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MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
Feel good times I am so glad I had a few feel good moments and wanted to share them with you. June, which is always an exciting month, was especially exciting but challenging for me in 2021.
SERVING NORTH EAST TEXAS
THURSDAY AUGUST 5, 2021 VOLUME X
Delta Variant
Now Makes up 83 Percent of all U.S. COVID Cases By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent
The Delta variant of the coronavirus now accounts for roughly 83 percent of all U.S. COVID-19 cases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced recently. “The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of disease, and vaccination is the most powerful tool we have,” Dr. Walensky asserted during a U.S. Senate hearing. On July 3, the CDC noted that the Delta variant accounted for about half of U.S. COVID cases. That number has dramatically increased.
Rochelle Walensky
“The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of disease, and vaccination is the most powerful tool we have,” Dr. Walensky asserted during a U.S. Senate hearing.
The latest Delta surge also has led to increases in hospitalizations and deaths, Dr. Walensky said, adding that deaths have risen by about 48 percent over the past week, and the U.S. now averages 239 COVID-related fatalities each day. Dr. Walensky insisted that the surge could have been prevented. “Each death is tragic and even more heartbreaking when we know that the majority of these deaths could be prevented with a simple, safe, available vaccine,” she demanded. About two-thirds of U.S. counties have vaccinated less than 40 percent of their residents. That has allowed for the emergence and
I Was Just Thinking... By Norma Adams-Wade
SMU Perkins five Black trailblazers changed face of campus In part II here, we discuss what happened concerning desegregation at SMU after the first five Black Perkins School of Theology students integrated the campus in 1952 then graduated in 1955?
See DELTA VARIANT page 7
Tevis helps chronicle memories for students Skylar was a joy to come home to!
My sorority sister (bka line sister), who pledged with me on the campus of Florida A&M University 43 years ago, got married. It was a joyous occasion as sisters from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Chicago gathered in Houston for the celebration. We even had Karaoke Night and you should have seen me as I did Al Green proud with “Let’s Stay Together!” Congrats to Larry and Angela! There was also a meeting of the Black Press, Black Texas LegSee MY TRUTH, page 6
By Marva J. Sneed As the Yearbook Chair for the Beaver Technology Center’s PTA in Garland, TX, Tevis Diaz is passionate about preserving memories for the students, in spite of COVID-19. While students are living through the pandemic, which is a reality they could never have imagined, Diaz is concentrating on capturing significant memories, just as she
did when she was editor of her high school yearbook. “It was so important for me to capture those memories this year,” said Diaz, as she talked about the challenges with remote learning. Working with the PTA is something she loves doing and for theist eight years, this mother has devoted her time and resources with the help of TreeRing, a technology company that offers high-quality yearbooks, to create the yearbooks
Tevis Diaz
at Beaver Tech. Then she joined the TreeRing team part-time in January of this year. Diaz said she has kept the yearbook tradition alive by capturing pan-
demic-related photos. “This will be the yearbook that these kids will show their grandkids, telling them story after story about how unique of an experience it has been,” she said. “Challenging, for sure, but unique.” In an interview she shared her story: MS: Tevis, tell us about the yearbook you created for Beaver and what makes it different? TD: You know like you, I didn’t have a yearbook in
Superb Women
See TEVIS HELPS page 9
Mrs. Kathryn Mitchell has been of benefit to society for 100 years and is still going strong as she celebrates her 100th birthday on July 1, 2021! Last month at their monthly meeting, members of the South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club celebrated her birthday with their charter member. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Parent Teachers Association and SDBPWC; Mrs. Mitchell was born in Tyler, Texas and attended Texas College before pursuing her masters degree at Texas Southern University. A long-time educator; the elementary school teacher, who made her mark in the classroom and the civil rights movement started out teaching at C.F. Carr Elementary. There’s so much more that can be said about this trailblazer. Her’s is a story of triumph and resilience. Today we salute her and the work she has done. MARVA J. SNEED Marva J. Sneed is a former model and licensed Nail Technician for over 30 years. She was a Salon Business Owner, Makeup Artist and Skin Care Specialist. Marva has also developed her own skin care products, Spectrum Cosmetics. Marva is the host of “From Marva with Love” on BlogTalkRadio.com/Cheryl’s World. Tune in Fridays at 11 am on Facebook! She is the Editorial Assistant at I Messenger Media L.L.C. – parent company of Texas Metro News, Garland Journal and I Messenger. If you want to know what’s going on and where, throughout the Metroplex, or you want your event featured; you need to be acquainted with Marva. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists and she attends Inspiring Body of Christ. Born in Longview, Texas, Marva grew up in California. A wife and mother, and grandmother to seven, who affectionately call her “Queenie;” she loves to shop, socialize and decorate. KIMBERLY ALEXANDER Kimberly Alexander is the founder of the consulting firm, KimConnect. A widowed mother
of two, Kimberly stays on the go! She’s a Florida native and attended the University of Florida before receiving her degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Certified in non-profit management, she is a founding board member of Off the Field, Player’s Wives Association (OTF); where she coordinated projects with Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A cancer advocate, Kimberly supports the International Myeloma Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - North Texas Chapter. A member of the National Association of Black Journalists and a board member of the D-FW Association of Black Journalists, Kimberly works with the Dallas area Wives of Active & Retired NFL Players. She is the co-host of The G.A.M.E. with Timm Matthews on FM105.3, since 2012. Of the show, she says “I talk sports with the fellas…the lone female in the studio, holding my ground. I insert some much-needed femininity & soundness when they act up!” TASHARA PARKER Tashara Parker arrived in Dallas in 2019 to join WFAA-TV 8 as an anchor and reporter covering traffic, breaking news and inspirational stories. Tashara holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas A&M University and she received her master’s degree in journalism from DePaul University in Chicago, Ill. A loyal member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Tashara has studied abroad at Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia, the University of Westminster and Universidad de Quintana Roo. She has been an adjunct professor at Tyler Junior College and worked at CBS 19 in Tyler and KAGS-TV in Bryan College. She was the Junior League of Tyler’s VP of Marketing & Communications and Director of Media Relations at Unique Starz Sports and Entertainment. Yes, she is well-rounded, wellversed and carrying receipts in more than one language! Additionally, she volunteered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Chicago Cares. People around the world are paying attention to her “Bun Ministry” as she spreads a positive message about natural hair and the Crown Act.
JUDGE LISA GREEN
NENA HAYDEN
Judge Lisa Green is making her mark in the halls of justice. Born in San Antonio, Texas, she received her Bachelor and Master Degrees and Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University. She began her legal career with Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, Inc. as a staff attorney and served a decade in the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office before being elected Presiding Judge of County Criminal Court #5 in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. In 2016, Judge Green created the Green Y.A.R.D. (Young Adult Redirection and Diversion) program, which empowers young adults who are first time offenders. She and three other judges also created the Pipeline to Possibilities program. A member of the National Association of Women Judges, the Dallas Bar Association, the Dallas Women Lawyer’s Association, the J.L. Turner Legal Association and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice; the judge is also a member of the Omicron Mu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Christians in Public Service, the Junior League of Dallas, and the Southwest Suburban Dallas Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. This wife and mother is a member of Concord Church.
If you’re looking for your next dress to impress outfit, you need to know Nena Hayden. She attended El Centro College, Texas Institute Secretarial School and Dallas College. In addition to being a tax and legal assistant and special project manager, she is also the creative genius behind Nena’s Finds. Nena’s Finds Boutique is a “Uniquely, Stylist Fashionable Boutique For All Sizes!” Ranging from “Pretti n Petite to Pretti n Plus,” Nena likes to be a bit edgy and blingy ... but all the while, keeping it chic with sophisticated style! Nena’s Finds is your one stop shop for an eccentric flare! Schedule your Sip n Shop, Trunk Show, Girls Nite Out or Wardrobe Revamp with Nena’s Finds! A graduate of Gilmer High School, Nena has volunteered with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, The Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, American Heart Association and Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation. HUB certified and a notary public, Nena is a joy to work with and she has an eye for style!
LORRAINE BIRABIL Former State Representative Lorraine Birabil is probably one of the hardest working and meticulous public servants you will meet. Her story, of her father, is inspiring. An immigrant single parent, he was a Black scientist at UT Southwestern and he was that beacon of light in his daughter’s life. Like her father, Lorraine is a dedicated volunteer; serving in various capacities at federal, state, and local levels of government. A native, Texas, this attorney, mentor and role model to many has been a Democratic Precinct Chair and delegate to the Texas Democratic Party state convention for over a decade. Lorraine has also served on several boards including the Dallas County Citizens Election Advisory Committee. Lorraine is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a B.S. Degree in Biology and a B.A. Degree in Political Science. A wife and mother, she earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas A&M University School of Law. Highly respected and praised for her commitment to justice and service to mankind, she is the executive director of the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute.
Credit: YouTube
In 2013, Scott Alan Cashion was a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in History at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. His doctoral research gives a fairly clear view of how SMU’s “lily-white” walls came down during the 1950s to 1970s when the school began to be more visibly integrated. Here are some highlights of subsequent years gleaned from Cashion’s research: • 1955. The year that the first five Black students graduated from Perkins. They were John ElSee THINKING, page 3
ASHLEY MOSS
July 2021
MRS. KATHRYN MITCHELL
Irving Baker
LIZ MIKEL Liz Mikel is a Texas treasure. Dance, music or theater; she has it covered and you can add in the big screen. Performing almost since she was a baby, Liz has trained under Ms. Ann Williams, founder of The Dallas Black Dance Theater and Curtis King, founder and Director of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters. Liz played the part of Mabel – The First Lady, thrilling audiences in the musical “CROWNS,” at The Dallas Theater Center. She has appeared in over 20 productions at DTC since 1990. She is a long-time favorite in its annual production of A Christmas Carol, where she portrayed several characters, including The Ghost of Christmas Present. Liz has opened for nationally renowned recording artists Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis and Isaac Hayes and she was featured vocalist for the Dallas Museum of Art’s presentation of Duke Ellington’s “Sacred Concert.”She has received the Leon Rabin Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical” from the Dallas Theatre League, the Sankofa Award for her “dedication to the Arts in the Community” and the Dallas Theater Critics Forum Award for her role in Ain’t Misbehavin. Liz is the best actress!
Ashley Moss was a 2020 Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellow with I Messenger Media, LLC. (Texas Metro News, Garland Journal and I Messenger). A graduate of Spelman College, she received her Masters degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications. While at I Messenger Media, in addition to covering numerous issues and stories, she appeared on WVON and KHVN Radio Stations, contributed to the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s National Election Night Coverage 2020, co-moderated the Texas Metro News/Dallas Morning News Election 2020 Town Hall, began providing news updates on Philadelphia Radio Stations 110.7FM/99.5HD3 with Dareia Jacobs, hosted a 2-hour weekly podcast on Blog Talk Radio, FB Live and Streamyard; participated in the Black Business Town Hall with the National Black Business Empowerment, and was tapped for the National Press Foundation’s Statehouse Reporting Fellowship. No stranger to the Metroplex, the former Miss Spelman College; with deep roots in the DMV, is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and Society of Professional Journalists and she is firmly implanting her roots back in Texas as she joins the assignment desk at WFAA-TV! DIANE RAGSDALE A former Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, Diane Ragsdale recently retired as managing director at ICDC/ Community Development Corporation. A graduate of James Madison High School, she received a Bachelor’s degree from Dallas Baptist University. She has served her community, the city of Dallas and humanity for decades. Some of her numerous awards include: Trailblazer’s Award - National Black Nurses Association Dallas Chapter, Invisible Giants Award -- Voting Rights Museum of Selma, AL; Community Service Award -- National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs; A. Maceo Smith Community Service Award -- African American Museum of Life and Culture; Civil Rights Award -- Dallas NAACP; Outstanding Texan Award -- Texas Legislative Black Caucus; President’s Award -- Dallas Urban League; Sojourner Truth National Award -- South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club; Mary McLeod Bethune Community Service Award -- National Council of Negro Women; and Trailblazer Award -- African American Pastor’s Coalition. Madison High School named the library the Diane Ragsdale Library and Media Center and the training center at the Child Care Dallas Center at the Martin Luther King Complex is also named to honor her. See SUPERB WOMEN page 8