Garland Journal 5-18-23

GarlandJournal

SERVING NORTH EAST TEXAS

My Truth

By Cheryl Smith Publisher

Mama, oh Mama

I have heard men talk about when their attitudes about women changed and usually this revealing moment comes when they found themselves looking into the eyes of their firstborn daughter.

It’s like the moment the Grinch has in the Christmas movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch was a “mean one!” He was miserable and he wanted everyone else to be miserable also. You know, “misery loves company.”

Well, I believe happiness loves company too and while I want to spread love and happiness; in the midst of the societal ills we are dealing with, I also want to spread justice, equality, consequences and repercussions.

It would help if the Grinches of this world would have an attitude adjustment, a change of heart.

All I can say is,”WOW!”

Which brings me to my truth.

Parenting is hard.

There’s no play book or guide. When you’re in school there are so many things that you can’t be taught and so you spend a significant portion of your life in a trial and error mode.

Fortunately for me, my mother lived long enough for me to “get it,” to have an understanding of many of the “whys” we lived through and that I questioned.

The Fresh Prince rapped, “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”

I submit that children don’t understand either!

Entertainer, activist Harry Belafonte was interviewed by journalist Roland Martin and talked about his mom’s journey, which was challenging. He said he came to understand her better and elaborated about the significance of counseling.

It is important and I highly recommend it.

I am also grateful that l had that “Grinch moment” because it cemented my relationship with my mother, woman to woman.

Later that year, when she transitioned, her celebration was scheduled for my birthday. I remained close-mouthed because I didn’t want anyone saying I was trying to run things. Then a lightbulb went off and someone said, “That’s Cheryl’s birthday, we need to change it.”

When I protested a change, I was told that every birthday I was going to remember “Mother.”

My response was that everyday I was going to remember her, so it didn’t matter.

As I spoke at her service, I said, “It was a Friday, June 20 when she looked at my face for the first time and here it is Friday, June 20, 2014 and I am looking at her for the last time.

My message to everyone reading these words is to reach an understanding before it is too late. Have that Grinch moment. It is a two-way street, true; but you can’t make the decision for anyone but yourself and it’s a great way to move toward healing and living a more rewarding life.

So, if your mom is alive, consider, if you haven’t already, finding out her “why.”

It could be a healing experience!

“And tell her “Happy Mother’s Day,” everyday!”

THURSDAY MAY 18, 2023 VOLUME X

The annual Hope Clinic of Garland, Inc. breakfast affords clients, sponsors, patients, and the community an opportunity to hear firsthand about the great work that occurs on a daily basis; serving some who at one time had no place to go for medical attention.

To hear the testimonies from patients and community partners is enough to let anyone know how successful and necessary Hope Clinic is to citizens of Garland, TX.

An informative panel and heartwarming stories were the order of the day as patients and caregivers shared their testimonies.

Chaired by Lance and Jody Luna, the packed breakfast was an overwhelming success.

Beginning in 2002 as a ministry of First Baptist Garland when two church members recognized the need to provide primary healthcare to indigent and uninsured residents in Garland one night a week in borrowed space with an all volunteer staff; is a tribute to visionary leadership.

Over the years the need for primary healthcare in the community increased, and in 2007 the clinic moved to a larger facility and acquired its 501 (C) (3) non-profit status. In 2009, Hope Clinic became a partner with Baylor Scott-White Health sys-

By Ayesha Hana Shaji Texas

Team

Bishop Dunne Catholic High School students staged a walkout on Thursday, May 11, in protest against gun violence, following the recent mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday, May 6, which resulted in the loss of eight lives and seven injuries.

Among the individuals injured in the incident, was six-year-old William Cho, who tragically became the sole survivor within his immediate family after losing his mother, father, and baby brother to the atrocities of the shooter,

Mauricio Garcia, 33.

The lives of Daniela and Sofia Mendoza, two sisters who attended elementary school in the Wylie Independent School District; Aishwarya Thatikonda, an engineer employed in Dallas; security guard Christian LaCour; Elio Cumana-Rivas, a Venezuelan delivery man in Texas; and the three members of the Cho family were also tragically cut short in the incident. Due to the event taking place on the school’s private property, the media was prohibited from interviewing the students or documenting the walkout.

The student-led walkout serves as a powerful message against gun violence. Despite the media’s restriction from interacting with the students or capturing the event, their collective action spoke volumes. By taking a stand against the recent mass shooting, these students demonstrated their unwavering determination to address the pressing issue of gun violence in society.

The Allen mall shooting incident marked Texas’s 17th recorded mass shooting of the year, placing the state as the second highest in such incidents, following California. Over the past 130

days, the United States has witnessed a total of 208 mass shootings, according to a report by Gun Violence Archive, an online database that collects and maintains data on gun violence occurrences across the country. Their organized protest not only showcased their empathy and concern for the victims but also highlighted their commitment to advocating for change. This bold and impactful gesture sends a resounding message that the younger generation refuses to remain silent in the face of such tragedies, demanding a safer and more peaceful future for all.

By Sam P.K. Collins

In his commencement address to Howard University’s (HU)

Class of 2023, President Joe Biden sparked excitement among the graduates and their families when he recognized HU’s legacy of excellence and called the historically Black university “the soul of the nation.”

His charge to graduates on Saturday was to follow in the footsteps of their fellow alumni to advance the cause of racial equity and tackle the issues that, several decades after HU’s founding, continue to affect Black people’s quality of life in the United States.

“What is the soul of the nation? The essence of who we are. The soul makes us us. The soul of America, which makes us unique among all nations. The only nation founded on an idea, not geography, religion or ethnicity,”

Biden said in his commencement address on Saturday.

“The single prophecy in the Declaration of Independence that we’re all created equal. We never totally lived up to that promise but never walked away from it,” Biden continued. “America hasn’t been a fairy tale. It’s

been a constant push and pull for more than 240 years. It’s a battle that’s never really over. To stand up to white supremacy, the domestic terrorist threat to our homeland.”

Not all students embraced Biden’s message. As Biden spoke, some graduates stood up and

turned their back to the president. Some of them held up signs that said “Black people stand up, fight back.”

Students who mentioned the protest on social media expressed skepticism about Biden’s intentions to address white settler colonialism. They also incited calls to challenge what they described as the U.S. government’s collusion with HU to oppress Black people aboard.

President Joe Biden speaks to Howard University’s Class of 2023 during the commencement ceremony at Capital One Arena in D.C. on May 13. Photo: Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer

Hope Clinic Executive Director Tanya Downing welcomes community to annual Celebration of Hope Breakfast. Photos: Delores Elder-Jones

Dallas County receives more than $17 million for HIV/AIDS relief

By Ayesha Hana Shaji Texas Metro News Team

In 2020, Dallas County had one of the highest rates of people living with HIV in the country, with over 19,400 residents, according to AIDSVu.

Today the county received additional resources in the form of a $17,085,614 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services presented by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX).

“Dallas County’s Health and Human Services Department, specifically, its Ryan White HIV/ AIDS program was awarded over $17 million in federal funding for their work in combating and addressing the HIV crisis across our county,” said Crockett, as she emphasized the need for de-stigmatizing the virus and providing smart, strategic solutions.

Crockett shared that Dallas County reported 884 positive diagnoses for every 100,000 residents, compared to the national rate of 382 for every 100,000 Americans.

Crockett urged the Appropriations Committee to provide additional funding for the cause, including $487 million for the national Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, and other initiatives.

“There’s got to be more money,” she said, during the check presentation at Dallas County’s Health and Human Services Department headquarters.

According to the congresswom-

an, The Ryan White HIV/AIDS program provides medications, medical services, essential coverage and completion services to those disproportionately impacted by HIV, which largely make up minorities and those uninsured neighbors across the county.

Crockett also highlighted the unacceptable disparities that exist, with African Americans accounting for 40% of new HIV

diagnoses and the Latino community accounting for 25%.

“I’m proud to have supported and submitted an appropriations request that will provide adequate funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative,” Crockett said. “Those requests only represent a small glimpse of the work that my office has and will continue doing and bringing a strong advocate for our neighbors impacted by

HIV and AIDS.”

The presentation of the grant was made to Dr. Phillip Huang, Director of Dallas County’s Health and Human Services Department and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Dr. Huang said in 2021, 25,492 people were living with HIV in Dallas’ eligible metropolitan area; 79% of those were residents of Dallas County.

Reflecting on when he was in high school and throughout his early career it was a death sentence to receive an HIV diagnosis, Dr. Huang said today he is optimistic about the future for those living with the diagnosis.

“We’ve come so far, and that’s what’s exciting about now, that we have the tools to deal with this and it’s not a death sentence,” he said.

Ayesha Hana Shaji is a 2022 graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was on The Shorthorn staff.

CDC addresses heart disease risk factors in Blacks

By Ayesha Hana Shaji

Heart diseases are the leading cause of death in America and one person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease, according to the CDC.

Black folks are at a higher risk than any other race to die from preventable heart diseases, said Booker Daniels, health communication team lead at CDC’s Division for Health Disease and Stroke Prevention, but it is not because of the lack of awareness surrounding the topic.

It’s because of the barriers and perceptions.

“Preventable heart disease exists in the context of a lot of different forces and factors,” Daniels said, adding that a few of those determinants are the social environment people are in; like social norms, social policies, and even climate change.

While heart disease is a clinical presentation, Daniels said, the risk factors that contribute to an individual’s risk for heart disease exist in the context of where a person lives, where they learn, the food availability and

recreational environments.

“All of those things contribute to a disproportionate burden of heart disease and stroke among Black and African Americans,” he said. “Our research revealed and really echoed, based upon what we’ve heard from the lived experience of folks, is that heart disease and stroke and the burden of heart disease and stroke is not new, and it is not news to Black and African Americans.”

Most folks have direct contact with the issue either through their own health or through family members or those in their communities, Daniels explained. Thus knowing about cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and heart disease is not the issue but accessibility and having a mindset to take incremental measures to improve your heart.

He said there are barriers and perceptions that result in the variation of numbers across demographics. Barriers include limited access to healthy and affordable food, and safe environments for outdoor recreation.

“Barriers include social structures that don’t facilitate people leading healthy and active lives,”

Wilmer Public Works Director recognized in Dallas County Commissioners Court

Daniels said, adding that it is an issue rooted in racism.

He said CDC boldly states that “racism is a public health issue.”

Perception is a factor because many perceive heart diseases as inevitable and just a matter of ageing.

While exercising is shown to be clinically beneficial, he continued, taking a 10-minute walk everyday and taking moments to practice healthy eating and active living contributes to improvements in one’s heart health.

Booker Daniels is the CDC representative for the Live to the Beat campaign, which is led by CDC Foundation and the Million Hearts initiative and pushes people to take steps to prevent heart disease and stroke.

smart choices. Finding those choices that make sense for individual lifestyles and circumstances is important and the campaign can help with that.

The campaign provides Black and African American audiences, ages 34 to 55, with information, tools, tips and resources that normalize and promote taking heart healthy steps during the course of the life cycle, he said.

“One may ask, why would I make an effort to change something that is going to be inevitable? And we know for a fact that that’s not the case,” Daniels said.

Incremental things such as managing stress, moving more, working with a health professional to understand your risk and to control high blood pressure and to manage cardiovascular disease risk can go a long way, he said.

“It’s not a coincidence that the first word in our campaign is live because we don’t want people to continue to call attention to what people already know, that heart disease and stroke can be deadly and disabling,” he said. “We know that there are things that you can do to live and you can live to the beat of your own life.”

Daniels stressed that while not everyone has the same choices, everyone has choices and there is a way one can improve their cardiovascular health if they make

“Blacks are dying at greater risk and having earlier events earlier in life, and the consequences of those events are more profound,” Daniels said. “So we’re seeing increases in morbidity and in many instances, mortality.”

Live to the Beat is an effort to “get upstream of some of those forces and factors” to create model images, messages and activities backed up by data

Public Safety Academy opens to Glenn Heights residents

WILMER, TX – Public Works Director Wayne McCurley was recognized last month at the Dallas County Commissioners Court by Commissioner John Wiley Price for his outstanding service working alongside others in the area on the Dallas County Inland Port.

McCurley was awarded a 2022 Special Projects Award, Dallas County Inland Port with a nod toward his efforts. He was recognized by Commissioners Court for “being a faithful valued partner in the County's endeavor to take utility coordination to the next level. We look forward to many more years of working with Mr. McCurley and the City of Wilmer.”

McCurley played an intricate part in several key Inland Port projects recently including Sunrise Road, Fulghum Road and operating the Pinto Road Pump Station in District 3. The Public Works Director has

been with the City of Wilmer for approximately three (3) years. “It is a great honor to be recognized for the special projects award for Dallas County Inland Port for 2022,” expressed Wayne McCurley, Public Works Director. “It couldn’t have happened without the outstanding and dedicated team members within the City of Wilmer. It an honor to work for this community and strive to improve the beautiful City of Wilmer.

“Under Wayne McCurley’s leadership, the department always strives to offer our residents quality service and with that aim in mind the department continually maintains the city’s parks, streets, sewer system, water system and stormwater maintenance," said Mayor Sheila Petta. “It is with great pride we congratulate Wayne McCurley for his strong commitment to the City of Wilmer and the Inland Port.”

GLENN HEIGHTS – The City of Glenn Heights recently kicked off its first ever public safety academy offering residents a multi-department look at the inner workings of the city’s public safety procedures. Open to 12 residents who signed up for the 2023 classes, the free class offered once a week for two hours, began April 6 and will take place over a period of eight weeks.

“We wanted to take this to the next level for our citizens by offering classes a resident over the age of 18 can attend in order to get basic knowledge and training of what law enforcement does as well as what our Fire Department and EMS teams do as well,” said Glenn Heights Director of Public Safety, Keith Moore. “Overall, we determined what areas would be best for the public to learn about and we came up with this program, which will include four weeks of law enforcement and four weeks of fire

department and EMS.”

The four weeks of law enforcement provides an in-depth look at what patrol officers do, how 911 calls are handled and responded to, what the criminal investigation team does including case management, fingerprinting and processing a crime scene, and the fourth week will be about the importance of animal control.

The four weeks pertaining to the Fire Department and EMS will feature a look at the department’s bunker gear, simulator training and a snapshot of how the department fights fires, handles certain res-

cues as well as how the EMS ambulance functions, what equipment the city has in the ambulance, what types of calls are handled and what EMS personnel can and can’t do in the field.

“Both a classroom setting, and safe hands-on explanations will be offered to the students,” Moore said, adding that after graduation he hopes the students will be interested in taking their knowledge one step further by considering the city’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.

“The Academy will be held on an annual basis,” Moore said. “It is important that our citizens know what we do. Often, they see what is on television and that is not an accurate portrayal. The more they know the more they can tell their neighbors, the more we can educate our community and the better our residents can understand us, and we can understand them.”

and science, he said.

Dr. Phillip Huang, Director of Dallas County’s Health and Human Services Department, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins

Photo: Ayesha Hana Shaji/TMN

Ayesha Hana Shaji is a 2022 graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was on The Shorthorn staff.

Ayesha Hana Shaji is a 2022 graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was on The Shorthorn staff.

Texas Metro News Team

Booker Daniels Photo: CDC

You are gonna learn something today!

Forget efforts to stifle or rewrite history. We are in control.

Get your history lesson here! We're going to share American history that might conveniently be missing from classrooms and textbooks. We're going to let you see not only the victim, but also the perpetrator. For years you may have seen mugshots or negative displays of Black people. We want to be fair. We want you to put a face with the crime and we want you to know the real story.

SHE IS A FREE WOMAN!

You may recall Daunte Wright. Don't forget KIM POTTER

Kimberly Potter was a police officer in the Brooklyn Center Police Department in Minnesota.

On April 11, 2021, Potter shot and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop.

According to reports, Potter and another officer stopped Wright for an expired registration tag on his vehicle. They discovered there was a warrant out for Wright's arrest for a gross misdemeanor weapons charge. As they tried to take him into custody, Wright attempted to get back into his car. Potter, who said she mistook her handgun for her Taser, pulled out her firearm and fired a single shot, hitting Wright in the chest. Wright drove away but crashed a few blocks away and died

EVERYONE knows Trayvon Martin's face. Don't forget George Zimmerman!

George Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch captain living in Sanford FL in a gated community. On February 26, 2012 while “patrolling” the community, he saw 17-year-old Trayvon Martin walking back from a convenience store and called 911 to report a suspicious person. Dis-

regarding instructions to not get out of his vehicle, Zimmerman approached and accosted Trayvon. Neighbors testified to hearing voices arguing, then gunfire. Trayvon was dead. Initially no charges were filed but on April 11, 2012 Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder.

MAY

The six-woman jury could have found Zimmerman guilty of second-degree murder; found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter; or found him not guilty. After more than 16 hours the jury found Zimmerman not guilty. So much has happened since the murder and trial. He has even went so far as to auction off the gun he used to murder Trayvon. "I am honored and humbled to announce the sale of an American Firearm Icon," he wrote. "The firearm for sale is the firearm that was used to defend my life and end the brutal attack from Trayvon Martin on 2/26/2012.” He also entertained participating in a celebrity boxing match with rapper DMX, but it never came to fruition.

at the scene. Potter later resigned from her position, along with the Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon. Potter was charged with first-degree manslaughter and was found guilty by a jury in December 2021. She faced a maximum of 15 years in prison but because she had no previous criminal record, state guidelines called for just over seven years in prison. However, Potter was released on April 24, just over 15 months after being incarcerated, according to prison records.

Five years in death of Gurley

Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old African American man was shot and killed on November 20, 2014, by NYPD officer Peter Liang in a housing project in Brooklyn, New York. Gurley was unarmed and was walking down the stairs of the building when he was shot.

Liang was a probationary officer at the time and was patrolling a housing project in Brooklyn when he discharged his gun, striking Gurley, who was unarmed and walking down the stairs of the building.

Liang was charged

Community Calendar

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

20

11th annual Tux and Chucks Gala, a charity fundraiser event in support of Fit and Faithful Living’s mission of inspiring hope, vision, and possibilities for youth and families. This year’s event promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience for the whole family, featuring guest speakers Olympians Michael Carter and Michelle Carter, who will share their personal journey and insights on the importance of mental health in families and achieving goals. 6pm - 9pm at The Highland Dallas Hotel. In addition to the guest speakers, the event will include awards, live performances, dinner, silent auction.

Southern University Alumni 40th Bayou Bash at African American Museum

***

You Can Live Again Expo and Awards Announcements, 10a -3pm at Gilley’s Dallas, 1635 Botham Jean. Get tickets at www.youcanliveagain.net

***

Juanita J. Craft Open House 4500 Spring Ave, Dallas, TX 75210 at 10:00 am 25

Full day of FREE interactive workshops, panel discussions, and networking events designed to empower and support those who want to grow their leadership skills or break into a new career.

http://www.goheroes.org/conference

8194 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas TX 75231

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS! The Elusive Ladies of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. were introduced on the Florida A&M University Campus, in 1978.

SOCIAL INNOVATION LUNCHEON: Hidden In Plain Sight: Combatting Financial Elder Abuse & Helping Vulnerable Seniors Affected by Financial Scams DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL DALLAS - CAMPBELL CENTRE 8250 No. Central Expressway, Dallas 11:30AM - 1:00PM CST Presented By Social Venture Partners Dallas

with manslaughter and official misconduct. He argued that the shooting was accidental and that he had not intended to harm Gurley. However, he was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter and official misconduct in February 2016 and could have faced up to 15 years in prison. But Liang was ulti-

mately sentenced to only five years of probation and 800 hours of community service. New York City paid $4.1 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Gurley’s family. Liang paid $25,000 to Kim Ballinger, the mother of Gurley’s daughter, as part of the settlement. He was also fired from the NYPD.

See more Lessons on, page 6

Kim Potter

Daunte Wright

George Zimmerman Trayvon Martin George Zimmerman

Akai Gurley Peter Liang

Belafonte 1968 – Artistry, Acumen & Activism!

Quit

By Vincent L. Hall

1968 was a tumultuous year. Historians have chronicled 1968 as one of the most tragic and traumatic in America’s brief history. 1968 featured a complicated, convoluted series of events that created cataclysmic social repercussions.

Only God above knew that Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy would fall to assassins’ bullets.

Although many conspiracy theorists believe the FBI had a good idea that King’s assassination was imminent.

One article in “The Smithsonian” led with “1968, the year that shattered America.” Anti-war and civil rights protests, assassinations, and political upheaval ruled the day.

The year of “shock and awe” began in late January 1968, during the lunar new year (or “Tet”) holiday. North Vietnamese and communist Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack. As a result of the “Tet Offensive,” the U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries sustained heavy losses.

Black and white glossies of pimply-faced soldiers and body bags on

the daily evening news began to wear on Americans’ frayed nerves. Teenagers and young adults who could be drafted into the Vietnam War were active and defiant in their public dissent.

After one battle at the Vietnamese village of Ben Tre, an American officer replied to Associated Press reporter Peter Arnett, “It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.”

A few weeks later, approximately 700 unionized Memphis sanitation workers voted to strike in February. They held the formal blessing of the local branch of the NAACP soon after, and Dr. King arrived three weeks later to speak to an audience of 25,000. A few days later, 22,000 students skipped school to support the workers.

At the South Carolina State campus, police opened fire on students protesting segregation at Orangeburg’s only bowling alley. Three protesters died, and 27 more were wounded. Nine officers were later tried and acquitted of charges related to using force.

In the same month, The Kerner Commission, appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to examine the causes of race riots in American cities in previous years, declared the nation is...” moving toward two societies, one black, one white--separate and unequal.”

On March 16, 500 New York University students picketed a university-sponsored recruiting event for the Dow Chemical Company, the principal manufacturer of napalm.

America was witnessing a war on the war!

Easter was near, but Jesus seemed so far away. So John 1:46 of the Chris-

White America. Blacks on television were still a rarity.

“In 1968, America was embroiled in protests over civil rights and the Vietnam War. In that tumultuous time, “The Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson turned over hosting duties to actor and activist Harry Belafonte for an entire week.

and political experience, introducing white America to his world of art and activism, was unprecedented.

Belafonte became the first Black person to host a late-night TV show — even if it was only for a week.”

His guests included Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, Bill Cosby, and others, all engaged in searing, in-depth interviews in an America that was forced to contend with itself as a country on the verge of radical change.

The Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, for example, which still left Black Americans behind economically, signaled some progress, no matter how incremental.

Belafonte drew other big names like Petula Clark, Dionne Warwick, Robert Goulet, both Smothers Brothers and Sidney Poitier. But they all came out of respect and admiration for Belafonte’s artistry, acumen, and activism.

tian Gospels posed a question. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

But by Good Friday 1968, America asked if anything good came out of 1968.

Well, one thing did!

Indie Wire online published a story in 2020 about a Peacock documentary, “The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts “The Tonight Show.” The documentary was an eye-opener for most of

His guests included Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, just months before they were assassinated, during a week that’s lost in American history.

At the time, Carson’s pioneering late-night variety show had become one of the country’s most influential platforms. So the move to have Belafonte take this mainstream institution and transform it into a multicultural

Harry Belafonte was the epitome of the Black Renaissance movement that merged with the Black Power movement while walking alongside the peaceful, non-violent Civil Rights movement.

Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. was an artist whose acumen spurred him to activism. His template is worthy of mass reproduction.

Clarence Thomas Does Not Belong on the Supreme Court

By Svante Myrick

It’s been over 30 years since Justice Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court seat once held by the great Thurgood Marshall, and it’s safe to say that his reputation for unethical behavior — which was poor to start with — has only gotten worse.

What are we supposed to think about a justice’s career that started with allegations of sexual harassment, moved on to extreme coziness with conservative political donors, then multiple instances of questionable gifts and payments to himself and his wife, and now revelations that years of free trips and perks lavished on him by right-wing billionaire Harlan Crow went unreported — despite laws that clearly

say they should be? Even after the news of Crow’s largesse first broke, it got worse: Crow had also bought Thomas’ mother’s house in Savannah, a helpful real estate deal that Thomas never reported, either.

We could think that Thomas either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about the ethical standards expected of a Supreme Court justice, or the laws that apply to him as a public employee. But Thomas is a graduate of Yale Law School. Ignorance is not a believable defense here. So we have to conclude that Thomas just doesn’t care about the rules, or thinks that he can ignore them.

That’s not the kind of person who belongs on the Supreme Court. If he wanted to do the decent and honorable thing, Thomas would admit his wrongdoing and resign. Calls for him to resign are coming from pro-democracy groups including the one I lead, top media outlets, and members of Congress.

But Thomas doesn’t have a his-

tory of doing the decent and honorable thing. So that means others will have to hold him accountable. The question is how.

There are plenty of calls for impeachment, but with a Republican-controlled House the option would appear to be off the table. Meanwhile the Senate will hold hearings and may call Thomas himself to testify.

That is an important step. I would add that two other steps are absolutely essential right now: a Justice Department investigation and Supreme Court reform including an enforceable code of ethics.

The Justice Department has clear grounds to investigate Thomas under a federal disclosure law that applies to government officials including Supreme Court justices. The law authorizes DOJ to pursue both civil penalties and criminal fines from government officials who fail to report gifts as legally required.

Thomas has claimed that the

generosity he received from Harlan Crow was just “personal hospitality” — not subject to reporting. Even if some of that were true, some perks, like free use of Crow’s private jet for Thomas’ personal travel, and the real estate transaction in Georgia are, according to most ethics experts, clearly in a different category.

The Justice Department can give a definitive answer as to whether Thomas’ actions were not only unsavory, unethical, improper and all the rest — but also absolutely illegal. And it can call for imposition of a monetary fine. Even more important than the cash fine would be the impetus a finding of guilt would give to any effort to remove Thomas.

And then, to help ensure that trust in the court isn’t further eroded by scandal after scandal, we need to have Supreme Court reform. That means an enforceable code of ethics specifically for the court, written to address the full range of ethical questions that could ever apply

to justices’ behavior. In the longer term we should also have Supreme Court expansion, to counteract the far-right capture of the court that was achieved by totally unethical means. But that is a larger conversation.

It has been painful to watch Thomas’ corrupt behavior and its effect on the Supreme Court. This is especially true given the historic significance of the seat he occupies. We need judges on all our courts — not just the highest — who act with humility and who understand the impact of their decisions on everyday Americans. Courts really do make a difference in the lives of everyday people. They should be led by trustworthy, fair-minded judges who value equality and justice, uphold the Constitution, and protect civil and human rights for all Americans. That’s not Clarence Thomas.

The Debt Ceiling Struggle — Who Gets the Gold? Who Gets the Shaft?

budget. Who pays and who benefits?

Here — beneath the posturing — is the real deal. Here’s a handy guide to what’s in the deck.

By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson

Over the next few weeks, the manufactured crisis over the “debt ceiling” will reach its boiling point. But this is pure melodrama, badly overacted with the outcome already known. The real question is about our priorities — and about who gets the gold and who gets the shaft.

On the debt ceiling, President Biden says he won’t negotiate over raising it. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says Republicans won’t raise it without negotiations. This is like teenagers playing chicken in cars racing toward each other — only in this case, a crash would blow up the world economy. That can’t happen — and so it won’t. The United States will pay the debts it owes. Our full faith and credit will not be trashed. That will still leave the question about our priorities and the national

First on our annual deficits. The best solution to the deficit is economic growth. When the economy grows, more people get jobs and raises. As wages and profits rise, the government collects more in taxes and pays out less in support — on everything from unemployment insurance to welfare to food stamps. Deficits come down.

How do we get growth? For years, Republicans have passed tax cuts — largely for the rich and corporations — saying that would lead to more investment and more jobs. Turns out it mostly led to more inequality, slower growth and thus more deficits.

Biden argues that we need to invest in areas vital to our economy — in modern infrastructure, in research and development, in subsidies that get companies to locate plants in the U.S. and not abroad. Although his program has just begun, it seems to be working — with unemployment down, wages up, and deficits getting reduced.

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Phone:214-941-0110

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That said, politicians in both parties still want even faster deficit reduction. The big question is one of priorities. Here common sense should apply.

Over the past years, the richest Americans have captured more and more of the nation’s income and wealth. The middle class has struggled, and the poor haven’t kept up. Common sense would suggest that the wealthy should pay more in taxes, rather than the middle class or the poor.

On the spending side, the military budget has been rising — and now is at levels not seen since the height of the Cold War. We spend as much on the military as the next 10 nations combined. Health care costs have been rising even as life expectancy has been declining. We spend nearly two times per capita than other advanced countries with far worse results.

We can reduce our military budget and still have the most powerful military in the world. And we can transform our medical system — moving as other advanced countries have

done to the equivalent of Medicare for All, providing more service for less cost. Biden has taken a small step by controlling the price gouging on some prescription drugs, but much more can be done.

But common sense rarely surfaces in the Washington debate. Consider the Republican debt ceiling “proposal” that passed the House. Republicans oppose asking the rich and corporations to pay more. They oppose cutting the military budget (and in fact want to raise it substantially).

They oppose controlling drug prices, or moving to Medicare for All or even having a public option in health care that would limit insurance company excesses. Trump and Biden have convinced them that they shouldn’t touch Social Security or Medicare — at least before the election.

That leaves all the cuts to come from domestic programs — and the pain to be borne primarily by the most vulnerable — and by the middle class. Low-income families will see cuts in food support, in affordable housing, in health care through Medicaid, in infant nutrition, in child

care. The poor and middle-income families will suffer cuts in public education, in clean water and air, in safe workplaces, in child care. The country will suffer with the slashing of investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. All of us will pay more from extreme weather as climate change goes unaddressed. All the fulminations about the debt ceiling come down to this. Will the wealthy pay a little more in taxes or the poor a lot more in pain and hunger? Will we invest in more smart missiles or more smart children?

Will we support the obscene profits of the private health insurance companies or the essential health care Americans need? Will we fund wars abroad or curb the extreme weather that threatens our communities at home? Don’t be misled by the sound and fury over the debt ceiling. The real question is who pays and who benefits.

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

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is president and CEO of the Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition.

Harry Belafonte

Svante Myrick is president of People For the American Way.

I’m not your superwoman

By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew

I remember the first time I met her, she was so excited about the work she was doing. She was doing so many things and her enthusiasm was contagious. Over the past year, I’ve had the chance to catch up and each time, we hugged and celebrated her success. Recently, our interaction was different. She was tired, felt defeated, and wasn’t sure what to do. She had so many irons in the fire and all of those many responsibilities have started to take a toll on her. This fierce beauty has become frazzled, frustrated, and trying to figure out her next steps. We hear the need for balance but in a world that demands so much of our time and energy, it’s

often challenging to comply. Even on social media, it’s easy to find individuals who boast of their time away and moments of selfcare while juggling businesses and careers. I find it interesting to see this trend of announcing this to the world when I am a believer of just making it happen. It’s becoming more fashionable to say we are taking time to rest and yet, we are a society that is burned out, experiencing more outbursts of anger and more polarization. It doesn’t make sense.

All of us who feel compelled and called to do something that changes the lives of others go through moments of trying to figure it all out. It can be a heavy load.

It can become so easy to burn the candle at both ends and as a result, we are no longer bright, shining our light to others. Just as the candle becomes a ball of wax with too much intense heat, we can become something else, dissolving into something that we were not designed to become.

How does this happen? It’s when we begin to trust ourselves in making things happen instead of trusting God to bring it to pass. We feel responsible for doing all the work and fail to remember

in the stuff. It has to be rooted in something stronger than we are. Our growth and ability to do the work we’ve been called to do has to be led by God. It’s so easy to watch others and want what they have. You only see what they’ve experienced from the outside. We then develop a competition to do what we see others are doing only to realize that our impact is contingent upon our relationship with God. What we are chasing is not sustainable if it isn’t of God, it won’t work. “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” (Proverbs 11:28)

meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30) When we seek God and put God first, we find rest and the load we carry will not break us.

that it is God that calls us to do the work. We adopt the principles of the world to make things happen and we trust in the stuff instead of the Savior. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

(Psalm 20:7) Our trust cannot be

It’s important to recognize that it’s easy to become yoked to ideas, people, partnerships, etc. that are choking the life out of us. They are dragging us, and the consequences can be life altering when we are connected to something that does not serve us well. What are you yoked to that is draining the life out of you? “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am

Want a successful business, career, life? Here is the key: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) When we make God’s business our business, God will take care of everything pertaining to us. “…casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. (1 Peter 5:7 Amplified Bible (AMP))

Another Celebration turns into a Tragedy

By Marian Wright Edelman

Gun violence takes a relentless toll in our nation. Every day more than 300 people are killed or injured by guns in the United States, and most of their stories never make the news at all. But this was yet another week when multiple gun tragedies made national headlines.

One of those tragedies started out as a celebration: Alexis Dowdell’s Sweet 16 birthday party at a dance studio in Dadeville, Alabama, on April 15.

She and her family had been planning the party for months, and the dance floor was filled with young people and a DJ when gunfire broke out.

More than 30 people were injured and four were killed, including Alexis’ older brother, 18-yearold Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell.

Alexis remembered Phil pushing her to the ground to protect her in the chaos, but the next time she saw him he was lying in a pool of blood.

She told an interviewer, “I got on my knees and he was laying face down. And that’s when I grabbed him. I turned him over, I was holding him. … I was trying to be strong instead of panicking. And so I said, ‘You’re going to be all right, you’re a fighter, you’re strong.’” But Phil, a high school senior and star athlete who had a football scholarship to Jacksonville State University, was gone — along with another 17-year-old Dadeville High senior and two more young guests. Many of those injured remain hospitalized in serious condition.

The nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which keeps track of mass shootings in the U.S. where four or more victims are killed or injured by guns, notes that there have been more than 165 mass shootings so far in 2023 — more than one a day.

On April 15 there were seven mass shootings, the most in a single day so far this year. So the devastating mass injuries and deaths at a birthday party that night were heartbreaking, but they were not unusual for America.

But those stories about the “everyday” trauma and tragedy of mass shootings were also joined this week by the latest headlines

about a series of “mistake” shootings.

On April 13 in Kansas City, Missouri, 16-year-old honors student and musician Ralph Yarl was shot

into the wrong home’s driveway.

The young people, who were in a rural area with no cellphone service, had already realized their mistake and were trying to leave when the homeowner started firing on them, hitting Kaylin inside the car where she was sitting in the passenger seat.

And on April 18 in Elgin, Texas, two elite high school cheerleaders returning from practice were shot after one of them mistakenly opened the door to the wrong car in an H-E-B grocery store parking lot.

barely fit their small hands as they pointed them at the camera.

Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, said afterwards in an interview, “Responsible gun owners and parents would not allow a child to put their finger on a firearm’s trigger while pointing it at other people — even if they’re props. … It’s more clear than ever that the NRA’s goal was never to teach children about responsible gun handling but to market guns and gun extremism to a new generation.”

in the head and arm after mistakenly ringing the wrong doorbell while trying to pick up his younger brothers from a friend’s home.

The man who shot him said that when the 5’8”, 140-lb. teenager came to his door, he looked out and saw a 6-foot-tall Black man and felt “scared to death.” Instead of asking any questions, he immediately shot Ralph through the locked glass storm door.

Two days later in Hebron, New York, 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis was shot and killed after she and a group of friends mistakenly drove

Eighteen-year-old Payton Washington, who was planning to attend Baylor University in the fall on an acrobatic and tumbling scholarship and who had already overcome physical challenges after being born with only one lung, was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition with injuries to her spleen and other organs.

All of these only-in-America atrocities took place the very same week that many Republican politicians were attending the National Rifle Association’s annual convention to pledge their allegiance to the gun lobby.

Reuters Pictures shared a series of photos from the convention of children as young as 6 and seven holding guns whose triggers

But there is a large majority of Americans who favor common sense gun safety laws, who did not vote to put the NRA in charge of our national security, who are not grooming our own children and grandchildren to become gun extremists, and who do not want our children and grandchildren to be shot or killed because they attended a birthday party, recognized the wrong car in a parking lot, or accidentally drove to the wrong address.

In our nation with more guns than people, we know we need to do something about the guns.

Will Debt Ceiling Talks Have Deadly Results?

debt ceiling. But one issue can be dealt tackled without dealing with the other.

By Dr. Julianne Malveaux

Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had a tumultuous election to his post as House speaker in January. It took him 15 votes and innumerable compromises to secure his position tenuously. The deal he agreed to allows any House member to call his leadership into question, voting him out at the drop of a hat.

As the House grapples with budget and debt ceiling issues, McCarthy is walking a tightrope that puts our nation’s international credit standing at risk and may also have killing results for poor people, seniors and veterans.

The debt ceiling and the budget are two separate things that McCarthy and his extremist colleagues have managed to twin.

The debt ceiling addresses the money we owe and has already spent. Raising the debt ceiling will pay the bills that we have racked up in the past. The budget deals with current spending on defense, social programs, health care and other issues.

There is, of course, a relationship between the two. When the budget is imbalanced, we add to our deficit and push the need to raise the

The debt ceiling is an immediate issue. The current budget and the debt it may incur is a longer-term issues.

President Biden would like to raise the debt ceiling with no conditions. McCarthy and his cronies want to cut the budget before they raise the debt ceiling.

They would, of course, maintain defense spending at its current level or higher. If they have their way, domestic spending will drop by 22%, affecting everything from veteran medical care to school funding for low-income students and those with disabilities. Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, says as many as 108,000 teachers and aides may lose their jobs because of these potential cuts.

We spread over 50 states; those cuts may seem modest – eliminating about 2100 jobs per state. There are already teacher shortages. Will the McCarthy plan make these shortages worse?

The McCarthy proposal hits poor people especially hard. It would eliminate preschool and child care for hundreds of thousands of students.

It would reduce nutrition assistance for millions and cut the Meals on Wheels program, which provides more than a million se-

niors with food assistance. These reductions are just the tip of the iceberg if 22% cuts are implemented. McCarty’s proposals would eliminate student debt relief, increase energy and housing costs, and reduce safety inspections.

Already, Congress has debated reducing programs that offered relief during COVID, including the Child Tax Credit. Such reductions would push more families into poverty.

rthy proposals were implemented, would our nation’s poor survive?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, “poverty was linked to at least 183,000 deaths in the United States in 2019 among those aged 15 or over.”

That makes poverty the fourth-leading cause of death in this country, with death tolls only exceeded by heart disease, cancer and smoking. The McCarthy ap-

periencing. Rev. William Barber, the co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, describes inaction on poverty as a form of “policy murder.” Others see rising poverty as a public health emergency.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his extremist colleagues seem blissfully unaware of the impact of their extreme budget-cutting actions.

The debt ceiling has been raised or revised 78 times since 1960, 49 times under Republican presidents and 29 under Democrats. Democrats have typically agreed to increase the debt ceiling because of our international credit rating. Republicans are now using this situation to push an agenda that will increase poverty and kill people.

The attacks on poor people are recurrent. Extremist Republicans seem to have contempt and antipathy for those hard-working people who live with low wages and challenging working conditions.

If these people disappeared tomorrow, would our society survive? At the same time, if the McCa-

proach to the debt ceiling will exacerbate poverty and increase the number of deaths connected to poverty.

Poverty is an economic drag, affecting productivity, health care costs and more. It also contributes to the falling life expectancy that the United States is now ex-

To be sure, McCarthy’s extremist proposal isn’t likely to pass the Democratic Senate. But time is running out to increase the debt ceiling, and this game of brinkmanship damages our international reputation and potentially hurts people experiencing poverty. McCarthy and his cronies prefer posturing to poverty reduction. Their stunning indifference to poverty is an alarming rejection of the income-challenged people who voted for them.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author and dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.

Marian Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

The U.S. Capitol Building

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Carolyn Bryant Donham Dead cont. from page 3

DAILY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The white woman, 88, who triggered the lynching of Emmett Till, is seen for the first time in 20 YEARS as she lives out final days cancer-stricken and in hospice care at her Kentucky home.

Carolyn Bryant Donham, now 88, has managed to go unseen since 2004, going on to live a long life - and now spending her final days in apparent tranquility - despite her role in 14-year-old Emmett Till's lynching in 1955.

At the time

Donham was a 21-year-old married mother-oftwo who accused the young Black boy of whistling at her - a violation of the South's racist societal codes - at a Mississippi

store, setting off his brutal murder. She was living in a small apartment community in Kentucky with her son, Thomas Bryant, 71, Donham, who was wearing a nasal cannula looped over her ears and into her nose, suffers from cancer, is legally blind, and is receiving end of life hospice care in her home.

When approached by DailyMail.com, Donham stood by silently behind her son, who shook his head when asked if either would speak about Till.

Till's beaten and mutilated body was thrown in the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi, weighted down with a large fan from a cotton gin, before being pulled out three days later on August 28.

Donham's then husband Roy Bryant and his brother John Milam were later tried and acquitted of Till's murder, while she went on to evade charges or any consequences in a case that shocked the world for its brutality.

SHOUT OUT TO JET MAGAZINE - LOOK AT THREE OF THE MURDERERS! - PRAISE FOR MRS. MAMIE TILL.

Read more at: https:// www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ article-11060011/EmmettTills-accuser-Carolyn-BryantDonham-seen-Kentucky-timenearly-20-years.html

She died on April 25, 2023 and Twitter has not been kind to her memory!

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Iota Phi Lambda Sorority's Business Month Honorees

DR. LINDA AMERSON

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Doctor, educator, columnist, radio host, television personality, international lecturer, singer/songwriter all these things describe Dr. Linda Amerson, board certified doctor of Trichology- world-renowned expert on hair and scalp disorders, and board-certified Holistic Health Practitioner. In addition, she is the manufacturer of award-winning Dr. Amerson’s ™ Hair, Scalp and Skin Therapeutic Essentials, LLC.

DR. SHANEKA D. BAYLOR

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Dr. Shaneka D. Baylor is an integrative and functional nutrition pharmacist, entrepreneur, and consultant. She holds Board-Certification in both Geriatric and Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy, and she is also a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She is also the franchise owner of Chefs for Seniors DFW Mid-Cities South.

TANDY CARAWAY

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Tandy Caraway, founder of CollegeMode Academy, is a leading educational consulting expert, speaker, and author that helps communities reduce the wealth gap by empowering families and organizations to send students to college debt-free. She collaborates with community organizations to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that uniquely meet the needs of the people that they serve.

Through her business, she has helped students secure over $30 million dollars in scholarships, grants, and fellowships.

SHAUNA T. FREEMAN

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Shauna T is a plus-size influencer and entrepreneur born and raised in Dallas Texas. Shauna’s journey began on social media in 2017, where she started sharing coupon deals and building a community who she proudly refers to as her “cousins.” In 2020, Shauna transitioned from couponing to fashion, using her platform to empower curvy women to feel confident in their skin.

CHRISTINA HENDERSON

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Christina Henderson, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA has over 15 years of experience in the field of educa tion in various roles in state and abroad. She started out as a Life Skills Paraprofessional and quick ly rose in the profession to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.

She is the founder of Coloring Life My Way, a nonprofit organization that is partners with organizations that support

those affected by autism and the special needs community.

ALMA LOVE LANGRUM

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Alma Love Langrum is the Chief Executive Officer of Aisha’s Learning Centers and AJL’s Wings of Hope.

Aisha’s Learning Centers operates two high quality childcare facilities serving over 200 children daily. Aisha’s is a 4-star rated facility with the Texas Workforce Commission and former Accredited Center with the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

LYNETTE ROSS

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Lynette Ross (fondly known as Sha) is a third-generation restaurant owner of Mister James Delicious Foods Restaurant in Cedar Hill, Texas and Magnolia, Arkansas. Her passion for ministering to people inspired her to join forces with her late paternal grandfather, Mr. James Gilbert, and her aunt, Crystal Howell, in not only feeding people but ministering to them over a cup of coffee or a bite to eat.

NIKKI SIMON

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Nikki Simon is the owner of Simon Engineering & Consulting, Inc., a civil engineering consulting firm she founded in January 2010. Nikki brings over 29 years of experience in the planning, design and management of site development, civil infrastructure, and multi-modal transportation projects. She has been recognized by DiversityBusiness.com as a Top Emerging Business and one of the Top Collin County area women-owned businesses.

TASHA DENISE SPEED

Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Business Entrepreneur Award

Tasha Denise Speed, BS ED., is recognized as one of the most influential educators of our time. She is an African American History Master-Teacher, a High School English I, Instructor, and Varsity Staff Coach of the Dazzling Dancing Pearls Drill Team, in the Private District of Village Technological Schools, in Duncanville, Texas.

Ms. Speed is an entrepreneur, and her educational teaching business is called “Learning Tunes”.

DR. LINDA D. LEE

Joyce M. Jones Community Service Award

Dr. Linda D. Lee in the CEO and Founder of LL Media Group, LLC, Lee Coaching & Consulting, and editor-in-chief of PHENOMENAL OVERCOMER® magazine.

She is a holistic personal development consultant, author, and doctorate graduate of pastoral psychology, also known as, biblical counseling.

CALVIN W. STEPHENS

Alvernon K. Tripp Hall of Fame Award

Calvin W. Stephens is Chairman and President of SSP Consulting, L.C. The firm was established on September 1, 1992, for the purpose of providing surety support services and minority business and supplier diversity for local, minority and women owned firms.

Calvin W. Stephens also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Calvin W. Stephens & Associates (CWS&A). Stephens established this firm in November 1981.

Stephens also served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dallas Minority Business Development Center. As such, he was the direct link between the minority business community and the public and private sector business community of Dallas.

DYMECIA DANIELS

Sharon R. Thomas-Smith Youth Entrepreneur Award

Dymecia Daniels is currently a freshman at the Fashion Institute of Technology with a major in fashion business management. In her freshman year, she was able to attend/work during New York Fashion Week, join the Black Student Union, and become an RA. She is the owner and creator of Xomecivox, (Mee-seevox) a brand she started in 2020.

DALLAS WISE

Sharon R. Thomas-Smith Youth Entrepreneur Award Dallas Wise, is following in the footsteps of his mother, Shanay Wise; who is a caterer and owner of Catering Done Wisely. Every year we made sugar cookies for Santa. This really peaked my interest in baking. When he was seven, his mother was vending for a local Farmers Market, and he asked her if he could sell his cookies. She said yes, and he sold out quickly each time. In the Spring of 2020 COVID-19 hit, and she put him in an online business entrepreneurship class for kids. He asked her for a DBA and a logo; so now he’s running his own business.

CE’ KYA HENDERSON

Psi Chapter’s High School

Evelyn D. Wilkey Essay Award Winner

Upon graduation she will attend Texas A&M University-Commerce, majoring in Veterinary Medicine with a Minor in Business. In her free time, she likes to write poems and listen to music. She is a member of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., Psi Chapter Future Iota Leaders (FIL)and she is currently the Vice-President of Student Council at Wilmer Hutchins High School.

TIARA J. CRUMP

Iota Mother’s Assistance Program (IMAP) Recipient

Tiara J. Crump, a firm believer and full-time college student at Texas Woman’s University, is pursuing a degree in Nutrition with an emphasis in Dietetics. Her hobbies include cooking, reading/learning, nature walks and spending time with loved ones. She is also a single mother to a lovely little girl. Each day she works towards becoming the best possible version of herself.

MYA PEYTON

Mackey-Tillman Scholarship Award

Mya Peyton is a junior at Texas State University where she is pursuing a degree in Business Marketing. Miss Peyton is an Honor Roll student and currently has a 3.6 grade point average (GPA). She has been on the Dean’s List for the past 2 semesters. She continues to volunteer on campus with various organizations, such as Women in Business.

PAM G. EUDARIC

The Lola M. Parker Achievement Award

Psi Chapter & Southwestern Region Outstanding Business Woman of the Year

Pam Eudaric is a mother, an attorney, an author, and the founder and CEO of several businesses. This St. Croix native moved to Texas to attend Rice University in Houston, Texas where she earned a B.A. degree in Business Management. She also earned a J.D. degree from The University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas. As a fierce litigation attorney, Ms. Eudaric has worked in some of the most prestigious law firms in Texas.

As the Chief Executive Officer and Master Chocolatier of Chocolate Secrets & Wine Garden, which she opened in 2002, she offers gourmet chocolate and fine wine.

DANIELLE DANIELS-YOUNG

The Mahala Smith Evans Award

Psi Chapter’s Outstanding Soror of the Year

For the past five years she has worked on various programs and projects that undergo the rich history and legacy of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Psi Chapter. She serves as the Chapter Recording Secretary and Chair of the Education and Scholarship Committee, and as a member of several committees that include Business Month, Membership, Future Iota Leaders, Black History, Career Exploration, Technology, Tutorial/Adopt-A-School, Chapter Website, the 77th Southwestern Regional Host Committee, and Founder’s Day.

From 2019-2020, she served as the Regional FIL Co-Chair for the Southwestern Region. As the Regional Co-Chair, she assisted with creating activities and programs for the FIL during the Southwestern Regional Conference. She served on the National FIL Committee in 2021 and have attended the National Conventions from 2019 to the present. She enjoys being a Legacy member and having a mother, three aunts, and a cousin all share with her the commitment and the pledge of friendship, love, and loyalty to IOTA.

Garland’s Hope Clinic provides aid for many

Continued from page 1

tem, and Hope Clinic remains a safety net clinic for BSW patients.

Medical partnerships have grown to include the Health Texas Partner Network, Parkland Health/Dallas Hospital District, as well as numerous specialty practices to aid diagnoses of our patients.

Today the clinic operates in a 5400 sq. ft. building in a residential area near downtown Garland, easily accessible to patients and facilitating approximately 8,000 patient visits annually.

Its founding was led by First Baptist Church of Garland’s (FBCG) Martha Sanford, R.N., Phd, and Jim Witt, FBCG Missions Pastor.

Sanford, who was a Registered Nurse at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, realized that Garland needed a place to provide medical care and with support from Witt identified the need for a charitable clinic approach as an answer for unmet medical needs. Incorporated in 2001, Sanford was elected Executive Director of Hope Clinic and served in that capacity until early Fall 2006, when she was succeeded by Barbara Burton, RN, BS.

Today Tanya Downing is the executive director, bringing her wholesome spirit, energy, commitment and excellence as she leads Hope into the future.

Former Garland Mayor Ronald Jones with Mayor Pro Tem Deborah Morris

David Gibbon, Executive Director Garland Housing Finance Corporation with Tanya L. Downing

Co-Chairs Jody and Lance Luna.

Garland Mayor Scott LeMay, Tanya Downing, Mark King, Hope Clinic Board Chair and CEO Micropac Industries, and Eva Hummel, Atoms Energy (event sponsor).

Kymberlaine Banks, Communities Foundation and Libby Odom, Ebby Halliday Realtor. Photos: Delores Elder-Jones

2023 BIG TEX SCHOLARSHIP Recipients

SINCE 1992, THE BIG TEX SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HAS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO MORE THAN 3,000 STUDENTS FOR A PROGRAM TOTAL OF MORE THAN $16.1 MILLION.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

HIGH SCHOOL

Hector Chico

Monique Cortez

Joanna Ramirez

JAMES MADISON

HIGH SCHOOL

Kharyngton Armstrong

Yajaira Baca Cabrera

Emariah Banks

Kashari Barron

Esmeralda Benitez

Alondra Caro

Alexis Chairez

Destinee Hathorn

Aujenae Jones

Abubakar Saidi

Francis Zepeda

LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL

Martavion Bull

Princess Govea

MAY

‘If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future’ – The Nando’s Art Collection World Debut at the African American Museum, Dallas 11am-5pm weekdays

Celebrating Mothers

Congrats to the Class of 2023

18

10th Anniversary of ReuNight for The Family Place. At this year’s event, at the Dallas Petroleum Club at 6:30 pm, guests will enjoy an evening of cocktails, exceptional cuisine, a luxury live auction and more. Support from this year’s event is critical, as one in three Texans will experience domestic violence during their lifetime- one of the highest rates in the country. Contact ReuNight@familyplace.org or call 214443-7717 for more information.

20

You Can Live Again Expo and Awards

Announcements, 10am-3pm. Enjoy amazing celebrities, speakers, panelists, performers and fun for the entire family! Hear why Now Is The Time To Do It in 2023! *Special Q and A session with WFAA’S legendary Sports Commentator Dale Hansen! Tickets available www. youcanliveagain.net, Gilley’s Dallas, 1635 Botham Jean, Dallas, Tx. Proceeds benefit Boys and Girls Club Dallas

Zariyah Hawkins

Leslie Jaramillo

Francine Kalala

Trevor Lumpkin

La’Maya McGowan

Aulajia Morgan

Christian Piedra

LaZariya Taylor

Akirea Williams

NORTH DALLAS

HIGH SCHOOL

Giovany Aguado

Michael Aguirre

Joel Almaguer-Enriquez

Homero Araujo

Yasmine Ates

Genesis Castillo

Jaedon Caudillo

Katherine Cerna

Blanca Charcas

Jessica Clark

Faith Cooper

23

Line Dancing & Swing Out Meet Up! Cherry Moon Grill & Bar · Arlington at 6:30 PM 24

Nonprofit organizations have changed the news landscape in Texas — but nothing has been easy. Join Fort Worth SPJ for an insightful discussion with Fort Worth Report CEO/publisher Chris Cobler and Texas Observer editor Gabe Arana at 6:30 p.m. at Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican restaurant (Villa Room) on Fort Worth’s fabled North Side. Twenty bucks covers the program and Joe T.’s enchilada dinner. Such a deal. Add $1 to pay with a credit card. 25

Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Business Mix & Mingle 5:30-8:30pm

Jose Corpus Daniela de la Torre

Griselda Diaz

Jesus Espinoza

Karen Espinoza Gutierrez

Noe Garcia

Emanuel Garcia Barrera

Alexis Garcia Del Rio

Ava Gonzales

Bryce Grigsby

Alexis Gutierrez

Cristina Hernandez

Abigail Juarez Trejo

Katie Kha

Yesica Martinez

Brianna Mmbaga

Imran Muktar

Sandy Nguyen

Elida Ortega Rivas

Ashlee Reyes

Jedoria Richards

Angel Rios

Janet Rivas Reza

Kennady Robinson

Deyanira Romero

Cristian Ruvalcaba

Alexander Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez Serrano

Erandy Segura

Miguel Solis

Annette Soto

Aisha Torres

Tram Tran

Fatima Zambrano

IRMA LERMA RANGEL

YOUNG WOMEN’S

LEADERSHIP SCHOOL

Belinda Alonso

Yadira Chavez Reyes

Mariana Garcia

Jessica Hyde

Cristy Juarez

Ashley Lopez

Michelle Lopez

Mariana Mares Solano

Xitlaly Matehuala

Jennifer Mendoza

Melanie Mota

Leslie Quintero

Jessica Ramirez

Jennifer Ramirez Mendoza

Valerie Reyes

Vivianne Valdes Pereira

Ashley Vazquez

Ashley Vela

WOODROW WILSON

HIGH SCHOOL

Katherine Farner

Taylor Guerrero

Stefany Guzman

Celeste Jaramillo

Judith Manzanarez

Audrey Robertson

Diana Ruiz

Sofia Sanchez

Natalia Vales Rivera