I Messenger by Cheryl Smith

VOL X NO 25 MARCH 5, 2021

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Erika (2020-21), Michelle Marva (2017-18) and Vivian (1981-82)

Frederick Johnson II Mr. FAMU

FAMUly Royalty Erika Johnson is latest to wear the Miss FAMU crown

Erika Nicole Johnson

Miss FAMU 2020-2021

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. March 5, 2021

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Voter Suppression Supremacy WAKE UP AND STAY WOKE DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ.

As one would imagine, recent social and political events have created a considerable increase in the volume of broadcast and print media. As with my friend, Dick Gregory, I try to keep up with as much as possible. My understanding must exceed the boundaries of the District. ARIZONA FACE PUNCH My recent readings include reviews of the impeachment, a forwarded email sent by Marjorie Taylor-Greene, and an article by Arizona journalist, Brahm Resnik. The byline that captured my interest was: ‘Punch in the face to voters’: Arizona bill would let lawmakers throw out presidential election results. Several sentences condense its theme: We are seeing a slew of Republican bills at the Arizona Capitol in the name of “election integrity.” But many of the bills would make it harder to vote in an election. A new piece of election legislation – the most extreme bill in recent memory – would give lawmakers the power to reject Arizonans’ votes for president. “The Legislature…by majority vote at any time before the presidential inauguration may revoke the secretary of state’s issuance or certification of a presidential elector’s certificate

of election.” This would be easy to isolate to Arizona, but we’re presented daily with similar proposals throughout the country. Apparently, the thrust of this legislation is the ability to isolate and eliminate votes from communities of color. The bill proposed by State Rep. Shawnna Bolick (R), gives the legislature the power to eliminate Arizona electors who pick the next president. Passage of this bill would legalize and codify the infractions which are the basis of the current impeachment. SUPPRESSION AND RACISM Recently, I wrote that voter suppression is the tool of a party with policies unacceptable to a majority of voters. Suppression is the only way that type of party can maintain power. This is an accurate description of the Republican party. Why, then, would a party be unwilling to present palatable policies? For the wealthy, Republican policies provide unchallenged and uninterrupted financial security. For the remaining 90% of Republicans, fear is the most common motivator. Anti-Racist Jane Elliot suggests that Whites believe that a symbiotic relationship exists between political/social power and numerical superiority. By extension, I believe they consider the loss of either as tragic but recognize that political power will allow them to maintain/sustain historic social controls necessary to appease their sense of entitlement.

PROCESS IS INCOMPLETE I cannot provide a reference, but, long ago, I remember reading an article in which a White high school dropout expressed belief that he was more entitled to a job opportunity than a Black person with a related college degree. Merit-based competition is slowly changing socio-economic constructs, and increased voting participation is supplying legislators who are willing and ready to reduce social and employment barriers. This process is incomplete, but currently poses the greatest threat to resident racists –overt and covert, alike – who fear their loss of control. This is evidenced by the public display of confederate, Nazi and supremist flags and symbols of those most committed to the continuance of racial/social injustice. Whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, we have reached the nexus between enduring systemic injustice and the enduring demand for social equity and justice. The aforementioned Marjorie Taylor Greene has said, “President Trump never backed down, and neither will I…Not when I have patriots like you standing beside me.” To her, I say, “Stop PRETENDING your RACISM is PATRIOTISM.” To the Beloved Community, I say, “Our struggle continues, and our WILL must be ENDURING! 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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INSIDE

Faithful Utterances

Quit Playin’

Price Gives History Lesson

My Grandmother would gently advise my mother back in the day. She would prophetically warn my mother about letting us watch, “them shoot-em’ups! We are raising a violent generation!” Between the Lone Ranger and Big Valley, Victor and I came to cherish our Second Amendment rights before age six.

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price is 70 years old, and according to established guidelines, he could have been at the head of the line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. While many may have assumed that he, like so many other elected officials in his age group, had already taken the COVID-19 vaccine; he had not, until Monday.

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March 5, 2021

MY TRUTH by Cheryl Smith, Publisher

Your Walk is your walk We’re rapidly approaching a special time. Well, it was supposed to be, for the class of 2021. COVID-19, however; has changed everything and there are some very unhappy and disappointed people. Just imagine, all your young life you have heard about this wonderful time. I can remember being told, “your senior year is going to be the best year of your life.” I was also told that I was going to look back on that time and cherish the memories of prom, graduation, parties and saying goodbye to teachers, coaches and friends; some i’d probably never see again. Which brings me to my truth. I’ve heard a similar spiel about other key times in my life: Going away to college; pledging Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; obtaining the first, then the second college degree; purchasing my first car, then house; and, so on. Yes, those were monumental times in my life and there have been many more. Everyone’s journey is different and just like grieving, we have to let everyone do March 5, 2021

it in their own way. We may not have all of the backstory of what went into getting to a point. Then too, we each handle situations differently. Recently a young man asked me if I had ever experienced anything like what we are going through now. Clearly I look older than I thought! I explained to him that while there have been some catastrophic times in my life; there has been nothing compared to 2020. I also told him about times when I thought things were worse than they actually turned out to be, but I made it. I also listened to those with more knowledge. News flash: You don’t know everything and while everyone you talk to doesn’t either, less talk and more listening can be beautiful, enlightening and empowering. Arm yourself with knowledge and don’t take the position that people owe you something because you are here. I think the Staple Singers made that line famous! Class of 2021, I know it is tough. I wish you the best and it is my hope that everything

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you have had to deal with surrounding COVID-19 will be the biggest disappointment or pain you experience in your entire lives. Use that education you received. Do your own research. Check your sources.

And just as it has been said, especially during times like these, tough times don’t last forever. In the meantime, let your “walk” be with grace, honesty, love, justice, compassion, wisdom, faith and integrity.

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March 5, 2021

Lamenting is Necessary for Preparation FAITHFUL UTTERANCES BY DR. FROSWA BOOKER-DREW

That week was unprecedented. If you weren’t directly impacted by the lack of electricity in your homes, you probably had relatives and friends over. If that wasn’t your scenario, you witnessed or heard stories of despair and hopelessness through the consistent coverage in the news and social media. It was a lot to experience and process. My irritation goes beyond the experience. I am frustrated to see how so many of us went back to work Monday morning as If nothing happened and we continue to stay on the hamster wheel of non-stop motion---never taking the time to pause or even stop. There were limited conversations or check-ins, just work as usual because we have fallen into the trap that profit and productivity rule over people. In addition to last week’s debacle, over 500,000 people have died from COVID or COVID related complications. So many family members and friends have experienced loss. The institutional knowledge as well as the potential that we will never realize and know is now gone. And yet, we continue to move on without March 5, 2021

taking the time to stop and realize the devastation of this unseen enemy that is taking a toll on life as we know it. Our lives have radically changed. For many of us, we have been in our homes since March 2020 with limited human contact that is usually restricted to immediate family. Hugs and opportunities to experience the presence of others is almost non-existent except

faster as if it will suddenly go away and things will go back to normal. In our quest, to keep up this busyness and desire to move forward, we are neglecting to pause, stop, and lament. It’s interesting that in grammar, the comma represents a pause, and the period is designed to stop before moving to another thought. Why is it that we understand that in language but have

“

Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” 25The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.”

for Zoom calls and Grocery store runs. Dallas Morning News (February 4, 2021) headlines read, “With 1 of every 5 high schoolers not attending classes with regularity, Dallas ISD launches reconnection effort.” As much as we tell ourselves that our children are resilient, obviously, they are not adjusting well, either. We keep running, moving

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failed to see the correlation in our lives? Right now, we need to really sit back, reflect, and listen. God is speaking and we are missing it big time by covering it up with more stuff to do that has yet to alleviate our pain and suffering. The book of Lamentations is credited to Jeremiah. It is a Biblical book of poems that illustrate the pain of a people whose city had been

destroyed and who had lost many loved ones. It is a book that ponders on the suffering of man caused by the decisions and actions of men. The city of Babylon had been invaded and destroyed. There was a need for food and people were desperate. Lamentations 3:17-26 states, “Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” Maybe it is time for us to pause, stop, cry, reflect and wait quietly to hear from God. Our very lives depend upon it.

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.

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Quit Playin’ with Guns! QUIT PLAYIN’ VINCENT L. HALL My Grandmother would gently advise my mother back in the day. She would prophetically warn my mother about letting us watch, “them shoot-em’-ups! We are raising a violent generation!” Between the Lone Ranger and Big Valley, Victor and I came to cherish our Second Amendment rights before age six. We rode our stick horses, shooting at each other with cap pistols until the red ribbons turned dark and the smell of smoke filled the air. We graduated from that fascination to Eliot Ness and Al Capone, whose machine-gun fire was intoxicating. Mrs. Figures, my Grandmother, would be in full panic mode after reading the recent USA Today story that I picked up and can’t put down. “The analysis, titled “A Public Health Crisis in the Making,” found that although Black men and boys ages 15 to 34 make up just 2% of the nation’s population, they were among 37% of gun homicides that year. That’s 20 times higher than white males of the same age group. Of all reported firearm homicides in 2019, more than half of victims were Black men, according to the study spearheaded by the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Sixty-three percent of male vicmyimessenger.com

tims were Black. Black females had the highest risk of being killed by a firearm than females of any other race or ethnicity, and they were four times more likely to be victims than white females. “Gun violence has for the longest time been a public health crisis in the Black community,” said epidemiologist Ed Clark of Florida A&M

verely panicked as my late Grandmother. This 30-odd page analysis is staggering. “The proportion of homicides represent 36% of all gun deaths. More than 14,400 individuals were firearm homicide victims in 2019, including 2,023 children and teens (ages 0-19). This equated to an average of 39 firearm homicides every day.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SERIES University’s Institute of Public Health. Read the report proffered by The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV). Founded in 1974, they are the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization. “We believe gun violence should be rare and abnormal. We pursue this goal through policy development, advocacy, community engagement, and effective training.” The CSGV must be as se-

Suicides continued to make up 60% of all gun deaths. Nearly 24,000 individuals died by firearm suicide, including 1,167 children and teens (ages 0-19). This equated to an average of 66 lives lost every day.” After reading the article, Former Mayor-Pro-Tem, Diane Ragsdale rightfully declared the staggering number of homicides, especially among young Black men, “a full-blown public health cri-

sis.” The subject is hard to breach because White Conservatives and their ‘bought Blacks” on Fox News, point to “Black on Black’ crime as their countering issue and reason to wholly dismiss support from the Black Lives Matter Movement. Their argument is a red herring “Between 1980-2008, the U.S. Department of Justice found that 84% of white victims were killed by white offenders and 93% of Black victims were killed by Black offenders,” according to a September 2020 USA Today article. The Mills Brothers sang, “You always hurt the ones you love, the ones you love most of all.” The ironic truth in that verse is borne out in our national murder statistics. Blacks are about as apt to kill one of their own as Whites or Browns. Homicides are a crime of proximity in most cases. But Mayor Ragsdale is right. The issue of gun-violence among Black men, which creates shrapnel that kills our sisters disproportionately, must be lifted up on the national stage. We need to ponder our community for answers and petition our congressional leaders for the required appropriations. My Grandmother’s argument may be the place all of America needs to start. The glorification of guns begins far too early for boys and its killing us. Quit Playin’! Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.

March 5, 2021

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How to get a COVID-19 vaccine If you are a Parkland patient: Parkland patients (at least one appointment in the last year) will be contacted by Parkland when it’s their turn to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

If you are not a Parkland patient: Please follow these steps to register to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Go to the website of Dallas County Health and Human Services:

www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination.php

Click on the green rectangle to register:

Fill out the form and click Submit. You are now registered.

When it is your turn, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment to get the vaccine at one of the hub sites (such as Parkland, UT Southwestern, Dallas County Health and Human Services, etc.)

Getting the vaccine will protect yourself and the people around you. The vaccine will help stop the spread of the virus in our community and end the pandemic.

Not able to register online? Call the Dallas County Health and Human Services Vaccine Registration Hotline at 469-749-9906, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Registration help is available in English and Spanish.

Until more people are vaccinated, please stay safe.

Wear a mask

Wash your hands

Clean surfaces 01/21/21

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March 5, 2021

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As Americans, we must stand on the side of what’s right for all of humanity OUR VOICES

DONALD J. LEE In response to text messages I’d gotten from friends outside of Texas Thursday, July 7, checking on my well-being as they followed breaking news reports of the fatal shootings of police officers in downtown Dallas, I posted on social media that I’d gone to the websites of two of Dallas-Fort Worth’s TV news stations to get a more indepth report of what was going on. I mentioned that it was interesting that the news stations’ websites did confirm that there was an ongoing incident involving the sniping of police officers in a location at which peaceful demonstrators had converged to protest violence at the hands of police, but that I didn’t see where either said who the group was that was demonstrating. In response to my post, I got a couple interesting comments from an individual who (some kind of way) got it in his head that I was “condoning” violence against police officers. His comment to me read: “We should all attempt to keep a watchful eye over the ones who try and protect us as citizens. While many don’t like cops they do keep a watchful (eye) over us and try to do the best they can.” My response: It’s the rogue cops that peomyimessenger.com

ple have a problem with, not all cops. We’d be in a world of trouble if we didn’t have police. That’s a no-brainer. Therefore, we must pray for our police officers, I agree. But we also must pray for the civilians (all of them) that they accepted the charge to serve and protect. His response: “The way you reply, you’re condoning these acts. Since I’m

me nearly as well as you think you do. Make no mistake about it, my friend. I will speak out boldly against injustice whenever I see it, including when the human rights of people who look like me are being violated. White people — white friends of mine — comment on my social media pages whenever they feel like it. I welcome their comments. I welcome your

white and writing on your … page you should stand against this violence since you are a pastor and a leader of the black community.” My response to his comment (and this is also my response to anyone who may erroneously confuse my stance for humanity with being anti-white or anti-police): No, Sir. I don’t condone these acts. I don’t see how you could actually think I would. I have not said one single thing that even remotely sounds like I condone violence against anybody. Period. I don’t have a problem with you because of your ethnicity. For you to think that I do is an indication that you don’t know

comments. But when you accuse me of being racist, or you so much as insinuate it, understand that I’m going to have a response for you. What I’ll need you to do is put down your issue of race and join me in speaking out for an improved condition of humanity. You are getting all bent out of shape because you misperceive somebody, namely me, to be saying something that crystal clearly isn’t so. The only thing that keeps me from being appalled by your insinuation about me is that I’m taking into account that you don’t know me. And as for me being a pastor: Jesus doesn’t have any wimps in His army. His people are meek in one

sense, yet bold when the situation at hand warrants it. You have absolutely no earthly idea that I prayed fervently for the families of all the white police officers who lost their lives in that horrible act of violence in downtown Dallas. I prayed for their families just like I prayed for the families of the two men who were killed by those two police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota. Did you pray for them? If you prayed, did you pray for the families of those two men who were killed, too, or did you just pray for the police officers who were killed in Dallas? Before you try to pass unrighteous judgment on me, come and talk to me. Get to know me. Hopefully, what you’d hear would change your misperception of who you think I am. And if it doesn’t, then oh, well. Oh, and by the way. I’m not just a leader in the black community. I am a leader in the American community. Whose community are you a leader in? Remember, people, this profound quote from the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” Did you get that, (Texas) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick? Donald Lee is a pastor, author and free-lance journalist. He may be contacted at (225) 7732248 or leedonaldj@gmail. com. Follow him on Twitter at @ donaldj_lee..

March 5, 2021

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Extravagant Events CEO Lesia Ramsey decorates table in Barnett Home

Love Delayed/Love Always Photos and Story By EVA D. COLEMAN Lifestyle & Culture Editor

It was an extravagant event with an elite clientele! I’m so grateful to event planner extraordinaire Lesia Ramsey of Extravagant Events for entrusting me to execute her vision for the Delta Mu Boulé - Sigma Pi Phi Fort Worth chapter’s St. Valentine’s Gala, that was actually postponed a week due to the Texas Winter Storm. I served as the Virtual Event Producer, handling Zoom technology, customizing video elements, graphics, playing music and more. It was an entertaining and heartfelt evening for 30 couples, with Archons professing their love for Archousai through setting the myimessenger.com

atmosphere from a custom box filled with everything needed for their table decor, complete with setup instructions and photo guides; with meals featuring steak, lobster, salmon, veggies and dessert catered and delivered to each of their homes by The Date. The virtual event was emceed by Lynne Haze of Smooth R&B 105.7, featuring a hilarious dinner chat with celebrity comedienne Nanette Lee and poetry by renowned artist Hank Stewart from Atlanta. Surprise gifts of commissioned jewelry and custom chocolates from Chocolate Secrets were presented to Archousai as well. Most touching was a portion of the program, “Expressions of Affection,” where selected Archons shared sen-

Crowd laughs during chat with Nanette

timents of appreciation for their loved one’s commitment in times of trials and triumph. The emotions permeated the screen. It was heartwarming and inspiring to see love on display, albeit via multiple video screens. The Delta Mu Boulé was

determined to continue their annual Valentine’s Day tradition. The smiles and laughter of the 60 attendees spoke volumes. While internet connectivity may have occasionally been spotty, one thing is for certain. Love never fails. March 5, 2021

March 5, 2021

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The Johnson Dynasty

Erika, Vivian, Frederick, Frederick ll and Michelle Marva myimessenger.com

March 5, 2021

Dallas Family creates HBCU Royal Dynasty By SKYLAR BOONE Some would say that a profile of the Johnson family would have been ideal for February during African American History Month, but when you have a family like theirs, full of accomplishments; any day and any month is a good one for a celebration. And celebrate is what this family and many, still observing social distancing measures, will do when they witness yet another milestone this weekend, with all eyes on the youngest Johnson, Erika Nicole Johnson, at her Miss Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) coronation. Although she has reigned the entire year, this weekend is her big weekend and she is more than deserving of all the pomp and circumstance that comes with this honor. “Miss FAMU 2020-21, Erika Johnson, has served Florida A&M University with dignity and grace while lifting her voice in service and praise of the University,” said FAMU President Dr. Larry Robinson. “She has successfully fulfilled the legacy of Miss FAMU and within her own family, succeeding her mother and sister, March 5, 2021

both outstanding alumnae. She was one of the student recipients of the FAMU MLK Leadership Award for her commitment, dedication, and leadership. She has reigned supreme as Miss FAMU.” And reigning supreme comes naturally for Erika’s family. MEET THE JOHNSONS: Dr. Vivian Bradley Johnson is the Senior Vice President of Clinical Services at Parkland Hospital Systems and a proud graduate of Florida A&M University (FAMU), where the names Bradley and Johnson are legendary; almost as much as they are in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Frederick Johnson, Sr., a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, was a leader on campus, graduating from FAMU’s renowned School of Business and Industry (SBI). He brought those skills to Dallas and is a successful entrepreneur. Vivian served as Miss FAMU her senior year, in 1981, and she said she had no idea that she was beginning what many have dubbed “the royal dynasty” and a true Black History footnote. A member of Alpha Kappa

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Erika Nicole Johnson Miss FAMU 2020-2021

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Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Park in Richardson, locatLinks, Inc., she is also a former ing other FAMU alumni and Vice President of the D-FW friends from their home state FAMU National Alumni Asso- and eventually following their ciation, and she and another plans to start a family. FAMU Rattler were the inspiLittle did they know it would ration behind the formation of be one of royalty, FAMU Royalthe Dallas Metroplex Council ty! of Black Alumni Associations. Everyone knew that Vivian In 1980, Frederick graduat- was a songbird and their three ed from FAMU and a job of- children were also gifted in the fer helped him arts; whether it’s decide to move singing, acting to Dallas. Vivor playing an ian graduated instrument, so it with a degree was only natural in pharmacy that they would and then obfind their way to tained her docThe Black Acadtorate degree emy of Arts and and completed Letters (TBAAL) a residency in where some of New Orleans. the most talentThen the two ed artists were Lake City, FL. either trained, natives tied the like Erykah knot and settled Badu; or comVenom and Miss FAMU in the Metroplex manded sold where a thriving economy was out audiences, like Miss Ruby just the place for an enterpris- Dee. ing and successful accountant TBAAL founder Curtis King and a brilliant pharmacist. describes Erika as “absolutely, They immediately became totally amazing.” involved in their community; “Fifty years from now we’ll finding a church home at First be talking about her, like we Baptist Church of Hamilton do other greats, like Leontyne

The Johnsons

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Miss FAMU 2020-21, 2017-18, and 1981-82

Price,” said King. “She’s got that ‘it,’ thing. I recognize it in her. She is an amazing artist and singer and she’s going to be huge.”

bunch; who will be crowned Miss FAMU on March 7, 2021 (a little late because of COVID-19). The graduate of the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for NOW MORE ABOUT the Performing Arts knew she THE DYNASTY was going to be asked one Frederick II (you may recall question once people knew seeing him on the Bachelorette that she was from that family of as he tried to capture the heart not one, but two, Miss FAMUs of the first African American and a Mister FAMU! bachelorette Rachel Lindsay), Each Johnson heir to the graduated with degrees from throne took a different apboth FAMU and proach on their FSU the same journey to the semester; all crown. Frederick while serving as II, was ready to Mister FAMU. make a change Then here on FAMU’s camcomes Michelle pus, he was ready Marva who folto make it “A Diflowed in her ferent World” as mom’s footthe 12th Mister steps and was FAMU. crowned Miss Marva was FAMU in 2017. providing a Both are proddream with a ucts of Newman “ M A R VA l o u s Smith High Beginning,” as Erika Nicole School and like the 111th Miss Miss FAMU 2020-2021 their parents FAMU and Erika Frederick II is has recently just a Kappa and Michelle (her brought the university into a friends call her “Marva”) is an “New Era” on the Royal Court AKA. for the 2020-2021 academic And if that wasn’t enough year. Black History, here comes Vivian said that the people, Erika Nicole, the baby of the businesses, and loved ones

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in the Dallas area provided support during each of their campaigns. Getting support in Dallas was a team effort with the Johnson children and their parents. “The Dallas community has been very supportive of our family,” she said.

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It wasn’t hard to embrace the Johnsons because of their involvement and efforts at home, work, church, schools, and throughout the community. And that school in Tallahassee, FL where such local notables as former Dallas Cowboys Bob Hayes and Nate Newton, businessman and philanthropist Oscar Joyner, 94.5’s Indy B, and former Dallas City Councilwoman Tiffinni Young was always present in their lives. “Even though we were in Dallas, growing up we knew about FAMU and the significance the university had in our family’s hearts,” Erika said. Marva said her mother was very spirited growing up and that even in the church you could see the connection be-

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tween her mom and other HBCU alums. She also shared she was nervous about running since her mom held the position but had to pray and reflect on her reason for running. “My mom is the person to remind you of the bigger picture when you are down,” said Marva. “She gives you hope by providing a new perspective on a situation.” The girls said their mom reminds them to look for the pos-

itive in everything. During their campaign weeks, each one shared how their mom supported them with encouragement and how their dad also was supporting them through much-appreciated prayer. REIGNING SUPREME The Johnson family is excited to celebrate the reign of Erika, the 114th Miss Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University for the 2020-2021 academic year.

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Erika successfully navigated the first-ever completely virtual campaign season in FAMU’s history, executing a well-put-together campaign during a pandemic. After yet another year of serving the college of love and charity with innovation, the Johnson family has worked together to host a virtual crowning celebration before the coronation.

Unlike most coronations that include a weeklong of activities with tens of thousands of alumni and friends participating, this new norm is the first of its kind and family and friends want Erika’s crowning moment to be just as special as in previous years. The pre-coronation event is “A Royal Celebration and Crowning AFFAIR.” The coronation will air via @famu_1887 Facebook, YouTube and the @famuroyalcourt YouTube page on Sunday, March 7, at 5 pm CST/ 6 pm EST. The link to register for the pre-coronation Royal Celebration is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-royalcelebration-and-miss-famu-crowning-affair-tickets-143304352175. Skylar Boone hails from Dothan, AL and she is a second year broadcast journalism student at FAMU. You can reach her at skylar1.boone@famu.edu

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March 5, 2021

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Briefs

New artist residency program launched by South Dallas Cultural Center

Photo Courtesy South Dallas Cultural Center (SDCC)

Dallas’ Office of Arts and Culture’s (OAC) South Dallas Cultural Center (SDCC) has launched the Juanita J. Craft House Artist Residency Initiative, an interactive program for artists. The residency initiative supports artists by offering nonliving studio space and connecting them with residents, organizations and institutions to develop a unique artwork, art series, or body of work centering community activism. “I am a native of South Dallas and dreamed of making an impact on my neighborhood,” said South Dallas Cultural Center Manager John Spriggins, who has led the cultural center since 2017. “My hope is to connect creativity with the

community in South Dallas. It is the right time to launch the residency with all of the changes happening in the area.” In Fall of 2020, Spriggins worked with artist Nitashia Johnson to pilot the program. Johnson, a South Dallas native and a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, created The Smart Project, a creative after-school program for artistic teens. Her 2018 photographic book series, The Self Publication, was created to uplift the Black community and dismantle harsh stereotypes associated with the culture. “The art of storytelling has

always influenced my multimedia artwork,” said Johnson. “My eagerness and love for the world and others have pushed me to produce a body of work highlighting environmental spaces, communities, and individual muses. When I started working on the residency project which I’ve titled The Beauty of South Dallas, Capturing the Now Before the Future, I was excited yet nervous about where to begin. South Dallas is a large area, and I wanted to make sure to capture the spirit of the people and the land.” The Juanita J. Craft House Artist Residency Initiative , which will begin accepting applications in April 2021.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science Sponsors Engineers Week

Photo Courtesy The Perot Museum of Nature and Science

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science will kick off Engineers Week with several days of activities, including engineeringthemed activities, experiments, challenges, crafts and more from Thursday, February 25 to Sunday, February 28. From the gadgets and gizmos behind the world’s greatest innovations to robotics, myimessenger.com

games and TECH Truck activities, Engineers Week will be packed with amaze-your-brain adventures to appease all ages. Guests can explore the field of engineering firsthand with professional engineers and educators, enjoy interactive demos, tinker with VEX robotics and partake in building challenges, games and more. Outside, visitors can check out the scienceon-wheels TECH Truck for experiments led by Museum educators as well as take-home activities. Children ages 5 and under can learn about robotics, make binary necklaces, and enjoy engineering-themed crafts in the Moody Family Children’s Museum. Sponsored by VEX Robotics, Engineers Week is free with general admission. Member-only hours will be offered from 9-10 a.m. Saturdays and from 10-11 a.m. Sundays. As always, interactive activities will be disinfected regularly and hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the Museum. The Perot Museum is currently operating at limited capacity with strict safety protocols in place. Timed-entry tickets should be reserved in advance at perotmuseum.org.

Photo Courtesy Stock Footage/Canva

Texas Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program The Texas Rent Relief Program provides emergency funds to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities). Both landlords and tenants can use this website to create an account and submit their application. If you need assistance completing an application, our customer service staff can complete the application with you by phone by calling 1-833-9TX-RENT (1-833989-7368). The Texas Rent Relief Program

can help renters with the following costs starting as far back as March 13, 2020 (this means you could potentially request assistance for up to 11 months of past due bills): • Past due, current and up to 3 months of expected rent costs • Past due, current or up to 3 months of expected utility and home energy expenses • After the initial 3 months of forward assistance, you can apply for 3 additional months of assistance if funds are still available March 5, 2021

Briefs Abbott, HHSC Announce Federal Approval Allowing SNAP Clients To Purchase Hot Foods

Photo Courtesy Stock Footage/Canva

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) received federal approval to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to use their food benefits to purchase additional food options

due to the continued impact from the severe winter storm. “As we continue to recover from this winter storm, the state is ensuring that Texans in need have access to hot food to feed their families,” said Governor

Abbott. “I thank our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture for approving this waiver.” SNAP recipients can now use their benefits for hot foods and ready-toeat foods, such as rotisserie chicken

or grocery store deli foods, at retailers that accept SNAP anywhere in the state. The waiver allows purchases through the end of March. Additionally, Texas received federal approval Feb. 19 to allow SNAP recipients to apply for replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed due to the severe weather. “We’re doing everything we can for Texans who were affected by this extreme winter storm,” said Wayne Salter, HHS Access and Eligibility Services deputy executive commissioner. “These added federal flexibilities will go a long way in helping SNAP clients feed their families.” Administered by HHSC, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1.6 million eligible, low-income families and individuals in Texas. Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits. com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits. To find local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-11 and select option 1.

Traci Dunn joins VillageMD as Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of Dei

Traci Dunn

March 5, 2021

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Traci Dunn has joined VillageMD as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as of March 1. Dunn has more than 25 years of HR experience with a proven track record of identifying, developing, and leading the best and next practices in talent strategy. Prior to VillageMD, Dunn was vice president of inclusion, diversity and corporate impact at McKesson where she was responsible for inclusion and diversity, culture and engagement,

and corporate impact. “Traci will be a key leader as we continue to grow and hire talented team members throughout our organization,” said Tim Barry, chairman and CEO of VillageMD. “Her proven background driving outcomes in building diverse talent bases while supporting inclusive work culture perfectly complements our organizational talent priorities.” Dunn was recently named to the Dallas 500 as one of the most powerful business leaders in the

Dallas-Fort Worth area by D CEO Magazine. She also held senior positions at Accenture, Huntington National Bank and The Timken Company. “I’m honored to join VillageMD and thrilled to have the opportunity to make an immediate impact in helping this talented team transform healthcare by delivering the most accessible, efficient, effective and compassionate healthcare,” said the graduate of UNT, who is also a member of National Black MBA Association. myimessenger.com

Dallas COVID-19 Resources

MO’ BETTAH WINGS

COVID-19 Call the hotline The bestHotline way to 24-7 protect yourself and others is to 214-670-INFO (4636) to get information regarding: stay at home. •Current COVID-19 Regulations & Testing Locations •Employment Assistance •Federal Relief Payment Information •Volunteer/Assistance Opportunities •Rental/Mortgage, and Eviction Assistance •Small Business Assistance •Social Services (food pantry, childcare assistance, senior assistance, unsheltered resident assistance and mental health resources) •Utility Payment Assistance

Slow the spread of COVID-19 The best way to protect yourself and others is to stay at home.

Safer at home

2860 E. LEDBETTER DR. (Inside Valero) DALLAS, Tx.75216 myimessenger.com

11am-10pm Monday-Saturday 12-8 Sunday

Wash with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.

Keep your mouth and nose covered while out in public.

Visit dallascityhall.com/COVID19 for a list of resources and up-to-date information about COVID-19.

March 5, 2021

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Vernon Jordan, Civil Rights Icon and Clinton adviser, transitions at 85 By STACY M. BROWN NNPA Vernon Jordan, the former National Urban League president and civil rights leader, has died at 85. His daughter, Vickee Jordan Adams, confirmed his death on Tuesday. “My father passed away last night at around 10 p.m. surrounded by loved ones, his wife and daughter, by his side,” Adams noted in a statement. A lawyer and Washington power broker, Jordan was born in Atlanta on Aug. 15, 1935. He attended the DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where he was the only African-American student in his class. According to an online biography posted by The HistoryMakers, Jordan participated in the student senate at DePauw and won statewide honors in speaking competitions. He played basketball and graduated in 1957. In 1960, he earned a J.D. from the Howard University School of Law. Jordan returned to Atlanta, starting his legal career working with the civil rights movement. “In 1961, he helped organize the integration of the University of Georgia and personally escorted student Charlayne Hunter through a hostile white crowd,” The HistoryMakers noted. They continued: “Over the next 10 years, Jordan held various positions as a civil rights advocate. He served as the Georgia field secretary for the NAACP, director of the Voter Education Project for the myimessenger.com

his autobiography, “Vernon Can Read!” and authored a weekly newspaper column syndicated to more than 300 newspapers while also serving as a frequent television guest and commentator. “Mourning the passage of my friend, the extraordinary

Vernon Jordan

Southern Regional Council, head of the United Negro College Fund and as a delegate to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s White House Conference on Civil Rights.” In 1971, Jordan was appointed president and CEO of the National Urban League, spearheading the organization’s growth. On May 29, 1980, a white supremacist attempted to kill Jordan. After a successful recovery, in 1981, Jordan resigned from the National Urban League to work as legal counsel with the Washington, D.C. office of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, and Feld. His active practice includes corporate, legislative, and international clients, researchers at the HistoryMakers noted. Jordan’s close friend has long been former President Bill Clinton and during Clinton’s presidency, Jordan became one of Washington’s most influential power brokers, the researchers noted. A member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., he also served as a partner in the investment firm of Lazard Frere & Company in New York. In 2001, Jordan published

Vernon Jordan,” Stacey Abrams posted on Twitter. “He battled the demons of voter suppression and racial degradation, winning more than he lost. He brought others with him. And left a map so more could find their way. Love to his family. Travel on with God’s grace.”

President Joe Biden on the Passing of Vernon Jordan: Vernon Jordan began life in one of the first public housing projects in America and ended life as a fixture in our country’s halls of power. Along the way, he became a foot soldier for civil rights, a trusted friend and counselor to presidents, and a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Vernon navigated America’s boardrooms with an activist’s heart, working the levers of power in service of progress. And the countless business and political leaders who turned to Vernon for guidance did so because when he spoke, you could hear in his rich baritone the belief in an America that was capable of becoming an ever-more perfect union. It was a journey he’d lived. As a young lawyer, he went home to Georgia, to battle against unjust systems in the segregated South. As president of the National Urban League, he fought for economic justice because he knew that a job brought with it more than a paycheck; it brought dignity. As a civil rights leader shot in the back by a white supremacist, he came away from that near-death experience energized rather than embittered. As a high-powered lawyer and financier, “the Rosa Parks of Wall Street,” he was often the first in many rooms but never afraid to speak his mind. Vernon Jordan knew the soul of America, in all of its goodness and all of its unfulfilled promise. And he knew the work was far from over. He liked to say that we had torn down what Dr. King called “sagging walls of segregation,” but we still had to deal with “the rubble”—with systemic racism, with inequity, with the injustice still faced by so many Black Americans. To honor him, and others of this Civil Rights generation, we must continue to do the same. When eulogizing other leaders, Vernon liked to quote the great Reverend Gardner Taylor, and his words ring true today: “Something vast and noble has passed from among us. It is like a mighty oak has fallen, leaving an empty and gaping and glaring space against the sky where he stood.” Jill and I extend our deepest condolences to Ann, Vickee, and the entire Jordan family. March 5, 2021

March 5, 2021

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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.

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March 5, 2021

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Price gives history lesson

John Wiley Price, the Dallas County Commissioner for District 3, speaks to the media following his COVID-19 vaccination at the Ellis Davis Field House in Dallas, Monday, March 1, 2021. Credit: Tom Fox / Staff Photographer- The Dallas Morning News

By CHERYL SMITH Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price is 70 years old, and according to established guidelines, he could have been at the head of the line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. While many may have assumed that he, like so many other elected officials in his age group, had already taken the COVID-19 vaccine; he had not, until Monday. At a press conference at the Ellis Davis Fieldhouse Complex, one of the sites selected in January to administer drivethru and by-appointmentmyimessenger.com

only vaccinations, Price discussed the Coronavirus and encouraged citizens to join him in line to get the vaccine. There’s nothing ‘politically/ phobia-motivated or backroom concocted to explain why it has taken Price more than two months after the first vaccine was administered on December 14, 2020 in New York, to get his shot. Instead, he has been working to ensure fair and equitable distribution of services and vaccines; while also educating his constituents on information as quickly as it becomes available.

“Since the introduction of the Pfizer vaccine, I have been inundated with questions from people in this community and frankly across the country,” he said. “The doubt and skepticism around this issue concerns me.” In addition to encouraging citizens to register and take the vaccine at their earliest opportunity, Price focused on dispelling and dismissing some of the misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the issue. “Too many people in our community refuse the treatment based on

an erroneous belief about the infamous ‘Tuskegee experiment,’” he explained, citing author James Jones’ book, “Bad Blood” by James Jones, and a June 2016 article about the “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male,” that appeared in the magazine, “The Atlantic.” Dr. Vivian Bradley Johnson, Parkland Senior Vice President of Clinical Services, said she was pleased when she heard that the commissioner was taking the vaccine. “I’ve been waiting for Commissioner Price to take it,” she said. “I believe he will March 5, 2021

help get others to accept it. If he is taking it then they feel that others will trust it.” According to Dr. Johnson said health officials have been working to get influencers, “individuals who people listen to and respect,” in hopes that more people will sign up, get tested, and take the vaccine. “People respect him (Price) in the community and they trust him,” said Dr. Johnson, who acknowledged that, “Blacks have experienced mistreatment so they don’t trust every person trying to get them to be part of a study or take medications. Commissioner Price is very engaged.” While yet another COVID 19 vaccine has been approved for use, concerns have been raised not only about the disparity in doses distributed to African Americans, but also the refusal by many to take the vaccine. “This virus and its emerging variants are too dangerous for a demographic that is already vastly underserved in terms of healthcare delivery,” the commissioner said. “No one has lost more jobs, small businesses, or opportunities than the African American and

March 5, 2021

minority communities. We have the hardest hit and we need to be the first ones to take advantage of any opportunity to secure our health and safety.” That people are referencing a study that lasted over 40 years, 1932-1972; to justify their hesitancy to take the vaccine today should not be discounted, many say. At a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the NAACP recently, experts talked about the mistrust that runs deep throughout Black and Brown communities. Callers into the program were concerned that while Blacks and Browns were disproportionately affected by COVID-19, the vaccines appeared to be going primarily to other communities; and many cited historical “assaults” on people of color. Price pointed out that misinformation is an area that must be addressed if any effort is going to be successful, especially when you look at the devastating effects of those impacted by the Syphilis Study. “The Public Health Service officials followed 600 rural Black men in Alabama who had Syphilis, over the course of their

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lives, refusing to tell patients their diagnosis, refusing to treat them for the debilitating disease and denying some of them treatment,” he said. Price continued in his reasoning and rationale for taking the vaccine publicly. “The common misunderstanding is that Black men were injected with syphilis,” he explained. “That is an erred notion that has never been widely challenged in the public square. The real travesty was that health professionals had a cure and refused to share it with men who looked like me.” The Syphilis Study is just one of many atrocities that makes some say it’s no wonder that Blacks and Browns are hesitant about anything that is sanctioned by the government. Price said “too many of us have the wrong information about the study,” the virus and the vaccine. For Price, who also follows

the science, as so many medical experts have implored, the vaccines that have been approved are the best bet for dealing with the pandemic. With efforts to get more vaccines to Dallas County, such as the announcement that an additional 6,000 doses would be available for those in jail, all hands are on deck working to achieve some form of normalcy, led by President Joe Biden, who Price praises for also being serious about stemming the tide and surpassing “his goal of 100 million vaccinated in the first 100 days.” Price admits, there’s more work to do and he’s going to continue doing his part. “I fight daily for those who have been underserved historically,” he said. “Our senior and indigent populations should at least get an equal shot at this vaccine. We need to take the Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson and Johnson version as quickly as possible.”

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March 5, 2021

Virtual and liVe Community Calendar

WOMENS HISTORY MONTH March 4

Policing Reform for Racial Justice. Feat: Detective Marquez “Marq” Claxton Event by Anna Julia Cooper Center. RSVP: https:// bit.ly/3az3gwG. 5-6:30 pm. CST. Financial Planning for Women. Event by Savvy Chicks Rule & EA Wealth Management. Event: Eventbrite.com 6:30-8 pm. ALL STAR WEEKEND Talent Competition. Host HBCU Heroes. 7 pm. Event is live on @ twitch.tv/hbcuheroes.

17th Annual Women Empowering Women’s Conference. Event by Daughters of Deborah, Inc. Reg: Eventbrite.com. 9:30 am. CST. Online: http://bit.ly/3selYAK. Girl Sip (Sisters in Pursuit) Event by Renew Church - Arlington, La Quinta Inn & Suites, 2131 W. 1-20, Grand Prairie. 12-1 pm. CST. Tickets: http://bit.ly/2NMaAh3. Daiquiris & Chill 5 at Blends Daiquiri Lounge. Event hosted by The Socially Astute, DjDre Day. Blends Daiquiri Lounge, 2810 E Trinity Mills Rd #145, Carrollton. 4-9 pm. CST.

Energy Delivery and Texas. Event hosted by Coffee and Politics 101. Message: Coffee and Politics 101. Virtual on: youtube.com 10-11 am CST.

SoulJazz Thursdays Feat: Vandell Andrew. Hosted by Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8 pm-12 am. sandaga813.com. The Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Food and Financial Security. Event by Dallas Coalition for Hunger Solutions Reg: https://bit.ly/2MxDP6C 1-2 pm. CST.

March 7

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

DFW News & Tings with Jirah Nicole. From 11 am-1 pm. CST Tuesday’s on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com. Join the conversation at 646-200-0459. Williams Chicken Presents Entrepreneurs are Innovators! Panel Tim Williams, Carlos White, Carl Shields, & Victor J. Elmore. Webinar Series. Reg: www. williamschicken.com 5:30-7 pm. CST. LitNight Reading Series. Event by LitNight. Zoom Meeting https://smu.zoom.us/j/91910236244, Meeting ID: 919 1023 6244 Passcode: 967699 7-8:30 pm.

Happy Birthday to Eva D. Coleman

March Town Hall w/ Rep. Crockett. Hosted by Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Online event: http://bit.ly/301RAO9. 7-9 pm. CST.

March 5-7 Andrew’s World with host, Andrew Whigham III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8-10 am. Sundays. Tune in for thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news and commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459.

56th Anniversary of Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee. A Historical Crossing Goes Global as a Virtual Event to fight COVID-19. Commemorating “Bloody Sunday.” Register: selmajubilee.com.

March 5 Texas became a Slave State in 1865 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. Every Friday Night Don Diego and The Razz Band at Club Odyssey, 7439 Westmoreland Rd. 6 pm. Face Mask Required.

March 6 Developing and Leading Multi-Ethnic Congregations: Host: Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Daniels, Jr. Online: prophetic-activism. org. 11:45 am-1:15 pm. CST.

March 5, 2021

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

Women Make History. Event by Eventura Event Planning a celebration of International Women’s Day. Reg: Eventbrite. com. 1 pm. CST. Ubuntu Market for Small Business. Hosted by Pan African Connection, 4466 Marsalis, Dallas. 12-5 pm. For vendor Info: Email: adjwoahogue@yahoo.com, or call 214-943-8262.

March 8

Saxophonist Andre Cavor performing songs by: Drake / Jay Z/ Snoop Dog. Live on Facebook @ Saxophonist Andre Cavor. 6-7 pm. Ask Dr. Amerson with Dr. Linda Amerson. 12 pm. CST @DFWiRadio.com, and Live on Facebook @DrLindaAmerson.

March 11

International Women’s Day

Elevation Comedy Tour 2021. Host Shavonda with a V. Feat: Anastasia The Bold. 9 pm-1 am. Tickets: Paypal.me/CarlJ23. Flores Ballroom, 4615 Singleton Blvd. Spring THINGZ featuring Johnnie Blu & Shugga. Event by Allure Jazz & Cigar Lounge, 110 S. Cockrell Hill #A. DeSoto. 8-11:59 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

March 10

Ralph David Abernathy was born in1926

Phyllis Mae Daley, first of four African American Navy Nurses to serve in WWII in 1945

Lunch & Learn: Understanding the Sales Game. Event by Zan W Holmes Jr Community Outreach Center. Feat: Audrey Brown Event online: zwhjcoc.org. 11:30 am CST.

Women of Impact: Celebrating Women in Photography! In celebration of International Women’s Day, join Nikon Ambassadors Tamara Lackey, Ami Vitale and Michelle Valberg. Reg: Eventbrite.com 7 pm. CST In the Middle with Ashley Moss. From 11 am -1 pm. CST On Facebook Live/@ TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio. com. Call in and join the conversation at 646-200-0459.

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In 1932 the first Black Daily Newspaper was published Deep Dive into Money In Politics. Event by American Promise - North Texas. Online Register: us02web.zoom.us. 10:30 am–12 pm CST. Pop Up Day-Smooth Jazz Edition. Event by DFW Social 40. The Dojo-Dallas Fashion District2414, Converse St, Dallas. 4-9 Pm. CST. Pre Registration-Online Only www.dfwsocial40.com Dallas Mavericks vs Denver Nuggets. 9 pm. CST in Denver at the Pepsi Center.

March 14 Eli Whitney patented the Cotton Gin in 1794 The Roast of Royce West. (Virtual) Special Appearance: Dale Hanson. Event by Dallas County Democratic Party. 3 pm. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/springroast. Women’s History Month HERstory Conversation. Host Shanon Skipworth. Feat: Syreeta Martin of WURD Radio, and State Representative Joanna McClinton. Reg: Eventbrite.com. 1-2:30 pm CST.

March 15 In the Middle with Ashley Moss. From 11 am -1 pm. CST On Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com. Call in and join the conversation at 646-200-0459. National Women’s History Month Series. Elizabeth & Emily Blackwell the first woman in America to receive an M.D. Reg: Eventbrite.com 3-4 pm. CST. Virtual Book Club Meeting for Women’s History Month: The Colour Purple. Host: Haringey Libraries. Celebrating Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize Winning 1982 novel. Reg: Eventbrite. com 8-9 pm. CST.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

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.

Against Gravity: Flying Afrikans and Other Urban Legends. Event by Hi-ARTS, Renegade Performance Group and André M. Zachery. 5 pm. CST RSVP at bit.ly/hiartsRSVP.

March 9

March 12

March 13

AARP Fitness Friday, Aerobic Dance. Event by AARP Florida. Online: local.aarp.org 8:30-9:30 pm. Black Mental Health Matters. Event by Circle of Arms.2 pm. CST. Reg: http://bit.ly/3bNuobN.

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March 5, 2021

MARCH 2021

VOLUME 29

ANNIVERSARY BRIDGE CROSSING JUBILEE

COMMEMORATING “BLOODY SUNDAY,” THE SELMA TO MONTGOMERY MARCH, & THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965

BEYOND THE BRIDGE:

PEOPLE POWER, POLITICAL POWER, ECONOMIC POWER HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS GIANTS WE LOST IN 2020: REV. DR. C.T. VIVIAN, REV. JOSEPH LOWERY, BRUCE BOYNTON, AND REPRESENTATIVE JOHN LEWIS

www.selmajubilee.com March 5, 2021

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PHOTOS BY: CNN, JOSEPH AND EVELYN LOWERY INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE & HUMAN RIGHTS, ALREPORTER.COM, DAVID GOLDMAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS

SCHEDULE OF VIRTUAL EVENTS INSIDE

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THIS IS, INDEED, OUR GRANDPARENTS’ MOVEMENT March 7, 1965. More than half a century has passed (56 years, to be exact) since a peaceful march was met by brutal violence at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and the nation was forced to face the ugliness of its history of racial injustice. The civil rights movement experienced stratospheric highs and devastating lows before and since, and the fight is not even close to being over. One doesn’t have to look far to see the rise in blatant racism, anti-Semitism and other acts of hatred and intolerance which prove that -while the players have changed -- the issues of inequity and injustice our elders and ancestors faced years ago are just as insidious today. Consequently, we must be just as dedicated as they were to galvanize, strategize and organize as we honor those who came before us, learn from them and build upon the foundation they laid with steadfastness, strength, strategy, courage, and (for some) their very lives. This weekend, you’ll hear from many elders who served alongside Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Bruce Boynton, Representative John Lewis, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Marie Foster, and Amelia Boynton-Robinson. They are treasure troves of wisdom and insight. We would be remiss not to acknowledge them and other icons in the movement, even as we strive to take the movement forward. The theme of this, the 56th myimessenger.com

Amessage from Principal Coordinator Drew S. Glover - March 2021 Anniversary Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, is “Beyond the Bridge: People Power, Political Power, Economic Power.” History is filled with examples of the victories won when we work together for common goals. There is no “old guard” and “new guard” when it comes to oppression; evil has not stopped to rest and it is always looking to recruit. The enemies of equity and justice don’t draw a line in the sand to delineate between one generation of supporters and another -- and neither can we. This is, indeed, our grandparents’ movement. We can only hope to carry on their indomitable legacy and pray we make them proud. On behalf of the dedicated individuals who have banded together to create this, our first-ever completely virtual experience, I want to thank you for joining us as we make “history on top of history.” Thank you for spending this weekend with us, and please invite your friends and family to do the same; there’s something for everyone. Even after the Virtual Bridge Crossing is over and the sweet sounds of gospel

Drew Glover

have closed out the Jubilee on March 7th, the 56th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, we invite you to stay close and stay connected. You see, we’re not simply moving from Jubilee to Jubilee. We’re already planning educational, entertaining, informative, and empowering events that will take place throughout the year. It’s a new direction for us; we’re excited to keep the dialogue flowing and the community growing -- and we hope to be able to gather in person for

the 57th anniversary event in 2022. Head over to selmajubilee.com and sign up for our digital newsletter to make sure you don’t miss a thing! We hope this Jubilee weekend leaves you inspired, encouraged, and confident in the power of your own voice and your ability to make a difference. If you’re already a part of the work, we salute you. If you aren’t yet a part of the work, we encourage you to find a way to get involved. Together, we are unstoppable. March 5, 2021

WWW.SELMAJUBILEE.COM

MARCH 1-4, 2021: KINGIAN NONVIOLENCE CONFLICT RECONCILIATION VIRTUAL TRAINING* *Presented by the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation (visit www.selmacntr.org for more information)

FRIDAY MARCH 5, 2021: 10 am – 12 pm: Children’s Sojourn ATTENTION:

6:30 – 7 pm: Mass Meeting

ALL EVENTS ARE

7 – 9 p.m. : Freedom Flame Awards

VIRTUAL

SATURDAY MARCH 6, 2021:

THERE WILL BE NO

9:45 – 10:05 am: 15-Minute Countdown + Welcome

IN-PERSON EVENTS

10:05 – 11:50 am: Foot Soldier’s Breakfast

PLANNED OR

11:50 am – 1 pm: Step Show/Battle of the Bands

PRODUCED BY THE

1:00 – 1:30 pm: Black Music Experience

BRIDGE CROSSING

3:00 – 4:00 pm: Legacy Panel

JUBILEE IN 2021 TO

4:30 - 6:00 pm NAACP Legal Defense Fund Panel

FIGHT AGAINST THE

7:00 – 9:00 pm: Virtual Music Festival

SPREAD OF COVID-19. Breakout room events: 11:45 am – 3:00 pm: Symposium for Social Change 11:30 am – 5:00 pm: Film Festival All Day: Storytelling and Jim Gavenus Photography Display

SUNDAY MARCH 7, 2021: 7:30- 9:30 AM: Unity Breakfast** **Not coordinated by the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee. This event Is a paid fundraiser for the Selma-to-Montgomery March Foundation.

10 am - 12:30 pm: Brown Chapel Service 1:00 – 2:00 pm: Pre-March Rally + Speeches 2:00 – 2:30 pm: Virtual Bridge Crossing 3:00 – 5:00 pm: Gospel Concert 5:00 pm: Closing

OFFICIAL 2021 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

NOTE: SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

WWW.SELMAJUBILEE.COM March 5, 2021

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March 5, 2021

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THE UNITED STATES VS BILLIE HOLIDAY AT THE MOVIES BY HOLLYWOOD HERNANDEZ

If a movie keeps you entertained I consider that a good movie. However, if a movie teaches you something you didn’t previously know or affects you on an emotional level, I consider that movie to be stellar. THE UNITED STATES VS BILLIE HOLIDAY is a stellar movie. The movie tells the story of Harry Anslinger’s personal crusade to bring down Holiday because of one song she usually closed her show with each night called, “Strange Fruit.” The song was a subtle protest against lynching in the United States. Although “Strange Fruit” made no direct mention of lynching it had a haunting melody and was an obvious socially conscious song which was based on a poem written by a white New York poet who was horrified after seeing a picture of a lynching.

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“Black body swinging in the Southern breeze/ Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.” “Strange Fruit” became Holiday’s signature song. The song was so offensive to Anslinger, who was the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, he became obsessed with jailing Holiday to the point of pursuing her all the way to her death bed (where he still tried to arrest her). Trevante Rhodes plays Jimmy Fletcher who was a real life narcotics agent. Rhodes is a conflicted character who gets close to Holiday, and then betrays her when he arrests her for drug possession, and then becomes her lover after she is released from prison one year later. Andra Day, who plays Billie Holiday, doesn’t just play the character. She seems to channel Holiday’s spirit and really gets into the essence of the singer with a drug addiction and a troubled past where she was forced by her mother to have sex with men starting at the age of 10. Day also sings the Billie Holiday songs in the movie and while no one can be Billie Hol-

iday she does an incredible vocal performance interpreting “Lady Day’s” songs. The movie, while not rated, is an adult film that shows nudity, sex, and drug use. THE UNITED STATES VS BILLIE HOLIDAY is showing exclusively on Hulu. It’s a timeless story that is still relevant today. In 1918 a

federal anti-lynching bill was introduced in the senate. The bill failed to pass. As of January 21, 2021 the senate still hasn’t passed a bill to make lynching a federal crime. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate THE UNITED STATES VS BILLIE HOLIDAY a JUMBO!

March 5, 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 March 5, 2021

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