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Volume X- Issue 243 August 1-15, 2012 Published 1st & 15th Each Month Phalconstar.com Garland, Texas Phone (972) 926-8503 Fax (903) 450-1397 1 Year Subscription $45.00 VOL XVII ISSUE 11
Volume X- Issue 243 August 1-15, 2012 Published 1st & 15th Each Month Phalconstar.com Garland, Texas Phone (972) 926-8503 Fax (903) 450-1397 JANUARY 1 Year Subscription $45.00 17, 2018
Historic Black & Clark plans include move north By Norma Adams-Wade Contributor
Garland City leaders tout growth From Staff Reports It’s time to celebrate 2017’s accomplishments while building on them for an even better new year. The City of Garland has lots to celebrate as we head into 2018. Economic growth has spurred new energy for development in Garland. The City’s property tax base increased by $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2016-17— that’s almost 10 percent! That growth included more than $200 million in new construction, Garland’s highest number on record and more than the previous two years combined. Here are a few highlights: • Garland is benefiting from continued growth in the data center market with the
Linda Mitchell, CEO
Black & Clark Funeral Home
Friends who grew up with business juggernaut Linda Mitchell say she showed signs of her professional future as a child. They just did not know what those signs meant. The friends were not alone. Mitchell said recently that she, too, did not understand traits about herself that gave hints of her coming career, business savvy, and community service. The owner, president and chief executive officer of historic Black & Clark Funeral Home in Dallas looked back over her life recently during an IMessenger interview and marveled at the journey that brought her to this point -- sitting behind the Black & Clark CEO desk where – in one of her familiar phrases -- the buck stops. “Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought I’d end up owning a funeral home,� Mitchell said pensively. “It’s mind-boggling.� Mitchell has covered much ground and survived hard-hitting business and personal blows on her way to this juncture. She has gained a reputation as a successful businesswoman with a social conscience, a no-nonsense executive who runs a tight ship, and a caring Christian who proudly credits her faith and spiritual lifestyle for her undisputed success so far. But she makes it clear that the road ahead is challenging in order to accomplish the goals she has in mind to rebrand and take the 103-year-old Black & Clark institution to the next level. And along the way, Mitchell is leading a crusade to preserve the strength and existence of independent, black-owned funeral homes in the Dallas area and Texas.
EXPANDING TO FAR NORTH DALLAS Part of her crusade involves opening a new market for an
See BLACK page 7
addition of Digital Realty, a multi-phased data center campus to be located on 47.5 acres northeast of the intersection of West Campbell Road and the President George Bush Turnpike. In April 2017, RagingWire Data Centers opened the first phase of their $389 million data center campus very near the new Digital Realty project site. • Garland has approved a deal that will result in the development of a $25 million North Garland Medical Center at 7217 Telecom Parkway. This state-of-the-art medical facility will realize 95,000 square feet of health care space in a new three-story building near the intersection of Lookout Drive and Telecom Parkway. • The City of Garland has acquired the long-vacant retail site on South Garland
Avenue near Interstate 635, where Hypermart was built in the late 1980s. In a proactive move to improve this key gateway to Garland, the City Council approved the purchase in late 2017 to prepare the site for marketing to prospective developers. • The City will propose the creation of a Tax Increment Financing zone (TIF) in the area around Baylor Scott & White Medical Center to encourage reinvestment and redevelopment. The City also is actively pursuing development activities in other areas of south Garland, as well as focusing on a study of opportunities along the Interstate 30 corridor. Garland residents and visitors have likely noticed an influx of traffic cones and busy Street crews. For the past few years, the Council has placed streetand alley improve-
ments at the top of their priority list. For the 2017-18 fiscal year, more than $26 million is available for roadway infrastructure repairs. That’s an almost three-fold increase in funding over the past four years. Garland’s parks and recreation centers received new attention in 2017, and will continue into 2018. City teams have generated a list of projects that need nearterm attention, such as removal of faded or damaged signage, repairs of amenities such as playgrounds and concession stands, improved litter management and repairs of specific facilities such as recreation centers. More substantial renovations of facilities at Winters and Audubon Parks are nearing completion, while improvements at Granger Recreation Center are underway.
The public input process also is underway for proposed skate and dog parks. Other quality of life accomplishments include: • Celebration of Downtown Garland’s inclusion in the National Registry of Historic Places with the Rockin’ the Square event in October; • Rollout of Visit Garland Texas app to promote Garland’s events and venues to visitors and residents; • Neighborhood vitality projects such as the “Where the Heart Isâ€? campaign in the Orchard Hills/Parkmont area of Garland. Public safety is always important for Garland residents and businesses. The City approved 11 additional police officers, as well as a community outreach officer to oversee efforts to address homelessness in Garland.
Radio Listeners Honor Garland Police This past holiday season, iHeartMedia radio station KDGE Star 102.1 and on-air host Rick O'Bryan teamed up with Academy Sports + Outdoors to gift a shopping spree to remember. Listeners were encouraged to nominate a local community center, school or first responder department for a chance to win a $2,000 Academy Sports + Outdoors gift card. The Garland Police Department was nominated by several listeners for its community outreach programs and the department was ultimately selected as the prize recipient. The gift will be used to further the Garland Police Department's community outreach programs.
What’s going on in Garland and surrounding areas? Send in your calendar events! Rockwall, TX 75032) Show dates/times: Dramapalooza, created in 2003, gives January 18 January 20 01/20 at 7 p.m., 01/21 at 2 p.m. adults with various disabilities the oppor“The Widow" by Garland Civic Theatre 7:30 PM Granville Arts Center - Small Theatre, 300 N. Fifth Street, Garland, TX, 75040 The Widow is a contemporary gothic thriller with a beautiful heroine, a twisted antagonist, an ancient scandal and a longdead victim still haunting the halls of a stately home. Tickets: $17 at GarlandArtsBoxOffice.com, 972-205-2790 or in-person at the Granville Arts Center Box Office, open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and two hours before each performance
January 19 Now We Run- Women's March Anniversary Kickoff Happy Hour, Hosted by Ana-Maria Ramos for Texas House District 102 Backyard Dallas 505 N Good Latimer Expy, Dallas, Texas 75201 First we marched, NOW WE RUN! Friday at 5 PM - 7:30 PM. Come join some of the #ElectHer Dallas area candidates, Brandy K Chambers for Texas House Representative District 112 Ana-Maria Ramos for Texas House District 102 and Joanna Cattanach for Texas State Representative HD108 to kick off the anniversary weekend of the Women's March! *********** "Gathering of Dances" Granville Arts Center Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75040 7:30 PM. Presented by Millermuller ballet, “Gathering of Dances� features performances from dance companies across DFW, including Millermuller ballet, Allen Civic Ballet, and more! Tickets: $10-15 at the door. Reservations can be made by phone at 214-861-7221.
Street Ministry and Homeless Outreach, Hosted by City of Dallas Street Ministry 12 Dates ¡ Jan 20, 2018 - Dec 15, 2018 Shiloh Worship Center of Garland 2204 S Shiloh Rd, Garland, Texas Join us Saturday the third Saturday of every month to minister to the homeless in Dallas and surrounding cities. We meet at 2204 S Shiloh Road Garland Texas. From there we take gallon sized freezer bags filled with prepackaged foods and hygiene products. Then we take the message of the gospel to the streets. From predetermined areas, we approach each individual give them a blessing bag and ask what they might need in prayer. Ultimately this brings the church to the streets of Dallas not only for the homeless but those in vehicles and pedestrians passing by as we lay hands and Praise God! If you're able bring Bibles, Lunchables and bottled water (prepackaged meals) Hygiene products (tooth brushes, tooth paste sanitizer) The 99 cent stores carries these items for a dollar and typically we're able to reach out to 15 to 25 people within three hours. *********** "Narnia..." Presented by Royalty Dance Academy 7:00 pm at Granville Arts Center Brownlee Auditorium, 300 N. Fifth Street, Garland, TX, 75040 Follow Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy on their magical journey in Royalty Dance Academy’s ballet adaptation of “Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe.â€? Tickets: $12 (General Admission), $25 (Reserved) available at the door, online at RoyaltyDanceAcademy.com, or at Royalty Dance Academy (2305 State Hwy 276
January 22 "Annie, Jr." by Breitling Youth Theater 9:45 am at Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75040 Little orphan Annie is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Annie eventually foils Miss Hannigan's evil schemes, finding a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy. Tickets: www.ActingForChildren. org or 972-658-3915. Show dates/times: 01/21 at 5 p.m. and 730 p.m. 01/22-23 at 9:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.
January 27 "The Lion King, Jr." by Breitling Youth Theater, 2:00 pm Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75040 The African savannah comes to life with Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast of characters as they journey from Pride Rock to the jungle... and back again, in this inspiring, coming-of-age tale. Tickets: www. ActingForChildren.org or 972-658-3915. Show dates/times: 01/25-26 at 9:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. and 01/26 at 7 p.m. 01/27 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. 01/28 at 2 p.m.
January 28 DRAMAPALOOZA" AT THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER 2:00 pm THE GRANVILLE ARTS CENTER 300 N Fifth St Garland, TX 75040Â
tunity to learn all about musical theater performance and production. Each year, a group of 15 to 20 performers embark on a journey to learn lines, songs, dances, and more in an intense, three-week program culminating in a public performance. Tickets: admission is FREE and open to the public. For more info, contact Holford Recreation Center at 972-205-2772 or hrc@garlandtx.gov.
January 31 "Mary Poppins" by Breitling Youth Theater 9:45 am at Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75040. Jane and Michael Banks have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives on their doorstep. Using a combination of magic and common sense, she must teach the Banks family how to value each other again. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures. Everyone can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that "Anything can happen if you let it." Tickets: www.ActingForChildren. org or 972-658-3915. Show dates/times: 01/31-02/01 at 9:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. 02/02 at 6:30 p.m. 02/03 at 6 p.m. *Show dates and times subject to change.Â
February 3 Valentine Mini Hosted by Courtney Marie Photography Saturday, at 9 AM - 12 PM
Courtney Marie Photography 337 Oaks Trl, Garland, Texas 75043
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JANUARY 17, 2018
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January 18 Dru Hill & Avant 8:00 p.m. Music Hall at Fair Park 909 1st. Ave., Dallas, 75210 ************* “The Widow” by Garland Civic Theatre 7:30 PM Granville Arts Center - Small Theatre, 300 N. Fifth Street, Garland, TX, The Widow is a contemporary gothic thriller with a beautiful heroine, a twisted antagonist, an ancient scandal and a long-dead victim still haunting the halls of a stately home. Tickets: $17 at GarlandArtsBoxOffice.com, 972-205-2790 or in-person at the Granville Arts Center Box Office, open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and two hours before each performance *********** NET Dems - January Meeting Hosted by Mark Bauer Tio Carlos Colleyville4843 Colleyville Blvd, Colleyville, Texas 76034 7 PM - 8:30 PM Friends and visitors are invited to come hear Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa, Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party who will discuss the path to victory for the 2018 election and the upcoming State Convention that will be held in Fort Worth this year. Questions? Mark Bauer (817)939-5671 mbauer@coltsoft.com ***************** Dallas County District Attorney Forum Hosted by Friendship-West Baptist Church Social Justice Thursday at 6:30 PM - 9 PM 2020 W Wheatland Rd, Dallas, Texas 75232 Join us for the Dallas County District Attorney forum on January 18th at 6:30 in the choir room. Friendship-West, Alpha Phi Alpha, and the NAACP invite everyone out to participate in the Dallas District Attorney Candidate Forum. Politics is local, so come get involved and get to know the candidates for Dallas’s District Attorney. For more info email justice@friendshipwest.org ************ HYP Dallas Second Annual Kick-Off Party, 6 pm - 9 pm Saint Rocco’s at Trinity Groves 3011 Gulden Ln, Ste 100, Dallas, Join Dallas Area Habitat at the 2nd Annual Habitat Young Professionals Kick-Off Party and start 2018 off right.. Free parking and more. Tickets at www. eventbrite.com
January 19
Now We Run- Women’s March Anniversary Kickoff Happy Hour Hosted by Ana-Maria Ramos for Texas House District 102 Backyard Dallas 505 N Good Latimer Expy, Dallas, Texas 75201 First we marched, NOW WE RUN! Friday at 5 PM - 7:30 PM Come join some of the #ElectHer Dallas area candidates, Brandy K Chambers for Texas House Representative District 112 Ana-Maria Ramos for Texas House District 102 and Joanna Cattanach for Texas State Representative HD108 to kick off the anniversary weekend of the Women’s March! *************** “Gathering of Dances” Granville Arts Center Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75040 7:30 PM Presented by millermuller ballet, “Gathering of Dances” features performances from dance companies across DFW, including millermuller ballet, Allen Civic Ballet, and more! Tickets: $10-15 at the door. Reservations can be made by phone at 214-861-7221 Attitude Adjustment weekend 2018 Ron Fry and Devon from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel 6007 Legacy Drive Plano
January 20 Smooth R & B 105.7 Presents The Smooth Winter Grove The Ladies Night Out Edition Joe with 112 and Next 8:00 p.m. Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie 1001 Performance Pl. G.P. 75050 Ticket information www.axs.com *************** “Narnia...” Presented by Royalty Dance Academy 7:00 pm at Granville Arts Center - Brownlee Auditorium, 300 N. Fifth Street, Garland, TX, 75040 Tickets: $12 (General Admission), $25 (Reserved) available at the door, online at RoyaltyDanceAcademy.com, or at Royalty Dance Academy (2305 State Hwy 276 Rockwall, TX 75032) Show dates/times: 01/20 7 p.m., 01/21 2 p.m. ************* Street Ministry and Homeless Outreach Hosted by City of Dallas Street Ministry 12 Dates · Jan 20, 2018 - Dec 15, 2018 Shiloh Worship Center of Garland 2204 S Shiloh Rd, Garland, Texas 75041 Join us Saturday the third Saturday of
every month to minister to the homeless in Dallas and surrounding cities. How to become a home owner in 60days or less with $0 down! Hosted by Real Estate By JK Team Doubletree by Hilton Arlington DFW South 1507 North Watson Road, Arlington, Texas 76006 Saturday at 10 AM - 12 PM Tickets: www. eventbrite.com ************* Impeach Trump Solidarity Rally & March For North Texas Hosted by Next Generation Action Network 11 AM - 2 PM *************** City of Dallas - City Hall 1500 Marilla St, Dallas, Texas 75201 Free Speech For People and Roots Action call upon Congress to open an investigation to determine whether there are sufficient grounds to impeach President Trump, including: 1. obstruction of justice; 2. violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause and Domestic Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution…… ************** Dallas Women’s March 2018 Hosted by Victoria Neave for Texas State Representative and Dallas Women’s March 10 am Starts at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1816 Routh St., Dallas, Texas 75201 First anniversary of the historic Dallas Women’s March, when Dallas joined cities across the country and the world to stand up for equality, justice, and inclusion! Details to come soon. Let’s celebrate and keep the momentum going! #DallasWomensMarch *************** Black WallStreet Business Expo Hosted by wannahomeloan.com 10 am - 4 pm African American Museum of Dallas 3536 Grand Ave, Dallas, Texas 75210 The First Edition: Black Wall Street Business Expo will be an event you Do Not want to miss... Tickets at www.eventbrite.com ************ 2018 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Hosted by Southwestern Donkey and Mule Society 8 am Justin Arena, Fort Worth TX ************ Making My Dreams My Reality!: Inau-
gural Dream Planning Party Hilton Garden Inn Dallas/Arlington South 521 Interstate 20 Arlington, TX 76018 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Tickets available here: http://bit.ly/2p5qvKp Diane Nash- For Generations Yet Born 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM CS Hilton Garden Inn 800 N. Main Street Duncanville, Tx 75116 For Ticket Information and Question Call: 713-244-5333 or 214-335-2963.
January 21 Omega Alpha Omega’s AKA 110-Year Founders’ Day Celebration Hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Omega Alpha Omega Chapter Sunday at 1 PM - 3 PM Sheraton McKinney 1900 Gateway Blvd, McKinney y. Tickets are available NOW through www.eventbrite.com Please note registration closes on January 6, 2018.
JANUARY 17, 2018
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What? Hosted by Friendship-West Baptist Church Social Justice and Friendship-West Baptist Church 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Friendship-West Baptist Church 2020 W Wheatland Rd, Dallas, Texas 75232 Legal Overview: You’re Arrested, Now What? For more info contact us at justice@friendshipwest.org or call 972-228-5200.
January 23 Adoption 101 Gladney Center for Adoption 6300 John Ryan Drive Fort Worth, TX 76132 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. At Gladney, we believe that every child deserves a loving and caring family. By popular demand, we are proud to offer “Adoption 101” Register here: http://bit.ly/2Cm7OEz The Color Purple
January 22 “Annie, Jr.” by Breitling Youth Theater 9:45 am at Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75040 Tickets: www.ActingForChildren.org or 972-658-3915. Show dates/times: 01/21 at 5 p.m. and 730 p.m. 01/22-23 at 9:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. *Show dates and times subject to change. *************
Music Hall at Fair Park January 23rd - February 4th, 2018 Time: TIMES VARY Tickets $20 and up Tickets and show times: http://bit.ly/ 2AoWINE
Legal Overview: You’re Arrested, Now
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JANUARY 17, 2018
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EDITORIAL/OPINION
No Justice, No Peace, No Joke! QUIT PLAYIN’ By Vincent L. Hall
Somehow we have allowed the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., to be canonized, sanitized, and reduced to fit the narrow ordinances of American “Exceptionalism�. Rap star and musical magnate, Drake, warns against historical perversion. “When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.� Martin King had more than a dream forged on a cloud-filled mountaintop. King, a gentle man, could be considered verbally abusive if you didn’t want to hear the truth. It’s been 50 years since Martin was riddled with hate at the Lorraine Motel. In 2018, Martin is 50 years a martyr. Doc, formally refuted parts of his dream and optimism in a 1965 sermon delivered at the his-
toric Ebenezer Church; on Independence Day, no less. “About two years ago now, I stood with many of you who stood there in person and all of you who were there in spirit before the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. As I came to the end of my speech there, I tried to tell the nation about a dream I had. I must confess to you this morning that since that sweltering August afternoon in 1963, my dream has often turned into a nightmare.� In true “Kingian� form, Martin not only made a profound statement, but punctuated it with picturesque soliloquy. King beckons you to join him in his mind’s eye and see the formation of his reasoning. “I’ve seen my dream shattered as I’ve walked the streets of Chicago and see Negroes, young men and women, with a sense of utter hopelessness because they
tion exhaust every possibility for peace and justice at home and abroad. Where are the persistent protests and the political provocateurs? Whose responsibility is it to draft, design, and deploy the official opposition response to Donald Trump et al? It lies with all of us. And maybe that’s what the problem is. We play too much!!! Let me end with another of King’s quotes that you probably never bothered to read. “Peace is not merely the absence of tension, but the presence of Justice�. In other words; “No Justice, No Peace.� This new surge of Nationalism and plutocracy won’t be ignored. I’m holding on to my pen! Dream on Brother Martin. Meanwhile some of us must fight to create a new history that America can be proud of. No Joke!!
gets you, here’s what I’ll preach: ‘Lord, White folks made a big mistake today. They have sent home to glory
Dr. King and Andrew Young
can’t find any jobs. ... I’ve seen my dream shattered as I’ve been through Appalachia, and I’ve seen my White brothers along with Negroes living in poverty. And I’m concerned about White poverty as much as I’m concerned about Negro poverty.� Or go back to 1963 before the “Dream� speech as King jokingly eulogized Andrew Young as a warning his team on the dangers of fighting hatred. Young was King’s common courier to negotiate with Whites, because he was deemed less confrontational. “Andy, when the Klan finally
your faithful servant, Andrew Young. Lord, have mercy on the White folks who did this terrible deed. They killed the wrong Negro. In Andrew Young, White folk had a friend so faithful, so enduring; they should never have harmed a hair on his head. Of all my associates, no one loved White folks as much as Andy.� King had a heart and a brain. It is wrong that we celebrate a day that commemorates the life and legacy of Martin King, but reduces his significance to the cry of Rodney King; “Can’t we all just get along?� The answer is Hell no. We can’t just get along with Trumpism, sexism, racism or nihilism. We must fight until we as a na-
Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist and award-winning journalist.
If Omarosa “Blocked� You, You’re not a Real Black Republican By Raynard Jackson
Black Republicans were big winners in 2017 and they don’t even know it. I know it sounds counterintuitive with a polarizing president like Donald Trump in the White House, but Blacks within the party and the Black community in general can benefit from a Trump presidency, if they know how to navigate the Trump world. Yes, there are major structural problems within my party, when it comes to Blacks, but just as problematic is the dearth of Black Republicans who know how to navigate the political terrain and produce something of tangible value to the party and the Black community simultaneously. I was amazed at the number of Black Republicans who complained about how Trump’s former staffer, Omarosa Manigault Newman, “blocked� them from getting a job within the administration. If she had the power to block you, then that speaks volumes of where you stand within the party. I would be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed, if I allowed an incompetent, political
carpetbagger like Omarosa to deny me anything from the party I had spent years working in. Like truly weak people do when they watch the demise of their enemy, these Blacks shouted to the top of their lungs “the wicked witch is dead,� upon hearing of the firing of Omarosa. Really? Now that she is gone, now what? Exactly. Absolutely nothing will or has changed for Black Republicans. Now, juxtapose that with what we accomplished in 2017 with our super PAC Black Americans for a Better Future. Our PAC is set up to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party, but we focus strictly on the Black entrepreneur. Period. We have more than proven that our model of engaging with Black entrepreneurs works; this explains the phenomenal success we had last year. We were able to do things, which have not been done in recent memory, if at all, within the White House and Congress. In September of last year, we hosted our first annual economic policy summit on Capitol Hill. Members of congress and several major private sector executives participated in our event. Trump’s former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski was our keynote speaker. The theme was, “A Republican Vision for Creating Opportunities for Black En-
trepreneurs.� Each speaker made specific commitments to open doors of opportunities for these business owners to do business with the government or the private sector through proper introductions. In business, people tend to do business with people they know. In October, we did a “Faces of Tax Reform� roundtable with Congressman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.). She is the House Republican Conference Chair, making her the number four ranking member in House leadership. She hosted several minority entrepreneurs at the U.S. Capitol to discuss how the Republican tax reform plan would help small businesses, entrepreneurs, and families. Along with these minority entrepreneurs, President Trump sent my longtime friend Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President and Jovita Carranza, the U.S. Treasurer to participate in the program. We ended 2017 with a major luncheon with keynote speaker Steven K. Bannon, former White House Strategist and current Breitbart Executive Chairman. We gathered north of 250 people to hear him talk about “A Republican Vision for Minority Business Growth.� Bannon’s speech received massive media coverage. Last year, I was asked by the
White House and Congressional Republicans to meet with members and staff about what we wanted to see in the tax bill that was of interest to the small and minority business community—another reason why last year was so historic. For those who don’t follow politics closely, it is unheard of in either party for Blacks to be at the table as legislation is being written. We were not only asked to be at the table, but some our issues actually made it into the final bill that President Trump signed last month. This never happened with former President Obama and Black businessmen. We fought hard to keep the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) in the bill and we got it. The NMTC gives incentives for investors to invest in inner city communities. This was a major win for Black entrepreneurs. Congressman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Corey Lewandowski, Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, and Harry Alford, head of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, were all instrumental in us achieving this historic success. What some Black Republicans fail to understand is that we will never achieve success in this party unless our agenda is part of the party’s agenda. Far too
many Black Republicans come to the table only with their “own� agenda without regarding the party’s agenda; it’s no wonder that they are ignored. We have been meeting for weeks about the upcoming infrastructure bill that President Trump wants passed this year. I challenge all these Black Republicans who are constantly on TV to tell us what they have done to align their “personal� agendas to the agenda of Congress or the White House. I challenge them to ask themselves, how their agenda is relevant to the mission of the party: to win more elections. All of my activities are about increasing business opportunities for minority entrepreneurs through our control of the federal government and influence within the private sector. We have proven that this is a winning strategy and very relevant to the White House and Congress; thus, we have been asked to continue to be involved in the process. This is how we, as Republicans, can grow our party. Raynard Jackson is founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf. org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.
MLK Jr.’s 2018 Legacy: Say ‘No’ to Evil, But ‘Yes’ to Unity and Freedom By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. (President and CEO, NNPA)
As the world community observes and celebrates the 89th birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it is important for Black America to assess how far we have come 50 years since the tragic brutal assassination of Dr. King in Memphis, Tennessee of April 4, 1968. As a young worker for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), under the visionary leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. from 1963-1968 in North Carolina, I still have many vivid memories. I
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remember Dr. King’s admonition to “Stay focused on building an inclusive beloved community, and to not let evil in high places divert us from the pathway that will ensure freedom, justice and equality for all.� Today, as we acknowledge and pay tribute to Dr. King’s freedom-fighting legacy, there are 47 million African Americans in the United States and more than a billion people of African descent in Africa, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia and in other places throughout the African diaspora. We are all called to remain vigilant and vocal in our unified demands for freedom, economic empowerment and equality. Let no vulgar utterance of “shithole,� racist rhetoric or arrogant actions by evil in powerful high places divert
our attention and focus from what we should be doing to continue our long struggle for liberation from centuries of abject oppression, slavery, poverty and racism. Dr. King, in his final years, had to consistently remind us that our struggle was local, national and international. One of King’s most famous quotes was, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.� As we reflect and renew our commitments to the dream and activism of Dr. King, we dare not become complacent or satisfied with the status quo of economic inequality and racial disparity in the U.S. and throughout the world. We dare not become comfortable with the growing unnatural climate disasters caused by environmental injustices and global warming. We dare not fall asleep amidst the
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welcomed resurgence of youth and student activism who know so well the contradictions of the evils of police brutality, mass incarceration, healthcare inadequacies, unemployment and too-low wages, and failing educational systems in a nation that has an abundant concentration of wealth at the very top levels of society. This year also marks the 191st year of the Black Press in America since this first publication of “Freedom’s Journal� in New York City on March 16, 1827. Every hour, day, week, month and year the Black Press continues to publish and distribute the truth and advocate for freedom and justice in the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean and throughout the world. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote editorials and op-eds for the Black Press at a time when the so-called main-
stream media would cast negative coverage about the progress of the Civil Rights Movement. This year, 2018, should be the payback year with the largest Black voter turnout in American history. All of those repressive elected politicians that have supported voter suppression need to be removed from office by the overwhelming power of massive voter mobilization and turnout in every state legislative and congressional voting district across the nation. Our time has come again. Let’s unify and win more victories at the voting booths. Let’s strengthen Black-owned businesses, and our families and comPeople (NAACP) has elected the new leadership of Derrick Johnson, and we all should be
See CHAVIS page 5
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Hollywood Hernandez Live
JANUARY 17, 2018
5
By Hollywood Hernandez
THE COMMUTER Liam Neeson is back as the famil-
iar character we all know, the man who’s involved in a boatload of action and who has to accomplish a task in order to save his family. He’s an everyday joe who rides the train to work each day from his home in the suburbs. Day after day, after day he has the same routine; until one fateful day when he loses his job selling life insurance. With two mortgages and a son who is about to enter college a mysterious woman (Vera Farmiga)
approaches him on the train with an interesting proposition. The hypothetical question is would you find the one person on the crowded commuter train who doesn’t belong there and in return receive $100 thousand dollars. $25 Thousand now, which is hidden in a bathroom on the train, and the rest of the money when the task is completed. When the woman gets off at the next stop and he finds the cash in the men’s room the hypothetical scenario suddenly becomes a real task. We quickly discover that michael (Liam Neeson) is a former cop and the woman is involved in some type of covert, top secret mission. She has access to the New York City police and she is able to see the Michael’s every move. The commuter is a very well written mystery. Right up until neeson finds the person who he’s looking for I never had a clue of who it would be. And the action Is stellar. The movie also benefits from strong supporting roles from Vera Farmiga, Johnathan Banks (Breaking Bad), and Sam Neill, who plays the police captain in the movie. It’s an action, adventure mystery that will keep you guessing and will keep you right on the edge of your seat. The movie is a lot of fun and a real thrill ride. The Commuter is rated pg-13 and
has a run time of 1 hour and 44 minutes. Take the trip. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale”, The Commuter gets a LARGE.
HOSTILES Hostiles will make you mad! Perhaps though it’s because of the excellent job Director Scott Cooper (2015’s Black Mass) does in taking us back to a time when Native American’s were considered “savages” and where the hatred by American soldiers for them was considered heroic. Christian Bale also plays a character filled with hate for the natives, who’s land and way of life was taken from them by settlers who took over their land when they moved out west. It’s a movie that is hard to enjoy, because of the cruelty shown to Native Americans, but if you can stomach the harsh treatment it’s a history lesson that deserves to be seen. The cinematography in the movie is stunning and the actors deliver excellent performances. Christian Bale plays a retiring soldier who has one last mission; to escort an old Indian chief, and his family, home to die in peace after serving an extended sentence in an army camp. Bales character, Captain Blocker, hates Indians so much that he considers a court martial rather than obeying his final order. He finally consents and the Indian chief gets an army escort home.
Out on the trail Blocker (Bale) does everything he can to demean the tribe leader. However, Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) keeps his dignity under every circumstance he’s forced to endure. Along the way the travelers find a woman whose entire family was killed by Indians and she joins the group. Her hatred for Indians, who have just killed her husband and children, matches that of Captain Blocker. In the end the movie is about dignity. Again, while it’s a hard movie to watch, it delivers an excellent message. Christian Bale carries the film with an excellent performance; however, no other actors have much in the way of character development. I would have liked more perspec-
Do you love you? The road to spiritual salvation is sometimes so obvious, so apparent that we just miss it. Like most of Jesus’ message, it doesn’t seem possible that by simply changing ones’ outlook, the Kingdom of Heaven is yours. “Teacher, which is greatest commandment of the law?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is just like it; “Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40. It is not always through guile and deceit that the devil works his evil. He can accomplish his goals if he can convince you that what is very important is of little matter and no consequence. This love thing is pretty well documented throughout the Bible and Christ certainly clarifies its importance in the above passage. Remember this is the Son
of God talking. The single most important thing I can do to abide in God’s will is to possess love in my heart for God and my fellow man. Is that it? Yeah. That’s it! If that’s as close to a guarantee as we can get, why are many of us hell bent on
Spiritually Speaking by James A. Washington
doing the things that will insure our place at the table in Hell’s Kitchen? I personally think the concept of loving God is pretty easy to comprehend. Most of us, dare I say, are arguably trying to accomplish this in one way or another. It’s the loving your neighbor as yourself that’s causing the problem. The devil is having a field day with this one. Count how many people you can’t stand at this very moment. Take your shoes off and add to your list those people, who if they died tomorrow, you would be among those who would say ‘good riddance.’ The devil has us so
Chavis on King’s Legacy, continued from page 4
confused and dumbfounded on this issue that we can’t see that the hatred we harbor for others, the contempt we feel for people we don’t even know, masks an underlying reality that won’t allow us to love our neighbor. In actuality, we hate ourselves. You see the devil has tricked us into hating the mirror image of who we really are. Deep down inside we hate in others that which we might become, because we really don’t like what we have become. Hello, somebody! The devil knows man is not perfect, so he entices us into hating the imperfection of others; their flaws and faults, their weaknesses and shortcomings. All the while, being imperfect ourselves. Isn’t it interesting that most people, who claim being saved, tell you they first had to realize that God through Jesus’ sacrifice loved them warts and all? The stories come from former drug addicts, adulterers, petty gossipers, murderers and greedy self-absorbed takers in life, who wished they knew how to
have a healthy respectful loving relationship with another human being. One by one, they, we, line up and confess that once we accepted that God indeed loves us, then and only then, are we able to love ourselves and subsequently love others just like they are; all imperfect, all flawed children of God, all welcomed at his eternal table. At this point, one sees God in every man, every woman and every child, because once you accept that God resides in your own sinful soul, you can see God in others. God knew you before you knew you and he loved you anyway in spite of what He knew you were going to do or become. As incredible as that sounds, it’s true. It’s called love. God’s point is so simple. If He’s got it for you, the least you can do is have it for others. Step back, Satan. I love me and I ain’t got nothing, but love for you too. May God bless and keep you always.
James
tive from the Native American characters. The movie is rated “R” for violence and has a run time of two hours and
13 minutes. It’s showing now in limited release and opened nationwide on January 19th. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate Hostiles a MEDIUM.
It’s DNA Test Time Ask ALMA Dear Alma, My wife and I divorced after 38 years of marriage. I still don’t understand why, I want to work it out, but she does not. I had intended on spending the rest of my life with her and now that won’t happen. We had our up and downs, but overall I thought we had a solid commitment and happy marriage. I was happy. She said that she was not and that I never listened to her. She also gave many other reasons that I don’t think are true or care to discuss. Sometimes I feel like my life is over. I have listened to all her lies and lately I’ve been thinking about my children and how I don’t think they look like me and I wonder if I am their father. When they were young and we were married I didn’t think much about it. But now they are all adults and listening to their mother and all of her lies, it makes me wonder. I want them to have a DNA test and I want my wife to pay for it. I do not want to discuss this with anybody in my family. Can you tell me where to get a DNA test of your children? I Want A DNA Test Dear DNA Test, Oh no I won’t, but what I will do is try to stop you before you commence to making a mockery of your marriage and children with such foolery. Don’t you dare consider asking your adult children for a DNA test. You’ve raised them and they believe you to be their father, so then, that’s it – you are! Your statue of limitations to confirm that has passed. Look on the bright side, like my mama use to say, “you feed ‘em they’ll favor you.” LOL. So put your glasses back on.
won’t keep you long. Asking for a DNA test from your children will only devastate and alienate them and you don’t want to do that. You’re hurt and the thought of finding love again seems impossible. Understandingly so, you were not planning to live out your latter years alone. Here’s my point, as long as you have life, you have another chance at love. The mind can be tricky during the healing process of heartbreak. Having endured more than a few myself, I remember every negative thought or action becomes totally consuming, taking you to a place where you can’t clearly decipher rational from irrational. I’m sorry you weren’t able to work things out with your wife, but I assure you, your life will get better. Check out some old family pictures, you’re surely to be surprised and I hope tickled by the moments of reminiscing. Your kids look like you when you were younger, it’s you who changed. Age crept up on you and made a few adjustments, LOL. Please, adhere to my advice, drop the notion or need for a DNA test. Don’t demean the love of your children as a pawn to get back at your wife. Whenever there’s an opportunity for you to continue to be the best father possible, you should take it. Invest in yourself, get back out there, go the church, volunteer, join a gym.
card-carrying members of the NAACP. The African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa has elected the new leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa, and we all should be supportive of the ANC to ensure that Nelson Mandela’s and Oliver Tambo’s legacies are carried forward to new heights in South Africa. In fact, throughout the African diaspora, we should be unifying and working together with a renewed energy, determination and vitality. Sisters and brothers standing together with mutual respect and commitment is the order of today. Keep your heads up. Put your fists back up in the air. It is movement-building time again. Long live the spirit and memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.!
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Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached at dr.bchavis@ nnpa.org. You can follow Dr. Chavis on Twitter @DrBenChavis.
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I get the impression you’re a man of few words, and since I totally disagree with you, I
I know it may seem difficult as the days go by, but wake up appreciating life every day. This experience is the end of marriage, not your life. Meet death by surprise, don’t allow it to become a destination. The rest of your life can be the best of your life. It all depends on you. Alma
Alma Gill’s newsroom experience spans more than 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and the Washington Post. Email questions to: alwaysaskalma@gmail.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma.
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JANUARY 17, 2018
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We’re Still Rollin’ Wit A Sista
KJ may be off the air but still in our communities Bland’s work in Dallas-Fort Worth area continues Story and Photo By Eva D. Coleman Lifestyle editor
Single mothers uplifted. Making a way for kids. Fashion handed down. Celebrity bowling champion. Not just a voice for the community, KJ “Midday” Bland has always been a doer of deeds with far reaching benefits to many within and well beyond her reach. She’s left her position as radio personality for Smooth R&B 105.7 FM to pursue other interests. “Everything has a reason, a season, and I just think with Service Broadcasting, I just know it’s a different season now, and I’m okay with that and I’m sure they’re okay with that,” Bland said. The agreement for KJ Midday and the station to part ways seems that simple. “It ultimately became a decision where you couldn’t really come to an agreement,” Bland said. “Unfortunately that’s just how it works in business. It’s okay to agree to disagree.” For nearly eight years in her midday time slot in the Dallas market, Louisville, Kentucky native Bland has served in prior on-air capacities in Louisville, Kentucky, Greenville, South Carolina and Greensboro, North Carolina.
She says she wishes Service Broadcasting the best and expresses gratitude for her initiation into the area. “Moving to Dallas almost eight years ago was life-changing. Not only was it a different city…I had never, ever visited Dallas, ever. But from a radio standpoint, I just knew that that platform was gonna allow me to be exposed to a lot more, to be able to expose people to a lot more,” Bland said. While her southern charm on the airwaves has permeated the masses, her wide-ranging mission of giving props and assistance, specifically to women and children, do not go unnoticed. Bland’s charity, The PINK Foundation Poised to Inspire and Nurture our Kommunity, champions causes through events and services, including her annual Mother’s Day Soiree that salutes women in the community. Efforts like the Soiree, which is expanding to include events in both Dallas and her hometown of Louisville in 2018, seem to have been born from personal experiences. “When my mother was raising us, she was a single parent and we saw her do it all. She never complained about that…ever,” Bland said. “I think I draw my strength from her, but at the same time, I know how hard it is for a single mother to try to work and provide not only a roof
but clothes, s c h o o l clothes, Christmas stuff, Easter baskets, Easter bonnets, Easter clothes, still food on the table every day. “So, I still want to do my part to help a single mother any way I can.” Other PINK Foundation missions are to assist grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and to help children stay connected to parents who may be incarcerated. “Not a lot of people know, but I am the adult child of an incarcerated parent so I know what it’s like,” Bland said. “I was blessed to have a car to go see my parent incarcerated but a lot of kids just don’t have that.” Bland’s transportation plan is in the works to strengthen this often strained family dynamic. “It’s important that kids still have that connection with their parent even though they’re incarcerated. So, I really want to put together a program that allows them to, one, be able to have a ride every week, and two, just around the holiday time to remind them that they’re not forgotten,” Bland said.
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Breast cancer initiatives are also important in Bland’s charitable efforts. Since losing a nephew to epilepsy, those related causes have been added as well. The expansion of KJ’s Kloset, an upscale clothing resale experience with the charitable component of providing women with attire to aid in their job search, is also top of mind for Bland. She plans to incorporate office parties and lunches, and also increase awareness through Sip and Shops within the brand. Connecting with Bland socially through her podcasts, on Facebook with her continuation of Beauty Shop Talk and through a variety of hashtags like #MiddayMotivation, #KJsKitchen #TrinketsByKJ and more on Instagram help others see the vastness of Midday Enterprises. Keeping up is the hard part. Her trinkets component takes orders and sells custom items that she physically creates by hand. “Mentally, I have to allow myself only two days a week to do that,” Bland said. “So, Tuesdays and Thursdays are generally the days I set aside from 3:00 - 8:00 and I make
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laughed at the thought of her in uniform as she recalled being a candy striper in her youth. “I remember even as a kid with that outfit on just loving the feeling of giving back… really not understanding what giving back meant at that age…I just knew that I loved it. Now, I really feel that is my calling,” Bland said. During our conversation, we enjoyed personal favorites, both chai tea lattes. The mood. Sips tea. Bland’s passion for others is real, truly organic. There’s no backing down as she enters this new season on her own terms, and within range. Without the ability to disclose details of what’s in the works as far as being on-theair, she mentioned with assurance that she’ll do radio again. “I used to really love radio for the music. Now, it’s like I really love the feeling that people get when I share information, share what I consider a joke… some people laugh, some people don’t. But just to share laughs and memories. That is what I love about radio. And for that opportunity I will forever be grateful,” Bland said. And for now, she’s not going anywhere. We need her to stick around to defend her Don’t Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon top celebrity female championship title. “Dallas is my home. I’m staying. Y’all stuck with me!”
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blankets.” Bland’s fleece throws came in handy as hurricane relief for recent Houston area evacuees. She shared her immediate thoughts to provide them to children who were uprooted from their homes. “Just to make them feel comfortable in a place they have no knowledge of and they may be sitting there scared to death,” Bland said full of emotion. “I wanted that comfort blanket to really be comfort for them and really give them a sense of ‘Okay, for right now, it’s gone be okay.’” Showing no signs of slowing down, Bland’s step aside from traditional radio allows for greater access. “For me, the next level is being able to do things the way I want to do things that I feel are best for my career, while still being able to help people at the same time,” Bland said. “I just feel like, moving forward, I will be able to do a lot more for the community and not feel restricted in what I can do for the community.” Bland’s life experiences keep coming full circle attributing to how she impacts the future. She shared an experience when her daughter was hospitalized as a young child and how it made her feel to have a volunteer come and read her favorite Dr. Seuss books. Bland expressed joy as she mentioned now having the time and opportunity to volunteer at local hospitals. We
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Black and Clark future includes location north, continued from front page straight-forward business exterior. Aside from the funeral business, she is fiercely devoted to young people, education, her faith, and moving the African-American community forward. “You first have to respect her as an entrepreneur … (who is) taking care of her community,” Wattley said. “She’s hard-headed yet very caring, and loves her people. Working with her is like taking a class in African-Americans 101.”
7
Linda Mitchell outside of Oak Cliff location of Black & Clark
AWARDS AND HONORS
independent, black-owned funeral Home in far North Dallas. In the spring of 2017, Mitchell quietly opened Black & Clark Chapel at 14119 Montfort Dr., not far from the Galleria shopping mall, and plans a grand opening around the spring of 2018. The funeral chapel is a new extension of the main funeral home about 20 miles away at 2517 E. Illinois Ave. in southwest Dallas’ Oak Cliff community. The funeral chapel occupies a building that once was an edifice for a historic African-American church in far North Dallas -Christian Chapel CME/White Rock Chapel Methodist Church – that was founded a year before Emancipation.
CHURCH AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP The 155-year-old church is now Christian Chapel Temple of Faith and occupies a different edifice at 14120 Noel Road. The church is steeped in black history and says it was the first African-American church established in the far North Dallas area. Mitchell is a trustee at Temple of Faith, and Black & Clark is a community partner with the church, assisting with some community outreach ministries. Mitchell said she sees the funeral chapel facilitating mutual benefits – providing funeral services for that community while helping sustain a historic independent, black-owned business by opening a new market. Competition is stiff in southern Dallas and Oak Cliff that are saturated with funeral homes that serve African-Americans, she said. And she frets that an increasing number are being purchased by white-owned corporations that retain the original African-American staffs, giving the appearance of black ownership that, in fact, is shrinking. Lower pricing and rushed, shorter funeral services are robbing families of traditional, more caring attention, she said. I don’t want to chase funerals,” Michell said. “I want to provide service..”
AFTER CARE SERVICES That desire to nurture families during and after grieving led Mitchell to implement detailed aftercare services that she says distinguish Black & Clark. These services include grief counseling and a series of seminars on wide-ranging topics including wills, power of attorney, social security, veterans’ benefits, and maintaining family records. Mitchell said monthly sessions usually are held on the fourth Thursday, co-sponsored by Temple of Faith.“ This is my way of saying ‘I care,’ ” she said. The next public session will discuss social security and veteran benefits from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. January 18, 2018 at Dunston’s Steak House, 5423 W. Lovers Lane in Dallas. Registration is required. Call 214-376-8297.
SEEKING HELP FROM OTHER BLACK CHURCHES Mitchell is seeking help from other black churches while on her mission to save independent, black-owned funeral homes and stop large corporations seeking to monopolize the black funeral home market. In November, she attended a town hall meeting where prominent African-American ministers discussed economic development and the black church. From the audience, she stood and asked the group if they were aware of the unwelcome movement of large corporations seeking to buy up black funeral homes. She summarized the issue and told them she would be contacting them to see if black churches will help her fight the encroachment. So far, one or two have offered encouragement as she continues her efforts, she said. “We tackle this by talking about it,” she said later. “It’s time to start the conversation and make people aware.”
GROWING UP IN TAMPA, FLORIDA – SIGNS OF DESTINY It might sound too morbid to say death intrigued Mitchell early in her life. Better to say she never feared it and wondered why others did. “I always wanted to own a funeral home since
around the 10th grade,” Mitchell recalls. “I was fascinated with death but didn’t know why.” Her childhood friend Francina Lewis, now a retired banker in Jacksonville, Florida, remembers early signs of Mitchell’s future. She and Mitchell said they just did not know what the signs meant. “When Linda was bored in high school she would doodle,” Lewis recalled. “In the doodles she would always write, ‘The end of the road.’ When I would ask her what that meant, she said she didn’t know.” “When we were seniors, she got a job in a pathology lab delivering body part specimens around the building,” Lewis said. “After she got into the funeral home business we realized: this is your destiny. It was like an epiphany.”
MAKING INROADS AFTER MOVING TO DALLAS Destiny began to manifest after Mitchell and her late, second husband moved to Dallas in 1977. She got jobs with insurance companies. He died in 1979 of a sudden heart attack that devastated Mitchell and took her through emotions that she said now help her empathize with grieving clients. Black & Clark did his service, then soon after allowed Mitchell office space for a pre-need funeral service she represented as Texas district manager. She also owns her own L. A. Mitchell Memorial Planning Service. She continued in the funeral business throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, then she said destiny moved her further along her still unknown journey.
Mitchell majored in behavioral science and African-American studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa where she was among an early group of African-Americans who integrated the campus. She sharpened her knowledge of black culture and her spiritual growth. Her humanity, business savvy and faith have not gone unnoticed. Those components have brought many awards and honors. Among them are the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance’s Business Award, 2017; a Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Quest for Success Award, 2016; and the #1 Producer of the Year honor for 14 straight years from Homesteaders Life, a preneed insurance firm.
Mitchell says that the hard knocks of her life have helped her relate to the families she serves, and there have been many hard knocks. “There’s very little anybody can talk about that I haven’t experienced,” said Mitchell, a divorcee with no children, and 20-year cancer survivor. She also has triumphed over domestic abuse in one of her three marriages, losing a brother in a fire and a husband to a heart attack, dyslexia and learning disability in elementary school, and financial troubles as she struggled early on to grow her businesses. But she has triumphed. And she can say as the character Celie says in the book and Broadway play The Color Purple – “I’m here!”
Thomas Wattley and Linda Mitchell share a light moment
Theresa Shelton, Personal Assistant to Linda Mitchell
A Way Out of This Out of the darkness, be drawn to the light. It will warm and comfort you and turn your day from the night.
Do you know this man?
Allowing you to see the good times and find strength in them It will show, without a doubt, that your strength comes from Him. Everything imaginable rearranged by death. Outlining the measure of the dash that you dwell on earth. Although weakened by sadness, muster all you might. Weep if you must but keep moving towards the light.
POLICE have not apprehended “Pookie” the serial rapist. We know he has attacked members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and there is a $5,000 reward offered by Crime Stoppers. If you have ANY information, PLEASE call Crime Stoppers
877-373-8477
THE BLACK & CLARK STAFF About a dozen employees comprise the Black & Clark staff. Soon after Mitchell purchased the funeral home, she allowed the main staff to acquire interest in the company: Emanuel Pruitt, managing funeral director who has been with the company more than 50 years; Gary Clark, a licensed funeral director who has been with the company about 40 years. Gary Clark is the son of the late Otis Clark and grandson of C. J. Clark, one of the company’s original owners; and funeral consultant Johnny Wilson, who has been with the company about 60 years. Others on the staff include Thomas J. Wattley Jr., a senior finance and marketing consultant. Wattley says people quickly recognize Mitchell’s humanity behind her
Gary Clark, Funeral Director
FACING CHALLENGES LEADS TO TRIUMPH
DIVINE INTERVENTION? Black & Clark business manager and Clark family member Otis Clark died in 1999 and Mitchell approached a crossroad. Always a passionate champion of black culture and heritage, she worried that the historic, independent, blackowned Black & Clark institution might be scooped up by a large corporation -further depleting the once health stock of black-owned businesses that she knew existed before integration. “It bothers me that we keep losing,” Mitchell said. “I just get so frustrated.” She decided that against all odds, she would try to buy Black & Clark. She made inquiries and set about to get funding. Emma Lyons, who co-owns an insurance agency, said she met Mitchell as an adult on an insurance job in Dallas about 40 years ago and they became close friends. She helped Mitchell write a proposal for a $1.4 million loan that it would take to buy the business. Lyons said Mitchell gave strict instructions that the proposal must tell the naked truth about Mitchell’s dismal personal finances at the time. But it also must stress her ability to run the company and her desire to preserve it as an independent, black-owned community treasure. Stunningly, the loan committee approved Mitchell. “It was clear that was a gift from God because she qualified in her worst financial year,” Lyons recalled. “We now know it was the grace of God. It was meant for her to have it.”
Benjamin Mitchell, Family Services Counselor
La Juana and Patricia Barton authors of Faithful Remembrances - Volume I
Come on PEOPLE! Don’t you CARE? Will it matter when it is your sister, mother, aunt or grandmother or maybe YOU?
8
JANUARY 17, 2018
GARLAND JOURNAL
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
for Felony Court Judge
V O T E
Pol. Ad Pd. for by Heath Harris for Judge Campaign, Tim Williams Treasurer
OF COUNSEL PROFILE
I’M A PUBLIC SERVANT AT HEART,” SAYS MOOREHEAD, “SO THIS WAS A WAY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO NEED HELP.”
Audrey
Moorehead
The Call
to Serve
By Susan Cushing
“I
felt that the best way I could follow my commitment to public service would be through a career in law,” says attorney Audrey Moorehead. “I never envisioned joining a large law firm with the goal of making a lot of money. My dream was to have a solo practice where I would be free to practice as I saw fit. By being in control of my own destiny, I could take on as many pro bono cases as I wanted and represent clients who I felt needed me.” Hers was not what many might consider a traditional route to becoming an attorney. Moorehead has her MBA and began her professional career in executive management with the Visiting Nurse Association of Texas specializing in long-term care. However, in her search for how best to serve her community, Moorehead opted for a career in law, attending Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. During the summers, she also served summer judicial internships for District Court Judge Jay Patterson as well as Federal Judge Sam A. Lindsay. Long before she embarked on the path leading to her Juris Doctor, Moorehead’s ardor for serving others was as much a part of her makeup as her DNA. Empowered by her role as advocate for those with little or no voice, Moorehead is driven by an innate sense of justice and her belief that the American judicial system is designed to ensure that everyone – male and female, young and old, rich or poor – is equally protected.
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“It may not be perfect,” Moorehead says, “but it remains the best system in the world. All the tools are there; it’s up to us to use them effectively and in good conscience.” For more than a decade, Moorehead had her own Dallas law office practicing in the areas of criminal defense, family law, wills, trusts, probate and child welfare. “I was an older student,” she adds, “I already knew what my priorities were – my family, my community and my faith. My practice reflects those priorities.” Her dedication and commitment is evident serving on a variety of boards and committees over the years. Moorehead currently serves on the board of directors for the State Bar of Texas as section representative and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Dallas County Child Welfare Board, CASA Children’s Council, State Bar of Texas legal services to the poor in criminal matters committee and is former secretary and treasurer of the Dallas Bar Association. “I’m a public servant at heart,” says Moorehead, “so this was a way to reach out to those who need help.” In an effort to expand her services while continuing to follow her path of volunteering, meeting numerous requests for public speaking and other community out-reach programs, Moorehead joined the firm of Kastl Law P.C., as of counsel.
“There’s no real definition for of counsel,” she says, “seasoned attorneys and firms are able to craft a position that is best to meet mutually agreed upon goals. I have to say, that working with Krisi Kastl has been the best possible relationship I could hope for.” There was another practical reason for Moorehead’s move to Kastl Law P.C. Earlier this year she made the exciting announcement that she will be a candidate for the soon to be vacated seat for judge of Dallas County Criminal Court 3. “Should I be elected, I’m confident that my clients will receive the same high level of personal service that I have always provided,” she says. “Kastl Law and I share the same philosophy when it comes to representing our clients.” This is undoubtedly one of the reasons Moorehead has been named Wills Clinic Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program. Her dedication and commitment to public service is obvious, and it is her hope and that of the thousands who support her, to bring that commitment to the bench.
Kastl Law P.C.
4144 North Central Expressway, Suite 300 Dallas, TX 75204 (214) 821-0230 www.kastllaw.com
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