• Vol. 10 • July 14 - 20, 2022
MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER
Visionary
Leadership Wins
It was an exciting time at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Dr. Ben Chavis (NNPA) annual convention in New Orleans in late June, under the direction of NNPA President Dr. Frederick Dr. Ben Chavis. D. Haynes III Now who doesn’t love to visit New Orleans? Well, in addition to outBobby Henry Sr. standing programming, an opportunity to hear some wonderful messages from dynamic speakers, a wonderful performance from Stephanie Mills and an opportunity to see my classmate, Bobby R. Henry of the Westside Gazette, receive Lifetime Achievement honors. Bobby and I took many of the same journalism classes at Florida A&M University, and decades later we are still friends and working together; See MY TRUTH, page 14
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National Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month Takes Stigma Away from Discussing Fibroids
By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines Dallas County and City of Dallas officials have acknowledged the impact of fibroid tumors by proclaiming July as Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month. That designation is supported by similar national proclamations as well as Texas House Bill 1966 that was presented by State Representative Senfronia Thompson. “As I have worked with organizations, medical experts, business leaders, other non-profits, patients, and community leaders we were able to collectively work with the former Dean of Women Legislators in Texas, State Rep. Thompson,” said former State Rep. Loraine Birabil. “She helped us to bring concerns about uterine fibroids to light. With her assistance we were able to get Texas to be the tenth state to acknowledge July as Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month. "Rep.Thompson also got another bill passed to help bridge the information gap around uter-
Sharpton, WNBA And Griner Advocate For BG’s Release Rev. Al Sharpton and Cherelle Griner were joined by WNBA officials in Chicago for the WNBA All-Star Game as they asked for the release of WNBA great Brittney Griner. By Stacy M. Brown
Lorraine Birabil
Dr. Suzanne Slonim
Photo: L.Birabil
Photo: HLEX
ine fibroids. All too often the information is just not available for women, so that they know they have options.” Although an untreated uterine fibroid can be painful and noticeable, some women continue to suffer in silence due to fear of an unsatisfactory solution. This month there will be several activities and opportunities to share information about a condition that has resultSee NATIONAL UTERINE FIBROID, page 15
One day after the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner expressed frustration that the family hadn’t heard from the White House, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Cherelle Griner spoke with Cherelle Griner. The White House said Biden called Cherelle to “reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world.” In a July 4 letter, Brittney Griner pleaded with Biden to help free her and others held in Russia.
Midlothian’s "Batwoman" a Victim of Racial Profiling
By Asia Nicole Alcorn
For the past four months, a Midlothian resident who identifies as a Black female, mid-40s and single mother, has been walking through her neighborhood as a form of exercise. She follows the same route almost daily, dressed in her fitness attire, with headphones, Apple Watch, a water bottle and a T-ball bat for safety against wild animals. “Walking in the neighborhood has caused some challenges of me running into stray dogs,” she
Photo: Nathan Ruser via Flickr
Daily Walk turns into police warning said. “Since the encounters, I decided to walk with a T-ball bat. I purposely chose a small bat because I never want to pose a threat to anybody in my community.” Evidently, someone saw her as a threat. Three days ago, she was
stopped by two Midlothian police officers – one Black, one white. “They told me I wasn’t in trouble but needed to stop walking and put down my bat,” she said, adding that immediately at that moment, she knew
something was wrong. One of her neighbors had alerted the authorities about a “Black woman with a bat,” not once, but twice. “Anyone that has the Ring, Nest or any other type of surveillance cameras on their house can see me walking past on the public community sidewalk,” she said. “I'm not going up to people's doors. I'm not looking in their cars. I'm not even focusing on their driveway. I am just walking my route.” See MIDLOTHIAN'S "BATWOMAN", page 4
Meet TMN’s Newest Class of Interns
Asia Nicole Alcorn is taking steps today to prepare for her future By Kendall Gayle Washington
Growing up, Asia Nicole Alcorn wasn’t exactly sure what the future might hold, but she knew she wanted to do something she was passionate about. Alcorn is a multi-media journalist interning at Texas Metro News making her mark, and publisher
Cheryl Smith says, “You can see the difference in the paper since Asia has been here.” Growing up in Grand Prairie, TX. Asia was raised in a Christian environment, singing on the praise team. One day, after her Dad picked her up from school, he told Asia they would be moving church homes. Her father, Derrick Alcorn, and grandmother, Emma Davis, started their church over five years ago. “I was so used to my church
family at The Potter’s House,” Asia said, adding that if it was not for the church home transition she would not have grown to be the strong young woman she is today. “l learned to adapt in a new environment and meet new people, which prepared me for my future career as a journalist.” When she was in the womb, her parents would play music, and sing to her. In her younger years, she was a “singing machine.” Asia See MEET TMN'S NEWEST INTERNS, page 3
Angelina Liu
Iniya Nathan
Kendall Washington
Asia Nicole Alcorn
Nycorta Diaz Mabry, Jr.
Maya Palavali