Garland Journal 1-19-23

My Truth

By Cheryl Smith Publisher

Just Wait and See!

Well, it’s about that time again. We are about to share who our Person of the Year is.

Some might argue that last year’s recipient should be this year’s recipient. And that is okay. We were proud to step out and call attention to the Life and Times of Coach Prime.

We felt then and still believe today that HBCUs, as well as predominantly white institutions (PWIs), and so many others benefited from the work that Deion Sanders did

Garland NAACP celebrates KING

at Jackson State University.

He had the bully pulpit and he used it courageously to challenge systems that needed to be challenged and bring attention to injustices, inequities and blatant wrongs.

Of course he is going to have his critics, and so will we. And life will go on.

As a history buff, I love being on the right side of history. In the long run, if HBCUs and PWIs have not learned anything from Coach Prime’s stint at JSU, well that proves even more that they need help and just weren’t ready for Prime Time and never will be if they don’t make some drastic changes.

As we move on to this year’s POTY, there was a clear choice because of a simple process called “Homework.” You might call it “research,” or “collecting receipts.”

You see, folks are good at talking about what others are doing or not doing or they focus on personalities over issues.

Which brings me to my truth.

We are selecting a Person of the Year for 2022.

Just looking locally I can call the names of several people we lost during 2022 and they were worthy of some type of recognition.

So many are now Black History. The books of their lives have been closed and no chapters will be added; except for those who lived a life that kept giving, that impacted others thus making their lives worthy of sharing for an eternity.

While the deceased have written their last chapters, others will be adding to those chapters because that is what happens when you build a legacy.

Photos: Simmons Event Photography

Coach Deion Sanders

Grand Marshals - Garland Mayors Scott LeMay (current) and Ronald Jones (former)

Citizens of Garland, and across Dallas County enjoyed a beautiful day of sunny skies and excited participants at the Garland NAACP’s annual Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and a number of other activities over the weekend. It was a celebration and a time to commemorate the life of Dr. King and to address the concerns he raised decades ago; while also recognizing the great talent in the community.

FEBRUARY

Pop at The Muse

Black Academy of Arts and Letters, 650 S Griffin St Dallas, TX

Black Cowboys: An American Story Shining light on the rich history of Black Cowboys and mpact on Texas history Sat. PM African American Museum Dallas, 3536 Grand Ave. Dallas, TX

Black Girl Fest Conference a global brand building projects with purpose to help create a better future for our communty Sat. 12 PM

DFW. For tickets or event information, visit American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave

Crafty Kids Celebrate Black History Month Fri, 5:30 – 6:30 PM Arcadia Park Branch Library, 1302 N Justin Ave Dallas, TX

Black Fathers of Soul Music Concert The Black Academy of Arts & Letters Sat, 8 PM 650 S Griffin St. Dallas, TX

African American Museum of Dallas Join us for our NEW history of soul food bus tour! in addition to local history and

5 Parkway Drive Byron Bay Band, consisting of frontman Winston McCall, guitarists Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick, drummer Ben Gordon & bassist Jia O’Connor. Sun, 7:30 PM House of Blues 2200 N Lamar St. Dallas, TX

Zion Chapel Economic Development Learn about how genes differ in relation to nutrition for the African American commu nity. Sat, Feb 11th, 10 1004 N Jefferson St, Lancaster, TX

Black History Tour In order to honor the park’s commitment to emphasizing black history every month, our Black History Tour is now offered every Sun, starting Feb 12th, 5 PM 1515 S Harwood St, Dallas, TX

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre present “Cultural Awareness” in honor of Black History Month 7:30 PM Fri 17th & Sat 18th Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre 2400 Flora St, Dallas, TX

COVID-19 and My Journey Now!

BY VINCENT

The dice finally seem to be falling my way.

But within seven weeks of my first grandson’s birth, the hourly news cycle was filled with some newfound crap. COVID-19 was on the loose, and the world was about to shut down.

What made everything worse was everybody else’s world shut down but mine.

I finally began understanding the “Essential Worker” tag on our employee roster.

It made me feel “some type of way” that my 15-year-old daughter was barricaded in our house all day, and I couldn’t be there. As a single father, we were always each other’s lifeline.

Anyway.

The whole pandemic phenomenon was not hard for me to believe.

In our crew of about 30 men, approximately 25 had been sick. I mean really ill. The virus, or crud, or whatever, hit us around the last week of December 2019.

There were flu-like symptoms, but no one had the flu. There were upper respiratory problems that could not be explained.

This sickness they shared wasn’t allergy related. The doctors said it wasn’t bronchitis. However, five or more had to go through an emergency room. All of them went to the doctor.

After the pandemic was formally named, none of my crew was affected until the new “variant” appeared some months later. I escaped it, but my team had COVID before COVID was COVID.

Meanwhile, the media outlets

a freshman in college, I’m glad I wentthroughthepandemic.

Igottospendalotoftimewith myself, a thing that, before that time,hadanegativeconnotation. But, in the end, it was the best thingthathappenedtome.Irealizedmypotentialasanindividual.

I lacked confidence in my abilitytodoanything,butbecauseof my time during COVID, I overcame my insecurities. Even more

Living During a Pandemic

By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines

For almost three years the world has struggled with COVID -19, its side effects and recovery. Those with school-age children are finding that the challenges of the crisis from the pandemic are still evolving.

According to a report from the U. S. Surgeon General, before the pandemic, children’s mental health was a public health concern, and levels of anxiety were on the rise.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant additional stress, fear, and worry for many families. Worries about sickness, finances, isolation, coping with grief from loss, and having less outside help have made parenting more stressful.

“We noticed that when we came back to school, it seemed like the kids were two years behind in maturity,” said Candace Haywood, a mother of two schoolage students, who also works in administrative service for Coppell Independent School District.

“My son, Essence Jr. (EJ), even felt that the setbacks from COVID-19 hurt his GPA.

thantime,havingsomanypeople

I knew died from COVID showed methatIdon’thavetimetowaste worrying.

We only live once, and I could no longer allow myself to lose timeoverwonderingifIwas‘good enough.’”

She blossomed after that shutdown experience in ways I never imagined. We got a lot of help from our Youth Pastor and his staff. She made connections with a local leader in the NAACP, and she thrived.

She made the best of her time during the worst of times.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci, et al, were holding what seemed like hourly press conferences. The world hung on every stupid ass word the 45th president uttered.

And boy, did these episodes reveal the depth of his rudeness and ignorance. By virtue of his endless vitriol and baseless invectives, Trump caused more deaths than we can ever discern.

For Hailee, it was school.

My pain came from not being able to fellowship with my church members. But, the absolute worst of the worst was the feeling I had when I walked into this majestic edifice on Sunday morning.

began to speculate whether some petri dish experiment had gone global or someone was spreading germs from monkeys.

It was no small matter. My brother, a pastor in Jamaica Queens, New York, lost four people to COVID in 48 hours. He performed more funerals in six months than the previous six years.

So, my “Baby” daughter was in turmoil because my grandson was on what the Baptist Church tradition calls the “sick and shut-in list.”

I don’t think I saw him in person until he was 10 months old. She was overprotective, but understandably so.

Hailee, my high school student was in torment. She had just begun the second half of her sophomore year at Townview High School.

Hailee is an exceptional student and the consummate nerd. Not being able to go to school was vexing to everything she knew and loved. She even missed her teachers!

She shared some of her memories about the pandemic with me for this penning. What she says is what I thought was happening but to a lesser extent:

“Aseveryoneknows,COVIDwas a scary, uncertain time, especially at the beginning. I was scared of getting COVID, and my family getting sick from it. Many of my friends and their families being impactedbyit, anditwasspreading so much that the world basicallyended.

No one knew what was goingtohappenintheend.Iwasa sophomore in high school when the pandemic started, and now

A sanctuary that traditionally held two services with 1200 to 1500 congregants was bare and empty now.

Our church services were only available over social media. Unfortunately, this change meant our programming had to be reconfigured to accommodate cameras rather than the eyes of a praised filled audience.

Under the auspices of COVID-19 protocols, normalcy meant arriving at church two hours early for testing, rehearsing a few songs with five or six others, and being “masked up” the whole time. There were never more than 20 people in that church.

The loud choruses of hallelujahs that usually accompanied the sermon were replaced with dead silence.

But even in that dilemma, we overcame it. We learned how to share Christ with a distant audience and our members.

On the home front, this experience brought my siblings, our children, and our parents closer. We bonded in our every Friday night two-hour Zoom sessions.

My grandson is healthy and thriving. Hailee lives her best life on a college campus in a city we never imagined.

COVID-19 hit like a thief in the night. It was the worst of times… and it was the worst of times.

But Maya Angelou’s first book of essays in 1993 captures my sentiments exactly.

“Wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.”

COVID-19 was bad, but it made some of us better!

“Even though he returned to school last year, teachers had to divide their time between the children at school and those that

dents that were sitting in front of them. As a result, he didn’t have a good year academically.”

According to Haywood, an independent learning style doesn’t work for everybody.

“I think we noticed that across the board, there were challenges with students academically.”

were still doing remote education. Therefore, the teachers were not engaging as much with the stu-

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 93% of parents with children in grades K-12 said their children had some on-line instruction since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in late February 2020. About 30% of those parents also said they have had a very or somewhat difficult time helping their children use technology for

Churches, organizations, FAITH GROUPS deal with

By Norma Adams-Wade

Sam Cooke crooned in the mid1960s that “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Now more than a half-century later, major change has come for countless churches and faith groups across the land.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought that change.

tuned to where the Lord will lead us.”

Current trends indicate that Rev. Locke’s sentiments are being replayed in churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, kingdom halls, and various other worship sites globally. Why? Because the COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on how faith

er, now many worship services see less than 20 worshipers seated with respectable social distancing in nearly empty pews.

Will young members under the legal voting age continue these trends as they mature? Will they leave in-person worship services entirely – turning completely to social media as a way of worship?

groups carry out their worship services and minister to congregants.

“Change has come and we’re likely not going back to old times that will not work anymore,” said Rev. Roy Locke, senior pastor at New Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, 2000 West Pleasant Run in Lancaster. “We’ve got to hold on to those times that were so meaningful; and at the same time stay

The government first mandated two years ago that worship groups must suspend in-person services to prevent spread of the coronavirus that was rapidly spreading across the land. The government and health leaders then slightly relaxed the restriction allowing about a dozen congregants to gather.

Countless congregations have never returned to their packed Sunday and Saturday services. And where hundreds used to gath-

And will social media worship become so entrenched that few followers adhere to the Biblical rule stated in portions of Hebrews 10:23, 25 (NIV) “23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, …25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, …?”

Dr. Jerry Christian, pastor at Kirkwood CME Church, 1440 Sunny Glen Dr., in Oak Cliff, said among various ways to keep the congregation in touch with each other – while in-person meetings were shut down, -- his members

pandemic

COVID-19 hit like a thief in the night. It was the worst of times…and it was the worst of times.

Parents had their own challenges while also meeting the needs of their children...

Hailee is with her father, Vincent Hall during visit to Vanderbilt University. Credit: Hall Family

L. HALL Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist and award-winning writer, living in Dallas. TX.

Candace Haywood and daughter Grace shared tears as their family dealt with several challenges during the pandemic.

Photo: SDHines/ TMN

Chaos or Community, circa 2023!

Quit

Playin’

By Vincent L. Hall

Thankfully, I have not lost all of my senses. I’m still not talking with inanimate objects. This last week of watching the Republicans fumble the victory they won in November has been mind-blowing. However, as the old Black preacher used to say, I am still “clothed in my right mind!”

That being said, I must admit that ghosts and spirits are still within my purview. From time to time, I “conversate,” kick it and confer with the sages of history. If you follow me, you know Dr. Martin King exchanges ideas with me annually.

This interview is the 2023 version of our never-ending, woe-laden diatribes about these “Yet to be United States of America!

Me: Dr. King. As a monumental character in the history of America, what do you think of Critical Race Theory and those who would

deny students to learn America’s actual past?

MLK: “A society is always eager to cover misdeeds with a cloak of forgetfulness, but no society can fully repress an ugly past when the ravages persist into the present.”

Me: The Mis-Education of American history is a problem, and the whole worthless CRT debate points that out. How can we create a new America that lives up to its creed and beyond its misdeeds to characterize one of your sayings?

MLK: “The hard truth is that neither Negro nor white has yet done enough to expect the dawn of a new day. While much has been done, it has been accomplished by too few and on a scale too limited for the breadth of the goal.

Freedom is not won by a passive acceptance of suffering. Freedom is won by a struggle against suffering. By this measure, Negroes have not yet paid the full price for freedom. And whites have not yet faced the full cost of justice.”

Me: I know that you watch MSNBC regularly, and between Joy Reid and Rachel Maddow, I am sure that you recognize that

Black Americans are still in turmoil. What is the most crucial issue that faces Black Folks?

MLK: “In short, the Negroes’ problem cannot be solved unless the whole of American society takes a new turn toward greater economic justice.”

become even richer at a slower rate.” Furthermore, unless a “substantial sacrifice is made by the American people,” the nation can expect further deterioration of the cities, increased antagonisms between races and continued disorders in the streets.”

the fires of justice.

Let us be dissatisfied until they who live on the outskirts of Hope are brought into the metropolis of daily security. Let us be dissatisfied until slums are cast into the junk heap of history and every family will live in a decent, sanitary home. Let us be dissatisfied until the dark yesterdays of segregated schools will be transformed into the bright tomorrows of quality integrated education.”

Me: Dr. King, where do we go from here?

Me: Economic Justice! That was blunt and to the point. What do you see as an answer to the burgeoning gap between the haves and have-nots? Ten years after you were assassinated, (1978) the top 0.1% owned seven percent of the nation’s wealth, and today they own 20%. Today the 50 wealthiest Americans own more than 165 million in the “bottom half” of our society.

MLK: “The poor can stop being poor if the rich are willing to

Me: Wow. Your prophetic words ring truer today than before. America is in a free fall. Can you offer a final and comprehensive prescriptive?

MLK: “Let us be dissatisfied until America will no longer have high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds. Let us be dissatisfied until the tragic walls that separate the outer city of wealth and comfort from the inner city of poverty and despair shall be crushed by the battering rams of

MLK: “In the days ahead, we must not consider it unpatriotic to raise certain basic questions about our national character. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”

Me: Thanks, Doctor King. Your wisdom never grows old, and your counsel is never outdated!

(All of Dr. King’s responses can be found in his last book, published in 1967, “Where do we go from here…Chaos or Community?”)

Dr. King’s Quest for Economic Justice Continues

By Charlene Crowell

On Jan. 16, the nation marked its 37th national holiday honoring the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968). Across the country, observances chronicled how one man’s efforts pricked the moral conscience of the nation in a lifespan of only 39 years.

When he was just 26 and a new pastor at Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Dr, King was chosen by community leaders to lead the effort to desegregate the city’s buses following the arrest of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white man.

From December 1955 and continuing for 13 months, an estimated 50,000 Black residents of Montgomery chose to walk, carpool, or patronize Black cab drivers. In the end, the boycott brought economic devastation and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the city’s segregation policies violated the Constitution’s 14th Amendment that guaranteed equal protection under the law.

The 2023 observance is also a time to recall how it took 32 years to create the first national holiday to honor a Black person. Although the federal holiday was enacted in 1983, its first observance came three years later in 1986, and at the time only 17 states observed

its commemoration. It wasn’t until 2000 that all 50 states observed the King holiday.

Dr. King’s lifelong quest for economic justice is consistent throughout his sermons, speeches, and other writings.

“But there is another America,” continued Dr. King. “This other America has a daily ugliness about it that transforms the buoyancy of hope into the fatigue of despair…

Probably the most critical problem in the other America is the economic problem. There are so many other people in the other America who can never make ends meet because their incomes are far too low if they have incomes, and their jobs are so devoid of quality.”

Today the unfortunate reality for much of Black America is that we continue to toil and suffer from that same economic “fatigue of despair”.

As a people, we fervently believe in the value of higher education; but meager financial resources force our students to incur six and sometimes seven figures of debt. Despite laws that call for equal credit, our access to affordable credit is often limited and instead Black Americans are plagued by predatory lending that leaves us with high-cost debts.

In the aftermath of the foreclo-

sure crisis that disproportionately harmed Blacks and other people of color, Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to be a financial cop on the beat.

ulations must be vigorously enforced. But just as with civil rights legislation, the naysayers remain aggressive.

Over the past year, CFPB’s research and surveys have documented how consumers remain at risk via emerging consumer issues such as the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) industry, elder financial exploitation, nursing home debt collection, college banking, student loans, and medical debt on credit reports and payments.

Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) on December 14, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra warned lawmakers of the growing dangers of BNPL.

said, “When the borrower’s BNPL loan is linked to a bank account that lacks sufficient funds for payment, the BNPL lender’s payment attempts will typically trigger highly punitive non-sufficient funds (NSF) and/or overdraft fees…These fees in turn are highly associated with closed bank accounts and exclusion from the financial system. Or, the borrower may have sufficient funds for the BNPL payment but then be left without sufficient funds for other essential living expenses or debts. And many BNPL providers charge their own late or returned payment fees on top of the fees charged by banks.”

Since opening its doors in 2011, the CFPB has received more than 3.3 million consumer complaints, and delivered over $14.9 billion in monetary compensation, principal reductions, canceled debts, and other consumer relief through its enforcement and supervisory work. Nearly three in four complaints filed – 73 percent – were about credit or consumer reporting. The remainder of the complaints reported issues with debt collection, credit cards and checking/savings accounts and mortgages.

Even so, the quest for financial justice continues. Laws and reg-

Living During a Pandemic

educational purposes.

“In March of 2020, when my children were not able to go back to school because they shut the schools down, there was an adjustment period for our family.

The schools were trying to do remote learning. It was very challenging because we had to rely on technology and sometimes technology did not always cooperate with us,” said Haywood.

At one point Haywood admits that she and her daughter, Grace were both in tears. They were both overwhelmed dealing with the challenges presented by remote learning. She also admits that juggling two school-age children and working from home forced her to get creative with her space.

“As a parent, you are the teach-

Publisher: Cheryl Smith

er for your kids, and you still had to do your own work. On top of that, you had to remember your own Zoom calls for work while remembering the kid’s Zoom calls for school,” she continued, adding that keeping up with all the schedules was a struggle. “Then we had to make sure everyone had a different part of the house where they could have quietness when they had to Zoom in for their session,” said Haywood.

For those parents dealing with medical conditions prior to COVID-19, the pandemic brought additional concerns as they had to focus on their own health while homeschooling.

“My youngest daughter, Arianna, was in third grade when COVID-19 hit. She tends to get

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cont. from page 3

sick before everyone else, said Kozette Vaughn, a mother of six in the McKinney ISD. “She got COVID early on and had to be rushed to the emergency room. She already had asthma and had to be placed on a ventilator. This was scary for me because my immune system was already compromised from cancer. I was trying to nurse her back to health, protect myself and keep my other children from getting sick all at the same time

Vaughn’s entire family ended up dealing with COVID-19 twice. She had to navigate through financial hardship, homeschooling her children, and her own health challenges.

“I honestly don’t think that any of us has fully recovered from

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“The CFPB’s recent study on Buy Now, Pay Later noted a significant increase in use of these products to fund essential goods and services,” said Chopra. “The CFPB is working to ensure that Buy Now, Pay Later lenders adhere to the same protocols and protections as other similar financial products to avoid regulatory arbitrage and to ensure a consistent level of consumer protection.”

Weeks earlier on November 2, the potential harms of BNPL were the topic on the HFSC’s Task Force Financial Technology. Marisabel Torres, speaking on behalf of the Center for Responsible Lending

COVID-19,” said Vaughn. “Working from home, remote learning for our children, and simple social interaction has impacted our families.

“It has been hard to get back to what we felt was normal before COVID. It is just like we only have a memory of what life was like before COVID -19.”

Haywood also believes that the isolation from homeschooling and social distancing after returning to school has stunted her daughter’s emotional maturity. She has spoken to other parents that were concerned about the same issue.

“Although there were many negatives with COVID-19, there were still some positives,” said Alexis Powell, who was pregnant during COVID and has three daughters in elementary school.

“The biggest takeaway was that

For these economic and equality issues, Dr. King’s own words continue to challenge America to live up to its creed:

“Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politics?’ Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ The conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politics nor popular but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right.” Amen, Dr. King.

my children have all learned to be more adaptive to what every environment they are in.”

Powell, whose daughters attend Arlington ISD, admits that her three school-age girls were excited to return to school because they missed their friends and face-to-face interaction with their teachers.

The older girls have recently gotten involved with volleyball.

Haywood says she is better prepared should another pandemic occur.

“If it happens again, we will have a game plan. We will be prepared because we know we can get through it. I feel our attitude will be different and attitude is everything.

“If our mind is in the right place, we can wrap our mind around this is how it is going to be and have a different outlook on life.”

color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

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CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS

The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race,

Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at charlene.crowell@responsiblelending. org.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Casting Your Cares

Faithful Utterances

By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew

As a child, I remember growing up with so much love. We weren’t rich but I was secure in knowing I was provided for. As a teenager, things were challenging in our home. There were times we had abundance and other times when we struggled. When things were really hard, I remember feeling as if God abandoned me, abandoned us. It was so painful to go through such difficulty.

As an adult, those memories are with me. It’s easy to become fearful because there are situations that happen when I’m not in control. Life happens and there

are things that come up that no matter how much I prepare, they don’t always turn out the way I want or even expect. As a child, I didn’t have much control and the expectation as an adult is that I can make things happen.

We are taught that we have control. There is a term called “locus of control”. “Locus of control is the degree to which people believe that they, as opposed to external forces (beyond their influence), have control over the outcome of events in their lives.” There are two types of loci of control—internal and external. “People who develop an internal locus of control believe that they are responsible for their own success. Those with an external locus of control believe that external forces, like luck, determine their outcomes.”

The reality is that as much as we’d like to believe we have control no matter if it’s external or

internal, we don’t always have the ability to manipulate the variables in our favor. It can be exhausting in trying to make things always happen. Many of us are burned out, filled with anxiety and worry, because we are trying so desperately to make things happen.

Maybe you are like me---in your life there were times of instability and as a result, your go to mode of operation is either to make things happen or to become overcome with frustration and caution. What I have learned to rely upon is that God is in control no matter what is going on or how I feel.

1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for us.” When times were rough as a child, I knew that I couldn’t do it alone. As an adult, I realize that even more. Life is hard. It’s important to know--that the God who made you and I--is there even when it doesn’t feel, look or

seem like it. Don’t shut God out because things are not going your way. “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matthew 6:34 MSG)

We live in a time that we are so driven by our needs and wants. We believe that we can just make things happen. The problem is that when we depend solely upon ourselves to do everything, the weight of the responsibilities can be overwhelming. It also means that we are edging God out (EGO) when we think we are in control.

Often, we make life more difficult because we choose to be the master of our destiny when we move God out. Jesus reminds us that there is a better way: “Come to me, all of you who are weary

and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) To do this requires us to let go and let God.

Worry and anxiety happens, but it doesn’t have to dominate your life. Trust God instead of believing in the havoc and hopelessness that may appear. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

(Philippians 4:6)

YOU HAVE A DO-OVER!

Out) free Do-Over!

Card

By Terry Allen

Sitting on the back porch with my grandmother, Lucille “Big Mama” Allen as she filled her three sons and three daughters, 16 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren, 38 great-great grandchildren, seven great great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and bonus family members with customized “Big Mama” playbooks with her simple, Bible-based logic always gave us a do over moment.

Big Mama stood very proudly with her hands on hips stance, “God is a do-over God giving you A CHANCE FOR A DO-OVER BOYEE!” “Big Mama” left legacies spawned into lifetime lessons. When she identified an error, she would spin a story of knowledge, support and gratitude. Her most important this day was after she saw a visible mistake in her fam-

ily, she would say, “DO IT OVER, God will be there.” She mandated Do-overs happen immediately! Big Mama would see something in me every time.

Her help with start with, “GOD stopped you with a DO OVER and OVER and OVER.” I learned when you have failed to complete the task that means you are back in SPIRITUAL SPECIAL-ED and you have to repeat the class! I now know for sure is Big Mama speaks to me from Heaven.

One really obvious way that God tries to get your attention is repetition. That is, when something jumps out at you repeatedly. God was preparing you/ me for another journey, but you and I cannot see because God is already round the corner we are about to turn!

Today, I can say DO OVER also includes healthy living. In 2023 during the celebration of Martin Luther King’s holiday you have a DO OVER for your goals, resolutions and health. Biblical Flash!

- God sends you what you ask for (Jeremiah 29:11) if you ask.

The biblical story of the Good

Shepherd is a prime example of a Do-Over. The Good Shepherd said,” Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. Zacchaeus was a marker of Do-Over! Humility asks me to stand, before God and recognize who I really am, to accept that I am not God

Many times, I have seen individuals cast their net then and not get their results and give up! Even in my Journalism Family, it has happened. It just recently happened to me when I revived a call being charged with things that were grossly untrue! We have

trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring in a spiritual appetite than your selfish confidence in your own personal feelings, unhealed insight and limited experiences.

Here are my Big Mama talking points

• Realize that although your initial effort may fail, yet God will never fail you. Develop perseverance and never give up! Just DO IT OVER!

• The blessings of God are all over their lives — God’s do -overs are blessing our lives and we are in a good position for God to elevate us in the next DO-Over

but a creature in need of God’s love and mercy! Amen.

Fishing was a common trade around the Sea of Galilee, Cuevas said, where Jesus carried out 85 percent of his ministry. It is great to have historical recall but even greater when we look to TODAY and apply, Encounter, Obey and abide in an EGO (Easing God

given up good intention feedback, applied built-in default judgements and levied quick criticism of someone who fails is a clear sign that we did not let our E.G.O get out the way.

Eliminating a DO-OVER is a team building killer and it proves once again that choice is a divine teacher. To produce fruit, your

Are you ready for your DOOVER? Don’t forget to rest and breathe, drink water, and explore with your needs. Consider connecting with us at the Healthy Living Expo. Questions, email me at terryallenpr@gmail.com.

Tough Decision Made

have contributed to the success of countless numbers of individuals who had experienced my classroom excitement and professional culture.

By Eva D. Coleman

Covering up creativity felt unreal to me.

As I’d previously enjoyed watching my students’ fingers massage their keyboards as they edited videos, wrote scripts, etc., something appeared off.  Way off.

One student wore her mask like everyone else, however, the blue, sterile gloves she wore as she typed bothered me in a classroom where I felt tactile response was electrifying in the creative process.

I had taught audio/video production for well over a decade.

Starting the 2020 school year with COVID-19 restrictions, precautions and educational options was where the rubber, like that of my student’s gloves, met the road for me to consider switching gears in my journey as an educator.

The school district in which I had spent my entire educator career was dubbed one of the fastest growing in the nation.

Known for its premiere educational opportunities and small school philosophy, I was proud to

Over the years, I had started three different award-winning television programs on three different campuses throughout this school district. My latest venture was an attempt to revitalize an existing audio/video production program on one campus, in addition to teaching social media marketing classes.

This school year, students and their families were granted options. Students could come to our socially-distanced classrooms wearing required masks, or they could remain at home and take classes virtually. Myself and several other teachers had the honor (insert sarcasm here) of also teaching hybrid classes. This involved having students both virtually and in-person at the same time.

Hybrid classes were a daunting task, however I was up for it to ensure students had an opportunity to succeed. The stark advantages

and disadvantages of one group over the other had me constantly contemplating the definition of “success.”

I had the privilege (insert sarcasm again) of teaching all three models: in-person, virtual only and hybrid classes.

Virtual and hybrid classes were riddled with technical difficulties. As a longtime educator in this property rich district, I was keenly aware of economic disadvantages that existed among families.

It was debilitating to watch several students, mainly minorities, struggle due to internet capabilities and speed. Some students would send messages, via their phone, to another classmate to share their connection difficulty stories with me.  But if they could communicate via phone… I digress.

Not having connectivity via a computer or school district-issued Chromebook became a crutch for not participating in class at all.

I decided to focus energy on those who were present, physi-

cally or virtually, however I still worried about the repeat offenders who did not engage.

One student logged on pretty regularly from India! She and her family moved back there at some point in the school year. The time difference did not deter her opportunity to learn.

I wondered how school districts were handling those scenarios because clearly, students were not residing in areas zoned to attend certain schools. Random thoughts such as these creeped into my mind, however, I had to redirect my focus on the young minds that showed up to learn.

While I would not hesitate in doing whatever it took to keep my in-person students safe, I despised the requirement to wipe down desks with the cleaning solution and towels provided by my campus.

It became a vital part of my end-of-class routine. I recall being extremely upset about a teacher whom I shared a classroom with throwing his dirty towels on the teacher’s desk upon

which I’d teach afterwards.

I’d also watch his dirty towels pile up, instead of being placed in the teacher workroom in the dirty towels bin as instructed. I reported this behavior, and was informed that a conversation would be had, however little changed afterwards.

Mental taxation and fear of the unknown forced me to take a hard look at what was important for my health. The health of my own children and all students I served was top of mind. The extremely heavy load and satisfaction in the number of lives I’d already touched made me decide it was okay to walk away from classroom instruction.

A few of my COVID-era students have reached out to tell me “Thank you” and request letters of recommendations for college or other programs. This brought me great joy, because as I tried to hold them up and keep things together, no matter how rough it may have seemed, they truly saved me

This story is part of a project funded from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to support original and innovative coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coronavirus vaccine, and how these topics intersect into the nation’s K-12 education system.

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is an author of three books and the host of The Tapestry podcast. To listen to episodes of the podcast, visit https:// www.spreaker.com/show/the-tapestry_1 and to learn more about her work, go to https://drfroswa.com/

Eva D. Coleman is a national

award-winning multimedia producer and two-time recognized national media educator. For nearly two decades she imparted her professional experiences into high school media students, helping them grow in a field she loves and garner national awards as well. Coleman specializes in assisting individuals and entities in effective maximization of content in the digital space, keeping a focus on community impact.

Black

Terry Allen is an award-winning media professional, journalist, and entrepreneur. He is also the founder of City Men Cook and 1016 Media. Reach him at terryallenpr@gmail. com

WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO LIFE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL YOU DO IT – HEALTHY LIVING EXPO IS A DO –OVER PATHWAY SO JOIN US

Our Voices

But what about YOU and ME?

Are we building legacies? I venture to say that our previous Persons will be remembered and talked about for generations to come and such will be the case with our next POTY.

Meanwhile,we are still here.

Why? We must ask that question. Maybe the answer is, “it’s God’s Plan.”

Still you must ask yourself a question or two.

What chapters are we writing

and who are we impacting?

Time and time again when someone dies, I have heard folks ask “why?”

I’ve even heard some in their grief, say, ‘I wish it has been me.’”

Well, do you ever ask the question, “Why not me?”

And really consider an answer. Why did that good person who does so much for so many have to die?

Well, give it some thought and you might wake up the next morning with a new attitude about a lot of things, places, people; and more importantly, YOU!

And who knows? You might just be the next Person of the Year!

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Bridging The Gap for Generations 3PM The Dock Bookshop. 6637 Meadowbrook Dr., Ft. Worth

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Churches, organizations, FAITH GROUPS deal with pandemic

periodically would gather outside the building for “parking lot praise,” in addition to holding worship and meetings via social media platforms.

“To do anything differently, we would have to figure new ways other than what we’ve already done, meaning Zoom, emails, phone calls, and the “parking lot praise,” Dr. Christian said.

Dr. Christian and other ministers said holding on to their Gen Y and Gen Z members – those born shortly before the year 2000 and soon after – was a challenge that took much effort from youth leaders and church administrators.

At Kirkwood, youth leaders would hold youth meetings on Zoom -- abbreviated to no more than a half-hour to honor the youths’ short attention span and to prevent them turning off before the meeting would end. The meetings would include Bible lesson games and awards that the youth seemed to enjoy.

Rev. Dr. Ouida Lee has battled diverse issues over more than 30 years in ministry, including as a pastor at several churches in Dallas and nearby towns.

Surviving decades of struggle being a female pastor strengthened her ability to inspire worshippers to stay strong during the pandemic. She always has sought to draw and retain youth and young adult congregants and admits that COVID-19 was an extra challenge.

“Youth ministry is a touchy-feely ministry,” said Dr. Lee who retired in 2019 as pastor at Church of the Disciple-United Methodist in DeSoto, then helped other congregations during the pandemic.

“Having to be isolated one from another made it difficult to address the youth without being present with them…(but) multi-media has been very impactful as relates to being in touch with your faith

community. …You can be anywhere -- finishing soccer practice or wherever-- and still call in.”

Dr. Lee became a pastor again this past August and currently leads Haven Chapel United Meth-

school administrators and faith leaders to help youth get on track after church and school closures during the pandemic.

Rev. Locke of New Mt. Gilead said parents often did ask him when the youth would come back to the church. He said his stock answer was: “They will come back when you bring them back!”

Denis Corbin holds dual responsibilities at two multi-ethnic Catholic churches in Dallas -- business manager at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 4910 Bonnie View Rd, in Oak Cliff, and pastoral administrator at St. Anthony Catholic Parish, 3782 Myrtle St. in South Dallas/ Fair Park.

Corbin said the parish youth have faith-training classes. He said he and other parishioners noticed symptoms in their youth similar to those the public and media mentioned in students at Dallas public and private schools that also were shut down.

odist Church in Denison. She collaborates with public and private

“For about six months (during the pandemic), we had ceased all activities,” Corbin said of the two

He and his congregation faced a tsunami of multiple catastrophes during the Texas power grid freeze in February 2021, followed about a month later by the government’s mandate that faith groups cease in-person services. The freeze destroyed the church sanctuary, then unrelated state road construction cut off accessibility to the church entrance. Currently, the church still has not reopened because of continuing reconstruction delays and setbacks. Additionally, poor WiFi reception at the church has meant that leaders must broadcast on social media from home. And construction workers recently hit a wire that shut down transmission.

“It’s been one thing after another, compounded on top of another,” Rev. Patterson said.

Holding the interest of young congregants, as well as some adults, also has been a major task, he said.

“We work hard to offer the young people incentives and awards, including $25 gift cards to Walmart and other stores, to keep them interested,” Rev. Patterson said.

Youths who were pre-teens when the pandemic hit now are teenagers, he said, and have lost the benefits of face-to-face worship. “We have to be more interactive with the parents to try to keep the youth involved.”

Pastors and leaders at all the churches contacted said they have learned major lessons:

Rev. Roy Locke: “What we would do differently is not to put so much stock in social media, but continue to have in-person services with people who actually are vaccinated. And we would follow all CDC health measures.”

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Catholic parishes ruled by the Catholic Diocese of Dallas. “The kids came back with learning deficiencies like those they would experience if they took a sixmonth-long summer break. There

was remedial work that had to be done.”

Rev. Joe Patterson is pastor of Greater New Zion Baptist Church, 2210 Pine St. in South Dallas/Fair Park.

Dr. Jerry Christian

“A lot of churches are closing. Many others are not going to survive. Without adequate resources or technology,… the pandemic put them out of business. The question is: what to do with those members after closing who may not (join other churches)?”

Rev. Roy Locke

“What we would do differently is not to put so much stock in social media, but continue to have in-person services with people who actually are vaccinated. And we would follow all CDC health measures.”

This story is part of a project funded from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to support original and innovative coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coronavirus vaccine, and how these topics intersect into the nation’s K-12 education system.

Realizing the Dream

Healthy Living Expo 2023 Dallas

Photos: Eva D.Coleman