Thought-provoking, informative, enlightening and entertaining news and commentary from around the world! VOL 5 ISSUE 20
January 15, 2016
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KING OF RADIO serves as grand marshal at celebration for Dr. Martin Luther
The REAL “VOICE” I Messenger 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 220, Dallas, TX 75203 | 214-941-0110 | www.myimessenger.com Tom Joyner
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Message to the People...
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Quit Playin’ 12
I wish I could make all the pain go away that makes folks want to hurt one another! Wake up every day determined to do the right thing and help make this world a better place. Otherwise, you’re just taking up space! Appreciate each moment while you’re in it instead of trying to recapture it after it is gone!
King Parade 14 Dr. William “Bill”Blair Founder of Elite News’ King Parade
Say thanks! There’s more. You add to the list....
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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Parkland’s youngest patients benefit from books Programs encourage parents to read to, with their children DALLAS – Patients throughout Parkland Health & Hospital System are beginning a lifelong journey filled with books thanks to two prog rams underway in the hospital and its network of community-based health centers. The Dallas Public Library and Friends of the Dallas Public Library, in collaboration with Parkland, have launched Books for Dallas Babies. Beginning Jan. 1, all mothers who deliver at Parkland Memorial Hospital
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will receive a copy of “Read to Me,� written by Judi Moreillon, PhD, associate professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Woman’s University. The book, written in English and Spanish, and English and Vietnamese, encourages mothers to read to their children from birth. In fiscal 2015, 10,180 babies were delivered at Parkland. “This is a brilliant example of the powerful community partnerships that Parkland likes to enter into that have never ending value for the patients it serves,� said Donna Persaud, MD, Parkland’s Chief of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Community Medicine Division. “Giving a precious book to a new mom with a new baby is a gift that keeps on giving by providing the possibility of a better life through literacy promotion.� In addition, Parkland is continuing its Reach Out and Read efforts. A national literacy program, Reach Out and Read was founded in 1999 and since then Parkland has provided a new, ageappropriate book for each child age 6 months to 5 years after each visit to one of its Community Oriented Primary Care health centers. Books are offered
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in English, Spanish and bilingual and in fiscal 2015 more than 9,700 books were distributed to children at several of Parkland’s health centers. As part of the program, physicians and nurses offer guidance to parents about the importance of reading aloud with their children every day. “We encourage parents to read to their children in order to prepare them for school and to help elevate their literacy levels,� said Rosie Her nandez, Parkland’s Reach Out and Read coordinator. “By reading together it motivates the kids to keep reading and it helps those parents who may have struggled with their own reading skills. It’s a win-win for everyone.� Reach Out and Read is currently implemented in 275 clinics, hospitals and active military installations across Texas, reaching 310,000-plus children and their families by distributing nearly 376,000 books annually. For more information about services available at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhospital.com
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DR. MARTIN PARADE &
DONT I MESSENGER DONTMISS MISSJANUARY 15, 2016 THE THEDALLAS DALLAS ANNUAL ANNUAL
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SEE IT LIVE IN DALLAS, TEXAS OR WATCH IT LIVE ON
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Parade Grand Marshal
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LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION
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MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2016 • 10AM-NOON CT
REFLECT CELEBRATE ACT VOTE MEET ET! & GRE
CELEBRATION 11AM - 5PM @ DALLAS FAIR PARK Don’t miss Up Close and Personal with Tasha Smith & Lamman Rucker Hosted by Cheryl Smith
the life Celebrating
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HO T D EAL
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Learn how they made it in the industry and their tips on acting followed by an artist meet & greet for autographs and pictures
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Meet Miss Black USA Madison Gibbs • Live Entertainment Health Information & Screenings • College & Career Fair Fashion Show • Children’s Activities, • Vendors • Food & Much, Much More!
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Natalie Cole: Still Unforgettable
“Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever.”
father, and a brief detour from music that earned her a bachelor’s degree in child psychology, Cole went on to win two of her nine career Grammys. She earned one for “Best New Artist” of 1975 and the other for “Best Female
- Robert Yancy, Timolin Cole & Casey Cole, January 2016 By Marc. Morial Natalie Cole was an accomplished product of her deep-rooted musical heritage. A chart- topping R&B crooner in the 70s, Cole went on to even greater popularity and accolades with her smooth transition to jazz and pop music standards - successfully reinter preting American classics and singing the tunes that once made her father an international recording star. Cole’s budding music career began at the tender age of six, singing on a Christmas album with her father Nat “King” Cole. Born in 1950, Cole grew up surrounded by music and music royalty. Her father was already a rising music star and renowned jazz pianist. Her mother, Maria Cole, was a one-time performer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Cole once said that her father - who died of lung cancer in 1965 when Cole was 15years-old -had been everything to her, and that was more than evident in the turn her ever-evolving career would take; reuniting her voice with her father’s through the miracle of technology. Cole got her start in the music industry as an R&B singer. Her singing style was a marked departure from her father’s style. Where Nat was cool and refined, Natalie was warmer and soulful. The American music buying public went on to embrace Natalie Cole’s new sound and solo career. Ten years after the death of her famous
R&B Vocal Performance” for her upbeat, chart topper “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” Her career soared with four gold and two platinum records. Her first platinum album, “Unpredictable,” spawned another R&B hit and slow jam standard “I’ve Got Love on my Mind.” Her fourth album “Thankful,” which also went platinum, gave us the gift of another signature hit “Our Love.” Despite her musical legacy and birthright, despite her own undeniable, autonomous claim to success, Cole suffered setbacks and faced demons that threatened to dismantle everything her beautiful voice had built. Cole’s star dimmed in the 80s, much of it due to alcohol abuse and cocaine addiction. At the height of her troubles, her mother filed a petition for conservatorship to handle Cole’s affairs when she no longer could. After spending time in rehab, her career came back to life in the late 80s with a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink
Cadillac” and the soaring ballad “I Live for Your Love.” It was in 1991 that Cole would go on to achieve her greatest success with an album that was as much a nod to the past as it was an acknowledgment of the future of music and its capacity. Cole reunited with her father’s voice and paid tribute to him with new arrangements of songs once made famous by Nat “King” Cole on the album “Unforgettable...With Love.” The album, complete with a technologically assisted fatherdaughter duet of “Unforgettable” 25 years after his death, earned Cole six Grammys, including “Song of the Year,” “Record of the Year” and “Album of the Year.” The album sold 14 million copies worldwide. In 2008, Cole announced that she had been diagnosed with hepatitis C, a liver disease spread through blood, which she blamed on her past intravenous drug use. Her growing health concerns never stopped Cole from working and creating that beautiful music that attracted so many fans. But Cole was more than her voice and her many accomplishments in music, film and entertainment. In an interview with People magazine, Cole is said to have described herself as “a walking testimony [that] you can have scars...you can go through turbulent times and still have victory in your life.” Natalie Cole was a fighter, a model for redemption and legacy in her own right, whose influence and signature on America’s cultural landscape will remain unforgettable. Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, is president and CEO of the National Urban League.
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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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State of the Union Address Johnson on President Obama’s final State of the Union Address Washington, DC - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. “Tonight President Barack Obama laid out a vision for the future of our nation during his final state of the union address. I applaud the spirit of inclusion and hope that the President shared tonight. He knows the resilience and determination of the American people. He also touched on four big questions our country faces as we seek to elect a new president. One of the biggest questions he asked was: how do we reignite that spirit of innovation? I applaud the President for keeping science, technology, and innovation at the forefront of his discussion. The President highlighted some of the great accomplishments this country has made in space exploration, scientific innovation, and medical research. As the ranking member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I have always been a
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
more jobs for Americans in this sector. He called for us to accelerate the transition from traditional fossil fuels to clean energy that will not only satisfy our growing energy needs, but also fight man-made climate change in the process.
strong supporter and champion for innovation. I feel that it is one of the keys to America’s greatness and the President echoed that sentiment tonight during his speech. Coming from the state of the Texas, where we are leaders in energy, including renewable energy technology, I applaud this President and his administration’s commitment to pushing climate change to the front of international dialogue. He sees this as an opportunity to push for new technology, more renewable clean energy sources, and ultimately
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
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’: Cracking is up! Quit Playin’
By Vincent L. Hall
Vincent L. Hall is an author and award-winning columnist.
The Crackerocracy feel that they are being “put upon” because they can’t openly call out “Faggots”, “Wetbacks,” or “Towel Heads.” They feel it an infringement that women demand to be treated as equals and not just gals, dames or broads. The Crackerocracy doesn’t feel the need to adjust their first amendment rights for the sake of cultural preferences or perceived respect. They don’t feel the need to acquiesce unless or until of course, they want to be enriched or be elected by minorities, women and the LGBT classes. According to the Portland (Maine) Press Herald; “Gov. Paul LePage responded Friday to the firestorm that erupted after he said drug dealers coming to Maine were impregnating young white girls,
“These are guys with the name D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty – these types of guys – they come from Connecticut and New York, they come up here, they sell their heroin, they go back home,” LePage (the Governor of Maine) told a large crowd. “Incidentally, half the time they impregnate a young white girl before they leave, which is a real sad thing because then we have another issue we have to deal with down the road.” This statement epitomizes what Dr. Michael Eric Dyson would call “Crackerism or the “Crackerocracy. Don’t get it twisted; when you hear the Far Right and Conservatives bemoaning “Political Correctness” on Fox News, this is what they’re talking about. They hate being forced to render racism by code rather than rationing it in simple GOVS. LEPAGE AND CHRISTIE terms like they could back in the day. These are the same hard-line White folks and admitting to making “one slip” in the comment Uncle Ben Carson types who long for the trumpeted before going on to blame the media for implying that the remark was racist. Trumpian vision of “Making America Great Again.” The governor apologized to women in Maine They want those days of yesteryear when you during a 25-minute news conference, saying his could call a spade a spade and ignore the fact that you made “Spade” a pejorative against a whole race statement wasn’t intended to single out race or a particular group of women. of people.
He said that he isn’t “smart enough” to deliberately tap old racial tensions about black men and white women and blamed the media for making that connection in its coverage of his remark, which continued to ricochet across the national media landscape.” Here’s another ploy of the Crackerocracy…Act dumb. In the movie “Ray”, Ray Charles called it playing “Country dumb,” which effectively meant to act like you don’t know in order to co-opt those who think they do know. The State of Maine is 1.1% Black and LePage is not new to this game. He has left a plethora of unpopular and politically incorrect pop-offs in his wake. GOP presidential candidate, Chris Christie admitted as much as he pledged his continued support of LePage. “Tell them to kiss my butt,” LePage said with a large smile, according to video by WCSH6. Dan Demeritt, LePage’s spokesman, had said the Republican governor was unable to attend a 2011 NAACP dinner honoring Dr. King in Portland on Sunday because of personal commitments and a NAACP breakfast in Orono on Monday because he plans to attend the funeral for a former state trooper. But leaders of the NAACP pointed out in news reports published Friday that LePage had declined numerous invitations from the organization. “They’re a special interest, end of story, and I’m not going to be held hostage by a special interest,” LePage said.” Whether from Maine, Manhattan or Montgomery, plain spoken racism is becoming more and more invaluable to the Crackerocracy. Cracking is definitely on the upswing.
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I MESSENGER Reel-ality TV Talk By Marquesa LaDawn - George Curry Media Columnist
10 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 past year, it grew worse. She 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
JANUARY 15, 2016 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-so-great 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. 6-Imagine going to the Emmy’s and hosting on the Red Carpet as Real Housewives Of Atlanta’s Porsha Williams did: After becoming a Real Housewife in Atlanta less than five years ago and getting divorced within two years, Porsha deserves happiness. The stepford wife-turned-sassy single serves up gossip every day on TV via Dish Nation as a co-host. She’s made enough of an impact to get an assignment that includes interviewing celebrities as they arrive for the Emmy’s for Dish Nation. Her Oscar De La Renta gown was beautiful and she loved every minute. Only one problem I could see: giving her pregnant sister a hard time for, well, being pregnant. She says depends on her sister for everything and now the idea of replacing her is overwhelming. I get that, since I have my own business. But it would serve her best to accept her sister’s new reality and get more support - the baby is coming. On another note, Porsha finally made up with Kandi after a lot of back and forth with other people. Porsha made a good point about being sensitive to Phaedra’s situation because of her own. They both have or had challenging marriages. I also think Porsha learned to think twice before picking a side. 7- It all starts with daddy issues, even for Real Housewives of Atlanta’s (RHOA) Kenya Moore: I’m understanding Kenya better every season. She clearly has a lot of pain and takes it out on, well, everyone in her path. We finally met Kenya’s father and learned there has been no relationship for years. Kenya ran away from home at 16 and never returned. Her father explained how
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much pain that caused him and Kenya explained her choices at the time. The episode ended with Kenya and her father starting a new chapter and a renewed father and daughter relationship. I don’t know, but we could soon see a new and improved Kenya Moore. 8- Make a decision because being wishy-washy never helps: Cynthia Bailey of RHOA seems to be healing from the heartbreak caused by her husband’s choices, but it’s a work in progress. Based on her recent appearance on “WWHL with Andy Cohen,” she’s committed to her marriage, no matter how flawed. I want her to be happy while experiencing life on her terms, so yeah Cynthia. But I want her to make choices in a more decisive manner. On a recent episode, she mentioned doing a production around her eyewear, and hired both Kim Fields and Kenya Moore to do the same job. Really? This is such an awkward position for Kim, since she’s clearly more established than Kenya. But, let’s be honest, Cynthia did it this way to avoid drama and passive communication. I cannot wait to see how this turns out. 9- Business is business: Oh my goodness, why is Phaedra Parks (RHOA) so hypocritical? I’ve always admired the businesswoman in her, the drive. But she seems to set standards for herself that are different for others. Todd, Kandi’s husband, is an accomplished producer, yet Phaedra does not seem to respect him. She expects Todd to forget about money that she owes him. I loved that Todd pulled out the paperwork and terms to augment his argument. For some reason, Phaedra is still in denial. I do have sympathy for her situation. In the same breath, she took that risk when she married an ex-con. She never owns her stuff and blasts others for taking care of their business. Ugh, hopefully things will get better and she’ll become that professional I once respected. 10- The world does not revolve around you and your needs:I understand the culture in Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills is part entitlement, but really? Lisa Vanderpump is being the ultimate diva this season. She buys a special pony for her husband Ken’s 70th birthday. She then indirectly insults the newest Beverly Hills Housewife for marrying a man way older than her. Didn’t you do the same thing Lisa? On the most recent episode, she’s flown to the Hamptons to be honored for being a cover star of a magazine. Nice, right, and she invites her fellow housewives to join her. They arrive at the hotel a couple of days before Lisa and become extremely uncomfortable with the middle of the night hotel construction and lack of room service. Of course, the ladies are well connected and within hours they find a beautiful house to stay in for the duration. They leave a note for Lisa and she reads it and throws a fit. How could they leave? Blah, Blah, blah! Hours later, they see Lisa at the party and explain the discomfort of the hotel. Lisa, doesn’t care, she just wants to yell at them for not being there when she arrived. gain, diva on wheels. My final problem with Lisa is how insensitive she is to Kyle about her sister. I understand that Kyle’s sister, Kim, was a housewife and will be the subject of some of the conversation. In the same breath, that’s Kyle’s family and if she says the wrong thing, it causes her family drama. Lisa was an only child and refuses to understand the sisterly bond and challenges. Lesson, be careful about being a super diva, such a turnoff.
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I MESSENGER The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and Celebrating Our Heritage held a kickoff press conference for the upcoming Dallas Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March/ Tom Joyner Parade and Celebration set for Monday, January 18, 2016 at 10 am. The march/parade marks the first time Dallas will have only one march/parade observing the Dr. King birthday holiday celebration. Historically Dallas has had two march/parades in the city over the Dr. King celebration weekend -- one held for on Saturday organized by the City of Dallas Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and one held on Monday organized by Elite News publisher and former Negro Baseball leader Dr. William “Bill” Blair. Jr. , who died in 2014. This year, the two have consolidated to create one grand march/parade that will be held on the Dr. King holiday
Rev. Jamal Bryant
observance. The annual march/parade will brings together over 200,000 enthusiastic parade spectators and participants for the event and it is considered the largest African American family-oriented event held in North Texas and one of the top 10 largest
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Dr. King commemorative e ve n t s i n t h e United States. This year for the first time, the grand parade will be televised live on Tasha Smith and Lamman Rucker join journalist Cheryl Smith for an actor’s workshop. NBC 5 from 10 am to 11:30 am Proceeds from this year's march/parade will extending the reach into over 1.4 million benefit the Martin Luther King Jr. Community households throughout North Texas. Center and the City of Dallas William “Bill” Blair Jr. This year's grand march/parade will feature radio Park. legend and media guru Tom Joyner as the Corporate parade grand marshal. Other celebrities p a r tners set to appear include actress Tasha Smith include: (FOXs Empire, Oprah Winfrey Network’s Godsey For Better Or Worse), actor Lamman M a r t i n L aw Rucker (Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Fi r m , Co c a and Why Did I Get Married Too), Miss Black C o l a , We l l s USA Madison Gibbs, DJ Holiday of Atlanta, Fargo, Sabre, with special performances by African Fiesta Mart, diaspora stilt walkers The Brooklyn Eberstein Jumbies, Chicago's South Shore Drill Team Witherite Law and the Southern Methodist University Firm, Freedom Mustang Band. There will be over 150 Chevroletparade entries featuring marching bands, Dr. William “Bill”Blair B uick-GMC, floats, schools, community organizations, Founder of Elite News’ King Parade Reliant NRG, churches, elected officials, cars and much W illiams more. Chicken, People's Baptist Church, Following the march/parade a Huffines Chevrolet Lewisville, Celebration will be held at Fair Matthews Southwest, Auto City and Park featuring live Dallas County Schools. Media partners entertainment, health and include: NBC 5, Dallas Examiner, Dallas wellness resources, children's Weekly, Garland Journal, iMessenger, activities, college and career fair, North Dallas Gazette, Texas Metro job placement, fashion and hair News, Southern Dallas Magazine, Boom s h o w, a c to r ' s wo r k s h o p 94.5, 97.9 The Beat, KHVN-Heaven 97, moderated by veteran journalist KNON Radio, TheAfterPartyRadio.com Cheryl Smith with Tasha Smith and Service Broadcasting. and Lamman Rucker, car show, Madison Gibbs Rev. Jamal Bryant will keynote the King food, vendors and more. Admission is free. Banquet on Saturday night at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.
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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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2016 - a new year to get up Spiritually Speaking…. By James A. Washington
Every now and then, more now than then, I fall into the trap that lets me know my faith walk needs work. I do realize that I am in a constant state of effort and often come up short in what I believe should be a sincere attempt to “do it right.” At these times, I am more than a little frustrated because I can find numerous opportunities to be more Christian, as I am forced to acknowledge even more instances of un-Christian behavior. Everyday I can see things that I should have done with more compassion, people whom I should have engaged from a more Jesus like perspective and certainly thoughts that really have no business running through the mind of a so called practicing
child of God. If I think about this long enough, it can really become depressing. Flawed I am and flawed I will always be. One of the beautiful things about prayer, in this instance, is its unique ability to open one’s eyes to the wonderful nature of God’s eternal love for His children. Before Being Saved (B. S.), it really didn’t matter how I responded to my own insensitivity, cruelty or petty jealousies. My ego was still intact. I would survive, because if nothing else, I am a survivor. After being saved (A. S.), however, it really began to matter how I navigated this thing we call life. From that perspective, things like honesty, integrity, compassion, simple courtesy, truth and even the ‘f’ word, forgiveness, all, came into
play. Once you’ve been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, you cannot react to this world as you once did. Scripture is clear on this. When the day of the Lord comes, we have an obligation to meet it with what I trust will be enlightened behavior; behavior built upon the foundation of love and kindness. What I’m speaking about is not as far fetched as it sounds. Through prayer, it becomes obvious where individual improvement can be achieved. I can’t write the entire scripture but read Ephesians 4:17-5:21 and you’ll begin to see a hint of how you can and should live. The truth is God expects your best effort. He admires and loves your diligence in seeking His face. It’s sort of like following footprints in the snow and a huge snow storm develops. The footprints remain because they were placed there by Christ. Regardless of how
fierce the storm gets, our job is to stay the course. If you know this, then you can’t feel good about reckless behavior or an unforgiving spirit. The point is you know better. The truth is God knows that you know better. Prayer keeps and puts everything else then into divine focus. “You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24. I can do this. You can too. I have to at least try. The beauty in all this is even if I fail today, I can try again tomorrow and so can you. . You see it’s still all about the grace of the Lord. His blessings be upon you. Find peace in this fact of faith. May God bless and keep you always.
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I MESSENGER Nova Academy launches webbased radio show Streaming live over the Internet, Nova Academy Prichard will now broadcast student-produced content. On January 20, 2016 at 8:00 am students will “flip the switch,” and air their inaugural broadcast at the Nova Prichard Campus. The station, led by 8th grade students, offers music and other programming geared to entertain and inform the DFW community. Nova Academy Radio is a weekly web-based radio show by, for, and about teens. The eighth graders will discuss their challenges and choices concerning relationships, school, alcohol, drugs, family life, media and much more. Today, Nova Academy is home to three campuses, educating more than 900 students school-wide under the leadership of CEO Donna HoustonWoods. “Our ambitions are not
limited to the scholastic alone; it is our mission to educate the whole child,” said Houston-Woods, adding that the schools provide the students with the tools necessary to be successful in and out of the classroom. MISSION STATEMENT-Educating all students in a Multi-Cultural environment where parents and the community will serve as partners in achieving academic excellence of the students. Vision- Nova Academy shall cultivate innovation in learning to achieve a world-class education system for every student. We hold ourselves accountable to engage the community to make students effective problem solvers and productive citizens. Listeners may tune in to Nova Academy Radio at w w w.blogtalkradio.com/ NovaAcademy Regular Days and times of the show: 8th grade section 8B Tuesday- 8:00 8:50 AM 8th grade section 8C Wednesday9:00 – 9:50 AM 8th grade section 8A Thursday- 11:00 – 11:50 AM
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Oh snap! He’s my BFF’s ex Dear Alma: I’m so embarrassed. I feel just terrible. My cousin who still lives in the old neighborhood where we grew up asked me to help out with a wedding. She needed some extra hands at the reception. It was no biggie, I had done it before, Ask Alma so I said ok and By Alma Gill didn’t really via George Curry Media think twice about it. We’re close in age but went to two different high schools. So when I asked about the bride, she told me her name but it didn’t ring a bell. My instructions were to show up at the wedding and reception ready to work. And that’s what I did. Low and behold I was completely shocked when I saw the groom. He was my high school best friend’s husband. OMG, I had no idea! I heard that they’d had an awful breakup because he was having an affair, but that’s all I knew. I didn’t even know they were divorced. Anyway, there I was, stuck, assisting the event planner with a wedding that if I had had any idea who the groom was, I would not have been there. Honestly, I hadn’t talked to this old friend in a long, long time. I left and went away to college and just lost touch. But I feel terrible. I’m sure she heard I was at the wedding and I hate that she probably thinks that I’m totally ok with him having an affair and then marrying the woman, but I’m not. I mean, whatever happened is none of my business, but more than that, I surely wouldn’t have been a part of it had I know it was her ex-husband. What can I do to make it right with my friend? Wedding Regretter
Dear W.R. Drive to her house Mz. Minnie Mouse, early, on a Sunday morning. People seem more relaxed early on Sunday morning. Take two cups of coffee, a homemade lemon glazed pound cake and a large piece of your heart. Tell her, straight up, “I had no idea she was marrying your husband.” Explain how you were asked to be an extra hand at the reception, which turned into assisting with the wedding as well. Let her see your honesty. I can tell this is very important to you, otherwise you wouldn’t care how she was feeling. Fall on the knife, girl, and ask her to pull it out. You can put a bandage on yourself later. Accept whatever she throws at you. You deserve it. You wanna know why? Let me put it like this: If I offered you $100,000 to jump out of a plane without a parachute, would you do it? I bet you said no. Just wait, you didn’t let me finish. What if I told you, the plane was on the ground? Mmhmm!! Life Lesson: Know all the facts before you make up your mind. You committed to this wedding before you had all the facts – really before you had any facts. When this happens, trust me, you open yourself up to making all kinds of mistakes. I applaud you for longing to apologize for this unexpected, unanticipated crash and burn. After your apology over cake and coffee, give her a hug and say goodbye. Leave the leftover cake, don’t make this visit long and drawn out. If you want to rekindle your friendship, devote attention to that another time. I respect you for finding it necessary to stand up and do what you feel is the right thing. Making amends when you’ve been imperfect. You’re my kind of woman, you’ve got a good heart. I hope you can carve out some time for her. I suspect, right about now, she could use some belly laughs with a really good friend who knew her when. Alma
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I MESSENGER White House Initiative on HBCUs presents webinar Webinar, January 21st from 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. EST
The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHIHBCU) will be hosting a series of webinars to educate Historically Black Colleges and Universities on the grants and opportunities available to them throughout the federal government. The WHIHBCU will co-host a webinar with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on January 21, 2016 from 1:30PM-3:30PM EST. T his webinar will feature a presentation by Departmental p r o g r a m s f o r b o t h Ru r a l Development and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the Department of Agriculture highlighting their funding opportunities for HBCUs. Faculty and administrators from the HBCU community are invited to view the webinar live and ask questions. Webinar registration information is forthcoming! Date: Thursday, January 21st Time: 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM Please distribute this information to your networks. We look forward to the webinar! WHIHBCU Staff
JANUARY 15, 2016
David Bowie David Robert Jones was born in Brixton on January 8, 1947. At age 13, inspired by the jazz of the London West End, he picked up the saxophone and called up Ronnie Ross for lessons. Early bands he played with – The Kon-Rads, The King Bees, the Mannish Boys and the Lower Third –provided him with an introduction into the showy world of pop and mod, and by 1966 he was David Bowie, with long hair and aspirations of stardom rustling about his head. Kenneth Pitt signed on as his manager, and his career began with a handful of mostly forgotten singles but a head full of ideas. It was not until 1969 that the splash onto the charts would begin, with the legendary Space Oddity (which peaked at
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No. 5 in the UK). Amidst his musical wanderings in the late 60s, he experimented with mixed media, cinema, mime, Tibetan Buddhism, acting and love. The album, originally titled David Bowie then subsequently Man of Words, Man of Music, pays homage to all the influences of the London artistic scene. It shows the early song-writing talent that was yet to yield some of rock-n-roll’s finest work, even if it would take the rest of the world a few years to catch up with him. David was voted as the biggest music star of the 20th century, beating Mick Jagger and Noel Gallagher, by readers of The Sun newspaper. In the same month David was voted the sixth Greatest Star of The Century by Q Magazine and its readers. In this poll David was the third highest-ranking star who is still alive. He died on January 10, 2016 and according to reports he was to be cremated and a private ceremony held.
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Black Head Coaches By George E. Curry This season’s national college football championship has been decided, but no one knows how much longer we must continue to wait until the head coaching ranks are no longer largely reserved for White males, even those who have been failures at other schools. Although Blacks were 53.4 percent of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players going into the 2015-16 football season, only 13 (10.2 percent) of the head coaches were African Americans, according to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of South Florida. To make matters worse, Black and White coaches with similar records often face starkly different futures. Writing in the Washington Post, Donald H. Yee wrote, “Last week, one of the few black head football coaches in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision, Ruffin McNeill at East Carolina University, was fired. His record was 42-34, along with a 30-18 conference record. The winning percentages, respectively, are 55 percent and 63 percent. “Around the same time, college football writers were praising the University of Iowa for its patience with head coach Kirk Ferentz, who is being lauded for his performance this year. Ferentz has an overall winning percentage of 60 percent, and a conference winning percentage of 56 percent. Ferentz is in his 17th season at Iowa. Before this current 12-1 season, his overall winning percentage was 58 percent - comparable to McNeill’s.
JANUARY 15, 2016 “Iowa, however, had to endure seasons where Ferentz won one, three and four games. McNeill never won fewer than five. As any knowledgeable college football fan knows, East Carolina’s budget is not even half of Iowa’s. McNeill’s salary at East Carolina wasn’t even within the top 60 in the country, while Ferentz has perennially been one of college football’s highest paid coaches. “McNeill, clearly, was not treated with the same patience Iowa showed Ferentz.” Bowling Green State University announced that it has hired Mike Jinks, an associate head coach at Texas Tech University, as its new head coach. With McNeill’s firing and the hiring of Jinks, there are now 10 Black head coaches among the 128 coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision - less than 8 percent. The 10 Black coaches are: James Franklin, Penn State; Darrell Hazell, Purdue; Curtis Johnson, Tulane; Mike London, Virginia; Derek Mason, Vanderbilt; Trent Miles, Georgia State; David Shaw, Stanford ; Charlie Strong, Texas; Kevin Sumlin and Willie Taggert, South Florida. Many Black coaches labor for years as assistants before getting a chance at the top job. However, many White coaches who fall from grace quickly get second and third chances. For example, Mike Price was fired for visiting a strip club before he could assume the job as head football coach at the University of Alabama. Still, he was able to land a job as head coach at the University of Texas-El Paso. After it was discovered that George O’Leary lied on his resume at Notre Dame, he was hired as head coach at the University of Central Florida. And Larry Eustachy’s problems at Iowa State included acknowledging that he was “a recovering alcoholic,” but that didn’t prevent him from getting the top job at Southern Mississippi. Some Black coaches have been spectacular yet remain underrated. David Shaw, whose Stanford team trounced Iowa in this year’s Rose Bowl 45-16, is a perfect example.
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Under Shaw, no Pac-12 program had more players drafted in the past four years, including Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft. S t a n f o r d ’s w e b s i t e c a t a l o g u e s t h e university’s recent success: “...three Pac-12 football championships in four years, five BCS/New Year’s Six bowls in a six-year span, all combined with an NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 99 percent, leading all major-college football programs.” Black coaches in the NFL are often underappreciated. If there were any questions about the skills of Black coaches, they should have been permanently put to rest in 2007 when the Indianapolis Colts, under Tony Dungy, squared off against Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. It was the first time two African American coaches met on football’s ultimate stage. To its credit, the NFL established the Rooney Rule in 2003 that requires each NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for each head coaching vacancy. In 2009, the requirement was expanded to include interviews for general managers and similar positions. Unfortunately, universities don’t have a similar requirement. But the problem extends beyond the sidelines, which might explain why it’s so difficult for Black coaches to get a fair shake. As Richard Lapchick, director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, s a i d , “ T h i s y e a r ’s i n c r e a s e i s s o discouraging. At a time when almost all colleges and universities say they emphasize diversity and inclusion as core values, the fact is that in the 2015-16 report, 89.8 percent of our presidents were white, 86.7 percent of our athletics directors were white, and 100 percent of our conference commissioners were white. In those positions, 78.9, 79.7, and 90 percent were white men, respectively. Overall, whites held 342 (88.8 percent) of the 385 campus leadership positions reported in this study, which was an increase from 88.2 percent in 2014. Whose America do these statistics reflect?”
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January 15
JANUARY 15, 2016 permanent exhibit, and the Pathway to Freedom Exhibition. For more information about the Open House on January 15, 2016, please contact: Emma Rodgers at: esrodgers1@gmail.com; or Nancy George in reference to the SMU presentation at : ngeorge@mail.smu.edu ###### Friday and Saturday Comedy at the Muse Theater at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters, featuring Damon Williams at 9p.m.
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 ********** HAPPY FOUNDERS DAY Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Dallas Civil Rights Museum (DCRM) will host an Open House as part of the MLK Jr. Community Center’s 34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration. The highlight of the Open House will be a presentation by Southern Methodist University (SMU) of the March 17, 1966, transcript of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech at SMU. SMU graduate Charles Cox, who met Dr. King at Love Field in 1966, SMU’s Black Student Association leaders and Student Senate leaders will make the presentation. The Dallas Civil Rights Museum - Open House Friday, January 15, 2016 — 4:00 PM 9:00 PM SMU Presentation 4:30 PM 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Building A Dallas, TX 75215 Following the SMU presentation, guided tours will be conducted of the
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 Garland Civic Theatre presents the hardboiled 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. Balch Springs Chamber of Commerce 1st Network Luncheon for 2016
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Guest Speaker Leslie Hassler of Your Biz Rules Topic: "Five Rules of Growth: What You Need to Know to Build Your Business Quickly & Profitably" Time: 11:30 AM In her talk, "The Five Rules of Growth: What You Need to Know to Build Your Business Quickly and Profitably," Leslie will teach your members: How use seven figures to generate a sixfigure income Why they must learn to delegate and leverage - even if they're a one-person company How to maintain a healthy balance between growing a business and having a life
January 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
January 23 and 24 The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 32nd annual 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
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I MESSENGER entertaining, educational, and diverse line-up of new and classic films for both children and adults.
January 25 The H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery at El Centro College presents: Trans.lation Vickery Meadow January 25 – February 17, 2016 H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery Reception: Thursday, January 28 from 3-5 p.m. Workshop: Wednesday, February 10 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
JANUARY 15, 2016 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
Dallas Theater Center Presents Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Directed by Joel Ferrell
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February 13 AMOUD FOUNDATION ANNUAL FUNDRAISER at 6:30 PM
February 14 January 30 Nontombi Naomi Tutu the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, will speak at 1:00PM at The Black Academy of Arts & Letters (TBAAL) 1309 Canton Street Dallas, Texas 75202 (Corner of Canton & Akard St). John McCaa WFAA-TV News Anchor will act as Master of Ceremonies.
January 27
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Tickets $10 call 214-743-2400
February 3 DBCC Power Lunch! Bill J Priest Institute 1402 Corinth Street Dallas 75215 1-3pm February 3, 2016 Understanding Government Contracting
February 10 Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, running February 10th - March 6th. All evening performance for this show will start at 7:30 at the Undermain Theatre
12th Annual Dallas Blues Festival featuring Latimore, Sir Charles Jones, Theodis Ealey, TK Soul, Shirley Brown, Cupid, Bobby Rush Sun, Feb 14, 2016 - 6:00PM Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie 1001 Performance Place Grand Prairie, TX 75050
February 17 DBCC Power Lunch! Bill J Priest Institute 1402 Corinth Street Dallas 75215 1-3pm February 17, 2016 Understanding the RFP &RFB Process
February 20 UNCF Masked Ball at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Call 972-234-1007 for tickets.
February 26 New Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church will host its 11th Annual Raymond B. Spencer Scholarship banquet on February 26th 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at the Fort Worth Hilton
"Our people have made the mistake of confusing the methods with the objectives. As long as we agree on objectives, we should never fall out with each other just because we believe in different methods, or tactics, or strategy. We have to keep in mind at all times that we are not fighting for separation. We are fighting for recognition as free humans in this society." MALCOLM X I Messenger 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 220, Dallas, TX 75203 | 214-941-0110 | www.myimessenger.com
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JANUARY 15, 2016
(DALLAS) — The H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery at El Centro College presents: Trans.lation Vickery Meadow January 25 – February 17, 2016 H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery Reception: Thursday, January 28 from 3-5 p.m. Workshop: Wednesday, February 10 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery at El Centro College announces its first exhibit for the spring semester 2016, Trans.lation Vickery Meadow, a group show featuring artwork, documentation, video, and workshops from the collective art community located in the Vickery Meadow neighborhood of Dallas. The Trans.lation Vickery Meadow community is a socially engaged artwork originally commissioned by the Nasher Sculpture Center as part of Nasher XChange in 2013. Conceived as a series of pop-up markets by Project Row Houses Founding Director Rick Lowe, Trans.lation is currently established as a collective of local artisans and artists working out of a storefront in Vickery Meadow. Located just east of the intersection of Park Lane and 75 (Central Expressway), Vickery Meadow is an intentional refugee resettlement area home to 30 different languages and residents from Southeast Asia, Middle East, and North Africa, as well as a large African American and Latino community. Trans.lation is a catalyst for highlighting the value cultural diversity adds to Vickery Meadow’s identity; furthermore, it seeks to place that identity at the center of conversation about the neighborhood’s future development by empowering residents through leadership development, workshops and trainings, cultural events, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Participating artists include: Afrah Alakhali, Ana Alvarez, Sahra Mohammed, Viviana Rios, Cynthia Saathoff, Alexandra Tomala, Vickery Meadow Junior Youth Group, Zine-X and additional students and participants in Trans.lation initiatives. A reception and gallery talk will take place on Thursday, January 28 from 3-5 p.m., and the work will be on view through February 17. In addition, a workshop that is open to the public will take place on Wednesday, February 10 from 11 a.m. - 1 pm. For more information, please contact gallery director Randall Garrett at 214-860-2115 or rgarrett@dcccd.edu, or Trans.lation Vi c k e r y M e a d ow P ro j e c t M a n a g e r C a ro l Z o u at carl.twombly@gmail.com. Gallery hours are Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visit the website at www.elcentrocollege.edu/artgallery.
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Fine Art Gallery at El Centro College presents: Trans.lation Vickery Meadow
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