https://aicha.journoportfolio.comRSS Feed for Aicha BangouraenFri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlStaffers at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center said they appreciated residents coming to the aid of its animals after its air conditioner broke. After the center announced that its air conditioning wasn’t working, residents flocked to the center to temporarily foster the animals. “I was so surprised by the response. It was an overwhelming response from the community,” Faith Koleszar, the adoption supervisor, said.  The air conditioner went out sometime, either late...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlStaffers at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center said they appreciated residents coming to the aid of its animals after its air conditioner broke. After the center announced that its air conditioning wasn’t working, residents flocked to the center to temporarily foster the animals. “I was so surprised by the response. It was an overwhelming response from the community,” Faith Koleszar, the adoption supervisor, said.  The air conditioner went out sometime, either late...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlStaffers at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center said they appreciated residents coming to the aid of its animals after its air conditioner broke. After the center announced that its air conditioning wasn’t working, residents flocked to the center to temporarily foster the animals. “I was so surprised by the response. It was an overwhelming response from the community,” Faith Koleszar, the adoption supervisor, said.  The air conditioner went out sometime, either late...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/adults-in-montgomery-county-take-a-biking-class-organized-by-mcdot/article_9c09b57a-3b18-4b7f-af0c-72cc6b782b2f.htmlInstructors from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) taught a Learn to Ride event outside Westfield Montgomery Mall on Sunday for those with an interest in improving their bicycle skills.Students who reside in Montgomery County had to pay $10 to join the class. In the class, there were several instructors who led the 3-hour training session. The event, which the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) arranged, catered to adults 18 and over and brought in 14 registere...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/adults-in-montgomery-county-take-a-biking-class-organized-by-mcdot/article_9c09b57a-3b18-4b7f-af0c-72cc6b782b2f.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/montgomery-county-contest-winner-keeps-his-eye-on-the-prize/article_93a37c31-fb5b-4f51-8d28-22652f67c55b.htmlDavid Salinas held his camera up high and shot a video entitled “Chatterbox” that would ultimately win him a grand prize of $800 for a contest called “Heads up, Phones down” that promotes safe driving. Salinas, an 18-year-old senior at Seneca Valley High School, knew of the various video contests in Montgomery County years before he won that prize from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, but it took him a while to find his niche. “I would see flyers posted around the school when...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/montgomery-county-contest-winner-keeps-his-eye-on-the-prize/article_93a37c31-fb5b-4f51-8d28-22652f67c55b.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/mcps-summer-school-students-celebrate-high-school-graduation/article_dfd4083c-af66-4bdb-9ed4-e152e91871d0.htmlGaithersburg High School held a graduation ceremony for summer school graduates on Friday, acknowledging completion of coursework by the students. Over 100 seniors from most of the high schools in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) attended the graduation. Wearing their schools’ caps and gowns, the graduates lined up with their respective peers from the back of the auditorium and took their seats in the center. Addressing the audience, which consisted of family, graduates and educators, Lak...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/mcps-summer-school-students-celebrate-high-school-graduation/article_dfd4083c-af66-4bdb-9ed4-e152e91871d0.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/mcps-summer-school-students-celebrate-high-school-graduation/article_dfd4083c-af66-4bdb-9ed4-e152e91871d0.htmlFri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/mcps-summer-school-students-celebrate-high-school-graduation/article_dfd4083c-af66-4bdb-9ed4-e152e91871d0.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/montgomery-parks-supports-mental-wellness-through-movement-and-nature/article_48410606-4736-499d-9d22-f696f555da80.htmlWith over 400 parks in the county, Montgomery Parks caters to people of different ages, backgrounds and interests with a wide range of programs and activities in hopes of encouraging self-care. It hosts over 50 events in the year throughout the parks, including Park Academy Series, which is a program of health, wellness and fitness classes. Megan DeMillo, special events supervisor for Montgomery Parks, supervises the content and planning for the activation events and assists in the series. DeMil...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/montgomery-parks-supports-mental-wellness-through-movement-and-nature/article_48410606-4736-499d-9d22-f696f555da80.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlStaffers at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center said they appreciated residents coming to the aid of its animals after its air conditioner broke. After the center announced that its air conditioning wasn’t working, residents flocked to the center to temporarily foster the animals. “I was so surprised by the response. It was an overwhelming response from the community,” Faith Koleszar, the adoption supervisor, said.  The air conditioner went out sometime, either late...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/animals-in-montgomery-county-shelter-in-good-conditions-amid-community-outreach/article_af31ed7a-3926-434a-8598-d14af4099773.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/montgomery-county-entrepreneurs-hold-local-back-to-school-giveaway/article_75b9df21-2d10-4f25-81b3-777325665cc0.htmlBusiness owners Brandon Cheng and Chris Patterson hosted a back-to-school giveaway at the Northwest High School parking lot Sunday, in hopes of giving back to the community they call home. Free school supplies, food, haircuts, nail painting and games were all included in the perks. The event drew in tons of people, including Montgomery County resident Lorelle Wade, who brought her five-year-old granddaughter to the free giveaway, where she got a backpack. “She was just happy to pick out a color,...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/montgomery-county-entrepreneurs-hold-local-back-to-school-giveaway/article_75b9df21-2d10-4f25-81b3-777325665cc0.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/i-support-the-girls-organization-calls-for-equity-and-passing-along-the-torch/article_be691bf0-d5f9-4a5c-ae9f-6ac838edd846.htmlNearly a decade ago, a Maryland local, Dana Marlowe became a human rights activist by accident with the launch of an organization called ‘I Support the Girls’ that assists the homeless with donated products. Marlowe had just lost 35 pounds over the course of a year after two pregnancies and needed new bras. When she went to a store named Soma in Montgomery Mall, she both bought new bras and got an idea. A store clerk mentioned that homeless women needed bras. “From there I was like: ‘Oh, OK what...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/i-support-the-girls-organization-calls-for-equity-and-passing-along-the-torch/article_be691bf0-d5f9-4a5c-ae9f-6ac838edd846.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/i-support-the-girls-organization-calls-for-equity-and-passing-along-the-torch/article_be691bf0-d5f9-4a5c-ae9f-6ac838edd846.htmlNearly a decade ago, a Maryland local, Dana Marlowe became a human rights activist by accident with the launch of an organization called ‘I Support the Girls’ that assists the homeless with donated products. Marlowe had just lost 35 pounds over the course of a year after two pregnancies and needed new bras. When she went to a store named Soma in Montgomery Mall, she both bought new bras and got an idea. A store clerk mentioned that homeless women needed bras. “From there I was like: ‘Oh, OK what...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/i-support-the-girls-organization-calls-for-equity-and-passing-along-the-torch/article_be691bf0-d5f9-4a5c-ae9f-6ac838edd846.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/manna-food-center-calls-for-more-alliance-after-receiving-funds-from-montgomery-county-s-school/article_f78cb8d1-0a6f-40a2-823f-328db0c0d408.htmlManna Food Center expressed its appreciation for the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR) and the Office of Grants Management (OGM) after being awarded a portion of the school-based food assistance grants. In a press release on Sep. 26, it was announced that 13 food organizations were awarded a total of $2.3 million in grants, including Manna Food Center. The grants are expected to reach more than 9,000 county households. “I think the biggest part for us and the most exciti...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/manna-food-center-calls-for-more-alliance-after-receiving-funds-from-montgomery-county-s-school/article_f78cb8d1-0a6f-40a2-823f-328db0c0d408.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/toys-for-tots-leaders-reflect-on-hardships-in-2025/article_3d3e993e-37a2-4659-8b38-b15824758826.htmlFor 78 years non-profit organization Toys for Tots has distributed gifts to less fortunate families during Christmas, reaching over 314 million children nationwide, but this past holiday season, not everything ran smoothly for the staff across many counties for several reasons. Some Toy for Tots chapters experienced difficulties with operations in 2025, and Montgomery County had a lot of press coverage due to their shortage of donations and trouble securing a warehouse to store the gifts. Elizab...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/toys-for-tots-leaders-reflect-on-hardships-in-2025/article_3d3e993e-37a2-4659-8b38-b15824758826.htmlhttps://www.thesentinel.com/communities/real-estate-professionals-host-workshop-event-for-potential-homebuyers/article_bd9ca9d7-2f42-4c6e-ab6f-e01fa2b2c722.htmlMembers of real estate brokerage firm, Samson Properties, hosted a rent escape plan session at Gaithersburg on March 28 encouraging homeownership. The event, which is designed specifically for Montgomery County residents, was free to the public and offered insights on saving money and reducing costs to purchase a home, especially for first-time buyers. Two speakers led the event and brought in about 20 participants from different areas. The conversation began with Fernando Herboso, a managing br...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://www.thesentinel.com/communities/real-estate-professionals-host-workshop-event-for-potential-homebuyers/article_bd9ca9d7-2f42-4c6e-ab6f-e01fa2b2c722.htmlhttps://aicha.journoportfolio.com/articles/httpswwwthesentinelcomcommunitiesmanna-food-center-calls-for-more-alliance-after-receiving-funds-from-montgomery-county-s-schoolarticle_f78cb8d1-0a6f-40a2-823f-328db0c0d408html/Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://aicha.journoportfolio.com/articles/httpswwwthesentinelcomcommunitiesmanna-food-center-calls-for-more-alliance-after-receiving-funds-from-montgomery-county-s-schoolarticle_f78cb8d1-0a6f-40a2-823f-328db0c0d408html/https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_april_2026The May 2026 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine Inside this issue: • Charismatic Kerria • How Not to Kill a String of Pearls • Meet Sabrathia Draine of ReaLeaf Tea Shop and Herbal Apothecary • Preventing Tomato Leaf Disease • How to Design a “Fire-Resistant” Garden • Tone-on-Tone Bouquet Trend • Garden Book Reviews • Adding Native Plants with Great Scents • America’s State Flowers Exhibit • Eco-conscious Gardening Practices to Adopt • Edible Landscaping Basics • Meet Yuki Kato, Urban Garden...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_april_2026https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_april_2026The April 2026 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. Inside this issue: • Fabulous Foxgloves • Tips for Garden Furniture Care • The Elusive Azalea Sphinx Moth • The Connective Power of Orchids • Ovenbirds Popping Up in Your Garden • What is it like to be a Judge at the Philly Flower Show? • Garden Book Reviews • Fibermaxxing Starts in the Garden • A New Trailing Tomato • The Elusive Azalea Sphinx Moth • What We Learned at Rooting DC 2026 • Meet Alex Mudry-Till, Cut-Flower Farmer • and much m...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_april_2026https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_march_2026March 2026 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine Inside this issue: • 17 Award-winning Garden Photos • Did the Harsh Winter Affect Native Plants? • Tips for Healthy Staghorn Ferns • Dealing with Weedy Mallow Plants • Enjoy Lilies in Containers • Year of the Impatiens • Garden Book Reviews • How to Grow Skunk Cabbage • Changes at the Bonsai Museum • A New Daylily • What We Learned at the GreenScapes Symposium • Are Sterile Versions of Invasive Species Okay to Plant? • and much more… Note th...Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_march_2026https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/05/12/umd-community-comes-together-for-2nd-annual-big-queer-photo/By Aicha Bangoura The LGBTQ+ Equity Center held the second annual Big Queer Photo on the steps of McKeldin Library on Thursday, May 8, in support of LGBTQ+ terps on campus.  The event drew in about 430 registrants, according to Kristopher Oliveira, the director of the LGBTQ+ Equity Center. Participants were given a t-shirt that pays homage to the UMD terrapin and LGBTQ+ community.  Students and faculty then posed for the photo with their pride flags and banners.  “[This is a] campus wid...Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/05/12/umd-community-comes-together-for-2nd-annual-big-queer-photo/https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/04/14/umd-students-express-themselves-through-original-dance-pieces/By Aicha Bangoura Students at the University of Maryland took part in a performance of their original dance pieces at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s Choreography Studio on Thursday night.   The show, free and open to the public, was presented by the UMD School of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies.  It consisted of eight performances, several of which featured dance companies from UMD, such as Tianyi Dance Team, Ballet Company M and Terrapin Tap Troupe. Students performed c...Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/04/14/umd-students-express-themselves-through-original-dance-pieces/https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/04/07/umd-students-celebrate-spring-at-the-national-cherry-blossom-festival-reflect-on-experiences/By Aicha Bangoura This past week, University of Maryland students immersed themselves in Washington D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival. The annual event for cherry blossoms began on March 20 and has since attracted a lot of attention from visitors and locals. The festival, located around the Tidal Basin and near the National Mall, celebrates the peak bloom of the cherry blossoms every spring season. This event took the nation by storm this year as many people including former Presiden...Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/04/07/umd-students-celebrate-spring-at-the-national-cherry-blossom-festival-reflect-on-experiences/https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/03/16/dr-gladys-mitchell-walthour-presents-screening-of-documentary-black-lives-matter-in-latin-america/By Aicha Bangoura Gladys Mitchell-Walthour, a political scientist who studies racial politics in Brazil, affirmative action and the intersection of social welfare, race and gender presented her new documentary at the University of Maryland on Wednesday. The event, held at the Shoemaker Building, was hosted by the department of African American studies. Chinyere Osuji, a professor at the University of Maryland, said that she could go on and on about Mitchell-Walthour as she’s accomplished s...Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2025/03/16/dr-gladys-mitchell-walthour-presents-screening-of-documentary-black-lives-matter-in-latin-america/https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2024/12/10/umd-amsaw-president-shares-her-passion-for-community-and-culture/By Aicha BangouraAttending one of the nation’s top public universities – ranked number 17 by U.S. News this year – often means that student’s feel the need to take a break. For Hadia Malik, a junior majoring in architecture at the University of Maryland, stepping back has never been an option.   Malik, whose family originates from Pakistan, comes from a background rooted in education. Her mother earned a master’s degree in economics and spent 25 years as a professor, while her father holds a...Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2024/12/10/umd-amsaw-president-shares-her-passion-for-community-and-culture/https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2024/09/29/mavis-staples-makes-her-way-to-college-park-after-more-than-a-decade/By Aicha Bangoura Longtime singer and civil rights activist Mavis Staples made her return to the University of Maryland last Friday night, to perform for the second time since 2013. Since the 1960s, Staples has left an international imprint both on and offstage, as the youngest member of her musical family, The Staple Singers. She took to the stage at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in the Dekelboum Concert Hall. Staples was joined by a band and two ASL interpreters.   After r...Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://storiesbeneaththeshell.com/2024/09/29/mavis-staples-makes-her-way-to-college-park-after-more-than-a-decade/https://blackexplosionnews.com/2023/12/31/blog-2023-12-30-mariah-carey-brings-joy-to-the-inner-city-in-maryland/How festive can you get for the holidays? Seeing the Christmas Queen herself sounds like the whole nine yards. Mariah Carey made a stop in Baltimore on December 15 for her “Merry Christmas One and All!” tour and I couldn’t miss the chance to see it.  Carey’s tickets were a great bundle for your money, especially in the most expensive time of the year. Unlike other artists whose tickets can leave you feeling like the Grinch stole Christmas, hers was a great bet. This being my first concert, it w...Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://blackexplosionnews.com/2023/12/31/blog-2023-12-30-mariah-carey-brings-joy-to-the-inner-city-in-maryland/