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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
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LET’S HELP 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 LOUISIANA
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Services planned for educator, activist, community organizer, Juanita Wallace A Candlelight Services for Dr. Juanita Wallace will be Friday September 9, 2016 from 7-9pm and the Funeral will be Saturday September 10, 2016 at 2:30pm., both at Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church in Garland TX. A former president of the Dallas Branch -NAACP, Dr. Wallace was an educator who sought public office as a candidate for Dallas City Council District 7. Always active, Dr. Wallace was the founder of the Dallas - 100 Black Women of America and she continued to address social justice and voter education issues. As news spread about her demise, expressions were posted on social media applauding Dr. Wallace’s efforts as an educator, community activist and lover of mankind and her family. Dr. Wallace succumbed to cancer. She was 70.
Garland Youth Council Fundraiser at Chipotle
Support Garland Youth Council (GYC) by having a meal at Chipotle - Firewheel Town Center, 4170 Lavon Drive, between 6 and 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12. Mention the GYC at the register, and 50 percent of your meal cost will be donated to GYC! Learn more about GYC at GarlandYouthCouncil.org.
Dr. Juanita Wallace
VOL XVI ISSUE 3
New Fire Chief takes Oath
Fire Chief Mark Lee began his service with the City Aug. 1 and took the oath of office at his induction ceremony Aug. 26 at Fire Administration. Mayor Douglas Athas, City Manager Bryan Bradford and several City Council members were in attendance, as well as Garland Fire Fighters Association President David Riggs. Mayor Athas administered the oath of service to Chief Lee, after which the chief expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm for his team. “What incredible people I’ve met in the last four weeks,� said Chief Lee. “You truly are the best firefighters around. I’m further impressed each day that I work here and with
Chief Mark Lee with family members.
each crew that I get to spend time with. Thanks for making me feel at home. I look forward to coming to work each day just to watch what y’all are going to accomplish that
Golden Girls Club at Garland Senior Activity Center
day.� Chief Lee’s wife Jacque, pinned his badge; his son, Casey, and daughter, Corri, presented him with his helmet.
Get help with Garland eAssist Garland eAssist is an easy way for residents to submit service requests, access information and see other nearby requests in progress. Garland eAssist provides an online platform that is accessible from the City's website and from an app that can be downloaded to smartphones and tablets. Once a service request is entered or an issue is reported, the user can track the progress on an interactive map or choose to receive a notification. Learn more about Garland eAssist at GarlandTX. gov.
Carver Senior Center 2nd Tuesdays: Golden Girls Club 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a morning of poetry reading, health and wellness, potluck, and shopping.
Ms. Garland Senior America Pageant -Search is on for contestants! The Ms. Garland Senior America Pageant is a platform to demonstrate a positive view of aging, and embracing your age with pride and dignity.
For more information call 972-205-2769. www.garlandjournal.com
For more information call 972-205-3305.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
Church donates backpacks, school supplies to Blair Elementary students Leslie Moore got an unexpected call on her way to work – a Richardson church wanted to take donated backpacks and school supplies to W.A. Blair Elementary School that morning. Just after 9:30 on Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, a black SUV loaded with items pulled to the front of the school. The bounty came as a donation from First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park. Pastor Gregory Foster, staff and church members dropped off the donations. There are about 100 backpacks and the
Dr. Gregory Foster, pastor of First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park, left, Blair Counselor Leslie Moore and Blair Principal Umoja Turner. Photo courtesy: Dallas ISD
Nearly 100 backpacks filled with school supplies inside were donated to WILLIAM A. Blair Elementary School from First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park on Aug. 24.
EvEry ONE IS IMPOrTANT. You can help keep your child healthy with regular checkups and vaccines. Every one is important. And they’re free with Children’s Medicaid. Your child will also get other health benefits like free prescription drugs, dental care, eye exams, and glasses. Even rides to and from the doctor or dentist’s office. Call today or visit our website to apply.
Photo courtesy: Dallas ISD
www.CHIPmedicaid.org 1-877-KIDS-NOW school supplies to fill them – notebook and construction paper, spirals, boxes of crayons, folders, glue and glue sticks, pens, pencils, markers and pencil boxes. The church has donated to schools for the past 15 years or so. Staff member Gail Stein said that one of their families has a child who attends the school. She recalls that member saying that they knew of a school in need. “Well, you know what? We’re a church family that’s going to bless,” she said.
Nearly all the students who attend Blair qualify for free or reduced lunches. “We have so many students who are in need,” said Moore, the school’s counselor. “Knowing you have come through for so many students – not just one or two – that truly helps bridge the gap so the kids can continue to learn.” The donation was made through the church’s Annie Pearl Foster Center for Youth Enrichment.
ChildrEn with MEdiCAid CAn gEt frEE ridEs to thE doCtor or dEntist ’s offiCE. CAll 1-877-MEd -triP to lEArn MorE.
September Is National Preparedness Month Each year, Americans cope with an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 1,500 floods and 1,000 tornadoes. The good news is that most weather can be predicted. The bad news is— as this past May’s flooding and December’s tornadoes reminded us—many weather-related deaths still occur each year in North Texas, despite advance warning. The first step to being prepared is realizing that severe weather can happen at any time—and it can happen to you. September is National Preparedness Month, and the City of Garland Office of Emergency Management is happy to announce that we are joining other national, state and local organizations, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in educating the public on how to prepare for disasters. National Preparedness Month is about helping individuals, families, businesses and communities take action to keep themselves and their families prepared! Establishing a family communication plan, building a preparedness go-kit and signing up for the City’s CodeRED weather warning system are all great ways to get you and your family started. It also is important to take the time
to talk with your family and decide what you should do if an emergency happens close to home: Where will you meet if something happens? Does your insurance cover flood-related damage? Do you have enough food, water and medication to go three days without leaving the house? Discussing these topics will help save your lives and lessen the impact when disasters occur. It takes the entire community working together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the destructive forces of nature and other disasters. Dallas-area Simon centers were recently designated as StormReady® and Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors™ for their continued efforts to increase shopper safety in the face of severe weather. Awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service, these designations recognize Firewheel Town Center, University Park Village, North East Mall, Allen Premium Outlets, Grand Prairie Premium Outlets and Grapevine Mills for their preparedness to handle severe weather situations through communications, community outreach and hazardous weather training.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
JUNIOR GETS SERIOUS ABOUT SICKLE CELL DISEASE Co-Host of the Nationally Syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show National Ambassador for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Kier “Junior” Spates lends voice to Awareness Efforts Son, Brother, Friend, Comedian are a few words to describe the man with the infectious smile known as Kier” Junior” Spates. He’s also a survivor, warrior, humble and one aspiring to greatness! When you hear him on the radio providing comic relief, EVERY MORNING on the Nationally Syndicated “Steve Harvey Morning Show”, listeners would never know the pain he’s feeling. He’s a Sickle Cell CHAMPION. Kier Spates, living life with Sickle Cell Disease! In May 2013, SCDAA announced that Junior would become its National Ambassador for the “Rise Above!” campaign after his disclosure about his struggles with the disease. The goal of this campaign is to provide education and raise awareness about this blood disease. Through this partnership, Junior inspires others who are affected with, increases support for, and raises visibility about this disease. Kier founded Kier’s Hope Foundation, Incorporated to not
only inspire and educate families affected by Sickle Cell disease by his example, but by providing education, programs, and services, and funding resources. His message to the 150,000 Americans who live with Sickle Cell Disease, and the three million who carry the trait, “You are not alone in this fight. Kier’s Hope is here for your support. We are all bound by blood. Together we are ‘Working to Change the Shape of Sickle Cell Disease.’” Junior is said to be “the next big thing in stand-up comedy.” Junior, a native of Houston, Texas has traveled the globe with legendary talents such as: Aretha Franklin, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Anita Baker, and more. In 2005, he toured as one of the primary acts on the “Rickey Smiley and Friends Show.” Additionally, Junior has gone on military/ United Service Organizations (USO) tours and visited college campuses. As an actor, Junior has had many on-screen television appearances. Also, he has traveled with several popular stage plays, including “Confessions” that starred the late Gerald Levert, Kelly Price, and Tommy Ford. Junior is truly a force to be reckoned with. His motto to date is unforgettable. So when you think of this up and coming, stand up comedic great, please remember his belief that laughter doeth the heart good like medicine. And in the words of Junior: “This Just Got Serious”
Women Mentoring A c a d e my
Launch in Dallas, TX October 8th
Invest in Yourself – and Reap the Rewards! 63% of women have NEVER had a formal mentor
Participation Fee $500 For an application email Bernice@bernicewashington.com OR CALL 972-757-0875
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
SMITH: George Curry was a special person
George has jokes at NABJ Conference in Oklahoma.
By Cheryl Smith I Messenger News Group
George Curry was someone I respected and had a deep fondness for. I admired his knowledge, passion and commitment. His sense of humor was so endearing and I was proud to call him my friend and to hear him express the same sentiment. I have to think long and hard about when I first met him because he seems to have been in my life forever. George loved his family, his hometown--despite the bittersweet memories of a segregated Alabama-- that he had no problem talking about, his true friends and Emerge Magazine. He was especially proud of the accomplishments of his ‘homeboy,� Charles Steele, who George praised for his works especially with SCLC. George said that working at Emerge was the best job he ever had and he was excited about bringing the magazine back, via the Internet. When I received the call with news that no one wanted to confirm, I told fellow journalist Rochelle Riley that I would call George and then call her back. I called his number twice and he didn’t answer. I went on line and in-
boxed him one word, “George.� You see, that’s all it would take from George. He always returned my calls so I tried to rationalize by calling Rochelle back and telling her that he was probably at a speaking engagement. We both agreed to explore more and get back to one another. Sadly, the information was confirmed by his sister Chris, and his brother’s wife, Lisa. George was gone. Someone I considered a friend, confidante, and mentor would never be able to provide that oh so important perspective to life that I so desperately need from time to time. Whenever I talked to him about the impact he could have as the leader of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), he would always finish his lengthy, colorful response with, “I care about the students. That’s where I want to work.� For George the biggest impact he could have on journalism and NABJ would come in the form of training aspiring journalists and that was a job he did well. Admittedly, part of my motivation for having George come to Dallas and the Southwest to work with students so often was so that students could see that I was not crazy and there were others out there who were a whole lot tougher than I could ever be. The students needed to see George Curry in the raw and they’d be prepared for almost anything in journalism and in life, and they wouldn’t look at me like I was an alien or rode around on a broom! It was a joy watching George work his “magic� as he taught lessons that don’t appear in any textbooks. If I wanted George to do anything for me, all I had to do was say, “it’s for the students.� But he was also there for the adults. At an NABJ Convention I was selected to ask President Bill Clinton a question. I looked for George and upon realizing he wasn’t there, I called him only to find out he was recuperating from triple bypass surgery.
Paul Quinn College student Joshua Johnson
Garland
Journal
SMU student Cherish Greer Cheryl Smith
Although I tried to end the call, he was determined to help. First he assured me that whatever question I chose, critics would take issue. Everyone will think their question is better, he told me, before giving me several suggestions. I read my question to him and he told me to “go for it.� George was right then and in subsequent scenarios. Whether it was Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton, or Ambassador Ron Kirk, George was one of two journalists I called for guidance and he was always there with positive input, a short lecture and sage advice. I saw him in Nassau, Bahamas for the National Newspaper Publishers Association Winter Meeting in January 2015 and then two months later in Selma, AL for the 50th Commemoration of Bloody Sunday. As always he was focused on sharing his experiences with the world. Through his eyes he helped the world see so much. He took his seat among the other journalists from around the world who came to Selma to cover the events. That was the last time that I saw George, but I have so many great memories of this man. He introduced me to Mamie Till Mobley (Emmett Till’s mother), and joined her and her husband when I invited them to Dallas during the 40th anniversary of that horrific crime, which was also featured in Emerge. He taught me how to use email and later taught me email etiquette so that my emails wouldn’t get blocked, especially by him! Whether it was for the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators’ scholarship banquet or urban journalism workshop, or the NABJ Regional Conference Basic Trainings; I could count on George for life-altering and enriching experiences. He wrote the book on the late, great Jake Gaither, but I had to make sure he knew that I interviewed the coach and wrote a story while a student at Florida A&M University. I would jokingly tell him, paraphrasing the coach, that I too liked my men, “mobile, agile
Duncanville High School student Jerve Williams Publisher publisher@garlandjournal.com
ADDRESS:
Mr. George Curry
and hostile!� When he received the NABJ Journalist of the Year Award in 2003, it was an emotional time for him as he shared it with his good friend Gerald Boyd, who had been going through some tough times. I felt honored to have nominated George for the prestigious award. Fellow board member Meta Mereday recently reminded me of our combined efforts during the voting process. He was so deserving. As I traveled to George’s celebration of life in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, I couldn’t help but feel sad at times. Then something that he said or did would flash across my mind and I wouldlaugh uncontrollably. Yes he could imitate James Brown, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and you, too! And don’t let him get on the dance floor! George’s legacy is intact. He spoke truth to power. He lifted as he climbed. He gave a voice to the voiceless. Our soldier without a sword. What a blessing!
Michelle Miller and Cheryl Smith at NABJ Conference
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X- Issue1st243& 15th August 2012 Phalconstar.com Published 1st & 15th EachTexas Month Phone Phalconstar.com Garland, Phone (972) 926-8503 Fax (903) Volume X- Issue 243 August 1-15, 2012Volume Published Each1-15, Month Garland, (972) 926-8503 Fax Texas (903) 450-1397 1 Year Subscription $45.00450-1397 1 Year Subscription $45.00 www.garlandjournal.com
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
HALL: Don’t be Mad ‘Twan!
Quit Playin’ by Vincent Hall Vincent L. Hall is an author and award winning columnist.
Colin Kaepernick has always been a mystery to America. It’s more obvious that he’s racially mixed than it is with some of us. It’s obvious that he is a first generation concoction. Both my grandfathers were half White, but you can’t tell. Colin looks a little like both so “Inquiring minds want to know.” Colin caused a new stir, as if his “Halfrican-American” status wasn’t enough. The brother went straight Negro and showed signs that the blood that ran through those ice cold veins of Muhammad Ali also runs in his bloodstream. Real patriotic Americans all have the same blood type; it’s O-No-You-Don’t Positive. Real American patriots draw a line in the sand and when you infringe upon their self-respect and dignity, they will fight you. Real patriots fight even if the only recompense for their fight is the intangible prize of inner peace. Houston rap group; “The Geto Boys” once quoted; “We’d rather be hated for who we are than loved for who we’re not.” Ok. So by now you know that this missive
is about Colin’s protest and refusal to stand for the National Anthem. The brother went courageous and America went Car-Razy! The megastar athlete went from everyone’s Fantasy Football pick to that kid on the block who couldn’t get picked for a street game in the hood. It was bad but it was predictable. “Great Americans” like “In Living Color’s Homey D. Clown” don’ t play ‘dat!! For those of you who have forgotten, ”In Living Color” was a hit TV show that was known for the sketch characters it created. Jamie Foxx was an ugly-assed woman named Wanda. The multi-faceted talents of Jim Carrey gave us everything from “Fire Marshall Bill” to Mega church Pastor Jimmy Swaggert. According to Wikipedia; “In Living Color” ran on Fox from 1990, to 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The title of the series was inspired by the NBC announcement of broadcasts being presented “in living color” during the 1960s, prior
to mainstream color television. It also refers to the fact that most of the show’s cast were Black, unlike other sketch comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live whose casts were mostly White. Another protest? Yep! The “Men On” series was all the rage. “Men On” was the continuing saga of two very effeminate and very opinionated men;“Blaine Edwards” and Antoine Meriwether aka “Twan.” “Men on Films, Men on Books, Men on Football” or any of the others are still hilarious. Whenever the perilous pair would get to an impasse, Blaine would insert himself as the level headed peacemaker. He would en-
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dear himself to the better qualities of Antoine. Blaine would say in a careful and calming cadence, “Don’t be mad ‘Twan!” And that’s my word to those who rushed to embellish their feigned patriotism by emulsifying the firm patriotism that Colin showed. “Don’t be mad ‘Twan,” because you don’t have the intestinal fortitude or courage to stand up for anything other than you or your people. “Don’t be mad ‘Twan” because money and fame are not trumped by justice and liberty in the playbook that Colin gets his calls from. “Don’t be mad ‘Twan” because Colin is not comfortable with the status quo and is willing to challenge it head on. What you and the other ‘Twan’s need to remember is the “Patriot” Patrick Henry, who in a time of impending war said “Give me liberty or give me death.” Nowhere in the American creed or constitution does it say that the Super Bowl or the Hall of Fame supersedes the personal responsibility to fight for justice. “Don’t be mad ‘Twan,” just live that mundane, self-centered life that costs you nothing and makes provisions for no one. Be a true Patriot; respect the same First Amendment rights that you demand!! And by the way, go read the third verse of the Star Spangled Banner. The victory it hails included America’s slaves…’Twan!
CURRY: Baltimore Cops routinely violate rights of Blacks EDITOR’S NOTE: By now many have learned of the passing of Mr. George Edward Curry on August 20, 2016. It is hard to envision the pages of the Garland Journal without his poignant messages. Here is the last column that we received from him. In the future, from time to time, we may feel the need to pull one of his columns from our archives because his is a voice that should never be silenced. By George E. Curry
George Curry Media Columnist
After reading the 164page Justice Department report on the Baltimore Police Department, it is surprising that street rebellions didn’t occur sooner in Baltimore. The report is a stinging assessment of the police department’s policies and practices that concluded: “there is reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law.” It said the Baltimore Police Department “engages in a pattern or practice of: (1) making unconstitutional stops, searches, and arrests; (2) using enforcement strategies that produce severe and unjustified disparities in the rates of stops, searches and arrests of African Americans; (3) using excessive force; and (4) retaliating against people engaging in constitutionally-protected expression.” Furthermore, the report concluded, “BPD’s targeted policing of certain Baltimore neighborhoods with minimal oversight or accountability dispro-
portionately harms African-American residents. Racially disparate impact is present at every stage of BPD’s enforcement actions, from the initial decision to stop individuals on Baltimore streets to searches, arrests, and uses of force. These racial disparities, along with evidence suggesting intentional discrimination, erode the community trust that is critical to effective policing.” As we have seen from similar investigations conducted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, this is probably a portrait of most big city police departments. In this case, the sheer breadth of the documented racial discrimination is mind-boggling. Take the simple matter of being able to walk the streets without being suspected of committing a crime. African Americans were stopped three times as often as White residents and were 95 percent of the 410 people stopped at least 10 times. “Racial disparities in BPD’s arrests are most pronounced for highly discretionary offenses: African Americans accounted for 91 percent of the 1,800 people charged solely with ‘failure to obey’ or ‘trespassing’; 89 percent of the 1,350 charges for making a false statement to an officer; and 84 percent of the 6,500 people arrested for ‘disorderly conduct,’” the report stated. Prosecutors rejected more than 11,000 charges because they lacked probable cause. “BPD also stops African American drivers at disproportionate rates. African Americans accounted for 82 percent of all BPD vehicle stops, compared to only 60 percent of the driving age population in the City and 27 percent of the driving age population in the greater metropolitan area.”
Many of the stops were not justified. “We also found large racial disparities in BPD’s arrests for drug possession. While survey data shows that African Americans use drugs at rates similar to or slightly exceeding other population groups, BPD arrested African Americans for drug possession at five times the rate of others.” It explained, “BPD searched African Americans more frequently during pedestrian and vehicle stops, even though searches of African Americans were less likely to discover contraband. Indeed, BPD officers found contraband twice as often when searching white individuals compared to African Americans during vehicle stops and 50 percent more often during pedestrian stops.” Baltimore police “engages in a pattern or practice of excessive force,” the report found. “Officers frequently resort to physical force when a subject does not immediately respond to verbal commands, even where the subject poses no imminent threat to the officer or others.” Police also engage in humiliating public strip searches. “In one of these incidents - memorialized in a complaint that the Department sustained -officers in BPD’s Eastern District publicly strip-searched a woman following a routine traffic stop for a missing headlight,” the report recounted. “Officers ordered the woman to exit her vehicle, remove her clothes, and stand on the sidewalk to be searched. The woman asked the male officer in charge ‘I really gotta take all my clothes off?’ The male officer replied ‘yeah’ and ordered a female officer to strip search the woman. The female officer then put on purple latex gloves, pulled up the woman’s shirt
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and searched around her bra. Finding no weapons or contraband around the woman’s chest, the officer then pulled down the woman’s underwear and searched her anal cavity. This search again found no evidence of wrongdoing and the officers released the woman without charges.” The Justice Department conducted the 14-month study in the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray, 25. He was arrested April 12, 2015 for allegedly possessing an illegal switchblade knife. While being transported for booking, he fell into a coma after suffering neck and spine injuries and died the next day. Relatives attributed Gray’s death to “rough rides” Baltimore police often give to suspects they are transporting to jail. “We also examined BPD’s transportation of detainees, but were unable to make a finding due to a lack of available data,” the study said. “We were unable to secure reliable records from either BPD or the jail regarding injuries sustained during transport or any recordings.” Baltimore police were quick to detain or arrest citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. They frequently took offense if someone used language that was rude or disrespectful, though that does not violate the law. A 1987 Supreme Court decision (City of Houston v. Hill), held: “The freedom of individuals verbally to oppose or challenge police action without thereby risking arrest is one of the principle characteristics by which we distinguish a free nation from a police state.” While no one is accusing the Baltimore Police Department of operating a police state, it clearly needs a major overhaul.
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We Must Support the Freedom-Fighting Legacy of George E. Curry in the Black Press By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. (President and CEO of the NNPA) The freedom struggle and Civil Rights Movement of Black people in America and throughout the world have lost another courageous, iconic, freedom fighter, journalist and leader. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) salutes, respects, and supports the freedom-fighting legacy of George Edward Curry. NNPA publishers, editors, journalists, and photographers from across the nation attended the “Celebration of Life” home-going service for George Curry in Tuscaloosa, Alabama at Weeping Mary Baptist Church on Saturday, August 27, 2016. George at the age of 69 died from heart failure on August 20, 2016 in Takoma Park, Maryland. George Curry was our beloved Editor-In-Chief of the NNPA News Wire Service and after decades of outstanding contributions and service to the Black Press in America, George evolved to be admired by fellow journalists as the “Dean of Black Press Columnists.”
As a foot soldier in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, I personally have been blessed to have known and worked with George Curry as a fearlessly effective freedom fighter. If I could find one word in the English language to describe the professional and brotherly tenacity of George Curry, it would be “courageous.” He used his pen and his wit to openly challenge injustice in the face and presence of oppression. George had the courage to both write and speak truth to power without compromise of principle or ethics. Reverend Jesse Jackson and Reverend Al Sharpton both travelled to Tuscaloosa to pay tribute and to eulogize the memory and legacy of George Curry. Rev. Jackson affirmed, “George was a freedom fighter.” Dr. Charles Steele Jr, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), also a native of Tuscaloosa and lifelong friend of George paid tribute to Curry’s leadership and activism as a “freedom movement” journalist. In the eulogy rendered last Satur-
day, Rev. Sharpton said that, “George never knew he was much more of a minister to me than I ever was to him… George Curry not only helped to mentor
and bring along students and the next generation, but he also did it to many of us that you see out there on the front line.” Sharpton concluded that Curry was “part of a long tradition, but he was one of a kind.” Roland Martin, accomplished news anchor for TV One and former editor of the Chicago Defender, as well as a lifelong colleague of George Curry, passionately stated, “There was no newspaper, no magazine George Curry could not have worked for, but he chose to
work in Black media…He chose to do that, because he said there has to be an independent voice that is unapologetic, that thinks about Black people from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep.” The passing of George Curry now raises the question of “Who will take his pen?” Who will step forward to keep the freedom-fighting legacy of George Curry alive today and into the future? Before George died, he had established EmergeNewsOnline.com. The NNPA supports George’s legacy and we encourage everyone to support Emerge News Online to ensure that what George envisioned and worked hard to establish will continue to grow and be successful in the marketplace. In my remarks on behalf of the NNPA at the “Celebration of the Life of George Curry,” I shared that, “I have been in the presence of Malcolm X. I have been in the presence of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I have been in the presence of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. I’ve been in the presence of some of our giants, male and female, but I
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want to say on this public record, in my life, I’ve never met a brother that’s had more courage than George Curry.” As we face the immediate future, let us all first be thankful that we had the opportunity and blessing to work with George Curry. But we must show our gratitude by making sure that his courageous example of journalism continues. There is an African proverb that says “Freedom fighters do not in spirit pass away, their spirit lives to inspire the next generation of freedom fighters.” We all know that George Curry supported mentoring and guiding the development of young journalists who are committed to the Black Press. That’s why the NNPA’s Discover the Unexpected (DTU) Journalism Fellowship program is so important. May these young journalists and others be guided by the great example of George Curry. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposals at: dr.bchavis@nnpa. org; and for lectures and other professional consultations at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix.com/drbfc.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
Community Calendar “#Blaxit: One God. One Aim. One Destiny.” by Chris Herrod In 2016, police brutality and injustice in America has caused some to call for a #Blaxit: “a mass exodus of Black people.” In 1920, faced with the very same issues of discontent, punctuated by East St. Louis’s bloody race riots in 1917 and the nationwide racial terror campaigns of 1919’s Red Summer, Marcus Garvey started a global movement with the intent of doing just that. Commemorating the birth of the Black Power Movement, “#Blaxit: One God. One Aim. One Destiny.” places Garvey’s 96 year old but still very relevant message of self-preservation, self-sufficiency and Pan African independence in a contemporary context - designed to spur discussion, planning, and action. Opening w/ Artist Talk – Saturday September 17th 4pm 6pm Exhibit Dates: September 17th - Oct.15 and - Roots by Alisa Banks Roots celebrates the connection we have with plants and their extension to our ancestors. The work featured is from the “Garden Series” and contains plants obtained primarily from the Alisa’s family garden. Exhibit Dates: September 3rd - Oct.15th The South Dallas Cultural Center is located at 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave. Dallas, Texas 75215. For more information or to schedule a tour for your group call 214-670-1998. Admission is FREE Granville Arts Center -- Gallery Space The Garland Eyes Photography Exhibit features photos of Garland or Garland residents and/or photos taken by Garland residents. This exhibit is FREE and open to the public, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and during performances at the Granville Arts Center. An artist reception will take place on September 15 at 5:30 p.m. Granville Arts Center Gallery Space 300 N. Fifth Street Downtown Garland ****** Free Reading Tutoring Dallas Public Library; 1515 Young, Dallas 75201. Learn to read better program for adults. Contact: 214-671-8291; http://www.dallaslibrary.org/literacy ********** Community Lawyering Center Open for Business - Mondays – Saturdays; days and evenings by appointment. 4716 Elsie Faye Heggins, Dallas, 75210. Eligible citizens may seek free legal services at this UNT Dallas College of Law Community Center about such issues as: disability, veterans, and social security claims; rental agreements; wills and probate; minor criminal offenses; record expunctions; mediations; and immigration. For info, call: 469-351-0024 or x0025 Dallas Black Dance Academy is offering 50 dance classes in the fall beginning September 6, 2016. Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Horton, African, Tap, Hip Hop, and Mommy & Me dance classes are available. The academy also provides Zumba and Stretch & Tone fitness classes. Registration is underway. There will be an Academy Registration Day/Open House on Saturday August 27, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Parents can register their children, meet the teachers, tour the facility, and purchase dance apparel. August 27th is the last day for early-bird registration where you save $10 off of the
registration fee. For details on the Fall classes visit www. dbdt.com/academy or email academy@dbdt.com. ***** Community Health Worker Certificate Training Now thru early September. Become a certified community health worker. Enroll now for the fall class (Sept. 13 – Dec. 1, 2016). Weekday classes: 6 – 9 pm. Some Saturday training. Cost: $700 (scholarships available). Location:
UT Southwestern. Contact: Lori Millner; 214-648-8338. Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ FALLCHWCOURSE. **** Dallas Theater Center Announces World Premiere Musical, Bella: An American Tall Tale, produced in Association with New York’s Playwrights Horizons Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre • 2400 Flora Street in the AT&T Performing Arts Center Full Run: Sept. 22 – Oct. 22, 2016 • Press Night: Fri., Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets: 214-880-0202 or www.DallasTheaterCenter.org Paul Quinn College will celebrate its 2016 Homecoming, November 3rd thru 6th, celebrating 144 years of nationbuilding... “Greatness: One Step At A Time”
September 8 Dallas Ambush Photography Exhibit The Dallas Morning News is proud to present an exhibition of 30 photographs taken during the moments that forever changed Dallas J. Erik Jonsson Central Library Lilllian Bradshaw Gallery, fourth floor The free exhibit runs September. 1st - October 31st, 2016, and is open to the public during normal library hours. ****** Lions Club Dallas Young Professionals Chapter. Interest meeting. Be part of the largest volunteer organization in the world. 8:00 PM at Moroch Partners LP, 3625 N Hall, St #1100, Dallas, TX 75219 ****** Neighborhood Leader Meet & Greet This month’s Neighborhood Leader Meet & Greet is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Charles E. Duckworth Building (third floor), 217 N. Fifth St. Attendees will hear City updates, network with other neighborhood leaders and learn of possible neighborhood opportunities. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP today!
September 9
DSDN’s Rockin’ Mom Retreat, Hilton Dallas Fort Worth Lakes. September 9-11, 2016 September 9-12 Friendship-West presents Marriage Retreat 2016 UNBROKEN, Sheraton Dallas Hotel.Guest Speakers: Dr. Frederick D. Haynes and Mrs. Debra Peek-Haynes.$275 per couple. Celebrate the repair and fortification of marriages. Register at www.friendshipwest.org
September 10 J. Spivey Productions presents Gigantic Gospel Concert 2016 featuring Tasha Cobbs, CeCe Godbolt, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Pastor Kim Burrell, Jessica Reedy, Kathy Taylor & Favor, Casey J. Doors open 3p.m. and show begins at 4p.m. Friendship West Baptist Church, 2020 W. Wheatland Road, Dallas. *****
Jamal A. Hasan, at 2pm at 4466 S. Marsalis Ave, Dallas, TX. ****** Do you have questions to get your child college ready? What are your options to pay for college? What’s the difference between the SAT and ACT? How do I even help my child pick the right school? Sign up today for the most comprehensive College Boot Camp around with representatives from the Dept. of Education, assistance applying for financial aid, a panel of current college students, and college prep experts. Registration required for this FREE event which includes lunch! Register at www. desotoisd.org, under Communications/Young Women’s Leadership Project 10AM-2PM ******** Fort Worth Museum of Science and History Commemorating Anniversary of 9/11 to the Museum’s exhibits will be free to all first responders, military and their families. A commemorative program is planned for 2pm, featuring the Texas Boys’ Choir adjacent to the Museum’s 9/11 Tribute Exhibit. ******** Gigantic Gospel Concert 2016, Friendship West Baptist Church 2020 W. Wheatland Rd Dallas, Texas 75232. Doors open 3:00 PM Show begins 4:00 PM. Tickets, Presale $30, Day of show $40, VIP ***** African American Leadership Institute at Paul Quinn College, 8am-5pm
September 11 TIRE RACK® STREET SURVIVAL® teen driver safety is coming to Grand Prairie to stop the #1 killer of teens Tire Rack Street Survival® Teen Driving School, Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75050 8:30am – 4:30pm HOST: Lone Star Chapter - BMW CCA Children African History and Culture Class Free on going class that examines highlights of African Culture, at Pan African Connection Bookstore 828 Fourth Ave. Dallas, TX 75203 at 4:00 PM, Classes are every other week Sundays. 214943-8262
September 12 Monday Night Politics will be held at the African American Museum in the auditorium TIME: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ******
MORGAN STANLEY PRESENTS DERON WILLIAMS CELEBRITY DODGE BARRAGE 2016, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Frisco Fieldhouse USA, 6155 Sports Village Rd., Frisco, Texas. Spectator tickets to the games are $10 (with children 5 and under free). For team registration and ticket purchase, go to deronwilliams.com/pointofhope. The Pan African Connection Art Gallery, Bookstore and Resource Center presents Racial Disparities in America by
Town Hall Meeting addressing the Loose & Stray Dogs of Southern Dallas, 6:30 PM at the Park Youth YMCA 2500 Romine Dallas, TX 75215 Speaking Truth to Power Movement - Building for Social Justice Conference fea-
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turing Minister Danielle Ayers, Dr. William Barber, Dr. Iva Caruthers, Dr. Linda Clemons, Dr. Allison V. Hall, Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Rev. Rahiel Tesfamariam and Rev. Winterbourne Harrison-Jones at Friendship West Baptist Church
September 14 Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour Puff Daddy, Lil’ Kim, Mase, Faith Evans, Mario Winans, 112, Total, Carl Thomas, The Lox & French Montana, 8p.m. at American Airlines Center 2016 United Way Campaign Kickoff Event- The community is invited to help kick off the 2016 United Way Campaign by enjoying lunch in the Downtown Garland Square from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 Wednesday, Sept. 14. In addition to games and information about the United Way, free lunch will be provided by In-N-Out Burger® for the first 150 attendees! Contact Elisa Morales at 972-205-2373 or EMorales@GarlandTX.gov with any questions.
September 15
CITY OF FORT WORTH WORKSHOP: RFP, RFQ, ITB AND BEST VALUE, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (CDT), Fort Worth Business Assistance Center 1150 South Fwy Fort Worth, TX 76104 ***** The first workshop, Stay Woke/Stay Well--Writing to Counter Race-Based Stress, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. in APAA’s Recovery Café, located on 3116, Martin Luther King Blvd, Dallas. It will repeat for two additional weeks--Sept. 22 and Sept. 29. The workshops are free for APAA peer members who sign up in advance, and $35 for the public. Join ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY Sorors south of the Trinity who serve the Best Southwest Cities of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville and Lancaster for the Upsilon Lambda Omega Chapter Fall Reclamation event at Tuscany Italian Bistro, 209 East Pleasant Run Road #141, DeSoto, TX. Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority should rsvp to membership@uloaka.org
The Rho Nu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc in conjunction with the Rho Nu Lambda Scholarship Foundation hosts the Kenn Manous Alpha Honors Scholarship Gala at the University of Texas at Dallas NAACP National Board Member Aubrey C. Hooper will be the keynote speaker for the NAACP Garland Unit’s 2016 Annual Freedom Fund Celebration, 10 am at the Hyatt Place Garland, 5101 N President George Bush Hwy., Garland, TX 75040. The silent auction begins at 9am. ****** The Literary Soul Symposium (LSS) 8:30am -5:00 pm at the South Dallas Cultural Center located at 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave. Dallas, Texas 75215. The registration fee covers all events. Please log onto the website for the full schedule. www.literarysoulsymposium.myevent.com/3/ online_payment.htm The Trinity Trash Bash REGISTER AT: http://trwdtrashbash. com/fall/ Enjoy free food, prizes, giveaways and entertainment by 106.1 KISS FM! Looking to break last year’s BASH record of more than 4,700 volunteers! Trash Bash 3pm 5:30pm, After Party 5:30pm 8pm, Fireworks 8:15pm at the Trinity Trails.
September 18 Peace Day Dallas - In honor of International Day of Peace,
The Holocaust Museum is having a free event with three survivor speakers, September 18, 2016, 11:00 AM- 5:00 PM. 211 N. Record St. Dallas, TX 75202. 214-741-7500
Dallas National Pan-Hellenic Council Happy Hour Fundraiser, 5:30 PM - 8 PM, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, 3130 Knox St., Dallas, Texas 75205 ******* Dallas Pride and Festival 2016 #Dallaspride, from 2PM 5PM on the Strip on Cedar Springs -- Cedar Springs Rd Dallas, TX 75219, Family Pride Zone A safe space for LGBT Parents and their kids.
September 19 Monday Night Politics at the African American Museum in the auditorium, 6 - 8p.m.
22 Writing to Counter RaceBased Stress, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. in APAA’s Recovery Café, 3116, Martin Luther King Blvd, Dallas.
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****** Stay Woke - Stay Well - Writing to Counter Race-Based Stress-- Self care workshop with writing ‘doula’ Linda Jones 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Two other opportunities to attend on: Sept. 22 and Sept. 29 3116 Martin Luther King Blvd., Dallas Workshop fee: $35 Register Online or at door ****** Third Annual PlayPride LGBT Competition, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 South Tyler St, Dallas. 7:30pm
September 16
September 17
DFW FAMU 2nd Annual Scholarship Brunch at Blue Mesa Bar N Grill, 14866 Montfort Drive, Addison, 11:30 am ******* House Of Dasha’s Grand Opening, 2 PM · 621 N. Hampton Rd. Suite 104 ****** Texas, United States and global perspectives on conflict will be the topics of the second annual New History at Old Red Conference for teachers Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Old Red Museum in Dallas. Suzie Humphreys will be the keynote luncheon speaker for the Fellowship of Professional Women 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM CDT, Park City Club 5956 Sherry Lane 17th Floor Dallas, TX Brazos Valley Area Alumnae (BVAA) chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 30th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon at 12:30 PM proceeding a Rededication Ceremony at 11:00 AM at the Phillips Event Center at Briarcrest, 1929 Country Club Dr., Bryan, Texas 77802.
Where barbecue and voting facts are served daily.
You must show approved photo ID at the polls. T E X AS-ISSUED
DRIVER LICENSE PERSONAL ID CARD
HANDGUN LICENSE ELECTION ID CERTIFICATE
U S-ISSUED
USA
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center Hosts New Family-Friendly Concert Featuring Nationally Renowned Child Musicians at the Majestic Theatre. Event proceeds will support DCAC’s life-changing work of providing justice, hope, and healing to Dallas County’s most severely abused children. Tickets start at $50. For more information, please call 214-818-2682, email encore@dcac.org, or visit dcac. org/encore. ****** Live Well Free Health and Wellness Expo at Destiny Pointe Christian Center, 2350 East Mayfield Road, Arlington www.shazzyfitness.com
MILITARY ID
CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE
PASSPORT
(ID CAN BE EXPIRED UP TO FOUR YEARS)
Election Day: November 8th PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE POLLS @
Unable to obtain one of these IDs? FILL OUT A DECLARATION AT THE POLLS DESCRIBING A REASONABLE IMPEDIMENT OR DIFFICULTY TO OBTAINING IT, AND SHOW ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. • VALID VOTER REGISTRATION CARD • CERTIFIED BIRTH CERTIFICATE (MUST BE AN ORIGINAL) • ORIGINAL OR COPY OF CURRENT UTILITY BILL • ORIGINAL OR COPY OF BANK STATEMENT • ORIGINAL OR COPY OF GOVERNMENT CHECK • ORIGINAL OR COPY OF PAYCHECK • ORIGINAL OR COPY OF GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS (ORIGINAL REQUIRED IF IT CONTAINS A PHOTOGRAPH)
Early Voting: Oct. 24th - Nov. 4th 1 (800) 252-VOTE
/TXSECRETARY
Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to showing photo ID at the polls. The application must contain written documentation from either the U.S. Social Security Administration evidencing he or she has been determined to have a disability or from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evidencing a disability rating of at least 50 percent.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
ABOUT THAT CAR: 2017 Chrysler Pacifica 262 pound-feet of torque. The engine was mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It had an EPA rating of 18 mpg in the city, 28
By Frank S. Washington ABOUTTHATCAR.COM
AUBURN HILLS, MI – We were so impressed with the spin that we took more or less around the block in the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica that we asked for a longer test drive. We got our first up close look at the Pacifica during a brief show and tell here at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ headquarters. Never mind the hype about Chrysler newest minivan and there was plenty of it. Three things grabbed our attention. The spaciousness of the Pacifica was eye-catching. There was tall glass all round that from the inside simulated a continuous picture window. And there was a three panel panoramic roof. In other words, all three rows of seats had a clear view of the sky. The next thing that grabbed us was the power. On a really long entrance ramp onto I-75 North, we pushed the pedal almost to the metal and the Pacifica reached 75 mph before we got on the interstate. The Pacifica had a 3.6 liter V6 that made 287 horsepower and
GreatCall and LYFT solve transportation issues for seniors using personal operators Partnership gets GreatCall customers where they want, when they want – without an app SAN DIEGO – GreatCall Inc., the leader in connected health for active aging, is starting a program that addresses one of the top issues in aging: transportation. The GreatCall Rides program will provide GreatCall customers with easy access to Lyft services – without an app – through GreatCall’s
Personal Operator Services. “We know, both from our customers and research by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, that transportation limitations seriously impact the independence and self-confidence of older adults,” says David Inns, CEO of GreatCall. “While many of us are aware of and comfortable with ride sharing apps, the technology requirements – a smart phone and an app – make it difficult for many older adults,” adds Inns. “By incorporating it as part of GreatCall’s Personal Operator Services – having requests handled 24/7 by a member of our U.S.-based customer
mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined. 2017 Chrysler PacificaWhen we got in the Pacifica for our short test drive, we thought it was the most comfortable minivan we’d ever been in to date. It had a horizontal dash layout that was clean and fresh. The materials were top notch. It was ergonomically friendly, easy to drive and quiet. The third thing was drivability. It was 250 lbs. lighter than the model it replaced, the Town & Country, and that showed in the way it handled. We need to get the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica to take a longer look. Prices start at $28,595.
service team - we make it easy as well as affordable and reliable.” GreatCall Rides pilot program is focusing on five markets with significant populations of older adults – California, Florida, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Arizona. GreatCall customers simply press “0” on their Jitterbug phones and tell the Personal Operator where they want to go. Rides in pilot markets arrive in under 10 minutes and can be booked up to one week in advance. The costs of rides, plus a nominal fee, are added to the customer’s monthly bill. “We know older adults may have a more difficult time getting around,” explains Gyre Renwick, Head of Healthcare Enterprise Partnerships at Lyft. “In addition to night driving and freeway concerns, many don’t own or want a smartphone. So we created the
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Concierge platform to allow partners like GreatCall to provide this service to their members. Whether they’re going to a doctor’s appointment, shopping or lunch with friends, no one’s independence should be impacted by transportation concerns,” says Renwick. The pilot launched in all five markets on August 22. Rollout to additional markets will be announced as the pilot moves forward. GreatCall customers will receive $5.00 off on their first ride as an introductory promotion. “The impact of transportation accessibility also burdens family caregivers, with 78 percent of them providing transportation for their family members – a situation that will worsen as our population ages. By creating this partnership with Lyft, we can eliminate a key barrier to mobility,” adds Inns.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
Southside with You is about Chocolate Love
By Eva D. Coleman Entertainment Editor
Tika Sumpter at National Journalists Convention this past summer.
The best part of this film is the ending. It’s sweet. Matter of fact, there’s nothing sour at all as viewers get a glimpse into the lives and love story of one of the world’s most famous couples, President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama.
With the strength of Michelle Obama’s being in her mental repertoire, Tika Sumpter delivers, playing the ambitious young lawyer looking to validate her place in a white and male-dominated firm without any utterance of impropriety. “I didn’t want to imitate her,” Sumpter said. “I wanted to embody the essence of her.” Sumpter, along with Parker Sawyers who plays Barack Obama and 31-year-old director Richard Tanne, spoke during a panel discussion that followed the screening of the film at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) / National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) joint convention held recently in Washington, DC. Southside with You chronicles the first date of the future first couple. The movie takes its time, allowing moviegoers the chance to stroll alongside Barack and Michelle. “I was really struck by the way they look at each other, they way that they date and care about each other,” Tanne said. That wasn’t the only striking moment. Almost the entire theater gasped during the first scene in which Sawyers portraying Barack Obama was revealed. His hands told the story.
Actors Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers with Director Richard Tanne
During the scene, his personification of the chain cigarette smoking, young law intern Obama showed hands that could have easily belonged to the President himself. Another scene later on shows Sawyers’ hands as he ascends into frame, with mannerisms and conditions in which the President holds his very own. It was surreal. Sawyers shared his experiences with getting into the essence of Barack. “It’s been a whirlwind. It’s been amazing,” Sawyers said. “The first day on set, I hadn’t shaken the full-on Obama impression. So that scene, ‘Not bad at all Mrs. Robinson’ (in full-on Obama impression voice) and Rich comes over and says, hey man... less Obama,” Sawyers laughed. “After the first day, I felt really comfort-
able. We hit it on the second day and just kept going,” he added. Southside with You also weaves in art and culture, from famed works of artist Ernie Barnes and the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks, to just as important, the art of courtship. The soundtrack is nostalgic and refreshing, including a stirring song titled Start written by composer John Stephens and performed by John Legend, who also serves as one of the executive producers of the film. There’s no rush to the magic that forms the foundation of our understanding of what drew Barack and Michelle close and led to matrimony. Who the film is about will surely draw moviegoers into theaters for an escape to the Southside of Chicago which shows how love can endure all. “We wanted to create a counter narrative to what was out there,” Tanne said, referencing other movies about Chicago. The best part is the ending, and it’s sweet.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
DBDT's Young honored with Natalie My friend kisses me Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence
Melissa M. Young
Photograph by Brian Guilliaux
The Dance Council of North Texas honored Dallas Black Dance Theatre's Melissa M. Young with its Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence during Dallas DanceFest in Dallas, Texas September 2-3, 2016. Ms. Young received the award during the 39th presentation of Dance Council Honors gala at Dallas City Performance Hall, 2520 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas 75201. The Dance Council honored Ms. Young for achieving a solid performance career in contemporary modern dance, spending 23 years of her career at Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), first as a dancer, Rehearsal Director, then as Academy Director, and now Associate Artistic Director. She is a graduate of The Ailey School in New York City and trained as an
exchange student at Amsterdam School of the Arts in Amsterdam, Netherlands. "Melissa has been an invaluable part of Dallas Black Dance Theatre," said Dallas Black Dance Theatre Founder Ann Williams. "Her attention to artistic detail has helped DBDT reach 40 years as an organization, while maintaining our performance excellence." Her most notable performances include: The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Lincoln Center Outof-Doors in New York City, and for the U.S. Ambassadors to Ireland and Zimbabwe. She has restaged and rehearsed the diverse repertoire of DBDT, which spans over 70 ballets. Ms. Young's professional training includes Ballet, Modern (Horton and Graham), Jazz techniques and West African Dance. She teaches master classes both nationally and internationally, specializing in the Dance Technique of Lester Horton. "I am deeply honored to receive this award from the Dance Council of North Texas. Being recognized for my passion and love for dance is not something I would ever imagine that would happen to me," said DBDT Associate Artistic Director Melissa M. Young. "I am overwhelmed, but certainly thankful and grateful that my peers have selected me for this wonderful accolade." Melissa has served as an advisory panelist for City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs Young Audiences of Dallas, Texas Commission on the Arts, Arkansas Arts Council and Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, as well serving as a board member for the Dance Council of North Texas from 2010-2013. In 2000, Melissa was presented with the Dancer's Award for her artistic excellence and dedication to Dallas Black Dance Theatre and in 2014 she received an Award of Recognition from the South Dallas Dance Festival for her outstanding service to dance.
WOMAN OF HONOR EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE
Professional Life Coach Dr. Gretchel Johnson will speak on her healing process after unexpectedly losing her husband and becoming a widow. Author and workshop presenter Beverly L. Robinson will share her Featuring 80-year-old Bodybuilder Ernestine Shepherd journey of how she survived sexual assault and learned to live a life free from guilt. - Fit and Faithful Living is hosting its Woman of Honor Empowerment Young entrepreneur Brandi Thompson will speak on launching your Conference on Saturday, October 1, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 business and building your brand! p.m. It will feature 80-year-old Ernestine Shepherd, the Guinness Book Licensed therapist and Breaking Chains Life Classes group leader Doof World Records Oldest Performing Female Weightlifting Champion. netta Beasley, LCSW will join the speakers during a Q&A panel session. The series will be held at the Hyatt Regency North Dallas Among the participants will be graduates of Fit TEXAS hotel located at 701 East Campbell Road in Richardson, and Faithful Living's Breaking Chains class. Italia METRO NEWS Texas 75081. Anguiano learned to break the chains of sexual The daylong event is focused on helping women abuse she had been carrying since she was a child. break the chains of unhealthy habits. The EmpowerShe stopped being a victim and learned to take acment Conference includes speakers who will educate tion to meet new life goals. "I would blow up and and empower women to live healthy lifestyles that inbe angry and hateful and had no constructive way clude regular physical activity, good nutrition, and mento deal with my emotions and nightmares," Italia tal wellness. Anguiano explained. "Depression kept me inacThe events include dinner and a birthday reception tive, but Breaking Chains helped me to take action to celebrate Ernestine Shepherd's 80th birthday. Mrs. and crawl out of my depression. Being able to talk Shepherd will share how she transformed herself from CELEBRATING about what happened made a big difference." an average middle-aged woman in her late 50s into a The Breaking Chains class helped Chandra Marbodybuilding diva at 80. The personal trainer, professhall-Henson learn to accept and manage her sional model, and competitive bodybuilder says she is diabetes diagnosis by giving her a healthy eating happier and more fulfilled than she's ever been in her life. plan she could easily follow. She also stopped using overeating as an Other speakers include: emotional crutch. "The group kept me in check and took the time to Certified Life Coach and founder of Fit and Faithful Living LaChanda make sure I was OK. I could call on any of them," said Chandra MarDupard, who with 25 years of marriage experience, will speak on how shall-Henson. "I am determined not to go on insulin and Breaking to strengthen your marriage. Chains is helping me to meet that goal." Professional Life Coach Kofi Williams will speak on accepting and lovFor ticket information, visit: www.fitandfaithfulliving.org. ing yourself while single and/or divorced! Free - Take One
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Garland,Rowlett Mesquite Richardson
Garland,Rowlett Mesquite Richardson & E.Dallas
Volume XI Issue 3 www.texasmetronews.com
September 16, 2012
Free - Take One
B r i n g i n g n e w s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m a c r o s s t h e s t a t e a n d a r o u n& d tE.Dallas h e wo r l d!VAILABLE AT .EWSSTANDS IN
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
on the lips Ask Alma: by Alma Gill
NNPA News Wire Columnist 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.
Dear Alma, I’ve been friends with a woman for over 10 years. We went to high school together. I left for college and she stayed in our hometown. We continued our friendship, visits, hanging out, traveling together, partying together and all that. After graduation I relocated to New York and I love it. She started coming to visit from time to time and two months ago also relocated to the city. Of course I told her she could stay with me until she finds a place and here’s where things started to change. When we are hanging out now all of a sudden she touches me inappropriately. Sometimes when we’re at home, and even when we’re out at bars and restaurants, she will hug me intimately and kiss me on the lips. She touches my breast and I don’t like it. It’s weird. I just don’t get it. I’ve told her to stop, but she keeps doing it. No, she’s not gay and no, this has never happened until now. I’ve had enough, how do I get her to take me seriously?
Signed, Awkward Friend
Dear Awkward Friend, Sweet Pea, is it just me or does she like you in a way that you may not be ready to admit? It’s great that you two have maintained such a wonderful friendship over the years, and I’d venture to say her newfound freedom, in a new city has brought about a new attitude. It could be that she’s had feelings for you all along and just recently gathered
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
A Tragedy
Critic’s Choice
Get Ready to Laugh INSIDE
In Your Town
3
Perspectives
5
On the Campaign Trail 6
Community Calendar 9 Lifestyle 12 HBCU Homecomings 17
Ernestine Shepherd shows what the new 75 looks like!
LIFE
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enough nerve to act on them. You said she kisses you on the lips – hugs and touches you – did it tingle? If so, ahhhh, yeah, she likes you. And she’s dropping hints like a trail of peppermints. LOL. Back up now, here comes the tricky part. If the feelings aren’t mutual, you’ve gotta make it clear, respectfully and maturely. Ummmm, that’s why she isn’t taking you seriously. Pick a specific place and time. Confidently let her know you treasure the friendship but you aren’t interested in a relationship. Honor her feelings, don’t brush them off as if they don’t exist. Although it will be awkward since you’re living together, clarify and ask her, “Are you trying to get with me?� Give it a minute to cool down and settle in. I really don’t think there’s a need to end the friendship, unless she wants to, because you guys have so much history. Obviously, it would be good to come up with a deadline for her to find a place. This is gonna be tough on her, so don’t expect all the puzzle pieces to just fall back into place. Being rejected is painful and crushes you to the core. Basically, the two of you have to be honest with each other and have this brutal conversation. You can’t go forward without it. Time will heal these broken pieces so don’t give up so easily. This may be complex, but clarity is just around the corner. Be the longtime friend you’d seek if the shoe were on the other foot. Love is brutal when it’s not reciprocated.
Alma
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
Praise Party
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Conversation
with
2016 Honoree
Lynne Coleman
Dareia Tolbert
I’m Dareia and I overcame and conquered low self-confidence, insecurities, bullies, and poverty. As the darkskinned child in my family, I grew up despising my appearance—feeling like an outcast, inadequate, and as if my beauty would never measure up to my vanilla and caramel complexioned siblings. Oftentimes, I likened myself to an “ugly duckling.” Heartbreaking to recount, my 8-year old and 14-year old self internalized these negative and damaging thoughts. To compound the issue, school peers would make scathing comments on my appearance, calling me “ugly, unattractive, and unfit”—reinforcing this concept of “not being good enough” that was already polluting my mind. On top of grappling with low selfworth, poverty was another opponent to beat. Although my parents worked and sacrificed tirelessly to meet our basic needs, staying afloat financially was always a struggle. My three siblings and I grew up in a one bedroom home, where my sisters and I shared a bed up until high school graduation. There were times when the pantries were empty, leaving us uncertain about our next meal, or times when we ran out of gas and were subjected to pushing the car to a safe area due to my mother’s over-estimation of the gas meter and lack of money to replenish the tank in that moment. Despite the hardships, challenges,
damaging words and thoughts, my faith in God and later, self, helped me to overcome, conquer and achieve a level of success that surpassed my 8-year old and 14year old imagination and dreams. Somewhere around the age of 16, something finally clicked internally. I started to realize that I am beautiful and that my perception of self should not be dictated by societal standards or by what others think. Failing to grab hold of this concept at age 16 would have made my life dramatically different, limiting my options to the subjective thoughts and attitudes of others. I learned to free myself from those chains and to fully embrace the “me” God created. After this realization, I was able to blossom into a “beautiful swan.” As for poverty, I fought and am still fighting every day with prayer, persistence, patience, hard work and resilience to create a better and more sustainable world for myself, immediate family, and the family I will one day build. As the saying goes, “Anything worth having is worth fighting for,” and I will continue to strive until all of my goals are fully realized. And I urge you to do the same because one day, you will pass down your story of how you overcame and conquered to a little girl hanging on to a hope and a prayer that something different, better and greater will soon come.
Live Well | Go Green Expo 2016 JCPenney VP of Women’s Product Development, Lynne Coleman, a Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumna and community leader will be honored by the D-FW FAMU Alumni Association, Saturday, September
17 at 11:00am, at Blue Mesa in Addison. Tickets available at DFW FAMU Alumni.org. A native of Miami, FL, Coleman is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
When: Saturday, Sept. 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Curtis Culwell Center, 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. If you're looking for tips for a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle, mark your calendar for Garland's free Live Well | Go Green Expo (formerly called the Healthy Living Expo). The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Curtis Culwell Center, 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. Stop & Learn sessions will be presented at various exhibitor booths throughout the event. These quick, 15-minute learning sessions will cover a variety of Live Well | Go Green topics. "Healthy You" exhibitors will offer a variety of free health screenings, along with helpful insights for nutrition, exercise and more. Flu, pneumococcal and shingles vaccines also will be available for a cost. "Healthy Earth" exhibitors will feature a wealth of information for sustainable living, such as landscaping advice, energy-saving tips and recycling infor-
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mation. Visitors also can find a variety of natural and alternative healthy lifestyle products and services at the expo. Recycle Row will allow event patrons to properly dispose of unwanted household goods, electronics, medical equipment, medications and much more. Outdoor Fest, hosted by the Garland Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department and Bass Pro Shops, will be bigger and better this year. Guests may learn about outdoor adventure activities including kayaking, archery, off-road biking, fishing and campsite cooking. New this year, Outdoor Fest will feature a 24-foot climbing wall! Also outside of the Culwell Center, Garland Pawsibilities will introduce visitors to adoptable pets from the Garland Animal Shelter. Registration is open for the expo's annual H2O 5K, sponsored by the City of Garland's Water and Stormwater Management departments. Admission to the expo and parking are free.
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
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SUPPORT HBCUs Get your tickets for the State Fair Classic Grambling State University v. Prairie View A&M University
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