I Messenger 5 19

Thought-provoking, informative, enlightening and entertaining news and commentary from around the world!

January 8, 2016

I MESSENGER VOL 5 ISSUE 19

www.myimessenger.com

PR PRO Dana Swinney oers Top Ten Reasons you need PR I Messenger 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 220, Dallas, TX 75203 | 214-941-0110 | www.myimessenger.com

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Message to the People...

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Quit Playin’

Dana Swinney knows public relations

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Based on the east coast, Dana Swinney PR has been providing public relations services to businesses and individuals across the country for over 10 years. Recently, this growing PR boutique has started focusing its growth on servicing the needs of the DFW area.

Entrepreneurship is on the rise in the area and Dana Swinney PR hopes to help local businesses with branding and PR outreach.

As a new business many startups wonder if they need Public Relations. The short answer is yes.

Your public image and portrayal in the media are crucial and have a direct relation to sales and a rise in client base.

Dana Swinney PR Top Ten Reasons You Need PR: 1. Visibility- For any business, it is crucial to get your name noticed just to stay in business. The idea is to create and maintain a positive image in the press that works for you. The most effective way to increase visibility is through media development.

2. Make Your Point- You need your voice to be heard.

3. Moving- If you are moving locations or trying to tap into a new market, one of the most seamless ways to do so and make potential customers aware of your presence is through the media.

4. Growth- If you want to grow your business, targeting specific media markets has the ability to expose your brand to an audience who may otherwise not be familiar with your products or services.

5. Spread Your Knowledge- Let people know what you offer.

KwanzaaFest 2K15 Remembering James Belt 18 13

6. Internal Growth- PR is an excellent way to attract potential employees and to highlight the current employees who shine.

7. Competition- Is social media all a buzz over your competition? A strong PR campaign can work in your favor to highlight your strengths over your competitors.

8. Community- Giving back always comes back. The more you support your community, the more they will support your company.

9. Reassurance- An effective PR campaign can not only draw new customers but also impress and reassure current customers that they are using the best.

10. Credibility- The editorial endorsement of PR is so powerful that a page of PR coverage is worth 3-5 times a page of advertising, and you don’t need to buy the space. Added to these cost benefits, advertising is not as powerful as PR. The reader knows when they are being advertised to, an article or interview lends to your credibility.

Known affectionately to her clients as the “media whisperer” and “the closer,” Dana Swinney is a public relations consultant with the skills that make the media want to cover your story. Dana worked in the public relations and marketing field for over five years prior to starting a business as a full time freelance PR professional in 2006. Dana’s results-driven approach has resulted in a range of diverse placements for her impressive client list. Dana offers clients her ability to examine any potential news angle and find the right pitch for the right target, be it local, regional, national or international press.

For more information on Dana Swinney and services she provides, visit www.Dana SwinneyPR.com or contact dana@DanaSwinneyPR.com. Mention this article for a free consultation.

Cheryl

I MESSENGER Cheryl Smith, Publisher Established 2011 IMESSENGER is a tribute to Le Messager, founded by Cameroonian journalist Pius Njawe and The Messenger, an independent magazine, founded by labor activist A. Philip Randolph and economist Chandler Owen.

IMESSENGER is committed to informing, inspiring, enlightening and provoking thought in a forum that is international. Submissions for publication consideration may be submitted to www.myimessenger.com.

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Chicago's Jail System Needs Major Reform

By Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition via George Curry Media

In Chicago, "too many people continue to be incarcerated pretrial, for far too long," and "unjust incarceration of the mentally ill and poor remains at a crisis point."

This is the stark conclusion of Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart, who has led a campaign to transform what he denounces as a "system that actively facilitates the unjust incarceration of the mentally ill and poor."

- Press release, Cook County Department of Corrections, Dec. 23, 2015

When the sheriff indicts the system that he enforces, people must listen and respond. Dart's campaign has already succeeded in creating the "Rocket Docket," a pilot program that ensures that those charged with nonviolent, low-level "survival" crimes like retail theft or criminal trespass will have their cases completed in 30 days or be released from jail pending trial. The Rocket Docket has proved a valuable but insufficient step. On Dec. 23, Dart issued a press release detailing the numbers of those incarcerated and sounding once more the "urgent need for additional reform."

The numbers are staggering. In 2015, the sheriff reports, there were approximately 70,000 admissions into the Cook County jail. About 2,200 spent all of the year incarcerated before even getting a trial. About one in eight people admitted - 8,700 - spent time in jail despite eventually having their charges dropped entirely.

Think about that. Arrested, incarcerated, their lives torn apart. They can't show up for work. They are ripped from their families. They spend nights in prison.

And then the charges are dropped. "Never mind," says the state, but the damage done can't be undone.

More than 1,000 of those incarcerated spent so much time in jail before their trial that when they were convicted, their sentence had already been served.

Many served more than their final sentence waiting

for trial - a total of 79,726 days, the equivalent of 218 years of excessive incarceration beyond their ultimate sentences. Each year, Chicago taxpayers are paying for 218 years' worth of excess time in jail.

And it isn't cheap. Sheriff Dart notes that this requires an "assembly line of daily accommodations - food, medication, sanitary supplies, laundry, transportation, etc." Cook County Jail is an industry that employs some 4,000 people to keep it running 24/7. They deliver 10 million meals, 150 semi truckloads of milk, 500 tons of meat, 250 tons of vegetables. They do 2.1 million pounds of laundry. Almost 6,000 buses log 120,550 miles transporting prisoners to hearings. Doctors dispense 6.5 million doses of needed medicines. This tally does not include the police, the prosecutors, the judges and courtroom staff, the defense attorneys, those staffing community corrections programs, the contractors and much more.

This prison-industrial complex is big business.

Thousands of incomes and millions in profits are

earned incarcerating largely poor and minority offenders before they are tried.

Cook County Jail's admission statistics reveal a structural bias. Nearly 90 percent of those incarcerated are Black or Latino. The vast majority of inmates are male. Of those charged with drug-related, nonviolent crimes, 91 percent are Black and Latino. Eighty-nine percent of those incarcerated have a high school education or less; 45 percent haven't finished high school. This is a system that is focused on poor men of color.

Sheriff Dart urges reforms that will move "toward a humane and fiscally prudent approach" to incarceration. He wants the county to be an example to the rest of the country in 2016. The sheriff is calling us to act. He's exposing the harsh realities and costs of treating poor Black men as disposables. It is time for Chicago's elected officials to meet his challenge - and for its voters to demand that they stand up.

Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is founder and president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Yo u c a n k e e p u p w i t h h i s w o r k a t www.rainbowpush.org

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A New Year Without the Old Weight Information is the Best Medicine Â

By Glenn Ellis George Curry Media Columnist

  Well, it's that time again, a time of New Year's resolutions to lose weight. Let me share some helpful information to make this coming year the one where you actually meet your weight loss goals.  Weight loss is simple, burn more calories then you consume. There are six simple steps:       1) Count how many calories you eat in a normal day. That's right, wake up, and eat like you would normally eat and count the calories in everything you eat and everything you drink and keep track of it on a piece of paper or on the computer some where. You might be thinking to yourself,

JANUARY 8, 2016 "Yeah right, I'm not gonna sit around counting calories all day." Well, if you're thinking that, then you're obviously not dedicated enough to losing weight. If that is the case, then feel free to go waste your money on the newest useless weight loss pill. But, if you are dedicated enough to take 10 minutes out of your day and count the calories, then keep reading. Â Â Â Â Â 2) At the end of that day, add up the number of calories you consumed. Be as exact as possible. Once you add it all up, you now have the total number of calories you consume daily. Also, weigh yourself. Â Â Â Â Â 3) Starting the day after you counted calories, eat 500 calories less then you normally do. So, if you counted 2,000 calories, for the rest of the week, you would eat 1,500 calories a day. Â Â Â Â Â 4) Instead of eating three big meals a day or eating all day all the time, spread those calories out over five smaller meals. Eat one meal every 2 and a half to 3 hours: Doing this will speed up your metabolism. Â Â Â Â Â 5) Cardio is an important part of weight loss. If you're serious about losing weight, but don't want to do the cardio workouts, then you are requiring your diet to do all of the work. Jog, walk, swim, jump rope, ride a bike, take an aerobics class, whatever. Cardio combined with a proper diet is better than doing just one of the two. All it takes is 30

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minutes a day, 3 - 5 days a week, depending on how much your looking to lose.      6) At the end of that week, weigh yourself. You'll notice a dierence just after one week. Losing anymore than one or two pounds a week is unhealthy. If you lose five to eight pounds a month, that's 60-96 pounds a year!  Now, some additional tips:  THE BAD FAT MUST GO - Stay away from "bad" fat. Get rid of all the chips and candy.

No more fast food, nothing fried. No more cookies, no more cake, no more of these saturated fats. The only places you should be getting your daily fat intake from are lean meats (not the fried fast food kind), chicken (again, not fried), etc. as well as the foods that contain the "healthy" types of fat, which can be found in just about every type of fish (tuna fish, salmon, fish oil supplements, etc.), nuts, olive oil and flaxseed oil.

LOWER THE BAD CARBS - Most people think that it is fat that makes people fat and that just by eating less fat, they are on their way to weight loss. Wrong. Certain carbs can be just as bad as fat when it comes to losing weight. Limit foods high in bad carbs. These carbs will eventually turn into fat. Foods such as sugar, white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. are high in simple (bad) carbs.

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Sure, your body needs carbs, which is why foods like these are ok to eat, but don't go overboard. Stick to high protein/good carb/ low fat foods like tuna fish (and other seafood), chicken breast, turkey, whole grains, fruits and vegetables etc.

WATER - Drink water. Get rid of the soda, get rid of the beer, and get rid of the sports drinks. Drink at least a half-gallon of water a day. Spread it out throughout the day. Water that will give you energy and speed your weight loss.

Weigh yourself at the end of every week - If you go two weeks go by without losing a pound, it's time to change something. Eat 250 less calories than you've been eating.

Each time you see weight loss, stop for more than two weeks and decrease calorie intake by 250 until you get down to where you want to be. Never starve yourself.

Sleep - This is the easiest, yet most over looked step. Get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Â There you have it. You now have everything you need to know about losing weight. You didn't have to buy any weight loss pills or books on losing weight. Instead, you should use the money you just saved and go buy some good food or a gym membership. Â Â Â Remember, I'm not a doctor. I just sound like one.

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Will America Pass the Test of Morality in 2016?

Child Watch

By Marian Wright Edelman President, Children's Defense Fund via George Curry Media

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. . . . I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word[.]"

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, December 10, 1964

The start of this New Year finds America at an inflection point as wars and terrorism abroad are echoed in violence, suspicion, and fear at home.

How will we meet the moment?

Hundreds of organizations and individuals have signed on to the urgent message of the campaign We Are Better Than This: "We grieve the many lives that have been lost or painfully transformed in recent weeks through extreme acts of violence. And we are appalled by the surge of divisive rhetoric that sows the seeds of more violence to come. A dangerous tide of hatred, violence, and suspicion is rising in America - whether aimed at Arab and Muslim Americans, women and the places we seek health care, Black people, immigrants and

refugees, or people just going about their daily lives. This tide is made more dangerous by easy access to guns.

When has hate ever led to progress? Is this really what we want America to be? We are better than this."

We are better than this. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great German Protestant theologian who died opposing Hitler's holocaust, believed that the test of the morality of a society is how it treats its children. We flunk Bonhoeffer's test every hour of every day in America as we let the violence of guns and the violence of poverty relentlessly stalk and sap countless child lives. A child or teen is killed by a gun every three and a half hours, nearly 7 a day, 48 a week.

More than 15.5 million children are poor and children are the poorest age group in America - the world's largest economy. And the younger children are, the poorer they are. Children of color, already the majority of our youngest children, will be the majority of our children in 2020. Millions of them lack their basic needs for enough food, decent housing, health care and quality early childhood supports during their years of greatest brain development. And more than six decades after Brown v. Board of Education, a majority of children of color are still waiting for a fair and equal chance to learn.

A majority of all fourth and eighth grade public school students and more than 80 percent of Black and 73 percent of Hispanic students in these grades cannot read or compute at grade level and face dim futures as a jobless landscape looms. They also lack assurance that their lives matter and

are at great risk of being sucked into a prison pipeline.

Those of us who remember McCarthyism see familiar signs in the hateful rhetoric and hatred aimed at Muslims, refugees, and immigrants.

Even children report being bullied and attacked and hearing hateful words.

And the pervasive and relentless threat of violence and terror continues to attack and frighten children and adults from Syria to Paris to California and in our cities and rural areas.

There is another way. Again, Dr. King's words lead us there - through a world that often can feel suffocated by "starless midnight" to belief in a new day. He warned us that excessive materialism, militarism, racism, and poverty could be America's undoing but that it was up to us to act and combat these evils.

peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation.

The foundation of such a method is love."

Let's hear and decide that this is the voice we will follow into this New Year.

And let us pray and act for an end to preventable poverty and violence in our nation beginning with our children.

Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children's Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org

In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Dr. King also told us he had "the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits." And he said: "Civilization and violence are antithetical concepts ...Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in

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CITY LOCAL TRUCK DRIVER

TRUCKING 519 N. Cedar Ridge Dr., Suite #7 Duncanville, TX 75116 www.mycrossroadtruck.com We are seeking Local City Drivers who must have a Class A - Commercial Driver License.

NOTE: All Drivers must have a clean background (no felonies or misdemeanors) and at least one year driving experience with a clean MVR. Must have medical card, valid DL, SSC card, DOT card and must pass a required physical and drug screening.

Driver should have a minimum of one year of driving experience in the last 3 years and 5 years of driving experience in the last 10 years. Must be 21 years of age and have a required High School Diploma/GED. Minimum Requirements Driver’s License Type: Class A - Commercial Commercial Driver’s License Endorsement: X - Combination of N and H T - Doubles/Triples Between $900.00 /WK and $1,000 / WK. Rotating Shift - home daily. Work week - full time 30-45 hours.

Additional details: We are looking for drivers who are safe and will not have customer complaints. Driver must be free of accidents, service violations, and accident services.

Cell: 214-475-3052 Office 214-245-5157 or email us at cr.trucking519@gmail.com

REGIONAL DRIVER

TRUCKING 519 N. Cedar Ridge Dr., Suite #7 Duncanville, TX 75116 www.mycrossroadtruck.com

Seeking Team Drivers (OTR). .42 cents per mile, must have a Class A - Commercial Driver License.

NOTE: All Drivers must have a clean background (no felonies or misdemeanors) and at least one year driving experience with a clean MVR. Must have medical card, valid DL, SSC card, DOT card and must pass a required physical and drug screening.

Driver should have a minimum of one year of driving experience in the last 3 years and 5 years of driving experience in the last 10 years. Must be 21 years of age and have a required High School Diploma/GED. Minimum Requirements Driver’s License Type: Class A - Commercial Commercial Driver’s License Endorsement: X - Combination of N and H T - Doubles/Triples Additional details: We are looking for drivers who are safe and will not have customer complaints. Driver must be free of accidents, service violations, and accident services.

Cell: 214-475-3052 Office 214-245-5157 or email us at cr.trucking519@gmail.com

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Reducing gun violence Washington, DC - (Tuesday, January 05, 2016) – Today, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement in response to President Obama’s executive actions to reduce gun violence and make American communities safer.

“Today President Barack Obama took a courageous and much-needed step to help curb America’s problem of gun violence,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “The President has used his legal authority to issue executive actions that will strengthen gun safety laws in this country – without infringing on any law-abiding individual’s right to bear arms. The President’s decisive actions today will strengthen background checks, protect communities through better enforcement, improve mental health services, and fuel research to make guns safer.”

The executive actions announced by the President today will make significant progress in the ongoing struggle to curb gun violence: · Toughening background checks nationwide: The President’s executive actions provide new guidance on existing federal laws, clarifying that any individual in the

Ask Pam Q - I’ve been on Medicaid for several months and drawing SSI from Social Security Administration (SSA). I’ll be turning age 62 next month, I was informed by SSA that my SSI would go away because I’ll start drawing a Social Security Retirement check. Since my retirement income

From the U.S. Congress

By Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson

business of selling firearms must obtain a license through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and therefore conduct background checks on prospective gun purchasers. These actions also include new measures and resources to make the background check system more efficient and effective. · Protecting communities with bolstered enforcement: The executive actions take new steps to promote smart and effective enforcement of our gun laws – including a proposed increase in funding for more ATF agents, greater resources for tracking illegal online firearms trafficking and strengthened domestic violence outreach efforts.

will be significantly greater than the SSI I’ll no longer be eligible for Medicaid assistance. I’m concerned about keeping some medical assistance so my question is will I get Medicare too when I turn 62 next month?

A - That depends; people are eligible to enroll in Medicare prior to age 65 only if they’re on Social Security Disability and have met the 24-month waiting period, or have a special condition.

Check with the Social Security Administration to see when you will be eligible for Medicare. If you find that you’re not eligible for Medicare yet, then you can always visit yourtexasbenefits.com or call 2-1-1, that’s if you live in Texas, to find

· Improving mental health services: The President is proposing increased investment to expand access to mental health care. Further, the executive actions remove barriers that prevent the reporting of relevant mental health information to the background check system. · Driving new research into gun safety: The executive actions direct the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security to conduct or sponsor research into new technology to make firearms safer.

“I will continue to support common sense gun laws that do not infringe on the rights of responsible gun owners,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “It is time for Congress and our Republican leadership to build on the President’s important steps to curb gun violence and allow gun safety legislation to be discussed and voted on.

“To start, Congress should pass the bipartisan King-Thompson legislation to strengthen background checks and close dangerous loopholes, so that criminals, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill don’t have easy access to guns. The President has done his part – and now, Congress needs to finish the job.”

what medical resources are available in your area.

Medicare Annual Open Enrollment period: October 15th thru December 7th.

The Affordable Care Act - Federal Marketplace Exchange – 2016 Open Enrollment period: November 1st 2015 thru January 31st 2016.

P A M E L A J. D A Y E S is a Licensed & Certified Health Insurance Agency serving North Texas area. She is passionate about learning and gaining knowledge in the area of HealthCare reform. She is devoted to passing on that knowledge in particularly to the Senior Market.

Her expertise is in making Medicare clear and understandable.

I look forward to answering your questions.

Email questions to askpam@med-supps.com Follow me: Twitter: pjdayes Facebook: askpamdayes

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QUIT PLAYIN’: Get Yo’ Boy!!!

Quit Playin’

By Vincent L. Hall

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

that we are letting these people know that they are embarrassing us as Black people.

It is time, White people, for you to finally step up and recognize that you also (even more so) have a responsibility to your race. It is up to you to silence Donald Trump. Don’t just insult him and make fun of him. You have to connect it to your race. Recognize that he is embarrassing you as a White person. Stop acting like Trump isn’t the pinnacle and the result of America’s history and tradition of White supremacy.

“Similarly, many leading Republicans were careful not to offend the “birthers” who denied Obama’s legitimacy as president.

An unabashed birther long before he was a candidate, Trump still refuses to say whether he accepts the proven fact that Obama was born in the United States. Trump has given voice to the ugliness and anger that the party spent years encouraging and exploiting.

He let the cat out of the bag, and it’s hungry.”

Whether you read the editorial “White people, come get your boy’ or “How Donald Trump destroyed the Republican Party in 2015,” the message is resonating. Donald Trump is the best gift Democrats ever received and the worst nightmare that the GOP could ever have dreamt.

This thesis is fortified by hearing the national opinion in high fidelity stereo from two polar Black voices. Two divergent Black voices like the crass comedian of current events, W. Kamau Bell and the Washington Post’s genteel voice of reason, Eugene Robinson.

Let’s start with my hope-to-die W. Kamau Bell from the margins of Salon.com. “Donald Trump isn’t a Republican issue or a rich people issue or a human issue. Donald Trump is a White people issue.

Whenever Ben Carson says batshit crazy nonsense, Black people rise up, and let him know that he needs to STFU. Whenever Raven-Symone pops off, we put her cap back on. We even handled Rachel Dolezal for you.

Yes, we also make jokes and come up with clever memes and hashtags, but at the core of all that is

“Enter Trump, who has the temerity to point out that the party establishment says one thing but does another. He launched his campaign by calling the GOP’s bluff on immigration: If the 11 million people here without documents are really “illegal,” as the party loudly proclaims, then send them home. Other candidates were put in the position of having to explain why, after claiming that President Obama was somehow “soft” on immigration, their position on allowing the undocumented to stay is basically the same.

And again, P.S.: simply put, White people; come get your boy.”

Now let’s channel over to the cleverest newsman to ever carry a meat cleaver. Eugene Robinson has better skills than Uncle Ben Carson when it comes to making surgical incisions without leaving ugly scars.

“The Republican Party promised — with nods, winks and dog-whistle toots — to change all of this and make everything the way it used to be. In practice, however, party leaders were compelled to deal with the world as it actually is.

Hence, for example, the establishment’s view a couple of years ago in favor of comprehensive immigration reform.

Let me marry these missives and meld the two as one mild invective; White people better get they Boy before the Republicans are ruined forever.

The GOP has mastered the art of positing ugly subtleties, symbolisms of superiority, slimy signals and just out right outrageous xenophobia. Donald Trump is delivering the unfiltered GOP message; he just traded the Ronald Reagan soft pitch for David Duke hard ball identity politics.

A great theologian once said; “The greatest tragedy in life is to already be where you’re going.”

If the GOP doesn’t confront Trump, that tragedy will become their reality.

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Reel-ality TV Talk

By Marquesa LaDawn

George Curry Media Columnist

5 of the10 Biggest Life Lessons in 2015 from the Real Housewives of Atlanta and New Jersey 1-Self-Awareness is Everything: Finding yourself in the same argument or situation multiple times with different people means you've issues you need to fix. Kenya Moore (Real Housewives of Atlanta) struggled with this issue since she became a Real Housewife. Over the p a s t y e a r, i t g r e w w o r s e . S h e consistently requests that people are removed from her space when she gets angry at them. Every time she gets in an argument, it's someone else's fault, she's always the victim - at least in her mind.

The interesting part of this is, the other housewives are noticing the consistent bad habits and are sick of it.

Ironically, Kenya introduced Kim Fields on the show this season, and Kim's not having it. In a tasteful way, she calls Kenya out on her stuff. I have a feeling that this season, Kenya will have to look in the mirror and change.

2-Personal Responsibility will happen one way or the other: Teresa Giudice (Real Housewives of New Jersey) is notorious for not owning her stuff. One of the original RHONJ, she found herself in some legal hot water that resulted in prison time for her and her husband. Has she truly changed? We will find out in time, but she's not off to the greatest start. She left prison and arrived home to see a fancy Lexus SUV wrapped in a bow parked in front of her home. This became a big part of the news story about her return home (unavoidable) and now fans are outraged about what seems to be a lesson not learned.

I have mixed feeling about this, I think if she needed a car, she's free to choose what that is. At the same time, however, it's not smart to rub your

expensive things in front of the world so soon after being released from prison for financial mischief. I just pray for their children's sake, the lesson is learned.

3-Be Real from the Beginning: If you are loud and proud, own it, especially in a relationship. Otherwise, you are setting it up for failure. Porsha Williams (Real Housewives of Atlanta) is a completely different person from who she was in her first season. Initially, I thought it was because her husband required her to be a certain type, but I now believe she had a fake persona from the beginning. The fake persona was a Stepford wife; her look was super conservative, everything was about her husband, she seemed to promote her grandfather's charity in her spare time, etc. The post-divorce Porsha is anything but conservative - she's loud, outrageous, eager to display her body parts and pretty vocal about everything.

I have no problem with this type of persona, it defines a real housewife's TV personality. I do have a problem with her trying to fool everyone from the beginning. She's desperate for love and seems to think just being a pretty girl with a great body will get her there.

All that does is attract the wrong men with the wrong intentions. Still, it's extremely entertaining.

4- Success does not erase your past, which will keep showing up: NeNe Leakes (Real Housewives of Atlanta) is a bonafide celebrity. She's done it all, including sitcoms, movies, Broadway, talk shows, clothes line, you name it.

If we go back to how she became famous, it was from bad behavior; she was cold, rude and unforgiving when it came to defending her point of view.

She's had a record number of physical altercations and made a lot of not-sogreat choices on past seasons. She also changed and became more mature as time passed. She walked away from arguments, she excluded herself from

potential problem situations and she even tried therapy, though not always successful. I look forward to seeing the newest version of Nene Leakes.

5-Friendship is a delegate thing: When its put up against other big things like money and fame , it does not always win: Phaedra Parks (Real Housewives of Atlanta) is a natural friend and thrives on that connection.

Phaedra had a tough 2015, she lost her husband to prison, her credibility is still questioned and she's struggling with her new normal. Image and success was everything for her since she first debuted on the show. So much so, she lied about little things to keep that perception intact. Now, her ride-or-die chick is no longer a fan and she's devastated. Kandi tried hard to not choose a side when it came to her husband and her best friend but it was unavoidable. Phaedra entered a business deal with Todd, Kandi's husband, and she did not complete the business.

In her mind, she thinks Kandi and Todd have more than enough money to settle their obligations. But Kandi has famously dealt with friends not paying for her services and is ultra sensitive about that and must look out for her husband the same way. In addition, Todd is an Apollo fan and that rubs Phaedra the wrong way. It's a mess and Phaedra is acting out by talking about Kandi behind her back. Again, bad for them, but entertaining for us.

(NEXT WEEK: The other five lessons

Marquesa LaDawn is a professional businesswoman who escapes the pressures of living in New York City by retreating into the real world of reality TV. Follow her on twitter @realityshowgirl, Periscope and subscribe to her podcast at www.RealitytvGirl.com

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Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists URBAN JOURNALISM WORKSHOP APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED The Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists (formerly the DallasF o r t Wo r t h A s s o c i a t i o n o f B l a c k Communicators) will present its annual Urban Journalism Workshop for high school and college students in 2016.

This 12-week workshop is open to students in Dallas, Tarrant, Ellis, Collin and Denton counties.

Students receive hands-on experience working with seasoned professionals who have gained a reputation l o c a l l y a n d n a t i o n a l l y, a s w e l l a s internationally.

The program, which emulates one started

by George Curry, Gerald Boyd and other members of the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists in St. Louis, has graduated students who have gone on to anchor newscasts, edit newspapers, open public relations firms and produce radio shows.

Mr. Curry visits the Dallas workshop students annually to conduct his “basic training.” Mr. Boyd died of lung cancer in 2006.

“We’re excited about continuing the tradition that was started almost 30 years ago,” said Eva Coleman, one of the instructors for the program. “I am looking forward to working with students this year.”

Ms. Coleman, who teaches radio and television in Frisco ISD will be overseeing the radio and television segments of the workshop, pulling together experts in the field.

Previous speakers have included: Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, Senator Royce West, Star-Telegram editor and columnist Bob Ray Sanders, Dallas Morning News columnist Norma Adams Wade, Our Texas Publisher General Berry, PR gurus Lyria Howland and Rose Gafford, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Irwin Thompson, K104’s Sam Putney, 97.9’s Gary with the T, Dallas Examiner Publisher Mollie Belt, Producer Haile Gerima and Dallas Weekly Publisher James A. Washington.

Ms. Smith, who has been with the program since its inception, took over the directorship in the mid 90s and continued through 2004.

Ms. Smith returned to the program as director in 2007.

At the conclusion of the workshop, the students will participate in a closing ceremony where they will present a newspaper, television and radio broad-casts, a website and a special project.

For more information about the workshop, contact Ms. Smith at 214-941-0110.

Applications must be turned in by January 21, 2016.

Mail completed applications to: DFWABJ 320 South R.L. Thornton Frwy #220A Dallas, TX 75203

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Promises, Promises Spiritually Speaking….

By James A. Washington For a moment I’d like to think through this thing called covenant. I understand the dictionary definition as you probably do also. However, let’s take a look at it biblically. The fact is God made a covenant with His people.

Today, that means you and me. In essence He’s made us a promise. Now if you’ve lived as long as I have, you’ve had many people make promises to you that (1.) they have no intention of keeping and (2.), they failed miserably while trying to keep said promise.

A third reality would be that he or she could have cared less about keeping a promise they made to you. Perhaps you are one of these promise breakers rather than a promise keeper. I know I’ve broken a promise or two in my day. But the subject here is God and I’ve got to assume that if anybody keeps His word, it’s got to be God.

Therefore it stands to reason and faith that we should take to our graves the covenant promise God made to Abraham, aka, us. It’s the one Jesus came to fulfill.

Jesus’ new covenant, as a matter of fact, replaces the old one. Remember the operative concept here is promises.

Now if I’ve got the concept down and the importance associated with keeping one’s word, then I need to be more careful in the promises I make and to whom I make them. It appears the foundation of spiritual belief is wrapped up in a simple promise. To Noah, “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you.

Just as I gave you green plants, I now give you everything.” Genesis 9:3. To Abraham, “As for me, this is my covenant with you…..you will be the father of nations….I will make nations of you and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for generations to come, to be your God and the God of the descendants after you…..I will be their God.” Genesis 17:2-8. To Moses, “Now if you obey me fully

and keep my covenant then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…..” Exodus 19:5. From Jesus to the disciples, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood…for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes….. 1 Corinthians 11:25-26.

Remember this is God talking about His promise to us. Have you made any promises to Him lately? What about to yourself about Him, or to someone who loves you or to someone whom you love? Have you kept them? Are you a covenant breaker or a covenant keeper? Do you believe you when you talk? Do you speak the truth when you do?

incredible power, if we could always understand them in the context of covenant. They are really vehicles to communicate with each other and the original covenant maker. A reality for all of us is that we are accountable for our words and thereby our actions. My obligation then is to emulate God almighty in a manner befitting His divine order. “So shall my word be that goes forth out of your mouth…” Isaiah 55:11. This covenant is a wondrous thing because God keeps His word. The more we understand this, the more scripture opens up and reveals the true nature of God. If I am made in his image, honesty should be the stuff of which my promises are made. Truth is the essence of life and faith in God’s word and is unshakeable.

There is a saying we’ve all heard about speaking the truth into existence. What about this one? Be careful about what you ask for. You see this covenant thing had a powerful beginning. A promise is downright godly. It has to be. The first one came from God to us through Adam and Eve. It kind of gets all caught up in words and the power of words and the understanding of words; God’s words, your words and more words. They have

Hopefully, others can demonstrate their faith through their words. You can accomplish a lot with the right words at the right time. It’s all about that truth thing. It does set you free and it has the added value that as long as you speak the truth, you don’t have to remember it. A lie on the other hand, well…

May God bless and keep you always.

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U-Haul and Urway Car Care Offer Convenience for Crowley Movers CROWLEY, TEXAS — U-Haul Company of Texas is pleased to announce that Urway Car Care, Inc. has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Crowley community.

Urway Car Care at 1609 N. Crowley Road will offer U-Haul trucks, towing equipment and support rental items.

Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; and on-call Sunday. After-hours drop-off is available for customer convenience.

Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling (682) 233-6328 or visiting http:// www.uhaul.com/Locations/Truck-Rentals-nearCrowley-TX-76036/044540/ today.

Urway Car Care partners Kelvin and Shern Smith are proud to team with the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage to better meet the demands of Tarrant County.

U-Haul and Urway Car Care are striving to benefit the environment through sustainability initiatives. Truck sharing is a core U-Haul sustainability business practice that allows individuals to access a fleet of trucks that is larger than what they could access on an individual basis.

Every U-Haul truck placed in a community helps keep 19 personally owned large-capacity vehicles, pickups, SUVs and vans off the road. Fewer vehicles means less traffic congestion, less pollution, less fuel burned and cleaner air.

Urway Car Care is a great place to become U-Haul Famous®. Take your picture in front of a U-Haul product, send it in and your face could land on the side of a U-Haul truck.

Upload your photo through Instagram using #uhaulfamous, or go to www.uhaulfamous.com to submit photos and learn more.

JANUARY 8, 2016

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My Husband Embarrassed Me Dear Alma, I’m a single mother supporting my three children with no help from my exAsk Alma husband.

By Alma Gill I am via George Curry Media thankful to have a great job that I like very much.

I referred my BFF’s husband to the company who has since become a regular employee and he is very happy here as well.

Once you pass the 90 day probation, the employee who referred you is given a referral bonus. My friend’s husband recently approached me and said boldly in my face that he expects me to split the money with him.

Needless to say, I was shocked.

My BFF has a full time job and they know it’s just me caring for my kids.

I’m not sure how to handle him and maintain our friendship. What should I do?

E.S., Jackson, Miss.

Dear E.S.,

Double-check your forehead. Did you miss seeing “sucker” tattooed between your eyebrows when you washed the sleep from your eyes this morning? LOL. Now, double, double-check the conversations between the two of you, replaying them in your mind’s eye. Did you fist bump on an agreement in advance?

You know how it goes when you’re fast talking, excited and

all. For example, when discussing the vacancy, did you jokingly say, “If you get hired, I’ll split the bonus with you.” That’s the only reason I can see him expecting a few coins heading his way.

In all honesty, I don’t get the feeling that’s what happened here.

You didn’t mention it did, in your very detailed email.

Seems to me, you feel like you’re caught between a rock (your BFF) and a hard place (her husband), not wanting to disturb the friendship.

That’s kool, I understand. This incident isn’t a reason for this friendship to be shaken. If anything, he’s trying to take advantage of the relationship.

Because he is your BFF’s husband, dismiss him. You owe him nothing!

Don’t allow him to manipulate and get you all in a tizzy. Stand tall, shoulders straight, pumps pointed forward, ready to deal with him directly.

Say it once, you don’t even need to practice. This should come off as sweet as pineapple pie. Repeat after me “I’m not splitting any money with you.” That’s it, don’t ever discuss it again.

You don’t owe him a reason, excuse or justification for your response. Nope, nada, nothing.

Let me remind you that in this economy, jobs are tough to come by. The best reference anyone can have is an employee, who’s a friend that already works for the company.

His act of appreciation should be nothing more than, “Thank you for helping me get a job,” cause that my friend, is priceless.

I Messenger 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 220, Dallas, TX 75203 | 214-941-0110 | www.myimessenger.com

Alma

I MESSENGER

‘AFROPOP’ TELEVISION SERIES TAKES ON IMMIGRATION

JANUARY 8, 2016 Pablo García Pérez de Lara and Marc Serena’s Tchindas (February 1), which transports viewers to São Vicente in Cape Verde. There we meet Tchinda, a transgender woman who is so cherished that her name has become synonymous with LBGT people in the area. The documentary follows the celebrated character, out and proud since 1998, as she and her cohorts prepare for the beloved annual carnival.

N’Jeri Eaton and Mario Furloni’s First Friday (February 8), which heads to Oakland, California—a city with a

Jussie Smollett hosts season eight of the documentary series NEW YORK—Season eight of AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange opens with an unflinching portrait of life as an immigrant, as concerns about illegal immigration and refugees reach fever pitch in America and across the world.

The documentary series leads off Monday, January 18, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on WORLD Channel with director Ditte Haarløv Johnsen’s Days of Hope. The season premiere follows three African immigrants who brave it all for a better life in Europe.

Jussie Smollett, star of the hit FOX TV show Empire, serves as eighth season host for the series, which is produced by National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) and copresented by American Public Television (APT), AfroPoP takes on important issues facing the global black community, and here it is especially on point. Episode one of the series, Days of Hope, puts a face—or three—on the immigration issue, showing the lengths to which brave souls will go to better their lives and their families’ dire circumstances. But the dangerous journey these individuals take is nothing in comparison with the horrors they face in their adopted countries.

“The scale and sheer numbers of immigrants from Mexico and Central America as well as the Syrian refugee crisis overshadow any conversation about immigration from other communities of color, where the human rights concerns are just as critical. “ said NBPC Director of Programs and Acquisitions and AfroPoP Executive Producer Kay Shaw.

“The opportunity to broadcast a beautifully told story about the plight of West Africans facing the same risks and challenges is a reminder that the issue is global, multifaceted and multi-racial.”

New episodes of the five-part series premiere weekly through February 15. The show continues with: Directors Jérôme Guiot and Thierry Teston’s Pan! Our Music Odyssey (January 25), a joyful celebration of the melodious steel drum.

The film explores the magical instrument from its development in Trinidad to its celebration around the world, as bands from across the globe gather to compete in the ultimate steel band competition: Panorama.

reputation as one of the most dangerous in America—as it works to rebrand itself through its successful First Fridays monthly street festival. The murder of a young Black man sends the city reeling, threatening the very survival of this community celebration and, perhaps, the town’s very renaissance.

A shorts program (February 15) celebrating youth and the hope they both possess and inspire—with films from the west and east coasts of Africa. Nosarieme Garrick’s My Africa Is, set in the bustling, modern city of Nairobi, introduces viewers to dynamic youth envisioning a new Kenya—designers, inventors and musicians changing the face of their communities through innovation and entrepreneurship. Terence Nance and Blitz the Ambassador’s Native Sun helps viewers see Ghana through the eyes and dreams of an eight-year-old in search of his father.

AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange is produced by Angela Tucker and directed by Duana Butler. The series is produced with the generous support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and National Endowment for the Arts.

For details on AfroPoP, visit www.blackpublicmedia.org.

APT distributes the series to the full public television system in February 2016. Viewers may find out when and where to watch, including additional air dates for each of the episodes, by checking local listings or online at www.APTonline.org.

Jussie Smollett stars as Jamal Lyon on the hit series Empire from producer/director Lee Daniels. His role allows him to blend his acting, singing and songwriting skills in the high-octane family drama, which is a historic hit on FOX. Smollett’s feature film credits include The Mighty Ducks, Rob Reiner’s North, and Alex Haley’s Queen (alongside Halle Berry and Danny Glover). He also appeared in the telefilm A Little Piece of Heaven,opposite Cloris Leachman, and starred with his five real-life siblings in the

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network comedy On Our Own. Smollett recently appeared on Revenge and The Mindy Project, and was seen in the independent film Ask Me Anything. He received rave reviews for his portrayal of Magnus, a gay medical student hosting his college friends in New York City, in the 2012 film The Skinny.

Smollett will next be seen in the new WGN thriller Underground in 2016 and he is currently recording his album, described as a mix of pop and soul with alternative hip-hop beats.

The National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) is committed to enriching our democracy by educating, enlightening, empowering and engaging the American public. We support diverse voices by developing, producing and distributing innovative media about the Black experience and by investing in visionary content makers.

NBPC provides quality content for public media outlets, including, among others, PBS and PBS.org and BlackPublicMedia.org, as well as other platforms, while training and mentoring the next generation of Black filmmakers. Founded in 1979, NBPC produces the AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange documentary series and manages NBPC 360, a funding and training initiative designed to accelerate the production of important Black serial and interactive content.

American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations since 1961. In 2015, APT distributed one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. Among its 300 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies.

America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Rick Steves’ Europe, Doc Martin, Nightly Business Report, Midsomer Murders, Vera, NHK Newsline, Lidia’s Kitchen, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming and P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home join numerous documentaries and performance programs popular with public television viewers. APT licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. Entering its 11th year, Create® TV—featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming—is distributed by APT. APT also distributes WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

The WORLD Channel delivers the best of public television’s nonfiction, news and documentary programing to US audiences through local public television stations and streaming online at worldchannel.org. WORLD reached 35.8 million unique viewers 18+ last year (55% adults 18-49) and over-indexes in key diversity demographics.* Online, the WORLD Channel expands on broadcast topics and fuels dialogue across social media, providing opportunities for broad and diverse audience interaction

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I MESSENGER Black Americans have lost ground in every leading economic category Tavis Smiley & SmileyBooks Release New Book with Startling Data on the 10th Anniversary of The Covenant with Black America LOS ANGELES, /PRNewswireUSNewswire/ -- In 2006, Tavis Smiley, along with a team of esteemed contributors, laid out a national plan of action to address the 10 most crucial issues facing African Americans. The Covenant became a #1 New York Times bestseller, and was the central focus of two nationally televised presidential debates on PBS in the 2008 race for the White House, featuring Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden.

The Covenant ran the gamut from health care to criminal justice, affordable housing to education, voting rights to racial divides.

But a decade later: Black men still fall victim to police bullets and brutality Black women still disproportionately die from preventable diseases Black children still struggle to gain access to a high-quality education The digital divide and environmental inequality persist Cities from Ferguson to Baltimore burn with frustration In short, the last decade has seen the evaporation of Black wealth, with Black fellow citizens having lost ground in nearly every leading economic category.

The Covenant with Black A m e r i c a : Te n Ye a r s L a t e r (SmileyBooks/Januar y 11, 2016/$15.99) presents the original

JANUARY 8, 2016

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action plan alongside new data from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) to underscore missed opportunities and the hard work that remains to be done.

"All across America, the vicious assault on the civil and human rights of Black people has outraged citizens of conscience, and led to a renewed sense of social protest and political activism," says Tavis Smiley, who compiled and edited the new book. "It's not that difficult to understand why a generation that's been politically marginalized, economically exploited, and culturally manipulated would feel so angry and aggrieved. Ten years ago, The Covenant declared that there would be a reckoning if the lives of Black fellow citizens were not valued and protected. What a difference a decade makes; the damage, destruction, and even death is now undeniable."

But is the damage irreparable? As we head into another presidential primary election season, will the plight of Black America be ignored yet again? What ground, if any, has Black America gained during the Obama years? Where does Black America go from here?

The Covenant With Black America: Ten Years Later addresses these and other vital questions about the present state of affairs for African Americans and what could be a bleak future for Black America if the warning signs indicated in the new data are ignored.

Tavis Smiley is the host of the latenight television talk show Tavis Smiley on PBS, and The Tavis Smiley Show from Public Radio International. He is the founder of the nonprofit Tavis Smiley Foundation, now in the midst of a $3-million, four-year campaign called "ENDING POVERTY: America's Silent Spaces" to help focus on alleviating endemic poverty in America. TIME magazine named Smiley to its list of "The World's 100 Most Influential People."

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I MESSENGER

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CURRY : The Real Objection to Paying College

By George E. Curry George Curry Media Columnist As the University of Alabama football team prepares to line up against Clemson University Jan. 11 in Glendale, Ariz. to decide the national collegiate championship, it’s worth noting that the Crimson Tide wouldn’t be “rolling” in success and the money that accompanies it without its Black players, led by 2015 Heisman Trophy Winner Derrick Henry.

According to the New York Times, in 2003, the University of Alabama’s athletic budget was $37 million. Today, it is more than four times that - $153 million. Nick Saban, Bama’s head coach, receives a salary of $7 million a year. The university gets $9 million this year in licensing fees alone, a figure that will total $103 million through the 2024-25 season.

Learfield Sports guarantees Alabama up to $14 million a year for multimedia rights, including programs and game-day radio headsets.

Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa has been expanded twice to reach 101,821 seats and 31,000 people are on the waiting list for season tickets. There is also a long line of companies waiting and willing to pay six-figures for a luxury suite.

The Tide is rolling in cash.

Having grown up in Tuscaloosa, I know all too well that until Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was forced to end his “stand in the schoolhouse door” at the university in 1963 and allow two Black students Vivian Malone and James Hood -- to enroll, Blacks could do menial work at the Capstone, but could not attend classes or serve on the faculty or as administrators.

In 1955, the United States Supreme Court ordered the University of Alabama to admit its first African American, Autherine Lucy, who was represented by future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. On Friday, February 3, 1956, Lucy enrolled as a graduate student in library science. The university barred her

from using the dinning hall and living in the student dormitories on campus.

On the following Monday, Whites rioted and Lucy was suspended, supposedly for safety reasons.

Federal courts ordered her reinstated on Feb. 29, but she was expelled on the grounds that she had slandered the university.

After Malone’s forced admittance, Blacks began attending the University of Alabama in greater numbers. Blacks are star athletes at ‘Bama and a couple have served as president of the student body, which is 81.6 percent White.

But the University is no different from other major White universities that exploit its athletes for financial reasons. According to the NCAA, most of the football and basketball players at the university level are African Americans.

The Washington Post recently reported: “With the money made from college sports increasing every year, the way colleges treat their athletes has become controversial.

“That’s because college sports is a tremendously lucrative business for everyone but the athletes. The National College Athletic Association (NCAA) will receive $7.3 billion from ESPN for the right to broadcast the seven games of the College Football Playoffs (CFP) between 2014 and 2026, and $11 billion from CBS and Turner Sports to broadcast “March Madness” over the next 14 years.

“Individual colleges also make out well: The University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team’s trip to the Final Four this year, for example, brought more than $8 million in revenue to the universities of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Each of the ‘Big 5’ conferences will make an estimated $50 million from the college football playoffs this year.

“And none of this counts the money made from concessions, merchandise and licensing fees.” The collegiate merchandise market reportedly takes in $4.6 billion each year.

The most disturbing part of the Post article was not that majority White universities are profiting from the sweat of Black athletes - that’s been obvious for years. What’s insulting is the reason most people

object to college athletes being able to share in the financial gains they make possible.

The newspaper stated: “In a statistical analysis that controlled for a host of other influences, we found this: Negative racial views about blacks were the single most important predictor of white opposition to paying college athletes.

“The more negatively a white respondent felt about blacks, the more they opposed paying college athletes.”

Are you shocked?

So was I. And it’s hard to shock me, an African American who grew up in segregated Tuscaloosa in the shadows of the University of Alabama.

The Post story said, “In every survey to date, blacks are far more likely to support paying college athletes when compared to whites. For instance, in the 2014 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES), 53 percent of African Americans backed paying college athletes - more than doubling the support expressed by whites (22 percent).”

So when you see rabid - and often drunk - White fans cheering after another touchdown scored by Alabama’s Derrick Henry or a touchdown pass thrown

by Deshaun Watson, Clemson’s Black quarterback, in next Monday night’s championship game, don’t be misled. They love it as long as the Black athletes are bringing in millions for the University of Alabama’s athletic department or the sports program at Clemson, but the athletes don’t deserve to get much more beyond their athletic scholarships for one reason - the color of their skin.

Sounds like we have not made as much progress since Autherine Lucy was forced out of the University of Alabama as we had thought.

George E. Curry is President and CEO of George Curry Media, LLC. He is the former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA). He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at twitter.com/currygeorge, George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook, and Periscope.

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I MESSENGER

January 8-9 Four brothers are back by popular demand! CUSP 'THE POLYMATH,' DA BEAR, AWAJI JOHNSON, OBBIE WEST hits the stage again this season, rippin' and rappin' like the poets of the 1960's Cultural Revolution.

Sharing their personal experiences while honoring four distinguished poets, the brothers words are penetrating and smooth and so is the jazz. They've got a word for the ladies!

Friday and Saturday, January 8 & 9, 2016 @ 9pm Clarence Muse Cafe Theater Dallas Convention Center Theater Complex Physical Address: 1309 Canton Street | Dallas, TX 75201 Admission - $10 To purchase tickets, call TBAAL Box Office at 214-743-2400

January 9

JANUARY 8, 2016 Banking Services and Employee Benefits for Small Businesses With economic development in mind, BB&T has partnered with the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce to provide FREE education and financial literacy to take pre-existing businesses to the next level. BB&T recognizes that the heart of the community is small business and in order for it to grow, small businesses must grow.

In this workshop, you will get an overview of Basic Business Financial Services designed to show how they work for small businesses. Attendees can expect to learn: Networking Opportunities New Product Designs Attendees will also receive tips on the Structure of Small Business' and what works best for you and your business.

Firewall between Business/Personal Accounts Presented by: BB&T's Community Development Team Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce "Community Development Room" 1001 N. Bishop Ave. Dallas, TX 75208 (214) 943-4567

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PLEASE DRESS IN ALL WHITE HEAD TO TOE Student With ID $9.00 ($33.00 at the door). General $15.00 ($33.00 at the door). VIP $27.00 ($33.00 at door) Go to Payment Page on www.fredsentertainment.com And click on Buy Now Contact: Fred A. Ghaffar at 214-607-6445 ******** Black Music Civil Rights Movement Concert at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St, featuring Tony Terry and Rahsaan Patterson.

Student performance 10am on Friday.

Public Performance 730pm on Sunday **********

January 15

Comedian Lavell Crawford performs at the Majestic Theatre. Call 888-929-7849 FOR TICKETS

January 11 This month's topic: "Bank on It" BB&T's Financial Literacy Workshop Starts at Noon

Fred’s Entertainment Pays Homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mr. Harry T. Moore The Pan African Connection 8:00 PM Until 4466 South Marsalis Ave @ Ann Arbor Dallas, Tx. 75216 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Juanita Wallace Founder of 100 Black Women of America, Speaking on Mr. Harry T. Moore: Mr. Gary Brown (Mr. Harry T. Moore is the founder of the first branch of the NAACP in Brevard County Florida) Special Guest: Mr. Lee Alcorn and Family African Drumming by Baba Kwasi Doors Open at 7:00 PM

Friday and Saturday Comedy at the Muse Theater at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters, featuring Damon Williams at 9p.m.

January 21 Oak Cliff Chamber for its Annual Awards & VIP Reception, "Spotlighting the Cliff." Featuring Master of Ceremony, Rep. Rafael Anchia, the Awards Ceremony will recognize the best Oak Cliff businesses, organizations and individuals in 2015 for their achievements, community contributions and milestones. Bishop Arts Theatre Center 215 Tyler Street, Dallas, TX 75208 Jan. 21-Feb. 13

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I MESSENGER Garland Civic Theatre presents the hard-

JANUARY 8, 2016

22 -23 Friday, January 22, 2016 @ 8:15pm Saturday, January 23, 2016 @ 3:15 & 8:15pm Clarence Muse Cafe Theater Dallas Convention Center Theater Complex Admission - $16.50

boiled mystery, "The Man with Bogart's Face" by Andrew J. Fenady. Full of twists, turns, intrigue and deadly danger, this play's heart is a loving tribute to the private eye mysteries rooted in classic Hollywood film noir. "The Man with Bogart's Face" will run Fridays and Saturdays, Jan. 22-Feb. 13 at 8 p.m., with Sunday performances on Jan. 24 and 31 at 2:30 p.m. There is a Thursday performance on January 21 at 7:30 p.m. Granville Arts Center Small Theatre 300 N. Fifth Street Tickets: $22 at GarlandArtsBoxOffice.com or 972-205-2790.

January

January 23 and 24

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KidFilm® Festival taking place Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24, 2016 at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. All programs will be presented FREE to the community. KidFilm is the oldest and largest-attended children’s film festival in the United States, featuring an entertaining, educational, and diverse line-up of new and classic films for both children and adults.

January 27 Dallas Theater Center Presents Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare Directed by Joel Ferrell

Kalita Humphreys Theater, Dallas Theater Center • 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., at the corner of Blackburn and Turtle Creek

Previews: Jan. 27- Feb. 4 • Full Run: Jan. 27 – Feb. 28

The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 32nd annual

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR MERRI DEE Legendary TV Anchor Merri Dee is coming to The Black Academy of Arts and Letters to discuss her memoir. To look at the polished and poised Merri Dee you would never guess that she was shot in the head twice and left for dead one night after a broadcast. She wasn't expected live, and was even given her last rights by friend, Reverend Jesse Jackson. Surviving this harrowing event caused Dee to live life with PURPOSE and encourage others by writing her story. Ms. Dee is a part of TBAAL's Roundtable Writer's Breakfast Series. Get your tickets from the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists.

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MALCOLM X I Messenger 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 220, Dallas, TX 75203 | 214-941-0110 | www.myimessenger.com

I MESSENGER

JANUARY 8, 2016

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Rev. Jackson announces Wall Street Project 19th Economic Summit Thousands of corporate executives, minority entrepreneurs and community leaders are expected to attend the Wall Street Project Economic Summit, which will take place in New York City February 16-18, 2016.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, who with the Citizenship Education Fund founded the Wall Street Project in 1996, says the Project encourages Corporate America to recognize the value that minority entrepreneurs, vendors and consumers bring to the marketplace and ensure equal access and opportunities for culturally diverse companies, consumers and employees.

“The Wall Street Project is not an end in itself, or a means to an end, but an evolutionary process,” says Reverend Jackson. “The road to shared economic security travels through two-way trade, where all are included and none is left behind. Just as America did not realize how good professional sports could be until athletes of all colors could play, American business will not maximize its growth potential until all businesses have an equal opportunity to compete on an even playing field, where the rules are public and the goals are clear. That is the goal of the Wall Street Project.”

Rev. Jackson announced that he has named Wall Street veteran Maxine Leftwich as executive director of the Wall Street Project for 2016. “Maxine understands the issues and challenges that African Americans and other minorities face

on Wall Street and throughout the corporate world, for the finance industry has been her life and career,” he says. “She is ideally suited to guide us in tackling today’s relevant issues so we can forge ahead and break through the barriers that we as a people face.”

Says Ms. Leftwich: “Reverend Jackson, PUSH and the Citizenship Education Fund have done an incredible job with the Wall Street Project. I am pleased to offer my services to help take the effort to the next level. We are already taking our vision forward to the Wall Street Project’s 20th Anniversary in 2017. The enormous opportunities available on Wall Street and at major corporations must be shared with our diverse communities. That’s what the Wall Street Project is all about – opening doors and providing access.”

Ms. Leftwich is a founding principal of LS Financial Group, a financial advisory and management consulting firm that was based in New York and served private corporations, cities, states and public authorities throughout the country.

She also worked closely with the Clinton Administration on the North American Free Trade Agreement Bill that was passed into law. In addition, Ms. Leftwich served as financial advisor to the City of Chicago, the City of Denver, the City of Kansas, the City of East St. Louis, and the District of Columbia’s Housing Finance Agency. During the

administration of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, she served as liaison between the Mayor and 12 governmental agencies.

In addition, Lucille R. Dobbins, a veteran CPA, was named Deputy Executive Director of the Wall Street Project. Ms. Dobbins, Partner in Goodall, Kenner & Associates, P.C., was the First Deputy Commissioner in the Department of Planning and then Chief Financial Officer for the City of Chicago during the administration of Harold Washington.

Speakers during the Wall Street Project Economic Summit will include New York Mayor Bill De Blasio; U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, ranking member of the House Committee on Financial Services; the Honorable Michael Frerichs, Treasurer for the State of Illinois; the Honorable Scott Stringer, Comptroller for the City of New York; and Kurt Summers, Treasurer for the City of Chicago.

Also confirmed to participate are John Thompson, chairman of Microsoft; Sheila Johnson, CEO, Salamander Hospitality; John Rogers, President, CEO and Chief Investment Officer, Ariel Investments; Suzanne Shank, President and CEO, Siebert Brandford Shank & Co.; Johnny C. Taylor, President and CEO, Thurgood Marshall College Fund; Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, Senior Pastor, Abyssinian Baptist Church; and Dr. David Jefferson Sr., Pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church. Black Enterprise is media partner for the Wall Street Project Economic Summit 2016.

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