October 2024. Volume 10. Issue 10.
Celebrating the Spirit of the HBCU
The Washington Informer Endorses Kamala Harris for President / Page 23
Vol 60 No 3.
Kamala Harris Draws Historic More than 75,000 at D.C. Rally, Pledges ’We Won’t Go Back’
Serving Our Community in the DMV
October 31 – November 6, 2024
This Month's WI Bridge Center Section
How Halloween Celebrations Have Changed for Black D.C. Residents Over Time Economics, Crime, Community: Why Festivities Might Look Different Than Before
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer
By Zsana Hoskins WI Contributing Writer
With just one week to Election Day and over 51 million ballots already cast, Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a historic closing argument before an enthusiastic crowd estimated at over 75,000 at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. Initially planned as an intimate gathering of around 8,000, the rally quickly transformed into a record-breaking show of support, highlighting Harris’ momentum in the final days of her campaign as she aims to become the first woman– and first Black and
5Vice President Kamala Harris makes a case for election as President of the United State at the
HARRIS Page 40 Ellipse on the National Mall on Oct. 29. (Ja'Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)
The Collins Council Report: The Late October Additional Legislative Meeting
INITIATIVE 83 PART II
Ranked-Choice Voting Makes Some District Residents Nervous
HALLOWEEN Page 26
The Council Tackles Residential Tranquility, Circulator Veto Override, and ABCA Board Nomination
By James Wright WI Staff Writer Hazel Thomas, the Ward 5 committeewoman to the D.C. Democratic State Committee, has been involved in District politics for decades, but concerns about the effort to change the District’s electoral system, known as Initiative 83, has fueled much of her recent activism.
Halloween has been a cherished tradition throughout the District and nation, with people donning costumes, eating candy, and participating in festivities. But as safety concerns grow and city landscapes shift, some African Americans are celebrating with caution during the Halloween season. According to a 2023 study on holidays from Think Now, Black Americans are less likely to celebrate Halloween than other races. While there are a number of reasons that go into some African Americans foregoing Halloween celebrations, there are unique factors in the District that contribute to the shift in how Black Washingtonians celebrate the late October holiday. ANC 8E05 Commissioner Duane Moody has fond childhood memories of traditional Halloween celebrations in the District. “My earliest memory of Halloween was… going out trick-or-treating in not just your apartments and your
5 Hazel Thomas (pictured in June 2023), the Ward 5 committeewoman to the D.C. Democratic State Committee has concerns about Initiative 83 and is working to raise awareness about the referendum. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
“People need to be informed about this initiative to make intelligent decisions,” said Thomas, 75, who has served as the vice chairwoman of the Ward 5 Democrats and is a past president of the DC Federation of Democratic Women. “They need to know about the referendum of this magnitude.”
I-83 Page 5
By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer This edition of The Collins Council report covers the council’s Oct. 29 additional Committee of the Whole hearing and legislative meeting. This meeting, which took place a week before the Nov. 5 general election, covered a bevy of topics, including local rent subsidies, medical cannabis, and training that helps teachers recognize and respond to seizures on school grounds. D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward
REPORT Page 40
5Young people donning costumes pose with M&M at the MARS Halloween Bash on Oct. 23 at Barry Farm Recreation Center in Southeast, D.C. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer)
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