How deeply pervasive is homelessness in Prince William County and its surrounding areas? According to The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), homelessness is defined as “living in emergency shelter, transitional housing, domestic violence shelters, runaway youth shelters, safe havens, or places not meant for human habitation, such as streets, parks, alleys, abandoned buildings, and […]
It was New Year’s Eve 1997, and while some partied, Carl Armstrong celebrated by making a commitment to change his life for good. Having battled with drug and alcohol abuse, Carl decided that he was going to make a change and never look back. “I gave my life to God and told him I was […]
For most families throughout Prince William County living in areas such as Lake Ridge and Occoquan, the options for families to healthy groceries and restaurants are plentiful. Take a drive through Dumfries, Dale City, or the Route 1 corridor, and it paints a different picture, a dangerous one at that. The aforementioned areas are home […]
In a year of racial-reckoning, 2020 has emphasized supporting black-owned businesses, but for Ernisha and Tracey Hall, the founders of The Virginia Black Business Directory (VABBD), along with the Board of Directors, their mission to bring visibility and revenue to black-owned businesses in the DMV area started before the rest of the world committed to […]
Across Virginia, the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to skyrocket. While this increase affects everyone, it touches those directly on the front lines. I spoke with two front-line workers about how this virus is affecting them and what messages they have for others. I first spoke with Traci Williams, a Registered Nurse […]
Last week Democrats in the House and Senate, led by a joint resolution called the Abolition Amendment, began discussions on removing the “punishment” clause from the 13th Amendment. The amendment, which formally ended the practice of slavery in 1865, has kept in it a provision that allows for those imprisoned to be utilized for cheap […]
There is a fundamental problem within public schools, and it is not just the decision to keep them open during the pandemic. It is a problem that has permeated since Brown v. Board of Education. While the landmark Supreme Court decision declared that “separate but equal” is unconstitutional in the educational system, it came at […]
Peter Newsham’s departure from the Metropolitan Police Department has sparked celebration in D.C. with good reason. His hiring in Prince William represents a fundamental failing by the Board of County Supervisors.
Recently the podcast PWColors hosted a virtual dialogue between Prince William County School (PWCS) alumni of color to discuss how race and ethnicity played into their time in the county school system. The purpose of the discussion was to highlight the lived experiences of these individuals and to elevate their individual truths in an effort […]
I told a close friend recently that it’s okay to feel mentally “off” right now given all that’s happened in 2020, and I sincerely believed it to be true. After all, feeling restless, constantly sad, fearful of the unknown, disorganized, socially isolated, unable to focus, fearful of illness, and extremely moody nowadays had become totally […]
