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24 Reasons to Vote

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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.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

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

(Trice Edney Wire) — For me, like many others, the news that Joe Biden had chosen Senator Kamala Harris as his running-mate in this year’s presidential election was historic, exciting, and motivating.

Senator Harris brings the experience and talents necessary to WIN and GOVERN! Realizing my opinion does not create consensus, I listened to local radio to gauge the opinion of others in my community.

I know that “THE PERFECT TICKET� does not exist, but I was eager to learn what others thought.

My assumption was that most comments would express an understanding that the vote is a demonstration of trust in a candidate to act in the best interests of the voter.

I was largely disappointed.

Many of the reasons I heard for/against the Biden-Harris ticket were based upon previously released opposition research.

Many were arguable, but others were as ridiculous as Kanye West being a viable presidential alternative. I found myself wanting to debate with many of the callers.

Unexpectedly, I received a list of reasons for voting Biden-Harris that was consistent with my views. This list provides me with the opportunity to “speak to a larger audience.�

It was sent without attribution to an author or origin, but I thank whoever took the time to compile this cogent list. The list exceeded my word limit, but, for the greater good, I feel compelled to provide as much of it as possible.

1. YOU’RE NOT JUST VOTING FOR PRESIDENT/VP! 2. You’re voting to prevent a 7-2 dangerously conservative majority on the Supreme Court. (Note: 87-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is single-handedly fighting to hang on until we have a new president. This alone should be enough for historic turnout!)

3. You’re voting for the next Secretaries of Education, Housing and Attorney General.

4. You’re voting to keep the House and gain a Senate majority.

5. You’re voting for federal judges and the rule of law.

6. You’re voting to save Native American lands and national parks.

7. You’re voting for letting kids out of cages.

8. You’re voting for scientists to be heard and protect us from climate change and pandemics.

9. You’re voting for housing rights.

10. You’re voting for former incarcerated persons to be treated with dignity and assisted to be proud and productive members of society with the right to vote “after paying their debt to society.�

11. You’re voting for DACA Dreamers.

12. You’re voting for the long-term existence of So-

cial Security and Medicare and for your children’s and grandchildren’s future.

13. You’re voting for veteran healthcare.

14. You’re voting for affordable health insurance for everyone.

15. You’re voting for teaching professionals to be paid as the noble heroes they are.

16. You’re voting for sensible gun laws while maintaining your 2nd Amendment rights.

17. You’re voting to curb homelessness and find solutions to affordable housing.

18. You’re voting against systemic racism and income/ wealth disparities.

19. You’re voting to defend a woman’s right to make personal health-related decisions and choose personal reproductive rights.

20. You’re voting to acknowledge the humanity and protect the safety of our family and friends in the LGBTQ+ community.

21. You’re voting to stop the normalization of white supremacy and dangerous bigotry in the mainstream.

22. You’re voting for the chance to end qualified immunity for police officers who commit murder and other crimes and hide their corruption behind badges.

23. You’re voting to save the USPS. 24. And you’re voting against allowing the USA to become yet another authoritarian regime run by Trump.

The Biden-Harris ticket isn’t perfect – no ticket ever will be, but we must consider the alternative!!

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

Back-to-School Wilmer, TX- Class is back in session and the new Eddie Bernice Johnson Elementary School had two special guests to kick off the school year.

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Kamala Watch

Quit Playin’

The selection of Senator Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee represents many “firsts:” The first Black woman to be nominated on a major party ticket.

In 2016, Donald John Trump received a stunning 13 percent of the Black male vote. Political wisdom has it, that Black women are the most intelligent voters, and they proved as much. Only four percent of Black women fell for Trump’s lies.

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

MY TRUTH

by Cheryl Smith, Publisher

Birthdays are special times, for many. Then there are those who are celebrating alone because of COVID-19.

During these times when social distancing should be practiced, some are paying heed; while others are doing their own thing like they don’t have a care in the world.

Thanks to the video conferencing platform, ZOOM, birthdays and special occasions are being shared around the world.

Last week, I thought about my mother as I attended two ZOOM birthday calls.

It was especially endearing to hear special stories about Mrs. Jean Mackey, who turned 90, and Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew, who hit the 50 mark.

My mother’s date of birth is September 10 and I would really love to be able to look into her eyes, hear her laughter and share precious memories.

On those ZOOM calls, there was a lot of laughter, nice stories and some tears. There was dancing, singing and praying.

Which brings me to my truth.

These are some challenging times.

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As I listened to folks sharing their love for the women of the hour, it was heartwarming to hear their expressions.

In recalling other birthday parties I’ve attended over the years; the ones I have been attending lately have been more emotional and for some reason, it could be COVID-19, people are going deep and revealing more of their inner feelings.

What a beautiful scene to witness.

COVID-19 is making us realize what has been our reality all along, we just didn’t internalize it. With over 26.6 million infected and 875,000 dead worldwide; we’ve had to do some reckoning.

At Dr. Booker-Drew’s ZOOM Party, the Rev. Donald Parish Jr. had a message I hope will also resonate with you. He said, “always check in” and “let people love you.”

Are you guilty of closing yourself off from the people who want to check on you or give you love? Rev. Parish said, “When you say no, you’re blocking our blessings.”

Let people love you and you in turn, give love.

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What Legacy Looks Like:

Chadwick Boseman FAITHFUL UTTERANCES

BY DR. FROSWA BOOKER-DREW

I was devastated when I learned of his death. I couldn’t believe that the man I had affectionately known as the Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, had passed. In his 40-plus years, he had accomplished more than many.

He made multiple films that highlighted strong, iconic Black men: Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, and James Brown.

His generosity was also revealed in the days after his death. He contributed millions to provide PPE to hospitals serving Black patients.

His life reminded me that all of us will leave a legacy. Each day, we are building a foundation for our lives and how people will remember us.

One of the most impactful activities I have ever done was write my obituary. It was not only humbling, but it helped me to think about how I wanted to live. Death is something we will all face and every single day we are blessed to experience is a gift. I have never been to a funeral in which a person’s wealth, accomplishments or stuff is the sole focus. It is usually memories of how a person made you feel.

Are you being intentional in creating a legacy that changes lives so that others are better because you were here?

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Legacy isn’t just about leaving generational wealth although that is important and something the Black community lags behind (read Prosperity Now’s report on Racial Wealth Gap), compared to other racial groups. Legacy is about relationships and leaving behind something that is more than stuff that will rot but is about the eternal. Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.”

Dave Ramsey says, “Combining a financial inheritance with wisdom and godliness ensures that the next generation will also manage God’s blessings….” We cannot only focus on just leaving financial wealth. We must consider leaving a legacy that also includes emotional and spiritual wealth as well.

Here are some things you should consider in building a legacy: 1. The Treatment of Others: How do you treat others?

Is it more about you than serving others? Read Matthew 23:23 and Micah 6:8.

If we were to ask those who didn’t know you, could they say you were just and kind?

Could they see your faith reflected in your actions?

2. Using Your Time, Talent and Treasure to Make a Difference: Chadwick Boseman did this. He was committed to using his God-given purpose. Read Matthew 25:14I MESSENGER

Chadwick Boseman

30. Are you hiding your talents, time and treasures or are you multiplying them so that others benefit?

3. Being a person of character: Are you a person that people want to be around?

Are you trusthworthy, reliable, kind, compassionate?

Read 1 Samuel 16:7. You can be the best dressed, make the most money and live in the biggest home. It won’t matter. God sees beyond the exterior. How is your heart?

Chadwick Boseman has

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taught us so much through his life and in his death. I hope that we take note. I hope we are committed to leaving a legacy that changes lives for generations to come.

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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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Trump is An Evil Wind QUIT PLAYIN’ VINCENT L. HALL “It’s an evil wind that blows no good.” Aretha Franklin, Share your love with me – 1969 In 2016, Donald John Trump received a stunning 13 percent of the Black male vote. Political wisdom has it, that Black women are the most intelligent voters, and they proved as much. Only four percent of Black women fell for Trump’s lies. In Pennsylvania, he only mustered one percent.

Vox Magazine released an article earlier this year that said as much, but it added some info that scares me.

“As a general rule, Black Americans do not support Donald Trump. According to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, Trump enjoys just a 14 percent approval with black Americans, while roughly eight in 10 Black voters say they’re “uncomfortable” with his 2020 run for reelection.

In a poll of roughly 800 Black registered voters conducted by BlackPAC, Trump had a 59 percent net job approval rating. But within those numbers is another story — a stark gender divide.

Roughly 24 percent of Black men polled by WSJ/ NBC approve of Trump’s efforts while in office (72 percent of Black men disapprove), but that number plummets to 6 percent when SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Black women are asked the same question.”

There is a recent poll stating that one in five Black male college students are voting for Trump. And, while that would be astounding, it is less surprising when you realize how little most of our young people know the history of race, racism, and public policy. Trump has enhanced the threat to their lives, liberty, and longings.

Trump’s lies are too broad and bedeviling to enumerate in this small space. However, one of the lies Trump promulgates about “poorly run Democrat cities” is easily explainable.

Since he insists “The Atlantic” is lying about his disrespect of the military, I chose a 2015 article on “White flight.” It doesn’t get I MESSENGER

much press anymore, but it set the foundation for Democrats reigning in urban areas.

“In the 1960s, white families moved from cities to suburbs when they saw Black neighbors move next door. Now, they move from suburbs to farther-out fringe areas often not counted in academic studies “hunkering down in all-white neighborhoods, affluent gated communities, or unincorporated housing developments at the exurban fringe,” the researchers write.

On the flip side, white communities make decisions that keep minorities out. Exclusionary zoning laws make it difficult to build mixed-income housing or apartment buildings in some towns, despite court

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cases seeking to make cities more diverse. These housing policies mean that cities compete for different types of people, and by banning apartment buildings or affordable housing, cities can better attract affluent white taxpayers.”

Dallas, like Houston and so many other major cities, have Black, female or minority mayors. Urban life comes with urban problems.

Rural areas see their share of painful drug addictions, crime, and homelessness.

Somehow when it is smaller in scale, we as a society ignore it.

News coming out of Dallas County, Texas, population 2,635,516, goes national, but a murder-suicide in Dallas County, Iowa, population 93, 453 won’t get out of the state. Trump plays up urban myths and plays down rural realities. All of America is hurting; he just lies to keep his base in the dank darkness of his personal dystopia.

The winds of change are waiting beyond the clouds.

The only wind coming out of 1600 Black Lives Matter Plaza is hot, humid, and heretical.

Aretha was right. It’s an evil wind that blows no good, and Donald Trump has no love to share with you, especially if you aren’t rich, white, male, and beneficial to his causes.

Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.

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Dallas Police Chief Resigns; City Activists Not Surprised

By Ashley Moss Texas Metro News Dallas’s first female police chief resigned late Tuesday, just three years after taking over one of the of nation’s largest police departments.

U. Renee Hall, who was selected to lead the force in September 2017, informed Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax in a letter on Tuesday that she would step away from her duties effective Nov. 10.

“I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve the residents of Dallas,” Hall said in her statement.

She indicated in the letter she was considering other law enforcement career options but she did name them specifically.

“Over the last few months, I have received a number of inquiries about future career opportunities,” she wrote in the letter, which was released Tuesday afternoon by the city.

“As you can imagine, for many reasons, I must keep my next career step confidential,” she wrote. “Let me assure you that I will remain committed to my true calling, which is law enforcement.”

Broadnax accepted her resignation, but noted in his statement that Hall would remain in her position until the end of the year - a few weeks beyond Nov. 10 - in order to assist the city with a number of ongoing police initiatives.

“I spoke to Chief Hall this afternoon and asked her to remain in this key position until the end of 2020,” Broadnax said in his statement. “She has agreed to do so.”

“That will enable us to complete the short-term goals of the myimessenger.com

R.E.A.L. Change it’s always hard initiative,” he to see a Black wrote. “I am exwoman resign tremely grateful but, as an activto Chief Hall for ist who wants extending her to see change time in Dallas. from the police This year has force, it is what been tumultuit is.” ous and uncerHall did not tain. A few more explicitly cite a months of her reason for her leadership are decision; howChief Renee Hall key for severever, her resigal projects and for a seamless nation comes after months of transition within the police de- unrest and mounting criticism partment.” of her handling of protests in He could not be reached late Dallas in the wake of George Tuesday for comment.

Floyd’s death.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson Floyd, an African American said he was not caught off guard father, died in May while in the by the chief’s decision. custody of Minneapolis police “I want to thank Chief Hall after a white officer kept his for her service to the city of Dal- knee pressed on Floyd’s neck las,” the mayor said in a state- for nearly nine minutes, despite ment released Tuesday after- Floyd’s cries that he could not noon. “I had not spoken to the breathe. chief about her decision, but I Protests of excessive force was not terribly surprised by it, and of unfair treatment by poconsidering the recent public lice erupted all over the country, statements by my city council including in Dallas. colleagues.”

On June 1, hundreds of pro“Chief Hall had the burden testors attempted to cross the and the distinction of being Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge as the first woman — a woman of part of a demonstration against color, no less — to serve as the police brutality. Dallas officers, police chief here in Dallas. That saying they needed to clear the was not lost on me. I wish her bridge to allow for traffic flow, the best in her career and in her sprayed tear gas on the protestlife moving forward.” ers. Initially, they denied doMeanwhile, some activists ing so. After protesters showed said the chief’s move was in- proof of injuries from the tear evitable following a number of gas, Hall admitted her officers heated exchanges between citi- had used tear gas. zens protesting police brutality Following that incident, a and her department.

90-day ban on usage of tear gas “I wasn’t surprised that it against peaceful protesters was happened,” said Trace Hughes, implemented.

23, of Dallas, and a protestor Some protesters said the powith the group ‘We Take The lice chief displayed a lack of Streets,’ which leads a protest compassion and appeared to daily at City Hall. “I’m Black, so some as unrelatable.

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“I think that (fallout from the bridge incident) solidified her resignation before it came,” said Tramonica Brown, 28 , leader and founder of Not My Sons, a Dallas organization dedicated to improving communication between local police and protestors.

“We were grieving,” Brown said of protesters, including herself, who were on the bridge that evening in June.

Hall, said Brown, “took an aggressive approach and tried to diminish what people were doing in pouring their hearts out and she caused combative situations among peaceful protestors and the police.”

“If she had shown a real commitment to the community to do better...then we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

Yaheim Israel, 33, founder of the Watchmen, an associate of residents who support open carrying of guns and whose members have marched alongside various protests, agreed that Hall faced mounting pressure from protesters in the city.

“She felt the pressures of our protests and it weighed on her,” he said Tuesday evening in a telephone interview with Texas Metro News. “She could never admit that she allowed too much. If she had held herself accountable, then maybe she would not have resigned. What we need is accountability.”

“We’ve been out publicly for 100 days straight, and we want them to hear us and feel us, that we are not going to stop.”

Hall also faced increasing criticism from City Hall over the bridge incident.

On Aug. 18, in a special meetsee CHIEF, page 31

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Alopecia Month Series: Autism and Alopecia ABOUT YOUR HAIR

BY DR. LINDA AMERSON

There are over 100 categories of Alopecia. We will explain the correlation of Autism and Alopecia.

Author Dr. Fredrica Douglas-Kennedy, who is an Occupational Therapist and expert with working with children diagnosed with autism and other disabilities, shared very insightful information.

Autism affects 1 in 66 males, more than three times more common than women according to statistics.

Autism has a spectrum, various levels. It is a neurological disorder. Many parents do know they have rights for their school aged children who are diagnosed. One of the most import things a parent or caregivSEPTEMBER 11, 2020

er can do is to learn the early signs of Autism. Become familiar with the typical developmental milestones your child should be reaching. Ask your pediatrician, family doctor for an evaluation and screening your child for Autism.

Some of the red flags for an autism spectrum disorder for children include: • No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter.

• No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months.

• No babbling by 12 months.

• No back-and forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months.

• No words by 16 months.

• No meaningful, two-word phrases by 24 months.

• Any loss of speech, babbling, or social skills at any age.

Why do many Autistic peoI MESSENGER

ple suffer with to Alopecia? The GI system has problems with medication side effects. Including constipation, trichotillomania, hair thinning dermatitis, triangular alopecia and alopecia areata. Low trace mineral deficiencies of zinc and copper was revealed in a 2011 report.

Seizures are common. Medical marijuana has been tested and proven to assist teenagers and older people. They only experience one seizure weekly in many studies.

Dr. Kennedy also so revealed, children and adults are very creative. Are very artsy, great in music, and computer programs. A few famous Autistic males include: Albert Einstein, Dan Aykroyd, James Durbin, Matthew Laborteaux, Christopher Knowles and popular Americas Got Talent contestant Kodi Lee. Kodi is both blind and Autistic plays the piano and a talented singer.

In addition, a few famous

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autistic females include: Susan Boyle, Courtney Love, Lady Hawke, Daryl Hanna, Elizabeth Hughes, Amanda Baggs , Alexis Wineman-the 1st Miss America contestant with autism to compete in the Miss Montana pageant. Professor/Author Temple Grandlin, Colorado University, was featured in a 2010 HBO autobiography ‘Temple Grandlin’.

In 1988, the Academy Awards chose ‘Rain Man’ for best Motion Picture. This movie spotlighted autism, with actors Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.

Many other movies, songs, poems, videos and books have spotlighted autism spectrum disorder. World autism day is April 22nd. For more information, go to Autismspeaks.com or Dr. Fredrica Douglas-Kennedy at fredericadouglas@sbcglobal.net.

Dr. Linda Amerson, Board Certified Trichologist, 817 265 8854. #39yr Veteran Hairandscalpessentials.com

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Dr. King’s only grandchild picks up torch I WAS JUST THINKING...

By Norma Adams-Wade

Texas Metro News

The weight of legacy can crush. But that weight also can inspire.

I was just thinking of 12-year-old Yolanda Renee King, only grandchild of the monumental civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Already the child is under the microscope and it’s a bit overbearing to speculate about the weight she faces in the future.

The youth, Yolanda Renee King, bears the name of her late aunt, Yolanda Denise King – the eldest of Dr. King Jr. and Coretta Scott King’s four children. The elder Yolanda was an actress, motivational speaker, and theater producer.

Relatives said she appeared to be in good health but died suddenly, reportedly of a heart ailment, in 2007 at age 51.

The younger Yolanda already is drawing much media coverage, usually appearing at public events with her dad, Martin Luther King III. Most recently, the youth spoke at the August 28, 2020 Commitment March on Washington

Yolanda Denise King, Dr. King Jr.’s late daughter Photo courtesy: Facebook

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that the Rev. Al Sharpton organized with help from leaders including King III. The march highlighted goals including police reforms to halt killings of unarmed Black men and women and banishing increased racism in the nation.

The march also commemorated the 57th anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington where young Yolanda’s grandfather delivered his historic “I Have A Dream” speech.

I also was just thinking of the weight of living up to so many towering figures in history and learning to navigate the cruelties and demands that society can dish out. I thought of Dr. King’s children and how they endured bombings, certain part of society hating their parents, and the uncertainty of not knowing if they would see their father again as he traveled championing racial equality in the face of brutal resistance.

The elder Yolanda was the same age that the younger Yolanda is now, 12, when Dr. King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Reports say that the elder Yolanda was a tower of strength throughout that shattering tragedy, doing what she could to console her younger siblings.

Another almost forgotten occurrence of history is that Dr. King’s mother Alberta King, the youngest Yolanda’s great-grandmother, also was assassinated. She was playing the organ at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta during a Sunday morning service on June 30, 1974, six years after her famous son was killed.

Marcus Wayne Chenault Jr., a 23-yearold Black man who hated Christianity, sprang up from the pew and fatally shot Mama King, 69, and also a deacon, and wounded another female church member. Chenault was given the death penalty but the King family opposed capital punishment so the sentence was changed to life in prison. Chenault died of a stroke in prison in 1995 at age 44.

I interviewed Martin Luther King III during one of his visits to Dallas in 1999.

At the time, all of Dr. King’s children were unmarried adults and there were

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Yolanda Renee King, Dr. King Jr.’s granddaughter Photo courtesy: Twitter

no King grandchildren. I asked King III for his opinion about the possibility that Dr. King’s legacy would end with his children if his lineage did not continue.

“It takes a very special individual to understand your work, to embrace that legacy... That’s probably part of why none of us have families currently beyond just ourselves ...,” King III said.

Of course, now, King III has his dad’s only grandchild. His brother Dexter finally married in 2013 but has no children, and remaining sister Rev. Bernice King is an unmarried Baptist minister.

The younger Yolanda is carrying her weight and moving forward. At the August 28 march last month, she gave hints of a committed future: “Great challenges produce great generations,” She said, speaking from the Lincoln Memorial where her grandfather spoke 57 years ago. “And I want to ask the young people here to join me in pledging that we have only just begun to fight...We are going to be the generation that dismantles systemic racism once and for all, now and forever.”

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

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Johnson and Hinojosa kick off school year at new school

By ALLANA J. BAREFIELD Staff Writer Wilmer, TX- Class is back in session and the new Eddie Bernice Johnson Elementary School had two special guests to kick off the school year.

U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), and Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa visited several classrooms, talked with teachers and viewed the new setups of plexiglass at students’ desk.

But not all students will be sitting down in classrooms. Instead some will continue virtual learning at their homes. “I encourage them to keep the interest and I cannot express how different it is for them,” Johnson said. “I have great admiration for the teachers who are willing to be here and teach virtually.”

Johnson and Hinojosa are not sure what the future will hold when it comes to all students being enrolled for in-person classes. For many households, a digital divide has been an issue for students not having the accessibility to Wi-Fi or even

Music Teacher, Nelda Washington sings to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and DISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa.

a computer.

“Technology is needed to make sure they do not fall behind,” Johnson, who is chair of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, said. “I hope every school and every neighborhood will have access. Our rural areas have suffered, even more. I’m hoping we can close that gap.”

Hinojosa, who began his career as an educator in 1979, said this year is like no other. The school year was supposed to start three weeks ago and he thought the delay was much needed to adequately prepare for changes necessitated by COVID-19.

“We are all learning as we

go,” Hinojosa said, adding that, “It’s about managing the cases and implementing strict protocols to limit the spread.”

During the visit, music teacher, Nelda Washington sang a popular song, “I Love School,” that she penned.

The song was a staple on radio station K104-FM for decades and encourages students to be the best they can and to continue pursuing an education.

Towards the end of the performance, Hinojosa asked Washington if she has all her equipment for the school year and she said, “whoever shows up, I’m ready to go.”

Named after the first nurse ever elected to the Texas State House in 1972, the Texas Senate in 1986 and U.S. Congress in 1992; the elementary school is for grades pre-K3, up to fifth grade. Currently 350 students are registered.

The Congresswoman talked about the growth in Wilmer and shared encouraging words with educators and staff as she talked about the educators in her family and the influence they had on her.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, DISD Supt. Dr. Michael Hinojosa and Principal Umoja Turner of Eddie Bernice Johnson Elementary School talk with art teacher Tessa Williams

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She praised teachers for their enthusiasm as they greeted her at the door.

Art teacher Tessa Williams said she is thrilled to be back teaching her students. “The administration has been so great,” she said.

“I’m excited to work with my colleagues.”

While Dallas ISD is starting late, Hinojosa referenced Odessa, TX where students have been back in

class for about a month and results have been positive.

He understands that some parents are reluctant to enroll their students into school.

“We wouldn’t ask you to come back if we didn’t think it was safe, we are learning from other people who are ahead of us,” he said. “Things are only improving because everyone is cooperating.”

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and DISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa enter Eddie Bernice Johnson Elementary School.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and DISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa outside at Eddie Bernice Johnson Elementary School

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and DISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa talk with Principal Umoja Turner of Eddie Bernice Johnson Elementary School.

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Please wear your mask and wash your hands!

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

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BRIEFS

ADA Amber Gregg honored in prestigious program

Community Urban Garden coming to South Dallas

By ASHLEY MOSS, Staff Writer Join the Pan African Connection as they plant the seeds for economic growth and healthier families with a community clean up. The clean up will happen on Saturday, September 19 at 10 a.m. in preparation for a new urban garden coming to South Dallas.

The land has been donated for a community urban garden and the cleanup will happen on the two vacant plots on 3016 South Blvd (across from Eban Village apartments). Food and live entertainment will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring trash bags, gloves and face masks. Families, including children, are welcome. For more information call 214-943-8262.

DISD gets big pledge from Mavericks

By ALLANA J. BAREFIELD, Staff Writer School is in session for some districts but the supply closets, while full with notebooks and pen-cils, might be in need of hand sanitizer and masks.

Dallas ISD is getting help in the form of a $1 million pledge from the Dallas Mavs to cover per-sonal protective equipment such as reusable masks, face shields, sanitizer pumps, personal hand,

antibacterial wipes, and sanitizer units.

The donation will be used to help approximately 155,000 students and 12,000 teachers.

The Mavs continue their practice of corporate support by helping future leaders in need. In April they donated $10,000 to families who needed help with food necessities and in 2018, to promote healthier living, they donated fitness trackers to all 80,000 elementary school students

DISD improving Mental Health Services for 2020 School Year

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Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Amber Gregg has been selected to the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Young Lawyers Association Leadership Class (LeadershipSBOT) for 20202021. The yearly class recruits, trains and retains Texas lawyers for positions of leadership in the legal community and the Texas State Bar. Gregg has been in the DA’s office for eight years and currently works in the Specialized Crime Division for Dallas County.

“I am so honored to serve my community and be considered as a community leader within the State Bar of Texas,” said Gregg. “The DAs Office has definitely opened up many opportunities to expand my leadership skills and I don’t take anything for granted.”

The Oak Cliff native earned her

B.B.A. from Texas A&M University in 2008, and her J.D. from Texas Wesleyan UniAmber Gregg versity in 2011.

While a student at Texas Wesleyan, Gregg was President of the Black Law Students Association and a member of the first school Mock Trial team to advance to the National Competition. The member of the Alpha Xi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. currently serves on several boards for local organizations around Dallas, including as the organizer of her own Women’s Empowerment group, You CAN Sit With US DFW, a support organization for professional women.

“Amber is such an asset to our Division and works to accomplish great things in the community too,” said Melissa Meyers, Chief of Dallas County’s Specialized Crime Division.

Kevin Lee, once homeless is now a law student at your information if there isn’t a place of residence listed.

A clear example that every homeless Kevin Lee doesn’t allow his past to person is neither a criminal, degenerate reflect his present and future. Currently a or lacking ambition, Lee was Gateway Senior High School’s (Monrolaw student at Southern Methodeville, PA) valedictorian and ist University’s Dedman School of class president. When he and Law, he was once homeless. his mom moved to Dallas, he A couple of years ago, Lee and applied and was accepted into his mom, Tamara Williams, lost Paul Quinn College, where he their home during a flood in Pittsearned his degree in business burgh, PA. His family relocated to Kevin Lee management, graduating at Texas where they lived in shelters.

He always had a passion for the justice the top of his class and again, serving as system and so he stayed focused. Lee class president.

Lee says one day he wants to become found a govern-ment program that helps homeless kids to go to college. There was a judge. In an Instagram post, Lee wrote, an obstacle though. Like with many pro- “I’m here to give people hope, change grams, Lee realized the application process lives and make sure people who have was tough since many colleges won’t look given up; never give up again.”

By ALLANA J. BAREFIELD Staff Writer

By ALLANA J. BAREFIELD Staff Writer As officials prepare for students to return to school, Dallas Independent School District (DISD) is focusing on a number of issues and they are making mental health services a priority. This program was launched in July and officials say they understand the importance of serving the needs of students who experience mental, behavioral, or physical health problems and the de-mand will be much higher for their services.

In preparation, DISD has added 50 clinicians, made up of social workers, therapists, psycholo-gists, and psychiatrists; to help students who are dealing with the

By ASHLEY MOSS Staff Writer

pandemic and adjusting back to school.

On top of the services, teachers have implemented a sharing circle in the morning for the students to open up about what is going on in their world.

“We want people to understand that they are not alone,” said Director of Mental Health Services, Dianna Smoot, in a release. “This is a difficult time for so many, and we encourage anyone struggling with challenges such as depression and anxiety to reach out to us for support.

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

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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

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.

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

214-421-5387

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Dallas, Texas 75210 SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

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We run specials Monday-Thursday

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During this pandemic we are still open for call-in and pick up orders. We have specials Tuesdays $5 burger baskets with fries and Wednesdays $5 chicken strip baskets with fries. Our menu is filled with so many delicious items. We have Bar-B-Q plates, Crab boils and so much more. We would love to serve you.

6090 Bonnie View Rd Dallas, TX 75241 Hours of services may differ

Phone: (214) 372-6321

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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.

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Election 2020 has given new meaning to ride-or-die THE BLACK CARD BY TERRY ALLEN

I am about to have church today! Big Mama would always tell us how we must have the faith of a mustard seed. She quoted this scripture: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1. She stated that you have to believe that you cannot see and make sure that you surround yourself with those who have the same faith and conviction as you who are right in your sight. I call them my ride-or-die tribe.

Our power to in this moment to make things permanent is

right in our sights. The thoughts of faith of things not seen can also be in plain sight as I think about my ride-or-die tribe. I am driven to reflect on James Baldwin and the work he did on the racial conditions with the police in Atlanta during the Atlanta Child Murders with his powerful docu-book, The Evidence of Things Not Seen.

The Evidence of Things Not Seen is a comprehensive social observation but tells us that even we make good changes and fail to use the FAITH to create the permeance of justice and we are still faces at the bottom of the well. How many men have been killed in plain sight since George Floyd?

So here we go, let’s continue with the original request, we

must now make this moment a movement so we will not have to revisit this again. So we MUST know we have critical role to play in addressing all these racial issues and we MUST strengthen democracy, ensure our right to vote, push hard for everyone to make it easy to vote and more. So even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we MUST Vote.

With just 67 days left, we can’t stop the momentum now. Let’s add these steps: • Check your voter registration for you and all your ride-ordie partners • Register to vote and ensure your elders are registered • Create a Plan to vote by mail or in person early or on elec-

tion day take your tribe with you.

Learn from Brother Chadwick Boseman, the King of Wakanda and the last lesson he left; Choose your associations wisely. Surround yourself with good company. Build a strong support system that is loyal and faithful and true. A circle that loves you.

So, use your Black Card, join me and get into some Good Trouble by taking our ride-ordie young black men and women to the polls.

Those are my thoughts. Now yours? Please email me at the paper and tell me your thoughts.

Terryallenpr@gmail.com Terry Allen is a multi-media journalist and board member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Representative Carl O. Sherman Sr. introduced Bo’s Law Sunday Lancaster, Texas - During a news conference Sunday afternoon, State Representative Carl O. Sherman, Sr. (D-109) announced his plans to introduce Bo’s Law into the 87th Legislative Session.

Representative Sherman is proposing legislation to cleanup ambiguous guidelines in the current castle doctrine and standardize body cam policy. The legislation named Bo’s Law in honor of Botham Jean, (an accountant at the international auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers) who was killed by an off duty police officer when she set off a chain of events by entering into Botham’s apartment fatally shooting him.

As announced Sunday, concerns addressed in this law; include the Castle Doctrine, mistake of fact, ambiguity regarding body worn camera policies during investigations, which is what occurred in the case of the Botham Jean investigation and arrest.

“This is not about police versus

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

protesters. This lawmakers from is not white veracross the state sus black. This of Texas who is not Blue Lives joined virtually, Matter versus all committed to Black Lives enacting public Matter,” This is policy that will about gaining not only protect Trust through communities, transparency,” but also create a Representative stronger trust in Sherman said policing.

Representative Carl O. Sherman Sr. Sunday. “Let me “The numeramplify proudly that we love our ous killings over the course of this noble peace officers and their lives year alone, demand our attention matter, but I want to be clear, there and a paradigm shift in policing, are no blue lives….noble police offi- said Representative Sherman. “This cers are black, brown and white. This shift to neutrality in policing is necis about establishing clarity and con- essary both in our state and in our sistency in how the law is practiced country.” with everyone in the same way.”

Representative Sherman’s proSenator Royce West Vice Chair posed law further clarifies that an of Higher Education and Chair- individual can protect their “Caswoman of Criminal Jurisprudence tle,” while preventing others to cite Representative Nicole Collier par- this doctrine in the case of a person ticipated in Sunday’s news confer- maliciously or recklessly, entering ence as well as members of Texas another’s home and killing that perLegislative Black Caucus and other son in his/her own castle; while also

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cleaning up mistake of fact language and increasing police accountability and transparency in the case of body worn cameras and accountability in use during investigations by all law enforcement personnel.

“The current state of our nation demands action, and we are obliged to rise to the occasion,” Representative Sherman said. “This legislation in necessary and we can no longer afford to wait for other Botham Jean’s, Atatiana Jefferson’s or Breonna Taylor’s to be murdered in their homes.”

About District 109: Representative Sherman proudly represents the citizens of House District 109, which includes DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Lancaster, Wilmer, as well as parts of Ovilla, Ferris, Seagoville, and Dallas. He sits on the House Appropriations Committee, House Corrections Committee, the House Administration Committee and the special select judicial committee.

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KAMALA WATCH

Kamala Harris Selection Represents Unprecedented Moment Of Racial Reckoning

By MARC H. MORIAL, President and CEO National Urban League “I just sat with that for a minute. I just sat there. And then I found, out of nowhere, just tears coming down — like they are now. I thought about Betty Shabazz. I thought about Coretta Scott King. I thought about Maya Angelou. I thought about Dorothy Height. And I thought about everything that they have poured into us. … It took Joe Biden to say, ‘It’s time to come out from the shadows.’ To say, ‘I see you.’ He saw her. He saw her qualifications despite all the negative stuff that was being thrown at her. He made history, but I think he will never know how much history he has made.” —Political strategist Minyon Moore.

The selection of Senator Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee represents many “firsts:” The first Black woman to be nominated on a major party ticket. The first person of South Asian descent.

The first HBCU grad.

More importantly, though, her candidacy is emblematic of this unprecedented moment of racial reckoning in America, and the outsized role that Black women are playing in leading the nation myimessenger.com

through this period of crisis.

It’s no surprise that Black women have emerged among the nation’s strongest and most competent leaders. The formidable challenges that women, particularly women of color, must overcome to achieve positions of prominence, are like the fire that tempers steel.

The National Urban League has had a strong relationship with Senator Harris for many years. We honored her as one of the first recipients of our “Woman of Power” awards in 2004, just after she was elected District Attorney of San Francisco. In 2017, when she assumed office as California’s third female U.S. Senator, and the first of Jamaican or Indian ancestry, we honored her with the Hiram Revels Award for Achievement, named for the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress.

While we’ve worked closely with her since her election to the Senate, her fierce advocacy for underserved communities since the onset of the pandemic has been invaluable. She, along with Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, was a prime sponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the Senate. We recently joined her and other members of Congress to announce legislation that would allow those at risk of eviction to ac-

cess legal representation, and help protect their credit. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she famously held Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney General nominee William Barr to account during their confirmation hearings.

Her groundbreaking selection to the position of vice presidential nominee has drawn comparison to the legendary Shirley Chisholm, whom she often cites as a source of inspiration. In 1968, Chisholm became the first Black woman to serve as a member of Congress, and in 1972 became the first Black woman to seek the nomination of a major party for President.

When she launched her presidential campaign, Harris chose a red and yellow design for her logo that resembles Chisholm’s campaign buttons.

Chisholm faced abhorrent racial harassment on her campaign, and nearly half a century later, the racist attacks not only have not subsided – they’re amplified through social media. But it’s not just crude slurs hurled on Twitter by anonymous trolls — Within hours of the announcement that she had been selected as Joe Biden’s running mate, a major magazine amplified a racist

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Marc H. Morial

“birther” conspiracy theory about her.

Chisholm was realistic about the obstacles her candidacy faced. “I just want to show it can be done,” she often said.

Harris was a child when Chisholm ran for President, just to show it could be done, and now she stands a realistic chance of being the first woman to hold the second-highest office in the land.

As Joe Biden said the day after announcing his choice, “This morning, all across the nation, little girls woke up, especially little black and brown girls, who so often feel overlooked and undervalued in their communities, but today, today just maybe, they’re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way, as the stuff of presidents and vice presidents.”

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Sen. Cornyn

A Step in the Right Direction for Black Communities and Law Enforcement Re-form

visits with community members in Dallas

The Benefits of Community Involvement in Policing

By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Sen John Cornyn discussed his position on issues while visiting with several African Americans in Dallas on Labor Day, at the invitation of former Dallas ISD board trustee Ron Price and Elite News publisher Darryl Blair.

School choice, prison reform and economic opportunities were uppermost on his mind as he spent at least an hour answering questions.

While he fielded many questions on helping the formerly incarcerated, the senator stressed the importance of eco-nomic growth and development and he didn’t flinch when told he needed to have Black people working in his office and also when questioned about social unrest across the controversy.

Citing George Floyd, who was killed by police officers SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

in Minneapolis, MN. Sen. Cornyn said the “original sin of the United States was to claim to treat everyone as equal but to treat Black people as less than equal and we’ve been paying a terrible price for that…we are still paying the price.”

He also said there was no justification for the looting and vandalism that has occurred in several cities.

State Rep. candidate Will Douglas was in attendance and received the senator’s endorsement.

Abilene (Tex) Mayor Anthony Williams, who is doing well after battling COVID-19, spoke during the gathering and shared information about the Senator’s contributions to the growth of Abilene.

Senator Cornyn was accompanied by his wife, Sandy.

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In the wake of recent tragedies involving our brothers and sisters, I have been left to reflect upon the structural and institutional bias against the Black com-munity. Where did the system go wrong? Has it been wrong from the very beginning? It has always been my belief that the remedy lies within our communities, so, what is the next step?

We must empower our communities to reimagine public safety in an equitable manner. Developing relationships between law enforcement and the communi-ties they swear an oath to protect–built on mutual respect, trust, and communication–is a necessary precursor for progress.

Without such a foundation, effective policing will not be possible. This can be accomplished through the establishment of community-based safety programs, innovation grants, the support of local commissions and task forces on police misconduct, and the targeted recruitment of officers from the communities that they will serve in, to name a few.

Only through collective, grassroots efforts can we induce transformative

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change to a criminal justice system that has failed Black Americans for decades.

It is important to note that legislation alone cannot right the wrongs of the past, nor will it assure the total prevention of such incidents in the future.

Since the House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act just two months ago, we have already seen another unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake, shot by the police–seven times, in the back, in front of his children–in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Rather, it is in the hearts and minds of Americans in every community across the country that meaningful change is rooted.

To those who called my offices, wrote letters, or attended protests over the past several months, please know that your voices have been, and will always be, heard and taken to heart. As your Representative, it is my great honor and sacred responsibility to project your voices throughout the halls of Congress.

It is my hope that we can all come together, regardless of party or politics, and recognize the necessity for cultural, systemic change.

Hall’s Honey Fried Chicken

(214) 371- 3020

4845 S Lancaster Rd. Dallas, TX 75216 myimessenger.com

CHIEF,

from page 9... ing of the Public Safety Committee held virtually, city council members asked Hall to address an 85-page report detailing four days of protests in Dallas after the death of Floyd. The details in the report began with a demonstration at Dallas Police headquarters on May 29. The report reviewed incidents through the June 1 demonstration on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which resulted in 674 citizen arrests. No one was charged.

City council members raised a variety of concerns in that meeting, from the amount of time it took to produce the report to a perceived lack of transparency about the use of force against protestors, as well as the use of tear gas and other less lethal ammunition.

Hall acknowledged challenges in her resignation letter.

“It has not been easy,” she wrote. “These past three years have been saturated with a series of unimaginable events that individually and collectively have never happened in the city of Dallas.”

I am proud that this department has not only coped with an unthinkable series of events, but we have also managed to implement critical reforms that were clearly needed for the Dallas Police Department to meet our 21st Century policing goals.”

Tuesday, city council members acknowledged her contributions to the city.

“I appreciate Chief Hall’s collaboration with community members across Dallas and her ability to work within the diverse fabric of our great city,” City council member Chad West wrote in a Facebook post.

“I wish her all the best in her future endeavors and look forward to working with Council myimessenger.com

and staff to ensure a smooth transition.

Hall met Tuesday with members of her command staff to share her decision, Broadnax said in his news statement. She could not be reached Tuesday afternoon for further comments.

In her letter, Hall broadly cited her accomplishments. ““We have accomplished so much by standing together in support of community policing and changes in the way our officers perform their duties in 2020,” she said.

Hall also wrote that she remains committed to law enforcement, which she called her “true calling.”

She said in the letter she was proud of the city’s police department, “even in the midst of challenges related to community policing, citing her initiatives to create more effective community partnerships and responsible policing.”

Council Member Carolyn King Arnold (District 4) issued the following statement on the resignation of Chief Hall: “In my opinion, when the history book is written about Chief Reneé Hall’s service in Dallas, she will be remembered as an extraordinary police chief who delivered on her promises for reform in the department.

She has accomplished concrete changes on the rules and protocols for officers.

“Those changes have helped us leap frog our way past others in pursuit of true 21st Century Policing. Chief Hall built new roads to all communities, and there are many of us who hate to see her leave, but we understand. I am especially saddened, however, for the little girls I have seen look at Chief Hall in uniform and realize that someday they might be able to be The Chief.”

Valerie Fields Hill contributed to this report.

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Blacks urged to participate in COVID-19 clinical trial

Xavier and Dillard University presidents join study

By ALLANA J. BAREFIELD and ASHLEY MOSS Texas Metro News

Presidents of two leading historically Black colleges in Louisiana have begun participating in COVID-19 vaccine trials - and are encouraging their students, faculty and alumni to join them.

Xavier University of Louisiana’s president, C. Reynold Verret, and Dillard University President Walter M. Kimbrough, recently became participants in a Phase 3 trial of the new COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2. The two administrators are taking injections and reporting and monitoring side effects as part of the research investigation.

“We are thinking about our children, our wives, our friends because all of us know somebody who died already,” Verret said in an interview with Texas Metro News on Friday.

Earlier this week, on Sept. 2, the two presidents issued a joint letter to students, parents, faculty and alumni announcing their participation in the vaccine trial study and encouraging their university’s commuSEPTEMBER 11, 2020

nities to consider engaging with COVID-19 investigational trials.

“Our communities have been hit hard by the COV-

was founded by African Methodist Episcopals, among others, would receive any financial benefits from their participation in

Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough

Dr. C. Reynold Verret

ID-19 pandemic, with harrowing consequences for the lives and health of our fellow citizens,” the administrators wrote in the letter.

“Overcoming the virus will require the availability of vaccines effective for all peoples in our communities, especially our Black and Brown neighbors. We appeal to the students, faculty, staff and alumni of Dillard, Xavier, and our sibling institutions to consider participating in this trial or others being conducted.”

Verret said neither Xavier, a Roman Catholic university, nor Dillard, which

the research trials.

The open letter to the university communities, posted on the Xavier and Dillard web sites, was, Verret said, “a reminder for people, not just Xavier students or faculty, but to everyone, that people in our communities participate in the trial in order to protect the whole community.”

Kimbrough could not be reached by phone Friday for comments. However, he and Verret each signed the letter and it carried both school’s logos. The letter began arriving via email to

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faculty, students, alumni and parents Friday morning.

Reaction to the college administrators’ decisions to participate in the vaccine study trials were mixed.

In Texas, one historically Black college administrator said he would not follow his peers’ lead.

Dr. Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College in Dallas, said though he respects the administrators personal decisions, he would not encourage students, faculty or alumni at his campus to do the same.

“I applaud those guys for feeling comfortable enough to do it,” Sorrell said. “It’s not something that I feel comfortable enough to do on campus.”

“I respect those who are doing it, and I understand the importance of them doing it”, he continued. “I think, without question, once the vaccine is proven to be safe, that it’s something you have to do.”

Meanwhile, the Louisiana presidents’ decision to publicly invite students to participate in the COVID-19 clinical trials raised see TRIAL, page 33

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TRIAL,

from page 32... eyebrows on their own campuses - and off campus among parents.

Marion Forbes, of Princeton, Tex., whose daughter is a sophomore at Xavier, learned of Verret’s decision through a phone call from a friend. Her stomach turned, she said, adding that she immediately called her daughter Mari Forbes in New Orleans to see if she planned to participate in the trials. The teenager’s answer? No. “My daughter is only 19. They shouldn’t have brought it to the children before talking to the parents,” said Forbes, whose daughter is studying finance. “You might have some students who don’t tell their parents, and they might try it.”

Forbes worried that some Xavier students might misunderstand the medical or other implications of research trials.

“I’m disappointed, I can’t believe they offered up our children like that,” she said.

“Why would you sacrifice our future to do a trial?”

Xavier student, Jenessa Nelson, 23, who is from San Francisco, and is majoring in public health, questioned the timing of the presidents’ invite to participate in the trials.

“As two Black institutions, there are more things going on in society that we could come together and fight for, such as police brutality, Black Lives Matter, or helping out the hurricane myimessenger.com

victims,” she said.

Some students said they understand that African Americans need to participate in research trials to assist with the accuracy of the vaccine, but, they said, they did not agree with the method the university presidents used to invite participants to do so.

Traelon Rodgers, of Dallas, is president of Dillard University’s student body.

He said New Orleans residents living in the Gentilly community where Dillard is located, and the campus’ students and families dis-

his options.

“They need participants from our community who are of African descent,” Rodgers said. “I believe in servant leadership, I wouldn’t tell anybody to go anywhere if I wouldn’t go myself. Somebody, somewhere, is counting on me.

They are counting on Black people to stand up and step up.”

Ochsner is among two sites in Louisiana and 120 around the world researching a vaccine to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The sites expect to enroll up to

Mari Forbes - student, Xavier University

Dr. Michael Sorrell - president Paul Quinn College

approved of receiving an open letter and questioned whether it “was this the most appropriate way to solicit volunteers to participate.”

“I think they would have preferred the president would have spoken on their behalf as individuals, versus calling on all the alumni, committee members and students,” said Rodgers, 20, who is a junior majoring in urban studies and public policy.

Still, he said, he is considering participating in COVID-19 vaccine trials himself and planned to research

30,000 participants from New Orleans, across the state, nation and world.

Participants in the study will receive either the vaccine or a placebo, Ochsner officials have said. Neither patients nor investigators will know who is injected with which, The COVID-19 research being conducted at Ochsner is sponsored by Pfizer Incorporated and German pharmaceutical company BioNTech.

Dennis E. Daniels, an epidemiologist and director of the Texas Undergraduate Medical Academy at his-

33

torically Black Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Tex., said participants in clinical trials must reflect racial diversity. That includes African Americans and other people of color.

“You want to get a good representation of the population that will be receiving the vaccine,” he said. “It will allow you to be more confident in your safety and efficacy of the vaccine.”

Kaitlyn Cayette, who earned a doctor of pharmacy degree in May at Xavier, hopes more African Americans will participate in clinical trials in general, including in COVID-19 research studies.

“When we look at a lot of studies for drugs as it is, the majority of the population is white males,” she said.

“So you don’t know how it’s going to affect other people that you never tested. They need people of color.”

Still, she understands the reluctance among some African Americans to participate in such studies, given the history in the United States of medical experiments, such as the U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee.

In that study, medical researchers partnered with historically black Tuskegee Institute to recruit Black male patients with syphilis, told them they would receive treatment, then later failed to give them antibiotics medically proven to heal the condition.

“Some people probably are thinking, ‘Oh they’re see TRIAL, page 34

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

TRIAL,

from page 33... just trying to use us as guinea pigs,’” said Dr. Cayette, who is African American.

Their concerns are not unfounded.

The Tuskegee Syphilis study began in 1932 with 600 Black men and continued for more than 40 years, before a newspaper reported significant ethical issues with the study. In 1974, the U.S. government settled a lawsuit in the case, paying $10 million and providing other medical benefits to participants who still were living and their descendants.

The presidents said they were aware of the hurtful history of US-backed research trials.

“As presidents of HBCUs, we do recall unethical examples of medical research. We remember the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, which misused and caused harm to African Americans and other people of color, undermining trust in health providers and caretakers,” Verret and Kimbrough said in their joint statement. “Today, there are many regulations in place to assure the ethical execution of medical studies, including oversight by Human Subjects Committees with diverse membership and participation of clinicians of color.”

Given the country’s uncomfortable past between medical trials and African Americans, Mariah Tate, a Xavier alumna who now attends Howard University SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Medical School in Washington, D.C., doesn’t think many college students will sign up for the COVID-trial.

“Students will be hesitant about receiving vaccines,” she said. “We have this history of mistrust especially as Black Americans with medicine.”

Tate also said the presidents’ letter needed more details on the parameters of the trial in which they were participating.

Dennis E. Daniels, who also is African American, said he is concerned that

low an individual to build up antibodies and will be effective for a longer period of time?”

Both Xavier and Dillard presidents said they had received full disclosure of any risks associated with the vaccine trials.

“Upon our enrollment, we were fully informed, and any possible risks that would exclude us from the study were disclosed,” they said in their letter.

Both presidents said they are not sick.

Neither is requiring Xa-

Traelon Rodgers - Dillard student body president

Kaitlyn Cayette, pharmacist, recent Xavier grad

the COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are being brought to trial stages too quickly to be safe for humans.

“My concern, like most people, is that instead of being the fastest, that the focus continues to be on a vaccine that is safe, efficacious and effective,” said Dr. Dennis, who holds a doctoral degree in Public Health.

“If you get a vaccine, and it works, for how long? Is this something that will be an annual inoculation,” he asked, rhetorically. “Or is this something that will al-

vier and Dillard students, faculty, alumni and campus community members to participate in the COVID-19 trials, Verret said.

They’re asking them to do so.

“I am not telling students they have to do this. Consider it,” Verret said. “Some people have to step up. But everyone has a choice of whether they roll up their sleeves or not. It’s up to you. No one should pressure you.”

Still, some African Americans question whether the college administrators provided sufficient informa-

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tion, in their single-page letter, for students to make informed decisions regarding participation in the COVID-19 trials.

Therefore, they said, the university presidents’ appeals may fall on deaf ears.

“When they are presenting this to African Americans subjects, they need to give us the education on what point of the study they are in, if they have begun this trial with other populations, the side effects and what company this vaccine is coming from,” said Tate.

Meanwhile, on campus in New Orleans, Mari Forbes said her circle of friends wouldn’t participate in the COVID-19 trial, despite her president’s appeal.

“The Xavier community, as a student body, we all know the past. Xavier is known for its medical degrees and pharmacy, so people aren’t going to go blindly into something,” she said, questioning why students and faculty at the city’s largest two historically Black colleges were being asked to participate while those on predominantly and historically white campuses across town in New Orleans have not.

At least, not publicly.

“For us to be the two big HBCUs in the city and then not to know if Tulane or Loyola have gotten that opportunity as well,” she said. “It’s throwing us into the wolves and not the white population into the wolves.”

Texas Metro News editor Valerie Fields Hill contributed to this report. myimessenger.com

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MAY 20, 2020

September 9 WE3: Women’s Division of IHCC, September Seminar Session. Inspiring Women on “Leaning IN & Standing OUT” for women only. 11:30 am-1pm CDT. Register: https://business.irvinghcc.com/ Ask Dr. Amerson Show at 11am CST. Guest Editor-in-Chief Nicole D’Settemi, N.I.C. Publications & Co. Sept. is Alopecia Awareness Month. Dr. Linda discusses healthy hair, scalp talk, and alopecia talk, on FB Live and DfwiRadio.com.

Job Readiness Sessions & Hiring Events, Resume Writing & 30 second Pitch with Oasis Center and ZWHJCOC, Zan Wesley Holmes, Jr. Community Outreach Center. Beginning 9-9-11-4-2020 via Zoom. Info contact: Jasmine Anderson at jasmine.anderson@zwhjcoc.org.

September 10 The Entrepreneurial Club Presents: Virtual Networking Power Hour. Host, Omicron Sigma Chapter - Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. 7-9 pm.

Webinar RSVP: Eventbrite.com.

Drive-Thru Job Fair, Host, Job Center Staffing (Mid-Cities) 11am-3 pm. at The Job Center Staffing, 3338 Harwood Rd. Bedford. What to bring: Work-ready ID’s, and Mask.

SoulJazz Thursdays Under The Stars feat. Natural Change at 813 Sandaga, 813 Exposition Ave. 8:00 pm12:00 am. Enjoy the sounds of Natural Change. Food Truck, BBQ, Hookahs, and Cigars. Info: email info@sandaga813.com.

“Taking White Supremacy to Court” Conversation Webinar, about the Charlottesville Case. Sponsors: Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. 12 noon – 1pm Attorneys from Integrity First for America, will discuss their lawsuit against these hate groups. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_GIZ5oCE2TpK-UG7MZB3x5Q Tarrant County Candidates Virtual Town Hall. Host Tarrant County Democratic Party. RSVP at info@tarrantdemocrats. org). You will be sent the special preregistration Zoom link with the options to provide questions for our candidates.

September 11 7th Annual Fundraiser Golf Classic hosted by Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Irving Golf Club 2000 E. Shady Grove Rd. 11:30 am-12:30 pm registration, 1 pm tee time. RSVP: https://irvinghcctx.chambermaster.com/ event-registration/register/

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Virtual and liVe Community Calendar September 15

Deep Ellum Arts Festival 2020 FREE 11 am-11 pm. In Deep Ellum for more info: Eventbrite.com.

Infant Mortality Awareness Webinars. Sessions: Sept 11, 18, 25, 2020. Morning and afternoon sessions held on all three dates. Sponsors: Dallas Health Start & Parkland. Contact: 214590-1670. Register: https://bit.ly/32qQRH2 Friendship-West Presents Spiritual Care. Hosted by Be Made Whole Counseling Center. Fridays Spiritual Care for difficult times. 1 pm CDT via Zoom: Click the link below. https://zoom. us/j/HYPERLINK/l.facebook.com/l. php?u% Access Code: 856 703 6848

Glenn Heights City Council Meeting, City Hall 1938 S. Hampton Rd. Glenn Heights 7:00 pm-9:30 pm.

Job Readiness Sessions & Hiring Events, 21st Century, with Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders and ZWHJCOC, Zan Wesley Holmes, Jr. Community Outreach Center. Zoom. Info: Jasmine Anderson at jasmine.anderson@zwhjcoc.org DeSoto City Council Meeting, Host Councilwoman Candice Quarles, Online Event: http://desototexas. gov/ 5:30 – 10 PM.

September 12 Dallas Stars Watch Party: Conference Final Game 4 at American Airlines Center 2500 Victory Ave. 7 pm.

Tickets: Ticketmaster.com.

Historically Black Colleges & Universities, Virtual Summit Series 2020. , Energized, and Empowered. 1 pm. Series Three: How Will You Pay for Your HBCU Education?

Free. Info: efreemam@sjbcfamily.com. Streaming: @sjbcfamily.com and Facebook @sjbcfamily.

Dallas Chocolate Festival “The World of Chocolate – In A Box. One line Event: https://dallaschocolate.org/ 11 am-5 pm.

Tickets: dallaschocolate.org.

September 16 Ask Dr. Amerson Radio Show at 11 am CST continues to spotlight National Alopecia Awareness Month with expert guests. Tips on, scalp care, hair care, alopecia discussion, our award-winning product line and more on DfwiRadio.com.

September 17

September 13 Reggae Brunch Buffet, Host Hero’s Lounge, 3094 N. Stemmons Fwy. 11 am-3 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite.com .com. The all new Sunday Reggae Brunch!! All You Can Eat Caribbean Brunch Buffet.

State Fair of Norma’s. Enjoy all of your state fair favorites but with a twist! at Norma’s Café 8300 Gaylord Pkwy, Frisco. All 5 Norma’s Cafe are participating and open 8am-8pm daily.

September 14 Happy Birthday to Joycelyn Johnson

North Texas Giving Day Musicians In the Park. A series of Thursday night concerts at Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy. 7 -8 pm. Also streaming on: https://www.facebook.com/MusicPerformanceTrustFund/ An Evening with ReKesha Pittman “Leadership, Life and Love Lessons” at Belle Décor Dallas, 2039 Farrington St. Dallas. 6:30-9 pm.

Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/ an-evening-with-rekesha-pittman-tickets-114985414470.

September 18 Monday Night Politics: Virtual Political Forums. 6 – 8 pm. forum features Congressional District 32 candidates, Colin Allred and challenger, Genevieve Collins; and District 33 candidates, Marc Veasey and challenger, Fabian Cordova Vasquez.

Register: Send email to mnp@dallasexaminer.com with name, phone #, and organization, and a link will be sent.

SCORE Dallas Business Symposium Webinar. 9:30am – 3:30pm. Topics as: Digital Marketing, Facebook branding, government contracting, Cash Flow Management, Nonprofits and Social Enterprise, Logos and Trademarks, etc. Register/ Agenda: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/ event?llr=fij9qpcab&oeidk=a07eguz7die8640e7b0

Infant Mortality Awareness Webinars. Sessions: Sept 11, 18, 25, 2020. Morning and afternoon sessions held on all three dates. Sponsors: Dallas Health Start & Parkland. Contact: 214590-1670. Register: https://bit.ly/32qQRH2

BLACK LIVES MATTER In The Middle with Ashley Moss.

“Talking about topics that Matter” Join in in Facebook/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio. com at 11 am-1 pm. Mondays.

Join the conversation call 646200-0459.

Doc Shep Speaks Show! A fresh perspective, but still entertaining!

Welcome to The Doc Shep Speaks Show!!!. Tuesdays at 11 am Live on Facebook/@TexasMetroNews & Blog Talk Radio.com Join the conversation 646-200-0459.

Andrew’s World with host Andrew Whigham III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8 am.-10 am. Sundays Tune in for thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news and commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459 I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade “History Class is in Session” Join in on Facebook/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com at 11 am -1 pm Wednesdays. Join the conversation call 646-200-0459.

The Bare Truth with Allana J. Barefield. “Always Audacious, Accurate and Authentic” On Facebook/@TexasMetroNews & BlogTalkRadio. at 11 am-1 pm.

Thursdays. Join the call at 646200-0459.

From Marva with Love with Marva Sneed from11 am -1 pm. CST, Fridays on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, and BlogTalkRadio.com.

Call in and join the conversation at 646-200-0459.

October 5 November General Elections Voter Registration Deadline Mon., Oct. 5, 2020, is the deadline to register to vote in the November 2020 Presidential and General Election.

To register, find your precinct, change your name or address, etc. go to: https://www.dallascountyvotes.org/

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

32

FEBRUARY 8, 2019

I Messenger

Do you know this man?

POLICE have not apprehended “Pookie” the serial rapist.

We know he has attacked members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and there is a $5,000 reward offered by Crime Stoppers.

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?

877-373-8477 SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

I MESSENGER

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