Washington Informer

Richard Parsons, Denzel and Pauletta Washington, Doug Morris Among 14th Annual Award Recipients

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) will host the 14th Annual Keepers of the Dream Awards Wednesday, April 18 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

The awards, given each year in April to mark the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death, honor those who have continued to advocate for the principles for which Dr. King gave his life. Last year, the event featured a special keynote address by the President Barack Obama.

The Keepers of the Dream awards are given by members of the civil rights community who have committed themselves to fairness and racial harmony. Among the honorees this year are Richard Parsons chairman of Citigroup and former chairman, CEO of Time Warner; actor Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta Washington; Karla Ballard, chief of Strategic Development, Media and National Partnerships One Economy ; and Doug Morris, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment.

Special remarks will be provided by Bill Cosby and a special performance will be delivered by singer John Legend.

The Keepers of the Dream Awards are the highlight of NAN's annual convention. This year, NAN convened in Washington, D.C. April 11-14 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and featured a "Who's Who" in politics, civil rights, education, business, the Church, corporate America. The family of Trayvon Martin; Harvard University Professor Dr. Charles Ogletree; U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis; Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton; U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius; U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan; David Gregory (NBC's Meet the Press Moderator); U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; and EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson were among the participants.

Family & Health Lawyer Talib I. Karim Hosts First Show 3 p.m., April 19 on Trayvon Martin Case

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- On the day commemorating the end of slavery in the District of Columbia, local radio station WPFW and D.C.-based law firm, TEC Law Group, announces the launch of "Family & the Law." The one-hour radio program premieres from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, April 19, and is slated to air  the same time every Thursday on WPFW 89.3 FM.

Seasoned family and health lawyer Talib I. Karim is the show's host and executive producer. Karim has been active in the D.C. region for the past 20 years as a lawyer, writer and political advisor. Karim's writings on legal and other issues are regularly featured in The Washington Informer and the AFRO-American newspapers.

"Everyone, no matter their race, religion, or creed, has at least two things in common," says Karim. "First, we all have a family --  and next, while we realize it or not, virtually every aspect of our individual and family life has a relationship with the law."

In the first episodes of Family & The Law, Karim plans to critically analyze a leading issue on the minds of parents: How to prevent our children from becoming the next Trayvon Martin or George Zimmerman.

To help make sense of and find solutions from this case, Karim's first guest is noted author and psychiatrist, Dr. Francis Cress Welsing. From a public policy perspective, Dr. Welsing asserts that it's impossible to understand and prevent tragedies such as the killing of Trayvon without discussing race and racism.

"For all too long, lawyers and judges alike have attempted to divorce themselves of tackling racism in the justice system," asserts Welsing. As of today, justice is not blind."

Karim acknowledges this reality. In his nearly two decades of experience, Karim has seen first-hand, by representing clients and dealing with personal legal issues, that outcomes in the context of the law, have as much to do with a person's racial, financial, and even religious background as with the facts of the case.

"This is not the way our system of laws is designed to work, and I'm hopeful that Family & the Law can help create change, even if just small steps," Karim contends.

In addition to interviewing stimulating guests to tackle a central issue for the week, Karim's show intends to engage the public by taking questions by Facebook and Twitter.

About Family & The Law

Family & the Law is a program that seeks to provide legal and practical solutions to questions faced by people seeking to improve the quality of their individual and family life. The show's target audience includes parents, couples, seniors, individuals seeking to adopt, teachers, school administrators, lawyers, social workers, and health professionals in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. region.

Family & the Law is produced for the TEC Law Group, a firm focused on serving families and businesses in the DC area. The program is staffed by a team of professionals working with TEC Relations, a public relations firm affiliated with the law firm. While the show is being broadcast live on radio, TEC Law Group will post the show's video on YouTube. For more information visit: www.TalibKarim.com.

The 6th annual International Children's Festival, an interactive, educational event for children to travel the world in a day, is coming to the District from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Sunday May 6.

During the daylong Festival -- which is free and will be held a the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center -- more than 20 embassies will host educational booths that highlight their countries' rich cultural heritage through hands-on activities, demonstrations, tastings, and a wide range of musical and dance performances.

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray serves as the Festival's honorary chair and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is honorary patron. NBC4 anchorwoman Angie Goff will be mistress of ceremonies.

The Festival is hosted by Meridian International Center and THIS for Diplomats in partnership with Cultural Tourism DC and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray has announced the District's first city-wide Anti-Bullying Action Plan which will led by the D.C. Office of Human Rights (OHR).

This comprehensive plan brings together D.C. government agencies, non-profit organizations, community partners and educators across the city to find solutions to confront and eradicate bullying across the District.

"When one in every five children is a target of bullying each day, and these events all too often lead to severe social and emotional crises for our youth, we must let our young people know that we hear them," Mayor Gray said. "We must come together – government, non-profits, advocates, teachers and parents – to eradicate bullying in the District and promote safe and inclusive schools."

In 2011, Mayor Gray proclaimed April 21 "Bully-Free D.C. Day."

The initiation of the Anti-Bullying Action Plan coincides with the 2nd annual Bully-Free D.C. Day and represents a significant step forward in ensuring an inclusive and ridicule-free city.

Bullying remains an endemic problem for youth and young adults across the country. While not a new phenomenon, the widespread use of social media has given youth a new platform on which to engage in hurtful – and often dangerous – bullying of their peers.

"The problem of bullying transcends the schoolyard. It is a fundamental issue of human rights, and requires the entire city to be present to promote solutions," said Gustavo Velasquez, director of the D.C. Office of Human Rights. "We need to investigate where bullying occurs in the city and what makes the District different from other cities in incidents of bullying so we can develop and implement solutions to best help our youth."

Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito Jackson will come together for a tour this year that will hit more than 20 cities. In making the announcement on April 4, the Jackson brothers said they look forward to performing hits from the Jackson 5 discography while also honoring their brother, the late Michael Jackson.

"This is a dream coming true," Jackie Jackson said of the tour. "I can't believe this is finally happening. There's nothing like having all the brothers on stage at the same time. This will be exciting for our fans around the world -- and I know at each concert, MJ's spirit will be in the house with us."

The "Unity Tour 2012" is slated to begin June 18 and run through July 29. 2012 and scheduled through July 29. It marks the first time the brothers siblings have toured together since their groundbreaking Victory Tour in 1984.

Tickets for tour went on sale in select cities on April 6, with additional dates to be announced. The tour includes a performance Tuesday, July 3 in D.C. at DAR Constitution Hall.

Seattle Sounders' Fredy Montero (center) outpaces D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario (7) and Nick DeLeon (18) during the second half of MLS soccer action between D.C. United and the Seattle Sounders at RFK Stadium in Southeast on Saturday, April 7. /

Former Major League Baseball legend Maury Wills, (l), talks with Alex Kajumulo, 18, and Nicholas Hinton, 15 about the importance of the role of short stop during the Maury Wills Invitational on Friday, April 6 in Northwest.

While police are clear that 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by Sanford, Fla. neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman, questions abound about how and why this unfortunate incident occurred. Clearly, law enforcement officials are protecting the accused and thereby protecting themselves against claims that, if proven, will show complicity in the effort to justify Martin's unjust death. It is yet another example of the lack of protection, by some law enforcement agencies, afforded to Americans who represent a different race, gender, age or sexual orientation. Susan Powell, whose husband was a suspect in her disappearance from her home in West Vale City, Utah, has never been found. Yet, despite police reportedly knowing about Josh Powell's lewd and lascivious acts, coupled with their suspicions that he may have been responsible for his wife's disappearance, he was still allowed supervised visits with their two young boys. During a recent visit, Powell hacked the children to death with a hatchet and the set the house on fire killing all three of them. Police are now determining the evidence uncovered nearly two years ago may be reason to believe that Josh Powell could be guilty of harming his wife. But her children are dead and it is presumed she is dead, as well. It's yet one of innumerable instances that prove how African-Americans and other people of color, women, children and LGBT members are all likely victims of poor and inadequate police protection, in spite of their calls for help. Of course, there are exceptions, but the assumption is that law enforcement is there to protect anyone, regardless of their differences. Powell eventually killed his own children and then himself; Zimmerman, who like Powell, remains a free man, has killed someone else's child. Based upon his excuse of self-defense, there could likely end up being another victim. How will Sanford police explain their actions then?