Baltimore police have released bodycam footage showing the fatal shooting of 70-year-old Pytorcarcha Clark-Brooks, a mentally ill woman who approached officers with a knife during a welfare check. The NAACP is demanding an independent investigation, condemning the use of lethal force and calling for systemic change in how mental health crises are handled.
Category: NEWS
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Zion Baptist Church champions affordable senior housing in Ward 4
The Rev. Dr. Keith W. Byrd Sr. calls for Ward 4 seniors to age in place with dignity through the church’s new housing initiative.
Posted inHBCU
Displaced federal workers start journey toward new careers in Maryland’s K-12 classrooms
Dozens of displaced federal workers in Maryland are beginning new careers in K-12 education through alternative teacher certification programs at area colleges and universities. Funded by a $1 million state grant, these initiatives aim to address the state’s ongoing teacher shortage while offering former government employees a meaningful new path in the classroom.
Posted inReligion
Celebrating National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: A look at therapists with religious- based practices
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This week, the AFRO takes a look at therapists with religious- based practices.
Posted inCommentary
Doulas can be a lifeline for Black moms–in Baltimore, cost doesn’t have to be a barrier
By Shiauna Ledbetter In January 2025, I signed up to join the Birth Companions—a program where nursing students at Johns Hopkins train as doulas and offer services free of cost to people having babies in the greater Baltimore area. But I had no idea what it would feel like to stand in the room as […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
‘Free America Weekend’ ignites wave of protests nationwide
By Stacy M. Brown A sprawling coalition of activists transformed July 4 into a day of protest and civic action, as demonstrators in all 50 states rallied against President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda. Billed as “Free America Weekend,” the effort was the latest in a string of large-scale demonstrations, following June’s “No Kings Day” protests […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Shawn Joseph shares first 100-day plan as Prince George’s County’s interim superintendent
Shawn Joseph, a former deputy superintendent for Prince George’s County Public Schools, has returned to lead the district as interim superintendent following Millard House II’s resignation. Joseph says his top priorities include improving academic outcomes, strengthening community engagement and ensuring the district’s operations run efficiently.
Posted inUncategorized
Depression, exhaustion and fear: The hidden burdens of dementia caregiving
Millions of Americans caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s face deep emotional, financial and physical strain while struggling to find support. This National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, experts and caregivers stress prioritizing self-care and seeking resources early to avoid isolation and burnout.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Ousted Librarian of Congress tapped by Mellon Foundation
Carla Hayden, the former Librarian of Congress ousted under the 47TH presidential administration, has been named a senior fellow at the Mellon Foundation, where she will advise on advancing public knowledge through libraries and archives. Her appointment marks a return to cultural leadership amid growing national debates over censorship, federal funding cuts, and access to information.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
UDC launches ‘Cybersecurity Tech Hub’ at Congress Heights campus
A new apprenticeship program at the University of the District of Columbia’s Congress Heights campus is helping District residents launch careers in the rapidly growing cybersecurity industry.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Power in Action: Delta Sigma Theta hosts 57th National Convention
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is hosting its 57th National Convention from July 8–13, 2025, in Washington, D.C., gathering over 20,000 members in person and 13,000 virtually to celebrate more than a century of sisterhood, service, and social action. Events include community service projects, scholarship awards, entrepreneurship competitions, and a keynote address by Senator Cory Booker at the Social Action Luncheon.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Bowser moves to formally repeal D.C.’s ‘sanctuary city’ status
By Martin Austermuhle It was five years ago that Mayor Muriel Bowser called D.C. a “proud sanctuary city,” but now she’s trying to scrub the designation and protections it offers some immigrants. As part of her proposed budget for 2026, Bowser is pushing to repeal a 2019 law that limits how and when city agencies […]