By Aysia Morton, Special to the AFRO On the first day of March, the District of Columbia Council passed an uncontested emergency law sponsored by Council members Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Janesse Lewis George (D-Ward 4). The legislation allows teachers and staff of D.C. Public Schools to run and serve on the non-partisan District […]
Category: Washington D.C. News
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C.’s Paid Family Leave benefit will expand drastically this summer
By Aysia Morton, Special to the AFRO Thousands of workers in Washington, D.C. will see huge increases in the paid leave they receive every year and their employers’ tax rates will drop. At-Large Council member Elissa Silverman (I) made the announcement at a D.C. Council hearing. According to D.C.’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), there will […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
George Mason campus community protests over janitors’ harsh working conditions
By Demetrius Dillard, Special to the AFRO After months of excessively severe working conditions for George Mason University’s custodial staff, the campus community decided enough is enough. The school’s non-union contracted janitors joined students and faculty for a rally outside of the GMU president’s house on Jan. 27, protesting charges against GMU’s cleaning contractor for […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Smithsonian, IF/THEN collaborate to celebrate women in STEM
By Micha Green, AFRO D.C. and Digital Content Editor, mgreen@afro.com With Women’s History Month in full swing, the Smithsonian Institution and Lydia Hill Philanthropies’ IF/THEN collaborated on an exhibit that showcases and celebrates women in STEM. The exhibit, called #IfThenSheCan, includes 120 full sized statues of women in STEM- highlighting these women scientists as true […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Ward 5 Council candidate Faith Gibson Hubbard working hard for Washingtonians outside of the spotlight
By Micha Green, AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor, mgreen@afro.com Wife, mother, education advocate, former Director of the D.C. Office of Community Affairs and now Ward 5 Council candidate Faith Gibson Hubbard said her wealth of experiences doing things outside of the spotlight makes her the perfect candidate to dutifully and selflessly serve her hopeful constituents. […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Black voices in real estate want to help close the racial wealth gap
By Aysia Morton, Special to the AFRO The panel “Black Voices in Real Estate: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap” was led by City First Bank, the largest black lead bank in the nation, with partners including D.C. Housing Finance Association (HFA), Blue Skye Development, an African-American company founded by D.C. natives and collaborations with the […]
Posted inReligion
Faith Leaders rally for environmental human rights
By Nicole D. Batey, Special to the AFRO More than 50 faith leaders from a diverse coalition of faith communities rallied together virtually on Feb. 22 for the purposes of “Protecting the Gift of Creation” in support of the Environmental Human Rights Amendment (HB-596/SB-783). Too often, neighborhoods consisting of mostly Black, Brown and low-income Marylanders, […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Howard University student named 2022 Marshall Scholar
By Aysia Morton, Special to the AFRO Howard University senior Aissa Dearing-Benton has been awarded a 2022 Marshall Scholarship. Dearing-Benton is the fourth student in Howard’s history to be awarded the prestigious postgraduate scholarship. The Marshall Scholarship funds up to fifty young American scholars to study at any institution in the United Kingdom (UK) at […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C. Democratic Women’s Club discusses Critical Race Theory
By Briana Thomas, Special to the AFRO In honor of Black History Month, the D.C. Democratic Women’s Club (DCDWC) held a virtual program on Feb. 8 to discuss Critical Race Theory. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Ayo Sekai and included the Hon. Sharon Pratt, Esq.; Hon. Dr. Frank Smith, Rev. Dr. George Holmes; […]
Posted inNational News
Black Engineer of the Year Awards Recap: Ted Colbert receives top honor and Laura Murphy makes history
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Member, msayles@afro.com The Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) community boasts over 10,000 individuals. Its premier three-day event is the largest Black STEM conference in the country, during which grade and college students; government, corporate and military professionals; […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Howard University receives $2M to digitize Black newspaper archive
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia Howard University has received a $2 million donation to digitize its Black Press Archives, which contains more than 2,000 newspaper titles including publications like the New York Amsterdam News, Chicago Defender, Washington Informer, the AFRO American Newspapers, and other historically Black publications. The University said […]
Posted inHealth
African Americans need more representation in clinical trials
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Member, msayles@afro.com Given the history between the American healthcare system and African Americans, it’s natural that Black individuals remain hesitant about participating in clinical trials. The taking of Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells without her consent or knowledge and the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in […]