I Messenger 12-30-22

HappyNewYear fromOURFamiliesto YOURS!

THE LAST WORD

Autumn Roberson-Manahan is a 17-year-old Black girl attending high school in Slaton, Texas. The senior, who transferred to Slaton High School when her parents relocated there from Ohio, hoped to be her high school valedictorian based on her stellar grades.

TO BE EQUAL

“In 2022, in the United States of America, you can be turned away at a bank because of the color of your skin. The wealth and income disparities between white and minority households are a consequence of the unequal access and treatment minorities have faced. p5

JEZZ LEGEND

JEFF AYCOCK

Dallas Jazz legend Jeff Aycock and his Quartet closed out the 2022 Soul Arts Collective Music Fest Fundraiser in Killeen with an unforgettable performance. The Music Fest was held at Endeavors Performing Arts & Special Events Venue at 868 S. Fort Hood Street. Owners,

by Cheryl Smith Publisher

2022 - You’re Done!

Dear Readers:

Three years have been some challenging ones.

I Messenger Media was seriously impacted by COVID-19. We rely primarily on small businesses and at times, corporate America to purchase advertising and churches, schools, community centers and small businesses for distribution.

Additionally, prior to the pandemic we prided ourselves on going where our people are so we attended at least five weekly community events, putting our papers in the hands of consumers.

With COVID-19, most distribution points closed down or traffic came to almost a complete halt. Some businesses closed down or cancelled their advertising contracts and organizations were no longer having banquet, expos, concerts, etc.

Much to our disappointment we were faced with paying more. But we stayed focused and kept our eyes on the prize.

While some took an extended “Corona-cation,” we stayed on the job and added a daily newsletter that boasts a 58% open rate. Our “Can’t Stop, Wont Stop” mentality energized the team.

INNOVATIVE PIVOTING

We reached out to businesses, especially restaurants and we offered them ads in our publications if they would give each customer a copy of our papers with their to-go orders..

It was a big hit. Folks would joke and say things, like: “I am going to Hall’s Chicken to get my two piece and a paper!” Or, “Nothing like going to Black Jack Pizza and getting a pizza and a paper.”

The campaign went over so well that we had business owners contacting us to get involved.

In addition to running the ads, we featured the businesses in our publications, and we ran their ads on our websites, social media platforms, in our daily enewsletter and on a daily podcast where we provided critical information for our audiences.

We believe in under-promising and over-delivering. We felt as though it was important to stay focused on continuing to provide news and information. We wanted our readers to know that we are here for them during tough times and we will be with them for all times.

It has been a challenge for us but instead of furloughing or down-sizing, we pivoted and worked to keep everyone paid, clothed, housed and fed. We applied for grants

and we helped one another with everything from babysitting to delivering food.

No, we didn’t receive huge checks from a flawed system that has folks going to jail for their fraudulent claims or multi-million/billion dollar companies receiving million dollar stimulus checks. Instead we relied on limited resources and support from those who value the Black Press and journalistic excellence.

Hopefully you will stay with us in 2023. We’re going to pump up the volume because we can’t stop, won’t stop.

The Black Press will be here for you, because we love hard. We work hard and we love hard.

And we can do so much more with your support. If you like what we’re doing, log on to www.texasmetronews. com and help us to do even more.

Stop Normalizing Anti-Blackness

THE LAST WORD

BY DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX

Autumn Roberson-Manahan is a 17-year-old Black girl attending high school in Slaton, Texas. The senior, who transferred to Slaton High School when her parents relocated there from Ohio, hoped to be her high school valedictorian based on her stellar grades.

Instead, she was subjected to regular, vile, racist harassment from white students who showered her with the n—r word, even when she respectfully asked them to “please stop.”

From where I sit, the constant use of the N-word is assaultive and aggressive. Autumn complained to school administrators, who did nothing even though there was a policy that students who used such slurs would be suspended.

Instead, the young lady was subjected to multiple verbal assaults and attempted to handle her challenges by asking offending white students to stop using the word.

Their Caucasity was rampant. They ignored her requests, and one day she snapped, yelling and slapping the fellow student who seemed to find the use of a racial slur amusing.

Nobody condones violence, and the use of the N-word is violent. School administrators chose to take no action against the unnamed white boy (who deserves suspension and more, and his parents should be reported to Child Protective Services for raising such a little monster) but suspended Autumn for 45 days, sentencing her to an “alternative” facility where students are required to wear orange jumpsuits (talk about the school-to-prison pipeline) and subjected to extreme so-called discipline.

Rather than submit to such extreme insanity, Autumn ran away from home and was considered a suicide risk. Her parents have filed a lawsuit against the school district and complained to the Department of Education.

Still, this amazing young lady has had her high school senior year interrupted and besmirched. And the toxic little white boy who taunted her mercilessly has experienced no consequences. We don’t even know his name!

Anti-blackness is at a peak, and it is disgustingly virulent. Black people are being openly massacred by so-called law enforcement officers who face few consequences for their murderous ways.

They claim they fear for their lives. What did Autumn fear when, after enduring racist harassment, she snapped? Who wouldn’t snap after the madness? And why is this so acceptable?

High school administrators say the N-word is “only a word.” But it is also the last word our ancestors heard before they were lynched. It is the word that was used to marginalize and criminalize.

It is a word that sometimes seeps into the lexicon, a word that some say stings less when uttered as “nigga” instead of “n—r.” But it is also a word that is historically objectionable.

The white administrators who said a word is just a word aren’t so weak on enforcement when other ethnic slurs are used.

They wouldn’t say a word was just a word if they were called out of their name. When a young girl complains about racist hazing, administrators need to stop it.

They should not protect the intellectually challenged white boy who insisted that he could use slurs because he was empowered to do so. Autumn com-

plained. Her parents complained. Nothing happened. The young lady felt powerless and alone.

The entire school system is at fault because they looked away from the madness of racial hazing. But we are also all at fault because we have normalized anti-Blackness.

Racist violence, whether verbal or physical, is the norm in this nation. It seems OK for white folks to haze, harass and demean Black people.

It is unacceptable, and there need to be consequences, not just for those who attacked and hazed Autumn, but for all of those who choose to haze and attack Black children in education systems all over the nation.

Too many people think that racism is “no big thing.” It’s not a big thing for ignorant, myopi, and unaffected people. But for Autumn, an ambitious young woman who has been scarred by these incidents because myopically ignorant white administrators failed to take action, it’s a big thing.

What action can we take as a collective? What can we do? As we end the year and make those empty resolutions, let’s make one with teeth. Let’s resolve to put an end to virulent anti-Blackness. Let’s support Autumn and every young student dealing with racist administrators. Let’s work to get them out of the jobs they do not deserve. Let’s say no more as emphatically as we can.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist, and social commentator.

What action can we take as a collective? What can we do?

As we end the year and make those empty resolutions, let’s make one with teeth. Let’s resolve to put an end to virulent anti-Blackness. Let’s support Autumn and every young student dealing with racist administrators. Let’s work to get them out of the jobs they do not deserve. Let’s say no more as emphatically as we can.

It’s Always Time for Justice!

DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ.

Aug. 28, 1955, was many lifetimes ago, but, in the evolution of this country, it seems like the blink of an eye. Irrefutably, the racism that is pervasive now was even more pervasive, brutal and accepted as a socio/cultural norm by oppressor and victim alike then. Aug. 28, 1955 was the day that 14-yearold Emmett Till, an African American youth from Chicago visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, was murdered.

His murder was most heinous. He was abducted at gunpoint from his uncle’s home, beaten beyond recognition. He was then shot to death and unceremoniously pitched into the Tallahatchie River with a large fan tied to his body to keep him submerged. His assailants were Roy Bryant, Carolyn Bryant’s husband, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam. Emmett’s offense? He allegedly whistled at a white woman!

Later Bryant and Milam were acquitted by an allwhite jury which, unbelievably, deliberated for only 65 minutes! After acquittal, they bragged about committing the murder. Even later, it was discovered that Carolyn Bryant lied about the circumstances that sent her husband and brother-in-law into a murderous rampage.

We now know that an unserved warrant for kidnapping was issued in 1955 for Carolyn Bryant. Her maternal responsibilities for her children were deemed more significant than her complicity in murder. The deaths of her husband and brother-in-law left her only living participant in that conspiratorial triad.

rightly belongs.

As more incriminating facts became known, Carolyn Bryant moved around the country. There is no complete record of her residences after leaving Mississippi, but it is known that she fled to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to live with her son. From Dec. 3-5, 2022, I visited Bowling Green for a rally to put focus for the murder of Emmett Till back on Carolyn Bryant, and on the radar of the United States Justice Department and the national conscience, where it

A group of us, including Nia 2X, attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz and John C. Barnett went to Kentucky to hold a rally at the address where Carolyn Bryant purportedly now lives. The morning of our rally, we awoke to a credible threat against rally participants. We gave thought to personal security, but, considering the gravity of our efforts, soldiered on.

It seemed like every local police officer was assigned to secure Carolyn Bryant’s home and to protect the guilty party! There were more police than there were of us!

Arriving at the site, I thought about Ida B. Wells in the 1890s enduring the dangers of working for ending the lynching of Black people. Over 130 years later and 67 years since 1955, we must still

seek justice for Emmett’s murder.

In 2009, Dick Gregory, Janet Langhart Cohen, Mark Planning and I worked diligently for a simple apology from the United States Senate for never having apologized for this dastardly crime. After much effort, we were successful.

Notwithstanding, it was another 13 years before the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching law criminalized lynching!

Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett Till’s mother, demonstrated her immense courage by allowing the world to see the horrors of racism by allowing the full display of her son’s body. Her faith in securing justice never wavered, but she died without realizing justice for the kidnapping and murder of her only child.

Since Aug. 28, 1955, while Emmett lay cold and dead, and Mamie suffered from loss that only a mother could know, Carolyn Bryant has lived an unmolested existence provided by a racist justice system and a social structure willing to ignore the horrors perpetrated against African Americans.

The president and Congress must advocate for the justice denied to Mamie Till-Mobley. The Department of Justice must serve the warrant on Carolyn Bryant to begin the overdue process of attaining justice.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org.

WAKE UP AND STAY WOKE

Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American from Chicago, was tortured and murdered in 1955.

Photo: Courtesy photo

Fair Access to Financial Services is

Vital to Closing the Racial Wealth

TO BE EQUAL

BY MARC MORIAL

“In 2022, in the United States of America, you can be turned away at a bank because of the color of your skin. The wealth and income disparities between white and minority households are a consequence of the unequal access and treatment minorities have faced. From accepting slaves as collateral for loans, to Jim Crow, to redlining, to the subprime mortgage crisis’ predatory practices, to the current crypto crisis, Black and brown Americans have never had equal access to or fair treatment in financial services.”

— Sen. Sherrod Brown

Recently, I had the opportunity to testify to the Senate Banking Committee at a hearing titled, “Fairness in Financial Services: Racism and Discrimination in Banking,” to shed light on racism in the banking industry and urge passage of the Fair Access to Financial Services Act.

Throughout our work, we have seen the dire consequences of an American financial system that has systematically cut off and shut out individuals, families,

businesses and communities of color from access to capital.

When people of color suffer racist engagement in the financial marketplace, it causes substantial monetary and non-monetary harm. Depending on how the racist behavior occurs, be it systematic, digital, in-person, community members often are unaware they received disparate treatment or a discriminatory outcome. This stems from a centuries-long strain of the Black and minority community with banking institutions. The exclusionary and biased practices have been widely documented, including the banking industry’s tendency to disproportionately open and operate branches in white/non-minority communities.

In addition to the reluctance to operate in communities of color, another source of racial discrimination may be bank employees’ discretionary practices in charging costs and fees. Bank employees wield discretionary power in racially executing bank policies — they determine how much a customer pays in costs and customers may face varying fees depending on who they talk to at the bank. The concerns about racial discrimination and bias in the banking workforce are also

not new and are illustrated in analyses of data from mortgage lending lawsuits brought to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, which illuminated widespread discriminatory practices, including loan officers who “referred to subprime loans in minority communities as ‘ghetto loans’ and minority customers as… ‘mud people.’

The consequences of these acts are reflected in the data: in the National Urban League’s State of Black America 2022 Equality Index, Black Americans are less likely to be approved for mortgages than white Americans, at a disparity rate of 41%.

Traditionally, decision-making authority at banks has been the bastion of middle- and upper-class white males. A clear solution to this issue is to invest and strengthen Black-owned banks, of which there is an incredible need. In our 2022 State of Black America Report we found that the number of Black-owned banks has dwindled immensely over the years. Between 1888 and 1934, there were 134 Black-owned banks to help the Black community. Today, there are only 19 Blackowned banks that qualify as Minority Depository Institutions.

Due to historic undercap-

italization, Black banks are small, with average assets of $363 million compared to $4 billion for all U.S. banks. The small number of Black banks and their small asset size limits their overall impact. A century of data proves that Black banks matter. When there is a Black bank in a community, Black people are more likely to be able to buy a home or secure a small business loan. These institutions help minorities build wealth by providing mortgages, small business loans, and financial services when others will not. That is why the work of uplifting Black banks is so vital.

There is work being done at the federal level and additional bipartisan solutions that Congress and the Executive Branch can take to address these ills and barriers. The National Urban League has partnered with both to be part of the solution, because just as redlining and disinvestment in communities of color is contagious, so is “greenlining” and reinvestment in those communities.

In March of this year, the Treasury Department certified the National Urban League’s small business lending subsidiary, The Urban Empowerment Fund, as a Community Development Financial Institution

Holiday Gifting

MONEY TALK

BY RODNEY A. BROOKS

First of all, let me say, I’m not a grinch. So, I’m not suggesting that you don’t buy your young children the toys and gifts that they ask for. But the holidays are the perfect time to buy gifts for your children (or grandchildren) of any age that will teach them lessons about money and investing and provide them a solid foundation for their financial futures.

Let’s start with a little lesson on the stock market. The last two months have been good for stocks, but it’s not hard to remember when stocks fell off a cliff earlier this year. Still, the S&P 500 is down 15 percent this year.

But over the last 20 years the annualized rate of return for stocks is nearly 10 percent. Over the last 10 years the annual rate of return for stocks has been 16.4 percent.

So, think about how a simple gift of $100 invested in the market would grow as your children or grandchildren grow. Let’s do an example.

Invest $100 with a return of 6% to 10% a year and your return will be $2,330 in 20 years. But if you add $25 a month to that initial $100 investment, you will have $14,194. That gives you a

sense of investing if continuing to contribute regularly.

Here are some great financial gifts for kids.

Mutual Funds

Mutual funds will let you invest as little as $100 if you agree to automatic contributions. Mutual funds are

in the movie business and the streaming business. The Motley Fool, an investing website, has picked Disney as one of the 10 best stocks for investors right now.

Footnote: If you had invested $1,000 in Disney 10 years ago you would have doubled your money.

I am not recommending

or I savings bonds will earn interest for up to 30 years. Right now, the rate for Series I is 6.89%. To check current rates, go to https:// treasurydirect.gov.

And for the big kids

safer than stocks because each fund invests in hundreds of different stocks. That makes them less risky. Some of the larger mutual fund companies are Fidelity Investments, Vanguard, American Funds and Franklin Templeton Investments.

Stocks

Most financial advisors recommend that new investors start out with mutual fund. But parents for years have gifted children a single share of stock. That way they can watch it grow or buy more as they age. Boomers will remember that Baby Bell stocks were chosen by parents often. But sometimes toy companies, retailers or even automakers.

Let’s say you buy one share of Disney. Right now, the stock is selling for under $100 as the company is undergoing some management turmoil. Besides the theme parks, Disney is

Disney stock; I’m just using it as an example. If you had invested $1,000 in Amazon 10 years ago you would have $7,653 today.

529 Plan

I’ve written about them several times. A 529 can be used it to pay for college or for private school tuition. Just about every state has a plan available. Like mutual funds, you can open a plan with as little as $100.

You can keep control of the money as it grows and turn it over to the child when he or she turns 18 to help with college tuition. They (or you) can also use it to pay private or trade school tuition.

You can also set up the account so friends and family can contribute.

Savings bonds

Savings bonds have long been a favorite gift of parents to their kids. Series EE

Finally, I want to suggest a gift for your big kids, whether they be Gen Z or Millennials. Buy them a one-time sit down with a financial planner. You can find one locally that may agree to a minimal rate. Prices can vary. You can contact one of the mutual funds which also provide the service. Cost could be as little as $300 or even less. It could also be considerably more, but I’m sure you can keep the cost low with the right person. If you already have a financial advisor, they might do it for free.

It could help you adult children towards a more solid financial future. The financial advisor may tell how to better save or if they are putting enough money in their 401(k), for example.

Your grown children may not listen, but you might also be helping them achieve a solid financial future and help close the racial wealth gap.

Rodney A. Brooks is a Senior Fellow at Prosperity Now and the author of Fixing the Racial Wealth Gap: Racism and discrimination put us here, but this is how we can save future generations. A former Deputy Managing Editor/Money at USA TODAY, he has written for USA TODAY, The Washington Post and National Geographic.

These holiday gifts for kids will both teach them about money and have a lasting impact on their lives

Time to show your heart some love

February is Heart Month. And heart disease is the leading cause of death in our community and across the country. So, let’s do something about it, together. Every week during Heart Month we’ll be sharing heart healthy tips, from early warning signs to recipes and exercise ideas. Caring for the heart health of our friends and neighbors. That’s community and why so many people Trust Methodist.

Sign up for Heart Month emails with tips, recipes, exercise ideas, info on events, and more at: MethodistHealthSystem.org/HeartMonth

Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical sta are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System. Methodist Health System compiles with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

Fair Access Financial Services

(CDFI), bolstering its ability to deliver vital capital to urban communities. The Fund provides direct loans to Black and other minority-owned businesses in tandem with select Urban League Entrepreneurship Centers, which are currently operating in thirteen Urban League affiliate cities. Perhaps one of our greatest achievements to date, however, will be the opening of the National Urban League’s new headquarters, the Urban League Empowerment Center. Our new home is not just a home for us, it is a $242 million, 414,000-square-foot investment in the community. Our Empowerment Center is one of the most significant economic development projects in Harlem’s recent

history. And in constructing it, we are leading with our values. In addition to affordable housing, we are using minority and women-owned contractors and businesses throughout the building’s conceptualization to construction — from our owners’ representative to our construction firms to our professional services firms. Our project — built in one of the toughest real estate markets in the world — is on time, on budget, embraced by the community, and slated to open fully by early 2025.

In 2010, Congress passed, and the President signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Not only did this bill prohibit some of the most out-

cont. from page 8

rageous practices witnessed by predatory banking lenders, but it also created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). We are disappointed by recent actions and court rulings aimed at preventing the CFPB from using its existing authority to protect consumers from racial discrimination when seeking mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, bank accounts or other financial services. Just two years after banking executives named themselves allies in the fight against systemic racism, these lawsuits feel like a betrayal to communities who have been too long discriminated against by these institutions.

The Fair Access to Financial Services Act has an op-

portunity to build upon the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and regulatory protections by ensuring that all Americans have equal access to goods and services offered by financial institutions and that they are held liable if they do not comply with these standards. The legislation would prohibit banking and other financial institutions from conducting discriminatory practices and services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex — closing the gap and fulfilling the spirit of the Civil Rights Act to ensure that all people in this country have access to economic equity and empowerment. Congress must take action to advance and pass this critical piece of legislation.

Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.

Coronavirus Files

VIRAL INFECTIONS

SKYROCKET, IMPACTING KIDS AND HOSPITALS

The flu virus took full advantage of family gatherings over the Thanks-giving holiday.

Over the week that ended Nov. 26, hospitalizations for flu nearly doubled, reports Richard Franki at Web-MD. The number of positive flu tests that week, more than 34,000 nation-wide, is the most ever reported, with records going back to 1997, reports Keren Landman at Vox — though that figure is in part explained by higher testing rates.

The CDC’s map of flu-like illness rates, normally a woodsy mix of green hues in autumns past, is now a patchwork of purple and red.

RSV and COVID are also going strong. Pandemic protection measures flattened both RSV and the flu in recent years, so the population lacks immunity, creating an ideal opportunity for them to come back strong.

Children in particular, and the pediatric hospital units that serve them, are suffering from the “tripledemic,” write Sallie Permar and Robert J. Vinci at STAT. Families are struggling to find children’s fever medicines, with drug store shelves nearly bare, reports Laurel Wamsley at NPR.

Most people do have some immunity to COVID this season. A recent preprint estimates that some 94% of the U.S. population has been infected by the virus at least once. That, plus vaccinations, should provide some measure of protection against the worst outcomes — but COVID hospitalizations still rose in Thanksgiving’s wake, reports Erin Prater at Fortune Well. The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants currently circulating have a greater ability to escape prior immunity than previous variants, notes Michael DePeau-Wilson at MedPage Today.

New York City is experiencing a high rate of new COVID cases and COVID hospital-

izations, report Corina Knoll and Sarah Cahalan at The New York Times, but it’s Los Angeles County — the nation’s most populous — that’s currently staring down the possibility of a new mask mandate.

LA County’s Department of Public Health has set two trigger points for the return of masking requirements. The first such trigger, 10 or more weekly hospital admissions for COVID per 100,000 residents, has already been met, report Luke

participants who mirrored the general population, according to a new JAMA Network study.

Women were underrepresented among the pool of more than 176,000 participants, as were Black and Asian people.

Better representation is important because doctors can’t be confident in treatments only tested on groups with skewed demographics.

In contrast, Latino and Hispanic people were overrepresented. That may reflect the preponderance of trials in states like Florida, Texas and California, which have large Hispanic and Latino populations, reports Annalee Armstrong at Fierce Biotech.

Money and Rong-Gong Lin II at the Los Angeles Times. If the county hits the second mark — 10% or more of hospital beds occupied by COVID patients — it could prompt the return of a mask mandate in early January, said LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

While LA County, and the CDC, have already encouraged people to mask up to avoid the stew of circulating respiratory viruses, public enthusiasm for a return to face coverings is decidedly low, report Cahalan and Knoll.

“Three years in, it is extraordinarily difficult to mandate,” said Dr. Sara Cody, public health director for Santa Clara County.

WOMEN, BLACK AND ASIAN PEOPLE LEFT OUT OF COVID TRIALS

Amid a collection of 122 COVID trials, researchers generally failed to recruit

The Pew Research Center recently released a poll on attitudes towards clinical trial participation, and found that Black and Hispanic individuals were a little less likely to say such trials are important than white or Asian people. In focus groups, some people of color pointed to past mis-treatment of communities of color in medical research as reason to avoid being a “test case.”

OMICRON BOOSTER AUTHORIZED FOR KIDS AS YOUNG AS 6 MONTHS

The bivalent booster that targets the omicron variant has been authorized for children under 5, the FDA announced.

Eligibility depends on which shots kids got previously. Those who received two doses of Moderna’s original-formula vaccine can already get that company’s bivalent booster. Children who are midway through Pfizer’s three-dose regimen for that age group can receive a bivalent booster for their third shot.

But those who already completed Pfizer’s primary series will have to wait.

The FDA has not yet received data to support a fourth, bivalent shot for those children, but expects to have the data in hand by January, reports Spencer Kimball at CNBC.

Briefs

To Fight COVID-19, Generously Apply Common Sense!

By Sen. Royce West

For how many of us did it take more than one experience to learn the simple lesson of ‘don’t stick your hand in the fire?’

Maybe you took your parents word, or saw what happened to others who did not heed the warning. But five months into a deadly virus that’s claimed more than 637,000 lives worldwide, there remain too many who still do not believe that the incendiary spread of the coronavirus is tragically real.

To hasten efforts to bring the virus under control, I offer a simple standard. If instructions offered to combat COVID make sense, DO IT!

If you hear something that doesn’t, DON’T DO IT!

For example, wearing a mask helps slow the spread of the virus. Since a cure has yet to be discovered and we know the disease is highly contagious, DO IT! Wear a mask!

On the other hand, most Americans were dumbfounded by ramblings from a White House podium which pondered ingesting bleach or other toxic disinfectants as a COVID remedy. Please, DON’T DO IT!

Worldwide, we have been given the message to avoid large crowds and have learned the term “social distancing.”

The virus, experts repeat, is most easily spread from person-to-person when within six feet of another.

It makes sense that if you are not in close proximity to others, you are less likely to be contacted by spraying saliva droplets that could transmit COVID. So keep apart. DO IT.

But last month, there was a rally in Tulsa and a Sunday church service in Downtown Dallas where social distancing was not observed; few wore masks, and one even had a packed

cases reported since testing began totaled 3,240, with 94 recorded deaths.

Three weeks later, by May 18, those numbers had more than doubled to 7,679 cases and 177 deaths.

more than 80,000 cases.

And although the U.S. comprises less than five percent of the world’s population, one-fourth of the 15.65 million COVID cases worldwide are in America. DON’T believe it when someone says America is doing a great job fighting COVID.

Yes, it is an unenviable task to strike a balance among competing interests of public health, the economy and the need for Texans and Americans to earn a living. But what we have seen is an example similar to those in a canoe when everyone does not row in the same direction.

There’s a lot of thrashing and splashing, but the boat is not moving forward. Stern, single-minded direction is required.

When someone tells you that the reason there are more cases is because we are conducting more tests, DON’T fall for it.

choir stand from where days later, positive tests were reported. Indoor crowds, no masks, medical officials say loudly, “DON’T DO IT!”

Here are the facts. During the early weeks of the virus when national and state stay at home orders were in place and even grudgingly adhered to by most Americans, the spread of the virus appeared to be reasonably under control. When those lock downs were lifted, the raging wildfire that is the coronavirus began to engulf the country city-by-city, state-by-state and region-by-region.

In Dallas County, on April 28, just days before the expiration of the stay at home order, the number of positive

The number of cases reported for June 15 in Dallas County had nearly doubled again to 14,232 with 284 deaths. We were alarmed when the 7-day average of new cases climbed to 300. This month, beginning July 5, Dallas County reported more than 1,000 new cases for 16 straight days, with the cumulative total now exceeding 44,750 and nearing 600 deaths (7/24/20).

Statewide, about 370,000 people have contracted the coronavirus and the death toll has topped 4,700.

For a broader perspective, on March 27, there were about 540,000 COVID cases worldwide. But even then, the United States was a dubious #1, with

And DON’T believe it when you hear that the outcomes of “99 percent of these cases are totally harmless,” when more than 145,200 Americans have died.

But when someone gives practical advice like wearing masks, avoiding crowds and washing your hands will help slow the spread of a virus that has no cure, think once, twice if you must.

Then DO IT!

Royce Barry West serves as a member of the Texas Senate, representing the Dallas-based 23rd District.

Texas State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) receives COVID Vaccine. Photo: R. West

Editor’s Note: As the numbers continued to rise, Texas State Senator Royce West was one of many elected officials who addressed health concerns.

Briefs

Relative Deals With Various Challenges During Pandemic

BY RASA SNIUOLYTE

The entire education system had to be reoriented and reorganized in a short time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children’s education form changed. This sudden change, going from direct to remote, caused by unforeseen conditions affected the interaction, involvement, and roles of the participants in the educational process (children, parents, teachers).

I would like to share my close insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic affected my family member: an 11-year-old boy named Christopher.

During the time of quarantine, when everyone was studying remotely, screen time increased dramatically.

Screen time and its effects on children’s physical and mental health have been extensively studied by scientists in the last decade.

The relevance of these studies was promoted by the constantly increasing availability of various mobile devices and their excessive use in educating children of various ages.

One of the biggest issues the kids have faced

with increased screen time was an addiction to the technologies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends no more than two hours of screen time per day for kids between 10 and 15 years.

Unfortunately, the hours for Christopher was higher, averaging between six and eight hours a day.

This has led to various mental, physical, and behavioral issues for him, which I would like to discuss in greater detail. One of the biggest issues Christopher faced was disrupted sleep.

During the pandemic, he would sleep at midnight as opposed to 9:30 in the evening before.

He also had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night and checking his phone, which was noticed by his mom.

Unfortunately, this led to mood swings, bad eating habits (he had strong cravings for junk food), and difficulty concentrating.

It is worth mentioning that there is a bright side to this: Christopher was able to be in bed longer because he did not need to wake up early to prepare for school.

Longer screen time also led to more frequent so-

matic physical complaints. I noticed that Christopher expressed more stomach, head, and back pain than ever before.

It also affected his motivation and desire to spend more time outside and explore the world.

Finally, because of COVID-19, activities after school were canceled. This led to isolation from his basketball team friends and it change his socialization habits.

Christopher became more reserved and easily irritated with the mobile phones now being used as a coping mechanism for calming down and taking attention away from the main issue.

To sum it up, the COVID-19 pandemic was tough for Christopher and kids his age. Christopher‘s well-being and issues were nothing compared to the people who were fighting the virus.

I hope the educational system will improve in the future in order to help young kids to face fewer consequences.

Rasa Sniuolyte is a student from Lithuania, currently studying at Dallas College. She found her passion for kite-boarding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Christian, 11, likes Robotics.

Photo: family

Rasa Sniuolyte

Photo: sniuolyte

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! December 2022

Hillary and Michael Foster 4 years

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Knox

Mr. and Mrs. Brown 12 years Antonio and Dorothy 60 years Mr. Terrence and Lisa Henderson 30 years

Tarence and Lucretia Robinson 27 years

Metro Community Calendar powered by

DECEMBER

31

Old City Park Guided Tour Sat, 5 – 7 PM

1515 S Harwood St Dallas, TX

7

16

Realizing the Dream Healthy Living Expo at Dallas’ African American Museum, 10a-6p Call 214-941-0110 for vendor information!

Holiday at

the Arboretum 8525 Garland Road

30

It’s a Scavenger Hunt! Garland

Fri, 10 AM – 8 PM

Plaza Garland, 3161 Broadway Blvd Garland, TX

New Year’s Day Sunday Service & Potluck — CityBridge

Sun, 10 AM – 1 PM

CityBridge Community Church, 6400 K Ave

Plano, TX

JANUARY

1

Dallas County Democrats 2023 Swearing-In Ceremony

***

Children’s Holiday Tea 2022 at the Heard-Craig Center Fri, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Heard-Craig Center for the Arts, 205 W Hunt St McKinney, TX

Celebrate the New Year and our reelected and newly elected Dallas County Officials at the beautiful Tower Club downtown. While statewide elections didn’t go our way, Dallas County voters flipped three county seats red to blue, resulting in a Dallas County government that’s nearly all Democratic (one seat remaining out of more than 40) and more reflective of our county!

Time: 1:00-3:00 PM

Tower Club

1601 Elm St 48th Floor Dallas, TX 75201

Afro Soca Love : Dallas Black Owned Marketplace ...

Jn 7 – 8, 2023 Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery St Dallas, TX

***

Financial Literacy Workshops Black Amer & PT/FT... Sat, 4:00 – 5:30 PM 13111 N US 75-Central Expy 1000 Dallas, TX

8

Black History Tour Sun, 11 AM – 1 PM Old City Park, 1515 S Harwood St Dallas, TX

10

Mixer & Reception with the FW Metropolitan Black... Tue, 5:30 – 7:30 PM

National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum, 2029 N Main St Fort Worth, TX

13

Poets N’ Jazz Fri, 7 PM

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

20

Pop at The Muse

Fri, 9 PM

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

MARCH 3

St. Philip’s School and Community Center will host its 23rd Annual Parrish Family Destiny Award Luncheon featuring a conversation with Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Sterling K. Brown, 11:30 am at the Hilton Anatole. The Student Showcase is from 10:30-11:15 am.

CHECK OUT WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM

Lifestyle Metro Calendar powered by

DECEMBER

28

Black Hollywood New Year’s Eve Party Dec 31, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023 Midway Tower, 4230 LyndonJohnson Fwy # 600 Dallas, TX

***

Steppers New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball Step into 2023! At Crowne Plaza 7050 North Stemmons Freeway Dallas. A two day event. 5pm. Friday to 1 am Sunday New Year’s Day. https://bit.ly/3iyV9YF

13

The MLK Comedy Kick-Off Corey Holcomb & Friends hosted by Tony Roberts at the Majestic Theatre ***

Exhibition - The Negro Motorist Green Book Wed, 10 AM – 4 PM

Irving Archives and Museum, 801 W Irving Blvd Irving, TX

***

Pop-Up Craft: Drum: Dec. 28 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Forest Green Branch Library, 9619 GreenvilleAve. ***

Dec. 29-31

The Light Park

2023 Equity IndicatorsSymposium

The Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. are collecting COLLECTION SITE Starlight Event Center 1010 Parkerville Rd., Cedar Hill TX.

COLLECTION DATES (TIMES)

THURSDAY, 12-29 (FROM 5 TO 7PM)

1800 W. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, TX 76006

4th Annual Equity Indicators Symposium. The Symposium will be centered around the recently adopted Racial Equity Plan (REP) aimed at addressing disparities found in the Dallas Equity Indicators Report* published in 2019.

15

The R&B Kick Back featuring TYRESE, Anthony Hamilton and Donell Jones at Texas Trust Theater at Grand Prairie

16

The Realizing the Dream Healthy Living Expo will be held at the African American Museum. Vendors, entertainment, health screenings and more. Powered by Comerica Bank. Call to reserve your spot today 214-941-0110

FEBRUARY 04

The Black Academy of Arts and Letters - Dallas Tickets

Sat, 4 PM 1309 Canton St Dallas, TX 10

Valentine’s Felt Friends + Black History Inventors Mon, 12 – 1 PM Mesquite Arts Center, 1527 N Galloway Ave Mesquite, TX

Celebrations of Light Kwanzaa: Dec. 28-30 at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young St., Dallas. ***

FRIDAY, 12-30 (FROM 5 TO 7PM)

SATURDAY, 12-31 (FROM 7 TO 8AM)

Contact Bridget Nevels at DA1913.ERT@gmail.com

30

The Light Park is open at Hurricane Harbor in Arlington. The drive-through light show features millions of Christmas lights and festive music. Check out TheLightPark. com/Arlington for more information on tickets, times and more

JANUARY

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Wed, Dec 28 – Thu, Dec 29

2500 Victory AvDallas, TX ***

SOUL JAZZ THURSDAYS with Natural Change Band

AT SANDAGA at Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. Dallas. 8PM-12AM. www. sandaga813.com

Jerry Pinkney Day and Kwanzaa Celebration: Dec. 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register online to receive a link to the virtual event.

31

END OF THE YEAR VENDOR BASH!! Sat, 11 AM – 5 PM

Music City Mall Lewisville, 2401 S Stemmons Fwy Lewisville, TX

Friday, January 6

Clarence Muse Cafe Theater

DOWNTOWN DALLAS

COMEDY - Feat. B Cole

Paul Quinn College from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. as part of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week. Register at https://bit.ly/2023EquityIndicatorsSymposium.

14

105.7 Smooth Winter VII featuring Fantasia and Joe, with Special Guest RC Gritz at Texas Trust Theater at Grand Prairie

Call issued to Support Black Businesses

Buy Black!

By Cheryl Smith Texas Metro News

When Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, of Friendship-West Baptist Church, announced 100 Days of Buying Black in acknowledging the 100th Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre, we joined the movement. December 31, 2021 marked 100 days of featuring Black Businesses. and we decided that the struggle continues and we must also. So enjoy reading about more Black-owned businesses and please support.

JORDAN GARRETT REALTOR

Jordan brings years of experience in Sales and Marketing transferable to real estate, excellent customer service and care. Are you tired of cramped overpriced apartments? If you live or want to live in the Houston you can lease stunning affordable homes in the Houston area as low as $1600 a month and a 580 credit score.

Contact Jordan Garrett at 832-779-4134 and visit the website: https://s14ln3t8.ldpages.com

RAPID FIRE DIGITAL MARKETING

Dorion E. Gipson, CEO & Founder believes that we are all put on this earth for a reason. After being let go from his IT job in 2020 because of COVID, he went to

work for himself and started his own Digital Marketing Company. Not only do I assist with Digital Marketing Services. He is also showing businesses other innovative ways of how to create other streams of income.

Rapid Fire Digital Marketing. https:// rapidfiredigitalmarketing.com/ Email: rapidfiredigitalmarketing@gmail.com

KWALITY KLEANING

Kwality Kleaning, a home and office cleaning services. Are you in need of a Quality cleaning service. Kwality Kleaning is accepting new clients in 2023. They offer recurring services. This way they can come as often as you need them rather if It’s Daily, Weekly, Bi Weekly, Or Monthly.

Contact them today at 214-901-7317 or Visit kwalitykleaningservices.com.

Contact Nikita to learn the pre-approval process at 817-209-5699 or Email: yourhomeandloangirl@gmail.com. Website: passionandpurposerealtygroup.com

DA JOURNAL GIRL!

HEARTS AND

THE FAMILY Mike Coleman, Ph.D., MBA Hearts and the Family is a resource based organization focused on improving the heart health of individuals and families in diverse and underserved communities. They provide information and coaching to individuals and families recovering from heart disease. Find out more about Dr. Mike Coleman and Hearts and the family. Website: https://www.heartsandthefamily.com/ or Email Dr. Mike at drcoleman@heartsandthefamily. com

NIKITA JACOBS

Mortgage Broker Associate

One common mistake made by first-time homebuyers is not getting pre-approved for a mortgage “before” they begin looking for a home. This mistake could cost you the opportunity to make an offer on your dream house.

Da Journal Girl! Nijah, owner. Da Journal Girl invites you to join as Nijah’s mission is to build resilience in my community. Promoting self-healing, selflove, and self-confidence. Come heal with me. The Journals are created with passion, meaning and positive vibrations. Let’s heal through writing therapy.

Visit the website: https://solelydefined.company.site/ or Email them at dajournalgirl@gmail.com Phone (724) 797-5656

ADORN INTERIORS

Roshaunda Ingram-Harvey, owner

Adorning People and Spaces. Simply stated, Adorn is all about YOU! Offering a full range of interior decorating services including full-service decorating and redesign, e-design, DIY, feng shui, staging, and professional organizing to meet all your needs.

www.AdornedInteriorDesigns.com. Phone: (346) 640-2444 or Email: info@adornedinteriordesigns.com

Dr. Frederick D.Haynes III

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé dies

The legendary Brazilian soccer player Pelé died on Thursday at the age of 82. He had been fighting cancer for over a year. The soccer icon is the only player to win the World Cup three times. FIFA named him the “greatest of all time” in 2012 and the International Olympic Committee named him the “athlete of the century” in 1999.

Pele

Photo: Franck Fife | AFP | Getty Images

Bennie l Johnson

On January 8, 1938, Bennie l Johnson was born the seventh child of Nellie Tryon and Bennie Johnson in Grapeland, Texas. He united with the Cedar Branch Baptist Church at an early age and attended elementary school and W.R. Banks High School. He served in the United States Army where he received an honorable discharge. In 1961 he married Earnestine Williams and to this union two children were born, one child preceded him in death. He was retired from Vent-A-Hood in Richardson,

Texas. On November 27, 2022, he entered into eternal rest. He was preceded in death by His daughter, Nellie Faye John-

JESSE EARL BELL

Mr. Jesse Earl Bell was born July 2, 1941, to the parentage of the late Pete Bell and Florence Moore of Winona, TX.

He received his education from Emmett Scott High School in Tyler, Texas. He served in the United States Marines. After his years of service, he relocated to Los Angles, California. Jesse Bell was a manager of a car dealerships, businessman, and entrepreneur in various endeavors.

Jesse Bell met and married Hazel Hampton; to this union, one daughter, Vanessia BellJones, was born. Then he met and married the late Barbara Campbell, and to this union,

one son, Rodney Bell, was born, and three step-children, Andere Flowers, Keith Flowers, and Antoinette Harris. Later he met and married Ella Beamon on September 7,

son, parents, five sisters, Zella Mae Harvey, Nellie Ann Freeman, Annie Loise Welch, Della Watson, Katie Mar Jackson: four brothers, Wilbert Johnson, H.D. Smith, Q.V. Gilford, and James Johnson.

Left to cherish his memories and legacy; wife, Earnestine Johnson; daughter, Norvella Marie Johnson; one grandson, Nicholas J. Hill; two great-grandchildren, Alexis Marie Hill and Aaliyah N. Hill; one sister, Wanda Marie Johnson; and a host of nieces, nephews’ other relatives and friends.

July 2, 1941 — December 20, 2022

2017, and the two were inseparable until the Lord called him home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Julius Bell, Walter Bell, and James Bell, and one sister, Vivian Wilburn.

He leaves to cherish his wife, Ella Bell; two children, Vanessia Bell-Jones, Tyler, Texas and Rodney Bell, California; step-children, Andere Flowers, California, Keith Flowers, California, Antoinette Harris, California; and grandchildren, great-grandchild, and a host of nieces, nephews and a special nephew, Gary Henson, and other relatives and friends.

Kevin Damon McDonald

Life Reflections

On November 22, 1984, Lord blessed Fredrick and Lora McDonald with a baby boy whom they named Kevin Damon McDonald, a blessing for 38 years with their son. Kevin was baptized at the age of 10 at Freeman Chapel Primitive Baptist and was a faithful member until his death on Sunday, December 4, 2022. He received his education in Dallas, Texas attending South Oak High School. He worked local general contractor.

Kevin was preceded in death by Freddie L. and Emma Faye McDonald and Kary and Annie

Mae Bell, grandparents, LaKeisha McDonald sister; 7 Uncle Cornell McDonald, Alfred, Ar-

Steven Ray Land

Steven land was born on May 5th 1956, in Tyler, Texas to the parentage of Doris Helen Land. Being born into a loving, Christian home, Steven accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and savior at the age of 9 under the pastorate of JD Hamilton at the historic faith Tabernacle Church of deliverance in Chandler TX. Graduating from Skyline High School in Dallas TX, he was active in student council president class president and National Honor Society. He was also drum major of the Skyline High School marching band and first chair. Steven was a God loving man

who enjoyed life. He wore many hats son, brother, father in love, uncle, coach, referee, banker, mentor, volunteer and so many more. He is proceeded in death by his mother

thur, Charles Wright and, Kary, Joe, Ricky Bell, and 1 Aunt Tommie Wright.

Kevin leaves to celebrate his life with his parents Frederick and Lora McDonald. Astrick Bell as a sister, 5 Aunts Katherine McDonald, Donna Anderson, and Marilyn McDonald all of Athens, TX. Jeanella Cook, Fort Worth, TX, Betty Wright of Dallas, Texas;2 nephews, J’Quan Beavers and LaDarius Wren, along with a host of relatives and friends Special Friend Jocelyn Johnson, Special Mom’s Gail Pratt, and Thelma Wooten-Coleman.

1956 - 2022

Doris Land-Foerster his sister Janice Land-Havens. He was beloved coach as many years he headed up teams in the Slam and Jam tournaments in Dallas. He loved sports he took his younger brothers to their first football practice and was there even up to college he refereed junior high and high school games. Steven leaves to cherish his memory two siblings Darren Land and Ronnie Land, his niece Pamela Land who he raised as his daughter, niece Sylvia Land, nephew James Land and a host grand/ great grand(children) nieces, nephews and friends.

Dirk's Statue Unveiled

Dirk's statue in downtown Dallas.

Photo: Dorothy Gentry

By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor

For 21 years he was the face of the Dallas Mavericks and a beloved athlete in this city.

On Christmas Day, the gift that has been Dirk Nowitzki was immortalized in front of his family, friends, fans and former teammates on a chilly but sunny day.

Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks unveiled a 24-foot statue of Nowitzki – featuring his famous one-leg fadeaway – outside the American Airlines Center.

“It was emotional,” said Nowitzki, the only NBA player to spend all 21 seasons with the same franchise. “When the thing went up, felt like the sun was just perfect today, just shining right on it.”

The statue sits on the side of the AAC on a street named after him – Nowitzki Way. Earlier this year his jersey was raised to the rafters of the AAC and he is eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Not bad for a kid from Germany who would end

up spending all 21 of his years in the NBA with one team in one city.

"You earned it for every fan of the Dallas Mavericks, for every fan of Dirk Nowitzki," Cuban said.

The white bronze statue was made by Omri Amrany, who also designed a few sculptures of other NBA legends, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain.

Nowitzki currently sits sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring leaderboard with 31,560 points. He has been named to 14 NBA All-Star rosters, 12 All-NBA rosters

and he won an MVP and a Finals MVP.

"Be the best you can be," Nowitzki responded when asked during a news conference with media what he wants his legacy to be.

"Bring everything out of your talent, don’t leave any stone unturned...that was on the court. And I think the coolest thing off the court was how I grew into this community."

The statue includes the shoes and jersey Nowitzki wore during 2011 season – they year they won the NBA Title. At the bottom of the statue, it reads: "Loyalty never fades away."

Dirk Nowitzki

Jazz Legend Jeff Aycock Headlined At Youth Arts Org Fundraiser In Killeen

Dallas Jazz legend Jeff Aycock and his Quartet closed out the 2022 Soul Arts Collective Music Fest Fundraiser in Killeen with an unforgettable performance. The Music Fest was held at Endeavors Performing Arts & Special Events Venue at 868 S. Fort Hood Street. Owners, Monique Stone and children Claude McIver and Ursula Cimone showcased on December 10 th and 11 th two local rap artist and four stellar bands from across Texas in their second music fest event.

Saturday began at 6:30pm with Lul Roccet, an up-and-coming Central Texas rap artist known for his profound lyrical rhymes. At 7pm it was rockin' Reggae with Killeen's Cultural Effect Band that had everyone rockin' in their seat or on the dance floor. Then

at 9pm, T.J. Bells and Another Band of Gypsys out of Waco took to the stage and turned it out with their signature backstreet blues.

Sunday the audience was blessed at 3pm with a performance by Levallois Hamilton, a well known Christian rapper in Killeen who had much to say about uplifting the youth, his community and the woes of the world we live in. Then Killeen's own phenomenal Sax Man Rashad Maybells and Band showed up and showed out at 3:30pm. He and his band electrified the audience with their Jazz Funk and R&B song selections that often featured epic vocalist, songstress Michelle Marie.

Then Dallas's own Jeff Aycock & Quartet stepped into the spotlight at 6pm and took us on a smooth jazz

journey, masterfully playing jazz lovers favorites plus some of his own original songs. Jeff Aycock has been mesmerizing audience all over Texas and the U.S. for over fifty years and he still has much to give. The three other talented members of The Jeff Aycock Quartet are Larry Davis on keyboard, Eddie Mac on drums and Kenya Keys on vocals.

It was a charity event weekend to remember for the 2023 Soul Arts Collective Youth Summer Program and we hope you remember not to miss the next Music Fest at Killeen's Endeavors Venue in December of 2023. For more music, stage-play and spoken word events info or to purchase tickets to any of our upcoming shows call us at 310.341.8036 or visit our website at www.endeavorsvenue.com.

Jeff Aycock, Eddie Mac, Kenya Keys and Larry Davis