By Liane Scott, on August 17th, 2013 
On July 12, 2013, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs released the report Racial Disparities in Arrests in the District of Columbia, 2009-2011. On July 31, 2013 a coalition of activists held a press conference and teach-in, drawing the connections between the fight for justice for Trayvon Martin and the need for a movement to address racial profiling in the District of Columbia. Netfa Freeman, reporting for WPFW’s Voices with Vision put together the following audio remix of the day’s events. Enjoy or get angry, but get involved.
[audio:http://www.grassrootsdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Netfa_Freeman_WLC_Press_Conference_Mixdown.mp3]
By Liane Scott, on May 6th, 2013 
Two years ago, I offered a radio production class via Empower DC’s Grassroots Media Project. The class was taught by long-time WPFW radio producer Netfa Freeman. Two of its students, Brenda Hayes and Ben King met for the first time and went on to produce the radio show This Light: Sounds for Social Change, a radio series highlighting the connections between arts and activism. Each episode features an interview with an activist/artist as well as an audio mix of their work. The program currently airs on Radio CPR; their podcasts are also featured on Grassroots DC Radio.
The following podcast is a ten minute compilation from several episodes of This Light Sounds for Social Change. [audio:http://www.grassrootsdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/This-Light-Clips-for-WPFW.mp3]
If the above podcast peaked your interest, check out this interview of Brenda and Ben on WPFW’s Voices with Vision.
This Light:Sounds for Social Change on WPFW’s Voices with Vision 1/15/13 by This_Light on Mixcloud
When Ben and Brenda first came to me with the idea for This Light: Sounds for Social Change, I asked them if they would be able to find enough artist/activists to have a show each week? Two years later, the guests are coming to them. Check them out on CPR Radio on Sunday nights from 9:00 PM until 11:00 PM, or on Mixcloud.
By Liane Scott, on September 1st, 2012 
The Issue as told by the Washington Post in their article Developer Seeks to Give Adams Morgan a Taste of Luxury with Hotel Project:
First Church of Christ at Euclid & Champlain Streets in Adams Morgan.
For the past six years, developer Brian Friedman has been pushing a complex project that he says would reinvent Adams Morgan as a bustling attraction at all times of day, not just in the evenings. He has proposed transforming a historic church, formerly the First Church of Christ, Scientist, into a 174-room luxury hotel. His plan calls for preserving the church building and constructing a 10-story connecting building behind it, where there is now parking.
And he is asking for the city’s help, suggesting that the new hotel not be required to pay property taxes for 15 years after opening. The problem as defined by the Champlain Street Neighbors: We are largely immigrant families who have invested blood, sweat, and tears to make Adams Morgan the hip spot it is considered today.
We have lived through the rough times of this neighborhood and persevered despite crime and poverty so to forge a foundation of diversity and vitality that very few, if any other DC neighborhood possesses. Yet, despite our rich history and investments here, we have been left almost entirely out of the process and discussion of one of the biggest projects in recent Adams Morgan history. Whether purposely or not, our voices have not mattered to local decision makers at all.
The treasured diversity of Ward One and Adams Morgan has already been under attack, but now this luxury hotel project will be take displacement issues to new heights, literally, with a proposal which seems to defy logic for a residential community and threatens our very existence in the neighborhood we helped to build.
There are countless problems with a project of this size and of this proposed use for our families, some of whom have lived here for thirty years.
A luxury hotel will increase our rents or put pressure on our landlords to evict us and sell their buildings. It will bring traffic of major proportions to a street full of kids who attend the two local schools within two blocks. Taxis will be streaming up and down our narrow residential street effectively reducing pedestrian safety while giving rise to more exhaust pollution as vehicles idle at the hotel entrance on Champlain Street. Hotel waste will pour into our collective sewers and other hotel uses will seriously tax our residential water, gas, and electric utilities. The small businesses we patronize will face increasing rents and taxes, forcing them to close and be replaced with chain stores. The noise of the 18th Street Party Zone will come further up into our residential community and hotel rooftop shenanigans will keep our families up at night. The multi-year construction will literally shut down our street and disrupt our lives in a major way — essentially harassing us out of our homes with nasty construction noise and dust.
We do not want this luxury hotel which has been discussed without any heed of the concerns for our families which will be directly impacted.
We need help! We want to protect what affordable housing and diversity we have left. Can you help us?
Adams Morgan Residents for Reasonable Development Protest the Proposed Luxury Hotel at Unity Park Chanting, “Comunidad Si, Hotel No!”
The local organizing group Adams Morgan for Responsible Redevelopment asks, “why has Jim Graham pushed through a $46 million tax gift for a luxury hotel, while small businesses get no help and social services are cut?!” Their list of concerns is even more extensive than Champlain Street Neighbors’. According to Adams Morgan for Responsible Development the proposed hotel:
Won’t create jobs that pay a living wage and won’t afford workers enough money to actually live in Adams Morgan, let alone raise a family. Won’t bring the day-time foot traffic being touted by developers–wealthy tourists won’t likely patronize mos neighborhood-serving ‘mom and pop’ retail and commercial stores. Won’t provide enough revenue from hotel guests to outpace increases in commercial rents and increasing costs of goods. Will increase residential rents and property taxes–eliminating what is left of affordable housing in Adams Morgan. Will displace families and residents living in affordable rental units in proximity to the proposed hotel location. Will significantly increase traffic and noise and pollution on residential streets_impacting pedestrian safety, especially the safety of our kids. Will bring the weekend . . . → Read More: Neighborhood Groups Oppose Luxury Hotel In Adams Morgan
By Adwoa Masozi, on August 13th, 2012 
“People are just not reaching us where we are at. We want to be reached.”– Washington, D.C. focus group youth participant.
In the following audio podcast, radio journalist Netfa Freeman interviews Dr. Melissa Neal about her report Mindful of the Consequences: Improving the Mental Health for DC’s Youth Benefits the District as well as Dr. Joy DeGruy on her book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. Netfa’s reports can be heard regularly on WPFW’s Voices With Vision, Tuesday mornings at 11:00 AM. [haiku url=”http://www.grassrootsmediaproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/JpiReportAndPtss_finalMixdown.mp3″ title=”Experts Report on Mental Health Issues Faced by DC’s Youth”]
By Melissa Neal, DrPH The mental well-being of our youth is crucial to achieving progress and prosperity in our communities. In Washington, DC, youth face particular challenges as disparities in resources and risks vary drastically in just a matter of miles. I wrote JPI’s report, Mindful of the Consequences: Improving the Mental Health for DC’s Youth Benefits the District, to show that current prevention and treatment services do not match the level of need and many youth are at risk for contact with the justice system due to untreated mental problems. To illustrate this, I mapped where arrested youth are coming from: predominately areas of low income and high rates of risk factors that impact mental well-being.
The general attitude toward youth living in these areas (both with and without juvenile justice involvement) has been fear and blame. However, as I prepared to begin writing this report, I came across a few quotes gathered from a focus group with youth on the various challenges that come with growing up in D.C. These youth commented on what they needed…
“If they gave different programs to fit the criteria to why you were locked up, services that help you specifically, maybe even invest in psychologists.” “Guidance and someone there they can look up to that is on the right path. Support other than tutoring, someone they can talk to sometimes if they have a problem.”
I was struck by the fact that these kids know they are not getting the help they need. They are discerning of what their problems are and what they need to begin recovery. What lingered in my mind was “…maybe even invest in psychologists.” Sadness pervades their words: they can be helped but it seems to be too much trouble. These youth are not demanding what they need – they seem to hardly believe they deserve it. But, they do. They deserve an investment in psychologists. They deserve a system that understands the challenges they’ve faced. They deserve a community that cares and will provide the support they need to recover and thrive. Mental health problems are treatable. Whatever the challenges youth have faced that have resulted in poor mental health, they can still be helped into becoming citizens of pride and productivity.
Some D.C. leaders will criticize this report citing the millions of dollars being spent already on mental health – as if that should be enough. My challenge to D.C. leaders is to admit that what is being done is not enough. Too many children are suffering from poor mental health while not receiving the attention needed. Too many youth are being misunderstood when their cry for help looks like aggression. Far too many are being penalized and channeled into a lifetime of involvement with the justice system just because it was too expensive to…invest in psychologists.
Melissa Neal, DrPH, is Senior Research Associate for JPI.
By Liane Scott, on May 17th, 2012 
Out of respect for the Godfather of Go-go, I’m reposting this article from February 2011. [haiku url=”http://www.grassrootsmediaproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Chuck Breezy 1.mp3″ title=”Chuck Brown Interview”]
Godfather of Go-go, Mr. Chuck Brown
Grassroots Media Project radio producers Brenda Hayes and Be Steadwell interviewed Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-go, at WPFW a couple of weeks before the Grammy’s. Mr. Brown was nominated for the song LOVE featuring Jill Scott with Marcus Miller in the category Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocals. As no one outside of the DC radius has a proper understanding of Go-go, Chuck Brown did not win. However, all you Go-go fans out there will want to hear the Hayes/Steadwell interview of Chuck Brown because as I said, he never lets us down. Chuck Brown Interview
Thank you Wikipedia for the following information:
Chuck Brown (born August 28, 1936) is a guitarist and singer who is affectionately called “The Godfather of Go-go“. Go-go is a subgenre of funk music developed in and around Washington, D.C. in the mid- and late 1970s. While its musical classification, influences, and origins are debated, Brown is regarded as the fundamental force behind the creation of go-go music.
Brown’s musical career began in the 1960s playing guitar with Jerry Butler and The Earls of Rhythm, joining Los Latinos in 1965. He still performs music today and is commonly known in the Washington, DC area. Brown’s early hits include “I Need Some Money” and “Bustin’ Loose“. “Bustin’ Loose” has been adopted by the Washington Nationals baseball team as its home run celebration song, and was interpolated by Nelly for his 2002 number one hit “Hot in Herre.” Brown also recorded go-go covers of early jazz and blues songs, such as “Go-Go Swing” Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing If Ain’t Got That Swing“, “Moody’s Mood for Love”, Johnny Mercer’s “Midnight Sun“, Louis Jordan’s “Run Joe”, and T-Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday”.
He has influenced other go-go bands such as Big G and The Backyard Band, Rare Essence, Experience Unlimited (EU), Little Benny and the Masters, and Trouble Funk.
The song “Ashley’s Roachclip” from the Soul Searchers’ 1974 album Salt of the Earth contains a famous drum break, sampled countless times in various other tracks.[1]
In the mid-1990s, he performed the theme music of Fox‘s sitcom The Sinbad Show which later aired on The Family Channel and Disney Channel.
Brown is considered a local legend in Washington, D.C., and has appeared in television advertisements for the Washington Post and other area companies. The D.C. Lottery‘s “Rolling Cash 5” ad campaign features Chuck Brown singing his 2007 song “The Party Roll” in front of various D.C. city landmarks such as Ben’s Chili Bowl.
Brown resides in Waldorf, Maryland. His son, Nekos, was a defensive end/linebacker for the Virginia Tech football team. While his son was in college, Brown scheduled concerts and other appearances around the Hokies home schedule to ensure that he would never miss a game, and became a fixture at Lane Stadium. Following the Virginia Tech massacre, Brown was “absolutely devastated” by the tragedy, and cried every day for two weeks.[2] In shows that followed, Brown would pause for a moment in prayer for the victims and their families before beginning his performance, and dedicated several shows to their memory.
Brown was the subject of the cover article in The Washington Post Magazine on October 4, 2009, entitled Chuck Brown’s Long Dance.[3] He received his first Grammy Award nomination in 2010 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for “Love” (with Jill Scott and Marcus Miller), from the album We Got This.
. . . → Read More: Chuck Brown Interview from February 2011
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