Washington Informer

Purchase Season or Mini Plans before April 1 and lock in 2012 pricing for the 2013 Season

The 2012 NL East Champion Washington Nationals will celebrate Opening Day and the start of the 2013 season at Nationals Park on Monday, April 1 when the team hosts the Miami Marlins at 1:05 p.m. The first 20,000 fans to enter the ballpark through Center Field Gate will receive an Opening Day Cap presented by GEICO. Nationals fans are encouraged to show their NATITUDE by wearing red and plenty of Curly W's!

Advance tickets to attend Opening Day are sold out, but fans can still purchase Standing Room Only tickets for $20 at nationals.com/tickets, while supplies last. In addition, approximately 400 Grandstand seats will be available for $15 at the Main Box Office starting at 10:30 a.m. on the day of the game. Fans are encouraged to arrive earlier than normal in order to enjoy Opening Day festivities.

For those who don't want to miss a minute of the 2013 season, only a few days remain to purchase season and mini plans at 2012 pricing. Nationals fans have until Sunday, March 31 to lock in 2012 prices for one or two-year season plans or mini plans with locations on all levels of the ballpark. To take advantage of this limited time offer, visit nationals.com/2013 (season plans) and nationals.com/miniplans (mini plans) or call 202.675.NATS(6287) – Option #1.

OPENING DAY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Emceed by Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster and CBS News Special Correspondent James Brown, the Opening Day pregame ceremony will include:

· Ceremonial First Pitch thrown by former Staff Sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha

· Game Ball delivery by Admiral Sandy Winnefeld, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

· Lineup Card delivery by D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray

· National Anthem and America the Beautiful performed by the U.S. Army Chorus Quartet

· A giant American flag unfurled by members of the D.C. Air National Guard and the D.C. National Guard in the outfield

· Starting Nine featuring children of deployed service members

· Play Ball announcement made by Winthrop Roosevelt, great-great grandson of Theodore Roosevelt

FAN PROMOTIONS & ENTERTAINMENT

· The first 20,000 fans to enter the ballpark through Center Field Gate will receive an Opening Day Cap presented by GEICO

· N Street festivities will include balloons and fire trucks adorned with a giant American flag

· The Nationals drumline will perform outside Center Field Gate

· The Kids Zone will feature caricature artists, face painters and a sign-making station

· "Scott's New Band" will perform at the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk

GETTING TO THE BALLPARK

Parking options for Nationals fans begin at $15 and are available for purchase online at nationals.com/parking. Fans are encouraged to purchase parking in advance online to ensure they receive a space in their desired area. Other transportation options include Metro, Metrobus, DC Circulator Bus and water taxi service. Fans are also encouraged to use the bicycle valet (located on First Street, SE near N Street SE) and bike racks around the ballpark.

A select group of publishers who belong to the National Newspaper Publishers Association met with Education Secretary Arne Duncan in Washington, D.C., recently to discuss education issues that directly impact African Americans throughout the country.

Each publisher voiced their concerns which ranged from the closure of public schools and the onslaught of charter schools in urban school districts, which also includes the District of Columbia, to the future of public education, violence in schools and school security, along with access to higher education for African American and Latino students.

Duncan addressed those issues after sharing his concerns about the impact of the sequestration on funding for education programs that specifically serve minority communities. He said his major concern for the country, "not exclusively in Black communities, it's all across the country, but when it comes to dealing with Black communities, we don't have enough parents demanding a world-classneducation for their kids."

"A dropout today," he said, "is basically condemned to poverty and social failure. There are no good jobs today for a high school dropout. That wasn't always true. The stakes have risen dramatically for high-quality education. The issue we have here is very few parents demanding a quality education for their children."

Duncan proceeded to talk about America's "drop out factories" which he defined as school districts in communities that mass produce dropouts. "With a [drop out] rate in the Black community at 30, 40 and 50 percent, it is no way to sustain a strong middle class.

How can parents in communities allow for decades to be served by schools that are mass producing dropouts? How can we awaken parents to say that our children can't compete, can't get a good job if they don't get a world-class education? I struggle with that, and bany insight you have will be really helpful?"

Well, Secretary Duncan, clearly you are ignoring the facts and ignoring the outcry of Black parents.

If African-American children were provided equal access to an"world-class education", do you believe the rates would be so high?

Do you really believe that parents send their children to school every bday expecting anything less than a "world-class education" if bsuch an education exist and was made available to them? What do you expect parents to do?

Sure, greater parental involvement may be an answer but not to your question. The Black community knows very well the value of education, and it has suffered, historically, and it continues to reel from government policies that deny them access to high-quality schools. Next year will mark 60 years since Brown vs. Board of Education outlawed separate but equal education, but schools in predominately black and brown communities remain separate and unequal.

Schools do fail. But it's not always due to parents. In the District, parents are choosing schools that almost meet their educational expectations. Show them a world-class school and they will choose it.

We don't deny that there are an extraordinarily high number of high school dropouts and truants in the Black community. That's why The Informer has decided to zoom in on this issue each and every week. However, we continue to grapple with the idea that the victims of unequal education policies are also to blame.

We're reminded of Frederick Douglass' famous quote: "Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."

So, the Informer will ensure that parents' demands on behalf of their children to have a "world-class education" are heard.

But Douglass also said: "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress."

Mayor Vincent Gray has selected a former Teach for America executive as his deputy mayor for education. Abigail Smith, who also has experience as an administrator in both public and charter schools, replaces De'Shawn Wright, who left last year to become deputy secretary for education in New York state.

In addition, Smith has worked under schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson and her predecessor, Michelle Rhee.

"Abigail has devoted her entire career to working with families, teachers and schools to deliver on the promise of a great public education for all children, and she has extensive experience working in education reform nationally and in the District," Mayor Gray said. "She's extremely well qualified to steer my administration's efforts to ensure that every child in the District has access to a top-quality education."

The deputy mayor oversees the mayor's education initiatives, and Smith will be asked to develop a plan for the coexistence of public and charter schools.

Smith said she's been in the local education arena long enough to have seen the best of the District's public education in both sectors.

"There's an urgent need to do more as quickly as we can," saidSmith, who lives in Ward 1. "I look forward to working with Mayor Gray, the council and the city's other education leaders – and, most importantly, families and students – to give every public-school student in the District the chance they deserve to reach their potential."

Henderson said she was excited to work with Smith as her administration continues to improve the quality of education for District public schools students.

Said Henderson, "Abby's deep knowledge and experience in both traditional DCPS schools and in DC Charter schools makes her especially qualified to help us improve collaboration and coordination to ensure that we really are one city where every student can succeed and achieve at the highest levels."

Prior to beginning her new job, Smith will have to be confirmed by the D.C. Council.

Council Takes Favorable Position on Living Wage for Maryland and Prince George's County Residents

The Prince George's County Council has unanimously during voted to support a proposal by state lawmakers that would raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour by 2015.

"The County Council supports the opportunity for residents of Maryland and Prince George's County to earn a living wage to better make ends meet, as they work to support themselves and their families," said Council Chair Andrea C. Harrison. "We appreciate the opportunity to work together with our state delegation to address issues important to our citizens and the operation of Prince George's County."

In addition to an increase in the state minimum wage, House Bill 1204/Senate Bill 683, seeks to amend several sections of the Labor and Employment Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland related to the Maryland Wage and House Law, including overtime and tip credit provisions.

According to the Department of Legislative Services' Fiscal and Policy Note on the bills, more than 65,000 workers in Maryland earn wages equal or less than the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour – about $15,000 a year.

Tipped workers in Maryland are paid only half that amount, earn the rest with tips. In Maryland, the last increase in the State minimum wage occurred in 2006 with an increase to the current level of $6.15 per hour.

Lillie G. Jessie, a longtime educator and member of the Prince William School Board, will be honored at the National Congress of Black Women's 17th annual Women's History Month Scholarship and Luncheon on Saturday, March 23.

Themed, "Women Taking the Lead In...," the event takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Waterford at Springfield, 6715 Commerce St. in Springfield, Va.

Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of The Washington Informer, will be the guest speaker.

Jessie, who represents the Occoquan District on the school board, is a nationally recognized author, mentor, master teacher, and innovative administrator in the educational field. During her tenure with Prince William County Public Schools, she served as supervisor of the Title 1 reading program, a diagnostician, a reading teacher, assistant principal, and principal.

Tickets are $50 per person. For more information, please contact Deilia Butler at 571-882-3715.

The NAACP, Taken to Task

I read the article in your February 14-20 edition about the NAACP joining the fight against the soda ban with disbelief. The NAACP seems to be without any principles when it comes to issues that hurt the black community. I recall that the NAACP stood with C. Delores Tucker in her fight against gangster rap and lewd lyrics in songs that denigrated black women. Then several years later they awarded Tupac Shakur, who attacked Ms. Tucker for her strong stand, their 1990 Black Image Award.

As our black community struggles with an inordinate [number] of health issues, many of which are caused by obesity, the NAACP rationalizes their opposition to the banning of soda in New York City as an attack against small businesses in the black community; the same economic rationale used to defend gangster rap. [Based on] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's quote, it would appear that Bloomberg cares more about the health of black citizens of his city than does the NAACP.

The founding members of the NAACP whose principles and integrity fought diligently against violence directed at African Americans are probably turning over in their graves to see that the organization they founded has gone from irrelevancy to uselessness.

Laura Gardner

Washington, D.C.

Finally, Affordable Housing for Senior Citizens!

When I read your article by staff writer D.R. Barnes, "Southeast Church Builds High Quality, Affordable Housing for Seniors" in the March 14, 2013 edition, the first thing that came to my mind was "Amen." The black church over the past few years has taken a beating from the news media and some in the black community for its lack of commitment to the needs of those it's suppose to serve.

I praise God for Allen Chapel AME Church; it must have been, at times, an unbelievable mountain to climb. But then, to complete such a task I'm sure was a great achievement, and all who worked so hard to get it done should celebrate it. God is good, and we should always praise Him, but He will praise us when we do the work for those who are in need. To God be the Glory!

Dwayne J. Harris

Washington, D.C.

American rock icon, known as the Queen of Rock & Roll, has become the oldest ever cover star for the international fashion magazine Vogue in a new shoot by Swiss photographers Claudia Knoepfel and Stefan Indlekofer for their German edition. At 73, Turner makes a stylish "cover girl" in a blue gown by Armani, and styling by Nicola Knels.

Until now, Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep held the record as the oldest ever Vogue magazine cover star, at 62, when she graced the cover of the US Vogue's January 2012 issue.

Born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tenn., Turner began a successful musical career with her guitarist ex-husband Ike Turner. As a solo artist she went on to win eight Grammy awards and has sold over 200 million albums and singles worldwide.

An NAACP delegation led by Roslyn M. Brock, chairperson of the organization's national Board of Directors, recently met with Haitian President Michel Martelly to discuss key civil rights issues, including education, health care, and economic sustainability.

The NAACP's delegation which included Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley, chair NAACP International Affairs Committee, Kamilia Landrum, NAACP youth representative, and leaders from partner organization the Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti, were also joined in the meeting by Haitian cabinet members, including Paul Altidor, Haitian Ambassador to the United States and Bernice Fidélia, Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE). Sophia Martelly, Haiti's first lady also participated in the meeting.

"This visit is an important step toward enhancing and expanding the long-standing relationship between the NAACP and our brothers and sisters in Haiti," said Brock. "The NAACP has a rich history and association with Haiti. W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the Association's founders was Haitian American. In 1920, the NAACP sent James Weldon Johnson on a fact finding trip to Haiti in response to reports of the mistreatment of Haitians and suppression of self rule during the war years," she said, adding that following his 1920 visit to Haiti, Johnson published a series of articles recounting the adverse impact of US occupation of Haiti. "The NAACP's efforts contributed to the evacuation of troops from Haiti," Brock said.

Dr. Goatley assured the NAACP's commitment to advocate for the people of Haiti.

"The work of the NAACP has a beacon of hope for many people in many countries around the world. Haiti is no exception," he said. "During our visit, we heard frequently how the NAACP has offered inspiration and instruction globally for those who are committed to human rights and social justice. By deploying this delegation, the NAACP continues a journey for partnership with our Haitian siblings as they seek a safe, strong, and secure future."

During their visit, delegation members traveled through Port-au Prince to view the progress of NAACP-funded humanitarian efforts after the 2010 Earthquake that killed an estimated 220,000 people and displaced millions.

The group visited the Santo community – a Habitat for Humanity project that received a $50,000 grant from the NAACP. The NAACP funded three additional civil society projects, including an orphanage. A criterion for the project grantees was Haitian leadership. Overall, the NAACP donated $200K to Haitian civil society projects.

Landrum said her Youth Work Committee acknowledges the importance of educational empowerment for Haitian students.

"Advancing quality public education is a top priority for the NAACP," she said. "It is important that we look into how we can advocate for the Haitian students to get the best education possible."

The NAACP will use the information gleaned from government officials, civil society leaders and partners.

(Source: NAACP.org)