August 26, 2025

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Since August 12, 2025, when President Donald Trump declared his intention to clean up crime in Washington DC, Rev. Patti Fears said she has watched residents in her beloved city wrestle with competing emotions including fear, anger, anxiety, frustration, defiance and resolve.

For the past two weeks, the nation’s capital has been under a federal and military siege, occupied by troops from the national guard, DC police, and other law enforcement types drawn from an assortment of federal agencies, including ICE (U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security.

Rev. Fears, who has served as senior pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Washington, DC for eight years, said what she’s seeing and hearing is among the most disturbing things she has ever experienced.

“It is becoming an apocalyptic movie. It’s so sad. Anxiety levels are at all-time high. I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” said Fears. “We have a bunch of masked men roaming around. What more stranger danger is there than this? Immigrants are being shipped away and Black boys jailed.”

During a press conference to announce the takeover of the city, Trump painted a dystopian picture of a city overrun by crime, violence and homelessness while declaring a public safety emergency.

Washington DC had been "taken over by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals" as well as "drugged out maniacs and homeless people,” the President said. “I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse … This is liberation day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back."

Trump deployed 800 National Guard troops to work closely with federal law enforcement officers who were also deployed over the August 12 weekend. At first the Guard troops were unarmed. They have since been given permission to carry guns.

Yet, even though the District, like every other US city, is battling crime, the numbers over the past few years belie Trump’s hyperbolic claims.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and other critics cite stats from the Metropolitan Police Department showing that homicides tumbled by 32 percent between 2023 and 2024, reaching their lowest level since 2019. This year, that figure fell 12 percent.

Bowser pushed back against Trump’s claim by saying in a press conference that DC has not and is not experiencing a spike in crime.

What is of great concern to Civil Rights activists, human rights advocates, public safety experts and many DC residents is the fact that these cops are masked, their badges obscured and they’re operating without accountability. They are breaking car windows, dragging people out of their vehicles, houses and apartments, stopping residents in vehicles and on foot, rousting them and demanding papers.

There are checkpoints in every ward. They serve as a de facto curfew tool as many residents are staying off the streets, critics said. ICE jump out crews are in neighborhoods people didn’t expect but they are focusing on Latino-dominated communities such as Mt. Pleasant, Columbia Heights and Petworth.

As one woman on Facebook lamented, “National Guard troops in Humvees are patrolling American streets. Not responding to a natural disaster. Not protecting against foreign invasion. Hunting down American citizens whose only crime is being poor. Let me reiterate: The United States military is being deployed against Americans experiencing homelessness.”

A Southeast DC violence interrupter, who requested anonymity because he says he has been targeted for the work he’s doing, said what Trump describes as fighting crime, is actually racial profiling and a continuation of the over policing, harassment and racial profiling that is everyday life for Black residents in underserved communities.

“The temperature in DC has been terrible. It’s stuff like we’ve never seen before. The temperature in Ward 8 is very different,” he said, referring to the level of anger, suspicion and fear pervading Black sections of the city. “The Border Patrol, ICE and the others antagonize residents and are taking advantage,” the 39-year-old lifelong Ward 8 resident said, “Things are not happening the way the president says…It’s totally not true. We’ve had shootings the same amount as before and we have had homicides absolutely,” he said. “We just had a double shooting and single shooting at Friendship Heights.”

The activist said Trump’s vaunted crackdown on crime is underwhelming so far. Of the 600 arrests that have been reported, he said 200 of those face deportation, 300 have been charged with petty crimes such as loitering and disorderly conduct and 21 people are accused of committing serious crimes.

“Officers just look at this like open season. You don’t see the same things happening in Wards 1 through 4,” he said. “However, in Wards 5 through 8, we’re seeing an influx of officers who are clearly disrespectful of individuals and who are disregarding the law.

“One of the things they’re doing in Ward 8 is pulling up in neighborhoods, trying to say we can’t stand outside in groups. Officers are invading people’s rights.”

The activist said that the cops are telling residents that they cannot be on the sidewalk because being there impedes pedestrians.

“They are arresting people for that. That’s been the issue,” he said. “Another illegal thing they’re doing is breaking in their vehicles that are parked and locked without owners’ permission. They are doing this and more without a warrant.”

Ron Hampton, a retired police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, agreed with the belief in many quarters that this whole thing is a publicity stunt designed to inflict cruelty on DC’s populace and even appeal to Trump’s political base.

“Am I surprised? Well, yes and no. I thought he doesn’t really care for DC because it is a Democratic city but he doesn’t like Black people,” said Hampton. “If you tell a lie enough, people begin believing it. He’s a racist when it comes to all of this. He’s talking about and looking to target cities run by Black leadership with large Black populations.” Trump has said Chicago will be next even though he does not have authority in Chicago that the federal government has in the District of Columbia.

Hampton, who has extensive knowledge in crime prevention, community relations, and policing, said this project is foolish and pooh-poohed Trump’s claim on Monday morning that he had solved DC’s crime problem in a week.

“You cannot erase crime in a week. I maintain that the 400 arrests are not legitimate,” said Hampton, immediate past executive director of the National Black Police Association, Inc. and currently the Washington, DC representative for Blacks in Law Enforcement of America. “We don’t have enough space here and we have a small cellblock.”

Customarily, cities don’t judge crime by the statistics of one week, Hampton explained. Usually the Federal Bureau of Investigation studies the data and looks at statistics in quarters which are broken down by offense.

Hampton said he believes Trump isn’t above manipulating the numbers as he tightens his grip on his control of DC.  

“He will make outrageous claims for 30 days and hopefully go away,” he said.

Hampton was clear about what residents must do in the face of Trump’s efforts to create what he and others say is a police state.

“Our duty and responsibility is to question the feds. I’ll be at schools. We’re there to protect them. I don’t believe that we should be intimidated and take their bullshit,” Hampton asserted. “Information is power. We have to educate people to not be allowed to be intimidated. I’m not afraid of them and I’m not going to allow them to intimidate me.”

One DC mother, who is a lawyer, told Trice Edney Newswire the federal takeover continues to be very oppressive, especially for people of color.

“Our unhoused folks have basically disappeared at this point, yet the mayor continues to deny that a takeover has taken place,” said the woman who spoke on condition of anonymity because she’s acutely aware of the danger of speaking out in this political environment. “The ICE actions and the treatment of the unhoused is the worst of it. So much of the concentration of arrests have been Black people going about their lives. This is targeting the poor, the middle class, people with busy lives. All to punish us for being a Black-run city that voted 94 percent against Trump.”

“The whole situation is lawless. There are no rules being followed. Due process is only happening after people are being held for unbelievable amounts of time.”

Public schools have started in Washington, DC and this woman and other parents are worried because ICE planned to go into bilingual and English as a second language schools, especially at drop off and pick up points in an attempt to arrest Latino parents and others they believe are immigrants.

“This morning at the school near us, the lack of immigrant families was very apparent. Many people are waiting to see what will happen before they try to send their kids to schools,” she said.

William and Mary Law School Professor Kami Chavis said despite being unsurprised with anything that President Trump does she is stunned by the scope and depth of his actions.

“I mean, nothing surprises me with this president, but this is truly astounding, unprecedented and un-American. This flies in the face of constitution,” said Chavis, a former Assistant US attorney in DC and director of the William and Mary Center of Criminal Justice Policy and Reform. “I’m surprised by the acquiescence. Everyone should be upset. This is a symptom of disinformation. The way information and statistics is manipulated makes people feel that this is necessary.”

Chavis said “violent crime and gun violence is an issue in our country but addressing social determinants of crime and gun control is not being seen by this administration.”

As the military occupies a city with a large concentration of Black people, Chavis said she’s deeply concerned that the military is not trained to handle local crime issues.

“Targeted enforcement is the key. We need local partnerships – but all this occupation is doing is fraying that already fragile relationship between the federal government and local officials, Chavis said. “One way we could go about preventing future crime is solving the clearance rate. We cannot solve these cases because they don’t have the trust of the community. We will not solve local crime with untrained military personnel. They are trained for combat.”

August 18, 2025

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - “Public safety is people having a roof over their heads, good-paying jobs, strong schools, and accessible mental health care. That’s what safety looks like.” — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson 

“The status quo has failed. We cannot police our way out of crime. We have to invest in people, prevention, and healing.”
— Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott 

American cities reflect the soul of the nation. From their skylines and cultural institutions to their small businesses and neighborhoods, cities are where American identity is built, tested, and transformed. They are global symbols of innovation, diversity, and resilience, and their leadership is central to the nation’s future.

For generations, Black mayors have shaped that future by fighting for equity, accountability, and justice. Their leadership has centered marginalized communities and expanded access to opportunity. Today, that legacy is as vital as ever.

This past week, misleading statements from national leadership describing the District of Columbia as overtaken by "violent gangs," "roving mobs of wild youth," and "drugged-out maniacs" evoked a familiar and troubling pattern. Once again, fear-based narratives are being used to justify federal overreach and to undermine local governance, particularly in cities led by Black mayors. These attacks are not only factually inaccurate, but they are also politically motivated, racially coded, and historically rooted.

Across the country, Black mayors are demonstrating that community-based leadership is effective and transformative. The work of mayors past and present illustrates a sustained commitment to justice, even in the face of systemic barriers and public criticism.

In the 1970s, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young eliminated the city’s notoriously violent STRESS unit and implemented one of the earliest models of community policing. He understood that policing without accountability erodes public trust.

In New Orleans, my father, Ernest “Dutch” Morial, fought to integrate city departments and create more equitable access to public services. As the city’s first Black mayor, he laid a foundation for representative governance at the local level.

During my own two terms as New Orleans mayor, our investments in innovative youth programs and a commitment to police accountability slashed the rate of violent crime in half and transformed a corrupt law enforcement agency into a national model. 

Washington, D.C.’s Mayor Marion Barry expanded youth employment and education programs, launching the city’s first summer jobs initiative and establishing a precedent for municipal investment in young people.

Today, that legacy continues.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, grounded in community engagement and public health, has contributed to the lowest levels of homicides the city has seen in more than 30 years. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has prioritized early childhood education, youth employment, and mental health access, alongside a measurable decline in gun violence. Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles is advancing housing-first strategies to address homelessness and has pushed back against federal attempts to criminalize urban poverty and violations of the Constitution with the attempted ICE takeovers this June.

These leaders and many others are governing with urgency, guided by data and driven by the needs of their communities. They are not only responding to crises. They are reshaping systems.

This is not new. Black mayors have long served as a moral compass in American cities, advocating for marginalized populations, resisting federal overreach, and creating innovative local policies rooted in justice.

The challenges cities face, from public safety to housing, from education to economic inclusion, demand comprehensive solutions and collaborative leadership. What they do not need are politically charged narratives that undermine progress and demonize communities.

To be equal, America must trust the leadership of its cities. It must invest in their success. And it must recognize the historic and ongoing contributions of Black mayors who have turned local governance into a platform for transformative change.

Their legacy is not one of chaos. It is one of courage, care, and commitment to what is right.

August 18, 2025

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan once said, “None of us is born to hate; intolerance is taught and can be untaught.” In March 2015, then-House Speaker John Boehner sent a formal letter to the Vatican, inviting Pope Francis to address a joint session of Congress. With his acceptance, the pope’s U.S. visit in September 2015 marked the first time a reigning pontiff had ever spoken before the nation’s highest legislative body. There are moments in our daily routine where many of us fail to stop and recognize that a highly significant event has just occurred. That speech was one of those moments.

In the 1920s, such a speech would have been unthinkable. Lost in the excitement of the pope’s visit was the fact that past generations of Protestant Americans maintained a deep hostility against people of the Roman Catholic faith. The warm reception extended to Pope Francis by members of Congress illustrated how far we have progressed concerning the subject of religious intolerance toward Catholics. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Pope was neither respected nor a trusted figure in America. Many white Protestants were fearful and mistrustful, believing that the pope, if given the opportunity, would seize control of the U.S. government. That belief, combined with other far-fetched fabrications, perpetuated deep animosities against individuals based on their religious views. Different viewpoints on the Bible and the debate over the role of the pope led to a profound divide between Catholics and Protestant Christians. Despite being a nation built on the principle of religious liberty and freedom, a culture of religious intolerance, hatred, and anti-Catholic bigotry was like a growing cancer spreading throughout a young nation.

The magnitude of cultural influences on an individual’s life cannot be taken lightly. Culture is an accumulation of knowledge, beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors, which distinguishes one group of people from another. Culture is a way of life in which beliefs and values are passed from one generation to the next. The social traditions of a particular culture are communicated and transmitted through our language, architecture, institutions, religion, teachings, music, dance, arts, dress, cuisine, social habits, symbols, prized heroes, media, and politics. Culture defines a particular region or area. It shapes what we believe to be right or wrong, as well as what is perceived to be acceptable or unacceptable. Through their culture, many people become conditioned and passive. They do whatever the leading voices of their culture tell them to do with little thought given to the issue of fairness, respect, and tolerance toward “others.” Passivity can be very dangerous. It leads one to believe their culture is superior. Passivity can open the door to blindly accepting and following the darkest ideas of subcultures.

There are cultures and then there are subcultures beneath them. Often, it is the dark subculture (a smaller part of the parent culture) that embeds the ugly side of manifesting itself in things such as racial and religious intolerance. It identifies “others” as those who are automatically dehumanized, rejected, and hated. It is this subculture that spreads an “us against them” mindset. It determines which group should be kept out, removed, or isolated from society. This subculture of hatred is often permitted by those in positions of authority and responsibility to resist its rise and influence, but lack the moral conviction to do so. In 2016, the dark subculture found its leading voice and champion in Donald Trump.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Montgomery, Alabama, is a civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry while advocating justice for the most vulnerable members of society. Following the 2016 presidential election, the Southern Poverty Law Center developed an assessment report on the impact of the presidential campaign on our nation’s schools. The report, titled “The Trump Effect,” explained that every four years, teachers in the United States use the presidential election to impart valuable lessons to students about the electoral process, democracy, government, and the responsibilities of citizenship. The study found that after Trump’s first election, 28% of K-12 teachers reported witnessing increases in students’ derogatory remarks toward minority groups, especially in predominantly white schools. Students were emboldened to make bigoted statements about immigrants, Muslims, and other groups. The study also illustrated that cultural influences led to young Latinos experiencing more discrimination after Trump was elected.  

When asked about reactions to Donald Trump being president, a 16-year-old Black girl said, “I feel unsafe and not protected. The United States is supposed to be the land of the free but is really the land of racism.” Her words demonstrate that the voice of the nation’s leader has the power to establish the racial tone for the nation. A big part in this nation becoming more tolerant toward those of the Catholic faith was the election of John F. Kennedy as the first Catholic president of the United States. Kennedy’s example as a candidate and sitting president was able to silence the anti-Catholic lies, thereby proving his faith was irrelevant to his ability to govern effectively. The Trump Effect has the opposite impact, where young Trump supporters have decreased their race consciousness since his first term.

The Trump Executive Order eliminating teaching racial and gender equity in schools will limit adolescents’ opportunity to learn about racism, sexism, and inequalities faced by different groups. By making diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives illegal, it only emboldens discrimination while making it even more difficult for intolerance to be untaught.

David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and the author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.

August 13, 2025

Dr. Denise Turley

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - A quiet but powerful change is happening all around us, and it's being driven by artificial intelligence. While we often hear about all the exciting new possibilities AI brings, we need to focus on a far more serious issue: the serious threat it poses to communities that are already struggling. This isn't a problem for the future; it's a reality we’re living in right now, and it’s a shift we can't afford to ignore.

The signs of this shift often begin subtly, appearing as small changes at work. Yet, these seemingly minor adjustments can quickly escalate, leading to significant disruption for individuals and families. Just think about Debbie, a single mother in her late 40s. For years, her administrative assistant job provided a steady income, enough to cover rent and put food on the table for her two kids. Then, a few months ago, her company introduced new AI software. Suddenly, her workload shrank. Her hours were cut, and before she knew it, her position was eliminated. Now, she stares at grocery receipts, the numbers climbing higher each week, and the stack of bills on the counter feels like a mountain. The fear isn't just about losing her job; it's about not being able to provide in an economy where every dollar is stretched thin. Debbie’s story is becoming increasingly common, a stark reminder of the quiet tsunami of job displacement already hitting our homes.

Discussions about AI have largely been dominated by tech giants and futurists. The voices of those most vulnerable to its disruptive power have been largely absent. We're talking about individuals in jobs that form the backbone of our local economies: administrative assistants, customer service representatives, data entry clerks, and even those in transportation facing the advent of autonomous vehicles. These are roles that often employ women and people of color, communities already grappling with systemic inequalities.

A seemingly helpful chatbot on a website might seem convenient, but it's also a powerful sign that a human job is on the line. The truth is, AI is a powerful tool, and companies are using it to automate routine tasks, boost efficiency, and cut costs. While we don't know the full extent of the coming job losses, the direction is clear: our workforce is changing in a big way.

This isn't just about a few jobs disappearing; it's about a fundamental shift in the very structure of our economy. People who don't have the skills to adapt will be left behind. This shift isn't just a threat to entry-level jobs. Even traditionally secure careers like engineering and coding are at risk, as AI can now automate parts of their work. AI's reach is far wider than many of us ever imagined, and its impact is something we can no longer ignore.

This is not a call for despair, however. Within this disruption lies immense opportunity. AI, while a force for change, is also a tool—a powerful one that can be used for progress. New jobs are being created in fields related to AI development, data analysis, and the ethical oversight of these very systems. The demand for individuals with AI-related skills is already soaring. The key is proactive engagement, and it starts with learning. We cannot afford to be passive bystanders in this technological revolution. Our communities must equip themselves with the knowledge to understand AI, to work alongside it, and even to build with it.

The good news is that access to AI education is becoming increasingly available. Organizations like Microsoft, Google and DET Impact Academy offer a wealth of free introductory courses and resources on AI fundamentals. Organizations like DET Impact Academy and Black Women For Positive Change are also stepping up to provide accessible training and pathways into AI  careers for underserved communities. Readers are welcome to join a 90-minute “Understanding Artificial Intelligence” class I am teaching, in coordination with Black Women for Positive Change. The class is for youth and adults, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 6 pm/EST; 5 pm/CT; 4 pm/MT and 3 pm/PST. You can sign up at www.blackwomenforpositivechange.org

The Call to Action: Start Learning Now

This is a critical moment, and taking action today is essential. We must begin to build the bridges that connect our communities to the knowledge and skills they need to feel empowered by technology, not intimidated by it.

• Explore free resources: Visit the AI learning platforms offered by Microsoft (Microsoft Learn), Google (Google AI), and DET Impact Academy to find introductory courses.
• Focus on “human” skills: While learning AI is crucial, remember that skills like critical thinking, creativity, and empathy will be even more valuable in an AI-driven world.
• Advocate for responsible AI: Engage in conversations about the ethical implications of AI. We must show up and be present to ensure these new systems are built with guardrails to prevent harm, especially in critical areas like resume scoring or loan processing.

How we handle this new technology will decide the future of our communities. We need to make sure we and our neighbors have the skills to not just cope with these changes, but to build a strong future. This is how we can safeguard our incomes, protect our family's lifestyle, and create a secure foundation for ourselves and the next generation. The time to act is now.

Dr. Denise Turley is a globally recognized AI advisor and educator, helping leaders implement AI with clarity, impact, and a people-first approach. She is an AI Executive Consultant with Black Women for Positive Change.