Washington Informer

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "HandsOn Greater DC Cares" will once again sponsor its largest annual service project, Servathon 2012, on Friday, April 20 and Saturday April 21. Nearly 10,000 volunteers are expected to dedicate their personal time to serve the region at more than 96 locations throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

"Servathon 2012 offers a unique opportunity for volunteers of all ages, skill levels and professional affiliations to assist community organizations and nonprofits with improving their facilities and sprucing up their environments with manpower and resources that they would not otherwise have access to, " said Greg Roberts, CEO of HandsOn Great DC Cares. "We are encouraging everyone to join us in this effort."

During the two days of service, community and corporate volunteers will participate in projects at local area schools, nonprofits organizations, libraries, recreation centers, public spaces, and more. They will unite in service to participate in a broad range of projects, including painting murals, beautifying after school programs, organizing library books, painting school rooms, cleaning parks, spending quality time with the elderly, serving meals to the area's homeless, including children, and much more.

Aligned with the observance of Earth Day, this year's special service focus is the environment. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to demonstrate their appreciation for Earth Day by engaging in environmental projects such as restoring community garden, park cleanup and recycling, planting of trees and shrubbery, revitalizing community gardens, landscaping public space and installing beautiful new flower beds.

While serving the community, Servathon 2012 volunteers will raise much-needed funds to support their other service events, including its upcoming 9/11 Observance Service project in September and its Annual MLK Day of Service in January which, this year, included participation by President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and the Obama girls, Malia and Sasha.

Servathon 2012 will culminate with a Service Awards Program and Reception to celebrate accomplishments.

Meanwhile, the call for volunteers is ongoing. Interested volunteers are encouraged to register for Servathon 2012 at: http://www.greaterdccares.org

ASHBURN, VA --The National Football League announced its 2012 regular season schedule and the Washington Redskins' 2012 schedule features a Thanksgiving game at arch-rival Dallas in Week 12 followed by an appearance on Monday Night Football at FedExField against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants in Week 13.

Washington will kick off its 2012 campaign on the road against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. ET, on FOX. A second consecutive away game will follow in Week 2, as the Redskins face the St. Louis Rams for the fifth consecutive year. The contest will air on FOX at 4:05 p.m. ET.

The Redskins' home opener is set for Sept. 23, at 1 p.m. ET, against the Cincinnati Bengals on CBS. The Week 3 matchup marks the latest Redskins' home opener since 2001.

In Week 4, Washington will travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers on Sept. 30, at 4:15 p.m. The game will feature the return of former Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris, who joined the Redskins? coaching staff in the offseason as the team's new defensive backs coach. Morris helped guide the Buccaneers to a seven-game turnaround in wins from 2009 to 2010, the largest turnaround in the NFL that season.

On Oct. 7 in Week 5, the Redskins will host the Atlanta Falcons for the first time since 2006. The contest will air on FOX at 1 p.m. ET. The following week, the Redskins will host the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 14, for the third consecutive season. The contest will air on FOX at 4:15 p.m. ET.

Washington will face their first division rival in Week 7 when the Redskins travel to face the New York Giants on Oct. 21, at 1 p.m. ET, on FOX. This is the latest the Redskins have had their first game against a divisional opponent since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

In Week 8, the Redskins will travel to Heinz Field to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. ET, on FOX. It will be the first time Washington has visited Pittsburgh since 2004.

The second half of the slate will begin with a home contest against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. It will be the Panthers' first visit to FedEx Field since the 2006 season. That game will be followed by the Redskins? bye week, which will be the team's latest since 2008 (Week 10).

In Weeks 10-15 and 17, NFL games are subject to flexible scheduling. In Week 11, Washington will host Philadelphia following the bye week for a third consecutive season.

The Redskins will visit the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 22, looking to win their first Thanksgiving game in Dallas. The contest, which is the Redskins' first Thanksgiving Day game since 2002, will air on FOX at 4:15 p.m. ET.

The Dallas game will be followed by a home Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants in Week 13. The game will mark the ninth consecutive season in which the Redskins have appeared on Monday Night Football.

Washington faces back-to-back AFC North opponents in Weeks 14 and 15, home against Baltimore and away against Cleveland, respectively.

In Week 16, the Redskins will travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles for the teams' ninth all-time December meeting. Washington holds a 5-3 record in December games played in Philadelphia. That contest will take place on Dec. 23 on FOX at 1 p.m.

Washington will close its regular season on Dec. 30, at home against Dallas. The last time the Redskins closed the regular season against the Cowboys was in 2007, a 27-6 Washington win as the Redskins prepared for the playoffs.

NOTES ON THE REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE:

@ New Orleans Saints

The Redskins are 23-19 in season openers since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. A win would be Washington's third consecutive season opener and would represent the first time the Redskins had done so since the team won openers in four consecutive years from 2002-05.

Head Coach Mike Shanahan holds a 14-4 record in season openers as a head coach. His 14 season-opening victories lead the NFL among active head coaches.

Shanahan is 2-0 in season openers with the Redskins. With a win in the 2012 season opener, Shanahan will become the first Redskins coach since George Allen to win his first three season openers with the team. Allen won his first six season openers with the Redskins from 1971-76.

The game is the Redskins' third season opener against New Orleans all-time. The Redskins are 2-0 against the Saints in season openers, having opened the 1969 and 1975 seasons with wins against New Orleans by scores of 26-20 and 41-3, respectively.

Washington's opener against the Saints will be only the second time the Redskins have opened the season against an NFC South opponent since the division's creation in 2002, with the Redskins having opened the 2004 season with a 16-10 win against Tampa Bay.

The Redskins are 15-8 against New Orleans all-time, including an 8-3 record against the Saints on the road.

The game will be the Redskins' first in New Orleans since 2006, when the Redskins defeated the Saints, 16-10. The Redskins are currently riding a three-game winning streak in New Orleans and haven't lost in the Crescent City since 1992.

@ St. Louis Rams

The Redskins are 22-9-1 all-time in the regular season against the Rams, including a 13-4-1 regular season record against the Rams in road games.

2011 will mark the fifth consecutive season in which the Redskins have played the Rams in the regular season. This is only the second time since divisional realignment in 2002 that the Redskins have faced a non-divisional opponent in five consecutive seasons, having faced Tampa Bay each year from 2003-07.

The Redskins are 2-2 in the last four seasons against St. Louis, including a 17-10 win at the Edward Jones Dome in 2011.

vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Redskins? home opener against the Bengals in Week 3 represents the latest the Redskins have opened their home slate since 2001, when the team opened its home slate against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.

The Redskins are 29-13 in home openers since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, including having won each of their last five home openers dating back to 2007.

The Week 3 matchup will be the earliest the Redskins and Bengals have ever played. The teams? earliest meeting to date came in the 1974 and 1991 seasons when the teams met in Week 4.

The all-time series record between the Redskins and Bengals is tied at 4-4.

The teams have only played twice in the last 20 years, with Cincinnati winning games during the 2004 and 2008 seasons.

Shanahan is 5-3 all-time against the Bengals, including 2-1 in home games.

The Redskins are seeking their first home win against Cincinnati since Dec. 15, 1985.

@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Redskins will attempt to even their all-time regular season record against Tampa Bay at 9-9.

The Redskins will seek their first regular season win in Tampa Bay since 1993. Washington?s only win in Tampa Bay since 1993 came in the NFC Wild Card Round following the 2005 season.

Shanahan is 3-2 all-time against the Buccaneers and 1-1 on the road.

The game is the Redskins? final contest of September. The Redskins are 105-88-4 all-time in games played in September.

vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Redskins hold a 15-6-1 all-time advantage against the Falcons, including postseason games.

Washington is 9-2 all-time in regular season home games against Atlanta.

A Redskins' victory would be the team's first home win against the Falcons since Dec. 19, 1993.

Shanahan is 4-2 all-time against the Falcons, including a 34-19 win in Super Bowl XXXIII during his time with the Denver Broncos.

vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Redskins and Vikings will play each other for the third time in as many seasons, marking the first time in history the teams will have played regular season games against one another in three consecutive seasons.

This is the third straight season in which the Redskins will host the Vikings at FedEx Field.

The Redskins hold an 11-10 all-time series edge against the Vikings, including postseason play.

@ New York Giants

The Redskins open divisional play against the Giants in Week 7, the latest the team has opened divisional play since the creation of the NFC East following the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

The Redskins and Giants have faced each other in the regular season 158 times, making them each team's most common opponent.

The Redskins swept the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants last season, the team's first sweep of the Giants since 1999. The Redskins will attempt to sweep the Giants in consecutive years for the first time since the 1982-83 seasons.

A year after having defeated the Giants, 23-10, at MetLife Stadium, the Redskins will attempt to win consecutive road games against the Giants for the first time since the 1999-2000 seasons.

The Redskins are seeking three consecutive victories against the Giants for the first time since 1998-2000, when the team won four in a row.

@ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Redskins hold a 42-31-3 all-time regular season record against the Steelers, including a 22-19 record in games played in Pittsburgh. The Redskins will be playing their first regular season game in Pittsburgh since Nov. 28, 2004, a 16-7 Steelers' victory. The Redskins are seeking their first regular season win against the Steelers since Nov. 17, 1991, a 41-14 win against Chuck Noll's Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium. Including postseason games, Shanahan is 4-2 all-time against the Steelers Shanahan is 3-1 against Pittsburgh in regular season contests.

vs. Carolina Panthers

The Redskins are 7-3 against the Panthers all-time and hold an undefeated 5-0 record against Carolina at home.

The game will mark the first time the Redskins and Panthers have played each other in the regular season in consecutive years since the teams played in five straight seasons from 1997-2001.

The Redskins' game against the Panthers will be the team?s last before a Week 10 bye. The Week 10 bye is the Redskins' latest since 2008, when the team entered a Week 10 bye with a 6-3 record.

vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Redskins hold a 78-70-5 all-time regular season record against the Eagles.

The Redskins are 40-34-3 in regular season home games against the Eagles all-time.

Since bye weeks were instituted in 1990, the Redskins are 11-12 in games following bye weeks.

Shanahan is currently 10-6 in games following bye weeks.

@ Dallas Cowboys

The Redskins travel to Texas to face the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, marking the Redskins' first Thanksgiving game since the Redskins faced Dallas on Thanksgiving Day in 2002.

The Redskins will be seeking their second Thanksgiving Day win. The Redskins' last win on Thanksgiving Day came in 1973 when George Allen?s Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions, 20-0.

The game will be the 13th Thursday game in Redskins history and the eighth contested on Thanksgiving Day.

Shanahan is 2-1 all-time on Thanksgiving Day, including a 2-0 record against the Cowboys. Shanahan's Broncos defeated the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in the 2001 and 2005 seasons.

The Redskins? last five road games at Dallas have all been decided by five points or less.

vs. New York Giants

The Redskins will face the Giants on Monday Night Football for the first time since 2009. The Redskins are 26-34 all-time in games played on Monday Night Football but are 16-15 in Monday Night Football games played at home. The Redskins are one of nine NFL teams with an active streak of Monday Night Football appearances for at least eight consecutive seasons.

The game will be the Redskins' 61st appearance on Monday Night Football. The Redskins' 60 appearances entering 2012 are third-most in the NFC, trailing only Dallas (73) and San Francisco (66). A win would give the Redskins consecutive home victories against the Giants since the 2004-05 seasons. The game is the Redskins' third straight against a divisional opponent, the first time the Redskins have had a three-game stretch against NFC East opponents since Weeks 15-17 of the 2005 season.

vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens lead the all-time series 3-1, but the lone Redskins' win was a 10-3 victory in 2000 in the midst of the Ravens' Super Bowl season. The game will be the teams' first meeting since Dec. 7, 2008, a 24-10 Ravens victory. Shanahan is 3-3 against Baltimore in regular season play but is 3-1 in home games against the Ravens.

@ Cleveland Browns

The Redskins are 10-33-1 all-time against the Browns but have won five of the last seven meetings, including the teams' last meeting, a 14-11 Redskins' victory in 2008.

A Redskins' win would be the team's first win in Cleveland since Oct. 27, 1985, when the Redskins defeated the Browns, 14-7.

Shanahan is undefeated against the Browns with a 4-0 record, including a 2-0 record in games played in Cleveland.

@ Philadelphia Eagles

The Redskins are 38-36-2 in road regular season games against the Eagles.

The Redskins are 17-13-1 in December games against the Eagles and are 5-3 all-time in December road games in Philadelphia.

vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Redskins will end the regular season by hosting the Dallas Cowboys, marking the first time the team has played Dallas to end the season since the 2007 season as the Redskins defeated the Cowboys, 27-6, en route to a playoff appearance.

The game will be the ninth time the Redskins have faced the Cowboys to close the regular season and the fifth time they will do so in Washington. The Redskins are 5-3 against the Cowboys in season finales and 4-0 in home season finales against Dallas.

The Redskins are 25-17 in regular season finales since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

Including postseason games, the Redskins' all-time series record against the Cowboys in home games is tied at 27-27.

Three of the last four games between the Redskins and Cowboys at FedEx Field have been decided by six points or less.

Candidate for D.C. Council, Ward 5

The Metropolitan Washington Council (MWC), AFL-CIO has announced its endorsement of Kenyan McDuffie, candidate for the Ward 5 seat on the D.C. Council.

MWC President Joslyn Willliams said in an April 18 statement that after interviewing several contenders that McDuffie "had the best experience, skill-set and integrity to effectively represent our members."

The Council's affiliates represent more than 150,000 area union members in every line of work from service industries, retail sales and communications to transportation, manufacturing, construction trades and the public sector; and according to Williams, "We are excited to endorse a candidate like Kenyan who has always been a strong supporter of unions and working families."

McDuffie said the AFL-CIO is critical to the well-being of the District's workforce and that the organization works hard to promote issues his campaign deeply cares about.

"I am honored to be endorsed by the AFL-CIO," said McDuffie. "My priorities include representing and championing the needs of working families who are vital to building strong communities. We look forward to spending time with the AFL-CIO on the campaign trail in the coming weeks."

So far, McDuffie has garnered the most union endorsements of any candidate in the race, positioning him as the front-runner, according to the statement, which also states that his growing list of endorsements include:

• Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Maryland and DC State Council

• National Nurses United (NNU)

• District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA)

• Local 25 Hospitality Workers' Union

• LIUNA Local 657

In addition to the union endorsements, Kenyan McDuffie has also received the endorsements of Greater Greater Washington and DC for Democracy.

For more information, visit: www.KENYANMCDUFFIE.com

In response to the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) April 17 announcement that it will disband its Public Safety and Elections task force, Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network say that while that's a step in the right direction, it does not undo harm created by "Stand Your Ground" and voter suppression laws which ALEC influenced state legislators to pass.

According to NAN, in 26 states, people have to fear that a gun toting vigilante will have the right to kill you even when the situation does not call for violence. Also, millions of eligible voters will not be able to cast their vote in the upcoming election due to new voter suppression laws. Even though ALEC has announced that they will no longer deal with non-economic issues, the National Action Network (NAN) believes that more needs to be done to get justice for the people affected by these unjust laws.

NAN recently marched from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery Alabama, to protect immigration and voter's rights. Immediately after the march in Alabama, protesters traveled to Sanford, Florida, to be with Trayvon's family.

In both locations they were met with resistance from people under the influence of ALEC. Last week at during the 14th annual NAN convention in the District of Columbia, organizers spoke with corporate partners about their relationship with ALEC and how their support of ALEC is detrimentally hurting minority communities. It has been evident that these corporate sponsors have understood our concerns and many have since dropped their financial support of ALEC.

NAN, which is committed to fighting justice, maintains its hope that ALEC will maintain their current stance of only dealing with issues affecting the economy. Meanwhile, NAN will continue to monitor ALEC and we ask that our corporate sponsors do the same.

This year's "Operation Pretty and Polished," an event that provides prom attire free of charge for students who plan on attending their high school prom, is bigger and better than ever with more than 1,200 selections from which to choose. To help prom-goers with their choices, local TV affiliates anchors will be on hand as personal shoppers.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 21 at the Boys & Girls Club, 4103 Benning Road in Northeast. For more information, 301-918-2347.

Metro enables Metrorail customers to use their SmarTrip® card as a 7-day unlimited rail pass. The $47 "Fast Pass" gives customers the ability to take unlimited rail trips for seven consecutive days from first use.

Previously, the pass was available only as a paper fare card. However, as of April 16, customers can load the Fast Pass onto a SmarTrip® card, either at a Metrorail station "Passes/Farecards" vending machine or online at smartrip.com.

The introduction of an unlimited pass is the latest in a series of enhancements Metro has made to SmarTrip.® In September, Metro launched "Online Reload," giving customers the ability to add value to their SmarTrip® account from their computer, and earlier this year, Metro introduced the ability to report lost or stolen cards, transfer balances to a replacement card and reset passwords online.

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.