58 minute read
See BIVENS
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has announced the launch of the Social Innovation Incubator, an organizational and leadership development program exclusively for early-stage social ventures led and staffed by women and people of color. The Social Innovation Incubator is designed to support and accelerate the work of startups that offer new and creative solutions to pressing problems facing North Texas in the areas of education, income and health.
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The Social Innovation Incubator is a 12-week online learning program that offers participants: • The opportunity to develop a validated business plan through the Bridge for
Billions platform, which includes a learn-by-doing approach inspired by
MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship • Personalized leadership coaching to help participants develop their venture and grow their leadership • Seed funding, as well as the opportunity to compete in a pitch competition for additional funding of up to $5,000 • Prioritization for future programs through United Way of Metropolitan
Dallas
By focusing exclusively on startups led and staffed by women and people of color, the team at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has designed the Social Innovation Incubator to foster greater equity in the social innovation sector in North Texas. The program seeks to address historical barriers to success that many women and people of color encounter when launching a startup, including opportunity and resource gaps, as well as systemic racial and gender inequities.
“Social innovation is an exciting area because it’s all about leveraging more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just solutions to our community’s biggest challenges,” said Alexis Snow, senior manager of innovation at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Unfortunately, not every social entrepreneur has access to the resources and opportunities they need to develop their venture and secure funding. The Social Innovation Incubator is one way to reduce those gaps in resources and opportunity by focusing on supporting startups founded by those who have historically been underrepresented in the social innovation sector. This is something that will benefit all of North Texas, because we need innovative ideas and new voices, from more diverse places, to make sure this community works for everyone.”
The Social Innovation Incubator is sponsored by Comerica Bank.
“At Comerica, we remain focused on supporting organizations and nonprofits serving sectors that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Amanda Mahaney, Comerica Bank Dallas Market President. “Creating equitable opportunities for social entrepreneurs and innovation will be vital in ensuring North Texas’ economic recovery efforts are inclusive. Social Innovation Incubator participants will provide critical resources and services to our most vulnerable, which also aligns with our bank’s commitment to making impactful, intentional and innovative investments in the communities we serve.”
The Social Innovation Incubator is part of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Social Innovation Lab, a set of programs that support social ventures at various stages. The Social Innovation Lab also includes the Social Innovation Accelerator in collaboration with Accenture and the upcoming Model Replication Workshop.
The Social Innovation Accelerator in collaboration with Accenture has invested nearly $5.8 million in funding, training and mentoring for 54 North Texas social entrepreneurs since its 2013 launch. The Model Replication Workshop, which is slated to launch in 2022, will allow United Way to replicate proven social innovation ventures throughout Dallas to exponentially amplify their impact.
“United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is proud to lead social innovation in North Texas with initiatives such as the Social Innovation Accelerator and Southern Dallas Thrives,” said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Launching the Social Innovation Incubator will allow us to lift up even more talented social entrepreneurs who have a vision for our region. By expanding our social innovation programming, we will move closer to our Aspire United 2030 community goals, which aim to put opportunity in the hands of all North Texans.”
Williams
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munity advocate in the Dallas community, Mr. Williams is the founder and Chairman of Dikita Enterprises, Inc.; a Dallas-based African American-owned, 42 year-old engineering and consulting firm.
Mr. Williams is a 2018 Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame Inductee. From 1947 to 1951, he played second base for the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro American League; an ambition sparked from his deep love for the game of baseball.
Playing on one of the only teams that actually owned their own baseball stadium, Mr. Williams has been honored on several occasions for his contributions to Negro League Baseball, along with other former players, including at the Texas Rangers on opening night in 2009 and at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Negro League Players Museum in Birmingham, AL.
His other business accomplishments include serving as President of the DeSoto Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), where he helped bring in over $100M in business development.
He has been instrumental in other projects while working with several city councils and chambers of commerce.
As the oldest Black professional engineering firm in North Texas, under his leadership and direction, the firm has worked on over $6 billion in major government projects, including the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, DFW Airport, and other Dallas and Fort Worth city infrastructure projects, including schools and municipal projects.
Dikita was the first African American firm to break through the glass ceiling with most of the Dallas - Fort Worth governmental agencies and most recently for the Elsie Robertson Middle school in Lancaster, Texas.
In its 22nd year, the Golf tournament is the major fundraiser for the D/FW Chapter allowing for the awarding of over $100,000 in scholarships to area students attending the private, historically Black university located in New Orleans, LA.
The DFW Alumni Chapter members take pride in hosting a sendoff event for the new Freshman class and continuing students at the University; this year boasting 10 new students headed to New Orleans and approximately 30 upperclassmen returning.
At 90 years young, he is an avid golfer and a shining example of how excellence in sports can lead to success in other endeavors of life. Giving Back to his community is a part of his DNA.
Bivens
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Texas Leaders and Executives Advocating Diversity, known as LEAD, a consortium of major employers in North Texas whose chief executive officers seek to increase diversity in their managerial ranks.
Many remember her voice, reporting news on Soul 73 KKDA-AM. She was also previously corporate spokesperson for one of the nation's largest electric utility companies and a television news reporter before being appointed public information manager for the City of San Antonio.
She has volunteered with many organizations, and was twice elected chairwoman of the board of directors for the Fort Worth Transportation Authority.
Bivens began serving on the City Council on July 9, 2013. She will serve as mayor pro tem until Oct. 1, 2022.
PAMELA ZEIGLER-PETTY TO LEAD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LENDING AT INTERBANK
InterBank has announced the hiring of Pamela Zeigler-Petty as Senior Vice President, Community Development Banking. In her role, Ms. Zeigler-Petty will be responsible for expanding community development lending relationships, enhancing the bank’s community outreach, and ensuring InterBank is positioned to meet the needs of all the communities it serves.
InterBank also anticipates that Ms. Zeigler-Petty will serve as the Bank’s Community Reinvestment Officer.
“We are excited to welcome Pamela to this key role in our bank,” Pamela Zeigler-Petty said C.K. Lee, InterBank’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “InterBank is committed to serving the entirety of the DFW Metroplex. Pamela brings us a wealth of experience and expertise to leverage our brand and lead the bank’s community development efforts.”
She has more than 23 years of community banking experience, including, most recently, as a business development officer for a large bank. Prior to that, she held roles in commercial, business banking and community development banking with regional institutions in Texas. Her expertise includes public, institutional and not-forprofit banking.
“I am thrilled to join the talented team of community bankers serving clients throughout Texas and Oklahoma,” stated Pamela Zeigler-Petty. “We are excited to enhance our commitment to communities to provide critical financial leadership to all we serve.”
Ms. Zeigler-Petty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Grambling State University, Grambling, LA, and has numerous commercial banking certifications. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to volunteering and currently serves various organizations as a board member including the Plano Chamber of
She has been included in Who's Who of Black Dallas, third and fourth editions and is a graduate of Leadership Plano, where she served on the board of trustees with the Plano Chamber of Commerce.
BLACK WOMEN AND THE PAY GAP –WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO!
THE LAST WORD
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux
It takes Black women until August 3, or 19 months, to earn what a white man earns in a year. Most years, Pay Equity Day happens in March (this year on March 24), when ALL women must work to make as much as white men.
Ain’t I a woman, though. It takes me five months to catch up with white women. Too often, this fact is ignored, but this year, the National Council of Negro Women and others are reminding the nation that Black Women’s Pay Equity Day is as important as any other recognition of pay inequities.
There is a level at which this is acutely personal to me. My mom, Proteone Marie Alexandria Malveaux, made her transition on June 17 and was funeralized on July 24. She was a phenomenal woman, and she was, always, a worker.
Although she had studied music and had an undergraduate and graduate degree in social work, she was also a teacher, professor, entrepreneur, and legal assistant.
I've talked about all these things when I talk about my mother, but I rarely talk about the several years she spent as a postal clerk and what I learned from that.
My parents had one of those “rocky road” divorces that involved intense disputes about money. We couldn't live on what Mom earned as a teacher (remember, in the early 1960s, teachers, mostly women, had earnings considered "supplemental income," especially if they were married).
So she got a better paying job at the post office (as filmmaker Robert Townsend said, "there is always work at the post office"). Working at the post office stretched her (and me, as her eldest) in all kinds of ways. Her shift required her to leave the house before day in the morning, 4 or 5. I woke up to lock the door was "in charge" until all five of us got out of the door.
I didn't mind. I had quiet time in the house to myself, occasionally I snooped through mom's papers, and I might fry myself up some potatoes before the others got up for their cereal.
Still, I can’t forget how hard mom struggled to pass the postal exam. Back before computers and scanners, postal clerks had to connect an address with a zip code. Many people didn't put their zip code on their mail, but the clerks had to know it and pass a test to show it. We spent some evenings drilling Mom on addresses and zip codes, over and over again, until she passed with a score high enough to earn a raise.
When I was in my 20s and studying women and work, Proteone told me that she could say a few things about work. She shared about working as a maid with a family with a rather handsy patriarch and how she had to duck and dodge his advances, going so far as to fake passing out when he got too close.
And she told me about working as a postal worker. Do you remember, she said? And I did. I remembered the early mornings of awakening, of the smell of her coffee tickling my nose. I remembered being told to "behave" as I locked the door. Years later, I asked her how she did it.
“It was hard,” she said. “It would have been harder to see my children go without. “We never missed a meal or an educational opportunity. We might have missed some toys, but you can’t miss what you can’t measure. We had an exceptional childhood because my mom did her best to support us, running us all over the city on the bus because she didn't drive, enrolling us in cultural activities, and (sometimes) supporting our political involvement.
Dr. Dorothy Irene Height often said that "Black women don't do what we want to do; we do what we have to do." I think of my Mama, a Mississippi-raised middle-class hat and glove-wearing diva working in the post office so that my siblings and I could eat, and I think of the many ways that Black Women's Pay Equity Day is so meaningful.
Too many Black have earned too little for working too hard and so much. Too many Black women have experienced not only unequal pay but also unequal and unreasonable working conditions. And we have been forced to work to facilitate other women's ability to work. For example, 40 percent of the certified nurse's assistants (CNAs) during covid were Black and Brown.
Their work made life easier for others, but it was rarely recognized. Instead, it was insistently expected.
We, Black women, do what we have to do to support our families and the nation. Maybe we can get some recognition for it.
Proteone Marie Alexandria Malveaux
Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA. She is also President of PUSH Excel, the education arm of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. You may reach her at juliannemalveaux.com
Let’s Do it Again
QUIT PLAYIN’
By Vincent L. Hall
The American Jobs Plan offered by President Joe Biden is a good one. Hold on. Wait a minute. Ain't it refreshing to be able to say MY President again without feeling shame? We ain't a perfect Union, but we picked the perfect time to get rid of that fool!
Anyway. The jobs plan has some salient objectives, and Congress needs to get some bills enacted to bring us some well-needed infrastructure repairs.
“The United States of America is the wealthiest country in the world, yet we rank 13th when it comes to the overall quality of our infrastructure. After decades of disinvestment, our roads, bridges, and water systems are crumbling.
Our electric grid is vulnerable to catastrophic outages. Too many lack access to affordable, high-speed Internet and to quality housing. The past year has led to job losses and threatened economic security, eroding more than 30 years of progress in women’s labor force participation. It has unmasked the fragility of our caregiving infrastructure.
Our nation is falling behind its biggest competitors in research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and training. It has never been more important for us to invest in strengthening our infrastructure and competitiveness and in creating the good-paying, union jobs of the future."
During the worst ever economic period of this nation known as the Great Depression, Roosevelt launched several “out of the box” initiatives to get his country back to work. Roosevelt is renowned for developing some of the "entitlement" programs we have today, but he also deployed an aggressive plan to put people back to work and into prosperity.
The CCC Camps (Civilian Conservation Corp) was a public works relief program with a working double entendre. On the one hand and most significantly, it sought and successfully put the unemployed on a regular payroll. However, simultaneously, the program beefed up the underside of America's infrastructure and confidence.
The CCC Camp workers planted nearly 3,000,000,000 trees and constructed 800 parks nationwide. They are recognized for updating firefighting methods in forests, and they built buildings and roadways in remote areas. We are still reaping the benefits to this day. The 18-25-yearold men who worked in the program were taught trades, gained work experience, and became physically fit in many cases.
Primarily, we need people employed to make needs assessments. Just think about all of the brush, litter, and dead trees you see on your average daily commute. Today, we are looking at overhanging trees that will have to be removed in a few months when the ice storms gather again.
Not only is some of this untamed nature ugly to see, but each year we suffer through needless power outages due to their imminent demise.
In every city, county, and state, some thoroughfares and roads are in disrepair. Unfortunately, local municipalities have been forced to cut their budgets, so much of those needs go unnoticed. Until, of course, the potholes get big enough to puncture tires or swallow small vehicles.
Additional parks and recreational enclaves need to be created to meet the demand of our burgeoning population. We can never pass on an appreciation of ecology and nature to our children as long as they are stowed away in rooms with televisions and video games.
Funds for this jobs program should be based on population and local unemployment figure. We must create public-private partnerships with established local small business enterprises. In addition, we should look at hiring youth, non-violent exoffenders, and laid-off workers.
Any program of this magnitude has the propensity to limit certain businesses, but I believe we could see a net gain of 3 million jobs in the first 24 months. These new workers will spawn other jobs and supplant our dying tax revenue stream while making the nation cleaner and more robust for future generations.
We need to get Biden's infrastructure initiatives passed. It worked before, and it will put us all to work again!
Let’s Do It!
Help Wanted: Sheep Needs a Shepherd
FAITHFUL UTTERANCES
By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew
I’ll never forget hearing about this story that happened in 2005 in Turkey. It has stuck with me all these years. According to news reports, “Turkish shepherds watched in horror as hundreds of their sheep followed each other over a cliff. More than 400 sheep died in the 15-metre fall - their bodies cushioning the fall of 1,100 others who followed.” I could not understand why the sheep did not pay attention to what was happening in front of them. They followed the others believing that nothing could go wrong.
Sheep by nature tend to be followers and not have any direction—they go where they can graze and enjoy the grass. According to the Sheep101.com, “Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the sheep in front of them. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good "decision." For example, sheep will follow each other to slaughter. If one sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock.” Sheep are very social animals and even when grazing, must stay in close contact with others. Staying in groups can serve as a form of protection from predators.
Without a shepherd, sheep can get into a lot of trouble. The shepherd guides the sheep to the pasture to ensure that they are safe and protected. Sheep encounter wild animals, and the shepherd is armed to address any conflict. In addition, the shepherd makes sure the sheep are healthy. A shepherd will even assist with birth of a lamb. The shepherd is also responsible for fleecing the sheep—when the hair becomes unmanageable and weighs the animal down, the shepherd removes it.
I now understand why God calls us sheep. Just as sheep can be directionless, misguided and make bad decisions, we as humans do the same. Several scriptures reference humans as sheep such as Psalm 100:3, Psalm 79:13 and Ezekiel 34:30-31. Sheep need a Shepherd. The disarray in our lives, families, homes, jobs, schools, and houses of worship are a direct result of our unwillingness to be led by the Good Shepherd.
As much as we want to believe others are stupid and make poor choices, we all have fallen short and can add this description to our resume if we are honest. It’s time to realize our need for guidance beyond ourselves because it isn’t working and like the sheep, many are either falling off cliffs or about to.
Here are some possibilities to consider about the confusion we face: 1. Could some of the challenge we face be a result of our inability to hear the voice of the Shepherd?
“But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.” (John 10:26-28) 2. Is it easier to criticize others than to take the time to find them, walk with them, and bring them back in love? “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because
I have found my lost sheep! I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.” (Luke 15:2-7) 3. Are we too busy pushing to lead instead of positioning ourselves to be led? “But he led his own people like a flock of sheep, guiding them safely through the wilderness. He kept them safe so they were not afraid….”
(Psalm 78:52-53) 4. Is it possible that we can’t distinguish between danger and destiny because of what speaks more to our hidden agenda?
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)
When we recognize who we are AND whose we are, not only will our lives look different, but our world will also experience the impact. We must recognize our need for the Shepherd and that nothing else will satisfy. “The Lord is my Shepherd. I want for nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters.” (Psalms 23:1-2).
There is a better way: Stop following the flock. Watch out for the wolves and cliffs. Allow the Shepherd to guide, protect, and keep you.
Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the host of the Tapestry Podcast and the author of three books for women. She is also the Vice President of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas. To learn more, visit drfroswa.com.
What’s in a date?
WHAT’S ON MILES’ MIND
By Miles Jaye
Mississippi Civil Rights icon, Medgar Evers, was assassinated on June 12 of 1963. Minister Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965 and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. These three dates are emblazoned onto the hearts, etched into the minds, and seared into the conscience and consciousness of not only Black Americans, but all Americans from early in life, but are there hidden messages behind these dates?
We’re all familiar with the phrase, what’s in a name, but perhaps equally poignant is the question, what’s in a date? Can anything of value be derived or deduced from a series of dates or do we, by spotlighting them, dim the light and cloud the focus on dates of lesser renown?
Typically, if sufficient data is provided, if enough numbers are given, along with a key, mathematically speaking, patterns may begin to form, revealing secret messages, full-blown stories and in some cases, prophecies. Cryptography and ciphers have concealed secret oaths, key figures and significant historical facts, often hidden in plain sight, for centuries.
Cryptography remains critically important in the modern military and government intelligence agencies. The controversial Bible Codes conceal prophecies requiring computers and sophisticated alpha-numeric code programs to reveal its secrets.
Dates, times and locations are the perfect hiding places for critical confidential messaging and historical data. Follow this sequence of dates and locations with me. In 1954, Albert Patterson was murdered by Sheriff Fuller in Phoenix City, Alabama.
In 1955, George Lee and Lamar Smith were murdered by an unknown assailant or assailants, Lee in Midnight, Mississippi, and Smith in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Local NAACP head, Dr. Thomas Brewer, was murdered in 1956, in Columbus, Georgia, by a Luico Flowers.
Jumping ahead to the sixties, in 1961 Herbert Lee was murdered in Liberty, Mississippi by E.H. Hurst.
In ’63, William Lewis Moore was killed in Attalla, Alabama, the same year as Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi. Moore’s killer was never identified.
Years later, Byron Beckwith was convicted of the Evers’ murder. In 1964, Louis Allen was murdered by an unknown assailant, in Amite, Mississippi. That same year, 1964, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were all victims of KKK killings.
We’re all familiar with the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965 in New York City, a murder committed by fellow members of the Nation of Islam.
However, that same year, three other murders of Civil Rights leaders took place. James Reeb, Viola Liuzzo, and Jonathan Daniels, were all killed in the state of Alabama, Reeb by a mob, Liuzzo, by the Klan, and Daniels by one Tom Coleman.
In 1966, 22-year-old Sammy Young, Jr. was shot in the face by Marvin Segrest, a 68-year-old gas station attendant in Tuskegee, Alabama. Vernon Dahmer was killed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, by members of the Klan; and Robert Spike in Columbus, Ohio, whose killer remains unidentified.
Wharlest Jackson was murdered in Natchez, Mississippi in 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. gunned down in Memphis, allegedly by James Earl Ray; and Fred Hampton was killed in 1969 in Chicago by the Chicago P.D.
Conspicuously, another reported Civil Rights murder did not take place until nearly 11 years later with the murder of Allerd Lowenstein in 1980 by Dennis Sweeney in New York City. What happened in that decade?
Not only is the 11-year moratorium on Civil Rights murders conspicuous at first sight, but even more so when you consider there hasn’t been another such incident reported in the 40-plus years since. Coincidence? Not likely! Has the KKK turned the corner on hate crimes and subscribed to more conventional methods of upholding White Supremacy? Possibly, more likely!
Are there new, more main-stream factions and factors at play with the same or similar agendas? Absolutely!
Interestingly, the majority of the victims of these crimes were proponents of voting rights. What’s not included in this list of dates are the dates on which countless numbers of unnamed Black men and women were killed either for the act of voting or merely registering and attempting to vote.
January 6, 2021 reveals an America as resistant as ever to the principles of parity and equal rights. Assassinations of leaders have given way to executions of the least powerful among us, but for precisely the same purpose, the terrorization and dehumanization of a select, targeted group.
For far too many Black Americans, America is little more than a casino nation where beating the house is a losing proposition-- the odds are against us!
That’s what’s on my mind!
Miles to go before we rest
OUR VOICES
By Sen. Royce West
For members of Texas Legislature and those who work in its orbit, the days since the 87th Regular Session ended on Memorial Day have been anything but a summer break or a return to our lives as part-time lawmakers. During this period, myself along with Democrat colleagues, have traveled to the nation's capital twice. And we've all traversed the roads from Austin to home like the Regular Session never ended. For what? It's because the Governor and fellow legislators insist on passage of a bill that will in the opinion of many, make it harder for people who do not agree with or vote for them to cast their ballots.
Since SB7 was denied passage on the last night of Regular Session, my Republican colleagues have offered a new version, SB1, during the 1st Called Session that they swear makes it easier to vote and protects against alleged, widespread voter fraud (see Big Lie!).
While SB1 dropped previous provisions that would have allowed elections to be overturned on unsubstantiated claims that votes were illegally cast, it still creates numerous barriers that could discourage people who assist the disabled or seniors to navigate the voting process. And while others inside a vehicle with a voter who is provided curbside service will not have to get out - as under SB7, anyone unrelated who drives three or more people to a polling site will still have to complete a new form to submit to election workers.
During the trips to Washington D.C., Texas House and Senate Democrats have met with Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Whip James Clyburn and Senator Joe Manchin, as well as Texas House Democrats Eddie Bernice Johnson, Al Green, Sheila Jackson Lee, Marc Veasey and other Caucus members. Our goal was to provide intimate detail about a bill that would criminalize state and local election workers for manufactured violations, while allowing energized poll watchers to potentially intimidate and violate voter's privacy.
We stated our case to Schumer, Manchin and Senator Amy Klobuchar that Texas needs Congress to pass HJR 1, the For the People Act that among its provisions, would eliminate gerrymandering that allows majority party politicians to create non-competitive districts for themselves, while fracturing or packing the voting bases of their opponents. We've implored the U.S. Senate to pass HR4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore preclearance requirements for changes to election laws in states like Texas and others that have a history of voter discrimination.
Although there are no guarantees that the Senate will soon take action, what has occurred is that the plight of Texas Democrats and those in Georgia and Arizona have been nationalized by broadcast and print media. And in recent weeks, members of Congress have taken the mantle borne by Civil Rights luminaries, the likes of John Lewis and joined supporters in peaceful protest at the U.S. Capitol.
Two weeks ago, Bishop William Barber locked arms with Texas clergymen to bring the Poor People's Campaign to the Texas Capitol. And this weekend will witness a "Selmastyle" march of 30 miles from Georgetown to Austin over four days under the Texas sun; all to protest Republicans' national plan that would allow the party that has lost both houses of Congress and the White House over the last two elections to hijack power and further entrench the partisan, status-quo agenda of an empowered few.
The Poor People's Campaign plans rallies across the country in coming weeks to raise the temperature on those who stand in the way of progress and for whom "Liberty and Justice for All" are only words on a parchment that no longer fits their narrow vision for America. The next rally takes place Monday and Tuesday in Washington D.C.
More urgent than defending the right to vote is the resurgence of a more deadly strain of COVID-19 and the unwillingness of some to take action. The White House reported that Texas, Florida and Missouri are home to 40 percent of new cases nationwide. Meanwhile, the Governor fiddles with another Special Session while COVID's fever has reignited. Voting has always been a political issue. It's another thing to play politics with people's livelihoods. It's yet another to play with people's lives.
Royce West was first elected to the Texas Senate in November 1992. He represents the 23rd Senatorial District on behalf of the citizens of Dallas County.
United in Faith Worldwide!
Jehovah’s Witnesses Hold Global Virtual Event in 240 Lands, 500+ Languages
Breaking a century-old tradition in the name of health and safety, the largest convention organization in the world has moved its annual in-person event to a virtual format for the second time in as many years, canceling nearly 6,000 conventions in 240 lands.
For decades, summers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex have featured Jehovah’s Witnesses streaming into the cities to take over hotels and fill restaurants as they held their conventions at various venues over the years, including the Denton Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Frisco’s Comerica Center, and the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. In 2020, the pandemic unexpectedly interrupted that tradition, moving the international religious organization to cancel in-person conventions throughout the world and launch a global virtual event. This was a first for Jehovah’s Witnesses, who have held public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and theaters around the world since 1897.
“Powerful by Faith!” is the theme of the 2021 global event, which will be delivered in more than 500 languages to households throughout the globe over six weekends during July and August 2021, uniting some 15-20 million people in 240 countries. Since the convention is typically held from Friday through Sunday, the program will be available in six installments corresponding to morning and afternoon sessions.
Clarence B. Jones has enjoyed the conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for over 45 years. “Each year, I looked forward to visiting different venues and getting together with friends,” Jones said. Regarding the convention’s shift to a virtual format, he added, “Being able to enjoy the program from the safety of my home is especially exciting. This will enhance my concentration and allow me to take better notes. Also, with a front row seat, I won’t miss a session!”
The continued risk of bringing thousands of people together in cities around the world prompted the organization to opt for a virtual platform for the second consecutive year. However, the move has not curbed the enthusiasm for the annual event. Congregations around the world are inviting the public to join them in this historic occasion.
“Faith has helped our global brotherhood to continue to thrive even during a pandemic,” said Robert Hendriks for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Our faith will continue to unite us in worship — even virtually – as millions gather in private homes around the world to enjoy a powerful and inspiring spiritual program.”
All are invited to attend the event by going to jw.org on the web or JW Broadcasting on the free JW Library iOS or Android App, or on streaming platforms like Roku TV, Apple TV, and others. The program is free and accessible to all.
Jehovah’s Witnesses hold virtual conventions in the name of health and safety
Virtual and liVe Community Calendar
Back to School Month Authors/Poets Month Immunization Awareness Month AUGUST 5
The Cultured Conscience Book Discussion, “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett. Via Zoom: us02web.zoom.us 6 pm. CDT. Safety Protocols: Basic Emergency Practices Lecture Series, St. Luke’s Medical Center. Online via Zoom: bit. ly/3j2yLUf . Dallas Virtual Job Fair, Job Fair Pro. 9 am-3 pm. CDT Reg: https://bit.ly/3j37lxx. SoulJazz Thursdays Feat: Vandell. Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8 pm-12 am. Visit www.sandaga813.com. AUGUST 6
Dallas Mayor’s 25th Annual Back to School Fair (Drive Thru) at Fair Park, 3809 Grand Ave. 8 am-2 pm. Reg: www. mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com. YouTube Live: Take Your GED to College. GED Academy. Online: https://www.youtube.com/user/gedacademy 11-11:30 am. Coaching Sessions https://bit.ly/36YPQsn. Rooftop Friday Night Vibes @ Lava Cantina, 5805 Grandscape Blvd. The Colony. Tickets: maturepartycrowd.com. 10 pm-2 am.
Last Day to Leave Supplies for Back to School Supply Drive at The Regional Black Contractors, 2627 MLK, Jr. Blvd. 9am–3pm. Contact: 214-565-8946; info@blackcontractors.org. All DAQ Jazz: The Perfect Date Night, Daq’s Luxury Daiquiri Lounge, 8700 Preston Rd. Plano. 7-10 pm. CDT. Reservations: www.daqsallfolks.com. TGIF Legislative Breakfast, feat: Rep. Carl Sherman, at Alan E. Sims Rec. Center, 310 E. Parkerville Rd. Cedar Hill. 8 am. 4th Annual Special Edition Corvette Club, Inc. Back to School Backpack/School Supply Giveaway, Mesquite. 10 am-1 pm. Info: 214-997-4240. Dallas Back To School Event at J C Phelps Recreation Center 3030 Tips Blvd, Dallas 12-2 pm. Reg: Eventbrite.com. Arlington ISD Back To School Kickoff at AT&T Stadium, 1 AT&T Way, Arlington 8 am-2 pm. Reg: https://bit.ly/3ec67hF. Richardson ISD “Backpack Bash” Richardson Mayor, Paul Voelker, at Richardson High School, 1250 W. Belt Line Rd. 9 am. Reg. is required. https://bit.ly/2UXfJ9d. Vitruvian Salsa Festival 2021, Salsa Dallas Official, at Vitruvian Park, 3875 Ponte Ave., Addison. 6-10 pm. Info: bit. ly/3kVKEhg. Watermelon Day at the Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood 9 am-5 pm. Seasons of Change 10th Annual Back 2 School Giveaways, Seasons of Change, 921 West Mayfield Rd., Arlington. 9 am-1 pm. Reg: https://bit.ly/3rz3Xy0 AUGUST 8
The World According to Drew, with Andrew Whigham, III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8-10 am. It’s thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459. West End Association Outdoor Market, The West End, 607 Corbin St, Dallas. 1 am-5 pm. Seersucker & Linen Night Out Feat: Natural Change & DJ Romeo at BH Lounge of DeSoto, 2021 N. Hampton Rd. #100. 7 pm-12 am. PoochieFest 2021 at Cedar Canyon Ranch & Event Center, 4523 N. Houston School Rd. 6-11 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3iHtAsu. Taste of the Bishop Arts District Tour, Hunky’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, 321 N Bishop Ave. 1-4:30 pm. www.dallasbychocolate.com.
AUGUST 9
Coast 2 Coast LIVE Artist Showcase Dallas at Poor David’s Pub 1313 S Lamar St. Submissions: bit.ly/3yiuD8Z. Eventbrite.com. 9 pm-1 am.
August 10
Happy Birthday to Chelle Wilson
THE DOC SHEP SPEAKS SHOW! 11 am. CDT on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, @fnsconsulting, and You Tube @docshepspeaks.
Mix & Mingle. Garland Area Democratic Club at 340 Coneflower Dr. Garland. 6:307:30 pm. Info: garlanddemocrats.org/ “Dallas Love Field’s Lead with Love” Live. Feat Guest: Sheri Crosby Wheeler, and Scott Orr, 12:30 pm CDT. @Love Field’s, Facebook and YouTube page. 2021- Fellowship of Professional Women, “We Got This Sis! at Park City Club, 5956 Sherry Ln. #1700 11:45 am-1 pm. Reg: www.fpwdallas.org.
AUGUST 11
I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade. 11 am -1 pm. CDT. On Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com. Call in and join the conversation at 646-200-0459.
Ask Dr. Amerson with Dr. Linda Amerson.12 pm. CST @DFWiRadio.com, and Live on Facebook @DrLindaAmerson
AUGUST 12
Small Business Savvy –Write Your Business Plan, SBA. It’s an online event. Reg: https://bit.ly/3eDJHWU. 11 am. Animal Bites: Basic Emergency Practices Lecture Series, St Luke Medical Center. Via Zoom, Reg: https://bit.ly/3rLCwkJ 11-11:30 am. CDT.
No Study Without Struggle: Confronting Settler Colonialism in Higher Education, Online Reg: https://bit.ly/3C63kRh 6:30 pm CDT.
Back 2 School Connect: Teacher Edition, The FRESH Classroom at Pan-African Connection Bookstore Art Gallery, 4466 S. Marsalis Ave. 4-8 pm. All DAQ Jazz: The Perfect Date Night, Daq’s Luxury Daiquiri Lounge, 8700 Preston Rd. Plano. 7-10 pm. CDT. 2 Parties under 1 Roof, Groove Theory Dallas, at 2155 Ballroom & Events, 2155 Marsh Ln. #144 Carrollton. 9 pm-1 am. CityLine Night Market by The Boho Market, CityLine DFW, 1251 State St. Richardson. 6-10 pm. AUGUST 14
Taking It To The Streets Back 2 School Bash / Water Purge at J C Phelps Rec. Center, 3030 Tips Blvd. Dallas. 2-5 pm. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, Presents: Drive Thru Festival. MLK Community Center, 2922 MLK Jr. Blvd. 10 am-12 pm. Info: 214-670-8418.
Back To School Backpack Festival The Potter’s House of Fort Worth 1270 Woodhaven Blvd. 10 am-12 pm. Must Reg: https://bit.ly/3edImWp. Kem: Live: with Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. 7 pm. Tickets: https://livemu.sc/3y5dHTf. Southern Soul Music Festival with Tucka, Pokey Bear, and Calvin Richardson. Online Tickets: @eventsfromhome2122 6-10:45 pm. CDT. DayTrippin Rooftop Day Party, at Seven Lounge, 3017 W. 7th St. Ft Worth. Tickets: daytrippin2021.eventbrite.com. 3-8 pm. CDT. Back to School Fair 2021, at Mountainview Church of Christ, 7979 E. R.L. Thornton Fwy.8 am-3 pm. Reg: https:// bit.ly/3rN5wsd
AUGUST 15
Back 2 School Block Party Presented by Bennett Elite Taxes , 700 S. Cockrell Hill Rd. Duncanville. 11 am-3 pm.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Superb Women JULY 2021
MRS. KATHRYN MITCHELL
Mrs. Kathryn Mitchell has been of benefit to society for 100 years and is still going strong as she celebrates her 100th birthday on July 1, 2021! Last month at their monthly meeting, members of the South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club celebrated her birthday with their charter member. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Parent Teachers Association and SDBPWC; Mrs. Mitchell was born in Tyler, Texas and attended Texas College before pursuing her masters degree at Texas Southern University. A long-time educator; the elementary school teacher, who made her mark in the classroom and the civil rights movement started out teaching at C.F. Carr Elementary. There’s so much more that can be said about this trailblazer. Her’s is a story of triumph and resilience. Today we salute her and the work she has done. Her legacy is definitely intact and her life is an example for others to follow!
MARVA J. SNEED
Marva J. Sneed is a former model and licensed Nail Technician for over 30 years. She was a Salon Business Owner, Makeup Artist and Skin Care Specialist. Marva has also developed her own skin care products, Spectrum Cosmetics. Marva is the host of “From Marva with Love” on BlogTalkRadio.com/Cheryl’s World. Tune in Fridays at 11 am on Facebook! She is the Editorial Assistant at I Messenger Media L.L.C. – parent company of Texas Metro News, Garland Journal and I Messenger. If you want to know what’s going on and where, throughout the Metroplex, or you want your event featured; you need to be acquainted with Marva. In addition to compiling information and designing the Community Calendar, Marva attends events across the DFW Metroplex; reporting, conducting interviews and taking pictures. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists and she attends Inspiring Body of Christ. Born in Longview, Texas, Marva grew up in California. A wife and mother, and grandmother to seven, who affectionately call her “Queenie;” she loves to shop, socialize and decorate.
KIMBERLY ALEXANDER
Kimberly Alexander is the founder of the consulting firm, KimConnect. A widowed mother of two, Kimberly stays on the go! She’s a Florida native and attended the University of Florida before receiving her degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Certified in non-profit management, she is a founding board member of Off the Field, Player’s Wives Association (OTF); where she coordinated projects with Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A cancer advocate, Kimberly supports the International Myeloma Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - North Texas Chapter. She navigates a busy schedule that includes a rigorous exercise regimen that includes showcasing her talents as an aerialist. A member of the National Association of Black Journalists and a board member of the D-FW Association of Black Journalists, Kimberly works with the Dallas area Wives of Active & Retired NFL Players. She is the co-host of The G.A.M.E. with Timm Matthews on FM105.3, since 2012. Of the show, she says “I talk sports with the fellas…the lone female in the studio, holding my ground. I insert some muchneeded femininity & soundness when they act up!”
TASHARA PARKER
Tashara Parker arrived in Dallas in 2019 to join WFAA-TV 8 as an anchor and reporter covering traffic, breaking news and inspirational stories. Tashara holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas A&M University and she received her master’s degree in journalism from DePaul University in Chicago, Ill. A loyal member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Tashara has studied abroad at Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia, the University of Westminster and Universidad de Quintana Roo.
She has been an adjunct professor at Tyler Junior College and worked at CBS 19 in Tyler and KAGSTV in Bryan College. She was the Junior League of Tyler’s VP of Marketing & Communications and Director of Media Relations at Unique Starz Sports and Entertainment. Yes, she is well-rounded, wellversed and carrying receipts in more than one language! Additionally, she volunteered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Chicago Cares. People around the world are paying attention to her “Bun Ministry” as she spreads a positive message about natural hair and the Crown Act. Boasting East Texas roots, this social media influencer hails from Houston and has been recognized as the 2020 Best Broadcast Journalist by the Dallas Weekly.
JUDGE LISA GREEN
Judge Lisa Green is making her mark in the halls of justice. Born in San Antonio, Texas, she received her Bachelor and Master Degrees and Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University. She began her legal career with Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, Inc. as a staff attorney and served a decade in the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office before being elected Presiding Judge of County Criminal Court #5 in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. In 2016, Judge Green created the Green Y.A.R.D. (Young Adult Redirection and Diversion) program, which empowers young adults who are first time offenders. She and three other judges also created the Pipeline to Possibilities program. A member of the National Association of Women Judges, the Dallas Bar Association, the Dallas Women Lawyer’s Association, the J.L. Turner Legal Association and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice; the judge is also a member of the Omicron Mu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Christians in Public Service, the Junior League of Dallas, and the Southwest Suburban Dallas Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. This wife and mother is a member of Concord Church.
LORRAINE BIRABIL
Former State Representative Lorraine Birabil is probably one of the hardest working and meticulous public servants you will meet. Her story, of her father, is inspiring. An immigrant single parent, he was a Black scientist at UT Southwestern and he was that beacon of light in his daughter’s life. Like her father, Lorraine is a dedicated volunteer; serving in various capacities at federal, state, and local levels of government. A native, Texas, this attorney, mentor and role model to many has been a Democratic Precinct Chair and delegate to the Texas Democratic Party state convention for over a decade. Lorraine has also served on several boards including the Dallas County Citizens Election Advisory Committee. Lorraine is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a B.S. Degree in Biology and a B.A. Degree in Political Science. A wife and mother, she earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas A&M University School of Law. Highly respected and praised for her commitment to justice and service to mankind, she is the executive director of the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute.
NENA HAYDEN
She’s the Queen of Style and Fashion! If you’re looking for your next dress to impress outfit, you need to know Nena Hayden. She attended El Centro College, Texas Institute Secretarial School and Dallas College. In addition to being a tax and legal assistant and special project manager, she is also the creative genius behind Nena’s Finds. Nena’s Finds Boutique is a “Uniquely, Stylist Fashionable Boutique For All Sizes!” Ranging from “Pretti n Petite to Pretti n Plus,” Nena likes to be a bit edgy and blingy ... but all the while, keeping it chic with sophisticated style! Nena’s Finds is your one stop shop for an eccentric flare! Schedule your Sip n Shop, Trunk Show, Girls Nite Out or Wardrobe Revamp with Nena’s Finds! A graduate of Gilmer High School, Nena has volunteered with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, The Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, American Heart Association and Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation. HUB certified and a notary public, Nena is a joy to work with and she has an eye for style!
LIZ MIKEL
World-Class actress and performer, she’s Dallas’ Best Actress
Liz Mikel is a Texas treasure. Dance, music or theater; she has it covered and you can add in the big screen. Performing almost since she was a baby, Liz has trained under Ms. Ann Williams, founder of The Dallas Black Dance Theater and Curtis King, founder and Director of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters. Liz played the part of Mabel –The First Lady, thrilling audiences in the musical “CROWNS,” at The Dallas Theater Center. She has appeared in over 20 productions at DTC since 1990. She is a long-time favorite in its annual production of A Christmas Carol, where she portrayed several characters, including The Ghost of Christmas Present. Liz has opened for nationally renowned recording artists Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis and Isaac Hayes and she was featured vocalist for the Dallas Museum of Art’s presentation of Duke Ellington’s “Sacred Concert.”She has received the Leon Rabin Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical” from the Dallas Theatre League, the Sankofa Award for her “dedication to the Arts in the Community” and the Dallas Theater Critics Forum Award for her role in Ain’t Misbehavin. Liz is the best actress!
ASHLEY MOSS
Congrats to Ashley as she takes on a new position at WFAA-TV!
Ashley Moss was a 2020 Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellow with I Messenger Media, LLC. (Texas Metro News, Garland Journal and I Messenger). A graduate of Spelman College, she received her Masters degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications. While at I Messenger Media, in addition to covering numerous issues and stories, she appeared on WVON and KHVN Radio Stations, contributed to the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s National Election Night Coverage 2020, co-moderated the Texas Metro News/Dallas Morning News Election 2020 Town Hall, began providing news updates on Philadelphia Radio Stations 110.7FM/99.5HD3 with Dareia Jacobs, hosted a 2-hour weekly podcast on Blog Talk Radio, FB Live and Streamyard; participated in the Black Business Town Hall with the National Black Business Empowerment, and was tapped for the National Press Foundation’s Statehouse Reporting Fellowship. No stranger to the Metroplex, the former Miss Spelman College; with deep roots in the DMV, is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and Society of Professional Journalists and she is firmly implanting her roots back in Texas as she joins the assignment desk at WFAA-TV! We salute our I Messenger Media alum! Join us in congratulating Ashley as she continues to make strides and impact an industry that definitely needs her!
DIANE RAGSDALE
She has lived a life of service, starting as a young child, and we’re excited about the next chapter in her life!
A former Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, Diane Ragsdale recently retired as managing director at ICDC/ Community Development Corporation. A graduate of James Madison High School, she received a Bachelor’s degree from Dallas Baptist University. She has served her community, the city of Dallas and humanity for decades. Some of her numerous awards include: Trailblazer’s Award - National Black Nurses Association - Dallas Chapter, Invisible Giants Award -- Voting Rights Museum of Selma, AL; Community Service Award -- National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs; A. Maceo Smith Community Service Award -- African American Museum of Life and Culture; Civil Rights Award -- Dallas NAACP; Outstanding Texan Award -- Texas Legislative Black Caucus; President’s Award -- Dallas Urban League; Sojourner Truth National Award -- South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club; Mary McLeod Bethune Community Service Award -- National Council of Negro Women; and Trailblazer Award -- African American Pastor’s Coalition. Madison High School named the library the Diane Ragsdale Library and Media Center and the training center at the Child Care Dallas Center at the Martin Luther King Complex is also named to honor her work and commitment. She is a jewel, our treasure! IT’S ALSO HER BIRTHDAY!
SONNY MESSIAH-JILES
In the spirit of great journalists, Sonny lifts as she climbs. Sonceria “Sonny” Messiah Jiles is the CEO of The Houston Defender Media Group, which includes The Defender newspaper and Defender website. Sonny attended the University of Houston, where she received a BA degree in political science and economics. A businesswoman and journalist for over 40 years, Messiah Jiles has worked in print and electronic media. Embracing cutting-edge innovation, calculated risk-taking, fun, and an opportunity to better serve her readers, advertiser, sponsors, and community, Messiah Jiles continues her journey of creating a New Black Press in the digital world. A past chair of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Sonny has also served on the NNPA Foundation Board. Sonny has had a long and impressive career in journalism. The Houston Defender is one of the countries premiere Black-owned newspaper and as the publisher, Sonny has always strived to be better and do better. She opens up opportunities for journalists, regardless of their ethnicity because she is striving for journalistic excellence. As a long-time leader of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, Sonny has worked tirelessly to provide quality journalism while also hiring and providing internships and fellowships for members of her team.
CRE RASBERRY She’s a special events QUEEN!
Cre Rasberry is Conference-USA’s Director of Events. At C-USA, Rasberry oversees all of the league’s special events, including the annual Spring Meetings and hospitality events at the football and basketball championships. Cre received a bachelor’s degree in sports marketing from LSU in 2011. Later that year, she joined the 2013 New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee as a communications assistant, working on not only Super Bowl XVLII, but also the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four and the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. She continued work with the NFL and its Emerging Business Program, helping execute workshops and trade shows. Cre was also a recruiting manager for S.A.F.E. Management in New Jersey. She has also coordinated a number of special events for the Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and at Frisco Family Services. Expect more and more exciting news about Cre in the very near future! She’s going to continue to be superb!
DOROTHY J. GENTRY Her ultimate goal is to become a college journalism professor and she would be ideal!
Dorothy is a seasoned journalist with more than 25 years in the business. She is a member of National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and
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the NABJ Sports Task Force and is a proud Journalism graduate of the University of North Texas. While at UNT, she interned at the Dallas Weekly. In addition to serving as an editor at Texas Metro News covering the NBA, Mavericks, WNBA, Wings and sports & entertainment; her work can be found in the Garland Journal, I Messenger, The Athletic, Shondaland, The New York Times, The NextHoops, and more. She is the founder of @ faithsportsmore, a blog discussing the collision of faith, spirituality, sports and news. A secondgeneration journalist, Dorothy also worked as a public relations manager at K Strategies Group, Inc., and she enjoyed stints at KERA Radio and Howland PR. Dorothy is in her 18th year of teaching and currently teaches at Lady Bird Johnson Middle School in Irving ISD. She loves teaching and covering sports. Having covered several NBA All Star Games, the Skyline High School grad is always finding creative ways to write about sports, athletes and the news of the day. Her writing is superb and so is this proud mother of one son.
E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ She is Black History and she is coming to Dallas!
The National President of the National Congress of Black Women, Dr. E. Faye Williams is the president of the Dick Gregory Society and a board member of the World Conference of Mayors. A former Professor of International Law at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, she previously served as Chief of Staff for the late Mayor Marion Barry and she served President Barack Obama as a member of his Presidential Scholars Commission. An ordained minister, Dr. Williams served as president of the Grambling State University National Alumni Association and she was inducted into The HistoryMakers and the Grambling State University Hall of Fame. Armed with numerous degrees and certifications from Grambling, USC, Howard School of Law and City University of Los Angeles; as well as, Atlanta Law School, Univ. of Michigan, Pepperdine and George Washington universities, she is degreed and educated. A proud life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the NAACP, there’s so much to share about Atty. Williams, but instead, come out and meet her Sunday, July 18, 2021 at the African American Museum in Dallas, at 4p.m.
NATESHA “SHAY” WYRICK CATHEY
She is a true servant leader. Smart, committed, faithful and loving!
Shay is a born leader. Prior to attending the University of Texas at Austin and Southwestern Christian College, she went to Christian Academy of Oak Cliff and Skyline High School. A proud and loyal member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she is a wife and mother to three sons and currently the Senior Policy Advisor to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. A past President of the SwCC Alumni Association. She was inducted into the SwCC Alumni Hall of Fame in 2009 and was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters in 2014. An award winning journalist, who also won several scholarships from the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators (now Journalists,) she is also a Sunday School teacher and ministry leader at church, a Cub Scout leader; member of the State Democratic Executive Committee and Dallas Branch NAACP. I Shay has been active in grassroots politics all of her life. In 2002, she was a regional Finance Director for Ron Kirk’s US Senate campaign. Next, she became Senator Royce West’s political director, and in 2004, the 23rd Senatorial District elected her as a delegate to the National Convention in Boston. She puts in the work!
REP. SENFRONIA THOMPSON
She is the Dean of the Texas House of Representatives
Rep. Senfronia Thompson is the Dean of the Texas House and Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TLBC). She was born in Booth, Texas and currently represents District 141, which includes Northeast Houston and Humble. Rep. Thompson has the distinct honor of being the longest-serving woman and African American in Texas history, serving her 25th term. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Houston, received a BS in Biology from Texas Southern University; a Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University; a JD degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a Masters in International Law from the University of Houston. Rep. Thompson is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. A Houston attorney and award-winning legislator, Rep. Thompson, affectionately known by her colleagues as “Ms. T”, was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame on May 6, 2014. Her works in the House are legendary. She’s been at the forefront of many issues and is ever vigilant; addressing everything from human trafficking and equal pay to healthcare, education and racial profiling. And yes, voting rights! Rep. Thompson is the only recipient of the Rosa Parks Award from the TLBC and she is a strong supporter of the UNCF.
IMAJ She sings Country music and she’s better than just “good!” She’s so deserving of support!
IMAJ is a multitalented Country singersongwriter, author, designer, musician, motivational speaker, philanthropist and humanitarian. Born in Miami, Fla., she lives in Texas and travels the continent thrilling audiences and spreading profound messages of love and peace. Imaj enjoys soaking up the sun, reading, dancing, the opera, history, fashion design, deep conversations, playing her Gibson Doves In Flight guitar and spending time with her sweet Yorkie, “Ever Hart.” With a lovely voice that sounds great whether she’s talking, singing, crooning, or even rapping a little; this songbird loves Country music and she can hold her own with the so-called “best.” IMAJ charted on Nashville’s Music Row and climbed to New and Active on the Billboard Country charts with her debut single, “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner,” which she says is, “about being yourself in a world where everyone else is trying to be everyone else.” She can hold her own anytime and any place! Always open for speaking engagements, especially where she has an opportunity to dismantle barriers; IMAJ is compassionate, smart and loving. She’s respectful and supportive. She is so deserving of support as she continues to make her mark; all the while cultivating her many talents and growing her fan base. Check her out at www.loveimaj.com.
STEPHENETTA ISIS HARMON
She doesn’t mind being called a “geek” because she knows her stuff and she has receipts!
Stephenetta “Isis” Harmon is multitalented and multilingual (she speaks English, French, Technology). A digital guru, and a Black Beauty Director, she is the founder of the Sadiaa Black Beauty Guide, a national publication and the Klade’ Group. Her repertoire also includes stints at Uptown Magazine, Hype Hair, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering and Insight News. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from Hamline University. A public relations expert skilled in brand development, media placement and bookings, Isis is a public speaker, investigative reporter, and project and social commerce management. Isis says she is “a Black beauty editor, curator, and digital media and communications expert who builds platforms to celebrate the power, impact, and business of Black beauty.” She can out strategize the “expert” in digital media and those who’ve ever been burned by web developers should contact Isis because she is a pro who delivers with custom web design, development, and maintenance services. Check her out at www.stephenetta.com.
BRENDA LEE EIKNER-JONES She is a hometown girl, a Dallas native, who has made everyone proud, time and time again!
Brenda Lee EiknerJones is retired, but that doesn’t stop her from continuing a lifetime of service. A graduate of the Texas Southern University School of Pharmacy with a degree in Pharmacy, the former senior account manager at Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories was a retail pharmacist at Skillerns Drugs and a pharmacist at Parkland Hospital. She also worked in management at Coldwater Creek, Easy Sale Inc., before she put her impeccable design and styling techniques to work at Johnny Was. Brenda graduated from Roosevelt High School in Dallas. She is an active and loyal member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and she is often praised for being creative, innovative, detail oriented, self-motivated and dependable. In 2019 she was recognized for 50 years of service to Alpha Kappa Alpha. Those 50 years began when she was inducted into Gamma Psi Chapter at TSU in 1969, and continued in numerous capacities including 1994-95 president of the graduate chapter that she joined, Alpha Xi Omega, in Dallas. Brenda leads with distinction and is highly respected.
L. DIANE EVANS She is a servant leader who lifts as she climbs!
L. Diane Evans hails from Flint, Michigan where she attended Northwestern High School. She attended Wiley College and is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. A divorcee, she is the mother of two sons. Currently the Assistant PEIMS Director at A Plus Charter Schools, but she is a woman of many talents and attributes. She is one of the team leaders of the Don’t Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon. A former national president of the Urban Financial Services Coalition, she has a banking background and is well-connected across the country. Diane is a servant leader. She volunteers, supports, mentors, donates and uplifts. Additionally she is a leader in several arenas, like as a area director for the Dallas Cowboys organization, or associate with Price Enterprises LLC. People speak of her warm and loving personality, deep and abiding faith, and “big heart.” She’s always doing something for someone else, whether she’s finding employment or investment opportunities or working overtime to help someone with a project; Diane is a born leader, team player and take-charge person. She’s probably out planning something for someone today, and it’s HER birthday!
GEVONNA FASSETT
The ultimate caregiver, Gevonna is an accomplished journalist and healthy living advocate Gevonna Fassett is executive director of Olivia’s Prayer, a place for caregivers and Alzheimer’s Awareness in African American Communities. Gevonna received her BS degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Kansas where she was active in Blacks in Communications and Alpha Phi Omega. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she also studied at the University of Costa Rica. Gevonna volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association as an advocate, community rep and ambassador. Previously she worked in sports in Dallas for KTVTTV and the Dallas Weekly; and she was a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators (now Journalists) and National Association of Black Journalists. Today, the healthy living advocate resides in her hometown of Chicago, IL; where she returned to be a caregiver to her ailing mother. Her latest book, Say NO to Keto, is receiving rave reviews. Always energetic and engaging, Gevonna has a beautiful spirit and she can be the life of the party! Talented, witty and knowledgeable, the skilled diva is compassionate, loving and she’s celebrating her birthday today!
REV. DR. SHERON PATTERSON Dr. Patterson is our best and brightest. Loving, lovable, gracious, faithful, inspiring, and an example for others to follow!
Dr. Sheron C. Patterson is Senior Pastor of Hamilton Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Tex.; and the First African American woman ordained an elder in the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She has served as a member of the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, and as a Communicator for the United Methodist Women. The Charlotte, NC native seeks to end domestic violence. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, she served as a director on the board of Methodist Health Systems and currently she is Vice President of the Perkins School of Theology Executive Board, an Adjunct Professor at Perkins and Vice President of the Black Clergy of North Texas. Dr. Patterson is a 13-year survivor of breast cancer. With Methodist Health systems she created “The Patterson Pledge” encouraging women to take responsibility of their health. She raised thousands to provide free mammograms for low income women by gathering other breast cancer survivors and building Habitat for Humanity homes. A journalist, author, golf pro and activist, she holds degrees from Spelman College and Perkins School of Theology. She has been married 35 years and is the mother of two adult children. This beautiful jewel is a highly sought after speaker, a frequent guest on television and radio programs, and a former radio personality.
DEDE MCGUIRE
DeDe brightens your day, no matter the time.
Whether she is advocating for women, telling a joke or addressing social injustices, she looks good and makes those around her feel good.
DeDe McGuire has been entertaining radio audiences for decades. One of a few women with a nationally-syndicated morning show - “DeDe in the Morning” on K104FM (Dallas), DeDe has interviewed world leaders from President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, to celebrities such as Jay Z and Beyonce. A philanthropist, community activist, mentor and volunteer, DeDe is the recipient of numerous awards, including the International Black Broadcasters (IBBA) Lifetime Achievement Award; Elite News Communications Award; Shades of Success Honor; and she was also named one of the Top 25 Women in Dallas by Rolling out Magazine. A spokesperson for Witherite Law Group (Injury Lawyers), MINT Dentistry, Park Place Motorcars, Spence Diamonds and Squeezed Online; DeDe is a loving person who continues to give back to the community through countless non-profit organizations and scholarship programs including Women Called Moses, Beauty and Brains’ DeDe McGuire Scholarship; and, as the Community Ambassador for Dress for Success Dallas. In March 2018, she inaugurated DeDe’s Women’s History Month Kickoff Luncheon benefiting Girls Inc. Dallas and Dress for Success Dallas. She’s funny, smart, conscientious, sincere and focused. She’s a woman with a vision, who is socially conscious and she is a trailblazer.
REV. COKIESHA BAILEY
Rev. Robinson is a superb and eloquent communicator who brings joy into the lives of so many.
Cokiesha Bailey Robinson has served as a missionary in Africa and Jamaica and studied as a student missionary in Izmir, Turkey. A graduate of David W. Carter High School in Dallas, she received her bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in mass communications from Fisk University and a master’s of divinity from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University. She pursued a doctorate at Truett Seminary at Baylor University. This member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority writes for several devotional sites and has also contributed to seven books, co-authoring two. In 2015, Rev. Robinson founded Cross Springs Ministry, a ministry of gospel-centered mentorship, leadership and service. A writer for Our Daily Bread, in 2020 she was named associate dean of student diversity and inclusion at Grace College and Seminary. She is a former associate pastor at Concord Church. She is best described as an encourager, servant-leader, author, mentor, daughter, wife, potential pusher, teacher, mouthpiece for the kingdom of God and an adventurous woman who lives in faith and never meets a stranger. She is pleasing, pleasant and a joy to be around.
