LARGO, Md. (July 21, 2020)—Prince George’s County Execu-tive Angela Alsobrooks an-nounced today that the Countyleads the entire State in Mary-land Health Connection (MHC)enrollments following two spe-cial enrollment periods whichended on Wednesday, July 15.MHC is the State’s official healthinsurance marketplace, and thespecial enrollment periods beganin late February for tax filers andin March for COVID-19. Of the58,000 Marylanders that enrolledin health coverage during thatperiod, nearly 11,000 came fromPrince George’s County. “When this pandemic began,

we knew that lack of health in-surance could negatively impactthe well-being of our residents,so we are proud of our collectiveefforts to ensure Prince Geor-gians and Marylanders get cov-ered,” said Alsobrooks. “We willcontinue our work, in partnershipwith State and federal partners,

to ensure Prince Georgians havethe resources they need duringthis public health emergency.” In February 2020, the Mary-

land Health Insurance Easy En-rollment program was launchedas the first of its kind in the na-tion. Tax filers were able to in-dicate if they had health insur-ance. The information wasshared with the Maryland HealthBenefit Exchange (MHBE), theparent of MHC, who contactedtax filers to make them aware ofthe insurance opportunity. On March 16, the market-

place also opened a special en-rollment period in response tothe coronavirus pandemic. Withsupport from Governor LarryHogan and participating insur-ance providers, Maryland heldone of the longest special enroll-ment periods in the nation.“Maryland Health Connec-

Vol. 88, No. 31 July 30 — August 5, 2020 Prince George’s County, Maryland Newspaper of Record Phone: 301-627-0900 25 cents

A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY SINCE 1932

The Prince George’s Post

WASHINGTON (July 21,2020) PRNewswire—Chil-dren's National Hospital todaycelebrated the opening of itsnew regional facility—Chil-dren’s National Prince George’sCounty—located within theWoodmore Towne Center inLanham, Md. The new compre-hensive pediatric outpatient andspecialty care center providesfamilies in Prince George’sCounty greater access to a broadrange of services including: car-diology, neurology, hematology,allergy, and sports medicine andorthopaedics. Additionally, fam-ilies will have easier access tocare for infusions, transfusions,MRIs and outpatient surgery.“Children’s National has

long served the families ofPrince George’s County. I’mproud that our new site bringsmany of our specialty servicestogether at one location, mak-ing it easier for patients to re-ceive high-quality care,” saidKurt Newman, M.D., presidentand CEO of Children’s Na-tional Hospital, during a ribboncutting ceremony held thismorning. “Our commitment toproviding compassionate careextends to this site where eachchild will be cared for by ateam of pediatric experts,ranked among the very best inthe nation.”Children’s National Prince

George’s County, a 60,000square foot facility, is the latesteffort to ensure kids and theirfamilies can easily and conve-niently access pediatric special-ists and primary care providers.Providers [started] seeing pa-tients at the new facility on

Wednesday, July 22. An ambu-latory surgery center will openin mid-August, and infusionservices will be offered startingin November.In a show of widespread sup-

port for this project, [the July21 ceremony] ceremony was at-tended by city and state officialsincluding Prince George’sCounty Executive Angela D.Alsobrooks, Maryland StateSenator Douglas J. J. Peters,Maryland State Senator JoanneC. Benson, Maryland State Del-egate Andrea Harrison, PrinceGeorge’s County State’s Attor-ney Aisha Braveboy, PrinceGeorge’s County Council Mem-ber (District 5) Jolene Ivey,Prince George’s County Coun-cil Member At-Larger CalvinHawkins and Maryland StateDelegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith.“The COVID-19 pandemic

has truly shown that access toquality health care is absolutelycritical, not just for Prince Geor-gians, but all Americans,” saidAlsobrooks. “We are excited towelcome this new regional fa-cility of Children’s NationalHospital to Prince George’sCounty, which will expand ac-cess to high-quality health carefor children and families acrossour county.”Braveboy praised the hospi-

tal for achieving this milestone.“I am so excited this impor-

tant project that I helped to leadwhen I was on staff at Chil-dren’s National is finally open-ing,” said Braveboy. “The re-gional outpatient center will bean integral part of the healthcare safety net for children and

families in Prince George’sCounty and beyond.”U.S. Senator Chris Van

Hollen, in video remarks, ex-pressed appreciation for thepositive impact the new facilitywill have on patients.“Children’s National is a

world renowned health careprovider,” said Van Hollen.“We are very fortunate thatChildren’s National is openingthis center in Prince George’sCounty to provide high-qualityservices for children in the areawithout the burden on familiesto have to travel long dis-tances.”Echoing the importance of

having this care close to homewas Valentino-Smith.“When you live in Prince

George’s County, you eitherhave your own story or a closefriend’s story as to how Chil-dren’s National was the placethat helped diagnosis, treat, cureor comfort a sick child,” saidValentino-Smith. “Children’sNational has always made sureour kids in Prince George’sCounty have access to world-class treatment and I am thrilledto see the new outpatient centeropen.”Children’s National is ranked

among the nation’s top ten pe-diatric hospitals by U.S. News& World Report. It is the onlyprovider of care in PrinceGeorge’s County and in theWashington, D.C. region that isfocused solely on children’shealth.

Children’s National Hospital,based in Washington, D.C., cel-ebrates 150 years of pediatric

care, research and commitmentto community. Volunteers openedthe hospital in 1870 with 12 bedsfor children displaced after theCivil War. Today, 150 yearsstronger, it is among the nation’stop 10 children’s hospitals. It isranked No. 1 for newborn carefor the fourth straight year andranked in all specialties evalu-ated by U.S. News & World Re-port. Children’s National istransforming pediatric medicinefor all children. In 2020, con-struction will be complete on theChildren’s National Research &Innovation Campus, the first inthe nation dedicated to pediatricresearch. Children’s Nationalhas been designated twice as aMagnet® hospital, demonstrat-ing the highest standards ofnursing and patient care deliv-ery. This pediatric academichealth system offers expert carethrough a convenient, commu-nity-based primary care networkand specialty outpatient centersin the D.C., metropolitan area,including the Maryland andNorthern Virginia suburbs. Chil-dren’s National is home to theChildren’s National Research In-stitute and Sheikh Zayed Institutefor Pediatric Surgical Innovationand is the nation’s seventh-high-est NIH-funded children’s hos-pital. It is recognized for its ex-pertise and innovation inpediatric care and as a strongvoice for children through advo-cacy at the local, regional andnational levels. For more infor-mation, follow us on Facebook,Instagram and Twitter.

Source: Children’s NationalHospital

Children’s National HospitalOpens New Health Care CenterIn Prince George’s CountyNew 60,000 square foot facility gives families convenient access to expanded outpatient pediatric services

Hospice of the ChesapeakeAnnounces the Resignation ofPresident and CEO

Council Convenes Virtually forFinal Session Prior to Summer Recess

Virtual Events

Community, Page A3

To Be Equal:In John Lewis’ Honor, “Speak Out for the Heritage ofEquality and Justice” and Restorethe Voting Rights Act John Lewis paid for the Voting

Rights Act with his own blood. TheSupreme Court made a mockery of hissacrifice when it gutted the Act, sayingthe country had changed …Commentary, Page A4

The Hotel at the University ofMaryland Launches ThreePackages for Those Looking For aSafe and Relaxing Getaway“We want to give our guests an op-

portunity to get out of their house andtravel while knowing that our attentionto detail will be their peace of mind,”said Linda Westgate, general manager.

Business and Finance, Page A5

RainbowMe Helps ParentsCombat Racism

AT&T and Learning UndefeatedDebut New STEM Program

Tips to Help Erase Bullying

Weaning Off Single Use Plastics

Education / Environment, Page A6

New Multispecialty OutpatientClinical Practice at the NationalHarbor

Registration Now Open!MHA’s 2020 Annual Conference

Free Webinar From NAMIMaryland

Health and Wellness, Page A7

INSIDE

PHOTO COURTESY COUNCIL CONNECTIONS, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY COUNCIL MEDIA

See ENROLLMENTS Page A3

Prince George’s County Leads The State in Special EnrollmentsFor Health CoverageResidents who have lost health coverage may still beeligible to enroll in health insurance

BOWIE, Md. (July 16, 2020)—Bowie State University’s first-of-its-kind teacher leadership de-gree program in Maryland willbegin accepting applications forspring 2021 to prepare newlycertified educators to design cul-turally relevant lessons and findstrategies to improve studentsuccess.The 12-month, accelerated

Master of Culturally ResponsiveTeacher Leadership degree pro-gram is designed to produceproblem-solving teachers whotailor their curriculum to theneeds of their students. The pro-gram’s goal is to increase thenumber of Maryland educatorswho are effective in teaching thestate’s most culturally and lin-guistically diverse students. Agrowing body of research showsthat culturally responsive educa-tors help to improve student out-comes by incorporating differentlearning styles.This innovative degree pro-

gram will prepare educators touse data to improve studentlearning and encourage them tobecome change agents in theirschools, advocating for a cultur-ally responsive approach to cur-riculum design and professionaldevelopment for all teachers.Successful candidates may betop recent graduates from an ac-credited bachelor’s degree in ed-

ucation program or career chang-ers with real-world experiencein their profession.“With this degree program,

we want to help improve studentlearning by increasing the ex-pertise of teachers and creatingthe opportunity for them to be-come teacher leaders,” said Dr.Wil Parker, a chief architect ofthe program and chair of theBSU Department of EducationalLeadership. “We want educatorsto be solution-driven, being ableto talk to school leaders and say,‘This is what our students need.This is how we can supportthem.’”With this degree program,

Bowie State also seeks to recruitdiverse new teachers to combatthe nation’s historic shortages inthe teacher workforce. Researchsuggests that diverse studentsbenefit from having diverse ed-ucators, impacting their overalllearning outcomes and experi-ence in schools.Since 1865, Bowie State has

a legacy of producing high-qual-ity educators, including severallocal teachers of the year. Forthe past two years, U.S. News &World Report ranked BowieState’s graduate education pro-grams among the nation’s best.The Master of Culturally Re-

sponsive Teacher Leadership de-gree program has the potentialto create a model curriculum forother colleges and universities tofollow.

By DAMITA CHAMBERSBowie State University

First-of-its-kind TeacherDegree Program in MD toBoost Student SuccessBowie State to Begin Accepting Applications for theSpring 2021 Semester

By PRESS OFFICERPrince George’s County Department of Social Services

Vote By MailThe Prince George’s County Board of Elections encourages everyone

to vote by mail in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.Request a Vote by Mail Application for the November 3, 2020 Presi-

dential General Election: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/OnlineVoterRegistration/InstructionsStep1. You can also text “VBM” to77788 to receive the application on your cell phone.

Curbside Bulky Trash Collection ResumesCurbside bulky trash collection resumes August 3, 2020. Appointments

may be scheduled by contacting countyclick.princegeorgescountymd.govor by contacting 311.For more information, visit www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/

590/Bulky-Trash-Collection and bulkytrash.princegeorgescountymd.gov.—Prince George’s County MD

PGCPS Updates Summer Meals Program SitesUPPER MARLBORO, Md. (July 20, 2020)—Prince George’s County Pub-lic Schools (PGCPS) is making changes to Summer Food Service Programsites starting Monday, July 20. Due to low participation, the followingsites will no longer be operational:• Carole Highlands Elementary• Concord Elementary • Cooper Lane Elementary• Doswell E. Brooks Elementary• Ernest Everett Just Middle School• Greenbelt Elementary• Gwynn Park Middle School• James Harrison Elementary• Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School• Melwood Elementary• Middleton Valley Academy• Overlook Elementary• Panorama Elementary• Patuxent Elementary• Powder Mill Village Apartments• Rosaryville Elementary• Rose Valley Elementary“Grab and go” breakfast and lunch meals will continue to be available

Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon at 71 school sites and 12apartment complexes through Thursday, Aug. 13. To view a list of sites,visit www.pgcps.org/food-and-nutrition/cards/Summer-Meals/.Updates to services and sites will be provided as information becomes

available. For more information, visit www.pgcps.org/foodandnutrition.—Office of Communications, PGCPS

Prince George’s County Green Book Coming SoonThe Office of Central Services is committed to bringing County suppliers

the Green Book in August. Included in the Green Book will be planned ac-quisitions for the first quarter FY21 with updates occurring each quarter.Suppliers will be able to view the area of focus for each participatingagency, as well as what types of services and products that agencies havenot been able to find supplies for.The Green Book will be housed on a one-stop shopping portal called

The Prince George’s County Business Highway, “Driving Small BusinessOpportunities”. It will link suppliers immediately to information related tovendor registration, certification, contract opportunities, and variety ofonline tools and templates to expand the capacity of suppliers to do businesswith Prince George’s County Government. Learn more through the Officeof Central Services’ website: https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/807/Central-Services?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

—Community Connections Newsletter

Maryland FFA Foundation Awards 101 Gift of Blue JacketsHAVRE DE GRACE, Md. (July 17, 2020)—Maryland FFA Foundationsponsored its 2020 Gift of Blue Program to 101 Maryland FFA membersrepresenting 34 chapters. Funding was provided through individual andorganization donors and the Elmer Cooper Endowment. Chapters securedup to 3 FFA jackets at a reduced rate for deserving members.

Region 3: (Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, HowardCounty, Anne Arundel County, St. Mary’s County, Calvert County, andCharles County)

Fairmont Heights—Jeffery Hunter-Butler, Idris Adeoye, AyomideSunday;

Gwynn Park—Taqara Green, Alejandro Moreira, Diana Silva;Howard County—Travis Heath, Chanse Mullinix;Southern—Julie-Ann Lynskey, Megan Arnold, Samantha Lewis.

The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation is a 501c3 non-gov-ernmental nonprofit established in 1989. Through the Maryland FFA,teacher workshops, scholarships, grants, Mobile Labs and Showcases, andrevenues from the Ag Tag license plate sales, the Foundation pursues itsmission to promote the understanding and appreciation of the importanceof agriculture in everyone’s lives. The Maryland FFA Association's staffteam is partially funded through a $40,000 federal Perkins grant facilitatedby the Maryland State Department of Education. The Maryland FFA As-sociation has 2,500 student members in 54 local chapters throughout thestate.For more information, visit www.mdffa.org or contact Naomi Knight at

nknight@maefonline.com—Amie McDaniels, Maryland Agricultural Education

Foundation, Inc. (MAEF)

A2 — July 30 — August 5, 2020 — The Prince George’s Post

TOWNS andNEIGHBORSAround the CountyIn and Around Morningside-Skyline

by Mary McHale 301-735-3451

Brandywine-Aquascoby Audrey Johnson 301-922-5384

IN THE SPOTLIGHTPGCPS Express: A Newsletter for PGCPS Employees,

July 10, 2020 PGCPS Pride: Farewell, Friends: New PGCPSretirees! After long and productive careers, more than 300employees are leaving behind the daily 9 to 5 grind to start anew journey in retirement. Thank you for your commitmentand dedication to the students and families of PGCPS! Hereare some retirees you may know:Earl Hawkins, Coordinating Supervisor of Interscholastic

Athletics, has thrown in the towel after a 46-year career ineducation with 39 years in PGCPS, a Gwynn Park HighSchool graduate. Hawkins has coached volleyball, basketballand taught health and physical education at many schools.He also served as Assistant Principal at Frederick DouglassHigh School prior to overseeing the athletic program for 16years.Bus Driver Anne Cuddy has driven generations of students

over her 49-year career. The longest serving driver inPGCPS, Cuddy was based at the Goddard Bus Lot in Green-belt. She was featured in WUSA9 profile last September.Glenarden Woods Principal Cecelia Jones Bowlding is

retiring after 35 years in PGCPS. This Past year, GlenardenWoods was honored with its second National Blue-RibbonSchool award. Under the leadership, the school also achievedthe highest rating in the state’s accountability system.Dr. Gwendolyn Mason, Chief of Special Education and

Student Services, has served students for 40 years, spendingmore than half of her career in PGCPS. She has taken on avariety of roles, including teacher, instructional specialist,compliance officer and assistance supervisor for special ed-ucation.

DID YOU KNOW?Ultraviolet rays from the sun can harm your skin in just

15 minutes. Foodborne illness increases during summer be-cause bacteria multiply faster when it is warm out. Signs ofdehydration in adults include extreme thirst, fatigue, confu-sion, and dizziness, in infants and children, look for dry orcracked lips, fewer wet diapers and low energy levels. umcharlesregional.org. Summer 2020

CHURCH HISTORYSt. Thomas Church is one of the earliest Episcopal

churches in rural Southeastern Maryland. With the adjacent

cemetery, St. Simon’s Mission, and St. Simon’s Cemetery,the church is the center point of the St. Thomas EpiscopalHistoric District. The church was completed on December25, 1745 and was unofficially known as “Page’s Chapel.”In 1888, the frontal bell tower was erected in memory ofBishop Thomas John Claggett, first Bishop of the ProtestantEpiscopal Church consecrated in the United States. When your special day calls for rustic surroundings

drenched in history, let your thoughts linger at St. Thomaswhere boxwoods perfume the air, ancient trees bend ever soslightly in their testament to longevity, and wood thrusheswarble songs of love on a gentle breeze. Nestled on a pic-turesque campus, this historic venue is also a perfect settingfor fellowship, retreats, outreach, and more. The church of-fers a pipe organ, piano, and visible on every side are beau-tiful handcrafted antique stained-glass windows. The campusprovides a beautiful natural backdrop for weddings, baptisms,and funerals. Directly across from the Church sits ShowellHall, a gathering place featuring a light-filled space withhardwood floors on the first floor and a kitchen and additionalmeeting room in the basement. Together these facilities offerthe opportunity to host simple or elegant events. St. Thomaschurch is located at 14300 St. Thomas Church Road, UpperMarlboro, Maryland 20772. Telephone number is 301-627-8469. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

LIVE VIRTUAL WORSHIP SERVICEAre you Internet Accessible? Join us every Sunday-

Secure your Spiritual Space and watch with your ElectronicDevice (computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone). Visit uson Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/westphaliaumLive: 8:00 a.m./Watch Party: 10:30 a.m. Virtual Live: 8:00 a.m. Livestream on Demand https://westphalia.thechurchonline.com. Westphalia UnitedMethodist Church. Rev. Timothy West, Senior Pastor. Email:Info@westphaliaum.org/ phone 301-735-9373.

YOU CAN STOP THE VIRUSWhen you see MD COVID: 1. Pick up the phone. 2.

Follow the instructions. 3. Spread the word. CovidLink.Mel Franklin posted in Advisory Neighborhood CommunityInitiative By Council Member Mel Franklin.

70 years a Morningsider, Ruth Sanford celebrates 95th birthdayRuth Sanford is turning 95! And she

has lived most of her life in the samehouse in Morningside. I checked Morningside Directories:

“Ruth Ferguson” was at 503 AlliesRoad in 1952. “Ruth Sanford” was atthat address in 1955. “RM Sanford”was at 4503 Allies in 1993. “Ruth San-ford” was at 4503 Allies in 2011. Ruth was born in Burke’s Garden,

Va., daughter of Oscar and Beulah Lam-bert. When she was four, the familymoved to Loudon County where shegraduated from Herndon High School. In 1944 she married James Ferguson;

three years later they moved to AlliesRoad in Morningside. They becameparents of four, Richard (decd.), Linda,Margie and Janet. In 1951, James diedin a fiery car crash. The tragic accidentmade page 1 of The Enquirer-Gazette. Ruth later married Arthur Sanford

who brought two children to the mar-riage, Ray and Judy. Later they hadson David (decd.). Arthur died in 1964.Ruth was a housewife and babysitter

for her neighbors until she went to workfor Amtrak. She retired in the early’90s. She was an excellent seamstress,enjoyed writing poetry and attendingMorningside Senior events. She fre-quently called me with family news.She was a loyal member of Morn-

ingside Baptist Church (now, SuitlandRoad Baptist) where she sang in thechoir. Every year, come Morningside elec-

tions, she was an Election Judge.They’ll miss her service this year. In May 2017 she moved to an as-

sisted-living home in Boonsboro, Md.,in Washington County, at the foot ofSouth Mountain, near Frederick Countyand Antietam National Battlefield. Pop-ulation, 3,336.According to her daughter Linda

Sandoval (who provided her mom’sstory), Ruth is doing remarkably wellfor 95. And, she still enjoys readingand crocheting. Happy birthday, Ruth! I miss your

phone calls.

Coronavirus updateThe Prince George’s County Board

of Elections encourages everyone tovote by mail in light of the COVID-19pandemic.I’m still mostly homebound. How-

ever, grandson Conor picks me up forSunday Mass at St. Philip’s. And I didactually eat inside a restaurant withdaughter Elaine and grandson Zak. Theeatery was Texas Ribs and, most of thetime, we were the only diners.In Maryland, there have now been

79,545 reported cases, 860 of which arenew. Maryland deaths are 3,402, and20 are new.

Neighbors & other good peopleI’m sad to announce that longtime

resident Virginia Rosch has died. I hopeto have her obit in next week’s column.Archbishop Menghesteab

Tesfamariam has been waiting forweeks to return to Eritrea, in easternAfrica, where he is Head of the EritreanCatholic Church. Flights in or out ofEritrea are currently not allowed. Inthe meantime, he is staying at the guest-house of the convent of the Daughtersof St. Anne in Skyline. Jimmie Dean Salvatore, long stand-

ing faithful member and handy man atBells U.M. Church, died July 1 in Col-lege Park. He was 66.Azanaa Hutchison of Camp Springs

and Yolande Thompson of DistrictHeights have been named to the Dean’sList at Hood College, in Frederick, Md.,for the spring 2020 semester.Email me (muddmm@aol.com) with

news about your graduates.

Missing pet ads on “Nextdoor Town of Morningside”Paula Anderson, of Hillcrest Heights,

wrote “My dog Mars has been missingnow for 3 months. … I will always hopethat he comes back home where he isreally loved.” The item includes aphoto of Mars.Paula Anderson, of Silver Hill, re-

sponded, “I completely understand. Ipray he is returned to you. I too ammissing my orange Tabby cat for wellover a month. A pet is a part of yourfamily and it hurts when they come upmissing.”

Changing landscapeHovermale’s, in Fort Washington

since 1954, is now open Tuesdaythrough Sunday. Get your soft vanilla-and-chocolate swirl cone now!The National Zoo is now open 8 a.m.

to 4 p.m. The Panda House is closed,although Tian Tian and Mei Xiangmight be visible in their yards. Visitors6 & up must wear masks. Admissionis free. Timed-entry passes requiredbut can be reserved through the Smith-sonian’s website (si.edu/tickets) up to30 days in advance. A limited numberof walk-up passes may be available af-ter 1 p.m.Bengies Drive-In Theater is open for

business and they show triple features.They are located in Middle River, Md.Go online for COVID-19 rules, movies,and phone number.

Thefts from vehicles, County’s #1preventable crimeThieves are stealing phones, purses,

gym bags, sunglasses, tools and morefrom your car while you gas up. Pre-vent theft by locking your car. Takewith or hide your stuff. And call 911 ifyou see something.

Margaret Harden, worked forCensusMargaret Ann Harden, 68, who had

a career at the Census Bureau, died June12. She graduated from St. Patrick’sAcademy in Washington and worked atthe Navy Yard before Census.She was predeceased by her parents,

Joseph W. and Kathleen M. Harden,formerly of Hillcrest Heights. Sur-vivors include siblings Joseph, Patrick,James, and Kathleen Harden and MaryFoster, niece and nephews, aunts MaryMargaret McMahon and Sister RoseMarie Canty, CSC. Services were atKalas in Oxon Hill.

MilestonesHappy birthday to Carolyn Dade,

Aug. 1; Chris Webb, Cornel Gotshall,Samantha Wade, Aug. 3; VictoriaLevanduski, Laura Cook and SalleeBixler, Aug. 4; Miss Bailey Sparks,GeGe Feeney, and my granddaughterRose Seidman, Aug. 5; Markeyce Her-ring and Connie Kimbles, Aug. 6; andMary Dean, Aug. 7.Happy anniversary to Denis and

Donna Wood on Aug. 7.

Even though many restrictions are lifted, please continue to:

• Wear a mask • Practice physical distancing

• Wash your hands often, for at least 20 seconds• Drink water! Stay hydrated in the heat

PASADENA, Md. (July 23,2020)—Hospice of the Chesa-peake announced today that Pres-ident and CEO Ben Marcantoniohas submitted his resignation ef-fective September 25. Marcan-tonio informed the Chairman ofthe Board of Directors earlier thisweek that he has accepted a po-sition as the Chief Operating Of-ficer for the National Hospiceand Palliative Care Organization.Marcantonio joined Hospice ofthe Chesapeake as Chief Oper-ating Officer in 2013 and wasquickly promoted to Presidentand CEO in 2015. “Ben has been a guiding force

and a strong advocate for Hos-pice of the Chesapeake. We aregrateful for his commitment anddedication to our mission sincejoining our team in 2013 and hisfocus on the expansion of careprovided by the organization,”said Brian Gibbons, Chairmanof the Hospice of the Chesa-peake Board of Directors. “Benhas worked tirelessly during histenure as CEO and the organi-zation has reach many milestonesincluding caring for more than550 hospice patients per day inmid-2020, the construction andopening of the Rebecca FortneyInpatient Care Center in 2015and the Hussman OutpatientSupportive Care Center in 2018.”The Board of Directors also

announced they have appointedMichael Brady to serve as the In-terim President and CEO effec-tive upon Marcantonio’s depar-ture. Brady currently serves asChief Financial Officer andjoined Hospice of the Chesa-peake in 2017. Prior to joiningHospice of the Chesapeake,Brady served as CFO with theNational Lutheran Communitiesand Services in Rockville, which

is the parent organization of threenon-profit faith-based senior carecommunities and two homehealth/home care entities. Bradyis currently the Chairman of theLeading Age Maryland Board ofDirectors and a 2020 LeadershipAnne Arundel graduate.“I am very confident that

Mike will provide strong leader-ship and bring valuable insightin this interim role.” Said Brian

Gibbons, Chairman of the Hos-pice of the Chesapeake Board ofDirectors. The Board of Direc-tors will begin a search for a per-manent successor in Fall 2020.For more information, pleasecontact Sandra Dillon, Directorof Communications at 443-837-1554 or sdillon@hospicechesapeake.org.

Caring for life throughout thejourney with illness and loss isthe mission of Hospice of theChesapeake. For more informa-tion, please visit www.hospicech-esapeake.org. Hospice of theChesapeake has an office inPrince George’s County at 9500Medical Center Drive #250,Largo, MD 20774

July 30 — August 5, 2020 — The Prince George’s Post — A3

COMMUNITY

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (July 21,2020)—The Prince George’s CountyCouncil convened virtually on Tuesday,July 21, in its final regular session beforethe August recess. During Tuesday’s ses-sion, the Council considered and adoptedover 25 legislative measures; held 18 pub-lic hearings; and addressed proposed cor-respondence.Council Chair Todd M. Turner noted

the outstanding work of his Council col-leagues, as well as staff, to address im-portant issues given our virtual opera-tions.The Council adopted the following

measures:• CB-042-2020, legislation proposed bythe County Executive realigning $20million from the Police DepartmentCapital Budget earmarked for a publicsafety training facility, to build a clini-cal health facility addressing mentalhealth and addiction.

• CR-066-2020, legislation asserting thatracism is a crisis of public health, pub-lic safety and economic welfare be-cause of its effect on the entire PrinceGeorge’s County community.

• CR-062-2020, the Council establishedthe Prince George’s County Food In-security Task Force to address issuesrelated to the supply and demand ofhealthy food, and areas with limitedaccess to healthy food, food-health con-nections, school meals, and food secu-rity.

• CB-043-2020, CB-044-2020, CB-045-2020, CB-046-2020 and CB-047-2020- 5 (five) bond bills will be placed be-fore voters during the November Gen-eral Election for approval to fundCounty capital projects for publicworks, community college, libraries,public safety and county buildings.

• The Council voted to extend the ap-pointment of Prince George’s CountyActing Police Chief Hector Valez forfour months pursuant to the CountyCharter.

• Approved the Prince George’s CountyPublic School system’s budget recon-ciliation request for the $2.3 billion forthe Fiscal Year 2021 school year

• The Council also approved severalmeasures addressing the Salary Plansfor the County’s frontline workers, in-cluding provisions for COVID-19 Haz-ard Pay for first responders.In other matters, following public tes-

timony from over 25 residents on CB-

048-2020, proposed legislation concern-ing a Charter Amendment to amend theHomestead Property Tax Credit Cap inPrince George’s County, District 6 Coun-cil Member Derrick Leon Davis, movedto table the bill, an action unanimouslysupported by the Council, and no furthervote was taken. The matter will not beplaced on the November ballot in theGeneral Election for voters to decide.“The Council has heard from our resi-dents on this matter and believes today’saction indicates the will of the people wewere elected to represent, and a recogni-tion of our current times,” said CouncilChair Turner.The Council also recognized Depart-

ment of Corrections Director, Mary LouMcDonough, as she prepares to retirefrom Prince George’s County Govern-ment following over 40 years of service.The County Council [was] scheduled

to meet as the District Council on Mon-day July 27, 2020. The Council will re-convene in September, unless an emer-gency meeting is needed during recess.To view Council Bills and Resolutions,

please visit https://princegeorgescountymd.legistar.com/Default.aspx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

By ANGELA ROUSONPrince George’s County Council Media

Council Convenes Virtually for Final Session Prior to Summer Recess; Holds Public Hearings; Adopts SeveralMeasures; Places Bond Bills on November Ballot; Addresses Homestead Property Tax Credit Cap Legislation

By SANDRA DILLONHospice of the Chesapeake

Great American Outdoors Act Passes House of RepresentativesLandmark Conservation Legislation Headed to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON (July 22,2020)—Will Shafroth, Presidentand CEO of the National ParkFoundation, the official nonprofitpartner to the National Park Serv-ice, made the following statementregarding passage of the GreatAmerican Outdoors Act in theHouse of Representatives: “After years of bipartisan col-

laboration and debate, today wereached a once-in-a-generationachievement in the conservationcommunity—passage of the GreatAmerican Outdoors Act. As a leading proponent for

tackling national park deferredmaintenance, the National ParkFoundation is thrilled that theHouse of Representatives voted310–107 to pass the Great Amer-ican Outdoors Act. On the heelsof last month’s resounding bipar-tisan vote in the United StatesSenate, we look forward to thePresident signing into law this in-credible win for America’s na-tional parks and public lands. The Great American Outdoors

Act affirms our shared commitmentto caring for America’s specialplaces by providing significant re-sources to address national park de-ferred maintenance. Tackling ourparks’ long overdue maintenanceneeds will ensure these places aresafe and accessible for all, continuefueling local economies, and offereducation and inspiration for gen-erations to come.

By directing much-neededfunding to repair and improve na-tional park facilities, roads, watersystems, trails, and other vital as-sets, this soon-to-be law will allowthe National Park Service and itspartners to preserve America’sspecial places while offering aworld class visitor experience. The Great American Outdoors

Act’s substantial investments in ouriconic landscapes, hallowed battle-fields, and important historical andcultural sites will enhance the Foun-dation’s work to enrich nationalparks with philanthropic support.With meaningful federal resourcesdevoted to long overdue park main-tenance needs, philanthropic part-ners can focus on funding innova-tive projects that enhance the visitorexperience and ensure our parksreach their highest potential. In addition to addressing na-

tional park infrastructure, theGreat American Outdoors Act en-shrines our nation’s conservationlegacy through permanent,mandatory funding for the Landand Water Conservation Fund.This hallmark program will con-serve precious lands in nationalparks as well as boost access toclose-to-home recreation oppor-tunities in communities through-out the United States. The Foundation commends

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12),Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer(D-MD-5), and RepublicanLeader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23) for their shared commitmentto moving this significant legisla-

tion forward.The Foundation applauds the

dozen bipartisan lawmakers whointroduced the Great AmericanOutdoors Act in the House: Rep.Joe Cunningham (D-SC-1), Rep.Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Rep.Mike Simpson (R-ID-2), Rep.Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Rep.John Katko (R-NY-24), Rep. T.J.Cox (D-CA-21), Rep. Lee Zeldin(R-NY-1), Rep. Xochitl TorresSmall (D-NM-2), Rep. KendraHorn (D-OK-5), Rep. Steve Stivers(R-OH-15), Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME-2), and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry(R-NE-1). We are grateful for themore than 200 members who sup-ported the Great American Out-doors Act as cosponsors. Passage of the Great American

Outdoors Act is a historic triumphfor our national parks and all whocherish them. The National ParkFoundation looks forward to work-ing with Congress and the Admin-istration on implementing this land-mark conservation victory.”

The National Park Foundation is theofficial charity of America’s nationalparks and nonprofit partner to theNational Park Service. Charteredby Congress in 1967, the NationalPark Foundation raises privatefunds to help protect more than 84million acres of national parksthrough critical conservation andpreservation efforts and connect allAmericans with their incomparablenatural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Visit www.nationalparks.org.

By PRESS OFFICERNational Park Foundation

Hospice of the ChesapeakeAnnounces the Resignation ofPresident and CEO Ben Marcantonio

PHOTO COURTESY HOSPICE OF THECHESAPEAKE

Michael Brady, newly ap-pointed Interim CEO for Hos-pice of the Chesapeake.

tion was able to respond quickly to this global crisis and help ourMaryland families get the health coverage they need,” saysMichele Eberle, Executive Director of the MHBE.Health insurance in Prince George’s County is provided through

Prince George’s County Health Connect (PGC Health Connect),a program of Prince George’s County Department of Social Serv-ices (PGCDSS). PGC Health Connect is one of eight ConnectorEntities in Maryland. The program’s Navigators, many of whomare bilingual, provide guidance to applicants and are able to enrollresidents into health insurance by telephone.

Prince George’s County residents who have lost health cov-erage due to job loss or have experienced other major lifechanges may still be eligible to enroll in health insurancewithin 60 days of the loss of coverage. Medicaid enrollment isongoing throughout the year. To explore health insurance options to “Get Covered,” call

PGC Health Connect, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4

p.m. at 301-927-4500, 240-719-2167, or the health hotline at WeAre CASA at 301-270-8432 or 240-270-1318. Bilingual navigatorsare available to assist consumers directly over the telephone.To enroll online, visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov or call

855-642-8572 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. The free “EnrollMHC” mobile app is also available for downloading.

Maryland Health Benefit Exchange: (MHBE) is a public corpora-tion and independent unit of the state government. It was establishedin 2011 in accordance with the Patient Protection and AffordableCare Act of 2010 (ACA) and is responsible for the administrationof Maryland Health Connection.Maryland Health Connection:One of every six Marylanders receivetheir health coverage through Maryland Health Connection (MHC),the state-based health insurance marketplace. Residents can com-pare and enroll in health insurance as well as determine eligibilityfor Medicaid or financial help with private plans.

Enrollments from A1

VIRTUAL EVENTSPRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTYMEMORIAL LIBRARY SYSTEMWatch Ibram X. Kendi on “How to Be an Antiracist” On DemandThe archival video of Dr. Kendi’s interview

with Dr. Charlene M. Dukes is available for ondemand viewing at pgcmls.info/anti-racism untilAugust 20, 2020.

Authors for Truth: Dr. Joan Marie Johnsonon Women’s SuffrageThursday, August 6 at 7 p.m.Register: https://pgcmls.info/virtual-eventsThe Authors for Truth series provides Prince

George’s County residents with opportunities tomeet and hear from national authors whose worksaddress social justice issues and promote equality.Joan Marie Johnson is a historian and author ofnumerous books and articles on American’swomen history, race, social reform, education, andphilanthropy.

PRINCE GEORGE’S AFRICAN AMERICANMUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTERVirtual Pride of Place Parlourhttps://youtu.be/zXOA2LMOzmsJoin The Prince George’s African American

Museum and Cultural Center in their virtual Prideof Place Parlour as they interview City of BowieCouncilwoman Roxy Ndebumadu who made his-tory by being the youngest woman elected to serveon Bowie City Council. She is also the first AfricanAmerican woman to represent District 4 withinthe State of Maryland.

MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETYHistoric Amusement Parks in Maryland:Separate But Not EqualWednesday, August 12, 12–1 p.m.Register: www.mdhs.org/eventsFor many people, theme parks reconnect us to

childhood memories of thrilling rides, tasty food,and live entertainment. This shared nostalgia iseasily attributed to the nearly three dozen amuse-ment parks scattered across Maryland’s landscapeover the past 144 years.

These sentimental recollections, however,aren’t held by all Marylanders. From their incep-tion, amusement parks were racially segregated,with most operating under a whites-only admis-sions policy. Major civil rights campaigns targetedamusement park segregation and in the summerof 1963, after many demonstrations and publicprotests, Baltimore County’s Gwynn Oak Parkbecame the first Maryland amusement park to de-segregate, opening to all for the first time on Au-gust 28, 1963.This virtual program, hosted by the Maryland

Historical Society, will recall many of Maryland’shistoric amusement parks, with special consider-ation to Gywnn Oak Park. Jason Rhodes, authorof Images of America: Maryland’s AmusementParks, joins Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan, co-authors of the recently published children’s bookabout Gwynn Oak, A Ride to Remember: A CivilRights Story, whose story is told in more detail inNathan’s earlier book for teens and adults: Roundand Round Together. These three authors will dis-cuss amusement parks of a bygone era and howsegregated recreation played an important role inthe civil rights movement.

ACCOKEEK FOUNDATIOnSave or Squish? Citizen Science Presentation!Saturday, August 15, 2020 • 10–11 a.m.Register: https://34488.blackbaudhosting.com/

3 4 4 8 8 / t i c k e t s ? t a b = 2 & t x o b j i d =c1a61559-b723-4a7c-990e-cd0e9dded63c1 person, 5 insects, a whole web of connections.

Join Regenerative Agriculture Coordinator KCCarr and embark on a scavenger hunt in your gar-den to find insects that you see everyday and ques-tion their purpose in that space. Are they helpfulor hurtful, good or dangerous? What role do theyplay in the larger ecosystem of your garden?Squish or save? KC will discuss all of this as shehunts for 5 different garden insects that live in theKitchen Garden on the National Colonial Farm.Together we can help our ecosystems, both athome and in our community, be healthier and hap-pier by becoming more knowledgeable about thecreatures living in them.

WASHINGTON (July 23,2020)—U.S. Senators Chris VanHollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have joined Senator PatrickLeahy (D-Vt.) in introducing theJohn Lewis Voting Rights Ad-vancement Act, a bipartisan billto restore the landmark VotingRights Act, end the scourge ofminority voter suppression, andhelp preserve the legacy of JohnLewis—one of America’s great-est civil rights heroes.In 2013, the Supreme Court’s

Shelby County v. Holder deci-sion gutted critical voter protec-tions within the Voting RightsAct, crippling the federal gov-ernment’s ability to prevent dis-criminatory changes to state vot-ing laws and procedures. In thewake of Shelby County, statesacross the country unleashed atorrent of voter suppression

schemes that have systematicallydisenfranchised minority voters.These patently discriminatory ef-forts to restrict access to the bal-lot box undermine the progressand equality that John Lewisfought hard over the decades toachieve, from his time as a civilrights movement leader to histenure in Congress. The JohnLewis Voting Rights Advance-ment Act would restore andmodernize the Voting Rights Act,as well as provide the federalgovernment with other criticaltools to combat what has becomea full-fledged assault on Ameri-cans’ right to vote.“John Lewis fought his whole

life for every single American’sright to participate in our democ-racy. While Majority Leader Mc-Connell praised Lewis’s work af-ter his death, he has still refused

to allow a vote on the bill Lewischampioned to restore the VotingRights Act and knock down bar-riers to voting that disproportion-ately disenfranchise people ofcolor,” said Senator Van Hollen.“The House version of this billhas been on McConnell’s deskfor almost eight months—totruly honor Lewis’s legacy andlife’s work, the Senate must act.”“In order to fully honor John

Lewis’ life and legacy and thehistoric struggle to guaranteevoting rights for all Americans,we must restore the monumentalbill he and so many others riskedtheir lives to secure,” said Sena-tor Cardin. “The John Lewis Vot-ing Rights Advancement Act, isa chance for us to make clear yetagain that we cannot stand by asvoter suppression and the disen-franchisement of communities of

color infringes upon the rightsof citizens and our democraticvalues. Actions speak louderthan words; the Senate must passthis bill to continue our late col-leagues’ life’s work and hold ournation true to its most fundamen-tal promise.”Calling on Senate Majority

Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to allow a vote on this vitalbipartisan legislation, SenatorLeahy said: “John called voting‘the most powerful nonviolenttool we have to create a moreperfect union.’ He was right. Andthat’s why we cannot stand idlyby while states engage in fla-grant suppression schemes totake this tool away from margin-alized communities. The Housealready passed the companion tothe John Lewis Voting RightsAdvancement Act in December.Now we must do our part. Wecannot claim to honor the life ofJohn Lewis if we refuse to carryon his life’s work.”

By DIRK A. BUTLERVice President, Community Im-pact and Engagement, UnitedWay of the National CapitalArea, resident of Bowie, MD

To process what’s been goingon in the country and experi-ences that have happened in myown life, I’ve been having con-versations with my brothers atwork, friends, family, and peo-ple with whom I grew up. Col-lectively, we’ve come to identifythat people don’t love Blackmen. They don’t care for us,don’t cheer for us, and don’tlove us; therefore, it’s easy forthem to extinguish our lives.While it hurts to know that

you’re not loved, what’s evenmore damaging is knowing thatyou can’t express that hurt. Youcan’t take a moment to be vul-nerable. You’re trapped in an in-cessant cycle of pain that we’velearned to ignore. The result ofthat pain is self-destruction, andthat’s what systemic oppressionwants. And when you see thatpain in the Black men murdered,the sense of powerlessness andfear, that realization of not beingloved turns from theoretical toa hard fact.The debilitating paradox of

wanting to be soft and vulnera-ble but toughening our callous

is what Black menface. Some of usare just now wak-ing up to ourtruths and ourfears: we’re afraidof being shot, sentto prison or killedfor something wedidn’t do. We want a system thatuplifts us from being misedu-cated, living beneath our poten-tial, and curtailing our chancesat success. There’s never been a sanc-

tioned place for Black men toprocess those fears and emo-tions. As we march, protest andtry to lift liberation and justice,know that the solution is muchdeeper than systemic and policychange. Black men need cathar-sis—an opportunity to feel, tosoften, and to heal. To hear thatsociety and the country as awhole have failed them and themany generations prior at everyturn—educationally, academi-cally, economically, mortally.The hurt and trauma we’ve ex-perienced is not a perceived con-spiracy but historically docu-mented. We need a space ofpublic discourse to workthrough the traumas that Amer-ica has enacted on us. Then, wecan begin to heal. As humans, each of us knows

the first step to re-covery starts with anapology. As smallchildren, as soon aswe can speak thewords, we are askedto apologize for ourfaults. It’s uncom-fortable and we fum-

ble, but the lesson learned is ac-countability for our actions,words, or wrongdoing. Thegreatest apology my brothersand sisters can receive at thispoint is changed behavior. Achange in behavior of how youview and work with Black menand women. Help us finally andrightfully see ourselves differ-ently—having equal power,worth and value. Let thischanged behavior be the beaconafter the spotlight of our workfor change begins to wane. Letyour actions show us that youare here to persevere and staysteadfast. Continue to show usthat you are on the right side ofhistory, the right side of thework fighting for equity and theright side of humanity.

This piece is part of a collec-tion of stories told by AfricanAmerican male colleagues atUnited Way NCA. To hear more, please visit: https://unitedwaynca.org/podcast

“Although the court did not deny that voter dis-crimination still exists, it gutted the most powerfultool this nation has ever had to stop discriminatoryvoting practices from becoming law. Those justiceswere never beaten or jailed for trying to register tovote. They have no friends who gave their lives forthe right to vote. I want to say to them, Come andwalk in my shoes.”

—Congressman John Lewis, reacting to the U.S Supreme Court’s

Shelby v. Holder decision in 2013

For those of us whose work is focused on racialjustice and voting rights, the Supreme Court’s 2013decision in Shelby v. Holder, which gutted the VotingRights Act felt like a punch to the gut. For John Lewis, it can only have felt like a knife

to the heart.When Lewis died last week at the age of 80,

every tribute mentioned that his skull was fracturedby an Alabama state trooper on March 7, 1965, ashe led 600 peaceful marchers out of Selma, Alabama,on the way to the state capitol in Montgomery. By then, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating

Committee, the organization Lewis led, had beenworking to register Black voters in the south forthree years. He called the Selma Campaign “the sin-gle event that gave birth to the Voting Rights Act”—landmark legislation that was seven decades in themaking.The Supreme Court’s decision in Plessy v. Fer-

guson in 1896 enshrined the doctrine of “separatebut equal” and unleashed the Jim Crow era of legalsegregation across the south. But these laws couldnot survive unless Black people were prohibitedfrom voting and electing anti-segregation lawmakers.It was the decision Williams v. Mississippi in 1898that allowed the disenfranchisement of Black citizens

through poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfatherclauses that exempted white voters from these re-strictions.Even if they could navigate the nearly impossible

restrictions, Black people could be fired from theirjobs, evicted from their homes, boycotted and deniedloans for registering to vote. The rise of “Citizenship Schools” that helped

Black registrants study for the literacy test promptedAlabama officials to Alabama changed the test 4times in less than two years. In her memoir, Witnessto Change, my mother, Sybil Haydel Morial, de-scribed the humiliation of Clara, a woman she hadtutored: “That mean man was so ugly to me. Hetold me I wasn’t smart enough to vote. I know I hadthe right identification, I read the Preamble [to theConstitution] without any mistakes and I passed thatcitizenship test. My age in years, months and dayswas right, because you helped me figure it out. Mrs.Morial, will I ever be able to vote?”But far more than these onerous literacy tests, it

was the threat of violence that kept Black peoplefrom voting. “If economic pressure proved insuffi-cient, the Ku Klux Klan was ready with violenceand mayhem. Cross-burnings. Night riders. Beatings.Rapes. Church bombings. Arson of businesses andhomes. Murder and mob lynchings, drive-by shoot-ings and sniper assassinations,” according to theCivil Rights Movement Archive.John Lewis knew he was taking his life in his

hands, not just that day on the Edmund Pettis Bridge,but every day he spent working to register Blackvoters. But, he told an interviewer in 2015, “Wedidn’t have a choice. I think we had been trackeddown by what I call the spirit of history, and wecouldn’t—we couldn’t turn back. We had to go for-

ward. We became like trees planted by the rivers ofwater. We were anchored. And I thought we woulddie. I first thought we would be arrested and go tojail, but I thought it was a real possibility that someof us would die on that bridge.”John Lewis paid for the Voting Rights Act with

his own blood. The Supreme Court made a mockeryof his sacrifice when it gutted the Act, saying thecountry had changed and states no longer neededfederal oversight to protect Black voters from dis-crimination. States across the nation wasted no timein showing the Court how wrong it was, enacting atorrent of racially-motivated voter suppression laws.Shelby v. Holder, a blatant violation of the FourteenthAmendment, will live in infamy among the Court’smost grievous mistakes, along with Plessy v. Fer-guson, Williams v. Mississippi and Dred Scott v.Sandford. In December, Lewis presided over the House of

Representatives as it passed the Voting Rights Ad-vancement Act, to repair the damage of Shelby. TheSenate’s continued refusal to pass the bill would bean insult to Lewis’ memory. In his words, “We must confront the fact that

there are forces in our society that want to reversethat democratic legacy. They do not want to be sub-ject to the will of the people, but prefer a societywhere the wealthy have a greater say in the futureof America than their numbers would dictate. Theywant to eliminate checks and balances and pave aroute to a freewheeling environment for corporationsto make money, even at the expense of the least andmost vulnerable among us. All we have to do is sayno to this tyranny and begin to stand up and speakout for the heritage of equality and justice mostAmericans believe in.”

Publisher/Senior EditorLegusta Floyd

General Manager/Legal Advertising Manager

Brenda Boice

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EditorLisa Duan

Administrative Assistant/BillingJulie Volosin

Web ManagerKyler Quesenberry

A4 — July 30 — August 5, 2020 — The Prince George’s Post

Wouldn’t it be wonderful ifwe human beings had as muchsense of community as geese?During an Outward Bound expe-rience in Maine, participants readthese lessons we humans canlearn from geese that bear repeat-ing, considering and sharing inthese trying times.

Lessons from GeeseFact 1:As each goose flaps its wings

it creates an “uplift” for the birdsthat follow. By flying in a “V”formation, the whole flock adds71 percent greater flying rangethan if each bird flew alone.Lesson:People who share a common

direction and sense of communitycan get where they are goingquicker and easier because theyare traveling on the thrust of oneanother.Fact 2:When a goose falls out of for-

mation, it suddenly feels the dragand resistance of flying alone. It

quickly moves back into forma-tion to take advantage of the lift-ing power of the bird immedi-ately in front of it.Lesson:If we have as much sense as a

goose we stay in formation withthose headed where we want togo. We are willing to accept theirhelp and give our help to others.Fact 3:When the lead goose tires, it

rotates back into the formationand another goose flies to thepoint position.Lesson:It pays to take turns doing the

hard tasks and sharing leadership.As with geese, people are inter-dependent on each other’s skills,capabilities and unique arrange-ments of gifts, talents or re-sources.Fact 4:The geese flying in formation

honk to encourage those up frontto keep up their speed.

Lesson:We need to make sure our

honking is encouraging. Ingroups where there is encourage-ment, the production is muchgreater. The power of encourage-ment (to stand by one’s heart orcore values and encourage theheart and core of others) is thequality of honking we seek.Fact 5:When a goose gets sick,

wounded or shot down, two geesedrop out of formation and followit down to help and protect it.They stay with it until it dies oris able to fly again. Then, theylaunch out with another forma-tion or catch up with the flock.Lesson:If we have as much sense as

geese, we will stand by each otherin difficult times as well as whenwe are strong.

Lessons from Geese was tran-scribed from a speech by AngelesArrien at the 1991 Organiza-tional Development Network. Itwas based on the work of MiltonOlson and shared with OutwardBound alumni.

Marion Wright EdelmanPresident Emerita,

Children’s Defense Fund

ChildWatch:

Lessons from Geese:Standing By Each Other in Difficult Times

Marc MorialPresident and CEO, National Urban League

The Greatest Apology to Black Men Is Changed Behavior

To Be Equal:

In John Lewis’ Honor, “Speak Out for theHeritage of Equality and Justice” andRestore the Voting Rights Act

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Contents © 2020, The Prince George’s Post

COMMENTARY

Van Hollen, Cardin Introduce John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

July 30 — August 5, 2020 — The Prince George’s Post — A5

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (July 22, 2020)—Don’t cancel all of your 2020 plans justyet! The Hotel at the University of Mary-land, a luxury hotel and conference centeradjacent to the University of Maryland,College Park (UMD), has reopened with acomprehensive cleaning and sanitizationprogram known as Ever Strong and is of-fering special packages so guests can relaxand recharge while staying safe.“We want to give our guests an oppor-

tunity to get out of their house and travelwhile knowing that our attention to detailwill be their peace of mind,” said LindaWestgate, general manager of The Hotel atthe University of Maryland.Guests can choose from the following

three packages, each with unique benefits.

The “Monumental DC” packageWith plenty of open-air monuments and

memorials, Washington, D.C. provides theperfect opportunity to take in some fresh

air and tour some of the nation’s most his-toric sites. In addition to providing guestswith luxury accommodations in close prox-imity to D.C., this package includes:• Complimentary room upgrade• $25 voucher to Bagels N’ Grinds• Two $8 Smart Trip metro cards• Complimentary parking for one vehicle

The “Get Away from Home” packageWhether guests need a change of

scenery, want to explore some of the besttrails that Maryland has to offer, or arelooking for a quiet place to work or bingewatch your favorite shows, The Hotel isoffering guests the opportunity for a briefescape. With lenient check-in and check-out times, guests can step away from theireveryday routine with comfort and peaceof mind. This package includes:• 15 percent off best available rate • Early check-in & late check-out times• Free parking

The “First Responders Recharge”package

To show gratitude for those working onthe frontlines of the pandemic, The Hotelis offering the “First Responders Recharge”package, which gives first responders theopportunity to relax and recharge after put-ting in long hours and immense dedicationto helping the community during the pan-demic. This package includes:• A special rate 20 percent off best avail-able rate

• Complimentary parking• $15 coupon for breakfast at Bagels N’Grinds Interested guests will need proof of first

responder status to qualify.To book any of these packages, call 301-

277-7777 or visit https://www.thehotelumd.com/special-offers/.With the comprehensive cleaning and

sanitization program Ever Strong, The Ho-tel at the University of Maryland is takingcare of all the details so that you don’t haveto. For more information about hotel serv-ices and health and safety protocols, pleasevisit https://www.thehotelumd.com/nowopen/.

By PRESS OFFICERThe Hotel at the University of Maryland

The Hotel at the University of MarylandLaunches Three Packages for Those Looking For a Safe and Relaxing GetawayPackages designed to help guests relax, recharge and continue to stay safe

Ask Rusty:

About Working WhileCollecting Social SecurityBy RUSSELL GLOOR, AMAC Certified Social Security AdvisorAssociation of Mature American Citizens

Dear Rusty: In 2019 I was out of work for an extended period. I waseligible to begin receiving retirement benefits (at age 63) and started todo so in August. My part time job was limited so it did not conflict withmy Social Security amount, but in October through the end of 2019 Iwent back to my old industry at four times the pay rate. Myunderstanding is that I will need to pay Social Security back about $1.40for every benefit dollar they have paid me while I worked at the higherwage. When and how is that paid? Signed: Part Time Again

Dear Part Time Again: If you started your Social Security benefits inAugust of last year at age 63, for the remainder of 2019 you weresubject to the “first year rule” which means you had a monthly earningslimit of $1,470 after your benefit started. If you exceeded that monthlylimit starting in October of 2019 and for the rest of the year, you won’tbe entitled to benefits for the months of October, November and De-cember. Social Security will consider that an overpayment, and theywill want you to repay all those benefits to them. However, if it wouldbe to your advantage to do so, you can request that Social Security usethe annual earnings limit for 2019, instead of the monthly limit. Forexample, if using the 2019 annual earnings limit ($17,640) would resultin a smaller impact to your benefits, Social Security may accommodateyour request to use the annual limit. Depending upon your total earningsin 2019, you may want to consider asking that the annual earningslimit be used, instead of the monthly limit, when determining your2019 impact for exceeding the earnings limit.Starting in 2020 you’ll be subject to an annual limit of $18,240

(limit changes yearly). If you exceed the annual limit, SS will takeback benefits equal to $1 for every $2 you are over the limit. If you’veagain stopped working at the higher amount, and now only workingpart-time and won’t earn more than $18,240 for this year, you’ll not besubject to the annual limit. But exceeding the 2019 monthly limit lastyear will still affect you. You will receive a form from Social Security asking you to specify

your 2019 income month by month for the months you were receivingbenefits. Since you exceeded the monthly limit from October throughDecember, they’ll be asking you to repay all of the benefits you receivedfor those months. They will give you the option of either repayingthem in full in a lump sum, or they will recover what you owe by with-holding your monthly benefits until the overpayment is satisfied. Thatwill mean you’ll go some months without benefits, the number ofmonths dependent upon your monthly benefit amount and how muchyou owe them. Remember, you have the option to request the annuallimit if it will benefit you. Though you’ll lose benefits for some number of months now, when

you reach your full retirement age (66 years and 4 months) they willautomatically give you time credit for the number of months they with-held benefits and move your SS claim date forward. That will increaseyour monthly benefit amount slightly, and you’ll get that slightly higherbenefit for the rest of your life.One final point: In the year you reach your full retirement age the

annual earnings limit will go up by about 2.5 times and the penalty forexceeding it will be less ($1 for every $3 over the limit). And when youreach your full retirement age the earnings limit goes away entirely.

The 2.1 million member Association of Mature American Citizens[AMAC] www.amac.us is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organizationthat takes its marching orders from its members. AMAC Action is a non-profit, non-partisan organization representing the membership in ournation’s capital and in local Congressional Districts throughout thecountry. And the AMAC Foundation (www.AmacFoundation.org) is theAssociation’s non-profit organization, dedicated to supporting and edu-cating America’s Seniors. Together, we act and speak on the Associationmembers’ behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insighton how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make adifference by joining us today at www.amac.us/join-amac. This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legalor financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMACFoundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association(NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or en-dorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. Tosubmit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-secu-rity-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Social Security Matters

The Best of the Best Attorneys has ac-knowledged the outstanding performanceof Maryland’s Family Law Attorney Ger-alyn R. Lawrence as 2020 Best of theBest Top 10 Family Law Attorney whichpracticed law at a higher standard.The Best of the Best Attorneys is a

third-party attorney rating organizationthat publishes listings of the Top 10 Fam-ily Law attorneys in each state every year.Attorneys who are chosen to the “Top10” list must approve by Best of the Best

Attorneys careful selection process andindependent evaluation. Selections arealso based on either nominated by peers,clients, and/or our research team. Best ofthe Best Attorneys are passionate aboutthe law and matching the absolute bestattorneys with new clients. Our organi-zation provides the very best and up todate Best of the Best Attorney legal data-base to be used as a resource for clientshiring decisions.Top 10 Best of the Best Attorney

Award is reserved for those lawyers whoexhibit excellence in their practice andwith exceptional relationship to his or her

clients. Best of the Best Attorneys listedthose eligible selected attorneys whoshow dedication, hard work, and excel-lence in the field of Family Law that pro-vide a high standard of service and sup-port to their clients. Lawyers who displaythe best law practice and services whichexceed the client’s expectation will re-ceive this distinction award.We congratulate Geralyn R. Lawrence

on this achievement and we are honoredto have her as 2020 Best of the Best At-torneys Member.You can contact Geralyn R. Lawrence

at www.dcmdlawyer.com.

By PRESS OFFICERBest of the Best Attorney

Geralyn R. Lawrence Has Been Nominated andAccepted as 2020 Best of the Best Top 10 inMaryland for Family Law Attorney

Howard University Takes Top-Ranked MBA Program Online

WASHINGTON (July 22, 2020)—TheHoward University School of Business isnow accepting applications for its OnlineMBA program that boasts the quality of itsglobally recognized full-time program at apace that suits the dynamic lifestyle of to-day’s working professional. Making thechoice to earn a business degree fromHoward University gives students accessto a top-ranked business education featur-ing award-winning staff, diverse class-rooms and immersive experiences. Gradu-ates of the Howard University School ofBusiness have gone on to become success-ful business leaders, founders, C-suite ex-ecutives and non-profit leaders who bringwith them a commitment to diversity, in-novation and corporate responsibility.“We are very proud to be able to offer

our flagship MBA Program online for theprofessional working adult,” said Verna Su-pel, director of MBA Graduate Programs.“What sets us apart is our commitment toensure that our graduates are prepared tobe global business leaders and social ser-vants locally and worldwide. Through thededication of our faculty, staff, corporatepartners and esteemed alumni, we are con-fident that our commitment to academicexcellence and professional developmentwill successfully transition to the OnlineMBA program offerings.”Howard’s School of Business is

AACSB accredited and has consistentlybeen ranked among the best businessschools. Considered one of the top 50 busi-ness schools in America because of itsMBA offerings, the School of Businessushered in its first cohort of online MBAstudents in the summer of 2020. The part-time program takes just three years to com-plete, with an option to finish sooner bytaking classes at an accelerated pace. TheOnline MBA at Howard is geared towardthe early career professional, which makesit ideal for students seeking to pair the flex-

ibility of online courses with the reputationof Howard’s business programs.“What we have found is that today’s

students want to get a graduate education,but they don’t want to disrupt their lifestyleor family situation,” said Associate Provostof Academic Innovation Barron H. Harvey,Ph.D.. “This is the program for that student.As times have certainly changed in the pastseveral months, this program is helpful forstudents who may have a variety of challenges and simply can’t come to Washington.”Students pursuing an Online MBA at

Howard have the ease of access that dis-tance learning would suggest with a pro-gram that doesn’t cut corners in terms ofcontent and learning outcomes. The OnlineMBA is taught by Howard’s esteemedSchool of Business faculty who are accom-plished business professionals, scholars andacademicians. Howard School of Businessfaculty understand the unique challengespeople of color face when pursuing careersin business and they don’t shy away fromhaving the conversations necessary to ensure students of color are prepared tosucceed.“At Howard, what we constantly exhibit

is that we truly appreciate what is neededto succeed in life as a person of color. Weare mindful of what it takes to support stu-dents of color while they are in the MBAprogram and in their careers after theMBA,” said Russell Price, Ph.D., associateprofessor of finance and international busi-ness. “We offer that gentle, and sometimesnot so gentle, nudge to make sure our stu-dents can do the best they can and that’sreally what sets us apart.”With the help of Noodle Partners who

teamed up with the School of Business tolaunch the Online MBA and revamp theschool’s online Executive MBA program,School of Business faculty have trans-formed the curriculum they teach in theclassroom into virtual learning modulesthat include a variety of pre-recordedvideos, storyboards, and case studies, as

well as weekly live classrooms.“The material offered in the online pro-

gram mirrors what we provide MBA stu-dents who are on campus,” said Price.“Working with the learning designers fromNoodle Partners helps us make the contentengaging, but also creates a level of con-sistency across all of the courses, which isa significant benefit. This means that whenpeople look at a course site, it will have asimilar look in each class, even though con-tent will be a little different.”Making the MBA program accessible

online is only the beginning of a larger un-dertaking by Howard to expand accessi-bility of its programs with virtual offerings.According to Harvey, the Online MBA isone of the first programs to be offered on-line, consistent with the goal of HowardForward, the University’s five-year strate-gic plan.“This program really embraces the

Howard Forward mantra of expandingreach for education while addressing whatstudents are demanding today,” said Har-vey. “The online MBA and our online Ex-ecutive MBA program are our inauguralprograms, but ultimately, we are workingto offer programs to a more expanded com-munity of students and professionals whocan experience a Howard University edu-cation without having to come to campus.”

Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary,the Howard University School of Businesshas been offering management and businesseducation since 1870. Coveted accreditationby The Association to Advance CollegiateSchools of Business (AACSB) Internationalhas been consistently awarded to theHoward School of Business. In fact, it be-came the first in Washington, D.C. to achievethat world-recognized distinction. While to-day’s students benefit from the tradition ofexcellence that has long set Howard Uni-versity apart, they also profit from theschool’s continuous efforts to update its pro-grams to prepare students to meet the com-plex challenges of the global marketplace.

By MISHA CORNELIUSHoward University School of Business

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (July 20, 2020)—Learn-ing Undefeated, a non-profit organization commit-ted to bringing STEM education opportunities tounderserved communities, is releasing brand newdistance learning units with the help of AT&T.Called “Anywhere Labs,” the standards-alignedunits include laboratory explorations and brandnew activities specifically created for digital class-rooms.Anywhere Labs are made possible by support

from AT&T’s Distance Learning and Family Con-nections Fund. This fund was developed to giveparents, students and teachers tools they need forstudents to succeed in a digital learning space. Thefund also provides resources to maintain mean-ingful connections and bonding opportunities forthose physically isolated from family and friends.As a part of this fund, AT&T is contributing

$250,000 to Learning Undefeated, a trusted re-source for teachers for nearly 20 years, to convertthe organization’s rigorous laboratory curriculumto authentic STEM distance learning resources.With this donation, the organization will serve mil-lions of grade 6-12 students learning from homeor in a hybrid classroom arrangement this schoolyear. It will also help to equip state and local schoolsystems to meet STEM education requirements ina modified learning environment.“Our communities and schools are grappling

with an unprecedented challenge,” said DenisDunn, President - AT&T Maryland, DC &Delaware. “Connecting people with the resourcesthey need to maintain a sense of normalcy is para-mount. For students and teachers, that means cre-ating a digital learning environment that keepsthem engaged with STEM activities, even as theyare learning from home. We’ve worked with theteam at Learning Undefeated for many years andknow they’ll do great things for students and edu-cators they serve.”The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major

shift in education, requiring teachers and studentsto quickly implement and adapt to a new way oflearning. As one of the few organizations special-izing in rapid deployment of STEM education re-sources following a crisis, Learning Undefeated

has previously deployed STEM education labora-tories, curriculum, and educators to areas affectedby 2017’s Hurricane Harvey and the 2020 PuertoRico earthquakes.“We know firsthand how important it is to get

students back to learning following a crisis,” saidBrian Gaines, CEO of Learning Undefeated. “Werun the risk of students losing interest in STEM,which impacts the future of innovation in our coun-try. We need to be forward thinking and work to-gether to keep the STEM leaders of the future en-gaged.”Program components include real-time, mo-

bile-friendly access to standards-aligned laboratoryinvestigations for middle and high school, multi-media STEM resources, collaborative assignmenttools, and interactive assessments. Content areasinclude biology, chemistry, physics, engineering,and environmental science. Lessons are alignedwith the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS), currently in use in 22 states, and the TexasEssential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).All content is available online for free to teach-

ers, parents, and caregivers in any US state or ter-ritory. The distance learning resources can be ac-cessed and downloaded at http://anywherelabs.org. As circumstances surrounding COVID-19

change daily, so too does the impact on our com-munities. To best allocate resources from the Dis-tance Learning and Family Connections Fund,AT&T is working alongside families, educatorsand community leaders to understand the chal-lenges they will face in the days and weeks tocome. To learn about additional tools and resourcesavailable nationwide through the Fund, visitAT&T’s site.For parents and caregivers, we know this time

has brought a multitude of new and unexpectedchallenges. And we also know the need for broad-band connectivity has never been greater. For thatreason, AT&T is committed to making home in-ternet affordable with our Access from AT&T Pro-gram. This program provides home internet accessat $10 a month for limited income households.We’ve also increased eligibility to households par-ticipating in the National School Lunch Programand Head Start. (This service is only available inAT&T’s wireline states.)

A6 — July 30 — August 5, 2020 — The Prince George’s Post

EDUCATION / ENVIRONMENT

By KAREN TWOMEYAT&T

RainbowMe Helps Parents Combat RacismWith Multicultural Books and PodcastsRainbowMe Kids provides exposure to folklore in underrepresented cultures fromaround the world with educational literature and technology for kids

GREENSBORO, NC (July 22,2020)—RainbowMe’s Founderand CEO, Kya Johnson, hascrafted a kid-friendly multiculturalseries for kids ages 2–12 com-prised of the book “O” is for Os-hun and the Folk Fairytale pod-casts. As a black-owned business,RainbowMe’s mission is to ac-tively promote fellow minority-owned businesses, expose chil-dren to a plethora of cultures, andmost importantly, show childrencultural representation matters.The absence of an introduc-

tion to diversity in the homeplays a major role in how we seeourselves and how we see others.The Black Lives Matter Move-ment and recent events have ledmillions of parents to ask thesame question “How do we com-bat racism at an early age?” and“How do I expose my child todifferent cultures?”.“O is for Oshun” is an aug-

mented reality (AR) book inwhich the nurturing female war-rior Goddess of West Africa (em-bodied by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter during the 2017 GrammyAwards) comes to life with ahover of a smartphone.Debuting number one on

Amazon.com, Oshun, and theother lively characters in the

book share their exciting adven-tures through colorful illustra-tions. In addition to Oshun ofWest Africa, characters fromJapan, Iraq, Mexico, Brazil, andmore pop off the pages of thebook educating children on theirfolk story and cultural relevance.All characters introduce theirstories in English using their re-spective dialects. Additionally,the augmented reality featureserves as a fantastic introductionto early STEAM education pair-ing reading fundamentals withthe use of technology.Johnson also recently re-

leased the first season of “Rain-bowMe Kids Presents: FolkFairytales” a podcast series thatintroduces children to the char-acters’ complete folklore tales inan audio format, perfect for sto-rytime or bedtime. The FolkFairytales not only tell tales ofZhy Yingtai of China andGuimara the Brazilian Giant, butit also incorporates historicalevents and conditions that willprepare children academically.“Our goal at RainbowMe Kids

is to always be the brand thatcomes to mind when you think ofpositive entertainment for kidsfeaturing main characters ofcolor,” says RainbowMe Kidsfounder and CEO, Kya Johnson,Esq. “‘O is for Oshun’ is an ex-tension of this goal. We are so ex-

cited to introduce these folkloreand fairytale characters in a waythey have not been seen before.We know kids (and adults) willenjoy the book and the magic ofAugmented Reality enabling eachcharacter to come to life.”This is sure to be a parent’s

must-have book and podcast ofthe year. “O” is for Oshun retailsfor $24 on www.rainbowmekids.com. Podcast RainbowMe KidsPresents: Folk Fairytales can alsobe found on www.rainbowmekids.com, Apple Podcasts, GooglePodcasts, and Spotify.

RainbowMe is an entertainmentplatform for kids ages 2–12 withcartoons, video, and more featur-ing main characters to whom allchildren can relate. The companyproduces original programming,books, and podcasts. The originalprogramming introduces ani-mated, live-action, reality, and sit-uation comedies featuring charac-ters in a positive, fun, andentertaining manner designed toenhance the educational and socialdevelopment of children whilestriving to feature content that de-picts positive images of children ofcolor. The mission of RainbowMeis to engage, inform, and inspirekids ages 2–12, with entertainingcontent, while increasing under-standing of social, economic, cul-tural, and ethnic nuances.

By PRESS OFFICERRainbowMe, Inc.

(StatePoint) This back-to-school season maylook a little different, but no matter whatlearning environment kids find themselvesin this fall, bullying is a real cause for con-cern. One in five kids aged 12 to 18 has en-

countered bullying, according to StopBul-lying.gov. It can happen in person, online oreven by text. In an effort to combat the prob-lem, Pilot Pen launched the Erase Bullyingfor Good campaign in 2015 to help supportbullying prevention programs in schools na-tionwide. For a smooth start to the schoolyear, they are offering parents these back-to-school tips for facing the issue:• Sometimes kids hesitate to share negativesituations they’re encountering. That doesn’tmean they aren’t showing signs that somethingis wrong. Pay attention to sudden changes inmood, sleep patterns, study habits or othersigns of stress. Let kids know that if they’rebullied or witness bullying, it’s okay to cometo you or another trusted adult, like a teacher,counselor or coach. A strong trust networkhelps kids feel safe and empowered.

• If your child is being bullied, reassure themthat they’re not alone and have done nothingwrong. Let them know you’ll work throughthis together. Follow up with school officialsto ensure the negative behavior is being ad-dressed, especially if your child is being phys-ically bullied or feels like they’re in danger.

• The presence of digital devices and broadreach of social media means more avenuesfor bullies to reach their targets. Maintain anopen dialogue with your child regarding onlineactivity, and don’t be shy about keeping aneye on profiles and posts.

• Being the target of bullying can feel isolatingand overwhelming. If your child witnessesbullying, encourage them to be an “up-stander,” not just a bystander. This involvesbeing an ally who stands up to bullies, and itcan be as simple as seeking help from an adult,or as ambitious as starting an anti-bullyingprogram at school.

• It can be disheartening to learn that your ownchild has engaged in bullying. Remember,bullying is a behavior, and behaviors can be changed. Help your child identify under-lying feelings that may be causing them toact out in this way and encourage them tofind positive outlets such as sports, art orjournaling.

• It’s important for kids to understand that thegoal of bullying is to make the victim feelscared or powerless. Parents can equip chil-dren with the knowledge, resources and con-fidence they need to feel empowered in theface of bullying, as well as with tools thatalign with this cause. By the end of 2020, theErase Bullying for Good campaign, throughpurchases of Pilot’s FriXion Erasable pens,will have contributed more than $450,000 toorganizations committed to bringing bullyingprevention and education programs to USschools. FriXion’s unique, thermo-sensitiveerasable ink writes smoothly and erasescleanly, so students, teachers and parents canwrite, create and express themselves fearlesslywithout the stress of written mistakes, em-powering them to be upstanders through thewritten word. To learn more, visit HelpEraseBullying.com.Bullying is all too common. However, parents

can play an active role in helping put a stop to itthis back-to-school season and beyond.

Tips to Help Erase Bullying This Back-to-School Season

Dear EarthTalk: Any tips for reducing theamount of disposable plasticI use for food storage?

—J. Spencer, Gaithersburg, MD

Analysts estimate that of theover six billion tons of plastic pro-duced worldwide since the 1950s,we have recycled only nine per-cent of it and incinerated another12 percent. The remaining, some4.8 billion tons of plastic is eitherstill in use, filling up landfills, orlittered into streets, streams andeventually the ocean. About a third of the plastic

produced worldwide is for single-use applications (bottles, bags,utensils, food storage, etc.)—andit is these items that most com-monly end up on the side of theroad. Researchers discussed in a2019 paper in Nature that if wedo nothing to step up flagging ef-forts to reduce, reuse and recycleplastics, we could have threetimes as much of it littered intothe global environment by 2060.So, what’s an environmentally

conscious consumer to do? Forstarters, avoid getting plastic bagsat the store. Either bring your ownreusable one or if you need to godisposable, at least opt for paperthat can be recycled or com-posted. And if you are food shop-ping, gravitate toward the bulkitems aisle where you can buy justthe right amount without unnec-essary extra packaging.

Another way to cut down onsingle use plastic is ditching plas-tic straws. Americans go throughabout 500 million plastic strawsdaily. Opting for reusable straws(metal, silicone, bamboo or glass,anyone?)—or no straw at all—isone of the simplest ways to cutdown on disposable plastic.According to the non-profit

Center for EcoTechnology (CET),the kitchen is one place where youcan definitely make some easyadjustments to save plastic. Forstarters, ditch the plastic wrap; it’sdifficult to recycle and can clogrecycling processing machines.One great alternative is beeswaxpaper, which is reusable, wash-able and compostable. (Make sureto wash it with cold water onlyso the wax doesn’t melt.)“Another alternative to plastic

wrap is storing your food in glassstorage containers or glass jars,”adds CET. “Glass is 100% recy-clable and can be recycled end-lessly without loss in quality orpurity.”Putting dish cloths to use is

another way to eschew plasticwrap for keeping produce fresh.Simply wrap up those fruits orveggies in a cloth instead of plas-tic—or put them in a bowl andcover with a dish cloth and rubberband for a tight seal—and put ‘emin the fridge. One often overlooked envi-

ronmental downside of the coro-navirus situation is that restau-rants throw in so much

disposable plasticware for to-goand delivery orders—whethercustomers need it or not. That’swhy a coalition of 120 environ-mental groups recently teamedup to send letters to seven na-tional food delivery companiesasking they change their defaultordering process to one that doesnot automatically include uten-sils, napkins, condiments andstraws in order to reduce thetsunami of single-use plastic pol-lution entering our oceans, land-fills and incinerators.

CONTACTS: Future scenar-ios of global plastic waste gener-ation and disposal, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-018-0212-7; “Zero Waste Substitutesto Eliminate Single Use Plastic inYour Kitchen,” https://www.centerforecotechnology.org/zero-waste-substitutes-to-eliminate-single-use-plastic-in-your-kitchen/; UberEats, GrubHub,Delivery.com, Doordash, Seam-less, PostMates & Caviar Askedto “Hold The Single-Use Plastics,Please,” https://seaturtles.org/ubereats-grubhub-delivery-com-doordash-seamless-postmates-caviar-asked-to-hold-the-single-use-plastics-please/.

EarthTalk® is produced byRoddy Scheer & Doug Moss forthe 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk.See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earth-talk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

Weaning Off Single UsePlastics

EarthTALK™

CREDIT: LEYLA.A, FLICKRCC

Green-minded grocery shoppers spend more time in the bulk aisle than your average consumergiven their preference for avoiding disposable packaging on single-use food items and products.

AT&T and Learning UndefeatedDebut New STEM Distance LearningProgram for Teachers & StudentsLearning Online This School YearNew “Anywhere Labs” Funded as Part of AT&T’s $10 MillionDistance Learning and Family Connections Fund

PHOTO COURTESY STATEPOINT

Wednesday, August 12, 2020 • 12–12:45 p.m. Register: https://bit.ly/39mkPyYThe COVID-19 pandemic has dispropor-

tionately impacted the black community.Compounded with a nationwide struggle forequality and the loss of two prominent civilrights leaders, 2020 has been a stressful andpainful year. Processing all of these challengesat once can have a profound impact on one’smental health. In this webinar, we’ll exploreways that Black Americans can protect theirmental health during this time and how theirfriends and allies can provide support. This webinar will be delivered by Brandon

Johnson, M.H.S. Brandon is a tireless advo-

cate for positive mental health and suicideprevention services for youth and adults acrossthe country. Currently, he serves as a PublicHealth Advisor at the Substance Abuse MentalHealth Services Administration (SAMHSA)in the Suicide Prevention Branch at the U.S.Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS).In this role, Brandon serves as a GovernmentProject Officer (GPO) for various suicide pre-vention grant programs that respectively targetyouth, adults, and health care systems. Bran-don is also the GPO for the Suicide PreventionResource Center (SPRC) which provides sui-cide-specific materials, webinars, and trainingto organizations and communities all over the

country working to prevent suicides. Anotherhighlight of Brandon’s career is his currentrole as the Co-Lead of the National ActionAlliance for Suicide Prevention’s Faith Com-munities Task Force. The group works withfaith communities all over the nation to equipthem with tools and resources to combat theoften stigmatized issue of suicide. Brandonserves as the subject matter expert in suicideamong Black people and has lead numerousprojects to develop resources and materialsto specifically prevent suicide among African-American youth.

—National Alliance On Mental Illness

July 30 — August 5, 2020 — The Prince George’s Post — A7

PHOTO CREDIT KYLEJONES_MORGUEFILE.JPG

8 Tips to Make Farmers MarketsSuccessfulBy Erin Schoenberg, project associate, Center for Rural AffairsAre you a part of your local farmers market, as a customer,

vendor, manager, cheerleader, or funder? Markets carry great tra-dition, and whatever your current or future role is, here are sometips and experiences from managers and staff, for National Farm-ers Market Week, Aug. 2 to 8.1. Markets need to be dependable and well-advertised—day

of week, time of market, and location should be established, well-known, and consistent.2. A core group of vendors is important; customers want to

know what to expect, and vendors see more consistent sales ifthey stick to a steady schedule.3. There’s such a thing as too much product duplication—

unique and value-added products are important for customer in-terest and demand, and for vendor revenue.4. Markets are often more successful when there are reasonable

rules in place and enforced. Vendors and customers know what toexpect, and any potential conflicts can be handled with respectfulcommunication.5. Everyone should feel welcome at the market. Take steps to

ensure race, religion, age, and income level don’t discourage any-one from participating.6. Programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro-

gram (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), Women, Infants,and Children (WIC), and the Seniors’ Farmer Market NutritionProgram (SFMNP) can play a crucial role in access to healthylocal food, and can be taken advantage of at farmers markets.7. A great opportunity exists when small towns are in close

vicinity to one another. Market managers can collaborate (notcompete) for the greater good. Think about forming a coalitionmade up of multiple small town markets; schedule market timesso they don’t overlap; hire one marketing coordinator for multiplemarkets to standardize messaging.8. Likewise, consider innovative partnerships that could help

distribute the workload and make markets successful. We’ve seenmarkets partner with hospitals to provide nutrition informationand demonstrations, and other markets invite the public libraryand local nonprofits to occupy a booth once a season.

Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a private, non-profit organization working to strengthen small businesses, familyfarms and ranches, and rural communities through action orientedprograms addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Processing Pain While Fighting for Change:Strategies for Black Mental Wellness

(NAPSI)—You may be feeling stressed dur-ing these challenging times, but stress can af-fect your physical and emotional health. Learnhow to manage your stress so that you canstay healthy and cope with life’s challenges.

What is stress?Stress is how your brain and body respond

to a challenge. Any type of challenge—suchas performance at work or school, a signifi-cant life change, or a traumatic event—canbe stressful. Your body reacts to stress by releasing

hormones. These hormones make your brainmore alert, cause your muscles to tense, andincrease your pulse. In the short term, thesereactions are good because they can help you

handle the situation causing stress. This isyour body’s way of protecting itself. How-ever, too much stress all at once or over time(chronic stress) can threaten your health.Everyone experiences stress from time to

time, but your response to stress may be dif-ferent. Some people may experienceheadaches or an upset stomach. Others mayget muscle aches or chest pain. Stress canalso disturb your sleep, reducing your energyand making it tough to keep active whenawake. In addition, stress can lead to weightloss or weight gain. Over time, stress cancontribute to serious health problems, suchas heart disease, high blood pressure, dia-betes, and other illnesses, including mentaldisorders such as depression or anxiety.

Managing stress through fitness, healthyeating, and relaxing activitiesRegular physical activity, healthy food

and beverages, and other positive activitiesmay help you relieve stress and stay ontrack with improving your health.Physical activity may help you start feel-

ing better right away. It can help boost yourmood and improve your sleep. In addition,physical activity adds to strength and stam-ina, which can help you manage stressfulsituations.Physical activity doesn’t have to mean

long workouts. Short workouts, such as aset of sit-ups or stretches, can help relievestress. Try adding a new activity to yourdaily routine, such as walking around the

block or up and down stairs afew times. Partner with a friendor neighbor to help you stay ontrack.Consuming healthy meals,

beverages, and snacks in mod-eration can be another way toprotect yourself against stress.Preparing or purchasing foodssuch as whole grains, fruits andvegetables, low-fat proteins,and foods without added sugarsor fats can give you energy andkeep you feeling good.Learn to recognize what

triggers your stress responseand identify ways to help youmanage it. Other ways to helpyou manage stress may be tomeditate, engage in your fa-vorite hobby, limit your timeon social media, volunteer, orconnect with people who canprovide emotional support.Visit the National Institute

of Diabetes and Digestive andKidney Diseases website tolearn more about physical ac-tivity, healthy eating, adequatesleep, and other behaviors tohelp you manage your stress.Visit the National Institute ofMental Health website to learnmore about stress.

Staying Healthy in Stressful Times

CHEVERLY, Md. (July 23, 2020)—Univer-sity of Maryland Capital Region Health Med-ical Group has opened a new outpatient prac-tice at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill,Maryland. The multispecialty practice occu-pies 19,000 square feet of leased space at TheMedical Pavilion at National Harbor.This clinical practice, located at 251 Na-

tional Harbor Blvd. Suite 500, includes 6 pro-cedure rooms and 25 exam rooms.The practice offers multiple specialties, in-

cluding Family Medicine, Women’s Servicesincluding Uro-gynecology, Bariatric Surgery,General Surgery, Cardiology, Neurology, Oto-laryngology, Plastic and Reconstructive Sur-gery and Pulmonology. Patients will benefitfrom an array of services including headachemanagement, pulmonary function testing, car-diac stress testing and non-surgical facial en-hancement procedures such as microder-mabrasion, Botox® injections and dermalfillers.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic,the clinical practice design incorporates en-hanced safety features and an open space con-cept to support physical distancing. In addi-tion, telemedicine options are available forpatients to have virtual appointments withtheir medical providers.“Expanding the services we offer the com-

munity in an outpatient setting is a key priorityfor UM Capital Region Health,” saysNathaniel Richardson, Jr., President and ChiefExecutive Officer at UM Capital RegionHealth. “As much as we are focused on pro-viding high-quality compassionate care in thehospital setting, we are equally committed toproviding options with the same level of carein the outpatient setting.”The new practice opens in advance of

opening a new hospital, the University ofMaryland Capital Region Medical Center, inLargo, MD. The new hospital represents a$543 million investment by Prince George’sCounty, the State of Maryland and UMMS.The 600,000 square foot flagship facility willinclude 205 private inpatient rooms and eightoperating rooms. The outpatient practice that

currently sees patients at its Cheverly locationwill relocate to the Largo campus.“Opening this new practice is a critical

milestone for the Medical Group and allowsus to provide convenient service to residentsin southern Prince George’s County and thesurrounding area,” says Tiffany Sullivan, Sen-ior Vice President of Clinical Integration andAmbulatory Services at UM Capital RegionHealth. “We know that providing the com-munity with additional options for women’shealth services and physicians who haveproven track records in their areas of specialtyis an important need to meet. We are com-mitted to meeting those needs now and in thefuture.”The Medical Group also has outpatient

practices in Cheverly, Suitland, Bowie andLaurel.To make an appointment at the National

Harbor practice or at one of the other loca-tions, please call 301-618-CARE (2273). Formore information about the practice and spe-cialties, visit https://www.umms.org/capital/locations/um-capital-region-health-medical-group-at-national-harbor.

By JANIA MATTHEWSUniversity of Maryland Capital RegionHealth

University of Maryland Capital Region HealthMedical Group Opens New MultispecialtyOutpatient Clinical Practice at the National Harbor

Registration Now Open!MHA’s 2020 Annual Conference: COVID-19, Mental Health, and the Need for Equity will be heldSeptember 3–4 from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. ET online.Over the last few months, the world was thrown into a global

pandemic. As the number of cases of COVID-19 increased, sodid the associated experiences of anxiety, depression, and suicidalideation. COVID-19 also brought to light what many in the healthcare and social justice communities already knew—that Black,Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionately neg-atively impacted and are dying at much higher rates. Adding tothat the systemic racism that so many people of color bear everyday, the trauma and mental health implications are significant.The last few months have changed everything—and the world

is looking at “a new normal.” Our 2020 Annual Conference—now virtual—will discuss it all. From increases in depression andanxiety rates, to adjusting workplaces and employee mental health,to addressing disproportionate inequities due to systemic barriersand historical adversity—MHA is talking about it. Join us.

This event is free to the public and all are encouraged toregister!Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mhas-annual-

conference-covid-19-mental-health-and-the-need-for-equity-tickets-114326483590

Speaker AnnouncementsTake a look at a few of our speakers we have planned for our

virtual event.Bakari Sellers is a CNN correspondent and lawyer. Kenneth Cole is an American designer, social activist, and

visionary who believes business and philanthropy are interde-pendent. Michelle Williams is a Grammy Award-winning, singer/

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

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COUNTY CHURCH DIRECTORY

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BAPTIST

UNITED METHODIST

WESTPHALIAUnited Methodist Church

“A CHURCH ON THE REACH FOR GOD”

9363 D’Arcy RoadUpper Marlboro, MD

Two Worship Services:8 and 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:30

(301)735-9373 Fax: (301) 735-1844

Rev. Dr. Timothy West,Pastor

ALL ARE WELCOME

Web Site: www.westphaliaum.org

WORD OF GODCOMMUNITYCHURCH

“The Church Where Everybody is Somebody and

Jesus is Lord

4109 Edmonston Road Bladensburg, MD

(301) 864-3437

Intercessory Prayer:Sundays - 8:30 a.m.

Church School: - 9:15 a.m.

Morning Worship Celebration- 10:30 a.m.

Wed. Night Bible Study - 7:45 p.m.

Elder Willie W. Duvall, Pastor

First Baptist Church ofCollege Park

Welcomes You Where JesusChrist Is Lord and King

Stephen L. Wright, Sr., Pastor

5018 Lakeland RoadCollege Park, MD 20740

301-474-3995www.fbc-cp.org

Sunday School 9:30a.m.Sunday Worship 11a.m.

Holy Communion 1st SundayWednesday Bible Study 7-8p.m.Wednesday Prayer Service 8p.m.

COMMUNITY CHURCH

UNITED METHODIST

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCHOF HIGHLAND PARK

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‘A Bible Based, Christ Centered& Spirit Led Congregation’

6801 Sheriff Road Landover, MD20785 (301) 773-6655

Sunday Biblical Institute: 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship: 7:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m.Saturday Worship:

6:30 p.m

‘WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYSWITH JESUS’:

12 noon (The Power Hour) and 6:45 pm

“A Time of Prayer, Praise,Worship, & The Word”

Dr. Henry P. Davis III, Pastor

www.fbhp.org

AUTOMOBILE DONATIONS BUSINESS SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS

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Forest Heights Baptist Church

We exist to strengthen your relationship with God.6371 Oxon Hill Road

Oxon Hill, Maryland 20745Sunday School

(Adults & Children) - 9:30 A.M.Worship Service - 11:00 A.M.Wed. Prayer Service & Bible

Study - 7:00 P.M.Office (301) 839-1166Fax (301) 839-1721

E-mail: FHBC@verizon.netPastor: Rev. Waymond B. Duke

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S. G. SpottswoodA.M.E. Zion Church

419 Hill Road, Landover, MD20785 • 301-490-2625

Rev. Ranesa Mayo, Pastor“We are training disciples toexperience victory in every

area of their lives”

Matthew 28:19–20

Sunday School 9:00 a.m.Morning Worship 10:00 a.m.

Soulful Thursdays Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

UnionUnited Methodist Church

14418 Old Marlboro Pike,Upper Marlboro, MD

Church (301) 627-7389

Sunday School: (Children/Adults) - 8:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship: 10:00 a.m.

Rev. Dr. Kendrick D. Weaver, Pastor

www.uumchurch.com (StatePoint) Summer brain drain is real, and this year’s pandemichas only exacerbated the problem. To keep your kids from gettingbored while helping them expand their world, incorporate thesecool ideas into those long summer days:• At-home tourism: Many museums and historical sites have

ramped up their online exhibitions and interactive features, makinga range of programming available to would-be visitors from thesafety of their homes. And much of this content is geared towardschool-age kids. This can be a great way to spend a rainy daylearning something new.• Music-making: New skills can provide kids with confidence

at a time when activities like team sports and theater programs arenot possible. Learning an instrument can also lay a foundation foracademic success. Check out Casiotone keyboards, which can makelearning to play even more fun. Its Dance Music Mode feature di-vides the keyboard into instrument sections like drums, bass andmore. By playing different combinations of keys, kids can createand remix dance music using 50 built-in styles, as well as familiareffects like stutter and filter.• STEM exploration:At-home science kits offer kids unplugged,

hands-on learning experiences and the opportunity to imagine theirroom is a real laboratory. Be sure to also check out cool online re-sources that help kids strengthen their math skills. For example,Casio Cares, a remote learning site offering projects, educationalvideos, math lessons and self-paced webinars, can be a vital summertool for students who want to start strong in STEM this fall.• Summer reading challenge: Many local libraries and school

districts host summer reading challenges. Check these out or createyour very own. No matter how the challenge works, by participating,kids will likely discover that reading is its own reward.• Movie magic:Using just a smartphone and some simple editing

software, children can learn to shoot and edit their own films. Cele-brate their accomplishments while taking advantage of summerevenings by screening the films in the backyard with a Casio Pro-jector, which offers easy set-up and the ability to transition fromdaytime to nighttime viewing.Beating summer brain drain is possible. With a little creativity

and the use of new tools, families can keep kids engaged during thedog days of summer for a stronger start to the school year.

EDUCATION

Great Ways to Beat Summer Brain Drain

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