I Messenger 6-25-21 by Cheryl Smith

I MESSENGER VOL X NO 40 JUNE 25, 2021

Publisher seeks re-election at June Convention

Karen Carter Richards

IMessenger An IMM LLC Publication MAILING ADDRESS 320 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 220 Dallas, TX 75203 WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM 214-941-0110 Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER - EDITOR news@texasmetronews.com S. Curet GENERAL MANAGER stewartcuret@myimessenger.com Jessica Hayden STAFFWRITER EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Marva Sneed EDITORIAL TEAM Anthony Council Chelle Wilson Dareia Tolbert Dr. Felicia N. Shepherd Dorothy J. Gentry Eva Coleman Monique P. Stone Lajuana Barton Rebecca Aguilar Vincent Hall MARKETING TEAM Carlton McConnell Terry Allen PR DESIGN/LAYOUT FzanStudio

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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. June 25, 2021

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Vaccinations for adolescents on rise OUR VOICES BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS JR.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not yet ended throughout and across America. Yes, there has been considerable progress in the wake of increased vaccinations in every region of the United States. But for Black America, the pandemic is still disproportionately negatively impacting the quality of life in our families and communities. The issue of vaccination hesitancy is serious. That is why the Black Press of America via the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) will continue to be committed to inform Black America and others about the facts and truth concerning COVID-19 and the vaccinations that have been approved by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Over 60% of the United States’ population has now had at least one vaccination, in particular from, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson as approved by the FDA. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents age 12 to 15 as authorized by the FDA. Those who are age 16 and older in the U.S. continue to increasingly receive vaccinations to protect themselves from the contagious and deadly COVID-19 virus. While there remains some public and private debates about vaccinations, these debates should not be based on politics or social status or on racial stereotyping and profiling. The truth and facts about COVID-19

and the effectiveness of the approved vaccinations should not be relegated to partisan disagreement. Truth does not discriminate. There is no such thing as an “alternative truth.” The absence of truth is a lie. Facts and the science that produces the facts are important to always consider in making decisions about public health issues. Here are the facts and truth about the kids being vaccinated in the U.S. If you are a parent who wants to protect your child from COVID-19, or if you are a teenager who is interested in getting vaccinated, you can go directly to the official U.S. government website: www. vaccines.gov or you can text your ZIP code to 438829 to find places near you that have the Pfizer vaccine readily available in stock. Millions of 12-to-17-year-olds have already received at least one COVID-19 vaccination. The Pfizer vaccine has been through rigorous testing and thorough review by the FDA and CDC. Thousands of adolescents ages 12 to 15 were in the clinical trials, and among those who received it, the vaccine was 100% effective at preventing COVID-19. When a nation puts a priority in protecting its children from harm, dangers and fatal disease, that is a nation that is protecting and ensuring its future health and progress. Black American and all communities of color must stay alert, informed and committed to protect our children and all children in America from the dreaded COVID-19 virus. We are grateful that the Biden-Harris Administration is stiving to keep its promise to make America safe and healthy. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is NNPA president and CEO.

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INSIDE

I Was Just Thinking

The Last Word

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Richardson Bolts Into History With lightning-like quickness and a will to dominate, Sha’Carri Richardson is on her way to the Olympics in Tokyo. The 21-year-old native of Dallas, TX, won the women’s 100-meter final during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

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June 25, 2021

MY TRUTH by Cheryl Smith Publisher

Critical Conversation Time When Judy Foston Stanford of Foston International Communications, Inc., reached out to me about a program hosted by Texas Voters Forward and the Houston NAACP; I was immediately intrigued. As the media coordinator, she explained that there would be a “crucial conversation” with Texas Black Media and members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus; and I got excited because as mid-term elections rapidly approach, I was of the belief that there needed to be many “crucial conversations” or there was going be hell to pay for some, in the very near future. The fact that she also said there would be world-famous Frenchy’s Chicken served at the beautiful Buffalo Soldiers Museum, was worth a pause for the cause. But seriously we needed to have some candid discussions that needed to begin right where organizers said, with the review of the 2021 Texas Legislative Session and an analyzation of “the impact this session will have on the Black community.” We were told the event was held because, “The media must help educate the Black community on the profound consequences of a flurry of bills passed and bills that will potentially be passed during the upcoming Special Session, such as, HB1927 - Permit-less Gun Carrying Bill, HB-3979 - the Critical Race Theory Bill, SB-7 - the Voter SupJune 25, 2021

pression Bill, and others.” Further, organizers wanted “to engage elected officials, Civic and Faith leaders in a statewide discussion that helps to inform and educate our community concerning the impact of passed and pending legislation, which will result in more effective planning by leaders and organizations that are committed to the well-being of the Black community as well as the community at large.” The organizers were Dr. James Dixon, II, Claude Cummings, Jr., Shuronda Robinson, and Robert Williams, and participants, along with all TLBC members and Texas Black Media, included: Senators Borris Miles and Royce West, Representatives Ron Reynolds, Senfronia Thompson, Shawn Thierry, Alma Allen, Joe Deshoetel, Jasmine Crockett, Rhetta Bowers and Carl Sherman, Dr. Samuel Gilbert, II, Dr. John Adolph, Dr. John Ogletree, Bishop Destry Bell, Bishop Shelton Bady, and NAACP Texas President Gary Bledsoe. So I took the trip to Houston, about 400 miles total - one way. After all, any effort to prepare voters for what could be one of the nastiest election cycles in modern history; well, all hands needed to be on deck. Sure we could have the debate about the lack of support from some elected officials who now see the value in engaging the Black Press, but we’ve had

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those talks. Hopefully those Black Elected officials, clergy members, organizations and institutions finally realize that they need the Black Press. Equally important. We need the Black Vote. Which brings me to my truth. I really felt almost sick as I listened to tales of the shenanigans in Austin. It wasn’t because I was surprised. I felt sick because no one should have been surprised because over and over again at least for the last two decades, voters have sent Democrats onto the battlefield severely handicapped. More ammunition is needed. Now what does that ammunition look like? Well some owl say it begins with the almighty vote. Let’s say that again for the Democrats who want to keep Dallas County blue but they are lining up to annihilate one another, instead of going after the “bigger threats.” On any given Sunday, the biggest and baddest go down. We need to develop an Allen Iverson/Kobe Bryant-type mentality in the ballot booth and in any and all branches of government. In any given game, if the biggest man on the court let his guard down, that little man, Iverson, was going to take his heart! It was said, that when the great Shaquille O’Neal told Kobe

that there was no “I” in team, Kobe responded totes effect that, there was an “M” and and “E!” Now, if you are going to play like a winner and give like Kobe played; well, I say welcome to the team! One Republican told me that Democrats are “scared” and Republicans are more “strategic as they play to win.” As an example, she said that Republicans will have potential candidates stand down so that one Republican will get all the money and use it to run a better, winning campaign. Democrats, on the other hand, she said, would put five or six up against one another, knowing full well they don’t have the deep pockets or war chests; therefore the eventual winner in the primary comes out battle torn with little funds to compete. Sound familiar? I’m looking forward to more critical conversations and results. The updates, once we got past all the praising (which I understand is important to let folks know who is doing the work — only thing is some folks aren’t doing too hot and they should be called out also), were very informative and empowering. Just what we need moving forward so we must keep the momentum going. Let’s get the right candidates, raise the funds and spend them wisely, and get out the vote! myimessenger.com

Grammy award winner releases new music decrying racial injustice, police violence By STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire Music lovers, prepare yourself for one of the most anticipated comebacks in history. The legendary Grammy Award winner Stephanie Mills has announced her new single, “Let’s Do the Right Thing,” an anthem not unlike Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” of 50 years ago. Her long-awaited new music drops appropriately on Saturday, June 19 – Juneteenth. “It’s all me. I am not doing this through a [traditional] record label,” Mills told the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) in an exclusive interview. The NNPA is the trade association that represents the hundreds of African Americanowned newspapers and media companies that comprise the Black Press of America. Parts of the icon’s special interview, including the debut of Mills’ new single, can be seen on Friday, June 25, at 1PM EST, as part of the NNPA’s Virtual 2021 National Convention. The NNPA will air the full interview at 5 p.m. EST on its “Fiyah!” broadcast. The broadcast will air over several of the Black Press of America’s social media channels, including Facebook. com/BlackPressUSA/Videos, YouTube.com/c/BlackPress USATV, and Twitter @ BlackPressUSA. Mills’ team said the new music brings fans back to myimessenger.com

Mills’ new song also decries the state of America, most notably the police killings of African Americans like George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor and many other Black people.

her traditional soulful sound infused with an empowering message that challenges the listener “to take an introspective look at oneself to create love and peace.” A native of Brooklyn, New York, Mills has proven to be a treasure embedded in music’s fabric. Her illustrious career spans a half-century. The singer, whose voice knows no peers, began her professional career at the age of 11 with a Broadway run of “Maggie Flynn,” followed by the leading role of Dorothy in the Tony Award-Winning play “The Wiz.” After conquering the Great White Way, Mills recorded some of the most memorable songs in music history, including “Never Knew Love Like This,” “Putting a Rush on Me,” “Power of Love,” and “Home.”

Along with her singing and acting career, Mills is a lifelong social justice and civil rights activist and philanthropist. She has earned multiple Grammy, American Music, and NAACP Image awards. “My new music is a reflection of the sadness and heartache I’ve been feeling over the pandemic and George Floyd and the systemic racism that plagues our people,” Mills asserted. “Let’s Do the Right Thing’” is my personal plea for all people to rise up and come together,” she said. The single is reminiscent of Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” where the late Motown great crooned disenchantment over the state of America and its involvement in the Vietnam War. Mills’ new song also decries the state of America, most notably the police killings of

Credit: NNPA

African Americans like George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor and many other Black people. Along with releasing her new single, Mills will debut the accompanying music video and perform her Billboard hit “Home” from The Wiz during the Juneteenth Celebration in New York with the historic Riverside Church and Middle Collegiate Church. “The evening will embody Juneteenth’s spirit of freedom and celebration of two Blackled faith institutions historically and presently combined to do transformative justice work,” her team noted. “Let’s Do the Right Thing” became available on all streaming platforms beginning on June 19. Bobby R. Henry, Sr. is Publisher at The Westside Gazette.

June 25, 2021

“Give me your tired” ...or... “Do not come” I WAS JUST THINKING BY NORMA ADAMS-WADE

We all love Vice-President Kamala Harris. Yet we admit her recent words set off an international firestorm. On her diplomatic visit to Guatemala in June, the United States’ second most powerful person was roundly quoted in media as saying to potential immigrants, “Do not come. Do not come.” Her admonition addressed the controversial and yet unsolved issue of undocumented migrants crossing the nation’s southern border and entering Texas, largely from Mexico, Guatemala, and other Latin American sites. Her message was: stay where you are and allow America to help solve the “root causes” that compel you to leave, including corruption and poverty. Some politicians and media pundits criticized Harris’ words, particularly migrant advocate U. S. Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez (D-NY) who said “This is disappointing...” Aside from criticism, though, Harris’ statement also delves up much ignored or maybe even willfully concealed history about the Statue of Liberty and the mood of Black and White America at the time that the statue was dedicated 135 years ago in 1886. We are June 25, 2021

familiar with the welcoming inscription: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, …” We are not so familiar with how Black Americans reacted to those much-hyped words during those hateful postReconstruction years filled with lynchings and Jim Crow discrimination.

Vice-President Kamala Harris Credit: Wikipedia

I was just thinking…when VP Harris said “Do not come,” did her words blow out the Statue’s floodlight torch? And to how many “huddled masses” can America issue “world-wide welcome”? Logically speaking, is there an endless open-door policy? Apparently, there is a limit. So, VP Harris’ “Do not come” words seem to state the obvious: that the U. S. -- for the time being -- has reached its welcome limit. Another little-known fact about the Statue that begs discussion is the shackles

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Statue of Liberty.

and chains almost hidden on Lady Liberty’s ankles -- a nod to former President Abraham Lincoln’s success in legally ending the institution of slavery in America some two

Credit: Wikipedia

decades earlier. The Statue, of course, was a gift from France, inspired by French abolitionist Edouard de Laboulaye and designed by his friends, French myimessenger.com

Chains on Statue’s feet.

Credit: National Park Service

sculptor Frederic Bartholdi. The statue was dedicated in 1886 during the era of the 100th anniversary of American Independence. The giant structure represents a welcoming, open-door invitation to folk fleeing oppression from other lands. Particularly not a hot topic is that the French abolitionist admired Lincoln’s anti-slavery efforts and hoped that America’s example would influence France in its struggles against political repression. The original design also showed broken chains on Lady Liberty’s wrist, but some American politicians argued against such a visibly clear symbol and the wrist chains were replaced

These words seem strangely out-of-place in our nation’s current anti-immigrant climate. Here is Lazarus’ entire poem entitled “The New Colossus” that is now the Statue of Liberty inscription: Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose fame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost [sic] to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

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by the current tablet in her hand. Dallas historian and educator Clarence Glover Jr., aka “Professor Freedom”, extensively has researched the Statue’s shackles and lectures about their history and significance. Glover says Black and European Americans today can glean dual lessons from the symbolism of the broken chains. “It is a physical freedom for us (African-Americans) being freed from shackles,” Glover said. “It is a psychological freedom for White America to recognize our freedom.” Of interest too is that during the time of the statue’s dedication, some Black newspapers and Black leaders spoke against the hype, saying the welcoming tone belied the true daily racism and discrimination that African descendants experienced daily in America. Also, they knew no such welcome when they arrived here in chains and indeed symbolically lived in chains through the Jim Crow years. Jewish poem and author Emma Lazarus in 1883 wrote the classicallymemorable words affixed originally on a wall inside the pedestal of our nation’s symbol of freedom in New York Harbor. Currently, the poem is in the new Statue of Liberty Museum that opened on Liberty Island, near Ellis Island, in 2019. The poem has switched locations. Have the words lost their meaning? Norma Adams-Wade is a veteran, award-winning journalist, Graduate of UT- Austin and Dallas native. One of the founders of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), she was inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame

June 25, 2021

Erica Molett FROM MARVA WITH LOVE BY MARVA J. SNEED

On a recent From Marva with Love, I talked to Erica Molett, owner of Banneky.com, a Dallas-based educational technology platform that teaches STEM concepts such as gaming, coding and Esports to young learners from underrepresented communities. Erica told us about her new partnership with Microsoft and Warner Bros. in which she will host FIND YOUR SEAT: In Tech, Gaming & Entertainment, a virtual event where students will be introduced to coding tools and a new curriculum inspired by the soon-to-be-released film Space Jam: A New Legacy. The six-hour free event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. June 26th on Twitch and will include panel discussions and live chats. Students will meet some of the top gamers in the country. To register, go to http://banneky.com/ findyourseat/. What an accomplishment for Erica, an African American technology founder and mother of two sons, to have partnered with Microsoft, Warner Bros., and Space Jam: A New Legacy, which hits theaters and HBO MAX July16. MS: Erica you are an entrepreneur. Will you share with us your background? EM: I’m a mom of two boys, 13 and 15. I lead with that because most of my June 25, 2021

Erica Molett Credit: Banneky.com

entrepreneurship in the last year and a half has been focused on them. Before that, my background was in commercial banking and investments. I worked for the big banks. I worked in economic development for the City of Dallas as well as for the City of Cedar Hill. In 2017, I decided to go out on my own and start a consulting firm. We do workforce and economic development and we are still doing that to this day. In 2019, I started a non-profit called Beyond the Ball to focus on my older son who is so obsessed with basketball that I needed him to see that there were other options in case he didn’t go on to be a part of that two

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percent that actually made it to the NBA. So, that’s why I created the non-profit - to expose him and other kids around the country, primarily our young Black boys, who are often distracted in class because they are focused on their hoop dreams - to expose them to all the other careers that exist in the sports world. MS: What is Banneky.com? Tell us about the company. EM: Banneky.com is an education tech platform hyper-focused on middle and high school students who love art, sports and gaming. Our multimedia and gamified platform connects the dots between their passions, their classrooms and their future

careers while helping our brilliant kids to lean in and love learning and continue to do that in areas that matter to them. There was so much more to my interview with Erica Molett! To hear the full interview, tune in to From Marva With Love featuring Marva Sneedon Texas Metro News’ Facebook page or on BlogTalkRadio.com. To learn more about Banneky. com, visit www.banneky.com. To register your gamer for Banneky’s upcoming event, go to http://banneky.com/ findyourseat/ “From Marva with Love” BlogTalkRadio.com/Cheryl’s World Texas Metro News email: marvasneed@ myimessenger.com

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June 25, 2021

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ACLU Texas http://www.aclutx.org/ http://www.facebook.com/acluoftexas http://www.twitter.com/aclutx

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June 25, 2021

Lives are Depending on it WAKE UP AND STAY WOKE DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ.

The postponed and rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games are only a few weeks away. If the Japanese and International Olympic Committees can manage a COVID-safe environment, I welcome them. I consider this event to be one of the purest forms of athletic competition. Participants train and compete fairly in a test of physical prowess. If you will, imagine yourself as a participant in the finals of the 100-meter dash. When you arrive at the starting area, you find the starting block in your lane 18 meters behind those of your competitors. The race begins with little to no hope of you overcoming the disadvantage imposed upon you. In real life, that is the type of disadvantage imposed upon the average American woman. PayScale, a compensation research organization, asserts that in 2021, the average American woman earns 82 cents for every dollar earned by the average American

male — 18 cents less! To raise awareness of this disparity, Equal Pay Day is observed. It is the day to which the average woman must work in a new year to achieve earning parity with the average male’s earnings for the past year. In 2021, Equal Pay Day was March 24. This date is calculated without regard to experience or job type. The gender pay gap has long been the subject of contention and debate. Few will debate its existence, but there is significant disagreement as to the cause. Some will argue that the career-related choices of women and the stereotypical obligations of “womanhood” (homemaker, wife and mother) reduce their “time on the clock” and, therefore, their resulting income. Others contend that, historically and contemporarily, the work and performance of women has been undervalued, and, among other reasons, employers have routinely practiced the payment of lower wages in women-dominated career fields. I support the latter position. Despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963, throughout their careers, women continue to

earn less than men do, and this disparity occurs as early as one year out of college. Christianne M. Corbett, a senior researcher at the American Association of University Women, co-authored a study titled “Graduating to a Pay Gap.” For college graduates, her research demonstrated that, after factoring in variables such as college major, occupation, and number of hours worked, women’s pay was 82% of their male counterparts’ pay one year after graduation. In this study, on average, men earned nearly $8,000 more than women did one year after graduating. Unfortunately, these “averages” do not reflect the pay disparities that are inherent when factoring racial and ethnic differences. According to PayScale, women of color fall victim to an even greater gender pay gap than that of the average. One does not have to be an Einstein to understand the impact of this pay disparity on single-mothers and double-income families. If circumstances were not bad enough, COVID-19 has had a disparate, negative impact on women. Almost daily,

we learn from the media that the greatest impact of this pandemic has been on women and it’s not difficult to understand that those starting farther back in the race suffer the most. A review of the facts of this systemic discrimination are instructional, but information alone cannot effect change. As with any other form of discrimination, change can only occur with major impetus initiated by the discriminator or those with the power to direct necessary change. In this case, employers must assess and monitor their policies and practices to assure compliance with genuine anti-discrimination goals. In the absence of enlightenment by employers, legislators must be open to the review and modernization of existing laws and policies. Both must work to increase transparency in compensation practices for the identification and remedy of disparities. Lives depend on it! Dr. E. Faye Williams is National President of the National Congress of Black Women and Host of “Wake Up and Stay Woke” on WPFW-FM 89.3.

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Pride Month Means Black Pride too!

THE LAST WORD

BY DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX

June is Pride Month, commemorating the violent police raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, when GLBTQ activists fought abusive police officers who beat gay men, lesbians, and those who crossdressed. So-called law enforcement also participated in blackmail and extortion against those who were closeted. It took fifty years, until June 2019, for the New York City police commissioner to apologize for the raid. While the GLBTQIA community has increased visibility and acceptance, there is also the putrid and hateful resistance to the very existence of this community. In a tiny Texas town, a bakery that offered Rainbow cookies in honor of Pride Month faced a detestable backlash when a patron who ordered five dozen cookies, a sizable order for a small family-run bakery, canceled their order (having not paid for it) because they felt that a Facebook recognition of Pride month was “gay propaganda.” In Jacksonville, Florida, a planned bridge lighting in honor of Pride Month was threatened, some say over intergovernmental jurisdictional issues, while others say it was simple homophobia. In a Washington, DC suburb, a teacher says he violates his religion to refer to young people by their preferred pronouns. He was fired, and he sues saymyimessenger.com

ing that it violates his faith for him to be courteous and compassionate to others. The court agrees with him, and he is headed back to the classroom, intolerant as ever. These are incidents that have bubbled into the national consciousness, but there are others that go unreported. The bottom line is that hate – racism, homophobia, and more – thrives in our nation, and few are prepared to stop it.

ties). Gay pride is Black pride, too. Let’s call the roll of Black GBLTQIA leaders and thinkers –Bayard Rustin, Pauli Murray, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, so many others. And let’s look at hate and hate crime from an intersectional perspective and solutions from that same place. Pride Month has to be about Black Pride, too, about embracing all LGBTQIA identities. After all, as we experience major demographic shifts, the popu-

Police violence is at the root of Pride Month, just as it is at the foundation of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The Movement for Black Lives has been firmly and fiercely supportive of GLBTQIA rights, especially sensitive to the rights of trans people, focusing on the trans women who are exponentially more likely to be murdered than others. But with police violence as the common root of two vital movements, why is there so little visible collaboration between those communi-

lation, and the electorate, are increasingly diverse. We need to see the intersectional in our commemorations, celebration, and more. And we need to be vocal about our opposition to hate and hateful behavior no matter how it is directed. For example, in an ideal world, the NAACP would have bought some Juneteenth cookies (and maybe they still will) from the Confections bakery in Lufkin, Texas. Our task is not to respond to each hateful incident but to

build a movement that rejects hate. And our mission is to do it “at a time such as this” when the haters empower many who are fearful of inevitable change. Now is a time for a mass movement against racism, homophobia, sexism, and hate. It begins when we know our histories and share them. It starts when we acknowledge that Gay Pride Month is about Black Pride, too, that Women’s History is not White Women’s History, Native American History is not a footnote, and hatred is contemptuous. The carte blanche that socalled “officers of the law” have to terrorize communities they don’t like is especially contemptuous. The same way they bullied gay folks in the 1950s and 60s is the same way they terrorize Black communities today. Building on Stonewall’s history, the GLBTQIA communities should be some of the most vital voices supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Dr. Dorothy Irene Height was fond of speaking of collective strength. She would say, if I tap you with my finger, you may never feel it, but if my fingers turn into a fist and I tap you then, you’ll feel it. If Black folks and LGBTQIA folks join with others, perhaps we can stop the hate. The folks who patronized Celebrations Bakery in the face of hate put a firewall between ugly and love. They are the fist Dr. Height referenced. Are we part of the fist? Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist, and social commentator.

June 25, 2021

Blackhausted! Blackhausted - Verb: an emotion or state of extreme exhaustion from the injustice and inequities people of color, specifically Blacks, face every day in America. — The Urban Dictionary

QUIT PLAYIN’ VINCENT L. HALL Blackhausted. I’m in that state. Just tired of being tired. Some days just tired of being tired of being the scapegoat, the suspect, the underclass, the marginalized, and the problem. Randi B, Diversity & Inclusion Speaker, Strategist & Author, defined it this way. “The Overwhelming Fatigue of Being Black in America.” She even listed some symptoms, and they bear repeating. The problem with us is that we deal with stress and strife so much that we underestimate its debilitating effects. She listed going to places that will be mainly or culturally Black. Watching Black movies to see positive images of people who look like you. Avoiding conversations with trusted

June 25, 2021

white friends because it just takes too damn much energy to say and relive this shit over and over. I am Blackhausted, and since you are reading this in a Black newspaper, you too are Blackhausted. Do you ever wonder if your White friends and associates use your government name in your face but call you by any number of Black pejoratives when they are out of your sight? I do! I am Blackhausted. Blackhaustion truly set in last week. Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, and I am grateful for soldiers like Ms. Opal Lee. However, we didn’t get any mention of reparations. We got Negro Day at the State Fair, but no chance to invest in or profit from the enterprise. Getting another holiday without an allocution or retribution for slavery just ain’t just! It’s like buying that box of cereal with a toy advertised on the outside of the box and finding nothing that resembles a treat on the inside.

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Hell, for my part, they could have made it Junetweenth! Junetweenth is an imagery holiday season I dreamt up. It would be a two-week national paid work stoppage where food, travel, entertainment, and clothing were free for everybody. It would last from June 19th through July 4th…Junetweenth! I know I lost most of America when I threw in all the free stuff. Conservatives love to remind us that nothing is free, and they are spot on. That 244 years of free labor we were forced to donate to build America had a cost, and that bill has not been paid. However, Blackhaustion does not come solely from dealing with White America. Some Negroes overwhelm me with fatigue and anxiety. We still have to fight Negroes who worship at the altar of whiteness. Their ice is still colder. Their word is still the final. Their opinions of us still matter. Those Negroes get antsy every time you mention reparations. I am Blackhausted with Black folks who underutilize their power and underestimate their possibilities. We continue to languish in the valleys of low self-esteem and camp out in the caverns of selfdoubt and self-hatred. The white man makes for a good excuse, but if your God ain’t bigger than

a plantation Massa or a cotton field straw boss… find one. We can’t claim the power of the almighty and then proclaim that the White man’s power is impenetrable. In her book, “The Symbolism, Logic, and Meaning of Justifiable Homicide in the 1980s,” Dr. Frances Cress Welsing left a plan for Blackhaustion. “Black people are afraid, but Black people are going to have to get over their fear. Black people do not know what is happening, but Black people are going to have to learn and understand what is happening. Black people are not thinking, but Black people are going to have to begin thinking. Black people are not being quiet, but Black people are going to have to start getting quiet so that they can think. Black people are not analyzing and planning, but Black people are going to have to begin analyzing and planning. Black people do not understand deep selfrespect, but Black people are going to have to learn the meaning and practice of deep self-respect. Black people are going to have to stop moaning, rocking, crying, complaining, begging.” I’m Blackhausted and need my Junetweenth. Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.

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Everybody Can’t Speak into Your Life FAITHFUL UTTERANCES BY DR. FROSWA BOOKER-DREW

When I was in graduate school, I had a professor who didn’t seem to care for me. I was the only Black person in his class, and I was often ignored or dismissed. He was kind and friendly to other students but when it came to me, he had no patience or tolerance for anything. I remember submitting a paper and when I received the grade, I was baffled. I explained that I had worked so hard on the paper and I wasn’t clear on why my grade was so low. He remarked, “I don’t know how you got into graduate school. You can’t write.” I was floored. I knew I wasn’t a New York Times best selling author at the time but throughout my undergraduate studies, I never had an issue with any of my professors. As a History major and an English minor, I wrote consistently and never had that type of feedback in my life. In retrospect, his comments served as a catalyst. I could have easily given up because of his title, position, and age and allowed his comments to determine my immediate reaction and future possibilities. He didn’t deserve that power over my life. myimessenger.com

There is also a lesson in being mindful of the words we speak over the lives of others. The Bible reminds us that there is life and death in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Instead of speaking life to Job and his condition, his friends found fault seeking to tie his misery to something he had done. Nearly 30 years later, I’ve authored books, been quoted in major publications, taught at a number of universities and spoken to audiences all over the world. What if I had allowed his perception of me to deter me from achieving my goals? What if I had given up and settled for his statement as fact? Too often, we allow the thoughts and opinions of others to jade us and impact our trajectory. It isn’t that I didn’t work harder because of what he said. I did. I also knew that I couldn’t give up on my future especially when knew that God had something special for my life. You must be careful about who or what you listen to. Although I wasn’t close to this professor and didn’t have much of a relationship with him, many of us are wounded by those who are close to us. Their words can pierce our souls because of the relationship and proximity we have to them. Sometimes their words maybe wellmeaning and out of concern. We also know that there are times that those words can be malicious and damaging. Job in the Bible experienced the

painful words of loved ones when he suffered tragedy and loss. In Chapter 2, his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, arrived to support him after they heard about the calamity he experienced. In their desire to offer support and console their friend, they began to blame Job for his condition. Their lengthy speeches were filled with concern but laced with condemnation. Job finally remarked: 16: 2 “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all.” God ultimately condemns them in Chapter 42 for their rhetoric. Yet, think about the amount of time Job heard their words along with his wife who encouraged him to curse God and die? Had he listened to their council, Job would have missed out on seeing the hand of God in his life. He could have given up. There is also a lesson in being mindful of the words we speak over the lives of others. The Bible reminds us that there is life and death in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Instead of speaking life to Job and his condition, his friends found fault seeking to tie his misery to something he had done.

Job needed in that moment friends that would be supportive, kind, and probably silent. He was already rehashing what happened and didn’t need their judgement combined with what he was thinking and experiencing. My mother would always say to me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all.” I think more of us need to be quiet. Our words are powerful and impact those around us especially our children. What are the words that you are speaking over the lives of your children? About their Father? Don’t allow the pain of your past show up in your words that can cause damage for a lifetime. Be careful of placing your insecurities and frustration in the words that you use. Everybody should not have the power or the place to speak into your situation. Speak life over yourself and your child and if necessary, be silent allowing God to show up in your situation. Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the Founder and CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, specializing as a Partnership Broker and Leadership Expert for companies and organizations to thrive with measurable and meaningful impact. She also is the VP of Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances for the State Fair of Texas.

June 25, 2021

Houston

Forward Times Publisher seeks re-election at June Convention By STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire According to Karen Carter Richards, the state of the Black Press of America is more robust than it has ever been. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) chair and the Houston Forward Times publisher expressed even more optimism for the future. “I’m proud to chair this organization,” she told NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., during an extensive discussion inside the trade association’s new stateof-the-art television studio and headquarters at the Thurgood Marshall Center in Washington, D.C. “We’ve always known that we are a resilient people, but the pandemic forced a lot of us to take a deep breath because it was new,” Carter Richards continued. “A lot of us were print publications, but we had to change the game. We took a breath and started doing what we do. Some of us were already making digital strides, but it was gradual. The pandemic forced us to step it up, and we had a June 25, 2021

Karen Carter Richards Credit: NNPA

lot of help from the NNPA office, and the publishers helped each other.” The NNPA represents the hundreds of newspapers and media companies in the Black Press of America family. From June 23 to June 26, the NNPA will host its national convention. The convention will feature a special performance by the legendary Grammy winner Chaka Khan and Nu-Soul and Jazz artist Candice Hoyes. The NNPA will also hand out its prestigious Legacy Awards, including to: • Darnella Frazier, the African American teenager who courageously filmed the police

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officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, will receive the Ida B. Wells National Photojournalism Award. • The Rev. John P. Keewill receive the 2021 National Gospel Transformative Award. • Earth, Wind & Fire Lead Singer Philip Bailey will be presented with the 2021 National Lifetime Achievement Legacy Award for Outstanding Achievement, Impact, and Creative Genius. • Scotty Barnhart, the legendary Count Basie Orchestra leader, will receive the 2021 National Performance and Outstanding Leadership Award. • The Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson will receive the 2021 National Achievement and Outstanding Leadership Award for his work as President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund. • Congresswoman Joyce L. Beatty (D-Ohio) will receive the 2021 National Congressional Leadership Award, and the NNPA will present Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison with the Outstanding and Courageous Leadership Award. • Chaka Khan will receive

the 2021 National Lifetime Achievement Legacy Award for Decades of Creative Genius and Outstanding Leadership for Freedom, Justice, and Equality in American and Throughout the World. This year marks the second consecutive virtual convention. During the convention, Carter Richards will seek election to a second successive term as national chair. While any potential challengers for the position have yet to identify themselves, Carter Richards’ run as chair has proved impressive. “We are doing better than we’ve done in the history of the NNPA,” she declared. Despite the pandemic that forced many out of jobs and a topsy-turvy economy where government stimulus served to rescue most, Dr. Chavis said advertising and other revenue skyrocketed for the Black Press. Carter Richards credited the national office led by Dr. Chavis, Claudette Perry, the NNPA’s executive administrator, and the staff. “It feels wonderful to have myimessenger.com

a great team,” Carter Richards exclaimed. “I have to give [Dr. Chavis] your due. You’ve done a great job, and we have a great team at NNPA. We can’t do it without the team.” She also praised the NNPA’s all-women executive committee, Janis Ware (The Atlanta Voice), the First Vice-Chair, Fran Farrer (The County News in North Carolina), Second Vice-Chair, Brenda H. Edwards (New Journal and Guide in Virginia), Treasurer and Jackie Hampton (The Mississippi Link) Secretary. “I’m loving being with the ladies,” Carter Richards announced. “Black women do what Black women do. We are going to continue to do great things.” Carter Richards recalled her father’s vision for the Houston Forward Times. She noted that he began planning for the newspaper five years before its 1955 launch when he returned from serving in the U.S. military. Julius Carter taught his daughter and her sister the value of community and the Black Press. His steadfastness for bringing forward hard facts led to the Forward Times building bombing in 1971, just days after he published an article critical of the local police department. Julius Carter died of a heart attack days later, and his wife, Lenora “Doll” Carter, immediately sprang into action to keep the paper alive. “They were taking bets that my mom wouldn’t last six months at the newspaper,” Carter Richards remembered. “She was 29 years old, with two little girls. But she took the paper to its 50th year. I was terrified because she had a massive heart attack, and she wasn’t even sick. I was next in myimessenger.com

“My mother prepared me for a lot of things that have helped me to do what I’m doing now,” Carter Richards said, noting that both her parents once served on the NNPA’s executive committee.

line, but I was ready because I had shadowed my mother for years.” The upcoming convention theme – “Black Press Matters: Trusted Voice, Resilient Vitality, and Transformative Vision” – could not be more appropriate. “I think we have hit on all of those points. We know we are the trusted voice in the Black community, and ‘resilient vi-

tality’ is who we are,” Carter Richards determined. “Our Black newspapers have thrived, and so many more are getting to the level that we want them to be. I’m so proud of the Black Press for all the work they are doing in the community and for the work they are doing to help each other.” She continued: “When I stepped inside this new studio, I was taken aback.

It is remarkable. We are on the move, and the Black Press has for 194 years been the trusted voice, and you can say that to the Black community, we are mainstream media. And we are going to continue to give the world information without fear or favor.” Registration for the NNPA’s virtual convention is free. To register, click here or go to www.virtualnnpa2021. com.

June 25, 2021

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And the Games

continue!

WHAT’S ON MILES’ MIND

MILES JAYE Men are warriors, champions and heroes. Men are scholars, explorers and inventors. Men are laborers, leaders and liberators. Men are sons, brothers, and fathers. Why then does the role of modern man appear so unclear? Men are villains, felons, and crooks. Men are swindlers, swine, and con artists. Men are criminals, gangsters, and hoodlums. These men are also sons, brothers, and fathers. What then determines the trajectory of a man? What determines evil, traitorous, or treacherous versus, good, honorable, and loyal. What makes a man? Men have played many roles throughout the history of mankind so why does modern man find so perplexing his role in a civil society? In the previous essay games were referenced-- children’s games, and adult games, where a proclivity to fair play or to cheating was questioned. William Shakespeare played on the very same questions, as did Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates… as they explored the fault lines and fragility of a society. Great minds from Martin Luther to Martin Luther King, Jr. explored what makes great

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men and the root causes of the collapse of kingdoms and nations. Man’s inexplicable love for and fascination with sports-- sportsmen, and sporting events, dating back to gladiators and the early Olympic games, to modern team sports, defines his obsession with human physical contact and competition. Team or mano a mano, man subscribes to preset rules of competition. Typically, as spectators, men want to see a fair fight. Early cave drawings suggest that wrestling was among the first organized competitions or sports. We know that modern Greco-Roman or Japanese Sumo wrestling are highly formalized. Competition is monitored and refereed for adherence to centuries old rules of engagement. These games, as with most martial arts, carry with them tradition, honor and dignity that must be observed by the practitioner. The sport of boxing is thought to predate historical records and, like wrestling, is documented on the walls of cave dwellings. India is credited with the advent of the game of chess, a sophisticated mental and psychological challenge of wits, tactics and strategy, played on a 64 square board (8 rows down and 8 columns across) simulating a battlefield, roughly 1500 years ago. Those who compete at the highest levels of either of these games are heroic in the eyes of not only their fans, but also their nations.

Competition is an integral component of the human experience, and it is rules that render a sport viable and sustainable. For politics, foreign and domestic policy and governing at large to be viable and sustainable, perhaps they too should be treated as games. Strict rules should apply, with a breach of the rules resulting in penalty, fine, or ejection from the game-- with treason being the most egregious of violations, the breach and betrayal of trust, tradition, honor, and dignity, resulting in criminal charges and removal from society. What determines the trajectory of a man remains unclear. However, when placed on the field or in a forum of competition, play seemingly becomes instinctive, intuitive, and innate. One needs never have shot a basketball; but if placed before a goal and given a ball, the natural tendency will be to shoot. Miss it or make it… his instincts switch on to play. Perhaps family, fatherhood, career, and life itself would be more viable to the average man, if given a clear set of rules and an even playing field on which to compete. He would rise to the occasion, work on his game, and strive to win. All fathers can be winners! With Fathers’ Day recently passed, that’s what’s on my mind! That’s what’s on my mind! Website: www.milesjaye.net Podcast: https://bit.ly/2zkhSRv Email: milesjaye360@gmail.com

June 25, 2021

Tracing one family’s roots back to first Juneteenth By RALPH E. MOORE JR. Special to the AFRO Annapolitan Caldwell McMillan Jr, aka Shajid, is very proud of roots traceable to his Juneteenth ancestors, specifically his mother’s side of the family—Sylvia Ross McMillan. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Two years later on June 19, 1865 word finally got to enslaved Texans in Galveston that they had been free for over two years. Further west lived McMillan’s great grandmother, Vina Ross, née Elliot. She was born a “bound person” to a Quaker family in Kentucky which later migrated to Las Vegas, New Mexico. It’s highly likely that her freedom was delayed as well as those in Texas. She was born in 1853. McMillan’s great grandfather, George Ross Sr., was born a slave in South Carolina in 1849. Life’s twists and turns led him to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he joined the Union Army at the age of 15. He served with the 83rd Regiment, U.S. Colored Infantry later known as the 2nd Regiment, Kansas Colored Infantry. This unit saw action against the Confederate Army at Baxter Springs, and Jenkins Ferry Arkansas, along with escorting trains on the then western frontier. It’s not known if after the Civil War, George Sr. joined the 10th Calvary out of Fort Leavenworth, the “Buffalo Soldiers,” and wound up in New Mexico as so did they. It is there he met Vina Elliot. He married June 25, 2021

(Photos top left-clockwise): George Ross Sr.; Vina Ross was a devout wife and mother; George Ross Jr., a previous publisher of the Denver Star; and the application Vina Ross created in order to get her husband George’s military pension. It shows the “colored” regiment that he served in. Credit: Courtesy Photos

Vina and had three children; Ella in 1876, Albert in 1878 and George Jr. in 1879. The young family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado where George established a wood and coal business. George died in 1882 at the age of 33. Vina moved the family back to Las Vegas, New Mexico where she had more community support. Eventually two sisters, a brother, and her mother joined her in New Mexico. In 1891, Vina applied for her husband’s Civil War pension. In 1943, she died in San Diego, Calif. at the age of 90.

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McMillan’s family members were proud, industrious, mid-western people. They lived in New Mexico, Kansas City, Kansas and Denver depending on their generation. In the early 1900’s, Albert, Shajid’s grandfather, taught at Western University an HBCU in Kansas City, Kansas. He then attended and graduated law school at the University of Michigan in 1917. The entire graduating class enlisted in the army during World War I. Unfortunately, he was gassed and shell shocked in France; ultimately ending up in VA hospitals first in Texas and fi-

nally in San Diego, where he died. George Ross Jr. eventually became one of the first Black lawyers in Denver Colorado. For a time he was the publisher of Denver’s Black paper, The Denver Star. He is the original documenter of the Ross family history. “Using Ancestry.com, I was floored when I found that my great grandfather escaped from slavery and joined the Union Army at 15 years of age,” McMillan said. “My great grandmother, Vina Ross, instilled in her children the importance of making something of themselves,” The fruit of their labor contains lawyers, educators, journalists, and community activists.” “My mother, Sylvia Ross McMillan was the first executive director for the Community Action Agency in Annapolis,” added McMillan. “I can feel my ancestors courage running through me. On my father’s side, I have my great grandfather’s, double barreled, ten-gauge shotgun. He used it to put food on the table and to keep the Kluxers (the Klan) from the door during Reconstruction Alabama and beyond.” Shajid, a musician and an educator, is proud of his family and its persevering nature. He understands the challenges his family faced. He feels their spirits live on, going all the way back to the first Juneteenth. Shajid McMillan contributed to this article. The post Tracing one family’s roots back to the first Juneteenth appeared first on Afro.

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Elite News

Juneteenth Celebration March and Festival 2021 Photos by Hollywood Hernandez

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June 25, 2021

Richardson bolts into history, Tokyo Olympics By STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire With lightning-like quickness and a will to dominate, Sha’Carri Richardson is on her way to the Olympics in Tokyo. The 21-year-old native of Dallas, TX, won the women’s 100-meter final during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Richardson’s victory came in just 10.86 seconds – amazingly, it was an eye-lash slower than her

head-spinning performance in the semifinal heat, where she crossed the finish line in just 10.64 seconds. Many are comparing the Olympic-bound track and field star to greats like Florence Griffith-Joyner, and Gail Devers. Richardson has remained humble, and she credits her grandmother, Betty Harp, for much of her success. “My grandmother is my heart, my superwoman,” Richardson told Runners World.

“To have her here at the biggest meet of my life, it’s just amazing. That probably felt better than winning the races, just being able to hold her after becoming an Olympian.” Already turning heads in and around the sport, Richardson further raised eyebrows when she dominated the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials in Eugene, OR. Jumping out to a fast start, Richardson appeared to purposely slow down toward

the end of the race and point toward the clock, which registered her dramatic timing. “Nobody knows what I go through,” Richardson said in a post-race interview with ABC. “Everybody has struggles, and I understand that. But y’all see me on this track, and y’all see the poker face I put on. But nobody but [my family] and my coach know what I go through…and I’m highly grateful to them. Without them, there would be no me.”

Crossing the finish line. Credit: NCAA

June 25, 2021

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“Attorney General Garland’s remarks today affirmed the importance of enforcing federal law to protect the franchise for all voters,” Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement.

AG Garland announces several actions to protect voting rights By STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire The COVID-19 pandemic has not yet ended throughout the and across America. Yes, there has been considerable progress in the wake of increased vaccinations in every region of the United States. But for Black America, the pandemic is still disproportionately negatively impacting the quality of life in our families and communities. The issue of vaccination hesitancy is serious. That is why the Black Press of America via myimessenger.com

the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) will continue to be committed to inform Black America and others about the facts and truth concerning COVID-19 and the vaccinations that have been approved by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Over 60% of the United States’ population has now had at least one vaccination, in particular from, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson as approved by the FDA. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS) and The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents age 12 to 15 as authorized by the FDA. Those who are age 16 and older in the U.S. continue to increasingly receive vaccinations to protect themselves from the contagious and deadly COVID-19 virus. While there remains some public and private debates about vaccinations, these debates should not be based on politics or social status or on racial stereotyping and profi-

ling. The truth and facts about COVID-19 and the effectiveness of the approved vaccinations should not be relegated to partisan disagreement. Truth does not discriminate. There is no such thing as an “alternative truth.” The absence of truth is a lie. Facts and the science that produces the facts are important to always consider in making decisions about public health issues. Here are the facts and truth about the kids being vaccinated in the U.S. If you are a parent who wants to protect your child from COVID-19, or if you are a teenager who is interested in getting vaccinated, you can go directly to the official U.S. government website: www.vaccines.gov or you can text your ZIP code to 438829 to find places near you that have the Pfizer vaccine readily available in stock. Millions of 12-to-17-yearolds have already received at least one COVID-19 vaccination. The Pfizer vaccine has been through rigorous testing and thorough review by the FDA and CDC. Thousands of adolescents ages 12 to 15 were in the clinical trials, and among those who received it, the vaccine was 100% effective at preventing COVID-19. When a nation puts a priority in protecting its children from harm, dangers and fatal disease, that is a nation that is protecting and ensuring its future health and progress. Black American and all communities of color must stay alert, informed and committed to protect our children and all children in America from the dreaded COVID-19 virus. We are grateful that the Biden-Harris Administration is stiving to keep its promise to make America safe and healthy. June 25, 2021

MICKLE CAJUN KITCHEN 3203 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. Dallas, Tx 75237 Next Door to Java Lavender / Health & Nutritional Bar & Restaurant micklechickenllc@gmail.com 469.399.0007 Gumbo Ln.

LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for two permits 1. (BG) Wine and Beer Retailer’s and 2. (FB) Food and Beverage by Mr. Toby Mickle dba Mickle Chicken LLC. Trade Name: Mickle Cajun Kitchen to be located at 3203 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. Suite #3203, Dallas, TX 75237 [Dallas], [Dallas County], Texas. Officers of said corporation: are Mr. Toby Mickle / No Partners.

June 25, 2021

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DENNIS J. KUCINICH THAT CELEBRITY INTERVIEW BY VALDER BEEBE

Dennis J. Kucinich is the author of The Courage to Survive, an autobiographical work which Gore Vidal described “as good as Theodore Dreiser.” Kucinich served as Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1977 - 1979, in the Ohio Senate representing the 23rd district from 1995 – 1997 and 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 - 2013. He ran twice for the Democratic nomination for U.S. President. myimessenger.com

THE DIVISION OF LIGHT AND POWER and the current situation with utilities in America. Kucinich writes in his book; A political battle that is more relevant today than ever, given corporate influence over government decisions at all levels - - which is why utility monopolies in Texas, California, Illinois, and Ohio have crushed consumers with sky-high rates, price gouging and criminal behavior. Why utility bills and taxes are so high and who is really making the decisions affecting their social and economic life. At a time when public faith in government and public officials has collapsed, comes the story of one mayor who took on City Hall to protect the people. In THE DIVISION OF LIGHT

AND POWER, Dennis Kucinich gives an unprecedented, fully documented insider’s account of his battle against a shadow city government which engaged in corporate espionage, sabotage, pricefixing, cut-throat competition, anti-trust activities, organized crime, and wholesale fraud. That is, until Kucinich, then America’s youngest big-city mayor at age 31, fought back, risking assassination attempts and the destruction of his personal life. One of America’s largest banks threatened to upend the city financially unless the new Mayor Kucinich agreed to sell the city’s publicly owned electric system, Muny Light, to the bank’s utility business partner, handing them a monopoly and the ability to raise electric rates to the sky. The “powers that be” subverted the media. They tried to buy Kucinich, and when they discovered he could not be bought, they tried to kill him. In April 2018, in a cover story in the Washington Post Magazine, Kucinich was described as “the future of American politics.” The Division of Light and Power establishes integrity as the North Star future for everyone in public life. It also marks its author as a highly-skilled writer of top rank. Dennis J. Kucinich publicists provided text in conjunction with the Valder Beebe Show VBS: You have made your life’s work service the people and our country. DJK: Yes, I served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013, Also, a Democratic nomination contendor for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008. I ran for governor of Ohio in the 2018 election. in 1977 to 1979, I served as the 53rd mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, while……… Dennis Kucinich complete interview…… SoundCloud.com/valderbeebeshow; more interviews: Broadcasting to a national & global audience: YouTube.com/valderbeebeshow; ValdeBeebeShow.com ; KKVI FM Radio, KRER FM, 411RadioNetwork, SoundCloud.com/ kkvidfw, Streaming TV, Social Media, Print Publications —I MESSENGER, Texas Metro News, and Garland Journal News.

June 25, 2021

Briefs Face Masks still required onboard DART Vehicles; recommended in outdoor areas The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has recently revised its face mask policy, allowing public transit passengers to forego masks in outdoor areas. The face mask requirement for all transportation networks, including public transportation, remains in effect while onboard or indoors through September 13, 2021. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will continue to require a CDC approved face mask be worn over the mouth and nose by passengers and operators at all times while on DART vehicles including buses, trains and paratransit vehicles, Trinity Railway Express trains, in buildings and onboard the Dallas Streetcar. Refusing to wear a mask, unless exempted or excluded under the CDC guidelines, is a violation of federal law and failure to comply will result in denial of boarding or removal, and passengers may be subject to federal penalties. Face masks and hand sanitizer dispensers are installed on all buses, light rail vehicles and Dallas streetcars and will continue to be available to all passengers. If a DART passenger is concerned with someone not wearing a mask, they can contact DART Customer Service at (214) 979-1111, or use the “DART Say Something” app, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play for free. STAYING SAFE WHILE RIDING DART DART remains committed to doing everything possible to keep June 25, 2021

both our patrons and employees safe through this pandemic. DART remains in close contact with local, state, and national health authorities, including the Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC. DART encourages passengers who feel sick or are experiencing symptoms to stay home and avoid public places. CLEANING AND PROTECTION DART continues to undertake aggressive agency-wide cleaning and safety protocols on buses, light rail, paratransit vehicles and properties. In addition to thorough nightly cleanings, DART buses and trains are also cleaned on a rotating basis with hydrogen peroxide-based cleaning solutions to sanitize and disinfect each vehicle. SOCIAL DISTANCING DART recommends maintaining a six-foot distance between both fellow riders and your DART operator, leaving an open seat between yourself and other riders when available, avoiding large groups and staying home if you feel sick or are experiencing symptoms. To enforce social distancing practices and protect customer and employee well-being, all transit center waiting areas have been temporarily closed. DART riders can still use the outdoor areas for boarding buses and light rail vehicles. You can find more information about how DART is working to keep our passengers safe at www.dart.org/health.

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Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare The court ruled 7-2, with Justice Stephen Breyer writing for the majority, striking down a lower court ruling, saying the plaintiffs — Texas and 17 other GOP-led states — did not have the standing to sue. “We conclude that the plaintiffs in this suit failed to show a concrete, particularized injury fairly traceable to the defendants’ conduct in enforcing the specific statutory provision they attack as unconstitutional,” Justice Stephen Breyer wrote. By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

In a significant victory for the Biden-Harris administration and Americans who depend on affordable health care, the Supreme Court rejected the latest challenge to President Obama’s signature legislation. The challenge stemmed from whether the individual mandate could be cut from the rest of the law or whether the justices should strike down the entire law. Former President Trump made it his mission to get rid of the law, which has provided millions of Americans with access to affordable health care, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. The court ruled 7-2, with Justice Stephen Breyer writing for the majority, striking down a lower court ruling and determining that the plaintiffs — Texas and 17 other GOP-led states — did not show that they have the standing to bring the initial suits. “We conclude that the plaintiffs in this suit failed to show a concrete, particularized injury fairly traceable to the defendants’ conduct

in enforcing the specific statutory provision they attack as unconstitutional,” wrote Justice Breyer. “They have failed to show that they have the standing to attack as unconstitutional the Act’s minimum essential coverage provision. Therefore, we reverse the Fifth Circuit’s judgment in respect to standing, vacate the judgment, and remand the case with instructions to dismiss,” the Justice continued. “We do not reach these questions of the Act’s validity … for Texas and the other plaintiffs in this suit lack the standing necessary to raise them. Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented. Reportedly, 31 million Americans have health coverage connected to the Affordable Care Act — also known as Obamacare. Also, a guarantee of access to continuous insurance coverage is protected for more than 54 million people with preexisting conditions because of the health care law’s provisions that prevent insurance companies from canceling or refusing to establish policies because of pre-existing conditions.

Field Representative Positions Available! Looking for work? The U.S. Census Bureau may be a great fit for you! We are still hiring at www.census.gov. In addition to the decennial census, the Census Bureau conducts more than 130 surveys each year to supply the nation with important statistics on people, places and our economy. Our regional offices are responsible for hiring and supervising our Field Representatives, who help the Census Bureau conduct surveys nationwide. Local field staff know their communities best and are instrumental in conducting surveys with residents on a variety of topics. Field Representatives work out of their home and are reimbursed for mileage.

See where we’re hiring today! Visit our website and select your state from the dropdown list. Make an impact for your community and join our team today! Have you been contacted to participate in a Census Bureau survey? Looking for assistance? Your Regional Office can help. Please contact your Regional Office and we will be glad to assist you. Atlanta Regional Office Chicago Regional Office Denver Regional Office Los Angeles Regional Office New York Regional Office Philadelphia Regional Office myimessenger.com

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June 25, 2021

Dr. Amerson adapts to Temporary Business Closure Dr. Linda Amerson, Board Certified Trichologist, has adapted to the temporary closure of LA's Hair and Scalp Clinic. We continue to offer our award-winning products to consumers. Our exclusive products are manufactured by a facility in Garland, TX. Premium quality natural ingredients are used to assist with dry, oily, itchy, flaky, inflammed scalps, as well as hair breakage, hair thinning and regrowth. Everyone may order from our website, and we will ship your product order to you. http://www.hairandscalpessentials.com We need your support. In addition, we offer Video Consultations globally! We will schedule an appointment, give a diagnosis, them make a recommendation. We are available to serve you in the comfort of your home. Call us today - 817.265.8854 http://www.hairandscalpessentials.com We need your support.

June 25, 2021

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Nena’s Finds Boutique A Uniquely Stylish, Fashionable Boutique for women of all Sizes! Ranging from Pretti and Petite to Pretti and Plus! Nena likes to be a bit edgy, blingy ... But she keeps it Chic with Sophisticated Style!

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June 25, 2021

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June 25, 2021

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Changes continue for Mavs as Carlisle steps down, Dirk steps in By DOROTHY J. GENTRY Sports Editor The upheaval within the Dallas Mavericks organization continues as head coach Rick Carlisle announced he was stepping down and former star Dirk Nowitzki was hired as a special advisor to the franchise. Both developments come two days after longtime General Manager and President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson and the franchise agreed to part ways on Wednesday. Then Carlisle, the winningest coach in franchise history, announced he was stepping down. Hired on May 9, 2008 and recently completing his 13th season with Dallas, he posted a record of 555-478 (.537) with the club and led the Mavericks to the postseason nine times in his 13 seasons at the helm, including the franchise’s first World Championship in 2011. “Rick informed me today about his decision to step down as head coach,” said owner Mark Cuban. “On top of being a tremendous basketball coach, he was also a friend and a confidant. “Rick helped us bring the O’Brien Trophy to Dallas and those are memories I will always cherish. I want to thank Rick for all he gave this franchise and this city. We wish him all the best.” Carlisle, who won a title as a player with Boston in 1986, is one of only 14 individuals to win an NBA championship as both a player and a head coach. He moved into 15th place on the myimessenger.com

NBA’s all-time wins list in 202021, passing Cotton Fitzsimmons (832) with career win No. 833 vs. Cleveland on May 7, 2021. On Friday, the Mavs announced that Nowitzki was coming out of retirement to serve as a special advisor to the franchise. Nowitzki will assist with the hiring of both a general manager and head coach as well as consult on other front office decisions. “Mark Cuban approached me about a role as special advisor and I am happy to support my Mavs,” said Nowitzki. “Donnie Nelson and Rick Carlisle were both mentors and played huge roles in my career and the success of this franchise, and I am going to miss them. It is important for me now to join Mark and contribute as much as I can as we move forward.” Nowitzki is the sole player in league history to play 21 seasons with the same franchise. He led the Mavericks to their only NBA championship in 2011 en route to being named Finals MVP. The 14-time All-Star is the Mavericks’ all-time leader in points (31,560), rebounds (11,489), defensive rebounds (10,021), field goals made (11,169), 3-pointers made (1,982), free throws made (7,240), blocks (1,281), games (1,522), starts (1,460) and minutes (51,368). He finished his career with averages of 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 33.8 minutes per game. Stay tuned to Texas Metro News for this developing story.

Dirk Nowitzki Credit: Dorothy J. Gentry

June 25, 2021

Virtual and liVe Community Calendar

BLACK MUSIC MONTH MEN’S HEALTH MONTH HAPPY PRIDE MONTH JUNE 24-27

2021 Oak Cliff Film Festival, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd. Hosts, Texas Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Turner House, and Wild Detectives. Info: https://2021.oakclifffilmfestival.com/

JUNE 24

Sankofa on the Brazos: Virtual Genealogical Workshop. Host Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society of Houston. Reg Zoom: https://bit.ly/3pRmiFN.

Essence of Books: Coffee will make You Black. Hosted by William F. Laman Public Library System. Online at 6 pm. CDT. Reg: https://bit.ly/3cWitK.

The Brown Sugah Lounge 1 yr. Anniversary Open Mic Poetry. At Java Lavender Coffee & Music Lounge 3207 W. Camp Wisdom Rd.7;30-10:30 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

Black Music Month Celebration. Feat: Regina Belle, Glenn Jones, and Dottie Peoples. Host AARP Georgia. 7 pm. CDT. Online: www. onlinexperiences.com.

Meet, Connect & Learn - Discussing the 87th Legislative Session. How will it impact Duncanville? 10-.11:30 am CDT. Online: us02web.zoom.us

I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade. From 11 am -1 pm. CDT. On Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com. Join the conversation at 646-200-0459.

Pro Hooper Tony Bishop’s 4th Annual Youth Basketball Camp. 9 am-2 pm. at Granger Recreation Center, 1310 W Avenue F. Garland. Reg: Eventbrite.com.

Happy Birthday to Marva J. Sneed

JUNE 27

Artist Love Thursdays At One Love Lounge, 2315 S. Cooper St. Arlington 8-11 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

The World According to Drew, host Andrew Whigham, III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8-10 am. It’s thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459.

AFRO CRUSH Ladies Night Out. 7 pm. at Heroes Lounge 3094 N. Stemmons Fwy. RSVP: Eventbrite.com. June 24th Princess Week: Moana Day! 11 am. At Sweet & Sassy, 6121 W. Park Blvd. Plano. Reg: https://bit.ly/3vDuZEU

A Fashionista’s Kollection Sip & Shop. Host AFK. 2-5 pm. at 1103 Bentwater Pkwy, Cedar Hill. Reg: https://bit.ly/35SHpyt.

Downtown Ennis Carnival. Event by Ennis, TX: A Main Street City101 NW Main St, Ennis. 5-10 pm.

Evolution of African Dance. Hosted by WACO Theater Center. 7 pm. CDT. Online: Educate to Vaccinate ‘We Can Do This Too” http://wacotheatercenter.com/ with Vice President Kamala Harris. Virtual Behind the Lens: 2:30-3:45 pm. CDT. wecandothis.hhs.gov/ Master Class Series. Feat: Ayana Baraka, Visual Language. By Denton JUNE 25 Black Film Festival, 4 pm. CDT. Online Reg: Eventbrite.com. From Marva with Love, with Marva Sneed. 11 am -1 pm. CST, Fridays on Facebook JUNE 28-JULY 23 Live/@TexasMetroNews, and BlogTalkRadio. com. Join the conversation at 646-200-0459. Cynthia Mickens Ministries & PathWay to Life Center of Hope Church, Plant Based Cooking with Chef Kim! Host AARP Alabama. Presents a Free Summer Learning 11-11:30 am CDT at facebook.com/alabama.aarp. and Feeding Program, 302 W Palestine St, Hutchins. 3:30 pm. Reg: 888Special Edition Line Danceology W/ Mz. Angie at 4th Quar419-0957. ter Bar and Grill 7460 Westmoreland.

JUNE 28

AHYONZ Feat: Kenya C. @ Ella B’s Restaurant, 1004 N. Collin St. Arlington. 10 pm.

African American Museum Presents: Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth Exhibit. 10 am. A.A.M., 3536 Grand Ave. Tickets: https:// aamdallas.org/

JUNE 26 The Connections For Positive Priorities And Common Sense” with Debra BrownSturns. On Facebook.com/Texas Metro News and BlogTalkRadio.com. 12-2 pm 646-200-0459

4th of July Crafts. Host Mesquite Arts Center, 1527 N. Galloway Ave. Lobby Area. 6:30 pm.

JUNE 29

Verna’s H.E.L.P. Foundation 6th Annual Living Legends Special Awards, at Royal Oaks Country Club, 7915 Greenville Ave. 10 am. Info: www.vernashelpfoundation.org. WHAT’S ON THE VINE: Wine Tasting & Education Series. Host Tish Around Town. At Nosh and Bottle 370 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. 3-5 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

Soul Line Dance Tuesday - LIVE! (Virtual Dance Sessions) Hosted by BE Creative Arts Center. 7-8 pm. CDT. Reg: www. becreativeartscenter.com.

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Ask Dr. Amerson with Dr. Linda Amerson. 12 pm. CST @DFWiRadio.com, and Live on Facebook @DrLindaAmerson. Luther Vandross Special. Richard Short DJ. Online at: starpointradio.com 1 pm. CDT. Beginning African American Genealogy. Class by Chemung County Library with Ari Wilkins. Zoom Reg: bit.ly/3xsxvzc. 6 pm

JULY 1 SoulJazz Thursdays. Hosted by Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8 pm-12 am. Visit www.sandaga813.com July 2021 Program - Summer Series Feat: Independence Day, host Roof Top Cinema Club at Heritage Village,1515 S Harwood St, 7:45-11 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3gIuLIt.

JULY 2 From Marva with Love, with Marva Sneed. 11 am -1 pm. CST, Fridays on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, and BlogTalkRadio. com. Join the conversation at 646-200-0459. Teen Late Friday Night Recreation Program. Host Dallas Parks & Rec. 7-10 pm. At 14 City recreation centers. Contact: 214-670-8847. For the center near you. City’s 75th Anniversary & Independence Day Celebration, Farmers Branch Historical Park, 2540 Farmers Branch Ln. 6:3010 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3vIGGKz.

JULY 3 The Connections For Positive Priorities And Common Sense” with Debra Brown-Sturns. On Facebook.com/Texas Metro News and BlogTalkRadio.com. 12-2 pm 646-200-0459

THE DOC SHEP SPEAKS SHOW! At 11 am. CDT on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, @fnsconsulting, and You Tube @docshepspeaks.

June 25, 2021

JUNE 30

Tyrese at Fair Park Music Hall, 909 1st Ave. 8 pm. Tickets: Ticketmaster.com. Lakewood 4th of July Parade, 10 am-1 pm. 6603 Lakewood Blvd, Dallas, Starts at the corner of Lakewood & Cambria.

Online Black History Course for Adults. By Simon Education. Eight week course. 6-8 pm CDT. Reg: Eventbrite. com. Fireworks - July 4th Kickoff @ Shark Club, 8451 Parkwood Blvd, 9:30 pm-2 am. RSVP: www.sharkclubfireworks.eventbrite.com. Addison Kaboom Town! Visit Addison 4970 Addison Circle Dr. 5-10 pm. Tickets: www.AddisonKaboomTown.com. The 2021 R&B 4th JAM Concert, host Inspiration Band at Armstrong Park, 100 James Collins Blvd. Duncanville. 6-9 pm.

JULY 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY The World According to Drew, host Andrew Whigham, III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8-10 am. It’s thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459. 4th of July Celebration, host City of DeSoto. Feat: Fred Hammond. 6-9 pm. at 1700 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, Lancaster. JULY 4TH SIP-N-SWIM at Lorenzo, 1011 S. Akard St. 12-7 pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/157113499707. Farmers Branch July 4th walking parade on Rawhide Pkwy, Farmers Branch. 9-11 am. Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration, Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Pkwy, Grand Prairie, 5-11 pm. Tickets: www.lonestarpark.com/ tickets. Fort Worth’s Fourth 2021, at Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey St. and online: fortworthsfourth.com. Gates open at 6 pm. Free.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

“SOPHISTICATED SATURDAY’S” Host Made Men Entertainment. At Foundation Room, 2200 N. Lamar St. Tickets: Eventbrite.com 10 pm-2 am.

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June 25, 2021

www.grandpasecret.com June 25, 2021

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June 25, 2021

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FATHERHOOD AT THE MOVIES BY HOLLYWOOD HERNANDEZ

FATHERHOOD, starring Kevin Hart is now showing exclusively on Netflix. It’s a “dramedy” that gets the absolute best out of Hart’s acting skills. In the movie Kevin Hart is Matt, a widow whose wife dies suddenly one day after giving birth. Not surprisingly Hart plays his scenes with a lot of humor, but also a lot of tears after becoming a new widow and a new father at the same time. Lil’ Rel Howery plays Matt’s best friend, Jordan, who also delivers plenty of comedy along with heartfelt concern for his best friend and his new daughter, Melony Hurd, who plays Maddy is a precocious child actor who has a long future ahead at only 10 years old. Alfre Woodard plays his mother-in-law who has absolutely no faith that Matt can leave his selfish and immature attitude to become

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a single father. Fatherhood is a real tearjerker and you’ll be amazed at how well Hart can cry on demand. Matt and Maddy end up developing a very close relationship. Hart’s portrayal of a frustrated father is very heartfelt, and there is absolutely nothing he wouldn’t do for his daughter. There’s also a little romance in the movie where Matt meets Swan, played by Dewanda Wise. The relationship goes sour after Maddy has to go to the hospital for stitches after a playground accident and Matt breaks up with Swan because he feels like he should have been there to protect her. After the accident he doesn’t feel like he has time for a girlfriend. I never thought Hart could deliver the drama in a serious role but he is stellar in this movie. It’s rated PG-13, with a run time of 1 hour and 39 minutes. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate FATHERHOOD a JUMBO (with extra butter).

June 25, 2021

ARRESTED

HE IS A SERIAL RAPIST

He targeted members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. but this is more than about a sorority. We’re talking about a community.

Come on PEOPLE! Don’t you CARE? Will it matter when it is your sister, mother, aunt or grandmother or maybe YOU?

Crimestoppers 877-373-8477 June 25, 2021

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