By Deborah Bailey
AFRO Contributing Editor
Dbailey@afro.com

Rev. Al Sharpton and recording artist Albert “Al B. Sure!” Brown don’t seem like the most likely partners in the fight for civil rights. While Sharpton, head of the National Action Network, is known for historic civil rights campaigns on behalf of Black Americans, Brown is best known for his series of top 40 and R&B hits, and more recently as host of “Love and R&B” on Urban One’s Reach Media. 

But together, these men with a national coalition of health advocates, have scored a major win for transplant patients across the U.S. Working through the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HEiTC), health advocates across the nation have successfully fought for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reverse a rule banning coverage of a crucial blood test taken by transplant patients to detect the life-threatening condition of organ rejection.   

Close to 100,000 people are waiting for major body organs and more than a million transplants have already been performed in the U.S. That means the Medicare reversal on post-transplant tests is a life-altering win, especially for Black and Latino transplant patients, said Sharpton. 

Black organ transplant patients represent close to 30 percent of all transplant candidates on the waiting list, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). The most frequently donated organs in order of transplant frequency are kidneys, livers, hearts and lungs, according to OMH. 

‘’Our involvement in this major health issue is long overdue,” Sharpton said. “Life starts with our health. We (Black people) are getting ill earlier and earlier. This is a civil rights issue, so as a civil rights organization we had to get involved.”

Beginning in 2017, Medicare covered two tests that transplant surgeons use to monitor patients for organ rejection. Surgeons like Dr. Steven Potter, a Georgetown University kidney and pancreas transplant specialist and professor of surgery, use these tests on a routine basis to monitor patients for organ damage and rejection.

But in 2023, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced significant reductions in coverage for the post-transplant blood tests. Contractors who supply the tests to CMS, called Medicare administrative contractors or MAC’s, have the right to restrict access to the tests by Medicare recipients via a rule recognized by CMS called a local coverage determination or LDS, according to a spokesperson for CMS.

‘’The blood tests check for organ rejection [and] prevent patients from undergoing painful surgical biopsies to determine whether a transplanted organ is rejected by the body,” said Potter, who also supports the HEiTC Coalition. “These tests can detect possible problems long before patients have major symptoms.” 

On a practical level, the tests can be administered at home. 

“The tests save patients from losing a day of work or missing other essential commitments,” said Dr. Marsha Harris, New York University Langone Health colorectal surgeon and a HEiTC coalition member. 

Sharpton, Brown and other health organization partners got to work this summer, forming a bi-partisan response to the CMS decision. Sharpton and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich testified on Capitol Hill supporting Medicare coverage for the tests. 

Brown, who underwent a liver transplant in summer 2022, is the executive chair of HEiTC and brings a new face to the disproportionate burdens Black transplant patients face. He embodies an urgency for Medicare to get back in the business of covering the costs of noninvasive post-transplant tests. 

“Any organ transplant recipient will tell you the path to recovery is a steep, uphill and daily battle,” said Brown about his experience.

According to University of Virginia Health, acute organ rejection happens in the months following a transplant while chronic organ rejection can happen any time after a year. 

In addition to HEiTC’s Capitol Hill testimony, 14 members of Congress and 24 leading transplant surgeons sent a letter to CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks LaSure urging her to restore Medicare coverage of the post-transplant tests. 

“What’s less known is that this journey poses even greater risks for Black Americans because we are biologically more likely to experience organ rejection, and are disproportionately represented in the transplant population,” Brown said at a Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) event celebrating Medicare’s pending restoration of coverage for the tests.

On Aug. 16, CMS issued a statement announcing the decision to withhold Medicare coverage for post-transplant tests would not be finalized. In part the statement read, “In response to public comments and upon further review of the evidence, the MACs are not finalizing the proposed LCD issued on August 10, 2023.” 

At a recent CBC event, Sharpton, Brown and other transplant supporters nationwide gathered to proclaim the fight is not over. 

Once the Medicare decision is finalized, HEiTC is poised to begin a campaign targeting the root causes of the gross inequities between Black, Latino and White patients when it comes to the chronic diseases that lead to transplantation in the first place. 

Poorly controlled diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, a condition impacting Black Americans at a rate three times greater than White Americans, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Kidneys are the number one organ on the transplant waiting list, where close to 30 percent of the waiting candidates are Black, according to the HHS – OMH. 

Reporting on this story is through the support of a journalism fellowship from the Gerontology Society of America, The Journalists’ Network on Generations, and the Commonwealth Fund.

The post Rev. Sharpton, Al B. Sure! partner to reverse Medicare coverage denial for essential post transplant test appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO

Overcast skies and unseasonably cool temperatures were not enough to keep several hundred people from the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area (DMV) from attending the 15^th Annual D.C. State Fair on Saturday, Sept. 7. 

Held this year at Franklin Park in Northwest, Washington, D.C., the event featured musical performances from local entertainers and contests – from pie eating to pie making– along with activities such as hand dance demonstrations from the National Hand Dance Association. 

The free event, inspired by decades-old state fair traditions, showcased more than 15 food vendors and more than 75 artists, makers, local small businesses, nonprofit organizations and sponsors. But the real goal of the event, according to leading sponsors, was to celebrate the people and things that make the District of Columbia unique. 

Brian Americus, 40, a self-described military brat who now lives in Southeast, Washington, D.C. was on site to sell his V-neck shirts as a fair vendor. 

“I came up with these shirts because I wanted to give men something that was both stylish and casual – a shirt they could wear to work and then to happy hour or a dinner date,” he said. “I’ve been doing well with my website (BrianAmericus.com) and with pop-ups but the best way to convince men, and now women, to buy my shirts is for them to see them in person and feel the product. Once that happens, at least 85 percent of folks are sold.” 

Native Washingtonian Dancer Sze, 28, first attended the state fair in 2021 when she took second place in a contest for creating the best pickle. This year, she set her sights on the Best Jam contest – and she took the blue ribbon for first place. 

“During the pandemic, because we were forced to stay indoors, I started spending more time in the kitchen and began to create some new items in my repertoire– including pickling and making jams,” Sze said. “I can’t express how excited and happy I am to have won first place for my blueberry balsamic jam. One day I want to have my own business and this has given me the encouragement I needed. What’s even better is having my two best friends here to help me enjoy my victory.” 

Sze’s friends, Helen Abraha, 28, and Sophie Miyoshi, 26, both from Northeast, Washington, D.C., said this year was their first time attending the state fair, but certainly not their last. 

“I grew up in Ohio, so I am used to attending state fairs,” Abraha said. “And after seeing Dancer win a ribbon, I will be back next year with some of my fabulous cakes.” 

Miyoshi hopes to return with some of her own recipes in the future. 

“I’m coming back next year to support the fair and I’m going to enter my vegan macaroni and cheese in one of the contests. It’s the bomb!” she said. 

While she enjoyed the event, Miyoshi spoke to some of the issues lurking in the background of the fun filled weekend event.

“D.C. isn’t a state but it should be,” she said.

In support of D.C. statehood and voters rights, Anne Stauffer from Northwest, representing the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia, collaborated with members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Their goal was to encourage voter engagement and to advocate for D.C. statehood. 

“D.C. statehood is crucial because we deserve the same rights as other Americans – one person, one vote,” Stauffer said. 

Lucille Brewer, from Northwest, Washington, D.C. was joined in her efforts to educate the public on voter registration and calls for D.C. statehood by her sorors, Novella Bridges and Nyisha Williams, both from the Southeast area of the District. It was their first time volunteering at the state fair.  

“We are here to promote and encourage social action,” said Brewer. “That’s what we do.”

The post Entertainers, entrepreneurs and culinary artists highlight 15th annual D.C. State Fair appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com

Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi made his return to Wasington, D.C. with the debut of Dōgon, an upscale Afro-Caribbean restaurant, on Sep. 9. The new concept is nestled in the Salamander Hotel along the Southwest waterfront.

Through his culinary journey, Onwuachi has taken inspiration from his Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian and Creole heritage to craft his cuisine and share history through food. 

“People ask me why I open up these restaurants, and I don’t think they understand we’re able to celebrate our culture while celebrating a special experience for some of the first times,” said Onwuachi during a Sep. 5 ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Our food is shunned to mom and pop shops, not given the opportunity and investment or not written about. For us to have a place like this is a beacon of light for other chefs to be able to open up places like this.” 

Although native to New York, Onwuachi spent his summers in the District during his youth. His grandfather taught African-American studies and anthropology at Howard University. 

He opened his first restaurant, Shaw Bijou, in 2016, but the high-end spot closed after just two and a half months. A year later, Onwuachi returned with Kith/Kin at the InterContinental Hotel on the Southwest waterfront. There, he won a James Beard Award for rising star chef of the year in 2019. 

With Dōgon, he hopes to tell the story of Washington, D.C. through an Afro-Carribean lens and to tell the story of his ancestors. 

“Our food matters,” said Onwuachi. “We don’t need to refine it. It’s beautiful as it is.” 

Dōgon’s home, the Salamander Washington, D.C., is a part of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, a luxury hospitality management company founded by Sheila C. Johnson. She is the first Black woman billionaire and the cofounder of BET. 

Johnson purchased the former Mandarin Oriental property in 2022 and began renovating the hotel. She said she met Onwuachi in the Bahamas while attending a bridal event. 

After visiting Kith/Kin, she was amazed by his food. 

“We went there for my birthday, but then I brought my executive team because what I tasted that night was like no other,” said Jackson at the ribbon-cutting. “I knew from that point on he was going to be my go-to chef.”

Together, the pair created The Family Reunion, an immersive, multi-day event in Middleburg, Va. that celebrates diversity in the hospitality industry.

She then called on Onwuachi to open a restaurant at the newly rebranded Salamander Washington, D.C. hotel. 

“I have never been so excited about a talent like this in my life,” said Johnson. “I am willing to invest in him and keep watching his journey as he continues to grow because he is truly amazing.” 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser believes the new concept will contribute to the rebound of tourism in the District, which declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“They have a saying when we are shopping our destination around the world, and it’s that you always have to be doing something new,” said Bowser. “You have to have new destinations, new restaurants, new activations and new chefs because people who want to come to Washington want to experience every part of D.C.” 

The post Afro-Caribbean-inspired restaurant, Dōgon, opens in D.C.’s Salamander Hotel appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Catherine Pugh
Special to the AFRO

Over 200 people gathered on Sept. 7 at Shiloh Baptist Church, in Washington, D.C. for the 2024 AFRO High Tea.  Watch the 360 video here.

The event attracted women in their fanciest outfits and gorgeous hats and fascinators. There were also some well-dressed men in attendance.   All present paid tribute and honor to four women who have distinguished themselves in political and community service. 

The honorees included Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland U.S. Senate Candidate Angela Alsobrooks; Cora Masters Barry, the civic leader, professor and widow of the man known as “D.C.’s mayor for life,” Marion Barry; Former mayor of D.C. and attorney, Sharon Pratt, and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. 

Diane Hocker, AFRO director of community and public relations, coordinated the event, which opened with an introduction of the Mistress of Ceremonies (MC) for the occasion, Dr. Renee Allen, founder of Global Conscious Initiative, and LaTara Harris, CEO and president Crittenton Services of Greater Washington. The two MCs’ added balance to the program as they alternated duties of the program, while presenting entertainment and guests.

After being introduced, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper,  AFRO CEO and publisher thanked the honorees and hundreds present. Robert Brown, served as entertainment for the afternoon, performing two songs for the audience. AFRO Executive Director and Advertising manager Lenora Howze gave the invocation before guests were served chicken, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes and salad. 

The award presentation portion of the program began with the introduction of County Executive Angela Alsbrooks, who cited the roles of each of the honorees as mentors, friends and employers in her life. 

“It was 32-years ago that I was hired by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. At the New York Democratic National Convention in 1992, I was on the floor checking credentials and 32 years later I am on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a speaker. I thank the AFRO American Newspapers for continuing to tell our story.  I believe in you,” she told the audience. “When they see me. They will see you.  The best is yet to come.”  

After receiving her award, Cora Masters Barry said to Alsobrooks, “you’re going to be President one day.” The crowd erupted into applause. “We’re running this,” referring to Kamala Harris’ campaign to become president of the United States. 

“Don’t close that door,” she said, referring to the current class of strong, Black women leaders and the opportunities they can open for those to come. “Make sure one of us is walking through.”

Honoree Sharon Pratt, former mayor of D.C., gave a moving speech to the audience. 

“When I was captain of my line, Kamala Harris was being born,” said Pratt, speaking on Harris, her fellow Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority member, now a candidate for the president of the United States.

“We’ve always been marginalized. When they said ‘Black’ they meant ‘Black men’…when they said ‘women’ they meant ‘White women,” said Pratt, before thanking the AFRO for the recognition. “If we don’t tell our story and tell it right, who is going to tell it?”  

When Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton approached the podium the crowd rose to their feet with applause. Norton has represented the citizens of Washington, D.C. since 1991. The tenured Georgetown University professor also thanked the AFRO American Newspapers for the honor of being recognized alongside such distinguished women, who are pushing for change at the highest levels of government.

“Isn’t it just perfect that one of ours will be the first woman president of these United States?” asked Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. 

Each honoree received their own framed copy of the AFRO American Newspaper, featuring their story in a front-cover layout.

Aside from the awards, a highlight of the afternoon was the fashion parade, where attendees showed off their fascinators and hats. The nearly five-minute parade through the hall featured the women dancing, swinging their napkins and tipping their hats.As the festivities came to a close, Draper reminded those present to vote, guests gathered for photos, conversation and visits to the vendor section of the event, marking yet another successful AFRO High Tea in D.C.

The post AFRO High Tea returns to D.C. appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO

Overcast skies and unseasonably cool temperatures were not enough to keep several hundred people from the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area (DMV) from attending the 15^th Annual D.C. State Fair on Saturday, Sept. 7. 

Held this year at Franklin Park in Northwest, Washington, D.C., the event featured musical performances from local entertainers and contests – from pie eating to pie making– along with activities such as hand dance demonstrations from the National Hand Dance Association. 

The free event, inspired by decades-old state fair traditions, showcased more than 15 food vendors and more than 75 artists, makers, local small businesses, nonprofit organizations and sponsors. But the real goal of the event, according to leading sponsors, was to celebrate the people and things that make the District of Columbia unique. 

Brian Americus, 40, a self-described military brat who now lives in Southeast, Washington, D.C. was on site to sell his V-neck shirts as a fair vendor. 

“I came up with these shirts because I wanted to give men something that was both stylish and casual – a shirt they could wear to work and then to happy hour or a dinner date,” he said. “I’ve been doing well with my website (BrianAmericus.com) and with pop-ups but the best way to convince men, and now women, to buy my shirts is for them to see them in person and feel the product. Once that happens, at least 85 percent of folks are sold.” 

Native Washingtonian Dancer Sze, 28, first attended the state fair in 2021 when she took second place in a contest for creating the best pickle. This year, she set her sights on the Best Jam contest – and she took the blue ribbon for first place. 

“During the pandemic, because we were forced to stay indoors, I started spending more time in the kitchen and began to create some new items in my repertoire– including pickling and making jams,” Sze said. “I can’t express how excited and happy I am to have won first place for my blueberry balsamic jam. One day I want to have my own business and this has given me the encouragement I needed. What’s even better is having my two best friends here to help me enjoy my victory.” 

Sze’s friends, Helen Abraha, 28, and Sophie Miyoshi, 26, both from Northeast, Washington, D.C., said this year was their first time attending the state fair, but certainly not their last. 

“I grew up in Ohio, so I am used to attending state fairs,” Abraha said. “And after seeing Dancer win a ribbon, I will be back next year with some of my fabulous cakes.” 

Miyoshi hopes to return with some of her own recipes in the future. 

“I’m coming back next year to support the fair and I’m going to enter my vegan macaroni and cheese in one of the contests. It’s the bomb!” she said. 

While she enjoyed the event, Miyoshi spoke to some of the issues lurking in the background of the fun filled weekend event.

“D.C. isn’t a state but it should be,” she said.

In support of D.C. statehood and voters rights, Anne Stauffer from Northwest, representing the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia, collaborated with members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Their goal was to encourage voter engagement and to advocate for D.C. statehood. 

“D.C. statehood is crucial because we deserve the same rights as other Americans – one person, one vote,” Stauffer said. 

Lucille Brewer, from Northwest, Washington, D.C. was joined in her efforts to educate the public on voter registration and calls for D.C. statehood by her sorors, Novella Bridges and Nyisha Williams, both from the Southeast area of the District. It was their first time volunteering at the state fair.  

“We are here to promote and encourage social action,” said Brewer. “That’s what we do.”

The post Entertainers, entrepreneurs and culinary artists highlight 15th annual D.C. State Fair appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ariyana Griffin
AFRO Staff Writer
agriffin@afro.com

Thousands of bookworms gathered at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Aug. 24 for the 24th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival. 

Two-time Emmy Award-winning television host Tamron Hall served as a headliner for this year’s festival among other authors. She hosted a discussion for her new cookbook co-written with Lisa Steiling,  “A Confident Cook.”

The three-story convention center was full of events: book reading sessions for children, author panels, book signings and so much more related to literary success. 

The free event is a way to allow book lovers to gather and hear from some of their favorite authors. Attendees had an opportunity to purchase books from the 90-plus authors that were a part of the festival, as well as get them signed by the authors.

Baltimore native Monet Walker shared with the AFRO that she attended to see and hear from one of her favorite authors, Christopher Paolini, a sci-fi author. 

“I try to go to any book conventions that I do hear of,” she said.

Walker said she believes such events keep the literary culture alive, and thanks social media for spreading the word. 

“Book-Tok (a world wide book community on TikTok) is keeping a lot of these bookstores alive” she said.  “I think the conventions are also keeping the bookstores and physical books alive.”

The compact schedule had a balance between reading events and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) making it suitable and enjoyable for children. Several organizations such as Black Girls Code, Boolean Girl and NASA had offerings catering to children and young adults. 

“I am an advocate for reading. If you can read, you can do math, you can do anything. So learning your alphabet, learning your letters, learning sentences, word structure is something I am a stickler for,” said Shamir Cole, who attended the festival with her nieces and daughter. “We push reading at home, and I feel like if you can take children to a carnival, you can take them to go learn something.” 

Some families anticipate making the trip to the nation’s capital every year for the day-long festival as a way to bond and grow their love for reading.

“This is maybe our third year in a row attending,” said D.C. native John Pendleton, who attended the festival with his daughter Ava Pendleton. “My daughters inherited their love of books from their mother, so they are serious about books. Ava can go through books pretty quickly, so it gets too expensive if we don’t go to the library.”

“I just like absorbing knowledge from different books and reading about different topics,” said Ava Pendleton. “And I just like reading in general; it’s fun.” 

Each session was captured and is available at www.loc.gov. 

The post Thousands of bookworms flock to the capital to attend National Book Festival appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By AFRO Staff

The AFRO will host its annual D.C. High Tea on Sept. 7 from 2 – 5 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church.  

Each year the publication hosts the tea in honor of men and women who have significantly impacted the Black community. 

See pictures from the September 7, 2024 event here. Photo credit: Patricia Mcdougall. And the 360 Video here and below.

The AFRO will recognize Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks at the 2024 event, along with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, civic leader and professor Cora Masters Barry and Former D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt. 

“This year’s honorees were chosen due to their remarkable and unwavering service to the D.C. community,” said Diane Hocker, AFRO director of community and public relations. “It’s going to be a delightful tea with lots of high energy. Our attendees will have the chance to network, be entertained and enjoy some delicious food.”

Hocker started planning this year’s tea in December 2023. The event last came to D.C. in 2022, honoring Cathy Hughes, Dorothy Butler Gilliam, Denise Rolark Barnes, Michelle Richardson and Karyn A.Temple. The job of organizing the D.C. tea passed to her after the death of D.C.’s own Edgar Brookins, a beloved member of the community and long-time AFRO circulation and general manager, who orchestrated the inaugural D.C. High Tea years ago. 

“Edgar Brookins was everything. He was ‘Mr. D.C.,’” said Hocker. “He was very instrumental in the AFRO bringing the tea to the D.C. in 2018.”

This year’s tea will be a highlight of the 2024 social calendar, complete with catering from B&B II, great entertainment and of course, the AFRO High Tea fashion show, where participants show off their finest threads and hats. 

Tickets for the 2024 D.C. AFRO High Tea are available for $100 at afrotix.live and the admission price includes a free six month subscription to the publication.

The post AFRO Tea set for return to nation’s capital – See Pictures appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Tierra Stone
AFRO Intern
tierrastone@afro.com

Madeline Seck
AFRO Intern
mseck@afro.com

and

Lizzy Suber
AFRO Intern
lizzysuber@afro.com

* As severe weather is expected on Aug. 6, some 2024 National Night Out events may be rescheduled or canceled.

Every year since 1984, National Night Out (NNO) events give locals and law enforcement time to bridge the gap and come together to make connections with members who serve their communities. 2024 marks NNO’s 40th anniversary, as it is celebrated every first Tuesday in Aug.. The AFRO has compiled a list of NNO events happening in the D.C., Maryland, Virginia and surrounding areas to attend as summer winds down. Take a look to see what’s happening near you! 

Baltimore 

Baltimore City’s National Night Out

This city-wide event, encouraged by Mayor Brandon M. Scott, the Baltimore Police Department, will give residents and local law enforcement an opportunity to connect and come together. This event will have free food, games, giveaways and entertainment. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location:  Main Event: 

     1034 North Mount Street 

                 Baltimore, MD 21217 

Cost: Free

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

The University of Maryland Baltimore Police Department, Campus Public Safety and the Community Engagement Center will host a National Night Out event, offering resources, free food and much more! 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: BioPark Lot, located 

                at the corner of West Baltimore

                and South Poppleton Street 

Cost: Free 

NNO with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Baltimore Alumnae Chapter 

Make sure to bring your family and friends to the Delta Community Center to speak with elected officials and learn more about the organization and their work in the community. The event will also feature face painting, games and book giveaways. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. 

Location: Delta Community Center 

                 2501 Springhill Avenue 

                 Baltimore, MD 21215 

Cost: Free 

NNO at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church

Join Mt. Sinai Baptist Church for a night of music, a bike raffle, fresh produce giveaways and snowballs to celebrate NNO with local community members. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Location: Mt. Sinai Baptist Church

    922 E. Preston Street

    Baltimore, MD 21202

Cost: Free

Howard County 

NNO with the Howard County Police Department

The Howard County Police Department will host their NNO event at Clarksville Commons. The occasion will feature police and fire displays, kid-friendly games and live entertainment. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Clarksville Commons 

                12230 and 12250 Clarksville Pike 

                Clarksville, MD 21029 

Cost: Free 

Winter Growth’s Front Porch 

On Aug. 6, the Winter Growth Assisted Living and Memory Care will host an NNO event where there will be family  games, snacks and refreshments. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 6 p.m – 8 p.m. 

Location: 5460 Ruth Keeton Way,

    Columbia, MD 21044

Cost: Free 

NNO with the Harper’s Choice Community Association

Connect with community members via the Harper’s Choice Community Association. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the activities while also learning about resources available to help the neighborhood. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Joseph Square,

    5440 Old Tucker Row

    Columbia, MD 21044 

Cost: Free

Montgomery County 

NNO in Olney

The Olney Chamber of Commerce’s NNO event promises fire prevention information, face painting, arts and crafts and police cruisers — something for everyone throughout the day. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Fair Hill 

                18100 Town Center Drive 

                Olney, MD 20832  

Cost: Free 

NNO with Montgomery County Police

Come out to downtown Silver Spring for a night of dancing, prizes from restaurants and stores, refreshments and more. Attendees are also encouraged to participate in police and fire safety and awareness activities while at the event.

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Location: Ellsworth Place

    8661 Colesville Rd 

    Silver Spring, MD 20910

Cost: Free

Anne Arundel County  

NNO with the Anne Arundel County Police Department

The Anne Arundel County Police Department invites everyone to the National Night Out event that will give visitors the opportunity to enhance their relationship with neighbors and local law enforcement to truly understand the meaning of community. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Kinder Farm Park 

                1001 Kinder Farm Park Road 

                Millersville, MD, 21108 

Cost: Free

NNO with the Old Brooklyn Park Community Association

The Old Brooklyn Park Community Association presents their North County NNO. Along with games, prizes and free food, the event will also feature visits by police officers, firefighters and representatives from other county services such as the Department of Aging and the Office of Emergency Management.

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Location: 10th Avenue Ballpark

     320 10th Avenue 

     Brooklyn Park, MD 212245

Cost: Free

NNO at the Annapolis Library

Come to the Annapolis Library to enjoy a community-building NNO event as they work to connect neighborhoods with each other and the local police department through giveaways, free food and exciting games.

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p..m. – 8 p.m.

Location: Annapolis Library

    1410 West Street

    Annapolis, MD 21401

Cost: Free

Prince George’s County 

National Night Out Against Crime

Join the Bowie Police Department for NNO to connect with members of the city of Bowie and those who serve to protect the community. At this event, expect to have fun and learn about crime prevention resources.

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Allen Pond Park 

            3330 Northview Drive

     Bowie, MD 20716

Cost: Free 

City of Glenarden Police Department for NNO

The City of Glenarden invites residents to spend time outdoors for food, music and family-friendly fun. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. 

Location: Glenarden Municipal Center

    8600 Glenarden Parkway 

    Glenarden, MD 20706 

Cost: Free 

City of College Park

The City of College Park, near the University of Maryland welcomes you to their night out celebration to raise awareness to prevent crime and increase safety. The festivities will include moon bounces, refreshments and more outdoor activities. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Duvall Field 

    9100 Rhode Island Ave 

    College Park, MD 20740

Cost: Free 

Washington, D.C. 

NNO with the Metropolitan Police Department 

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) of the District of Columbia invites D.C. residents and community leaders to come together to advocate for crime and drug prevention and strengthen police and neighborhood relationships. The community will be open to events such as cookouts, block parties, candlelight vigils, athletic events and more.

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 4 p.m – 8 p.m. 

Location: Main event 

    Sycamore and Oak

    1110 Oak Drive, SE 

Cost: Free 

Lansburgh Park 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 5 p.m – 8 p.m. 

Location: 1098 Delaware Avenue, SW

Cost: Free 

Guy Mason Recreation Center

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 5 p.m – 8 p.m. 

Location:  3600 Calvert Street, NW

Cost: Free 

Kennedy Recreation Center 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 5:30 p.m – 8 p.m. 

Location: 1401 Seventh Street, NW

Cost: Free 

Edgewood Recreation Center 

Celebrate NNO at the Edgewood Recreation Center with a block show, cookout and visits with members of the local and police and fire departments. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 4  p.m – 7:30 p.m. 

Location: 300 Evarts Street, NE

Cost: Free 

The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church

The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church invites residents young and old to fellowship, network and enjoy all that National Night Out has to offer.

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 3  p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Location: 3000 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Cost: Free 

Northern Virginia 

NNO with the Fairfax Police Department

Community members are invited to gather with the Fairfax Police Department’s Chief of Police for a night of anti-crime rallies, family-friendly activities and other special events.

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Location: Sully District Station

    12099 Government Center Parkway

    Fairfax, VA 22035

Cost: Free

Manassas City Police Department

Come join the Manassas City Police Department for police demonstrations, free food and games. 

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 

Location: Manassas Museum Lawn 

                9101 Prince William Street 

                Manassas, VA 20110 

Cost: Free 

NNO at Stonebridge Recreation Center

The Stonebridge Recreation Center will be hosting their night out event during the day where there will be entertainment by Brad Spivey and Eric Lee, vendors and free food. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. 

Location: Stonebridge Recreation Center 

                 230 Karl Linn Drive 

                 Chesterfield, VA 23225 

Cost: Free 

NNO Neighborhood Bash

The Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation will be hosting this community building event where there will be music and fun for the entire community. 

Date: Aug. 6 

Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

Location: Ettrick Park 

                20621 Woodpecker Road 

                South Chesterfield, VA 23803 

Cost: Free 

Bensley Park NNO Neighborhood Bash

The Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation will host their community building event with music and fun for the entire family.

Date: Aug. 6

Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. 

Location: Bensley Community Building 

                 2900 Drewrys Bluff Road 

                 Richmond, VA 23237 

Cost: Free

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By Aria Brent
AFRO Staff Writer
abrent@afro.com

Since 2006 the African Diaspora International Film Festival D.C., (ADIFF D.C.) has provided the D.C. area with an annual festival that highlights Black films from all across the world. This year’s festival is scheduled to take place Aug. 2-4 at George Washington University, located at 2121 I St NW, Washington, D.C. 20052 

With a focus on highlighting the experiences, perspectives and issues that affect communities of African descent from around the globe, ADIFF is proud to showcase their lineup of films this year. Event attendees can anticipate topics such as women’s rights, colorism, homosexuality and gender segregation to be the focal point of some of this year’s films.

“It is a celebration of the human experience in the African world. When I say the African world, I’m referring to Africa as a continent, but also its diaspora,” said Mwiza Muthali, founder and co-director of Africa World Now. “These are the stories and various experiences of African peoples worldwide on film. You’ll notice in this festival there’ll be new films, but there are a couple of films from the past as well. We want to show those, to remind people how some of the issues that have taken place within the African world are still going on.”

When the festival first started, ADIFF D.C. was partnering with Trans Africa, but the organizations parted ways in 2014. Since then, Africa World Now has been partnering with ADIFF D.C. to bring the District a lineup of films that are giving depth to the lives of people throughout the African diaspora.

ADIFF has four annual festivals that take place throughout the year in Chicago, D.C., Paris and New York. Filmmaker Charles Uwagbai spoke to the AFRO about his film “The Wall Street Boy,” which is due to make its U.S. premiere at the D.C., festival. 

“‘The Wall Street Boy” was a collaboration between Canadians and Kenyans because we shot part of it in Kenya and part of it in Canada. It follows the story of a young boy, he’s a mathematician who created an algorithm that changes the stock market and it shows the whole world coming to steal that equation from him,” he said. “One thing I really like about this film is the positive message that it carries. A lot of times when we tell African stories it’s always about the suffering, but this story carries a very positive message. For once we can see the bright lights shining from a little village in Kenya and the whole world is crawling to get that thing that he has.” 

Uwagbai’s film is one of many that will be making their debut in the states. The grand opening film for this year’s festival is “Breaking Boundaries,” a documentary that follows the journey of a young, bi-racial woman who dreams of creating a legacy as a woman of color in rhythmic gymnastics. 

“The grand opening film is ‘Breaking Boundaries’ and it’s about a young lady who was trying to compete in the 2020 Olympics. She’s one of the few Black people to compete in the rhythmic gymnastics event,” said Muthali. “She was one of the top rated gymnasts in the USA for that event. This is a documentary following her journey.”

Following the film’s premiere, there will be a question and answer panel with the star of the film, Stasya Generlova. 

The three-day event is also scheduled to premiere a short film series, “Fighting White Supremacy: The African American Experience.” The three films featured in the series are “Keepers of the Flame,” “Judging Juries” and “How We Get Free.” All of the films focus on the battle against White supremacy throughout the U.S.

The festival’s series of events is truly helping reshape the narrative surrounding Black communities all across the world. Uwagbai explained how much he enjoys being able to share his work with a bunch of different audiences across the world due to the festival taking place in different cities. 

“When I make a film, I want to share it with the world. This festival is amazing because it doesn’t happen in one place,” said Uwagbai. “They’re really taking the message ahead and doing the work for you in terms of promoting the film and the work that you’ve done.” 

With 17 years of experience under their belt, ADIFF D.C., has much more to offer. Muthali explained that although Africa World Now is an activist organization, they began to do the film festival to help provide an outlet for filmmakers of African descent and to help provide a more accurate depiction of Black life.

“We have the film festivals to provide an avenue for filmmakers of African descent to present their stories. In the mainstream distribution system, African stories are not given a space there,” he said “The reason why we started presenting films, even though we’re an activist organization, is to give people a perspective as we’re doing our activism.”

“We want people to have a total understanding of the Black experience  because once you have a total understanding of the people and the culture then it’s easier to work on policy related issues.”

The post African Diaspora International Film Festival returns to D.C. for 17th year appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Madeleine Seck
AFRO Intern
mseck@afro.com

By Mackenzie Williams
AFRO Intern
mwillaims@afro.com

This week, the AFRO compiled a list of family-friendly events that are happening in the D.M.V. area ranging from festivals, movie nights, and networking opportunities. Take a look below to see what’s happening near you!

Baltimore City

Rhythm and Reels

Come out this summer to the Baltimore parks for free popcorn and a movie. Streaming this July is Arthur the King and a live rhythm concert.

Arthur the King
Date: July 19
Time: 5 p.m – 8 p.m.
Location: Eager Park
929 N Wolfe St,
Baltimore, MD 21205

Rhythm Concert House Head Reunion
Date: July 20
Time: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Location: Wyman Park Deli
2929 N Charles St,
Baltimore, MD 21218

Cost: Free

African American Quilters of Baltimore (AAQB) Trunk Show and Fiber Artist Talk with Glenda Richardson

This is a perfect event for hobbyists who love quilting. Get insight from artist Glenda Richardson at the museum as she showcases her work.

Date: July 25

Time: 6 p.m.

Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum
830 E Pratt St
Baltimore, MD 21202

Cost: Up to $12, members free

Black Woman Genius Elizabeth Talford Scott

Explore the exhibit honoring the work of Elizabeth Talford Scott, a contemporary fiber artist who created exemplary artwork throughout her lifetime

Dates: Feb. 1 through Sept. 30

Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum
830 E Pratt St
Baltimore, MD 21202

Cost: Up to $12, members free

Washington, D.C.

DMV Made Festival

Presented by Word Beats and Life at the National Mall, the DMV Made Festival celebrates an intersectionality of art and culture. The venue will hold multiple stages featuring soul, Latin, hip-hop music, Go-go artists and more.
Date: July 27

Time: 1 p.m. – 7:30 p.m

Location: 50 14th Street
Southwest Washington, DC 20004
Smithsonian Metro Stop

Cost: Free

Broccoli City Festival

One of the biggest festivals of the summer in the D.C. metropolitan area, Broccoli Festival will be held at a brand new venue, Audi Field. Headliners feature award-winning artists including Megan the Stallion, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Victoria Monét, Lil Yachty and more.

Date: July 27 – 28

Time: 2 p.m. – 11 p.m

Location: Audi Field
1100 Alabama Ave SE,
Washington D.C

Cost: Starting price $233

Kids World 2024

Join a family-friendly immersive experience at Kids World, where your little ones can go to storytelling sessions, meet-and-greets with their favorite cartoon characters, make a painting, build a bear, enjoy a bubble garden and more,

Date: July 27 – 28

Time: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Location: Franklin Park
1315 I Street NW

Prince Goerge’s County

Black Health Connect: DC 2024 Mixer

Join the Black Health Connect for their 2024 Mixer with other black professionals in the healthcare field for an evening of networking and fellowship. RSVP via eventbrite.com by searching for “Black Health Connect” on the website.

Date: July 12

Time: 5 p.m.

Location: Dirty Habit
555 8th St NW
Washington, DC 20004

Cost: Free

Little Miss Black | Miss Black Teen US of A Pageant

Continuing the legacy, from age two to seventeen are participating in the Miss Black and Miss Black Teen US of A Pageant at the University of Maryland College Park.

Day 1: July 26
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m

Day 2: July 27
Time: 1 p.m – 4:30 p.m

Location: Hoff Theater, Adele H. Stamp Student Union
3972 Campus Dr,
College Park, MD 20742

Cost: Up to $40

Movies On The Potomac

Grab a blanket and some popcorn for an outdoor movie on the waterfront at the National Harbor. This month, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Arthur: The King, Elvis and more will be streaming.

Dates: Every Thursday and Sunday night through September 29

Time: Thursday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m.

Location: 165 Waterfront Street
National Harbor, MD 20745

Cost: Free

Virginia

“Black Vets and Allies at Ft. Gregg-Adams Starbucks Military Family store”

Sponsored by Starbucks, join the Gregg-Adam’s Military family store to honor Black veterans as they celebrate the 76th anniversary of Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948.

Date: July 6

Time: 6:30 p.m – 8 p.m

Location: ​​5320 Oaklawn Boulevard
Hopewell, VA 23860

Cost: Free

Fauquier County Fair

Enjoy a day at the carnival with thrilling rides, games and watch a variety of shows.

Date: July 17-19
Time: 2 p.m -11 p.m

Date: July 20
Time: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Location: 6209 Old Auburn Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

Cost: Adult $10, $5 for children and senior citizens

Black Girls Code DMV Bootcamp

Ages 11 to 13 are invited to a boot camp to learn about AI-powered technology, meet experts in the field, explore opportunities in STEAM careers and more.

Date: July 29

Time: 4 p.m.

Location: Mastercard Tech Hub #11th floor
4250 Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22201

Cost: Starting at $30

Virtual

Breaking the Chains: Decriminalizing Mental Illness in the Justice System

Join ​​St. Luke Community United Methodist Church as they host their 9th annual Mental Health Symposium. Important figures include Judge Lela Lawrence Mays, presiding Judge of the 283rd District Court in Dallas County, and Commissioner John Wiley Price, of Dallas County, Texas, will be attending.

Date: July 20

Time: 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Location: Online

Cost: Free

Virtual Writing Hour

Aspiring writers and those looking to pick up a leisure hobby can join the Smithsonian at the National Portrait Gallery for Writing Hours. Writing prompts will be given for 30 minute sessions at a time

Date: July 23

Time: 5 p.m. – 6 p.m

Location: Online Via Zoom

Cost: Free, registration required

The post Upcoming meetings and events in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Aria Brent
AFRO Staff Writer
abrent@afro.com

Black Restaurant Week is returning to Washington D.C. and Baltimore for its fifth year July 16-30. The two week event  focuses on stimulating the economy of the Black community in Charm City and the District. Each year, Black-owned culinary businesses and professionals who cannot afford marketing campaigns are celebrated and promoted to the public. With a variety of cuisines, businesses and culinary artists being highlighted during the 2024 campaign, the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area is in for a treat. 

According to the James Beard Foundation’s 2023 Industry Report, 53 percent of culinary business owners garnered lower profits last year due to the constant rise in food and labor costs. The costly changes have impacted menu prices and profits significantly since 2022.

“Black Restaurant Week is not only making people aware of amazing restaurants, but it is also increasing foot traffic for these businesses,” said Derek Robinson, a managing partner for Black Restaurant Week. “Black Restaurant Week is giving folks a great opportunity to support their own local businesses and try out new spots. We’re super excited to get these businesses more stability and more financial support from their communities.” 

Last year approximately 100 participants connected with the Greater Washington, D.C. campaign, whose mission is to “feed the cultural famine.” Through this mission they’ve not only prioritized rescuing the Black restaurant industry but also helped the public understand the beauty of ethnic cuisines while eliminating the stigmas around it. 

A plethora of local restaurants are set to participate in this year’s event, including Lydia on H, Appioo Bar and Grill, Berries by Quicha, D.C. Capital Square, England Eatery and many more. 

Aisha England, chef and owner of Baltimore’s England Eatery, weighed in on what she hopes to gain from the event.

“Last year around this time I’m not even sure if we were ready, but [we are] a year into the new location and being able to host people for dining. I look forward to bringing in those folks and having them experience our food,” said England. 

Although being a Black business owner comes with many struggles, England noted that receiving financial support for her business has been very challenging.

“The biggest thing is funding,” said England. “My biggest struggle is being able to get funding to do stuff. I’ve gotten a lot of grants and I’m blessed to have those. I know some of the things that have happened to me don’t happen to bigger corporations as far as funding goes.”

While many of the participating business owners are looking forward to the financial benefit of Black Restaurant Week, they’re equally excited for the opportunity to network and connect with their communities. 

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and new patrons of course, and connecting with new restaurants,” said LaQuicha Brown, owner of Berries by Quicha, located in Baltimore.

Black Restaurant Week will conclude on July 30. After nine years, the initiative has helped more than 3,000 restaurateurs, bartenders, chefs, caterers and food trucks.

Tierra Stone, an AFRO Intern, contributed to this article. 

The post Black Restaurant Week returns to D.C. and Baltimore area for fifth year appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Tierra Stone
AFRO Intern
tierrastone@afro.com

and

By Mackenzie Williams
AFRO Intern
mwillaims@afro.com

This week the AFRO compiled a list of events happening throughout the month of July in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area. Take a look below to see what’s happening near you!

Baltimore

Captain America Movie Marathon

Are there any Marvel fans in the family? If so, the Enoch Pratt Central Library, which sits in the heart of downtown Baltimore is hosting a Captain America movie marathon–perfect for all the superheroes in your life.

Date: July 6

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Enoch Pratt Central Library (Wheeler Auditorium)
400 Cathedral Street
Baltimore MD, 21201

Cost: Free

First Thursdays: Make and Mingle

Make art and mingle is an adults-only event to not only socialize but also unleash creativity with other locals. There will be food and drink vendors available for purchase and art supplies will be provided. If you have a membership with the museum you will receive a complimentary drink on the house, and any college students can show their ID to get a free cup of coffee.

Date: July 11

Time: 6 p.m – 7 p.m.

Location: The Walters Art Museum (Walters Cafe)
600 North Charles Street
Baltimore MD, 21201

Cost: Free

Walk A Mile in My Dreams Performance by Joyce J. Scott

The Baltimore Museum of Art is hosting an event led by musical artist Joyce J. Scott with collaborators Lorraine Whitlessey, and jazzman Derrick Thompson. Space is limited and all attendees must register online. Register at https://checkout.artbma.org/.

Date: July 14

Time: 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Location: Baltimore Museum of Art
10 Art Museum Drive
Baltimore MD, 21218

Cost: Free

Community Briefing: Caring for Maryland’s Children

Maryland public defender, Natasha M. Dartigue is hosting a virtual event that will feature an overview of the youth crime bill—the Yes Act as well as discuss the office of public defender’s community outreach and resources. Link: www.facebook.com/MarylandOPD

Date: July 16

Time: 3:00 p.m.

Location: Virtually on Zoom

Cost: Free

Summer Sounds at the Square

Make sure to bring your family and friends to historic Belvedere Square and enjoy a live musical performance by the local band The New Romance. The parking lot will be converted into an open-air market where there will be food and drink from local businesses such as Atwater’s, Prigel Family Farm, Sassy Squeeze and so much more.

Date: July 19

Time: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Location: Belvedere Square
529 East Belvedere Avenue
Baltimore MD, 21212

Cost: Free

Red Cross Blood Drive

The Enoch Pratt Central Library is hosting a blood drive to help those in need. All prospective donors will go through a screening process before their donation and will receive a snack after the procedure. Make sure to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water for the best result possible. All donors are required to register at https://www.redcrossblood.org/.

Date: July 20

Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location: Enoch Pratt Central Library (Creative Arts Center)
400 Cathedral Street
Baltimore MD, 21201

Cost: Free

Washington, D.C.

Bold & Beautiful: After Dark

The Anacostia Community Museum is showcasing its new after-dark series of 2024 with a viewing of its exhibit, Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, D.C.,1900-2000. Enjoy this summertime theme with glow-in-the-dark art, jams by DJ Farrah Flosscett and a guided art phenomenon by instructor Lex Marie titled “Luminous Landscapes: A Neon Night of Art.” This event is 21+ register at https://www.eventbrite.com and search for Bold & Beautiful: After Dark.

Date: July 25

Time: 7 p.m -10 p.m

Location: Anacostia Community Museum
1901 Fort Place SE
Washington, D.C., 20020

Cost: Free

Jazz in the Garden

The National Gallery of Art will be hosting a jazz music concert every Friday until the first week of August. Come enjoy an outdoor experience with your family and friends with a new artist every week. The museum recommends public transportation and blankets for sitting in the grass, first come first serve. Tickets are placed in a lottery system so make sure you check the website for open time slots to register. For any other questions please contact tickets@nga.gov and register at https://tickets.nga.gov/events/.

Date: Every Friday until August 9th

Time: 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m

Location: National Gallery of Art
The Sculpture Garden (located on the north side
of the National Mall between 7th and 9th Streets NW.)
Washington, D.C., 20565

Cost: Free

Asia in the Dark

In light of Bruceploitation weekend, The National Museum of Asian Art is hosting a film screening and after-hour party. The museum will leave exhibits open while you enjoy food, music, and a special screening of The Dragon Lives Again. If you register for the film you must be in line by 6:50 to claim your seat. Registering for the event and film is done so separately, register at eventbrite.com by searching for the event, and register at https://hkclassics.eventive.org/ for the film.

Date: July 13

Time: 5p.m – 8p.m

Location: National Museum of Asian Art
1050 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C., 20004

Cost: Free

PG County

Community Health is Wealth Fair

The V.K. Nyambi Foundation is hosting a community event where attendees can receive free health screenings and testing for vision, kidney, HIV, and Hepatitis B. There will also be resources for mental health, marital counseling, and financial advising. The event will also include free food giveaways as well as light refreshments being served.

Date: July 21

Time: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Location: Hampton Conference Center
207 West Hampton Place
Capitol Heights, MD, 20743

Cost: Free

The post Upcoming meetings and events in the Baltimore and D.C. and Virginia Area appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com 

Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) is celebrating D.C. Small Business Week from April 29 to May 4 with a host of free events and summits open to the District’s more than 70,000 small business owners. 

At the top of the week, Bowser announced that 64 brick-and-mortar retail businesses became recipients of the Robust Retail Citywide Grants. She also toured several businesses and nonprofits located on Rhode Island Avenue Main Street that have received government funding. 

“If we have more jobs, we have more businesses and we put more D.C. residents to work, then we can continue to make historic investments in schools, transportation and in our human services programs,” said Bowser. 

The week coincided with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week. Following the kick-off event, the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, D.C. Health Link, DSLBD and Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) hosted a small business summit and expo on April 30. The event featured workshops covering best business practices and networking and grant opportunities. 

On May 1, small business owners were invited to a DSLBD workshop on accessing capital and a pitch and resource exhibition at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The Downtown District Improvement District organized an exclusive celebration and networking gathering for  Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs) on May 2. There, business owners connected with their peers and industry experts.  

The businesses Bowser visited during the kick-off included Studio Chique Salon, Zeke’s Coffee, Emma’s Torch and Bandura Design. The latter, a women-led hospitality and multi-family interior design firm, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its remodeled space on the Ward 5 corridor. 

“My amazing team, fondly known as the ‘Bandura Babes,’ has doubled in size since we moved into this location. That growth has provided the opportunity and need for continued development in our space,” said owner Jennifer Farris.

Thanks to nonprofit D.C. Squared, Bandura Design was the recipient of a facade improvement grant, which is funded by the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). 

“We are starting, today, to bring our office to the next level along with this amazing, thriving community here on Rhode Island Avenue.”

Through DSLBD, the 64 Robust Retail grantees are set to receive $10,000 to cover eligible business expenses, including wages for employees, rent, utilities, insurance and cleaning supplies. Since the grant program’s inception, the agency has deployed nearly $4 million to businesses spanning the District. 

“These investments clearly demonstrate that D.C. is putting our money where our mouth is when we say that our small businesses are truly the backbone of our local economy,” said At-large D.C. Councilman Kenyan McDuffie, chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development.

Bowser’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes several investments to further support local, small business enterprises. The mayor allocated $4.9 million for the Main Streets Program to bolster the revitalization of District business corridors and $26 million to enact the Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive (BEST) Act, which will streamline the city’s licensing process. She also designated $6.7 million for DSLBD’s Clean Teams, which work to beautify D.C.’s commercial districts. 

These investments accompany Bowser’s $401-million Downtown Action Plan, which presents a five-year economic development strategy for the recovery and transformation of D.C.’s downtown. 

“I want to recognize Mayor Bowser for making sure that our small businesses—our entrepreneurs who live here, were born and raised here and hire our local residents— are getting the resources they need to be a part of this comeback,” said McDuffie. 

Megan Sayles is a Report for America corps member. 

The post Mayor Bowser celebrates D.C. Small Business Week  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Zsana Hoskins
Special to the AFRO

Siraaj Woods Creatives (SWC), a local social media agency, and Kigenix Creative, a photography brand that specializes in health and wellness visual content, recently hosted their fourth networking event for entrepreneurs and content creators in the DMV area.

The event, which focused on niche marketing, was held at The Link in Alexandria, Va., and included a panel that was recorded as a live podcast. 

The first event of this series was hosted by Kigenix Creative this past summer and had nearly 10 guests. SWC joined to host the second one and attendance has been doubling ever since with 40 people. 

“The original goal behind this was to bring all the very talented entrepreneurs and content creators under one roof and have a space for them to be creative and connect with each other. We realize there are so many people who are on their own and don’t have community, and we wanted to bring that to the DMV,” said Siraaj Woods, CEO of SWC.

According to a 2024 study from Lending Tree, Washington, D.C. is the city with the second most Black-owned businesses at 7.6 percent, and Richmond, Va. placed eighth with 5.6 percent. 

Also, according to data from Zippia, only 7.2 percent of content creators are Black. 

Woods and Wood highlighted the importance of an event like this, especially for Black entrepreneurs and content creators.

Woods explains, “This is really a need within our community to have somewhere where people like us that are, young aspiring entrepreneurs and content creators, come under one roof and kind of congregate and build that community and start to know each other,”

For the hosts, it was also important to provide resources for content creators and entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level. Founder and creative director of Kigenix Creative, Kiana Wood, said she wanted these events to help “bridge the gaps.” 

“Entrepreneurs don’t really know how to create content all the time, it’s kind of a stressing force in their business. And then vice versa. A lot of content creators are trying to figure out how they can make money with it, which is then a business, and they don’t necessarily understand the business side,” she added.

Panelists for the live podcast included several business owners and content creators such as Kendall Cherry, owner of CHERRYPOP, an event and artist development company, and Julia Shardae, a brand marketing specialist for Redbull and founder of a marketing agency, Black Women In Marketing. 

Panelists shared advice for the attendees to incorporate into their own content and elevate as creators. 

One of the panelists of the event, Gigi Beason, a digital marketing consultant with her brand Diamonds N The Rough, spoke about focusing less on going viral and more on value.

“If you focus on the value, you will eventually gain the numbers, and you’ll become known for being someone who offers something that people really need,” Beason shared.

Another key insight from the panel was from Yonathan Shimelis, a photographer and creative, who reassured attendees to start with what they have and work their way up, which seemed to be embraced by the crowd.

“He talked about just being able to make it work with what you have. You don’t have to have expensive technology to get started. And I saw that, a lot of creators resonated with that because they were like, ‘Okay, that’s really good. I don’t need a thousand-dollar camera,’” Beason said about Shemelis’ advice.

After the panel discussion, a question and answer session was held where attendees could ask questions and speak to each panelist one-on-one.

The event also included raffles, a scavenger hunt and other interactive activities for participants.

Overall, Woods, Wood and Beason believe the event was successful based on the attendees’ reactions and the increased participation.

Wood expressed based on feedback she received from attendees. Beason felt that the energy from Woods and Wood as hosts also contributed to the “welcoming” atmosphere at the event.

“ really know how to set the tone for the audience in a way where it draws people in, and they’re able to come and get comfortable, and you find that it’s such a warm audience. You just feel the support the entire night,” said Beason.

Woods and Wood also believe the interactive environment of the event is what sets them apart from similar experiences.

“When you come to this event, you’re not leaving empty-handed. You’re leaving with at least a connection that you’re gonna partner with,” Wood shared.

As far as new initiatives and events, Woods says there are definitely “more events to come” in the future. The next event in the series will most likely be in May or June.

Throughout the year, SWC and Kigenix will be working on feeling the connections behind the events and creating more of a networking community.

“We’re gonna reach out to people and also kind of get feedback and kind of see what they want. People tend to struggle with, ‘Okay, I have a business  or I wanna start a business, but how do I make content?’ We’re giving them the information to let them know how to best do that for themselves. So that’s where we’re headed,” Woods said.
To learn more about SWC, Kigenix Creative, and upcoming events, visit https://swcreatives.com or https://www.createwithki.com/.

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By D. Kevin McNeir 
Special to the AFRO

(Photo by D. Kevin McNeir)

Sister Stoddard, 20, White Oak, Maryland

(with friends Sisters Samoala and Schmidt)

“I think it’s wonderful that the Caps and Wizards are going to stay in D.C. because sports bring crowds to the city and the downtown area and provide more jobs for those who supply the goods and services needed by the crowds. I used to live in downtown D.C. and one thing I liked about it was there were always people around which is good for local businesses who need the revenue. But I have to admit that I’m more of a Utah Jazz and BYU (Brigham Young University) basketball supporter than a Wizards fan.”

(Photo courtesy William J. Ford)

William J. Ford, 50, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 

“There were quite a number of folks who didn’t believe that the Wizards and Caps were going to move to Northern Virginia because, after all, they’re D.C. teams. They’ve always been our teams and now, it looks like they always will be. Before the Wizards (once the Bullets) began playing at Capital One Arena and were in Maryland, people had to drive out to the arena and that was difficult for a lot of fans. People who have grown up in the area look at the Wizards as D.C.-centric – I’ve even heard Mayor Bowser use the term. But when you think about the teams–and since they’re the Washington Wizards, or the Washington Capitals–it just stands to reason that they would be located in the District. As for the success of the team, well, they’ll have better seasons soon, hopefully. I guess that remains to be seen.  

(Photo courtesy of Jordathan Jones)

Jordathan Jones, 47, Northwest Washington, D.C.

“I am a fan of the Wizards and with that said, it’s awesome for the city that the Wizards are going to stay in D.C. It will keep jobs here, and they have a lot of diehard fans, like me, win or lose. The Wizards are our team – they’re a D.C. team and they belong here. Of course, we want them to win and it’s been a long time since they won the title back in 1978. Still, we’ve always had some very talented players, including Michael Jordan at one time. Maybe they just need new management. And with the changes and upgrades that I hear are coming over the next three years to the arena, I hope that will attract better players. The Wizards and the Caps are the face of the city. It would have been crazy for them to move. 

(Photo courtesy Christopher McLaughlin)

Christopher McLaughlin, 48, Southeast Washington, D.C.

“I think it’s awesome that they’re staying in D.C. and we’re all looking for something new to be added to the arena and to the surrounding area. Hopefully, there will be more opportunities for people to experience a live basketball or hockey game – maybe even having the chance to sit closer to the action. Capital One Arena is already a beautiful facility but with the upgrades that have been promised, it will be even better. It will certainly appeal to the younger generation. One thing folks need to understand is the NBA and NHL have changed a lot since the ‘70s and ‘80s. You have to offer fans more than just a big screen above the floor or the ice. It has to be a total experience for fans both before, during and after the game. The arena has a lot of spaces already that resemble lounges or nightclubs and which attract adults. I’d like to see the space include more settings that are family- and kid-friendly. 

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The Potomac River Young Marines of Washington, D.C., has been named the Division 2 Unit of the Year, the top honor for units in a five-state area. Division 2 encompasses the jurisdictions: District of Columbia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.

The unit will now compete with five other units from across the country for the Young Marines units’ top honor, National Unit of the Year. The units will be awarded on Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Woodbridge, Va., during the Young Marines: A legacy of Excellence Awards Banquet. 

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age 8 through high school graduation. The organization promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members and focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Unit Commander Tiarra Carey leads the Potomac River Young Marines, which meets at The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 

“To think of all the hard work these Young Marines have done, the journey we have taken and overcome together in our first year, and to see it all recognized in this way…it just brings tears to my eyes.” said Unit Commander Carey. “I’m proud of the team we have built and I’m proud of our Young Marines!”

The Unit was chartered in October 2022. Since then, the unit has distinguished itself into one of the most respected and productive in the country. The unit has been providing countless hours of community service as well as performing in Color Guard presentations throughout Division 2, one of the most demanding in terms of unit level requests, in supporting community partners and always staying ready to serve. Serving alongside such organizations as DC Mayor’s Office of Veteran Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 341, City of Dumfries, Saluting Our Veterans, St. Jude’ s, Iwo Jima Association of America, American Legion, Elk Lodge of Loudoun County, Warriors Salute, national holiday parades, Wreathes Across America, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, Wards 7 and 8 Drug Prevention Centers, and numerous other organizations and churches.

Recipients of numerous awards, the Potomac River Young Marines are especially proud of:

• Distinguished Unit Citation
• Two (2) Young Marines Unit Commendations

The most prestigious award won to date, however, is the 2023 Department of Defense (DoD) Fulcrum Shield Award. The award is given annually by the DoD and recognizes military-affiliated youth organizations around the world that have made intensive efforts at spreading anti-drug messages in local communities.

“One of the main reasons [Potomac River] received [Division 2] Unit of the Year was recapturing the Fulcrum Shield Award,” said George Biedenbender, Division 2 Commanding Officer.

“Being a relatively new unit, we are extremely proud of the Potomac River Young Marines for their remarkable efforts in educating the Washington, D.C. community on the dangers of drugs,” said Col. William P. Davis USMC (Ret), National Executive Director and CEO of the Young Marines.

The Potomac River Young Marines have amassed hundreds of hours of drug demand reduction (DDR) training and service in their local community. The Young Marines’ anti- drug message has been spread across the Washington, D.C. area.

Young Marines History

Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 238 units with 6,400 youth and 2,750 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan (Okinawa), and affiliates in a host of other countries.

For more information, visit the website at: https://youngmarines.org/unit/potomacriver/page

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By Special Release 

The Studio Acting Conservatory will host a six-day public view of the Last Supper sculpture, created by artist Akili Ron Anderson, coinciding with the Easter holiday. The event will kick off on March 22, from 2 to 5 p.m., with select days until March 30. Attendees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in this masterpiece’s rich history and profound significance through engaging discussions led by knowledgeable gallery docents. 

As stewards of this artwork, the Studio Conservatory is committed to fostering dialogue and understanding by providing public openings and educational programming to explore its relevance in today’s socio-religious environment. This groundbreaking artwork amplifies the representation of religious art in the 21st century, serving as a testament to the enduring significance of cultural diversity and inclusion.

Akili Ron Anderson, a remarkable AfriCOBRA artist, created the Last Supper sculpture in the 1980s for the New Home Baptist Church. The sculpture portrays Jesus and his disciples as African American men hidden behind drywall for many years. During renovations by the Studio Acting Conservatory in November 2019, the sculpture was discovered. Anderson’s stunning work of art is a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving cultural heritage and the lasting impact of art on our lives.    

As we reflect on Holy Week, we are grateful to share the Last Supper sculpture with you, inviting you to experience its beauty and resonance firsthand.

When: Friday, March 22, Saturday, March 23, Sunday, March 24 – 26 from 2- 5pm and Friday, March 29 from 11-5pm and Saturday, March 30 from 2-5pm. Check our website for other open hours. https://lastsuppersculpture.org/

Where: Studio Acting Conservatory | 3423 Holmead Place, NW, Washington, DC 20010.  Enter through the main entrance at the top of steps. ADA entrance on the south side of the building. More  information about parking and Metro at https://studioactingconservatory.org/about/location 

Cost: Free 

Please contact Bacarri Byrd via email at  bacarri@studioactingconservatory.org  or by phone at 443-961-5366 for more information. 

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By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Political Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com

All listed events are free to the public.

D.C. Council hearing for the Direct Care Worker Amendment Act of 2023

On March 13 at 1 p.m., the Committee on Health will hold a hearing for the Direct Care Worker Amendment Act of 2023. If passed, B25-0565 would replace the home health aide and certified nursing assistant certifications for direct care workers with a universal credential. Additionally, it would get rid of barriers to certified apprenticeship programs for direct care workers and lower the age requirement to become a certified direct care worker to 16. 

Residents who would like to testify on this bill can attend via Zoom or in person at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 2000 in room 412.

Break into Tech: Arlington, Va.

Join the Northern University Khoury College of Computer Sciences’ Break into Tech event in Arlington, Va. on March 14 from 6-7:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about algorithms and their Align pathways to a Master of Science in Computer Science, Data Science, and Cybersecurity. 

Participants must hold a bachelor’s degree or be close to graduate college and must sign up at connect.northeastern.edu. The event will be held at 1300 17th St. North 1505 Arlington, Va. 22209.

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade 

On March 15 starting at noon, D.C. residents can enjoy the 44th annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade. The parade will take place along Constitution Avenue, beginning at 7th St. NW and ending at 17th St. NW.

National Cherry Blossom Festival 

Kick-off spring admiring cherry blossoms and celebrating Japanese culture from March 20 to April 14 at the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival on West Basin Drive SW. Programs include a kite festival, live performances and fireworks.

Sakura Sunday Festival 

Visit the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. on March 24 for the Sakura Sunday Festival. The Sakura Sunday Festival features a wide variety of Japanese-inspired activities including art, dance and food at no cost.

Attendees of all ages can join in on the fun from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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By Layla Eason
Special to the AFRO

D.C. Fashion Week (DCFW) came to a close with an international couture collections showcase that highlighted international design with a wide variety of styles and culture. 

The show took place in the National Housing Center’s Atrium. The room buzzed with various vendors, chatter and music as audience members talked about the upcoming show. 

In the beginning of the show, Ean Williams, the executive director and founder of DCFW, was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions of artistic significance within the district’s fashion industry and community.

“It’s an amazing experience and an amazing opportunity. I feel truly blessed and honored to have the support that I have,” said Williams. “From my volunteers, our models, our designers, our stylists, our game squad, our media– it’s really a huge honor and I don’t want to let them down. I work extremely hard to give the best for our community.”

The show’s focal point focused on the designers and their work. Throughout the duration of the show, designers showed their true identities through their collections. 

“We started D.C. Fashion Week as a 5013c nonprofit organization and our goal has been to establish Washington as a center for nation’s fashions. We’re home to over 230 countries. This is an opportunity for our local models, designers and fashion workers to get international exposure,” Williams continued.

Francesca Lazzari’s collection was one of the most enjoyed throughout the evening. She focused heavily on different natural sources including water. To Lazzari, the aspect of water always brings a “sense of peace and tranquility” to her shown in her execution of her designs. 

“I am a fashion designer of course, but I studied art and architecture in my past,” said Lazzari, an Italian fashion designer. “So the movement of the water and the feeling of that movement gave me the inspiration for my collection.”

Lazzari became a fan favorite because of how well-orchestrated her collection was. While she decided to show her identity through water, some designers showed their cultural identities throughout their collections. 

Fiati Adadevoh, a Ghanaian designer, created professional suits for men and women that were vibrant and included different African patterns and textures throughout the collection. The entire collection gave a fun and exciting twist to the European suit style that is commonly worn. 

“So we’ve been in business for some time and creating custom wear for people in terms of what would reflect their personality is something that we aspire to do, but in this collection, we wanted to show a different side of our work where we express ourselves really artistically and show how fashion forward we are within professionalism,” said Adadevoh. 

In addition to the intriguing textures, the shows left the audience with an implicit message that D.C. has been and will continue to be a staple community within fashion. The show’s success highlighted that D.C. continues to grow within the fashion industry, as D.C. Fashion Week’s supporters hope to see the district become as iconic and well-known as other fashion capitals around the world. 

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By Sabreen Dawud
Special to the AFRO

The Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association Board of Directors partnered with the Woodlawn Collaborative Project to host the virtual Woodlawn Cemetery Conference on Feb. 18.

A burial land established on May 13, 1895 in Washington, D.C., Woodlawn Cemetery is 22.5 acres of African-American history. The land consists of 36,000 burials, with almost all of them being of Black descent.

The Woodlawn Descendants Conference is aimed at uniting descendants of people who were laid to rest at the Woodlawn Cemetery. Organizers encouraged living family members to share the legacies of their loved ones. Attendees were also given opportunities to ask questions about the cemetery grounds and learn more about Woodlawn Cemetery’s history. 

Lawrence Davin, a liaison for the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services in Ward 7, shared the historical relevance of the cemetery during his introduction at the conference.

“I would pass it everyday not knowing who was laid to rest on those sacred grounds. People that I learned about in college: John Mercer Langston, who helped stand up Howard Law School, or Blanche Bruce, our first Black Senator to serve a full term,” Davin shared.

“These are the folks that our children and our community should be familiar with. These are the folks that our children should learn about and our community should learn about so we have a better idea of who we are and where we come from.”

The conference was anchored by Nicole Jordan, president of the Washington, D.C. Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, shared that the Woodlawn Collaborative Project involves 17 chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. 

The event consisted of words from several speakers, such as Lawrence Davin, Omar Eaton-Martínez, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s senior vice president for Historic Sites, and primary speaker Lisa Fager, executive director for the Black Georgetown Foundation.

Raven L. Hill, president of the Xi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, moderated the event’s question-and-answer segment. 

Fager presented a slideshow detailing the historical significance of Washington D.C.’s four historically Black cemeteries. She highlighted Woodlawn Cemetery as the largest historically Black cemetery in Washington, D.C. 

Fager noted that Woodlawn Cemetery was established after death records were implemented, allowing for records to be made on who resides in the cemetery. Many of these records are currently stored in the Howard University Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. Some of the notable figures with burials at Woodlawn Cemetery that Fager highlighted include: Clement G. Morgan, one of the NAACP’s founders, and the nephew and grandson of Martha Washington, William Custis Costin. 

The event concluded with closing words from Jordan who emphasized the passion behind the cemetery’s historical grounds.

“As you can see, there is passion that is here from those volunteers who are people working on this issue because of the commitment to the community, the commitment to our history, and this is something we should do. So when you walk away from here thinking about what can I do, it is volunteering, it’s to get the word out,” Jordan said. “The awareness that this issue is happening throughout the country and that we need to make sure that we are preserving the spaces where our history lies.”

For more information on Woodlawn Cemetery, visit their website woodlawndc.org.

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By Megan Sayles 
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com

Health LeadHer founder, Ogo Ekwueme, is hosting her annual Diaspora Women in Health Global Business Conference in partnership with Sharrarne Morton, founder of Black Door Society, Feb. 22 to Feb. 24 at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center. 

The summit is providing multicultural women with access to more than $10 million in federal contracting opportunities and will enable women to hear from government leaders about impending community health priorities. 

 “I’m not shy to say we are the only conference where every participant walks away with a contracting opportunity. Yes, we love to come together, talk and meet new people, but after most conferences you’re still what to do next,” said Ekwueme. “We’re literally setting these women up to have a successful 2024.” 

According to a 2022 report from McKinsey and Company, women occupy just 32 percent of C-suite roles in healthcare. Women of color are even less represented in the industry’s senior level positions, holding 4 percent of these roles. 

Increasing representation for multicultural women is critical to mitigating health disparities and moving toward health equity. But, women must earn enough money to thrive in the industry. 

“A lot of the women who come to our conference and engage with our program are nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, allied health professionals, public health professionals and community health workers who are in the field doing the work and know what their community needs,” said Ekwueme. “We need to bridge their understanding of the community with the dollars that are available to continue to support their communities.” 

Over the course of the three-day conference, attendees will gain strategies for obtaining government contracts, forging new business partnerships and wealth building. 

Some of the workshops will examine creating wealth as a mother, leveraging artificial intelligence to win procurement dollars and securing grants for health equity and community development projects. 

“The great thing about this conference is that women in these spaces can actually access government health contracts, establish strategic partnerships and build wealth in alignment with the government’s critical priorities for community health,” said Morton. “They can scale their businesses and not have to struggle so much.” 

Keynote speakers for the Diaspora Women in Health Global Business Conference include Tracy  Balazs; president and CEO of Compass Government Solutions; Eleager Primus, former director of strategic contracting for the Department of Veteran Affairs; and Michael Wooten, former administrator of federal procurement policy for the White House. 

Wooten said he wants women to leave the conference with an understanding that there are opportunities in public procurement all over the world, not just at the federal, state and local level. He also wants to ensure attendees know how important they are to improving health in underserved communities. 

“I want them to understand that not only can they serve the sorely deserving women who are their sisters, but they can have a profitable business doing that,” said Wooten. 

Megan Sayles is a Report For America corps member. 

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By Ashleigh Fields
AFRO Assistant Editor
afields@afro.com

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will display its first official Kwanzaa exhibit until Jan. 1, 2024. A kinara, mkeka mat and a playlist debuted at the museum on Dec. 26.

The week-long Pan-African holiday was originally founded in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga to honor seven principles of African history and heritage. 

“Kwanzaa is a Black nationalist tradition. It’s a holiday created for Black people by Black people,” said Baba Kelechi Egwim, a member of the D.C. Kwanzaa Planning Committee. 

Egwim said the holiday is significant because it is based on customs of Black people and serves as a time to “recognize our greatness.”

In addition to the exhibit featured in Heritage Hall, the museum will host a screening of “Kwanzaa and Watch Night: Visions of Freedom” on Dec. 30 for guests in person. The movie will showcase both Kwanzaa and Watch Night, a practice that started on Dec. 31, 1862, when African Americans gathered, many in secret, to ring in the new year and await news that the Emancipation Proclamation would take effect on Jan. 1, 1863.

“The African American Museum is such an important part of our city and our country and I think the ability for us to learn of other customs is an important attribute for our community,” said Michael Shankle, local representative for Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2C where the museum resides. “I think Kwanzaa has been underrecognized by other communities in the past and I’m glad the museum is making efforts to help residents learn about the celebration.”

Despite the NMAAHC’s historical effort to highlight the holiday, many local residents still feel it’s not being appropriately recognized. The “Kwanzaa Now Campaign” has been advocating for a more in depth and educational approach.

“We searched for Kwanzaa in the museum in Oct. 2018 and discovered the word ‘Kwanzaa’ was mentioned only once in the museum history collection; the reference was not about the holiday practice, but about its founder,” read a statement on their website. “We later discovered no Kwanzaa events of any kind had been held by the museum…we found one children’s Kwanzaa book in the gift shop, a Kwanzaa pin in their digital database and a small pre-Kwanzaa children program was held Dec. 7, 2019.”

Multiple members of the D.C. Kwanzaa Planning Committee joined the campaign to help advocate for more awareness about the holiday.

Egwim, who is also a member of the Kwanzaa Now Campaign, said he believes the Smithsonian could have done more outreach and consultation to ensure the museum featured a Kwanzaa exhibit in line with community requests.

“We weren’t able to get them to agree to us playing more of a hands-on role,” said Egwim, who believes the inclusion of organizations that annually celebrate Kwanzaa could ensure a Smithsonian exhibit aligned with “the community of folks who created Kwanzaa– as opposed to the universalized version of Kwanzaa.” 

“Kwanzaa is not a time to compromise ourselves, it’s a time to empower ourselves, a time to reflect and time to embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism,” said Egwim. “A celebration among the whole Black population is bigger than anything a corporation or the Smithsonian may have a concept of. Since its creation, it has returned to its origin and become full circle.”

The AFRO reached out to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for a comment but did not receive an immediate response ahead of the time of print.

“People from all around the world come and visit the museum and they should see all aspects of our culture,” said D.C. Kwanzaa Planning Committee founding member Baba Imamu Kuumba-baucum.

Alternatively, the D.C. Kwanzaa Planning Committee organized in 1977, hosts community events yearly surrounding the holiday and has for the past four decades virtually and in-person. Each night, the committee will present free events that focus on the seven principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith). The group says that these tenets should not just be practiced for the week but 365 days of the year.

“The essence of Kwanzaa is  the true appreciation of ourselves as Black people, collectively coming together to reflect on and enjoy the infinite beauty of being in the same family, organization and community,” said Baba Rasafik Weusi. “We share the same values, interests, aspirations and engage in committing to the same struggle.”

Every year, the D.C. Kwanzaa Planning Committee joins forces to create an overarching theme for the week. 

“This year’s theme is “Stronger Together” and at our Dec. 26 celebration will be discussing the importance of that concept of being stronger in unity and uniformity,” said Kuumba-baucum. “The principle of the day is unity and the family community and the nation and the race and we will be discussing ways and means of how we can maintain family and community in these dire times that we are living in.”

He believes that Kwanzaa deserves to be recognized on a global scale. A detailed list of  their events can be found at KwanzaaDC.org.

The D.C. Kwanzaa Planning Committee is committed to promoting the holiday for years to come with hopes of a future partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Egwim said the goal of his organization is to help people “get it right” when it comes to Kwanzaa. While he said he is “always willing to be a part of that process,” his coalition can only do so much if their ideas and help are not accepted when offered.

“It’s the only holiday that I’m aware of that exists for Black by Black people to celebrate Blackness,” said Egwim. “This is us celebrating us for seven days, more specifically us celebrating the best of us– not us celebrating individuals– but principles that represent the best of our people.”

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By  Deborah Bailey
AFRO Contributing Editor 
dbailey@afro.com

The laughter and fellowship ebbing through a Washington, D.C. hotel ballroom on an afternoon in November conveyed the pleasure expressed by several hundred upscale Black women executives exchanging personal and professional stories, plans and dreams.  

These are Black women who have sacrificed to make it among the leadership ranks in U.S. politics, education, entertainment  and corporate institutions. 

That’s just who Stephanie Tavares-Rance wanted to attract for a three-hour gathering orchestrated in the lavish Black-woman owned hotel overlooking the D.C. waterfront sponsored by Meta.  Rance has designed an experience to support Black women executives who have done well in their organizations. 

 The C-Suite Luncheon series provides a safe setting allowing these women to close the door, take off their heels and authentically connect.  No superficial facades allowed.  

“What we all have in common is that we’re women, and we’re Black and we all have to find a way to navigate,” said Rance, founder of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. She spoke to the audience of some 300 women about success in all aspects of life.  

The Black women attending the Washington, D.C. C-Suite luncheon included  top level names from the White House, financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase,  entertainment giants at Disney, CNN and top administrators at Howard University in addition to other major universities.  

“The difference in this gathering is that many of us hold the bag. We’re the persons at our companies who are responsible for making things happen so we don’t have time to be pretentious,” said one participant. 

The theme for the D.C. C-Suite luncheon was alignment. 

Washington Post writer, Helena Andrews-Dyer, moderated a discussion that explored this theme with a panel that included Alexis McGill Johnson, C.E.O. of Planned Parenthood, Michelle Rice, president of TV-One and Cleo TV, Rahquel Purcell, a senior official at L’Oréal-North America and Michelle Mitchell, top content creator for We The Culture. 

“Are you connected and satisfied in your personal life; in your professional life?  Are you walking in your purpose and passion? Alignment is a moving target. That sounds counterintuitive, but it’s very real,” Purcell noted. 

McGill-Johnson, whose organization, Planned Parenthood, is in the midst of creating options for women in the wake of the U.S.  Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling overturning  the court’s ruling on abortion, added, “When I am truly aligned, I have full access to my power. It allows me to be authentic, unapologetic and unafraid.”  

Panelists continued the discussion with their own thoughts and experiences on the meaning of alignment.

“I think about harmony, finding that North Star.  For me, it’s spiritual and mental well being. It’s physical, take care of the body. But we need to talk about the social aspects as well. We’re always trying to learn as we get to that North Star,” Rice said. 

Others agreed their definition was along the same lines.

“I think when people are in balance across all the quadrants in their lives. Alignment is when you have enough oxygen for all the areas in your life,” Mitchell said.

The C-Suite Luncheon series is a movement geared to support Black and Brown women at top levels in U.S. public and private organizations, along with entrepreneurs and creatives.  The series of events, held in several locations since the inaugural C-Suite luncheon at the 2021 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film  Festival,  targets women of color who find themselves at the crossroads of leadership across a range of disciplines and offers guidance, inspiration and one of a kind experiences.   

“I believe in spoiling Black women,” Rance said, explaining that she became involved in such top-shelf gatherings when she successfully  organized the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival.  Rance “spoiled” the D.C. gathering by treating participants to an advanced screening of the 2023 musical drama, The Color Purple, produced by Steven Spielbrg and Quincy Jones. Similar gatherings have been held in Los Angeles, Denver and Atlanta. 

In 2024, Rance said she plans to broaden the concept of bringing successful women of color together into a three-day C-Suite summit in Denver for, “Black and Brown women who personify success, lead with integrity and find meaning in community and strong relationships.” 

“Stephanie is bringing us together to connect, support, remember,” said Gracie Lawson-Borders, dean of the Cathy Hughes School of Communication at Howard University. “This gathering has a different taste to it,” Lawson-Borders said about the unassuming ambiance of the event. “These are just phenomenal women from so many different backgrounds. These women too,  need support, friendship and a place to connect.”

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By Helen Bezuneh
Special to the AFRO
hbezuneh@afro.com

GoGo Symphony, a musical group that celebrates go-go music in the genre’s birthplace of D.C., is hosting “T’was the Night,” a classical jazz holiday show at 8:00 p.m. on Dec. 22. The Union Stage performance will combine the sounds of classical symphony music and Go-go music, but this time with a holiday twist.

“We’re going to  have some Christmas songs, a lot of fun and partying,” said Liza Figueroa Kravinsky, founder and composer of GoGo Symphony from Arlington, Va. “It’s a kid-friendly event. Just expect a lot of go-go beats and a lot of strings and flutes and horns on top of that. We have Dee Dee as the MC and there’s going to be a lot of call and response with the crowd.”

“I composed most of the original music and arranged one of the Christmas songs,” she added. “I’ll be playing the violin and maybe shaking some jingle bells here and there, dancing around the stage.”

In the words of the group’s website, GoGo Symphony has been performing “symphonies you can dance to” since 2012, when Kravinsky founded the group. 

“I was raised on classical music,” Kravinsky told the AFRO. “But then I started playing in go-go bands, and you know how go-go puts anything over the go-go beat and makes it go-go. That’s what I did with classical music.”

The GoGo Symphony has been working hard in preparation for the holiday show, ensuring attendees will enjoy the lively performances.

“We’ve been rehearsing since September,” said Kravinsky. “We had to write some special arrangements of Christmas music in the GoGo Symphony format. We have new costumes, we have some decorations, we’re just trying to make it as festive as possible.”

William “Juju” House, principal drummer of GoGo Symphony from D.C., will perform a couple of songs with the symphony at the concert. The show will also feature a spotlight on House, who has toured with numerous renowned musicians such as Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Salt n’ Pepa and Luther Vandross.

“It’s going to be a really, really great show,” House told the AFRO. “I’m coming in doing a couple of Christmas songs performed by Chuck Brown.”

“The first part of the show that I’m going to be doing with Dee Dee, it’s going to be a Christmas jazz set, like the Erykah Badu type,” he added. “It’s truly going to be really nice, it’s going to be different, totally different than what you normally see from a symphony.”

Eucrita D. Willis, who goes by Ms. Cxree or Dee Dee, is the creative artistic director and manager of GoGo Symphony. Willis, a performing arts teacher from Newport News, Va., sings and dances with the symphony. She has toured with major artists, some of which include Shirley Murdock, Nephew Tommy, Damion Hall and David Peaston.

“We always like to have fun at GoGo Symphony shows. It’s an educational platform for youth, for families, from young to old, where they can actually hear some classical music that is intertwined with the D.C. sound of go-go and experience a whole collaboration of different genres.” Willis told the AFRO. “We’re doing some of our throwback music that we’ve had for some time with a little mixture of our new Christmas songs that were written and produced by our conductor.”

“We’ve done shows around the holidays for other venues and other people, but this is our first official holiday show,” she added. “Come prepared to have a good time and listen to some of the traditional, classical that we, even myself, grew up on as kids.”

The holiday show will also feature a raffle prize. Tickets for the show can be found on unionstage.com, the link for which is on gogosymphony.com.

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By Ashleigh Fields
AFRO Assistant Editor
afields@afro.com

Veteran communication professionals imparted wisdom on reporters young and old at the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) Scholarship Gala on Dec. 2. A deserving group of seven individuals were honored for their strides toward inclusivity and equality in news gathering for members of the media across the nation. 

“ Each of you has been granted both the privilege and the opportunity to make a difference, to help forge new paths, to be more open at and around the table; to make your own footprints and to leave a few for someone else to follow,” said lifetime achievement awardee Pat Lawson, of NBC4 Washington. 

Lawson, a graduate of Howard University, wisely quoted the words of Booker T. Washington, saying that “Success always leaves footprints.”

The trailblazing honorees each rose to the podium, sharing similar sentiments and their own testimonies as it relates to opening more doors for the Black press. Erica Loewe, special advisor to President Joe Biden, earned the Excellence in Communications Award. She spoke of her consequential journey from Jan. 6 in the nation’s capital to serving as the former director of African American Media for the 46th president of the United States. 

Loewe shared what it was like to work for U.S. Rep. Jim  E. Clyburn (D-SC-6) during peak pandemonium as emboldened citizens tried to overturn the government.

“I often think to myself how incredible it was to be working for the highest ranking Black man in Congress at the time– a man who has dedicated his life to civil rights– as I pushed a table against the office door to keep out hate fueled insurrectionists,” said Loewe.

Loewe said that her work is not done and welcomed Gerren Gaynor of the Grio as her guest to the event, hoping to show that more collaboration is needed by members of the Black Press.

“I’m trying to do that by seeking out conversations with a more diverse array of people who viewers won’t see or hear from anywhere else,” said Kristen Welker, a shining example of what can occur when Black journalists are given the opportunity to moderate and mold thought provoking discussions on a nationally syndicated show. 

Welker, the first Black host of NBC’s Meet the Press and second female anchor was named Journalist of the Year for her groundbreaking work. Welker was recognized and applauded by National Association of Black Journalists co-founders Sam Ford, Allison Davis and Joe Davidson who were in attendance. 

Over 300 journalism patrons gathered inside of the Blackburn Ballroom on the campus of Howard University for the event, looking to celebrate Black journalists and raise funds to encourage diverse talent in newsrooms across the country. DC News Now’s Anna-Lysa Gayle and WUSA9’s Lorenzo Hall served as emcees.

Ticket purchases benefitted the Urban Journalism Workshop, where numerous attendees got their start in the media industry. Hall is an alumnus of WABJ’s annual Urban Journalism Workshop for DC area high school students, which is now in its 37th year. 

The community fueled program has been steadily poured into by Washington Informer Publisher, Denise Rolark Barnes for which she was bestowed the prestigious President’s Award.

“The WABJ Executive Board appreciates Ms. Rolark Barnes’ contributions and her unwavering dedication to journalistic excellence and advocacy for the D.C. Black community,” said WABJ president Khorri Atkinson.

The night ended with two students being presented the inaugural Paul Brock Journalism Scholarship and the WABJ Investigative Journalism Scholarship, in addition to a large pledge to help continue the organization’s efforts.  W. Imara Canady, national director of community engagement and communications at AIDS Healthcare Foundation, committed $7,000 to support WABJ scholarships and the UJW program.

Additional honorees included Legacy Award winner, Sonya Ross, and Phil Lewis, who earned the “Young Journalist of Excellence Award.” The Dorothy Butler Gilliam Trailblazer Award was earned by Krissah Thompson and Street Sense Media won the Dr. Sheila Brooks Community Impact Award.

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By Ericka Alston Buck
Special to the AFRO

The world of music was hit with a devastating blow when the news of Aaron Spears’ passing reverberated across social media. Spears, a highly accomplished and respected drummer, known for his exceptional talents and contributions to the music industry, left an indelible mark during his impressive career. The 47-year-old had drummed for some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Ariana Grande, Usher and Justin Bieber. 

As the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia) drumming community grappled with the loss of this extraordinary artist, they reflected on the highlights of his career and the impact he had on fellow drummers in the region.

Spears had an illustrious career that spanned several decades. His influence in the music industry was felt not only through his impressive performances but also through his ability to push the boundaries of what was possible on the drum kit. Spears’ career began at an early age, and he continued to hone his craft, leading to his successful journey as a sought-after drummer for top-tier artists.

The world learned of his untimely passing through a heartfelt message posted on his personal Instagram page by his wife, Jesica Spears. In her message, she expressed the profound sadness that enveloped their family and the music community.

“It is with a heavy heart and overwhelming sadness that I share the news of the passing of my beloved husband, Aaron Spears,” she wrote. “Aaron was not only an incredibly accomplished drummer, admired by many for his unparalleled talent and passion for music; but he was also a devoted father to our precious son, August. His love, guidance, and warmth were the pillars of our family, and his absence leaves a void that words cannot describe.”

Jesica Spears’ message continued, shedding light on the profound impact Aaron had on the world through his music and personal connections: “We were blessed to have him in our lives, and his legacy will live on through the beautiful rhythms he created and the love he shared with us. We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Please remember Aaron for the incredible person he was and the amazing music he brought into our world. At this time, we ask for privacy as we work our way through this.”

The news of Aaron Spears’ passing resonated deeply with the DMV drumming community, including drummers who had been influenced and inspired by his incredible talent. Marvin A. Miller Jr., a well-respected and versatile drummer with both local and national experience, who had been inspired by Aaron Spears from a young age, spoke fondly of the drumming giant.

“Aaron Spears was a giant influence on me as a teen figuring out how to play drums on a professional level,” Miller said. “I’d hear stories about ‘the basement’ where drummers near and far would come, share ideas musically, and fellowship all the time. After hearing him play on the Gideon Band album, I was dumbstruck. I had no idea a drummer could make drums produce sounds like Aaron did.”

Miller’s reflection on Aaron Spears’ career trajectory also highlighted the impact of his accomplishments on aspiring drummers. “Watching his career trajectory from afar gave me and all of my fellow musicians hope that if we did the work, we’d have our time to shine,” he said.

The loss of Aaron Spears is indeed devastating, but his influence and legacy will continue to inspire generations of drummers. Miller referred to Spears as a “unicorn of a human being,” emphasizing that Aaron was not only an incredible musician but also an exceptional person. “Aaron was amazing, and I don’t think you’ll hear a bad story about him ever,” Miller concluded.

Another prominent drummer from the DMV region Donte Brooks echoed the sentiments shared by Miller. Brooks emphasized the immense impact that Aaron Spears had, not only as a drummer but as an all-around great person. “Aaron Spears was an all-around great person. The best drummer in the world, he was an inspiration on and off his instrument,” Brooks said.

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By Ariyana Griffin 

WASHINGTON D.C.- Thousands of Howard alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and supporters filled the streets and Howard’s campus this weekend, showing their HBCU pride as they prepared to close out their Homecoming festivities. 

Every year, Homecoming welcomes alumni back with welcome arms, and it becomes something to look forward to. “I have a lot of friends and great memories here. I met my wife here, so we try to do this annually, come out and rehash where we first met. We turn it into a date night,” said Larry Flagg, class of ’80.

With similar sentiments, Shayna Yvonne Rudd, Miss Howard University 2005-2006, explained that it’s a tradition she tries to withhold every year. “We come out every year. It’s a form of self-care for me. We do a lot in our work life. Howard raised us up to be great, so most of us work very hard,” she said. “When we come back home, it’s to fill up our tank to be reminded of who we are, to connect with our brothers and sisters here. So, I don’t miss Homecoming.” 

For many first-year students, it was their first time exposed to Homecoming HBCU culture, and they were not sure what to expect. “Well, I didn’t know what Homecoming was when I first got here. I thought Homecoming was like prom, but everybody was like, ‘Oh, it’s like a big event.’” said Anthony Vaughn Jr., a freshman finance major. 

It was completely different from what I expected, and it was pretty cool meeting up with many alumni and the events. So far, it has been 10 out of 10.” He said.  

This year’s theme for Homecoming is Revival; according to the university, it “signifies the time to recapture the enthusiasm of the past, rekindle our flames of school pride and reconnect with the stories and memories that make Howard special.” On Oct. 14, The Mecca kicked off Homecoming with a day of service and concluded on with a chapel service on the 22nd. 

Aware of the tragic events that occurred this year at Morgan State University and Bowie State during Homecoming season, Howard’s public safety department made it clear that safety was their number one priority for visitors, students and the larger community. The university expressed that safety is a shared commitment and that they have a strong proactive safety plan due to several forged relationships with law enforcement. 

Deyla Davis, a freshman journalism major, expressed that she felt safe at Homecoming overall. “I feel like Howard has been making it their mission to protect their students,” she said. “Obviously, there’s always going to be a threat somewhere. I think there were a couple of threats, but personally, I wasn’t around them. So I feel safe around here. There’s a lot of people out here, a lot of alumni, a lot of adults, so I’m fine, and I hope everybody else is fine.”

Dark reds, indigo blue, and grays flooded the campus and stadium as people showed pride wearing Howard’s colors and paraphernalia. The Yard was packed with D-9 organizations, families and music. The Howard University Bisons football team competed against Norfolk State’s Spartans and took home the win. The score was 27-23. 

The post Howard’s Homecoming is “self-care” for many alumni appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By DaQuan Lawrence,
AFRO International Writer,
DLawrence@afro.com

The greater Washington, D.C. region is known for an abundance of quality restaurants that offer customers a variety of food options and experiences. The following list includes some of the top Black restaurants in the DMV. 

In addition to having a historically significant Black population that has contributed to the arts, culture, civil society, and business and political affairs, the African diaspora in the D.C. area is known for its broad variety of cuisine. 

The AFRO spoke with some of the newer establishments, including restaurants, caterers and food trucks that serve some of the best vegan, African, Caribbean and soul food. Please make sure you check out the businesses below, and let the AFRO know what you think!

Soul Food 

Fourk’d Catering and Eatery

• Type of Cuisine:  Soul food
• Location: 7097 Allentown Rd, Camp Springs, MD 

Fourk’d is considered a labor of love by its founders, Dashawn Anderson, Eshe Frett, and Derrick Grimes. The trio initially met at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and collaborated for a catering company. Over the last decade, the business has grown to include a physical location that is centered on engagement with community members. 

“Fourk’d Catering began as Impressions Catering in 2010. We rebranded as Fourk’d Catering in 2015 and opened our first brick and mortar location in March 2022,” Frett told the AFRO. 

Since moving to their current location, Fourk’d has established great community engagement and seeks to build relationships with its customers and the community they serve.  The new restaurant boasts a variety of soulfully inspired dishes that are bound to leave customers satisfied and seeking more. Fourk’d menu consists of foods that are derived from the founder’s cooking style, which can be described as “New Southern” or “Tradition with an Edge”.

In the future Fourk’d plans to open another carry-out style location or a sit-down restaurant in the DMV area. 

“We live and work in the DMV and that’s where we want our business roots to remain. We pride ourselves on bringing quality food made with love and service that matches our local community,” Frett said. 

Stop Smack’N

• Type of Cuisine:  Southern inspired soul food
• Location: 1839 7th St NW, Washington, D.C. 

Known as the place in Ward 1 where food meets fashion, Stop Smack’N is a contemporary haven located a few blocks from Howard University, which brings a new ambiance to the District and serves exquisite Southern and Louisiana inspired cuisine. The venue offers various dining area – a dining room, a vault room with a DJ booth, and bar – for customers to choose their preferred experience.  

Founded during the summer of 2021, owner DeAndre Green named the venue after a saying his mother usually told him during his youth, to avoid eating food or smacking loudly. The restaurant also doubles as a lounge which hosts events, and offers a diverse and unique menu, as well as hookah and bottle service. 

Victory Restaurant and Lounge

• Type of Cuisine:  Comfort food and soul food
• Location: 2005 14th St NW, Washington, D.C.

Founded by Washington native Ricardo Young, who was raised in Northwest D.C., Victory Restaurant and Lounge was born out of an idea to create a space where people could enjoy  five star meals in a relaxing, welcoming environment.  

Victory’s menu consists of several comfort and soul foods that leave customers wanting more. The restaurant also includes indoor and outdoor seating that includes large booths, which are ideal for sharing meals with friends and family.  

A decorated businessman, Young created the concept in Miami, with the first Victory Restaurant & Lounge before bringing the restaurant to his hometown in 2021, and just opened the third location in Atlanta. 

Food Trucks

Southern Taste

• Type of Cuisine:  Soul food truck and caterer
• Location: ServingWoodbridge, VA 

With an eclectic team of chefs with over 20 years’ experience in the food industry, Southern Taste is a food truck and catering company dedicated to bringing their spirit of Southern hospitality to events across the DMV area. 

A woman and minority owned business, the company is dedicated to providing memorable experiences and serving comfort food classics.

Southern Taste’s menu includes a variety of cookout favorites with a sprinkle of soul foods and desserts. Over the years, the company has served thousands of satisfied customers via their unique combination of catering, custom menus, and both indoor and outdoor events. 

 K&M Food Truck and Catering

• Type of Cuisine:  Soul / Jamaican food truck
• Location: Serving D.C., Maryland and Virginia 

This unique food truck and catering company serves a combination of soul foods and Jamaican foods that are known to leave customers wanting more. The food truck’s menu includes pork chops, fried chicken, baked and grilled salmon, as well as curry chicken. K&M was created in early 2023 by Keanna Gardner in honor of her mother, Margaret Gardner, the long-time owner of Margaret’s Catering who passed in Nov. 2022 from cancer. 

For over 20 years, Margaret’s Catering and Food Truck served delicious soul food throughout the DMV, and K&M Food Truck continues this legacy of using only the freshest quality ingredients and recipes passed down over generations. Each dish is made using traditional preparation methods and imported spices and seasonings that provide authentic flavor. 

From savory fried fish and oxtail to grits, collard greens, hush puppies and fried chicken, K&M Food Tuck and Catering offers an abundance of ways to for customers to satisfy their hunger. 

Vegan Food

Gangster Vegan

• Type of Cuisine: Plant based gluten free, soy free vegan food
• Location:  6202 Rhode Island Ave Suite 105, Riverdale Park, MD 

Flavorful meals find their home at Gangster Vegan with a colorful variety of fresh food featured on every dish. Customers can find anything from cold-pressed juices to burgers reimagined. Gangster Vegan was originally founded by Vincent “Vinny Vegan” DePaul in Norristown, Pennsylvania. But the husband and wife duo of James and Taneea Yarborough loved it so much that they decided to open a franchise in the DMV. 

Nu Vegan Cafe

• Type of Cuisine:  Vegan soul food 
• Locations: Georgia Ave, Howard University, College Park, Baltimore, Richmond and Woodbridge, VA

Nu Vegan Café is DMV-based restaurant, community, and health movement with six locations. Founded by Vernon Woodland in 2009, who later started the food truck in 2013,

Nu Vegan is a “community” that establishes strong relationships with customers and the DMV community through its healthy menu and several health-related initiatives. 

Their menu includes sandwiches, smoothies, vegan crab cakes and vegan mac & cheese, as well as an array of salads and other entrees. Nu Vegan also offers vegan eBooks, online recipe and cooking tutorials, professional experts such as nutritionists and chefs, and youth education initiatives that seek to empower young people to become changemakers and live healthy lifestyles. 

Turning Natural

• Type of Cuisine: Juice shop
• Locations: Anacostia, Capitol Heights, Shaw, Takoma, Eastern Market and District Heights

Turning Natural is dedicated to bringing better food options to historically underserved communities in the District. A Black woman-  owned business, Turning Natural was founded by Jerri Evans, after the passing of her mother due to cancer. 

Turning Naturals shops offer a variety of food options along with the drinks such as salads, soups, pastries, and other vegan and vegetarian options. The chain also celebrates Black culture and features drink names such as Green Latifah and Swizz Beat, “Mikale Jackson”, “J Coal”, and “Nipsey Blue.” 

Originally from Southeast D.C., Evans quit her job at Lockheed Martin in Atlanta after receiving word of her mother’s transition because she was motivated to inspire others to live healthy in honor of her mother’s legacy. She launched Turning Natural out of her kitchen with a recently purchased juicer and $300. 

Through its six locations in the DMV, Turning Natural is successfully feeding and empowering communities to lead healthy lifestyles. 

Afro-Caribbean

KenZo Island Bites

• Type of Cuisine: Jamaican cuisine with an American flare
• Location: Serving Rockville, Md.

KenZo Island Bites offers the ultimate experiences to guests in the area. Their full fledged menu provides a cocktail, brunch and dinner experience that includes special handmade sauces and Jerk seasonings. Though KenZo was established in 2019, they have grown a large audience of fans throughout the three states of D.C., Maryland and Virginia. They only provide pick up, delivery or on site catering services but ship their sauces nationwide.

FishScale

• Type of Cuisine:  Soulful seafood with Caribbean, Asian and local flare
• Location: Ward 1, Shaw-Howard community 

Located on Florida Ave. near the historic Howard Theatre and Go-Go haven on the corner of Florida Ave and 7th St., FishScale restaurant was a RAMMY finalist for the 2023 Hottest Sandwich Spot. The venue is a destination spot for casually prepared, wild-caught sustainable seafood. Founded by culinary artist and chef Henry Brandon Williams after being inspired by his mother’s pescatarian lifestyle, FishScale serves healthy foods without compromising taste.

“The entire FishScale menu is comprised of Chef-crafted signature dishes which are seasonally inspired,” Kristal Williams, Director of Operations for FishScale told The Afro. “The premise of FishScale’s 4.5-star ratings on EatOkra and Yelp prove our mission is accomplished deliciously,” she continued.  

FishScale made its debut in 2014 as a vendor at the White House Farmer’s Market and was established as brick and mortar restaurant in 2017. The site is dedicated to healthy foods, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, continued to promote and serve healthy cuisine for community members and customers. 

“We know eating fish has several health benefits FishScale offers pan-seared or fried preparation. Our commitment to using 100% avocado oil helps to not cancel out the cardiovascular benefits fish offers” said Williams. 

Spice Kitchen Grill

• Type of Cuisine:  African cuisine; West African food
• Location: 3809 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood, MD 

Spice Kitchen Grill is a unique restaurant and food truck combination that seeks to establish positive racial and cultural connections by celebrating the beauty in Black people through West African street food. Olumide Shokunbi is the founder of Spice Kitchen Grill who spoke with The Afro about the early days of the restaurant and the vision for the future. 

“I started Spice Kitchen in 2020 because I wanted to utilize my experience in the fast-casual food industry and my Nigerian culture to create a concept that I didn’t see in the world at the time” said Shokunbi. 

Before founding Spice Kitchen, Shokunbi ran a fast-casual restaurant for a national chain prior to graduating from college in 2020. Later, he started Spice Kitchen Grill to merge his personal and professional experiences. 

With the goal of bringing a greater variety of African cuisine to the DMV, Shokunbi mentioned plans of expansion in the future. 

“The main goal for Spice Kitchen Grill is to provide more access to African food, and to change the way people think about African foods” he said. “We want to surely grow into a nationwide brand” Shokunbi concluded. 

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By Megan Sayles,
AFRO Business Writer,
msayles@afro.com

When Prince George’s County native Olumide Shokunbi noticed there was an opportunity in the fast-casual restaurant space for African food, he quickly acquired an LLC for Spice Kitchen West African Grill. Shokunbi’s plan worked like a charm, and soon, he was well on his way to opening a Nigerian fusion eatery. 

He promised himself he would begin operations in 2020, still unsure if he wanted to run a food truck or brick-and-mortar restaurant. Then a global pandemic hit. 

Shokunbi’s dream of a restaurant, bustling with customers as chefs worked their magic in the kitchen, crumbled as the coronavirus spread throughout the D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area.

“I had to pivot. The concept of a ‘ghost kitchen’ became more prevalent around that time, so I started doing more research,” said Shokunbi.

“Ghost kitchens,” also known as “cloud kitchens,” work out of third-party commercial spaces and serve food solely by delivery. They do not have a dine-in space. 

“I decided to completely pivot to the ghost kitchen route because it made complete sense. I didn’t have to be worried about driving a food truck around,” said Skokunbi, who hopes Spice Kitchen West African Grill will become the Chipotle of West African Food. 

Shokunbi first secured a space for his ghost kitchen in Mess Hall, a culinary incubator space in D.C., in 2020. The first-generation Nigerian-American, devised the concept for Spice Kitchen West African Grill because he wanted to change the way people thought about African food. He wanted the dishes to be approachable and familiar, but full of traditional West African spice. 

After a year, he moved to miXt Food Hall in Prince George’s County. His meals feature typical proteins, like shrimp, steak, chicken and salmon, but they are also seasoned with suya spice, or yaji. His spiced wings, which get tossed in honey and suya spice, are a customer favorite. 

Since the pandemic forced people to shelter in place, Shokunbi figured the concept could work– so long as he leveraged social media to spread the word. 

“Good companies were using a lot of TikTok and Instagram. Social media [became] the driving force for all businesses that were going to thrive during the pandemic,” said Shokunbi. “I got on it, and we’ve just been pushing and trying to deliver great food and great service.” 

Though social media could spread the word about his business, it couldn’t help with the supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Supply chain issues were a really big problem for us. Being such a small business trying to enter the world of U.S. Foods and Sysco, you’re not meeting the [minimum] amount of cases and boxes,” said Shokunbi. “You couldn’t rely on Restaurant Depot because they might not have what you need.” 

Prices were raised and extra fees had to be added to offset the high cost of food. 

“It wasn’t what I wanted to do for the customer, but it just came to the point where we wouldn’t make money unless we did that,” said Shokunbi. And he wasn’t alone.

LaWann Stribling, the baker behind Strib’ble Treats Homemade Sweets, fared well at the onset of the viral pandemic. But her luck didn’t last long. Eventually she says she had to raise her prices to cope with the pandemic and save her business. 

The Northwest D.C. native sells scratch-made desserts, including cookies, brownies, cakes, cocoa bombs, cupcakes and pies. Stribbling works out of her home and at area farmers markets. The bakery is run under her company Stribble District, which was established in 2019. 

“I panicked at first a little bit because I had to shut down, but when they allowed people to do curbside pick-up and delivery, I realized I qualified for that and made it happen,” said Stribling. “I just began advertising, and that year I actually did really well. I think it was because people were home, and they had access to money.” 

In 2021 and into 2022, Stribling began to struggle with the high costs of goods and a slowdown of business. Nearly all of the basics needed for baking spiked in price, aside from flour.

“I shop at Sam’s Club, and I get a four-pack of butter. That went from $10 to $14. Because I use organic, cage-free eggs, a 24-pack was $10 and before it was like $5,” said Stribling. “I did temporarily raise my prices on cookies from $5 a cookie to $6 a cookie because I needed to make a profit.” 

Today, Stribling says she’s seen prices come down on a lot of the items she uses day-to-day. In the midst of the pandemic, she was also able to win a $5,000 small business grant from the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, which helped her to keep the bakery running.

However, Stribling said there needs to be more opportunities for small business funding outside of loans for minority entrepreneurs to thrive.

“We need funding available for small businesses– especially for people who are coming from the background of chattel slavery,” said Stribling. “It shouldn’t be this difficult to grow your business without asking for a loan. People don’t want to be in debt.” 

Megan Sayles is a Report for America Corps member.

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By Megan Sayles,
AFRO Business Writer,
msayles@afro.com

The D.C. Small Business Development Center (DCSBDC) will host a Meet the Bankers event on May 10 at the Howard University School of Business. The event will start at 10:00 a.m. in the school’s auditorium. 

More than 15 bankers will attend the event to talk to entrepreneurs about qualifying for business loans. They will also help entrepreneurs navigate the loan application process. 

“They’re going to be talking about how to qualify for lending so you can get that loan that your business needs,” said  Carl Brown, executive state director of DCSBDC. “They’re going to tell you exactly how to do it, and my counselors will be there to help you put the application together.” 

DCSBDC helps District residents start, grow, maintain and finance small businesses. It provides one-on-one consulting, training and resources to entrepreneurs and offers workshops on various business issues, like cybersecurity, accessing capital and procurement contracts. 

According to Brown, it’s critical for entrepreneurs to have a strong relationship with their business banker in order to successfully grow and maintain their businesses. 

He also urged business owners to refrain from commingling their personal and business funds. Instead, they should always keep their company bank account separate from their household bank account. 

If entrepreneurs learn one thing from DCSBDC’s Meet the Bankers event, Brown hopes that it’s to build their personal credit scores, especially if they are operating a new business. 

“When you are a new business, your personal credit score is what they look at,” said Brown. “After you establish yourself, your personal credit will not be much of a factor in whether or not you’re going to qualify for loans, but that’s after you’ve been in business for 10 years or longer.” 

Megan Sayles is a Report for America Corps member. 

The post D.C. Small Business Development Center to host ‘Meet the Bankers’ event appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ashleigh Fields,
AFRO Assistant Editor

Due to the recent rise in juvenile violent crime, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has pushed for more free recreational activities for teens and youth in the District. As a result, The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) centers are offering music classes, volleyball clinics and video gaming over the course of the week amid spring break. Activities with dates, time and locations can be found listed below.

Esports Open Play

Youth are invited to join DPR for a day of video games and fun at its new eGaming lounges. Snacks will be provided.

Raymond Recreation Center, 3725 10th Street NW

• Tuesday, April 18
• 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Deanwood Community Center, 1350 49th Street NE

• Wednesday, April 19
• 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue NE

• Thursday, April 20
• 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

DPR Community Events

Roving Leaders’ Pump It Up Palace

What: All ages are invited to enjoy a pop-up amusement park with inflatables, life-size board games, and more.
When: Tuesday, April 18 – Friday, April 21, 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Kennedy Recreation Center, 1401 7th Street NW

Crank Music Program Open House

What:  Music workshops and recording sessions to introduce teens to DPR’s groundbreaking Go-Go music program that gives high schoolers hands-on musical experience.
When: Wednesday, April 19 – Friday, April 21, 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street NW

Citywide Girls Volleyball Clinic

What: Girls ages 9 -14 are invited to a Citywide Girls Volleyball Clinic hosted with Athletes Unlimited. Participants will learn basic volleyball skills.
When: Wednesday, April 19, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Kenilworth Recreation Center, 4321 Ord Street NE

Roving Leaders’ Spring Fling at Rosedale Rec Center

What: Community members are invited to gather and enjoy a day of music, food and     games.
When: Wednesday, April 19, 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Rosedale Recreation Center, 1701 Gales Street NE

Spring Fling at New York Ave

What: Community members will come and enjoy a day of food, games, and giveaways in the field.
When: Wednesday, April 19, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: New York Avenue Playground, 100 N Street NW

Maury Wills Baseball and Softball Tournament

What: The District will host a tournament for high school baseball and softball teams.
When: Thursday, April 20, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Banneker Recreation Center, 2500 Georgia Avenue NW

Roving Leaders’ Community Skate

What: Open skate pop-up for youth. Skates, helmets, and refreshments will be provided.
When: Thursday, April 20, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Emmanuel Baptist Church, 2409 Ainger Place SE

Lacrosse Youth Clinic

What: DPR will host a Lacrosse Youth Clinic in conjunction with Winners Lacrosse. This is a great opportunity to engage youth through the National Professional Sports Initiative.
When: Friday, April 21, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Ages 5-8); 3:00p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Ages 9-14)
Where: Barry Farm Recreation Center, 1230 Sumner Road SE

Takoma Easter Egg Block Party

What: A celebration and egg hunt for District youth.
When: Friday, April 21, 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Takoma Community Center, 300 Van Buren Street NW

Roving Leader Spring Fling Dive at Ferebee Hope

What: Come dive for Easter eggs with the Roving Leaders and enjoy prizes, fun games, and more.
When: Saturday, April 22, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Where: Ferebee Hope Recreation Center, 700 Yuma Street SE

Teen Open Gym at DPR Recreation Centers

Gyms will be open next week at the following DPR recreation centers: Arthur Capper, Brentwood, Edgewood, Fort Davis, Fort Stanton, Glover Park, Hillcrest, Joe Cole, Lamond, North Michigan Park, Raymond, Ridge Road, Riggs-LaSalle, Sherwood, Trinidad, Turkey Thicket and Woody Ward.

DPR Aquatics Spring Break Water Activities and Classes

Marie Reed Aquatic Center Spring Break water activities and classes for youth:

• Tabata Aqua Dance – Tuesday, April 18 and Thursday, April 20, 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
• Learn to Swim Youth – Wednesday, April 19 and Friday, April 21, 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Deanwood Aquatic Center Spring Break water activities and classes:

• Water Activity Volleyball – Tuesday, April 18 and Thursday, April 20, 12:00 p.m.
• Learn to Swim Youth – Wednesday, April 19 and Friday, April 21, 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Barry Farm Aquatic Center Spring Break water activities and classes:

• Tabata Aqua Dance – Wednesday, April 19 and Friday, April 21, 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
• Learn to Swim Youth – Tuesday, April 18 and Thursday, April 20, 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Ferebee-Hope Aquatic Center Spring Break water activities and classes:

• Learn to Swim – Tuesday, April 18 and Thursday, April 20, 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
• Water Basketball – Wednesday, April 19 and Friday, April 21, 2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Additionally, 22 Department of Parks and Recreation Centers have expanded their hours and opportunities for play. Weekday hours expanded from eight hours to 15 hours and Saturday hours doubled from four hours to eight hours at sites across all eight wards. 

DPR also is also hiring for the summer, with over 600 positions available. Positions available include summer camp leaders, lifeguards, pool operators, urban park rangers, summer meals program, environmental division, and transportation.  Residents can review job postings or sign up to attend hiring fair events at earnwithdpr.com.

The post Free Spring Break activities for D.C. teens and youth appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Tashi McQueen,
AFRO Political Writer,
tmcqueen@afro.com

D.C. Pizza Festival 2023

From April 15-16, D.C. residents can enjoy an all-you-can-eat pizza extravaganza. There will be beer, wine and entertainment available for attendees.

The two-day celebration will begin at 10:40 am on April 15 and end at 5 p.m. on April 16.

National Cherry Blossoms Festival Events 

Though blossoms are already at peak bloom, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will have numerous events highlighting the beauty of the trees on April 16. 

There will be a Petalpalooza at Capitol Riverfront on April 8, the Nation’s Springtime Parade along Constitution Avenue on April 15 and one of the largest celebrations of Japanese culture in the U.S., the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival from April 15-16.

The Petalpalooza will be from 1-9 p.m., with art, music and a cashless beverage garden. The event will close out with a fireworks display at 8:30 p.m. The parade will feature appearances by Mickey and Minnie Mouse from Walt Disney World and the C+C Music Factory. 

D.C. Public Charter School Board Meeting 

On April 18 at 6 p.m., the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board (DC PCSB) will hear from the public on an application that could establish a new public charter school by ISM Creative Academy PCS in D.C.

The school would focus on Montessori schooling, an education system for young children that develops natural interests and activities for Pre-K and kindergarten-age children.

DC PCSB is calling for members of the public to comment on the possible new school and whether the charter school should be permitted.

Those who’d like to testify must sign up at https://dcpcsb.org/public-comment by noon on April 18.

Earth Day Clean Up 

On April 22, The Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is hosting an Earth Day community clean up with the Howard University Graduate School and the Graduate Student Council. 

The aim is to help residents see the public health and safety benefits of keeping the community litter free.

Join the clean-up at 4215 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave NE in Washington, D.C., from 9-11 a.m.

Churches Planting Churches “Catch the Vision Tour” 

April 24 -25 the SBC Virginia will host the Churches Planting Churches “Catch the Vision Tour” in Washington, D.C.

On the first day, the event will go from 12 – 8 p.m. on the second day, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Catch the Vision Tours aims to raise awareness about church planting opportunities and develop relationships with key ministry leaders.

Tickets are $20.

Go to https://www.sbcv.org/eventos for more information about the program and how to sign up leading up to the event. 

The post Upcoming meetings and events in the D.C. area appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

The AFRO’s Celebration Gala brought together and recognized the Founders, Leaders, and Supporters of The AFRO News, who share a demonstrated commitment to the achievements made by The AFRO News Publication in the last 130 Years. A few reflections on our momentous occasion from Editor & Publisher, page 6 , Local Media Association Word In Black, as well as from Congressman Kweisi Mfume and Google produced a video highlighting our work as we grow digital revenue, you can watch here.

Wow, what a celebration! It was a great gala!! The room was full, the entertainment was top notch and the congratulatory videos (return back here to view them over the next couple of days) were heartwarming and well done. Oh, the food was good too! 

Enjoy additional photos here and below – Note: you will be asked to enter in an email address

Thanks to the gala planning committee (see the souvenir journal below for names) and to our event planner CarVer productions, led by Nicole Kirby. And, what can I say about the souvenir journal,  the special edition, the pre-gala promos, and videos? Team AFRO worked tirelessly to make the gala the success that it was— so much so that Mr. Moses Newson at 95 (our oldest surviving AFRO journalist)didn’t want to leave! 

Please share your photos on social media: Tag @afronews and use hashtags #afro130

Several framed images from the AFRO Archives were available for sale – descriptions can be found here.

Please enjoy a few of the video messages we received honoring our recent milestone!

The post Celebrating 130 years appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Deborah Bailey,
AFRO D.C. Editor

Looking for that next high-quality eatery to add to your “favorites” list. Then of course, it’s time to get out and try one of the Black-owned restaurants in the DMV or Baltimore.  

Black Restaurant Week is happening now through July 31st.  Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell, and Derek Robinson established the concept in 2016, celebrating the rich tastes and aromas of African-American, African, and Caribbean cuisines nationwide.   

Luckett, Ferrell, and Robinson have put their brand on the map, with events running across the country and Canada after just six short years.  In 2021, Black Restaurant Week events garnered support for 1200 Black-owned culinary establishments throughout the U.S. and Canada, boosting sales at these establishments by 15%. 

The organization also sponsors culinary showcases, development grants from their nonprofit, Feed the Soul and an on-line platform featuring Black-owned foods and houseware brands.  

“More than 90,000 restaurants and bars closed nationwide since 2020, said Ferrell, Black Restaurant Week Managing Partner for Operations. 

“It is essential that we create a platform that drives awareness to black-owned culinary platforms in addition to our culinary tour,” Ferrell said.   

This summer represents their third annual event in the DMV region. Black Restaurant Week has expanded way down I-95 into Virginia, where this year, a dozen participating establishments are on board from right across the Potomac River in Alexandria and all the way to Richmond.       

Here in the DMV area, participating restaurants include the upscale yet approachable All Set Restaurant & Bar or the pit smoked taste of Money Muscle Bar-be-que in Silver Spring. In the mood for fish? Head to FishScale on Florida Ave. NW or for that gourmet burger of a lifetime, drive or take metro to K Street NW to Melange.  The place to go Jamaican anytime is the classic Caribbean favorite, Negril, in D.C. Silver Spring, and throughout Prince Georges County, Maryland. In the mood for a taste of the Motherland?  Spice Kitchen West African Grill in Brentwood is your destination.  

Willing to drive for a good meal?  Rev up the engine or take the Marc Train to Baltimore where you can start the morning with Vegan donuts at Cloudy Donut on Federal Hill. Get your fill of more than 40 different varieties of delicious and good for you (yes, these two words are intentionally paired) donuts. Applesauce is the secret that makes the donuts yummy and rich, side stepping the normal fattening fillers.  

Staying for lunch before you head back on I-95?  Get over to Mt. Vernon and stop at Fishnet Baltimore. Everything is good from the Grilled Salmon to the Baltimore Bomber. But if it’s your first visit, you gotta’ try the Real MVP – you’ll walk away like a champ.  

This is just a quick small sampling of more than 100 eateries participating throughout the DMV and Baltimore. So, start your tasting party this weekend, wherever you are in the expanded Metro area. 

And if you’re ready to make a great eating experience part of your late July road show, check out the list in the graphic above, turn on Google Maps and have a great time on your Richmond to D.C. to Baltimore foodie adventure.  

Happy Black Restaurant Week, everybody!

Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member – subscribers are now members!  Join here! 

The post DMV and Baltimore Black Restaurant Week through July 31 appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Deborah Bailey,
AFRO D.C. Editor

The DC Afro-Latino festival at Malcolm X Park June 5, offered just the right intro to summertime in the District of Columbia. The new festival, sponsored by the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA) Officina Ejecutiva de la Alcaldesa para Asuntos Latinos, this past weekend, honored the District’s large Afro-Latina/o population hailing primarily from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Honduras. 

The crowd was ready and receptive. The estimated 400 persons attending enjoyed the music, the warm day and connection with each other.   MOLA officials were ecstatic about the day and estimate the festival will be back next summer! 

Want to see the complete photo essay of the Afro-Latino Festival on DC’s Social Circle page?  Get a subscription to the AFRO. For assistance contact us at 410-554-8200 or via email at customerservice@afro.com

Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member – subscribers are now members!  Join here! 

The post DC Afro-Latino Festival – Intro To Summer appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Micha Green
D.C. Editor
mgreen@afro.com

August 28 is the 57th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, and while honoring the impact and legacy of the historic date, the Rev. Al Sharpton and his organization, the National Action Network, are still emphasizing the need for legislative changes surrounding equity and voting rights almost six decades later. In the same place where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., famously delivered his “I Have a Dream,” speech, which led to the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965, Sharpton and other leaders are pushing for legislators to make major changes at the “Get Your Knees Off Our Necks Commitment March on Washington” on Aug. 28.

“We decided to do it on the anniversary because we wanted to say to the national government that there are legislative things that need to be done to deal with this ,” Sharpton told the AFRO in an exclusive interview.

In particular, Sharpton is calling for legislators to pass the George Floyd Police Injustice Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

The Get Your Knees Off Our Neck Commitment March on Washington is on August 28. (Courtesy Photo)

The police injustice legislation is named in honor of George Floyd who was fatally arrested by a police who pinned his knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds (8:46) until he lost consciousness and died. Floyd was heard yelling, “I can’t breathe,” when he died on Memorial Day 2020 –  the same last words Eric Garner famously uttered when arrested and place in a chokehold in July 2014, leading to his death.  The excessive police brutality in chokeholds and pin-downs is exactly what the “Get Your Knees Off Our Necks Commitment March on Washington” is about.

Sharpton explained the George Floyd Police Injustice Act “would make it a federal offense to chokehold or put your body as an officer or a law enforcement officer to choke someone to death, which happened to Eric Garner in New York with the police chokehold. It happened to George Floyd with blocking the oxygen and killing him by compressing the knee on the neck.  So it’s a federal offense in that law.”

He also said the George Floyd Police Injustice Act would stop the immense nepotism and secrecy found within police departments.

“It’s a federal offense to give them immunity from lawsuit, it’s a federal offense…where they are not transparent. If you get arrested I got arrested, you’ll know my whole legal background.  Police – they’re sheltered.  This is going to change that.  So it passed the House of Representatives, but has not gone to the Senate,” Sharpton said.

Named in honor of the recently fallen Civil Rights hero, longtime Congressman and American icon the John Lewis Voting Rights which advocates for a clear law making it illegal for states to make changes regarding voting without pre-clearing it with the Department of Justice (DOJ).    

“There was a Voting Rights Act that was signed in 1965.  It was re-signed every five years.  The Supreme Court in 2013 decided that they would take Section 4 and 5 out.  Section 4 out, means that those states that had a record, that had a clear pattern of abusing the right to vote- the Constitution said had a right to vote when we went through the Civil War and the 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments- but they would put impediments on that right.  So you’d go to vote in certain states and certain counties.  And they’d say ‘Oh yeah you have a right to vote, but first you’ve got to pass the voting test.  How many jelly beans are in that jar?  What is the 18th President of the United States wife’s name and her mother’s name?’ Stuff that they know you couldn’t pass. Sections 4 and 5 said that you couldn’t put any impediments on the right to vote without those questions or whatever other angles you use- if it’s moving voting sites, if it’s purging voters, you can’t do that without it being pre-cleared by the justice department.  Once they took that section out, those states and counties could move without pre-clearing.”

Sharpton said he believed the 2013 removal of Sections 4 and 5 led to Brian Kemp winning the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election against Stacey Abrams.  Kemp was already serving as Secretary of State, a role that allowed him to move voting sites and change rules for registered voters, which particularly impacted George’s minority communities. 

“Georgia no longer had to get approval, so he started moving voting sites- hundreds of thousands of voters, and I believe that’s how he beat Stacey Abrams.  She’d had won if we still had that.  I think the same happened in Florida and other states.  We’re saying to the Congress, but that back in,” the Civil Rights leader explained.

“So we’re marching to say… that we must have legislation, along with the demonstration,” Sharpton told the AFRO.

Aware that the COVID-19 pandemic is still plaguing the globe, Sharpton assured that the march will be safe by mandating social distancing, wearing and providing masks and checking temperatures at the entrance. To register for Get Your Knees Off Our Necks Commitment March on Washington on Aug 28 visit: https://nationalactionnetwork.net/register-for-nans-march-on-washington-get-your-knee-off-our-necks/.

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By Micha Green
AFRO D.C. Editor
mgreen@afro.com

June 26 will be a historic day in Congressional and District of Columbia record, as Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D- California) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D- Maryland) announced that is the day when the House will vote on D.C. statehood.  

Pelosi, Hoyer, D.C.’s Representative to Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, as well as other local officials, stood proudly endorsing the fight for D.C. as it creeps closer to the House floor.

“This will be historic, it will be an historic vote- neither Chamber of Commerce has passed a statehood bill, until next week.  And we will continue our work to protect every American’s right to be heard at the ballot box and on the floor of the House and of the Senate,” Speaker Pelosi said at a press conference announcing the statehood vote on June 16.

Congress will vote on D.C. becoming the 51st state on June 26. (Photo Credit: statehood.dc.gov)

Norton noted that the fight for D.C. statehood is a matter of justice.

“Statehood means much more to us than dollars and cents,” Norton said. “Statehood is priceless. Statehood assures that living in the nation’s capital is about pride not prejudice.”

For many, D.C. statehood is a fight for fairness- a battle to be heard. 

District of Columbia license plates read, “TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.”  

The nation’s capital has 700,000 residents, more than in the states of Wyoming (578, 759) and Vermont (623, 989), according to the U.S. Census July 2019 estimates.  However D.C. has one elected non voting Delegate in the House of Representatives (Norton) a shadow Representative (Franklin Garcia (D) and two Shadow Senators (Paul Strauss (D) and Michael Brown (D)), while Wyoming and Vermont have voting members in both the House and Senate.
With becoming the 51st state, known as the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, D.C. statehood would also allow for residents to elect two voting Senators and one voting Representative to Congress.

 “This bill provides for admission into the United States of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth,” the bill, {H.R.-51} reads.  “The commonwealth shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states.”

Although D.C. is the nation’s capital, Mayor Bowser and other officials noted that being a predominantly Black (46.4 percent) and leftward leaning city relates to a larger issue of racial justice in the fight for D.C. statehood.

“Certainly race and the status of Washington, D.C. have been long connected…. We are too Democratic, too Black, too liberal, too this, too that. So I think that confronting the issue of race in the D.C. statehood movement has always been a part of our discussion,” Bowser said.

While many Democratic leaders have been vocally supportive of D.C. statehood, and with the bill itself having 220 co-sponsors, it is likely to pass in the House, however, it might be different story in the majority Republican Senate.

The House vote on June 26, however, is a forward step in the direction towards D.C. statehood.

“As a native Washingtonian, I’m excited to see how it goes! It’s true, we should not be disenfranchised living any where in the US, especially in the Nation’s capital. Congresswoman Norton has been fighting this fight a long time – we love her,” twitter user Traci Wyatt (@tdw_thickbeauty) wrote replying to a Tweet from Bowser.  “Thank you, Mayor!  #DCStatehoodtime – we love her!”

The post Congressional Leaders To Vote for D.C. Statehood appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By George Kevin Jordan, AFRO Staff Writer

It may have been overcast during most of Saturday, but that didn’t seem to damper the spirits of the thousands of people who gathered at the Freedom Plaza to celebrate the 157th anniversary of  Emancipation Day in Washington, D.C. The event was filled with music, food and fireworks, as residents throughout the DMV came to celebrate the historic day.

The streets were closed off along Pennsylvania Avenue as people took in the music, swaying as D.C. natives such as Kenny Lattimore and Mya, serenaded them or jumping into a groove when Go-go music blasted through the speakers.

Young men participate in the Emancipation Day parade, putting their fists in the air to symbolize Black power and pride, as the District celebrated 157 years since the abolition of slavery in the city. (Photo by Rob Roberts)

April 16, 1862 was the official date that slavery was abolished in Washington, D.C. As a result of President Abraham Lincoln’s Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862, over 3,100 slaves were freed in D.C.

“That’s not the end and that’s not also the begnning of our true history, but it is something to be acknoweldged because there’s so many ancestors that fought a fight, that we don’t quite understand because we haven’t fought it like they did,” D.C.’s hometown singer Mya told the AFRO.

According to the Emancipation Day site, the first Emancipation Parade was held April 19, 1866, four years after the D.C. Emancipation Act. Many celebrated along Pennsylvania Avenue then as well.

This year’s parade, which started in the afternoon along Pennsylvania Avenue dropped off participants at the Freedom Plaza, the epicenter of most of the events. Local, regional and national artists such as Faith Evans and Doug E. Fresh were on hand as part of the day long concert series.

The parade, concert and fireworks was the culmination of several Emancipation Day Events including the displaying of the Emancipation Act on Monday, and a lunch and learn of the history of the day on Friday.

“I think it’s an important event,” said Paula Moore a Maryland resident, who has been attending the celebration for years. “So we bring our kids so they understand the importance of Emancipation Day in D.C.”

“They’re still young and they’re trying to embrace what it means. Not only are we telling them about history but it’s also equally important to know the artists who brought us along the way. It’s not only about looking back it’s about making improvements as we move forward.”

Moore pointed out the importance of celebrating events for and about Black people saying, “So much of what we’ve (Black people) done and meant to D.C. is being erased and so its so important to continue to show up and support events like this. Without events like this we’re completely erased.”

Omeshia Herring, a D.C. resident came to connect with the District’s rich culture. “I am not from D.C., but I moved here and I think it’s important to immerse yourself into the culture and this is the celebration of the end of slavery in D.C. so why wouldn’t I be here? I’m happy to see all the beautiful Black people.”

Herring, who has been living in D.C. for seven years and resides in the Northeast, said that events like  the Emancipation Day Celebration are,  “extremely important and rare.”

“I think it’s important for our fellow counterparts to come out and enjoy the rich history of Washington,” Herring told the AFRO.

This year’s attendance numbers could not be confirmed at press time, however the Office of Cable, Television Film, Music and Entertainment did confirm that attendance for the concert last year was about 4,000 people. For more information on remaining events and a snapshot of the history of the day go to https://emancipation.dc.gov/.

The post Thousands Celebrate D.C. Emancipation Day appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By George Kevin Jordan, AFRO Staff Writer

In Season Two of Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Miriam “Midge” Maisel, played by Rachel Brosnahan, and her family the Weissmans, take a two month sojourn to the Catskills, a heady retreat for those privileged enough to rent summer homes, and be away from work for almost an entire season.

The Catskills, depicted in the late 1950s, is an escape from the crunching mania of New York.  There are planned activities for everyone. And those same activities are not only separated by color, (Black folks only find themselves as employees during this time and not guests), they are separated by gender and age as well. But in one scene a man is at center stage directing a game of “Simon Says” for a group of giddy adults. The joy on their faces as they hop on one leg, or place a finger on their nose, only to hear “I didn’t say “Simon says.’ Is palpable on the screen. Then a little boy wanders in the room eyeing all the fun. His father quickly scoops him up and scolds him saying, “What are you doing here, this is area is for adults.”

The Washington Auto Show has several thrills for adults and children to enjoy, such as ART in Motion, where prominent artists paint on cars live for the audience, at the Washington Convention Center. (Photo by George Kevin Jordan)

That is what The Washington Auto Show felt like. It’s not that kids aren’t welcomed, or that there aren’t activities for them. But going through the three floors of vehicles, list prices and driving courses, it was clear to this reporter that this was adult fun time.

The Washington Auto Show runs through April 14 at the Walter E. Wilson Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl, NW., The event is takes up three floors and a sprawling 150,000 square feet- so bring sensible shoes. There are over 600 vehicles on display from all the major automobile brands.

According to Statista.com about 5.3 million cars were sold to customers in the U.S. When you look at global sales, the number of cars sold rises to about 79 million. Even though U.S. car sales have dipped 6.3 million from the previous years, it doesn’t mean people aren’t buying vehicles. U.S. light truck sales bumped up from about 8.7 million units in 2014 to almost 11.1 million units in 2017.

So it’s safe to assume that many people will be perusing the cars, with the intention of purchase.  They will slam truck doors, sniff the intoxicating mix of leather, plastic and chemicals that compose that new car smell, and automakers are ready with interactive displays, unlocked doors and friendly staff to answer any question.

The stand out activity for me was the Jaguar Land Rover Test Drive Experience, which is a returning exhibit. This area was split into two sections. On one side you can be a passenger as a trained driver whirls you through an obstacle course in the new electric offering. You muscle through hair pin curves and tackle a roller coaster like hill.  On the other side, you can either be a passenger or a driver in one of the newest Land Rover vehicles taking to a stunt course that turns your vehicles almost on its side at one point. And going up a sanded incline and coming back down. The experience is amazing just to see how the vehicles handle a simulated off-road experience.

A stand out section for the kids is the Family Fun Zone, located in Ballroom C on the third floor.  Some of the most popular PBS characters will be back this year, along with daily dance parties for kids and plenty of space for parents to rest and relax.

Another stand out event is ART in Motion, where prominent artists paint on cars live for the audience.

There are sports celebrities and special guests throughout the week. Tickets are $12 per adult (ages 12+); $5 for children ages 6-12. Children under six are admitted free.  Tuesday is Military Tribute Day and admission is free for active-duty and retired military personnel with valid I.D. For more information on the event and to purchase tickets please go to www.washingtonautoshow.com.

The post Washington Auto Show Rolls Into Town with Thrills for Adults… Oh and Kids Too appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By George Kevin Jordan, AFRO Staff Writer

District of Columbia residents have more than Black History Month to celebrate in February as Mayor Muriel Bowser announced free rides on the D.C. Circulator, part of the city’s month long #FairShotFebruary campaign.

“We’re kicking off Fair Shot February by making it easier for Washingtonians to get where they need to go and connect to opportunities across D.C.,”  Bowser said. “A free Circulator is one way we can use our resources to break down barriers to opportunity—but it’s certainly not the only way. Throughout February and before I send my budget to the Council, I hope Washingtonians from across all eight wards will join us at our Budget Engagement Forums to build on this initiative by sharing their priorities and ideas for making our city’s prosperity more inclusive.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is offering free Circulator rides through her program, #FairShotFebruary. (Courtesy Photo)

The D.C. Circulator moves across six routes in the city and into Rosslyn VA, providing  almost five million trips per year, according to the Mayor’s office. Rides are free through February 28.

The ride campaign is part of a larger initiative to offer the residents of the District a “fair shot.” In her second inaugural speech at the beginning of the year, Bowser unpacked what she meant.

“When people ask me what I want to be remembered for, it comes down to this: a relentless commitment to a fair shot for every single D.C. resident…period,” Bowser said.

“That means people of all incomes can live and thrive in our city.”

Bowser highlighted several areas in which the city could assist in giving residents that fair shot including, investing in young people’s future, reducing crime, providing affordable housing and creating and nurturing job and business opportunities.

During the month of February the mayor and her team will be meeting with residents and hearing their thought on the city and how the District’s budget should be spent, while the Fiscal Year 2020 budget is being developed.

Last year’s proposed budget was a $14.4 Billion. The plan “focuses on creating pathways to the middle class,” according to the proposal. The funds were connected to area’s where the mayor wanted to give people a fair shot.

For instance 1.7 Billion was dedicated to education programs for the District’s 91,000 traditional and charter public schools. $430 million was earmarked for fixing roads. And $178.5 Million to be used for Metro.

At least $100 million was put aside for the Housing Production Trust Fund which continues three years of $100M investment that has delivered 5,300 affordable units and will deliver at least 10,000 more over the next five years, according to the proposal.

The conversations kicks off with the 2019 Wilson Building Open House from from 5 to 8 p.m. at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW.

Other events include:

Senior Telephone Town Hall
February 11 | 12 pm
This is a dial in event

Budget Engagement Forum I
February 21 | 6:30 pm
Arthur Capper Community Center, 1001 5th Street, SE

Budget Engagement Forum II
February 23 | 10 am
Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 49th Street, NE

Budget Engagement Forum III
February 25 | 6:30 pm
Roosevelt High School, 4301 13th Street, NW

All events are free and open to the public. To sign up please clink the link or search the hashtag #FairShotFebruary.

The post Free Rides Offered on DC Circulator In Honor of #FairshotFebruary appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Brelaun Douglas, Special to the AFRO

Aug. 12 will mark the one-year anniversary of “Unite the Right,” a White supremacist and White nationalist rally that occurred in Charlottesville, Va., and resulted in the death of a counter-protester. This year, the gathering comes to Washington, D.C.

“Unite the Right 2” is scheduled to be held Sunday evening near the White House. A strong and varied counter-protest presence is expected as well.

Unite the Right’ rally counterprotestors. (Screengrab)

Here’s what can be expected:

“Unite the Right 2”:

Participants will be meeting at the Vienna Metro Station in Vienna, Va., at 2 p.m. and will be transported to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station via trains and buses according to the event webpage.  At 5 p.m., they will begin marching along Pennsylvania Avenue to Lafayette Square near the White House. The rally is scheduled to go from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Counter-protests:

Hate Not Welcome: No Unite The Right 2

A counter-protest organized by Shut It Down D.C. with a Still Here, Still Strong Rally from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Freedom Plaza, followed by a march to Lafayette Square at 3:30, where participants will rally until an underdetermined time.0

Rise Up Fight Back Counter-Protest

A counter-protest run by Black Lives Matter D.C. The group will meet at 12 p.m. at 905 16th St. NW.

Rally and March Against the Fascists

A rally at Freedom Plaza hosted by the UMD Socialists and D.C. International Socialist Organization. The rally will begin at 12 p.m., followed by a march to Lafayette Park at 3:30 p.m.

Other counter-protests will be occurring including: United to Love: Stand Together Against All Forms of Hate, the REAL White People’s Rally, Trans and Queer #ResistDance Against White Supremacy and, possibly, other informal demonstrations.

The post What to Expect for ‘Unite the Right 2’ Rally and Counter Demonstrations appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.