Jolene Ivey Salutes Historic North Brentwood

Historic town celebrates with food, fun

Shanta Moore (right) and Leonardia Cunningham with the Washington Showstoppers Marching Band.

By Leonard Sparks

Special to The Sentinel

Batons twirled, drums pounded and dancers dipped and shook as the oldest incorporated African-American town in Prince George's County celebrated its past and present last Saturday with a parade and community fair.

Residents waved from their porches and front yards as a caravan of marching bands, vintage cars and public officials snaked through the streets of North Brentwood as part of the town's annual parade. The procession was joined by shiny Corvettes, Shriners and members of First Baptist Church of North Brentwood.

Organized by the North Brentwood Historical Society, the day also included information booths, barbecue and entertainment in the community's park with singers, dancers and poets scheduled to perform.

Making appearances were Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Dist. 8), state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26), state Dels. Jolene Ivey and Victor R. Ramirez (D-Dist. 47) and Prince George's County Councilwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9).

"It was a very nice affair," said Petrella Robinson, North Brentwood's mayor. "It was well put together and they worked very hard."

Founded by African-American Civil War veterans, North Brentwood became incorporated in 1924. Instead of wilting under segregation, its residents created a flourishing town with its own dairy, ice house, grocery stores and barbershops.

Home to 469 residents according to the 2000 census, recent demographics reflect a growing number of Hispanics.

"It's always been that we were unified in what we did," said Robinson, who grew up in North Brentwood, moved away after getting married and then returned in 1972. "If someone was hungry, we fed people. It was numerous businesses here. We took care of each other."

Before the parade, Connie Alexander sat in her front yard, under the shade of the oak tree she planted seven years ago. The house, Alexander said, once belonged to her father and an aunt and was where she spent summers as a child. She said she moved in after they died.

Wearing a gray T-shirt etched with the town's motto, "A Heritage to Remember; A Future to Mold," Alexander, 69, called North Brentwood "quaint" and "quiet." She touted the community's benefits, including its proximity to restaurants, retail shops, Interstate 95 and state routes.

"I truly feel safe being here," she said. "I can get up early and go and I can come in as late as 12 [o'clock] or 1 o'clock in the morning if I choose to."

As the parade passed by her house, Alexander stood at the end of her walkway snapping pictures with a disposable camera. "It's great," she said. "It really is great."

Inside the North Brentwood Community Center, Betty Marshall Queen joined other members of the North Brentwood Historical Society at a table where they sold two books chronicling the town's history.

Although Queen, 75, has lived in Glenarden for 42 years, she grew up in North Brentwood and still takes part in the town's activity.

"It's always been a great place to live," she said. "This is just home and will always be."

Standing in North Brentwood Community Park, Pamela Moore said she moved to North Brentwood two years ago. Moore, a 53-year-old native of Panama, said she missed last year's day parade because of work.

"It's a beautiful place," she said. "You pass a neighbor and your mind's on something, but they will bring you back – you know, shout, 'Hi, neighbor.' It's nice here."

Photo by Marketa Ebert

Jolene Ivey on NPR - A Mom among Moms

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91576259

Del. Jolene Ivey does a Cartwheel to help the Arts

Lawmakers get out their dancing shoes

Fourth annual gala benefits Mount Rainier performing arts center

by Maya T. Prabhu | Staff Writer

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Brenda Ahearn⁄The Gazette (From left) Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park, Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly, Prince George's County Councilman Will Campos (D-Dist. 2) of Hyattsville, Del. Justin Ross (D-Dist. 22) of Greenbelt and Del. Kriselda Valderrama (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington come together for a big finish at Dancing With the Political Stars, the fourth annual gala concert benefiting Joe's Movement Emporium held Saturday in Mount Rainier.

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Though they may be better known for their ability to pass legislation, elected officials did cartwheels, handstands, splits and generally cut a rug Saturday evening, all in an effort to help raise money for the arts.

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At the end of their house and locking routine - performed to music by Mr. V and Cameo - County Councilman Will Campos (D-Dist. 2) of Hyattsville did a handstand and Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly did a cartwheel after successfully making it through the choreographed finale of Joe's Movement Emporium's fourth annual gala concert.

Along with Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Dist. 20) of Silver Spring and Del. Kriselda Valderrama (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington, the officials showed off their rhythm and hip-hop dance skills at Joe's in Mount Rainier as about 75 people laughed and clapped along.

‘‘It was wonderful to see the [politicians] dancing and working up a sweat,” said David Maplesden of Adelphi.

BosmaDance, an Alexandria, Va.,-based troupe, performed ‘‘Sky Kisses Earth” and women from Arachne Aerial Arts performed gymnastic moves on the trapeze. But for its fourth annual gala concert, Dancing with the Political Stars, Joe's also reached out to some less practiced performers. Four state delegates and a county councilman volunteered their time to perform and help raise money for Joe's, a center that offers performance arts classes and rehearsal space for artists.

‘‘If they can teach a bunch of politicians to dance just think what else they can do,” Ross said. ‘‘We had a couple of really good instructors. ... They took a bunch of politicians and taught them about dancing.”

Brooke Kidd, Joe's executive director, said she had been trying to find a way to involve local politicians in an event at the center.

‘‘I had been wanting to put politicians on stage to show how cool and how dedicated our local leaders are in regards to the arts,” she said.

Kidd said Mizeur volunteered to participate and asked her colleagues to join her. Mizeur's partner, Deborah Mizeur, is president of Joe's board of directors.

The politicians proved to be a draw for the fundraiser. Adrienne Francis of Mitchellville, who identifies herself as a supporter of Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly, said she learned about the program from Ivey. As a supporter of the arts she said she knew about the service Joe's provides to the community.

‘‘It's critical for our children to be exposed to all art forms and Joe's gives them options that they're not going to find on the street,” Francis said.

Joe's moved into a new $3.7 million, 20,000-square-foot former warehouse in January 2007. They are in the process of renovating a 3,200-square-foot performance space that would seat 150 people.

Kidd said the money that was raised will go toward completion of the theater and to support the programs offered at Joe's.

‘‘I hope we can walk away tonight feeling that this theater will be finished soon,” she said during the event. ‘‘I hope you're inspired to kick up your heels, spin around or pat your knee.”

Maplesden said he has attended many events at Joe's.

‘‘It was a great event,” he said. ‘‘I like to support arts in Prince George's County because so much goes on in D.C. and Montgomery County and you don't see as much in PG.”

Other performers included resident artists Gamelan Mitra Kusuma Orchestra, Silk Road Dance Company and Joe's Moving Company.

Kidd also announced that Joe's would dedicate Studio 3 to Sen. Gwendolyn Britt, who died suddenly in January.

‘‘She helped bring forth this building,” she said. ‘‘And I'm excited because that's the studio that I teach in.”

Britt's husband, Travis Britt, was in the crowd.

‘‘I really enjoyed [the performance] tonight. It helped me to not focus on my own problems for a while,” he said.

E-mail Maya T. Prabhu at mprabhu@gazette.net

Glenn F. Ivey, helped out more at home during her campaign.

Sending fathers a little appreciation

By Mike Sarzo

With Father's Day a matter of days away, columnists opining about their relationships with their fathers seems to be the newly popular pastime.

In an era during which people talk about so-called baby daddies and deadbeat dads, many fathers get a bad rap, and undeservedly so.

Don't mistake this for ignoring real problems with some fathers. If you're a father and you don't pay your child support for any reason other than literally being unable to afford it, you should be ashamed of yourself. You should also get in touch with the mother of your child or children or the court and arrange a payment system that makes sense for all involved.

However, being a father is more than providing a monthly check. It's more than simply doing your part in creating life. In my experience, more fathers these days are devoting more time to their families than they did in the past. Harry Chapin's singing about having "planes to catch and bills to pay" and his son "learned to walk while I was away" is – thankfully – becoming more a part of our past.

Some Father's Day columns I've seen have recounted what the writers describe as a complex relationship with their fathers. Some people have talked or written about emotionally distant or stern fathers. Some people have mentioned fathers who seldom have a word – good or otherwise – to say.

My relationship with my father wasn't like that. We definitely have our moments, but who doesn't? If anything, my father was far more emotionally involved than most I've seen mentioned. He was quick to provide emotional support. He remains quick to sit me down for "talks" when I stray from a productive life path.

I'm not going to use this space to denigrate my mother at the expense of my father. I also won't demonize mothers in an effort to glorify fathers. I realize that some well-adjusted people have had only one parent. Some well-adjusted people have had a relative or others raise them. But fathers can and should play an important role in the lives of their children.

For better or worse, more mothers are working full-time jobs in addition to responsibilities at home. That often leaves fathers picking up the slack at home. When Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Dist. 47) ran for her seat in the Maryland General Assembly, she said her husband, Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey, helped out more at home during her campaign.

That spirit of cooperation between two people who are raising a child is absolutely vital, regardless of what form that takes. I read a recent e-mailed list of tips about parenting and one of the first things it said was not to argue or badmouth your partner in front of your children and present a united front.

If you're going through or already have had a divorce, I can't emphasize this enough. Older children might have enough insight to tell their parents to back off the criticism, but younger children don't. As a child of divorce myself, I can tell you from first-hand experience that it puts the child in a very difficult spot.

I'd like to take this time to wish fathers throughout Prince George's County an enjoyable Father's Day on behalf of The Sentinel. Let's all strive to make sure we show our appreciation for our dads every day of the year.