October 19, 2010 | 12:11 PM | By Anna
I’ve spent part of my morning reading Jason Cherkis’ “Queer and Loathing: Does the Foster Care System Bully Gay Kids?“, in Mother Jones. It’s a difficult, damning examination of one child’s story and it sits at the intersection of so many issues we must resolve, as a society. This twisted my stomach in to knots:
As a gay foster child in Washington, DC, Kenneth spent most of his weekends alone. By the summer of 2009, the isolation had gotten so bad that he’d started calling his cell-phone carrier’s help line with imaginary complaints, just so he could vent to somebody about something. He would even text himself encouraging messages, like “Good job,” or “Damn you so strong.”
You’d think placing Kenneth would be relatively easy. He had decent grades and no criminal record. He spent his weekend nights doing chores, and loved to show off his spotless stove or the 17th redesign of his tiny bedroom. Although he struggled with a mood disorder, he’d learned to keep it in check. But what people saw first were his lipstick, his painted nails—his sexual orientation. “I’m just really worried about where we place you,” the judge said at one hearing. “I don’t know that there’s a perfect place.”
The rest is here.
October 19, 2010 | 8:01 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! Ready to start your Tuesday with some links?
A Peek Into the DC9 Murder Investigation “But a police source involved in the investigation into Mohammed’s death says those rumors are likely wishful thoughts on the part of DC9 fans…He says it’s unlikely that Mohammed died merely of a tackle, and that he would bet that a least one of the five arrested will face murder charges. He also claims, as do recently filed charging documents, that the first officer on the scene began administering CPR to Mohammed. “That’s not something you do if a guy is conscious,” the source says” (Washington City Paper)
Virginia GOP big is asked to resign after alleged racist e-mail “I went down this morning to sign up my Dog for welfare. At first the lady said, “Dogs are not eligible to draw welfare”. So I explained to her that my Dog is black, unemployed, lazy, can’t speak English and has no frigging clue who his Daddy is. So she looked in her policy book to see what it takes to qualify…My Dog gets his first check Friday. Is this is a great country or what?” (maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com)
Bill would entice D.C. corner stores into fruit-selling business “Two D.C. council members want corner stores to start slinging fruits and vegetables in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, and they’re willing to provide subsidies as part of the District’s battle against bulging waistlines. A bill introduced by at-large Councilman Kwame Brown and Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh is designed to target what are commonly referred to as “food deserts,” areas where it’s easier to buy chips and a soda than an apple.” (Washington Examiner )
Continue reading →
October 18, 2010 | 5:27 PM | By Anna
…is a sad number (via the Washington Examiner):
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier’s likes to talk about keeping the city below the 100 annual homicide mark. It’s the chief’s benchmark; a “tipping point” for the city’s safety that she just can’t seem to reach. As of Monday, D.C. police are reporting 103 homicides for the year.
Last year, Lanier boasted much more loudly about keeping the District’s homicides below the 100 mark, but it only lasted until September. The goal lived on for an extra month this year, and the city’s homicides are still down nearly 6 percent when compared to the same time in 2009
October 18, 2010 | 4:14 PM | By Anna
Here’s my second post in a row about hair, or more specifically, afros. Kohl’s has spent the last two hours apologizing for carrying this Halloween “Ghetto Fab Wig” over Twitter (latest message: “Corrective measures are being taken internally. We apologize for carrying an offensive item like this.”):
"Ghetto Fab Wig"
Kudos to Kohl’s for “getting it”. Before writing this post, I didn’t know that there are almost ten of the stores within a 20-mile radius of D.C. The wig is not carried in-store. Blogger Afrobella said: Continue reading →
October 18, 2010 | 7:48 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! While you were outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine, we were scouring the internet for tasty links. Enjoy!
Black and Latino Single Moms Have Median Wealth of Zero “Researchers from NYU’s Women of Color Policy Network found that single mothers possess 4 percent of the wealth of single dads. Stats on black and Latino single moms are particularly staggering. While white single mothers have a median wealth of $6,000, black and Latino single mothers have a median wealth of zero.” (The Root)
An Army That Looks Like The Country – Ta-Nehisi Coates – The Atlantic “I think, coming from my background, there was a point when a section of African-Americans were really debating whether they were “American” or not. For my money, that debate is settled and I tend to think it was settled at Port Hudson almost 150 years ago.” (The Atlantic)
Let’s Compare This Crazy Anti-Gay AFA Op-Ed With One “Meanwhile, the majority of the United States moves on, not hating gays, dancing with its lesbian friend Ellen DeGeneres, and salivating at that sexy Twilight vampire battling that shirtless Twilight werewolf, unaware that hate speech is still something a national newspaper feels the need to publish alongside its other opinion writers.” (Wonkette)
Continue reading →
October 15, 2010 | 7:55 AM | By Anna
Good morning, DCentric readers! While you were watching 30 Rock, we were…well, we were watching it, too. But we were looking for links *right* after, we promise.
ANC Signs off on Homeless Shelter at the Gales School “A few vital stats: There will be capacity for 150 men, who will need to be inside the shelter by 6:00 p.m.–there will be a fence around the property to help keep them there–and leave at 7:30 a.m. During the day, they’ll also be welcome at the shelter, with food usually available. “We don’t like anybody to go hungry anytime,” Executive Director David Treadwell told the ANC. “The idea is to draw people into the buidling, not push people out of the building.”” (Washington City Paper)
Why genes are leftwing “The American poor would turn out to have significantly different genes to the affluent: “This is not unimaginable. It is almost certainly true.” Almost certainly false, more like. Instead, the Human Genome Project is rapidly providing a scientific basis for the political left. Childhood maltreatment, economic inequality and excessive materialism seem the main determinants of mental illness.” (Guardian Unlimited)
Salahis sign with celebrity-appearance booker “Get out your checkbooks: Tareq and Michaele Salahi are ready to come to your nightclub opening, golf tournament, yacht christening, bar mitzvah or whatever (all for some perfectly reasonable price)…” (voices.washingtonpost.com)
Continue reading →
October 14, 2010 | 9:48 PM | By Anna
…in Columbia Heights. They had everything from individually-wrapped baking potatoes to Target-brand Naan-bread. I wasn’t sure what to expect (I shop at this Target weekly, if not more frequently) but I was surprised by the items they now carried. Other shoppers were discussing how the prices measured up to Giant and Trader Joe’s. I saw juices and two-bite brownies like the ones sold at Whole Foods. It feels like an ambitious effort.
October 14, 2010 | 4:36 PM | By Anna
The D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute’s report, “Packing a Punch: The Recession Hit African-American and Non-College Educated DC Residents Particularly Hard” is a must-read if you’re concerned with the disparities that affect this city:
Looking over a longer-term period, employment prospects have worsened noticeably over the past two decades for Black District residents and for residents with no post-secondary education. For these residents, job conditions have worsened even in periods when DC’s overall economy was growing.
– Employment among African-American DC residents has fallen steadily since the late 1980s. The employment rate fell from 62 percent in 1988 to 56 percent in 2000 and to 49.5 percent in 2009. (The employment rate is the share of adults with a job.) If employment had not fallen since the late 1980s, some 31,000 additional African-American residents would be working today. Meanwhile, the employment rate for white residents has remained relatively steady.
WAMU’s Patrick Madden’s story, here.
October 14, 2010 | 1:55 PM | By Anna
dbking
The library in 2006.
I used to live in Georgetown, less than a block from the beautiful library which was gutted by a fire in the spring of 2007. That’s why I was reading this Prince of Petworth post with avid interest, “PoP Preview – Georgetown Library“:
The Georgetown Library located at 3260 R St, NW (Wisconsin and R) reopens Monday, Oct. 18th. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to receive a tour from DC’s chief librarian, Ginnie Cooper. Many will remember that the library was devastated by fire Apr. 30th, 2007 (same day as the Eastern Market fire).
It is awkward to say this but I think the fire may have been a blessing in disguise (thank God nobody was injured) because the renovation is truly amazing (and there were no plans for a major renovation). It is though an entire new library was built on the space (and much improved). Not only was the space gutted but a ton of new space was added. There is now a huge children’s section as well as a completely new third floor housing the historic Peabody collection (which thankfully some say miraculously survived the fire). Beautiful new staircases were added. A new meeting room and study rooms are top of the line. Wifi and 40 new computers as well as 40,000 books (with room for 80,000) will be housed in the library.
Continue reading →
October 14, 2010 | 10:34 AM | By Anna
jGregor
This is worrisome:
A month after pledging to do a better job of sheltering the city’s homeless this winter, District leaders haven’t figured out how best to meet that promise. Meanwhile, the Family Emergency Shelter, which can house 135 families, is nearly full. And last week, 67 more families were waiting for emergency housing, with no place else to go…
A city plan to add up to 100 rooms to the D.C. General shelter was abandoned after the idea came under fire last month from advocates for the homeless and D.C. Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), who said it would worsen conditions at the troubled shelter.
Another plan would have transformed the former Hebrew Home for the Aged on Spring Road NW into a shelter for 75 homeless families, but Council member Muriel Bowser questioned whether it was fair to create a new shelter on a street which already has two.
With no alternatives left on the table, the city will rely on moving families out of D.C. General as quickly as possible and into 185 transitional apartments, said Laura Zeilinger, who oversees homeless programs for the city’s Department of Human Services.
