Fannie Lou Hamer

Speaking softly as she sat hunched over a small table, tutor Melissa Parker explained to a ninth-grader how to finish a one-page essay on the standard of living for 19th-century immigrants to the United States. "You want to summarize it. You've made your points already," Parker told Knayya Dew-Douglas, a participant in the small Seeds 4 Success program in the community center at Eastport Terrace. Knayya, 15, continued writing her closing sentence, capturing key points from the earlier paragraphs on income, workplace inequality and other issues.

Speaking softly as she sat hunched over a small table, tutor Melissa Parker explained to a ninth-grader how to finish a one-page essay on the standard of living for 19th-century immigrants to the United States. "You want to summarize it. You've made your points already," Parker told Knayya Dew-Douglas, a participant in the small Seeds 4 Success program in the community center at Eastport Terrace. Knayya, 15, continued writing her closing sentence, capturing key points from the earlier paragraphs on income, workplace inequality and other issues.

Seven women were honored this month for their contributions to racial justice, equal opportunity and community service during the 14th annual Fannie Lou Hamer Awards Reception at St. John's College. This year's honorees are U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski; Vanessa Bass, senior manager of recruitment and staffing for Anne Arundel public schools and vice president of the Anne Arundel County Alliance of Black Educators; Jan Chapman, founder, owner and CEO of an investment advisory firm; Victoria Bruce, an author and filmmaker with a background in science whose second book, "Hostage Nation," will be published next year; Karin Hayes, a writer, director and producer who co-wrote "Hostage Nation" with Bruce; Caldonia Johnson, a volunteer who works with the Anne Arundel County Red Cross, Lincoln Heights Community Association and Foster Grandparent program; and Alice Wright, a registered nurse who retired in 1997 after a 43-year career.

The tragedy in Arizona has sparked nationwide soul-searching and calls for more civility from across the political spectrum. Seldom is there an issue on which President Barack Obama, House Speaker John Boehner, The New York Times and Sen. John McCain can agree. At the risk of being deemed insensitive and out of touch with the times, I (respectfully) want to stress the necessity of incivility. While we all rightfully condemn the violence in Tucson, we also should recognize the value that incivility has in a democracy.

Some youngsters need an extra boost to master academic basics that serve as the foundation for other learning. So Hilltop Elementary School teacher Edith McDougald invites their parents to take them to her home for tutoring and "of course, a little snack," or she drops by their homes or meets them at the library for extra help. There's no charge. McDougald said her incentive is to help the children grow and learn. "I want them to see that they are special, and they can do it, too," said McDougald, a second-grade teacher.

Dressed in a purple-and-neon-green tie-dyed dress, Lori Ann Bradford sits on a bench across from Lake Waterford. Her thick black hair is pulled up in a white scarf detailed with red and purple flowers, showcasing big, silver hoop earrings that sway when she looks down at her Yorkshire terrier, Sasa Badu. Her dog wags her tail at Bradford's feet, which are slipped into Kenyan thong sandals decorated with shells. The lake brings Bradford peace. Families walk together, young boys fish with their fathers and children toss bread to eager ducks.

If it weren't for the lawyers who mentored her, Gloria Wilson Shelton is not sure she would have made it through the University of Baltimore School of Law. Now the first person of color to chair the American Bar Association's judicial division's lawyers conference, which promotes judicial integrity and public education, Shelton is the one who reaches out to minority law school students. For the past 15 years, she has mentored minority students at her alma mater. "The first year is the most difficult year," said Shelton, who is chief counsel for the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund.

Dressed in a purple-and-neon-green tie-dyed dress, Lori Ann Bradford sits on a bench across from Lake Waterford. Her thick black hair is pulled up in a white scarf detailed with red and purple flowers, showcasing big, silver hoop earrings that sway when she looks down at her Yorkshire terrier, Sasa Badu. Her dog wags her tail at Bradford's feet, which are slipped into Kenyan thong sandals decorated with shells. The lake brings Bradford peace. Families walk together, young boys fish with their fathers and children toss bread to eager ducks.

A loud, clear voice breaks the quiet in Courtroom 2. Lawyer Janet LaBella, longtime advocate for Anne Arundel County's poor, lobs her first legal volley of the afternoon. As it turns out, there's plenty more where that came from. Short and intense, with piercing dark eyes, LaBella goes to work. This time she's defending a public housing resident who faces eviction for missing four rent payments in a year, a violation of the Annapolis Housing Authority's "four strikes and you're out" policy.

Like many working mothers, Laura S. Kiessling divides her weekends among swim meets, football practices and volleyball games. But unlike most, she often gets calls from police looking to go over the facts of the county's latest homicide. Or perhaps they're calling to ask her whether an act of vandalism could be considered a hate crime. As one of the county's two deputy state's attorneys, Kiessling is involved in some way with nearly every major criminal case. And as a 10-year veteran of a team of prosecutors who go after child abusers and sex offenders, she travels the state giving workshops on how to interview children.

The sudden rise and fall of the woman who would have been the first elected African-American mayor of Annapolis has opened wounds in the capital city's black community. Now it's up to a white county councilman to try to heal them. Josh Cohen lost the mayoral primary last month but became the Democratic nominee after Zina C. Pierre, a charismatic political consultant who eked out a victory in a six-way race, said she was abandoning the contest after embarrassing revelations of debts and other personal financial problems.

Seven women were honored this month for their contributions to racial justice, equal opportunity and community service during the 14th annual Fannie Lou Hamer Awards Reception at St. John's College. This year's honorees are U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski; Vanessa Bass, senior manager of recruitment and staffing for Anne Arundel public schools and vice president of the Anne Arundel County Alliance of Black Educators; Jan Chapman, founder, owner and CEO of an investment advisory firm; Victoria Bruce, an author and filmmaker with a background in science whose second book, "Hostage Nation," will be published next year; Karin Hayes, a writer, director and producer who co-wrote "Hostage Nation" with Bruce; Caldonia Johnson, a volunteer who works with the Anne Arundel County Red Cross, Lincoln Heights Community Association and Foster Grandparent program; and Alice Wright, a registered nurse who retired in 1997 after a 43-year career.

"For the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change." Michelle Obama, Feb. 18 I always thought I understood what Michelle Obama was trying to say. You are familiar, of course, with what she did say, which is quoted above. It provided weeks of red meat for her husband's opponents, who took to making ostentatious proclamations of their own unwavering pride in country. But again, I think I know what the lady meant to say. Namely, that with her husband, this brown-skinned guy with the funny name, making a credible run for the highest office in the land, she could believe, for the first time, that "we the people" included her. It is, for African-Americans, an intoxicating thought almost too wonderful for thinking.

Like many working mothers, Laura S. Kiessling divides her weekends among swim meets, football practices and volleyball games. But unlike most, she often gets calls from police looking to go over the facts of the county's latest homicide. Or perhaps they're calling to ask her whether an act of vandalism could be considered a hate crime. As one of the county's two deputy state's attorneys, Kiessling is involved in some way with nearly every major criminal case. And as a 10-year veteran of a team of prosecutors who go after child abusers and sex offenders, she travels the state giving workshops on how to interview children.

If it weren't for the lawyers who mentored her, Gloria Wilson Shelton is not sure she would have made it through the University of Baltimore School of Law. Now the first person of color to chair the American Bar Association's judicial division's lawyers conference, which promotes judicial integrity and public education, Shelton is the one who reaches out to minority law school students. For the past 15 years, she has mentored minority students at her alma mater. "The first year is the most difficult year," said Shelton, who is chief counsel for the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund.

Some youngsters need an extra boost to master academic basics that serve as the foundation for other learning. So Hilltop Elementary School teacher Edith McDougald invites their parents to take them to her home for tutoring and "of course, a little snack," or she drops by their homes or meets them at the library for extra help. There's no charge. McDougald said her incentive is to help the children grow and learn. "I want them to see that they are special, and they can do it, too," said McDougald, a second-grade teacher.

The tragedy in Arizona has sparked nationwide soul-searching and calls for more civility from across the political spectrum. Seldom is there an issue on which President Barack Obama, House Speaker John Boehner, The New York Times and Sen. John McCain can agree. At the risk of being deemed insensitive and out of touch with the times, I (respectfully) want to stress the necessity of incivility. While we all rightfully condemn the violence in Tucson, we also should recognize the value that incivility has in a democracy.

"For the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change." Michelle Obama, Feb. 18 I always thought I understood what Michelle Obama was trying to say. You are familiar, of course, with what she did say, which is quoted above. It provided weeks of red meat for her husband's opponents, who took to making ostentatious proclamations of their own unwavering pride in country. But again, I think I know what the lady meant to say. Namely, that with her husband, this brown-skinned guy with the funny name, making a credible run for the highest office in the land, she could believe, for the first time, that "we the people" included her. It is, for African-Americans, an intoxicating thought almost too wonderful for thinking.

Dressed in a purple-and-neon-green tie-dyed dress, Lori Ann Bradford sits on a bench across from Lake Waterford. Her thick black hair is pulled up in a white scarf detailed with red and purple flowers, showcasing big, silver hoop earrings that sway when she looks down at her Yorkshire terrier, Sasa Badu. Her dog wags her tail at Bradford's feet, which are slipped into Kenyan thong sandals decorated with shells. The lake brings Bradford peace. Families walk together, young boys fish with their fathers and children toss bread to eager ducks.

Dressed in a purple-and-neon-green tie-dyed dress, Lori Ann Bradford sits on a bench across from Lake Waterford. Her thick black hair is pulled up in a white scarf detailed with red and purple flowers, showcasing big, silver hoop earrings that sway when she looks down at her Yorkshire terrier, Sasa Badu. Her dog wags her tail at Bradford's feet, which are slipped into Kenyan thong sandals decorated with shells. The lake brings Bradford peace. Families walk together, young boys fish with their fathers and children toss bread to eager ducks.