•  Looking for employment — temporary work or direct hire;
•  Is tired of working where you're working and are considering making a move for the new year;
•  Knows someone who is looking for work;
•  Knows someone who SHOULD be looking for work [significant other not doing his/her part?];
•  Was a candidate of mine from my previous staffing agency, even if you're working now;
•  Referred a potential candidate to me in the past and may refer more in the future;
•  Knows people in the DC area;
•  Is thinking about moving to the DC area;
•  Is in a position to hire, influence the hiring or can introduce me to that person at your job;
•  Someone who one day, even years from now, may be looking for work in the DC area.

Raising Expectations’ mission (R.E.) is to instill cultural integrity, self-empowerment, and discipline among youth ages 13-22 through instruction in the visual/performing arts and arts apprenticeship opportunities. By creating fun-filled cultural arts activities and fostering positive relationships between youth, parents, and teachers, R.E. bridges generational communication gaps and facilitate solutions-oriented dialogue and interaction.

With a diverse consortium of arts educators and mentors (see our About Us Page), R.E. instructors challenge the creative energy and potential of youth and young adults. We provide skills-based, interactive learning exercises in our arts workshops. Workshops range from wooden-sculpture making to the craft of DJ'ing, and from arts healing methods to salsa lessons.

R.E. workshops and arts apprenticeships fascinate and sharpen young people's understanding of the dedication necessary to achieve artistic masterpieces. One youth at a time, we are changing their perspective of the world around them and helping them to bring people of diverse backgrounds together! Since 2005, our motto has been to "R.E.-Educate, R.E.-Unify, and R.E.-Connect Through the Arts," and our mission is to do just that at each youth arts enrichment workshop activity!

Greetings Future Mentor!
It is with great pleasure and anticipation that we invite you to participate in the next stage of our Concerned Black Men’s Capital City Cares® Mentoring Program (C3MP) process. On Thursday, October 22, at 9:30 am and 6:30 pm we will hold an orientation sessions to give you and the friends you bring with you an opportunity to learn more about our mentoring initiative. We want to make sure you have all the info you need to make your decision to participate in our program. On Saturday, October 24 from 11 am to 1 pm, the C3MP will host a Mentor Training/Luncheon. These extremely important sessions, especially designed for our first cohort of Mentors will take place at the site of the Concerned Black Men National Office: Thurgood Marshall Center, 1816 12th Street, NW; Washington, DC 20009. Join us on the 1st floor, for one of the orientations on Thursday and the training/luncheon on Saturday.

In the event you have already made your decision but did not get an application, I have attached the initial application that you can complete and email back or bring to the orientation or training.

In order to provide an adequate supply of training materials, food and beverages, and to better accommodate you, we would appreciate it if you would RSVP by Tuesday, October 19. To RSVP or for more info, please call Amen Haddis at 202-783-0720 or send an email to Ahaddis@cbmnational.org.

Please bear in mind that we have already identified the young male mentees, and they are waiting for you! See you on October 22 & 24.

My good friends representing Maryland — Pam Alston and Asabi Beal.

My homeboy, former housemate and fellow Aggie Kevin Walker representing The A.

The craziest manager I ever worked with, Desiree Albo, and favorite co-worker ever Araceli Figeuroa.

The fellas Devin Johnson, Maurice Hendrix and Mohamed Kakay who always got my back even when I don't deserve it.

My favorite [and most patient] teacher of all time — Gail Wiggins of North Carolina A&T State University.

My fellow BlacKorean sistah in Denver — Marsha Nelson

The lovely ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. — Cassie Quash, Dava Gray, Kiandra Lewis and most especially Betty Morrison who is the most generous person I know.

And of course, the one who helped introduce me to life and all its lessons — Dad.

Cleaning House
Dorothy Brizill

The City Paper looked into the background of Ted Loza, Councilmember Jim Graham's chief of staff and longtime confidant, this week. Last week, following Loza's arrest on bribery charges, Graham put him on a paid leave of absence. Now Graham has named another longtime aide and his deputy chief of staff, Calvin Woodland, Jr., to fill Loza's position as acting chief of staff.

Woodland first met Graham at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in the late 1990's, and Graham subsequently became Woodland's AA sponsor. When Graham ran for the Ward One council seat in 1998, Woodland joined him on the campaign trail, and following Graham's election he hired Woodland to work in his council office as the assistant director of constituent services. An admiring profile of Woodland in the District Weekly section of the Washington Post in January 20, 2000, entitled, “Former Pusher Rises to City Hall,” gives further insight into Woodland's background: “Court records show that Woodland was arrested 16 times between 1980 and 1992. He racked up 37 criminal charges, including possession and distribution of cocaine, PCP, and marijuana, robbery, prison breach, assault with a dangerous weapon, bail violations, and contempt of court.” In addition, the article notes that Woodland “served time in the Lorton Correction Complex before beginning his recovery from drug addition in 1992.”