WI Web Staff
Chancellor, Attorney General Applaud Ruling on DCPS Closings
Thursday, 16 May 2013 02:33 Published in Local
Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson and D.C.'s attorney general have applauded Wednesday's ruling by a U.S. District court judge that prevents the closing of 15 public schools by the end of next year.
"In this case, there is no evidence whatsoever of any intent to discriminate on the part of Defendants, who are actually transferring children out of weaker, more segregated, and under-enrolled schools," Judge James E. Boasberg stated in a 31-page opinion, which analyzed each of plaintiffs' claims. "Children—along with thousands of others—are moving to better performing, more integrated schools."
Henderson said Boasberg's opinion now allows the school system to move forward with the "critical work to improve all our schools and provide more resources across the District."
Attorney General Irvin Nathan added that the judge's "powerfully written" decision amply demonstrates that plaintiffs have no likelihood of success on the merits.
"In light of this finding, we think it would be much more productive if the community activists would work with the city to make these consolidations work for the best educational interests of our children and allow our educators to focus on that difficult task and not be diverted by meritless litigation," Nathan said.
Empower DC and other activists sued the District of Columbia Public Schools system earlier this year in an effort to halt the school closings – most of which are in Ward 8 where some of the District's most impoverished communities are located.
Empower DC's attorney, Johnny Barnes – who is expected to appeal Boasberg's ruling -- has argued that children of color and those living in low-income households will be disproportionately affected. He also said that DCPS's plan violates several civil rights laws.
Mayor Vincent C. Gray has extended his congratulations to D.C. Department of Health (DOH) Interim Director Dr. Saul Levin for being named the American Psychiatric Association's new CEO and medical director.
Dr. Levin has led DOH since last July, when Dr. Mohammed Akhter, took a leave of absence to serve on the executive board of the District's new Health Benefit Exchange Authority.
Levin's last day with DOH will be July 12.
"While this is a great loss for the District government, it is a great gain for the American Psychiatric Association," Mayor Gray said. "Dr. Levin has done an exemplary job leading DOH in this interim period, and I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his good work for us."
Prior to serving as Interim Director of DOH, Levin served as senior deputy director of the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration.
Previously, he was the American Medical Association's (AMA) Vice President of for Science, Medicine and Public Health.
Levin's professional career also includes serving as a special expert appointee in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. At SAMHSA, he led the initiative to integrate primary care, substance abuse, mental health and HIV/AIDS response.
Levin received his medical degree in 1982 from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. He received his Master's in Public Administration (MPA) from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government in 1994.
Removing TANF Recipients from the Rolls
Your front-page article from the May 9-15 edition, TANF Redesign Comes with More Cuts by Barrington Salmon made for very interesting reading, given this is the same program that Ward 8 Council Member Marion Barry highlighted about two years ago, when he talked about reducing benefits for recipients in order to get more of them on the road to self-sufficiency.
I realize that TANF was never meant to be a long-term solution to helping needy families, but the reality is that these kinds of programs are necessary to the livelihood of many of the District's poorest residents – and the viability of these programs play a key role shaping the nation's economy.
Sure, finding jobs for TANF clients is key to their self-sufficiency, but considering D.C.'s already-high unemployment rate, one has to wonder how realistic it is to expect 10,000 TANF households to be completely off the rolls by 2015, with parents and other members in their homes working to support themselves and their families.
Muriel Johnson
Bowie, Md.
Mayor Gray Skips Langston Celebration
I was happy to see that The Washington Informer cared enough about the 75th anniversary of the Langston Terrace apartments (Langston Terrace Residents Celebrate Development's History by Dorothy Rowley, May 9-15 issue) to cover the event on Saturday, May 4.
I enjoyed the perspectives some of the residents voiced about living at the historic complex that's located in Ward 5 off Benning Road, and where several gentrification projects are taking place.
It seems like the Langston residents really take pride in their community and aren't too happy about the influx of non-blacks who are beginning to move to the area.
With that said, maybe this has something to do with Mayor Vincent Gray being a no-show at the festive celebration where he'd been expected to speak.
The way I see it, Mr. Gray can't successfully play two sides against the middle: on the one hand, he's sanctioned developers and retailers coming into the predominantly black community and gradually providing a not-so-subtle facelift.
On the other hand, the mayor must know that the gentrification taking place along the corridor will eventually displace many of the enclave's long-time residents.
D. M. Grady
Washington, D.C.
Charles Ramsey insists that he is not a hero.
The Cleveland dishwasher, who reportedly knocked down the door to the house that served as a torture chamber for three young women missing for more than 10 years and helped to rescue them, is indeed a hero in the eyes of many. And so were the participants who ran to the aid of the 144 runners injured by an explosion during the Boston Marathon that killed three others. Cameras caught them giving aid to the injured before the first responders arrived and risking their own lives while attempting to save others. We may not know their names, but they are heroes, too.
And so were the thousands of men and women in white T-shirts who ran and walked in the rain in last weekend's Susan Komen Race for the Cure, who demonstrated their willingness to give their time and money to support others whose shirts were pink – the breast cancer survivors – and believing by doing so that a cure will be found to end the deadly disease.
And what about the hundreds of men who sacrifice their own precious time to spend hours with fatherless boys in hopes of stemming the tide of drug abuse and violence and with only the hope of encouraging them to be good students and good citizens. And the volunteers who ride day and night in vans delivering food and blankets to homeless people and provide toiletries to homeless families because they believe, "but for the grace of God, there go I," they're heroes, too.
Some may consider Ramsey an exceptional hero, which is why they don't understand how a man of meager means could turn down a cash reward for his heroism. But Ramsey apparently subscribes to the same school of thought that so many other heroes subscribe to and which drives them every day. When asked about his heroism, Ramsey said, "You do what you gotta do." It's just that plain and simple.
D.C. Councilmember Tommy Wells plans to formally announce on Saturday his mayoral campaign during a rally in Northeast, according to The Washington Business Journal.
Wells, who represents Ward 6, will join council member Muriel Bowser who announced her candidacy in March.
Reports have also stated that Robert Bobb, a former city administator, has been quietly considering entering the race a well.
Meanwhile, incumbent Vincent Gray has yet to say if he will seek a second term.
Gray Announces Drivers Safety Act
Legislation Would Improve Public Safety, Help Alleviate Economic Hardships for Immigrant Families
Mayor Vincent C. Gray recently announced the District of Columbia Drivers Safety Amendment Act of 2013, which would enable the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a driver's license, learner's permit, or identification card to undocumented District residents who meet certain criteria.
"This legislation is the right thing to do for our undocumented residents and our entire community," Mayor Gray said in announcing the bill on May 2 to the D.C. Coiuncil "With this legislation, undocumented District residents will be able to obtain a driver's license by submitting the proper documentation and taking the same tests the DMV requires of all drivers. This promotes the safe operation of motor vehicles on our streets, and reduces incentives for criminals to sell fake IDs on the black market. Most importantly, it alleviates burdens on immigrants by opening the door to legal automobile ownership – an economic lifeline for many hard-working families."
• To obtain a credential, undocumented residents must:
• Show proof of residency for at least six months or more;
• Demonstrate they are ineligible to obtain a Social Security number;
• Obtain an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service;
• Be unable to present documentation from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services authorizing his or her presence in this country; and
• Submit a valid unexpired passport from their home country or a foreign birth certificate.
In addition to ensuring that all residents can safely operate vehicles on the District's roadways, this legislation will also allow for the registration of insured vehicles.
Nai-Ni Chen, Ahn Trio at Publick Playhouse
Monday, 13 May 2013 15:30 Published in Arts & Entertainment
CHEVERLY, MD— Fusing modern dance with ancient traditions, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and the Ahn Trio perform the DC-area premiere of "Temptation of the Muses" at the Prince George's Publick Playhouse for the Performing Arts at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 18.
Created and choreographed by Nai-Ni Chen as a collaborative effort with hot composer Kenji Bunch and the stunning young Ahn Trio, the work was inspired by Latif Nazemi's poem that begins, "Let's kiss water, the root of civilization, a word for freedom."
"Temptation" is an electric ballet of contemporary artistry, where the dancers and musicians interact onstage throughout the performance. Brunch describes it as a "struggle for the existence of fluidity and natural beauty in an urban, industrial context."
Nai-Ni Chen is an innovative choreographer and artistic director who uses dance to "find ways to express the dynamic spirit of our changing world." Originally from China, she was a renowned traditional dancer with the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre in Taiwan, from which she also served as a touring cultural ambassador for China. She came to America to seek her own voice in contemporary dance, and her award-winning company based in suburban New York is in its 25th season and has earned global acclaim.
The Ahn Trio is standing chamber music on its head and earning worldwide praise for performances of commissioned works by cutting-edge composers. Comprised of Lucia on piano, Angella on violin, and Maria on cello, The New York Times said the three sisters "have evidently decided to give their aged medium, the piano trio, a kick into the [21st] century". Born in Seoul, Korea, the Ahns were raised in New York and educated at Juilliard.
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company with the Ahn Trio
"Temptation of the Muses" area premiere
Saturday, May 18, 8 pm
Tickets: $20 - $25
Nai-Ni Chen Lecture/Demo
Friday, May 17, 10:15am and 12 noon
Tickets: $5
Nai-Ni Chen Master Class
Saturday, May 18, 10 am
For teachers and advanced students
Class fee: $15
Prince George's Publick Playhouse for the Performing Arts is located at 5445 Landover Road in Cheverly
Box office: 301-277-1710; 301-277-0312 tty
For more information contact Playhouse Assistant Director Jenna Ward, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text12864 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 301-277-1711
The Cleveland, Ohio, man who has become a hero in the rescue of three young women who were held captive for 10 years, visited Ben's Chili Bowl Friday night.
Charles Ramsey, the neighbor who helped free the women -- Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight – who'd been held hostage for a decade by Ariel Castro, was in the District this past weekend to appear on the Rock Newman Show.
A video of Ramsey being interviewed on May 6 after the rescue, has gone viral and inspired mash-up music videos on youtube.com.
"She (Berry) said get me out of here. Who are you? Hurry up...he might be coming back," Ramsey recounted on the Rock Newman Show.
Castro now faces multiple kidnapping and rape charges, and if convicted, could face life in prison.
(Source: WJLA)
Lamell McMorris Named NDAC Chair of the American Red Cross
Saturday, 11 May 2013 20:51 Published in Business
On May 9 human rights activist and public affairs expert Lamell McMorris was appointed Chairman of the National Diversity Advisory Council (NDAC) of the American Red Cross.
Recommended by NDAC Sr. Vice President Floyd W. Pitts, McMoriss was selected for a one-year term.
McMorris is founder and CEO of Perennial Strategy Group, an advisory firm providing government relations and public affairs services to Fortune 500 companies, national non-profits, trade associations, and public-sector clients on a wide range of public-policy issues and corporate matters.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Lamell’s caliber appointed as our new Council Chairperson because he brings to our efforts substantial expertise in working with non-profits and a history of forward thinking,” said Pitts.
McMorris, enthusiastic about his new role said, “My task is to serve as a bridge, to help Pitts in his efforts to connect principles of diversity and inclusion to the mission and business objectives of the American Red Cross.”
Police in Mexico City, Mexico, are investigating the death of Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of civil rights activist Malcolm X, as a homicide.
Shabazz, 29, died Thursday morning in a Mexico City hospital after suffering an apparent beating, according to a police report.
CNN reported that authorities were called to the scene of an injured man at 3:30 a.m. Thursday one block south of Plaza Garibaldi, a rough but famous patch of Mexico City known for its mariachis.
Shabazz, who reportedly had been trying to turn his life around, was transported to Mexico City's Balbuena General Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
"He's really just a youngster, a very young man who was just struggling to get his life moving on a forward-looking track," said Abdur-Rashid. "He was always concerned about forging his own path. I'm just sad that things turned out the way they did."
"To all who knew him, he offered kindness, encouragement and hope for a better tomorrow," the Shabazz family said in a statement Friday. "Although his bright light and boundless potential are gone from this life, we are grateful that he now rests in peace in the arms of his grandparents and the safety of God."
"I was saddened, stunned, shocked, to read about the murder of young Malcolm," former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who had taken Shabazz under her wing and with whom he had traveled on a trip to Libya.
"Many of my closest associates have personal memories of their time with him and of his efforts to reach out to them for help," McKinney said. "He was writing a book."
Shabazz is survived by his three year old daughter, Ilyasah, his mother, Qubilah, and his closest aunt, Ilyasah, among others.
Shabazz was living with his grandmother Betty Shabazz, when he set fire to her Yonkers, N.Y. home in 1997. Mrs. Shabazz died from severe burns caused by the fire. Shabazz was just 12-years-old at the time. He eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson and was sentenced to 18 months in a juvenile detention facility.
(Sources: CNN, Newsone)
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