Texas Metro News 5-26-22

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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

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• Vol-10

• May 26 - June 1, 2022

BRIEFS

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UTA SELECTS TAMARA L. BROWN AS NEW PROVOST Dr. Tamara L. Brown comes to UTA from the University of North Texas (UNT), where she served as executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences since 2019.

In that position, she increased both student retention and diversity of the faculty.

“As the University’s chief academic officer, Tamara will take responsibility for realizing our central mission of promoting and achieving academic excellence,” UTA President Jennifer Cowley said. “She has the vision and experience to help UTA realize its collective vision of becoming one of the nation’s most inclusive and impactful research universities.”

Prior to her time at UNT, Brown was interim dean of graduate studies from 2018-19 at Prairie View A&M University. From 2012-18,

she served as dean and professor of Prairie View’s College of Juvenile Justice and Psychology and executive director of the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center. From 1999-2012, she was an assistant professor and then associate professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky.

Brown earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Longwood College. She also has a master’s of divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.

“UT Arlington is renowned for its innovative and expanding research portfolio, its focus on fostering student success and its ability to attract bright, hardworking students from

Brown to serve as chief academic officer at state’s newest Tier One university

Dr. Tamara Brown will serve as the next provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at The University of Texas at Arlington, effective Aug. 1.

across Texas and around the globe,” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to joining the Maverick family and playing a role in the University’s continued success.”

James P. Grover, who led UTA’s national search as chairman of the provost search committee, said Brown’s strong academic credentials and proven leadership will help guide UTA into a new era as the state’s newest Tier One university.

“Throughout her career, Tamara has provided strategic leadership focused on improving student success, increasing retention and creating new opportunities for learning,” said Grover, dean of the Graduate School and UTA’s interim vice president for research.

“She also has a proven track record of work-

ing collaboratively with faculty to increase diversity, promote their scholarship and support increased research and grant activity.”

Brown replaces Pranesh Aswath, who has served as UTA’s interim provost since 2020.

“Pranesh played a vital role in UTA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has worked tirelessly to sustain and build on the University’s momentum in the face of an ever-evolving higher education landscape,” Cowley said. “We are fortunate to have benefited from his energy and expertise in the interim role.”

“Becoming Jane: The Evolution Of Dr. Jane Goodall” Exhibition Makes Its Texas Debut At Perot Museum TELLING THE STORY OF A LEGENDARY SCIENTIST AND CONSERVATIONIST, “BECOMING JANE: THE EVOLUTION OF DR. JANE GOODALL” EXHIBITION MAKES ITS TEXAS DEBUT AT THE PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE MAY 21-SEPT. 5 In celebration of its 10th Anniversary and continued commitment to STEM workforce development, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” running May 21-Sept. 5, 2022. World-renowned conservationist and ethologist Dr. Jane Goodall – who has famously studied chimpanzees in the wild for more than 60 years – is celebrated in this special exhibition, produced in partnership with the National Geographic Society and the Jane Goodall Institute.

“As we continue to commemorate our 10th Anniversary, we are committed to bringing world-class exhibitions, such as ‘Becoming Jane,’ to the Museum because experiential learning is essential to building the most talented and diverse STEM workforce,” said Dr. Linda Silver, Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer of the Perot Museum. “This exhibition and its exploration of Dr. Goodall’s legacy offers enriching educational experiences to inspire minds of all ages.”

Dr. Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a UN Messenger of Peace, dedicated her career to studying the lives of chimpanzees. Widely known for her innovative approach to animal behavior research, Dr. Goodall traveled to what is now Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park and immersed herself in observing chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Rather than seeing the animals as subjects, she came to regard them as individuals with personalities and emotions – a notion once rejected by the scientific world, yet now considered revolutionary.

A woman ahead of her time, Dr. Goodall’s

story – one of fearless determination, curiosity, the pursuit of knowledge and a passionate love of the natural world – has resonated with generations of people around the globe.

“Becoming Jane” explores Dr. Goodall’s life, from her early years as an intrepid young woman with a dream to learn about animals in Africa, to establishing herself as a renowned scientist in Gombe, Tanzania, to her present role as an activist and mentor for creating a better world for life on Earth.

“What’s remarkable about Dr. Goodall is how young she was when she began her research in Africa, and with little scientific training in a male-dominated industry,” said Dr. Silver. “She is an exemplary role model, specifically for young women in science. Visitors to this exhibition from all backgrounds will be impacted by her unprecedented accomplishments and bold tenacity.”

As guests enter the exhibition, they embark on a journey to the jungles of Africa via a multiscreen experience that introduces Dr. Goodall’s extraordinary work, alongside surprising encounters with virtually rendered chimpanzees. Nearby, a life-size replica of Dr. Goodall’s research tent provides a hands-on experience where visitors can envision themselves as scientists jotting down observations in their field journals. In addition to an immersive projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park, the exhibition features a variety of interactive augmented reality (AR) activities, including one where visitors can test their skills at matching the “chimp chat” of a chimpanzee.

Through a highly interactive experience, Perot Museum celebrates the indelible legacy of Dr. Goodall and affirms its commitment to bringing world-class exhibitions to inspire next generation of STEM leaders

Jane Goodall with Roots & Shoots members and local school-children in a village near Kigoma, Tanzania, 2010. Learn how Jane pioneered community-centered conservation at “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” an exhibition organized by National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute. The exhibition is open at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 22, 2019 through summer 2020.

Credit: Chase Pickering, Jane Goodall Institute

A makeshift campsite beckons guests to gather around as they hear from a hologram-like projection of Dr. Goodall who shares her memories of Gombe and recalls her thoughts, feelings, impressions and lessons learned while living among chimpanzees. Guests can also get updates on the current state of Gombe Stream National Park and the chimpanzee range in Africa, along with the work of the innovative scientists and conservationists who are following in Dr. Goodall’s footsteps.

“Jane Goodall has been inspiring Na-

tional Geographic audiences, young and old, for over half a century,” said Kathryn Keane, vice president of public programming at the National Geographic Society.

“This exhibition allows us to experience her amazing life story in a highly personal and powerful way. Through immersive media, authentic scenic and interactives, this exhibition takes visitors into the field and around the world with Jane, walking in her shoes and experiencing her powerful message of hope firsthand.”

The exhibition concludes with a call to

action from Dr. Goodall to join her, the Jane Goodall Institute and National Geographic in an effort to ensure a more sustainable future for all. Visitors to the exhibition can join Dr. Goodall in her efforts to conserve the natural world by pledging to make a positive change in their daily routines and contributing to the Tree of Hope.

“Becoming Jane”is supported locally by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District and, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

HOURS. The Museum is open daily (except Tuesdays). Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.From Memorial Day-Labor Day (May 30-Sept. 5), the Museum will open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday-Saturday and from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday.Member-only mornings provide exclusive access from 9-10 a.m. every Saturday and 10-11 a.m. every Sunday.

TICKETS. Museum general admission is $25 for adults (13-64), $15 for youth (2-12) and $18 for seniors (65+). Museum general admission is free for members.

Children under 2 are always free. “Becoming Jane”requires an additional ticket of $8 for adults (13-64) and seniors (65+), $6 for youth (2-12) and free for children under 2. Member tickets for “Becoming Jane”are $5 for all age levels. Tickets are timed entry and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To avoid sellouts, visitors are strongly encouraged to purchase advanced tickets at perotmuseum.org.

The Perot Museum is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas, Texas. For parking information and other details, visit perotmuseum.org or call 214-428-5555.

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• Vol-10

• May 26 - June 1, 2022

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15 dead in Texas School Shooting

By Emily Dietzmann The number of victims continues to change and at press time, 19 children and two teachers, have been confirmed as dead and 12 injured, following a mass shooting at around 11:32 a.m.

Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. the shooter, Salvador Ramos also shot his grandmother, who is “holding on,” according to latest reports, before heading to the school.

Acknowledging that this mass shooting was number 212 this year, President Joe Biden re-

leased a heavy sigh before delivering remarks Tuesday evening.

“I’d hoped when I became president I would not have to do this,” he said, as he talked about “beautiful innocent, second, third and fourth graders” who were murdered as if they were “on a battlefield,” instead of in classrooms at school.

The president also talked about the parents and loved ones “who will never be the same” and never see their children again. He asked for prayers, explaining that losing a child was like”having a piece of

Shooter Salvador Ramos

your soul ripped away.”

“When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lob-

byists,” he asked. “I am sick and tired. We have to act.”

Switching to Texas, the story dominated headlines.

“Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde,” Governor Greg Abbott said, as he addressed the media. “Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support for all who are suffering.”

Salvador Ramos — an 18-yearold-male — entered the school armed with a handgun and

possibly a rifle and opened fire before, causing massive damage before he was believed to have been killed by responders.

“He shot and killed — horrifically, incomprehensibly,” said the Governor.

According to the president, there’s “a lot we don’t know yet,” but investigations are underway.

The FBI and border responders are currently at the scene, in addition to local police departments. South Texas Blood is currently sending units to Uvalde to deliver blood to the injuries.

Jason Kidd, Steve Kerr, Vickie Johnson Speak on Uvalde, Texas School Shooting

By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor

Coaches for the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Wings and Golden State Warriors – whose teams were all in action Tuesday night – spoke on the Uvalde, Texas school shooting Tuesday afternoon that killed 21 people, including 18 children.

“Before we start discussing basketball, tonight's game, I'd like to say that our hearts go out to the victims and family of the horrific events in Uvalde, Texas.

We send our condolences to our fellow Texans, and we'll keep them in our hearts,” said Mavs Head Coach Jason Kidd whose team was playing the Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals at American Airlines Center.

“We truly will play with heavy hearts tonight for the community, for the school of Robb Elementary School, he continued.

“What's going on is a little bit more important than basketball “You know, as coaches or fathers, we have kids. People in this room have kids. Elementary school… You just think about what could take place with any of your family or friends at a school.

“But the news of what's happening, not just here in Texas but throughout our country, is sad.”

Before her team took on the Connecticut Sun on the road,

Dallas Wings Head Coach Vickie Johnson said: “I know we are all here for basketball and this game tonight, but my thoughts and prayers go out to the families outside of San Antonio. The school shooting is a horrible thing, and our prayers go out to them.”

The most emotional com-

basketball. Since we left (basketball) shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here, and a teacher. In the last 10 days, we've had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, we've had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California, now we have children murdered at school.”

who refuse to vote on HR8, which is a background check rule that the House passed a couple years ago. It's been sitting there for two years. There's a reason they won't vote on it: to hold onto power.”

“I ask you, Mitch McConnell, all of you Senators who refuse to do anything about the violence, school shootings, supermarket

Golden State Warriors coaches talking about the Uvalde School Shooting

ments and reaction came from Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr who banged his fist on the table in his pre-game press conference several times and challenged mostly Republicans in Washington to make changes.

His entire statements are below: **“I'm not going to talk about

“When are we going to do something? I'm tired. I'm so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I'm so tired. Excuse me. I'm sorry. I'm tired of the moments of silence.

Enough.”

“There's 50 Senators right now

shootings, I ask you: Are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers? Because that's what it looks like. That's what we do every week.”

“So, I'm fed up. I've had enough. We're going to play the

game tonight. But I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if this happened to you today?”

“We can't get numb to this. We can't sit here and just read about it and go, well, let's have a moment of silence. Go Dubs. C'mon, Mavs, let's go. That's what we're going to do. We're going to go play a basketball game.”

“Fifty Senators in Washington are going to hold us hostage. Do you realize that 90 percent of Americans, regardless of political party, want background checks, universal background checks?

Ninety percent of us. We are being held hostage by 50 Senators in Washington who refuse to even put it to a vote, despite what we the American people want.”

“They won't vote on it because they want to hold onto their own power. It's pathetic. I've had enough.”

Kerr’s dad, Malcolm Kerr, was shot and killed by members of the Shia Lebanese militia called Islamic Jihad on the morning of January 18, 1984 at the age of 52 while he was serving as president of the American University of Beirut. Steve Kerr was 18 years old and a college freshman. ** At the time of his comments at 6 p.m., only 14 kids were announced as dead.

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• Vol-10

• May 26 - June 1, 2022

QUIT PLAYIN’

By Vincent L. Hall They say that heaven is 10 zillion light years away. And just the pure at heart will walk her righteous streets someday. But if there is a God, we need Him now.

"Where is your God?” That's what my friends ask me. And I say it's taken Him so long because we've got so far to come...

Sing it, Stevie. We feel you!

You might have missed the opportunity to celebrate but a couple of weeks ago was a special day in our history. It was the King’s birthday. Not the King of Pop or the King of Soul. May 13, 2022 was the 72nd birthday of the King of Thought, Stevie Wonder.

You can spend weeks and months surveying and singing all of the incredible music attributed to Stevie. But when I ran across this song, the message in every measure was apropos. These days, it seems like heaven is at least 10 zillion light years away.

Now for those who don’t delve deeply into science, “light years” is not a measurement of time but distance. One light year is equiv-

BLACK CARD

By Terry Allen Lucille “Big Mama” Allen's greatest gift was the back porch lessons given to the family.

My grandmother consistently and quietly challenged our personal efforts and spiritual alignment. She steadfastly believed T E X A S

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We Feel you, Stevie!

alent to 10 trillion kilometers.

America shudders at the thought of federal budgets that reach into the trillions. But the distance and deficit between the USA and the “God” we proclaim is the distance that should concern us most.

We may claim to be “One nation under God,” but who could tell.

God does not despise the poor, banish the immigrant or threaten the peace and serenity of the planet.

God does not promote hate in speech or deed, and God has to be sick of America provoking his name with nuclear warheads in tow.

How else do you explain the inexplicable series of calamities we suffer? The threat of terrorism has absconded the gift of freedom. And not just the stereotypical jihadists that we conjure up when the word terrorism is spoken.

We got young racists who visit churches during prayer meetings

BIG MAMA SAID:

Address: 320 S.R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 100 Dallas, Tx 75203 Website: www.texasmetronews.com Phone: 214-941-0110

and kill us. We got a new generation of haters who feel the need to drive 600 miles to El Paso to get rid of them “Mexicans.” Or 240 miles with a manifesto to justify walking into a grocery store to kill Black folks.

Meanwhile, love has yielded its influence to the twin demonic spirits of hatred and loathing.

Our greed and selfishness are annihilating the inheritance of a brilliant biosphere. Five dollar-a-gallon gas may be the only

means to quench our unquenchable taste for oil and other potential biological catastrophes. We don’t want electric cars, but we have run out of space to discard dirty oil, tires, batteries, and power plants.

Stevie was on to something in 1974 when he released “Fulfillingness’ First Finale.”

All the songs are rich and thought-provoking. But Stevie testifies that when friends who don't know his God ask about his God, he goes through hell trying to explain his heaven.

Where is God when Christian brothers and preachers align their covenants with Godless men like Donald Trump? How do you reconcile following God and following the imps of Satan?

Where is God when conniving capitalists trade the safety and lives of their coal miners for 30 extra shekels of silver? Where is God when almost 70% of people

in Dallas County jails have a verifiable mental issue?

Where is God when children are defiled or left in the wilderness and the ghettos to languish and die? Where is God when Governors like the one in Texas cuts social service safety nets?

Stevie is in a conundrum; because he has the extraordinary assignment of describing a universal God whom we believe favors America to the detriment of all others.

Even at age 72, Stevie is in a quandary to extol the rich virtues of greedy, grafting, hedonistic, and hateful people. “American Exceptionalism” is both a misnomer and a twisted concept!

Stevie finally exposes that he had to look within to find love.

He ended with a personal revelation.

"But if you open your heart, you can feel it, Feel His spirit. I opened my heart one morning, and I sho’ nuff could feel it; feel his spirit..!”

Happy Birthday, Stevland Hardaway Morris!

Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.

“YOU PUT YOUR FOOT IN IT”

that everybody in her path had to do their best.

Big Mama would see good, shout and tell you, “You put your foot in it,” then give praise to the community about it tenfold!

Why? Big Mama knew that any special praise would create doovers. What does it mean to put your foot in it!

What I know for sure, when someone says “you put your foot in it in our community, they mean you did an excellent job.

That you always may do good

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CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

We Have to Prevent the Tragedies in our Communities from Buffalo to El Paso and Save Our Democracy

work, but THIS TIME you went beyond the call of duty. You nailed it.

I believe no one knows the origin of that saying and how it got started, but it's been around forever. I explained what it meant in our community because in “other” communities, in the early 1700s, there is mixed history for it. It alludes to stepping in something unpleasant or a big mess has happened.

In 'Polite Conversation,' Jonathan Swift wrote, "The bishop has put his foot in it." But in our community, it means the opposite. It is a lesson in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for sure.

I am pleased to know that Big Mama was a DEI expert before it was in fashion. Big Mama’s

DEI scripture would be, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28 (NIV)” When the men of City Men Cook give up their Fathers’ Day to serve food because the attendees affirm with the cooks that the men “put their foot in it” through their smiles, moans and praise. It never fails that this statement is replicated table by table.

No matter how optimistic we are about this success, life sends us things that shake our faith. I call them faith shakers.

The 21-year-old white man, Patrick Crusius, accused of driving more than 11 hours through Texas to kill 23 Hispanics at an El

Paso Walmart and an 18-yearold, Payton Gendron, the Buffalo shooting suspect, walked in and killed 10 people while wounding three others in a public space in the community.

These are faith shakers, Family!

We are too silent for too long.

This is now where we have to “put our foot in it” at all levels. We have to do our best to eradicate the current erosion of freedoms and equity. Today Not tomorrow.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr spoke about our “appalling silence of good people” in the face of racism.

It is not an option for us to be silent. We must "put our foot in it."

Our democracy is in danger of imploding if we don’t put our foot in it!

Are you, foot soldiers, ready, if so, email me at terryallenpr@ gmail.com Terry Allen is an award-winning media professional, journalist, and entrepreneur. He is also the founder of City Men Cook and 1016 Media. Reach him at terryalllenpr@gmail.com

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There’s a Speck in your Eye FAITHFUL UTTERANCES

By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew

I was blessed to moderate a conversation with Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz’s daughter, Qubilah Shabazz, and Thomas Mohammed on what would have been Malcolm X’s 97th birthday.

It was such a powerful moment to listen to their stories that offered not only a history lesson but a different perspective on the man that was often misconstrued by media.

To learn more about Malcolm X as a father, husband and mentor was not something many of us were privy to. His love for his family was paramount and his faith guided his decisions and leadership. In learning

more about his daughter, I realized that all of us are born into situations that we didn’t necessarily have any choice about.

To be the daughter of a man who was hated by so many at the time and to face the unrealistic expectations and judgements of others can be oppressive and even overwhelming. My interactions with Qubilah forced me to look at how this has been a challenge even in my own family.

Many of us are expected to be like our parents, siblings, other relatives, or friends. It isn’t fair but it happens.

We all are dealt cards that we didn’t have a choice in choosing. Whether directly or indirectly, there are consequences that we suffer because of decisions (good or bad) others have made that impact our lives.

Sometimes we can change it and chart our course and other times, we are in response mode trying to find

our way. Either situation comes with a cost. From the outside looking in, we fawn over what we see but we often have no idea the weight that others carry.

Our limited view causes us to admire, even envy and yet, if we truly understood the intricate details of the journeys people walk, we’d rethink our assumptions and desires.

I’ve learned that we do such a disservice to others by placing our assumptions upon them or viewing them through our lens. We expect everyone to experience the world in the way that we do but that’s not realistic.

I remember being a college student and witnessing that many did not grow up as I did. They did not have the same values about money, cleanliness, or even time. College taught me a valuable lesson…. give people grace.

Everyone’s journey is different,

and it isn’t my job to judge, correct or even shove my opinions down their throat. It’s my job to love and hopefully through my love and the way that I live, I can be a light for others.

Hopefully the love I not only express in words but demonstrate through my actions can be liberating.

We all struggle with several areas of our lives that need change and I am baffled when people are fixated on changing others instead of focusing on being their best. I am in awe of the way Jesus knew the situations of those he healed. He knew their stories.

We lose so much energy and time trying to be God in people’s lives.

Our judgement and expectations will not change them and if anything, it will make them more resistant and resolved in their stance.

What we can do is love, listen, learn, and seek God’s will to be the best person WE can be. Instead of of-

fering condemnation, Jesus offered hope and life. Let’s do the same.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”

(Matthew 7: 1-5) Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the President and CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, LLC. She is the author of the four books including, Empowering Charity: A New Narrative of Philanthropy and the host of the Tapestry podcast. Visit drfroswabooker. com for more information.

Abortion Bans Part of Larger Agenda TO BE EQUAL

By Marc Morial “At a time when open racism was becoming unfashionable, these politicians needed a more high-minded issue, one that would not compel them to surrender their fundamental political orientation.

And of course. the beauty of defending a fetus is that the fetus demands nothing in return — housing, health care, education — so it’s a fairly lowrisk advocacy.” — religious historian Randall Balmer One of the enduring myths of American politics is that evangelical Christians were spurred en masse to political action by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling in Roe v.

Wade, which protects the legal right to abortion.

The truth is much uglier. Rightwing panic over legal abortion was sparked — and stoked — by panic over the advancement of civil rights and women’s rights. And the effort to roll back reproductive rights is part of a larger agenda to reverse the progress of the 20th century and re-establish white male dominance over our nation’s political and

social institutions.

The late Rev. Jerry Falwell, who founded the right-wing Moral Majority, did not speak publicly against abortion until 1978, five years after Roe. The Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution in 1971 calling for the legalization of abortion, reaffirming it in 1974 and 1976.

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson said in 1973 that the Bible is silent on abortion and that “a developing embryo or fetus is not regarded as a full human being.”

No, the Supreme Court decision that galvanized the religious right was not Roe v. Wade, but Green v.

Connally, which had its own origins in Brown v. Board of Education — 68 years ago this week — which outlawed racial segregation in public schools.

Resistance to integration following Brown was so strong that whites-only private schools known as “segregation academies” sprung up throughout the south. Falwell, who famously referred to the civil rights movement as “civil wrongs” established his own segregation academy, Lynchburg Christian School, in 1967.

In 1971, the Court ruled in Green v. Connally — and affirmed later that year in Coit v. Green — that a private school that practiced racial discrimination could not be eligible

for a tax exemption.

Bob Jones University, whose founder declared that integration was “contrary to the Word of God,” was especially energetic in fighting the ruling. The revocation of the Bob Jones tax exemption in 1976 “alerted the Christian school community about what could happen with government interference” Bob Jones administrator Elmer L. Rumminger, told Balmer. “That was really the major issue that got us all involved.”

Right-wing activists, particularly Falwell and Heritage Foundation co-founder Paul Weyrich, saw an opportunity to harness the surging racial anxiety among conservative Christians into political action.

“But Falwell and Weyrich, having tapped into the ire of evangelical leaders, were also savvy enough to recognize that organizing grassroots evangelicals to defend racial discrimination would be a challenge,” Balmer wrote. “It had worked to rally the leaders, but they needed a different issue if they wanted to mobilize evangelical voters on a large scale.”

Even in the late 1970s, organized opposition to legal abortion was mainly the domain of Roman Catholics. But the success of Republican candidates opposed to legal abortion in the 1978 Senate elections

demonstrated to right-wing political activists the issue’s potential to motivate conservative evangelical voters.

In the 1980 presidential election, evangelical voters flocked to Republican Ronald Reagan, who as governor of California had signed the nation’s most liberal abortion law in 1967, over fellow evangelical Jimmy Carter, who publicly stated his personal opposition to abortion.

The movement to criminalize abortion has never extricated itself from its racist origins. “Whites who score high on measures of racial resentment and racial grievance are far more likely to support strict limits on abortion than whites who score low on these measures,” political scientist Alan Abramowitz told the New York Times. White supremacist groups are among the movement’s most passionate supporters. At this year’s March for Life rally in January, members of the white nationalist Patriot Front distributed cards reading, “America belongs to its fathers, and it is owed to its sons. The restoration of American sovereignty must follow the restoration of the American Family.”

In a letter, earlier this week urging members of the Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, other Urban League leaders and I pointed out that overturning Roe

would put Black women in particular danger.

“Black women are 2.5 times more likely to die as a result of childbirth than White women. Meanwhile, due to racialized income and wealth disparities, inequitable access to medical care, and the other insidious ways structural racism manifests, people of color are more likely to require abortion care and are less likely to be able to afford out-of-state travel to obtain care if it is made illegal in their state,” we wrote. “Therefore, it is not only a gender justice issue but a racial justice issue to codify the right to an abortion into federal law and ensure all pregnant persons have the ability to make personal health decisions.”

As House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn tweeted, “We have seen #SCOTUS gut voting rights. Other decisions like Brown v. Board [desegregation of schools], Loving v.

Virginia [allowing interracial marriage], and Obergefell v. Hodges [upholding same-sex marriage] could hang in the balance.

“History teaches us that if a thing has happened before, it can happen again.”

“We must fight to reclaim rights that have been lost and defend rights that are in danger.”

Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.

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IF WHITE SUPREMACY IS POISON, ETHNIC STUDIES IS THE ANTIDOTE!!!

THE LAST WORD

By Dr. Julianne Malveaux President Joe Biden was uncharacteristically, but appropriately, angry and firm when he described white supremacy as "poison." He spoke from Buffalo days after a putrid young white man, Peyton Gendron, shot thirteen people, killing ten. All but two of those he shot were Black, and all of those massacred were Black.

This young man carefully planned his massacre. He went to the Tops grocery store at least three times, choosing its location because it was in a zip code that was more than 75 percent Black. He planned more killings but eventually surrendered to white police officers who "begged" him to do so. If a Black man had shot up a store full of white people, he would not have been able to walk out of there. Instead of bargaining with him, someone would have shot him in the legs or the head.

Gendron’s parents bear some responsibility for his heinous act. His father, Paul Gendron, admitted to purchasing a gun for him. After Peyton was eval-

uated for mental health issues, his father allowed him to keep the weapon. Pitbull Attorney Ben Crump ought to be filing a lawsuit against dad Gendron, the FBI, and others who enabled this lunatic to kill ten Black people, too many of them Black women community stalwarts who were over 60 when they were massacred.

I don't know much about Peyton Gendron, but I know he never took an ethnic studies class. Instead, he was simmering in his ignorance, trolling the Internet for warped "replacement" theories. Had he lived in California, where an ethnic studies class is a graduation requirement for community college students and those attending the twenty-three universities in the California State system, he might have been exposed to replacement realities. Native American or American Indian people occupied this land that is now the United States. They were "replaced" by white barbarians who stole their land, killed them, isolated them in reservations, took their children, attempted to indoctrinate them in boarding schools, and more.

If young Gendron had gone to a factually accurate page on the Internet, he might have learned that Black folks were the ma-

jority in many Southern states until the early twentieth century. According to blackpast.org, an historically accurate website, "enslaved people and their descendants had become the majority” of South Carolina's population by 1708. It remained so until 1920, except for a brief

Gendron never had the benefit of Ethnic Studies classes. He never ingested the antidote to the poison he embodies. In his 1905 Niagra Movement speech, WEB DuBois said, "Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. " Looks like

time between 1790 and 1820.

Racism and brutal treatment allowed white folks to replace them. In particular, attacks on Black male voters repelled Black folks from a state where we built its economic foundation. According to black past. org, the 1876 Hamburg Massacre ended a period of Black political participation when Black elected officials were forcibly removed from their posts." Replacement theory? Who was replacing who?

ignorance is winning. The conservative columnist Max Boot wrote that "the Buffalo shooter's views are mainstream on the right. These are the folks who not only have not been exposed to Ethnic Studies but who actively resist learning about the truth. The Tucker Carlsons of the world revel in their ability to incite ignorance, encourage domestic terrorists, and indulge in hateful views.

The FBI has always viewed Black activism as a threat to

our national security, targeting Black activists from Marcus Garvey to Malcolm X to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to the Black Panther Party with surveillance and Cointelpro sabotage. In the wake of the 2020 protests that took it to the streets, the so-called intelligence agency coined the term "Black identity extremists" and monitored, among others, Black Lives Matter activists. Did they ever target, monitor, or investigate white supremacist extremists?

Payton Gundron might not have been allowed to purchase the guns that killed ten Black people if they had.

While President Biden forcefully described white supremacy as poison and said that "hate will not prevail," he only talked in general terms about the antidote. This massacre provides President Biden with an opportunity to embrace Ethnic Studies and encourage it as an antidote to hate. Perhaps he might propose legislation similar to California's that would promote Ethnic Studies and require it in federally funded colleges and universities. It’s time for our nation, drenched in racist poison, to consider the antidote.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author. She is the Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA. Juliannemalveaux.com

Roe v Wade, Voter Suppression, and “We” The Voters OUR VOICES

By Dr. John E. Warren The current uproar over the leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court's anticipated Decision on Abortion Rights is another example of the Republican Right Wing effort to eliminate democracy under the cover of the very Constitution which provides all our democratically protected rights. We have seen the attack on Voting Rights by the actions of the Republicans in the U.S. Senate who refused to support not only the Voting Rights Act but also the John Lewis Act and the

legislation coming out of the George Floyd murder.

These are the same Republicans who we now know plotted to overthrow the U.S. Government on January 6, 2021, with their efforts to stop the certification of President Joseph Biden as President of the United States. These are the same Senators who prevented former President Obama from making a United States Supreme Court nomination while these same Republican Senators rushed through two conservative nominations who are now a part of the long-awaited overthrow of Roe v. Wade.

What we do know is that Primary Season is upon us and that we all have a chance to make some choices and changes if we look closely at

who is running for what offices around this country and in our own backyard.

“We” the people, must not lose control of the U.S. House of Representatives, nor the U.S. Senate. The Senate hangs on “one” vote tied at 50/50 because of the two Independents that vote with the Democrats.

We now know that what we saw with Voter Suppression laws in over 22 States was just the beginning. Roe v. Wade is the second step in the attack on Civil Rights following Voter Suppression. Next, we are seeing references to changing such Constitutional rights as the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection and Due Process guarantees, as well as provisions of the Civil rights Act. We should not get over-

whelmed with the magnitude of the attacks but rather understand and remember that our votes represent the solutions to preserving our rights.

Congress, using the legislative process, has the ability to reverse and codify, if necessary, any Decisions that the United States Supreme Court makes.

This is the strength of our separation of powers under the Constitution. But that can only happen if we have the votes in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

If we return to the idea of killing the “Filibuster Rule” in the Senate, making it no longer necessary to have 60 votes instead of 50 plus one, with the Vice President as the tiebreaker, then we could get about the business of governance. Pres-

ident Biden did not fight hard enough to break the Filibuster and he knows better than most having spent 38 years in the U.S. Senate. The Democrats in the Senate cannot be so afraid of losing control of the Senate in the next election, that they allow McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, to continue to control the Senate because he controls the Filibuster.

“We” the people, must follow the example of the people of the State of Georgia and realize that “All Black Votes Matter” and must be voted and counted if we are to survive the lynching and extermination that a few have planned for so many of us.

Where do you stand?

Dr. John E. Warren is publisher of The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint.

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Metro Community Calendar powered by RECURRING: The African American Genealogical Interest Group meets the 3rd Saturday each month, 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., through May, in the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1st floor West Room, 1515 Young St.

MAY

1955: U.S. Supreme Court orders school integration “with all deliberate speed.”

June BLACK MUSIC MONTH

8

1982: Hall of Famer and first Black pitcher Satchel Paige died. Born 7/ 7/ 06.

9

1 Snoh Aalegra Live in Dallas @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

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26

1862: Slavery was abolished in all U.S. Possessions.

1926: Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis is born.

ELUSIVE LADIES 27

1942: Messman Dorie Miller first American hero of Pearl Harbor awarded Navy Cross.

28 1944: Singer Glady’s Knight (of Gladys Knight and the Pips) is born.

29 1965: Vivian Malone became first Black to graduate from the University of Alabama.

30 1962: Edward Franklin Frazier, world famous sociologist, historian and educator, died.

Memorial Day

31

1987: Dr. Mae C. Jemison becomes the first Black woman astronaut.

2

1863: Harriet Tubman, under the command of Union Colonel James Montgomery, led 150 Black Union soldiers in the Combahee River Raid in South Carolina.

This was the only Civil War military engagement where a woman was the commander.

GARY OWEN | STAND UP @ ADDISON IMPROV COMEDY CLUB Tickets - improvtx. com/addison/comic/gary+owen 1889: Hattie McDaniel, stage and screen actress

10 NTheknow’ Presents The Cigar Lovers Friday Mixer at 5pm @ TK’s in Addison, 14854 Montfort Drive

Send your calendar items to editor@texasmetronews.com

3

16

1956: A Federal Court ruled that racial segregation on Montgomery City buses violated the Constitution.

Dallas Southern Pride just added rapper, songwriter, and record executive, Yo Gotti, as a headliner for its Juneteenth Unity Weekend celebration, June 16-19, 2022. Yo Gotti will perform at the Mega Party on Saturday, June 18 alongside Dallas’ own superstars Erica Banks and Yella Beezy. The Mega Party will start at 10 p.m. and will be held at Amplified (10262 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, Texas)

4 The Silent Partner presents “I Love Music Day Experience,” celebrating Black Music Month at Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave, Dallas, Texas, 3pm to 8pm, Feat N’tense, the band, live! DJ Phil on the patio and DJ Twisted - inside presale tickets/table reservation: https://ilovemusic2022.eventbrite.com Reserve a table for guaranteed seating!

1665: The first Baptist Church in America was founded.

1922: First Black U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel Gravely is born

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these living legends nominated for their legendary efforts in making a difference in our community and the lives of others: Margie Aguilar, Co-Founder ISP Studios; Tim Brown, NFL Hall of Fame and Heisman honoree; Attorney Paul Coggins, Partner of Locke Lord and former U.S. Attorney; Lauriston Crockett, CEO of Genostim Labs; Felecia Frazier, Founder and Executive Director of Chocolate Mint Foundation; Charles Haley, former Dallas Cowboys player and NFL Hall of Fame inductee; Ashlee Hunt Kleinert, CEO of D Magazine and Ruthies Food Truck; Libbie Terrell Lee, Executive Director Golden S.E.E.D.S. CDC; Roland Parrish, CEO of Parrish Restaurants; Rosie Stromberg, Dallas Jewish Historical Society; Carolyn Toliver, Benefits Counselor of Community Council of Greater Dallas; and Rev. S.M. Wright II, Pastor of People’s Baptist Church and President of S.M. Wright Foundation.

The World According to Andrew on BlogTalkRadio.com 8 am.-10 am. CST. Sundays Tune in for thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news and commentary. Join the call 646200-0459 on Andrew’s World.

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.

18 African American Museum’s 33rd Texas Invitational Black Rodeo at Fair Park Coliseum, Tickets on sale $10 and up

24 From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Dallas City Hall Plaza - A Free event and open to the public; the “Giants Shoulders on Which We Stand Memorial” and Interfaith Prayer and Praise Celebration.

25

Verna H.E.L.P. Seventh Annual Empowerment Prayer and Living Legends Brunch from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Royal Oaks Country Club honoring

July 19

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.

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2022 Entrepreneurs Showcase

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Lifestyle Metro Calendar powered by MAY Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

26 Elusive Ladies celebrate 44th DELTAversary -#BADST

27

Iota Phi Lambda, Sorority Inc., Psi Chapter, 85th Anniversary Gala will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre Hotel-5410 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Dallas Entertainment will be provided by the legendary Don Diego Band.

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Melanin Manifestival “What’s Your Truth” Intimate Conversations Starts at 9 pm 4 the Culture Studio, 115 N Carroll Ave, Dallas, TX 75226 Free event RSVP at eventbrite

5

So What? Musical Festival, 1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington

Me in You, You in Me Acro Yoga Event Starts at 10 am 4 the Culture Studio, 115 N Carroll Ave, Dallas, TX Free event RSVP at eventbrite

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29 Parking Pass Stereo Live- Dallas 10pm 2711 Storey Lane

31 Freshstart Employent Pipeline Hiring Event 10a-3p in J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 6th Floor Wing, 1515 Young St., Dallas. For pre-screening visit https://bit. ly/3P9lmsz or register at https://bit.ly/38favN7

JUNE 1

‘Live Out Proud’ at the Dallas Pride Music Festival & Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade in Fair Park June 4-5. Dallas Pride readies for its return to Fair Park June 4-5 to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its allies with a weekend of events with the theme of “Live Out Proud.” Tickets are on sale now at dallaspride.org for the Dallas Pride Music Festival

*** North Texas Juneteenth Celebration Powered by: Elite News, Heal America, Stand Together Foundation Golf Tournament Fair Park 3809 Grand Avenue Dallas, TX 75210 10am - 8pm Free event Tickets on eventbrite

Melanin Manifest Presents: Pull Up and Register to Vote Brunch, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM 4 The Culture Studio, 115 N Carroll Ave, Dallas, TX 75226 Free event with Brunch, Live poetry and 3 DJs. https://www.melaninmanifestival.com/events/pull-up-andregister-to-vote-brunch

Dallas Metroplex Musicians’ Association’s William S. Mitchell Sacred Choral Music Workshop, to convene Monday through Friday, June 20 - June 24, 2022, 7:00 P. M. until 9:00 P. M. The Concert will be held Saturday, June 25, 2022, at 4:30 P. M. Pearly Gate Baptist Church will host this endeavor. It is located at 6021 University Hills Drive, Dallas, Texas 75241, Dr. Thomas J. Payne, Senior Pastor, and Dr. Robbie Moore, Pastor.

16

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents An Evening with

Soledad O’Brien

19 Juneteenth and Father’s Day Nick Cannon Presents: MTV Wild N OUT, Dos Equis Pavillian, Dallas

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20

Happy birthday Jamille Bradfield

20-24

I Love the 90’s R&B / Hip Hop Memorial Weekend Party 2333 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, 75235 4pm - 9pm Tickets: $9.99 - 199.99

Melanin Manifestival Painting at the Pink + P - Valley Watch Party Starts at 8 pm 4 the Culture Studio, 115 N Carroll Ave, Dallas, TX 75226, USA Free event RSVP at eventbrite

Lofty Spaces 816 Montgomery St Dallas, TX For vendor Info contact Ms.Clara 832-461-6729 Tickets on eventbrite

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97 Days of Summer Kickoff Concert!

EPIC night with #Jeezy, #kmichelle and special guest #LLoyd. Its going down Memorial Day weekend at Texas Trust CU Theater! 6pm

Elite Experience Events Dallas Juneteenth Festival

CITY MEN COOK

at African American Museum

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Black Violin: Impossible Tour

AT & T Performing Arts Center 8pm - 10 pm Tickets link: www.attpac.org/on-sale/2020/black-violin

21 Funky Calavera and Push ‘N’ Pull Present DJ’s & Ceviches event DJ’s playing house music all evening & Sugarman’s slinging craft cocktails and all night long 6 - 10 pm - Happy Hour 6 - 7 pm 1165 8th AVE., FT. Worth, Tx 76104 Free event

24

11:00 AM to 2:00 PM--A Memorial Balloon and Floral Ceremony for the 30 City and County leaders that assisted with the START and EXISTENCE of Verna’s H.E.L.P. Foundation “HELPING EVERYONE LIVE POSITIVE.” “THE THIRTY SHOULDERS WE STAND ON OF GIANTS.” Honoring the Late Frank and Judy Lott, Honorable Elsie Faye Higgins, Mayor Annette Strauss, Gloria Hogg, Murdine Berry, Olga Mae Rabourn, Mr. J.B. Jackson, Honorable Albert and Lovie Lipscomb, Pastor George W. Pryor, Pastor S.M. Wright, William and Mozelle Blair, Comer J. Cottrell, Lawson Ridgeway, Attorney Louis A Bedford, M. T. “Buddy” Minyard, Judge John H. Wittington, Judge Cleo Steele, Fred Meyer, Norman Moorehead, John Stemmons, Peter and Betty May Stewart, Dr. Charles Mitchell, Mayor Jack Evans, Poncho Medrano, Mayor Starke Taylor, and Mayor Robert Folsom.

25 The Ultimate Holistic Festival REBIRTH, 9am-5pm Celebratiing Life and Welllnss at the Armstron Park and D.L. Hopkins Senior Center, 100 James COllins Blvd. in Dunvanville There will be a Too Vegan Chef in Dallas Contest, African DAnce FEstival and more.www.globalholisticmovement.org

JULY 10 BAMM, Being a Melanin Mom, Inc. cordially invites you to Second Annual Black Owned Experience Summer Expo! 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM CDT Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery Street Dallas, TX

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Soaring to the Top: Teacher of the Year Honorees Selected by Campus Peers (DESOTO, TX) — DeSoto ISD is pleased to announce its 2022 Teacher of the Year honorees!

Representing all 10 campuses throughout the District, educators were selected by their schools for this annual and distinctive honor.

“These teachers were selected by their campuses, their peers,” DeSoto ISD Chief of Human Capital Management Dr. Violet Dean said. “They exemplify excellent teaching, their students and themselves; they give back to the community. There’s criteria set by the district, the campuses vote and they determine which one from the campus will become the campus Teacher of the Year.”

Twynnette Anderson - Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School An accomplished music educator who began her musical studies by playing the piano at age four, Anderson is the Assistant Band Director at McCowan Middle School. Anderson joined DeSoto ISD in 2018 after previously assisting the DeSoto High School band program, and serving as a band director, music instructor, choir director and music technology teacher in Georgia, Virginia, Dallas and Duncanville. She holds Bachelor’s of Arts degrees in both Music Management and African American Studies from Georgia State University and a Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership from North Central University.

Don Brookins - West Middle School Military mindfulness and commitment to helping today’s youth are the cornerstone of DeSoto West Middle School JROTC Army instructor, Special First Class (SFC) Don Brookins.

Having spent 26 years active duty in the United States Army prior to joining DeSoto ISD in 2009, SFC Brookins’ assignments have taken him to many places, including Germany, Romania and Canada.

He is a lifetime member of the National Guard Association of Texas. In addition to receiving numerous military honors and commendations, SFC Brookins completed studies in Business Administration at Columbia College-Fort Worth. He retired from the U.S. Army as an E-7 SFC.

Jamee Cox - DeSoto Alternative Education Program A career journalist before joining the education ranks, Jamee Cox brings keenness for understanding multiple sides of a story to students at the DeSoto Alternative Education Program (DAEP). Having joined the District nearly three years ago, after close to a decade of teaching, Cox prides herself in being an advocate for students that strug-

degree in Environmental Design from the University of Puerto Rico.

Katrina Granger - Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy For Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy K-5 Master Teacher Katrina Granger, the DeSoto community has always reminded her of home.

From Waco to studies at Prairie View A&M University, and

he returned to the classroom.

While Harman presently teaches at The Meadows, he’s also served as an instructor at Ruby Young Elementary.

Edwaurdo King - Ruby Young Personalized STEAM Academy Helping eagles take flight, Ruby Young Personalized STEAM Academy Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructor and Drone Director Edwaurdo King began his edu-

gle a little more than most and require extra care and devotion.

She leads the campus social and emotional efforts, providing the DAEP team with policies and procedures to ensure safe and productive learning environments for students. Cox holds degrees in journalism and technical and professional writing.

Aracelis Cruz-Nevins - Cockrell Hill Elementary School Assisting Spanish-speaking families during a school enrollment event for her own child began Aracelis Cruz-Nevins’ education career. Jumping in where needed, she’s been learning and growing with DeSoto ISD for the past decade. As a first grade dual language teacher at Cockrell Hill Elementary School, Cruz-Nevins started at Frank D. Moates Elementary, crediting former principal Wesley Pittman with the opportunity to work as a bilingual kindergarten teacher. Her trajectory of impacting students has garnered Teacher of the Year nominations each year since her start in 2012.

Cruz-Nevins holds a Bachelor's

teaching in Hempstead, Texas, half of Grangers’ 16 years in education have been in DeSoto ISD. Joining the District in 2015, after a brief stint as a stay-at-home mom, her longing for the classroom brought her back, with her first stop at Northside Elementary. Granger has served on the campus of Frank D. Moates Elementary as well and takes pride in actively creating a legacy of lifelong learners.

Steven Harman - The Meadows Elementary School With nearly three decades in education, and 15 years in DeSoto ISD, fourth grade math and science instructor Steven Harman makes children a priority for their future success in our communities and abroad. Prior to education, Harman worked in the defense industry in quality control/assurance management. His education experience began in Arlington ISD where he worked with students in at-risk populations. Harman has also led as a campus assistant principal and principal. Recognizing greater success with students,

cation career in 2019 at DeSoto East Middle School. A United States Navy veteran, King takes pride in instilling not only academic values in students, but life lessons as well. Serving as the District elementary and middle school department lead for CTE, King is an accomplished educator known for his classroom management and ability to show students there are different paths in life. King holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration from Strayer University.

Jasmin Mallory - Woodridge Elementary School In her fourth year as an educator, with all being in DeSoto ISD, Woodridge Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jasmin Mallory enjoys being a guide for her students. Not only does she get them started with academic fundamentals, she likes to see them develop social and conflict resolution skills they’ll need throughout their lives. Mallory joined the nest and soared as an Eagle prior to college graduation by completing student teach-

ing at Cockrell Hill Elementary.

Her professional start was at The Meadows Elementary before joining Woodridge in 2021.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Texas Tech University.

Jacqueline McKinley - Frank D. Moates Elementary School Focused on early learners since high school, Frank D. Moates Elementary School math and science teacher Jacqueline McKinley remains on course.

From Early Childhood Education classes at Barbara Jordan High School for Careers while working at a daycare in Houston, Texas; to majoring in Elementary Education at Sam Houston State University, she’s progressed since joining DeSoto ISD in 2003.

As a department lead teacher, curriculum designer, professional learning community facilitator, staff professional development instructor and campus representative for several District committees, McKinley is a lifelong learner. She also holds a Masters degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Walden University.

Kenya Wilson-Brown - DeSoto High School Emergent leaders are among us! Biology teacher Kenya Wilson-Brown has served five years at DeSoto High School, however she received a call that split her time. After the first three years, she stepped down during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to become a nationally certified emergency medical technician (EMT), servicing 911 and non-emergent calls.

After one year as an EMT, she returned to DeSoto as the Biology team leader, Early College Biology and AP Biology teacher.

Wilson-Brown received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Missouri Southern State University and will receive her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in July.

“For us to recognize teachers means that we are focusing on the educational process at the foundational level,” DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees Secretary Abe Cooper, Jr. said. “Teachers are those persons that, day to day, operate with our children, interact with our children and build relationships that will last a lifetime.”

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Who was Yanga? African Prince on exhibit and why he's important cont. from page 1 worth celebrating. Some of the elements hint of a culture clash and needs some unifying work behind the scenes. An underlying purpose is to show correlating themes behind the Hispanic Cinco de Mayo and African-American Juneteenth annual celebrations.

But first, meet Yanga exhibit curator Jorge Baldor. That’s pronounced (whore-Hay BalDoor). I had a nice conversation with Baldor who was cordial and seemed genuine. He is a busy, much-awarded local business leader and arts and film entrepreneur who has a Southern Methodist University history degree. He talked about his cultural arts and community interests, his birth in Cuba, and growing up in Dallas’ Oak Cliff community. He still lives in Dallas.

“I have seen how art can bring communities together,” Baldor said. “Through art and culture, you can have commonalities. …

After that, then you can tackle tougher topics.”

Baldor founded the Latino Arts Project in 2019 as a “popup” museum to be displayed in various innovative spaces and to engage visitors’ five senses.

He is the main force behind the Project collaborating with the African American Museum at Fair Park and its founder, president and CEO, Dr. Harry Robinson Jr. to bring the exhibit to the museum.

Baldor’s produced a groundbreaking Black History Month Afro-Mexican celebration at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas in February 2020. He is founder and CEO of the first-ofits-kind nonprofit After8toEducate youth homeless shelter in the former Fannie C. Harris Elementary School that closed in South Dallas in 2006, and he founded the Latino Center for Leadership Development in Dallas. His various awards include being a 2017 Texan of the Year finalist and the D Magazine CEO Edition’s 2016 Latino Advocate of the Year.

WHO IS GASPAR YANGA? The West African prince was taken from his French-speaking homeland of Gabon, West Africa, enslaved by Spaniards in the 1560s, and brought to Ve-

and his liberation victory been withheld from African-Americans over the centuries?

Yanga exhibit curator Jorge Baldor

racruz, Mexico then known as New Spain. During the Atlantic slave trade in the North, South and Central Americas, Yanga is known as an effective liberator who convinced a group of enslaved Africans to revolt in New Spain against their ruling Spanish masters. The escapees found freedom in the New Spain mountainous wilderness and es-

Credit: The Dallas Morning News special contributor Jeffrey McWhorter

tablished independent, free, hidden Maroon farm settlements that some historians call an African dynasty in the Americas.

In the 1930s, the area was renamed Yanga in honor of the African liberator, and inhabitants erected a machete-holding statue of the Yanga freedom fighter that remains today as a tourist attraction. Yanga also is an im-

Statue of machete-griping liberator Garpar Yanga in Mexico Credit: Wikipedia

portant ancestor to Mascogos -- descendants of Blacks who escaped slavery in the United States in the 1800s via the Underground Rail Road and populated the desert town of Coahuila, Mexico and who are predecessors of the areas’ Afro-Mexican traditions and festivals. The mysterious question and shock is this: why has the history of Yanga

Historian Clarence Glover Jr. at the exhibit, talking with friends about a commissioned art piece simulating the Yanga liberator in Mexico Credit: Clarence Glover Jr.

ABOUT PART I This is part I of a two-part column that will continue next week. Three local historians will give their perspectives on the exhibit. Besides Baldor, the other two historians are Clarence Glover Jr., a former Southern Methodist University diversity administrator and adjunct professor; and Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney, an associate history professor emeritus at the University of Texas at Arlington.

All three agree that the exhibit is captivating, and they lament that this proud information about Yanga’s contribution to the Americas – North, South and Central -- has been withheld so long from young and old, students and adults of various cultures. The three historians salute Baldor and the Latino Arts Project for bringing Yanga out of the darkness. Glover calls Yanga his “personal hero.” Yet while Glover applauds the exhibit, he presents some differing views about its presentation of what he calls “the lost story of the first freedom fighter in ‘The Americas.’ ” Come back next week learn more.

EXHIBIT DETAILS The FREE exhibit, “Yanga: Path to Freedom in the Americas,” opened April 7, 2022 and will continue through October 31, 2022 at the African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave inside Fair Park in Dallas. Enter the fairground through Gate 5.

The museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

During the Yanga exhibit, the museum – that traditionally is closed on Sunday and Monday -- will be open now on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. To inquire, email jorge@visityanga.com or info@aamdallas.org; call 214565-9026 or 800-569-YANGA. Also, visit www.visityanga.com or www.aamdallas.org.

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

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When Antong Lucky was in prison he was mentored by Willie Rae Fleming. As the current CEO of Urban Specialists he has made Fleming’s wife Candace a key part of his staff. Together they are working to eliminate violence in Urban Culture.

Due to some bad decisions, Antong Lucky was surround by inmates for almost 4 years. Now, he is surrounded by his employees at Urban Specialists that are committed to helping him make a difference in the community. Lucky is surrounded by his staff: (L-to-R) Lamontria Edwards, Cameron Sweets, Jasmine Howard, Rod Givens, Candace Fleming, Corey Cleghorn, Tigist Solomon, Varonika Wilson.

Twenty Five year old, Tileyah Lucky, looks at her dad Antong with admiration for the work he has done in the community. She was only two weeks olf when he received a 7-year prison sentence.

Path of Redemption Takes Gangbanger from a Menace cont. from page 1 Those reports led to a seven-year prison sentence, only two weeks after the birth of his daughter.

“The entire time I was standing before the judge, I was trying to figure out how I went from a straight A student to being called a menace to society. I was also afraid to go to prison,” said Lucky.

As he examined his past, there was no doubt that a series of events had navigated this East Dallas native to this unfortunate fate. This included his father being given a 50-year prison sentence when he was only nine months old.

“My mother decided to close that chapter in her life after my dad went to jail. She was only 16 years old at the time. My dad’s absence and the lack of information about him caused a deep void in my life, which nothing could fill.

“Nobody took the time out to tell me anything about my father.

As a kid seeing other children with their fathers made me bottle up a lot of stuff inside me that really needed to come out,” said Lucky.

With his mother working long hours to make ends meet, Lucky’s grandparents became his primary caretakers. In the beginning this became a successful solution for him, which caused him to get great grades in school.

“At first, I applied myself in school,” he said. “School was the only thing that I found refuge in.

I looked at school as a hobby.

I loved going. I also loved the praise from my grandparents when I got good grades.”

However, Lucky’s love for school was no match for the peer

pressure on the playgrounds, and it was a struggle to survive the South Dallas street violence that he faced just trying to make it home every day.

“Even though there were some programs in the community, they were not focused enough or intentional enough to reach kids like me,” remembered Lucky.

Before long fighting was not an option, it was an essential part of his life. Surrounded by other single-parented homes, poverty, and the pressure to fit in, Lucky had to fight other boys in the community just to survive.

Even though he continued to try to get good grades, the struggle that surrounded him kept his life spinning out of control. Then a local violent act caused his life to take a turn for the worst.

“As I was dealing with the duality of my environment, there was an incident that caused my empathy to erode. A kid tried to shoot me, and a childhood friend jumped in front of me. She took the bullet for me. From that day forward, I was never the same,” said Lucky.

This incident made him feel that he and his friends needed to protect themselves in their neighborhood. Determined to combat a rival gang called the Crips, they developed the Dallas version of the popular gang, the Bloods.

Lucky’s prison sentence became a dead-end road that forced him to look at the motivation behind the 20-year-old man in the mirror.

“Although my actions had got me to this point, I didn’t want to go to prison,” he said. “I had

heard too many stories about prison. On the day that I went before the judge, I started retracing all the decisions that I had made in my life. It was at that point that I realized that you are changed by two things, either the light or the fire. The heat of this situation was about to make me change.”

In an effort to get his life back on track, Lucky denounced his membership in his gang.

“Luckily for me I met a brother who began to help me turn my life around. His name was Willie Ray Fleming. I was walking down the hallway when he approached me. He was 35 and had been in various prisons for 15 years. At first, he ran up to me and started talking. All I could think at the time was 'who in the world was he.’”

Their brief conversation revealed that Fleming was from Houston. During that time Dallas and Houston men didn’t mix in prison. This connection would be the beginning of Lucky stepping out of the norm to bridge gaps.

That day Fleming gave Lucky a life-changing message. He said, “Little brother, if you can lead all these brothers to do wrong, you have the same ability within you to lead them to do right. You are a leader.”

The words echoed in Lucky’s head until he began a total transformation. Fleming began to mentor him and encouraged him to read books.

I started reading books such as The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and the Destruction of Black Civilization. When

Flemings gave me a new book, I would have to read it five times before we could discuss it,” said Lucky.

Lucky began to read 16 hours a day to educate himself about the many things that he had missed in life while growing up.

“The more that I read, the more that I realized there was a lot of stuff that I didn’t know about our heritage. Not just about myself but about our people in general.

There was so much stuff that they didn’t teach me in school. I felt so dumb not knowing the stuff that I should have known.”

Reading helped to remove the blinders from Lucky’s eyes. He realized that even though many prisoners came from different backgrounds, they had more in common than they realized.

“Once your eyes are opened, you can’t close them, “ Lucky said. “Fortunately, I had money on my books. I would pay to have food cooked. Rather than throwing it away, I would share it with other prisoners.

“This was unheard of.”

Breaking bread with other prisons caused him to mend bridges that crossed racial and religious lines. After a while he was recruited to go to a maximum-security prison to help make a positive impact on the inmates.

Four years after standing before the judge, Lucky was released from jail. He was determined that his release would not just be about his own freedom.

His mission in returning to the real world was to help men that were not in prison physically but were bound mentally and spiritually.

“While I was in prison, I kept seeing men that were 16 and 17 years old pledging their loyalty to the gangs,” he said. “This made me realize that I had to do something to impact young boys who were like me.”

Determined to be effective, Lucky connected with Bishop Omar Jahwar after he was released from prison. Jahwar was a community activist who had a history of helping curb gang violence. The two paired up to become a dynamic duo for intervention and community activism. They signed the first ever Peace Treaty in Dallas between gang members.

Over the last two decades, Lucky has turned his pain from the past to a promise to make a difference in those young people who are faced with the same struggles that plagued him.

As President of Urban Specialists, a nonprofit committed to strengthening communities, Lucky continues to be an advocate for inner healing and the reduction of senseless violence.

This month, Lucky will release a book penned about his life, A Redemptive Path Forward: From Incarceration to a Life of Activism. His book is available on Amazon.com or wherever books are sold.

“My story is not a get rich quick story. It is simply about what success means,” said Lucky. “Success is not how much money you have and what you can accomplish with things. Success is how many people that you can help along the way. At the end of the day, I want someone to say, because I met him, my life is better.”

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Mavs’ Reggie Bullock Receives NBA Social Justice Champion Award

By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor Photos: Getty Images

Reggie Bullock received the surprise of his life Sunday morning.

He was asked to take part in a Zoom call and was surprised who was on the other end; the legendary Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Jabbar was on the zoom, along with Bullock’s Dallas Mavericks teammates, to congratulate him on being named the 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award winner.

The 31-year-old veteran NBA wingman was selected from a group of five finalists for his dedication to pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged, specifically

Houston Park cont. from page 1 Sylvester Turner said.

The unveiling of this statue took place on the second anniversary of Floyd’s death.

Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020, by ex-cop Derek Chauvin.

Several Houston-area leaders, including Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, along with some of Floyd’s family members, are expected to attend the unveiling which

Reggie Bullock Credit: Getty Images

within the LGBTQ+ community.

Bullock is using his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected he and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.

On July 16, 2014, Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. will take place at 5 p.m. at the Tom Bass Regional Park III Community Center, located at 15118 Cullen Boulevard.

“The name George Floyd will forever resonate in Houston and worldwide. The senseless murder in Minneapolis of this son of the Cuney Homes in Third Ward served as the catalyst for policing reform and started conversations from the classroom to corporate America about race and social justice,” Turner said.

The $110,000 statue was donated to Harris County by Dannette Davis of Kay Davis

Henderson was Bullock’s brother and then later became a transgender woman.

Then in October 2019 his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Kiosha, was shot and killed. Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive and to raise awareness around these issues. He’s become a voice for the Black transgender community and has become involved with LGBTQ+ rights as well as efforts to fight gun violence.

“We are all one, and I believe love lies in everybody’s heart,” said Bullock. “It’s incredibly important to me as a cisgender athlete to stand in support of the trans and LGBTQ+ community.”

Upon joining the Mavericks last summer, Bullock immediately connected with organizations in the Dallas area, including Abounding Prosperity, Dallas Southern Pride, House of Rebirth, The Black-Tie Dinner,

the Resource Center and the Muhlashia Booker Foundation, to take action in support of their work.

“I think that's huge for Reggie winning that award, which was cool,” said Mavs head coach Jason Kidd. “Our players are not just basketball players, but they are human, and they do have concerns, and I think Reggie is doing an incredible job with

Associates. The Floyd Family Foundation was involved in the creation of this sculpture.

“We all witnessed the impact that George Floyd made on the world, but at the end of the day, he was a regular guy with a few extraordinary talents. He was an athlete and artist, but he was also a father, a son, and a brother,” Davis said. “Just like all of us, he was a multi-dimensional human trying to find his way in this world.”

The Floyd Family Foundation was involved in the creation of this sculpture.

what he's doing off the court.”

Ahead of National Day of Trans Visibility on March 31, 2022, Bullock participated in a Mavs Take ACTION! initiative conversation titled Voices Unheard, Uplifting Trans Perspectives, alongside leaders from the Muhlayshia Booker Foundation. Booker was a 22-year-old African American trans woman who was assaulted and murdered in Dallas in 2019.

The assault was captured on a viral video.

The conversation reflected upon the struggles of losing a trans family member, challenges within the community and how allies can provide protection,

Reggie Bullock Credit: Getty Images

partnership, visibility, and inclusion.

Bullock created RemarkaBULL, an organization focused on developing revitalized spaces for a stable life in the LGBTQ+ community. He continues to advocate for equal rights and protections for these individuals including by speaking out against legislation that prohibits transgender youth participation in sports and challenging higher education institutions to consider inclusive policies. In an effort to help prevent violence against women he partnered with the Vera Institute of Justice to engage with incarcerated communities and elevate the harmful impacts of mass incarceration.

In June 2021, he wrote an article published in the Players Tribune titled: “I Just Wanna Say My Sisters’ Names” about the murders of his sisters and advocating for greater awareness around gun violence and crimes against women.

As a recipient of the award, Bullock has selected Kinston Teens, a youth-led organization focused on community development and youth empowerment in his native Kinston, NC, to receive a $100,000 contribution on his behalf.

His sisters would be so very proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory, he said.

“They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.”

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