“Dear PoP,
Meet Amanda and Alexis. They and their little sister Ashley and their mom Deborah lived down the hall in my building in Columbia Heights for several years in the early 90s. We were friends. They used to come over and bake cookies, dress up in my junk jewelry and scarves, play games and hang out. We carved Halloween pumpkins, I took them to the library. Alexis once wrote a story on my computer it started – “Once a pond of time.”
I wasn’t a mentor or big sister or anything like that – I was just a neighbor and they were fun kids – bright, sweet, goofy, but thanks to their mother Deborah, also considerate and well-mannered – good kids. I called them the “Triple A’s.” Over the years as they grew into young women I saw less of them, but we would run into each other in the neighborhood and catch up.
On Sep. 18, the youngest sister, Ashley, was murdered. Today at her funeral, there was a shooting. Now – there are the usual postings on the usual blogs – gangs, crews, section 8, drive-bys, hoodlums – end of the world etc. etc. But perhaps people might want to know a little about the real people in the center of this tragedy.
This is a family from our own neighborhood – even if, for most of you, that part of the neighborhood is a different world. Please let yourselves think past all the sensationalism – she was killed after leaving a nightclub! She was friends with gang members! She lived in Section 8 housing! Please think of all the possible ways of life beyond the stereotypes, because Ashley and her family lived far beyond the stereotypes. Every 21 year old woman goes out dancing, and most of us have gotten in some trouble because of it. Every young person growing up in DC knows someone in a gang. That doesn’t mean much. For many years Deborah was indeed a “welfare mom” living in Section 8 housing. And within that system she worked hard to raise strong girls who are doing well with their lives. I thank goodness – and pay my taxes gladly – that those precious little girls weren’t living on the street or in some crap hotel.
There will be plenty of time to debate what “should be done” and to hopefully examine the pathology – for it is a pathology as deadly as plague – that is infecting an element of our society, but this is not the time.
(Photos are used with the permission of the family)”
Recent Stories

You are cordially invited to the Washington Opera Society’s exclusive Christmas/Hannukah Party!
We are pleased to welcome our great opera stars to the company!
Juliette Di Bello, Manuela Tomasz Korossy, Kristin Sampson from the NY City Opera Company, and Kevin Short of the Metropolitan Opera.
Don’t miss this unique holiday concert of seasonal favorites and hit arias from the operatic repertoire sung by our cast of stellar singers. Maestro Benichou will bring his infectious energy as he leads the WOS Festival Ensemble in an evening sure to remember. Glad tidings!

You are cordially invited to the Embassy of Austria for a thrilling evening with Mozart. What a better way to spend Christmas and Hannukah! Our full orchestra and lead singers, some of whom sing at the Met, will appeal to teens as they begin their journey to the classics! We expect to be sold out soon…..
Get your tickets now!
Under the Gracious Patronage of H.E. Petra Schneebauer, Ambassador of Austria
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Julien Benichou, Conductor
featuring:
Kevin Short as Figaro
Manna K. Jones as Susanna
Stephen Powell as Count Almaviva
Laquita Mitchell as Contessa
Anna Kelly as Cherubino
Maggie Polglaze as Barbarina
John Gibney as Bartolo
Leah Heater as Marcellina
Christopher Jon Hartung as Antonio & Don Curzio
Narration provided by Robin Phillips
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Embassy of Austria
3524 International Court NW
Washington, DC 20008
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Doors Open/Cocktails 6:30 pm
Performance including Intermission 7:15 pm
Wine Reception with Heavy Hors d’oeuvres 9:15 to 10:30 pm
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Tickets:
Box Seats $250
Orchestra Reserved $150
Unreserved $125
Seniors (over 65 years old) Unreserved $80 [sold out]
Students with ID $50
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Cocktail Attire
Holiday Part with the Terrells
Join the Terrells and many other local artists for a holiday party at The Fillmore School in Georgetown from 6-8pm on Saturday, December 16th. There will be open studios, live music, chair massages, and local businesses with holiday specials. This
12 Beers of Christmas: Local Seasonals Tasting at metrobar
Join metrobar and the team at DC Beer for a taste of 12 holiday brews, all made in the DMV by your favorite local breweries! Your ticket gets you access to the afternoon tasting with 3oz pours of each of