DC Urban LifeStyle Magazine

 In a letter to Democratic Senators and House Members the Leadership Council on Civil Rights wants the government to close the Medicaid coverage cap that leaves so many Americans without proper health coverage. In their statement, The Council writes,  ... the current coverage gap leaves over 2 million people, including 600,000 African Americans living in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas living below the poverty line, without access to affordable health insurance coverage.  The Council, along with other groups are also urging members of Congress   t o address the coverage disparity in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  “The COVID-19 pandemic amplified pre-existing inequities in health care, with deadly consequences for many in the Black community as well as other communities of color,” they said. “Therefore, we are urging Congress to address this by providing a federal pathway to coverage for the ...

 From the Office of DC Mayor, Muriel Bowser (Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the opening of the Todd A. Lee Senior Residences at Kennedy Street, a 38-unit, all-affordable senior community located in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of Ward 4. All 38 apartments are for residents who are 55 or older and earn no more than 50 percent of the area median income. “The Todd A. Lee Senior Residences embody our DC values and represent the importance of having safe and affordable homes for our seniors to age in place, in the communities they know and love,” said Mayor Bowser. “Todd’s legacy will live on through the many families he helped stay in DC, through the innovative programs he created, and now through these beautiful homes for our seniors.” The Todd A. Lee Senior Residences are a result of a solicitation to transform vacant land into affordable housing by the DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) who also provided a $7.4 million loan from th...

Tracking CRT While many on the right have opposing viewpoints about the critically acclaimed phenomenon that is CRT (Critical Race Theory) that would teach the truth about the founding of America, groups like the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights say 'children have a right to learn about our past." In a press release on Wednesday, the LCCHR writes the following: WASHINGTON  – In light of the ongoing attempts to whitewash and erase the history of the United States, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with 79 civil rights and education organizations, today released a response condemning the attacks on critical race theory, culturally responsive curricula, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.  The full response is below and available  here .  “All students deserve access to an education that prepares them to succeed in college, career, and life and to fully exercise their social, political, and economic rights. Attempting to gag ed...

If you know DC, you know go-go; and if you know go-go, you know one of the founding bands of the genre that has spanned cultures, generations and coasts, respectively. Experience Unlimited  (a.k.a. EU), the go-go group that has touched audiences from funk to rock (and genres in between) will come full circle when it celebrates their 50th year anniversary. The group, founded by  Gregory 'Sugar Bear' Elliott, has come a long way since their Charles Hart Middle School beginnings in 1971 having toured globally with their Billboard hit “ Da Butt ” featured in  Spike Lee’s 1988 film ‘ School Daze .’ “This is my life,” Elliott said of his long-spanning go-go music career. Elliott will not only celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the group he gave life to, but also his birthday on July 25th.  “I put a lot of time, grind, sweat and fun into this. Some of my brothers have gone on to glory with Jesus. It speaks volumes that all these musicians are celebrating wit...

  Nikole Hannah-Jones reminds us all why HBCUs were created in the first place. (July 7, 2021) -  Howard University offered an olive branch to Jones when her own alma mater, the University of North Carolina, chose not to offer this great talent in journalism a tenured professor position. [ Alumus Ta-Nahisi Coates  joins Howard roster] ICYMI, Jones is the creator of The 1619 Project, a documentary that chronicles the early institution of slavery and its role in shaping the Americas we know today. Source: The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones. The Project has garnered both acceptance and criticism. Those who support the vision understand that the truths about slavery have, throughout American history, been either whitewashed, or not taught at all, diminishing the roles and treatment of the African nations who built it. Slavery, in all fifty states (including the ‘stateless’ District of Columbia) built an economic powerhouse infrastructure that caused the United State...

Phylicia Rashad , Howard alum and recently appointed Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University, offered her sincere apologies to the university’s parents and students after showing her support this week for Bill Cosby who was released from jail on sexual assault charges.  Bill Cosby with Phylicia Rashad for The Cosby Show. (Circa 1984) Shortly after Cosby’s release, Rashad tweeted (then deleted), “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” along with a picture of her The Cosby Show TV husband with raised arm and fisted stance.  RELATED: Cosby Responds Her remarks got the attention of the Twitter-sphere who, along with her employer, thought Ms. Rashad’s comments were also “insensitive.” In a statement, Howard University wrote, “… her initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault...” One Twitter user, @chellech, questioning the allegiance of Howard University to Rashad tweeted, "I wouldn't ...