Chime Solutions brings almost 1000 jobs to Redbird, averaging $15 an hour! page 3
MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
Our beautiful girls
Heavy sigh. Shaking my head. Feeling the pain. In Dallas, TX, a trial began this week and yet another Black man, Desmond Jones, is a defendant; standing trial for the 2017 vicious murder of 13-year-old Shavon Randle. The case was one that people across this country and around the world were talking about because it involved several Shavon Randle elements that capture headlines: drugs, kidnapping, murder, conspiracy, organized crime and some might even say sex, since there were relationships involved. You may recall that members of a group were involved in illegal activities and in attempting to retrieve stolen drugs, someone snuffed out the young life of Shavon; not because of something she did, but because of who they were. I still remember that hot evening, standing outside in front of the reputed drug house where Shavon spent her last moments on earth. Hundreds gathered expressing outrage and calling for the house to be torn down. The tragedy is that a young, innocent female is no longer with us. She didn’t have a chance to live the life that dreams are made of. Instead she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. See MY TRUTH, page 4
ELECTION 2020
Purdy lays out credentials in race Special to Texas Metro News My name is Judge Monica Purdy. I am a lifelong Democrat and I am running for the 95th State Civil District Court in Dallas County. With the 2020 Democratic Primary election just days away, I want to take this opportunity to tell you why I am running for this bench, share my qualifications and remind you how critical it is to exercise your right to vote.
judges in the yearly judicial evaluation poll, evaluating judicial performance, conducted by the Dallas Bar Association of lawyers appearing before
Why I am running I currently serve as an Associate Judge supporting seven of the 13 State Civil District Courts. I have served you in this role since my unanimous appointment in 2013 by the elected presiding civil judges. Since my appointment, I have consistently received amongst the highest ratings, being ranked as one of the “top two” civil
The Honorable Monica Purdy
my court. After seven years of proudly working for the citizens of Dallas County as an Associate Judge and three years prior as a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Dallas, I decided the time is NOW to serve you and affect change in our Civil Courts at the next level as an elected judge.
Deltas meet about Census 2020
As an Associate Judge, I currently handle several of the day-to-day duties of an elected judge including but not limited to presiding over hearings on a range of motions, injunctions, temporary restraining orders, discovery disputes and both jury and bench trials. My extensive knowledge of the law and critical decisionmaking skills have already been put to the test over the past decade and now I want to put that experience to work for you in a specific court. I am running for the 95th State Civil District Court to ensure justice is served in every case that comes before the court and to guarantee both plaintiffs and defendants have their day in court. Whether it is breach of contract, personal injury, property damage, defamation or other type of civil case, you can See PURDY, page 8
Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Leadership met with U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary Karen Dunn Kelley in the D/ FW area recently to discuss their efforts to increase participation in 2020 Census. Organized by DST member and Census Partnership Sponsor Mythe Y. Kirven, Deltas provided an impressive overview of the outreach the public service sorority has undertaken nationwide. Pictured are Deltas with Sec. Kelley.
VOL.8 NO. 22
FEBRUARY 26,
2020
I WAS JUST THINKING... By Norma Adams-Wade
Democrat, Republican or ...?
The dilemma will not be resolved today. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow. Or is there? If you have Vincent Hall been paying attention, the age-old debate about which political party is best for Black people appears to be growing louder. The question Betty Culbreath of whether African Americans would be better off as Republicans, Democrats, Independents or our own separate party is being heard more Dorothy Burton as the country barrels forward toward the November 3, 2020 Presidential Election -- with U. S. House, Senate and state officers in tow. Opinions remain strong on all sides. I was just thinking...Is there an ideal party today that has the best interest of Black America at heart? See THINKING, page 5
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
INSIDE
EDUCATION
pg. 3
EDITORIAL
pg. 4
PERSPECTIVE
pg. 5
CALENDAR LIFESTYLE
Let’s Continue Your Breakthroughlet’s drive customers to your door! Terry’s Tips
pg. 6 pg. 13
MAILING ADDRESS 320 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway 220 Dallas, TX 75203 WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM 214-941-0110 Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER - EDITOR editor@myimessenger.com
Remembering Joseph Smith March 2, 1927 December 8, 2004
Free - Take One
SSTANDS IN
wlett ree - Take One quite rdson Dallas
50-1397 1 Year Subscription $45.00
CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS ubscription $45.00 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.
By Terry Allen
Thank you all for showing up at the Healthy Living Expo on Dr. Martin Luther King Day. The best thing about having a great business is the face-to-face experience you execute when customers find you? The number one way to create a face-to-face experience with your customer is let them see you in print. Have you
created that awesome print ad to drive traffic to your business yet? I can say that print is forever! Small business owners, here are six of 24 (Rise in Peace Kobe) tips you can use to have a good print ad: 1. Advertise in Print! Create a Unique Selling Offer (USO). In the spirit of Aretha Franklin’s vocals
for the movie Sparkle “Give Them Something They Can Feel.� 2. Create a good personal message. Example FedEx: “When your package absolutely, positively has to get there overnight.� M&Ms: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.� 3. Tell the readers why you are better than your competition without negativity. 4. Make them an offer that has a great value and a deadline. 5. Include a customer testimonial in your print. People trust what others have to say about you. 6. Include complete con-
tact information. You would not believe how many times I’ve seen advertisements, often expensive magazine ads, posters, billboards, etc. without clear-cut company contact information. Here is another tip for all of you in communications. If you want the best pitch for your story, to write the best article for your organization and/or improve the readability of your stories; then attend training classes such as The National Association of Black Journalists’ Basics Boot Camp held recently at recently at Paul Quinn College. I Messenger will offer you
a great advertising discount RIGHT Now. Call us at 214.941.0110.! Call I Messenger today and get on board for your Business Breakthrough in 2020. It is time for your Business Breakthrough. Email me at terryallenpr@ gmail.com to get the other tips to show up and show out! Until then that is my “fiddy� cents. Save or spend it on you! Terry Allen is an award-winning media professional, journalist and entrepreneur who serves as the Media Related Representative on the National Association of Black Journalists Board of Directors. He is also the founder of City Men Cook and 1016 Media
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Steyer’s Headquarters opens in Southern Dallas
to clean water and Democratic Presidential breathable air. We deserve Candidate Tom Steyer’s a president who works campaign opened its Dallas to ensure all Americans headquarters office on Feb. can earn a living wage 20 in South Dallas to a crowd and have access to the of supporters, volunteers, and American Dream. We community and government deserve a president who leaders. Several speakers is honest and has integrity. emphasized the importance That man is Tom Steyer,” of this election for residents said Espinal. “Tom’s of Dallas and across the campaign is the only country. national campaign that is Texas State Director Omar taking the time to listen to El-Halwagi spoke about the us.” growing momen-tum of the Steyer campaign in states Texas State Director Omar El-Halwagi addresses supporters and volunteers at opening of Texas is part of Super Tuesday, when with large African American Dallas heaquarters. voters in many states and Latino populations. “With this new office, we’re bringing even more of that will determine which presidential candidates will earn momentum into Texas ahead of Super Tuesday. We delegates toward the party’s nomination. Early voting in Texas is underway and ends Feb. 28. are reaching out to people of diverse backgrounds and sharing how Tom’s policies in healthcare, education, The primary will be on March 3. This may be the most climate and economic justice, and other key areas will important election of our lifetime, so it is crucial that everyone casts their vote and makes their voice heard. improve the lives of all Americans. ” The Tom Steyer campaign office is located at 3614 Jacqueline Espinal, a community organizer and founder of Reimagine Fair Park, delivered remarks on S.Tyler St. in the Five Mile Creek area of South Oak what the campaign is doing to set itself apart in Texas Cliff, and is open Monday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and why Steyer’s message especially resonates in Dallas. For more info, visit the campaign website at tomsteyer. “We deserve a president who protects our right com.
Chime Solutions brings almost 1000 jobs to area From Staff Reports
The Wilsons are proud to bring “real responsibilities with real opportunities” to Dallas. Atlanta-based Chime Solutions, a Business Process Outsourcing firm, officially opened their new offices at a Ribbon Cutting Celebration at RedBird Mall, 3662 W. Camp Wisdom Road, 2nd Floor Dallas Texas 75237 last week. “We are excited to continue our commitment to provide exceptional customer care solutions for our clients,” said Mr. Wilson., “And to not only cultivate talent in an underresourced community, but also repurpose former retail space here at RedBird.” Dallas City Councilman Tennell Atkins, who participated in the Ribbon Cutting event cited the various other opportunities that have arisen at the Mall, including Workforce Solutions, Jarvis Christian College, said, “As Chime Solutions expands its footprint in Dallas their investment in Oak Cliff brings opportunities to this community.” Peter Brodsky of Redbird Mall applauded the leadership of both Councilman Atkins and Mr. Wilson. “We’re so happy to have the Chime Family here at Redbird,” he said. “They are providing jobs in this community close to where people live.” Mr. Wilson said he is excited about the opportunity, pointing out that he has a goal of creating 10,000 jobs around the country. Chime Solutions, a privately owned, certified minority and woman owned business provides U.S..-based customer contact services for its clients in a wide range of industries, including financial services, insurance, health care and telecommunications. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Chime is a different kind of outsourcing contact center partner; one who offers an integrated strategic partnership approach to its clients by offering both a low-cost service delivery model combined with its high value differentiated solutions.
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EDITORIAL
FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Pernicious power of patriarchy THE LAST WORD DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX
Our nation, these United States, is founded on the principles of racism and patriarchy. They are reflected in our very constitution, where enslaved persons were counted as a fraction of a person, and only men of property were allowed the right to vote. The filthy inequality at the foundation of this nation has now bubbled up and boiled over, now polluting every aspect of our lives. Patriarchy places men at the center of life, and women at the periphery. It suggests that women do not matter. It allows for the subjugation of women when they attempt to enter public spaces that have previously been earmarked as “male” spaces. Thus, there were no restrooms for women legislators in the US House or Senate, even as women entered those spaces. They were only created when women demanded them. Of course, restrooms are just a minor manifestation of the hegemonic patriarchy that rules our nation. A great picture of our nation’s racist patriarchy was the visual of doughy and dissipated white men interrogating the amazingly composed Anita Hill as she reviewed her experiences with nowSupreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
MY TRUTH, continued from front page Who knows what her life might have become. Meanwhile, halfway across the country, on the same day that the trial began to find justice for Shavon’s murder, another 13-year-old, Gianna, was remembered at a ceremony for her and her father, Kobe Bryant; in Los Angeles CA. and attorneys for her mom filed a wrongful death suit against Island Express Helicopters, Island Express Holding Corp. and the estate of the pilot, Ara Zobayan. The Bryants and seven others, including the pilot, Mr. Zobayan,
Though Hill was persuasive, she was attacked in the vilest of terms, accused of nonsense like “erotomania,” and even recently harassed by Thomas’ unhinged spouse who was still seeking apology after two decades. Note to Thomas, take the phone from your wife when her meds are not working. In any case, Thomas is on the Supreme Court because white men chose to disregard the word of a Black woman, a decision that then-Senator Joe Biden says he now regrets. Thomas was confirmed by the narrowest margin in history 52-48. Here we go again. By the time this is published the matter of 45’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Cavenaugh is resolved, but the issue of pernicious patriarchy will not be. Regarding Kavanaugh, he has been accused by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford of sexual assault more than 35 years ago, when both were teens. She disclosed her accusations in a letter that California Senator Dianne Feinstein received in July, but did not share with the FBI until later, mainly because Ford asked for confidentiality. Ford has requested that the FBI investigate her assertions, and the Senate judiciary committee is still fast-tracking the Kavanaugh vote. The outcome, while necessary, is not the bottom line. The issue is the way that racist patriarchy makes some offensive and illegal behavior acceptable. Privileged white male culture allows and encourages excessive drinking and obnoxious behavior toward women. It is
perished in the helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. Thousands gathered in the Staples Center in Los Angeles as tribute after tribute focused on the legacy of Mr. Bryant and the devastating loss of young “GiGi” who at such a young age had already touched the lives of many. My heart is heavy as I reflect back on when I was 13. I was innocent and fearless. I knew I had protection and love from my family, so I had nothing to worry about. Looking back, I now know that yes, I could have been a headline too. And it seems like things aren’t getting better. Which brings me to my truth!
excused because “boys will be boys.” But what boy s? Black boys, even accused of “reckless eyeballing”, are fair game for lynching! White boys on rampages are excused for assault, rape, and attempted rape. Can I call the name of Recy Taylor, the young Black woman who was walking home from church and raped by a gaggle of white men who thought her body their right? Can I remind us of the Texas gubernatorial candidate, Clayton Williams, who said that if rape was inevitable, a woman should “lay back and enjoy it”? Ann Richards beat him, but that wasn’t quite the point. The point was that some man thought that rape was inevitable enough to “enjoy.” Privileged white male culture allows a man who should not have been elected President to denigrate women regularly. We are “fat” “dogs” and “liars.” He bragged about grabbing women’s genitals, and our society is so poached in pernicious patriarchy that 52 percent of all women still voted for him. They thought he was joking because, for too many women, patriarchy has so seeped into our consciousness that the abuse of women is a joke. If we women were honest, we would say that we have all cosigned patriarchy in the interest of keeping it moving. We have deflected the sexist comments that come our way, even as we cringe from them. We smile at men that we abhor because they may have decision making power in their hands. We dress up or dress down
Shavon and Gianna are the casualties we are talking about today and sadly there are so many others. When you think about the statistics involving women, you can’t help but pause. We have to do something. There are so many areas where we need intervention and support. We cannot bring those two beautiful angels, Shavon and Gianna, back but we can work to help other young girls realize their dreams. There is so much going on in the world today with females: • According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Walk Free Foundation, 71% of trafficking victims around the
depending on the occasion and the way we have to play the game. We know the system is slanted against us, we know we still have to play, and we decide when we choose to blow the whistle, a whistle we could blow every single day. #MeToo is the tip of the iceberg because it fails to deal with race systematically, but also because it manages the evident and personal, not the institutional. In addition to being #MeToo women, we are mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives (hello Julie Chen Moonves), so some of us want to justify patriarchy for “our” men. Our son, husband, cousin, brother “didn’t mean it” and could not be that bad. Wake up call -- if they violated a woman, they were that bad. If they raped a Black woman and you turned away from the accusation, you are wrong, you are horribly and complicity wrong. Tearing down the walls of pernicious patriarchy means attacking the very foundation of our nation. When we attack patriarchy, we also attack the racism that is also part of our foundation. Many have lined up to support Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. How many are equally willing to attack the pernicious racist patriarchal roots of our nation? Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, media contributor and educator. Her latest project MALVEAUX! On UDCTV is available on youtube.com. For booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visit www.juliannemalveaux.com
world are women and girls. • UN Women reports that 15 million adolescent girls (15-19) worldwide have experienced forced sex (forced sexual intercourse or other sexual acts) at some point in their life. • amfAR reports that among all women in America diagnosed with HIV in 2017, 59% were African American, 20% were white, and 16% were Hispanic/Latina. • The National Coalition against Domestic Violence issued statistics that 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence. Now I can go on and on, but we know what needs to be done.
There are so many organizations out there that work with young girls, and they are doing great work, but they need help and we need more bodies, resources and support. There’s a young lady in your neighborhood, church, community, maybe even in your house; who needs a mentor, a kind smile, an open heart or a non-judgmental ear. Reach out and be a source of inspiration and support. We’ve been there and done all of that. We don’t know how long each of us will be on this earth. Let’s make each day special, beginning with today. Our girls need us.
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Finally…A News Channel made for us! By Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter South Carolina NBCSL President
I am extremely excited to learn that my alma mater, the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), has launched the very first and only 24-hour Black news channel through its School of Journalism and Graphic Design. The Black News Channel (BNC) is designed to accurately inform the Black community about national and international news and unique broadcasts. The BNC will be carried by Charter Communications, the first pay TV provider to offer the channel on their line-ups in some of their largest markets. While the Black community has long experienced a news culture with very low representation of the African American perspective, BNC will provide the opportunity to fuse our principles, values, and traditions into programming that will provide a more authentic representation of our diverse world views. The BNC will partner with “African American business leaders, policy and lawmakers, members of the clergy, media, and academia,” to
factually represent black communities. It will also offer insight into what issues challenge us, what experiences influence us, what contributions have been made by us and what
stories inspire us. It is very promising to finally be represented honestly by a network that is completely run by people who come from a place where I come from and understand the challenges we face on a daily basis. According to the BNC Website, “Americans begin this new year with no Black-owned full-power TV stations. In 2008, there were 18 Black-owned and operated full-power TV stations, representing just 1.3 percent of all TV licenses. Today, all 18 stations are gone.” The Black News Channel will fill a void by empowering and offering our community coverage of news stories that specifically address our challenges in a fresh and pertinent
manner. The BNC will provide a voice to the issues that truly matter to African Americans. As an African American legislator, and President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL), I look forward to partnering with FAMU, the BNC and Charter Communications to ensure black voices are effectively represented. From Atlanta to LA and other top TV markets, television audiences who receive this channel will have the opportunity to better understand African Ameri-cans’ challenging and unique issues from our own distinctive viewpoints. I applaud Charter Communications for embarking on this longoverdue journey of bringing this important programming to television. I look forward to enjoying and learning from new valuable content that will enrich and educate all who receive it. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 66 and is President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL). Rep. Cobb-Hunter earned her B.S. from Florida A&M University, her M.A. from Florida State University, and her LMSW from the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners.
Thinking,
continued from front page I talked with some informed proponents on various sides and received provocative history lessons that inspire me to have you judge for yourselves. Social commentator Vincent Hall, a Democrat, and civil servant Betty Culbreath, a Republican, view the spectrum from opposing positions. Hall says it is logical for African-Americans to stick with the Democrats. Culbreath says African-Americans should give Republicans another chance. “Republicans have not given (AfricanAmericans) any reason to trust them or believe that they have our best interest at heart,” said Hall, who is on hiatus from his popular I Messenger column, “Quit Playin’.” Culbreath, who has a long history as a political and social activist, said she’s tired of Democrats taking the Black vote for granted. “Politicians would pay attention to us and what we want from them if we were not bound to the Democrats like cement.” Scholars tell us that consistently, between 80-90 percent of Black Americans vote Democratic today, but that during postCivil War Reconstruction, we were overwhelmingly Republican. Former President Abraham Lincoln – the nation’s first Republican president -- gets much of the credit for our loyalty at that time: this largely because he signed legislation that ended slavery and led to Reconstruction that introduced African-American political involvement in the late 1800s. At that time, Democrats largely resented Black advancement, believing that upward climb hurt the White population, largely Southern, that relied so heavily on the economic advantages of slavery. So, when and why did we switch from being Republican to Democratic loyalists? Scholars point to various reasons. These include the rise of Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal economic policies during and after the Great Depression in the 1930s, desegregation of the military under Democratic president Harry Truman
in the late 1940s, the 1960s civil rights gains under Democratic presidents, and the election of the nation’s first AfricanAmerican president in 2008. Hall said the notion that Blacks left the Republican Party is wrong. He said Republican interest in Black advancement appeared to fade as policies of Democrats seemed to offer more. “We did not leave them” Hall said of Republicans. “History shows that the party of Lincoln left us.” He said he sees no possibility for a largescale return of African-Americans to the Republican Party “in our lifetime.” And that under Republican leadership, all nonwhites are suspect and society no longer is “black vs white but white vs diversity... Diversity has no place in their plan.” Culbreath longs for the day when current African-Americans will learn the history of Black Republicans. She does not defend current leadership but defends the history of the party. “Black people are the original conservative people,” Culbreath said. “We were not liberals seeking free stuff. We were get-it-done-for-yourself-folk. We knew how to work and we worked. We were not pushing grocery carts and living on the streets. Today, we think conservative is a bad word and it’s not.” Dorothy Burton, a speaker, blogger and community leader, has a third perspective about political leadership. I could not reach her for direct comment, but I have followed her plain-spoken social media comments online. A former Republican, she has chosen to be an Independent. Here is a recent post: “No, I will not be voting in this primary. Call me names, whatever... The Democrats will choose their candidates and the Republicans, theirs. I’m neither any more, and since in Texas you have to vote as one of the other, and I am no longer either, I will vote in November for the candidates whom I believe will serve and govern best. Be they Democrats or Republican.” Sounds like a woman who knows what time it is. 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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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
CALENDAR
Black History Month Recurring Events
Feeding The Needy, hosted by: "Hollywood Hernandez Live" 1691 Corsicana St., Dallas. 3-5p. Sundays. The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection, at the African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave. now-3-1 Comerica Bank Prom Dress Drive, All sizes, shoes, purses, and accessories welcome. Drop Off locations & Info: Comerica.com/promdress from 2-1 to 29th. Free Job Training, Jobs in the Low Voltage Field, at Frazier House 4600 Spring Ave. 7:30a-3p. This is 4-week program. Info: Jasmine Anderson, jasmine.anderson@zwhjcoc.org. Free Tax Help at Dr. MLK, Jr. Branch Library, 2922 Dr. MLK, Jr. Blvd. Thursdays 11a-3p. Feb. 1st - April 15th. To Be Young Gifted and Black, at Jubilee Theatre, 506 Main St. Ft. Worth. Times Vary, Tickets: jubileetheatre.org. Funny You Don’t Like A Negro, at Theatre Three, 2800 Routh St. Ste. 168. Times Vary, Tickets: 214-871-3300. 2-20-3-15-20. A Raisin in the Sun, Featuring: Durant Searcy at Theatre Arlington, 305 W. Main St. Tickets and times: 817-275-7661. 2-14-3-8-20.
FEBRUARY 26 1869 15th Amendment proposed in Congress, giving former slaves The right to vote. 1928 R & B singer “Fats” Domino Is born.
Join the Small Business Expo, host WERE Community at Kaye Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, 650 S. Griffin St. 10a-5:30p. Eventbrite.com. Intuit Black Business Panel at Intuit. 5601 Headquarters Dr. Plano 5:30-8p. Free Eventbrite.com.
FEB 28 - MARCH 1 The Melanin MANIFESTival at 4 The Culture Studio, 115 N. Carroll St. Times Vary. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
MARCH 2
MARCH 6-8
FEBRUARY 28
Student Career Fair, at St. Philips School & Community Center, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. 4-7p. Info: mholmes@stphilips.com.
38th Annual Irish Festival at Fair Park, 3809 Grand Ave. Tickets: NTIF.org.
CE Credit and Lunch with the Council host Carol Holmes, Realtor at JP & Associates, at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen 3520 Oak Lawn Ave. 11a-1p. Tickets: www.wcdallas.com.
1st Friday Hat Social Old School Party at The Island Spot, 309 W. Jefferson Blvd. 8p-12a. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
1984 Michael Jackson wins record 8 Grammy awards for his best-selling album Thriller.
DeSoto Arts Commission presents-The Dallas Black Dance Theatre, DeSoto High School-Eagle Stadium, 700 Eagle Dr. 7-9p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com. Ladies First Monthly Mixer at One Love Lounge, 2315 S. Cooper St. Arlington. 7p-12a. Tickets: Eventbrite.com. I Am Africa Art Show at WrightArt, 830 Exposition Ave. 7-10p. Tickets: wrightarttwinse.bigcartel.com. Black History Month Event at Restland Funeral Home, 13005 Greenville Ave. 3-4p. Non Profit Governance Workshop at UNT Dallas, 7300 University Hills in Founders Hall Rm. 138. 8:30-11:30a. Free Contact: HS.UNTDALLAS.EDU/workshop-series.
FEBRUARY 29 1940 Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American Woman to win an Oscar for “Gone with the Wind”.
Chris Tucker, at The Theatre Grand Prairie 1001 Performance Pl. 8p. Tickets: AXS.com.
DFWJAMSESSION Presents Open Mic, Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 9p-1a. Tickets: rcandthegritz.com.
Hidden History Tour - Black History Alive and Well, Dart Transit Center, 1423 J.B. Jackson, Jr. Blvd. 9a. Book Tour: https://www. hiddenhistorydfw.com/
FEBRUARY 27 1902 World-renowned opera singer Marian Anderson is born.
Connect Dallas Mobility Fair and Symposium hosted by the City of Dallas at Briscoe Carpenter Center in Fair Park. 4-7p. Arlington Black Chamber February General Meeting at Brickhouse Lounge of Arlington, 2525 E. Arkansas Ln. #253. 6p.Eventbrite. Brown Lady “We want you in our Network”, Business Lounge Dallas, 13740 Midway Rd. Suite 528. 12-2p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com. Black History Month Mixer, host North Dallas Suburbia at Blends Daiquiri Lounge, 2810 E. Trinity Mill Rd. #145. 6:30-11p.
MARCH 5-6 Justin Lawson at Hyena’s Comedy Night Club, 5321 Mockingbird Ln. #220. 5th 5p. & 6th 8p. Tickets: www.prekindle.com.
WAYO & City of Dallas Casey Thomas/Homeless Expo 2020, Crozier Hall2218 Bryan St. #105. 9a-1p.
“Building Food Justice” Presentation, TCU, Sid Richardson Bldg. Lecture Hall 1, 2955 S. University, Ft. Worth 7:30-9p. RSVP: tarrantcountyfpc.eventbrite.com
28th Celebratory Appreciation Musical for Pastor Cedric Adams, Divine Life Christ Consciousness Center, 2801 Peabody St. Ave. 3:30p.
Conversations at The West, Friendship-West Baptist Church, 2020 Wheatland Rd. 7p.m
Soul’d Out Sunday, Pan African Connection Bookstore, 4466 S. Marsalis Ave. 11a-1p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
Black History Youth Program at Ideal Family Church, 1000 E. Redbird Ln. 7-8:30p.
Women of the West Bible Study, Friendship West Baptist Church 2020 W. Wheatland Rd. 7p.
Teach Me How To Love, Part 2 at Pan African Connection, 4466 Marsalis Ave. 2:30-4:30p.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's-DFW Joint Founders Day Luncheon, Sisterhood: The Call…The Journey…The Destination… Irving Convention Center, 500 West Las Colinas Blvd. 11a. The Dr. MLK Fresh Produce Distribution Center, Bldg. A 2929 Dr. MLK, Jr. Blvd. 10a-2p. Known Woman Bible Study Series at Aloft Plano, 6853 North Dallas Pkwy. 1-3p. Tickets Eventbrite.com. 2nd Dallas Black College Expo Feat: Senoj at Paul Quinn, 3837 Simpson Stewart Rd. 3p. Warren Avenue Christian Church Sesquicentennial Homecoming Musical Clinician Clark Joseph at Warren Ave. C.C.2431 Warren Ave. 3p. Info: 214-421-4895. Our Youth and Support – Love Deposit, host Coffee and Politics 101 at African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave. 10-11a.
MARCH 1
Monday School at Inspiring Body of Christ, 7701 S. Westmoreland Rd. 7p. www.IBOCCHURCH.ORG. Trap Step Mondays at Jam Box Addison, 3965 Belt Line Rd. 7:30-8:30p. Until September 28, 2020.
MARCH 3 Election Day
Dallas New Foster Parent Orientation host The Bair Foundation at 3630 North Josey Ln, Carrollton, 6-8p. RSVP: 972-957-0030 Glen Heights City Council Meeting, City Hall 1938 S. Hampton Rd. Glenn Heights. 7-9:30p. Zan Wesley Holmes Lunch & Learn Series, Frazier House 4600 Spring Ave. Dallas. 11:30am-1pm.
MARCH 4 Together We Dine, hosted with Dialogue Institute Dallas, 1416 E. Collins Blvd. Richardson. 6-8p RSVP: Eventbrite.com. Jamrok Wednesdays, A Night of Jamaican Music, Art & Culture, Hero’s Lounge, 3094 N. Stemmons Fwy. 7p-2a. Tickets: Eventbrite.com. DFWJAMSESSION Presents Open Mic, Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 9p-1a. Tickets: rcandthegritz.com. Adult Hip Hop Dance Class, City of DeSoto Civic Center, 211 E. Pleasant Run Rd. 8p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
MARCH 6
Natural Change Band at Southern Eats Arlington, 6407 S. Cooper St. #101. 9p-12a. Eventbrite.com. Kings Remembered in Time DFW Poetic Showcase at YBE Promotions, 4300 N. Northgate Dr. 7-11p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com. 1st Friday #Happy Hour Presented by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity at Favoritz Restaurant and Lounge, 6501 S. Cooper St. Arlington. 6-11:30p. For the Love of Jazz and Poetry at Sway’s Room, Inside RL Lounge, 1175 N. Watson Rd. Arlington. 9p. Tickets: www.instaseats.com.
MARCH 7 Happy Birthday to Team Member and a great lady Eva D. Coleman The African American Book Tour, Grace Banquet Hall, 7111 Marvin D. Love Fwy. Dallas. 12-10:30p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com. DISD Read For Me International Festival, W.H. Adamson High School, 309 E. 9th St. 8a-1p. Diamonds and Sneakers Gala host Trinity Links Inc. at Hyatt Regency Hotel, 300 Reunion Blvd. 7p. Tickets: trinitylinksinc.org. Hearts & Heels Brunch & Show host EMB Chrysalis Foundation at Hilton Garden Inn, 800 N. Main St. Duncanville. 10a-1:30p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
MARCH 5
Smooth Jazz @ bishop Arts at 303 Bar and Grill, 303 W. Davis St. 3-7p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
Who is Jill Scott? 20 Anniversary Tour at Fair Park Music Hall, 901 1st Ave. 8p. Tickets: Ticketmaster.com.
The Exchange – DFW African American Market and Vendor Showcase at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rec. Center, 2901 Pennsylvania Ave. 12-5p. Free Eventbrite.com.
Pretty Girls Love Trap & Paint – Thirsty Thursday at Candy Shack Daiquiris, 6401 S. Cooper St. Arlington. 7:30-9:30p. Eventbrite.
Poets & Jazz #4 at Clarence Muse Café, 1309 Canton St. 9p. Tickets: Ticketmaster.com.
Soul Jazz Thursday’s w/ Natural Change Band, Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8p-12a.
Women Making History: Round Table Brunch at The Help Studios, 2435 Squire Pl. Farmers Branch. 10a-2p. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.
410 Line Dancers Thursday Class DFW Sports Garden 1850 E. Beltline Rd. Coppell. 7-9p. Info: www.410linedancers.com
MARCH 8
Faith and Culture – John McCaa, host Cambridge School of Dallas at Fellowship Dallas, 9330 N. Central Expy. 6:45-9p. Tickets: app. donorview.com.
“Brown Skin Girl” Play, host N.I.A. Kids Center at DeSoto Corner Theatre 211 E. Pleasant Run Rd. 3p & 7p. Tickets: www.niakids.org. International Women’s Day, Fancy Hats Wraps Fashion Show at Alto211, 211 Ervay St. 5-9. Tickets: Eventrite.com.
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
NABJ hosts Basics Boot Camp The National Association of Black Journalists held its annual Basics Boot Camp, organized by NABJ Vice President of Print Marlon Walker, at Paul Quinn College in Dallas.
By Eva D. Coleman
By Monique P. Stone
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Judge Monica Purdy - Up Close and Personal Continued from the front page rest assured that I will continue to mete out justice impartially and preside with the integrity and judicial temperament you expect from your elected judges. Poised and ready to preside My journey to the 2020 Democratic Primary is paved with hard work, commitment and the heart of a public servant. I have been practicing law for more than 26 years, with 20 of those years in civil litigation including the latter 10 years as a judge. I am a native of Tampa, Florida, and a proud product of not one, but two, historically Black colleges and universities — Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as a global leader in the education of women of African descent, where I earned my undergraduate degree, and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, where I earned my law degree. While at Thurgood Marshall, I was a member of Law Review and began my legal career at the Houston office of a national law firm collecting various governmental receivables. Building a practice focused on civil litigation and bankruptcy matters, I relocated to the firm’s Dallas office and was later promoted to partner. In this role, I assisted with various municipalities and other public agencies in the recovery of property taxes and related revenue, and successfully represented these governmental clients, which also included Dallas County, in a number of cases heard in jurisdictions across the United States. In 2004, to accommodate the needs of my growing family, I opened and built a
JUDGE MONICA PURDY private law practice in Dallas, primarily serving as regional counsel for Fortune 500 clients in litigation and collection disputes before state and federal courts. In 2010, I was appointed as Associate Judge for the City of Dallas, a position that allowed me to maintain a private practice while performing significant duties in the enforcement of the city’s laws and ordinances. Active in the community A staunch advocate for education, I helped develop the Legal Studies Department curriculum for Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas where I previously taught as an adjunct professor. I have served the community as President of the J.L. Turner Legal Association; Regional Director for the National Bar Association and conducted countless community voter engagement seminars. I am a member of Alpha Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Trinity (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Dallas Chapter
JUDGE MONICA PURDY WITH DAUGHTER ZOE, SON ZANE AND HUSBAND, TOBY. of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church, and last but certainly not least, I am married to a wonderful, supportive husband and we have two amazing children. Your vote, your voice Today, our nation is divided more than we have ever witnessed in the 21st century. The disparities minorities and women continue to endure in the workplace, in our educational and justice systems are unacceptable and serve as a reminder that although we have come a long way, there is still much work to be done. That is why, now more than ever, it is important to make your voice heard at the ballot box. To have a seat at the table in the conversation on real change and improving the quality of life for you, your loved ones and for generations to come, I encourage you to exercise your right to vote in 2020. It is up to YOU to make a difference in
your community by electing leaders who represent the interests of ALL citizens. Whether you vote early or on Election Day, please participate in the process, take five people with you to the polls and vote DEMOCRAT to level the playing field and achieve equity for every Dallas County citizen. Reminder that House Bill 25 eliminated the straight-ticket voting option for all races in Texas beginning with the upcoming 2020 Primary election, so it is critical that you select a candidate in EACH INDIVIDUAL RACE. Please take your time, vote ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BALLOT and look for my name, JUDGE MONICA PURDY. The time is NOW! Elect Judge Monica Purdy for the 95th State Civil District Court
TESTED. TRUSTED. EXPERIENCED. Election Day is Tuesday, March 3, 2020 Political advertisement paid for by Judge Monica Purdy Campaign, Richard A. Sayles, Treasurer
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Boys and the Barbershop ABOUT YOUR HAIR BY DR. LINDA AMERSON
www.hairandscalpessentials.com
The first haircut experience a boy receives at the barbershop does not have to be traumatic. The male or female professional barber should show patience. Otherwise, the already fearful child may cry, move their heads, or fidget. As a result, many barbers may ask the parent to hold the child’s head, to ensure an even haircut. Many parents are advised to wait until their child is two-years-old before their first haircut. Considering the human anatomy, there is a reason for this recommendation. When a child is born, the scalp is not 100% formed. The crown of the head is an area known as the ‘fontanelle’, also known as the soft spot. This soft spot will tale 1 year or longer to completely form. Parents are advised it is dangerous
to press on this soft spot. Parents can still shampoo their child’s scalp, please use caution…use fingertips, or palm of hands, never use fingernails. Cradle cap, infantile seborrhea dermatitis, is a very common concern of mothers. Cradle cap is the natural secretions of an infant’s scalp, which has congealed together…usually a yellowish-brown color. It may appear several weeks after birth, with the degree of severity differs with each child. In addition, milk sensitivity could be another villain. A baby not given the right milk, therefore being sensitivity to the wrong milk may also produce abnormal scalp secretions. Consult with your pediatrician. Sometimes by changing the kind of milk your baby is drinking can help alleviate cradle cap.’ Put simply, shampoo your babies scalp, moisturize it if necessary, comb and brush his hair. All questions may be forwarded to Dr. Linda Amerson, Board Certified Trichologist, CEO LA’s Hair & Scalp Clinic, Arlington, TX. 817 265 8854. #ScalpDoctor www.Hairandscalpessentials.com
NTIF.org • 214-821-4173 Discount tickets for saturDay anD sunDay at tom thumb anD albertsons
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
De-Gentrification Act Legislative Goals •
Create Opportunity Zone Task Force made up of business owners within the zone and residents within a 4-mile radius to keep track of a Needs Assessment that all Opportunity Zone developments must adhere to. Opportunity Zone investors will gain access to their tax-free investment two years earlier. Community has buy-in 4 our development.
•
Allocate federal subsidies for Retiree homeowners in developing neighborhoods to keep them in their homes as taxes/cost of living rises, creating security and generational wealth 4 our futures.
•
Create development partnerships with Historically Underutilized Business Contractors when outside developers want to develop within Minority-Majority communities. Increasing Minority-Majority sovereignty 4 our neighborhoods.
•
Increase funds to First-time Home Buyer Grants through the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide more opportunity 4 generational wealth. These 4 points outline the Vision for the De-Gentrification Act legislation proposed by Hasani Burton. A more prosperous future is now within your hands, one vote away.
VOTE FOR HASANI BURTON, U.S. CONGRESS, DISTRICT 30 @Hasani4Progress 3839 McKinney Avenue , Ste 155-230, Dallas, TX 75204 Ad Paid By the Hasani Burton Campaign. Treasurer, James McGee.
FEBRUARY 26, 2020
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Popular violinist leaves Dallas-Fort Worth area
EVENT EMCEE “KING� CHARLES SMITH
RICHMOND PUNCH WITH WIFE KELLE PUNCH By Eva D. Coleman Music moves you. On this, I believe we can all agree.
Richmond Punch is the sound you hear at events with class and a lot of sass! Richmond Punch, the man, is a violinist who delivers a
SPEAKER ED GRAY
master class each time he performs. Classically trained with degrees from Juilliard and Yale, this Dallas Booker T. Washington graduate's renditions of popular tunes across all genres provide memorable experiences. For years, he's made many memories with audiences at events throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Punch is taking his strings and bow to Atlanta where he foresees new opportunities. "Atlanta becomes such a prosperous place for all people,"
SPEAKER DONNA RENAY PATRICK
Punch said. "I feel like it's gonna be a good move." His farewell concert took place on January, 31, 2020 as part of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration, Pre-Black History Month Celebration and Tribute to Kobe Bryant at Swingtime Center in Fort Worth. Dancers hit the floor with their smooth swing-out moves to Punch's sound. He hopes his move elevates his career. "There are things in entertainment that I've never done," Punch said.
SPEAKER ESTELLA D. WILLIAMS "Being able to collaborate more often with A-list artists, film and radio are my goals in going to Atlanta. I feel like it's the place to live the best life." We wish him the best of luck as he packs a punch in the A-T-L.
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
ASK ALMA
Where do I sit? BY ALMA GILL
Dear Alma, My stepson, who I adore and have known most of his life, is getting married next summer. I love him and love the girl he is getting married to. Here is my problem. There is bad blood between his mother and me. I tried for years to get along with her and even acted as a buffer between her and my husband on many occasions. I did this to the point of causing myself anxiety because I just wanted everyone to get along so badly. About three or four years ago, after being married to my stepson’s father for almost 17 years, I snapped. I lost my temper with her; there was a very ugly scene that even took place in a courtroom in front of a judge. It was something I will never forget. I haven’t spoken to this woman since. When my stepson visits, he shares comments that she continues to make about me to this day. I don’t engage at all. I will not let him hear me bash his mother in any way. If this was any other woman, I would be out for blood, but I realize that the people who would get hurt are my stepsons, who I love so, I suppress my anger. But back to why I’m writing: How do I attend this wedding with a woman that I know does not hesitate to start fights, regardless of who is around. She will be surrounded by her very large family, and I will basically be there with a small handful of my family members. I will be outnumbered. And did I mention that I am estranged from my husband, too? That I’m not so worried about, but it still causes tension. And, Alma, where do I sit? Jackie B., South Carolina OMG Jackie, Sounds like you’ve already lived through one Jerry Springer moment, and you don’t want to participate in another. I don’t blame you, girl; it can suck the life right out of you. Congratulations on the upcoming wedding of your step-son, and congratulations to you for loving him unconditionally. The one-on-one relationship between the two of you is special, and that’s how it should be. Step-parents are an extension of original parents. A relationship with step-children cannot be defined by the relationship you have with the original parent. Once you commit as a step-parent, you commit to that child for life. Now, back to your dilemma. I applaud you for taking the high road, which most times, as you know, is the road less traveled. The high road can be a lonely place…it’s usually not where you find the fist bumps, the I-got-your-backs or the yougo-girl road signs.
Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo wins Taco Bell Skills Challenge By Dorothy J. Gentry
Now here’s where my advice gets a little tricky — I want you to stay on that road. It’s great that your step-son is able to include you and wants you to be a part of this most special occasion. But you need to lay back. You know how there are different levels of guests at a wedding? You have the “family” guest, the “really good friends” guest and the “friends from work” guest. For that day, I’d like you to participate as a “friends from work“ guest. I say that because, from what I read in your letter, there’s a chance for a Jerry Springer – Round 2 moment, and you certainly don’t want that to happen. I’m a step-mother, so I’m not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do. I love my stepdaughter, TaKisha, with all my heart. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her, so I sympathize with your situation. There was a moment in our lives when I had to take a step back. I took the high road. I took the blame and all that extra madness that comes along with it. Yes, it broke my heart. Yes, it made me sad, but those are the yield signs along the way on the high road. Be mindful, be guideful (is that a word? LOL). What I’m trying to say is, you can control this. You know the rituals of a wedding. They’re all basically the same. I’d suggest you arrive on time, sit down with five minutes to spare. And since you asked, sit five rows behind his mother. You don’t need to get there early and stand outside with the smokers checking everything out. Take your seat, smile, and shut your mouth. Don’t chime in about anything, not the wedding colors, the bridesmaid dresses, the soloist — nothing. Remember, you’re on the high road. Once the couple exits, smile, smile, hug, hug and go get in your car. Make your way to the reception. Walk in and find your seat. I’m sure they’ve made appropriate arrangement for the reception seating. If not, since you asked, sit on the opposite end of the hall from her. You don’t have to be seen. You don’t have to be all up in the middle of the mix, and you shouldn’t. He has a mother and a father. Both, I’m assuming, will be front and center at the celebration. You’re no longer with his father and you don’t want to throw down with his mother, so step back. Repeat it with me: “I’m taking the high road.” If she heads in your direction with some foolishness, that’s your cue to leave. Please, please don’t engage this woman, no matter what. If tensions run high and things get out of hand, take a deep breath, grit your teeth and keep it moving – down the high road!
Sports Editor Photo by Nick White
Last NBA season no one really knew who Bam Adebayo was. He walked around NBA All-Star Weekend 2019 in Charlotte, South Carolina a relative unknown. Very few asked for his autograph as he made the rounds of the Spectrum Center, all smiles as usual. What a difference a year makes; the almost 7 foot center/power forward now has a growing household name, is a key part of the surprising Miami Heat who are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and last week won the Taco Bell Skills Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago. The 22-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, was all smiles when he talked with the media shortly after winning the three-round, bracket-style contest where players compete head-to-head in an obstacle course featuring checkpoints that test their dribbling, passing and shooting. When asked if he thought he would win the event he said he actually did for one key reason: he was on his “favorite side.” “I did think I was going to win because they kept putting me on my same side. So I was like I got a chance. After the first one, I was like, yeah, I got a chance,” he recalled. “In practice, you go through it on the left side. So I was like, man, this feels like clockwork.” Adebayo said he would dedicate and give his trophy to his mom
who was present that night. “She might cry because it's a big deal. This isn't something that you just pass along. It’s because all she's been through and all the struggles she's been through and what the living conditions I had to go through and how she still strived to make me happy and make our house feel home,” he said. “I can't do nothing but give her that and keep giving her every other accolade I get.” Adebayo said he understands that while people in Miami know him and the rest of country is learning about him, he didn’t see All-Star Weekend as a breakout weekend for him. “I don’t think it's a breakout weekend. I think it's more of a breakout season for me,” he said. “I don't discredit what I did before the All-Star break. I feel like I deserve to be here, and just being here and proving that I just got another accolade is putting more people on notice.” Adebayo also reflected on Kobe Bryant who was honored during All-Star Weekend in many ways including players wearing No. 24 and No. 2 for him and his daughter Gigi. “When I was in high school, I said if I get to the NBA, I want to meet Kobe. I feel like this is my All-Star to do it. I feel like he's been more of an impact now than he was back then. Not saying that him living didn't do anything for me, but it just means more now that I know I can never meet him,” he said. “I feel like he knows who I am now. So I will just keep trying to make him proud.”
Hanging with Hollywood MOVIE REVIEW BY HOLLYWOOD HERNANDEZ
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
Lessons for on and off the field taught by former pro athletes
Powerhandz, Promakers, NFL Hall of Famers, Pro NFL Players and more, with several NFL pre-draft athletes at The Power of a Dream dinner sponsored by Hennessy at Bob’s Steakhouse in Plano, Texas on February 12, 2020. Photo Credit: Kauwuane Burton Special to Texas Metro News In celebration of Black History Month, POWERHANDZ (a global athletic training and rehabilitation product tech company), PROMAKERS and HENNESSY, the world’s leading cognac, presented The Power of a Dream dinner to 30 pre-draft athletes in an intimate setting designed by celebrity interior decorator Nikki Chu at Bob’s Steakhouse in Plano, Texas. While mingling, guests responsibly enjoyed Hennessy Ginger, Hennessy Tea or a Hennessy Sidecar at the private cocktail reception, and after dining – Hennessy XO paired with their dessert. The collaborative event saluted young athletes who have achieved the next step in their professional career with an evening program of mentorship, education and panel discussions led by NFL Players, Hall of Famers and other professionals specifically chosen to impart wisdom to the curated group of young men. “This opportunity is not just about you or the field, it’s about changing the community and transforming your dreams into legacy,” said Danyel Surrency Jones, Visionary of “The Power of a Dream” Dinner, CEO of POWERHANDZ and President of the Power to Give Foundation. “We want you guys to start thinking about what’s next because that’s
how you continue the legacy and the dream. After you leave here today, I challenge you to create moments your history never dreamed of.” The elite selection of panelists included: NFL Hall of Fame Select player Darren Woodson; NFL Hall of Famers Brian Dawkins and Tim Brown; Las Vegas Raiders NFL Player (2019 first round draft pick) Johnathan Abram; and American football wide receiver Dez Bryant. Professional panelists included: Dave Robinson, CEO of D-ROB Sports & Fitness Training; Clay Mack, CEO of Clay Mack Skills Academy; Stacie McCall Harris, Entrepreneur and Owner of Inspire by Stacie; Ken Alexander, Senior Partner of Axiom Financial, LLC; and Darnell Jones, entrepreneur, investor and CoFounder of POWERHANDZ. From transitioning the dream to training the dream to the power of a tribe, the seasoned panelists delivered a transparent discussion on the realities of NFL life on and off the field, in an artfully moderated discussion by event creator, Danyel Surrency Jones. Discussing everything from business acumen to financial literacy to family dynamics, mental health issues, external influences, agency inquiries and more – the pre-draft athletes were not only activated for their dreams but also empowered to think and envision
beyond football. Above all, The Power of a Dream (as a honorable nod to the late Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ vision), was to inspire the athletes to evolve personally and professionally, on and off the field, and as men. “There’s more to life than just football. I knew that there was life after football and I needed to take full advantage of it,” Darren Woodson said to the group, as he described the diversification of investments by NFL colleagues Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman and Jay Novacek. Brian Dawkins, who flew in especially for the event closed the discussion inspiring all to be examples of the dream and that, “Your character will take you further than your talent ever will.” “A quote by Darren Woodson really stood out for me at the event,” said pre-draft attendee James Porche, wide receiver for the SMU Mustangs. “He said ‘People are going to love you for the time being, so take advantage of it during that time.’ It hit home to me because I know so many athletes who try to get their life going after football, when the best time is to do it while you’re in it. Making it to the NFL is not just for football – it’s a platform – a key to access avenues in life you thought you’d never have access to.”
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
REST WELL DESERVED I can only imagine the peace that you now feel. Leaving behind your pain for a joy that is so real. No more pain or the trials of this life. Sleeping peacefully in His arms, no longer tolling with life’s strife. To one day awaken with your eyes opened wide. To a love that we will only realize when we reach the other side.
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FEBRUARY 26, 2020
From the desk of
MIKE BLOOMBERG Dear Reader, Thank you for taking the time to learn about The Greenwood Initiative. As someone who has been very lucky in life, I often say my story would only have been possible in America — and that’s true. But I also know that because of the artificial barriers of discrimination, my story likely would have turned out very differently if I had been Black, and that more Black Americans of my generation would have ended up with far more wealth, had they been white. Building Generational Wealth for Black Families is Critical. That’s why I launched The Greenwood Initiative in Tulsa last month. I visited the site of the Black Wall Street Massacre, where a white mob decimated the prosperous community of Greenwood. It is to the memory of the lost lives and promise of Greenwood that we’ve dedicated The Greenwood Initiative: a plan to address the systematic bias that has kept Black Americans from building wealth.
THE GREENWOOD PLAN WILL: • Create 1 million new Black homeowners • Double the number of new Black-owned businesses • Invest $70 billion in the country’s 100 most disadvantaged neighborhoods
Fixing the System for Black Families. When I was mayor of New York, I was proud to take on the systematic inequality that held back too many New Yorkers. We increased education funding, built 650 new schools and raised Black graduation rates to record highs. We led an ambitious effort to reduce poverty and managed the largest amount of affordable housing in the nation. And as President, I will work even more aggressively to combat inequality nationwide. I understand that undoing generations of systematic discrimination won’t happen overnight, but we can make progress with a clear vision and a comprehensive plan. I’ve included a pamphlet along with this letter that lays out my plan. When I’m President, implementing The Greenwood Initiative will be a top priority.
Join me in ending the systemic inequality that has held Black Americans back for too long! Sincerely, Mike Bloomberg
PAID FOR BY MIKE BLOOMBERG 2020
For more information visit
MikeForBlackAmerica.com