BROOKLAND, Washington DC (CI MENA) — Howard University's School of Divinity School, located in Washington DC's unique Brookland neighborhood, could soon become a global center of excellence for the study and practice of Islamic finance in the United States.

The Howard University School of Divinity is located on 22 acres of prime real estate in the Brookland neighborhood in Northeast Washington DC and is located next door to the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land representing Jerusalem and the Holy Land in the United States.

[Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick, MD speaks to Capitol Intelligence/BBN using CI Glass on Howard University plans for Howard University School of Divinity located in Brookland, Northeast Washington, DC. Howard University Stokes Library. June 17, 2016]

For years the campus has been left vacant as Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick instituted a study for possible re-use on the part of the non-for-profit real estate development association, Urban Land Institute.

The HU Divinity School iconic art deco building is named after Rev. Benjamin E. May, the civil rights trailblazer who Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called his "spiritual" mentor.

ULI Governor and Boston-based real estate magnate Richard Reynolds said that the campus would be used as a Howard University academic center but the university may decide to build a new faculty on the land or even transfer the university's Social Work department from its main campus.

In fact, 95% of the residents of Ward 5 voted against any commercial development of the HU East Campus, to the visible chagrin of Ward 5 Council Member Kenyan McDuffie and the Area Neighborhood Commission Chair Ursula Higgins .

[Urban Land Institute Governor and Boston-based Reynolds Group, Inc President Richard Reynolds speaks to Capitol Intelligence/BBN using CI Glass on development plans to Howard University Divinity School. Michigan Park Christian Church in Brookland, Washington DC. June 14, 2016]

However, the fact that Howard University is still mulling options for the re-use or expansion of the Howard University Divinity School has opened a once in a generation opportunity for Gulf leaders in Islamic banking such as the Kingdom of Bahrain; the United Arab Emirates; and the State of Qatar to integrate the principles of Islamic finance into the fabric of the world's largest economy.

Howard University President Frederick recently announced that Howard University will consider offers for Howard University Hospital after the universal medical facility posted its first net profit last year.

In fact, Kingdom of Bahrain Foreign Minister His Excellency Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Khalifa said he is very familiar with Howard University from his time as a rising diplomatic star the Kingdom's Embassy in Washington, DC.

[Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani filmed by Capitol Intelligence/CI MENA using CI Glass at Tunisia 2020 Road to Inclusion, Sustainability and Efficiency in Tunis, Tunisia. November 29, 2016]

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is intimately familiar with the Brookland neighborhood through Abu Dhabi's endowment of the George Washington University affiliated Children's National Medical Center and Qatar has circa US$1 billion real estate investments with its downtown DC City Center and a new Conrad Hilton flagship hotel.

The basic tenets of Sharia compliant banking — not charging interest on loans and risk sharing — is a uniquely social responsible form of finance surprisingly well suited to the often vulnerable African-American population in the United States.

Islamic mortgages — known in the United States as rent-to-own — are much better suited for lower-income home buyers than traditional US mortgage lenders who generally discriminate against African-American borrowers and quickly bankrupt weak borrowers as witnessed in the 2008 sub-prime financial crisis.

Today, African-American home ownership is at the lowest level since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March on Washington some 50 years ago.

The development scandal at HU Divinity scandal is now part of the platform of Republican candidate for DC Council, Marya Pickering.

In fact, self-made businesswoman Pickering personal commitment to saving the historic Divinity School is in stark contrast to Democratic vice presidential nominee and Howard University alumni US Senator Kamala Harris who has remained silent in the growing controversy.

[DC Council-at-large candidate Marya Pickering (R) leading protest demanding incoming Howard University Board of Trustees Chairman Laurence C. Morse re-opens Howard University Divinity School under the leadership of Dean Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce and immediately halt illlicit commercial development on Howard University East Campus in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeat DC.

Pickering was joined by Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) candidates Milton Hardy (Ret. US Army Sgt-Major) 7D04 and Nestride Yumga (5A08) on August 8, 2020]

On August 8, 2020, Pickering led a protest to the empty campus of the Howard University Divinity School to put pressure on the new Howard University Board of Trustee Chairman Laurence C. Morse and Howard University Patron ExUfficio, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Elizabeth "Betsy" Devos.

In fact, the grassroots opposition is so strong that moves are underway to file an emergency injunction in the U.S. District Court of Washington, DC if the Howard University Board of Trustees failes to carry out their fiduciary duties by not declaring a moratorium on commercial development at the Howard University East Campus.



A similar endowments at ULI Trustees' alma maters such as Yale, University of Chicago, Georgetown University, Tufts and Harvard would start at a minimum of US$150 million and would earn only the cursory interest of the Universities' trustees.

[2020 Democratic presidential and US Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) filmed by Capitol Intelligence/BBN using CI Glass at the CCDP's Blue Jamboree caucus in North Charleston, South Carolina. October 5, 2019]



"Howard University's 150 years history and its unique place in American history makes it a place of learning with both national and global importance," said one notable Howard University Trustee said. "However, some in corporate America treat Black Americans as children of a lesser God."

Overlooked is US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) unprecented work to win unprecendented federal funding from President Donald J. Trump for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) of which Howard University was a major beneficiary.

Howard University also received the largest private grant in its history, some USD 40m from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott.

Grassroots protest of Brookland residents and national and international support to preserve and protect the historical campus has already won quiet support from District of Columbia District Attorney Karl Racine, the former managing partner of Baltimore-based global law firm Venables.



[District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine filmed by Capitol Intelligence/BBN using CI Glass on combating housing instability, corrupt developers and saving Howard University Divinity School at the Woman's National Democratic Club in Washington DC. February 11, 2020]

Racine, who is the hands on favorite to succeed Muriel Bowser as mayor, is fully aware of the extreme frustration and growing resentment among permanent DC residents over out of control development and wild west gentrification.

Brookland residents and those around the country and the world to preserve great historical landmarks have brought the fight to save Howard University Divinity School directly to Howard University Trustees that include former MGM Resorts International CEO James Murren; Citibank Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason; and HU chairman Fairview Capital co-founder Laurence C. Morse through an open letter and petition.

[MGM Resorts International CEO James Murren filmed by Capitol Intelligence/BBN being ambushed by TMZ at opening of USD 1.4bn MGM Resorts & Casino at National Harbor in Prince George's County in Maryland]

A new organization, Howard East Association (HEN), has been formed grouping Brookland residents, Howard University alumni and supporters of international note to convince Howard University President Wayne Frederick and the Howard University Board of Trustees to uphold and respect HU's Charter and obligations as a federally mandated HBCU.

By PK Semler in Washington, DC and Tunis, Tunisia. For information please call +1-202-549-3399 or email pks@capitolintelgroup.com





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