T E X A S
MetroNews DELIVERING NEWS YOU NEED
• Vol. 10 • May 26 - June 1, 2022
MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER
Congrats to the Class of 2022 It’s hard to imagine what members of the Class of 2022 are feeling. And that was also pretty much the case with the members of the Class of 2020 and 2021 who were not forewarned that a time they were working toward was going to be drastically altered, disrupted and many elements totally voided. No one could prepare them because so few if any were around for previous pandemics. And no other pandemics were quite as devastating, but if they were, folks didn’t know because there were no televisions or telephones; you just had “tell a friend.” Today, depending on your status and fan base, telling a friend could equate to telling millions, thanks to social media. It’s kind of hard to tell the Class of 2022 that “this too shall pass.” They are living in the here and now where there is plenty of despair and sadness to go around. That is if we let it. Instead we must be positive. We have to support each other without being overindulgent. After all, we see what happens when we overindulge. We must also provide encouragement and exhibit resilience. I only hope that this pandemic will be the worst pain and suffering that they all endure. With that in mind, though, they have to be equipped with survival tools: mentally, financially, emotionally and physically. We’re trying to get through this together. It would be so great however if this class could be known for ushering in a period of love because we have definitely had enough hate for an eternity. Go forth class of 2022, with love, respect, compassion, justice and faith. Work hard. Lift as you climb. Dispense with the sense of entitlement and sometimes disrespect. Learn better, know better and do better. Lastly, bring receipts! Don't come to the table talking about what you need and you don't have anything to offer. Those days are over. Being a responsible adult looks entirely different. Congrats and best wishes!
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2022 Entrepreneurs Showcase p. 8-9
CROCKETT VICTORIOUS!
State Rep. Jasmine Crockett had a commanding lead over opponent Jane Hope Hamilton in the run-off election for the 30th Congressional District, at press time, Crockett was endorsed by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, who announced her retirement from the seat she has held since it was established in 1992. Other heavily watched races in Dallas County appeared to end with Venton Jones defeating former Dallas City Councilmember Sandra Crenshaw, on his way to claiming the seat being vacated by Crockett; County Clerk John Warren defeating challenger Ann Cruz; and Monique Bracey Huff was leading over incumbent Judge Etta J. Mullin for Criminal Court 10.
Passing the Torch - Johnson and Crockett on election night Credit: Texas Metro News
For more election results, go to www.dallascountyvotes.org
LUCKY MOVES
Path of Redemption Takes Gangbanger from a Menace to Society to a Mentor of Men By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines The road to redemption for Antong Lucky was paved with prison, pain, and past gangbanging. Lucky’s turning point came on May 21, 1997, as he was standing before a Dallas County judge. During that brief period, years of bad decisions began to roll across his mind like a fast-action movie. As he waited for the verdict, he unsuccessfully scrambled for words to inform the judge that he wasn’t the person on the arrest documents.
Houston park welcomes new George Floyd statue By Defender News Service Houston’s Tom Bass Park unveils a statue of George Floyd on Wednesday. The statute, created by sculptor Adrienne Rison-Isom, is called “Conversation with George.” It will depict Floyd seated at an outdoor table, welcoming everyone of all races and ethnic backgrounds, to have a seat and join him. “I hope that it serves as a gathering spot for reflection and action today and always,” Houston Mayor See HOUSTON PARK, page 15
As President of Urban Specialists, Antong Lucky, has turned his prison sentence into a passion for helping to empower and encourage communities.
Geogre Floyd mural 3400 Holman-3rd Ward Texas
Who was Yanga? African Prince on exhibit & why he’s important to African Americans & Latinos (Part I) I WAS JUST THINKING... By Norma Adams-Wade
I hate not knowing something. But I am among tens of thousands of African-Americans who never heard of and were never taught about this once-enslaved African prince
who is so vital to who we Black and Latino people are today that apparently someone thought it best to keep him a buried secret. His name is Gaspar Yanga. An entire exhibit about this self-liberated African Maroon opened April 9, 2022 at the African-American Museum at Fair Park and will be there through October 31. I urge you to see it. There are so many elements to this story – both then and now. Some of it is unifying and See WHO WAS YANGA, page 13
Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney, retired history professor, president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and former deputy director of the African American Museum at Fair Park in Dallas
“I was fully expecting to go home that day. Then I heard the judge say that I was a menace to society," recalled Lucky. “While he was sentencing me to prison, I was having a conversation in my head. I just wanted him to know that the person on the papers he was looking at was not me. I needed him to know that I was just trying to survive the vicious world of the streets, but I was really a good kid.” The words that were in his head never became audible. The only words that the judge had to go by were already written down, and the reports depicted a troubled youth from the age of 13. Lucky’s life of turmoil highlighted violence, drug dealing, and his leadership in the Dallas 415 Blood Gang. See PATH OF REDEMPTION, Page 14