The Dallas Examiner headliners for Aug. 15 by The Dallas Examiner

VOL. XXXIII • AUgUST 15, 2019

50 cents

Tech Fest to take over Ron Kirk Bridge Building for Us, by Us

Tulisoma in South Dallas

State/Metro Pg 2

By MATT HIRST

The Dallas Examiner

“Due to the lack of trained IT professionals, companies oftentimes go outside of DFW and sometimes outside of the U.S. just to find qualified talent. Although there are many jobs here, people aren’t necessarily being trained to satisfy the needs of the positions,” according to Bridging the Gap representatives. For that reason, friends Daryl D. Quarles, Christiane Miller and Evelyn Henderson came together to create Bridging the Gap, an event to educate Dallas-area youth about the technology opportunities available to them and inspire them to pursue careers in the field, while also connecting any other individ-

LifeStyle Pg 7

uals with companies that may have career opportunities for them. “I have two close friends that I work with in the areas of IT and education, Ms. Christiane Miller, with M-Power, and Ms. Evelyn Henderson, who’s with Academic Reality… an entity that helps students and adults with learning abilities, as well as GEDs and any type of information associated with education,” said Quarles, events coordinator for DDQ and Associates. “And then we have Ms. Christiane Miller with M-Power Tech – she has an IT background and does training. She’s trained a lot of professionals, as well as individuals in their careers, to get successful jobs in the IT business.” M-Power Technology will host the Bridging the Gap: a Tech Fest

An instructor and student hold an in-classroom discussion. – File photo courtesy of MPower Technology

along the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event is part of a larger effort to inform the community of the many job opportunities available to them within Dallas’ booming technology sector. With the goal of

“connecting companies with future employees from the DFW area,” the festival will consist of a career fair examining various IT disciplines such as “coding, gaming, film, digital art, digital media, entertainment, artificial intelligence, fashion, health care, real estate and more,” followed by a fashion show as the evening’s grand finale that will highlight some of the hottest recent trends in wearable technology. “We wanted to be able to put more focus on our children, our youth, as well as our adults, to help educate them on the areas of IT … to let them know what type of future there can be,” Quarles continued. “So the career fair is one component, where we’re going to have vendors, corporations, technical groups and every-

Max Underwood, DFW International Airport vice president of finance, discusses the Dallas Fort Worth lnternational Airport FY 2020 Proposed Budget during the City Council Meeting, Aug. 7. – The Dallas Examiner Screenshot/Dallas City Hall video

DFW Airport operating budget presented to City Council

See Tech Fest Page 6

Separate and unequal:

A man walks up to an outside ATM machine. – Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP

The insufficient CRA impact on Dallas – AN ANALYSIS –

By DIANE XAVIER The Dallas Examiner

The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board presented its fiscal year 2020 proposed operating budget to the Dallas City Council at their briefing meeting Aug. 7 at City Hall. Max Underwood, DFW International Airport vice president of finance, made the presentation, which is requested to be approved by the owner cities, Dallas and Fort Worth, before Sept. 30. He said the airport’s $1.032 billion budget reflects an increase of 4.6% in passengers from FY 2019. The 12-member airport board is made up of seven members from Dallas, including the mayor, and four members from Fort Worth, including its mayor. It also consists of one nonvoting member who represents the airport’s four host cities, which include Irving, Grapevine, Euless and Coppell. The board approved the FY 2020 operating budget on Aug. 1. “This budget is easier to talk about compared to the budget I presented back in 2018,” Underwood said. Due to its growth, the airport is increasing funding for strategic priorities. “Let me begin by talking about the global metrics, which DFW operates in a global environment,” Underwood said. “First, with regards to global flights, DFW is fourth in global flights and 15th in global passengers. We have 164 gates and seven runways with 190 domestic destinations and 63 international destinations. Also, DFW is the third

See City Council Page 6

Read…

thing else are going to come out and set up. You may be able to find a job through Texas Workforce, Best Buy or through other IT companies. Or you can go into the education component and learn the trade.” The event will provide information on gaining the necessary educational training for some of the tech jobs, as well. Higher education institutions, such as the Dallas County Community College District and UT Dallas as well as the Texas Workforce Commission, will be able to provide free resources. The event will also include a host of tech chats from industry professionals and technology schools that will explain

Giving teachers a helping hand: Top needs for 2019 Family Features

Great classrooms don’t happen by accident. Teachers in Dallas and across the country work hard to build vibrant, energizing learning environments for their students, which often means everything from microscopes to pipe cleaners, graphic novels to oboes, class pets to field trips and much more. As a result, teachers spend more than $1 billion from their own pockets each year on supplies. However, parents and community members can lend a hand in many ways, such as working directly with your child’s teacher, identify classroom needs and/or participating in school-based fundraisers. Another option is offering assistance through programs like DonorsChoose.org, which makes it easy to address the inequity in schools, one classroom at a time. Over the past 19 years, more than 3.8 million people have donated to classrooms through the program. Last year alone, nearly 145,000 teachers had projects funded on the site and over 255,000 classroom requests were brought to life. These requests reveal some of the key things teachers across America need for success:

Books, books and more books While books may seem “old school,” teachers know that a single book can change a student’s life. Year after year, teachers request books more than any other resource. Many elementary school teachers ask for leveled reading books to meet their stu-

Support…

By RICKIE C. KEYS

Special to The Dallas Examiner

Photos courtesy of Family Features

dents’ individual needs. Others want to diversify their libraries with books that reflect their students’ identities. The Hate U Give and Wonder are among the most popular books requested this year, and e-readers have become a popular way to expand libraries beyond what the classroom bookshelf can hold.

“hygiene closets,” which provide students facing poverty with free toiletries to take home such as deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, clean undergarments and laundry supplies.

Technology Because of rapidly evolving technology, 65% of children now entering primary school will hold jobs that don’t currently exist. Resources like laptops and tablets help students learn at their own pace and practice 21st century skills like coding. For example, coding robots and 3D printers are becoming some of the most popular items requested in high schools.

Community service Not all learning takes place in a classroom. Teachers across the country often take aim at new ways to engage students, such as integrating practical life into the daily curriculum through an outdoor learning environment like a community vegetable garden. With composters, rain barrels, seeds, gardening tools and more, educators can take their classrooms outside to help make the planet healthier while students learn how to live healthier. It also gives students an opportunity to give back to their community by donating food to local families in need.

Flexible seating and classroom furniture Many teachers credit flexible seating with transforming the classroom learning experience. Rather than rigid desks, students choose from comfy chairs, bouncy balls, bean bags or wobble stools, all designed to let students get those wiggles out and focus better on their work.

Back to the basics Many teachers simply need basic supplies: paper, pencils and tissues top the list. Last year, teachers requested enough pens and pencils to write the complete works of William Shakespeare more than 2,000 times. Life essentials Another popular request is

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An appreciation for the arts There are plenty of extracurricular activities at nearly every school that need care and compassion from the community. Drama teams, for example, require supplies to create music, perform plays and more. Donations often allow students to explore their artistic abilities while learning how to create sets, write their own scenes, use instruments and more while simultaneously building their management and teamwork skills.

Learn how you can make a difference in Dallas classrooms or a school near you, by visiting http://www.donorschoose.org.

214-941-3100

Four years ago, Bank of America made a curious business decision. It began closing all of its branches in the state of Indiana. In a sweeping move, it sold all of its old storefronts in Rust Belt towns. However, it wasn’t long before it began its second coming. A few months later, the bank opened branches in areas that were significantly different from areas where it had been located. The Wall Street Journal undertook extensive investigative reporting to understand why BofA made this fundamental strategic change. The Journal’s comprehensive reporting soon traced a definite pattern – a bank footprint that moved from one community and wound up in neighborhoods that looked particularly homogeneous. The essential thread throughout all of BofA’s newfound locations was that they were more affluent and monolithic. The paper was able to trace a demographic shift from what was previously their preferred market to what quickly became a new and more desired market. The median income, unemployment, education, diversity index (racial profile) and other indices where it previously housed its branches showed a remarkable change. It appears that BofA was consciously finding new comfort in affluent, “Whiter” neighborhoods in Indiana. Over the past 10 years, the rate of bank penetration in Indiana has dropped by about 11%. What does this have to do with Dallas? Expectedly, not everyone is happy about this emerging pathway, including members

See Unequal Page 3

Inside

State/Metro . . . . 2

Editorial . . . . . . . 4

On Michael Brown and Toni Morrison

Perspectives . . . 5

Perspectives Pg 5

Health . . . . . . . . 6

LifeStyle . . . . . . 7

13818 00799

Classifieds . . . . 9

Calendar . . . . . . 10

www.dallasexaminer.com

Page 2 August 15, 2019

STATE/METRO

Sankofa garden Homes:

By CLARENCE gLOVER

The Dallas Examiner www.dallasexaminer.com

William Sidney Pittman’s fruits of labor

Sankofa Gardening Homes

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

All gardeners are familiar with the labor necessary to produce a harvest. The thought and preparation needed to prepare the soil, create compost, select seed, plant and water maintenance are all necessary before a harvest is possible. There can be no shortcut if one is seeking to produce the best harvest they can. Joy is experienced when the gardener wakes to see the bountiful reward of months of toll and labor. Lush greens, full pea hulls, large ripe watermelons, bright yellow squash, bountiful okra, these are among the rewards of a successful gardener. The gardeners harvest is his/her reward for long hours of labor. Their harvest becomes their calling card. When we visit farmers markets we look for certain foods raised by certain farmers. We associate a particular fruit or vegetable with them, and purchase it only from them. It becomes their signature produce. This month’s article is unique in that it is not about gardening in a traditional sense, but it is about the fruit of one’s labor. The labor a person puts in to create works of art, that as Dr. King has stated, “uplifts humanity.” William Sidney Pittman was such a person. While he indeed created great works of architectural art, he lived a complex life and did not receive acknowledgement for all of his labor.

As some of you know, I am a proud “cotton picker.” You can go to my YouTube, Professor Freedom, and see me picking cotton. Enslaved African people were the primary labor force used to pick cotton during slavery and Jim Crow. Despite the wealth their labor produced, they never benefited from the fruits of their labor. America is what it is today because of African labor that built the cotton industry. This is the foundation for understanding reparations. As African Americans, we must explore deeper the historical economic implications of our ancestors’ labor to present day economics in America and present clearer arguments regarding reparations if there is to be any real movement on this issue. Recently I placed a 500pound bale of ginned cotton in what is now the fellowship hall of Greater El Bethel Baptist Church, which I call “Freedmen’s Temple.” The fellowship hall was originally a “dugout church sanctuary.” Many freed Africans with their hands, crude tools and mules dug out holes in hillsides and plastered them to serve as places of worship. Greater El Bethel and St. Paul United Methodist Churche began as such churches in Freedmen Towns. The reason for placing the bale of cotton in Greater El Bethel was to recognize the African men, women, boys and girls who picked cotton on the Miller Plantation, the Caruth Plantation and other plantations that help to make Dallas the largest inland cotton exchange center in the country and a major world economic center. As Dallas is growing south, I wanted to help make the Tenth Street Freedmen Town, one of the

Professor Freedom stands in front of Greater El Bethel Baptist Church in Tenth Street Freedmen Town with portrait of African American architect William Sidney Pittman. – Photo courtesy of Sankofa Education Services

last remaining Freedmen Towns, along with Joppa, a point of historical destination for African Americans and others. Greater El Bethel stands at the corner of Cliff and Ninth Street, not far from Interstate 35, and down the street from Yvonne Ewell Townview Magnet High School, rated one of the best high schools in the nation. Ironically, both sit in what was once a flourishing Freedmen Town community surrounded by wooden shotgun houses, businesses and churches. The area is a treasure trove of African American history and culture waiting to be rediscovered. Over the years, I had heard that the architect for Greater El Bethel was William Sidney Pittman. Pittman was married to Portia Washington and was the son-in-law of Booker T. Washington. The Pittman’s came to Dallas in 1913, and he continued his architecture company from home. He is noted as one of the first nationally recognized African American architects.

Welcome to a Brand-New Year of Opportunity Dallas ISD Trustee Justin Henry District 9

There’s always a feeling of excitement in the air as the first day of school approaches. Of course, there are lots of moving pieces to getting students ready to return to classes. There are uniforms and school supplies to purchase, arranging transportation, and wrapping up the last days of summer freedom and getting back in the swing of school. As a parent, I know the back-toschool rush can be a little overwhelming, but the benefits of returning to learning far outweigh the challenges. Please know that the principals and teachers of all 31 schools in District 9 are ready to make 20192020 the best year yet for your students. All school staffs have been busy training and preparing to take students to the next level of academic excellence.

Your Child’s Transportation Information is Just a Click Away! Download the FREE Versatrans My Stop app to access your child’s bus route and schedule. Also, sign up for the online Bus Bulletin to receive up-todate details about your child’s school bus location. For more informat i o n , visit www.dallasisd.org/tr ansportation. More FREE Pre-K Now Available in Dallas ISD Among the many things

to be excited about this school year is an opportunity for more families to enroll their children in free pre-K in Dallas ISD. We are now offering scholarships to families who could not meet the previous income guidelines for free pre-K. Students who attend pre-K achieve at higher levels than children who don’t get pre-K, so please apply for these scholarships today and help spread the word to others in your community so we get more 3- and 4-yearolds enrolled in school. To apply, call (214) 9327735 or visit www.prekdallas.org.

Get Help Enrolling Your Child The first step to a great school year is getting your student enrolled. To help, Dallas ISD has 10 walk-in enrollment centers located across the city. The One Centers are fully staffed and ready to help enroll both new and returning students. To find out what documents are required to enroll students or to locate your nearest One Center, visit www.dallasisd.org/one.

Have Questions?? The Dallas ISD Backto-School Hotline has Answers To help your school year get off to the right start, our Back to School hotline will be available the entire first week of school at 972-925-5555. Bilingual representatives will be answering questions about transportation, enrollment, school hours, immunizations, and more. Learn more online at https://www.dallasisd.org/backtoschool.

Welcome to New District 9 School Leaders Please join me in a warm welcome for these new District 9 principals: • The new leader at Skyline High School is Dwain Simmons, former principal at L.G. Pinkston. • At Ann Richards STEAM Middle School, welcome to new principal Natasha Shaw who formerly served as an assistant principal in Garland ISD. • The new chief at Frederick Douglass Elementary is Tenisha Allen, former assistant principal at Nancy Moseley Elementary. • Heading the staff at Billy Earl Dade Middle School is Rockell Stewart, former principal at Martin Luther King Jr. Learning Center • Stepping up to the principal spot at Martin Luther King Jr Learning Center is Romikianta Sneed who previously served as the school’s assistant principal.

Get Your Junior or Senior Ready for College at the Sept. 18 Districtwide College Fair Connect your 11th or 12th grader with hundreds of representatives from local, state and out of state colleges and universities at the district’s annual college fair. The FREE fair will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Ellis Davis Field House in Oak Cliff. See your high school counselor to sign up and arrange for free transportation. A great perk this year is free immunizations for students heading to college.

Paid for by the Dallas Independent School District

Pittman is known in Dallas for being the architect for the Knights of Pythias Temple, St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church and St. Paul United Methodist Church. All three have historical designations identifying Pittman as the architect. Greater El Bethel does not. With oral affirmation by Pastor William McNealy of Greater El Bethel that Pittman was the architect, I went to the seventh floor of the Dallas Public Library Genealogy Division to see if I could find information confirming him as the architect. While there, I was made

aware that the library was doing a special display on Pittman, July 1-Sept. 28. I, along with local genealogist Donald Payton, was asked to do a gallery lecture on Pittman, Aug. 24, from 2-4 p.m. For more information call 214-670-1435. Finding no information there, I went to the city of Dallas building Permit Center. I could not find any information there. I then went to the Dallas Municipal Archives. No information was found there. Like a gardener in search of the right soil mixture to grow a particular crop, I began searching the internet. I soon came across Legacies: A History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas, 2009. In it, I found an article by Rene Schmidt, Road to Glory: Tenth Street Becomes Church Street. On page 40 is the following regarding Greater El Bethel and Pittman: “The congregation worshiped in the basement until the sanctuary was completed in 1926. The architect of the Classic-Revival building was William Sidney Pittman, Dallas’ first Black architect and is reported to be the first African American church in Dallas built of bricks set on a paved concreted foundation.” Schmidt cited his source as Noble Sims, long-time

member of Greater El Bethel. Sims was an African American pioneer of Oak Cliff who attended N.W. Harley Elementary School. Through recent email correspondence with Schmidt he states the following: “When I interviewed Mr. Sims, he was adamant that the building was built by Pittman. I recall, he told me that there were no known records that documented Pittman’s involvement, but it was Pittman’s creation. I remember Nobel Sim’s voice soft spoken, with space between the words so that he could articulate favored words with emphasis. ‘It was Pittman,’ he said, putting the stress on the first syllable.” As Native Americans do, will African Americans acknowledge oral tradition and recognize Greater El Bethel as one of Pittman’s labors of love to his people in Dallas and to America? We should! We owe it to him.

Note: The Pittman Hotel is set to open in 2020. The hotel, a Kimpton flag, is housed in the historical Knights of Pythias Temple at the corner of Elm Street and Good Latimer, the first commercial Dallas building built by and for African American professionals. William Sidney Pittman was the architect.

The Dallas Examiner www.dallasexaminer.com

Page 3 August 15, 2019

Unequal,

communities captured within the Opportunity Zones are mostly not being served by banks. The few banks that fall within these areas are primarily situated along major thoroughfares. We can infer that these branch locations are designed to offer convenience for commuters.

continued from Front Page

of Congress who are demanding banks comply with the provisions of the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act. The CRA requires banks to demonstrate that they are helping to improve access to mainstream financial services in areas that historically have been denied wealth-building opportunities. BofA’s presence would have grown, especially in LMI – or low- to moderate-income – communities, if its primary mandate had been compliance with CRA. However, one need not look far to see why BofA and other financial institutions have been unable to address this issue significantly. The operations of most banks have undergone gentrification of some sort with a bent toward middle-income and affluent neighborhoods. This strategy is not an entirely new industry phenomenon, as we have seen it over and over again, at least since the financial crisis of 2006. Since then, approximately 5,000 bank locations across the country have closed. A closer examination of this pattern reveals the bank boardroom decision-making process looks something like this: Shut down low-performing, highcost urban and LMI branches and relocate to communities with a more affluent demographic profile. The strategy of closing some branches while opening others makes extraordinary business sense, particularly in a free market, profit-oriented society. However, the banking industry is not caught up in the cutthroat competitive environment defined by other sectors. Banks benefit from extraordinary government cushions, interventions, subsidies and other benefits not enjoyed by other industries. Banks enjoy these unique advantages to avert what is now fast becoming the situation: insufficient access to banks and the attendant predatory financial services that creep in as alternatives when the shortage of banks bites. Bank closures have become a

trend. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition describes this in their research memo titled Bank Branch Closures from 2008 to 2016: Unequal Impact in America’s Heartland. The report traced about 4,900 brick-and-mortar branches shuttered within the eight-year timeframe since the Great Recession. This represents a more than 5% reduction in offices nationwide. Dallas is not immune to this phenomenon. According to the NCRC report, the city lost 52 branches or 8% of its bank locations. This rate of closure is higher than the national average. Additionally, while most of these banks closed, some relocated to areas like those described above.

Disparate impact In 2018, the statistics of bank closures vis-à-vis new branches opening showed a net impact in favor of bank closures. The report released by S&P Global noted that 2018 was an unusually high year for bank closures. But while the heartlands felt this impact, states with a higher percentage of minorities took a bashing. These trends and statistics are real for the DFW area as well.

Dallas bank abandonment zones A picture is worth a thousand words. Beyond the immediate takeaway of the image, there is a need to dig into why it shows what it shows and what must be done. To that end, we compiled a list of the banks operating in Dallas from the Federal Reserve, Federal Depository Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Texas Department of Banking. Comparing the geographic dispersion of these banks with the demographic information available revealed the need to take urgent action. A strategic imperative must focus on reducing the number of bank branch closures and improving access to mainstream lending services within LMI and minority communities. In a coordinated effort aimed at reversing this trend and improving investment in these communities, federal, state and local economic development agencies teamed up to establish Opportunity Zones. These zones are designed to promote development in census tracts discovered to be financially distressed as a result of historically low investments. Expectedly, the effect of this historically low level

of investment now plays out in the form of high rates of poverty, blight, unemployment, etc. These areas typically record low rates of homeownership and capital investment. With Opportunity Zones, authorities can identify areas that require intensive investments. The diagram below is a representation of the eight Opportunity Zones in the city of Dallas. The actual size of the zone has been estimated, as census tracts can range from a few blocks to miles, based on it being an urban, suburban or rural area. With an industry standard of a 2-mile coverage area, estimates reflect a 1-, 2-, and 3-mile coverage area around the census tracts. Since Dallas is a metropolitan area, this might be slightly larger than the actual size. This diagram provides a backdrop to estimate bank penetration in the specific area under study. It shows the locations of larger banks compared to the governmentally endorsed Opportunity Zones. Looking at the diagrammatic representation, the majority of banks in Dallas fall outside of the Opportunity Zones. The immediate conclusion to be drawn, looking at the diagram, is that LMI

Need for a deluge of traditional financial services According to the most recent census report, Dallas encompasses nearly 1.2 million people, and 25% of this population is African American. This community is predominantly located in the southern part of the city. As highlighted in the following map, the spread of banks within these geographic bounds is merely “adequate.” The story soon begins to change when you drill down into the operational dynamics of these banks. The banks in these communities offer depository services but do not provide credit in times of need. This article is not designed to single out one bank, since the closure or relocation of bank branches by all banks reflect a national trend. BofA is no different from others that have made business decisions based on their pursuit of community impact, market share and profits. Banks are pulling out of urban communities. This does not bode well for areas that sorely need financial services over the long term. When banks fail to offer healthy services, there is a recipe for other unhealthy alternatives to creep in. After all, nature abhors a vacuum. It is then very pertinent that all hands must be on deck to stem the challenging situation, which the departure of mainstream banking creates. Local, state and federal governments must all work together with relevant stakeholders in the community to reverse these emerging trends. To do otherwise would negatively impact the limited wealth that people of color and poor White people possess, further deepening the economic woes of these groups.

Page 4 August 15, 2019

First look in the mirror, Mr. President,

EDITORIAL

The Dallas Examiner www.dallasexaminer.com

to quell America’s deadly violence By JESSE JACKSON JR.

Rainbow PUSH Coalition

The horrifying and heartbreaking news of the domestic terrorist attacks in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, in less than 24 hours over the weekend reached me while I was in Poland, a country haunted by the deadly power of politically irresponsible and racist rhetoric. I was participating in a series of events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the mass murder at Auschwitz-Birkenau death factory near Krakow, where in one night the Nazis killed more than 4,000 Roma and Sinti men, women and children, classified and persecuted by the Nazis as Gypsies, aliens, undocumented and other. The motivation of the young White killer in Dayton is unclear. But in El Paso, a 21-yearold White man apparently posted to social media a hate-filled, anti-immigrant rant before driving nine hours and 600 miles from the Dallas area to a Walmart – where you can see Mexico from the parking lot – to kill as many brown-skinned people as possible. Wielding a semi-automatic, military-style rifle – a weapon of mass destruction – the Texas shooter killed 20 people and wounded dozens more in a matter of minutes. The death toll in the El Paso shooting now stands at 22. The scourge of homegrown racial terrorism is not new. Since the birth of the Klan during Reconstruction to the White Citizens’ Councils of the ‘60s to Timothy McVeigh’s slaughter of 168 people, including 19 children, in Oklahoma City, the radical and racist right has used guns and bombs to intimidate and spread fear. President Donald Trump said many of the right things at the White House Monday morning in condemning the shootings, racism, bigotry and white supremacy. Better late than never. Now he must do the right thing. He can start by looking at the man in the mirror. He must end his use of racially charged (often racist) rhetoric and tweets for political gain. It is divisive, dangerous and diversionary. I think he is better than that. I know the country is. The president should also clean the swamp inside his administration. During his campaign and in the White House – the “People’s House” – Trump

has surrounded himself with racial ideologues, including his immigrantbashing speech writer Stephen Miller, a close college friend of Richard Spencer, who, along with former KKK leader and Trump endorser David Duke, were organizers of the demonstrations in Charlottesville where hundreds of neo-Nazis marched through the streets, chanting, “Jews will not replace us.” Racism is a pathology. It is unscientific. It is immoral. It is a sickness. It is deadly. The ideology of white supremacy is spewing hate, anti-immigrant and racially polarizing rhetoric. It is cannon fodder for these mass killings. These are not killings of passion, but political killings. Calling the shooters mentally ill is dismissing their plan of action, their ideology of supremacy and hate. They are at war. They know what they’re doing and why. We have a gun crisis, a hate crisis and a leadership crisis. Trump must use his bully pulpit for something more than bullying. He must lead the way with action, not just words, in the passage of tough, meaningful gun control and an immediate ban on military-style weapons used by both killers in El Paso and Dayton. He must demand his fellow Republicans do the same. The House has passed gun legislation that would likely reduce such mass killings in the future, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has refused to bring it before the Senate for a vote. Mr. President, start twisting arms. These political acts of domestic terrorism are an attempt to undercut our democracy. The combination of well-armed white nationalists and white supremacists and a multiracial democracy cannot coexist. The president must take a moral stand for humanity and curb his ugly rhetoric. His FBI must clamp down on right-wing, white nationalist groups inspiring and committing these acts of violence. He must join the American people who are demanding sensible gun safety measures. Prayers and condolences are not enough. We need action. We need gun control. We need the political will and moral leadership to stop the violence, save the children – and the country. Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. is the founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He can be reached through https://rainbowpush.org.

Toni Morrison’s death is a loss for the racial justice community as well as the literary world By MARC H. MORIAL National Urban League

“Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge. Whether it is obscuring state language or the faux-language of mindless media; whether it is the proud but calcified language of the academy or the commodity driven language of science; whether it is the malign language of lawwithout-ethics, or language designed for the estrangement of minorities, hiding its racist plunder in its literary cheek – it must be rejected, altered and exposed. It is the language that drinks blood, laps vulnerabilities, tucks its fascist boots under crinolines of respectability and patriotism as it moves relentlessly toward the bottom line and the bottomed-out mind.”

when she would “incorporate White lives” into her books “in a substantial way.” “You can’t understand how powerfully racist that question is, can you?” she asked. “You could never ask a White author, ‘When are you going to write about Black people?’ Whether he did or not, or she did or not. Even the inquiry comes from a position of being in the center.” Morrison likened herself to a Russian author, writing in Russian, about Russia. “The fact that it gets translated and read by other people is a benefit, it’s a plus, but he’s not obliged to ever consider writing about French people, or Americans, or anybody.” Morrison’s death this week, at the age of 88, is a loss not only to the literary world, but to the cause of racial justice and civil rights. And it comes at a time when her unique voice is especially relevant. Shortly after the election of Donald Trump in 2016, she published an essay entitled Make America White Again, in which she argued that White America’s loss of “the conviction of their natural superiority” had led to its debasement. The slaughter of unarmed men and women of color at the hands of police and racially motivated mass murder, the

‘‘ ’’ – Toni Morrison, Nobel lecture, 1993

A few years after being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, for a body of work known for centering the Black American experience, Toni Morrison was asked by a White reporter

Black History Fact

What I think the political correctness

debate is really about is the power to be able to define. The definers want the

power to name. And the defined are now taking that power away from them.

– Toni Morrison

oni Morrison, born Feb. 18, 1931 as Chloe Anthony Wofford, went to Howard University. While there, she performed the a repertory company called the Howard University. It showcased the hardships of African Americans in the South. Morrison later used the experience, along with stories about her own family's struggles, while writing her award-winning novels. After earning her bachelors degree in English from Howard, and a masters degree in English from Cornell University, she began teaching at Howard. Years later, the author became a book editor at Random House. During that time, she pushed to help other African American author become published. Morrison has won several notable awards, among them were a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Beloved in 1988, a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

bombing of Black churches, and White America’s apparent tolerance for all of it, she asserted, were part of the death knell of white superiority. “If it weren’t so ignorant and pitiful, one could mourn this collapse of dignity in service to an evil cause,” she wrote. It is telling that what the interviewer noticed most about Morrison’s work was the absence of White characters. White privilege can be like air or light, notable only when it is absent. And according to Morrison, White voters were beginning to feel it ebb away. The name “Toni Morrison” may have been as much a creation as her novels. She said she regretted using the nickname, derived from her chosen confirmation name, Anthony, and always thought of as Chloe, her given name. She grew up in the integrated town of Lorain, Ohio, and was disillusioned by what she saw as rampant colorism when she arrived at Howard University in 1949. Unlike classmates who had grown up in the South, she experienced legal segregation for the first time in Washington, D.C., but could not believe it was real. “I think it’s a theatrical thing,” she told the New York Times. “I always felt that everything else was the

theater. They didn’t really mean that. How could they? It was too stupid.” When Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, it had been more than 30 years since an Americanborn author had won, but her status as the first Black woman honored overshadowed her Americanness. And while she had complained that her work was more likely to be taught in women’s studies or African American studies than in English classes, she hoped her work “fit first into African American traditions and, second of all, this whole thing called literature.” Today, even high school students across the country are familiar with her work, reading her alongside Nathanial Hawthorne and Mark Twain. She has staked out the African American experience as part of the broader American experience. As politicians seek to divide us, and racial violence swirls around us, it is this lesson that Black America is America that we must keep firmly in our hearts.

Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, is president and CEO of the National Urban League. He can be reached through http://nul.iamempowered.com.

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Page 5 August 15, 2019

On Michael Brown and Toni Morrison By SUSAN K. SMITH Crazy Faith Ministries

When I was a child, I would cry when I was called names. It didn’t seem like anyone else was getting the same treatment, but in victim mode, one seldom sees anyone else’s pain and misery but one’s own. My mother would say that words could not hurt me and would recite the little ditty that we all were probably told: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It’s a nice jingle, but unfortunately, it’s not true. Words matter, language matters, and while one’s words will not result in a broken nose or limb, those same words can result in a broken spirit, which is worse because it is not easily fixable. Once a person’s spirit is broken, words that might have rolled off his or her back go nowhere, but stick to that spirit, seeping lin-

gual venom into spirit wounds that never healed. What might have been a casual exchange becomes a trigger for pain that was inflicted with words a very long time ago. I think about the power of words and language on this, the fifth anniversary of the police shooting and death of Michael Brown and the week in which beloved author Toni Morrison died. Morrison was a genius wordsmith. No matter how removed anyone was from the Black community, reading her words brought that community to the reader. It was impossible to walk away from her work the same way one walked toward it. She talked about words and their power. She said that words “have the capacity to liberate, empower, imagine and heal, but cruelly employed, can render the suffering of the millions mute.” And said, “Oppressive language does more than represent violence. It is violence.” That sentiment leads me back to the August day that

Brown was shot. An 18year-old youth is an entity unto itself. An 18-year-old who is getting ready to go to college is yet another component of that entity, but an 18-year-old Black youth going to college in spite of all odds represents the crème de la crème of a segment of this population that has lived on the fringes of a society that has continually used language to remind him or her of their status in the world. As a Black male, collegebound Brown might have been feeling one thing at the beginning of that morning: pride and a tad of arrogance. He had “made it through” high school and was going to be somebody. He may have done what he was accused of doing in the convenience store, but he knew he wouldn’t do anything more than that. He, again, had made it through. He wasn’t going to mess up his life. But the language he’d heard used against him and others in his community, particularly from law enforcement officers, were in

his spirit. He was most likely irritated that he was forced to even listen to police officers and “respect” them in spite of the way they talked to him and his friends and family. We do not know what happened on that day – accounts differ – but what we do know is that the officer used language to rile Michael, language that was at once disrespectful and challenging, language designed to reinforce the reality that in this society, law enforcement officers, no matter how little they themselves may obey and respect the law, have the upper hand. The hearers of their words, which are tinged with callous disregard for their humanity and dignity, are supposed to just be quiet and take the language, so that hopefully, they can move on. That wouldn’t happen on that day five years ago. The officer said something in a way that got to the sore spot of Brown’s soul, the part that was tired of being jerked around by arrogant White cops, and he decided,

“not today.” It was the language that was the initial violence, the words that Michael heard, that made him shake inside. He had been through too much and had worked too hard to make it through to take this officer’s disrespect. And so the words escalated into physical confrontation, resulting in Brown being shot to death. The unspoken words – as police allowed Michael’s body to lie on the hot pavement for four hours while they worked to get more words, more language, to justify what had happened – were a continuation of the violence that had begun between the officer and the young, unarmed Black man who was going to college. When Brown was killed, Morrison used language in a way only she could to describe the emotions felt by perhaps many. She said, “People keep saying, ‘We need to have a conversation about race.’ This is the conversation. I want to see a cop shoot a White unarmed teenager in the back. And I want to see a White man

convicted for raping a Black woman. Then when you ask me, ‘Is it over?’ I will say yes.” Morrison’s language will keep us connected, will remind us who we are and what we endure as Black people, and the tragedy of the murder of Brown will ever remind us of how the violence called “language” can result in our being neutralized and extinguished by those who have little regard for people of color in this nation and in this world.

Rev. Dr. Susan K. Smith is the founder and director of Crazy Faith Ministries. She is available for speaking. Contact her at revsuekim@sbcglobal.net. Her latest book, Rest for the Justice-Seeking Soul, is now available for preorder through Barnes and Noble at http://bit.ly/RESTBN or through Amazon at http://bit.ly/RESTAmazon.

Mass shootings: A plan to move our nation forward By gREg HUPP

Years ago, in a Luby’s cafeteria in Killeen, I walked the bloodstained carpet and felt the holes in the walls, following one of the first mass shooting events in 1991. My wife’s parents were murdered there along with 22 other innocent people. In 2009, following the Fort Hood shootings, I treated those who were patients of the gunman and those injured by his bullets. My family and I were directly impacted by these mass shootings, and we are still impacted by these events to this day. News cycles fade, but our memories do not. As a criminal psychologist, having firsthand experience with two Texas mass shootings, I see a solution to move our nation forward and likely prevent future tragedies of this nature. First, the definition of a mass shooting must change. We currently lump family violence inci-

dents with four injuries into the same category as media-grabbing public events with dozens of fatalities. These are very different scenarios that require very different solutions. Instead of lumping all “mass shootings” together, let’s call these individuals what they are – domestic terrorists. I don’t mean to denigrate or dehumanize these individuals. Many of these mass shooters have serious mental health issues and truly need help. They have been failed by the very system designed to help them. By identifying these individuals early on, however, we may be able to prevent many of these tragedies. Incidentally, the focus should be on mental and personality traits, not necessarily illness. Second, I propose a task force of combined mental health/law enforcement at the state level. Local law enforcement is already spread too thin and cannot absorb the cost to handle these cases. A state-level task force made up of doctoral-

level mental health professionals and law enforcement at detective level to screen, monitor and intervene with those individuals who present an extreme danger. This task force comprises a review committee reporting to the state attorney general to balance protecting both individual rights and society’s rights. Third, similar to a reporting system for child protective services, anyone can anonymously report an individual of concern. The call is screened and the case triaged according to a set of red-flag indicators. Those individuals identified as “extreme” risks can then be placed on intensive community supervision, similar to monitored probation for criminal offenders, until such a time as their risk level has decreased. Finally, funding for comprehensive mental health services would be provided regardless of existing mental health coverage, which often dictates the terms of intervention to less-than-effective lev-

els. The task force evaluation would have already identified critical areas for intervention to decrease the overall risk for violence. Regular reporting by providers and routine oversight by the task force provides a continuous stream of monitoring and accountability. The “domestic terrorist” designation is critical in order to access federal collaboration. As a designated domestic terrorist, that places the “extreme risk” individual on a terrorist watch list. Once on the list, the task force is then able to pull financial records, track online purchases and shipments, monitor social media, track travel and a whole host of other activities that could indicate an imminent mass shooting event. With regard to balancing individual rights versus societal protection, we already have laws that allow us to detain individuals that are deemed a threat to themselves or others. Those extreme risk cases can already be petitioned for

court-ordered mental health evaluation and court-ordered treatment, but we first need to know the danger exists. Noncompliance with monitoring and services is already legally viewed as a voluntary act and can result in detention. Bottom line: We already have the tools in our toolbox to fix the problem. We don’t need new tools that ban, restrict or castrate our basic freedoms. Let’s coordinate and put a plan in place to address the cause and stop wasting time cleaning up the mess and, more importantly, stop burying our friends and family from of another mass shooting.

Greg Hupp, Ph.D. is a forensic and clinical neuropsychologist in private practice with over 20 years of experience. He has served as an expert specialist in death and nondeath penalty capital cases, sanity evaluations and sentence mitigation.

The paradox of love: Trump’s United States of Hate By KEITH MAgEE

Trice Edney Communications

America is experiencing the most perilous of times in recent history as the result of its president, Donald Trump. Even though Monday morning he stepped forward to speak against the weekend’s hate crimes, it lacks residence because of the hate that has been reverberating since his stance against the Central Park Five, his ascendance in the GOP with the birther inquisition of Barack Obama, and not immediately condemning the chants of “send her back” aimed at four congressional women of color for doing their job. It remains jarring how he and the leadership of the GOP lack human decency by caging children at the border and proclaiming that Baltimore is a predominantly African American city where no humans should live. These hateful words are intentional verbal terrorism to inflame his base and continue to label some human beings as unworthy of being in the same race as White Americans. What is equally puzzling is the silence of the White Evangelical church, of which 81% supports and believes that Trump has been called by God. These blatant domestic terrorist attacks, being exer-

cised by White supremacists best known as the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazis, are embedded deeply in how they understand God, practice Christianity and see humanity. And, yet, there are other social justice faith leaders who are grappling with this torture and how to convey God’s message, resulting in a divided gospel. In the New Testament gospel of Mark 12:28-33, a scholar and scribe, out of curiosity, questioned Jesus, “Which out of all the commandments is the most important?” Jesus responds with two statements. The first is how you are to love the “Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul and your strength.” The second one is to love your neighbor like you love yourself. The implication is very powerful because what it means is that to be authentically a follower of Jesus, I have to know how to love myself before I can love you. I recently had a rather challenging dinner conversation with a young Jewish member of the GOP, who I consider close family. He questioned why I continuously refer to the current president as “it.” He asked, “As a Christian (that believes in the same teaching in the Torah), isn’t the fundamental teaching of our faith love? If so, are you not being equally divisive in referring to Donald Trump as an ‘it’ and the GOP as ‘them’?”

My rapid response was that human beings don’t spark flames of hatred. They would not find any justification in anyone that assembles to chant “Jews will not replace us,” say that there were “very fine people on both sides,” or call Mexicans rapists and target Muslims. Those who have a soul would condemn the acrimony so that it wouldn’t ignite a fire. The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t driven by policy experts. It was accomplished by people who actually practiced their faith in love. The movement was filled with the love of imams and rabbis, Catholic and Orthodox priests, Unitarians and Muslims, Baptists and Hindus, and Atheists and Quakers. There were Black women frying chicken, White women making cold cut sandwiches, gay men organizing and lesbian women strategizing. They galvanized together to enact laws because there were racist White Americans who lacked civility. The laws had to be created to protect those they dehumanized with Jim Crown, the violence of rape and torture of death. The preaching of “whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” is no longer applicable in these times. There’s no longer the tolerance to mount a nonviolence movement or foot soldiers in protest when the

evidence is clear that this venom embodied in these White-skin individuals is filled with intentional rage, injustice and violence against everyone that isn’t a pure American of AngloSaxon descent. Yes, there are a few Blacks who are getting passes, but I learned early in life that there was no difference between house slaves and those in the field. The white supremacist groups categorically deem them all as subhuman. After I stepped away and reflected on my dinner conversation, I realized that my retort to these times has caused me to depart from the most essential and guiding principle of my faith. With the race-baited massacres in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, by White males aged 21 and 24, I’m wrestling with: How do you continue to offer love to those who are responsible for the spillage of your brother’s blood on the ground? How do I, as a social justice intellectual and faith leader provide guidance that teaches how to love those who persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you? How do I lean in to find similarity with those who say they believe in the same Jesus that many non-White Americans serve? If this gospel can’t unite us, especially in times like this, then what can? Anger and love have no limits, especially when it is seeded in fear and one’s

misappropriated religion. The scribes were so caught up on the rules, which made up the religion, that they had fallen short on knowing how to have a relationship with God, themselves and their neighbor. There is no negating the reality of the fear of a group of White Americans being left in poverty. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, White people are 52% of people lifted from poverty by safety net programs, while Black people made up less than a quarter of that share. When it comes to receiving Medicaid, Whites make up about 43% of recipients, Hispanics about 30%, African Americans 18%, with 9% identified as other. It is obvious that their concerns are valid; however, it is unfortunate that their anger is misappropriated. It should be directed toward the White men, like Donald Trump, who are more focused on their own wealth than strengthening and providing economic opportunities for these White Americans. When I awakened Sunday morning, I learned of the incident in Dayton, Ohio, where I graduated high school. My close group of friends immediately began to check on those who still reside there. We learned of several recent insistences of targeted violence in Dayton. When I learned that one of my sister-friends and her family were literally next

door to where the shooting happened, I began to weep because she’s family. In our group of five, who have been friends now over 35 years, I’m the only African American. And, yes, race shows up because we have fluid conversations. However, what has kept our bond with our religious, sexual and political party differences is love. It was then that I realized that perhaps the answer is larger than what’s in the written text and man-made doctrines. The defining moments to overcome hate will be from what is written with love in our hearts. Maybe we can organize a healing, peace and love march with American presidents – Barack and Michelle Obama standing alongside George W. and Laura Bush? Though they had many differences, they served the United States of America honoring a commitment of justice, equality and love for all.

Dr. Keith Magee is a public intellectual with a focus on social justice and theology. He is senior fellow in culture and justice at the University College London and lead pastor at the Berachah Church, Dorchester Centre, Massachusetts. He is also a 1986 graduate of Colonel White High School in Dayton, Ohio. He can be reached through http://www.4justicesake.org.

Page 6 August 15, 2019

Blood donations save lives,

Summer supply is low Special to The Dallas Examiner

While the nation responds with grief and outrage to the most recent mass shootings, many people are motivated by these events to donate blood to save a life in need. It’s easy to comprehend the urgent need for blood when a patient is critically injured and seconds can mean the difference between life and death. But at Parkland Memorial Hospital, the demand for blood and blood products reaches beyond caring for patients in its Rees-Jones Trauma Center. On any given day, patients receive lifesaving transfusions for conditions such as chronic gastrointestinal bleeding or sickle cell disease, a severe hereditary form of anemia in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to adequately deliver oxygen throughout the body. Approximately 1 in 12 African Americans carry a sickle cell gene, meaning about 8% of African Americans are affected by the sickle cell trait, making it especially critical to receive blood donations from African Americans. Blood and blood products may also be used during surgical cases, labor and delivery, dialysis or for oncology patients, among others. As a result, Parkland is one of the largest users of blood products in the area. To meet the urgent need for blood, Parkland will host a blood drive Aug. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the private dining room located at the back of the cafeteria at Parkland Memorial Hospital, 5200 Harry Hines Blvd. No appointment is needed. Blood donors should bring a driver’s license, know their medications, eat a good meal and drink lots of fluids before donating. To learn more, contact Leslie Neilson at 469-4191628 or leslie.neilson@phhs.org. “It is critical that we always have a large supply of O-negative and AB plasma,” said Thibodeau, adding that the shelf life of blood is 42 days. “Those two are considered ‘universal donors,’ meaning that it’s safe to transfuse before we obtain a blood type on a patient.” For those cases when seconds do count, Parkland stores a supply of universal donor blood in the Rees-Jones Trauma Center for patients who need immediate blood products. For more information about donating blood, visit www.carterbloodcare.org.

Tech Fest,

HEALTH

continued from Front Page

how to enroll in certain classes. “For both of these individuals [Christiane and Evelyn] and Academic Reality being a nonprofit, most of who we work with are underprivileged kids. So we’re gaining them opportunity,” Quarles said. “And also on the IT side, we found that a lot of people have been kind of overlooked in that area. So we’re trying to expose it to them and let them know that … IT is not just labeled for foreigners. It’s for all, and we want to open the doors further for that.” The inspiration behind the event was that the Black community was in need of help in order to take advantage of the STEM jobs that exist within their own community. For Miller, founder of MPower Tech, this outsourcing of STEM jobs in Dallas is something she noticed throughout the course of many years spent inside, outside and in between the

City Council, continued from Front Page

worlds of corporate business and consulting ever since graduating with a management information systems degree from UT Arlington. Furthermore, she noticed how much of her time spent as an IT trainer wasn’t benefiting the Dallas community specifically. “I feel very passionate about the lack of inclusion that I see, not just as people of color but also of people that live in Dallas. … For me, I would train for companies and 85% of the people I was training were from outside of the United States,” said Miller. “I respect that, that other cultures and other countries are really doing a great job of preparing their youth for jobs in certain fields. But what I recognized is that we could do the same thing, and it would benefit our youth especially and adults to understand that, ‘Hey, down the street from you, like 7 miles away, is a job that pays $95,000 a year, and you probably could do a really good job at this, and you may actually like it!’ It’s just to prepare and train them with the tools to be successful.

largest airport in terms of land mass. This has a $37 billion economic impact.” In 2019, the airport had about 72.4 million passengers. In 2020, the airport is expected to welcome 75.7 million passengers. “If we look at the current DFW business arrangement that was put into place in 2011, we have three basic cost centers, which we base our rates,” Underwood said. “DFW’s Hybrid Use Agreement Model Airfield and terminal cost centers are ‘residual.’ DFW retains profits from nonairline revenues up to the ‘Upper Threshold,’ then shares 75% with the airlines to reduce landing fees.” He said this budget shows the lowest increase in airline costs since 2011. All airline key performance indicators, or KPIs, are improving for the first time and include lower cost per enplanement, or CPE, which is down 28 cents, and also lower landing fees, which are down 22 cents. Additionally, the lower terminal rentals are down by $3. “From an airline perspective, this is a very positive budget,” he said. “We also have a record passenger forecast of 75.7 million, which is about a 4.6% increase, and a record

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“I’ve been teaching classes on HTML, coding and different types of coding for a while. … Well, that turned into YouTube content creating, writing books. And then I realized that there was a real urgent need in the community to help expose, especially the youth, to the opportunities for jobs that are well-paying jobs in the community. So I got involved because I had also worked in the fashion industry with a couple of companies, then show production and media, so I came up with the concept to bring that all together to help Bridge the Gap.” Much of what Miller has to offer – teachings and wisdom she believes essential to equipping workers in the digital age – have come thanks to her experiences in many different areas of business. For this, she credits her understanding of code and information systems as well as her mother. Miller’s mother was a summa cum laude graduate from Xavier University who ended up working for IBM and knew the importance of the impending digital age. For that reason, she began pushing

DFW Cost Center net revenue of $164 million, which is an increase of $18.3 million or about 12.6% increase. There is also an increase in the expenditure budget of 2.3% or $23.1 million. The largest increase in the budget is in regards to custodial work from American Airlines from Terminals A and C. In fact, those terminals are the ones which have had the lowest customer service scores, and we have worked with American Airlines on that.” The FY 2020 budget also funds strategic priorities for Customer Experience, Safe and Secure, and Operational Excellence, all of which costs about $9.1 million. “The operating expense increases relate to Terminals A and C custodial and strategic priorities, and also includes fixed contract increases, salary annualization and merit pool,” Underwood said. “Management has identified $15.5 million of cost reductions and budget savings or 3.1% of outlook. Funding Terminals A and C custodial, strategic priorities, fixed contract increases, salary annualization and merit pool account for 96.9% of the budget increase.” FY 2020 revenues consist of 48.6% of the $1.032 billion expenditure budget funded by airlines, with the balance coming from the nonairline sources. Underwood said the DFW Cost Center

Christiane into the technology realm beginning at a young age. Miller has worked in various business, software and technical analyst roles. In doing so, she has learned how similar many business atmospheres are when it comes to the technology that makes them work, and how the digital age makes for a flat world where anybody can seize opportunity. She reflected on a time when she began working in the fashion industry. She said that the projects she had worked on at a corporate level were very similar to the project management needed to produce shows. “There may be people out there who, if they understood some of the technical aspects, they could get jobs or be innovators themselves.” For more information, call 214-214-0010 or 469-231-9110, email info@m-power.tech or visit http://www.m-power.tech. tickets, visit For https://www.eventbrite.com/e/b ridging-the-gap-tech-fest-tickets-47192448885.

revenues of FY 2020 are $411.5 million, a $15.7 million or 4% increase, which is a new record and includes revenues from parking, concessions, concession advertising, rental car and commercial development. Also, he said the airline costs, which include the landing fees and terminal rentals that the airline pays, is competitive with other markets. “DFW remains cost competitive versus other large hub airports and compares favorably with American Airlines’ other large hub airports,” he said. “The FY 2020 budget is the lowest increase in airline costs since 2011, and the CPE, landing fee and terminal rates have all collectively decreased for the first time compared to the prior year.” Council member Tennell Atkins of District 8 asked about decreasing revenues such as parking and asked if any other revenues have gone down for DFW Airport. “When we talk about parking, we see that the parking for the DFW universe is growing, and that is why when we see ground transportation, it is up a bit, and it is up because we implemented this online parking system, which is helping us grow,” Underwood said. The City Council will consider the operating budget for approval during the Aug. 28 council agenda meeting.

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LIFESTYLE

Page 7 August 15, 2019

Award-winning authors to participate in Tulisoma Special to The Dallas Examiner

The 16th Tulisoma: South Dallas Book Fair, founded in 2003 by the late City Councilman Leo V. Chaney Jr. and Dr. Harry Robinson Jr., president and CEO of the African American Museum, will be held Aug. 23 and 24 at the African American Museum in Fair Park, located at 3536 Grand Ave. It will kick off with an invitation-only reception Aug. 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and continue the next day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring award-winning auReShonda Tate thors Billingsley and Carole Boston Weatherford. Billingsley is an awardwinning and national bestselling author and journalist. She has authored over 45 books and was involved in three anthologies. She writes both adult and teen fiction and nonfiction. Several of her books have been optioned for movies. Two of her books have been made into films – Let the Church Say Amen, directed by actress Regina King, and The Secret She Kept. She was awarded Best Books 2004 in Christian Fiction by the Library Journal for her novel Let the Church Say Amen. She received a second award from the Library Journal, Best Books 2015 in African American Fiction, f o r Mama’s Boy, a story

about a mother’s love, courage and faith as she struggled to save her son who was accused of shooting a police officer. Billingsley has received many other awards, including an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction, the National Association of Black Journalists “Spirit in the Words” award and was named an Essence bestselling author. She has also been inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. Billingsley is also the cofounder of Brown Girl Books, an exclusive boutique publishing company, featuring over 40 authors, including herself and Victoria Christopher Murray. Weatherford is a New York Times bestselling author, poet and biographer and an award-winning illustrator. She writes children’s books, books on history, commentaries and poetry. Her children’s books are sold directly to children through Scholastic Book Club, known throughout the nation for its educational and wholesome collection of children’s books. Her most recent book is Dear Mr. Rosenwald, a documentary on how the African American community invested and became involved in education during the Jim Crow era. In the novel, she wrote about how Booker T. Washington influenced philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, and a Tuskegee Institute board member, to help fund a project to build schools in Southern rural communities. Weatherford has received many awards, including the Carter G. Woodson Award for The Sound That Jazz Makes, three Caldecott

Honors, two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Literary Work – Children’s, the Society of Children’s Book Writers “Golden Kite Award” and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. Weatherford has partnered with her son, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, an award-winning children’s book illustrator and performance poet. Together, the duo founded Children’s Books by the Weatherfords, a collection of children’s books and educational resources. The book festival will also feature literary and art activities for all ages as well as information for budding authors on how to self-publish their books. It will conclude with a free Hip-Hop Gospel Extravaganza from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the museum lawn. Tulisoma, Swahili for “we read,” is a communitybased festival in the South Dallas/Fair Park area that promotes literacy. Reading is the foundation of education, and children who learn to love reading generally have better reading comprehension. According to Reading is Fundamental, children who learn to read early have a better chance of overcoming the achievement gap. For information, call 214565-9026, ext. 304 or visit w w w. t u l i somabookfair.org.

Page 8 August 15, 2019

The Dallas Examiner www.dallasexaminer.com

CLASSIFIEDS

MISSING

Bids

Gabriell Barron

DOB: July 29, 2002 Missing Since: June 23, 2019 Age Now: 17 Sex: Female Race: Black Height: 5’1” Weight: 120 lbs Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown Missing City: Dallas NCMEC Number: 1361449

Additional informaton: Tyler may still be in the local area. Anyone having information regarding this missing youth should call the Dallas Police Department at 214-744-4444.

Every 40 seconds, a child is reported as "missing," according to several government and missing children's reports. And the number of missing African American children has increased from 25 percent to 33 percent. This is not only a crisis for the families of the missing children, but for our community and our country.

The Dallas Examiner has made it its mission to post missing children in our community, as reported by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, each week.

Anyone having information regarding this child, should contact National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. For more information or to view more missing children in your area, visit www.missingkids.com.

Page 9 August 15, 2019

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, is requesting competitive sealed Proposals from qualified Companies to provide Broker Services for Employee Benefits (DHA Project # RFP-2019-16).

DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, is requesting competitive sealed Proposals from qualified Companies to provide Retirement Plan Investment Advisory Services (DHA Project # RFP-2019-17).

RFP-2019-16

Proposal submission documents may be obtained from the Procurement Department at DHA’s HQ which is located on the 2nd floor at 3939 N. Hampton Road, Dallas, Texas 75212 or by visiting the website at www.dhantx.com or by calling 214/951-8429, beginning Wednesday, August 14, 2019. Office hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Fridays.

Sealed Proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. C. D.T. on Thursday, September 05, 2019 in the Procurement Department, on the 2nd floor at 3939 North Hampton Road, Dallas, Texas 75212. All sealed proposals must be received in the Procurement Department by the specified time. Any Sealed Proposals received after 4:00 p.m., on Thursday, September 05, 2019 will be rejected.

RFP-2019-17

Sealed Proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. C. D.T. on Monday, September 09, 2019 in the Procurement Department, on the 2nd floor at 3939 North Hampton Road, Dallas, Texas 75212. All sealed proposals must be received in the Procurement Department by the specified time. Any Sealed Proposals received after 4:00 p.m., on Monday, September 09, 2019 will be rejected.

DHA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL PROPOSALS OR TO WAIVE ANY INFORMALITIES IN THE BIDDING. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, DISABILITY FAMILIAL STATUS, OR AGE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

Internship at The Dallas Examiner Internships are available throughout the year for students enrolled in journalism, writing or design classes. Must be reliable. Hours are flexible. These are not paid positions but will allow students to gain practical, onthe-job experience. Students interested must e-mail their resume and three writing or design samples. Contact: rjimenez@dallasexaminer.com

Wells Fargo Bank Scholarship This is a scholarship sweepstake, open to both high school and college undergraduate students for a chance to win $1000 to pay for college, who meet general requirements. Deadline: Aug. 13 Contact: http://ebm.collegesteps.wellsfargoemail.com

Internships

Scholarships

CALENDAR COMMUNITY

Page 10 August 15, 2019 August Women’s Suffrage in Texas, an exhibit focusing on the long campaign for woman suffrage in Texas, from the movement’s early roots to the new struggles after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m at the Dallas Historical Society, 3939 Grand Ave. For more information, visit http://www.dallashistory.org/exhibitions.

August The Summer Food Service Program will offer students free breakfast and lunch over the summer. Any child that arrives for breakfast and/or lunch will receive a healthy meal. No registration is needed. To find the nearest participating location as well as a list of dates and times the meals are offered, visit https://www.dallasisd.org/fcns.

August

National Black Business Month www.nationalbcc.org National Immunization Awareness Month www.partnersforimmunization.org Cataract Awareness Month www.aao.org National Eye Exam Month www.nei.nih.gov

Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure-Fort Worth Stockyards Mini Quest, a citywide team quest to solve clues while learning local history, will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Exchange and Packers, 130 E. Exchange Ave, Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.urbanadventurequest.com.

Free Legal Clinics, legal advice and consultation in civil matters presented by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program for Dallas County residents who meet financial guidelines, will begin at 5 p.m. at Salvation Army, 451 W. Ave. D, Garland. For more information and scheduling, visit www.dallasvolunteerattorneyprogram.org.

DART will host a community meeting to review the progress of the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project at Shelton School & Evaluation Center, 15720 Hillcrest Road. For more information, call 214-749-2543.

15 Meditation for Every-

one, with a breathing med-

ONgOINg EVENTS

Now-November A Shared Border, an exhibit on how the diverse cultural landscape of the Texas and Mexico borderland has caused different cultures to blend and innovate, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m at the Dallas Historical Society, 3939 Grand Ave. For more information, visit http://www.dallashistory.org/exhibitions.

Aug. 8-24 Dorothy Marcic’s Sistas The Musical, directed by Jubilee’s newest artistic director, D. Wambui Richardson, will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Jubilee Theatre, 506 Main St., Fort Worth. For more information, call 817-3384204 ext. 2 or visit www.jubileetheatre.org.

Mondays-Wednesdays Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing/

itation, instructions on how to gain control of the mind and choose how we respond to life’s difficulties, and a meditation related to the topics discussed, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at The Womens Club of Fort Worth, 1316 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Worth. For more information, call 214-238-3331 or visit www.meditationintexas.or g/weekly-classes.

16 One More Time Expe-

rience featuring Charlie Wilson & more, presented by Tom Joyner, will be held at 7:30 p.m. at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 300 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. For more information and tickets, visit www.thepaviliontmf.com.

The MLK Back to School Festival, with free school supplies, backpacks, uniforms, shoes, and more for students grades pre-K to 12, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2922 MLK Blvd. Parents must provide a photo ID and children must be present to receive supplies. For more information, call 214-670-8418 or visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com.

16-18

The Pre-Fair Horse Show – Ranch Sorting, where teams use strategy to separate cattle, will be held free at 9 a.m. p.m. at the Fair Park Coliseum, 1438 Coliseum Drive. For more information, visit www.bigtex.com/livestock-shows.

17 Yoga Classes, yoga in

a Christian environment, will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at FriendshipWest Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road. For more information, visit www.friendshipwest.org.

Treatment, testing and treatment for STIs, HIV, Hep C and other sexual infections, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Prism Health Clinic; 4922 Spring. For more information, call 214-421-7848.

First, Second & Fourth Tuesdays Free legal services will be available at 5 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2922 MLK Blvd. For more information, call 214-748-1234.

Tuesdays & Thursdays Free SkillQuest Career Readiness Classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, at 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. For more information, call 214-879-9950 or email sgronstal@skillquestcareers.org.

17 Amazing Scavenger Adventure-Fort Hunt Worth Stockyards Mini Quest, a citywide team quest to solve clues while learning local history, will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Exchange and Packers, 130 E. Exchange Ave, Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.urbanadventurequest.com. 17

Christian Stronghold Church Heart to Heart Community Day, with rapid HIV/Aids testing and education along with burn outreach information provided by Parkland, will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Christian Stronghold Church, 6810 Samuell Blvd. For more information, call Nicole Johnson at 214-927-5048 or email health@christianstronghold.org.

Free Health Screenings, screening and information with a follow-up appointment, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Friendship-West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road. For more information, visit www.friendshipwest.org.

19 Singles Yoga Classes,

yoga in a Christian environment, will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Friendship-West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road. For more information, visit www.friendshipwest.org.

Senior Adult Workout/Fitness Sessions, hosted by Annette ReidJordan Senior Adult Community, will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Friendship-West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road. For more information, call 972-228-5200 or visit www.friendshipwest.org.

Wednesdays State Fair Job Assistance will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Library, 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd - Bldg. C. For more information, call 214-708-2739 or visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com.

Wednesdays The MLK Fresh Produce Distribution Center will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd - Bldg. A. For more information, call 214708-2739 or visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com. Wednesdays State Fair Job Assistance will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Library, 2922 Martin Luther

Economic Development and Housing Committee meeting will be held at 9 a.m. in Room 6ES at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. For more information, call 214-6703111 or visit www.dallascityhall.com.

Human & Social Needs Committee meeting will be held at 11 a.m. in Room 6ES at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. For more information, call 214-670-3111 or visit www.dallascityhall.com.

19 Government Perform-

ance and Financial ManCommittee agement meetings will be held at 2 p.m. in Room 6ES at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. For more information, call 214-670-3111 or visit www.dallascityhall.org.

Free Legal Clinics, legal advice and consultation in civil matters presented by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program for Dallas County residents who meet certain financial guidelines, will begin at 5 p.m. at Friendship West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road. For more information, visit www.dallasvolunteerattorneyprogram.org.

The Dallas Examiner www.dallasexaminer.com

Senior Adult Workout/Fitness Sessions, hosted by Annette ReidJordan Senior Adult Com-

King Jr. Blvd - Bldg. C. For more information, call 214-708-2739 or visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com.

Saturdays The MLK Fresh Produce Distribution Center will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd - Bldg. A. For more information, call 214708-2739 or visit www.dallasmlkcenter.com.

munity, will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Friendship-West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road. For more information, call 972-228-5200 or visit www.friendshipwest.org.

Dallas City Council Agenda Meeting will be held at 9 a.m. in Room 6ES at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. For more information, call 214-670-3111 or visit www.dallascityhall.org.

Free Legal Clinics, with legal advice and consultation on civil matters presented by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program for Dallas County residents who meet financial guidelines, will begin at 5 p.m. at 2828 Fish Trap Road. For more information and scheduling, visit www.dallasvolunteerattorneyprogram.org.

22 Meditation for Every-

one, with a breathing meditation, instructions on how to gain control of the mind and choose how we respond to life’s difficulties, and a meditation related to the topics discussed, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at The Womens Club of Fort Worth, 1316 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Worth. For more information, call 214-238-3331 or visit www.meditationintexas.org/weekly-classes.

22 UT Southwestern Project Impact Health & Wellness Fair, with education and information provided by Parkland’s North Texas Poison Control, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Victim Intervention Program/Rape Crisis, will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Branch Library, 2922 MLK Blvd. For more information, call Brandon

Harris at 469-291-2895 or email brandon.harris@utsouthwestern.edu.

Amazing Scavenger Adventure-Fort Hunt Worth Stockyards Mini Quest, a citywide team quest to solve clues while learning local history, will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Exchange and Packers, 130 E. Exchange Ave, Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.urbanadventurequest.com.

23-25

The Pre-Fair Horse Show – Arabian Show, a showcase of the oldest ‘purebred’ of any horse in the world, will be held free at 9 a.m. p.m. at the Fair Park Coliseum, 1438 Coliseum Drive. For more information, visit www.bigtex.com/livestock-shows.

The 16th Tulisoma South Dallas Book Fair, featuring award-winning authors ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Carole Boston Weatherford, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave. For more information, call 214-565-9026 ext. 304 or visit www.tulisomabookfair.org.

Bridging the Gap: a Tech Fest, a free career fair showcasing innovations and careers in coding, gaming, film, digital art, digital media, entertainment, artificial intelligence, fashion, healthcare, real estate and more, will be held from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. along the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge, 109 Continental Ave. The highlight of the festival will be the Technology Fashion Show with VIP seating available. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Disclaimer: The Dallas Examiner makes every effort to accurately list all calendar events. However, The Dallas Examiner bears no responsibility for schedule changes and/or cancellations. Contact information on each event listing is provided for the public for confirmation and additional information.

Send your calendar events and a photo no less than two weeks before your event:

Email: calendar@dallasexaminer.com