Washington Informer

In celebration of the Hip-Hop community's involvement in President Barack Obama's re-election, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and PHILANTHROPIK have announced a charity black-tie gala to be included among inauguaral festivities next month in the nation's capital.

The Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball II will be held at 8 p.m., Jan. 20, at The Harman Center for the Arts in Northwest. The ball, which is the brainchild of chairpersons Russell Simmons and Zac McDaniels, looks to once again be one of the hottest tickets of the inaugural weekend.

The last two elections have sparked a tremendous surge of political and social fervor within the hip-hop community and an influx of youth into mainstream politics. Hip-Hop has a voice and as the genre continues to expand globally, that voice has become galvanized and powerful.

Simmons introduced the historic ball that honored and celebrated the country's new political presence and collective power. The impact was evident from the record turn out of voters under 30, many of whom cast their first votes ever in 2009 and turned out again in 2012.

Many of the Hip-Hop artists who participated in the previous ball are expected to attend this year's event. They include Simmons, LL Cool J, T.I. and Tiny, Nick Cannon, Busta Rhymes, Young Jeezy, Ashanti, Trey Songz, and Bow Wow.

Tickets prices range from $500 to $2,500 and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please visit: www.eventfarm.com/HIB2013

Source: Theabaagency.com

Wilson Disqualification Hit the Mark

Elton Hayes's "Wilson Football Takes a Hit" article, published in the Nov. 29 edition, really shed light on the District's problem with ineligible players from Maryland who participate in District public school athletics. This has been an ongoing problem for years now and it's good to see District of Columbia public schools officials such as Stephanie Evans tackle the issue.

Wilson's disqualification was the second time a penalty had been handed down by DCPS officials, in as many months. H.D. Woodson was forced to vacate victories in October after word leaked of the team allowing an ineligible player to participate in several of the school's games.

However, as Mr. Hayes's article pointed out, the fashion in which DCPS officials deemed Wilson ineligible was wrong.

It's also baffling that Evans decided to pursue the case after she originally declined to do so. It's as if there was political jousting between DCPS officials that affected their decision. At the end of the day, the eligible players who spent numerous hours practicing and playing in games, suffered. They made the sacrifice and had a chance to play for the city football championship, but the opportunity was taken away from them.

Wilson's case is unfortunate and it's sad that its seniors were not able to play in the biggest game of their high school football career. I hope that DCPS continues to penalize the schools that take advantage of the residency issue, and leave schools like Wilson, that run a clean athletic program, alone. Keep up the good work, Informer.

Tanya Davis,

Washington, D.C.

Remembering Lawrence Guyot

A Civil Rights Warrior Remembered (Nov. 29), written by Barrington Salmon, was a powerful and emotional read. Lawrence Guyot's lasting legacy goes largely unknown because he's overshadowed by fellow civil rights pioneers who include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rep. John Lewis. While King and Lewis risked and sacrificed their lives for the movement, Guyot did the same.

Mr. Salmon's article accurately chronicled his work and did so in a way that made it clear to anyone who read the article. It also reminded me of why African-American newspapers are relevant and needed in the black community. Other publications honored Guyot, however, The Washington Informer's article was far more in-depth and informative.

I enjoyed reading the array of accounts about Guyot not just from local District politicians and leaders, but from others in the community who became acquainted with him. Guyot became a fixture in the District and touched the lives of many people both young and old. Mr. Salmon also did well in including those who knew Guyot in the early 1960s when he first embarked on his career as an activist during the Freedom Riders movement. The article really gave an intimate view of Guyot as a person and humanized a man whose achievements were significant.

Guyot gave the community a voice and a sense of power. It's refreshing to read an article that does more than just scratch the surface, but presents an in-depth look into one of our community's heroes. Articles like these are why I continue to read The Washington Informer.

Keith Robinson

Upper Marlboro, Md.

ORLANDO, FL — George Zimmerman, who is charged with second-degree murder in the February death of Trayvon Martin, recently filed a lawsuit against NBC and three affiliated reporters, claiming he was defamed when the network edited his 911 call to police to make it sound like he was racist.

The former neighborhood watch volunteer, who has pleaded not guilty in the youth's shooting death, filed the lawsuit in Seminole County, Fla., near Orlando, seeking an undisclosed amount of money.

Zimmerman's complaint reportedly states that the edited call has caused him emotional distress and that he fears for his life. He also claims to have suffered from nausea, insomnia and anxiety.

According to a report, "NBC saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about to create a myth that George Zimmerman was a racist and predatory villain," the lawsuit claims.

NBC has said through a spokeswoman, that the network strongly disagreed with Zimmerman's accusations.

The unemployment rate for black men 20 years old and older dramatically dropped in November as the nation's private businesses added a 146,000 new jobs. As a result, the overall jobless rate to fall to 7.7 percent, according the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report.  

The BLS findings added that the unemployment rate for black men was 13 percent in November compared with 16.4 for the same month last year.

November's jobless rate for black women 20 years old and older was 11.4 percent compared with 13 percent in November 2011, and the overall jobless rate for blacks was 13.2 percent in November compared with 15.5 percent in November 2011.

Although the black-jobless rate improved, unemployment among African-Americans still remains twice as high when compared with other major working groups, which includes whites, Hispanics and Asians. The overall unemployment rate for whites in November was 6.8 percent compared with 7.6 percent in November 2011.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The number of people who use Metro train for their commutes decreased nearly 5 percent below the agency's expectations in the first quarter of the fiscal year, according to reports.

Although Metro announced a fare hike in July, listed among reasons for the switch in modes of transportation were service changes and track work. A reduction in federal transit benefits has also reportedly resulted in fewer riders.

Reports state that average weekday ridership dropped 2.5 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, and that weekend ridership dipped by 6.4 percent on Saturdays and 5.7 percent on Sundays.

Meanwhile, Metro has earned high marks in a customer survey where riders on both metro buses and rails indicated they feel safe during their commutes. They also said they like Metro's public information tools for travel planning, according to Metro's new "Voice of the Customer" report.

"Hearing from our customers is one of the best and most important tools we have as we make decisions about Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess service," said Tom Downs, chairman of the agency's Customer Service and Operations Committee. "Assembling feedback from a variety of sources gives us a more comprehensive view of service and helps us focus on constantly improving our customers' experience."

Sources: Wire Reports, Metro

Mayor Vincent C. Gray extends the following message to District residents as they celebrate the season's holidays and festivals:

"As we begin Hanukkah and approach Christmas and Kwanzaa, I want to wish a safe, joyous and happy holiday season to all District residents. For those of all faiths as well as those of no particular faith, this season is one of peace, goodwill, and family and community celebrations.

These holidays celebrate values universal to all people and shared across our city. Hanukkah commemorates the triumph of freedom over oppression and light over darkness; Christmas celebrates the advent of a prophet who preached about justice and challenged ruling authorities; and Kwanzaa promotes values like unity, self-determination, community and responsibility.

One of the joys of living in the District of Columbia is the broad diversity of faiths, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and ideological perspectives our residents embody while still sharing core beliefs in democracy, self-determination, civic responsibility and community service. I pray that we will live up to our highest ideals as a city in this season of celebration and charity as well as in the coming year."