I Messenger VOL 6 ISSUE 23
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
I Messenger
NO MISTAKE, THIS IS
FREDERICK DOUGLASS HAYNES, III page 4-5
MESSAGE
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
for the President 1 
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
VOL 6 ISSUE 23
CAROLYN JONES 7
LIAR 14
CHRIS ARNOLD AND THE !VAILABLE AT .EWSSTANDS Free - TakeMAVS One IN
!VAILABLE AT .EWSSTANDS IN
Garland,Rowlett Mesquite Richardson & E.Dallas
Garland,Rowlett 23 Mesquite Richardson & E.Dallas
Free - Take One
Each Month TexasMonthPhonePhalconstar.com (972) 926-8503 Garland, Fax (903) Year 926-8503 SubscriptionFax$45.00 35thAugust 1-15, 2012Phalconstar.com Published 1stGarland, & 15th Each Texas450-1397Phone1(972) (903) 450-1397 1 Year Subscription $45.00
2
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
3 
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Pastor Frederick Douglass Haynes calls on President Trump to “stop it!”
Editor’s note: This letter was first presented by Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III at the Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 church service at Friendship-West Baptist Church where he is the senior pastor. Shared on social media, the letter has gone viral. Many expressed the need for this letter to receive maximum coverage and distribution. A highly-respected voice internationally, we’re honored that the scholar, author, orator, advisor, preacher, teacher, activist, theologian, mentor, son, husband, father, Dr. Haynes, gave permission for us to share this message with our readers.
Dear President Donald Trump, Grace and Peace and Love be multiplied. I wanted to offer my congratulations but our state of emergency precludes me from empty pleasantries. Further, you rode a wave of division, fear and hatred into your electoral college victory for the presidency of these "yet to be" United States. I must admit that you brilliantly united in unholy wedlock, manipulating the media with your cult of celebrity and the ugly unresolved issue of race and racism to give birth to your illegitimate victory. Your "reality show campaign" stirred up white rage
4
and produced a "whitelash" to use the explosive expression and "Messy Truth" of Van Jones. You did and said anything
Jr was right when he quoted James Baldwin and wondered if we had integrated into a burning house? Our house is on fire and you are
President Donald Trump
Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III
to get elected by preying on ethnic, religious and racial hostilities in a nation that has never been truthful about the ugly undercurrent of white supremacy and heteropatriarchy. You've even placed a picture of Andrew Jackson, the genocidal, slave holding racist in the Oval Office because you see him as a model. You appointed a neo nazi, white supremacist as an influential and powerful leader on your staff. All of those are warning signs that portend your concept of making "America Great Again" has everything to do with making America hate, again. Dr. Martin Luther King,
throwing gasoline into the conflagration I hear from those who've met you in person that you are a nice man. If that is true then you must be bipolar because your policies and nominations are mean spirited and a reflection of white supremacy which, in case you don't know, has an expiration date on it. In love, I offer you some medication for your bipolarity. Honestly, I am praying for you. I am praying that God would arrest you and cause you to experience a repentance that will lead to personal and national transformation. I write praying that you will rise to the dignity of the
presidential office and be delivered from the petty politics of demonizing others. Our nation is sick and you are feeding more toxins and poisons into the body politic. I couldn't remain silent as you embrace Islamophobia and xenophobia while marching this nation towards an ugly fascism. You have ignored the pained protests of the indigenous Standing Rock Sioux and jeopardized the health of millions because of your determination to repeal Obamacare; because apparently you don't care. You have attacked the media that was complicit in your election because they didn't hold you accountable for your "alternative facts" and belief that if you say something that's not true, long enough and loud enough, it will become true. Now you have used religion as a weapon with the full support of your puppets in the pulpit. In the Name of Jesus, stop it! This nation, snatched violently from the natives, was built on the backs of stolen Africans and with the hands of immigrants. Now you've issued an executive order targeting those
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017 you have "othered" in the name of religion. In the Name of Jesus, I stand in solidarity with my Muslim sisters and brothers and oppose this bigoted ban. If you are so concerned about terrorism from religious extremists then ban the Ku Klux Klan. Don't forget that Timothy McVeigh was a Christian terrorist. Those clinic bombing pro life zealots kill people in the name of their god. Ban them! Native Americans were slaughtered by immigrant Christian terrorists. You seem to relish photo ops with black people who have high profiles but limited public policy understanding. Worse, you have surrounded yourself with preachers who would rather be puppets than prophets. Even David needed a Nathan to keep him in check. I have some Nathans I'd like to recommend. They stand in the prophetic tradition of Amos of Tekoa and Jesus of Nazareth, Martin King and Fannie Lou Hamer. Why don't you invite Minister Danielle Ayers, Dr. William Barber, Dr. Traci Blackmon, Dr. Amos Brown, Dr. Iva Carruthers, Dr. Keri Day, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Judge Reverend Wendell Griffin, Drs. Otis Moss, Sr and Jr., Dr. James Perkins, Father Michael Pfleger, Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson,
Dr. Gina Stewart, and Dr. Raphael Warnock, to name a few. They would prophetically lift your presidency and policies from the dark place of hate to the sunlit spaces of justice and love that would move America to becoming a "more perfect union." You need prophets like the above mentioned in order to insure that you don't go the way of another who was intoxicated by his self importance. Please, Mr. President, read Daniel chapter 5. Belshazzar had a party celebrating his greatness, that was crashed by a hand that wrote on the wall. The handwriting on the wall was interpreted by a foreigner with a different religion than Belshazzar. His name was Daniel. Daniel interpreted the handwriting on the wall "God has numbered your days with an expiration date. You've been weighed in the balances and found wanting. Your kingdom has been divided and given over..." in your case to Russia! Mr. President, the handwriting is on the wall. "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God." The handwriting is on the wall. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly;
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
defend the rights of the poor and needy." The handwriting is on the wall. You are obsessed that your presidency not be illegitimate because the Russians appointed you and you lost the popular vote even as your Republican Party suppressed the Black vote (That's what you should investigate. Voter fraud is fake news but voter suppression is real). Prophetic justice reminds you that you built your political platform questioning the legitimacy of the first Black president and now your presidency is illegitimate! "Be not deceived, God is not mocked whatever you sow you will reap!" The old saying goes "What goes around, comes around." The handwriting is on the wall I write as an ally of what Angela Davis refers to as "an inclusive and intersectional feminism that calls upon all of us to join the resistance to racism, to Islamophobia, to anti-Semitism, to misogyny, to capitalist exploitation," and Palestinian apartheid. The handwriting is on the wall. Psalm 72 is instructive for leaders "he (or she) delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper." The handwriting is on the wall because Jesus warned that when He judges the na-
tions He will separate the sheep from the goats. Will he say to you, Mr. President, "I was hungry and your executive order made it more difficult for low and moderate income families to secure a home loan and you appointed a gifted surgeon, who needs to go some where and sit down, with no experience to give leadership to HUD. I was thirsty and you issued an executive order to run roughshod over Native American, Standing Rock Sioux sacred grounds but Flint residents still don't have new pipes for fresh water from a fresh water source. I was in prison because of the war on drugs which was really a war on black and poor people and because of stop and frisk; and you appointed Jefferson Beauregard Sessions as a racist fox to guard the henhouse of justice. I was a stranger and you built a wall and issued a ban on muslims." You will ask "Jesus when did this happen." He will say "Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, you've done it to me." Mr. President, the handwriting is on the wall. I am praying for you and this sick nation to be healed. Peace and Power, Frederick Douglass Haynes, III
5 
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Wine, Waistline and Mozart
Are you losing weight in 2017? What do grapes do in the body? Do they stimulate weight loss or have a role in weight control? Do the acids in grapes have the ability to delay growth of fatty cells? How much extreme stress, necessary and unnecessary, do you allow in your space daily? The most notable resolution made in 2017 was to lose 10 pounds. Weight loss and weight control are on the minds of 80% of Americans. That is a staggering revelation! And there is no law, executive order, prescription or hotline headlining the ‘urgency of an overweight nation.’ It is quietly ignored except at doctor visits. I have some news to ‘smile’ about. It is largely known that red wine has a high antioxidant content that separate it from others wines. The antioxidant “resveratrol” boosts metabolism and is highly regarded as some protection against heart disease. Some scientists have added anti-aging as a love connection in fine wines. Red wines, in moderation, is a ‘happy’ healthy food. Let’s define moderate consumption as one glass a day, or for especially stressful days…two glasses. Wine has history. Included in the works of Shakespeare are 56 references to wine. The word wine is part of 145 Bible passages. Doctors relate the size of your waistline to mountainous unman-
6
aged stress, which is directly linked which makes it a favorite at night in to the condition of your health. lieu of a snack that leaves crumbs in Tapping into your your bed. waistline “requires So many of my audiences remember the series we some happiness in produced on ‘Sleep your life, purpose Apnea” with forand regimented mer pro football exercise” says players. renowned winemaker JeanA sleep doctor told Charles Boisus repeatedly, “if you set (Wine are not sleeping, you are Enthusiast’s dying.” Sleep is not an 2012 Ameroption. ican WinWhat does Mozart have ery of the to do with this article? As Year). a young music student with Cabclasses at the University of ernet Houston, my professor would Sauserve wine in tiny elegant glassvies, after recitals. The rationale was that certain wine styles and music result in perfect harmony. Meaning great wines, like great music, is not easily produced. His choice of music was Mozart… because Mozart “changes the flavor of wine.” I still love wine and Mozart. The loudest message here is comgnon mit to lose weight…and just do it. i s We need you… in good health. a r g u - Coming Up: “Where did Etiquette a b l y Go?” the world’s most no- Ester Davis is a celebrated writer, television proble red grape – grown in nearly ducer and host of her signature shows. She can be every wine producing country across reached @www.esterday.com/or214.376.9000. Tune in to Fishbowl Internet (FBRN.US)Thursdays the globe. 1PM. CNN notes wine and waistline as The Ester Davis Show check television and internet times(FBRN.US) or call 214.376.9000 partners in weight control. Wine will curtail your appetite, WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Caraway says he’s ready to reclaim the District 4 City Council seat
I Messenger
Stressing that he only came off velopment. The lack of attention to the council because of term limits, code enforcement is embarrassing. former Dallas Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem I can’t just sit back and continue to and city councilmemwatch what is happenber Dwaine Caraway ing. I’m running to said it wasn’t in his return and get progplans to return to the ress back on track Council, especially by moving District 4 since in the interim forward one block at he unsuccessfully a time.” sought a seat on the Immediately Dallas County Comfollowing the anmissioners Court. nouncement, Mr. But, he said his leadCaraway went to the ership is needed. City Secretary’s office “From 2007 to and filed his paper2015 there was progwork. ress happening in “This is going to District 4,” said Mr. be a clean race,” he Caraway. “Unfortuvowed. “There are so nately since 2015 many services that the ball has been our citizens deserve. dropped. I left ofThe district is made fice with District 4 up of Blacks, whites, Candidate Dwaine Caraway in a progressive state, and Latinos and I will ready for continued represent them all.” growth and development. With Mr. Caraway left office due to city my own eyes I have witnessed the council term limits June 2015 after steady decline, neglect, dilapidation serving the maximum of four twoan stagnate growth in economic deyear terms.
A virtuous woman!
On January 25, 2017 Carolyn Y. Jones with two siblings, Danny Jay and Billie transitioned after Ray in Abilene, Texas. She graduated a lengthy illness. from Woodson High School in 1963 and attended Bishop College and First diagnosed with thyroid canlater retired from the Stewart Title cer in 2005, breast Company, for health reasons. cancer in 2010 She met Thomas G. Jones, the love and lung cancer in of her life, in 1967 and they married on July 26, 1968. To this union four 2016, Mrs. Jones children were born: Shaundra, Regiwas fondly rememna, Shelley and Kelley, of which three bered at services at preceded her in death. St. Luke “CommuShe was a member of St. Luke, unnity” United Methder the leadership of Rev. Zan Wesley odist Church. Carolyn Y. Rogers Jones Holmes Jr., where she remained faithBorn to the late Ellis Harold Rogers and Tessie Reeva Rog- ful until her death. ers on November 9, 1944, she grew up
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
7
I Messenger
Community Calendar
February 4
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alpha XI Omega Chapter, will have its 2017 Founders’ Day Luncheon 12 noon at the Hilton Anatole. Guest speaker is Dr. Jacqueline Walters, nationally recognized OB/GYN and star of Bravo’s hit reality series “Married to Medicine.” Dr. Jackie is a two-time breast cancer survivor and founder of the 50 Shades of Pink Foundation.
Feb 4
CRESCENT COURT FARMERS MARKET This is a Neighborhood Farmers Market organized by Crescent TC Investors LP to occur on 500 Crescent Court. The market site will be contained within the Atrium of the Crescent Properties, on the north side. 10:00am – 3:00pm. Hotel Crescent Court 500 Crescent Ct Dallas, TX 75201 ****
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Branch Library, 3319 Edgewood Drive. Participants will make abstract illustrations using crayons and markers, then cut their drawings into strips and glue them to construction paper. This will create a wave effect and give the illusion that the drawings are moving! For more information and to register, call 972-205-2585.
issues of importance to seniors. $20 non-refundable cost. Contact: Lynda Ender; 214-823-5700 x6113; lender@ theseniorsource.org.
***** Diaspora Day Celebration South Dallas Cultural Center; 3400 S. Fitzhugh, 75210. Free celebration of food, fashion, customs of African people in conjunction with the Center’s “Distant Relatives” exhibit featuring the works of Nigerian photographers. Contact: Marilyn Clark, 214-939-2782.
Feb 7
Feb 5 Eventfully Yours Special Event Venue presents “BIG GAME BALLOUT Watch Party” featuring the FALCONS vs. PATRIOTS. Come out for some real fun as you cheer on your favorite team with host Lynne Haze and dJ MAC-nificent (Jamita Barnett Machen) on the wheelz. Reserved Seat, Games, Food, Door Prizes included in ticket price. THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN. DON’T HEAR ABOUT IT, BE ABOUT IT! EARLY BIRD PRICE IS $15.00! Regular Price - $25.00 ATTIRE: Favorite Team’s Attire 7640 NE Loop 820 suite 110, North Richland Hills, Texas 76180
Feb 6
Theta Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc Pancake Breakfast Join the brothers of Omega Psi Phi 8-10 am at teh Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill, 810 South Cockrell Hill, Duncanville $10 Kids Create “Moving” Illustrations at the Library Children ages 6 to 12 can create moving line drawings at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Walnut Creek
8
Meet the President National Association of Black Journalists meeting will be held at the C.R. Smith Museum, 6:30 - 8p.m. NABJ President Sarah Glover will discuss the State of NABJ
Feb 7 Senior Day at State Capitol Tues, Feb 7, 2017; 5:30am; Senior Source; 3910 Harry Hines, Dallas, 75219. Bus leaves at 5:30am for a day of lobbying at the State Capitol for
**** TCU Horned Frogs vs. Texas Longhorns At the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum at 12 PM
7pm – 9pm; Valentina’s Banquet Hall, 202 Beckleymeade, 75232. Southern Dallas elected officials, precinct chairs, neighborhood associations, business/ civic organizations, should attend to be updated on activities and progress in the area. Contact: info@achievepr. net. Register: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/2017-southern-dallas-engagement-community-briefing-tickets-31496682425
****** DMA MEANINGFUL MOMENTS
Designed specifically for individuals with early stage dementia and their family members or caregivers, Meaningful Moments is a monthly program that includes a gallery discussion, an interactive component, and an art-making activity in the Art Studio. The program is free, but reservations are required and space is limited. Dallas Museum of Art 1717 North Harwood Street Dallas, TX **** The Voice of Small Business DFW Talks X Live Networking Luncheon at 11am Gather’s Cafe & Coffee Timberland Blvd Fort Worth, TX 76244
February 9 Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Majestic! The Texas Theater and the Majestic Theater are teaming up to present the Audrey Hepburn classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Audrey plays that daring, darling, holly go lightly to a new high in entertainment delight in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The Majestic Theater 1925 Elm Street Dallas, TX 75201. At 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
February 10
The NAACP Garland Branch Hosts Its 17th Annual Winter Ball “Recognizing the Door Keepers of God ’s House” 8:00 p.m.@ Hyatt Place Garland 5101 N. George Bush Highway Garland, Texas 75040 Tickets: $50.00 - Attire: Black Tie Evening Includes: Live Entertainment – Dinner. For tickets, send check or money order to: NAACP Garland - Attention: Gwen Daniels, PO Box 460944 - Garland, TX 75046-0944 Ticket sales end on February 6, For more information, call the NAACP: 972.381.5044, Voice Box 5
*****
Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce’s QUEST for Success Awards Luncheon Fairmont Hotel at 11:30 a.m.
Feb 11 JAZZ with a FUNKYTwist featuring Brian Culbertson and Johnathon Butler at the SMU McFarlin Auditorium at 7p.m. **** Greater Southwest Chamber of Commerce Valentine’s Day Gala benefiting the GSWCOC School of Business and 5% of proceeds go to the Trinity Chapter of Links Inc. Hilton Garden Inn, 800 North Main Street, Duncanville 6p.m. Reception Dinner at 7pm followed by dancing ***** 2017 Teen Film Fest: Dallas Public Library Deadline: Sat. Feb 11, 2017. Teens 14–18 should submit their 2–5 minute, cell phone videos. Theme: “What was your most significant moment of 2016?” Films screened Feb 25th. Post videos on YouTube; send the link with name, age, high school to: art@ dallascityhall.com. Contact: Melissa Dease; 214-670-7850; melissa.dease@ dallaslibrary.org
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
9 
I Messenger
10
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
JOHNSON: Black History Month: The Crisis in Black Education This February, across America, we once again celebrate Black History Month. In 1976, the week was extended for the entire month and celebrated all over America. Although Black History Month was primarily established to celebrate and honor the work of African Americans and historic leaders of the Black community, the revelry signifies unity and recognition cutting across all racial and geographical barriers. This year’s national theme for Black History Month is “The Crisis in Black Education” – directing our focus on the chronic and still widening achievement gap we see among African American students and their white counter parts. Countless members of the African American community have called attention to the social crisis that results from persistently imposed racial barriers to equal education. 50 years after, Brown v. Board of Education, it seems the vestiges of separate and still not equal remain, albeit under the surface – in the statistics. The touted benefits of education remain elusive to many blacks of all ages, and these short comings can be consequentially linked to the growing crisis in our criminal justice system. Tragically, poor performance in school too often serves as pipelines to prisons, and these youth are more often than not black and brown. A lack of a quality education results in a
FROM THE HILL by
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson lack of skills, ultimately leading to high unemployment and an increased likelihood to become entangled with the prison industrial complex. Systemic economic and racial injustices continue to inhibit efforts to make a quality education available to
all American students. Despite years of education reform the achievement gap in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolis is large and still growing. According to the Education Equality Index (EEI), a rapidly shrinking number of students from low-income families in the metropolis are likely to attend schools that put them on an equal playing field with their more advantaged peers. Despite increasingly polarized politics, Congress can still and has in fact
found common ground in the world of education – giving more control to local authorities to tailor their programs to meet the unique needs of students in different parts of the country. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law by President Obama on December 10, 2015. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity. Most importantly, the ESSA maintains an expectation that there will be accountability and action to effect positive change in our lowest-performing schools, where groups of students are not making progress, and where graduation rates are low over extended periods of time. We celebrate Black History month as a means to be better stewards of the privileges we have gained. There is perhaps no greater privilege gained than the great equalizer that is education. As students from low income families in our own community fall further and further behind, across the state and nation we must ensure that our most vulnerable children have the opportunities they need to thrive. We have a long way to go but by remaining aware and engaged with our political process and directly in our communities, we can ensure a better future for our most prized resource --our children.
Learn how you can receive $100,000 for college funding, by investing $7,000. This little known unique financial strategy is used by wealthy individuals to create large amounts of money daily. To receive free details on how to get access to this financial strategy, please call 214-962-0951. This opportunity is available only for those who can invest $7,000. This program is limited so call today. WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
11
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Ask Alma: Not a Bridezilla, a Mamazilla Hey, Alma
– My friend is getting married, I’m in the wedding and I couldn’t be happier for her. She’s not a “big wedding” type of person, so by Alma Gill her mom is taking the reins NNPA News Wire to plan a giant ceremony. Columnist Alma Gill’s newsroom exShe went shopping for perience spans more than wedding dresses with her 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, News- mom, and they picked out a day and the Washington Post. Email questions to: Cinderella-style ball gown alwaysaskalma@gmail. – so not her style. As bridescom. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and maids we went shopping toTwitter @almaaskalma. gether and found the perfect dress for her – it’s simple and understated, and she wants to wear flowers in her hair. But this dress doesn’t really go with the formal-style wedding her mother has planned. How does she tell her mom she found a “better” dress? I think she looks beautiful regardless, and I want her to feel happy and comfortable on her wedding day, but I also know that picking this other dress will cause so much drama with her mom (and my friend is already trying to avoid as much wedding drama as possible!). Help, Alma! How do I
be a good bridesmaid in this situation?
Hey Bridesmaid,
Not a Bridezilla
My advice: stay out of it. This is not your red wagon to pull. Even if your friend is not a “wedding type” person, it’s still her wedding. She needs to clarify a few things. Now’s the time she needs to let her mama know, she’s no longer wearing her training bra. She has to be truthful with herself and have an honest conversation with her mother. Oh wait, here’s something you can do. After their discussion, make sure you greet her with a box of tissue or a glass of red wine, depending on her mother’s reaction. Candidly speaking, she should never have allowed her mother to purchase a wedding dress she didn’t like nor wanted to wear. What was that about? There’s something a little bit deeper here that we’re not privy to. But anywho, after the discussion with her mom, she needs to immediately gather her troops. Your friend can call a meeting and tell every one of her wedding day wishes. Yep, she’s gotta be bold, stand tall in her wedding pumps or bare feet and lead her wedding party to what will be one of the most important days of her life. If she’s ready to get married, she’s ready to have hard, honest adult conversations that clearly
express her wedding day desires. Honestly though, I’m happy to hear that she’s not a Bridezilla, neither was my niece Leah. She was what you’d also call a low-key bride as well. My dear sister Kim passed away when she was a teenager, so when Leah allowed me to step into the MOB role, you better bet I wore that crown and girl I wore it well, LOL. Ain’t nobody got more mouth than me, I’m just sayin, LOL. Leah let me have my MOB fun until we came to a point in the planning process that was make or break important to her. During our meetings, when I bulldozed, she sternly guided me back to my lane. Not in a mean way, not loud, not argumentative, just firm and sweet. A firm and sweet that required respect and reminded me she was a grown woman. Don’t get me wrong, when we mothers are on a roll, it stings like a honeybee when we are challenged by our adult children. But, don’t you fret sweetie pie, her mama can handle it and will secretly applaud it. She’ll recognize, this is where her baby girl’s childhood ends and her adulthood begins. Bottom line, all her mother really wants, is to see the joy on her daughters face that day. Everything else is just icing on the wedding cake!
Alma
A mind is a terrible thing to waste and a wonderful thing to invest in! Thanks, UNCF
12
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
I Messenger
Councilwoman Young partners with DA Johnson and District Clerk Pitre to host historic expuncgement expo
empowering day for citizens Dallas Councilwoman Tiffinni in need of advice and legal asA. Young, Dallas County District sistance to get their lives back Attorney Faith Johnson, and Dalon a positive course. Anything las County District Clerk Felicia I can do to give people a secPitre will host a press conference ond chance, I am all for it!” on Monday, February 6, 2017 at The Expungement Expo is 2:00 p.m. to reveal plans for Dalslated for Saturday, April 29, las’ first ever Expungement Expo. 2017 with a pre-clearance The Expungement Expo will be clinic to determine eligibility the first of its’ kind in Dallas and Tiffinni A. Young Faith Johnson Felicia Pitre on March 4, 2017. will focus on expunging criminal said Councilwoman Young. “I am truly For more information or to records and feature an array of additional services such as an employ- honored that we have the support of the get involved, please contact Councilment fair, social services, and other sup- DA and district clerks’ offices, as well as, woman Young’s office at 214-670- 4689 ports for formerly incarcerated individu- local judges and volunteer attorneys. We or email district7@dallascityhall.com. all want to ensure that people reentering als. “As a criminal justice reform advocate, our community have a fair chance at beWHAT: A press conference to announce the I have observed the many social injus- ing productive members of society.” “I am proud to co-host this historic first ever Expungement Expo in Dallas tices happening in our communities. I WHEN: Monday, February 6, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. am hosting the Expungement Expo be- event with Councilwoman Young because I recognize how difficult it can be to cause it is a critical factor to help remove WHERE: Dallas City Hall - 1500 Marilla St., Dalobstacles to viable employment, quality grasp opportunities with a prior record,” las, Texas 75201 housing, and educational opportunities said Dallas County District Attorney John1st Floor Lobby for formerly incarcerated individuals,” son. “The Expungement Expo will be an
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
13
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Emmett Till’s accuser Carolyn Bryant Donham admits LIE
By Stacy M. Brown (The Washington Informer /NNPA Member)
More than six decades after the horrific, racially-motivated murder of Emmett Till, the White woman who accused the Chicago teenager of verbally and physically accosting her in Money, Miss., in 1955, has admitted she lied, according to a new book. Till had allegedly whistled at and groped Carolyn Bryant, a 21-year-old White woman, while at a country store in the small town. After the encounter, Roy Bryant, Carolyn’s husband, and J.W. Milam tracked young Emmett down, kidnapped him, tortured him, shot him, and then tied his battered body to a cotton gin fan using barbed wire and dumped him in the muddy Tallahatchie River. Later, the two men were acquitted of the murder by an all-White, all-male jury after an hour’s deliberation. Till’s brutal killing and photos of his open casket at his funeral helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. During the trial, Carolyn Bryant testified that Emmett, who was 14, had made physical and verbal
Carolyn Bryant Donham
advances toward her, a sensational claim that increased tensions surrounding the case. She testified that Emmett had grabbed and threatened her inside the store – and that he had used an “unprintable” word when he told her he had been intimate “with White women before.” But according to a 2007 interview, newly revealed in the book, “The Blood of Emmett Till,” Carolyn Bryant admits that it never happened. “That part’s not true,” she told writer Timothy Tyson, according to “Vanity Fair,” though she claimed she could not recall what happened the rest of the evening at her husband’s country store, where Emmett stopped by briefly on Aug. 24, 1955, to buy two cents worth of gum.
DFW-ABJ URBAN JOURNALISM WORKSHOP APPLICATIONS
The Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists (formerly the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators) will present its 28th annual Urban Journalism Workshop for high school and
14
Emmett Till
Till was shot in the head and was found with barbed wire wrapped around his neck; one of his eyes was gouged out. “Nothing that boy did could ever justify what happened to him,” she is quoted as saying. Bryant’s testimony was out of the earshot of the jury, but helped to frame the case publicly. “I was just scared to death,” she said in court. The two killers later admitted their guilt, after their acquittals. Emmett Till’s murder became the flashpoint in the American Civil Rights Movement. Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett’s mother, had even insisted on an open casket at his funeral, leading to photographs of his battered corpse being spread across the country, which helped focus pub-
lic attention on what was happening in the heart of the country. In 2004, the FBI reopened the case to see if any accomplices could be hauled to court, but a grand jury decided three years later that there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges. The young Carolyn Bryant went into hiding after the murder trial — divorcing and marrying twice more — and remained mum on the case until she gave the interview with Tyson, the “New York Post” reported. Bryant is now known as Carolyn Bryant Donham. Donham told Tyson that she “felt tender sorrow” for Emmett’s mother, who died in 2003, but Tyson doesn’t mention if Donham expressed guilt or apologized. Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks has said she thought about Emmett when she refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., a few months after his death. The shocking crime was memorialized in the arts and literature; in Nobel laureate Toni Morrison’s play “Dreaming Emmett,” a Langston Hughes poem, and a song by Bob Dylan. The whereabouts of the now82-year-old Donham are unknown.
college students. For more information or to apply, log on to www. dfwabj.com Applications must be returned by January 31 to: DFW/ABJ c/o Cheryl Smith 320 South RL Thornton Freeway, Suite 220 Dallas, TX 75203
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
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.
www.CHIPmedicaid.org 1-877-KIDS-NOW ChildrEn with MEdiCAid CAn gEt frEE ridEs to thE doCtor or dEntist ’s offiCE. CAll 1-877-MEd -triP to lEArn MorE.
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
15
I Messenger
16
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
17 
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
MARKETPLACE
Autos Wanted CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/Models 20002016! Any Condition. Running or Not. Top $$$ Paid! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-985-1806
walk-in tub! Call Today!!! (800) 987-1543 Struggling to get into a Car, House, or Apartment because of your Credit Score? Call to get a free credit score, report, and consultation. 800-953-5979
Education
Make a Connection. Real People, Flirty Chat. Meet singles right now! Call LiveLinks. Try it FREE. Call NOW: 1-888909-9905 18+.
AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING - Get FAA certification. No HS Diploma or GED - We can help. Approved for military benefits. Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-453-6204 Health & Fitness VIAGRA 100MG and CIALIS 20mg! 50 Pills $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW! 1 -866-3126061 Hablamos Espanol Misc. For Sale KILL BED BUGS! Buy Harris Bed Bug Killers/KIT. Hardware Stores, The Home Depot, homedepot.com Miscellaneous Enjoy your own therapeutic walk-in luxury bath. Get a free in-home consultation and receive $1,750 OFF your new
Wanted to Buy CASH PAID- up to $25/Box for unexpired, sealed DIABETIC TEST STRIPS. 1-DAYPAYMENT.1-800-371-1136 Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201 ADVERTISE to 10 Million Homes across the USA! Place your ad in over 140 community newspapers, with circulation totaling over 10 million homes. Contact Independent Free Papers of America IFPA at danielleburnett-ifpa@live.com or visit our website cadnetads.com for more information newspapers, with circulation totaling over 10 million homes. Contact Independent Free Papers of America IFPA at danielleburnett-ifpa@live.com or visit our website cadnetads.com for more information
Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.
NEED A JOB?
We are looking for order pullers, loaders & unloaders for Terrell, TX. Taking applications 9:00am - 12:00pm Tuesday-Friday. Please apply in person @ Action Logistics 301 E. Apache Trail, Terrell, TX 75160
CLASSIFIED Computer problems viruses, lost data, hardware or software issues? Contact Geeks On Site! 24/7 Service. Friendly Repair Experts. Macs and PCs.Call for FREE diagnosis. 1-800-912-4993 SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1-800-795-6803 to start your application today! Got an older car, boat or RV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1- 800-5610428 Switch to DIRECTV and
get a $100 Gift Card. FREE Whole-Home Genie HD/DVR upgrade. Starting at $19.99/mo. New Customers Only. Don’t settle for cable. Call 1-800-792-4730 Got Knee Pain? Back Pain? Shoulder Pain? Get a pain-relieving brace at little or NO cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1- 800718-9452
18
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Meet Mr. Temptation & Ms. Test Spiritually Speaking by James A. Washington
It’s easy to get down in the dumps about your particular situation or circumstance even if you’re a devout Christian. Being a Christian does not guarantee a life void of trial and tribulation. As a matter of fact, being a Christian is tantamount to sending VIP invitations to Mr. Temptation and Ms. Test. The small but important point I’m making is not about anything other than what I believe is the key to getting through it all and maintaining a sense of inner peace that God is always in your life. No matter the situation, He will never abandon you regardless of how lonely life gets or appears to be. I liken it to pushing a huge rock uphill. On many a day that rock becomes a boulder and that hill transforms into a very steep and treacherous mountain. At these times, one must recognize that were it not for God’s presence in your life, that rock would push you and WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
the hill would turn to quicksand. It’s all in your attitude. I admit it’s easy to get down when you are a believer. But because you’re a believer, it should impossible to stay down. I went to two different churches recently where members were allowed to give testimony and request prayer. One was very large and high tech and those who spoke of their real life journeys to Christ by concluding that “Jesus is more than a story.” Each testimony of Christ’s reality in changing a life forced me to rethink my own situation and conclude, I have no right to be down. Heaven, I’m blessed. In the other much smaller and more intimate church, member after member told stories of specific trials and tests and the need for prayer; from family situations in which a six-month-old died prematurely and a sevenyear-old from cancer, to a person so allergic to life that the smell of perfume would cause excruciating pain and a life of seclusion. I have no right to be down. Heaven I’m blessed. I pass these stories along because in all instances the people in-
volved found a way to cope, to live, to survive. Remember every testimony was relayed in church as an acknowledgement of the power and love of the Lord through whom all blessings flow. Every story was an entreaty for prayer and a profession of faith. Real Christians… real life…the real world. I just thought I’d take this opportunity to let you know that my real world, no matter how messed up can be and has been, is never as bad as it could be without the love of the Lord in my heart, the faith of Jesus Christ in spirit and the invitation to the Holy Spirit to ride shotgun with me wherever I go. I don’t have room to insert Psalm 23 here but read it today. Look around your valley of death and fear no evil. Bathe in the grace of God. As the kids say, ‘you better recognize.’ Recognize and be blessed. This I ask for you in Jesus’ name. May God bless and keep you always.
James
James Washington is a father, husband, Christian and writer. James is also the owner and publisher of the multimedia company The Dallas Weekly. You can follow James on Twitter at @ JAWS_215.
19
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
NABJ statement on Tamron Hall’s departure from NBC WASHINGTON- The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is saddened by Tamron Hall’s departure from NBC. She broke ground as the first black female “Today Show” cohost and was enjoying ratings success alongside Al Roker during the show’s third hour of programming. NBC has been a leader for diversity in broadcasting, but recent reports that Hall and
Megyn Kelly
Tamron Hall
Roker will be replaced by former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly are being seen by industry professionals as whitewashing. Published reports suggest Kelly will be replacing “Today’s Takes,” the hour of programming led by Hall and
Roker. Roker tweeted last week that the show leads the ratings in its time slot and consistently beats its competition. This achievement deserves praise, not punishment, as replacing talent often is associated with low ratings perfor-
mance. Kelly has a well-documented history of offensive remarks regarding people of color. On The Kelly File, her Fox News show, the host said then-First Lady Michelle Obama’s commencement address at Tuskegee University pandered to a “culture of victimization.” While NABJ wishes Hall well on her next move, NABJ requests a meeting with NBC leadership on the top-rated show’s dismantling. We look forward to dialogue and resolve regarding black journalists and their continuing roles at NBC both in front and behind the camera.
At I Messenger celebrate Black History every month
20
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
I Messenger
21 
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
LINKS build awareness of Human Trafficking
More than 100 Plano-area residents learned about the threats of human trafficking and the illegal trade of humans in a modern form of slavery at a special half-day retreat sponsored by the Links, Incorporated, Plano North Metroplex Chapter. Held at Collin College Conference Center on Jan. 21, The Human Trafficking Summit primarily focused on educating teenage girls. Dr. Monique W. Morris, Ed.D. and author of Push Out: The Criminalization of Black Girls, led the forum. According to statistics, the dangers of human trafficking are growing within the borders of America, even Plano North Metroplex Links with retreat participants reaching into the homes in suburbia. The Links, Incorporated is an internaThe two most common tional, not-for-profit volunteer organizatypes of human trafficking are sex traftion, established in 1946. ficking, under which victims are forced As one of the nation’s oldest, most presinto prostitution; and labor trafficking, tigious and largest service organizations which coerces victims to perform labor for women of color, membership consists with no pay. of over 14,000 professional women in 284 While many Americans erroneously chapters located in 42 states, the District associate human trafficking with forof Columbia and the Commonwealth of eign nationals or undocumented immithe Bahamas. grants, statistics show that trafficking Programming includes National Trends victims can come from a range of inand Services, the Arts, Services to Youth, come levels, and many may come from International Trends and Services and families with higher socioeconomic staHealth and Human Services. tus. Texas, alone, has more than 300,000 Locally, the Plano North MetroPlex victims. Monique Morris with Links Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is com"Our girls are sacred and loved... we are prised of over 50 members who contribute sacred and loved... we must protect our greater than 4000 documented hours of girls," Morris said. She then demonstrated to leaders how they can help educate, raise awareness community service annually. and speak about the prevention of human trafficking in the community. WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM 22
I Messenger
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
Dallas Mavericks Foundation raises thousands for Area Organizations Story and Photos By Dorothy Gentry
Dirk, Harrison Barnes, Mr. Shark Tank Himself - Mark Cuban, Head Coach Rick Carlisle and the entire Dallas Mavericks organization were in attendance at The Mavs Ball, the premier fundraiser for the Mavs Foundation. The gala was held Jan. 27th at The Factory Ballroom in Deep Ellum with a cocktail reception, seated dinner and live and silent auctions. The event raised over $660,000 for the Mavs Foundation and we are thrilled,” said Dallas Mavericks Director of Corporate Communications and Events, Erin Finegold. The Foundation’s 2017 beneficiaries are Boys & Girls Club of Arlington, Dallas CASA, Family Gateway, Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas, Nexus Recovery Center and Readers 2 Leaders, along with the communities they serve. The beneficiaries are chosen through a grant selection process by the Mavs Foundation Board of Directors. Illusionist and magician Dan White best known for his act on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon was the entertainment. The event was hosted by FOX Sports Southwest’s Mark Followill and Dana Larson. The Dallas Mavericks Foundation is dedicated to using its platform to build a stronger community by empowering youth, women and families who need help through financial support, advocacy and service. Over the last 20 years, the Mavs Foundation has granted over $3.5 million dollars to nonprofit organizations serving women, children and families in need and created Reading and Learning Centers and basketball courts across the North Texas community.
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM
PICTURED ABOVE: Harrison Barnes and his fiance, Brittany Johnson Mark and Tiffany Cuban, The dapper Chris Arnold, Dirk and Jessica Nowitzki
23
I Messenger
24
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
WWW.MYIMESSENGER.COM