It was a big celebration for handful of fathers who completed one year of rigorous scrutiny by a dozen agencies working together under one program to help them get back on their feet. Unlike traditional court monitoring agencies, this program centered on fathers and their children. Some willingly sought help, others were forced by the […]
Author Archives: Valencia Mohammed
Special to the AFRO
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Impoverished Includes Black Middle Class and Seniors
While the recession continues to increase its number of casualties, the new faces of poverty in the region include the Black middle class, the elderly and youth. Ron Moten, 41, cofounder of Peacoholics, said needy, desperate and homeless youth have been around for over a decade. “They just didn’t come under the radar until now,” […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Family of Slain Ethiopian Demands Answers
Family and friends of Ali Mohammed, 27, say they want justice from city officials regarding his slaying and the reason no one has been prosecuted for his death. Mohammed was allegedly stomped and beaten to death by a restaurant owner and four security guards on Oct. 15, after witnesses saw him throw a brick into […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Legal Marijuana-like Substance Faces Harsh Scrutiny
“Got any K2?” Nouri Moore, 19, asked, approaching the counter of an Asian-owned convenience store in northeast Washington, D.C. A cashier at the Northeast Market located on the 1300 block of Mount Olivet Road, N.E., came to the counter, where a large basket sat, displaying the rainbow packages of the legal drug like candy. “How […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Wilson’s Restaurant Survives Gentrification
Before integration, Black-owned businesses flourished in African-American communities and were considered one of the strongest pillars of African-American culture. But with the benefits of integration also came the declining desire among African Americans to support Black-owned establishments, believing that Whites and other ethnic groups could deliver better products, goods and services. Several generations later, Black […]
Posted inNational News
Bedbug Invasion Spreads Fear, Loathing
In an effort to address the epidemic of bedbugs creeping through the nation, federal and local agencies are attacking the menace with effective measures. Bedbugs, biting insects that thrive on the consumption of human and animal blood, have been around for thousands of years. Drawings of bedbugs have been found in ancient caves. By the […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
District Libraries See Major Increase in Usage
District residents are flocking to the newly designed and renovated neighborhood libraries to find the latest in book selections, technology and a cozy place to relax. Once one of the city’s best kept secrets, the new public library system is gaining popularity among residents. Since structural and technical improvements began in 2006, circulation has increased […]
Posted inNational News
Alcoholic Energy Drinks Called Gateway to Harder Substances
A few years ago, the most controversial energy drink in the Black community was Pimp Juice, a product manufactured by rap artist Nelly. Regardless of the contents, the product’s name was too negative for its critics. Black leaders went on the attack and Pimp Juice quickly phased out after the hype. Another questionable energy drink […]
Posted inNational News
Respect, Hate, Violence, Death
Richard Barrett, 67, general counsel of the Nationalist Movement, which he founded in Mississippi, was found dead in his home on April 22, in Rankin County, Miss. Police said the attorney, well-known for his public opposition to the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday and his anti-Jena Six demonstrations, was murdered. And they have charged Barrett’s […]
Posted inCommentary
Valencia Mohammed…D.C. VotersThink for Yourselves
For several decades, Washingtonians have been steered to select certain candidates for elected office based on the opinions of editors and reporters of daily newspapers. Never mind the fact that most of the editors and reporters didn’t reside in the District and knew nothing of the struggle of its people other than what they read. […]