Ward 8 City Councilman Marion Barry has never shied away from the national spotlight and his latest initiative may soon gain him another distinction. The gruff councilman, who appears to have been reinventing himself over the past few years, said during a recent interview, that he wants to become a national advocate for welfare reform […]
Author Archives: DorothyRowley
AFROStaffWriter
Gray: ‘City Has to Establish Budget Priorities’
Spending in the District government has not focused on priorities, and, as a result, it could take years before an economic rebound fully occurs, said Mayor-elect Vincent Gray. Until then, he added, the city has to grapple with a multimillion-dollar hole in its operating budget that threatens a rise in taxes and cuts in programs […]
Black Student Publication at GWU Awarded Grant
ACE MAGAZINE, the Black student publication at George Washington University, has received a $1,000 grant from Campus Progress, a nonprofit youth outreach arm of the Center for American Progress. According to a release announcing the grant, the entirely student- produced magazine, which is in its third year of operation, was founded as part of the […]
Barry Movie Set for DVD Release
The biopic, “The Nine Lives of Marion Barry,” is set for release Dec. 7 on DVD. According to the film’s distributor, Indiepix, the highly acclaimed movie also be available on iTunes, Amazon.com and most major retailers. Barry currently represents Ward 8 in Southeast Washington where he’s often lauded as a folk hero. He has also […]
Chicago Mayor Race: Moseley-Braun Declares Candidacy, But Emanuel Remains Favorite
Despite criticism this summer that he hadn’t lived in Illinois for more than a year and had yet to prove his mettle to residents, Rahm Emanuel, former White House chief of staff to President Obama, leads the pack to be the next mayor of Chicago. According to a poll commissioned by the Teamsters Union and […]
Drug Use on the Rise in Segments of Black, Hispanic Youth
African-American girls and Hispanic boys comprise the majority of teens involved in illicit drug use, and their parents and other caregivers are urged to act immediately to deter the behavior, according to a new survey. A recently released survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency detailed teen drug use between 2008 and […]
‘Warrior’ Against Violence Targets Youth in Troubled Communities
Gregory Baldwin is a man on a mission. He wants to save Black boys from a lifetime of oppression, low self-esteem and street violence. Baldwin also endeavors to keep sharing the story of how he turned his own life around after it hung in limbo. Some 20 years ago, Baldwin, now 46, was shot 10 […]
District’s Black Residents Remain Hard Pressed to Find Jobs
With the city’s 10 percent unemployment rate likened to a ticking time bomb, things can’t get much worse as 30,000 residents search for work. So when Mayor-elect Vincent Gray assumes the helm in January, one of the first objectives aligned with his economic development plan will be to help quell the District’s burgeoning unemployment problem. […]
Report: African American Youth Most Impacted by Fast foods
At a time when young Americans need to consume less high-calorie food at fast food restaurants, a comprehensive study said that fast food restaurants are doing little to offer a better slate of nutritional meals. Fast food sellers need to do more to “establish meaningful standards for child-targeted marketing,” the Yale University Rudd Center for […]
Fenty’s Future Remains Uncertain
The dismantling of Mayor Adrian Fenty’s administration, prompted by his 53-46 percent loss to City Council Chairman Vincent Gray in September’s Democratic mayoral primary, is continuing apace. Gray named the team that would facilitate his transition to the city’s helm late last week. And in recent days, hundreds of Fenty hires were given their walking […]
Mayor-Elect Vincent Gray, Philanthropist Jeff Thompson Inducted by Continentals
Mayor-elect Vincent Gray, surrounded by members of his family got a special treat for his Nov. 8 birthday by being inducted during an historic ceremony as an honorary board member of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Continentals Society. Gray, who takes office Jan. 2, told the beaming crowd that gathered for the lavish induction […]
Brown Announces Transition Team
City-Council Chairman-elect Kwame Brown has announced the transition team that will be instrumental in analyzing procedures and implementing recommendations concerning the governing body’s operations after he assumes office on Jan. 2. The formal launching of the seven-member team took place Nov. 8 during a press conference held at the John A. Wilson Building. Members include […]

