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Continuing our fight with COVID-19
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That Celebrity Interview by Valder Beebe
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MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
Until I See You Again These are the times that will try the strongest of souls. People I know who are introverts or almost recluses who enjoy being alone are having a hard time with social distancing and self-quarantining and some actually want to get out and be with people. Others who are extroverts, and real touchy-feely are trying to cope with having to scale back, not being able to be the life of the party because there are so few parties — well actually, while there are some parties, we really could follow the science and avoid them. Each person is dealing with this COVID-19 pandemic different ways, in their own way; some healthy others not so healthy ways. Which brings me to my truth. Whether it was at the first day of class, virtually with Dallas College, where I am an adjunct professor; or in an editorial meeting with my team or The Dallas Morning News who we are collaborating with; I stress the importance of wellness checks and I share a little bit of me. That’s right, while some might say that women, especially in leadership, must not show any type of vulnerability because it is seen as weakness. Well, I am an “In spite of ” person instead of a “because” person. In a nutshell, yes, I am challenged at times and like falsely-enslaved Solomon Northrup whose life was chronicled in the movie, “Twelve Years A Slave;” I, too, tell myself “I will not fall into despair.” Admittedly I feel as though my life has been filled with pandemics. When you consider being a Black woman in America; the maternal morbidity rate among Black women; mass incarceration of Black men; infusion of guns and drugs into the country’s Black communities; and, institutional racism, we are in a state pandemonium. So here comes coronavirus. In my head, I’m saying, ‘just add it to the list!” I could become an underachiever, a person who does See MY TRUTH, page 5
THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2020 VOLUME X
Garland NAACP
partners with Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery By Gwendolyn H. Daniels NAACP Garland Unit Historian The NAACP Garland, Texas Unit has a new corporate sponsor with support from the family business in the city square of downtown Garland, Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery. Cary and Molly Hodson, the founders and operators of Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery presented $7,000 to the NAACP during a press conference last week. This first of several pledged donations will further enable the Garland Unit to continue its stellar work ensuring equal opportunity and sound community relations in the tri-cities of Garland, Rowlett and Sachse. Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery has been in operation for almost five years. Its grand opening at 509 W. State Street was intentionally held on December 5, 2015 to spotlight the December 5, 1933 repeal of prohibition in the United States. Cary and Molly are graduates of South Garland High School and became sweethearts during their college years. Since the inception of their business the Hodson’s have been instrumental in promoting the downtown summer concert series and the ever-popular Urban Market. Plans were underway for expansion in early 2020 when the
From left to right: Annie Dickson, Garland NAACP VP; owners Molly and Cary Hodson; Christopher Balanciere, friend of owners
Fotocredit: Gwendolyn Danielss
COVID-19 pandemic was revealed. The young couple persevered during these difficult months and say they are most proud of avoiding layoffs of their 18-member staff. A simple “Friend Request” on Facebook is what led to Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery’s interaction with the NAACP Garland Unit. Christopher Bal-
anciere, a close friend of the owners, sent former Garland councilwoman Annie Dickson (vice president of the Garland NAACP) the Facebook request. From that connection, a meeting was scheduled between the NAACP and Intrinsic. President Ricky C. McNeal shared the history of the Garland NAACP and its numerous community programs, includ-
ing decades of working relations with the City of Garland and the Garland Independent School District. During the initial meeting on September 15, President McNeal and Vice President Dickson sealed the partnership with Intrinsic Smokehouse, all made possible through the glue that brought them together, former Garland Fireman Christopher Balanciere.
Judge Monica Purdy
Democrat for the 95th State Civil District Court 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 General election less than 30 days away, I want to take this opportunity to tell you why I am running for this bench, illustrate the differences between my qualifications and judicial experience compared to that of my Republican opponent and remind you how critical it is to exercise your right to vote. WHY I AM RUNNING 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
Judge Monica Purdy with her family.
or other type of civil case, you can 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.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS I have been practicing law for more than 27 years, with 20 of those years in civil litigation including the latter 10 YEARS AS A JUDGE. 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 then-elected presiding civil judges. Since my appointment, I have consistently received amongst the highest ratings, being ranked as one of the “top three” civil judges in the yearly judicial evaluation poll, evaluating judicial performance, conducted by the Dallas Bar Association of lawyers appearing before my court. After seven years of proudly working for the citizens of Dallas County See PURDY, page 8
Recalling early Dallas Black owned “jitney” cabs I WAS JUST THINKING By Norma Adams-Wade Right now, I’m weary of current gloom and doom bombarding us from all media. So, as a respite, I’m taking some steps back in time. When this column debuted about
11 months ago, I told readers that occasionally I would recall slices of early Dallas Black history. Today is such a time. I was just thinking...and remembering a conversation I had more than 30 years ago with a man who was informing me about early Black-owned taxi companies in Dallas called “jitneys.” Before Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), and in the early days
of public street cars that ran along electric-powered overhead rail lines, Black-owned “jitney” taxi cars served various Black neighborhoods in Dallas and flourished largely during the 1920s. Jitney taxis in Black neighborhoods were privately-owned big automobiles that individual Blacks owned and used to transport neighbors, friends, and comSee THINKING, page 6
This historic 1920s photo shows noted Black nationalist Marcus Garvey riding in Harlem in a car similar to the ones that made popular jitneys during that period. Photo credit: Getty Images
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Hope. It’s our greatest feature.
It all started in 1998 when a group of Hyundai dealers wanted to make a difference for kids facing cancer. Their idea blossomed into Hyundai Hope On Wheels®. Now, every time a new Hyundai is sold a portion goes to Hyundai Hope On Wheels to help fight childhood cancer. To date, over $172 million and 1,000 grants have gone to support research at children’s hospitals with the hope of finding a cure. And during the COVID-19 crisis, Hyundai has also donated $4.4 million for drive-thru testing to help expedite diagnosis for health-compromised and at-risk children. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a good time to remember that hope is our greatest feature. And it comes standard on every Hyundai.
Model pictured for illustrative purposes only. For every new Hyundai vehicle purchased, $14 is donated by Hyundai to Hyundai Hope On Wheels. Funds are used for pediatric cancer research grants and to raise public awareness. For more info visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org. Hyundai is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor Company. All rights reserved. ©2020 Hyundai Motor America.
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Biggers gives back through Art By: Allana J. Barefield The power of art can spark conversations and initiate change and that’s just what artist Jeremy Biggers wants as he uses his experiences to inform the world on what is it like to be in his shoes. The graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts grew up in South Dallas and became involved with art at a young age, developing a passion for photography, graphic design, and film making.
Photo credit: Amitava Sarkar.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre Celebrates
DanceAfrica 15 With Step Afrika! in Virtual Performances Dallas, TX – Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) celebrates the 15th Anniversary of DanceAfrica with a virtual cultural tradition to touch your soul. Washington, D.C. based Step Afrika! will make you move with the African American art of Stepping and Dallas’ Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble will be featured as guest artists alongside DBDT, DBDT: Encore!, and DBDT academy ensembles. The dozens of dancers will be joined virtually by the award-winning DeSoto High School A Cappella Choir singing melodic and inspiring songs that capture the spirit of the African tradition. DanceAfrica will make the Dallas Arts District their stage, performing in different outdoor venues of the district. DanceAfrica 2020 is co-sponsored by MUFG Union Bank and UPS
and is also supported by Central Market. Step Afrika! performed in Dallas during the 2018 DanceAfrica series for two sold-out shows. DFW area residents who could not get a seat to the performance in 2018 will now have the opportunity to experience a virtual performance. Step Afrika! Founder and Executive Director C. Brian Williams learned to step as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Howard University in 1989. After living in Africa, he began to research stepping and discovered it draws movements from African dances. Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble spreads its mission throughout the DFW metroplex to foster a greater understanding and respect for African and African Diaspora related music, dance and culture. A special treat will include
performances by the DanceAfrica Elders and a Dallas Black Dance Theatre Choir. DANCEAFRICA VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE DETAILS Saturday, October 10, 2020 Virtual Performance starts at 7:00 pm CDT/ 8:00 pm EST $30 per household. To RSVP for a Zoom link and more details visit DBDT.com. DANCEAFRICA VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE The annual outdoor DanceAfrica Marketplace and Festival will become a DanceAfrica Virtual Marketplace, October 1 through October 31, 2020. The vendors that used to have booths lined up outside in Annette Strauss Square, will now have virtual space on the Dallas Black Dance Theatre website. People will be able to connect to vendor
Jeremy Biggers
Photo Credit: Demetri Sheffield
Over the years, Biggers has acquired partnerships with companies such as Nike, McDonald’s, Cheetos and Paramount Pictures and he has painted many icons including, Martin Luther King Jr., Kobe Bryant, Muhammad Ali, and Beyoncé. Through Biggers’ work, he said he wants to remind his viewers to never be complacent and to keep accomplishing their goals. “I hope that my work resonates and establishes trust with the viewer, allowing a sincere conversation to begin and perhaps inspiring the viewer to discover something about themselves while gaining a new perspective,” Biggers said. Biggers’ work can be found on his Instagram account, “Stemandthorn,” and his website. Two of his popular murals are of rapper Nipsey Hussle, that can be seen at Glendale Shopping Center, or singer Selena, also in Oak Cliff.
online stores directly from the DBDT website. For details on becoming a virtual marketplace vendor visit https://dbdt.com/donations/ danceafrica-vendor-application/ DANCEAFRICA ONLINE ART CONTEST In lieu of the annual outdoor festival with arts and crafts stations for children, the virtual DanceAfrica is hosting an online African inspired KUUMBA (creativity) art contest. There will be three levels for kids, teens and adults. The three winners will receive a free link to the DanceAfrica performance and their artwork will be unveiled during the live virtual Saturday night performance, October 10, 2020. For contest details visit http:// dbdt.com/season-calendar/ danceafrica-art-contest/ T:5”
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Poe and Good Trouble!
QUIT PLAYIN By Vincent L. Hall It had to be the saddest and yet the most exciting headline ever. NBC Sports laid it all bare. “Dontari Poe becomes first Cowboys player ever to protest during anthem!” Finally! Poe is my hero, and let me tell you why. Not as a journalist, but as a football statistics geek that grew up to be a proud Black man. This ain’t an editorial. This is a testimony. As young as age eight, I knew every player and stat of every Dallas Cowboy, from Bullet Bob Hayes to Dandy Don Meredith. My ties to the sport were as tight as youngsters are today with Mad-
den Football. The Dallas Cowboys were my end-all. And this was back in the day when 60% of the games were on the radio. The NFL blacked out coverage on any game that didn’t sell out their tickets. My uncle knew how enamored I was with football, and he scooped me and my brother Victor up. We were within walking distance of the Cotton Bowl, and I can still remember Uncle Allen passing the ticket agent $5.00 so we could walk through those turnstiles! Kids got in for a buck a piece, and it was “open container.” Unc had his Cutty Sark; we had prime seats, and it was a wonderful day in Sunny South Dallas. The Cowboys beat the Giants. By age 16, I couldn’t understand why my other uncle and most Black men hated the Cowboys so vehemently. Uncle Richard explained it to me in a way that made me understand. It also gave me some insight into the hell I was catching in my first year at integration. Skyline High was host to weekly race riots…I needed a broader perspective. Uncle Richard was quiet and
monotone, but a critical thinker. He said, son, if a team moves out of a stadium in a Black neighborhood, to move to a White neighborhood, with 15,000 fewer seats, and their chief objective is money, that should tell you something. I recalled how the Cowboys organization mistreated Black players who stood up. Standout athletes like TE Pettis Norman and RB Duane Thomas, two of my all-time favorites, were “severed” from the Cowboys. The former for being “too political,” the latter for being “insubordinate,” but both were traded to San Diego. Hmm! In every facet and vocation, Dallas deals harshly with Black men who stand up to the system. Jerry Jones is just the latest Massa to demand compliance from his team. I like Poe because he told Jerry’s World upfront what he planned to do, and he did it. Dontari Poe, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, September 2020 “Haven’t talked to Jerry at all,” Poe said. “I hope he comes out and shows his support. … You are an owner of an NFL team — you get what I’m saying? The majority of this team are these people that
Dontari Poe (in circle) kneels
are being oppressed. So even if you are not going to be in the forefront, we need to know we have your support in that type of way.” I love this dude, no matter what his stats are. It may not be as noteworthy, but his courage puts him in my ring of honor with Ali, Smith and Carlos, high jumper Rose Robinson and LeBron James. Football has come a long way
Photo credit: Getty Images
since my Cotton Bowl days. I cannot afford season ticket prices, but I stop everything when the name Dontari Poe is mentioned. This ain’t throwing shade, just pointing out how the liberation debts get paid! Somebody has to act up to get America to act right. Poe is in “good trouble.” Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.
Broken Faith
THE LAST WORD By Dr. Julianne Malveaux Black people occupy a place between hope and despair. We hope our nation will keep its promises – that all people are created equal, that justice is both blind and fair, that truth matters, that there is integrity. We struggle against the imperfections, the racism that is baked in the cake called the United States. We fight to rectify historical wrongs, we pass laws to soften the sting of predatory capitalism. But we despair when we continue to see police killings of unarmed Black people when we tolerate a “leader” who would prefer a lie to the truth when
more than 200,000 have died from COVID, and the “leader” won’t bother to wear a mask. No wonder that Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, said, “I have no faith in the legal system.” Charles Booker (D), a member of the Kentucky state legislature, said, “Justice failed us.” How can Black people have faith in a system that minimizes our lives and our value? The roll is too long to call, but besides Breonna, there re others – Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, George Floyd. Cellphone recordings make it easier for us to see some of this police misconduct. There is a straight line between the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision of 1854, the Black Codes and Jim Crow laws of the twentieth century, and the police massacres that have happened in the twenty-first century. The Breonna Taylor case is especially egregious. Police used a battering ram to enter a home in the middle of the night. According to most witnesses, they did not announce themselves. Breonna’s boyfriend,
thinking someone had broken into their home, shot, hitting a police officer in the leg. They responded with more than 20 rounds of ammunition, hitting Breonna at least six times. She died. It took more than six months for the Attorney General to convene a grand jury, and the grand jury indicted none of the three police officers who executed the no knock warrant. The grand jury indicted one for shooting into a white neighbor’s house. They shot into a Black neighbor’s house, too, but no one has been indicted for that. The grand jury seems to have ignored discrepancies in the incident report, which no one can explain. No wonder Tamika Palmer says she has no faith in the justice system. No wonder soo many other Black people look askance at the so called justice system, which means “just us.” The racism embedded in the criminal justice system erodes any faith we had in it. We are used to Black death. After all, thousands of us were lynched, and no one ever paid the price.
Black Wall Street was destroyed and the only people arrested were some of the Black people who were victims of a rabid mob. Some faith in our system, even with its flaws, is central to the operation of our democracy. If we don’t believe in our institutions, we won’t respect them. That’s why we exist hope and despair, hoping our country will keep its promises, despairing that it cannot, or will not, make an effort. The current President has spent his entire presidency undermining our nation’s institutions. He has undermined scientists, run roughshod over environmental regulations, flaunted every rule, and used our Treasury as a personal profit center. But the worse thing he has done recently is undermine our electoral system by indicating that if he does not win the election, it is because the election is rigged. He has refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power unless he likes the results, and has suggested that mail balloting is fraudulent. He has repeated the allegations of is “widespread fraud”
so frequently that many in his base believe it. He has used racist rhetoric to inflame his base, many of whom are domestic terrorists who travel, armed, from city to city, harassing protestors. Trump does not care about the integrity of institutions. He cares about winning by any means necessary. Republican leaders don’t stand up to his perfidy because they support his results, if not his methods. Do they want to win at the expense of our democracy? No faith in the judicial system eroded trust in the electoral progress, but resilient Black people still vote, protest, and legislate, because we must. Our historical memory demands that we resist. Our hope is the young leaders pushing for justice and change, and rejecting this administration’s absurdity. 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.
Continuing Our Fight for COVID-19 Relief
By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson We are now more than six months into a global pandemic never before experienced in modern society. Our federal government must step up to support our families and communities through such uncertain turmoil. Additionally, it has now been more than four months since the House of Rep-
resentatives passed the Heroes Act, a critical $3.4 trillion stimulus package that the Senate has failed to act upon. Nevertheless, House Democrats and I have continued our fight for such federal relief, and this week, we have released an updated Heroes Act to demonstrate our absolute commitment to negotiating for a final stimulus package. All of our constituents, communities, and local municipalities are depending on us to deliver this assistance that is so desperately needed. We must have another stimulus package, as it is essential to protect the financial security and avert many catastrophes for our schools, local governments, education systems, small businesses, restaurants, and regional industries. We must deliver housing assistance, preserve health coverage, ensure work-
Publisher: Cheryl Smith Address: 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75203 Phone:214-941-0110 Website: www.garlandjournal.com Editor: editor@myimessenger.com
er safety, protect payrolls, and much more to keep our American economy afloat amid this global pandemic. We must support public health and invest in the research, development, and distribution of vaccines and treatments to fight this virus that has killed more than 200,000 Americans to this very day. I am adamant that any forthcoming coronavirus relief bill must address the priorities for my district to help eliminate pain and suffering. This would include emergency funding to resources for affordable housing and homelessness prevention. Any final package must include emergency rental assistance and a national, uniform moratorium to prevent evictions. If this bill is signed into law: Some of the proposed legisla-
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tion would include: • Strong support for small businesses, by improving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits, providing hardhit businesses with second loans, and delivering targeted assistance for the struggling restaurant industry and independent live venue operators. • Additional assistance for airline industry workers, extending the highly successful Payroll Support Program to keep airline industry workers paid. • More funds to bolster education and childcare, with $225 billion for education – including $182 billion for K12 schools and nearly $39 billion for postsecondary education – and $57 billion to support childcare for families. Specifically, for state and lo-
cal governments within the 30th Congressional District: • Cedar Hill: $11,420,673 • City of Dallas: $465,749,005 • Dallas County: $700,633,318 • DeSoto: $13,989,339 • Duncanville: $9,276,424 • Glenn Heights: $3,122,463 • Hutchins: $1,350,082 • Lancaster: $9,303,054 • Wilmer: $1,123,144 Our teachers, firefighters, health professionals, and public servants have been on the front lines throughout this pandemic and have made tremendous sacrifices. Their tireless work demands that our Congress responds with the assistance so desperately needed throughout our nation. It is my hope that the Senate will take up this timely legislation. To those wishing to voice their support of the bill please write, call, or email your Senators.
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.
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Are you who you say you are?
FAITHFUL UTTERANCES By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew I was recently on a web show and the host said, “Tell us who you are”. It is easy to share your name and your professional title but when someone wants you to really delve into who you are, we often have to think about it. Even in creating social media profiles with limited characters, we have a really difficult time deciding what part of our identities we would like to share with others. Moses wanted to know how to share God’s identity with those he encountered but he was not sure of what to tell others. 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.[a] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ In Hebrew, the translation states, ““I am who I am” or “I will become what I choose to become”. God’s identity is not focused in the past tense. Depending on the translation,
it is in the present and a continuation into the future. God is ever present not attached to anything. He is just “I AM”. Think about it. I am is a powerful, present focused statement and what we attach to it is just as powerful. During the Civil Rights Movement, men marched with signs that stated, I am a man. This was an exclamation of their identity that was not recognized in their treatment. Affirmations are a way to declare a person’s possibilities and purpose. Individuals like Louise Hay wrote books and recorded videos encouraging the audience to tap into the power of connecting ‘I am’ to words like powerful, smart, and beautiful. Affirmations are important but I see this a bit differently---it is connecting the power of who God is to what we say about ourselves. Everyday, we speak words over ourselves and others. When we say things like I am stupid, dumb, or less than, we are combining the sacredness within ourselves with the less than—less than what we were created to be. 1 John 4:4 NLT says, “You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in
you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” God’s Spirit that lives in us is greater and when we combine the “I AM” with a descriptor of anything less, I wonder if we are diminishing the greatness within ourselves. Think about this. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” If we are created in the image of God and God’s Spirit lives within us, then it is imperative that we are intentional in the way we see ourselves and others. This does not mean that we are God, but it does require us to understand the responsibility we have in the way we view ourselves especially in the present and future. We cannot change the past, but we can commit to understanding the power that God has placed in each of us. It is what we choose to do with that power, and it begins in our understanding of what God says about us and what we say about ourselves. Proverbs 18:21 (GNT) states, “What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your
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words.” What are you saying about yourself? Are you speaking life or death over your life and possibilities? Do you understand who you are and whose you are? Just as we feel it is important to know your family history and identity, I believe the same is true for our spiritual identity. A famous philosopher said, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” If God spoke life into existence and you are created in the image of the Creator, be mindful of what you are speaking into existence daily. There are real consequences beyond just the words. You will become what you choose to become. 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.
My Truth from page 1 not continue growing and lifting as I climb; and say it is because of COVID-19. Instead, as I deal with these times that test the faith of some and my very fiber, I try to make each day count, working to make this world a better place; in spite of COVID-19. But it is at times challenging. People are in pain. Sometimes when you are in pain, you want to hurt others. Some have heard the phrase, “misery loves company.” It’s true.
Yes, there are miserable people who can’t spread love, hope and compassion because they don’t feel it and some may not know what it looks like! Then some people hurt themselves. As we continue to live through and adjust, adapt, or pivot; I am asking that you be a source of love and support if you can, ask for support and love if you need it; and work on being the best that you can be. Sure, no one’s perfect, but you can strive for perfection and through all of this; in spite of this pandemic, come out a better YOU.
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Big Mama voted against Jim Crow. We only have a pandemic! What is the problem?
BLACK CARD By Terry Allen As a young child, with my siblings, we lived in a house built by my grandfather and grandmother. My grandfather died when my mom was six years old, but Big Mama raised us all in a house filled with fun, laughter, food and learning. Although we were the first people to have color TV on the block, we still lived under Big Mama’s back and front porch protocol. Yes, we gathered on the porch
At the Movies
By Hollywood Hernandez
GUTTA MAMIS GUTTA MAMIS is a local movie with local producers, writers and actors from the Dallas area. The movie was previously a novel from screenwriter N’Tyce. Recently I had the opportunity to see a Dallas advanced screening (it’ll come out in November on various PPV platforms), but here are my thoughts on the movie. The movie revolves around three central characters, Shinette, played by Porsha Hall, Tierra, portrayed by Santosha Nicole and Tierra’s sister Tonia, who is played by Sophia Knolton. Shinette and Tierra are ride or die chicks who have each other’s back in a life of crime. While Tonia is the voice of reason, doing all she can to convince her sister to leave her current life of prostitution and crime and to come home to her daughter (played by Sophia’s real life daughter Savannah). This is definitely an adult drama about crime, sex and life in the hood. If you want to take a step out on the wild side, this movie is for you. The two homegirls run into a serious challenge when what was to have been a simple robbery of a drug dealer’s money leaves them with a dead body to dispose of. Shinette tells her friend that things will be alright if she just never speaks of the incident to anyone, however; with a guilty conscience she mentions it to her on again/off again boyfriend, unaware that he is part of the drug dealers crew. Suddenly the body count starts rising when the drug dealer sends assassins out to get his drugs back and kill the two women. No one can be trusted. We even discover that Tonia’s husband is a crooked cop when he gets involved in the fray. I loved the character that Porsha Hall played. She was one bad B who knew the street life game and you knew she was not to be messed with. The movie is not yet rated, but if I could guess it’d probably be an R or TV MA. I’ll mention again, this is a movie for mature audiences. However, if you’re up for a movie about crime, drugs, sex and violence, I would rate GUTTA MAMIS on my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” a LARGE.
and shared community information under Big Mama’s lead. She always got excited when a person of color was running for office or planning to go vote. Voting became the top conversation on the back porch. I am not the only family historian. All my siblings will break silences on our family stories. I AM JUST writing a history of how my grandmother and other Black women managed to vote. I observed an entire social movement on Big Mama's back porch. First of All, born in 1906, Big Mama’s life also included a time when women could not vote or even think of holding a position of leadership. I smile at that because while the Black women did not have certain rights; they were the true leaders of the community since we landed on this soil. But this story about Big Mama’s
journey to vote is mine alone. Where did my grandmother do on Election Day? The women in the community gathered in the church and there was deep discussion about the Jim Crow laws, poll taxes and the actions the supremacists group took against them in the past. Then they decided who would drive, what would be worn to the polls and who would stay behind to get anyone out of jail. The women shared stories of the men who were jailed and lynched when they tried to vote. The women would decide that no men, young or old, would go to the polls. At the end of all that planning and storytelling, they would pray. They would wail and moan. They walked with God and the Bible in one hand as well as fear and trembling on the other hand. I found out that Big Mama and many of the
ladies in the group went through hell each time and on hundreds of occasions they were not allowed to vote. Yet they showed up every time without fail to exercise that right. My grandmother was part of a “NEGRO intrusion” that threatened to circumvent the supremacy of white citizens every year during my mama’s and my childhood. Black voters were intimidated and physically harmed trying to vote by GOOD old Jim Crow protocol including city ordinances, opposition covenants and unlawful rules. Every strategy about Black women voting in the Jim Crow South showcased community savvy. I was too young to understand but I was old enough to see the fear and anxiety Big Mama eyes. I will vote today because I can recall those voting days Big Mama
and other Black women persevered to cast a vote. Today, Big Mama would say, “We only have one drop-off location in the County? No problem ladies grab the station wagons, the Bible and let’s go.” For her, it would be a piece of cake. I cannot imagine not voting. It would dishonor her memory and her struggle. I'm voting because it's my duty and responsibility to the memories of the powerful Black women who lived and died so that we could vote. Big Mama, I am going to load up the van because “aint nothing going to turn me around” not even a pandemic and an anti-vote strategy. Amen! Terry Allen is an award-winning multi-media journalist and owner of 1016 media
National Geographic’s Sonia Manzano THAT CELEBRITY INTERVIEW By Valder Beebe During an unprecedented time when the world truly must come together as one, Sonia Manzano, spent time in my studio to share from her new book. Her most recent post-retirement project, A World Together, after 40 years as a featured and beloved character, Maria, on Sesame Street. I say retirement, Sonia corrected me, and she says “her third act.” Manzano is a first-generation mainland Puerto Rican, raised in the South Bronx. In the early 1970s a scholarship took her to Carnegie Mellon University, where
she participated in the creation of our lives are enriched by our of the hit Broadway show “God- geographic and cultural diversity. spell.” From there she went on to Kids will see how people around affect the lives of millions the world look, dress and of children and parents spend their day, and learn when she created the that what we enjoy and role of Maria. Manzano value — friends, family, has received 15 Emmys food, play — may somefor staff writing “Sesame times look different, but Street,” the Congressional deep down are the same Hispanic Caucus Award wherever you go. and the Hispanic Heri- Sonia Manzano VBS: Sonia, welcome! tage Award for Education. Before your new book In 2016, she received a Lifetime news, you spent 40 years as MaAchievement Award at the 43rd ria on Sesame Street. What an acAnnual Daytime Emmy Awards. complishment, any advice for my Sonia Manzano’s book, A World audience? Together (in partnership with NaSM: I felt creative after my time tional Geographic Kids) shares on Sesame Street. I still have that her lyrical prose combined with need to be creative and I was instunning photography of people spired by Frank McCourt who from dozens of countries around wrote Angela’s Ashes. I still think the world — including Thailand, there is much to be in the third act Egypt, France, the U.S. and count- (as I call it) of life. I would inspire less more — also explores how all others who are post retirement,
Thinking from page 1 munity residents to their destinations without them having to depend on public streetcars. Popular pick-up and drop-off points were “speakeasy” night clubs and bars in Black neighborhood entertainment areas. One well-used area in Dallas was the Thomas Avenue and Hall Street intersection, known as Thomas and Hall, in the State Street and Thomas Avenue community. The gentleman who kept me enthralled with his recollections of Dallas Black community jitney taxis was Ezell Randall who owned North Dallas Cab Co. when I interviewed him in the mid-1980s. Randall, already an established business-owner and senior citizen, related vivid memories of how he began with a factory job shortly after World War II in Dallas and pushed upward to reach a comfortable living as a business-owner. The name “jitney” came from the
fee charged to ride in the private autos: the nickel or five cent coin that was commonly known as a jitney. Randall said that in later years, the fee rose to 10 cent and the private autos became known as “10-cent jitneys.” He said the bigger the cars, the more people drivers would pile in, tightly crammed in order to earn more money plus provide riders needed transportation. Passengers even rode on the side boards, clinging to whatever they could grip, Randall said. The big cars would follow the streetcar lines and skim off passengers waiting for public transportation to arrive. The jitneys also would go into areas in the Black community where public transportation would not go. Randall said he bought a new car in 1948 and became a driver for North Dallas Cab Co. --Dallas’ oldest black-owned cab company, founded by Zeb McDaniels in the
1920s. Randall became manager in the 1950s, bought the company in 1969, merged it with two other Black-owned cab companies -State and West End – in 1972 and changed the company name to Terminal. With more than 700 cabs in the mid-1980s, Terminal was Dallas’ largest cab company – ahead of the well-known Yellow Cab Company that had about 500 cabs. Hearing about the Black-owned jitney taxi services in Dallas reminded me of the days of the Montgomery bus boycott. The difference was this: In Montgomer y, the Blackowned transportation was provided by individual car-owners to transport Black community residents who refused to ride public buses because of the bus companies’ discriminatory policies. Blacks long had been forced to sit at the back of buses and give up their seats if a White person boarded and there were no available empty seats. In Dallas, the Black-owned transportation was provided by Blacks
spend your time with things and people you love. Time is precious, don’t waste another moment. VBS: Great inspiration! You have a new book; A World Together, with the world premier visual content creator, National Geographic. SM: This book, A World Together, is a partnership. Laurie Epstein was the photo editor, I was responsible for the words and I wanted to illustrate with words that all people are the same of humanity. I’m hoping that kids look at the photographs and hear the words and feel ‘I’m just like that”…we are …’” Sonia Manzano’s complete interview…… YouTube.com/valderbeebeshow: Broadcasting to a national & global audience: ValdeBeebeShow. com ; SoundCloud.com/valderbeebeshow ; KKVI FM Radio, Streaming TV, Social Media, Print Publications (I MESSENGER, Texas Metro News, and Garland Journal News).
An early 1900s Ford Model-T that also made a popular jitney cab.
Photo credit, Getty Images
who has found ways to purchase or fix-up” a car and charge a small fee as . as a way to both earn money and provide a needed service. This has been one of many rich but little-known Dallas Black history stories. I feel better already just telling it. 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.
My Friend Is Cheating on his GF with my BFF ASK ALMA By Alma Gill Dear Alma, A male friend of mine moved to my city for a six-month work assignment. To welcome him to the area, I took him to dinner and introduced him to my local friends. Well, I just learned that he has been having a sexual relationship with a sorority sister, who’s also my best friend. I am uncomfortable with this situation because my male friend has a live-in girlfriend who has been with him for over eight years. I feel like I need to say something, especially now that his assignment may be extended and his live-in girlfriend is planning a visit. My girlfriend says she knows it’s temporary and that she plans to break up with him before his
significant other arrives. She also confided to me that he told her that he loves her, but cannot leave his live-in girlfriend and doesn’t know what to do. She is not a dumb girl. She’s an attorney, and she’s got it going on. I’m shocked this happened. Do you think it‘s really love? Should I get involved or mind my business? Signed, Stuck in the Middle Dear Stuck in the Middle, If this were my BFF Dee, I would say something like this: “What the hell…Really!! Chile Please!” LMBO. Nah, I’m just kidding. Don’t do that. I’m a firm believer in what my mama use to say: “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” You want to get her attention, so confront her in a manner that she can embrace. I can sense the pride and ad-
miration you have for your friend when you talk of her accomplishments. Granted, one’s occupation doesn’t exempt them from making unwise decisions. Anyway, your attorney-girlfriend is rationalizing her actions by thinking she’s really not being a skank, because technically he’s not married. And since technically he’s not married, she can follow this yellow brick road and see where it leads. Step up to the bench, my sistah, so you can hear me when I say this ain’t Kansas and, no, Sweetie, he’s not in love with her. He’s in really, really like, and I don’t blame him. He’s found a really smart woman to spend quality time with while he’s away from home. He offered her his live-in truth and she accepted it. Sometimes we enter a “going nowhere fast” relationship for the
sake of not being alone. But truth be told, you can be in a relationship and still be lonely. As a matter of fact, I’d say that hurts more than being alone. Explain to your friend that recognizing her true treasures within allows her to be prepared when a mature man comes along. A mature man will offer her the proper love, commitment and devotion she deserves. It’s time to cut it off. Don’t wait for his main squeeze to visit. Do it now. Remind her that she should never settle for a second-hand man. Reach out, give her a fist bump and say: “Stop stumbling in the dark with Mr. Wrong, girl, when you could be dancing in the light with Mr. Right!” Now that’s exactly what I would say to my BFF Dee. Alma
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Purdy from page 1 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. 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 decision-making skills have already been put to the test over the past decade and now I want to put that judicial experience to work for you in a designated court. JOURNEY TO THE BENCH 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 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 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 won-
derful, 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 and 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 when decisions are being made that may impact the quality of life for you, your loved ones and for generations to come, I encourage you to exercise your right to vote. YOU have the power to make a difference in your community by electing leaders who represent the interests of ALL citizens. Whether you vote early, by mail or in person on Election Day, please do so safely by wearing a face mask and practice social distancing, then VOTE DEMOCRAT 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
Trusted. Tested. Experienced. Early Voting • October 13-30, 2020 Election Day • November 3, 2020 Political advertisement paid for by Judge Monica Purdy Campaign, Richard A. Sayles, Treasurer