Texas Metro News 12-3-20 by Cheryl Smith

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MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER

Happy birthday Congresswoman Johnson Sometimes for whatever reason, folks come into our lives and have an impact. Some folks we are glad to see coming and then others we’re glad to see them leaving. Then still others come into our lives and before long we forget they ever existed. Life is strange because you meet some folks and feel as though you have met your soul mate. You have conversations that seem important at the time and you share secrets that you each swear to keep.

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To Twerk or NOT to Twerk Photos and story By Ashley Moss and Jirah Mickle

Twerking caused quite a stir in Dallas recently. Businessman, attorney and entrepreneur Kevin Kelley, owner of TRUE Kitchen + Kocktails, 1933 Elm St in Dallas, dominated posts on social media after a viral video showed him calling out female patrons for twerking (a form of dance that involves the movement of your hips) in his restaurant. “We had a few groups of ladies who got rowdy and started to twerk on some of the furniture,” he said. “It was an isolated incident with just a few of the women (customers). We talked to them and explained that it wasn’t appropriate for the restaurant. I was very polite (in the beginning), but ultimately I became frustrated, and we asked

The Dallas Morning News

See CONGRESSWOMAN JOHNSON, page 11

Kevin Kelly

them to leave the restaurant. Read the restaurant’s full statement here: https://www.face book.com/truekitchenkocktails While Mr. Kelley said his expression of that frustration showed in his use of the “F-word” and may have been too strong, he stood by his decision to stop the provocative dance moves, noting that he did it to command

respect “for the culture.” “I shouldn’t have used that word,” said Kelley. “But I’m passionate about this restaurant and this concept. I developed it with women in mind, and (the twerking) was an offense to me and also to everyone I serve.” “Anybody who comes into the restaurant and disregards what we’re trying to create for our people is not only putting the restaurant at risk but putting (our people) as well.” Despite those who have been critical of Kelley’s delivery, he’s also received support for speaking out on appropriate v. inappropriate behavior and providing a “classy” environment and quality product for patrons. Clearly he’s doing something right, according to satisfied clients. Just call 972-764-8783.

David Dinkins, New York’s First and Only Black Mayor, Dies at 93 By Lauren Victoria Burke

NNPA Newswire Correspondent

David Dinkins was the stuff of political legend in New York’s Harlem. From 1990 to 1993, Dinkins served as the 106th Mayor of the largest city in America — New York. Dinkins was a historic figure as the first African American to hold the office. He often referred to the city as “a gorgeous mosaic.”

IN MEMORIAM

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Winning candidates, be thankful for voters

By Gromer Jeffers Jr.

Or so you think. It’s a wonderful thing when you meet someone who brightens your life, warms your spirit and makes you feel good. Which brings me to my truth. I’m wishing Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson a Happy 85th Birthday, December 3, 2020. I think the first time I interviewed the Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, it was in 1990. She was in her car and it was a phone interview about something related to the office she held at the time, Texas State Senator. She talked at length and answered all of my questions. I don’t recall the topic but I do remember that she appeared to bend over backwards to accommodate my interview request. Over the years we had very

In Memoriam Remembering Joseph Smith 1927-2004

EDITOR’S NOTE - This article appears as part of a collaborative partnership between Texas Metro News and The Dallas Morning News, that seeks to boost coverage of communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.

It’s been a challenging year. The coronavirus pandemic has taken lives, sickened millions, disrupted the economy and cost too many Americans their businesses and jobs. Along the way, the pandemic

was the backdrop for an extraordinary election season, where Texans participated in competitive contests in unusually high numbers. Known as a nonvoting state, Texas became a state with high voter participation. It all occurred after mandated shutdowns to combat the virus and few political rallies. Most Democratic Party candidates didn’t knock on doors. But even without extensive inperson campaigning, the elections had dramatic moments, and the winners of the 2020 contests

should be thankful to an array of people. As we prepare for Thanksgiving, here are a few examples of folks who deserve a dollop of cream on their sweet Joe Biden potato pie. Candidate: Joe Biden Should thank: Black voters After badly losing the early primary contest states of Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, See VOTERS, page 8

Hon. David Dinkins

Dinkins was part of Harlem’s Democratic Party machine that dominated politics from the late 60s and into the 1990s. He was part of a power base that was made up of businessman Percy Sutton, New York State Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, attorney Basil Paterson, and Congressman Charles Rangel. Dinkins won an Assembly seat, See DINKINS, page 15

Generation X and millennials sound off on why they did - or didn’t - vote I WAS JUST THINKING By Norma Adams-Wade

Refusal by some to use the ballot box as a way to bring about change bewilders.

My 25-year-old grandson chose not to vote in this presidential election. I say this with a heavy heart filled with defeat and regret. No amount of cajoling on my part — even attempted bribery — could move him from his resolute stance that the ballot box is not the way to

cure society’s ills or produce democratic solutions. “The government will find a way to do what it wants to do,” the young man repeatedly declared, roundly rejecting my entreaties to follow me to the polls. People will know who he is, though I promised not to name

Andrew Kemp Jr.

him when I wrote about our political differences. As you read this remorseful narrative, the nation will still See THINKING, page 6

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MCI DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMS COVID-19 TESTING ON SOCCER TEAM BEFORE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

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Publisher : Cheryl Smith Editor: editor@myimessenger.com Address: 320 S.R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 100 Dallas, Tx 75203 Website: www.texasmetronews.com Phone: 214-941-0110

When the coach of a local soccer team, the Dallas Texans U-15 Boys Academy Team tested positive for COVID-19, the team’s participation in an upcoming Championship Tournament hosted by the Dallas Texas Soccer Club was jeopardized. Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem City Councilman Adam McGough received a call that the 19 members on the team, including his son, would need to be tested for COVID-19 before they could enter the tournament. He immediately contacted MCI Diagnostic Center, a testing laboratory recently launched in Dallas in his District 10, and MCI’s COO Colleen Payne-Nabors scheduled the team for testing along with McGough’s family. The team of 8th graders were quickly brought to MCI’s drivethrough testing Center where each member was tested, with results given in time to participate in the championship tournament. The convenience of having a testing laboratory in the community and to have the testing done with expediency and efficiency made all the difference to this team of young soccer players, be-

Dallas Deputy Pro Tem Adam McGough at MCI Diagnostic with Dallas Texans Soccer Team

Dallas Texans Soccer Team Tournament Champs

cause according to McGough, if they had not been tested, participation in the tournament would not have been possible. The good news is that with the testing assistance of MCI Diagnostic Center, they were able to participate in the November 2022 tournament games and ultimately won the Championship. MCI Diagnostic Laboratories literally saved the day for these young soccer players. “I amT:5" thankful to MCI Diagnostic Center for helping our family

and our soccer family get tested,” said McGough. “We are praying for all to stay and get healthy out there.” MCI’s COO Colleen Payne-Nabors said she appreciates the support shown the Center by McGough, who had attended the official ribbon cutting opening for MCI. “As the Councilman for the District where MCI is located, we are appreciative of the thoughtfulness of Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and District 10 Councilman

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Adam McGough for allowing MCI to provide the COVID testing and to protect the lives of people in Dallas,” said Payne-Nabors. MCI Diagnostic Center is a Certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Certified SBA HUBZone. The Center is certified and accredited by CLIA, CAP, COLA and FDA. MCI has the capacity to process thousands of tests per day which will save lives and get the nation back to their daily normal routines. The center offers COVID-19 Testing – PCR COV-19, Rapid COVID 19 Antibody and COVID-19 Antigen. Laboratory Capabilities -Full Service include Bacteriology, Mycobacteriology, Mycology, Parasitology, Virology, Immunology, Chemistry, Endocrinology, Toxicology/Drug Testing, Hematology, ABO & RH Group, Molecular, Antibody Non-Transfusion, Histopathology, Cytology, and Antibody Identification. The community can register at www.mcicovid.com to secure a test. Walk-ups are welcomed. For more on MCI Diagnostics, visit the website: www.mcidiagnotics.com.

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Q&A: Brandon Chase McGee and the Impact of African Americans Allana J. Barefield spoke to Brandon Chase McGee, who is the Senate District 12 Executive Committeeman for the Texas Democratic Party. McGee represents Denton and Tarrant counties. On the Bare Truth, they talked about his career and why it is important that African Americans pursuing leadership roles. Question: How are you making an impact in Dallas? Answer: The good people in Center District 12, which is mostly of Denton County and part of Tarrant County. Earlier this year, I was re-elected to a two-year term to serve on the executive committee for the Texas Democratic Party. So that’s where I’ve spent the majority of my time working. It’s organizing the party in a way

that is more represented. Some of the things that I have done on the committee is bringing the entire Black Caucus together working and helping the Black Caucus work with the other Caucuses.

bring Black legislators from all over Texas all together so that we could talk about the issues that are facing us because it’s important that we are unified. That we are all speaking and saying the same things as Question: What we really can effect would you say is change in a way that a highlight in your has not happened career so far? in Texas. For a state Answer: I would say that has more Black that the highlight in my Brandon Chase people in it than any McGee career is what I did other state. For a state only a few weeks ago. There are that has more African American 17 African American members members of Congress than any that serve on the Texas other state. Democratic Party executive committee. Something that I am Question: Why is it critical to really passionate about is Black have African Americans at the elected officials at all levels forefront in leadership roles? of government, all throughout Answer: It’s crucial for us the state of Texas, working because we have been here together. We were able to for so long. We know that

we have been here for four hundred years and truth is we actually been here for more than 400 years. It is time to take our place and actually be able to have a seat at the table in terms of governing our own lives. I am proud of all the African American members who were elected. They are doing great work. The amazing thing about African American representation in the state of Texas is that many folks represent districts that are not majority minority. It is important for us to be in all spaces. To check out more of this information please go to Cheryl’s World Blog Talk Radio or check out our Facebook page. Link: https://fb.watch/1OCg4h Bbf8/

Texas Historical Commission seeks 2021 interns

(left to right) Farah Merchant, Katherine Bansemer, William Polley, Gabriel Ozuna, Richard Quiroz, Lezlie Hernandez

The Friends of the Texas Historical Commission’s Preservation Scholars Program (THC) is searching for diverse interns, coming from a cultural or underrepresented community, for the 2021 internship program. THC’s Executive Director, Anjali Zutshi, believes this internship is an opportunity for individuals to gain experience in areas such as archaeology, heritage tourism and economic development. “History is best told in voices of the people who were part of it,” Zutshi said. “The

diversity we have in this great state, it is important to reflect that diversity of voices in the Texas historical narrative.” With a goal of increasing interns working in historic preservation successful applicants are paid a $5,000 stipend for Summer 2021, and the application process opens on Dec. 15. The intern will be based at the headquarters in Austin, TX or at a location that is an historic site. Other requirements include the college student must have completed 50 or more credit hours. Also, their grade point

average of 3.0 or higher, and attend a university in Texas. Lareatha Clay, former commissioner and current Friends of the THC board member, who helped establish the Preservation Scholars Program, said she also believes it is critical to have diverse individuals involved in the program. “We wanted it to be reflected in the people who study

the history of Texas or who maintain the history of Texas,” Clay said. There will also be virtual information sessions that will be held on Dec. 21 and Jan. 28 to learn more about this opportunity. The deadline for applications is March 19. For more information: https://www.thcfriends.org/ apply-preservation-scholarsprogram

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Q&A: Recent graduate Gregory Hoyd about Voting Allana J. Barefield spoke to Gregory Hoyd who is a 2017 alumna of Washington State University and graduated from Howard University in 2020. During Hoyd’s college days he played on the football team as a linebacker. He is now pursuing a Gregory Hoyd career as a financial advisor. On the Bare Truth, they discussed the presidential election and why it was important for this first time voter. Question: Since you are a first-time voter, why was this election critical for you to go to the polls? Answer: The first time I was able to vote was for Hillary and Trump at the time. Back then I was more naive to things and misunderstood things and stuck in my ways and was focused on what I had going on in front of me. Now, I sit back and see what happens, see the outcome of four years with Trump and how things could be different. It was a big wakeup call when I went from a PWI to an HBCU where I had other Black individuals, peers, who are my age, who are talking about what’s going on politically at the time and it made me feel like I needed to get out there and go out and vote. To check out more of this information please go to Cheryl’s World Blog Talk Radio or check out our Facebook page. Link: https://fb.watch/1OCg4hBbf8/

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RESISTANCE TO RACIAL EQUITY -CALIFORNIA’S PROPOSITION 16 THE LAST WORD By Dr. Julianne Malveaux President-elect Joe Biden has included working toward racial equity in his administration’s agenda. They outline how he will expand opportunities for Black folk and other people of color. Specifically, his Build Back Better document includes a 20-page report titled, The Biden Plan to Build Back Better by Advancing Racial Equity Across the American Economy. It is a comprehensive blueprint, highlighting several potential programs. Some of the initiatives requi-

President-elect Joe Biden

re legislation. The Democratic Caucus has shrunk while still becoming more diverse, with a split between the progressive and moderate wings of the party. Despite differences, though, they are likely to pass any legislation Biden proposes. The problem? Currently, the composition of the Senate will be 50-48 with a Republican lean. A Georgia runoff will take place on January 5, 2021 to decide to two remaining seats. If Republicans win those two races, or even just one of them, the obstructionist Mitch McConnell will remain in power and likely attempt to slow or block Biden’s proposals. Biden spent thirty-six years in the Senate and has strong relationships there. He and McConnell are reportedly friends. Those friendships didn’t help President Obama and certainly didn’t keep the Senate from stealing a Supreme Court seat. The other main opposition to racial equity is likely to come from

disaffected whites and those from other ethnic groups. In 1996, California passed Proposition 209, which amended the state constitution to prevent affirmative action in employment, education, and contracting. Proposition 16, which appeared on this month’s ballot in the Golden State, would repeal Prop 209. But Prop 16 lost with 56 percent of voters rejecting affirmative action as a policy. Affirmative action always has been controversial, with some whites saying it gave African Americans and Latinos an unfair advantage. But Latinos are the largest ethnic group in California. I don’t know if they supported Prop. 16 or not, but if they didn’t, it wouldn’t be the first time Blacks and Latinos held different positions.

Mitch McConnell

Many whites support racial equity, but not at their expense. Too many don’t even realize there is systemic racism in our society. Nor do they believe that past discrimination should be rectified. Biden’s plan for racial equity would close the unemployment rate gap between whites and Blacks a bit, and it might narrow the wealth gap as well. But can President-elect Biden persuade white members of the House and Senate to support racial equity? Biden can accomplish some things through executive order, just as both 45 and President Obama did. But if the initiatives need government spending, they would need to go through Congress. I think Biden understands that he owes his electoral victory to Black folks, especially Black women. He may develop programs that will advance racial equity, but there are both legislative and attitudinal obstacles. In the wake of President Oba-

ma’s tenure in the White House, our nation became extremely anti-Black. Obama’s successor did everything he could to fan the flames of anti-Blackness, and those attitudes don’t disappear quickly. Will Biden jeopardize his reelection if he pursues his agenda of racial equity? The Biden-Harris team must explain that whites benefit from racial equity, and racial equity makes good economic sense. Lower rates of Black unemployment could be economically beneficial and can even improve our overall GDP. More support for minority businesses is also expansionary. When Black folks win, everyone wins, but 56 percent of California voters have shown they don’t think so. The tension is between two concepts: race-neutral public policy and race-conscious public policy. Biden’s plan is explicitly race-conscious. Those who opposed Prop. 16 prefer race-neutrality. Is it possible, though, to be race-neutral in the face of unconscious bias and anti-black attitudes? So-called race-neutral policy often has a differential impact by race. As an example, when minimum wage legislation was first passed in 1938, it excluded farmworkers, many of whom were Black men, and private household workers, or domestics, who were majority Black women. Targeting those two occupations was unquestionably racist. All legislation should be accompanied by racial impact statement, indicating who wins and who loses when legislation is passed. Our government should be able to understand and explicitly legislate around the needs of different communities; there is no other way to ensure the rights and prosperity of Black folk, and indeed all Americans., if we cannot. Prop 16 shows that there is still strong resistance to this idea, just another example of racial animus in the heart of a supposedly progressive paradise. 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.

“Jingle Jangle”… It’s Magic! QUIT PLAYIN’ By Vincent L. Hall As we watch the current president lie in state at the nation’s capital, it might be useful to look at what else is going on in the world. Even though it’s a ton of fun to witness the slow and excruciatingly painful political death of Donald Trump, the Yuletide season is at hand. There’s not much time left movies these days. This nation is caught up between two competing tragedies. We have the Coronavirus raging on one side and the heathen in the White

House raging on the other. It’s always good to consult the reviews and ratings before investing 90-135 minutes to a movie. In my case, “Jingle Jangle” rated a whopping 92 on the Rotten Tomatoes scale. The lead actor Forest Whitaker continues to astonish the film world with his kaleidoscopic abilities. The final winning attribute was that this is a “Black movie” with no cursing, killing, or kidnapping. This had to be a winner. Gather your family and children, especially nine-andabove, to watch Jingle Jangle. No cell phones, gaming devices, or sideline conversations are needed. From beginning to end, this movie provides what the shop-owner advertises on its front canopy; “A World of Wishes and Wonder!”

The movie is too complicated, and the story is too emotionally intensive to provide you with a “Cliff’s Notes” version. Cinematically, it is a brilliant mixture of human and non-human actors, whimsical music, and the warmest hues in wardrobe and stage settings that you could ever imagine. The colors are just gorgeous! Jeronicus Jangles is a young inventor whose magical life meets with maladies larger than he can consume. His business partner steels his sketches and thereby the fortunes that awaited him. Jeronicus loses his loving wife and becomes so despondent that he sent their only child, away. Jessica eventually cuts all ties with her father.

The tragedy begins its march toward victory after his granddaughter tricks Jessica, her mother, and Jeronicus. She masterminds how she can meet her grandfather and visit the famed shop of fanciful inventions. Jingle Jangle, A Christmas Journey is the culmination of a 20-year journey for Director Davis E. Talbert. You may know him for movies like Baggage Claim, Almost Christmas, or First Sunday. However, the Morgan State/New York University graduate made his name in theatre and stage before making movies. Talbert originally began writing Jingle Jangle as a stage play, but the cost was just too high. In 2017, Talbert brought Netflix a movie; “El Camino See JINGLE JANGLE, page 6

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Carried Away

FAITHFUL UTTERANCES By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew 2020 is almost over. Thank God! Without my family and friends, I know that I could not have endured this year. I am comforted in knowing the love I have received from friends unexpectedly. From calls, emails, and text messages that made me laugh to the requests for prayer, it has been this ongoing outreach to stay connected to one another. Relationships are critical and we cannot do this life without them. If I have learned anything through this pandemic, it is the power of connection and the need for community. As we enter this holiday season, it is going to be so crucial that we check on our neighbors, friends, and family. So many people have lost loved ones, so many are in isolation and others are stressed because of the loss of jobs and housing. Those who are front line workers are in jeopardy daily experiencing uncertainty and fear. Children who rely on meals at school and the social interaction are now confined to their computers at home with parents who are experiencing the loss of their work routine. This level of stress can increase both intimate partner violence and child abuse. According to the article, Child Maltreatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Consequences of Parental Job Loss on Psychological and Physical Abuse Towards Children, there is an “ …increased risk for child abuse, especially among families that were abusive prior to the pandemic and families experiencing stress and economic instability,

such as unanticipated job loss, resulting from COVID-19 related economic downturns.” All these issues compounded can create enormous anxiety, depression, fear, anger, and grief. “Since the coronavirus arrived, depression and anxiety in America have become rampant. Federal surveys show 40 percent of Americans are now grappling with at least one mental health or drug-related problem.” (Washington Post, November 23, 2020) In our community, we really don’t want to talk about mental health but it is one of the outcomes that is a reality of what we are experiencing. The challenge is paying attention to how we are coping in this moment. Instead of turning to things that can create more harm and detriment to our lives, we need to realize that sometimes, we need to lean on others. Sometimes, we need to be okay with trusting others to carry us on the way to our healing. In Mark 2, the place is packed with individuals who are desperate to hear a word from Jesus: “3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”” Notice that the man was healed not because of his faith alone but because of the faith of his friends. He was carried to his healing because of his friends and that he was unable to walk on his own. For many of us, we are not allowing others in because we may feel less than or weak. There may be a fear of how we may be perceived, or we are just at

a loss of what to ask for. Pride may be keeping some of us from receiving our healing because we do not want to ask others or even admit that we need help. This unwillingness to be vulnerable could be there very thing that is keeping you from not only being healed from your immediate situation but receiving the breakthrough that you need in your life. Despite the number of people that were there, the paralyzed man did not allow the noise and distractions of others (or life) stop him from going for what he needed. Many of us are paralyzed. We have not forgiven ourselves or others for the pain they have caused. We are hurting because of bad decisions that we have made or that the actions of others have directly (or indirectly) caused harm. We may feel broken, damaged, and unable to move in the way that we were once able to. Know that your healing is available if you are willing to do the work (allowing others to be there), ask for help and take the risk of going into the unknown believing that you are worth it. The man who was paralyzed knew that Jesus was in the place. He could have considered all the things that could have gone wrong with being lowered but he took the chance because he believed in the possibility of his healing. Know that there are those who can be there for you. Allow them. Know that God is also there to carry you to places that may seem uncertain at first but trust in knowing that your healing is on the other side even when you cannot see it. Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the author of three books and the host of the podcast, The Tapestry. Listen to the stories of women who have overcome obstacles and odds at https://www.spreaker. com/show/the-tapestry_1

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“FLYNN”

Duty, Honor, Country WHAT’S ON MILES’ MIND By Miles Jaye As a young man set to embark on a long and distinguished career of military service as a commissioned officer, Michael Flynn might have learned the Army Cadet Song. “I am an Army cadet. Soon I will take an oath to become an Army Officer. Committed to defending the values which makes this nation great. Honor is my touchstone. I understand mission first and people always. I am the past, the spirit of those warriors who have made the final sacrifice. I am the present, the scholar and apprentice soldier enhancing my skills in the science of warfare and the art of leadership. But above all, I am the future, the future warrior leader of the United States Army. May God give me the compassion and judgement to lead and the gallantry in battle to win. I will do my duty.” Upon receiving his commission as an officer of the United States Army he would have pledged this oath. “I, Michael Thomas Flynn, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” Had he attended West Point Military Academy he would have been administered this pledge. “I,

Michael Flynn, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and bear true allegiance to the National Government; that I will maintain and defend the sovereignty of the United States, paramount to any and all allegiance, sovereignty, or fealty I may owe to any State or Country whatsoever; and that I will at all times obey the legal orders of my superior officers, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.” As a West Point cadet, Flynn, as all cadets before and after him, would most certainly have had to honor and live by this code. “We will not lie, steal, or cheat nor tolerate anyone among us who does.” This Academy code of conduct is so serious that punishment for any infraction is immediate expulsion. The problem is, the irony is, the sad truth is, Lt. General Michael Thomas Flynn is a liar, convicted of making false statements (lying) to the FBI. That’s a felony. Today, outgoing President Donald J. Trump granted this turkey Full Immunity. One could say, Mike has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Oaths are a big deal in America. I recited one as a Cub Scout. Every General from Custer to Patton to Eisenhower and Powell have pledged oaths of allegiance to support the Constitution and to defend the United States, not any one individual state, but the United States. Barack Obama recited his Presidential oath twice for good measure. The Army Cadet song says, “Honor is my touchstone.”. Could it be that honor is a thing of the past? That’s what’s on my mind! Website: www.milesjaye.net Podcast: https://bit.ly/2zkhSRv Email: milesjaye360@gmail.com

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WILLIAMS: What More Thinking from page 1 Can We Expect? WAKE UP AND STAY WOKE By Dr. E. Faye Williams As I write today, our nation has reached significant milestones, which in their differences are connected. We’ve experienced the loss of a QUARTER-MILLION Americans to COVID-19. We’ve moved past an infection total of 12 million. This upswing in the disease has overburdened and threatens to break our health care system. Under the weight of COVID-19, many hospitals are unable to provide for “routine” care, including accidents and emergencies. These facts often leave the level of stress upon our nation’s health care providers ignored and underreported. Consolation for those facts rests in the report that Pfizer and Moderna pharmaceuticals are ready to request emergency use for vaccines with 95% claimed effectiveness in laboratory tests. That good news poses the challenge of developing a viable plan for production, distribution and administration of the vaccine to over 330 million people. Forthcoming vaccines cannot ease the pain of loss, but there is some emotional relief for potential protection against this deadly menace. Concurrent with the clinical impact of COVID-19, the nation teeters on the edge of disease-related economic devastation. The disease has created major impacts on workers and essential businesses in almost every sector of our economy. Reduced demand for travel services (air, rail, hotel, etc.) have sidelined equipment and personnel in a limbo of undetermined duration and depth. Our restaurant industry has been among the hardest-hit by closures ordered for the cause of reasonable health practices. Economic uncertainties created by the disease generally reduce demand for all goods and services and the personnel required to support production, sales and delivery. Excluding the wealthy or those with specialized technologically essential skills, COVID-19 has had an unquestionably negative economic impact on millions of citizens. I’m struck by the insufficient emphasis placed on COVID-19’s impact on education. While school infection rates and clinical safety protocols are

debated, funds to refit schools and protect teachers are on-pause. As a result, many school districts are faced with the question of whether to start, close or restart in-person teaching. For most, these stop-again, start-again options construct a learning foundation which can only be described as uncertain. Overreaching all these facts is the outcome of a national election, contested only in the mind of “THE LOSER” and the actions of those who give him their nominal support. And this brings me to my starting point for the week. I hold certain that at noon on Jan. 20, 2021, we will celebrate a new president and administration. I’m also certain that a significant portion of the 74 million voters for “THE LOSER” will deliver nonstop resistance to President Biden. Observations of the Obama administration inform me that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, orchestrator of opposition, will remain as an obstructionist against President Biden. With political philosophies complementary to the dictator he serves, McConnell has: – Loaded federal courts with (many unqualified) conservative appointees. – Stolen two SCOTUS nominations. – Withheld Senate action for 6-plus months on a stimulus (economic relief) package submitted by the House of Representatives. – Emphasized policies beneficial to the wealthy and demonstrated little or no concern for the welfare of the ordinary citizen. Removal of McConnell as Senate majority leader is the only viable change required for the accomplishment of progressive aims of the new administration. We can: – Support Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the Georgia Senate runoff elections. – Donate to their campaigns. – Encourage every eligible Georgian to register and vote. – If a Georgia resident, VOTE!!! Remember, voter registration deadline for the January runoff is Dec. 7. Voting in this runoff is more important than you think. It transcends where we live. Our opponents know this, and we must show that we know this, too! Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women and host of “Wake Up and Stay Woke” on WPFW-89.3 FM.

be counting ballots and many will be disputing the election results. Who can forget the shock trauma in the 2016 election when Republican candidate Donald Trump upset Democrat and predicted winner Hillary Clinton? As well, political analysts and surely public memories, too, still catalog George W. Bush’s year 2000 win over Al Gore as one of the closest and most rancorous defeats in American political history. In that contest, it took five weeks — from Nov. 7 to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Dec. 12 — to determine that Bush had won and for Gore to concede on Dec. 13. But I, as a long-term, dedicated vote-caster, am flummoxed — as well as bewitched, bothered and bewildered, as uttered in the 1940s song — by the rationale of today’s could-be, should-be, but often missing-in-action Generation X (ages 40-55) and millennial (ages 24-39) voters. My grandson was not alone in his determination to withhold his vote. I talked with a sampling of his friends who paid attention to recent street protests — some peaceful,

some destructive — prompted by the growing number of wrongful or questionable police killings of Black men and women. Two of the more prominent deaths this year include the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the early morning March 13 killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky. Some of the millennials I spoke with asked not to be fully identified but expressed opinions about voting to bring about change. Others gave their names and did not hesitate to share their views. Naketra Williams, 29, said that she proudly voted early but that she understands her friends who chose not to vote. “They don’t think change is going to happen just by voting,” Williams said. “For them to change their minds, something tragic would have to happen to them or someone they know, like getting shot by the police.” A 49-year-old Gen X’er said that this election was his first time voting and that he thought long and hard before deciding that casting a ballot was the right thing to do. For many years, he said, he was told a federal conviction handed down when he was a youth would not allow him to vote. After learning he could now vote, he said, he wondered if doing so would be a waste

of time. “If the guy I voted for creates some jobs, I will feel like my vote counted,” he said. Raiven and Jasmine, both 24, grew up in the same family. They said they voted but still have much to learn about the process, particularly the workings of the Electoral College. They said they will look for direct benefits in their lives from the election. “I’m hoping I’ll see better services in our communities,” Jasmine said. Andrew Kemp Jr., 29, has never voted. He says he won’t be persuaded that voting works for the masses. (Andrew Kemp Jr.) But like my grandson, 29-year-old Andrew Kemp Jr. said he will not be persuaded that voting works for the masses. He said he has never voted and does not plan to. “To me, something like another Million Man March would be more effective,” Kemp said. And my grandson? “People do a better job by bringing about their own change and helping their own friends and neighbors, rather than electing someone else to do it,” he said. When the final votes are tallied and as the next four years play out, let’s see if at least this young mind will change.

Norma Adams-Wade, is a proud Dallas native, University of Texas at Austin journalism graduate and retired Dallas Morning News senior staff writer. She is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists and was its first southwest regional director. She became The News’ first Black full-time reporter in 1974. norma_adams_wade@yahoo.com

Jingle Jangle from page 4

Christmas” was good enough to win him the chance to direct the film of his dreams. He pitched the idea to a Netflix executive who granted his wish. Fast Company, an online magazine focusing on media and entertainment, conveyed the film’s fine points in one paragraph. “The world of Jingle Jangle centers an all-Black cast in a Victorian period setting that’s been richly draped in African culture. From the wardrobe to the music, to the characters, there’s a vibrancy in Jingle Jangle‘s representation that feels singular, especially for a Christmas movie.”

The cast hosts a wide-ranging diversity of ages, eras, genres, and gifts. Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, and Key of “Key and Peele” fame provide a foundation. However, this movie introduces a young actor, Madelen Mills, as Journey, whose optimism and boundless intellect become the anchor for the entire experience. Journey is in one word, sagacious. She teaches us as she renders therapy to her broken grandfather Jeronicus. “The magic is not what you’ve lost. The magic is in what you have left! At the end of 2020, where a pandemic infects globally, as our president infuriates nationally, Jingle Jangle is a Godsend. Do we have any magic left? Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.

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from page 1 Joe Biden was given up for dead by the media and many in the Democratic Party. The former vice president figured he would struggle against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders early in the primary process. Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg also gave Biden heartburn with his surprising success in the Hawkeye and Granite states. But Black voters, especially women, served as Biden trump cards. With the help of Palmetto State Rep. James Clyburn, Biden overwhelmingly won South Carolina, showcasing his strength in states with a diverse electorate and revealing the weakness that Sanders and Buttigieg have with Black voters. On the eve of the Texas primary, part of the Super Tuesday sweepstakes, several Democratic Party contenders left the race and rallied with Biden in Dallas. He steamrolled to the nomination. Black voters were Biden’s most formidable weapon in numerous battleground states that he won,

including Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia, which is a Republican stronghold and new swing state that flipped to Democrats. Biden’s selection of California Sen. Kamala Harris was in part a nod to the debt he owed to Black women, and the need for Democrats to honor and promote the diversity in their party. Candidates: Down-ballot Republicans Should thank: President Donald Trump, ban on straight ticket voting Donald Trump lost to Biden because in nearly four years as president he was unable to expand his loyal base. His controversial behavior and inability to curb the coronavirus pandemic chased away independents and soft Republicans. He also emboldened Democrats who had resolved four years earlier to avenge his shocking 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton. While Trump lost his reelection bid, he provided Republicans a treasure trove of voters that helped down-ballot candidates in Texas sail to victory over Democrats. What was supposed to be a tough

fight to maintain control of the Texas House was a rebuke of Democrats. Instead of picking up nine seats to win the House, they lost one. Every North Texas Republican House candidate who was targeted by Democrats won, including in blue Dallas County, where incumbents Morgan Meyer of University Park and Angie Chen Button of Garland held their seats. Button is an effective, underappreciated campaigner. Trump provided the coattails that pulled Republicans throughout Texas to the polls. And in areas where Biden defeated Trump, including Tarrant County, down-ballot Republicans still managed to win, which suggest voters split their tickets and the outlawed practice of straight-ticket voting took the steam out of some of the challengers. Trump is a formidable voter turnout machine, which should make his missteps on the job something that will haunt his supporters who longed for four more years. Candidate: John Cornyn Should thank: Ted Cruz, Beto O’Rourke In 2018, Sen. John Cornyn

watched as former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, took incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to the brink. After raising $80 million and visiting all 254 Texas counties, O’Rourke lost to Cruz by 2.6 percentage points. Shortly after that election, Cornyn said that 2018 was a wakeup call for Republicans and that his 2020 reelection bid wouldn’t be easy. The longtime senator stepped up his fundraising, hired a veteran GOP campaign team with strong ties to Texas and developed a strategy to appeal to the suburban voters that polls showed were displeased with Trump. Many analysts took his low name recognition among Texas voters as a weakness, but it more likely signaled that he wasn’t objectionable or controversial to independents or moderate Republicans. And while Cruz had to defeat the hard-charging O’Rourke, Cornyn was up against the lesserknown MJ Hegar. A former Air Force combat veteran, Hegar had to spend time and resources getting through a primary runoff. And even then she wasn’t widely known inside the Democratic Party, particularly with Black and

The Most Important Factor in Your Family’s Education is

YOU Give your family the best chance for success by supporting their education at home and at school. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, sticking to a schedule, partnering with teachers and administrators, utilizing culturally sensitive best practices, and tapping into local resources are just a few of the ways that you can support distance learning at home and keep your family on track for educational success.

Hispanic voters who are critical in statewide campaigns. Because he was prepared after a 2018 lesson from Cruz and O’Rourke, Cornyn easily defeated Hegar for reelection. Candidates: Entire Texas ballot Should thank: Old and new voters The pandemic could have depressed voter turnout and resulted in a sluggish election. The opposite occurred. Whether motivated by Trump or something else, voters mailed in their ballots and showed up at the polls. The Texas turnout was about 11.2 million, far above the 10.5 million that many analysts expected. Both parties have reason for optimism. Republicans proved that even with a higher turnout, Texas is a red state. The notion that Democrats could flip the state this year amounted to hype. Though it was clearly a disappointing cycle, Democrats continued to chip away at their deficit with Republicans. In 2016, Trump beat Clinton in Texas by 9 percentage points. He beat Biden here by nearly 6 points. Twitter: @gromerjeffers

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Virtual and liVe Community Calendar

Human Rights Month

December 5

December 9

December 3

Rosa Parks was arrested and it stimulated the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Birth of Comedian Redd Foxx born in St. Louis, MO in 1922

Happy 85th Birthday to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

First Saturday Harvest Project Food Rescue, Free Fruits and Veggies, at Pan African Connection 4466 S. Marsalis Ave. 10:00 am-3:00 pm. Free Fruits and Veggies until their gone. Call 214943-8262. Dallas Black Dance Theater presents Virtual Black on Black Uncovered. 7 pm. CST/8 pm. EST. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

Nat’l Community Reinvestment Coalition, Dallas Chapter: Webinar; 12– 1pm. Contact: James McGee; 469-371-5487. Register: https://bit.ly/2Vax5wf

St. Luke “Community” UMC Free Food Box Distribution. 10 am-1 pm. Pre-register by 12-4-20 at 5 pm: tinyurl.com/SLChb1205.

Dallas Zoo Lights Presented by Reliant at Dallas Zoo, 650 S R L Thornton Fwy. 6:30-9:30 pm. Tickets: https://zoolights. dallaszoo.com/guests.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ft. Worth Alumnae Chapter and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Beta Mu Omega Chapter Virtual Form: Are you Ready to Run for Office? 10 am-12 pm. Register: https://bit.ly35RipCd.

NNPA Live Streams exclusive livestream interview with George C. Wolfe, director of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at www.Facebook.com/BlackPressUSA, and YouTube.com/C/BlackPressUSATV. 4 pm. SoulJazz, Thursdays Featuring FUNKTRAIN Hosted by Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8 pm-12 am. Visit www.sandaga813.com. Linny Nance Network Hosted by The Free Man, 2626 Commerce St. 7-10 pm.

December 4

Empowering The Masses Disaster Relief Drive Through Food Pantry at 3314 Detonte St. Dallas. 10 am-12 pm. www. empoweringthemasses.org Mountain View Church of Christ Distribution of Free Groceries, 7979 E. R.L. Thornton Fwy. 9 am-12 pm. Drive-Thru Only. www.mtviewcoc.org.

December 6

1950 Jesse Leroy Brown 1st Black Naval Aviator died.

Birth of William S. Braithwaite, poet, editor, & anthologist in 1878.

Candy Cane Lane Drive-Thru Holiday Lights. Host I heart Radio, Star 102.1 FM, Ear Fuel Entertainment. 6-10 pm. at American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave. Tickets: https:// candycanelanedfw.com.

Ubuntu Market (Small Business Marketplace)Host Pan African Connection 4466 S. Marsalis Ave. 12-5 pm. Shop Small Businesses. Info email : Panafric@airmail.net.

Stewpot Food Distribution/ Distribución de Comida - Must Sign Up. The Stew Pot, SW Corner of Park & Young St. 12-2 pm. Free: https://bit.ly/2V9bPqu. Call Aracely Lomeli at 469-5730148. She speaks English and Spanish. Entrepreneurs Night Out! Hosted by Young Black Entrepreneurs Networking and Development Group at The Attache Cigar, 4099 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. #101. 8 pm-2 am. Antoine White at 314-630-4465 Front Porch Fables, host City of Dallas Offices Arts and Culture, Latino Cultural Center and South Dallas Cultural Center. 7:30-8 pm. Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St. Online Spiritual Care Sessions Hosted by Friendship-West Baptist Church. 1-2:30 pm. Tickets: https://zoom. us/j/8567036848.

Sunday Dallas Farmers Market, host Lonestar Specialty Foods at Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood. 10 am-5 pm. www.lonestarspecialtyfoods.squareplace.com.

December 7 In 1941 Navy mess man Dorie Miller became a WWII hero by manning his ships machine gun at Pearl Harbor. Marvelous Marriage Mondays at Friendship-West Baptist Church. 7-8 pm. Register: https://bit.ly/2Jil3yv.

December 8 Birth of Sammy Davis Jr. singer, actor in 1925 Visits With Santa at the Dallas Arboretum at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens 8525 Garland Rd. 6-9 pm. RSVP online at www.dallasarboretum.org.

Ask Dr. Amerson Show at 11am CST September is Alopecia Awareness Month. Dr. Linda discusses healthy hair and scalp talk, and alopecia talk, on FB Live and DfwiRadio.com. Join Michael “Hollywood” Hernandez Live on his Facebook Podcast at 2 pm CT Tune in and join the conversation with his guests.

December 10 In 2005 Richard Pryor, groundbreaking comedian, writer, and actor died. Holiday Paint Party @ Reunion Tower 300 Reunion Blvd. E. 7-9 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

December 11 In 1964 Legendary Singer/songwriter Sam Cooke was shot and killed in Los Angeles, CA at age 33 Front Porch Fables, host City of Dallas Offices Arts and Culture, Latino Cultural Center and South Dallas Cultural Center. 7:30-8 pm. Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St. Inaugural Charity Gala host Not My Son and Katrina Washington at Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery St. Dallas. 7 pm. Tickets: www.Eventbrite.com.

December 12 Birth of Henry Armstrong prize fighter holder of 3 titles at one time, born in 1912 Dallas Black Dance Theater presents Virtual Espresso Nutcracker. 7 pm. CST/8 pm. EST. Tickets: Eventbrite.com.

Empowering The Masses Disaster Relief Drive Through Food Pantry at 3314 Detonte St. Dallas. 10 am-12 pm. www. empoweringthemasses.org. Mountain View Church of Christ Distribution of Free Groceries, 7979 E. R.L. Thornton Fwy. 9 am-12 pm. Drive-Thru. The Monologue Project Performance & Workshop with Stacy Rose. Host, Bishop Arts Theatre. TMP is a free online resource for high school and college students. For more info: 214-948-0716. Register: https://bit.ly/34rHJnW National Association of Black Journalists 45th Anniversary Celebration Via Zoom. Moderated by: Kay Angrum. Honoring Founder, Dewayne Wickham Founders’ Appreciation Award Recipient. RSVP: https://Bit.ly/NABJ45 7:30 pm EST.

Andrew’s World with host Andrew Whigham III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8 am.-10 am. CST. Sundays Tune in for thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news and commentary. Join the call 646-200-0459. on In The Middle with Ashley Moss. “Talking about topics that Matter” Join in on Facebook/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio. com at 11 am-1 pm. CST. Mondays. Join the conversation call 646-2000459.

DFW News & Tings with Jirah Nicole. From 11 am-1 pm. CST Tuesday’s on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio. com. Call in and join the conversation at 646-200-0459. Doc Shep Speaks Show! A fresh perspective, but still entertaining! Welcome to The Doc Shep Speaks Show!!!. Tuesdays at 11 am. CST Live on Facebook/@TexasMetroNews, @ fnsconsulting, and YouTube Live @ docshepspeaks.

I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade “History Class is in Session” Join in on Facebook/@ TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com at 11 am -1 pm. CST. Wednesdays. Join the conversation call 646-200-0459. From Marva with Love with Marva Sneed from11 am -1 pm. CST, Fridays on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, and BlogTalkRadio.com. Call in and join the conversation at 646-2000459.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Congresswoman Johnson from page 1

little interaction and then one day something amazing happened. We clicked. The stars aligned. I already knew she was an elected official, the first nurse to serve in the Texas House and Senate and U.S. Congress. She advocates for veterans and a number of other causes and issues, like science and technology; or others we rarely hear about, like Lupus, foreign affairs, or leading the only veto override during President Bush’s terms. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and The Links, Inc., Congresswoman Johnson has strong family ties and feelings of loyalty to those she trusts and respects. She’s very knowledgeable and focused. Let me tell you. She brings joy into my heart. And I look forward to seeing her, even if just to share a moment or two. Some of those special moments have been spent at Heroes House where we join businessman Gary Hasty as we feed and visit with veterans who live at the two Dallas locations. Even when I am out of town, I return back to Dallas for those special days so I can interact with the valiant men and women who served our country. During the first event, I realized just how deeply Cong. Johnson cares for veterans and is committed to addressing their issues, of which there are many. I remember learning more about the needs of those incarcerated as told by Joyce Ann Brown; who spent nine years, five months and 24 days in prison for a crime she did not commit. Before meeting Ms. Brown over 30 years ago I thought everyone behind bars actually committed a crime. With veterans I’ve always held them in his esteem, sometimes feeling sorry for

them for having to go to foreign countries fighting for the rights of others when they couldn’t share equal rights upon returning home. Through Cong. Johnson, Mr. Hasty and my nephew Andre Smith; as well as those at Heroes House, I’ve learned so much about the lives of men and women who serve in the military. We haven’t done all we can and we need to do a whole lot more for them. And Cong. Johnson does so much, on so many levels. It’s interesting that folks criticize but don’t do their homework. I’ve watched her with the veterans. I’ve also seen her in action in D.C. She’s not sitting on her hands and anyone who tells you that is showing how misinformed they are. One day in D.C. with her and I was practically running to the airport! She visits with constituents, attends meetings and receptions, interacts with other leaders and meets with staff. I slipped away for lunch, and a break. I was tired! But she kept on going, serving and leading! And while some say there should be term limits for those serving in elective office, there’s something to be said about seniority, especially on the national level when you consider the tenure of most committee chairs. The longer you serve, the more you’ll see how seniority is celebrated and respected. It is often said those closest to you are the last to see the greatness in you. I saw firsthand the respect paid to her as she moves from meeting to meeting interacting with the top leaders of this nation. We should all do a better job of seeing the good in one another while we can show appreciation. I see the good and the greatness in the Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson and I appreciate her so much.

Editor’s Note- this column previously ran, minus a small edit. CLS

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About EBJ Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson is serving her 14th term representing the 30th Congressional District of Texas. The 30th District is entirely within Dallas County and encompasses a large portion of the City of Dallas as well as the entire cities of DeSoto, Duncanville, Lancaster, and Hutchins. Portions of the cities of Balch Springs, Cedar Hill, Ferris, Glenn Heights, Ovilla, and Wilmer are also in the district. The Dallas portion of the district is home to the downtown central business district and Arts District, as well as the neighborhoods of Fair Park, Cadillac Heights, the Cedars, Victory Park, Uptown, Oak Lawn, Love Field, Urban Park, Pleasant Grove, Joppa, South Oak Cliff, Deep Ellum, Munger Place, Swiss Avenue, Lower Greenville, Forest Hills, and West Dallas. Congresswoman Johnson is the first African-American and woman to chair the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee after being elected to the position in January 2019 and is the most senior Texan on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is the Dean of the Texas Congressional Delegation and also serves as Dean of the Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona Democratic Congressional Delegation. Upon her election to the House of Representatives in 1992, she became the first nurse ever elected to Congress. In December 2010, Congresswoman Johnson was elected as the first African American and the first female Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. From 2000 to 2002, she was the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Research and Science Education where she emphasized education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. Congresswoman Johnson has been a member of the House Science and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees since being sworn into office in January 1993. In 2007, Congresswoman Johnson was appointed by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James L. Oberstar (D-MN) to serve as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment during the 110th and 111th Congresses. The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has jurisdiction over water conservation, pollution control, infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup. The subcommittee is also responsible for reauthorizing the Clean Water Act. Congresswoman Johnson has also served in position of Senior Democratic

Deputy Whip; Chair of the House Metro Congestion Coalition; Co-Chair for the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, and Co-Chair for the TEX-21 Congressional Caucus, which is a forum to address Texas transportation needs through the reauthorization of TEA-21. She is Founder and Co-Chair of the Diversity and Innovation Caucus and of the House Historical Black Colleges and Universities Caucus. In addition, Congresswoman Johnson served as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 107th Congress. Since coming to Congress, Congresswoman Johnson has earned the reputation of being a stateswoman who is dedicated to improving U.S. foreign relationships and policies. She works tirelessly towards improving human rights around the globe. Congresswoman Johnson’s acclaimed initiative “A World of Women for World Peace” has been nationally and internationally recognized. Congresswoman Johnson studied nursing at St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana where she received her diploma. After returning to her native Texas, she successfully passed the National Board Examination in Nursing. She later became Chief Psychiatric Nurse at the VA Hospital in Dallas, and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Christian University in 1967. She received a master’s degree in public administration from Southern Methodist University in 1976. Congresswoman Johnson was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1972 and became the first woman in Texas history to lead a major Texas House committee, the Labor Committee. As an advocate for workers, children, and families, she was recognized and appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve as Regional Director of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1977. In 1986, she was elected a Texas state Senator, becoming the first female and African-American from the Dallas area to hold this office since Reconstruction. Congresswoman Johnson is widely recognized as one of the most effective legislators in Congress. She is credited with originally authoring and coauthoring more than 150 bills that were passed by the House and Senate and signed into law. She also has a long-standing reputation for providing excellent constituent services. Her district office in downtown Dallas specializes in working with all federal departments and agencies to assist constituents in solving a wide range of individual problems. Congresswoman Johnson is the proud mother of her son, Kirk, and of her three grandsons, Kirk Jr., David, and James.

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BIG MAMA SAID, “YOU’RE NOT TOO OLD FOR YOUR WANTS TO HURT YOU!” BLACK CARD By Terry Allen I don’t think I will get much pushback, when I say that our wants drive our actions and fuel our choices. Our “wants” create our agenda “sometimes knowingly” and “sometimes unknowingly”. Big Mama told me the “knowingly want” usually leads us to something good (I learned that meant making decisions that are normal or great). She would then say the “unknowingly want’ can lead to something bad (I learned that meant making lifetime decisions). She said ‘wants’ are different from needs because “wants” are not always necessary yet needs are! She said ‘’wants” make us feel comfortable and safe. My grandmother, Lucille “Big Mama” Allen filled her three sons and three daughters, 16 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren, 38 great-great grandchildren, seven great-great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and bonus family members with everyday logic all throughout our lives. The magic in her lessons is each of us has our own personalized version of her wisdom. As I attended high school, Skyline High School, I also traveled to Southern Methodist University (SMU) weekly in the Upward Bound program. I think my ‘wants’ and 12 college credits allowed me to enter SMU joining the freshman class. I remembered Big Mama sharing a story of a want that fit both descriptions. She spoke of a chance she had traveling to Dayton and she heard Mary McLeod Bethune. She told me Bethunes’ “wants” changed the lives of a lot of us. She stated that Bethune’s ‘wants’ for learning helped her build a school for young black girls while her own

people mocked her ‘colored woman’ image and accused her of thinking she was “better than her own kind”. FYI, Mary McLeod Bethune, opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls with $1.50 and faith in God. Big Mama told me as I achieve my “wants’ my own people will love what you do while some will criticize what you do. She said she wanted better for her children so as she left the cotton fields for the kitchen yet she also was mocked for decisions and her ‘light skin”privilege. Yet she said ‘I made those decisions because my “want” was to do better. She said ‘light skinned Negroes were hated just as much as all Negroes”. She informed me that the perception of privilege only existed inside our community. As she ended the front porch story she would throw her head back, hands up shouting, “just be careful because all skin-folk ain’t kin-folk.” Lesson: YOU ARE NOT TOO OLD FOR YOUR WANTS TO HURT YOU. Like Big Mama, Bethune grew up in a family of working farmers, She was one of 22 children who worked in the fields, day-labor picking cotton while attending schools. Big Mama was the oldest and outlived all of her siblings but one. I want to thank Big Mama because her wisdom rang true as I achieved more of my ‘wants’ I celebrated them yet at the same time the achievement came at a cost of great pain, emotionally protective isolation and a great loss of safety among my families of color, both professional and personal. Big Mama I hear you. I also know that Sojourn beget Mary who beget Michelle, so I will prevail. How are you doing with your wants? Email me-let’s talk. Terry Allen is an awardwinning multi-media journalist and owner of 1016 Media.

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Be Careful,

Black Hair Is Fragile

It is true, image matters. Most females/males from ages three-100 like their hair to look groomed. ABOUT Compliments about a THE HAIR great looking hair style, or hair cut brings a smile from By Dr. Linda Amerson the wearer, for a selfie pose. There are numerous hair textures and combination textures, resulting from the union of cultures. In fact, African American hair textures are more fragile than any other hair texture. According to hair science, curly, and wavy hair textures grow out of the hair follicle in circular patterns. Viewing the hair growth pattern, while showing and explain it to a client with a tricholoscope is fascinating to a board certified Trichologist. The tensile strength of hair has a limit before it breaks. Excessive heat applied to hair fibers will decreases hair strength…causing hair damage/breakage. Chemical applications to hair fibers will decrease hair strength… causing hair damage/breakage. These are only two examples of contributing factors of poor tensile hair strength. A drier hair texture is also very common, because it is much harder for fluids like sebum or water to flow down a spiraling strand of hair, compared to a straight strand of hair. A moisturizer is recommended. Due to the coils/ curvature in hair growth patterns, consumers learn to manage the hair tangling and knotting of hair fibers, when combing their hair. Short hair may be combed from the scalp towards the end, however, medium to longer hair lengths should be combed from the ends towards the scalp. Parents, this technique helps you when you are combing your girl’s hair… comb with ease. In addition, use a large tooth comb on medium to longer hair lengths. Only use any comb with small teeth for parting straight lines for grooming. Small tooth combs also leads to hair breakage. Investing in a hair detangling product, will work great, combined with adding a moisturizer. Use oil, if necessary on your child’s scalp, moisture on their hair. Excessive hair brushing can damage your hair. Use a hair brush gently on your scalp. There are numerous bristles available, including…hard, medium and softer hair bristles. Avoid using hair brushes with hard bristles on sensitive scalp— if your scalp is inflamed and tender to touch, if you have a scalp infection or fungal infection (use a comb). Combs are easier to wash plus soak in Clorox water. Contact a medical doctor immediately for scalp infections. Contact a board certified Trichologist for a microscopic hair and scalp analysis, and treatment recommendation for hair restoration and correcting mild scalp conditions. Dr. Amerson is open to more road trip collaborations with beauty/barbers industry professionals, as well as women’s church groups, conferences, expos and seminars. Help is Available! 817 265 8854 www.hairandscalpessentials. com #ScalpDoctor #40yrVeteran

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• Vol-9

• Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, 2020

BERTIE SIMMONS

In retrospect, of a failed Reconstruction after the Civil War, THAT state’s sanction of CELEBRITY Black Codes, Jim Crow INTERVIEW era laws, America’s sanctioned Separate By Valder Beebe but Equal, Plessy vs Ferguson, 1867 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Civil Rights Act, and so much more, Bertie Simmons gives a unique glimpse of these prejudices heaped upon a Caucasian girl in the not so distant past of the American South. Whispers of Hope, The Story of My Life, is a compelling narrative detailing the life of a young girl born in the Deep South during the Jim Crow era. Her tale includes her realization that to make a better life for herself and others, she must run away from the struggles of her young life and go Bertie Simmons headlong into a world about which she knows nothing. VBS: Miss Simmons, welcome to the Valder Beebe Show for the first time. You’ve got this great book Whispers of Hope: The Story of My Life, will you share a synopsis of the book? BS: In Whispers of Hope, I tell my life story how I grew up in North Louisiana during the Jim Crow era. Pivotal to my life is something that happened with me (I was 16) and my Black friend that changed my life forever. It caused me to dedicate my life to seeking social justice for others, also for me. VBS: Something happened to you, and a friend of yours who was a different race from you. You are not African American, you are Caucasian, and I’m going to assume that. BS: Yes, I am white. VBS: When you are living under the laws of Jim Crow, segregation, Black Codes I don’t care what they call them, they are all heinous. So those laws, restrictions and unfairness impacts you, a Caucasian, not being the person these laws are aimed towards? BS: They may even impact me more. I’ll explain. My friend and I spent the summer together. I loved her and my entire family loved her. We did everything together at my home. One summer we sold scrap iron. We wanted to support the war effort, that’s WWII. We earned some money together and went into town to buy ice cream. At the store that sold ice cream I headed for the front door and told my friend to come on. She told me ‘I can’t come in there.’ I asked “why?” She said, ‘I cannot go in the front door.’ VBS: So for her to enter into the front door was not permitted? BS: I asked, where you do enter? She said I must go around to the back door. The door marked ‘Colored………’ Bertie Simmons complete interview…… SoundCloud.com/ valderbeebeshow: Broadcasting to a national & global audience: ValdeBeebeShow.com ; YouTube.com/valderbeebeshow; KKVI FM Radio, KRER FM, Streaming TV, Social Media, Print Publications IMESSENGER, Texas Metro News, and Garland Journal News.

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• Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, 2020

Do you know this man?

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Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

• Vol-9

Dinkins from page 1

was appointed City Clerk and served as Manhattan Borough President before being elected Mayor of New York. Dinkins was one of fifty Black investors who helped Percy Sutton found Inner City Broadcasting Corporation in 1971. Sutton also invested in The Amsterdam News. Dinkins was viewed as a compromise candidate during a time of turmoil in New York. Elected a year after the infamous 1989 “Central Park jogger” incident that led to the wrongful convictions of five Black and Hispanic boys, Dinkins proved to be a cautious and stoic figure who was a compe-

The inaugural ride of the Second Avenue Subway was led by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on December 31, 2016. Among those in attendance were former Mayor David N. Dinkins and Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim, President of MTA New York City Transit. On the night of November 23rd, David Dinkins succumbed to natural causes at his home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

tent caretaker of the city, including its many fiscal, social and political challenges. Dinkins’ administration followed that of one of New York City’s most storied politicians, Ed Koch. Following violence in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn that many

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believed was not handled well by Dinkins, he lost his bid for re-election. Dinkins was a member of the 20,000 strong Montford Point Marines and served in the Marines from 1945–1946. In 1956 he earned a law degree from Brooklyn Law School. He graduated cum

laude from Howard University. On the night of November 23rd, David Dinkins succumbed to natural causes at his home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. His death follows the recent passing of his wife Joyce, who died at their home on October 12th. Joyce Dinkins was 89. The former Mayor, and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is survived by their two children, David N. Dinkins Jr. and Donna Dinkins Hoggard. Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist for NNPA and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is also a political strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

• Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, 2020

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• Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, 2020