More Changes Affecting Equity for Retirees of Color

The Treasury Department also announced that as of Sept. 30, it will stop issuing paper checks for Social Security payments, part of a modernization order under the Trump administration.

According to PennLive, more than five million Americans— many of them elderly, disabled, or unbanked— still rely on physical checks.

“Some people are just not going to be able to manage the steps,” Romig told The Wash -

ington Post, noting that those without internet access or bank accounts will struggle to transition to electronic systems.

Advocates fear that the change could temporarily cut off vulnerable groups from essential income. Waivers for those with “mental impairments or remote living arrangements” will be granted only in “rare circumstances,” officials said.

A 2024 study from the Center for Retirement Research found that Black retirees receive 19% less in Social Security benefits than white retirees, even though the program’s formula is designed to favor lower earners.

The gap stems from lower lifetime earnings, poorer health, and the burden of caregiving responsibilities.

“Changing Social Security alone seems unlikely to narrow existing racial and ethnic gaps substantially,” the researchers concluded. “Achieving equity for Black and Hispanic retirees would have to start with expanding opportunity for workers and increasing pay equity.”

healthy food for all

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

With rising retirement ages, stricter disability standards, and electronic-only payments, many fear that Social Security— the program that has lifted more Americans out of poverty than any other— may deepen the very inequalities it once sought to correct.

Scholars like Dubin say to -

HARRIS from Page 4 she may run again.

Harris, she has no intention of fading away quietly. Her remarks to the BBC and her public speeches reflect a politician who remains determined to fight for a nation she believes has lost its moral compass.

She has repeatedly said that while Trump’s allies rely on fear, she will continue to stand on courage.

“If I had listened to polls, I would not have run for my first office, or my second office,” she said. “And I certainly would not be sitting here.”

In the BBC interview, Harris noted that her warnings about Trump’s authoritarian behavior had proven true.

“He said he would weaponize the Department of Justice and he has done exactly that,” she said.

day’s changes echo the racially disparate effects of the past.

“Equal protection doctrine has proven largely inadequate as a remedial tool,” he wrote. “Our fellow Americans deserve no less than a more equitable means for addressing the consequences of economic insecurity.”

WI

The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee accused Trump of using government agencies to silence critics, including comedians, after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel following jokes about right-wing figures.

ELECTION

from Page 11

Many have expressed concern about her positions on reproductive justice, climate change and employment.

When a CNN interviewer asked her about the purge of Virginia’s federal workforce, she replied: “If this is the way you want to go, then go ahead, but I’m just not going to participate, because I want to talk about real issues.”

Spanberger, on the Democratic side, is a 45-year-old centrist-leaning member of Congress who distinguished herself as a former CIA officer and national security expert.

Spanberger was in the early push for Donald Trump’s first impeachment in 2019 centered around withholding security assistance to Ukraine.

“His skin is so thin he could not endure criticism from a joke,” Harris said. “He attempted to shut down an entire media organization in the process.”

During her fiery comeback speech earlier this year at the Emerge America Gala, Harris delivered a direct challenge to Trump’s regime and a rallying cry for those who refuse to give up the fight for democracy.

“President Trump and his administration, and their allies, are counting on the notion that fear can be contagious,” she said. “But what they have overlooked is that fear is not the only thing that’s contagious. Courage is contagious.” She closed that night with a call to action.

“This country is ours. It does not belong to whoever is in the White House,” she declared. “It belongs to you. It belongs to us. It belongs to We the People.”

WI

She hails from a district that was a Republican stronghold since 1981, narrowly defeating her opponents during her three terms in the House (2018-2024) and demonstrating an ability to win conservative and moderate voters.

While the candidate has enjoyed double-digit leads in polling and fundraising, many predict the race is tightening as Virginia’s early voting (from Sept. 19 through Nov. 1) produces an unexpectedly large turnout.

Blue predicts that Black women won’t sit out the November elections, but offered a caveat as they head to the polls.

“We don’t need to be fooled by the color of a person’s skin,” Blue said in “What Black Women Want, What Virginia Needs.” “We need to listen to how they stand on the issues.” WI

Thank You for Helping DMV Families

‘Thrive’

The Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF) Is Keeping 80 Families Warm this Winter, Thanks to Your Generosity

Submitted by Washington Gas

Hard times can happen to any family at any time. A sudden job loss, illness, or unexpected expense can quickly make something as basic as heating your home feel out of reach. For 42 years, the Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF) has been here to help families across the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region face those moments with dignity and compassion.

This summer, WAFF launched the Thrive65 campaign to raise awareness of what safe indoor winter temperatures really look like, according to the World Health Organization: 64.4°F (18 °C). Unheated homes can drop below this level in as little as 8 to 12 hours.

Low indoor temperatures are about much more than comfort. They can be a danger zone for seniors, infants, and people with chronic illnesses.

Because of our incredibly generous donors—and with special thanks to our outstanding Community Sponsor, UtiliQuest—the campaign raised over $40,000. That’s enough to keep 80 DMV families warm all winter! Because Washington Gas pays all administrative costs, every dollar of every donation goes directly to families in need.

Our Legacy of Service in the DMV

Since 1983, WAFF has been a lifeline for families in need, distributing nearly $35 million in assistance and supporting more than 320,000 people. Our partnership with The Salvation Army means that help reaches households quickly and fairly.

Heating bills typically begin in October, with costs peaking during the coldest months of the year. WAFF steps in when other programs have run out and families have nowhere else to turn.

Every $500 keeps a family warm all winter. Each gift, regardless of its size, provides hours of warmth and security.

The WAFF application window opens each year from January to May. Behind every application is a family holding on through difficult times: parents caring for children, seniors on fixed incomes, and individuals recovering from setbacks. By meeting these needs early, we help families avoid the cascading hardships that can result from utility shut-offs.

Welcome to ‘Orangetober’

Although Thrive65 has wrapped up, WAFF’s work continues. October marks the launch of our first-ever Orangetober, a month-long celebration designed to raise awareness and bring the community together in creative ways. With fun photos, an exciting raffle and more, it’s an invitation to support families while enjoying the spirit of the season.

WAFF is also unveiling a brand-new website with an easier-to-use resource for applicants, donors, and community partners. We’re excited to share our fresh look as we build on our 42 years of serving the DMV.

See our new look and stay up-to-date on Orangetober at waffhelp.org.

Are You With Us?

Even with the success of campaigns like Thrive65 and the promise of Orangetober, we see all around us how much need still exists in our region. Every winter, thousands of families face impossible choices between staying warm and buying essentials, such as food and medicine, or even surrendering their beloved pets. With your support, WAFF is a lifeline in times of need.

As the colder months approach, WAFF will be reaching out to prepare families for winter’s chill, such as our Giving Tuesday campaign and tax-deductible year-end contributions. Together, we can stand beside families and help them have heated homes all season long.

We invite you to stand with us. Visit waffhelp.org to make a gift today, knowing that every dollar goes directly to helping households in need. Together, we can keep homes warm, families secure, and dignity intact.

It’s a fact of life that hard times can happen to anyone. WAFF will keep being there, so no family has to face them alone.

We extend our special thanks to Goodwill of Greater Washington and TruEnergy Federal Credit Union for their generous support.

At Washington Gas, safely and reliably meeting the energy needs of our customers are our highest priorities. Please read the information below and share it with others.

NATURAL GAS SAFETY

What to Do If You Smell Natural Gas

If you suspect a natural gas leak or other gas emergency, evacuate the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 and then the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (Select Option 1). Never attempt to locate the source of the odor.

RECOGNIZE

What does natural gas smell like? Natural gas is non-toxic, colorless, odorless and combustible. For safety and detection, Washington Gas adds an unpleasant odorant called mercaptan to the natural gas delivered through our distribution system. Call 202-624-6092 for a “Scratch & Sniff” brochure. Government agencies and officials, schools, businesses, property managers and others are invited to request multiple copies of the brochure for public educations and awareness purposes.

OTHER SIGNS OF NATURAL GAS

Because gas traveling through a small portion of our transmission pipelines is not odorized, you should also familiarize yourself with visible and audible signs of a possible leak. Follow the same precautions described below if you are outside and smell gas; hear hissing or blowing noises; see dirt being thrown into the air; see fire coming from the ground or appearing to burn above ground; see water bubbling or being blown into the air at a pond, creek or river; or see a dry spot in a moist field or dead or dying vegetation on or near a pipeline right-of-way.

REACT

If you smell natural gas, do not attempt to locate the source of the odor. Evacuate the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 and then the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (Select Option 1).

If the odor is very strong, or you hear a blowing or hissing noise, vacate the building or area immediately, leaving doors unlocked as you go. Warn others as you exit, if possible. Do nothing that could create an ignition source. Do not light a match or use any type of phone or battery-powered equipment. Do not turn electrical equipment or light switches on or off. Do not start a car or any type of motorized equipment. Call 911 and the Washington Gas emergency numbers listed above, only after you are a safe distance away from the building or area.

GAS MIGRATION

Natural gas is distributed through a network of underground pipes and service lines. If a leak

should occur, it is possible for gas to migrate into buildings, including those without natural gas service.

RESPOND

Washington Gas responds 24 hours a day, seven days a week to address natural gas leaks and other emergencies. If a leak poses an immediate threat, the company takes quick action to make the area safe. If a natural gas leak does not pose an immediate threat, corrective action may be scheduled for a later date.

PREVENT PIPELINE DAMAGE - CALL MISS UTILITY AT 811 BEFORE YOU DIG

Digging related damage is a major cause of pipeline accidents. 811 is the national Call Before You Dig telephone number that initiates the process of marking the underground utility lines in your yard or on your job. Your call to 811 will be routed to your local One Call Center - in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Local One Call Center personnel then notify member utilities, such as Washington Gas, to mark the approximate locations of underground utility lines with high-visibility safety paint and/or flags. The service is free.

Everyone, including homeowners and construction companies, should always contact Miss Utility at 811, at least two full business days - excluding weekends and holidays - before you are scheduled to begin any digging, regardless of size or depth. This includes, but is not limited to, general digging, gardening, landscaping, home improvements, and/or major construction, excavating or demolition.

When using mechanized equipment, it is required by law to call 811 before you dig. Do not begin digging until the lines have been marked or confirmed as “no conflict.”

If you are unsure whether the underground utilities have been marked in your yard or on your job, check back with your One Call Center at 811 to make certain there are no underground utilities where you plan to dig.

Most importantly, contacting 811 can help avoid serious injury and even fatalities, as well as property damage and significant expense that can occur when underground utilities are damaged. Always call 811 before you dig, each dig, every dig.

To learn more, visit washingtongas.com.

INTERNATIONAL

Hurricane Melissa to Wreak Havoc in Caribbean

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

n Booklets

n Brochures

n Business Cards

n Banners

n Canvas Bags

n Color Copies

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Considered one of the strongest storms in the Atlantic Ocean with sustained winds at 175 miles per hour, Hurricane Melissa is slowly but steadily devastating the Caribbean, having already caused seven deaths across Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The Category 5 storm is on a northeastward path, with Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas bracing for impact.

According to the National Hurricane Center’s Advisory 28A regarding the storm, it is expected to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday and Southeastern Cuba early Wednesday as an “extremely dangerous major hurricane.” It will still be considered a hurricane when it moves along the southeastern Bahamas later on Wednesday.

“It’s going to cause significant, widespread, catastrophic, life-threatening floods,” said Evan Thompson, Principal Director of the Meteoro-

LOUVRE from Page 4

this story too well.

The nation’s capital, home to some of the most treasured pieces of American history, has long battled its own quiet plague of thefts. From the Smithsonian Institution to small neighborhood galleries, beauty has been stolen in plain sight.

In 1979, a gold snuff box encrusted with diamonds was taken from the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. Two years later, thieves struck again, this time breaking into a Smithsonian storage facility and escaping with more than a dozen artifacts, including George Washington’s correspondence, antique coins, and a colonial sword.

In 1981, what would come to be known as the “Smithsonian Heist” saw burglars bypass guards and alarms, walking out with relics of the early republic — priceless symbols of the nation’s birth.

Even decades later, the city has remained a quiet battleground between art and opportunism. In 2023, D.C. artist AnaYelsi Velasco Sanchez was celebrating her first solo exhibition in Adams Morgan when a man slipped two of her paintings off

logical Service of Jamaica.

Many eastern and central parts of Jamaica are expected to receive up to 30 inches of heavy rainfall, which Thompson said is a volume he’s unsure the country’s rain gauges can withstand.

Scientists are also concerned about how climate change is causing more intense storms, as 2025 is the second year since 1960 that three or more category 5 storms have been observed in one hurricane season. Sea surface temperatures in the Carib-

the wall, tucked them into a bag, and disappeared.

The theft took less than three minutes. She had surveillance footage but refused to turn it over to police.

“I’m not scared to call them,” she told WTOP News. “I’m not willing to call them. For me, the harm that comes out of engaging with police is much more violent than anything that has occurred.”

Instances of Treasure Theft Around the World

From national treasures to community creations, D.C. has seen its share of stolen history. Some pieces are melted down; others hang on the walls of private collectors who will never speak of how they came to possess them. Like Paris, Washington has learned that even the symbols of freedom are not immune to theft.

And so, the Louvre is not the first to fall.

In 1990, two men dressed as police officers walked into Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. They overpowered the guards and stripped 13 paintings from the walls. Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas, Manet– all gone without a trace. The

bean are currently 2.5°F higher than usual, providing extra heat energy for Melissa to strengthen rapidly.

“Human-caused climate warming is making all of Melissa’s dangers worse: driving heavier rainfall, more damaging wind speeds, and higher storm surge along the coast,” said Dr. Daniel Gilford, a meteorologist and climate scientist at Climate Central. “Climate-boosted ocean heat helped increase wind speeds by 10 mph, increasing its potential damages by as much as 50%.” WI

museum’s founder had written that nothing inside could ever be moved, so the empty frames remain, haunting the gallery like ghosts. More than 30 years later, the paintings have never returned.

In 1911, the Mona Lisa disappeared from the same Paris museum that now mourns its jewels. She was not yet famous then. When she vanished, the world learned her name. Two years later, police found her in Florence, hidden by an Italian handyman who claimed he wanted to bring her home. When she was returned to the Louvre, she was no longer just a painting; she was a legend.

In 1972, three masked men descended through a skylight into the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. They tied up the guards and escaped with 18 paintings and dozens of jewels, including a Rembrandt worth a million dollars. No one was ever caught. None of the art has been found. Some say the Montreal mafia helped hide the works in private collections. Others believe they were destroyed.

WI Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

HEALTH

“The truth about breast cancer is it’s very, very dependent on what stage you’re diagnosed. We do have treatments that can be effective, but they are much more effective for early stage cancers,” DC Health Director Dr. Ayanna Bennett told The Informer. “We want to be sure that people are understanding what the point of the screening is, that it’s not just to get your diagnosis, but it’s to get as early a diagnosis as possible, [so] you get effective treatment–– and that is happening more for white women.”

Despite the fact that breast cancer is the top diagnosed cancer across all women, the realities of a public health system reliant on income, location, and “unfortunately, race” only fuels the fire of disparities in the nation’s capital, Bennett explained.

Data shows higher incidence rates, or people diagnosed with cancer, in Wards 3 and 6, while

underserved Wards 5, 7 and 8 nearly double in mortality rate. Geographics aside, Black women altogether are nearly twice as likely to die from breast cancer compared to their white counterparts — all of which Bennett emphasized can be impacted by the advancement of cancer.

“Cancer is survivable, it is treatable,” she said, “but it does take some care to make that happen, and we need women to be getting that care.”

On the health equity tip, Bennet and Maryland-based urologist Dr. Arthur Burnett, who specializes in prostate cancer, both note that lack of access is part of the problem, but eliminating cultural stigmas is, arguably, one of the key solutions.

Among the soluble suggestions touted in tandem with critical resources: boosting early detection, championing storytelling and self-advocacy, and recognizing health literacy as an all-hands on deck approach.

“We certainly have to improve access, and we’re very keen about that as well, but access may begin with helping all men, women, and families take better responsibility for their own health,” Burnett told The Informer. “They’re two different things, but they blend together…I think that just requires better communication, better sensitivity and awareness, and a lot of proactivity at all levels.”

Storytelling, ‘Marching to Your Own Drum’

With $290,000 to boost preventive care, Project WISH is shaping up to increase its reach of uninsured or underinsured residents, which already includes assisting more than 1,300 women with care coordination this year alone.

In addition to providing free transportation, the program offers patient navigators who guide residents through scheduling appointments, understanding next steps, and connecting with treatment resources in a timely fashion.

Nonetheless, Bennett says it takes more than gauging accessibility to truly eliminate existing barriers to health equity.

“Many communities that have access issues, or underlying trust issues, those are often the same communities, particularly in the Black community,” the director ex-

3

plained. “They really need to hear how someone else did, in order to move forward. We do some of that with our outreach…but that is absolutely something women in the community and our community-based organizations can do.”

One woman striving to positively impact breast care is Desiree Waters, a three-time cancer patient based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Waters, a first-time collaborative author, dawned her health journey in the 2025 collection “When Cancer Knocks at Your Door,” where she transparently delved into the lived experiences that began with her first diagnosis of traditional breast cancer in 2017.

After beating it in its traditional form twice, even making it to the five-year mark some weeks before her second diagnosis in April 2023, Waters was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) last August, causing cancerous cells to spread to her skull and form an irremovable tumor that sits behind her right eye.

“This is my way of helping people, letting people know that a diagnosis doesn’t have to be the end of your journey–in fact, it can be the beginning of a new one,” Waters told The Informer. “When you hear the word cancer, immediately you think of a death sentence…[when] it can be just tightening your grip, putting one foot in front of the other, and working with your doctors.”

The Maryland resident admitted that living with mBC has had its challenges compared to her previous bouts with cancer. Aside from

(WI File Photo/ WIN-TV)

the trials and tribulations of heavy duty medicine, Waters cites the previous loss of taste buds, facial numbness, and inevitable head pain.

Further, due to the medication’s influxed side effects, she notes that part of the process means having to “weigh out what I’m willing to live with.”

“That is still the biggest challenge. I’m not willing to live with a side effect that makes me not live,” she said. “Some of the medicine, I couldn’t even get up. I lost the ability to write, type, to walk [because] my knees, my toes would cramp up. It does a lot of things… so I’m kind of marching to my own drum.”

Similar to Bennett, Waters said she hopes that her story might open doors to deeper conversations surrounding breast care and health equity at large – not just among patients, but for caregivers too.

As both advocates shared plans to continue building a network of advocacy, the message was clear – tackling the matter is far more than a monthlong gig.

“I think there’s a real focus [on] trying to look at how this can be a sustainable change in the way people do things, not just a project for a time,” Bennett told The Informer. “There is a real shared goal of making sure that we deal with this disparity, not just that women get the care they need, but that we shall continue to see this mortality difference for women in D.C., and I think we’re making progress.”

WI

Health Care in the District: Progress Made, But Disparities Persist for Black Seniors

AARP Staff Reports

In Washington, D.C., many older Black residents continue to face serious challenges when it comes to accessing quality health care. While recent studies from AARP show signs of progress, they also reveal that deep disparities remain—especially for those living east of the Anacostia River.

According to the latest 2025 report from AARP’s Public Policy Institute, most adults in the District say they’re in good health and can access care when needed. In fact, 83% of residents aged 18 and older reported being able to get the health services they need, and 78% were satisfied with their care experiences. But satisfaction doesn’t tell the whole story.

A closer look shows that nearly one in five residents still face long wait times, feel unheard by their doctors, or experience cultural insensitivity. For Black adults, these issues are even more pronounced. Twenty-one percent said their providers didn’t understand or respect their background, values, or traditions—a troubling sign that cultural competence in care is still lacking.

A previous study compiled by AARP DC on health disparities in 2023, highlighted a 15-year gap in life expectancy between Ward 3 (86 years) and Ward 8 (71 years). That’s not just a statistic—it’s a reflection of unequal access to care, nutritious food, safe housing, and economic opportunity. Black seniors in Ward 8 are nearly five times more likely to live below the federal poverty line, and they face higher rates of preventable hospital admissions, cancer mortality, and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart failure.

The 2023 study also showed disparities are starkest east of the Anacostia River. Residents 40 and older in this area are significantly more likely to lack access to care (25% vs. 7%), face discrimination (21% vs. 12%), and report culturally incompetent care (34% vs. 24%) compared to those living west of the river.

So what can be done?

“By highlighting health disparities here in the District, our aim is to spur local leaders in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to act to drastically reduce health disparities and improve health care access for all Black residents in the District,” said Louis Davis Jr., AARP DC State Director. “Not doing so significantly inhibits equitable access to quality health care, housing, employment and education for older Black residents.”

Improving health outcomes requires more than medical care alone. Solutions should include expanding culturally competent services, as well as addressing broader factors like housing, nutrition, and transportation is essential for long-term health.

While progress is being made, the road to health equity is long. But with continued advocacy, community involvement, and data-driven solutions, we can work toward a future where every older adult in D.C.—regardless of race, income, or zip code—has the opportunity to live a longer, healthier life.

People today can spend nearly half their lives over the age of 50. That’s a lot of living. So, it helps to have a wise friend and fierce defender like AARP in your community. Find us at aarp.org/dc.

EARTH OUR

Developer to Pay $200,000 for Illegally Draining DC Wetlands and Polluting Anacostia River

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has announced that the Residences at Kenilworth Park, LLC will pay $200,000 and permanently protect wetlands on its Ward 7 property to settle allegations of serious environmental violations during construction of its assisted living apartment complex.

The District accused the developer of illegally draining neighboring wetlands, installing hundreds of unauthorized groundwater extraction wells, and discharging pollutants into the Anacostia River. According to Schwalb, the settlement also requires the company to record a conservation easement to permanently protect the remaining wetlands.

“We will not allow developers to flout District laws and regulations designed to protect our natural resources, nor will we permit

them to roll back the hard-won progress we have made toward a clean, safe, and swimmable Anacostia River,” Schwalb said in a statement.

Trey Sherard, representing Anacostia Riverkeeper, said the violations showed blatant disregard for environmental protections.

“Anacostia Riverkeeper welcomes this settlement against a developer who illegally drained and damaged some of the precious few wetlands left in the District,” Sherard said. “To make it worse, they then passed polluted water into the Anacostia River via the storm sewers without treating it or notifying DOEE. That they did so such a short distance from the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens should shine an even brighter light for the public on the continued attacks on our waterways when irresponsible developers flout the law.”

The developer, RKP, is a subsidiary of the D.C.-based firm Gragg Cardona Souadi and owns the

LLC will pay $200,000 and permanently

violations during construction of its assisted

assisted living complex at 1650 Kenilworth Avenue NE.

Before construction, RKP pledged to work closely with the Department of Energy and Environment and to protect the property’s natural wetlands. Instead, the Office of the Attorney General and DOEE found that between December 2020 and August 2022, the company violated the District’s Water Pollution Control Act and Well Construction, Maintenance, and Abandonment Standards.

According to investigators, RKP installed 218 groundwater extraction wells without permits, extracting an estimated three million gallons of groundwater each day. The illegal drainage lowered the water table and dried out more than two acres of protected wetlands adjacent to the site. The District also found that RKP exceeded pollution limits at least 50 times while discharging contaminated water into municipal storm sewers and failed to notify or correct the violations.

The company further violated its Wetlands Mitigation Plan by

“Anacostia Riverkeeper welcomes this settlement against a developer who illegally drained and damaged some of the precious few wetlands left in the District.”

damaging additional wetlands, only partially restoring those that were impacted, and neglecting to record the required conservation easement.

As part of the settlement, RKP must pay $200,000 and permanently protect the remaining wetlands by recording a conservation

easement that applies to all future owners of the property.

“This settlement holds RKP accountable for repeated environmental violations during construction,” Schwalb said, “and for failing to abide by the commitments it made to conserve and improve the environment.” WI

EDUCATION

HOMECOMING from Page 1

torically Black institution in Northwest, D.C., established a blueprint of truth, service, and generational Black excellence.

“I don’t think a lot of times [Black people] are able to sit back and appreciate everything we’ve done, [and] I think homecoming is that opportunity,” Clark, a 2024 Howard graduate, told The Informer. “As a student, [you] think of it as this big event that takes place in October, but as an alum, you have more appreciation, and you understand the impact of what it means to be a part of [this] community. It almost feels like a revival.”

The nation’s capital lit up in Bison blue, red and white from Oct. 19-26, as thousands of students, alumni, and families and friends convened in the name of culture and school spirit for Howard University’s 101st homecoming celebration.

Moved by the theme “One of One,” the momentous occasion blended Black and Bison pride with a series of campus traditions and

citywide festivities – such as themed events for current students, familial reunions at FamFest and Yardfest, and Saturday’s Truth and Service football game, which saw Howard best the Morgan State Bears 33-27.

Beyond class reunions and kodak moments, attendees, including celebrity alumni Lance Gross and Anthony Anderson, spent the week reaping some of the other added benefits of returning to one’s alma mater. Notable mentions include continuous networking opportunities, revisiting favorite spots throughout D.C, and exemplifying the rich culture and value of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

“It feels sort of like this lineage of Black excellence, and [we come] back to celebrate our accomplishments, celebrate being in a Black space where you can be authentically yourselves,” Clark said. “I got to reflect a lot on [my] time spent at Howard, and the reasons that I went there, and I think a lot of people go to feel that sense of belonging.”

Meanwhile, in her second home-

coming as an alumna, D’ajah Brown touts the annual gathering as “an escape from reality” for a community combating the brunt end of socioeconomic injustice, along with continuous attempts to cast a negative light in Black spaces.

Following the beloved Yardfest and Alumni Welcome Reception on Friday, Oct. 24, at least four people – none affiliated with the university – were injured near the 2500 block of Georgia Avenue and Howard Place NW in a shooting, resulting in two arrests and increased police presence at homecoming events the remainder of the weekend.

As of Oct. 28, the motive for the shooting remains unclear amidst an ongoing investigation. Moreover, the incident tacks on to a growing list of gun-related violence during or surrounding HBCU homecomings, including three respective shootouts this month – two of them fatal – between Mississippi’s Alcorn State and Jackson State University, and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

“I just want people in the future to remember what homecoming is for, remember why we’re here,” Brown pleaded. “Homecoming is supposed to be a safe place for all, especially at Howard. If we take away all these spaces, we’re literally taking away our own joy.”

Howard Hoco Celebrates Legacies in ‘the Right Place’

For members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, composed

of historically Black fraternities and sororities known as the Divine Nine, homecomings are often a special moment –and this year was particularly important for those who became part of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s Alpha Chapter in 1975.

After the homecoming culmination church service on Oct. 26, Vanessa Kidd Thomas, donning Delta’s signature red and white, was all smiles as she shared her excitement to be back on campus for her line’s 50th anniversary.

“[Being here] just makes me feel happy to be alive,” Thomas told The Informer, “but also warm in the fact that I have women, I have sisters… and I know they got my back. It just reinforces we did the right thing, we were in the right place.”

With an estimated 14 of the “Nostalgic 29” back in D.C., Thomas and her fellow line sister, Deborah Harris, highlighted the week of events as a reflection of the sisterhood and service built in through the Delta experience.

Harris noted, in addition to celebrating her sorority sister, her biggest takeaway from homecoming, and particularly the Sunday service at Cramton Auditorium, was learning of her alma mater’s continuous progress and finding new ways to pour into it.

“The legacy continues in the sorority, but what I’m most impressed [with] is the growth of the campus life,” said the retired fundraiser. “So many programs have been added [at Howard]. It just makes me want

to say, “what kind of money do we need to raise? What do we need to do?””

Clark, a legacy student whose parents met on campus, considers coming home to a prosperous network “the beautiful thing about Howard.”

“God willing, I hope one day to continue the legacy,” he added, “but I think the greater thing is the legacy that’s already taking place.”

To ensure another 100 years of homecoming celebrations, the psychology major acknowledged the importance of prioritizing safety on HBCU campuses, while also pointing to the hard truths minorities face beyond gun violence.

“A lot of Black spaces have been the target of a lot of prejudice, attacking funding and opportunities in general. It goes into actual relations between people…and people of color that are trying to advance in life,” Clark explained. “The greater talking point is, how can we build community amid a lot of chaos.”

Similarly, Thomas and Brown both emphasized the “irreplaceable” value of cultural institutions, adding a desire to see all those affiliated with the Black community play their role in preserving their futures. \

As far as homecomings go, Brown told The Informer she’s already looking forward to decades spent “bleeding blue.”

“My kids will come with me, and they will wear Howard sweatshirts,” the 2024 graduate said with a laugh. “I can’t wait to come back…definitely the fifth year, the 10th year, all that.” WI

TEACHER from Page 1

struggle to fund extracurricular teaching positions for his school and others.

That’s why, as the 2026 D.C. Teacher of the Year, Alberts aims to promote arts education as a non-negotiable in future budget discussions.

“We are in a society right now that wants you to march to A and B, wants to think for you, wants you to do things the way that they want you to do them,” Alberts told The Informer. “The arts is the antithesis of that. They want you to think for yourself. They want you to create for yourself. They want you to work with people. They want you to collaborate. We’re not just sitting in a room trying to achieve a test score”

On Oct. 16, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser surprised School Without Walls community members when she announced Alberts as the 2026 D.C. Teacher of the Year.

Minutes before she took to the stage, School Without Walls’ stage band, a brainchild of Alberts, performed a musical number before the likes of: State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette Mitchell, D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), and D.C. State Board of Education Reps. Ben Williams (a Ward 1 representative and School Without Walls teacher) and Allister Chang (Ward 2).

Alberts, in his 18th year as School Without Walls’ first and only instrumental teacher, formed the stage band early in his tenure when student guitarists and drummers wanted to play contemporary songs together.

He also consolidated what was then a small orchestra and band into an Advanced Placement music theory class. During the school day, students under his purview take that class, along with: general music, guitar, and piano, and a digital music class that’s in its fourth year of existence.

“That was part of what attracted me to coming to Walls,” Alberts told The Informer. “I got to build the program from the ground up. It got to be what it is that I wanted it to be, as opposed to stepping into something that had already been established

and had expectations of being one way or the other.”

School Without Walls, an application-based high school located on the campus of George Washington University in Northwest, first opened in 1971. With a 100% high school graduation and 100% college acceptance rate, it has always counted among the District’s highest performing schools. This year, the public school ranked the highest of the District’s top 20 schools, and, overall, 69th in the country, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

This happened as, according to Albert, the school went without at least one of their extracurricular teachers.

“Last year we lost our theater teacher,” Albert said. “Two years before that, we lost our theater teacher. We got her back or another theater teacher back, and then we lost them the very next year because the budget said you can’t have [it].”

Alberts said that students— especially those attending academically rigorous application-based schools— can’t be without a well-rounded education.

“This is very much a college preparatory school with a workload [that’s] intense and it’s not to be taken lightly,” Alberts said. “When I got here, kind of like taking a sense of that in. I wanted to make sure that I offered something different, an escape for the kids where they could still perform at a high level, still have all the rigor, but not feel the pressure that comes along with that.”

Christopher Alberts: The Curator of a School Community

Alberts is the third consecutive D.C. Public Schools teacher to be named D.C. Teacher of the Year.

He’s now part of a club that includes: Jazzmyne Townsend of Stanton Elementary School, Beth Barkley, then of Cardozo Education Campus; Jermar Rountree of Center City Public Charter School - Brightwood Campus; Dominique Foster of Friendship Public Charter School - Blow Pierce Campus; Alejandro Disagranados of Aiton Elementary School; and Justin Lopez-Car-

doze of Capital City Public Charter School.

In her remarks, Bowser acknowledged Alberts’ students, including who recalled finding their voice after writing and performing a song about teen mental health. She also spoke highly about Alberts as she alluded to his teaching mission.

“We want to thank you for what you have done, not only for this wonderful cohort of students at Walls, but for all of them and all the children you have inspired throughout your teaching career,” Bowser said on Oct. 16. “We are grateful for you. We’re proud of you. And we can’t wait to see more musicians, thinkers, leaders, collaborators and creators because of you.”

The Council of Chief State School Officials is scheduled to name the 2026 U.S. Teacher of the Year by next spring. As Alberts vies for the national title, he has the support of students who say they’ve become stronger, more confident instrumentalists under his tutelage.

“Part of being a musician is being scared of making a mistake,” said Yeselyn Iraheta, one of Alberts’ orchestra students, as she reflects on lessons learned in Alberts’ class. “I always tell [the freshmen], you just got to go for

TEACHER Page 47

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Nathaniel M. Fields

We Need to Talk About Domestic Violence

provider of domestic violence shelter services in the United States, I feel a deep responsibility to speak plainly. Domestic violence is a shadow pandemic in America.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to honor survivors, remember those we have lost, and confront one of the most pervasive and deadly forms of violence in our society. Yet this month, as it does year after year, has passed with too little outrage and too little action.

As a Black man and the CEO of the Urban Resource Institute, the largest

Every minute, 24 people experience physical, emotional, or psychological harm from an intimate partner. One in four women and one in seven men will endure this abuse in their lifetime. By the end of the day, three women will have been murdered by an intimate partner. For Black and brown women, the impact is far more devastating — both in scale and in severity.

Across the country, systemic inequities make safety, healing, and justice painfully out of reach. Black women represent only 14 percent of the U.S. population but account for 31 percent of intimate partner homicides. They are three and a half times more likely to be killed by a partner than white women and five times more likely to die by firearm during pregnancy. Between 2010 and 2021, the number of Black women killed by guns tripled, with domestic violence driving much of that increase.

These are not just statistics. They

are lives lost, families shattered, and communities left grieving in silence. And still, domestic violence remains one of the most underreported crimes in America. Too many survivors, especially women of color, stay silent out of fear, discrimination, or mistrust of systems that have too often failed to protect them.

For Black and brown women, those fears are magnified by economic abuse, the hidden weapon of control. Nearly every survivor experiences some form of financial coercion. Partners withhold money, destroy credit, sabotage

jobs, and seize vital documents. When someone cannot open a bank account, work, or pay rent without permission, leaving is not a choice — it becomes a matter of survival

We must face a hard truth: We cannot end domestic violence without addressing economic abuse and homelessness.

While the Violence Against Women Act in 1995 marked a turning point, our systems still fall short. Survivors need more than shelter. They

Page 53

Ben Jealous

When the Blues Hit Home: Why Family Values Require Family Wages

The old blues singer had it right: “When a lady gets the blues, she hangs her head and cries. When a man gets the blues, he grabs the train and rides.” The relationship between poverty and family breakdown has always been undeniable.

For decades, conservatives have rightly sounded the alarm about family breakdown — declining marriage

“This act flows from a clear and simple wrong. Its only purpose is to right that wrong. Millions of Americans are denied the right to vote because of their color. This law will ensure them the right to vote. The wrong is one which no American, in his heart, can justify. The right is one which no American, true to our principles, can deny.” — President

rates, rising single parenthood, children without stable households. Strong families are the foundation of strong communities. But here’s what we need to be honest about: You cannot build strong families on poverty wages.

The past year has made this undeniable. Grocery prices remain high. Rent keeps climbing. Child care costs are crushing families. MIT’s Living Wage Calculator shows even the cheapest county in America now requires $33.82 per hour for a modest two-parent household to cover basics. Against a

$7.25 federal minimum wage, families are drowning.

Here’s what America literally cannot afford to forget: This year, videos went viral across MAGA social media claiming Donald Trump would raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour. The videos were false — Trump never made that promise. But their popularity revealed something crucial: Even Trump’s base knows the current wage system is broken. When working-class Americans across the political spectrum are that hungry for higher wages, it’s time

we stopped treating this as partisan and started treating it as a family crisis.

So let’s imagine the president of the United States was actually willing to establish a family-sustaining wage. What would happen?

Marriages would increase. Geoffrey McAdam in Indiana works full-time earning just under $47,000 a year and can’t afford independent housing, much less support a family. Research shows when male wages decline, marriage rates plummet — not because values changed, but because men like

Geoffrey don’t feel they can fulfill the provider role. Financial stress is the number one cause of divorce. With family-sustaining wages, couples could weather emergencies instead of one car repair destroying their marriage.

Fathers could be present. Men working multiple jobs miss Little League games, homework help, dinner conversations. Men like Geoffrey who can’t afford housing delay fatherhood altogether. When fathers earn family-sus-

Lyndon B. Johnson, upon signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Supreme Court holds the future of America in its hands this week. It gets to decide whether this is a nation that serves a great many or only the voices of a select few. It is going to determine if we are charting a path toward fulfilling our promise of liberty, justice and the pursuit of happiness for all, or backsliding to a dark past where a racial caste system denied the right to vote to millions of Americans based on the color of their skin.

That is what is at the heart of Louisiana v. Callais, a case that will decide the legality of a congressional map that adequately reflects the population of the same state where the very same court declared segregation legal just over a century ago in Plessy v. Ferguson.

In Louisiana v. Callais, a group of “non-African-American” voters is decrying that a newly created district in 2024 that allotted for two majority African-American congressional districts — two of six — which directly reflects the state’s Black population, discriminates against them.

Civil rights groups argue that the new district is lawful under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA).

For those of you unfamiliar with Section 2, it allows for legal action against state entities, including states, counties, and municipalities, on the following factors:

1. The history of official voting-related discrimination in the state or political subdivision.

2. The extent to which voting in the elections of the state or political subdivision is racially polarized.

3. The extent to which the state of

political subdivision has used voting practices or procedures that tend to enhance the opportunity for discrimination against the minority group, such as extensive election districts, majority-vote requirements, and prohibitions against ballot voting.

4. The exclusion of members of the minority group from candidate slating processes;

5. The extent to which minority group members bear the effects of discrimination in areas such as education,

MORIAL Page 53

Guest Columnist

The Power and Necessity of Future-Proofing Career Paths

could be forgiven for feeling a bit of whiplash these days. At times like these, we crave stability, consistency and a plan for the way forward.

“Uncertain” doesn’t even begin to describe the times we’re living through right now.

There are shifting alliances and allegiances. Rules and regulations are here today but gone tomorrow ... and then back a few days later.

Tariffs implemented and then postponed and then reinstated ... all in a matter of hours. Anyone

At OIC of America, a nonprofit founded by Rev. Dr. Leon H. Sullivan 61 years ago, we are moving his established and future-proof formula forward:

• Work to achieve economic justice and reduce poverty.

• Transform lives and communities through no-cost skills training.

To paraphrase the words of the only king we should take notes from, Dr. Martin Luther King, right now is America’s best opportunity to bridge the gulf of the haves and have-nots. The haves today are large corporations profiting from the under-resourced, while the have-nots are our limited pockets of money and resources during

• Address the systemic barriers that keep people from fully participating in the modern economy.

A reliable recipe for uncertain times.

In more than 20 states around the country, our nearly 50 partners and affiliates take different approaches to this mission, but every strategy ultimately boils down to those three elements. By following our founder’s model, we minimize uncertainty when we future-proof the workforce.

Because getting a job isn’t

Guest Columnists

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

a closed government.

If you believe a company has been discriminating in hiring, the simplest response is to stop giving them money. Executive Order 14173, signed this term by President Donald Trump, has “encouraged” — through prospective retaliation — private-sector corporations under the guise of “voluntary” cooperation to roll back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The companies who have complied include everyday household names

Over the past few months, something deeply troubling has been unfolding in plain sight: More than 300,000 Black women have left or been pushed out of the U.S. labor force. Since the onset of the pandemic, that number doubles to nearly 600,000 Black women who have not returned to the American workforce. This

enough anymore. A job alone won’t provide a lifelong map toward prosperity — that kind of promise comes only from a transformation in thinking and in opportunity.

Look at construction, where we have an ever-worsening shortage of workers. In just 2025 and 2026, America will need a million new construction workers just to keep up with the pipeline of work.

More than four in 10 construction workers are retiring by 2031, and more than a third of construction

workers are foreign-born populations whose absence from the U.S. workforce is becoming more acutely felt every day. Match that shortage with continually increasing demand. Hyper-expensive natural disasters, which require skilled laborers to recover and rebuild from, hit an all-time high in 2023. We have a national housing shortage of 4.5 million homes. Data centers, which require armies of workers

like Amazon, Disney, Google, McDonald’s, Target and even Walmart. We have all driven past one of these companies, purchased from, and maybe even been employed by them. Now, it’s time we fight back economically. These companies are undoing decades of progress that made corporate America begin to resemble the diverse nation they profit from.

Take a look at Target for modern-day proof of economic boycotts working. The company erased years of progress as a leader in sustainable,

Guest Columnists

equitable corporate programs. The firm created initiatives like 2020’s Target Forward, the Racial Equity Action and Change committee and committed to spend $2 billion supporting Black-owned businesses. The firm, along with discount giant Walmart, caved in to pressure from the White House and phased out support for Black workplace initiatives. Since then, the company lost $20 billion in market value due to Black people boycotting the retailer. In the midst of this backlash, Target’s CEO Brian Cornell

resigned.

Why is purging DEI initiatives a negative for underserved communities? As consumers, we deserve to see ourselves reflected in the companies that profit from us. We deserve people behind the counter, in the boardroom and on design teams who understand our needs, our stories and our struggles — not erase them. We deserve more creative and innovative products that can only come from diverse

Page 54

When Black Women Exit the Workforce, America Pays the Price — D.C. Must Lead the Way Back

is an economic and civic emergency.

Between February and July 2025, Black women lost 319,000 jobs across sectors.

In April 2025 alone, Black women lost 106,000 jobs — the steepest drop of any demographic group in that month. The unemployment rate for Black women has climbed from 5.1% (March) to 6.1% (April), 6.2% (May), before easing to approximately 5.8% (June). In the D.C. region, federal employment dropped about 1.9%

between January and May 2025, contributing to a broader federal downsizing of some 22,100 jobs in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia corridor.

These numbers are shocking, especially when considering that federal jobs have historically been a stronger foothold for Black women seeking middle-class stability. When those ladders are pulled away, the impacts intensify.

In many communities, Black women serve as anchors: wage-earners, mothers, entrepre-

neurs, caregivers, role models, community organizers. When the job security pipeline is disrupted, it impacts individual households as well as cities and states.

D.C. has always been a window where national policy, equity struggles and racial justice are often in opposition to each other. If we do nothing, the losses D.C.’s Black women are absorbing won’t stop here — this will cascade outward: into stronger inequality, deeper neighborhood disinvestment, weaker tax bases, more fore-

closures and more people opting out of civic engagement.

But D.C. can lead. We can show the nation how to protect the most vulnerable first. We can rescue the talent from leaving the city. We can demonstrate how municipal, community and policy interventions can reclaim what is being lost federally.

Black women are often the first to be cut in a downturn, the first to be left behind — because of in-

Page 54

A House Divided

The Emotional Toll of the East Wing’s Demolition

Betty Ford once remarked that if the White House’s West Wing is the “mind” of the nation, its East Wing – the traditional power center for first ladies - is its “heart.”

The sight of the East Wing of the White House reduced to rubble in recent days has left Americans stunned, saddened, and angry.

President Donald J. Trump’s assurance last July that his proposed $300 million ballroom “would not impact the existing structure” has proven to be yet another untruth. The destruction of a cornerstone of the nation’s most symbolic residence — executed without consultation with preservationists, architects, or the National Park Service — feels less like a renovation and more like an act of erasure.

The White House, a symbol of American Democracy, was built in large part by enslaved Black peo-

ple, whose labor and craftsmanship laid its very foundation.

For generations, presidents have made tasteful modifications to meet modern demands, but never before has a section of the White House been demolished. Beyond the political controversy, the psychological impact is significant.

The White House is more than just a home or an office — it is the nation’s emotional anchor, a physical symbol of continuity and shared history. Its removal undermines that collective sense of belonging.

As Caroline Kennedy once said of her childhood there, “The White House is a place where history lives — and where you feel the weight and the wonder of being part of something larger than yourself.” That sense of reverence now feels violated.

Seeing a ballroom rise where the East Wing once stood — at a time when millions of Americans face unpaid bills, government furloughs, and uncertainty from a prolonged federal shutdown — only worsens the disillusionment. Even if privately funded, the project comes across as tonedeaf luxury amid national hardships.

The psychological wound isn’t just about bricks and marble. It’s about trust, stewardship, and respect for what holds us together as a people.

The People’s House, once a symbol of resilience, now reflects the fragmentation of the American spirit — a reminder that when truth and tradition fall apart, something much greater collapses with them.

WI

In the Wake of Multiple Homecoming Shootings, Black Lives and Spaces must be Protected

One of the most exciting and inspiring traditions within the African American collegiate community is homecoming.

With activities from football games between longtime rivals, to parades, the crowning of kings and queens, to concerts, colloquiums, and church services, homecoming at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have evolved from a need for pride and a celebration of Black excellence in the face of systemic exclusion.

Homecoming provides a safe space for generations of Black scholars to affirm their identities, highlight their collective achievement, and reflect upon their shared culture.

In a tradition that dates to the early 1900s at HBCUs like Howard and Hampton Universities, alumni return to the campuses from which they graduated to celebrate school pride.

Now these traditionally joyful events find themselves under the specter of death as shootings have been reported at or near HBCUs during recent celebrations in Washington, D.C., Mis -

sissippi, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.

On Oct. 25, a shooting at Lincoln University during homecoming resulted in the death of one man and the injury of six others.

One day earlier, on Oct. 24, five people were shot and injured near Howard University’s campus during homecoming weekend.

Some schools have increased security, but others say they are looking for solutions that would not result in homecoming becoming a heavily policed event. While there’s understandable reluctance about over-policing predominantly African American spaces, gun violence already disproportionately affects Black communities.

We cannot allow gun violence to become an accepted and normalized part of annual homecoming celebrations. It’s important to hold one another accountable and put an end to violence, not just at homecomings, but in Black communities nationwide.

Further, perhaps Congress,

whenever they return to work, should stop protecting the rights of organizations like the NRA and begin stepping up for innocent Black boys and girls— youth who only want to better their lives in the pursuit of higher education.

So far, there have been few reports that indicate who’s pulling the trigger during these outbreaks of violence; but someone knows something. And no matter the race or ethnicity of the triggermen, such acts of violence cannot be condoned.

WI

We cannot allow gun violence to become an accepted and normalized part of annual homecoming celebrations.

TO THE EDITOR

Great coverage of the ‘No Kings’ rally. I believe it’s important to show that there is resistance to the Trump administration and that Americans, Black or white, did not just go along with some of these atrocities being carried out. It’s a great thing that we document the resistance in words and photos.

Edward Mills, Washington, D.C.

Just stopping by to give kudos on the excellent reporting on the DMV region. Every Thursday, I make sure to get my free copy before they’re all gone! You guys are a gem in our community. Keep up the great work!

Gail Allen, Hyattsville, Md.

Readers’ Mailbox

The Washington Informer welcomes letters to the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to news@ washingtoninformer.com. or send to: 3117 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20032. Please note that we are unable to publish letters that do not include a full name, address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you.

LIFESTYLE

Washington Informer Weekend Checklist

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

Things To Do, DMV!

By Keith Golden Jr. WI Intern

From theatre performances, art festivals and horse shows, check out a handful of the many events in the DMV this weekend.

Further, to learn about more fun happenings around town, don’t forget to check out the Washington Informer Calendar.

Thursday, Oct. 30

Women in Tech DC Networking Event

6 p.m. - 9 p.m. | $17.85+

Arlo Washington DC Hotel, 333 G Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001

WomenTech Network is a global community powered by Coding Girls, Tech Family Ventures and Tallocate promoting diversity in tech, leadership and entrepreneurship.

The Washington DC Network is hosting their monthly mixer where tech companies, entrepreneurs and talent could come together to offer opportunities within the tech space.

This event is co-ed and companies often in attendance include, but are not limited to, Google, Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, NBC Universal and Vice Media.

Candlelight: Halloween Classics

6:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. | 50+

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001

Presented by Fever, the modernized candlelight concerts were formed in 2019 in an effort to draw more people to classical music. According to Fever, the purpose of the concerts is to “democritize” the access to classical music and classical culture.

Thursday’s event seeks to immerse the audience within classic spooky songs, such as “Thriller,” the themes from “Beetlejuice” and “Halloween” and the “Funeral March of a Marionette.”

Doors open 45 minutes before the show and close five minutes prior to the start. Late arrivals will not be permitted.

Friday, Oct. 31

Dirty Habit DC Presents: CarnEvil Nights

9 p.m. - 2 a.m. | $35.88

Dirty Habit DC, 555 8th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20004

Dirty Habit, a luxury restaurant and bar in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter/Theatre District that offers a social scene, is hosting a Halloween

Carnival Party where participants can experience themed food and drinks, spooky season music and a costume contest with a $300 first place prize pool.

Costumes are highly encouraged.

Help Give Away FreshlyPicked Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Flowers

11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Free THEARC BLACK BOX, 1801 Mississippi Avenue Washington, D.C. 20020

Continuing its mission of supporting residents East of the Anacostia River, Building Bridges Across the River, is offering the community a chance to help give back.

Participants will have the opportunity to give away produce from THEARC Farm, the organization’s partner farms in Southeast, and from the Capital Area Food Bank‘s local farm partners.

Volunteers will help set up the produce, market-style and tasks will include refilling display containers, checking in participants, administering surveys, helping participants bring produce to their vehicles and cleaning up after it has ended.

Saturday, Nov. 1

Día de los Muertos at The Wharf

3 p.m. - 7 p.m.| Free The Wharf, 760 Maine Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20024

The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief re-

union that includes food, drink and celebration.

This holiday is a combination of traditional Aztec practices from the early 1500s, combining various religious traditions, All Saints Day, and Spanish cultures. Once the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in the 16th century, the Catholic Church moved Indigenous celebrations and rituals honoring the dead throughout the year to the Catholic dates commemorating All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

At the Wharf, in partnership with the Mexican Cultural Institute and Fiesta DC, the family-friendly afternoon will include live music, cultural performances, a Modelo beer garden, face painting, sugar skull decorating, a community light procession, and more.

Hot Cider Hustle 5k / 10k – Washington, DC 8:30 a.m. | $59.99+

The National Harbor, 137 National Plaza National Harbor, MD 20745

The Hot Cider Hustle is a multi-location running race series that started around 2018 as a way to celebrate autumn. Participants run in either a 5K, 10K, or half marathon, and at the finish line they receive hot cider and caramel apples.

The race series benefits various local charities, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation or United Way.

Sunday, Nov. 2

Handmade Craft Sales @ Trinidad Farmers Market 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Free

Trinidad Farmers Market, 1299 Neal Street NE Washington, D.C. 20002

With a dual mission of supporting local farmers and promoting healthy eating, the Trinidad Farmers Market has a variety of producers— from those selling locally-farmed, locally-produced vegetables and fruits, cheeses, baked goods, to producers who sell eggs and meats.

The market’s handmade crafts sale is for the forthcoming holiday season, with wares all made by residents and small businesses part of Northeast’s Trinidad neighborhood.

Halloween Ghosts Tour: Capitol Building & Congress’ Wild, Hidden History!

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | $27.45 Garfield Memorial, 2436 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20004

The Capitol Building, home of the U.S. Congress, is renowned for its architecture and landscaping, yet its interior and grounds have also held court to 225 years of misbehavior, making it an ideal location for a Halloween tour.

This will be a walking tour of the Capitol’s ground that covers two centuries of misdeeds, murders, ghosts, betrayals, and many accomplishments too.

Some of the topics will include, the first assassination attempt on a president, the near fatal beating of a senator by a congressman, arbors of heartbreak— the site’s commemorative trees— and the Capitol’s first hanging.

LIFESTYLE

The City That Paints its Memory: Washington, D.C. and the Walls that Speak

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

As Washingtonians continue to fight federal attacks against the District’s already limited home rule, and now navigate the challenging effects of the government shutdown, murals have become ways of highlighting and preserving D.C. culture.

The walls of Washington speak, telling the truth about who this city really is.

From U Street to Shaw, The Wharf to Anacostia, the District’s murals are not mere paintings, but rise as acts of defiance and prayer.

“Every brushstroke seems like a protest,” Arihanna Khan, a Capitol Hill resident said, quoting one muralist. “You can’t silence a mural. You can try, but it will still be there in the morning.”

In the Shaw neighborhood, where Black culture has long stood as the city’s soul, murals climb from brick and concrete like hymns. Duke Ellington gazes from his corner as if conducting the rhythm of a people who refuse to disappear.

A few blocks away, the mural on the side of Ben’s Chili Bowl tells

a story of endurance. The building survived the 1968 riots and every wave of gentrification that followed. Its wall has carried faces from Barack and Michelle Obama to Harriet Tubman, Chuck Brown, and Prince.

“Ben’s isn’t just a restaurant,” said Millie Carter, a lifelong Shaw resident. “I feel it’s what D.C. is all about and the murals speak to the fact that we belong here. It says to me that Donald Trump cannot erase our history.”

The African American Civil War Memorial bears the names of more than 200,000 Black soldiers who fought for a country that refused to see them. Their courage lives on in paint, color, and form.

Further, the Howard Theatre still stands as a cathedral of sound and survival. Its nearby murals honor the artists who built D.C.’s identity, such as Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Marian Anderson.

Down by The Wharf, D.C.’s story continues.

Artist Shawn Perkins created a visual hymn through his murals of Benjamin Banneker, Marvin Gaye, and the Rev. Anthony Bowen. Banneker, the mathe -

matician who helped design the capital, looks out over a waterfront that once excluded people like him. Gaye, a native son of Washington, still sings through color, asking the same question he posed decades ago, “What’s Going On?” Bowen, who founded one of the first Black YMCA chapters in the country, reminds all who pass that faith without service is empty.

“Art is not just in museums in D.C.,” Yvonne Z. Smith wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We

PUBLIC NOTICE

Kolapieh Incorporated is applying for a Certificate of Need to establish a Home Health Agency that will provide skilled nursing, therapy, and personal care services to residents across all eight wards of the District of Columbia, with a focus on Wards 7 and 8.

A Letter of Intent will be filed with the District of Columbia State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA). The administrative office of Kolapieh Incorporated will be located at: 1433 Howard Road SE, Washington, DC 20020 (Ward 8)

For additional information, contact the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) at (202) 442-5875.

have some of the most expressive murals.”

While Black Lives Matter Plaza is Gone, New Murals Arise

Earlier this year, the mural that once defined defiance, the Black Lives Matter lettering near the White House, was destroyed. Mayor Muriel Bowser, under pressure from President Donald Trump, ordered its removal.

While the act was meant to silence, and the plaza is gone, the message survives on every wall that still breathes truth.

In Anacostia, where policy and poverty have long conspired against hope, new murals rise as declarations of worth. They honor the mothers who hold families together, the children who dream, and the ancestors

who built the city’s foundation.

“You walk past those murals and you feel free. You feel strengthened,” said Jamal Washington, a Southeast resident and self-described community advocate. “When I look at them, I see us. I see everything Trump is trying to take away.”

Murals in Washington are more than art.

When the sun falls behind U Street and the walls begin to glow under the streetlights, passerbys can almost hear them breathe.

The colors move like voices carried by wind, whispering the same promise to everyone who will listen.

“We’re still here and we know that they want us gone— in a detention center, on a boat, or in chains,” said Elaine Carter. “But guess what? We’re not going anywhere.”

WI

“Art is not just in museums in D.C.We have some of the most expressive murals.”

Yvonne Z. Smith

Delight on the Roof at ‘Realm’ in D.C.’s Shaw Neighborhood

By Brenda C. Siler WI Contributing Writer

A team of native Washingtonians— led by Evens Charles, founder and CEO of Frontier and Development & Hospitality Group– is offering one of the best views of the nation’s capital, with Realm Rooftop Bar & Lounge, now open at the Hyatt House Hotel on O Street NW.

A comfortable, stylish, and relaxed space, Realm— the first hotel in his hospitality group to open in D.C. — is a full circle moment for Charles, who grew up in Northwest’s Petworth neighborhood.

“This is the 11th hotel in my hospitality group,” Charles told The Informer August. “I am a native of D.C. and the people who manage this hotel are all natives of D.C. and are all Black men.”

Realm is intimate yet feels spacious. There is an open private dining area for special occasions, with incredible views of the city and the rooftop’s out-

door area features cushioned seating and fire pits, enhancing the tranquil ambiance.

“This was an underutilized space with a swimming pool and a fitness room,” Charles said about the former Cambria Hotel, where Realm is now located. “We saw a vision to try to activate this beautiful top with a beautiful skyline of the city with an unobstructed view of the Capitol Dome and the monument.”

D.C. Natives Dedicated to

Quality Service

Donte Johnson, Realm’s general manager, grew up in the Shaw neighborhood and his extensive background in the hospitality industry has placed him in various roles, leading to his current position managing the rooftop.

“Walking into the space and not feeling like you’re in D.C. is what we’re constantly hearing,” Johnson told The Informer. “We want to differentiate ourselves from other places.”

Bladder

We can help.

Johnson connected with the highly lauded Chef Keem Hughley, who is now culinary director, and the two have come together to offer the best possible experience at Realm.

“We also want to excel in service,” he added. “We also think we have something special with Chef Keem as our culinary director.”

Hughley, a graduate of McKinley Tech High School, is known for pushing the boundaries of cuisine through an Afrofuturistic approach, as seen at his former restaurant Bronze on H Street NE.

Exploring African American culture through the lens of science fiction has been an Afrofutristic view pursued by author Octavia Butler, and musicians George Clinton and the Black rock group Living Colour.

Overseeing the food and bar operations, Hughley translates Afrofuturism into the menu at Realm by blending French culinary techniques with the vibrant flavors of the Indian Ocean, particularly those rooted in Seychellois

Creole cuisine.

“I wanted to tie together the food and beverages with storytelling,” said Hughley. “So when I came into the project, I wanted to make sure we had a shared language for our creation. The scope is rooted in East Africa with Indian Ocean and Mediterranean accents.”

Many of the menu items are shareables with “tropical-forward” flavors

or bowel out of control?

If you or a loved one are experiencing any of the following:

• Uncontrollable urges to go to the bathroom

• Frequent accidents resulting in wearing pads

• Getting up multiple times at night

• Not emptying your bladder

Join us for a free community event to learn about treatment options with board certified urologists, Dr. Jannah Thompson & Dr. Laura Giusto.

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Time: 6:30 PM

Location: The Royal Sonesta - Capitol Hill

Jewel Ballrooms – Penthouse (PH) Floor 20 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington D.C. 20001

like coconut, tamarind, citrus, and curry leaf. Dishes include: Island Oysters with coconut-lime-ginger mignonette; Tamarind-Glazed Lamb Lollipops; Coconut Crab Cakes with mango-tamarind chutney; Ginger-Lemongrass Chicken Skewers;Chili Prawns and Curry Mussels; and Truffle and Curry Leaf Fries. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Registration: Scan the QR code or visit https://tinyurl.com/Thompson-Giusto

Break the Silence. Build Your Financial Future.

“Blackpeopledon’tdocounseling.”

It’s a phrase rooted in stigma—and it’s one that keeps many of us from using powerful tools for change. But nonprofit credit counseling isn’t about shame or failure. It’s about knowledge, control, and building a stronger future.

In Black communities especially, credit counseling can begin to close the wealth gap that decades of redlining, predatory lending, and inequality created.

It offers education, guidance, and a strategy to help you understand your financial standing, make wiser decisions, reduce debt, and unlock opportunities.

Are you ready to rewrite your financial story? Don’t let stigma hold you back from the tools that others use to grow. Reach out to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling today.

Take control. Build confidence. Grow your financial future – today!

Visit n f c c . o r g to connect with a nonprofit certified credit counselor or call (833) 691-6299 to start a confidential session today

America’s trusted financial coach for more than 70 years, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling offers education and solutions that ensure better financial futures for all.

LIFESTYLE

review wi book

“Champion: A Graphic Novel”

By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld, illustrated By Ed Laroche

c.2025, Ten Speed Graphic

$26.99

128 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Your future is all laid out.

Work a few summers, graduate, go to college, gather awards and go on to a great career, more awards, big money, lots of fame. That’s Plan A and there is no Plan B. But in the new graphic novel, “Champion” by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld, illustrated by Ed Laroche, life may have other ideas for you.

Monk Travers just wasn’t thinking.

He never figured that breaking into a rival high school’s hallway and vandalizing their mascot mural would have such awful effects. He didn’t plan on getting caught and he certainly didn’t figure that his coach would make him sit out the next big basketball game.

He was the team’s best player, so that would hurt — the team, for the points he wouldn’t make; and Monk, because basketball was his thing. It was the only thing, as far as he was concerned, because Monk planned on becoming a professional basketball player after graduation.

And so he was benched, plus Coach gave him an assignment. Monk had to write and present an essay about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Not on Abdul-Jabbar’s games, but on his life.

When Coach gave him the assignment, it seemed like everything and everyone was coming down on Monk. His parents and his boss at his part-time job both scolded him for not paying attention to his other talents, his artistic work or his piano playing. His “girlfriend-ish,” Lark, was mad at Monk for not being supportive and for missing her big ballgame. The guys on his team were embarrassed that they had to help clean the mural Monk had defaced. And then there was this ghost, an invisible spirit of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar that kept popping into Monk’s head, just when he didn’t need it. Why was Monk’s imagination so insistent on telling him things he didn’t want to hear?

He had a week to do the assignment. How could he focus when so much was happening?

In a way, “Champion” is something rare: it’s a book that will appeal to anyone, teen to adult, but it leans more toward an audience of older boys and young men, and that’s good to see. Another happy thing: Its graphic novel format has quite a bit of biography in it, as authors Abdul-Jabbar and Obstfeld write at length about Abdul-Jabbar’s life and accomplishments. Readers will know that this isn’t just another comic-book-type story.

All that aside, the biggest appeal in this book is that the authors talk the talk without preaching. They also uplift girls, parents and local businesses inside this tale, without making any of the characters seem like caricatures and without ridiculing any group of people. It’s a good moral story that doesn’t have the feel of a lecture and it’s hard not to get behind that. Artwork by Ed Laroche just underscores the fun of reading it.

If you or your basketball-crazy reader wants a good story with an inspirational biography embedded within, find “Champion.” You won’t be able to lay it down. WI

horoscopes

ARIES Career momentum accelerates as Mars powers your ambition sector, bringing advancement through bold initiatives demonstrating leadership capability that transforms challenging situations into strategic victories while building executive credibility. Project proposals succeed when comprehensive planning showcases innovative solutions addressing organizational priorities. Lucky Numbers: 9, 41, 56

TAURUS Partnership dynamics deepen trust as Venus illuminates your alliance sector, bringing opportunity through collaborative ventures leveraging complementary expertise that generates mutual prosperity while establishing equitable frameworks. Relationship conversations advance midweek when diplomatic communication addresses underlying concerns fostering authentic understanding. Lucky Numbers: 15, 38, 54

GEMINI Productivity optimization enhances reputation bringing recognition through systematic excellence demonstrating refined capabilities that exceed expectations while establishing premium service standards. Health initiatives succeed when disciplined routines support sustained energy meeting intensive demands. Workplace technology integration advances midweek when streamlined processes enhance collaborative effectiveness generating measurable improvements. Lucky Numbers: 4, 26, 48

CANCER Creative expression generates exciting possibilities as lunar energy illuminates your passion sector, bringing breakthrough through artistic ventures showcasing distinctive vision that captures attention while demonstrating commercial viability. Romantic connections deepen when authentic vulnerability combines with playful spontaneity fostering partnerships celebrating genuine individuality. Lucky Numbers: 19, 35, 62

LEO Foundational security establishes peace as solar power grounds your sanctuary sector, bringing stability through domestic investments creating nurturing environments supporting ambitious pursuits while strengthening family bonds. Real estate opportunities surface when thorough evaluation identifies properties offering exceptional value appreciation potential. Lucky Numbers: 6, 22, 43

VIRGO Communication influence expands reach as earth energy activates your expression sector, bringing advancement through persuasive messaging demonstrating analytical depth that transforms stakeholder perspectives while establishing thought leadership authority. Learning opportunities materialize when intellectual curiosity explores specialized domains creating distinctive competitive advantages. Lucky Numbers: 11, 30, 59

LIBRA Financial foundation builds prosperity as Venus energizes your resource sector, bringing security through disciplined wealth management identifying growth opportunities while maintaining prudent risk assessment. Income advancement succeeds when assertive negotiation secures compensation reflecting genuine market value and unique capabilities. Lucky Numbers: 13, 37, 50

SCORPIO Personal magnetism commands attention as Pluto amplifies your identity sector, bringing influence through authentic self-presentation projecting natural intensity that attracts transformative opportunities while establishing powerful professional positioning. Leadership initiatives succeed when strategic vision combines with determined execution demonstrating proven capability. Lucky Numbers: 17, 32, 46

SAGITTARIUS Introspective clarity reveals breakthrough insights as Jupiter activates your reflection sector, bringing wisdom through contemplative practices uncovering innovative solutions to persistent challenges while releasing limiting patterns blocking advancement. Lucky Numbers: 21, 44, 63

CAPRICORN Social networks amplify professional reach as Saturn illuminates your community sector, bringing advancement through collaborative initiatives mobilizing collective expertise toward ambitious goals while respecting diverse contribution styles. Technology ventures expand when innovative digital strategies build engaged audiences demonstrating authentic value delivery. Lucky Numbers: 3, 29, 57

AQUARIUS Career authority reaches pinnacle momentum as Uranus propels your achievement sector, bringing recognition through innovative leadership transforming complex obstacles into strategic opportunities while inspiring organizational confidence. Executive advancement materializes when demonstrated competency qualifies for elevated responsibility overseeing critical operations. Lucky Numbers: 24, 40, 55

PISCES Philosophical expansion broadens perspective as Neptune energizes your horizon sector, bringing insight through cultural exploration revealing core values guiding meaningful direction while maintaining practical sustainability. International opportunities materialize when cross-cultural awareness facilitates collaborative partnerships generating diversified ventures. Lucky Numbers: 8, 36, 61

SPORTS

Howard Defeats Morgan State 33-27 in Dramatic Homecoming Matchup

By Ed Hill WI Contributing Writer

Howard University’s victory against Morgan State on Saturday, Oct. 25 was a historic homecoming matchup in a number of ways.

While it was their eighth matchup of the season, it was the Bison’s first “home” game back in Greene Stadium on the campus of the university. Moreover, the timing was perfect as the Bison had just dropped its third game in a row at Tennessee State (Oct. 18), plus Oct. 25 marked the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both Howard and the Morgan State Bears.

Howard’s challenging schedule included games in Miami, Philadelphia, Richmond, Nashville, Fairfield, Connecticut, East Rutherford, New

ball for just two minutes.

Jersey and D.C. at Audi Field. So, it was perhaps what the doctor ordered for the nomadic team.

“It will be good not to have to travel and pack and unpack our bags,” noted Howard Head Coach Larry Scott before Saturday’s game.

Howard took advantage of home as it captured a dramatic 33-27 overtime victory over the visiting Bears to the delight of the homecoming crowd of almost 10,000, who filled Greene Stadium to see their team for the first time on their true home turf this season.

The game started out with some entertainment as comedians and actors Cedric “The Entertainer” and Howard University alum Anthony Anderson served as team captains in the rep game coin toss.

From there, the fans were treated

Unfortunately Lane’s kickoff miss was a huge blow for the Commanders because right after that the Chiefs scored again increasing the score 21-7. The Chiefs built upon their dominance and never looked back. After getting two turnovers in the first half, the defense went back to: blowing big plays; giving players like tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Rashee Rice, and running back Kareem Hunt the opportunity to score; closing the

to one of the most competitive and entertaining homecoming games in recent memory.

After four ties and three lead changes, it took an extra frame to be decided.

Following a huge defensive stand by the defense, Anthony Reagan, Jr., capped off the dramatic game-winner with a 25-yard touchdown run. The sophomore running back came into the season listed as a reserve behind all-conference selection Eden James, son of former NFL great Edgerrin James, who was injured in the first game against Florida A&M. The difference maker in Saturday’s game, Reagan has been more than an adequate replacement.

He finished the game with a gamehigh 123 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. He add-

game; and securing a Chiefs home victory.

“I just thought, honestly, man, missed opportunities in the game, you can’t come here and expect to win and miss on those,” Quinn explained postgame. “You got to nail them. I thought we were going to play bold, move on the edge, that’s how we needed to play here.”

Despite the Commanders’ losing streak and injured roster, Washington fans are staying hopeful.

“My Commanders lose to [Kansas City, 28-7. Terry re-injured. Tunsil injured. Kinlaw injured. Deebo hurt again. No Jayden. Just brutal. But, we move on. Seahawks coming to town,” social media user Big Benny wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Let’s go! #RaiseHail”

The Washington Commanders will be back home at Northwest Stadium for a Sunday Night primetime matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Kickoff is set for 8:15pm. WI

ed another 36 yards on pass receptions that helped keep drives alive.

“It was a great way to celebrate homecoming,” Reagan said.

Twists and Turns

Throughout the Game

The game featured several ebbs and flows as neither team was able to take control.

Howard (4-4 overall, 1-0 MEAC) opened the scoring with a nine-yard touchdown pass from graduate quarterback Tyriq Starks to freshman tight end Xavier Newsom, but Morgan State came right back to tie the score, 7-7.

From there, the teams took turns. The Bison regained the lead, 14-7, on a 34-yard touchdown jaunt by Reagan.

Morgan State answered with a score to tie the game, 14-14, at halftime.

The Bears appeared to gain momentum when their quarterback stunned the nationally ranked Howard defense with an 81-yard touchdown run to start the third quarter, giving them their first lead of the game, 21-14.

Then, it became a defensive struggle for the rest of the third quarter until Howard junior reserve quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins scored from seven yards to tie the score again, 21-21, to start the fourth quarter.

Morgan State (3-5 overall, 0-1 MEAC) would come back 10 minutes later to regain the lead, 27-21, on a Jason Collins (Theodore Roosevelt High School) touchdown run, but the Bears missed the point after touchdown.

With 3:27 on the game clock in regulation, the Bison faced the task of having to score against one of the top defenses in the NCAA Football

Championship Subdivision. But the team combined on a play to knot the score with the potential game-winning conversion that would have all but secured the win with just 49 ticks on the clock.

However, this storybook homecoming was packed with drama, so the game went into overtime.

Morgan State got first possession from the Howard 25-yard line. The Buffalo Soldier defense stepped up and stopped the Bears on downs, forcing a field goal attempt that went wide.

“The stand was everything,” said redshirt defensive back Kaleb Gallop, who recorded a team-high six tackles and a key sack. “We were built for that moment. We pride ourselves on finishing. This game means a lot to the seniors. It is their last homecoming and it also gets us back on the winning track.”

The stop allowed Howard to secure the hard-fought victory. Reagan took the handoff from Starks, went right, and zipped into the end zone to set the dramatic celebration in Greene Stadium.

“When the defense did their part, we knew what was at stake,” said Reagan. “There was no doubt in the huddle that we were going to score. The “O” line did a great job. All I did was follow their blocks.”

For Coach Scott, the win could not have come at a better time. The Bison are 1-0 in conference play with a big showdown coming up on Nov. 1 against North Carolina Central University.

“In terms of the come-from-behind victory, the team kept believing and competing,” said Scott. “All that we experienced leading up to the present had prepared us for conference play. These experiences will continue to benefit us down the road.” WI

CAPTURE the moment

People flocked to Georgia Avenue for the annual Howard University Homecoming Community Parade on Saturday, Oct. 25. Following this year’s theme, “One of One,” the parade featured the Howard “Showtime” Marching Band, floats, cheerleaders, dancers, and other performances. Howard alumna and fashion expert Kahlana Barfield Brown served as the grand marshal. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)

Freddie Haynes Implores D.C. to ‘Let God Cook’ In the Power of Faith RELIGION

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

Following a celebratory week of reunion and rejuvenation, the Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes culminated Howard University’s homecoming celebration (Oct. 19-26) with a powerful sermon at Cramton Auditorium in Northwest, D.C.

Flanked by a crowd of longtime supporters, including Texas Congressional Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Haynes topped his delivery with cultural innuendoes and testaments to the strength in God and His plan, all the while reminding folks to seek that threshold within themselves.

“We have access to the same power that rose Jesus from the dead, meaning that resurrection power isn’t something you just shout about on Easter – it’s something you live with every day,” he declared on Oct. 26. “[It’s] a resil-

ience to bounce back…[it] means somehow a way is made out of nowhere. Resurrection power is God giving you power to overcome oppression and obstacles.”

With Nov. 1 set to mark a month of the federal shutdown, Haynes, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas spoke candidly of the adversity plaguing Americans, and particularly African Americans, in the wake of a second Trump administration.

The social activist preached with hope and humor as he acknowledged a longstanding precedent of oppression that precedes the struggles of modern racism, white Christian nationalism, anti-immigration, and environmental injustice, to name a few – none of which encapsulates the looming challenges in health care and employment if the government remains in a stalemate.

For two-time alumna Marsha

Middleton, Haynes’ approach to trust in God through life’s plot twists was more than fitting for the current climate, especially set to the backdrop of her alma mater’s 101st homecoming celebration.

“Homecoming is the opportunity to feel the spirit of everyone that has come through here…reflect on where we’ve [been], and hopefully talk about where our young folk [can] take us even further,” she explained. “[Haynes] is a walking example of what Christianity and church is supposed to be about… you’ve got to do some real work.”

Middleton and Haynes both emphasized part of that work manifests on the shoulders of giants that beckon Black liberation.

With a nod to the scrolls of cultural influence and freedom fighting, the guest preacher highlighted the role of spiritual resistance in forging lasting change and resilience, adding, “The power is in the people, not the people in power.”

“Frederick Douglas had the transformative testimony while [Abraham] Lincoln was on the throne. Lyndon Johnson was on the throne, but King, Ella Baker, Septima Clark, John Lewis, they had the testimony,” Haynes preached, before shouting out a fellow Texan’s work in Congress.

“Y’all know that Donald Trump may be on the throne, but Jasmine Crockett has the testimony.”

Building the Black Church, ‘Let God Cook’

Following Sunday’s service, and what she called an “off the chart sermon,” Middleton reflected on the importance of maintaining longevity within the Black Church, though she also noted a desire to see some pivotal changes.

“The church needs to be open enough to embrace new ideas and new strategies. This ‘just take the Bible and beat you over the head with it,’ it’s not working,” said the 73-year-old alum.

Middleton went on to call out the growing trend of “money-making theology” that tends to overshadow the purity of “doing the work of God.” She even went as far to note its role in deterring youth from institutions of faith.

“The church is being silent, the church is being complacent, and the church is being ineffective,” Middleton told The Informer. “Young folks see most ministers as hypocrites. What are you doing to empower me and other individuals like me that just want a good and wholesome life?”

While sharing his personal resonance with Sunday’s message, Howard University alumnus Dee “Meech” Justice emphasized the values of spiritual alignment as something more than a belief system, particularly for Black youth.

The music creative, a 2016 graduate, added he “feels most powerful” when he centers himself with God.

“Having a relationship is even more fun, even more beneficial, because in times when no one’s

with you, your spirituality is going to be what saves you,” he said. “Your spiritual reality, your spirituality, your faith, is going to be what keeps you…but I think we need to remind the kids that you’re never alone if you got that.”

During his sermon, Haynes highlighted the divine interference that prospers through Biblical stories, citing Noah’s Ark, Joseph’s dream, and Solomon’s wisdom, among others.

Referencing Ephesians 3:20, the Friendship-West pastor advised the crowd “not to worship a small God,” but rather the one who is “exceedingly, abundantly above all you can ask for.”

“God is simply saying, ‘You got the power, but you got to be in my hands,’” he explained. ‘“If you’re in my hands, you can make the world a better place. If you’re in my hands, we can turn the world upside down.’”

That’s why, between now and his anticipated return as guest preacher for homecoming 2026, Haynes implored the crowd to “let God cook and make a way.” For Justice, that simply means continuing his own daily work, which includes turning full-force to faith.

“I know how powerful I am because of the power of God, the power of His blood, the power of ancestry, the power of lineage,” he told The Informer. “There’s power in believing, there’s power in believing prayer. When you believe and you pray, things happen.”

WI

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. — Hosea 4:6

This is an abbreviated series, which began 22 years ago. Because there are so many new readers who pick up The Washington Informer each year, I feel it is my duty to write this series every year in November, for National Diabetes Month. The original article was taken from an online publication written by me back in 2003, only months after the death of my mother, Rev. Fannie Estelle Hill Grant. Since its publication, the original article has made its way around the world. It is posted in Africa, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, Europe and Asia, it has been translated into different languages, and it appears all across America. Allow me to share the story of my mother again. Last time this series was published, many people anxiously awaited the next issue. It is a story of the life and suffering of my mother, written to share with Black readers, in order to help somebody along the way, so her living would not be in vain. That was my mother’s motto!

This week, the Lord told me to share this article with readers again. Those of you who have read this column faithfully will be able to witness the devastation faced by me and my family, as my mother suffered for 12 years with Type 2 diabetes and all of the other implications it brings to the human body. Here is my story:

It is my pleasure to run this series after publishing it more than 10 times. It is about my own public relations campaign for education on diabetes prevention, established under the name of my mother, Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, and started after her death from Type 2 diabetes on Christmas Day in 2000. Yep, she died on Christmas Day, and it took me and my family years to begin celebrating again. For us, it was the saddest day, until about 10 years later, when I had the bright idea to just hang crystal angels all over my Christmas tree. Aha! My Christmas angels, in memory of

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

A Mother’s Legacy: Fighting Diabetes in Black America the religion corner

my mother. It worked. Back to my story.

I noticed a fire burning in the diabetes health arena, particularly in the African-American community, which is still burning out of control. Hopefully, this campaign will slow down this problem. Let us stop fanning the flames and put out the fire.

Mother Grant was 73 years old, a wife and mother of nine. A homemaker who loved her family very much, she prepared wonderful homemade meals for the family — including desserts like cakes, peach cobblers and sweet potato pies — and one of her special dishes that I enjoyed was chicken and dumplings. Any day of the week, our mother enjoyed cooking and cleaning, and I mean very clean! She kept the clothes clean for her family, and although she raised nine children of her own, she always had room for other needy children.

In our early years in the 1960s, Mother was the wife of our sharecropper father in North Carolina, but they moved the family to Washington, D.C., in 1965. For more than 30 years, the Washington metropolitan area was home until she moved back to her family farm.

Our family learned of Mother’s Type 2 diabetes after she had a major stroke in 1989. She lived only 12 years after the diagnosis. It was during that time when we watched her health go downhill that God spoke into my spirit, telling me to look deeply into this Type 2 diabetes illness, find out the causes and symptoms, then share those with the world. I pledged to begin the educa-

tional prevention campaign while we visited with and cared for our mother during her last year of life.

Mother and Father moved back to North Carolina, where she enjoyed her later years in a very peaceful way. We purchased her a new home, took over the mortgage, and she was happy. Mother Grant enjoyed living on the 226-acre farm near Kinston. She was one of the heirs to the vast farm left to her family by her father, my grandfather Floyd Hill. She enjoyed walking around the farm, following my father as he worked.

Mother suffered many additional strokes; during one of them, she lost the use of her tongue and couldn’t speak. Her kidneys failed, and she had kidney dialysis for the last two years of her life. She also had high blood pressure for many years, and both of her legs were amputated above her knees.

We wanted to know more about the disease that took our mother in such a brutal fashion. There was so much pain and suffering prior to her death. Mother Grant was a Christian, and she was an evangelist who preached the gospel in churches throughout the Washington area, where everyone loved her and called her Ma.

As her oldest daughter, I promised to educate millions of people regarding the causes and prevention of Type 2 diabetes. In sharing with the general public, I feel a lot better now, because my mother’s living shall not be in vain. Read Part 2, “The Problem,” next week in this miniseries to learn how to make a lifestyle change to change your HbA1c.

RELIGION

20002 (202) 547-8849

Sunday

Service

1st Sunday

School: 9:00 AM

Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 PM

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com

Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com

Service and Times In Person Worship:  Sunday @ 9:30 A.M. Streaming: Sunday @ 9:30 A.M.  www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

& Study:  Wednesday @ 12 Noon and

Church with a past to remember – and a future to mold” www.mtzbcdc.org

- 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

Rev Kevin A. O'Bryant

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

Service and Times Sunday Worship 10:30 am Zoom: zoom.us/;/2028828331

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm Communion Every First Sunday "Serve, teach and Live by precept and example the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

Lives On Purpose “ The Rev. E.

All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

Website: Theplbc.org Email: churchclerk@theplbc.org

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OFFICE OF TAX AND REVENUEE

NOTICE OF DISCOUNT SALE OF TAX DELINQUENT REAL PROPERTIES

Notice is hereby given that all real properties, which were bid back to the District of Columbia during the July 2025 Real Property Tax Sale and were not sold at a subsequent special deed sale and have not been redeemed, will be offered for sale by the Office of Tax and Revenue (“OTR”) to the highest bidder at public auction (“Discount Sale”). The Discount Sale will be conducted pursuant to DC Official Code § 47-1353(b), which permits OTR to sell a real property for less than the total amount of delinquent taxes.

The Discount Sale will begin on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. and will continue every day thereafter (legal holidays excepted) at the stated times until all real properties are sold. The sale will occur at OTR located at 1101 4th Street, SW, Suites W244 and W250, Washington, DC 20024.

The Discount Sale list of tax delinquent real properties may be found on OTR’s website https://otr.cfo.dc.gov by clicking on “Real Property” and then “Real Property Tax Sale.” All real properties are listed in square, suffix, and lot, or parcel and lot, number order. The name of the owner of record of each real property is stated. The list also states condominium unit and parking space numbers, if available. Certain real properties on this list do not have street numbers or premise addresses; therefore, none can be provided. A real property without a street number is generally stated on the list as having a “0” as the street address number. The best description of a real property typically is its square, suffix and lot, or parcel and lot, numbers, viewed on a property map (e.g., DC Atlas Plus, found at http://atlasplus.dcgis.dc.gov). Real properties may be removed from this list at the discretion of OTR.

At the Discount Sale, the opening bid for each real property will be $300, regardless of the amount of total delinquent taxes owing by the real property. Each real property will be sold to the highest bidder. After successfully foreclosing the right of redemption in the Superior Court, and after having paid all taxes and liabilities becoming liens after December 3, 2025, the successful purchaser will be awarded a tax deed to the respective real property. The real property will be free and clear of all prior taxes owing by the real property to a District taxing agency. The purchaser shall monitor their portfolio for the status of tax payments being made by accessing the purchaser’s log-in view on OTR’s website at www.mytax.dc.gov. A purchaser at the Discount Sale acts at his or her own risk and must exercise due diligence in selecting real properties upon which to bid in good faith.

After the Discount Sale, a listing of successful purchasers, the corresponding real property descriptions, the total amounts of taxes owing for which the real properties were sold, and the purchase amounts shall be published on OTR’s website. The purchaser shall monitor tax payment schedules provided by OTR on its website and shall surrender the certificate of sale to receive a refund if the real property taxes, vault rents, BID taxes, liens certified pursuant to D.C. Code § 47-1340, and fees and charges payable to OTR on account of the real property are paid.

A certificate of sale shall be canceled if, inter alia, it is later determined that the delinquent taxes, including accrued interest and penalties, were satisfied before the end of the last day of the Sale. The date of sale of any real property shall be deemed to be the last day of the Sale, regardless of the actual day of the Sale during which the real property was offered and sold. The certificates of sale shall indicate the date of sale as being the last day of the Sale.

Purchasers shall have filed Form FR-500, Combined Business Tax Registration Application, prior to registering. This form should be filed online by visiting OTR’s website, www.mytax.dc.gov. A potential purchaser, including a natural person or business entity,

who is delinquent in payment of in rem taxes to the District or who has been convicted of a felony involving fraud, deceit, moral turpitude, or anticompetitive behavior, may not bid on real property offered at a sale or otherwise acquire an interest in real property sold. Also, bidders cannot be related to business organizations that are delinquent in the payment of in rem taxes. If it is determined that a bidder is delinquent in in rem taxes after the purchase of a property, the sale may be voided, and monies paid will be forfeited.

Registration for the Sale is mandatory and begins Friday, November 14, 2025, online via www.mytax.dc.gov. Registration continues until the final day of the Sale. Prior to bidding at the Sale, a lien purchaser of real property must have made a deposit of at least 20% of the total purchase price. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE TO THE D.C. TREASURER BY CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, CASHIER’S CHECK, POSTAL MONEY ORDER, OR BANK WIRE.

PAYMENT OF THE ENTIRE BID AMOUNT IS DUE BY DECEMBER 10, 2025 (DATE OF CONCLUSION OF THE SALE). IF FINAL PAYMENT IS NOT TIMELY RECEIVED, THE SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY WILL BE VOIDED. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE TO THE D.C. TREASURER BY CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, CASHIER’S CHECK, POSTAL MONEY ORDER, OR BANK WIRE. THE CASHIER’S OFFICE OF THE D.C. TREASURER IS LOCATED AT: 1100 4TH STREET, SW, SUITE E200, WASHINGTON, DC 20024. THE CASHIER’S OFFICE IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:15 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.

The Discount Sale procedures are explained in the District of Columbia 2025 Discount Tax Sale Information Guide (FAQ) located at OTR’s website https://otr.cfo.dc.gov under “Real Property” and by clicking on “Tax Sale.”

OTR will conduct two public seminars to explain the tax sale procedures. Potential purchasers are highly encouraged to attend a seminar and review the District of Columbia 2025 Discount Tax Sale Informational Guide (FAQ) available at https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/ page/real-property-tax-sale. To enroll in a seminar, please register online via www.mytax.dc.gov. The seminars will be held online via Microsoft Teams platform, on Thursday, November 13, 2025. The Microsoft Teams invitation link will be sent to the email you have provided at the time of registration. The first seminar will take place from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., and the second from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. During each of the two seminars, OTR will generally explain the tax sale process and follow up with a questionand-answer period. The seminars are free, and all are welcome. Enrollment is mandatory for anyone planning to attend one of the seminars. Enrollment will be granted on a first-come/first-served basis and will continue until all available slots are taken.

A person with a communication impairment requiring an interpreter for the Discount Sale shall notify OTR of the need for an interpreter no later than November 25, 2025. If an interpreter is required for the public seminars, OTR shall be notified no later than November 5, 2025. For additional Discount Sale related information please visit https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/real-propertytax-sale. You are also welcome to contact OTR at (202) 727-4TAX (4829), via email at Patricia.Watson@dc.gov, or visit its Customer Service Center at 1101 4th Street, SW, Suite W270, Washington, DC 20024.

Keith J. Richardson Deputy Chief Financial Officer Office of Tax and Revenue

the high note. If you don’t know how to do something, ask someone.”

In further cementing her point, Yeselyn pointed to the wall.

“You see the poster right there, ‘Loud and Wrong,’” Yeselyn said. “It tells you [to not] be afraid to make mistakes.”

At the beginning of the 20252026 school year, Yeselyn returned to School Without Walls a far cry from the shy percussionist who first entered high school two years prior. Weeks later, she continues to look around the room in amazement at the young people going through similar experiences.

“Once [they’ve] established a relationship with…Mr. Alberts, I could see the comfort that brought to the freshman,” Yeselyn said. “I remember that I was scared [on] my first day. It felt like a full circle moment where I really built a community in three years.”

Yeselyn entered School Without Walls during the fall of 2023 with two years of drumming experience under her belt. A year into knowing Alberts and joining the orchestra, Yeselyn, at the advice of Alberts, embraced the bassoon— a versatile, underrepresented woodwind instrument.

Through her dedication, she, like several other students in School Without Walls’ music program, also acquired passport stamps via an international music tour along the southern coast of Spain.

Alberts, Yeselyn said, opened her eyes to the possibilities that unfold when one steps out of their comfort zone.

“To this day, I talk about that trip,” Yeselyn said. “ It’s unheard of…that you were going to take 60 kids, choir, stage band, jazz band, and orchestra to another country, and we’re going to perform in that other country. That was just incredible, because he kept it all organized.”

Miles Bishop, another 11th grader at School Without Walls, said he could also speak to the welcoming environment that Alberts creates.

“He would make you feel like it was okay to be at a position less than your section leader in the orchestra.” Miles told The Informer. “He made you feel happy to be a part of anything, no matter how little you were really doing. You felt that you were part of the com-

munity and the orchestra.”

By the time Miles reached out to Alberts during his freshman year at School Without Walls, he had been playing guitar for three years, and the cello but only briefly. After speaking with Alberts about his goal of studying the cello further, Miles went on to “pluck” with the orchestra, but only for a semester.

Eventually, after some more practice, Miles joined the stage band.

“He didn’t make me feel self-conscious about that,” Miles said about Alberts. “He really welcomed me into the space and it really made me want to get better at the cello and guitar so that I could eventually join [the] stage band.”

On what would become Alberts’ big day, Miles and other stage band members were preparing for a show they found about at the last minute. Despite the short notice, Miles said the band rose to the occasion with Alberts’ guidance.

“I think we really focused hard to be able to be prepared,” Miles said. “Mr. Alberts [was] in the stage band management and… we just wanted to make sure that we knew the songs well and could perform them well.”

More than a week after celebrating Alberts’ award, Miles continues to sing the praises of the man he credits with accentuating his School Without Walls experience.

“He deserves every ounce of that $7,500 that he was gifted,” Miles told The Informer about Alberts. “No other teacher has done what he’s done to the level of what he’s done here. The community he’s built, it means so much to so many people.”

A Student’s Job Done Out of Love and Respect

The orchestra has 65 slots with instruments that include violins, viola, and a cello, while the stage band, a smaller and more modern band, plays post-jazz and modern music. Alberts said, for both groups, and especially the stage band, he strives to honor young people’s interests while teaching concepts that students will encounter throughout their music career.

“I’m the leader of the band, but

I also have a student leader of the band who gets to have days of rehearsal for them,” Alberts said. “I sit in the background, and I’m like, ‘Hey, you guys, here’s your objective for the day. You’ve got to plan out how to get there and figure it out.’ “

Alberts said that student engagement, regardless of the musical pathway taken, starts from the moment young people enter his room at the beginning of the school year.

“I want to sit down, and I want to talk to them…. to get to know them a little bit,” Alberts told The Informer. “In an orchestra, it’s a little different, because there’s 65 kids…and we can’t necessarily do what they want to do, but I do know that I have to pick music that you’re excited about learning,

and then I get to sprinkle in the things that I know you need.”

For students like Zadie Hunt, Alberts’ music classes are still a good time, regardless of one’s skill level.

Zadie, a 12th grader at School Without Walls, learned digital music and tried her hand at guitar as an underclassman. She soon after found her niche as manager of the stage band and orchestra, noting she “loved the environment” that the space provided.

“I was always in awe of the stage band and orchestra, the songs that they would play, and how professional the group was in general,” Zadie told The Informer. “I thought that they didn’t get enough recognition in the school or in the D.C. community, so I wanted to fix that.”

Last school year, Zadie successfully petitioned Alberts for a chance to become manager of the stage band and orchestra. In that role, which she conceptualized on her own, she’s been at the forefront of efforts to increase the stage band and orchestra’s social media presence.

With Alberts as D.C. Teacher of the Year, Zadie said that the world will finally get a chance to see what she and other students have long known about, not only their music program, but the man who pioneered it.

“It’s recognition from the District and from the nation that Mr. Alberts is doing a good job and that our school is one of one and this community is also one of one,” Zadie said. “So it definitely does help a lot.” WI

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000985

Deborah Olds-Shell Decedent

Ethel Mitchell 8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Attorney

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

Wendy Fredericka Zuber, whose address is 1107 Oregon Street, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Deborah Olds-Shell who died on February 22, 2025 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Wendy Fredericka Zuber Personal Representative

of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001001

Asra Adeela Hussain Decedent

Rick Todd, Esq. 5850 Waterloo Road, Suite 140 Columbia, MD 21045

Attorney

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

Hamaad Syed Raza, whose address is 1728 Stifel Lane Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Asra Adeela Hussain who died on January 29, 2025 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Hamaad Syed Raza

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 001016

Edwinter C. Bourn aka Edwinter Bourn Decedent

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

Oliver A. Alexander, whose address is 1695 Unity Loop, Cumming GA 30040, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Edwinter C. Bourn aka Edwinter Bourn who died on June 12, 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 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Oliver A. Alexander 1695 Unity Loop, Cumming, GA 30040

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001017

Bruce Blanchard

Decedent

Donald Marlais, Esq. 411 10th Street NE Washington, DC 20002

Attorney

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

Mary Josie Cain Blanchard, whose address is 80 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Bruce Blanchard who died on December 25, 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Mary Josie Cain Blanchard Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001012

Joseph Edward Williams Decedent

Lynee C. Murchison, Esq. Adams Law Office, LLC 4201 Mitchellville Road, Suite 500 Bowie, MD 20716 Attorney

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

Keely Williams, whose address is 12111 Chip Shot Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joseph Edward Williams who died on October 11, 2019 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Keely Williams Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000971

Buddy Reynolds aka Buddy C. Reynolds aka Buddy C. Reynolds, Sr. aka Buddy Cleo Reynolds Decedent

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

Deborah R. Emerson, whose address is 7707 Blue Point Avenue, Beltsville MD 20705, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Buddy Reynolds aka Buddy C. Reynolds aka Buddy C. Reynolds, Sr. aka Buddy Cleo Reynolds who died on 9/26/2024 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Deborah R. Emerson 7707 Blue Point Avenue Beltsville, MD 20705 Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000121

November 12, 2022

Date of Death

Kathy Elizabeth Daniel Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Krystal E. Wilcox whose address is 12500 Martin Road, Brandywine, MD 20613 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Kathy Elizabeth Daniel, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on December 21, 2022.

Service of process may be made upon Lynee C. Murchison, Esq. Adams Law Office, LLC, 4201 Mitchellville Road, Suite 500, Bowie, MD 20716 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: 1034 6th Street NE, Unit 201, Washington DC 20002 and 2135 Young Street SE, Unit 32, Washington, DC 20020. 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: 10/16/2025

Krystal E. Wilcox

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2024 FEP 000087

2/4/2022

Date of Death

David Eugene Rivers aka David E. Rivers Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Sandra T. Middleton whose address is 110 Oak Knoll, Fayetteville, Georgia 30214 was appointed personal representative of the estate of David Eugene Rivers aka David E. Rivers, deceased, by the Probate Court for Charleston County, State of South Carolina, on June 2, 2022.

Service of process may be made upon Joan M. Wilbon, Attorney at Law 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20006 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: 1406 Carrollsburg Place SW, Washington DC 20024. 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: 10/16/2025

Sandra T. Middleton Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000198

Lyudmila N. Krasovskaya aka Lyudmila Nikitichna Krasovskaya Decedent

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

Nikita Krasovsky, whose address is 102 McMurray Street, Frederick, MD 21701, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lyudmila N. Krasovskaya aka Lyudmila Nikitichna Krasovskaya who died on 6/27/2024 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 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Nikita Krasovsky

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000575

Margaret Quick Decedent

Danielle Creek-Saalakhan, Esq.

3965 R Street, SE Washington, DC 20020 Attorney

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

Danielle Creek-Saalakhan, whose address is 3965 R Street, SE Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Margaret Quick who died on March 14, 2025 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Danielle Creek-Saalakhan

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000124

November 5, 2024

Date of Death

Aida G. Campuzano

Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Domingo E. Campuzano whose address is 5805 Lone Oak Drive, Bethesda MD 20814 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Aida G. Campuzano, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland, on March 6, 2025.

Service of process may be made upon Lindsey M. Avedisian, 700 12th Street NW, Suite 700, 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: 10/23/2025

Domingo E. Campuzano

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001042

Neta Mae Price Decedent

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

Katina D. Bolden, whose address is 601 53rd Street SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Neta Mae Price who died on January 16, 2022 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Katina D. Bolden 601 53rd Street SE Washington, DC 20019

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000975

Grace C. Smith aka Grace Cecelia Smith Decedent

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

Vanessa Ceceli Byers, whose address is 1653 38th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Grace C. Smith aka Grace Cecelia Smith who died on 12/9/2011 with a Will and will serve with 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 4/23/2026. 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 4/23/2026, 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: 10/23/2025

Vanessa Ceceli Byers

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000659

Pamela Outlaw aka Pamela Denise Outlaw aka Pamela D. Outlaw

Decedent

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

Robert J. Taylor, whose address is 150 Eye Street SE, Apt. 822, Washington, DC 20003, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Pamela Outlaw aka Pamela Denise Outlaw aka Pamela D. Outlaw who died on 7/9/2020 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 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Robert J. Taylor Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 001023

John M. Vlach aka John Michael Vlach Decedent

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

Beverly Wood Brannan, whose address is 617 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John M. Vlach aka John Michael Vlach who died on October 30, 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 4/23/2026. 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 4/23/2026, 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: 10/23/2025

Beverly Wood Brannan Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001056

Robin Farmer Decedent

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

Sherise Farmer Smith and Sherray Garnett, whose addresses are 8207 Northview Court Laurel MD 20707 and 405 N Street NW, Apt. 302, Washington DC 20001, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Robin Farmer who died on April 14, 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Sherise Farmer Smith

Sherray Garnett

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000366

Lois Kathleen Royster Decedent

Kevin Judd, Esq. 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 900-South Building Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

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

Kevin Judd, whose address is 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 900-South Building, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed

Personal Representative of the estate of Lois Kathleen Royster who died on July 15, 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 4/23/2026. 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 4/23/2026, 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: 10/23/2025

Kevin Judd, Esq. Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 000471

Yusuf Muhajir aka Yusuf Z. Muhajir

Decedent

Ryan L. Jones, Esq. 1776 Street NW, Suite 325 Washington, DC 20006

Attorney

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

Ryan L. Jones, whose address is 1776 Street NW, Suite 325, Washington, DC 20006, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Yusuf Muhajir aka Yusuf Z. Mahajir who died on 12/19/2024 with a Will and will serve with 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 4/16/2026. 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 4/16/2026, 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: 10/16/2025

Ryan L. Jones

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 001064

Susan E. Axleroad aka Susan Edith Axleroad Decedent

Valerie B. Geiger, Esq. 4084 University Drive, Suite 202A Fairfax, VA 22030 Attorney

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

Valerie B. Geiger, whose address is 4084 University Drive, Suite 202A, Fairfax, VA 22030, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Susan E. Axleroad aka Susan Edith Axleroad who died on 12/13/2024 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 4/23/2026. 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 4/23/2026, 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: 10/23/2025

Valerie B. Geiger Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001170

Estate of Regina C. Newman aka Regina Cometa Newman

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE

Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by John D. Newman for standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representatives. Unless a responsive pleading in the form of a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is filed in this Court within 30 days from the date of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

In the absence of a will or proof satisfactory to the Court of due execution, enter an order determining that the decedent died intestate appoint an unsupervised personal representative

Date of first publication: October 30, 2025

Cheng Yun Law

6088 Franconia Road Suite D Alexandria, VA 22310

Petitioner/Attorney:

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 ADM 001090

Jesse Monwell Newby Decedent

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

Debra Newby, whose address is 9119 Manchester Road, Apt. 305, Silver Spring, MD 20901, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jesse Monwell Newby who died on August 21, 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 4/30/2026. 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 4/30/2026, 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: 10/30/2025

Debra Newby Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2025 FEP 000128

1/2/2025

Date of Death

Loumis Taylor aka Loumis Sandifer Taylor Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Anthony L. Taylor whose address is 10 Light Street #1821, Baltimore, MD 21022 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Loumis Taylor aka Loumis Sandifer Taylor, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on October 14, 2025.

Service of process may be made upon Julius P. Terrell, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 20004 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.

4645 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave., NE, Washington DC 20019. 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: 10/30/2025

Anthony L. Taylor Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 001049

Joanne T. Spriggs Decedent

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

Kim M. Smith, whose address is 7420 Serenade Cir., Clinton MD 20735, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Joanne T. Spriggs who died on November 25, 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 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 4/30/2026. 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 4/30/2026, 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: 10/30/2025

Kim M. Smith 7420 Serenade Cir. Clinton MD 20735

Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 000533

Alberta Lawson Ferguson Decedent

Julius P. Terrell, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

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

Julius P. Terrell, whose address is 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20004, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alberta Lawson Ferguson who died on 7/17/1988 without a Will and will serve with 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 4/30/2026. 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 4/30/2026, 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: 10/13/2025

Julius P. Terrell Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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

2025 ADM 001082

Wendy Huntington Rueda Decedent

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

Guillermo Rueda, whose address is 2912 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Wendy Huntington Rueda who died on July 17, 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 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 4/30/2026. 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 4/30/2026, 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: 10/30/2025

Guillermo Rueda Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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should be given to organizations like Peace Lutheran [Church], Liberty Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church, and [New] Morning Star [Baptist Church] so they can continue that work,” said Stamper, commissioner of Single-Member District 7C06, which includes the Deanwood community in Northeast.

On Sunday, Stamper circulated a citywide emergency resolution calling on publicly subsidized District grocers to donate, not discard, extra edible food at a time when thousands of families aren’t expecting to receive their monthly food benefits.

The resolution, which focuses on food with three-to-four days of shelf life, also calls on the D.C. Council and Executive Office of the Mayor to legislate activity between DC Health,

D.C. Department of Public Works and other agencies toward this effort.

If taken on and approved by the D.C. Council, Stamper’s emergency citywide resolution will advance the District’s zero waste goals while addressing the realities of a federal government shutdown that seems to have no end in sight.

For Stamper, the council and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s creation of an emergency food distribution system is a matter of political will, not capacity.

”We need to be more intentional with our approach as a city,” Stamper told The Informer. ”We can’t just kind of sit back and say, ‘Oh, well, they’ll figure it out,’ but I know there’s so many other things that are at the forefront right now that maybe they just haven’t gotten to it yet.”

Since circulating her resolution, Stamper has spoken with Ward 7 D.C.

Councilmember Wendell Felder’s office. She’s also engaged her ANC 7C colleagues, who she’s scheduled to meet with in November during ANC 7C’s monthly meeting.

A staffer in Felder’s office told The Informer that the council member’s legislative director is still currently reviewing Stamper’s resolution.

Though Stamper appeared hopeful about the response from Felder’s office, she acknowledged the work ahead to get the majority of the council’s support for the emergency resolution.

“They’ve done a lot of things lately from the council on an emergency basis, so I know they can do things where they want to in the environment there,” Stamper said. “However, we as people, as residents of D.C., must demand more from our council.

I’ve watched other organizations…go down there and demand things of the

council, and they say ‘yay’ or ‘nay,’ so I expect a response.”

A Deep Dive: SNAP Benefits, Perturbed Contractors, and Ongoing Support for Job Seekers

The federal government shutdown, which started on Oct. 1, represents a continuation of the stalemate between congressional Democrats and Republicans that started earlier this year over the extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. Shortly after the Bowser administration celebrated the launch of Cedar Hill Regional Medical Medical Center GW Health, Democrats, much to the chagrin of advocates and allies, supported a stopgap measure that only postponed the inevitable.

Four weeks after discussions about the ACA tax credits fell apart, there appears to be no alternative outcome in sight for the more than 230,000 families across the D.C. metropolitan area dependent on SNAP funds. Despite House Speaker Mike Johnson’s assertions, Republicans have yet to present a plan to preserve health care affordability. In fact, many party leaders— including President Donald J. Trump— refuse to negotiate the matter, saying they’ll consider extending the tax credits if Democrats vote to reopen the government.

On Monday, Johnson doubled down on his opposition to ACA tax credit extensions, all while alluding to “a long list of ideas” the GOP is exploring to address health care costs.

“The expiring Obamacare subsidy at the end of the year is a serious problem,” Johnson told reporters. “If you look at it objectively, you know that it is subsidizing bad policy. We’re

throwing good money at a bad, broken system, and so it needs real reforms.”

Earlier this year, D.C. residents caught a sneak peek of what to expect with a Republican-controlled Congress and second Trump administration, when congressional Republicans advanced a continuing resolution that froze $1.1 billion of the District’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

That continuing resolution followed a Department of Government Efficiency-induced federal government furlough earlier this year that not only decimated the District’s projected tax revenue and local restaurant industry, but created hurdles for federal government employees and contractors— including D.C.-area business owner Terry Speigner.

Last weekend, Speigner, owner, president and CEO of the award-winning information technology service provider NGEN, received an award from the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland during an annual gala that took place at Live Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland. The excitement from that moment however, quickly wore off, as Speigner and other government contractors haven’t received any indication that the federal government will reopen anytime soon.

“Directly, the shutdown affects the work that we are doing for federal government agencies which makes up a portion of the work that we perform through our contracts,” Speigner told The Informer. “Indirectly, the shutdown influences the government contractors that we hire to do the work because they don’t get paid while they are not working.”

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Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

FIELDS from Page 30

need economic independence, accountability for those who have caused harm, and prevention that begins early.

At the Urban Resource Institute, we meet survivors where they are. We provide safe, trauma-informed shelters for individuals, families, and even their pets because safety should never come with conditions. We equip survivors with job readiness, legal support, and financial tools to rebuild their lives with stability and dignity. We reach young people through our Relationship Abuse Prevention Program, teaching what healthy relationships look like long before abuse begins. And through

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taining wages, they can work one job and actually be there.

Children would thrive. When parents aren’t working 60-80 hours just to survive, they’re home. Research shows minimum wage increases improve children’s health outcomes, educational achievement, and emotional well-being. Child neglect reports drop — not because parents suddenly improve, but because they have resources and capacity to care properly.

Mothers could actually mother. Anneliese Jackson works in an Elgin restaurant earning $9 an hour after eight years, alongside single mothers who miss their children’s childhoods working exhausting shifts. With $30 an hour in Chicago, those mothers could work one job, be home for dinner, help with homework. The impossible child care math — $10,000-$15,000 per year per child versus $15,080 annual earnings at $7.25/hour — would finally work.

Communities would strengthen. When workers have money in their pockets, they spend it locally. Church

our Abusive Partner Intervention Program, we work directly with those who have caused harm to build accountability and change.

These programs work. They are changing lives every day. Yet too often, funding for prevention and intervention is seen as optional rather than essential. If we are serious about ending domestic violence, we must invest in solutions that address the full continuum — from emergency shelter to long-term stability, from survivor safety to offender accountability.

The truth is, we all know someone who is experiencing domestic violence. By the time you finish reading this, three women will have been murdered

attendance increases when parents have Sundays off. Volunteer rates rise. Little League teams get coaches.

Taxpayers would save $65 billion annually. Right now we subsidize corporate payrolls through food stamps, Medicaid, housing assistance. That’s corporate welfare. A $25 federal minimum wage, phased in gradually, would reduce government dependency dramatically.

Workers would regain dignity. Luisa Powell worked Kentucky restaurants nearly a decade at $2.13 an hour, often not even reaching minimum wage with tips. She didn’t know her employer was required to make up the difference.

The Math Is Simple

If the minimum wage had kept pace with both inflation and increases in corporate productivity since 1968, it would be $25 today. Workers haven’t gotten less productive — corporations have gotten vastly more profitable while wages stagnated. And with AI poised to drive corporate productivity dramatically higher over the next five

MORIAL from Page 30 poor Louisianans, who are disproportionately Black, don’t matter is also a violation.

employment and health hinders their ability to participate effectively in the political process.

6. The use of overt or subtle racial appeals in political campaigns; and

7. The extent to which members of the minority group have been elected to public office in the jurisdiction.

Let’s look at the history of Louisiana, a state that allowed generations of poll taxes, literacy tests, race-based terror and, again, Plessy v. Ferguson to mar its past; the state has a history of voting discrimination.

It is also clear that favoring a congressional map that concentrates political power in a party that has demonstrated that the needs of working-class and

by an intimate partner. But here is the hope: We have the knowledge, the tools, and the programs to stop it. What we need now is the will.

We must raise awareness, remove stigma, and make resources visible and accessible. Policymakers must prioritize prevention and invest in grassroots organizations that meet survivors where they are. Communities must speak up, believe survivors, and hold abusers accountable.

This generation has the power to end the shadow pandemic. We can make safety, healing, and justice a reality for every survivor — if we act now.

Let’s get to work. WI

years, that gap will only widen unless we act now.

The minimum wage used to be a family wage. One earner could support a household, buy a modest home, raise children. That was America working as designed.

The Path Forward

Polling shows 55% of voters in swing congressional districts support a $25 minimum wage. In Chicago, 70% support $30. This crosses party lines because the struggle crosses party lines.

The Living Wage for All coalition is proposing a family-sustaining wage phased in over several years to give businesses time to adjust — with large corporations reaching $25-$30 faster and additional time for small businesses.

The proposal includes training, technical assistance, and grants, loans, and tax credits to help small businesses make the transition. End all subminimum wages, including the subminimum wage for tipped workers, still just $2.13. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) has presided over a Congress that has passed a massive spending bill that provided one of the most significant wealth transfers in American history from the poor to the wealthy, while slashing Medicaid and SNAP benefits. The same bill slashed the environmental protections in a state home to Cancer Alley, a 150-mile stretch of oil refineries and chemical plants through majority African-American communities.

And make no mistake, striking down Section 2 won’t stop at disenfranchisement in Louisiana. In the last two

elections, North Carolina, Missouri and Texas have been directed to redraw their state maps to increase Republican seats in the House of Representatives.

Gutting Section 2 of the VRA is not only a disgrace but an assault on the 15th Amendment, the Constitution, and what it means to live in America itself.

If this is a nation where every American should have the right to freedom and to have a voice in the future of this country, then we must call out when the highest court in the land chooses to silence large swaths of us based on the color of our skin and our beliefs.

This is an attack on Black voting power, an attack on Black America, and an attack on the future of American democracy. WI

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to build, experienced a 34% yearover-year growth last year, and the power industry needs 510,000 new workers by 2030.

The demand is there. And we are helping our community an-

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perspectives. In the venture capital world, a closely studied occupation in terms of partner demographics, success rates for ethnically homogenous teams drop more than 20%, compared with a diverse group of decision-makers, according to a Harvard Business School study. This wouldn’t be the first time economic boycotts have served as a tool for justice. Black activists stood on these principles in the 1930s when they blocked entrances of bigoted businesses. Boycotts against stores no longer supporting DEI practices must honor the successful “Don’t buy where you can’t work” picketing that lasted into Dr. King’s stewardship. Black consumers realized at the time that they did not have to add unwanted revenue to discriminatory structures.

Dr. King reverberated the $30 billion a year that Black people contribute to the economy be withheld for the sake of showing white store owners what Black purchasing power looked like. Looking at the years ahead, by 2030, the Black dollar will represent over $1 trillion in spending power, yet much of it leaves our communities too quickly.

Taking a stand doesn’t have to mean picketing. Communicating with your community using online forums opens up the door to finding hole-in-the-wall grocery stores in the neighborhood you might not have previously heard of. With projects delayed across the country due to the federal government shutdown, minority businesses stand to suffer a loss of up to $450 million, according to Creative Investment Research. Minority enterprises have been forced to downsize their staff and cut payroll. Many have taken out loans just to pay workers.

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tersecting marginalities. In D.C., this is not acceptable. When we lean in to support our women of color, the benefits flow outward: to all children, all neighborhoods, the

swer the call. It’s incumbent upon all of us to give kids the skills, interests and networks for family-sustaining careers, and prepare adults for economic opportunities that will provide a pathway to the middle class. We have to — because we know

And though the administration may want consumers to feel powerless, it’s clear to us as young consumers the opportunity to maximize our dollars exists in this pivotal moment. It’s time that we become conscious consumers. We need to make informed decisions, ensuring our money has a positive social impact. That means recognizing that every purchase is a vote: a direct reflection of the world we want to build.

By purposefully redirecting purchasing power toward Black-owned businesses and companies that value DEI, we can turn spending into activism. Conscious consumption is about building differently in order to use our collective economic influence to demand accountability and drive real change. We deserve to know that our hard-earned dollar is going toward the betterment of our communities and society as a whole.

The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances found the racial wealth gap soared due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With no updated survey since 2023, we are left with damaged agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics to convey the significance of purchasing Black and relinquishing ties with companies that refuse to stick to diverse hiring initiatives.

The unemployment rate for Black women reached 7.8% this August surpassing any rates for this demographic since August 2021.

In just five months, Black women have lost over 300,000 jobs nationally, disproportionate to job losses incurred by other demographic groups. About 13% of jobs that included “DEI” or “diversity” in the name have been slashed since 2023, according to a Revelio Labs study. That’s one of the factors behind the mass exodus of Black women from

broader workforce and the district overall.

This is not a niche fight or a demographic cause. We are facing an existential battle for the economic health, social integrity and moral credibility of D.C. If we lose sight

that amid our ever-changing country, the demand for skills that allow families to enter the middle class is constant. Everyone is looking for a workable path. It’s up to all of us to provide it.

That much is certain.

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the workforce between March and August. It’s our immediate family, friends and peers being overlooked for job opportunities in the name of efficiency, merit or whatever new excuse corporations and this administration use to justify exclusion.

While listening in on a Black maternal mortality discussion at this year’s Congressional Black Caucus, we heard from leaders who discussed how, under the current regime, many companies are even scared to use the term “Black” in their branding. The explicit exclusion is becoming more commonplace.

Black women shouldn’t have to face this crisis alone.

Many Black women created startups during earlier economic downturns, according to a 2025 Wells Fargo business survey. They need resources to get off the ground. Entering entrepreneurship, Black businesses are damaged by federal and state governments turning away from philanthropic efforts. Approximately a third of nonprofits reported experiencing funding upheaval, according to a 2025 National Survey Nonprofit Trends and Impacts.

All of this is to say that inconvenience is the price of unification. Take the time to show up and show out for your community by buying Black- and minority-owned whenever and wherever you can. We have to remain connected and go out of our way to support each other in these times of economic uncertainty. Who knows, you might like being a conscious consumer so much that you never go back. So why not use the historically significant mantra “Don’t buy where you can’t work” during a time when the place that you shop makes a difference?

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of the most impacted, we will lose more than jobs — we will lose our promise, our spirit.

We have the agencies, the institutions and the civic muscle to fight back. D.C. must rebuild and become stronger and more just. WI

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