Community

Bowser Tour Exemplifies Changes in Congress Heights Community

WASHINGTON INFORMER — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently toured a District neighborhood known as “The Soul of the City.” Bowser (D), along with D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8), local government agency leaders, and staff as well as advisory neighborhood commissioners, on July 17, strolled along Alabama Avenue in Southeast and feeder streets in the Congress Heights neighborhood to hear the concerns of residents and examine the neighborhood’s infrastructure.

Published

5 years ago

July 31, 2019

Oakland Post

By James Wright

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently toured a District neighborhood known as “The Soul of the City.”

Bowser (D), along with D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8), local government agency leaders, and staff as well as advisory neighborhood commissioners, on July 17, strolled along Alabama Avenue in Southeast and feeder streets in the Congress Heights neighborhood to hear the concerns of residents and examine the neighborhood’s infrastructure.

“Every month, I conduct these walks in neighborhoods to identify and address issues,” Bowser said. “I have done these walks in all eight wards. All neighborhoods need something.”

Until 20 years ago, Congress Heights had a reputation as a residential neighborhood plagued with criminal activity and abandoned housing. Positive economic activity started when the Congress Heights Metro Station opened in 2001 on the Green Line, next to the St. Elizabeth’s East campus.

With support of the mayoral administrations of Anthony Williams, Adrian Fenty, Vincent Gray and Bowser, the neighborhood has seen substantive growth and development.

The Shops at Park Village — a strip mall along Alabama Avenue – offers Giant as the ward’s only full-service supermarket, as well as a collection of clothing stores, barbershops, sit-down and carryout eateries that include Chipotle.

Last year, the Entertainment & Sports Arena opened at St. Elizabeth’s East, steps away from the western side of the Congress Heights Metro. The R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center, also on the St. Elizabeth’s East campus along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, has served several years as a meeting space for community groups.

There are plans for a new mixed development by Redbrick LMD, which will include residential, office and retail space to the extent that residents won’t have to leave the St. Elizabeth’s campus to live, eat, work, shop and play.

Despite the progress, Bowser and her entourage saw places where governmental intervention could make a difference. She walked from Turner Elementary School on Stanton Road, across the street to the sidewalk that rests on the eastern part of Alabama Avenue.

Bowser briefly engaged residents waiting at the bus stop in front of The Shops before proceeding south to the shopping center’s entrance.

Meanwhile, a group of protesters carrying a sign “No New Jails,” walked in front of her but didn’t get close because of the mayor’s security.

Bowser and her team walked into the small, cramped Turner-Parklands branch of the D.C. Public Library to talk to patrons. After that, they moved south on Alabama Avenue, walking past abandoned properties under the jurisdiction of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development.

Bowser asked Polly Donaldson, director of the housing department, about plans for the properties, with Donaldson responding that her department has active plans for its development into productive space.

Upon reaching the Pop -Up Opportunity Center on Malcolm X Avenue, Bowser entered the gymnasium where she observed residents drawing and painting as a part of the center’s activities.

Afterward, Bowser walked to Congress Park Plaza where she spoke at length with resident Alice Peak.

“I told her that something had to be done about crime in the neighborhood,” Peak said. “These young people need jobs, and when they have jobs, they will act better.”

Peak also alluded to criminal activity in her area, saying, “the crimes aren’t solved,” and suggested that a new playground and water park might make a difference in the safety of her neighborhood.

Bowser’s walk included going to the back of Congress Parks Plaza where she heard residents’ complaints about rats. However, administrators at the D.C. Department of Public Works had already received information about the problem and pledged to work with the residents to bring about a resolution.

As the entourage left the Plaza, the wind started to blow hard and rain came down quickly. Bowser briskly walked back to the Pop-Up Center and postponed the rest of the tour that would have ended at Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard on MLK Avenue.

When she reached the gymnasium, Bowser conducted her wrap-up, imploring her staff to tackle the rat problem at the Plaza, as well as graffiti at Turner Elementary and the eyesore of abandoned property on Alabama Avenue.

Despite the last-minute inclement weather, Bowser seemed pleased with the walk.

“The walk went great,” she said with a smile.

This post originally appeared in The Washington Informer.

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

5 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.

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Bay Area

Vivian Coit, 98

Vivian Coit, a proud Dallas, Texas native made her way to the great state of California in 1943. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

Published

5 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Vivian Coit

Celebrating A Life Well Lived

Sept. 15, 1925 ~ March 30, 2024

Vivian Coit, a proud Dallas, Texas native made her way to the great state of California in 1943. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

In her 98 years, she had various jobs – San Francisco Naval Shipyard, elevator operator, housekeeping, a salesclerk, and supervisor for the United States Postal Service. After 27 years of service with the United States Postal Service, she retired with numerous commendations. She was a lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women. and a devoted member of the Washington/Lincoln Alumni Association of Dallas, Texas.

On April 20 at 10:00 a.m., a life well-lived will be celebrated at Beebe Memorial Cathedral CME Church, 3900 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA under the leadership of Rev. Antoine Shyne.

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Commentary

Opinion: Surviving the Earthquake, an Eclipse and “Emil Amok.”

Last Friday, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City, reported as the “biggest earthquake with an epicenter in the NYC area since 1884” when a 5.2 quake hit. A bit bigger. The last quake similar to Friday’s was a 4.9 in 1783.Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago. That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

Published

5 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

In New York City, the eclipse was about 90 percent visible. Good enough for me. Though a full solar eclipse is a celestial rarity, blockages of any sort aren’t generally celebrated. My one-man play is about growing up with the eclipsed history of American Filipinos and how I struggle to unblock all that.

By Emil Guillermo

I’m a Northern Californian in New York City for the next few weeks, doing my one-man show, “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host, Wiley Filipino, Vegan Transdad.”

I must like performing in the wake of Mother Nature.

Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago.

That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

And it just doesn’t happen that often.

Beyonce singing country music happens more frequently.

When I felt New York shake last week, it reminded me of a time in a San Francisco TV newsroom when editors fretted about a lack of news an hour before showtime.

Then the office carpeting moved for a good ten seconds, and the news gods gave us our lead story.

On Friday when it happened in NYC, I noticed the lines in the carpeting in my room wiggling. But I thought it was from a raucous hotel worker vacuuming nearby.

I didn’t even think earthquake. In New York?

I just went about my business as if nothing had happened. After living near fault lines all my life, I was taking things for granted.

Considering the age of structures in New York, I should have been even more concerned about falling objects inside (shelves, stuff on walls) and outside buildings (signs, scaffolding), fire hazards from possible gas leaks, and then I should have looked for others on my floor and in the hotel lobby to confirm or aid or tell stories.

Of course, as a Californian who has lived through and covered quakes in the 4 to 6 magnitude range, I tried to calm down any traumatized New Yorker I encountered by taking full responsibility for bringing in the quake from the Bay Area.

I reassured them things would be all right, and then let them know that 4.8s are nothing.

And then I invited them to my consoling post-Earthquake performance of “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host…”

It was the night of the eclipse.

ECLIPSING THE ECLIPSE

For example, did you know the first Filipinos actually arrived to what is now California in 1587? That’s 33 years before the Pilgrims arrived in America on the other coast, but few know the Filipino history which has been totally eclipsed.

I was in Battery Park sitting on a bench and there was a sense of community as people all came to look up. A young woman sitting next to me had a filter for a cell phone camera. We began talking and she let me use it. That filter enabled me to take a picture of the main event with my iPhone.

For helping me see, I invited her and her boyfriend to come see my show.

Coincidentally, she was from Plymouth, Massachusetts, near the rock that says the year the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

In my show she learned the truth. The Pilgrims were second.

History unblocked. But it took a solar eclipse.

Next one in 2044? We have a lot more unblocking to do.

If you’re in New York come see my show, Sat. April 13th, 5:20 pm Eastern; Fri. April 19, 8:10 pm Eastern; and Sun. April 21st 5:20 pm Eastern.

You can also livestream the show. Get tickets at www.amok.com/tickets

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1. He wishes all his readers a Happy Easter!