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MARCH 20, 2020

VOL IX NO 31

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Established 2011 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, 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.

MARCH 20, 2020

I MESSENGER

Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it clear TriceEdney â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Listening to the Donald a few nights ago

student I ever had.â&#x20AC;? We know his story is that he finished â&#x20AC;&#x153;top of his classâ&#x20AC;? WAKE UP AND at Wharton! STAY WOKE His professor, William T. Kelley, had a different view of who DR. E. FAYE Mr. Trump thought WILLIAMS, ESQ. he was! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re told the professor actually said as he tried to explain what he was a fool and that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d U.S. policy is on COVAD-19, come to Wharton thinking I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but think he already knew everything! about Teddy Pendergrassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; When Trump speaks, most words when he said â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you of us can finish his lines for donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know me by now, you him. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s either everything never will.â&#x20AC;? As Trump read heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever done is the best from his teleprompter, he ever or no one has ever done just had to throw in his usual what he has done. After three commentary to a speech horrible years of his being written by staff for him. He in office, he still canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t resist kept bungling White House trying to describe himself as policies, but we already knew being smarter than President him. Barack Obama. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like his In no way, did he have any sole reason for running for idea what the implications President was to prove that are for what he was saying. he could do everything better He definitely thought that than President Obama. I whatever he was saying no canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of a single thing one had ever said it better he can do that approaches before! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always his anything President Obama refrain to say whatever he did! said or did was better than Our country has lost all what anybody else ever said credibility under the Trump or did. presidency. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it clear that I listen to him as he tries itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to send him to Marto prove heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smarter than A-Largo to play golf and anybody in the world. He hold dinners and parties for goes on to prove just how his friends who â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;re happy to short he is on facts on the listen to many of those over simplest subjects. Every time 16,000 recorded lies heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s told he speaks, he confirms what since he lived in the White his professor at the Wharton House? School said about him when People across the world he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donald Trump are hurting. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re scared. was the dumbest goddamn They have no idea whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

coming next. They become even more stressed after listening to what he and some of his team are saying. People need someone who has some idea how to calm their fears. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re confused about travel restrictions, about work, about paying for healthcare! Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a state of emergency, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear Trump is not the person to calm peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fears and help us to deal with the COVAD-19 crisis. With inadequate testing, things get worse. All he seems to think about is what people think about him if the number of the infected goes up! Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it clear he needs to go home and take a rest and allow the health experts to handle health matters? The CDC Director might need to go home with him to make room for somebody who knows what coronavirus testing costs! Congresswoman Katie Porter proved that in questioning him and was able to get him to commit to everybody being able to get free testing whether or not they have insurance! From where did Trump get some of these people who just sit around like lapdogs and support him no matter what? One would think that when the health of our nation is at stake, somebody would tell him to bring in somebody who knows what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is National President of the National Congress of Black Women and Host of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wake Up and Stay Wokeâ&#x20AC;? on WPFW-FM 89.3.)

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TRUTH

COVID-19

FLAVOR

Catholics in nine North Texas counties will not be able to go to public masses at their places of worship until March 30, 2020. Friday, Bishop Edward Burns canceled Mass for more than one million Catholics in North Texas in hopes of keeping them safe from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Johnson announces federal funding toward ending Homelessness in Dallas Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announced that the City of Dallas has been awarded a Continuum of Care Grant in the amount of $287,443 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “I am pleased to announce that the City of Dallas will be receiving $287,443 in funding to support our Texans experiencing homelessness,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “This funding will assist for our local government offices in their myimessenger.com

dedicated efforts to address housing

nonprofit providers, States, and local governments to quickly FROM THE CAPITOL re-house homeless individuals, families, persons fleeing domestic violence, and youth BY CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by insecurity in our communities. I homelessness; to promote access am proud to support this federal to and effective utilization of funding, and I know the City of mainstream programs by homeless Dallas will put it to good use.” individuals and families; and to The Continuum of Care optimize self-sufficiency among Program is designed to promote a those experiencing homelessness. community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by I MESSENGER

MARCH 20, 2020

MY TRUTH by Cheryl Smith, Publisher

Our pandemics

T h is a p p e a r s t o b e a d e fi n in g t im e in o u r liv e s , m a k in g m e w o n d e r if t h e w o r ld a s w e k n o w it w ill e v e r b e th e sa m e . To t h in k t h a t w e h a v e a lre a d y b e e n c o m p la in in g a b o u t h o w d e ta c h e d w e h a v e b e c o m e o r h o w h a v in g e x c e lle n t c o m m u n ic a t io n s k ills u s e d t o b e s o im p o r t a n t , o n ly t o fi n d t h a t it a p p e a r s w e w e re o n ly b e in g p re p a re d fo r t im e s s u c h a s t h is . In t h e w a k e o f t h e C O V ID -1 9 p a n d e m ic ; w e a re s e lf q u a ra n t in in g , d is c o u ra g in g a n y fo r m o f t o u c h in g a n d b ro a d e n in g w h a t w e c a ll o u r “p e r s o n a l s p a c e .” S u re t h e re h a v e b e e n jo k e s . P e o p le la u g h t o k e e p fro m c r y in g . A s w e ’re e n c o u ra g in g p e o p le t o w a s h t h e ir h a n d s , I la u g h b e c a u s e I w a s ta u g h t a t a v e ry yo u n g a g e a n d n e v e r d e v ia t e d fro m t h o s e t e a c h in g s . B u t I d o n o t ic e , a c t u a lly w a t c h fo r t h a t p ra c t ic e fro m o t h e r s ; w h ic h s a d ly is s o o f t e n n o t t h e n o r m fo r s o m a n y . A n d t h e re a re o t h e r p re c a u t io n s t h a t w e m u s t t a k e in o rd e r t o k e e p o u r s e lv e s s a fe a n d a v o id in fe c t in g o t h e r s . A s o f t h is p a s t w e e k e n d , a c c o rd in g t o a re p o r t fro m J o h n H o p k in s U n iv e r s it y , t h e re h a v e b e e n 5 9 c o ro n a v ir u s -re la t e d d e a t h s in t h e MARCH 20, 2020

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U .S . a n d 5 ,8 0 0 w o r ld w id e . B u t, g u e ss w h a t? A p n e u m o n ia o f u n k n o w n c a u s e d e t e c t e d in W u h a n , C h in a w a s fi r s t re p o r t e d t o t h e W o r ld H e a lt h O rg a n iz a t io n (W H O ) C o u n t r y O ffi c e in C h in a o n D e cem b er 31, 2019. T h e n , o n Ja n u a ry 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 th e c o ro n a v ir u s o u t b re a k w a s d e c la re d a p u b lic h e a lt h e m e rg e n c y o f in t e r n a t io n a l c o n c e r n a n d o n M a rc h 1 1 , 2 0 2 0 t h e W H O c h a ra c t e r iz e d C O V ID -1 9 a s a p a n d e m ic . W e ll, a c c o rd in g t o t h e W H O , a p a n d e m ic is d e c la re d w h e n a n e w d is e a s e fo r w h ic h p e o p le d o n o t h a v e im m u n it y s p re a d s a ro u n d t h e w o r ld b e y o n d e x p e c t a t io n s . W h ic h b r in g s m e t o m y t r u t h ! A n d m y t r u t h in v o lv e s t a k in g lib e r t ie s s u c h a s d e c la r in g a n u m b e r o f p a n d e m ic s . N o w s a d ly , t h e re a re s o m a n y t h a t I c o u ld a d d re s s , b u t I w a n t t o d e a l w it h a fe w , t h a t h o p e fu lly w e c a n a d d re s s a s w e s p e n d m o re t im e w it h o u r s e lv e s d u r in g t h is C O V ID -1 9 p a n d e m ic . T h e re is s o m u c h g o in g o n in t h e w o r ld t o d a y a n d a s w e d e a l w it h s o m u c h d e v a s t a t io n in t h e A fr ic a n A m e r ic a n c o m m u n it ie s a c ro s s t h is c o u n t r y , if w e c a n z o n e in o n a fe w ; w e c o u ld re a lly m a k e t h is w o r ld a b e t t e r p la c e .

S o , I a m d e c la r in g a p a n d e m ic , a p ra c t ic e o r a c t io n fo r w h ic h p e o p le a p p e a r t o b e t a rg e t e d a n d t h e y m u s t fi g h t a g a in s t , w it h a llie s ; t o d e fe a t t h o s e w h o b e n e fi t fro m s u c h c o n d it io n s : 1 . F ir s t , le t ’s lo o k a t t h e n u m b e r o f B la c k c h ild re n b o r n t o s in g le m o t h e r s . N o w n o t h in g is w ro n g w it h b e in g a s in g le p a re n t , h o w e v e r ; t h e re is m u c h t o b e s a id a b o u t t h e n u m b e r o f c h ild re n b o rn w h o se sp e rm d o n o r h a s n o id e a t h e re is a c h ild b e a r in g t h e sam e D N A . In t h e p a s t fe w y e a r s , I’v e w r it t e n n u m e ro u s o b it u a r ie s w h e re t h e re ’s n o m e n t io n o f a fa t h e r, s o t h is is n ’t n e w ; b u t a t s o m e p o in t w e s h o u ld re a lly fo c u s o n t h e p e rils . To d a y , it ’s ju s t a s b a d , if n o t w o r s e t h a n d u r in g s la v e r y t im e s b e c a u s e w e a re in a b e t t e r p o s it io n , t o d o b e t t e r. F o r e x a m p le , a c c o rd in g t o N e w Yo r k A t t y . D e b r in a W a s h in g t o n , k n o w in g w h o t h e fa t h e r is c a n b e im p o r t a n t fo r : D e a t h b e n e fi t s fo r t h e c h ild , s u c h a s S o c ia l S e c u r it y , in t h e e v e n t o f t h e fa t h e r ’s d e a t h ; C h ild s u p p o r t ; o r H e a lt h in s u ra n c e c o v e ra g e . myimessenger.com

A lt h o u g h t h e re c a n b e c o n s , t h a n 6 7 ,3 0 0 A m e r ic a n s d ie d fro m d e r w o o d (IL -1 4 ) fo r la u n c h in g lik e , h a v in g t o g o t o c o u r t if y o u d r u g -in v o lv e d o v e rd o s e s in 2 0 1 8 , t h e B la c k M a t e r n a l H e a lt h C a u c u s c a n ’t lo c a t e t h e fa t h e r, o r y o u in c lu d in g illic it d r u g s a n d p re - t o im p ro v e B la c k m a t e r n a l h e a lt h w a n t t o h a v e a p a s s p o r t is s u e d s c r ip t io n o p io id s . o u t c o m e s . C o n g re s s w o m a n E d L o o k a t w h a t d r u g s h a v e d o n e , d ie B e r n ic e J o h n s o n (T X -3 0 ), fo r t h e c h ild ; a ls o d iffi c u lt y in re g is t e r in g t h e c h ild fo r s c h o o l w it h - a n d c o n t in u e t o d o ; n o t o n ly t o w h o is t h e fi r s t n u r s e t o s e r v e in o u t a c o u r t o rd e r if t h e o t h e r p a r- t h e u s e r s , b u t t h e ir fa m ilie s a n d C o n g re s s , is a fo u n d in g m e m b e r e n t c a n n o t b e lo c a t e d ; o r, fa t h e r t h e ir u n b o r n c h ild re n . D o w e o f t h e C a u c u s , w h o s e p r im a r y c a n a s s e r t p a re n t a l r ig h t s a t a n y n o t s e e t h e c o r re la t io n b e t w e e n m is s io n is t o fo c u s o n t h e U .S . t im e (a n is s u e if t h e c h ild ’s m o t h - m a n y o f t h e s o c ie t a l is s u e s , lik e “e p id e m ic o f B la c k w o m e n d y e r d o e s n o t w a n t t h a t t o h a p p e n ). m e n t a l h e a lt h a n d v io le n c e , a n d in g in p re g n a n c y -re la t e d d e a t h s .” O n t h e fl ip s id e , h e a lt h is s u e s d r u g u s e /a b u s e ? T h o s e n u m b e r s , a c c o rd in g t o t h e c o u ld b e a d d re s s e d . A n d , t h e re A n d a c t u a lly I a m g o in g t o m a k e N a t io n a l C e n t e r fo r H e a lt h S t a t is c a n b e a s e r io u s v o id in a c h ild ’s t h is o n e a t w o -fo r b e c a u s e if y o u t ic s , s h o w t h a t o u t o f 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 liv e life t h a t c o u ld b e a n is s u e la t e r. ju s t re v ie w t h e R e p o r t t o t h e U n it - b ir t h s in 2 0 1 8 , t h e re w e re 3 7 .1 d e a t h s o f n o n -H is T h e N a t io n a l C e n t e r PANDEMICS p a n ic B la c k w o m e n . fo r H e a lt h S t a t is t ic s re p o r t e d in 2 0 1 8 t h a t t h e H o w m u c h m o re d o 1. The continued breakdown/ n u m b e r o f liv e b ir t h s I h a v e t o s a y fo r y o u destruction of the Black Family t o u n m a r r ie d w o m e n t o a g re e t h a t t h e s e w a s 1 ,5 0 3 ,3 6 1 o u t o f a a re p a n d e m ic s ? t o t a l o f 3 ,7 8 8 ,2 3 5 . N o w I am n o t say2. Drug use/abuse and mass in g t h a t w e d o n ’t N o w th a t d o e s n o t incarceration h a v e w o rk to d o . m e a n t h a t t h e fa t h e r s W e h a v e t o re a liz e a re a b s e n t /u n k n o w n , 3. Black Maternal Morbidity rate w h a t is a t t h e c o re b u t t h e re a re e n o u g h o f t h e p a n d e m ic s . o f t h e m w h o a re fo r A n d fo lk s d o n ’t lik e m e t o c a ll t h e s it u a t io n t o t a lk a b o u t ra c is m , a p a n d e m ic . S e e m s lik e s o m a n y a re n o t re - e d N a t io n s o n R a c ia l D is p a r it ie s in in s t it u t io n a liz e d , o r n o t . B u t ju s t a liz in g t h a t ju s t lik e y o u c o u ld t h e U .S . C r im in a l J u s t ic e S y s t e m , b e c a u s e s o m e o n e e ls e d o e s n ’t c re a t e a n e w life fro m a s e x u a l y o u h a v e t o a g re e t h a t ju s t re a d - c a ll it w h a t it is d o e s n o t m e a n e n c o u n t e r, y o u c a n a ls o c o n t ra c t in g t h a t “A s o f 2 0 0 1 , o n e o f e v e r y t h a t w e c a n ’t . W e n e e d t o a c t lik e a life -t h re a t e n in g d is e a s e (a n o t h - t h re e B la c k b o y s b o r n in t h a t y e a r o u r liv e s d e p e n d o n e ra d ic a t in g e r p a n d e m ic ). c o u ld e x p e c t t o g o t o p r is o n in t h e s e p a n d e m ic s . W e n e e d t o s t re s s t h e n e e d fo r h is life t im e , a s c o u ld o n e o f e v e r y W e n e e d s o m e e x t re m e m e a fe m a le s a n d m a le s t o p ra c t ic e s ix L a t in o s —c o m p a re d t o o n e o f s u re s t o s a v e o u r c o m m u n it ie s . s a fe s e x ; a c t u a lly s t o p s h a r in g e v e r y 1 7 w h it e b o y s ,” s h o u ld a le r t L ik e w it h C O V ID -1 9 , w e m u s t s t o p , c o n t a in , c o n t ro l, d e la y a n d y o u r b o d ie s — d o in g p e r m a n e n t u s o f a p a n d e m ic . re d u c e t h e im p a c t o f t h e a fo re t h in g s w it h t e m p o ra r y p e o p le . 3 . A n d la s t ly (fo r t h e m o m e n t ), m e n t io n e d “v ir u s e s ” t h a t p la g u e 2 . T h e N a t io n a l In s t it u t e o n I a p p la u d C o n g re s s w o m e n A lm a o u r v e r y e x is t e n c e . D r u g A b u s e re p o r t e d t h a t m o re A d a m s (N C -1 2 ) a n d L a u re n U n myimessenger.com

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MARCH 20, 2020

Clergy’s quick response to COVID-19 By Rebecca Aguilar Texas Metro News

take safety measures. “My goal as the Bishop is to make sure the faithful are safe from the disease and that this decision gives GROUND them a sense of peace so they can ZERO be safe from all distress or anxiety regarding these days of emergency,” REBECCA AGUILAR he explained. Catholic Schools in the Dallas Diocese will be closed and moved to Catholics in nine North Texas online or remote learning until March counties will not be able to go to public 27. Sunday Mass will be offered via masses at their places of worship until March 30, 2020. Friday, Bishop Edward Burns canceled Mass for more than one million Catholics in North Texas in hopes of keeping them safe from the coronavirus (COVID-19). “In order for all the Catholic faithful to be at peace and to live without any anxiety as well as remove any conflicted consciousness of whether or not they should attend mass these days Bishop Edward Burns Rev. Frederick D. Haynes as the Shepard of the Diocese and out of affection for the faithful, I make this decision so they can remain healthy live video streaming. The Bishop said and strong.” worshippers could watch safely from According to City of Dallas officials, home on their computers or mobile COVID-19 is a new respiratory virus devices. and early information out of China, The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth where COVID-19 first started, shows will have Mass for Catholics in 28 that older adults and people who have counties, but Bishop Michael Olson serious chronic medical conditions says they are taking safety measures such as heart disease, diabetes and because of COVID-19. The Bishop lung disease are at higher risk of posted a statement Friday on the becoming seriously ill. Diocese Facebook page: “It is the The Diocese and other religious responsibility of priests to ensure that leaders have been working closely with our parishes continue to offer Masses, Dallas County officials since the county especially during a time of crisis.” banned events with more than 500 in Tarrant County officials, in declaring attendance in efforts to stop the spread a local public health emergency of COVID-19. Bishop Burns said it disaster on Friday over the coronavirus was not an easy decision to make, but pandemic, are discouraging events he knew that devoted Catholics would where more than 250 people are continue to attend Mass if he did not expected to gather, including church MARCH 20, 2020

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services. Taking that declaration into consideration, Bishop Olson laid out a plan for priests that also includes having more Masses on Sunday to keep the congregation smaller and encouraging the sick to stay home. “To stay home from Sunday Mass in these circumstances is not a mortal sin,” he said. Friendship West Baptist Church in southern Dallas County will be closed to the public, and Sunday worship services will be video streamed via the church’s website and Facebook Live to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus. The church’s pastor, Dr. Freddie Haynes, reached out to his congregation via the church’s website, Facebook, text and email blasts. “We ask that you be prayerful for the entire world as we battle this together,” he said. Friendship West has also provided members with a fact sheet to answer frequent questions about COVID-19 and the church’s actions to stop the spread of the virus. “God is greater than the coronavirus! God can heal! Please pray for our most vulnerable population,” Pastor Haynes said. North Texas church leaders hope that worshippers will be able to attend services again in public by Easter. But right now, they wait to see when and if the spread of the coronavirus can be slowed down or stopped. Bishop Burns reminded the public that the disease is not God’s fault. “This is not an act of God. It is an act of nature. God does not desire that people get sick, suffer, or die, and the root of this is made abundantly clear in the upcoming celebration of Easter.” myimessenger.com

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MARCH 20, 2020

West: Paid Sick Leave necessary to protect minorities from income loss as coronavirus spreads Senator Royce West on Wednesday said the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has highlighted the desperate need for federally-mandated paid sick leave in the United States. “As many as 78 percent of American workers live paycheck to paycheck according to a recent survey. We know, statistically, many of those families are African American and Hispanic. The potential economic hardships this could cause a Texas family are tremendous,” West said. “It will disproportionately impact African American and Hispanic Texans,” he said. “I think of a Hispanic dad or a single African American mother who works two jobs to make ends meet, has no vacation time, no savings, and ends up out of work for two weeks, and it stops me cold in my tracks,” West said. “You know what comes next--they can’t pay the rent and are evicted, they get behind on their car note, their electric bill, and more,” West said. MARCH 20, 2020

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“I know this is what happens in these situations, because I have seen it first-hand,” West said. “I have had families--white, Hispanic, and African American--sit across from my desk in my senate district and tell me this is what happens. I’ve seen mothers and fathers who don’t want to ask for help but are stuck when they have nowhere to turn because of a sudden, brief illness,” West said. “Two weeks out of work may not be much if you make $200,000 a year, have vacation, paid sick time, and savings. To Hispanic and African American families who are middle class and low-income, it could mean economic devastation,” West said. “For families of color already on the razor’s edge of poverty, it may mean the difference between a roof over their head or homelessness,” he said. West said he believed every working American should be entitled to at least seven calendar days per year of federally-mandated paid sick leave. “Frankly, that’s not enough. It 8

really should be more. However, I am a pragmatic person, and I know that we must build a coalition to get this passed in the Senate and in the House,” West said. “I will introduce this legislation when I am in the U.S. Senate, and work to build a coalition to get it passed,” he said. “Republicans are fond of saying Texans should pull themselves up by the bootstraps. And many times, when they use that language to attack programs such as food stamps, housing vouchers, and disability services, we know that is dog-whistle racism.” He continued. “You cannot pull yourself up by the bootstraps when you can’t afford boots, and that is the situation in which many African American. “We must do more for working Americans and working Texans,” he concluded. myimessenger.com

Trump urged to grant clemency to Kilpatrick The EBONY Foundation has partnered with community. Our vision has been to highlight the numerous notable African American pastors and great accomplishments of African Americans who other community leaders around the country to call have helped to shape the moral and cultural ethos of on President Trump to grant clemency to former our great Nation and to inspire hope amid the African Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick who is currently American struggle for racial and social justice serving a 28-year sentence. in the Land that we also call “home”. EBONY and The coalition of notable Jet has highlighted many of Pastors, business and these injustices throughout religious leaders co-authored the years whether it was a letter to President Trump the publication of 14-year asking for him to grant old Emmett Till, whose open clemency to the former casket was published in Mayor and referenced the 1955; the footage in EBONY President’s most recent and Jet publications of pardons and commutations. police brutality perpetuated “Kilpatrick was sentenced against nonviolent to 28 years in federal prison protesters during the Civil for his crimes. And while Rights Movement; or our Kwame Kilpatrick there has been a lot of debate publication that highlighted about his guilt or innocence, the need for bail and we are arguing neither, rather, we are opposing the prison reform in 1971. Today the reality of mass excessive nature and length of his sentence. Kwame incarceration and its adverse effects on African Kilpatrick’s punishment of a 28-year sentence does Americans and our families has grown exponentially not fit the crime. While, Mr. Kilpatrick made grave worse as there are more African American men, in errors in judgment as Mayor, looking at his sentence particular, who are incarcerated in our Nation’s jails in comparison to other public officials in public than were slaves in the 1800s.” corruption cases who were convicted and sentenced The EBONY Foundation, the national nonprofit arm around the same time, you see the unfairness of Mr. of EBONY Capital Partners, LLC, has partnered with Kilpatrick’s sentence: former Governor Blagojevich The Bail Project to launch HOME BY THE HOLIDAY, – sentenced to14 years, former Governor Bob an initiative designed to combat mass incarceration McDonnell – sentenced to 2 years, former and reunite families. Through this campaign, forces Congressman William Jefferson – sentenced to 13 will be joined to raise funds for bailouts and to drive years. All of these men are currently home either awareness about the urgent need for bail reform via the appeals process or because of commutation. and the human impact of the cash bail system on Hence, we are seeking similar consideration and communities of color. leniency in commuting the excessive sentencing Pastor Jamal Bryant said: “My faith teaches of Mr. Kilpatrick’s 28-year sentence for these non- us that all have fallen short at some point in our violent, public corruption crimes,” said Rev. Samuel lives and we all are the beneficiary of God’s grace Tolbert - President, National Baptist Convention of and mercy. I implore you to consider the totality of America. Kwame’s contributions to his community and the EBONY Foundation’s National Director of potential for him to do good work on behalf of others Community Outreach and Engagement, Pastor Keyon who desperately need help. I believe that Kwame Payton said, “For 75 years EBONY and Jet magazines can still author another great chapter of his life and have been a trusted brand in the African American he has my full support as he moves forward with myimessenger.com

his life.” The coalition is hopeful that President Trump will consider Kilpatrick’s clemency application and commute his 28-year sentence, of whch he has served seven. The complete list of pastors that have signed on to the letter are: Rev. Keyon S. Payton, National Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, The EBONY Foundation Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr., President Detroit Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity, Detroit, MI Rev. K. C. Pierce II, Chairman, Religious Affairs, NAACP, Detroit Chapter Rev. Kenneth J. Flowers, Senior Pastor, Greater New Mt. Moriah Ch, Detroit, MI Rev. Dr. M. Andrew Davis, Senior Pastor, Zion Baptist Church, Columbia, SC Rev. Dr. John D. Duckworth, Sr., Sr.Pastor, Gethsemane BC, Westland, MI Rev. Victor D. Tate, Senior Pastor, First Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Sr Pastor, Friendship West BC, Dallas, TX Rev. Dr. Terrance Garrett, Crystal Lake Baptist District Association, Pontiac, MI Rev. Quantez Presley, Senior Pastor, Third New Hope Missionary BC Detroit, MI Rev. Dr. James C. Perkins, Progressive National Baptist Convention Rev. Dr. Samuel D. Tolbert, Jr., President, National Baptist Convention of America Rev. Kip Banks, Sr., Senior Pastor, East Washington Heights BC, Washington, D.C. Rev. Brian K. Brown, South Florida Progressive Baptist Convention, Tampa, FL Rev. Dr. Delman L. Coates, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, Clinton, MD Rev. Dr. Larry Smith, Senior Pastor, New St. Mark Baptist Church, Detroit, MI Rev. Linda Smith, Co-Pastor, New St. Mark Baptist Church, Detroit, MI Rev. Horace Sheffied, III, Senior Pastor, New Destiny Baptist Church, Detroit, MI Rev. Dr. Madeline McClenney, CEO, The Exodus Foundation, Charlotte, NC Rev. Dr. Terrance Grant-Malone, Mod., Fellowship United District, Houston, TX Rev. Lamont Anthony Wells, President, African Descent Lutheran Association Rev. Dr. John D. Tolbert, Senior Pastor, Trinity Missionary BC, Pontiac, MI Bishop James Dixon II, Senior Pastor, Community of Faith Church, Houston, TX Rev. Dr. Jamal H. Bryant, Senior Pastor, New Birth Church, Atlanta, GA Rev. Dr. Wil iam E. Flippin, Sr., Senior Pastor, Greater Piney Grove BC Decatur, GA Bishop Donte' L. Hickman, Sr., Sr Pastor, Southern Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Johnson, Lead Pastor, Dare to Imagine Church, Philadelphia, PA Rev. Dr. Mitchell J. Stevens, Sr., Senior Pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church, Kenner, LA Rev. Dr. Lawrence C. Glass, Jr., Sr. Pastor, El Bethel Baptist Church, Redford, MI Rev. Dr. Kenneth D. Cooper, Senior Pastor, Spring Creek BC , Moseley, VA Rev. Dr. Emory Berry, Jr., Senior Pastor, Greenforest Community BC, Decatur, GA Rev. Ezra Til man, Jr., Senior Pastor, First Trinity Missionary BC, Flint, MI Bishop Wil iam H. Murphy III, Lead Pastor, Dream Center Church, Atlanta, GA Dr. Kenneth Harris, President/CEO, National Business League I MESSENGER

MARCH 20, 2020

Foundation shines spotlight on missing persons By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Senior Correspondent

The case of Tamika Huston, a 24-yearold Black woman who went missing from her Spartanburg, South Carolina, home on May 27, 2004, captivated Derrica Wilson and her sister, Natalie. Derrica and Natalie noticed how fiercely Huston’s aunt, Rebkah Howard, fought to find her. Howard went to law enforcement, and then she pitched the story to television outlets and shows like “America’s Most Wanted,” and “Dateline NBC.” She also pleaded with ma-jor newspapers like USA Today. The media, however, focused its attention on the so-called “Runaway Bride” Jennifer Wilbanks, and Laci Peterson, whose husband Scott would eventually be charged and convicted of her murder. The Wilson sisters noticed what had become the norm for mainstream media when it comes to the plight of missing women and girls of color: there was little to no media coverage. Because of that, in 2008, Derrica and Natalie started the nonprofit Black and Missing Foundation with a mission to bring awareness to missing persons of color and to provide vital resources and tools to missing persons’ families and friends. MARCH 20, 2020

Derrica and Natalie Wilson In addition, the foundation’s goal is to educate the minority community on personal safety. “Derrica’s hometown is Spartanburg, and we both noticed how Tamika’s family struggled to get any media coverage,” Natalie Wilson said. “A little while after Tamika went missing, there was Natalie Holloway, and everyone was saying her name.” “Derrica was a law enforcement veteran, and I am in media and public relations, so we decided to join forces to try and make a difference. We did some research, and, at the time, we discovered that 30 percent of all people missing were individuals of color,” Wilson said. “Now, that number has grown to 40 percent.” Of the approximately 600,000 individuals currently reported missing in the United States, more than 200,000 are women of color, Derrica said. According to the FBI, approximately 64,000 black women and girls are

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missing, despite that specific demographic accounting for approximately 7 percent of the U.S. population. Because of the efforts of the Wilson sisters over the past 12 years, the Black and Missing Foundation has helped to find or bring closure to more than 300 cases of missing persons of color. “We have made some inroads,” Natalie said. “When we first started, we saw that our community thought that sex trafficking and missing person cases only happened abroad. But people began to realize that it was happening in our community, so with awareness, people in the community have become more aware and vigilant.” Natalie said she hopes law enforcement and mainstream media begin to take more serious and immediate looks at cases of missing women and girls of color. “We find that when people of color — men and women — go

missing, automatically it’s assumed that there’s some criminal activity involved or they’ve just run away. They are stereotyped and not taken seriously. When authorities classify a case as a runaway, there’s no Amber Alert, and the media tends to ignore the matter. “Even if they are runaways, we have to find them within the first 48 hours because we need to understand why they ran away and realize that many are lured into sex trafficking.” The Black and Missing Foundation also helps families immediately after they report a missing loved one. “Many times, the families don’t know how to file a police report, and often when the file the report, an officer tells them that it could be a runaway situation or maybe drugs are involved,” Natalie said. “We tell the families that they know their loved ones, and they know what’s not their behavior. So, we are there for the families to hold their hands or to listen.” She said the foundation is a voice for the families, and everyone should have a role in bringing awareness to the plight of missing persons of color. “We have to help,” she said. For more information about the Black and Missing Foundation, or to donate, visit www.blackandmissinginc.com.

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MARCH 20, 2020

RESCHEDULED

MARCH 20, 2020

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Soul Talk launches

(From L-R: Muhammad, Shaw, McCallister, Benjamin, Fox, Maddox, Kinnel, Harris, Bowden, Russell Williamson, Cheryl Polote-Williamson, Faggett, Krout, Barnes, Campbell and Batiste) By Monique “M. P.” Stone

ABOUT THE ARTS MONIQUE STONE

Soul Talk Vol. 3, which contains soul-stirring stories of people who “Let Go and Let God,” launched in Dallas recently to a very receptive crowd. According to it’s presenter, Cheryl Polote-Williamson, the book features 21 co-authors who are “bearing their very souls so that you will gain the hope, strength, and faith you need to overcome your pains, disappointments, and heartaches.” Ms. Williamson presents another essential guide in the bestselling Soul Talk series and says this life-changmyimessenger.com

ing anthology provides you with a road map that will deeply gratify your yearning to cultivate a more intimate relationship with God. Ms. Williamson declares that, “Many of these revealing and traumatic stories will echo your own, but so will the victorious endings. Whether you are going through a battle in your mind, body, spirit, or emotions, the well of wisdom within these pages will spring forth and compel you to leap into the freedom you were born to experience. After reading this book, you will rejoice in and persevere through your storms, knowing that God is using the showers to water your soul into full bloom.” The co-authors of Soul Talk Vol. 3 are Nwanye Davis-Barnes, Tyreese R. McAllister, Ladda Hawkins, Angela T Kinnel, Crystal Cunningham, Jacqueline L. Shaw, LaSonja S. Campbell, Derrick L. Faggett,

Sharon R. Clinton, JoLanda K. Harris, Dretona T. Maddox, Cynthia Fox Everett, Damita Jo Crosby, Janis Barnes, Meko Krouts, Necole Muhammad, Nina White-Hodge, Roni Benjamin, Ruby Jeanine Batiste, Dr. Sonja V. Brown-Deloatch, and Maria Hart. Soul Talk Vol. 3, is sponsored by Dee Bowden and the forward written by Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall “We are committed to total wellness of the mind, body, and soul,” said Ms. Williamson. “Our books and journals assist with renewing the mind and soul, as part of your self-care routine. Invite new energy into your life by being intentional with your prayer and spiritual life.” You can order your copy online at etsy.com, walmart.com or visit the website at www.cherylpwilliamson. com.

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MARCH 20, 2020

Shades of Sexy Gray Hair in your 50s, 60s & 70s By Power of 3 Women

As a model in the 60’s and 70’s, I was told that I had too much Ester Davis hair. I sincerely hated sitting - There is really under a dryer, so perms were no ‘gray hair’. short lived. The menopause Hair turning years were experimental. I shades of gray did not take the hormone is really silver, replacement therapy(HRT). The white, charcoal women in our families, thought and some cases lite toasty brown. “all that stuff” was hazardous to I am not much of a hair person, your health. I opted instead for a but I am definitely a clotheshorse rigid exercise routine and whole

ABOUT YOUR HAIR BY DR. LINDA AMERSON www.hairandscalpessentials.com

MARCH 20, 2020

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and shoe magnet. I love ‘My Silver Hair: Glorious and Sexy’! Entering my 7th decade, my raw hair became more stubbornly independent and soft shade of silver began to spring up with an attitude. My ‘silvering’ was gradual. Some people thought I was using a highlighter called ‘ice’. Others thought I should color it one of the many black, brown, golden tones on the hair market. Actually, there was no decision made on my hair. I was too busy promoting my television shows and visiting grand children. I was content and “glamorous” with silver hair. I thought this “silver diva” had a new image of boldness and aggressive entitlement.

foods. A lot of our decisions in mid life should depends on what our mothers and aunts did. My mother and my dad’s sisters gave my sisters and I a lot of information on our bodies, temperament and life going forward. Further, decisions in later life depends on who you really are, your goals of significance and legacy. I care little about age. . . except it is a number. . . a privilege, but it does not define who I am. Host/Producer “Ester Davis Show” www.esterday.com 214.376.9000 See part 3 next week

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“FLAVOR”

nuggets for $1. Wow… a dollar? incidental component of a plan

WHAT’S ON That’s exactly how a drug dealer to keep you psychologically and MILES’ MIND gets you hooked and keeps you emotionally hooked, dependent BY MILES JAYE

Flavor is the enemy! Flavor is a formidable, powerful, merciless enemy. Flavor is the new Massa and were still slaves. We’re slaves to the incessant drumbeat of pleasure and temptation of flavor. Flavor is defined as “the distinctive taste of a food or drink.” It’s determined by messages sent to the brain and like crack or heroin, flavor can leave you strung out craving increasingly more of a good thing. Flavor drives our appetite, and appetite drives our decisions. We love one another to death, with good cooking-- flavor. Flavor is emotional! The Popeye’s “the sandwich is back” commercial is emotional! It begins with moans and groans of enjoyment. Then an actor says to the chicken sandwich; “Look at you, lookin’ all special” as if he was complimenting his woman. Then an actress says to her chicken sandwich; “I’m experiencing some things right now…” like she’s on the verge of an orgasm. That’s the power of flavor! I recently saw a commercial where the actor was singing a love song so passionately about his chicken that I was convinced—it was love, real love! The twist is to keep you coming back, keep you strung out, and in order to do that, make it affordable and accessible like any good drug dealer. Burger King offers 10 myimessenger.com

hooked-- keep the product cheap and keep it in the neighborhood. If you don’t think you can control an entire population or segment of that population with flavor? Think again! After your Triple Bypass Heart Surgery, the doctor warns, “no more fried foods, your heart can’t take it”—but you can’t resist. “If you don’t control your fast food cravings, you’ll die”— but you can’t resist. Your doctor tells you, “control your urge for sweets, and we can wean you off of insulin”—but you can’t resist. What the doctors won’t tell you is that appetite for flavor is a drug addiction and you can’t stop! You want to fight the flavor, but you can’t win the flavor war! It’s bigger than you! Even when you want to stop, when you know you need to stop, your size, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and over-all health tell you if you continue on this path you’ll die, you can’t control it. The flavors have you beat! French fries, chips, macaroni and cheese, BBQ anything, smothered everything, Pepsi, Coke, sweet tea, candy, red velvet cake all have you under a spell that you can’t break. Taste buds are flavor soldiers! These buds are an army of tiny sensory sentries found on the surface of your tongue that use salty, sweet, sour, and even bitter to your disadvantage. This is war and you’re outgunned! Taste buds render you their prisoner. It’s intentional and by no means an

on substances that define how you provide nutrition to your body— primarily sugar and salt, both eerily similar in appearance to cocaine. Appetite, the natural or not-sonatural desire to satisfy a bodily need, is the agent of persuasion to which you yield all will power and common sense. Appetite and cravings alter your perception of reality. They convince you that your desires are actual needs, needs which need to be satisfied. Appetite and cravings remove rational precautions and convince you that a little bit more of this or one more bite of that can’t hurt you— after all, it’s your birthday, it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Homecoming, etc. Shackles have been replaced by the chemical dependency of flavor. Traditions, cravings, appetites and insatiable yearnings for flavor have rendered us prisoners of war, and we’d rather die than give up our flavors. Bad food, camouflaged and rendered acceptable with colors, aromas and flavors, robs you of any hope of biological homeostasis, or perfect health and wellness. Flavor has no bearing on nutrition and slaves to flavor can never enjoy excellent health, they can only feel good if the meal is good. All the enemy has to do is taste good and we’ll do the rest. That’s what’s on my mind! Miles Jaye Davis, plays over 12 instruments and is an artist, musician, author, painter, writer and singer.. He is also a trained chef. I MESSENGER

MARCH 20, 2020

Rev. Jesse Jackson, ‘Why I Support Sen. Bernie Sanders’ I am proud to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders for president of the United States. While I consider Joe Biden, his opponent for the Democratic Party nomination, a decent man, I stand with Sanders. Here is why. I stand with Sanders because it is vital that President Donald Trump is voted out of office in November. Poll after poll has shown that Bernie Sanders leads Trump, generally with a greater margin than other contenders. Sanders has the highest popular approval rating of any public official in America. That is not because he is warm and fuzzy. It is because people know that he tells it like it is. Integrity and credibility are two essential attributes in taking on a con man like Donald Trump who lies constantly. Sanders has the history, the vision and the platform to defeat Trump. He is best situated to expose Trump’s fake populism. He voted against the corporate trade treaties — and can expose the president’s broken promise to workers on

trade. He opposed the war in Iraq — and can expose Trump’s broken promise to end the forever wars. He led the call to build an economy that works for working people — and can expose the reality that what Trump calls the best economy ever still does not work for most

for a return to yesterday. Democrats cannot defeat Trump without REV. JESSE LOUIS JACKSON, SR. inspiring young people to come out and vote creating millions of in large numbers. good jobs. Tuition-free college Sanders is the only who and large investment candidate has inspired a new in education and advanced training so generation and earned overwhelming that every child can get their

Americans. Sanders champions an agenda that will address the f u n d a m e n t a l challenges facing working people. That includes Medicare for All to ensure that health care is a right, not a privilege — something particularly imperative in the age of coronavirus. A Green New Deal addresses the existential threat of climate change while

the education he or she needs. A $15 minimum wage, politics to empower workers and unions, and a trade policy that works for working people. Comprehensive immigration reform, universal childcare, criminal justice reform to end mass incarceration and more. Sanders will beat Trump by summoning America to a new day, not by calling

MARCH 20, 2020

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KEEPING HOPE ALIVE

16 photo: NNPA

support. In the face of Trump, many seek shelter in the safe, the establishment, the socalled moderate. We should not forget the record of moderate, establishment candidates — from Walter Mondale in 1984 to Mike Dukakis in 1988 to Hillary Clinton in 2016. Democrats do not fare well as the party of Wall Street or the credit card companies.

We win when we bring the working class and the middle class together, when we stand for diversity against division, for the poor against greed. No candidate has done more to forge that coalition than Bernie Sanders. Dr. Martin Luther King would be proud that African American voters are called the “black firewall” in the 2020 campaign. He would ask a simple question: What will be the return on the firewall’s investment? With the exception of Native Americans, African Americans are the people suffering the greatest social and economic distress in the United States. Our needs are not moderate. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Sanders represents that path. Biden is a decent man, but he has a different record. We said no to Clarence Thomas, he said yes. We said no to the Crime Bill, he championed it. We said no to the Iraq War, he cheered it on. We favored affirmative action, he sought to limit it. myimessenger.com

Feeding the hungry

SAVE THE DATE

Cheryl Smith’s

JUNE 6, 2020

Don’t Believe the Hype

Celebrity Bowl-a-thon

For 25 years we’ve been awarding scholarships!

USA BOWL

10920 Composite Drive, Dallas, TX

6pm reception 8pm bowling begins

Fun for the entire family!p CALL 214-941-0110 to register or for sponsorship opportunities

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$250 individual team of 6 $350 individual team of 5 plus celebrity captain ends 2/29/20

Evan’s Engraving ASSOCIATION OF

REDMOND myimessenger.com

CITYMENCOOK DALLAS - FORT WORTH

BLACK JOURNALISTS

DFW/ABJ

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TEXAS METRO NEWS Garland Journal

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am the

MARCH 20, 2020

SAVE THE DATE JUNE SAVE THE DATE

National Council of Negro Women Suburban Dallas Desoto Section African American Heritage Program honoring Women in the Funeral Home Industry

MARCH 20, 2020

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Recipe for disaster! Dear Alma, I read an article that suggested that married couples should openly discuss sexual and emotional attractions to other people. The hurtful part of infidelity, the author said, is the deception, not the sex act. By openly discussing a desire to stray, she said, the couple stands a better chance of avoiding an affair or surviving one if it happens. Do you think this is a good idea? Should a man tell his wife that he wants to sleep with another woman, or should a wife tell her husband that she wants to sleep with another man? This sounds like a recipe for disaster, if you ask me. Arlis H., Florida

ASK ALMA By Alma Gill

think it’s wise to have this type of conversation with your spouse. Infidelity is a small part of a bigger problem not being addressed. The act and the deception go hand in hand. Both are equally devastating. “Couple Up” and discuss the actual challenges you’re facing in your relationship. Having the thought and discussion of being disloyal and betraying your partner should be avoided. Whether married or not, we experience sexual and/ or emotional attractions; it’s a part of being human… and fantasizing. For example: Let’s say you have a moment (or two) while watching Eamonn Walker Hey Now Harlis, on “Chicago Fire.” Should without apologies, you tell your husband? No. unequivocally, NO, I don’t

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Should you have an affair? No. What should you do? I suggest, instead, that you buy a fireengine red teddy, throw your husband to the floor and let the games begin. (Chile, it’s gettin’ hot up in here. LOL) Anywho, you and I agree; the discussion of or act of infidelity would be equally damaging to a marriage. If having an affair has crossed your mind, tend and weed those thoughts carefully in your own secret garden. A successful and victorious marriage has no room for that kind of thinking to bloom and grow. Alma Gill’s newsroom experience spans over 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and the Washington Post. Email questions to: alwaysaskalma@yahoo.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma.

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MARCH 20, 2020

RESCHEDULED to June 14, 2020

MARCH 20, 2020

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W e s t s e c u re s m o re e n d o rs e m e n ts in ra ce Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) earned two key endorsements, in addition to one earlier last week from Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, in advance of the May 26 Democratic Primary Runoff for United States Senate. Former U.S. Congressman and Houston City Council Member Chris Bell announced his endorsement of Sen. West Thursday afternoon in Houston. Michael Cooper, a Beaumont pastor, former candidate for U.S. Senate, and President of the NAACP of Beaumont, also endorsed Sen. West in Beaumont Thursday morning. Bell won more than 20 counties across Texas including a number of West Texas and Texas Panhandle counties such as Potter and Randall Counties, as well as Brazoria County along the Texas Gulf Coast, earning more than 158,000 votes in the March 3 Democratic Primary. “I believe Sen. West’s experience in the Texas Senate is invaluable in this race. He is the only candidate now in this race with experience as an elected official in Texas,” Bell said. “Sen. West is a leader in the Texas Senate on such issues as banning assault weapons, protecting women’s rights, and higher education, and has been for more than two decades.” “I am honored today to endorse Sen. Royce West,” Cooper said, citing his strong work on education and higher education issues, criminal justice reforms, and voting rights issues. Cooper noted, during the course of the campaign, he had the opportunity to visit with Sen. West on a variety of issues, that helped demonstrate myimessenger.com

that West is the most qualified candidate in the runoff. Bell said he believed West was the only person in the race who could turn Texas blue. “I am confident Sen. West is the only person now in this race who can build the coalitions necessary to turn Texas blue this November,” Bell said. “Senator West is also a fighter, and I’m confident he’ll hold John Cornyn accountable for the many instances he’s let down Texans by siding with Donald Trump and the GOP establishment.” An ethics complaint Bell filed Top- Sen. Royce West and Chris Bell with the U.S. House’s ethics committee Bottom - Michael Cooper and Sen. West ultimately helped lead to DeLay’s Democratic Party. His courage in downfall. taking on Tom DeLay is the stuff of Cooper, the founding pastor of legend among Texas Democrats,” Beaumont-based The Church of I West said. “I am honored to receive Am, won San Augustine and Jasper Chris’s endorsement, and am grateful Counties in deep South East Texas, for his service to our state and our and came in second behind West in party. Jefferson County with 23.5 percent “Michael Cooper is a strong leader of the vote in the March 3 primary. in Beaumont, and has, through his “Chris Bell is a leader in the work with the NAACP, been an

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MARCH 20, 2020

Coronavirus:

Dallas Nursing Homes and Senior Assisted Living Facilities taking Precautions By Rebecca Aguilar Senior Correspondent

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Dallas are taking measures to protect their residents from the coronavirus. Many are following the strict guidelines put in place by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which restricts visitation from friends and family and also restricts all volunteers and non-essential healthcare personnel. The cancellation of group activities and shared dining was also instituted. Modern Senior Living in South Dallas is not allowing MARCH 20, 2020

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visitors at this time. The Director of Nursing, Jennifer Segarra, made the decision Friday morning. She says they thought by not allowing visitors at this time there is less likelihood of a coronavirus affecting residents. “We are not allowing visitors at this time, not even family,” she said. “We encourage phone calls, and the residents have access to phones. “Employees who have to 22

work, we are screening them with a questionnaire when they come in, and if they have any signs or symptoms, they cannot come in.” The CDC says visitors and healthcare personnel are the most likely source to bring COVID-19 into a facility and that’s why it recommends aggressive visitor restrictions and is also enforcing sick leave policy for employees who become ill even before myimessenger.com

the coronavirus is found inside a home for the elderly. Currently, 70 residents live at Modern Senior Living, and most are over the age of 65. Ms. Segarra said they are watching out for anyone with signs of chills and fever that could lead to COVID-19. Brookdale Senior Living has facilities in North Texas, including White Rock, Lake Highlands, and Preston Road. It’s taking precautionary measures to protect elderly residents from the coronavirus. Heather Hunter, the public relations officer for the company, said they are also following CDC guidelines and strongly discourages visitors, but anyone who does want to visit won’t be able to walk in. “We haven’t restricted visitors at this point,” she said, adding that this could change at any minute. “But anyone who does want to visit has to be screened for temperature and has to answer a questionnaire before they can come into the community.” Brookdale has assigned a programming team to set up iPads wit online programs so the residents can have video chats with loved ones who cannot visit because of the CDC guidelines. “The last thing we want is for myimessenger.com

the residents to feel alone because there is a restriction for visitors,” said Hunter. According to Ms. Hunter, they have re-educated their staff on disease prevention efforts, informed suppliers regarding safety requirements, and are limiting significant group events. Since the virus was announced, Brookdale staff has canceled planned outings for residents and is using its website to communicate how it is responding to the COVID-19. Sage Oak Assisted Living has homes for the elderly in Lakewood, Lake Highlands, and three other Dallas locations. Resident Care Coordinator, Jovann Blackwell, said Sage Oak is staying on top of the latest information from the CDC so that everyone involved, whether its “residents, family, staff mem-bers, and outside entities, are well informed of the virus and different precautions we can take to prevent any outbreak and keep our residents safe.” Also, residents and staff have been reminded of the basics of hand washing and sanitizing. “We’re also following the trend of the virus, and it’s location, to make sure our staff is aware that being in those areas could potentially expose 23

them to the virus.” Residents at Sage Oak are between 70 and 95-years-old. CDC Guidelines for Nursing Homes and Senior Living Facilities An estimated 2.5 million people are living in nursing homes and senior living facilities in the country. The CDC has issued strict guidelines to keep the COVID-19 virus from getting into a facility for the elderly. Nursing homes and Senior Living homes are being advised to post signs at the entrances to inform visitors not to visit if they are sick or have a respiratory infection. Employees should be inform-ed about their sick-leave poli-cies that allow them to stay home if they have symptoms of respiratory infection. The CDC also has guidelines to help prevent the spread of respiratory germs inside a nursing home or senior living facility. One key measure is to have open communication with residents and employees and keep them informed about the steps the facility is taking to protect everyone from the deadly disease. Managers are advised to monitor residents and staff for fever and respiratory symptoms. I MESSENGER

MARCH 20, 2020

THAT CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

Anne-Marie Johnson

From acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay comes the stirring relationship drama CHERISH THE DAY on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. I chat with one of the show’s stars, veteran TV actress Anne-Marie Johnson (In Living Color, Girlfriends, JAG) as she recount some of her favorite moments from her TV and film career and let listeners know what to expect from the popular new series Cherish the Day. Anne-Marie has had a long and successful career, starring in hit TV series such as In Living Color, What’s Happening Now, the WB comedy Girlfriends, military drama JAG, In the Heat of the Night, Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven and Tyler Perry’s House of Pain. On the big screen, she appeared in classics such as Hollywood Shuffle, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and Down in the Delta. Now, Anne-Marie is one of the stars of the new relationship drama Cherish the Day. Cherish the Day follows a couple, who meet MARCH 20, 2020

I MESSENGER

By VALDER BEEBE

Beebe Show. and fall in love in Los Angeles, with each episode VBS: Your most memorable spanning a single day over character? the course of five years. The AMJ: I’ve loved many of my compelling drama unfolds to characters but Girlfriends; Sharon Upton Farley still makes the audience roar with laughter. I had such fun playing her, and…… Anne-Marie Johnson full i n t e r v i e w … … . Yo u Tu b e. com/valderbeebeshow Valder Beebe hosts the Valder Beebe Show on FM and streaming TV: ValderBeebeShow. com, 411RadioNetwork. A n n e -M a rie Jo h n s o n com; SoundCloud.com/ valderbeebeshow FM reveal significant moments in Broadcast: KKVI FM 89.9, a relationship that remind us KRER FM 102.5; Streaming to hold true to the ones we on ROKU & Amazon Fire: YouTube/ValderBeebeShow; love every day. The compelling drama – VBS affiliate broadcasters; which airs Tuesday nights BMIA, PChatman Network on OWN: Oprah Winfrey [Roku TV] Network --unfolds to reveal significant moments in a Valder Beebe Show THAT CELEBRITY INTERVIEW Onrelationship that remind us to Demand video: ValderBeebeShow.com, 411RadioNetwork. com, Youtube.com/valderbeebeshow; PODCAST audio: hold true to the ones we love, Soundcloud.com/valderbeebeshow, Soundcloud.com/ from the extraordinary to the kkvidfw; Broadcast:KYBS FM Y99.9, KRER FM 102.5, everyday. Streaming TV PChatman Network and VBS affiliate –Text provided by Anne- broadcasters; On-Demand 411 RadioNetwork.com,. – Now Marie Johnsons’ publicists in available on 411RadioNetwork APP . Valder Beebe Show is conjunction with the Valder a Power of 3 Women media influencer consortium partner. 24

myimessenger.com

From Marva with By Marva Sneed

On “From Marva with Love” Joyce something that I could do once Brown, Ms. Texas Senior America I retired. So I found out about Pageant 2019 joined us to talk about the pageant. I said I’m going to representing the positive image of do it. I had never done a pageant aging for women 60 and older. She before. That was my very first says the ladies have reached the “Age time. I said I’m going to do it and of Elegance” and are the foundation I’m going to win it. But I didn’t of America. The pageant champions have a talent. I didn’t know what healthy aging, wellness, and mentalI was going to do but I’m going to being. The contestants exemplify do my best. And now at 60 I am the “positive image of aging.” She living my best life. I am fulfilled in worked 38 years in the technology every way. Jo y ce B ro w n M s. Te x a s S e n io r A m e ric a field and spent 30 years in various MS: You became a certified forms of engineering management. Health Coach. What can we do to MS: Ms. Joyce will you tell us a little bit about yourself become healthier? and how you got involved in Ms. Texas Senior America JB: Yes, so when I was going on that journey trying Pageant? to figure what I was going to do when I retired, because JB: Thank you for having me on your show. I am very of all the years in management and Corporate America. humbled and I am excited to come and talk about the My daughters were like ‘well why not be a life coach?’ I things that I’m most passionate about. So a little about me had been coaching people and in management all those I have an Electrical Engineering degree that I got in 1981 years but that wasn’t what I wanted to do. And because it was a lifetime ago. But anyway I spent 38 years working I didn’t have anything else to do I decided to go online in Corporate America 8 years at Texas Instruments and and see what a Life Coach is all about. Well looking, I another 30 years at Abbott Laboratories. When I was had always been interested in health and I’d always been thinking about retiring, I thought ‘I want to retire what healthy to be perfectly honest. I had always worked out am I going to do?’ I tried to figure out what was going to and walked. Walking was my number one passion at that be my next chapter. So in the meantime, I was about to time. I ran across a health coach and I was like what is turn 60. I finally hit that point. For the first time in my life this? So I started researching it and I decided this is what ever I was feeling depressed about turning a new decade. I’m going to do. I wasn’t happy with where I was in life. And I decided that There was so much more to Joyce Brown. To hear the full I was going to break things open and change my attitude, interview, go to BlogTalkRadio.com Cheryl’s World change my eating habits and ended up losing about 30 pounds. I became more confident. I was looking for myimessenger.com

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MARCH 20, 2020

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I MISS YOU Oh, how I miss you. My reality distorted. Retreating often to a place where you remain. We laugh, together. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m captivated by your smile. Your conversation enlightens me. And the fact that I can go there and be in your presence, helps me move through this life without you.

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MARCH 20, 2020

STOP THE SPREAD OF GERMS COMMUNITY

CALENDAR

Help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

cdc.gov/COVID19 314915-A March 16, 2020 1:02 PM

MARCH 20, 2020

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Hanging with Hollywood

Bloodshot

MOVIE REVIEW BY HOLLYWOOD HERNANDEZ

Vin Diesel is the comic book character Bloodshot in the new action film about a special forces soldier who is killed and then brought back to life. As the regenerated Bloodshot he has superpowers and is able to heal his wounds whenever he is injured. Bloodshot is the first movie in a new cinematic universe based on comic books from Valiant Comic books. However, they are characters that I’ve never heard of. There are about 1500 superheroes in the Valiant universe. The company was formed by myimessenger.com

former Marvel editor and chief, Jim Shooter. Bloodshot is killed, along with his wife, and wakes up without any memory of what happened to him, but as he slowly gets his memory back, he becomes hellbent 31

on revenge on the person who killed his wife. But are those his memories? His brain is scrambled by the medical company who brought him back to life, giving him false memories of agents that they want to be killed. The actual story is weak but the action in the film is superior. Explosions and fight scenes fill the 100 minutes of the film. As the first of the new Valiant Comic books, Bloodshot is off to a weak start. Bloodshot is rated PG13 for violence and on my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate Bloodshot a MEDIUM. I MESSENGER

MARCH 20, 2020

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