This Week's Edition : 5-28-26

4District

Mayor Muriel Bowser touted the effectiveness of mayoral control as she commended D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee the school system’s post-pandemic recovery.

(WI File Photo/ Shevry Lassiter)

Chancellor Dr. Lewis D.

Ferebee’s Legacy, as Told by DCPS Alumni, Teachers and Community Members

By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Writer

alumnus London Jones recently graduated from Lafayette College with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology. He achieved this feat just two days after news dropped of DCPS Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee’s transition to the private sector.

D.C.

Public Schools (DCPS)

By Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr. WI Senior Writer

On June 16, voters will see the outcome of an electoral system intended, not only to encourage candidate collaboration, but generate a winner supported by more than half of the electorate.

However, with mail-in ballots already in circulation, at least one long-

time District voter questions whether this system, known as ranked-choice voting, will produce the desired results.

“A couple of people marked all the bubbles across on their [candidate’s] name,” Sandra Seegars said. “They had to order a new ballot.”

Seegars, a Ward 8 resident with longtime involvement in local political affairs,

Though Jones, a POSSE scholar and Anacostia High School’s Class of 2022 valedictorian, never met Ferebee, and didn’t have much to

EDUCATION Page 25

5 The June 16 D.C. Primary Election marks the first time District residents will cast ballots using rankedchoice voting. (WI File Photo/Anthony Tilghman) VOTING Page 9

Baby Boomer Exits Open Doors for ETA

How Local Business Leaders, Scholars Plan to

Redefine Wealth Through Acquisition

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

With millions of “baby boomer” enterprises poised for transition, the spotlight is on the next class set to shape the entrepreneurial landscape –– and many aspiring business owners have their sights set on entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA).

“I'm not that guy –– I'm not going to make some cool app that changes the world, or want to start

anything from the ground up, but…there's a number of these businesses across America, … where you're helping society or you're necessary for society. That’s always going to be needed,” said Tyrus Williams, who is earning a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) at Georgetown University. “I don't care what happens in the world of AI –– we need plumbers, and we need people to run plumbing busi-

3 Animals at Fawn Crossing Farms are allowed to roam as they please and graze on a rotational schedule– a practice that safeguards their wellbeing and the environment. (Courtesy Photo/ Fawn Crossing Farms, Facebook)

A Cleaner Farming Future: How Regional Farmers are Fighting Pollution, Protecting Animal Welfare

Experts and Farmers Call for Reform in the U.S. Agriculture Industry

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

Every day, people who live near concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) must bear the brunt of the odors and pollution that come with such large-scale farming. These conditions could worsen, as the proposed Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) would roll back animal welfare laws

ANIMAL Page 19

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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lished weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $96 per year, two years $168. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to:

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PUBLISHER

Denise Rolark Barnes

STAFF

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REPORTERS

Stacy Brown, National Reporter

Sam Plo Kwia Collins, Jr., Political/Education Reporter

Brenda Siler, Lifestyle Reporter

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Richard Elliott, Reporter

Skylar Nelson, Sports Reporter

Mya Trujillo, Environmental and International Reporter

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Shevry Lassiter, Photo Editor

Ja Mon Jackson, Asst. Photo Editor

Roy Lewis, Jr.

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SKYLAR NELSON, WI CONTRIBUTING WRITER; STACY M. BROWN, WI SENIOR WRITER;

D.C. United Stunned As CF Montréal Forced a Dramatic 4-4 Draw Ahead of World Cup Break

D.C. United looked poised for a statement win before suffering a thrilling late collapse in a chaotic 4-4 draw against CF Montréal on Saturday, May 23 at Audi Field.

After building a 4-2 lead in the 84th minute, United unraveled in stoppage time, giving up two goals in a wild ending that shocked the home crowd.

“I just felt like we knew we were coming into a break and we needed to have more energy to finish that game strong,” said midfielder Jared Stroud. “I mean obviously, the goals we gave up, we can’t do that. We have to hold ourselves accountable. We had to just fight those last 20 minutes harder and I think we took our foot off the gas and [Prince Owusu] is a good player, and he punished us.”

Forward Louis Munteanu opened United’s scoring in the ninth minute, heading home a rebound goal. That marked his fifth goal of the season. Stroud doubled D.C.’s lead in the 28th minute, recording his first goal since July 2024.

5 Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin is working to block the Trump administration’s Anti-Weaponization Fund, calling it unconstitutional and politically dangerous. (WI File

Photo/Shevry Lassiter)

“I mean we’ve been good on set pieces all season… but I just tried to put it on target,” said Stroud. “It felt really good when [the goal] went in. But obviously all of those feelings… dissipated when we finished the game the way we did. Because obviously the most important thing is the result.”

Montréal managed to pull one back just before halftime through forward Prince Owusu, who later added a goal in the 61st and 94th minutes of the match.

United Forward Tai Baribo restored the Black-andRed’s two-goal advantage early in the second-half, scoring a penalty shot for his eighth goal of the season after Munteanu fouled. Defender Lucas Barlett seemed to hold it down in the 87th minute, heading in a Keisuke Kurokawa corner to make it a 4-2 game.

But it was Montréal who stormed back in stoppage

Black Lawmakers Blast Trump DOJ Fund as ‘Reparations for White Supremacists’

Black lawmakers are intensifying their attacks on the Trump administration’s $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” warning that the Justice Department initiative could hand taxpayer money to Jan. 6 rioters, extremist groups, and political allies.

As President Donald Trump works to protect those involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Black Americans continue waiting for justice over generations of racial discrimination, wrongful convictions, police violence, and government abuse.

“This is literally reparations for white

It seemed inevitable that Washington Nationals’ outfielder James Wood would launch the first grand slam of his career. The added surprise: He did it in jaw-dropping inside-the-park fashion.

The DMV native delivered a rare inside-the-park grand slam on Tuesday night, leading the Nationals to a 9-6 comeback victory over the New York Mets at Nationals Park.

“Pretty good,” Wood said when asked how the momentous occasion felt.

Trailing 5-0 in the second inning, Washington loaded the bases with two outs against Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean.

Wood managed to drive a first-pitch sweeper to the opposite field, where it bounced off the glove of leaping outfielder Nick Morabito, and rolled back to center field.

supremacists,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) during a fiery exchange over the fund that quickly spread online and ignited outrage among Democrats and civil rights advocates.

The fund was created after Trump agreed to drop a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the disclosure of his tax information. In exchange, the Justice Department established a massive compensation program for individuals claiming they were victims of federal “weaponization” or political persecution. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Center fielder Tyrone Taylor made his way into the action from center field, losing track of the ball while looking at Morabito who fell onto the warning track. That mistake alone allowed Wood to make his race around the bases with no hesitation.

The 23-year-old circled the bases in 15.15 seconds before sliding headfirst across home plate well ahead of the throw. This play marked Wood’s first career grand slam, his 13th homer of the season, and the 53rd home run of his young career.

“He just seems to get better and better,” said Nationals Manager Blake Butera.

It also marked the ninth inside-the-park grand slam in Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1994 and the first

Page 28

healthy food

black AROUND THE REGION

May 28

2010 – The book "The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa" is released, revealing that Israel aided the racist regime of South Africa and supported providing chemical and nuclear weapons to them for possible use against the country's majority-Black population. The documents were discovered by American scholar Sasha Polakow-Suransky.

May

29

1851 – Sojourner Truth delivers her "Ain't I A Woman?" speech to the Ohio Women's Rights Convention. 1865 – President Andrew Johnson announces his program of Reconstruction. It required ratification of the 13th Amendment, but did not guarantee Black suffrage. 1980 – Vernon Jordan, then-president of the National Urban League, is critically injured in attempted assassination in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

May 30

1854 – Congress passes the Kansas-Nebraska Act that repealed the Missouri Compromise and opened the Northern territories to slavery. More specifically, it allowed Whites in Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether or not slavery would be allowed in the territories.

May 31

1921 – The Tulsa Riots begin in Oklahoma. Whites go on a violent rampage lasting several days. When the rioting was over, an estimated 21 whites and 60 Blacks were dead. In addition, as many as 15,000 Blacks were left homeless as hundreds of homes and businesses were burned to the ground. The area bearing the brunt of the destruction was known as the "Black Wall Street" because of its large number of African American-owned businesses.

June 1

1864 – Solomon George Washington Dill, a poor

to become the nation's first Black-owned television station.

June 2

1951 – Kenneth Chenault, CEO and chairman of American Express, is born in Mineola, New York. He is the third Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

1989 – Freddie Adu, soccer player and former member of D.C. United, is born in Tema, Ghana. In January 2004, he became the youngest American ever to sign a professional sports contract after be was selected by the United in the Major League Soccer draft.

June 3

1906 – Josephine Baker, the world-renowned American-born French singer, dancer and actress, is born. In 1934, Baker became the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture ("Zotuou"). She also became an avowed civil rights activist, speaking out against the racism and segregation she faced as a performer in the United States.

1942 – Curtis Mayfield, famed singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer, is born. Rising to prominence as a member of the Impressions, Mayfield penned the R&B group's politically charged "People Get Ready" at the height of the civil rights movement before going on to a successful solo career. He is perhaps best known for creating the soundtrack for the seminal blaxploitation film "Superfly."

1950 – Deniece Williams, Grammy-winning R&B and gospel music star, is born. Known for her four-octave range, Williams sang backup for Stevie Wonder and recorded a string of successful duets with Johnny Mathis before her breakout pop hit, "Let's Hear it for the Boy." 2008 – Barack Obama clinches the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first Black candidate to lead a major party into a campaign for the White House. WI

AROUND THE REGION view P INT

BY KEITH GOLDEN JR.

What is your favorite place to visit during the summer in Maryland?

DAYANA BERGMAN / ELDERSBURG, MARYLAND

"Piney Run Park in Eldersburg, Maryland, is one of my favorite summer vacation spots. Our veterans and military families get free admission to the park. We usually enjoy renting out the paddle boats. It also has a ramp that you can launch your own boat vessel and go fishing. We tend to take our dog out for a hike as well. It’s a very family friendly park with lots to explore."

BILL WOODCOCK / COLUMBIA, MD

RAMSES LONG / BALTIMORE CITY

“The beach in Ocean City is my favorite summer vacation spot and my favorite east coast beach. The scenery looking out into the ocean is gorgeous. I met a talented artist there who sold me a painting of the shoreline and waves that I’ve kept displayed in my room for years.”

“My favorite vacation spot in Maryland is the Eastern Shore. So many great small towns with much to offer, from the Underground Railroad Train in Cambridge, the beauty of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and history in Chestertown, Salisbury, and St. Michaels. Small town America at it's best!”

NOVA COSTON / CLINTON, MD

“Solomon’s Island has become our favorite place in Maryland to visit — and for good reason. Between the amazing restaurants, the beautiful beaches, and the peace and relaxation that seem to greet you the moment you arrive, it feels like a little escape without ever leaving home. My son and I have made so many beautiful memories there. Whether we’re exploring, enjoying the water, trying something new to eat, watching the boats drift by, or simply slowing down and taking in the view, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy."

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.

AROUND THE REGION

Kids Fashion

Week DC Wows on the Runway, Works to Inspire Participants of All Ages

Platform Provides Opportunities for Models, Designers, Photographers, Makeup Artists and More

By Brigette Squire WI Contributing Writer

By Brigette Squire WI Contributing Writer

Kids Fashion Week (KFW) returned on Sunday, April 26 in Southeast, D.C., with its latest showcase, “Major League Runway,” bringing together young designers, models, and creatives for a production that works annually to expand in both scale and cultural influence.

“This year’s theme ‘Major League’ not only highlights Major Fashion, but also the Major Impact KFW has made in the fashion community and in the careers of the talented youth and teens in our network,” said Auntea Marie, co-founder and producer of KFW.

Held at Sycamore & Oak, the openair venue set the tone for a spring afternoon shaped by shifting weather and steady community presence.

From the runway to the audience, there was consistent applause and encouragement following as young creatives took the stage, and between scenes, people connected, networked and celebrated the talented youth.

Now in its eighth year, Kids Fashion Week Network has evolved into a structured creative ecosystem rooted in youth development. Since launching in 2018, KFW has impacted more than 1,800 youth and produced more

5 Model Afuw walks the runway in a neutral-toned streetwear look by Made Royalty during the Kids Fashion Week DMV Season 8 “Major League” fashion show at Sycamore & Oak on April 26, 2026. The annual showcase celebrated eight years of empowering youth across the DMV through fashion, confidence and creative expression. (Courtesy Photo/Entrepreneurial Hippy)

than 175 programs and events, creating consistent access to fashion, arts, and business education for young creatives.

Through hands-on experience in modeling, design, photography, branding, and production, young participants are introduced to transferable skills that mirror real-world industries. Many are already turning those experiences into income streams, creative services, and early entrepreneurial ventures.

“Being a part of Kids Fashion Week has been amazing. I was 5 and turning 6 when I did the first show,” Gabby Loftin, a Washington, D.C.-based designer and CEO of Gabby’s World Designs, who has been part of Kids Fashion Week since its early years, told The Informer. “Kids Fashion Week helped me book my first celebrity client. I started sewing at 3, but when I was able to say I made a celebrity’s dress at only 7, that helped people to

5 Model Harper showcases a custom emerald gown by Gabby’s World during the ids Fashion Week DMV Season 8 “Major League” runway show at Sycamore & Oak on April 26, 2026. The annual showcase celebrated eight years of empowering youth across the DMV through fashion, creativity and self-expression. (Courtesy Photo/ Entrepreneurial Hippy)

see me as more than just a kid designer.”

In addition to Gabby, the show also featured collaborations with designers such as Kawanna Collins, professionally known as Kavvanna, whose work centers on sustainability and repurposed fashion.

“Being a sustainable repurpose fashion designer for adults rarely allows me to step into the imaginative, playful world of children’s fashion,” Collins told The Informer. “That’s why Kids Fashion Week presents such a powerful and refreshing opportunity—one that pushes me beyond my usual creative boundaries. It opens the door to explore new design perspectives while introducing my brand to an entirely new audience, elevating its reach and impact in ways I haven’t experienced before.”’

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

VOTING from Page 1

counted among those who stood against Initiative 83, an approved ballot measure that paved the way for ranked-choice voting and open primaries.

With the D.C. Council only funding the former during the last budget deliberation cycle, District primaries will remain closed this summer, but with a twist.

In each race, voters can rank their candidates from one to five. If by any chance, no candidate clinches more than 50% of the vote in the first round, the election enters a second round with the fifth place candidate eliminated.

Those who voted for the fifth place candidate have their votes transferred to their second choice during the second round of the election. This process continues, with as many rounds needed, until someone secures more than 50% of the vote.

Seegars told The Informer that she will vote the old fashion way: one candidate per office. In her case, that means: Kevin B. Chavous for the Democratic at-large council seat, Elissa Silverman for the Independent atlarge council seat, Trent Holbrook for D.C. delegate, and Anthony Muhammad as a write-in mayoral candidate.

“Most people don't understand that some people can vote for one in their first call, and that way you can't go wrong,” Seegars said. “I would never tell anybody to vote for two or three people. That doesn't make sense to me. Why would you vote for your candidate and for other people?”

More Community Members Weigh In

Some other people, like Ambrose Lane, Jr., predict that a significant number of voters will be left to the wayside this election cycle because of ranked-choice voting.

“It'll severely depress turnout among super voters that are seniors,” Lane told The Informer.

Lane, a Ward 7 resident and member of Million Man Vote, questioned whether D.C. Board of Elections (DCBOE) had enough time to teach voters about the new voting system. He said that, compared to New York City’s two-year rollout, DCBOE’s efforts over the last six months may not prevent what he describes as the election of someone who’s not of the people.

“It'll be an injustice,” Lane said, “and we just have to live with that injustice because they're not going to be able to correct it.”

Lane went even further in suggesting that ranked-choice voting, not executed correctly, could further decimate voter participation in the District, all while raising other issues.

“If a candidate ends up benefiting as a result of votes being thrown out because populations did not really understand, or they weren't educated enough,” Lane said, “then are they a legitimate mayor, or are they a legitimate at-large council member? That’s the question.”

On June 1, Lane is scheduled to reveal his rankings. Throughout much of the election season, he and other members of Million Man Vote, an organization centered on Black male voter engagement, have interviewed at least a dozen mayoral, congressional and council candidates.

Lane, a health equity organizer of more than two decades, told The Informer that neither of the mayoral frontrunners— Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D) and former D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie— have yet to accept an invitation to meet Million Man Vote.

“We don't know where they're going to fall in terms of Black men,” Lane told The Informer.

This election season, Million Man Vote is aiming for the election of two council members who’ve aligned with the Black Man Agenda, the tenets of which include: job security, justice for fathers, free and quality health care, the end of police brutality, and equal access to voting.

With less than a month before the

3 Despite the ability to rank five candidates, Sandra Seegars is voting for her top choice for each political office in the D.C. Primary Election.

(Courtesy Photo)

D.C. primaries, and even less time before the release of a report anticipated to show a nine-year life expectancy gap between men east of the Anacostia River and men west of Rock Creek Park, Lane said that the candidate pool, to some degree, leaves much to be desired.

“I don't hear many Black men being against ranked choice voting,” Lane told The Informer. “The issue is the candidates that we have to choose from. I would say some are not [up to par]. Even some front runners are not, but there are others that do show promise and hope.”

As the clock winds down to June 16, and council candidates announce ranked-choice voting endorsements, the political landscape is showing signs of what China Dickerson, earlier this year, predicted could come to fruition.

“With ranked choice voting, the person who initially comes in second place, or even third place, ultimately can come in first place,” said Dickerson, communications director for ElectED DC. “The votes trickle down to the person who would have gotten second place, and that person can be lifted up.”

In April, ElectED DC, an east-ofthe-river education advocacy group, endorsed the campaigns of: D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson who’s running for re-election unopposed; D.C. Council Democratic at-large candidates Chavous, Greg Jackson, and Lisa Raymond, D.C. Council Independent at-large candidate Jacque Patterson, and D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) who’s also running for re-election.

More than a year after D.C. Councilmember Trayon White’s brief ex-

AROUND THE REGION

CAPTURE THE MOMENt

Who’s Reading the Informer

Anela Malik, a Washington, D.C.-based content creator, author, and speaker at the Black Women in Food Summit, reads The Washington Informer. (Brenda Siler/ The Washington Informer)

If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves and allow those responsible to salve their conscience by believing that they have our acceptance and concurrence. We should, therefore, protest openly everything... that smacks of discrimination or slander.

VOTING from Page 9

pulsion exposed citywide council representatives’ coverage gaps, Dickerson said the at-large candidates are showing interest in the affairs of Ward 7 and Ward 8 residents.

“All of them said, ‘We need to prioritize the needs of Ward 7 and 8,’” Dickerson told The Informer, “understanding that Ward 7 and 8 currently has the most natives living in the District, and also, unfortunately, it's the most marginalized of all of the communities in the District.”

The Promise of Getting One’s Voice Heard

Damon Jones said he’s seeing a similar fervor among several of the 2026 candidates.

“They’re actually working harder to get their name out there, which is a good thing,” said Jones, a returning citizen and non-party voter who lives in Ward 1. “They see this rankedchoice voting as an opportunity to show that they are the people's choice. They've been trying to cater to the people a little bit more than just fulfilling the duties of the machine.”

In 2024, Jones joined Make All Votes Count DC shortly after what he described as the disappointment of not being able to vote in the Democratic primary that brought D.C. Councilmember Wendell Felder (D-Ward 7) to office.

Jones pushed for Initiative 83 with the belief that he and other non-party voters should be able to participate in consequential primaries— like those held in a largely Democratic city. More than a year later, with only the ranked-choice voting portion of Initiative 83 funded, Jones called Felder’s nearly 24% victory as indication of what often happens in its absence.

“He would never get in with only 20% of the vote,” Jones said. “It makes a big difference.”

Jones declined to tell The Informer who he plans to vote for in the D.C. Council independent at-large election, the only contest he qualifies to participate in as a voter. He, however, posited the plight of returning citizens as an issue worthy of candidates’ attention.

“I still don't feel like returning citizens are looked at as a power structure,” Jones said. “I hear candidates say all the right things when I’m posing questions about how they’re going to shift things around so they can create more money for the table, but I don't

5 Ward 7 resident Ambrose Lane, Jr., a member of Million Man Vote, predicts that a significant number of voters will be left to the wayside this election cycle because of ranked-choice voting. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)

have any confidence in any of that for real.”

In recent weeks, Jones has been working to make ranked-choice voting more of a digestible concept through his role as founding executive director of Staying Connected DC Family Services.

“I can understand how confused you would be,” Jones told The Informer. “I try to just stick to the pertinent points, which is showing that previous candidates have won the election with under 20% of the vote. Ranked-choice voting allows more than one choice, in case the first choice doesn’t win. These are mainly some of the reasons that appealed to people.”

East of the Anacostia River, members of ElectED have been knocking on doors and engaging voters in hands-on activities to acclimate them to ranked-choice voting. The nonprofit organization has also launched a civic match app where users can find candidates who align with their values.

In the election, some primary candidates, particularly those in crowded races, have united via cross endorsements. In the Ward 1 D.C. Council Democratic primary, two out of the five candidates, Rashida Brown and Miguel Deramo Trindade, have endorsed each other, encouraging their supporters to rank their opponent second on their ballot. WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

AROUND THE REGION

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Maryland Voters Receive Wrong Ballots, Replacements on the Way

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

Maryland voters who were sent

mail-in ballots before May 14 will be receiving replacements, after a mix up, leading to criticism from President Donald Trump and local

leaders having to emphasize the state’s fair electoral process.

As Maryland is a closed-primary

state, voters can only participate in the primary of their respective registered party. However, roughly 500,000 people were sent a ballot for the wrong party, reportedly due to a vendor issue.

The State Board of Elections (SBE) has apologized, plans to send out replacement ballots to all voters who requested mail-ins, and has stated that votes that have been cast thus far will be invalidated.

“Since the mail-in vendor was unable to accurately identify who received correct ballots and who did not receive correct ballots, SBE determined the only course of action to ensure the integrity and security of mail-in voting was sending all voters who requested a mail-in ballot by mail a new ballot,” the SBE said in a statement.

Voting with a replacement ballot, before or on Election Day is still eligible, even for those who already cast an invalidated vote.

Whether a voter received the proper or incorrect ballot, they are encouraged to discard the “original” ballot and vote with the replacement ballot, which is expected to arrive between May 18 and May 29 to most Maryland residents.

Jared DeMarinis, SBE’s state administrator, encourages voters to use the replacement ballot once sent.

“We're making sure that everyone's aware because people are still requesting mail-in ballots.,” DeMarinis told WBAL-TV 11 News. “We want everyone to vote the replacement ballot. That's the easiest way to ensure the safety and security of the system.”

Trump Blames Moore

For Ballot Issues, Local Leaders Push Back

Trump took to social media to criticize the ballot error and cast blame on the administration of Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, who is running for reelection.

“He allowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “In Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught! So now, they’re going to send out 500,000 more Mail In Ballots, but nobody knows what’s happening with the first 500,000 they sent.”

The presiedent has repeatedly cast doubts on mail-in ballots: decrying their use as “fraudulent,” controversially suggesting the 2020 election was “stolen” using them, and issuing an executive order to limit the use of mailed ballots.

Despite his criticisms of the process, Trump used a mail-in ballot to vote during a recent special election.

“I decided that I was going to vote by mail-in ballot because I couldn’t be there, because I had a lot of different things,” Trump told reporters in March, according to a Politico report.

Ammar Moussa, a spokesman for Moore, disagreed with Trump’s allegations of fraud.

“President Trump’s statement is false and irresponsible,” Moussa said in a statement. “The State

BALLOTS from Page 12

Board of Elections identified a vendor error, disclosed it publicly, and is fixing it to ensure every eligible voter receives a valid ballot and every valid vote is counted.”

Rushern Baker, former Prince George’s county executive, noted that this is one of the president’s many attempts to undermine voting.

“This was a vendor error, not fraud, and state officials acted quickly and transparently to correct it. Donald Trump has spent years attacking faith in our elections and undermining one of the most fundamental rights we have as Americans: the right to vote,” Baker, who is currently vying for a seat in Congress, told The Informer. “Weaponizing an administrative mistake to spread false narratives about mail voting is part of the same dangerous playbook.

We need leaders who are willing to stand up, defend our democracy, and protect every citizen’s right to make their voice heard.”

Despite the mishap, DeMarinis is optimistic that ballot counting will proceed as usual.

“It bears repeating that no fake or illegal mail-in ballots were distributed. The wording in President Trump's continued posts about Maryland's elections creates an environment of misinformation on a voting right. Mail-in voting is not a partisan issue. Mail-in voting is legal.” said DeMarinis. “When we declare winners and losers, you can have full faith and confidence that it was done in accordance with laws.”

For more information visit elections.maryland.gov. For any additional questions, contact the Maryland Board of Elections at absentee.SBE@maryland.gov.

WI

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

• Lane Manor Splash Park

• Ellen E. Linson Splash Park

• Hamilton Splash Park

• Glenn Dale Splash Park

• J. Franklyn Bourne Memorial Pool

• North Barnaby Splash Park

Now hiring deep water and shallow water lifeguards and slide attendants!

Visit pgparks.com/pools to learn more about our fabulous pools and splash parks.

BUSINESS

nesses. And there's a reason for being in ETA.”

While entrepreneurship remains a top catalyst for wealth creation, the push to boost ETA comes in a moment business experts are calling a “once in a generation opportunity” to create wealth, particularly among the 4% of Black entrepreneurs nationwide.

Coined the historic Silver Tsunami, studies show an unprecedented 6 million “baby boomer” businesses face ownership transitions by 2035, putting 12 million jobs and $5 trillion in enterprise value at stake, with no succession plan for about

The

30% of those projected to be hit.

Here in the DMV, business experts say the path forward requires a rebooted ecosystem that prioritizes sustainability along with the leadership that sets the tone for communities in which they serve.

“Creating wealth for individuals in and of itself is not charitable, but when we think about the impact they can have on their communities, and prevention of job losses,” said Chris Weaver, executive director of Community Development Investors (CDI). “We want to create a generation of entrepreneurs, at least as a community organization, that actually are going to be an-

chors for the community, that are thinking about how they treat their employees, about how they can create…anchors for opportunity for other people.”

STRENGTHENING OUR FAMILY

Vendor marketplace

Exhibitor booths

Live demonstrations

Family-friendly activities

Expert panel discussions

Saturday, May 30, 2026 Saturday, 30, 2026

10AM - 2PM 10AM - 2PM

Martha’s Table Martha’s Table 2375 Elvans Street, SE 2375 Elvans Street, Washington, DC 20020 Washington, 20020 20020

During CDI’s 2026 Annual Conference in April, sponsored by Zelle and JP Morgan Chase, the vision was reinforced by a coalition of stakeholders, business and finance experts, and emerging entrepreneurs at the center— from keynote speaker Archie Jones to scholars like Williams — all driven by a collective vision to redefine business ownership and community impact.

More than that, beyond showing higher success rates, Zelle General Manager Denise Leonard said ETA offers a chance to reclaim the terms and conditions of the American dream, and what that looks like for all those in search.

“It's not about buying things, it's not about accruing wealth, but it's actually about being able to live your entire financial lives,” she told The Informer, “having confidence, having flexibility, being able to make choices. And feeling just more secure with your overall financial life overall.”

The Good, the Bad, and the Tsunami

When it comes to shaping the future of generational wealth, Jones put it candidly: the average 9-to-5 won’t cut it in this economy.

The keynote speaker underscored the concentration of wealth in America, where the top 1% controls nearly half of the nation’s wealth, and almost half of families in the top 10% possess business equity.

Thus, he dawns the Silver Tsuna-

mi as more than a power play, but an opportunity to reframe the national strategy of inclusion.

“We're not talking about a zero-sum game here, we're talking about increasing the size of the pot,” Jones said. “Over 6 million jobs, 824 billion additional revenue, some of that in [the Black community].”

Where business experts agree, the mission requires a holistic view of how to sustain economic mobility across the board.

Jones emphasized a need to empower the next class of leaders by eliminating barriers to social and financial capital, be it addressing common threads of market failure, or boosting the “five C’s of entrepreneurship” –– capability, culture, communication, connection, and building the confidence to forge and stay on the journey.

On the cultural tip, he was clear: “This area may be new, but it's not new to us as people.”

“Entrepreneurship is in your DNA,” Jones, a graduate of Morehouse College, told the room of HBCU scholars. “As a community, we know better than most how to stretch it out, how to get there, how to work through struggle. Stop thinking about that as a liability and think about that as an asset.”

Among the panelists and stakeholders present in the room, Carrie Cook, community affairs officer and vice president of community development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said fueling

from Page 14

the entrepreneurial spirit requires the resources to back it up, particularly among rural or low-income neighborhoods where prosperity often amounts to what “side of the tracks” in which people reside.

While the District is considered a populous urban city, tackling the realities of “non-skilled-based efforts” is key to designing an ecosystem that thrives in longevity, she adds, just as much as it does in diversity.

“If we don't address housing, we don't address child care and health care, health care, population determinants of health, all these things that determine how people grow and how they prosper, then our efforts will move on out,” said the community developer.

The bigger picture, she later told

The Informer, looks like prioritizing business impact beyond revenue and bridging the nationwide generational wealth gap –– a sentiment that notably resonated with Williams.

“I look at it as security first, optionality second,” Williams, 28, said. “You're not stressed about how to make the next mortgage payment…young Black kids knowing you have options in this world.”

Meanwhile, Jones says half the battle is education, while the other lies in the initiative that can move the needle forward.

"The USA needs us, needs you to solve this crisis, to capitalize on the opportunity,” Jones said on April 10. “You don't have to start your business today, but I need you to start planning for when you're going to.”

WI

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 24-2026

PREVENTIVE

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR SERVICES AND WATER TREATMENT SERVICES IN VARIOUS DCHA PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) Capital Construction and Design (CCD) requires a licensed, qualified Contractor to provide Preventive Maintenance, Repair Services and Water Treatment Services in various DCHA Public Housing developments.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available Thursday, May 14, 2026, full solicitation documents will be posted to our e-procurement system Housing Agency Marketplace at: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

Respondents must log in to view this RFP for all related documents. It is the respondent’s responsibility to check the Housing Agency Market Place site regularly to stay current on all available documents as this is the primary communication site solicitation.

PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Monday, June 15, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.

Email Deborah Barnes, Contract Specialist (OAS), at dybarnes@dchousing.org for additional information.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATION NO.: 27-2026

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM PREVENTI VE MAINTENANCE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT SERVICE S

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) Capitol Construction and Design (CCD) requires licensed, qualified professionals to provide Fire Alarm System Preventive Maintenance and Repair services at various DCHA Properties.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available Tuesday, May 19, 2026, solicitation documents will be posted to our e-procurement system Housing Agency Marketplace at: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

To access files respondents are required to Register on the Housing Agency Market Place platform. Respondents must log in to view this RFP for all related documents. It is the respondent’s responsibility to check the Housing Agency Market Place site regularly to stay current on all available documents as this is the primary communication site solicitation.

PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Monday, June 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM Email LaShawn Mizzell-McLeod, Contract Specialist (OAS) at lmmcleod@dchousing.org for additional information.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOUSING AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) / SOLICITATION NO.: 25-2026 BACKGROUND CHECK AND DRUG SCREENING (AGENCY-WIDE)

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is seeking qualified and experienced firms to provide comprehensive pre-employment background screening, drug testing, driving record screening and related employment verification services.

SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS will be available beginning Tuesday, May 19, 2026, and can be found on Housing Agency Market Place at: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=506

To access files respondents are required to Register on the Housing Agency Market Place platform. Respondents must log in to view this RFP for all related documents. It is the respondent’s responsibility to check the Housing Agency Market Place site regularly to stay current on all available documents as this is the primary communication site solicitation.

PROPOSAL RESPONSES ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE Monday, June 22, 2026, by 12:00 p.m.

Email Lolita Washington, Contract Specialist lwashing@dchousing.org additional information.

NATIONAL

The Purge: Black Leaders, Black Workers, Black History and Trump’s Remaking of America

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer

President Donald Trump’s second bout in the White House has been filled with the firing of Black leaders, the dismantling of civil rights protections, the gutting of federal jobs that

helped build the Black middle class, and attacks on African American history and diversity programs.

Critics across government, civil rights organizations, academia, and the media say the pattern is no accident.

“It’s not just posturing and messag-

ing that validates and excites the worst bigots in the country (though it’s that too), but we’re now about 16 months into a concerted and intense targeting of Black Americans by the Trump administration,” MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said during a recent broad-

cast examining Trump’s policies and personnel decisions.

Maddow said it’s obvious that Trump isn’t hiding his true intent.

She pointed to Trump’s war on diversity programs, the firing of Black officials across federal agencies, and the rollback of anti-discrimination protections that had existed for decades.

3 Experts note that President Donald Trump’s second term is affecting Black Americans, particularly the middle class. (Courtesy File Photo)

also sought to remove Lisa Cook, the first Black woman on the Federal Reserve Board.

The New York Times reported that only two of Trump’s 98 Senate-confirmed appointees during his first 200 days back in office were Black.

“Trump seemed to be very proud to have ‘Blacks for Trump’ at all of his rallies and behind the podium, but not behind him in the cabinet meetings,” said Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. “When we’re not in the room, things don’t tend to go better for us.”

‘There is a Pattern’

Some of the removed officials now allege racial discrimination.

“On his first day in office, the president proclaimed war on diversity efforts, not only in government, but in any institution in the country over which he can exert leverage, from schools to law firms to private businesses of every stripe,” Maddow said.

The administration moved quickly.

Trump fired Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the second Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation’s highest-ranking military officer.

Bloomberg Law reported that Alvin Brown filed suit accusing the administration of targeting Black officials at independent agencies. According to the complaint, attorneys argued that 75% of Black officials serving at independent federal agencies had been fired under Trump.

Before Brown’s removal, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly attacked him for what he described as a “woke” focus on diversity initiatives and openly questioned whether the former chairman had been promoted because he was Black.

Brown, a decorated fighter pilot and four-star general, was replaced by Gen. Dan Caine, a white officer with significantly less national visibility and completely without the credentials of his predecessor.

The purge spread across the federal government.

Carla Hayden, the first Black person and first woman ever to serve as Librarian of Congress, was fired by text message. Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman on the National Labor Relations Board, was removed. Alvin Brown of the National Transportation Safety Board was terminated. Robert Primus of the Surface Transportation Board was forced out. Willie Phillips, the first Black chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, was pressured from office. Trump

“President Trump has removed Black Senate-confirmed appointees; he has either nominated a non-Black individual for their replacement or has not formally replaced them at all,” Brown’s attorneys wrote. “This trend fits with President Trump’s consistent messaging criticizing diversity and inclusion.”

Robert Primus, who Trump himself originally appointed during his first term, told The New York Times that the pattern had become impossible to ignore.

“Maybe he felt that this job was not intended for Blacks,” Primus said. “It’s legitimate speculation. Because if you look across the board, there is a pattern.”

Maddow connected the administration’s actions to one of the darkest periods in federal history.

Reporter Erica Green, Maddow noted, found that “nothing had moved backward in the federal government for Black Americans this quickly or this far in more than 100 years — since 1912, when President Woodrow Wilson resegregated the federal workforce.” WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Investing in a Safer, More Reliable Energy Future

Submitted by Washington Gas

Securing the DMV’s energy future starts with investing in the infrastructure that communities rely on every day.

At Washington Gas, safety and reliability are at the core of that commitment. One of the most important ways the company is delivering on it is through our Accelerated Pipeline Replacement Programs (APRP) across Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Just like roads, bridges, and water systems, natural gas infrastructure requires ongoing maintenance and modernization to continue operating safely and efficiently. Washington Gas’ pipeline replacement programs are designed to proactively replace aging pipelines, strengthen the natural gas delivery system, and help reduce the risk of costly disruptions before they occur.

Each program is tailored to the communities it serves:

In Maryland, the STRIDE program has invested more than $680 million to modernize aging infrastructure and improve system safety and reliability for customers across the state.

In Virginia, the SAVE program has invested more than $1.3 billion in critical infrastructure upgrades while also supporting hundreds of good-paying construction and skilled trade jobs.

In the District of Columbia, District SAFE has delivered more than $407 million in investments to strengthen the natural gas system serving neighborhoods throughout the nation’s capital.

Together, these programs represent a long-term investment in the DMV’s future. Beyond improving infrastructure, APRP projects support local economies by creating jobs, generating economic activity, and helping ensure continued access to affordable and reliable natural gas for homes and businesses.

Modernizing infrastructure today also helps prepare the region for tomorrow. Replacing older pipelines with newer materials and technologies strengthens system resiliency, improves operational performance, and supports Washington Gas’ broader commitment to delivering safe, dependable energy service to the communities it serves.

Across the DMV, Washington Gas crews are working every day to build a stronger and safer natural gas system for customers and communities alike. These investments are more than infrastructure projects—they are investments in public safety, economic growth, and the long-term reliability of the region’s energy network.

As the DMV continues to grow, maintaining and modernizing critical infrastructure will remain essential. Through STRIDE, SAVE, and District SAFE, Washington Gas is helping ensure the region has the affordable, reliable, and safe energy infrastructure needed for generations to come.

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n Church Fans

n Fax & Scan n Programs

Cuban Officials Reject Raúl Castro’s Indictment, Condemn U.S. Intervention

By Mya Trujillo WI Contributing Writer

While people in Cuba are suffering at the hands of a 60-year embargo— with its effects exacerbated by the fuel blockade established by United States President Donald Trump and his administration— they are being further reminded about what can happen with U.S. military intervention.

On May 20, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro and previous Cuban government and military leaders with charges relating to the February 1996 shooting down of planes belonging to the American group Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR).

“For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens,” said FBI Director Kash Patel when the indictments were unsealed.

The charges include: conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of a U.S. aircraft and four individual counts of murder.

Cuban diplomats condemn the

5 Cuban leaders are condemning the U.S. Department of Justice for indicting former Cuban President Raúl Castro and previous Cuban government and military leaders related to a 1996 incident. (Courtesy Photo/X, President Miguel Diaz-Canel)

indictment, stating that shooting down the BTTR planes was an act of self-defense after the group committed a series of airspace violations despite being warned numerous times by the Cuban

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government and intermediaries. They accuse the U.S. government of fabricating a deceitful narrative to justify its blockade and military threats against the Caribbean country.

“This is a political maneuver, devoid of any legal foundation, aimed solely at padding the fabricated dossier they use to justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote on X. “The U.S. lies and distorts the events surrounding the downing of the planes belonging to the narco-terrorist organization Brothers to the Rescue in 1996.”

Brothers to the Rescue was originally a group focused on helping rafters escaping Cuba for the U.S. until changes in immigration policy between the two countries resulted in the American government agreeing not to admit anyone who was intercepted in the water. After this change, the nonprofit group primarily focused on civil disobedience against the Caribbean country’s government.

Cuban officials accused BTTR of dropping leaflets, medallions and bumper stickers with language opposing the government. They regard the incident as an act of self-defense, as Cuban government flight controllers had warned the group not to fly over Havana on the day of the shootdown. Brothers to the Rescue pilots failed to cooperate, which led to the deaths of Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.

“The United States, which has been a victim of the use of civil aviation for terrorist purposes, does not and would not permit the hostile and provocative violation of foreign aircraft over its territory and would act, as it has demonstrated, with the use of force,” The Embassy of Cuba in the U.S. said in a May 20 statement.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

HEALTH

and potentially endanger environmental and public health.

With this new era of farming legislation in development, farmers, experts and activists in and near the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington area are urging lawmakers to uphold animal protections and prioritize small- and mid-sized farming operations over corporate agriculture.

“Who feeds the nation matters, and lawmakers should put the responsibility of that in the hands of smaller-scale farmers like us,” Sharon Kay, co-owner of Fawn Crossing Farms in Virginia, told The Informer, “meaning that the type of processes that we do become a greater opportunity for larger farmers to join the effort in providing healthier foods.”

The proposed bill could prioritize the interests of large-scale agriculture, especially with the inclusion of the Save Our Bacon Act (H.R. 4673), which would erode states’ ability to pass their own laws regarding how farmed animals are treated. Lawmakers also introduced the Food Security and Farm Protection Act (S. 1326), which would also jeopardize reforms made in the factory farming space regarding intensive confinement and could potentially nullify states’ rights to impose standards on the production of agricultural products in interstate commerce.

Notions like these, especially those that loosen up provisions on factory farming, can be extremely detrimental to the environment, especially air quality. Large-scale animal operations are a primary source of air pollutants such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, nitrous oxide and methane, due to manure and waste.

“Our Big Ag system in the country is broken, whether it be for chicken farms, the hog farms, the cattle feed lots,” University of Maryland (UMD) Environmental Health Scientist Dr. Sacoby Wilson, told The Informer. “We have to change that. We have to figure out a way to support real family farming and make sure it's sustainable, regenerative... and address some

of these long-term negative impacts.”

‘The Smell Was Unimaginable’: The Horror of Living Next to A CAFO

Six major types of animals are raised across approximately 83,000 farms throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed: dairy and beef cattle, hogs, hens, broiler chickens and turkeys. Poultry facilities release large amounts of ammonia into the atmosphere due to the microbial decomposition of uric acid in chicken litter, methane is emitted from cattle through their belching and manure, and swine manure produces nitrogen and phosphorus gases.

While farming is essential for feeding the nation, it is the biggest contributor to pollution in the estuary. The pollutants released into the air from agriculture can harm water quality through atmospheric deposition, in which gases and particles are transported and deposited onto solid or aquatic surfaces. According to modeling by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP), agriculture accounted for 46% of nitrogen loads, 29% of phosphorus loads and 7% of sediment loads entering the water in 2024.

“Ammonia has various health effects,” Wilson told The Informer. “It can burn your eyes, nose, and throat, and it can contribute to respiratory conditions,... exacerbate your asthma and… can impact your mental health, increase stress levels, [and] increase fatigue.”

People living in the watershed know the effects of ammonia all too well, especially Maria Payan, the executive director of the Sussex Health and Environmental Network (SHEN) and co-founder of Sentinels of Eastern Shore Health (SESH). Payan, her son and her late husband used to live across the street from a poultry CAFO in Delta, Pennsylvania.

One summer, the CAFO’s electric-

ity went out, causing all the generators to turn off. Within 10 minutes, 20,000 chickens were dead and left to decompose on the property.

“The smell was unimaginable,” Payan told The Informer. “I mean, if I think about it today, I can actually get sick.”

Since houseflies breed in manure, they are the most common insects associated with CAFOS and were always a nuisance for Payan and her family. She recalls having hundreds in her house, even in rooms without windows. The air was also hard to breathe, especially for her husband, who had cancer and suffered from

respiratory issues.

The last straw for Payan was when doctors wanted to test her son for cancer. The family moved to Delaware, but they still faced the same issues. Since then, Payan has dedicated her time to advocacy and education surrounding the relationship between environmental and public health.

“I’ve been doing this [for] 20 years, and… it’s changing, but guess what? It’s going in the wrong direction,” she told The Informer. “Doesn’t matter which party is in control,... the politicians don’t want to deal with it.”

Smaller Farms in MD, VA Champion Sustainability

Eroding animal welfare laws could put the air quality of the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington region, where ozone levels and particle pollution are already areas of concern, at risk. According to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System’s (NPDES) most recent CAFO Permitting Status Report, Maryland and Virginia are home to 494 and 206 CAFOs, respectively.

ANIMAL Page 24

Request for Proposals – DCHFA-26-0053

The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency is seeking a contractor to provide Real Estate Advisory Services for the Agency’s headquarters building located at 815 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001.

The services which include, but are not limited to, comprehensive advisory and transaction services including recommendations and cost associated with maintaining the building as the Agency’s Headquarters, providing a market survey of available buildings for lease or purchase; full scale cost analysis for recommendations, relocation services (if necessary), project management services and creating the required RFPs and/or Scopes of Work to secure the necessary external resources to implement approved recommendations.

Details: http://www.DCHFA.org/about/business-opportunities Proposals deadline: June 23, 2026, 2:00 p.m.

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‘Do You Know Where Your Children Are?’: Youth Curfew and Parents’ Call to Action

In reaction to several weeks of unruly behavior initiated by large groups of young people participating in disruptive and destructive activity in the Navy Yard community, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced a juvenile curfew for all youth under the age of 18.

The new limited curfew is enacted through a public emergency as part of the District’s ongoing strategy to address disorderly behavior, prevent violence, and protect public safety.

This comes after a recent fight between youth at Chipotle in Navy Yard— which went viral across social media platforms— sparked more heated cries for an immediate youth curfew.

At the same time, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said she has an answer for the parents of repeat juvenile curfew violators: jail time. After witnessing the earlier cited video, during which teens were captured smashing chairs and attacking one another while terrified patrons hid in fear, Pirro said she’s had enough.

But that’s not all. D.C. residents can expect to see more federal law enforcement on our streets, allegedly to curb violent crime and disorderly gathering by minors. Federal officials reportedly want to increase federal police presence ahead of America’s 250th anniversary events.

However, are Pirro’s and the

Trump administration’s plans about making D.C. safer and protecting out of control youth from hurting others, or justifying an ongoing plan to facilitate greater control over the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and city government?

Shortly after resuming control, the president took aim at juvenile crime, especially carjackings, describing the situation as one in which “caravans of mass youth rampage through city streets at all times of the day.”

Such claims were later debunked both by MPD data as well as a White House initiated Department of Justice report, which concluded that violent crime in the city hit a 30-year low, and was down 35% in 2024 from the year before.

So, what’s the answer to D.C.’s apparent “crisis” in youth crime?

Perhaps, the solution lies in creating a more collaborative approach to resolving the problem.

Instead of offering short term solutions posed by the feds versus the District’s mayor or police department, maybe the various voices need to sit down together and hammer out a plan – one with lasting effects.

In the meantime, with Pirro taking an aggressive stance, not to mention the policies we’ve seen coming out of the White House, parents should prepare for the possibility of facing large fines

and even jail time if their children, who are labeled as “repeat curfew violators,” continue to break the law.

A famous nightly public service announcement that began in the late 1960s in New York City and became a nationwide staple throughout the 1970s and 80s, posed a question to parents each night after the evening news: “It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are?”

The query was created to encourage parental supervision and safety during rising urban crime rates and to urge parents to ensure their kids were home and safe.

Curfews may work for a while and the deployment of more federal law enforcement may temporarily deter youth from breaking the law and endangering themselves and others.

But parents as well as business leaders must also step up to the plate.

Let’s give our youth more positive ways to let off steam and to enhance opportunities for supervised social gatherings.

As for parents, they’d better have a heart-to-heart chat with their children, sooner as opposed to later.

Otherwise, with Pirro’s plan, they may soon find themselves hundreds of dollars poorer or even inmates in city or federal jails and prisons for a six-month stay. WI

Rewarding Insurrection is a Moral Failure

Taxpayer Dollars Should Never Reward Political Violence

The idea that Americans who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, could receive taxpayer-funded compensation is not merely offensive — it is morally indefensible.

Reports that President Donald Trump’s administration is advancing a nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that may compensate Jan. 6 rioters and political allies should alarm every American who believes in democracy, accountability, and the rule of law. Even more disturbing, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly refused to rule out payments to individuals who assaulted police officers during the attack on the

Capitol.

What happened on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was not a peaceful protest. It was a violent assault on the democratic process, fueled by lies about a stolen election. More than 140 law enforcement officers were injured while defending the Capitol that day. Windows were smashed, officers were beaten, and lawmakers fled for safety as rioters tried to halt the certification of a free and fair election.

To now suggest that these individuals deserve financial compensation turns justice on its head.

What does it say to Americans who followed the law, respected the elec-

tion results, and watched in horror as the Capitol was besieged?

During and after the Jan. 6 insurrection, several law enforcement officers died in connection with the events. What will those supporting this effort say to the family of Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who collapsed while defending the Capitol and died on Jan. 7, 2021? The D.C. medical examiner ruled that his death was caused by two strokes, noting that “all that transpired during the riot contributed to his condition.”

It was later revealed Sicknick voted for President Trump in November 2020.

TO THE EDITOR

“This is horrific, and I think foul play should not be ruled out!”

- Karen Kenworthy (In reference to the article: “Young Man Found Hanging From Tree in Northwest, MPD Issues Public Statement Days Later.”)

“I would love to see this historic cemetery restored. Both of my grandparents are buried there.”

- Donna Bogle (In reference to the article: “Preserving Woodlawn Cemetery: ‘An Integral Part of the 250 Years of American History.’”)

Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and D.C. Metropolitan Police officer Daniel Hodges have filed a lawsuit to block the fund, calling it “the most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.” Their warning should not be ignored.

This proposal also exposes a dangerous double standard. Americans struggling to pay rent, buy groceries, or fill their gas tanks are told to tighten their belts. Yet those who participated in one of the darkest days in modern

American history may receive government-funded payouts for claiming to be “victims.”

A nation cannot survive if political violence is excused, romanticized, and ultimately rewarded. Accountability is not persecution, and consequences are not oppression. If this fund moves forward, it will not heal the country. It will deepen division, weaken faith in democratic institutions, and stain America’s moral credibility for years to come. WI

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Guest Columnist

Antoine M. Thompson

Freedom Is Never Free — And Neither Is Our Debt to Those Who Secured It

Every year on Memorial Day, Americans pause. We visit cemeteries draped in small American flags. We watch parades. We hear taps echo across open fields. And in those quiet moments, we are reminded of something that should never leave us: freedom is never free. It is paid for in full by the men and women who put on the uni-

form of this nation, who left their families and their homes, and who gave — in many cases — everything they had. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Everything, right then, without hesitation. The freedoms we exercise every single day — to speak, to gather, to vote, to simply live — were purchased by their sacrifice. We owe them a debt that can never truly be repaid.

But this Memorial Day, I found myself thinking not just about remembrance — but about responsibility.

Guest Columnist

"Remembrance without action is not honor. It is silence dressed up as tribute."

Because for every name etched into a wall or engraved on a headstone, there is a veteran who came home. A veteran who walks among us today — in our neighborhoods, in our grocery stores, at our community events. A veteran who served this country with the same courage and commitment as those we mourn, and who returned to find that the country they fought for was not always ready to fight for

them.

That is the uncomfortable truth we must be willing to speak out loud on Memorial Day: too many of our living veterans are struggling.

They struggle to access the healthcare they need — physical and mental — after years of service that took a profound toll on their bodies and minds. They struggle with housing insecurity and, in far too many cases, homelessness. They struggle to find employment that recognizes and values the extraor-

dinary discipline, leadership, and skills they developed in uniform. They struggle to navigate a labyrinthine system of benefits that should be straightforward but often is not. And too many of them struggle quietly, because the culture of service that made them great soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines also taught them not to ask for help.

"We ask them to give everything. The very least we can do is make sure the door is open when they

THOMPSON Page 37

Mississippi Made a Commitment to Its Kids. It's Time We All Do the Same.

improvements in reading, the kind that will enable their students to enjoy the lifelong benefits of a quality education." — Kymyona Burk

"A literacy law is an equity law, so states must make a bold stand and say they want this science-based approach. State education agencies should walk in their authority and ensure that their teachers are equipped, knowledgeable, and empowered to teach children how to read from the first day of class. That way, all states can start to see

After decades of working in law enforcement and a lifetime of community engagement and empowerment, I've seen firsthand what works to keep our communities safe and secure. A key aspect of building a community safety plan that works is making sure our officers have the tools necessary to respond when the call comes.

A few weeks back, a viral video that showed high school students struggling to read words below their grade level garnered millions of views. The kids who mispronounced the word "silhouette" and failed to sound out "gauche" became the butt of jokes and the subject of conversations about the future of our country being

"cooked." But for our movement, it was a call to double down on our work to ensure that every child is ready for work and life, and that starts with reading.

As we assess ways to improve our education programs, like Project Ready, which provides on-site services to supplement what students learn in the classroom, we can look no further than Mississippi for a model of excellence.

Just over a decade ago, Mississippi ranked at the bottom of

national K-12 education, sitting 48th in on-time graduation, attendance, and reading proficiency. Rather than accepting a system that left students behind, it got to work. In 2013, the state passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. The law brought the "science of reading" to every classroom and provided teachers with literacy coaches to help fill skill gaps, focusing on students in grades K-3.

Twelve years later, the state ranks No. 1 in reading and math

gains since 2013 and No. 9 in the nation in fourth-grade reading scores, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. For Black students, the impact was even greater.

Today, Mississippi's Black fourth graders rank 3rd in the nation in reading and math scores among their peers.

The law has become a model across the nation and a reminder that investing in the future of

As technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, criminal behavior becomes more advanced and more complicated — it is critical our officers are equipped with tools that can combat this crime. License plate recognition (LPR) technology is one of these tools. It has a proven track record in real-time identification, which helps our officers solve crimes faster and protect our communities more effectively.

The real-time alerts from LPR cameras allow us access to critical, time-sensitive data, helping to recov-

er stolen vehicles within hours, track suspects fleeing violent crimes, and generate leads on human trafficking and kidnapping cases far faster than what is achievable with manpower alone. The success isn't theoretical; it's been proven in more than 5,000 communities nationwide.

Despite these key points, misinformation around privacy concerns and officer misuse continues to undermine the very tools we need to combat crime. These concerns, while important, have been discouraging to see. Modern criminals don't op-

erate in neat boxes. Their actions span multiple jurisdictions and are constantly evolving, making it harder for traditional policing methods to keep up. Choosing to reject a proven tool like LPR cameras threatens our ability to respond quickly and means accepting that some crimes will go unsolved.

While there are legitimate conversations to be had about privacy and accountability when using this tool, these concerns should not be used as a reason to abandon the tool altogether. The answer is not to eliminate

the technology, but to ensure it is implemented responsibly with clear safeguards, local oversight, and adequate transparency. Too much of the debate on this topic is driven by hypothetical fears rather than real-world implications. While we continue to argue about what could happen, our officers are out responding to what is actually happening on the streets. The responsibility for public safety is not theoretical; it's our sworn responsibility. Our community deserves to have every tool available to keep them safe. WI

King Charles of the United Kingdom came to the U.S. in late April, apparently to fix the frayed ties with the United States. Since the king had a brother involved in the Epstein crimes, he was asked to speak to the women who were the victims of the crimes. Such a small ask, but the king turned the invitation down, probably as a courtesy

Guest Columnist

The King and the Would-Be King

to Trump. To his credit, the king has already dealt with the problem in the U.K. He did it by quickly taking privileges from his brother, including his royal status! Still nothing like that has happened to the men involved in the U.S. As a matter of fact, no action has been taken by the Trump administration — not even a verbal apology.

Before I go on, let me mention the queen and the first lady. They deserve a line in my assessment of this visit to America during these turbulent times. My observance

may be nothing more than trivia, but the two are prominent in this royal visit. Queen Camilla, as British women often do, wore a beautiful hat that turned upward on one side just in case King Charles wanted to throw a little kiss her way. Now our first lady, Melania, on the other hand, took another approach. She stood as tall and frozen as military personnel do, with her hands firmly holding her sides so that the person beside her could not grab them and pretend they just can't keep their hands off each

other! She wore that hat, as usual, that basically said, "Don't touch me. Keep your distance or my hat will hit you in your mouth!" I love the way she protects herself from having to endure a kiss in public.

Now, back to those over whom he rules, Trump must be wondering why he gets no applause for this war against Iran. It hasn't gotten him the positive attention he had hoped he would get. It hasn't made high gasoline prices any cheaper, nor lowered food costs, nor won any friends from other

Parents Are a Child's First Teacher — As a Father, I'm Learning Too

When my daughter Amari was diagnosed with autism, my understanding of fatherhood changed in ways I never expected.

Like many parents, I initially focused on finding answers. I wanted to better understand the diagnosis, the services available and what support would help her thrive. But what I quickly learned

was that navigating the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process is not just about paperwork, evaluations and meetings, it is also an emotional journey that reshapes how you see yourself as a parent.

As fathers, many of us are taught to remain strong, solve problems and carry pressure quietly. But sitting in IEP meetings, hearing professionals discuss your child's developmental challenges, academic needs and behavioral goals in clinical terms can weigh heavily

Throughout this election cycle, the two top contenders: former Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie and Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George have debated who represents the “real D.C.”

It’s an important conversation. Identity, belonging, and community matter in a city like ours.

But for many Washingtonians, the

on you in ways people rarely discuss openly.

That part of the journey is often invisible.

Before entering this process, I believed parenting was mostly about providing and protecting. I still believe that. But fatherhood has also taught me that advocacy is part of love. Sometimes protecting your child means learning an entirely new system while managing your own emotions privately.

For me, that learning process became personal enough that I

Guest Columnists

decided to write about it as part of my ongoing IEP series for The Washington Informer. My daughter inspired me to write my book, "When Advocacy Becomes Parenthood: A Black Father's Manual for Special Education and School Accountability". The book was written to help families better understand the realities of special education advocacy — from IEP meetings and evaluations to school accountability and educational rights. It is not a memoir, but a practical guide

D.C. Needs Real Solutions, Not Just Real Talk

more immediate question is simpler. Does the city actually work for all residents?

Because right now, too often, it doesn’t.

In Washington, D.C., you can qualify for food assistance and still wait months to receive it. Last year, the District processed SNAP applications on time just 57 percent of the time. In many other states, that number is closer to 90 percent.

As representatives on the State Board of Education for Ward 2 and Ward 7, we see different parts of the

city every day. But when it comes to how residents experience government systems, the pattern is more similar than it should be.

That gap isn’t about identity or values. It’s about whether the system delivers.

For many residents, especially those with low incomes, the most expensive thing you can be in this city is poor. Not because support does not exist, but because accessing it requires time that many people do not have.

You submit an application. Then you submit it again somewhere else.

You upload documents, then get asked for them again. You call one office and get sent to another. You wait, follow up, and often start over.

Even when you do everything right, the system doesn’t always respond on time.

The details vary across neighborhoods. In some parts of the city, the friction shows up as delays and confusion. In others, it shows up as missed benefits or opportunities that never materialize. The same is true for business owners trying to navigate paperwork to become a Certified Business

nations, nor helped Ukraine in any way, nor gained support from the citizens over which he rules, no compliments for his position on downgrading funds in the budget for childcare, housing, food, education, his argument with the pope, his ballroom, attempts to place his picture on the money, on our passports or trying to build statues of himself. He has begun firing his staff that he selected because they aren't getting positive

rooted in lived experience and designed to help parents move from confusion to confidence. Because the truth is, many fathers are learning as they go. We are learning the language of IEPs, evaluations and accommodations. We are learning how to communicate with educators, therapists and specialists. We are learning how to advocate effectively while making sure our children continue feeling confident,

Page 38

Enterprise, or for homeowners trying to complete basic renovations and running into permitting delays.

But the underlying problem is the same. Systems that don’t connect, and no clear ownership of making them work together.

You can see it in the details. Applications sit too long before they are processed. For families waiting on benefits they already qualify for, the issue is not just funding. It is whether programs are implemented effectively.

THOMPSON/CHANG Page 38

EARTH OUR

ANIMAL from Page 19

While these large-scale operations make up a small portion of the total farms in each state, protecting and prioritizing small- and mid-sized farms is crucial to safeguarding the air quality in the region. Bridgewater, Virginia’s Fawn Crossing Farms and Monkton, Maryland’s Roseda Black Angus Farm are two prime examples of what humane livestock condi-

tions and sustainability in agriculture should look like.

“We want what’s best for the animals, so we treat [them] almost like we would treat our kids and look out for the best of them,” Dean Bryant, Roseda’s cattle manager, told The Informer. “Animals that are healthy and happy tend to grow faster,... so we don’t want to do things that will hurt the animal’s performance and production,... so it’s usually a win-win

situation for farm operations and for the environment.”

Roseda currently has a base cow herd of 140, all of which are allowed to graze the pasture as they please and as the weather allows. The farm operates on a schedule that rotates grazing every three to four days, a practice that protects the air. Cows can produce 40-60 gallons of methane per day, but the grass they graze on can store those emissions and block them from entering the atmosphere. If a herd isn’t under a rotational schedule and eats in one concentrated spot, the captured carbon is at risk of leaking into the air.

While Bryant says cattle can do well in confined feeding areas, he prefers seeing them out on the pasture. Rotational grazing and pasture raising both increase productivity and protect the environment by reducing

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMENT PERIOD FOR DCHA’S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 MOVING TO WORK (MTW) PLAN

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is providing notice of a Public Hearing and Comment Period to solicit comments on its proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Moving to Work (MTW) Annual Plan.

Visit DCHA’s MTW Webpage at www.dchousing.org/mtw to:

• Download a copy of the proposed FY27 MTW Annual Plan

• Download a summary of the proposed FY27 MTW Annual Plan

You can also request a copy by emailing mtw@dchousing.org or calling 771-240-4377.

The Virtual Public Hearing for the proposed FY27 MTW Annual Plan will take place online at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.

To speak during the Virtual Public Hearing, register online at https://bit.ly/RegisterMTWPublicHearing

To join the live event, at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, please visit https://bit.ly/MTWPublicHearing.  This event will also be live streamed on the DCHA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dchousing/.

Comments

Written comments regarding the proposed FY2027 MTW Annual Plan will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 27. Email your comments to mtw@dchousing.org .

Alternatively, you can mail comments to:  District of Columbia Housing Authority   Office of the Executive Director  Attn: MTW Policy Director  300 7th Street, SW    11th Floor   Washington, DC 20024

Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation

DCHA strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. It is the policy of DCHA that all agency-sponsored public meetings and events are accessible to people with disabilities. DCHA is committed to providing equal access to events for all participants & residents with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, or assistance in participating in a meeting or event due to a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact our ADA/504 Program Office at 202-535-1000 or at ADA504@dchousing.org with your complete request. Every reasonable effort will be made to meet your request.

If you need a sign language interpreter or foreign language interpretation or translation, please contact our Office of Customer Engagement at 202-535-1000 or go to www.dchousing.org/language. Please allow at least 3 business days to make the necessary arrangements.

emissions, preserving soil health and fostering animals’ overall wellbeing.

“Cows are the best way to utilize pasture because they do all the work,” Bryant told The Informer. “We don’t have to go out there with tractors and equipment to cut the hay and haul it to them, so they go out and harvest it and eat it.”

Roseda protects the Chesapeake Bay by using a gravity-based watering system to keep the cattle out of streams on the property that connect to the estuary. The black angus farm runs completely on solar energy– another way it reduces overall carbon emissions.

Environmental health and the animals’ well-being are also top priorities at Fawn Crossing Farms for Kay and her husband, co-owner Bill Theiss. The married couple are leaders in the group Farmers for Animals Communities and the Environment (FACE), which advocates for policies that will improve the food system as a whole. Their farm is on the smaller side, consisting of 10 acres that are home to one boar, two sows, three milking does, a couple of bucks and some chickens and ducks. Like Roseda, their livestock grazes on a rotational schedule.

“We only wanted a small-scale operation because we didn’t care to feed the whole world,” Kay told The Informer. “We wanted to feed ourselves and those that value what we do in a manner that made sense to us without harming the animals for the amount of property that we have, as well as being able to provide them the level of attention and care that we believe they deserve.”

All the animals at Fawn Crossing Farms live in a barn where they are

free to come and go on their own accord. Piglets and kids are born in 12-by-12-foot farrowing stalls away from the rest of the animals because sows and goats are naturally driven to isolate in the 24 hours before giving birth. Kay and Theiss provide the birthing animals with ample bedding to ensure their comfort.

Other ways the married farmers protect environmental health are by maximizing their energy efficiency through solar water heating and by reducing their carbon footprint through geothermal heating and air conditioning in their house.

Wilson believes the solution to the current agricultural system in the U.S. starts with supporting farms like these two that are committed to sustainability. Taxpayers are expected to pay $14.7 billion in 2026 for the federal crop insurance program, which benefits industrial-scale operations over smaller ones.

“Those families that are part of rural America, that are part of our farming culture, that are the backbone of this country, invest in them so they do not have to be beholden to the big corporate integrators,” Wilson told The Informer. “We’ve got to flip the model, so take those subsidies from the big corporations, and… invest in innovative [agriculture].”

Kay and Theiss want to see the protection of smaller farming operations in new farming legislation, as a way to level the playing field between independent and corporate agriculture. If farms like theirs are considered by lawmakers, Americans will get more opportunities to have healthy, nutrient-dense food, and the nation will be one step closer to improving its environmental health. WI

EDUCATION

EDUCATION from Page 1

say about him, he lamented a high school experience he said didn’t prepare him for a rigorous academic environment.

“I didn’t know how to format my first paper,” Jones told The Informer. “Of course, our professors gave us guidelines, saying ‘Use this font,’ but didn’t even know how to do that for real. And then, I didn’t even know what a primary source or secondary source was.”

Jones matriculated to Anacostia High School in 2018, months before D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed Ferebee as chancellor. As a student, Jones navigated the pandemic while serving as a youth leader in Black Swan Academy. He also, as he explained to The Informer, saw his graduating class dwindle in the post-pandemic era while police officers became more of a presence on school grounds.

As he reflected on his college experience, Jones said there was more that he could’ve benefited from as a young person.

“When it came to writing essays and citing sources, that wasn’t something that was regularly taught,” Jones told The Informer. “I do want to commend my teachers. They were trying to instill that in us. It just wasn't a part of the curriculum.”

One teacher, Jones said, assigned a seven-page paper during his senior year that he said challenged him like he had never been challenged while attending Anacostia High School. He expressed his hope that the next chancellor would place more of an emphasis on creative assignments, and less so on the assessments that have proliferated in recent years.

“I don't like standardized tests,” Jones said. “Both of my majors included a lot of writing. [We needed more classes] to help people with their literacy through more writing assignments, even some like class discussions on books.”

A Ward 7 Advocate Commends

Ferebee’s Attention to Literacy, While Bowser Touts Need for Mayoral Control of Schools

Ferebee will soon assume the helm of EdReports, a national nonprofit aimed at helping educators, school districts and states make informed decisions about curriculum selection and implementation.

His career pivot comes on the cusp of DCPS’ post-pandemic recovery and, more recently, assertions by three mayoral candidates that they wouldn’t retain him if elected to the District’s highest local political office.

Bowser, who told reporters she hadn’t been closely following election season education commentary, commended what she called Ferebee's curation of a strong central office and teacher workforce.

“You have just done not just a great job in leading the progress,” Bowser told Ferebee during an event at Garrison Elementary School on May 20, “but an outstanding job leading to progress. You have built a talented team of educators, principals, central services staff, and leaders who have consistently delivered results.”

During that event, Bowser and other officials lauded the District’s designation as the top school district for post-pandemic math and English and Language Arts recovery, as reported by The Education Scorecard.

For Bowser, the District's progress affirmed the effectiveness of mayoral control.

“It’s very important that we maintain the system of governance that has gotten us to where we are,” Bowser said on May 20, “where the mayor and the council are accountable to families and to taxpayers.”

After students’ and teachers’ 2021 return to the classroom, the public and public charter sectors experienced chronic absenteeism, concerns about student wellness, and low post-pandemic academic performance. Then-Deputy Chan-

cellor Michelle Y. Kim, a figure some say wielded more power than Ferebee, also resigned amid allegations of verbal abuse in DCPS’ central office.

In the face of those challenges, Ferebee shepherded the school redesign process, with the financial support of XQ Institute, that

3

Chancellor

the helm of EdReports, a national nonprofit aimed at

educators, school districts and states make informed decisions about curriculum selection and implementation. (WI File Photo/Roy Lewis)

garnered curricular revamps at Dunbar High School, H.D. Woodson High School, Coolidge High School, Columbia Heights Education Campus, and Ron Brown College Preparatory High School.

Ferebee also facilitated the implementation of the “Science of Reading” curriculum. In 2022, he and other education officials watched teachers execute the curriculum at Stanton Elementary School in Southeast, where students, taught by teachers who attended DCPS’ reading clinic, made significant gains in their reading skills between kindergarten and first grade.

Sheila Carr, a Ward 7 resident who’s long pushed for a citywide response to dyslexia, counted among those who stood in the room with Ferebee.

“It was exhilarating to see the children over here in Ward 7 were really getting the nuts and bolts at an early age that could and would propel them to do so much bet-

REST IN PEACE

Jeannette

Native DC Resident

Born March 12, 1933

Sunset April 28, 2026

Memorial Service: Wednesday June 10, 2026

Marshall-Marsh Funeral Home

4308 Suitland Road

Suitland, MD 20746 2p Gather 3pm Service

ter in their life,” Carr told The Informer earlier this week. “They were mastering the English language along with grammar, comprehension and vocabulary.”

As Carr recounted, she met Ferebee at Roosevelt High School in Northeast shortly after his installation as chancellor. She told The Informer that he embraced her call for the early detection and response to dyslexia, a lifelong neurological learning disability that affects a person’s ability to read, spell and write.

“He saw the urgency,” Carr said. “He made it so that I could talk to the people under him. He would be there for me to talk to people who would implement it and would set the policy for the system.”

For more than three decades, Carr has pressed for quality literacy instruction, a crusade she said was inspired by her children’s treks across the District to attend high-performing schools. As someone who’s kept a pulse on local affairs, Carr tied Ferebee’s success to what his predecessors have been able to accomplish.

WI

Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

Washington Informer Weekend Checklist

WASHINGTON INFORMER'S

LIFESTYLE Things To Do, DMV!

By Jada Ingleton WI Content Editor

From live concerts and soulful brunches to a blend of poetry, wine and hip-hop, May is ending with a bang in the DMV!

Whether looking for community and celebration, or to close out Mental Health Awareness Month with tips for the future, check out a handful of the many events happening this weekend –– and dive into the Washington Informer Calendar for more.

Thursday, May 28

Strength Not Stigma: How Our Mental Health Journeys Shape Our Lives

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | $17.85 1300 17th Street North #1500 Arlington, VA 22209

Rock Recovery is closing out Mental Health Month with an evening of connection, conversation, and community.

Join a special moderated panel event that invites the community to explore a powerful truth: mental health mat-

ters—it shows up in how one leads, collaborates, communicates, and cares for themselves and others at work and at home.

Attendees will hear from professionals across a range of industries (clinical, nonprofit, government, corporate, and more) as they share how their mental health journeys shaped their experiences, and how that influences both their personal and professional lives today.

Friday, May 29

NY | Curator Tour: "Native New York" –– From the Bronx to Buffalo 11 a.m. | Free National Museum of the American Indian, Independence Avenue SW & 4th Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20024

Reflect on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a special curator-led tour of the museum’s ongoing exhibition: Native New York. Learn more about Indigenous history on both frontiers of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) in relation to the Mohican, Oneida, and Cayuga communities and in the war's aftermath at Buffalo Creek.

JUNE 6 AT 8:00PM JUNE 7 AT 5:00PM (ASL)

LINCOLN THEATRE 1215 U STREET NW

TICKETS & INFO AT GMCW.ORG ASL TICKETS AND GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE, CALL 202-293-1548

(Courtesy Photo)

Scratch, Sip & Paint: Words Beats & Life Hip-Hop Experience

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. | $60.54

Words Beats & Life HQ, 1525 Newton Street NW 2nd Floor, Washington, D.C., 20010

Dive into this hands-on workshop in Columbia Heights to learn the basics of DJing and graffiti art, and catch a vibe with complimentary drinks alongside friends and new people. Wine and non-alcoholic alternatives will be provided within the ticket price. No outside alcohol or controlled substances are allowed.

Saturday, May 30

Nerd Nite DC: Math Trivia, Cheddar, and D.C.'s Redlight History

6:30 p.m. | $19.57

DC9 Nightclub, 1940 9th St NW, Washington, D.C., 20001

Cue it up: Three experts. Dozens of cheeky slides. A bar full of gifted kids gone feral who love special interest deep dives. This is Nerd Nite DC.

Discussions will include some of the places that now house well-known D.C. establishments, such as the Old Ebbitt Grill and the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. After listening, guests will be itching to tell someone, “Do you know that restaurant used to be a brothel!”

Ari Lennox: The Vacancy Tour

8:30 p.m. | $270.00+

The Theater at MGM National Harbor, 101 MGM National Ave, Forest Heights, MD 20745

Neo-soul singer Ari Lennox's sound and persona on the stage are simultaneously elegant and organic, both dreamy and down-to-earth. Some know her best by her 2019 hit "Shea Butter Baby," on which she paired up with her producer, R&B/hip-hop icon J. Cole, but whatever tune she lends

her lungs to, Lennox breathes deep, soulful life into every single line.

Check out the Washington, D.C. native, who recently released the album “Vacancy,” live in concert May 30 and 31.

Sunday, May 31

The Soulful Sunday Go-Go Brunch 1 p.m. | $160.00

The Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20036

Join a celebration of culture, community, and hometown pride— paired with great food, good energy, and a purpose that matters.

The ladies of The Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. are ready to kick the summer off with the Soulful Sunday Go-Go Brunch. The event brings the heartbeat of the city to life with D.C.’s own Suttle Thoughts delivering that unmistakable live go-go groove and DJ Flava Show on the ones and twos, keeping the floor hot all afternoon.

A Fine Madness

2 p.m. | $25.00

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20004

Step into a bold and immersive theatrical experience with “A Fine Madness,” a world premiere from Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company that reimagines what storytelling can be. Created and performed by Justin Weaks, this genre-defying work blends poetry, music, storytelling, and audience interaction to transform theater into a living, evolving archive.

More than a performance, this is an invitation to gather, reflect, and imagine new ways of being together –– here through June 28. WI

review wi book

"Ghalen:

A Romance in Black"

By Walter Mosley

c.2026, Amistad

$30

360 pages

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

Take care.

What a nice thing for someone to say as they take their leave! Be well. Stay safe. Be careful, watch where you walk, be mindful so you can see one another again. Take care — and, as in the new novel "Ghalen" by Walter Mosley, take care of others, too.

It was raining the day Jamilah Fenestra and Robert Horton finally met, but the romance that sprang from there was often sunny for years to come.

Jammy was a scientist; Robert worked as an assistant chef at a restaurant. She took care of him when a policeman pushed him down on the cement, hitting his head and causing slight brain damage. He taught her to think slowly and carefully. They balanced one another well — and when she gave birth to their only son, it was the pinnacle of their lives.

Ghalen was the best of both his parents. His mother said he was "the smartest person" she'd ever encountered. His father taught him to think smart, to be kind, and that no job was beneath him. The boy grew up to be handsome and popular, a natural leader at a young age, a son who was willing to take care of his parents, even when he was just a schoolboy. He loved, and was loved deeply by those who knew him — and that included many women.

But as Ghalen grew and matured, he began to realize that he needed to make his own way in the world. His father would need even more help in the future, his grandmothers were not aging well, but life was an adventure to seize. Was college necessary, when so many people would require his assistance later, or were Ghalen's talents needed closer to home now, with his father and his best friend, who was in and out of jail?

How would Ghalen ever become a man of his own?

Chances are, if you picked up a copy of this book, you'd be looking for either "a Romance in Black" or you'd expect another fast-paced novel from author Walter Mosley. The problem is, you might not get either.

"Ghalen" is messy. It's not a romance in the usual sense; there's a lot of sex, including an uncomfortably explicit assault scene, but not a lot of loveand-flowers stuff. Really, it's more Forrest Gump-ish, as the 15-year-old title character bounces through many, many adult-like events over the course of a few months.

Fans, though, they won't mind. This book is written in the usual Mosley style, with long conversations, tiny details, psychology in characterization and plenty of grit, with a bit of his signature detective plotlining thrown in for good measure. Readers will also have good reason to wonder if you'll see Ghalen again in another book.

Whether you view that as a good thing or not is another matter. This isn't a bad book, but it may take some patience for readers unused to Mosley's pleasantly-rambling style. You may like "Ghalen" a lot — or you might not care for it.

WI

horoscopes

LIFESTYLE

MAY 28 - JUNE 3, 2026

ARIES The praise you've been waiting on isn't what's holding you back — act as if the validation already arrived and see what changes. A conversation you expected to go sideways this week surprises you with its ease; let it land without looking for the catch. You've been treating a limitation as permanent when it's actually just current. Lucky Numbers: 9, 34, 61

TAURUS The plan you keep refining is ready — what you're calling preparation at this point is something closer to delay. A friendship that's gone quiet isn't gone; it's waiting on whichever one of you moves first, and this week that should be you. Something you let go of last month is creating more space than you realized it would. Don't spend what you haven't counted yet. Lucky Numbers: 3, 27, 55

GEMINI The version of the story you've been telling yourself about a recent setback has a few facts wrong — revisit it before it becomes fixed. Someone on the edge of your circle is paying more careful attention to your work than you know. A yes you gave without thinking is starting to require more than you budgeted; renegotiate before the cost compounds. Lucky Numbers: 14, 38, 67

CANCER What feels like a detour this week is more likely a route correction — follow it without demanding an explanation first. A creative idea you've been carrying privately has more structural soundness than you've given it credit for. Someone close is processing something they haven't named yet; your job this week is presence, not problem-solving. Lucky Numbers: 6, 41, 73

LEO The comparison you keep making between where you are and where someone else is has no useful data in it for you. A decision that felt irreversible has a small but real opening — you'll only see it if you stop assuming the door is locked. Someone pushes back on you this week not out of opposition but out of genuine investment in the outcome. Bring the energy you save for the audience to the work itself. Lucky Numbers: 18, 45, 77

VIRGO The detail you keep returning to is not the problem — it's the thing you're using to avoid naming the problem. An overdue conversation with someone you respect can happen this week without it becoming the confrontation you've been building it into. What looks like a competitor from the outside is closer to a collaborator if you move first. The habit you're trying to break has a reason underneath it worth understanding before you just push through. Lucky Numbers: 11, 33, 64

LIBRA The version of fair you've been waiting for isn't coming from the direction you've been watching. A project that lost momentum last month has a natural re-entry point this week — the material hasn't gone stale, only the urgency had to pause. You're underestimating how much ground you've actually covered; recalibrate before you conclude you're behind. Someone's silence this week isn't judgment — it's processing. Lucky Numbers: 7, 39, 71

SCORPIO The intensity you bring to every room is an asset until it starts burning through the patience of the people who are actually on your side. A boundary you've been reluctant to name because you didn't want to seem rigid is now overdue — name it plainly and move on. Something you dismissed as luck last month had more of your own contribution in it than you've acknowledged. Lucky Numbers: 22, 48, 80

SAGITTARIUS The answer you've been looking for externally has been sitting in a thing you said out loud two weeks ago and didn't hear yourself say. A commitment that felt obligatory at the start has quietly become something you actually want to see through. Someone new enters your orbit midweek with a different frame on a problem you've been stuck inside; let it shift you. Resist the temptation to make a good week into a bigger statement than it is. Lucky Numbers: 16, 52, 78

CAPRICORN The efficiency you pride yourself on is not always what the moment is asking for — this week asks for thoroughness over speed. A resource you've been trying to stretch is ready to be replaced rather than rationed further. Something you achieved in a previous chapter is still opening doors in this one that you haven't noticed yet. Lucky Numbers: 10, 44, 83

AQUARIUS The idea that arrived too early last time is arriving at the right time now — receive it differently. An alliance you've been treating as transactional has the scaffolding for something more durable if you're willing to invest the first move. What you're calling uncertainty is, on closer inspection, preference you haven't committed to yet. Lucky Numbers: 25, 50, 69

PISCES The emotional labor you've been performing invisibly deserves at minimum to be acknowledged by you, even if no one else has caught up yet. A project you put down in frustration is easier to pick back up than you remember, and the piece that frustrated you has already loosened. Someone asks for your take this week on something outside your usual domain — give it; your angle is exactly what the situation is missing. What felt like too much last month fits now. Lucky Numbers: 12, 46, 84

SPORTS

WOODS from Page 4

one since Toronto Blue Jays’ outfielder Raimel Tapia hit one on July 22, 2022.

“I think it’s just a testament to James, our coaches, just the work that they’ve put in together, starting this offseason, and continuing to do that everyday,” Butera continued. “He’s showing all the different tools he has in terms of running, hitting, defense — it’s just fun to watch.”

The Nationals franchise has now produced two-inside-the-park grand slams since relocating to Washington in 2005. The other hit came on Sept. 8, 2017, from center fielder Michael A. Taylor against Philadelphia.

Remarkably, Nationals Park has been the site for three of the four inside-the-park grand slams recorded this century, including Aaron Altherr’s on Sept. 25, 2015.

With Tuesday’s unforgettable sprint around the bases, Wood has etched onto one of baseball’s rarest lists and given the Nationals yet another jaw-dropping moment in a season already full of surprises.

“We believe in every single one of these guys and they’re on our team for a reason. We think they can make an impact,” said Butera. “As they’ve shown today, as they’ve shown a handful of times already this year… to rise to the occasion the way that they have, it’s awesome.” WI

UNITED from Page 4

time with Owusu scoring a penalty shot before forward Gennadiy Synchuk’s goal that tied the game in the 96th minute to earn a match point.

D.C. United is headed into the World Cup break ranked ninth in

the Eastern Conference with a 4-5-6 overall record with 18 match points.

“We have this break, we have to record well,” said D.C. United Head Coach René Weiler. “We have to try to bring in some reinforcements. That is one of the goals and then to come back and start the second part of the season.”

D.C. United will be back on the Major League Soccer (MLS) schedule in July. Following the World Cup break, they will head South to face off against Houston Dynamo FC at Shell Energy Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22 and the match can be streamed on Apple TV. WI

CAPTURE

Bowie State University held its Spring 2026 Commencement on Friday, May 22, marking a historic milestone with the largest graduating class in the institution’s history. The ceremony honored 887 graduates, including 696 undergraduates, 160 master’s, and 31 doctoral recipients. Keynote speaker, author and scholar Dr. Michael Eric Dyson delivered the address, encouraging graduates to push toward civic engagement and excellence. (Courtesy Photos/Ryan Pelham, Bowie State University)

RELIGION

‘Reparations Sunday’ Brings a Hot Debate into Black Churches

Advocates say the Black church is reclaiming reparations as a moral and spiritual issue

By Joseph Williams Word in Black

This article was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation's leading Black news publishers (of which the Informer is a member) and slightly edited for clarity.

More than a half-century ago, activist James Forman walked into New York’s hallowed Riverside

Church during Sunday worship and made a demand that white religious America had spent generations avoiding: Pay reparations.

In what became known as the “Black Manifesto,” Forman called on white faith communities to contribute $500 million to Black America. It would be long-overdue recompense for centuries of stolen labor, systemic oppression, and plunder — brazen crimes that helped America build the world’s

most powerful economy.

Many white clergy recoiled. Others denounced him as divisive, militant, or dangerous. The sanctuary, they believed, was no place for demands about debt.

Memorial Day weekend, the debate Forman forced into the pews returned to the pulpit with fresh urgency, especially as the nation heads towards its 250th anniversary — and as the Trump administration continues its sweeping rollback of civil rights protections.

Across the country, Black churches observed “Reparations Sunday,” using sermons, prayer vigils, film screenings and educational forums to argue that reparations are not merely a political talking point or academic theory, but a moral obligation rooted in Scripture itself.

The movement, supported by the National African American Reparations Commission and other faith-based advocates, reflects how the reparations conversation has evolved in recent years.

Once largely confined to college lecture halls, think-tank symposiums, and activist circles, the push for reparations is increasingly being woven into worship services and congregational life.

Churches are collecting offerings for reparative causes, supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), teaching members about legislation like HR-40 and framing economic jus-

tice as inseparable from Christian discipleship.

For many pastors, the argument is as theological as it is political.

Theologians point to Deuteronomy 15, for example, which commands that formerly enslaved people not be sent away “empty-handed.” It’s evidence, they say, that repair, restitution and restoration are biblical principles, not modern inventions.

In churches embracing Reparations Sunday, supporters argue the observance is ultimately about more than money. It is about forcing America to confront a truth it has repeatedly tried to bury: that the nation’s wealth and power were built on Black suffering — and that repentance without repair is merely performance.

“America, you owe us. What [you’ve] done to us has been immoral. It’s been evil. It’s been unjust,” Dr. Frederick Haynes III, senior pastor of Friendship West in Dallas, Texas, told a 2022 gathering in San Francisco. ”What [you’ve] done to us has been immoral. It’s been evil. It’s been unjust. The only way to bring salvation to America— you gotta pay us what you owe us.”

The Rev. Robert Turner, a Baltimore pastor known for monthly walks to Washington advocating for reparations, recently described the issue in deeply spiritual terms while standing outside the National Museum of African Amer-

ican History and Culture — just blocks from the White House and the Treasury Department.

Turner carried a sign reading “Reparations Now” during his 43-mile walk from Baltimore to Washington earlier this spring.

Meanwhile, a growing number of reparations discussions are taking shape at the state and local level. In Maryland, a state commission studying the legacy of racial terror recently recommended financial compensation for descendants of lynching victims and communities harmed by racial violence.

Some supporters say Reparations Sunday gives churches an opportunity to move the discussion from abstract politics to personal responsibility.

Others argue that the observance reminds congregations that reparations are not solely about money, but include historical acknowledgment, public truth telling, educational opportunity, land access, housing equity and healing generational trauma.

At its core, Reparations Sunday asks churches to wrestle with an old biblical question in a modern American context: What does repentance look like when the wounds of injustice still remain visible?

For many congregations this year, the answer began with remembrance, prayer and the conviction that faith without justice remains incomplete. WI

Reflecting on the passage of time often brings a profound sense of gratitude. This week, I am filled with joy as I share a personal milestone: I have had the distinct honor of writing The Religion Corner for 21 years, a journey that began in 2005.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to our publisher here at The Washington Informer, Denise Rolark Barnes. Thank you, Denise, for your unwavering support and for providing me with such a vast and meaningful platform at The Washington Informer to reach our beautiful community.

Once my column became syndicated and folks around the world began to read it, picked up by Black Press USA and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), I was delighted! I'm proud to share that I have heard from readers across America and from people in other countries, stretching from the continent of Africa to Denmark in Europe. It has been a blessing to share this space with you all.

Over the years, we have explored many paths to spiritual and personal wellness together. I hope you recall our annual Type 2 diabetes series, done in memory of my mother; it has been and continues to be a mission close to my heart.

We have also spent many weeks diving into my signature series based on Napoleon Hill's "13 Principles of Success," applying those timeless lessons, like persistence and faith, to our daily walk. James 1:3-4 says: "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

This series has been shared with readers because only a small portion of the Black community had heard of or read "Think and Grow Rich." Since it changed the trajectory of my life, I

WITH LYNDIA GRANT

Legacy of Faith, Service and Gratitude the religion corner

knew it would do the same for anyone who decides to practice the principles taught and put them to the test.

That's exactly what I did. I said to myself, "Since these principles are an insurance policy against failure, I am going to study and learn what the title of the book means, when the author Napoleon Hill says the secret is on the cover of his book." It took years; I kept looking at that cover, until one day, I realized: whatever we do in life is based on the way we think. That's right, the word "think" is the key. Change the way you think, and you will change your life. There are ways to do this. Do NOT think that you were born a certain way, and however you think today is the end of the story. No. Life is change! We can definitely make that change!

The blessings don't stop on the printed page, however; we must put in the work to get there — it took years for me. Once you have made that change, no one can take that from you.

This coming June 2026, which is only a few days away, marks the 16th anniversary of hosting my radio show and podcast, "Think on These Things: The Lyndia Grant Show." I have truly enjoyed hosting high-level guests like AmeriHealth Caritas DC CEO Karen Dale, millionaire attorney Jack Olender, and legendary gospel artists like Pastor Shirley Caesar and Pastor Charles Jenkins, both incredible Grammy Award winners. Though both of these history-makers have gone home to be with the Lord, I have also had the privilege to interview D.C. Mayor Marion Barry and the Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, just to name a few.

Each shared stories of achievements that inspired us all. My success as a radio show host is based entirely on the 13 principles to success, which is a book that is biblically sound. Each day I live, I am practicing these principles. Connecting with you through the airwaves has been one of the greatest joys of my life.

However, this journey has also been marked by seasons of loss. In this column, we have mourned and honored the lives of giants, like both of my parents, Bishop Benjamin F. Grant and my mom Fannie Estelle Grant; from the "Queen of Gospel" Albertina Walker to my beloved brother, Elton Leon Grant. We covered my other mother, Dr. Marjorie Harris, who served as president of the Lewis College of Business in Detroit, Michigan, and finally, my godmother, the Honorable Willie B. Kennedy, who was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In those times of grief, we leaned on the promise of 1 Thessalonians 4:13, knowing we do not grieve like those without hope.

Thank you for being part of this 21-year journey. I invite you to stay connected and tune in weekly to "The Lyndia Grant Show." You can listen live every Friday at 6 p.m. on Spirit 1340 WYCB at myspiritdc.com.

As we look forward to the future, let us continue to "think on these things." Philippians 4:8 says: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things."

WI

School: 9:00 AM

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto:

Sunday @ 9:30 A.M.  www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

& Study:  Wednesday @ 12 Noon and 7:00

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

Foggy Bottom - 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."

Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “ The Rev. E. Bernard Anderson

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

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

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2026 ADM 000419

Samuel P. Williams Decedent

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

Melinda D. Goode, whose address is 800 Southern Ave SE #1116, Washington, DC 20032, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samuel P. Williams who died on January 26, 2026 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 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Melinda D. Goode

Personal Representative

of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2026 ADM 000465

Rose A. Butler

Decedent

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

Mario Rojas, whose address is 750 Burns Street, SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rose A. Butler who died on 3/2/2025 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Mario Rojas

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 2026 ADM 000091

Gabriela Fitwe Asres-Yesuneh Decedent

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

Sophie Yesuneh, whose address is 4005 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #9904, Washington, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gabriela Fitwe Asres-Yesuneh who died on July 21, 2021 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Sophie Yesuneh Personal Representative

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

2025 ADM 001379

Edward Earl Ivey, Sr. aka Edward E. Ivey, Sr. Decedent

Stephanie L. Royal, Esq. The Royal Legal Group, PLLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Montina I. Wood-McAbee, whose address is 733 Saint Michaels Drive, Bowie, MD 20721, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Edward Earl Ivey, Sr. aka Edward E. Ivey, Sr. who died on May 12, 1997 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Montina I. Wood-McAbee 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

2026 ADM 000282

Magdalene Edwards

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

Blane Tillman, whose address is 311 East Sterner St., Philadelphia PA 19134, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Magdalene Edwards who died on 8/15/1986 without a Will. 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Blane Tillman

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

2026 FEP 000058

May 8, 2003

Date of Death

Doris Vaughn Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Charles R. King whose address is 8701 Char Court, Laurel, MD 20708 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Doris Vaughn, deceased, by the Southern Maryland Hospital Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on 11/6/2024.

Service of process may be made upon Katie Eaddy 97 Darrington Street, SW, Washington, DC 20032 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 estate: 2324 2nd Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. 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: 5/14/2026

Charles R. King Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2026 FEP 000055

May 18, 2022

Date of Death

John A. Waller, Sr. Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Benetta B. Waller whose address is 2217 Falling Creek Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 was appointed personal representative of the estate of John A. Waller, Sr., deceased, by the Orphans Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland, on November 10, 2022.

Service of process may be made upon John A. Waller, Jr.

3130 Cherry Rd NE, Washington DC 20018 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 estate: 3130 Cherry Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018. 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: 5/14/2026

Benetta B. Waller

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 2026 ADM 000480

Constance Anita Crowe Decedent

Sharon Legall, Esq. 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 Attorney

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

Peggy Crowe, whose address is 4907 A Street, SE. Apt 7, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Constance Anita Crowe who died on April 7, 2021 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Peggy Crowe 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

2026 ADM 000291

Harriet Scott Decedent

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

DeWana Comer King, whose address is 5705 Woodlawn Gable Dr., Apartment G, Alexandria VA 22309, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Harriet Scott who died on September 4, 1991 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

DeWana Comer King

Personal Representative

TRUE

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2026 ADM 00470

Carmen Eliam Decedent

Sarah Bessell

700 14th St., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Adrien Canel, whose address is Hildastrasse 5, 8004, Zurich, Switzerland, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carmen Eliam who died on March 8, 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Adrien Canel

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

2026 ADM 000467

Betty G. Blythe Decedent

Ethel Mitchell

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

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

Karen B. Whiteside, whose address is 36 Little River Road, Laurel, MD 20724, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Betty G. Blythe who died on 9/18/2024 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Karen B. Whiteside 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

2026 FEP 000059

March 29th, 2025

Date of Death

Enos Verdell Winder, Jr.

Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Terria L. Winder, whose address is 850 Lowe Drive Hague, Virginia 22469 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Enos Verdell Winder, Jr, deceased, by the Circuit Court of Westmoreland County, State of Virginia, on April 17th, 2026. Service of process may be made upon Harry K. McAfee at 3343 Baker Street, NE, Washington DC 20019.

The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 1663 Fort Dupont Street, SE, 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: 5/21/2026

Terria L. Winder

Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2026 ADM 000434

Anwari Baiyina Aqeel 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

Monte Prillaman, whose address is 5205 Leesburg Pike, Apt. 1413, Falls Church, VA 22041, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Anwari Baiyina Aqeel who died on August 1, 2025 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Monte Prillaman 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 2026 ADM 000498

Irene D. Shields aka Irene Shields Decedent

Jerry L. Hunter, Esq. 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 440 Washington, DC 20015 Attorney

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

Renee S. Jackson, whose address is 503 49th Place, NE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Irene D. Shields aka Irene Shields who died on April 4, 2026 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 11/21/2026. 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 11/21/2026, 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: 5/21/2026

Renee S. Jackson 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

2026 ADM 000505

Constance E. Brooks

Decedent

Tilman L. Gerald, Esq. 1250 Connecticut Ave., Suite 700 PMB5851

Washington, DC 20036

Attorney

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

Traki L. Taylor (aka Traki L. Taylor-Webb), whose address is 1164 Fitzpatrick Rd., Nashville, Tennessee 37214, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Constance E. Brooks who died on 1/14/2026 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 11/21/2026. 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 11/21/2026, 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: 5/21/2026

Traki L. Taylor aka Traki L. Taylor-Webb 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

2001 ADM 001128

Virginia Twyman Davis Decedent

Anna Nathanson Norris Law 600 14th St., NW, Fifth Floor Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

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

Walter E. Robinson Jr., whose address is 9850 Hopkins Loop, Manassas, VA 20110, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Virginia Twyman Davis who died on March 30, 2001 with a Will. 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 11/21/2026. 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 11/21/2026, 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: 5/21/2026

Walter E. Robinson Jr. 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

2026 ADM 000380

Deborah Smith Decedent

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

Angela Smith, whose address is 1200 North Capitol Street, NW, #C-202, Washington DC 20007, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Deborah Smith who died on 1/4/2026 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 11/21/2026. 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 11/21/2026, 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: 5/21/2026

Angela Smith 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

2026 FEP 000062

11/14/2024

Date of Death

Ethel L. Wade Name of Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Charles B. Wade, Jr., whose address is 14300 Pollin Street, Accokeek, Maryland 20607 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Ethel L. Wade, deceased, by the Orphans Court for Prince Georges County, State of Maryland, on February 7, 2025.

Service of process may be made upon Lillian Kemp 3200 Walnut Street, Washington, DC 20018 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: 3200 Walnut Street, Washington, DC 20018. 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: 5/21/2026

Charles B. Wade, Jr. Personal Representative

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

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

2026 ADM 000519

Gay Glading aka Gay Wallace Glading Decedent

David A. Lucus, Esq. 200A Monroe Street, Suite 110 Rockville, MD 20850

Attorney

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

Margaret Emily Watts, whose address is 814 Corinthian Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gay Glading aka Gay Wallace Glading who died on 2/23/2026 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 11/21/2026. 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 11/21/2026, 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: 5/21/2026

Margaret Emily Watts 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 2026 ADM 000497

Erskine D. Burgin Sr. Decedent

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

Erika D. Burgin, whose address is 5137 South Dakota Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20017, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Erskine D. Burgin Sr. who died on October 26, 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 11/28/2026. 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 11/28/2026, 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: 5/28/2026

Erika D. Burgin Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills

Washington Informer

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

2026 ADM 000508

Lekitha Walker Decedent

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

Brantley Walker, whose address is 1405 Meridian Place, NW, Washington, DC 20010, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lekitha Walker who died on 3/10/2026 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 11/28/2026. 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 11/28/2026, 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: 5/28/2026

Brantley Walker Personal Representative

of Wills Washington Informer

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

2026 ADM 000551

James V. Janifer Decedent

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

Cheryl LaRoche, whose address is 5333 Strathmore Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of James V. Janifer who died on May 8, 2011 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 11/28/2026. 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 11/28/2026, 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: 5/28/2026

Cheryl LaRoche 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 000753

Bruce Barth Decedent

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

Jeffrey Gordon, Esq., whose address is 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20015, was appointed

Personal Representative of the estate of Bruce Barth who died on July 29, 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 11/28/2026. 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 11/28/2026, 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: 5/28/2026

Jeffrey Gordon, Esq. 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

2026 ADM 000091

Gabriela Fitwe Asres-Yesuneh Decedent

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

Sophie Yesuneh, whose address is 4005 Wisconsin Ave., NW, #9904, Washington, DC 20016, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Gabriela Fitwe Asres-Yesuneh who died on July 21, 2021 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 11/14/2026. 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 11/14/2026, 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: 5/14/2026

Sophie Yesuneh Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Nicole Stevens Register of Wills Washington Informer

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THOMPSON from Page 22

come home."

This is not acceptable. And it is not who we are supposed to be as a nation.

Honoring those who gave their lives must go hand in hand with honoring those who gave their years, their health, their peace of mind, and their time with their families. Memorial Day cannot be a single day of solemn reflection followed by 11 months of indifference. It must be a commitment, renewed each year, that we will do better.

What does doing better look like? It means ensuring that every veteran knows what benefits they have earned and has clear, accessible pathways to claim them. It means funding mental health programs that meet veterans where they are — not just inside a VA building, but in their communities. It means creating employment pipelines that translate military experience into civilian opportunity, because the person who led a platoon under fire absolutely has what it takes to lead a team in any boardroom or on any

MORIAL from Page 22

our children is a choice — and a choice that every city and state should make.

Improved literacy has a direct correlation to life outcomes, political participation, and critical thinking — a skill that experts say will not only be in demand, but essential in the artificial intelligence economy.

job site. It means investing in veteran housing initiatives so that no one who served under the American flag sleeps under a bridge.

It means treating our commitment to veterans not as a budget line to be trimmed, but as a sacred obligation to be fulfilled.

"Every freedom we enjoy was paid for in full by those who wore this nation's uniform. We cannot honor the fallen and abandon the living."

I think about the young men and women who are enlisting today, signing their names on a line that says they are willing to put their lives on the table for this country. They do that, in part, because they trust that this country will hold up its end of the bargain. That if they come home, they will be taken care of. That their service will be honored not just on a federal holiday, but in policy, in funding, in access, and in opportunity.

We must not break that trust.

As we close out this Memorial Day, I encourage every American to do two things. First, take a moment of genuine, unhurried reflection for

To put it plainly, we cannot afford to raise another generation of young people who cannot read. We can no longer cite the pandemic and state budget deficits as excuses to fail our young people.

A more literate America is a more competitive one. When our children succeed in school and can participate in our economy and our future, they feel a sense of

those who did not come home. Say their names if you know them. Sit with the weight of what they gave. Do not let that become a casual checkbox between the barbecue and the ballgame.

And second, carry that reflection forward into action. Ask what you can do — in your community, through your vote, through your voice — to make sure that the veterans living on your street, in your city, in your state have what they need to thrive. Support veteran service organizations. Advocate for veteran-friendly policies. Hire veterans. See veterans.

Freedom is never free. That truth cuts deep on Memorial Day. But let it also cut through complacency. Let it remind us that the price of freedom is not only paid on the battlefield — it is also paid in the responsibility we carry to care for every person who answered the call. We owe the fallen our memory. We owe the living our action. And we owe ourselves the honesty to recognize that honoring one without the other is not enough.

WI

pride and have a vision for their lives that goes beyond the limitations too often imposed on them.

The Urban League applauds Mississippi's comeback story. It will continue to support our affiliates, state superintendents, and leaders who are fighting to stop our children from being the butt of cruel jokes and instead celebrate them as the guardians of our future. WI

AIRLINE CAREERS

WILLIAMS from Page 23

results for him and his unconstitutional actions to succeed.

Of course, that didn't stop his pal, Sen. Lindsey Graham, from cheerleading for him by supporting a $400 million contribution of our tax dollars to his White House ballroom. He said it even while the Would-Be King was telling us it wouldn't cost taxpayers anything! I guess they forgot to share their notes on that matter!

TILGHMAN from Page 23

supported and loved beyond any

And while mothers are often rightfully recognized for the advocacy they provide, there are fathers quietly carrying this responsibility too — attending meetings, reviewing documents late at night, adjusting work schedules and trying to understand systems that can feel overwhelming and unfamiliar.

Too often, fathers are only acknowledged in education conversations when there is conflict or absence. But many fathers are present. Many are trying. Many are learning.

I've learned that advocacy is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like researching after midnight because you want to better understand your child's needs. Sometimes it looks like asking questions during meetings even when you fear sounding uninformed. Sometimes it looks like remaining calm during difficult conversations be-

THOMPSON/CHANG from Page 23

The same documents get requested across multiple programs, even when agencies already have the information.

And when something goes wrong, it is not always clear why. Audits have found cases where required notices were not consistently sent and eligibility records were not always accurate, leaving residents trying to fix a system that does not reflect their situation.

These issues are not going away. In some cases, they are about to get worse.

Recent federal policy changes will expand work and reporting requirements for programs like SNAP and Medicaid, requiring many residents to document ongoing work or community engagement to maintain benefits.

On paper, these policies are about accountability. In practice, they in-

It must have been a little stinger from a U.K. ambassador about what he said a few years ago. As King Charles spoke and received a lot of applause from both sides of the aisle with no compliments to Trump, some will say they didn't clearly hear what he said, and they were just trying to be polite!

The real king granted the Would-Be King no slack. He was gracious, but told no lies about what a "great job" the Would-Be King is doing when he tries to

cause your child needs stability more than your frustration needs release.

Most importantly, I've learned that showing up matters.

Schools and districts must also recognize that fathers engage differently. Some may not speak often during meetings but remain deeply involved at home. Some ask direct questions because they genuinely want clarity, not confrontation. Others are balancing work responsibilities and financial pressures while still trying to participate fully in their child's educational journey.

The more inclusive and welcoming schools become toward all parents, the stronger the outcomes will be for children.

Parents truly are a child's first teacher. Not because we know everything, but because our children learn resilience, patience, confidence and love from watching how we respond to challenges alongside them.

Amari continues to teach me

crease the amount of documentation and verification required to stay enrolled.

In a system that already struggles with timing and coordination, more reporting means more opportunities for something to break. And when something breaks, people lose access.

D.C. is not the only place dealing with these challenges. But some states have made different choices about how their systems function.

In those places, residents can apply for multiple programs through a single process. They can check their status without calling an office. They can see what documents are missing and what happens next.

Not because those states care more, but because they have done the work to make their systems function together.

We do not need to start from

put NATO down for not helping Trump with his unapproved, unprovoked war against Iran. His war secretary admits to spending over $25 billion and growing when President Barack Obama's administration already had a working deal with Iran about nuclear weapons! Sorry, Would-Be King, but maybe you should take a lesson from a real king, Charles, and a real president, Barack Obama!

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that every child experiences the world differently. She has taught me patience, perspective and the importance of slowing down enough to truly listen.

As a father, I am still learning every day.

I'm learning how to advocate more effectively. I'm learning how to navigate systems that often feel complex and exhausting. But most importantly, I'm learning that being consistently present in your child's life matters far more than pretending to have everything figured out.

To every father navigating this journey quietly: keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep asking questions.

Your child may never fully understand every meeting you attended, every document you reviewed or every worry you carried privately. But they will remember that you were there.

And sometimes, that presence becomes the greatest form of advocacy of all.

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scratch. There are practical steps we can take right now.

We can use the data we already have so people do not have to submit the same information over and over. We can expand automatic enrollment where it makes sense. We can make application status visible so people are not left guessing.

This pattern shows up across the city.

We hear it from families in Ward 7 trying to navigate multiple agencies just to secure basic support. We hear it from residents and small business owners in Ward 2 who run into the same fragmentation when dealing with permits, certifications, or city services. Different experiences, but the same underlying problem.

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Read more on washingtoninformer.com.

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