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Reparations: A Very Basic PrimerReparations: a process of repairing, healing and restoring a people injured because of their group identity and in violation of their fundamental human rights. In 2019, the House held a Hearing on H.R. 40, Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. There was no vote but the hearing itself was historic. We take a look at what led up to this point. 
A Timeline Leading Up to The “Revitalization” of Barry FarmWith the deconstruction and rebuilding of Barry Farm under way, it is important to understand some of the key factors of this process, what led up to it and how it has been affecting the existing community. Here is a somewhat concise timeline of events to provide context and stay updated on the fast-changing neighborhood. 
Incompatible Allies: Black Lives Matter, March 4 Our Lives and the US Debate about Guns and Violence 
Initiative 77 & The Crisis of The Tipped Minimum Wage “We are only as strong as a city as the ward that struggles the most. You cannot represent the District of Columbia as a whole and not reflect that in your words, actions and budget decisions.” These were Mayor Muriel Bowser’s words during her State of the District address. The chart below, researched and constructed by the Fair Budget Coalition, may help you determine if her words align with her proposals. 
Each year, black consumers circulate $850 billion through the economy; 90% of those dollars are channeled to non-black owners. Many Black-owned businesses are opened out of necessity for the community. The economic state of any community is partially related to the amount of money spent within it. Unfortunately, money is not put back into the black community as black-owned businesses are not supported. This stigma derives from the thought that Black-owned merchandise is not as valuable or as high quality as products provided by big companies. Instead of supporting multimillion dollar corporations that do not care about those who support it financially like Gucci, H&M, etc, we should discover businesses that support people of color. To that end, Grassroots DC is hosting a Health and Beauty Expo at the Black Worker’s Center this Sunday, April 14 at 2500 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. It’s particularly important that we support black-owned businesses that provide health and beauty products because Black people spend a disproportionate amount of their income on those products. Despite this, the beauty industry overlooks many people with rich skin tones and thick hair textures and does not provide a variety of diverse products aimed at people of color. This shouldn’t be unexpected. Thanks in large part to the media, it is unacceptable to wear many natural hairstyles to school or work. In fact, the United States has a long history of banning Afrocentric hairstyles. The history of the tignon (a hairdresser to conceal hair) was worn by free slave creole women, the law enacted by Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miro. This law was created so men can pursue affairs with Creole women. Even today, many brands promote white standards and perpetuate racist stereotypes that black hairstyles are unprofessional. People of color continue to be humiliated, shamed, and banned for their hair styles even when they are trending The booming market of $2.56 billion dollars that people of color spend on products has caused many companies to began to cater to them. You also must be aware that brands do use dark skin women as props to show they are inclusive. An example of advertising “light is bright” notion is the 2017 Dove commercial ad. The implication of a Black woman changing into a white woman represents “clean” shows that many big companies have hidden racism. Even when a company like MAC Cosmetics offers a wide range of products, they’re not really designed with all of the issues brought about by darker complexions. In order to create a custom foundation many people of color mix two colors for the perfect blend. Hormones, stress levels, climate, diet and lack of sleep all affect how your foundation no longer blends with your skin. To address this, many brands that market to women of color create dark shades in order to attract customers. Brands such as Fenty, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox, appear to be challenging stereotypical and regressive notions of beauty by creating color swatches they claim will create. But hexadecimal color codes show how many of these companies shades that are for dark skin people are not. In the commercial world, brands like Fenty have Photoshopped swatches in order to create the illusion of diversity. All this “inclusive” marketing by major corporations leaves small, black-owned companies in peril. Major corporations with unlimited resources successfully tap into the buying power of people of color without ensuring their needs. Beauty brands are becoming inclusive because it is now mainstream, but is this a good thing? Many products that have been advertised to African Americans actually contain hazardous chemicals that can lead to cancer. The Environmental Working Group analyzed 1,177 beauty, personality, and hair care products that are marketed towards people of color. Out of those products only, 25% were considered low hazard compared to the 40% marketed to the general public. Hair products that are used to straighten hair actually promote hair thinning and loss. Toxic ingredients such as lye have been found in hair relaxers while formaldehyde has been found in straightening treatments. But even products that contain no lye can cause chemical burns. Other health issues associated with beauty products include hormone disruption, allergies, reproduction damage, and even cancer. The federal food, drug and cosmetic act of 1938 and the fair packaging and labeling act of 1967 is a government safeguard that is supposed to protect people from misbranding. Neither of these acts requires cosmetics to . . . → Read More: Health and Beauty Expo and Black-Owned Sip and Shop 
A young Barry with Dr. King* Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, Black people throughout the United States snapped. Witnessing a man nationally considered a symbol of peace and hope brutally murdered became the trigger for what is known as the ‘King assassination riots’. In major cities, from Baltimore and Chicago, to smaller cities like Wilmington, Detroit, Black people across the nation unleashed their pent up rage regarding racism in the United States. In DC in particular, there was an estimated $25 million in property damages, and innumerable businesses were forced to close. Black residents made up 50% of the city’s population in 1960, that number sky-rocketed to over 70% in 1970, due in part to the flight of white residents following the 1968 rebellions. With certain sections of DC in a ruin-like state, millions of dollars in property damage, and the resultant injuries and deaths following the rebellions, the city was in desperate need of a strong Black leader. Enter Marion Barry, a man who would become as beloved as he became notorious, whose vision set in place many of the safety nets low-income residents in DC are able to use to their benefit now. Once, when speaking with a former colleague about Marion Barry, she decided Google search the phrase ‘DC mayor’. One of the search options in the bars below went on to read ‘DC mayor smokes crack’. Anyone who is remotely aware of the sting operation the FBI orchestrated with Barry’s ex-girlfriend Hazel ‘Rasheeda’ Moore would immediately understand this search option had been referring to Barry. Before going into Barry’s history, I’d like to write my personal experiences with Barry; I’ve had the opportunity to cross paths Barry twice in my life. Once, when David Catania set out to enact laws that would potentially have parents arrested for the accumulative tardies and absences of their children from school, I, alongside a cadre of young people in a youth program I had been apart of during my teens, decided to testify against this law before the DC Council. While in support of the law initially, after hearing the testimony of four young Black men, Barry became vehement in his opposition to Catania’s law, changing his opinion immediately after our testimony. Then, as an eighteen year-old just stepping into the political sphere, having my voice acknowledged by, both, a politician and an elder was a foundational moment in such a strange, turbulent, and developmental time in my life. What may have been a year later, I attended a community gathering about the injustices the US government had committed against a group of men known as the Cuban Five. Held at St. Stephen’s church in Columbia Heights, the drawing point for this gathering was the opportunity to hear legendary activist Angela Davis speak. People of various backgrounds participated in that evening’s event, filling the church and enduring DC’s infamous humidity to get a chance to share Photo of Barry with wife and child being honored at the gala of the Gertrude Stein Democratic club, a gay political organization* space with Davis. After Davis spoke, Barry revealed himself to the crowd; strutting to the podium area in a full suit in spite of the heat. At the sight of Barry, the event’s attendees exploded into hand claps, cheers, and camera flashes. Standing beside Davis, Barry seemed content and majestic. Of course, me at eighteen had no knowledge of Barry outside of stories I had been told by my mother and other adults. Me at seventeen had no ability to comprehend the significance of the man before me. Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Barry was raised by his mother and step-father alongside nine other children. Demonstrating an aptitude for political organizing and resistance early on, Barry, in his memoir, recalls rallying his fellow Black paper boys to hold their employer accountable to taking them on a trip for meeting a sales quota. Not only did Barry possess a knack for political action and leadership, Barry also harbored a deep hunger for education. Graduating from LeMoyne-Owen College in 1958, Barry acquired a Master of Science degree from Fisk University and went on to pursue a Ph.D in chemistry from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. A dissertation away from receiving his doctoral degree, Barry, experiencing discrimination as the only Black person in his program and sensing the political urgency of the times, gave up pursuing his studies to take on . . . → Read More: Honoring Marion Barry: A Recollection  )%  %categories-linked( D.C. Government, Issues  DC government, DC History, DC LGBT History, Marion Barry, Politics 
February may be the shortest month of the year, but Black History Month really begins on the third Monday of January, which is the day we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. The federal government encourages citizens to celebrate the day through volunteerism, calling it a “day of national service.” But many citizens understand that we truly honor Martin Luther King, Jr. through our political activism. This video is a testament to the continuing struggle not only for civil rights but also human rights in the District of Columbia. . . . → Read More: Martin Luther King Peace March in 2019 )% %categories-linked( Art & Culture, Justice System activism, Anacostia, District of Columbia, Martin Luther King Jr Day, MLK 
With the deconstruction and rebuilding of Barry Farm under way, it is important to understand some of the key factors of this process, what led up to it and how it has been affecting the existing community. Here is a somewhat concise timeline of events to provide context and stay updated on the fast-changing neighborhood. . . . → Read More: A Timeline of Events Leading Up to The “Revitalization” of Barry Farm 2 COMMENTS SO FAR, CLICK HERE TO VIEW & RESPOND - ()% %categories-linked() Gentrification, Public Housing Anaise Aristide, Barry Farm, New Communities, public housing |
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